Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Method for manufacturing a sole assembly and for manufacturing a shoe
The present invention is related to a method for manufacturing a breathable
sole assembly
and a method for manufacturing a breathable shoe.
It is known in the art to equip shoes with breathable soles. An example of
such a breath-
able sole is known from EP 1 033 924 B1. Therein, a safety shoe is described,
whose out-
io sole comprises horizontal air vents at the sides of the sole for
ventilation. The shoe is also
provided with a honeycomb structure lying within the outsole and a perforated
insole, such
that water vapour is discharged from the inside of the shoe through these
vapour perme-
able layers and the horizontal air vents to the outside atmosphere. The
honeycomb may be
made of an air-permeable material such as a fibre structure. Alternatively,
the honeycomb
may be made of a mouldable material such as polyurethane (PU) into which a set
of canals
has been formed. If the shoe is not worn in totally dry conditions, such as a
paper mill,
then a waterproof breathable membrane may be provided below the insole.
EP 1 033 924 B1 also discloses a method for manufacturing a sole assembly and
a shoe.
To manufacture the shoe the honeycomb is attached to the insole of the upper
structure or
assembly which is lasted. An injection mould is provided with pins on both
sides extend-
ing parallel to the plane of the sole member. The last closes the mould from
above. Then
sole material is injected into the mould forming a sole with horizontal air
vents and at the
same time attaching it to the upper structure or assembly. In case the
honeycomb has a duct
structure and is surrounded by an intact edge, the pins penetrate through the
edge of the
honeycomb forming canals or openings between the air vents and the duct
structure. If no
intact edge exists then the pins extend into close contact with the sides of
the honeycomb
to form air vents between the honeycomb and the outside atmosphere.
Alternatively, a sole structure or assembly is manufactured separately by
inserting a body
the size of the honeycomb into the mould to form a cavity for the honeycomb
and injecting
the sole material. The honeycomb is then fitted into the cavity and the sole
structure or
assembly together with the honeycomb is attached to the insole of the upper
structure or
assembly preferably by gluing.
Particularly with a honeycomb which has a duct or channel structure, the pins
of the mould
need to be aligned and correspond very precisely with this duct or channel
structure to en-
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sure that the canals or openings are in the right place and to achieve a
smooth transition
from the ducts or channels to the air vents. In case of the use of a membrane
in the shoe the
pins must furthermore be placed such that they will not damage the delicate
membrane,
which makes alignment even more difficult.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method for manufacturing a sole
assembly and
a method for manufacturing a shoe which are suitable for manufacturing the
sole assembly
and shoe, respectively, for a wide variety of usage scenarios overcoming the
disadvantages
of the prior art solution.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for
manufacturing a
sole assembly according to the features of claim 1 and a method for
manufacturing a shoe
according to the features of claim 2.
In particular, in an aspect of the invention there is provided a method for
manufacturing a
sole assembly, comprising the steps of providing a ventilating sole element
having a struc-
ture or material allowing for air flow through it, placing the ventilating
sole element in a
mould, said mould having pins projecting in a lateral direction, closing the
mould such that
the pins contact a side wall of the ventilating sole element, and injection
moulding so as to
form a surrounding sole element being fixed to the ventilating sole element,
said surround-
ing sole element comprising lateral passages from the outside of the
surrounding sole ele-
ment to the side wall of the ventilating sole element formed by the pins, and
after injection
moulding, connecting the lateral passages of the surrounding sole element to
the structure
or material allowing for air flow through it of the ventilating sole element.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for
manufacturing a shoe,
comprising the steps of providing an upper assembly with an upper portion
comprising an
outer material and with a water vapour permeable bottom portion, providing a
ventilating
sole element having a structure or material allowing for air flow through it,
placing the
ventilating sole element in a mould, said mould having pins projecting in a
lateral direc-
tion, positioning the ventilating sole element and the upper assembly such
that an upper
part of the ventilating sole element contacts the bottom portion of the upper
assembly,
closing the mould such that the pins contact a side wall of the ventilating
sole element, and
injection moulding so as to form a surrounding sole element being fixed to the
upper as-
sembly and to the ventilating sole element, said surrounding sole element
comprising lat-
eral passages from the outside of the surrounding sole element to the side
wall of the venti-
lating sole element formed by the pins, and after injection moulding,
connecting the lateral
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passages of the surrounding sole element to the structure or material allowing
for air flow
through it of the ventilating sole element.
According to the invention, a method for manufacturing a sole assembly and a
method for
manufacturing a shoe are provided which are suitable for manufacturing the
sole assembly
and shoe, respectively, for a wide variety of usage scenarios. The different
components
such as upper assembly, ventilating sole element, surrounding sole element,
outsole, etc.,
may be manufactured for a wide variety of usage scenarios in a way that they
fulfil the par-
ticular demands. The interconnection between the structure or material
allowing for air
o flow through it of the ventilating sole element and the lateral passages in
the surrounding
sole element is made in a manufacturing step in which openings or apertures
are made in
side wall of the ventilating sole element through the lateral passages to
interconnect the
structure or material of the ventilating sole element with the lateral
passages. In other
words the lateral passages in the surrounding sole element are formed at the
time of form-
ing the surrounding sole element. The openings or apertures are made in later
step, at a
time in which the passages already exist. In this way, air and water vapour
may effectively
be transferred out of the shoe via the ventilating sole element and the
lateral passages. The
open parts of the structure or material of the ventilating sole element and
the lateral pas-
sages in the surrounding sole element formed by the pins are interconnected by
making
apertures or openings in the ventilating sole element through the lateral
passages, which
have already been formed previously. In that way there is a reliable path for
air to commu-
nicate between the structure or material and an outside of the surrounding
sole element
regardless of the exact position of the moulding pins.
The method is beneficial since it is not necessary that the pins of the mould
are exactly
aligned with any channels or open parts in the structure or material of the
ventilating sole
element prior to injection moulding. Further, no injected material can enter
into the chan-
nels or open part of the structure or material of the ventilating sole
element. According to
the invention, the pins for forming the lateral passages can have any
geometric shape. They
do not need to correspond exactly to the position or shape or size of the
channels or open
parts of the ventilating sole element.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the lateral passages of the
surrounding sole
element are connected to the structure or material of the ventilating sole
element by drill-
ing, puncturing or lasering into a portion of the side wall of the ventilating
sole element or
otherwise removing some of the material of the side wall, through the lateral
passages of
the surrounding sole element.
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According to an embodiment of the invention, the upper assembly comprises a
breathable
outer material and a waterproof, breathable functional layer arrangement
extending over
said upper portion and said bottom portion. For example, according to a
further embodi-
ment, a side end area of a bottom functional layer of said functional layer
arrangement and
a lower end area of an upper functional layer of said functional layer
arrangement are con-
nected to one another with a waterproof seal being provided at the connection.
In this way,
a shoe may be provided which allows for an excellent protection against water
entering the
inner part of the shoe containing the foot, while ensuring high breathability
through the
upper as well as the sole of the shoe. The waterproof upper assembly,
comprising the func-
tional layer arrangement, e.g. in the form of a bootie or a three dimensional
sock or in the
form of the upper functional layer and the bottom functional layer, whose
connection is
sealed in a waterproof manner, ensures that no water enters the shoe from the
outside, such
that the wearer will not get wet feet in any wet conditions, e.g. rainy, muddy
or snowy en-
vironments. The functional layer arrangement extends over substantial parts of
the upper
portion and the bottom portion of the upper assembly, particularly it extends
over substan-
tially the entire inner extension of the upper assembly. In this way, the
upper assembly
forms a waterproof bag around the wearer's foot, which allows for a 3600 water
protection
for the wearer's foot, i.e. it completely surrounds the wearer's foot (with
the exception of
the shoe opening for receiving the wearer's foot, of course). The functional
layer arrange-
ment may be arranged towards the inner space of the upper assembly, in
particular it may
form at least substantial parts of the inner surface of the upper assembly.
For example, the
functional layer arrangement may be comprised of one or more functional layer
pieces or
of one or more functional layer laminate pieces. These pieces may be sealed
with respect
to each other in any suitable way, e.g. via the application of sealing tapes,
via injection-
moulding of sealing material, via welding them together, via heating the
pieces in an over-
lap region and pressing them with sufficient force against each other that a
waterproof seal
is formed, etc..
The functional layer arrangement, particularly, the waterproof, breathable
upper functional
layer laminate ensures that no water enters the shoe from the outside through
the outer ma-
terial. At the same time, it is ensured that the upper portion is breathable
and therefore
helps in transporting water vapour from the inside of the shoe to the outside.
Water vapour
can be effectively transferred out of the shoe both via the upper portion of
the upper as-
sembly as well as the bottom portion of the upper assembly, the structure or
material of the
ventilating sole element and the lateral passage. Accordingly, a high level of
water vapour
discharge is achieved, particularly because air flow can take place in the
lateral passage
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and the ventilating sole element in a static environment, e.g. when sitting or
standing. This
flow may be enhanced by the movement of the shoe when the wearer is walking or
run-
ning. Two favourable effects take place during a walking or running motion,
each of which
is predominantly associated with one of the two phases of the gait cycle,
namely the actual
stance phase and the shoe swinging phase in between the actual steps. During
the shoe
swinging phase, an air flow in and out of the ventilating sole element through
the at least
one lateral passage is generated, with the lateral passages being very
suitable to develop
such air flow therein. This is particularly the case, because the outside end
of the lateral
passage is in air connection with the environment during all phases of the
walking motion,
allowing for water vapour discharge along with the air discharge at all times.
The bending
of the shoe sole during the walking or running motion and additionally the
application of
the wearer's weight on the ventilating sole element during the stance phase
also forces air
flow within the ventilating sole element and the at least one lateral passage.
The air pushed
out of the ventilating sole element takes water vapour from the inside of the
shoe with it.
The ambient air coming back into the ventilating sole element can then be
recharged with
water vapour.
Any water, dirt, soil etc., that may enter through the passages will be
discharged through
those passages over time by gravity and movement of the shoe. Therefore, there
will be no
build-up of these undesirable materials over time. The functional layer lying
above the
ventilating sole element will therefore also not be affected e.g. by such dirt
particles.
The term breathable material refers to materials that are water vapour
permeable. They
may also be air permeable. In a particular embodiment, the functional layer
arrangement,
26 in particular the upper functional layer laminate and the bottom
functional layer laminate
are waterproof and breathable, but not air permeable. The term breathable shoe
refers to a
shoe through which water vapour in the form of sweat may pass from the inside
of the
shoe to the outside.
The term ventilating sole element is not intended to imply that the
ventilating sole element
comprises an active, self-propelled mechanism for ventilating the sole.
Instead, the struc-
ture of the ventilating sole element allows for an airing or ventilating of
the ventilating
sole element in a static environment and also particularly due to the wearer's
motion during
use of the shoe. Accordingly, the ventilating sole element may also be
referred to as venti-
lated sole element or ventilation sole element. It is explicitly pointed out,
however, that the
invention does not rule out that an active mechanism, such as a self-propelled
pump or the
like, is present in addition to the particular inventive structure.
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A shoe according to the invention always features a sole or sole assembly
which comprises
at least the ventilating sole element and a surrounding sole element, but may
also comprise
further elements such as a separate outsole. The bottom or lower surface of
the sole or sole
assembly may contain a tread, i.e. a profile or contour or pattern in a
vertical and/or
horizontal direction but does not have to. The sole or sole assembly may be
attached to the
upper assembly of the shoe in a number of ways, including but not limited to
moulding or
injection moulding the sole or parts of the sole assembly on to the upper
assembly and
gluing parts or all of the sole on to the upper assembly.
According to a further embodiment, the ventilating sole element comprises a
plurality of
openings.
According to a further embodiment, at least one opening connected to at least
one lateral
passage extends from the structure or material of the ventilating sole
element, allowing for
air flow through it, through a side wall of the ventilating sole element. The
at least one lat-
eral passage extends from the opening through said surrounding sole element,
said opening
and lateral passage allowing for communication of air between said structure
or material of
said ventilating sole element and an outside of said surrounding sole element.
Describing
the path the other way around, the passage passes from the outer lateral
surface of the sur-
rounding sole element through the surrounding sole element and the opening
passes
through the side wall of the ventilating sole element to the structure or
material of the ven-
tilating sole element allowing for air flow through it. The passage in the
surrounding sole
element forms the last piece in the water vapour discharge chain. The water
vapour, gener-
ated by the wearer's foot perspiration, reaches the lateral outside of the
sole of the shoe,
that is the ambient air, via the bottom functional layer laminate, the
ventilating sole ele-
ment and the at least one opening and lateral passage. A path for water vapour
to be dis-
charged effectively via airflow and gradient driven diffusive forces is
established.
The lateral passages may be placed anywhere in the surrounding sole element.
Particularly,
they may be situated in the back (heel region) of the surrounding sole element
and/or in the
front (toe area). This allows the air with the water vapour to be more easily
pushed through
the ventilating sole element and out of the lateral passages due to the
rolling motion of the
sole assembly during walking.
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According to a further embodiment, the surrounding sole element and
ventilating sole ele-
ment may comprise at least one lateral passage and opening connected thereto
extending
straight through the surrounding sole element and the ventilating sole element
from the
outside on one side to the outside of the other side. Such opening(s) may e.g.
be created by
using a laser or a drill to pass right through the ventilating sole element.
According to a further embodiment, the ventilating sole element does not
comprise vertical
passages extending through the ventilating sole element from the bottom side
thereof to an
upper side thereof. Not having vertical passages allows for a high flexibility
of the sole
design, particularly for the provision of stable, waterproof and non water
vapour perme-
able sole layers across the complete extension of the underside of the foot.
This may pro-
vide high comfort to the wearer, because the load bearing of the sole may be
distributed
over the whole area of the sole, such that less stiff materials may be used.
The sole may
feel more uniform and therefore more comfortable for the user than soles with
vertical
holes. An additional advantage is that a dirt/soil/mud/sand build-up on the
underside of the
sole does not compromise the water vapour discharge capability of the shoe.
The lateral
openings and passages ensure breathability of the shoe in a wide variety of
usage scenar-
ios, in particular also in highly adverse usage environments.
In a further embodiment however, the ventilating sole element comprises at
least one verti-
cal passage in addition to the at least one opening allowing for additional
air flow. This
also allows for additional drainage of liquids and/or dirt from the
ventilating sole element.
According to a further embodiment, said ventilating sole element has a channel
structure.
This channel structure forms said structure allowing for air flow through it,
which is pro-
vided in the ventilating sole element. Such a ventilating sole element
comprising a channel
structure provides for an effective collection and transport of air and
moisture resulting
from the water vapour being discharged via diffusion through the breathable
bottom por-
tion of the upper assembly which is positioned above the ventilating sole
element, when
the completed shoe comprising the ventilation sole element is worn.
According to a further embodiment, said ventilating sole element comprises a
side wall, a
channel structure is formed in the ventilating sole element, and said channel
structure
comprises a plurality of channels. These channels may be either transverse or
longitudinal
channels. At least some of the channels comprise air and moisture discharging
ports. At
least one of the channels is a peripheral channel, i.e. a channel that lies on
the periphery or
circumference of the ventilating sole element, but inside the side wall. This
peripheral
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channel intersects with a plurality of the other channels. The channels and
the side wall
form functional pillars. The ratio of the top surface area of the functional
pillars (Ap) to
the top surface area of the channels (Ac) of the channel structure is between
0.5 and 5Ø
The peripheral channel does not have to be closed or run along the entire
circumference of
the ventilating sole element. The first kind of functional pillars is
surrounded completely
by channels, e.g. by two transverse channels and the left and right portions
of a peripheral
channel or by two transverse channels, one longitudinal channel and one
peripheral chan-
nel or by two transverse channels and two longitudinal channels. The second
kind of func-
io tional pillars is formed by respective upper portions of the
ventilating sole element sur-
rounded by the inner end of the side wall and by the channel portions that are
located clos-
est to said inner end of the side wall. Such second kind of functional pillars
can for exam-
ple extend in longitudinal direction of the shoe between two adjacent
transverse channels
and in a transverse direction between the inner end of the side wall and the
adjacent por-
tion of the peripheral channel. The side wall extends between the outer
surface of the side
wall and an imaginary line drawn between those channel walls or channel ends
or channel
ports which are located closest to the outer surface of the side wall. The
side wall does not
have to be thick or load-bearing. It provides a boundary of the ventilating
sole element to
the outside of the sole.
The channel structure may be formed in the top or upper part of the
ventilating sole ele-
ment, i.e. starting at the upper surface facing towards the upper assembly and
extending
some way down into the ventilating sole element. The channel structure may
also be
formed throughout the ventilating sole element or in any other part thereof.
All or a subset of the air and moisture discharging ports are connected to the
outside of the
ventilating sole element by openings and lateral passages passing through the
side wall of
the ventilating sole element and through the surrounding sole element, such
that air can
pass from the channel structure of the ventilating sole element to the outside
of the shoe
and vice versa.
The functional pillars that are formed by the channel structure and the side
wall of the ven-
tilating sole element serve the first purpose of a good distribution of the
pressure as im-
posed on the ventilating sole element structure by the underside of the foot,
and the second
purpose of providing an efficient air and moisture collecting and transferring
channel
structure formed around the functional pillars to allow for good ventilation.
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Moreover, the ventilating sole element having a channel structure, as
described above, has
good flexing properties and is wear resistant. It can easily be manufactured,
particularly in
one moulding step, wherein the outer shape of the ventilating sole element
including the
channel structure in the ventilating sole element is formed by the moulds. The
ventilating
sole element can be cast, injected or vulcanized.
By the relationship of the top surface area of the pillars to the top surface
area of the chan-
nels being between 0.8 and 5.0 a good compromise between comfort, durability,
support-
ing and pressure distribution properties on the one hand and the ventilation
effect on the
other is attained.
The inventors have discovered that a particularly good compromise between
supporting
and pressure distribution properties, leading to a high degree of comfort for
a wearer, and
ventilation is attained when the top surface area formed by the pillars is
equal to or greater
than the top surface area defined by the channels. A particularly good
compromise is at-
tained when this ratio is between 1.0 and 3.0 and more particularly between
1.4 and 2.2.
This relationship can better be understood by having a look at the extremes:
From a com-
fort point of view no channels in the ventilating sole element at all are
desired. From a
ventilation point of view the open space in the ventilating sole element that
is created by
the channel structure, should be as large as possible.
On the other hand the width of the channels is not arbitrary. Channels which
are too nar-
row are not suitable, since they do not allow for enough collection and
transport of air and
moisture. Channels that are too wide do not feel comfortable because the
wearer will feel
the edges of the pillars. The wider the channels are, the more their edges
will imprint on
the above layers, in particularly the functional layer at the bottom.
Taking all these points into account, the inventors of the present application
have discov-
ered that the relationship as described above is particularly advantageous.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the functional pillars
have a minimum
upper edge length of 4 millimetres. All edges should be at least 4mm long,
both in the lon-
gitudinal and in the transverse direction.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, at least some of the
lateral ends of
said channels are formed as air and moisture discharging ports.
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The channels may follow the shape of the ventilating sole element. At least
the bottom sur-
face of the transverse channels may be substantially horizontal, when seen in
the main
direction of the transverse channels. In this case the channel depth varies
throughout the
ventilating sole element. In another embodiment the bottom surface of the
transverse
channels is inclined downwards towards the centre of the ventilating sole
element. The
channels may also be inclined downwards towards the outside of the ventilating
sole ele-
ment.
0 According to a further embodiment of the invention, the width of the
channels at the upper
side of the ventilating sole element lies between 2 and 5 millimetres,
particularly between
2 and 3.5 millimetres.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the channel structure has
a first por-
tion with a first channel width, and a second portion with a second channel
width. By pro-
viding such portions with different channel widths different flexing and
bending condi-
tions occurring in such portions can be matched.
In a further embodiment of the invention such portions having a different
channel width
can be positioned under a heel portion of the foot and/or a forefoot portion
of the foot, par-
ticularly a ball portion of the forefoot.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the channel width in such special
portions
can be smaller than the channel width in the other portions of the channel
structure.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the distances between
adjacent trans-
verse channels in the forefoot portion can be smaller than in the heel
portion, in order to
increase the effect of actively moving air and moisture to the outside. In the
forefoot por-
tion of the ventilating sole element the flexing that occurs is greater than
in the heel por-
tion. Furthermore, the foot produces more sweat in this region than e.g. in
the heel region.
By such flexing the cross section of the channel is reduced and widened again
which
forces the air out of such channels. By providing a higher transverse channel
density in the
forefoot portion, such active effects can be increased which leads to a
further improved
ventilation effect.
The shape of the channels can be of different kinds. According to a further
embodiment of
the invention, the channels comprise channel walls and a channel bottom,
wherein the dis-
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tance between the walls of a channel, when seen in the sectional view,
increases in an up-
wards direction. Such channel form provides for a good air and moisture
collecting and
transport function.
According to a further embodiment of the invention the channel bottom is
formed as a sub-
stantially horizontal plane. By the provision of this feature, the channels,
when seen in a
sectional view, have an essentially isosceles trapezoid shape and, more
particularly the
form of an isosceles trapezoid.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, oblique bottom transition
faces are
provided between the substantially horizontal channel bottom and the channel
walls.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the channel bottom has
a rounded,
concave form, giving the channels a U-like shape, when seen in a sectional
view.
The channels may be formed in a way that they do not have sharp corners and/or
edges,
such as corners or edges having acute angles. Due to the lack of 900 angles in
the embodi-
ments of the channel bottom, air and moisture cannot be trapped in any corners
where no
air/moisture movement can take place, as may be the case in rectangular shaped
channels.
None of the above described channel forms are prone to mechanical failure,
e.g. in the
form of breakage as is the case for example with a plane V-shaped channel.
Furthermore,
due to the width of the channel bottoms in comparison to a simple V-shape the
channels
can take up far more air and moisture.
Any sharp edges reduce airflow due to friction and turbulence created and
induce cracks
and failure of the sole. This is particularly the case at the intersections of
the channels. In a
preferred embodiment at least the vertical edges of the channels are rounded,
preferably
having a radius of between 0.25 and 5mm.
The horizontal edges of the channel/pillar tops may be rounded in a further
embodiment,
preferably having a radius between 0.5 and 5mm. This leads to less imprinting
on the lay-
ers in the shoe above the ventilating sole element and a more comfortable
feeling for the
wearer.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, one continuous peripheral
channel is
provided extending from a front portion to a rear portion of the ventilating
sole element.
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By such single continuous peripheral channel, a good collection and transport
of air and
moisture can be attained.
According to an alternative embodiment, at least two peripheral channels are
provided ex-
tending over different portions of the ventilating sole element. Such
peripheral channels
can intersect with each other or they can be formed separately from each
other. By the
provision of at least two peripheral channels, a good air and moisture
collecting and trans-
porting function can be attained as well.
o According to a further embodiment of the invention, the peripheral channel
runs in a zig-
zag line, seen from a front section to a rear section of the ventilating sole
element. By us-
ing such a zigzag shaped peripheral channel, a particularly efficient
transport of air and
moisture to the air and moisture discharging ports can be achieved.
The zigzag form of the peripheral channel can be such that the outer points of
such zigzag
peripheral channel intersect with those transverse channels the ends of which
are formed
as air and moisture discharging ports, at a position just inside of those air
and moisture
discharging ports.
The channel structure as a whole, that is the arrangement of the various
channels to each
other is such that in a preferred embodiment, the maximum length that a water
molecule
has to travel from the inside of the ventilating sole element to the nearest
air and moisture
discharging port is 60mm.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the air and moisture
discharging ports
have a greater depth, and in addition or instead they can be broadened as
compared to the
other channel portions. Thus, enough air and moisture can be received and
transported fur-
ther outwards by the air and moisture discharging ports.
As described above, the openings of the ventilating sole element may be
connected to the
air and moisture discharging ports of the ventilating sole element. Such
openings can be
drilled or lasered or punctured and/or melted, e.g. with a hot needle into the
ventilating
sole element in a subsequent manufacturing step. During this step an increased
depth or
broadness of the ports allows for a much more reliable, safer and easier
connection process
of the passages to the channel system of the ventilating sole element.
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According to a further embodiment of the invention the upper surface of the
ventilating
sole element has a curved form with a lower front region and a higher rear
portion, so as to
accommodate the underside of the foot to be supported. The shape of the
ventilating sole
element follows the shape of the anatomical last, which is ergonomically
customized to the
feet to be supported by the ventilating sole element.
In order to make the sole assembly light weight it is preferred to use low
density polyure-
thane (PU) e.g. having a density of 0.35 g/cm3 for the ventilating sole
element.
Such a polyurethane ventilating sole element has high stability to
support/transfer at least a
portion of the weight of the user during use, such as during walking, while
having some
flexibility in order to enhance the wearer's comfort during walking. Depending
on the pre-
ferred use of the shoe, a suitable material can be chosen. Examples of such
material are
Elastollan from the company Elastogran Gmbh, Germany. This material is
preferred due to
its low density. Alternatively for injection moulding the ventilating sole
element, TPU
(Thermoplastic Polyurethane), EVA (Etylene Vinyl Acetate), PVC (Polyvinyl
Chloride) or
TR (Thermoplastic Rubber), etc. may be used.
It is further preferred to use PU on a polyethylene (PE) basis for the
ventilating sole ele-
ment.
It is further preferred to use a material that is not too hard for the
ventilating sole element
for shock absorption reasons. Thus, a polyurethane material with a shore A
hardness be-
tween 38 and 45 is preferred for the ventilating sole element. Shore hardness
is measured
by the durometer test. A force is applied onto a spot of the polyurethane,
whereby the force
creates an indentation. The time taken for the indentation to disappear is
then measured.
According to another embodiment of the invention the material of the
ventilating sole ele-
ment is porous, such that it has a high rate of water vapour diffusion through
it. This en-
hances the ventilating effect of the ventilating sole element.
In a further embodiment of the invention the depth of the channels is less
than 20mm,
preferably between 2 and 10 mm. This avoids the wearer of the shoe
experiencing a rolling
movement when walking which would badly influence the comfort sensed by the
wearer
and which would effect a tilting torque on the functional pillars which over
time may cause
breakage of the functional pillars.
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The functional pillars formed by the channel structure can have different
sizes, especially
length, depth and surface area, that can vary across the surface of the
ventilating sole ele-
ment.
The functional pillars can also have different shapes, when seen in a plan
view, for exam-
ple a rectangular shape, a triangular shape or a rounded shape.
The inventors have found out that there is a relationship between the depth of
the channels
and the surface area of the functional pillars facing the upper assembly
above. The less
o deep the channels are the smaller the surface area can be. A typical value
of a functional
pillar surface is 0.6 to lcm2.
According to a further embodiment, said ventilating sole element comprises a
container
element having a bottom part and a side wall so as to form an inner space of
said container
element, wherein said inner space is filled with a filler material allowing
for air flow
through it. Instead of a filler material allowing for air flow through it,
there may also be
provided a filler structure allowing for air flow through it, such as a
channel structure. The
container element forms a tub for receiving the filler material or filler
structure allowing
for air flow through it.
According to a further embodiment, the filler structure or material is a three-
dimensional
spacer. The three-dimensional spacer may be configured so that the structure
or material
maintains a spacing between layers situated beneath it and above it, in
particular between
the lower portion of the upper assembly and the bottom part of the container
element. In
this way, the air flow through the structure or material is retained.
Particularly, such a
spacer structure or material may allow for a very low air flow resistance,
while ensuring
high stability of the combination of the container element and the spacer
structure or mate-
rial. In another embodiment, the spacer structure or material is made to be at
least partially
elastic. Because of this, the walking comfort of the shoe is increased, as the
spacer struc-
ture or material allows for cushioning and an easier rolling process during
the stance phase
of the gait cycle. In another embodiment, the spacer structure or material is
designed so
that during maximal stress with the maximum weight of the shoe user to be
expected cor-
responding to the shoe size in the corresponding shoe, it yields elastically
at most to the
extent that, even during such maximum stress, a significant part of the air
flow of the
spacer structure or material is still retained. The spacer may be made of
materials such as
e.g. polyester, polyolefins or polyamides.
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In another embodiment, the air permeable spacer has a flat structure forming a
first support
surface and a number of spacer elements extending away from the flat structure
at right
angles and/or at an angle between 0 and 900, The ends of the spacer elements
lying away
from the flat structure then together define a surface by means of which a
second support
surface, facing away from the flat structure, can be formed. In another
embodiment, the
spacer elements of the spacer are designed as knobs, the free knob ends
together forming
the second support surface mentioned. In another embodiment, the spacer has
two flat
structures arranged parallel to each other, the two flat structures being
joined to each other
via the spacer elements in a manner allowing for air flow through and between
them and
holding them spaced apart from each other. Each of the flat structures then
forms one of
the two support surfaces of the spacer. All the spacer elements need not have
the same
length in order to make the two support surfaces equidistant over the entire
surface extent
of the spacer structure. For special applications, it can be advantageous to
make the spacer
have different thickness in different zones or at different locations along
its surface extent,
in order to form a surface anatomically compatible with the foot. The spacer
elements can
be formed separately, i.e., not joined to each other between the two support
surfaces.
However, there is also the possibility of allowing the spacer elements to
touch between the
two support surfaces and the possibility of joining them at at least some of
the contact
sites, for example, with an adhesive or by the fact that the spacer elements
consist of mate-
rials that can be welded to each other, such as a material that becomes
adhesive
from heating. The spacer elements can be rod- or thread-shaped individual
elements or sec-
tions of a more complex structure, for example, a truss or lattice. The spacer
elements can
also be connected to each other in a zigzag or in the form of a cross-grating.
In another
embodiment, the spacer structure or material is formed by two air-permeable
flat structures
arranged substantially parallel to each other, which are joined to each other
and spaced
apart by means of mono- or multifilaments in a manner allowing for air flow
through and
between them.
In another embodiment the filler material or structure is porous.
The filler structure or material may also be discontinuous in an additional
embodiment.
According to a further embodiment, the filler comprises a number of filler
elements, which
are spherical in shape, e.g. filler balls. These filler elements are received
by the container
element. The filler elements themselves may be made of a material which does
not allow
for an air flow or water vapour to pass through it. However, with the filler
elements having
voids therebetween, an overall structure may be formed which does allow for
air flow and
thus water vapour transport through it. The filler elements may be selected
based on their
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stability and comfort characteristics. The air flow through the filler
structure may be ad-
justed by adjusting the size of the filler elements.
According to a further embodiment, the filler structure is at least partly
comprised of
channels. The channel structure allows for a distributed air connection
between the under-
side of the lower portion of the upper assembly and at least portions of the
side wall and/or
bottom part of the container element. Water vapour can pass from the inside of
the shoe to
the channel structure provided inside the container element through the bottom
functional
layer laminate.
Air communication between the filler structure or material and the outside of
the container
element is established through the at least one opening, which extends through
the side
wall of the container element, such that water vapour can pass to the outside
of the con-
tainer element together with the air flow out of the container element. The at
least one
opening may also extend through the filler structure or material insofar that
air flow from
the filler structure or material to the outside of the container element is
established. The
container element may also be provided with openings in its bottom part.
It is pointed out that the side wall and/or bottom part of the container
element does not
have to be load bearing and/or be a structurally crucial part, but can also
merely serve as a
border structure between the inside and the outside of the container element
in order to
help a functional separation of the individual components and the
manufacturing of the
shoe.
The ventilating sole element may be the container element filled with the air
flow permit-
ting material or structure. In this case, the side wall of the ventilating
sole element may be
formed by the side wall of the container element and the surrounding sole
element sur-
rounding the ventilating sole element.
In a separate embodiment the structure or material allowing for air flow
through it may be
inherently stable, such that no container element may be necessary to support
this structure
or material. It may be directly attached to the bottom of the upper assembly.
It may also be
wrapped at least on its lateral surface with a tape, which may be attached to
the upper as-
sembly, e.g. by sewing or gluing. The tape may serve the purpose of preventing
surround-
ing sole material or outer sole material from entering the open structure
during injection or
else may prevent other fluid material from entering which is used to connect
the structure
or material to the upper assembly.
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According to a further embodiment, said side end area of said bottom
functional layer
laminate is attached by a sewn seam to said lower end area of said upper
functional layer
laminate. Said seam may be sealed by sealing adhesive, the application of a
waterproof
seam tape or by fluid material of the surrounding sole element having
penetrated into and
around said sewn seam during injection moulding of the surrounding sole. The
penetrated
surrounding sole material, i.e. the penetrated material of the surrounding
sole element, al-
lows for a tight sealing between the two laminates and for the provision of a
waterproof
upper assembly.
In a further embodiment, said ventilating sole element is positioned below
said bottom por-
tion of the upper assembly, such that an upper perimeter of said ventilating
sole element is
located within said bond, in particular within said sewn seam, In other words
the ventilat-
ing sole element is placed some distance away from the bond towards the middle
of the
shoe. In particular, said upper perimeter may have a minimum distance from
said sewn
seam, particularly lmm to 4mm, more particularly 2mm to 3mm. In this way, the
surround-
ing sole material may penetrate freely into and around the sewn seam. The
injected or
moulded on surrounding sole material reaches the bond between the functional
layer lami-
nates and seals it. The ventilating sole element may be attached to the bottom
portion of
the upper assembly before said surrounding sole material is applied.
According to a further embodiment, a lower portion of said breathable outer
material al-
lows for penetration of surrounding sole material therethrough, said
waterproof seal being
formed at least partially by surrounding sole material having penetrated
through said lower
portion of said breathable outer material to said upper functional layer
laminate, said bot-
tom functional layer laminate and said sewn seam. The surrounding sole element
seals the
upper assembly. It accounts for a waterproof seal between the upper portion
and the bot-
tom portion of the upper assembly.
According to a further embodiment, said lower portion of said breathable outer
material
comprises a netband, with the side end area of said bottom functional layer
laminate being
attached by said sewn seam to said netband, particularly to a lower end area
of said net-
band, and to said lower end area of said upper functional layer laminate, with
said sur-
rounding sole material having penetrated through said seam. The netband
provides a
highly efficient way of ensuring a high level of sole material penetration to
the sewn seam.
The netband may be positioned substantially only horizontally at the underside
of the up-
per assembly or substantially only vertically at the side portions of the
upper assembly. It
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may also be positioned partly horizontally and partly vertically, wrapping
around the cor-
ner region of the upper assembly between the underside and the side portions.
The netband
and the remaining end of the breathable outer material may be positioned end-
to-end or
may have an overlap or may both be folded over at the connection point.
Accordingly, the
netband may also in part be positioned laterally to the remainder of the
breathable outer
material.
According to a further embodiment, said surrounding sole element is formed by
a material
moulded or injected on at least parts of a lower portion of said upper
assembly and onto
said lateral surface of said ventilating sole element. In this way, the upper
assembly and
the ventilating sole element are permanently fixed with respect to each other.
In exemplary
embodiments, the provision of the surrounding sole element may be achieved in
one of the
following two manners. In the first alternative, a first injection-moulding
step provides for
a localized application of surrounding sole material onto the upper assembly
and the venti-
lating sole element resulting in an attachment of the two components. This
first injection-
moulding step may also provide for the sealing between the upper functional
layer lami-
nate and the bottom functional layer laminate, as described above. The
surrounding sole
element may be completed in a second injection-moulding step, which also
provides for
the sealing if the sealing has not been achieved in the first injection-
moulding step. In the
second alternative, only one injection-moulding step is performed, through
which the at-
tachment between the upper assembly and the ventilating sole element, the
sealing be-
tween the upper functional layer laminate and the bottom functional layer
laminate and the
forming of the entire surrounding sole element is achieved. The surrounding
sole element
may therefore perform three functions, namely attaching the ventilating sole
element to the
upper assembly, ensuring airflow through the provision of the at least one
lateral passage,
and sealing the connection region between the upper portion and the bottom
portion of the
upper assembly.
According to a further embodiment, said ventilating sole element is glued to
said upper
assembly in a breathable way.
According to a further embodiment, said bottom functional layer laminate is a
two layer
laminate comprising an upper supporting textile layer and a lower breathable
and water-
proof functional layer, also referred to as bottom membrane or lower membrane.
This em-
bodiment is preferable for use in shoes with injected soles. The injected
material may penetrate directly onto the lower mem-
brane.
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According to a further embodiment, said bottom functional layer laminate is a
two layer
laminate comprising an upper breathable and waterproof functional layer, and a
lower sup-
porting textile layer. This embodiment is preferable for use in shoes with
cemented/glued
soles.
According to a further embodiment, said ventilating sole element comprises a
circular lip
protruding from said ventilating sole element. According to a further
embodiment, said
ventilating sole element comprises a circular lip arranged in the vicinity of
an upper
circumferential edge of said ventilating sole element, said circular lip
protruding in a direc-
tion between and including upwards, that is vertical, and laterally outwards,
that is hori-
zontal, from said ventilating sole element. The circular lip provides a means
for attaching
the (inner) ventilating sole element to the upper assembly. Such attachment
gives advan-
tages during manufacturing of the shoe because the upper assembly and the
(inner) venti-
lating sole element can be handled as a unit which is easily transported from
one manufac-
16 turing station to the next inside the factory. Additionally/alternatively,
the circular lip pro-
vides a barrier against surrounding sole material, such that said surrounding
sole material
may be kept to the desired locations, for example during injection-moulding of
the sur-
rounding sole element.
In a further embodiment, said ventilating sole element comprises lip sections.
These lip
sections may be provided for a portion-wise attachment and/or sealing. The lip
sections
may be positioned on the ventilating sole element as discussed above with
regard to the
circular lip. In a particular embodiment, said ventilating sole element
comprises a first lip
section in the vicinity of an upper circumferential edge in a heel area and a
second lip sec-
tion in the vicinity of an upper circumferential edge in a forefoot area. Said
first and sec-
ond lip sections may extend vertically upwards from an upper surface of said
ventilating
sole element.
In a particular embodiment, the circular lip / the lip sections may be
provided on the upper
surface of the ventilating sole element, in particular in a position spaced
from the lateral
edge of the ventilating sole element. This spacing between lateral edge and
the circular lip
/ lip portions allows for a penetration of surrounding sole material around
the upper lateral
edge of the ventilating sole element. In embodiments where the upper lateral
edge is
aligned with the bond between the upper functional layer laminate and the
bottom func-
tional layer laminate, the surrounding sole material may still penetrate
around said bond
and provide for an effective seal covering respective portions of both
laminates. The spac-
ing may be in the range of 1 to 5 mm, more particularly in the range of 2 to 3
mm. The
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height of the circular lip / lip sections may be between 0.5 and 3 mm,
particularly around 1
mm.
In a further embodiment, the circular lip may be stitched to a lower portion
of said upper
assembly, particularly in a strobeled or zig-zag fashion. The circular lip may
also be glued
or attached via an injection-moulded material to a lower portion of said upper
assembly.
In an exemplary embodiment where the ventilating sole element comprises a
circular lip,
the circular lip may be attached to the upper assembly in a first injection-
moulding step,
o with the first injection-moulding step also sealing the connection between
the upper func-
tional layer laminate and the bottom functional layer laminate. The
surrounding sole ele-
ment having at least one lateral passage may then be formed in a second
injection-
moulding step.
According to a further embodiment, said bottom functional layer laminate is
provided with
supporting members, particularly dots or knobs, at its underside. The dots
ensure that the
functional layer of the bottom functional layer laminate does not come to lie
directly on
top of the sole or a sole element, in particular the ventilating sole element,
which is ar-
ranged below the bottom functional layer laminate. The dots lie on top of the
sole element
and ensure maintaining a distance between the sole element and the bottom
functional
layer laminate. The dots enhance the grip between the bottom functional layer
laminate
and the sole element underneath. The dots may be arranged in a particular
pattern or grid
that is matched to the sole element and prevents the bottom functional layer
laminate from
being displaced during use. The dots may also be shaped and distributed over
the under-
side of the bottom functional layer laminate in an arbitrary fashion.
Moreover, the dots
may compensate for a potentially uneven surface of the sole element. They may
prevent
edges/recesses in the sole element from pushing through the bottom functional
layer lami-
nate, such that the wearer's comfort is enhanced. In embodiments where the
sole element,
i.e. the (inner) ventilating sole element, comprises a channel structure, a
suitable arrange-
ment of the dots prevents a forcing of the bottom functional layer laminate
into the chan-
nels of the channel structure during use. Moreover, the dots and the channel
structure may
form a functional unit in such a way that the dots assist in the air exchange
in the channel
structure below the dots. In a particular embodiment, the pattern of the dots
may at least
partially correspond to the channel system of the (inner) ventilating sole
element, such that
water vapour discharge from the inside of the shoe to the channel system is
maximized.
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Particularly, there may be provided a plurality of discrete abrasion-resisting
polymeric dots
forming a discontinuous lining-forming pattern on the surface of said bottom
functional
layer laminate. In a particular embodiment, the polymeric dots have a smooth,
rounded,
non-angular external surface. The may be substantially circular in plan view
and part-
spherical in cross-section. This contributes to providing a smooth and
comfortable feel of
the shoe to the wearer. The dots may be arranged in a repeat regular pattern,
such as in a
plurality of parallel rows, or in a random pattern. In a particular
embodiment, the poly-
meric dots cover 20-80% of the area of the bottom functional layer laminate,
more particu-
larly 30-70% and even more particularly 40-60%.
In a particular embodiment, each dot is preferably of a maximum cross-
dimension or width
in the plane of the substrate which is less than 5000 microns, for example in
the range of
100 to 1000 microns, preferably 200-800, particularly 400-600 microns. The
dots may be
spaced apart centre-to-centre by 200-2000 microns, particularly 300-1500,
especially 400-
900 microns. Each dot may have a height in the range of 10-200 microns,
preferably 70-
140, particularly 80-100 microns.
According to a further embodiment, a water vapour permeable comfort layer is
provided
on top of at least parts of said ventilating sole element. Particularly, the
comfort layer may
be provided on top of the ventilating sole element. The comfort layer may have
a larger
lateral extension than the ventilating sole element, particularly projecting
between 0.5mm
and 2mm over the ventilating sole element, more particularly projecting
approximately
lmm over the ventilating sole element. It is also possible that the comfort
layer is provided
only on top of the filler structure or material described above. The comfort
layer may be
provided to compensate for an uneven upper surface of the ventilating sole
element. As a
structure or material allowing for air flow through it, the ventilating sole
element may have
a heterogeneous or jagged structure. In particular, a channel system or
channel grid may
cause alternating portions of voids and sole material of the ventilating sole
element. The
comfort layer allows for the discomfort potentially caused to the wearer of
the shoe by
these inhomogeneous portions to be greatly reduced or prevented. The water
vapour per-
meable comfort layer may be of any suitable material that provides a highly
comfortable
feel to the wearer and that is able to withstand the loads and forces applied
thereto during
use. Exemplary materials are open cell polyurethanes. For example, the
material may be
POLISPORT (trademark) from company Jin Cheng Plastic, China. According to an
em-
bodiment, before assembling the comfort layer on the ventilating sole element,
mechanical
pressure is applied to the material of the comfort layer, which is pressed,
e.g., from 2 mm
to 1 mm in thickness. This may be done to make the material more compact and
hence to
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lower the amount of water absorbed. This advantageously prevents the material
to act as
sponge which nurtures growth of fungus and the like.
The water vapour permeable comfort layer may be attached to the top of said
ventilating
sole element, in particular by spotwise or circumferential gluing or by gluing
across the
entire surface with a breathable glue. Enhanced air flow characteristics in
the (inner) venti-
lating sole element may be achieved by spotwise gluing or gluing across the
entire surface,
as channels enclosed at their upper side may be formed.
According to a further embodiment, said comfort layer has an upper side and a
lower side,
where the upper side is facing the bottom portion of the upper assembly, and
the lower side
is facing the ventilating sole element, the lower side being flexurally rigid
or stiff and the
upper side being soft. The lower stiff side can be made of a woven or non
woven fabric
and the upper side of any smooth and soft material, for example a non-woven or
a foamed
polyurethane. The comfort layer may consist of two discrete layers. With the
lower layer
being comparably stiff or hard, the comfort layer may be prevented from being
pressed
into the channel structure of the ventilating sole element more than lmm.
Stiffness or flex-
ural rigidity is defined e.g. in German DIN Norm 53864 with respect to
textiles. In this
way, the comfort layer characteristics are preserved as desired, with the
comfort layer be-
ing very durable during use of the shoe. The soft upper layer may provide for
a very com-
fortable feel of the sole for the wearer's foot. In an embodiment of the
invention the soft
upper layer has a smooth surface with the difference between peaks and valleys
of no more
than 0.1 mm.
In a particular embodiment, both the upper layer and the lower layer of the
comfort layer
are made of polyester. The upper and lower layers may be joined via a hot melt
adhesive.
In a particular embodiment, the material properties of the upper layer and the
lower layer
as as follows. The stiff lower layer has the following properties: a tensile
strength in the
lengthwise direction between 400 N/5cm and 700 N/5cm (UNI EN 29073/3),
particularly
between 500 N/5cm and 600 N/5cm; and a tensile strength in the crosswise
direction be-
tween 500 N/5cm and 800 N/5cm (UNI EN 29073/3), particularly between 600 N/5cm
and
700 N/5cm. The soft upper layer has the following properties: a tensile
strength in the
lengthwise and the crosswise direction between 50 N/5cm and 200 N/5cm (UNI EN
29073/3), particularly between 100 N/5cm and 150 N/5cm.
In a further embodiment the comfort layer has a thickness of less than or
equal to 2,0mm, a
water absorption of < 45% by weight and an MVTR (Moisture Vapour Transmission
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Rate) of > 5000 g/m2/24h, preferably about 8000 g/qm/24h. In an embodiment a
func-
tional layer or membrane may be attached to the ventilating sole element above
the com-
fort layer. The combination of comfort layer and membrane has an MVTR > 2000
g/m2/24h, preferably about 4500 g/m2/24h. MVTR was measured according to the
potas-
sium acetate test described in DIN EN ISO 15496.
A comfort layer as described in the paragraphs above may be used in any kind
of sole or
shoe construction, not limited to the constructions described herein. In
particular, the in-
vention also generally proposes the provision of such a comfort layer in a
shoe or shoe sole
construction. This aspect is to be seen and may be applied independently from
the other
aspects as described herein. Accordingly, this aspect and its embodiments may
form a
separate part of the invention claimed independently from other aspects
described herein.
According to a further embodiment, the underside of said ventilating sole
element forms at
least a part of an outer sole. Particularly, the undersides of said
surrounding sole element
and said ventilating sole element may form at least a part of an outer sole.
This outer sole
may or may not have a tread. The underside of said ventilating sole element
may be ar-
ranged at a higher position as compared to the underside of said surrounding
sole element.
So in this case, although both the ventilating sole element and the
surrounding sole ele-
ment form a part of the outer sole, only the surrounding sole element part of
this outer sole
touches the ground.
According to a further embodiment, the surrounding sole element consists of a
first poly-
urethane and the ventilating sole element consists of a second polyurethane,
the second
polyurethane being softer than the first polyurethane. Particularly, said
second polyure-
thane may have a Shore A value of 35-45. In this way, the ventilating sole
element may not
be too hard and provides good shock absorption properties. It is also possible
that the sur-
rounding sole element and the ventilating sole element consist of the same
polyurethane,
but that they are produced in separate manufacturing steps. Shore hardness is
measured by
the durometer test. A force is applied onto a spot of the polyurethane,
whereby the force
creates an indentation. The time taken for the indentation to disappear is
then measured.
According to a further embodiment, an additional sole element is provided
forming at least
a part of an outer sole, said additional sole element being arranged below
said ventilating
sole element. Portions of said additional sole element may also be arranged
laterally out-
side of the container element. The additional sole element is not necessarily
arranged di-
rectly adjacent to the ventilating sole element.
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According to a further embodiment, supporting members are formed in portions
of said
additional sole element below said ventilating sole element, said supporting
members ex-
tending substantially vertically through said additional sole element.
According to a further embodiment, a sole comfort layer is provided. In
particular, the sole
comfort layer may be provided in the form of an additional sole layer arranged
above the
outer sole. More particularly, the sole comfort layer may be arranged between
the ventilat-
ing sole element and the additional sole element forming at least a part of an
outer sole.
The sole comfort layer does not necessarily extend over the whole lateral
extension of the
sole.
According to a further embodiment, said surrounding sole element extends below
said ven-
tilating sole element. Particularly, said surrounding sole element may form at
least a part
of an outer sole. It is possible that an additional sole element is arranged
under said sur-
rounding sole element, thus forming an outer sole element. The additional sole
element is
not necessarily arranged directly adjacent to the surrounding sole element.
For example, a
further layer, such as an additional sole comfort layer, may be positioned in
between.
According to a further embodiment, supporting members are formed in portions
of said
surrounding sole element below said ventilating sole element, said supporting
members
extending substantially vertically through said surrounding sole element.
Supporting mem-
bers may also be formed in any other element or layer arranged below said
ventilating sole
element.
According to a further embodiment, at least one hollow insert is provided in
the at least
one lateral passage. The at least one hollow insert may be removable. It may
have a cover-
ing with an opening in it, such as an insert head with a hole in its centre.
It is also possible
that at least one removable solid insert is provided in the at least one
lateral passage. A1-
ternatively, a partially hollow insert may have a solid covering/head.
According to a further embodiment, a breathable inner sole or footbed is
removably pro-
vided above the bottom functional layer laminate, i.e, between the wearer's
foot and the top
of the bottom functional layer laminate during use of the shoe or between the
wearer's foot
and an insole. The inner sole may account for a better adaptation of the shoe
to the
wearer's foot and may therefore increase the wearer's comfort. Such an inner
sole may be
made of leather, fibre, polyurethane, etc.. Perforations in these materials
may ensure the
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necessary breathability. However, the inner sole may also be made of a
material which is
breathable per se.
According to a further embodiment, the ventilating sole element may be glued
to the upper
assembly. It is also possible that the ventilating sole element is attached to
the upper as-
sembly through injection-moulding, in particular through the application of an
injection-
moulded surrounding connection element.
According to a further embodiment, the step of providing the upper assembly
comprises
o providing said upper portion of said upper assembly with a waterproof,
breathable upper
functional layer laminate having a lower end area, providing said bottom
portion of said
upper assembly with a waterproof, breathable bottom functional layer laminate
having a
side end area, joining said side end area of said bottom functional layer
laminate to said
lower end area of said upper functional layer laminate, and providing a
waterproof seal
between said bottom functional layer laminate and said upper functional layer
laminate.
According to a further embodiment, the opening(s) in the ventilating sole
element is at
least partly created by lasering or drilling or puncturing or otherwise
thermally removing
(melting away) some material so as to form a passage. The at least one lateral
passage is
formed during injection-moulding by providing the mould with respective pins
for forming
the at least one lateral passage.Lasering provides for extremely accurate
results, while
drilling and puncturing can be performed more cheaply.
The methods for manufacturing a breathable shoe or sole assembly may be
modified corre-
sponding to the modifications discussed above with respect to the breathable
shoe. In other
words, manufacturing steps corresponding to additional shoe elements/features
may be
included in the methods for manufacturing a breathable shoe or sole assembly.
It is explic-
itly pointed out that the steps of attaching, given for the methods in
accordance with above
aspects of the invention, may be the only steps of attachment. It is, however,
also possible
that additional attachments between the given elements are present.
According to another aspect, the invention also generally proposes the use of
a laser for
creating openings in an element of a shoe, particularly a shoe sole or
removing shoe sole
material. This aspect is to be seen and may be applied independently from the
other as-
pects as described herein before, particularly independently from a method for
manufactur-
ing a shoe or sole assembly using a ventilating sole element as described
herein before.
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Accordingly, this aspect in connection with the following embodiments may form
a sepa-
rate part of the invention claimed independently from other aspects described
herein.
Particularly, according to an embodiment there is provided a method for making
openings
in an element of a shoe, particularly a shoe sole, characterized in that a
robot is adapted to
hold the element, such as the sole or part thereof, in front of a laser
apparatus and that the
laser apparatus through a series of repetitive shots at the element (e.g.,
sole or part thereof)
burns away material of the element for making at least one opening or a design
in the ele-
ment. The at least one opening may have a length of between approx. 0.5 to 50
mm. The
o opening may be formed as an air channel or guide for supporting an
air flow therein from
one end of the opening to the other.
For such use, different types of lasers can be used as, e.g., diode lasers,
infrared lasers and
CO2 lasers. In the following an embodiment of the invention will be described
which
makes use of a CO2 laser. CO2 lasers work with a wave length in the range of
9.4 ¨ 10.6
micrometers. Usually, a laser is controlled by way of three parameters, such
as speed (of
the beam), quantity of energy and wavelength.
Making openings or patterns with a laser, particularly a CO2 laser, is
possible in elas-
tomeric, i.e. meltable materials such as polyurethane (PU), thermoplastic
polyurethane
(TPU), ethylene vinyl chloride (EVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or rubber. In
these mate-
rials the laser will, using a sufficient amount of energy, burn away the
targeted sole mate-
rial which will disappear without leaving debris.
Use of a laser for roughening of a shoe upper is described in DE 10 2009 049
776 Al.
When roughing shoe uppers of leather, techniques exist according to which the
laser beam
is swept across the surface of the upper in a predetermined time and with a
predetermined
amount of energy. The beam is swept by a mirror in the laser apparatus that
deflect the
laser beam in order to reach the surface of the shoe to be roughened while the
robot holds
the shoe upper in a fixed position during sweeping of the beam. The robot
places the shoe
in front of the laser and then the mirrors move the beam through the leather.
During this
process the robot is stopped. If the curvature of the shoe upper becomes too
great, i.e. if
the focus point of the laser beam is removed too much from the targeted spot,
the shoe up-
per is repositioned anew by the robot. After repositioning, the new target
spot is again in
focus, and the laser sweeps across one or more spots.
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A problem occurs, however, when deep openings in a (elastomeric) sole or
element thereof
shall be made. Such openings have a depth which is by far larger than the
relatively shal-
low roughing made on leather uppers by the laser. For example, a lasered
channel in a
leather upper has a depth of 0.5 mm, whereas an opening in the sole may extend
from the
medial side of the sole to the lateral side, i.e. has a length of 50 mm. If
the mirror-solution,
which is used for roughing of the upper, with deflecting the laser beam is
used for making
openings in an element of a shoe, a problem may occur in opening any borders,
such as the
side wall of the ventilating sole element which may need to be provided with
deep and nar-
row channels.
When using the mirror-solution the deflection of the beam may create an acute
angle be-
tween the beam itself and the surface of the element. When applied for
connecting narrow
and elongated channels of the lateral passages of the surrounding sole element
to the struc-
ture or material of the ventilating sole element, such acute angle drives the
beam sideways
into the channel side wall of the lateral passages and it does not reach the
bottom thereof
facing the ventilating sole element.
On the other hand, according to the invention, the opening is made in the
element of the
shoe or sole, such as in the side wall of the ventilating sole element, by
keeping the beam
of the laser in a fixed direction (i.e. no sweeping of the laser beam) and
letting the robot
position the target spot of the element aligned with the center of the laser
lens. This means
that the laser beam will not be swept as when roughening a shoe upper. Instead
we only
move the robot arm holding the sole. However, there may be applications in
which a mir-
ror may be used when making openings in an element of a sole.
This method is thus especially useful if the laser beam shall be shot through
a cylindrical
passage already present in the sole as is the case if e.g. the end of a
passage in a sole, such
as in the surrounding sole element, has to be opened.
According to an example a number of openings shall be made in a polyurethane
sole. The
sole material is ElastollanTM from manufacturer Elastogran GmbH. Elastollan
has a rela-
tively low density (0.35 g/cm3) and is often used for shoe midsoles. The
following steps
may be applied in various ways, in combination or individually depending on
the particular
implementation and needs. The terms "first, second ..." are used only for
designation pur-
poses and shall not impose any limitations as to sequence or numbers of steps.
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(1) In a first step a sole is placed in front of the laser by a robot. (2) In
a second step the
target spot on the sole or element thereof is placed orthogonally to the laser
beam by the
robot. (3) In a third step the laser beam hits the sole material at an angle
to the sole (ele-
ment) surface of approximately 90 degrees. (4) In a fourth step the focus of
the laser is
6 kept constant, i.e. unchanged. (5) In a fifth step a series of
laser shots towards the target
spot is performed (e.g., multiple shots in the same place). The number of
shots may be be-
tween 1 and 10 depending on the power of the laser and material and depth of
entry. Dura-
tion per shot may be approx. 1 ms.
When applied for connecting the lateral passages of the surrounding sole
element to the
structure or material of the ventilating sole element, the laser shots may
result in a diame-
ter of the openings in the side side wall of the ventilating sole element
which equals the
diameter of the passages made by the pins in the surrounding sole element
during injec-
tion. In order to get the desired diameter the number of shots can be varied
as can the rela-
tive position of the shots. During a shot cycle the target can be moved a few
millimeters
(e.g., the robot moves), and the diameter will increase. In a further step,
the robot moves
the sole to the next target spot, i.e. the process goes to the second step (2)
above.
In relation to the ventilating sole element, the opening of the side wall of
the ventilating
sole element with laser leaves no debris. Everything is burned away. Hereby
any clogging
of the air channels caused during manufacturing of the openings is prevented.
The method
further has the advantage that it is very fast compared to drilling out the
openings.
In the following, particular embodiments and/or variations of the process
making use of a
laser for creating openings in a shoe sole are described:
In order to get a cylindrical opening with a clean edge the amount of energy
per shot may
be increased. The focus point may be kept constant. The first laser shots
start with a low
energy for making a first opening with a diameter of say 2 mm. The next series
of shots
has an energy increase of 50% per shot. The opening now has a diameter of 4
mm. The
third series of shots has again an increase of energy by 50%, increasing the
diameter at the
beginning of the opening to 6 mm.
Alternatively, or simultaneously, the point of focus of the laser beam can be
amended per
shot or per series of shots. After a first series of shots the depth of the
opening may be 3
mm. Now the focus has to be changed and moved 3 mm further inwards in the
sole.
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Change of focus is made via software which controls the movement of the lenses
in the
laser apparatus.
Further, in order to ensure a well defined opening with a well defined edge,
the laser beam
can be moved in a spiral shape. Such spiral shape can be elliptical or
circular. This func-
tions the following way:
- A first series of shots in the centre of the target spot.
- The next series of shots in a neighbouring spot.
io - And continuing in a spiral shape until an opening with the
desired shape is achieved.
Ideally, in order to create a clean cut in a polyurethane sole, the diameter
of the point of
focus (spot size) may be between 0.5 mm and 2mm and the power between 150 watt
and
250 watt. It should be noted that these values are to be understood as pure
examples with-
out imposing any limitations in connection with the invention.
The combination of a robot and laser is considered part of this aspect of the
invention be-
cause something is needed to position precisely the channels in front of a
laser. The robot
is one of the preferred solutions because the openings are always in different
positions -
for instance, the position of a shoe with size 40 is different of the same
shoe in size 41. A
shoe sole is characterized by 3D-curvatures. It is not only a 2D surface, and
therefore the
focus point of the laser beam is changed along the 3D surface of the sole.
Aspects of the invention and further embodiments thereof are disclosed in the
following
description with reference to the drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is an exploded three-dimensional view of the main components of a shoe
in accor-
dance with a first embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 2a is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
second embodi-
ment of the invention.
Fig. 2b is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
third embodi-
ment of the invention.
Fig. 2c is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
fourth embodi-
ment of the invention.
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Fig. 2d is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
fifth embodi-
ment of the invention.
6 Fig. 3a is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance
with a sixth embodi-
ment of the invention.
Fig. 3b is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
seventh em-
bodiment of the invention.
Fig. 3c is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with an
eighth em-
bodiment of the invention.
Fig. 3d is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
ninth embodi-
ment of the invention.
Fig. 3e is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
tenth embodi-
ment of the invention.
Fig. 3f is a schematic cross-sectional view of a sole in accordance with the
eighth em-
bodiment of the invention.
Fig. 4a is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with an
eleventh em-
bodiment of the invention.
Fig. 4b is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
twelfth embodi-
ment of the invention.
Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
thirteenth em-
bodiment of the invention.
Fig. 6a is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
fourteenth em-
bodiment of the invention.
Fig. 6b is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
fifteenth em-
bodiment of the invention.
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Fig. 6c is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
sixteenth em-
bodiment of the invention.
Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
seventeenth em-
bodiment of the invention.
Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe in accordance with a
twentieth em-
bodiment of the invention.
Fig. 9a-c show an embodiment of a mould and of a semimanufactured product
formed in
the process of manufacturing a shoe in accordance with aspects of the present
invention,
the semimanufactured product comprising an exemplary outsole and ventilating
sole ele-
ment attached to the outsole,
Fig. 10 shows a semimanufactured product of Fig. 9 in a process step with a
comfort layer
disposed on the ventilating sole element,
Fig. 11 shows the semimanufactured product of Fig. 10 placed in a mould for
injection
moulding prior to the moulding step,
Fig. 12 shows a process step in which the upper portion of the shoe placed on
a last is posi-
tioned to contact the ventilating sole element in the mould prior to the
moulding step,
Fig. 13 shows an example of a drilling apparatus, which may be used to
interconnect the
lateral passages in the surrounding sole element and the ventilating sole
element,
Fig. 14 shows an example of a finished shoe with lateral passages formed in
the surround-
ing sole element
In the following, exemplary embodiments of a shoe in accordance with
principles of the
invention will be described. The skilled person will be aware that various
changes or adap-
tations may be made as far as appropriate and depending on the particular
needs of the re-
spective shoe construction.
Fig. 1 shows an exploded three-dimensional view of the main components of a
shoe 300
according to an embodiment of the invention. The shoe 300 comprises a sole
assembly 7
and an upper assembly 8. The sole assembly 7 in turn comprises, from bottom to
top in the
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exploded view, an outsole 90, a shank 172, a ventilating sole element 60, a
comfort layer
40, and a surrounding sole element 80.
The primary purpose of Fig. 1 is to provide context for the following Figures.
The position
of a vertical plane including horizontal line Y-Y corresponds to the positions
of the cross-
sectional planes depicted in the following Figures. It is pointed out that the
embodiments
of the following Figures are different from the shoe 300, but that the
position and viewing
direction of the respectively depicted vertical cross-sectional planes can be
inferred from
the line Y-Y and the associated arrows, which represent the viewing direction.
The outsole 90 comprises a tread or corrugated structure on its lower surface
for improving
the grip characteristics of the shoe during walking. The shank 172 is provided
in the shoe
300 to give it additional stability. The shank 172 may be made of metal or any
other suit-
able material. Due to the illustrative nature of Fig. 1, the shank 172 is
shown as a separate
element. However, in most embodiments, the shank 172 is positioned within the
ventilat-
ing sole element 60. It is pointed out that the shank 172 is an optional
component, which is
not shown in most embodiments.
The ventilating sole element 60 comprises a channel structure, in particular a
channel grid,
at its upper side. The channel structure comprises transverse channels,
generally desig-
nated with reference numeral 181. Channels 184 cross the transverse channels
181.
A distinction is made between at least one peripheral channel being formed in
a peripheral
region of the channel structure and longitudinal channels. For the sake of
simplicity in de-
scribing different shoe constructions by presenting cross-sectional views in
Figures 2 to
10, the channels 184 are generally referred to as longitudinal channels,
although one or
more of the channel cross-sections shown may belong to one or more peripheral
channels.
The ventilating sole element 60 has an upper surface 606, a lower surface 604
and a lateral
surface 602. In an assembled state of the shoe 300, the lower surface 604 of
the ventilating
sole element 60 is partly adjacent the shank 172 and partly adjacent the
outsole 90, the up-
per surface 606 of the ventilating sole element 60 is adjacent the comfort
layer 40, and the
lateral surface 602 of the ventilating sole element 60 is adjacent a lateral
inner surface 802
of the surrounding sole element 80. Regarding the engagement/connection of the
individ-
ual components, more details are given below.
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The channel structure, in particular the transverse channels 181, is in air
communication
with a plurality of openings 55. The openings 55 extend through a side wall of
the ventilat-
ing sole element 60, particularly they extend from the channel structure of
the ventilating
sole element 60 to lateral passages 50 of the surrounding sole element 80..
The surrounding sole element 80 has a varying height across its circumference,
with the
lateral passages being arranged at different heights. In this way, the
positions of the lateral
passages account for the uneven surface structure of the ventilating sole
element 60, which
takes into account the wearer's foot and its positioning during walking.
Exemplary em-
u) bodiments of the components are described in greater detail below.
Fig. 2a is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shoe 301a in accordance with
an embodi-
ment of the invention. Figures 2 to 8 are in particular schematic in that they
show a u-
shaped shoe portion. It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the
shoe is closed on
top, in particular in a forefoot region.
The shoe 301a comprises an upper assembly 8 and a sole assembly 7. The upper
assembly
8 has an upper portion 10 and a bottom portion 20. The upper portion 10
comprises, from
outside to inside, a breathable outer material 11, also referred to as upper
material, a mesh
12, an upper membrane 13, and a textile lining 14. The mesh 12, the upper
membrane 13
and the textile lining 14 are provided as a laminate, also referred to as
upper functional
layer laminate 17. The upper membrane 13 is breathable and waterproof. With
all of the
upper material 11, the mesh 12 and the textile lining 14 being breathable,
i.e. water vapour
permeable, the upper portion 10 as a whole is breathable and waterproof.
The upper material 11 may be any breathable material suitable for forming the
outside of a
shoe, such as leather, suede, textile or man made fabrics, etc.
The upper functional layer laminate (i.e. mesh 12, upper membrane 13 and
textile lining
14) may be any suitable waterproof and breathable laminate, such as
commercially avail-
able GORE-TEX laminate from W.L. Gore & Associates.
A lower portion of the outer material 11 is comprised of a netband 15. The
netband 15 may
be attached to the remainder of the outer material 11 through any suitable way
of connec-
tion, for example stitching or gluing. In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 2a,
the netband
15 is attached to the remainder of the outer material 11 via stitching 16, as
illustrated by a
connecting line. As the term netband suggests, this portion of the outer
material is not a
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continuous material, but comprises voids in the material that allow for the
penetration of
fluid sole material therethrough, as will be explained later. Instead of
providing a netband,
the lower portion may also be comprised of the same material as the remainder
of the outer
material, with the voids being generated by puncturing or perforating the
outer material in
the lower portion.
The bottom portion 20 comprises, from bottom to top, a lower membrane 21 and a
support-
ing textile 22. The textile may be a woven, non-woven or knitted textile, for
example
Cambrelle . The lower membrane 21 and the supporting textile 22 are provided
as a lami-
io nate, also referred to as bottom functional layer laminate 24. The lower
membrane 21 is
waterproof and breathable. With the supporting textile 22 being breathable, an
overall
breathable and waterproof bottom functional layer laminate 24 is provided. The
bottom
functional layer laminate 24 may be any suitable laminate, for example
commercially
available GORE-TEX laminate from W.L. Gore & Associates.
The upper portion 10 and the bottom portion 20 are connected to each other at
their respec-
tive end areas. Particularly, a lower end area of the upper functional layer
laminate 17 is
connected to a side end area of the bottom functional layer laminate 24. In
the embodiment
of Fig. 2a, this connection also connects an end area of the netband 15 to the
upper func-
tional layer laminate 17 and the bottom functional layer laminate 24. The
bottom func-
tional layer laminate 24, the upper functional layer laminate 17 and the
netband are
stitched together, for example by a strobel stitch or a zigzag stitch.
Accordingly, a connec-
tion 30, also referred to as bond 30, in the form of a sewn or stitched seam
is formed con-
necting the bottom functional layer laminate 24, the outer material 11 (via
the netband 15)
and the upper functional layer laminate 17. This seam 30 is sealed in a
waterproof manner
by sole material, as will be explained later, such that a waterproof structure
is formed by
the upper portion 10 and the bottom portion 20.
The upper functional layer laminate 17 and the bottom functional layer
laminate 24 may be
positioned end-to-end before being connected and sealed together, as shown in
Fig. 2a.
Both laminates may also be bent downwards, such that respective portions of
the upper
sides of the laminates are positioned adjacent each other. In these different
positions, the
laminates may be connected, for example through stitching as shown, and the
connection
region may be sealed. The netband 15 of the outer material 11 may be
positioned con-e-
sponding to the upper functional layer laminate 17, i.e. in an end-to-end or
overlap or bent
relation with respect to the bottom functional layer laminate 24, such that
the connection
30 also connects the netband 15 to the bottom functional layer laminate 24 and
the upper
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functional layer laminate 17. The netband 15 may also extend through the
connection 30,
which is uncritical due to its porous structure. These different options for
forming the con-
nection 30 may be applied to all embodiments described herein.
In the embodiment of Fig. 2a, the connection 30 between the upper functional
layer lami-
nate 17 and the bottom functional layer laminate 24 is located at the
substantially horizon-
tal portion of the inside of the shoe 301a, which is intended to support the
underside of the
wearer's foot. In the cross-sectional plane of Fig, 2a, the connection 30 is
close to the lat-
eral end of said substantially horizontal portion, i.e. close to the point
where the portion for
supporting the weight of the foot transitions into the side wall of the shoe.
Due to the na-
ture of the shoe 301a, the bottom functional layer laminate 24 is a
substantially foot-
shaped structure, with the upper functional layer laminate 17 being connected
thereto pe-
rimetrically. It is pointed out that the terms horizontal and vertical refer
to the horizontal
and vertical directions present when the shoe is placed with the sole on an
even ground.
For an easier understanding, the shoes are depicted in that orientation
throughout the Fig-
ures.
The sole or sole assembly 7 of the shoe 301a, i.e. the portion of the shoe
301a below the
upper assembly 8, which consists of the upper portion 10 and the bottom
portion 20, is
comprised of a ventilating sole element 61, a comfort layer 40 and a
surrounding sole ele-
ment 81.
The ventilating sole element 61 comprises a channel structure 160 that allows
for air
communication between the upper side of the ventilating sole element 61 and
openings 55.
Lateral passages 50 extend through a side wall 702 of the surrounding sole
element 81 and
the openings 55 extend through a side wall 608 of the ventilating sole element
61. For an
easier reading of the Figures 2 to 8, the reference numerals 608 and 702 are
provided with
brackets illustrating lateral extensions of the side wall of the ventilating
sole element and
side wall of the surrounding sole element, respectively. It is, however,
understood that the
reference numerals 608 and 702 are meant to denote the side wall of the
ventilating sole
element and the side wall of the surrounding sole element themselves. The
channel system
160 of the embodiment of Fig. 2a comprises a plurality of longitudinal
channels 184, ar-
ranged in the longitudinal direction of the shoe 301a, and a plurality of
transverse channels
181, arranged in the transverse direction of the shoe 301a, i.e. in the
direction orthogonal
to the longitudinal direction of the shoe.
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The cross-sectional view of Fig. 2a cuts through a transverse channel 181 of
the channel
structure 160 along the horizontal line Y-Y of Fig. 1. Therefore, the
transverse channel 1 81
of the ventilating sole element 61 is not shown in a shaded manner, as the
cross-sectional
cut reaches through the open channel. In contrast thereto, the portions of the
ventilating
sole element 61 surrounding the channel structure 160 and the surrounding sole
element 81
are shown in a shaded manner illustrating that the cross-section of Fig. 2a
slices through
these shoe elements in the depicted cross-sectional plane. Correspondingly,
the upper as-
sembly 8 and the comfort layer 40 are shown in a shaded manner.
o In the cross-sectional view of Fig. 2a, the longitudinal channels
184 are seen in their cross-
sectional shape, which is a u-shape reaching from the upper surface 606 of the
ventilating
sole element 61 some distance towards the lower surface 604 of the ventilating
sole ele-
ment 61. The transverse channel 181 cut in the cross-section of Fig. 2a is
confined by a
surface made of the portions between the longitudinal channels lying behind
the cross-
sectional plane. Accordingly, the transverse channel 181 depicted extends
longitudinally
behind the cross-sectional plane of Fig. 2a, with the non-shaded portions of
the ventilating
sole element 61, which surround the u-shaped longitudinal channels 184,
forming a trans-
verse boundary surface. Only the u-shaped longitudinal channels 184 form a
longitudinal
air flow permitting connection to further transverse channels behind and in
front of the
cross-sectional plane of Fig. 2a.
The u-shape of the longitudinal and transverse channels allows for a good
compromise
between providing sufficient channel volume for fluid communication and
providing a
strong ventilating sole element structure for supporting the wearer's foot and
transferring
the wearer's weight to the ground and/or the surrounding sole element 81.
Also, the u-
shaped channels can be manufactured easily and quickly, particularly in the
case of an in-
jection-moulded ventilating sole element 61, because the rounded channel side
walls allow
for an easy parting of the ventilating sole element 61 and the mould after the
moulding
operation.
It is pointed out that the channels of the ventilating sole element 61 may
have any suitable
cross-section that allows for an efficient transfer of water vapour from the
upper side of
the ventilating sole element 61 to the lateral passages 50 in the surrounding
sole element
81. At the same time, the ventilating sole element 61 should provide a stable
structure for
the sole of the shoe. It is also pointed out that the channels may have
varying cross-
sections along their length in order to form a channel system having desired
properties.
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37
The exemplary embodiment of Fig. 2a comprises five longitudinal channels 184,
which are
distributed across the width of the ventilating sole element 61 in a uniform
manner. It is
also possible that the longitudinal channels have varying widths and/or are
distributed non-
uniformly across the width of the ventilating sole element 61. Further, it is
possible that
these channels are at an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of
the shoe 301a,
such that any suitable channel structure 160 may be formed.
The transverse channel 181 connects the longitudinal channels 184 to each
other and to the
openings 55 and lateral passages 50 in the surrounding sole element 81. At its
lateral ends,
the transverse channel is equipped with air and moisture discharging ports
182. The air and
moisture discharging ports 182 are arranged laterally outside from the
laterally outmost
longitudinal channel. In particular, the air and moisture discharging ports
182 are arranged
directly adjacent the side wall 608 of the ventilating sole element 61. The
air and moisture
discharging ports 182 are formed by recesses in the floor of the transverse
channels 181. In
other words, the floor of the transverse channels 181 extends deeper down into
the venti-
lating sole element 61 in the region of the air and moisture discharging ports
182 than
throughout the remainder of the transverse channels 181. The air and moisture
discharging
ports 182 allow for an efficient collection of moisture/water vapour from the
inside of the
shoe, from where the water vapour can be carried away effectively through the
openings
55 and lateral passages 50. All or only a subset of the transverse channels
may 181 have
air and moisture discharging ports.
All or only a subset of the transverse channels 181 may provide for the
connection with
openings 55 and lateral passages 50. There may also be transverse channels 181
that are
not in air communication with openings 55 and lateral passages 50 , but end in
dead ends.
The transverse channels of the ventilating sole element 61, one of which is
being shown in
Fig. 2a, allow for air communication between the channel system 160 of the
ventilating
sole element 61 and the openings 55 and lateral passages 50 extending through
the side
walls 608 and 702, respectively. With the bottom functional layer laminate 24
being
breathable, water vapour transport from the inside of the shoe to the lateral
outside of the
sole 7 is ensured through the ventilating sole element structure, which allows
the water
vapour containing air to pass through it.
It is pointed out that the transverse channels 181 may have the same, a
smaller or greater
height than the longitudinal channels 184. They may be channels that reach
from the top of
the ventilating sole element towards the inside of the ventilating sole
element, such that
they can also be seen as grooves or tranches. It is also possible that the
transverse channels
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lie below a portion of the ventilating sole element 61 and are therefore not
readily visible
from the top of the ventilating sole element 61. Also, the longitudinal
channels may be
grooves, as shown, or channels concealed from the upper surface of the
ventilating sole
element 61.
In the present embodiment, the channel system 160 of the ventilating sole
element 61 is a
channel grid. The channels of the channel grid extend from the top of the
ventilating sole
element 61 to the inside thereof. The channels may be longitudinal channels
184 and
transverse channels 181, which intersect for allowing air communication
therebetween.
The channels may also be diagonal channels, when seen from the top of the
ventilating
sole element. In general, such a channel grid may have any combination of
longitudinal,
transverse and diagonal channels.
It is pointed out that any channel structure may be embodied in all other
constructions of
the remainder of the shoe, in particular in combination with all other upper
assembly con-
structions and all other constructions relating to the remainder of the sole
7.
The lateral passages 50 extend through the side wall 702 of the surrounding
sole element
81 and the openings 55 extend through a side wall 608 of the ventilating sole
element 61 of
the shoe 301a, allowing for air communication between the channel structure of
the venti-
lating sole element 61 and the lateral outside of the shoe 301a. In the
exemplary embodi-
ment of Fig. 2a, the lateral passages 50 and openings 55 are depicted as
transverse pas-
sages and openings being horizontal. However, the terms lateral passage and
openings may
not be understood in such a restricting manner. A lateral passage or opening
may be any
passage or opening, respectively, that allows for an air communication between
the inside
of the ventilating sole element and a lateral outside of the surrounding sole
element, i.e. the
outside of the surrounding sole element that is not the underside of the shoe
301. In par-
ticular, the lateral passages 50 and/or openings 55 may be inclined with
respect to the hori-
zontal direction, in particular with the outer end lower than the inner end of
the ventilation
passage. This inclination has the advantage that water can drain out more
easily from the
ventilating sole element and surrounding sole element. However, horizontal
lateral pas-
sages and openings have the advantage of providing a favourable path for air
or water va-
pour flow, particularly if a continuous passage from the right side of the
ventilating sole
element to the left side of the ventilating sole element or vice versa is
present. The lateral
passages 50 and/or openings 55 may also be inclined with the outer end being
higher than
the inner end of the ventilation passage. This allows for creating the
openings, for example
through drilling or by laser operation, without any danger of damaging the
delicate mem-
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brane 21 of the bottom functional layer laminate 24. Moreover, water vapour,
which is
warm due to the wearer's body temperature, may effectively exit the
ventilating sole ele-
ment through such inclined lateral passages in a chimney-like manner. When
viewed from
the top of the ventilating and surrounding sole element, the lateral passages
50 may be in a
longitudinal direction of the shoe, in a transverse direction of the shoe, or
in any direction
therebetween. For example, in the front or the back of the shoe, the
ventilation channels
may be substantially in a longitudinal direction of the shoe. The orientation
options de-
scribed for the lateral passages 50 may be applied to all embodiments
described.
The ventilating sole element 61 of the shoe 301a also comprises a circular lip
101. The
circular lip 101 is arranged at the upper lateral edge of the ventilating sole
element 61. As
the ventilating sole element 61 is a three-dimensional structure, the circular
lip 101 sur-
rounds the perimetric upper edge of the remainder of the ventilating sole
element 61. In
other words, the circular lip 101 is arranged at the periphery of the upper
lateral portion of
the ventilating sole element 61. Accordingly, the term circular is not
intended to be under-
stood as referring to the shape of a circle. Instead, it is understood as
referring to a struc-
ture surrounding an inner space or as referring to a loop structure. However,
the term is
also not intended to require a closed lip or collar structure. The lip may be
continuous
around the perimeter of the ventilating sole element 61, but is may also be
made of a plu-
rality of spaced apart lip sections distributed around the perimeter of the
ventilating sole
element 61. The lip also does not need to be arranged right at the upper
lateral edge of the
ventilating sole element 61. It may also be attached to the lateral surface
602 or the upper
surface 606 thereof. However, a positioning in the vicinity of an upper
circumferential
edge of the ventilating sole element may be beneficial, as will be discussed
below.
The circular lip 101 may perform one or more of the functions described as
follows. As
shown in Fig. 2a, the circular lip 101 extends to the position of the
connection 30. The
connection 30 includes the circular lip 101, such that it connects the upper
portion 10, the
bottom portion 20 as well as the ventilating sole element 61. In particular,
the strobel stitch
30 connects the upper functional layer laminate 17, the netband 15 of the
upper material
11, the bottom functional layer laminate 24 and the circular lip 101 of the
ventilating sole
element 61. Hence, the circular lip 101 allows for an attachment of the
ventilating sole ele-
ment 61 to the upper assembly 8. This attachment is independent from the
attachment of
the ventilating sole element 61 to the upper assembly 8 via the surrounding
sole element
81. During the manufacture of the shoe 301a, the ventilating sole element 61
may be at-
tached to the upper assembly 8 in a fixed position through the connection 30
along the cir-
cular lip 101, which may also leave the comfort layer 40 in a fixed position.
This allows
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for a more accurate production of the shoe 301a, as the fixed position of the
ventilating
sole element 61 ensures that the surrounding sole element 81 surrounds the
ventilating sole
element 61 in the desired manner and location.
The ventilating sole element 61 and the circular lip 101 may be made of one
piece or more
pieces. In other words, the circular lip 101 may be an integral part of the
ventilating sole
element 61 or it may be a part attached in a separate manufacturing step to
the remainder
of the ventilating sole element 61. Particularly, the ventilating sole element
61 - including
the circular lip 101 - may be produced in one manufacturing step, for example
through in-
jection moulding. In this way, a strong connection between the circular lip
101 and the
remainder of the ventilating sole element 61 is ensured, which results in a
strong attach-
ment of the whole ventilating sole element 61 to the upper assembly 8. For
example, the
lip extends 2 millimetres horizontally from the ventilating sole element;
extensions will
typically be between 1 and 5 millimetres.
It is also possible that the ventilating sole element 61, comprising the
circular lip 101, is
attached to the upper assembly by gluing the circular lip 101 onto the upper
assembly 8 or
by effecting an attachment between the circular lip 101 and the upper assembly
8 through a
local injection-moulding operation in the region of the circular lip 101,
particularly only in
the region of the circular lip 101.
The circular lip 101 may additionally/alternatively have the function of
providing a barrier
for the sole material of the surrounding sole element 81 during its injection-
moulding onto
the ventilating sole element 61 and the upper assembly 8. The circular lip may
be posi-
tioned such that the sole material of the surrounding sole element 81 does not
penetrate
through to the comfort layer 40 and/or the upper side of the ventilating sole
element 61.
The circular lip 101 may also be designed and positioned in such a way that
some sole ma-
terial of the surrounding sole element 81 may penetrate onto the bottom
functional layer
laminate 24, particularly onto the bottom membrane 21. The sealing between the
bottom
functional layer laminate 24 and the upper functional layer laminate 17 may be
effected
via the surrounding sole element material. However, the circular lip may
prevent excess
sole material from penetrating into the area between the ventilating sole
element and the
bottom functional layer laminate. In this way, the water vapour permeability
of a large area
of the bottom functional layer laminate 24 is ensured.
The ventilating sole element 61 may be placed in a mould with a suitable
pressure / fixa-
tion, such that the circular lip 101 can fulfil this function during injection-
moulding of the
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surrounding sole element 81. In particular, a piston may exert pressure on the
ventilating
sole element 61, through which it is pressed against the upper assembly 8. The
circular lip
may be pressed against the upper assembly 8, in the process of which a
deformation of the
protruding lip may occur, such that a tight barrier for the subsequent
injection-moulding
step is formed. The circular lip 101 may in this way help to keep a large
portion of the
lower surface of the bottom functional layer laminate 24 from getting into
contact with the
sole material of the surrounding sole element 81, such that a large area with
breathable
characteristics is maintained. The circular lip 101 may also be positioned at
any position
on the upper surface 606 of the ventilating sole element 61, such that a
barrier for the in-
jection-moulding is established at a desired location. Also, the circular lip
101 may be at-
tached to the lateral surface 602 of the ventilating sole element 61, with the
barrier effect
being achieved through an attachment of the far end of the circular lip 101 to
the upper
assembly 8, for example through the strobel stitch 30.
The circular lip 101 may extend from the ventilating sole element in any
direction between
a lateral direction towards the outside of the ventilating sole element and a
vertical direc-
tion upwards from the ventilating sole element.
It is explicitly pointed out that, albeit the circular lip 101 is only shown
for the embodi-
ments of Fig. 2a, the ventilating sole elements of the other embodiments of
the invention
may also comprise a lip or collar structure, in particular a circular lip or a
plurality of lip
sections as described above.
The upper portion of the surrounding sole element 81 is located above the
circular lip 101
of the ventilating sole element 61, i.e. below a part of the bottom functional
layer laminate
24, as well as underneath the circular lip 101 and underneath a part of the
upper portion 10
of the upper assembly 8 as well as adjacent a part of the upper portion 10 of
the upper as-
sembly 8 that is arranged in a substantially vertical direction. In other
words, the surround-
ing sole element 81 wraps around the corner of the upper assembly 8 where the
inside of
the shoe is patterned to match a wearer's foot. In yet other words, the
surrounding sole
element 81 covers a part of the underside of the upper assembly 8 as well as
parts of the
lower lateral sides of the upper assembly 8. Sole material of the surrounding
sole element
81 is penetrated through the netband 15, through the strobel stitch 30,
through the mesh 12,
onto the upper material 11, onto the upper membrane 13, around at least a
portion of the
circular lip 101 and onto the bottom membrane 21. This penetrated sole
material seals the
strobel stitch 30 in a waterproof manner on the one hand and attaches the
ventilating sole
element to the upper assembly 8 on the other hand. The sealing provides a
completely wa-
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terproof upper assembly 8 made up of the upper functional layer laminate 17
and the lower
functional layer laminate 24 surrounding the interior of the shoe and being
sealed in a wa-
terproof manner to each other. The sealed upper functional layer laminate 17
and bottom
functional layer laminate 24 form a waterproof, breathable functional layer
arrangement,
Thus the upper assembly 8 is waterproof, which allows the sole assembly to be
non-
waterproof. The surrounding sole material also penetrates through the
connection 30 to the
upper sides of the bottom functional layer laminate 24 and the upper
functional layer lami-
nate 17, which is illustrated by the circle sector covering the upper side of
the strobel stitch
30 and extending onto the bottom functional layer laminate 24 and the upper
functional
layer laminate 17 in Fig. 2a, In particular, the surrounding sole material
penetrates through
the space between the two laminates upwards. The surrounding sole material
also pene-
trates somewhat in between the circular lip 101 and the bottom functional
layer laminate
24. In this way, the whole region of the strobel stitch 30 is penetrated with
surrounding
sole material, such that all holes generated in the upper membrane 13 and the
bottom
membrane 21 through the strobel stitching operation are reliably sealed by
surrounding
sole material. However, the penetrating surrounding sole material is kept to
such a low
volume that the comfort for the wearer as well as the breathability of the
upper assembly 8
is essentially unimpeded.
Above the ventilating sole element 61, the comfort layer 40 is provided in the
shoe 301a.
The comfort layer 40 is positioned on top of the ventilating sole element 61.
The comfort
layer 40 may be loosely positioned there or may be attached before further
manufacturing
of the shoe. Such attachment may be achieved by a spot-gluing or
circumferential gluing or
by gluing making use of breathable glue, such that the flow of water-vapour
from the in-
side of the shoe to the ventilating sole element 61 is not prevented. Also,
the full surface of
the ventilating sole element 61 can be glued, and in order to prevent glue to
enter the
channels a highly thixotropic glue should be used. The comfort layer 40 is
inserted for in-
creasing the soft walking feel for the wearer, particularly for ensuring that
the wearer does
not feel bothered by the channel system 160 of the ventilating sole element
61. In the ex-
emplary embodiment of the shoe 301a, the comfort layer 40 has a greater
lateral extension
than the channel system 160 of the ventilating sole element 61 and extends
somewhat
above the region of the circular lip 101. However, the comfort layer does not
extend to the
lateral edges of the circular lip 101 where it is attached to the upper
assembly 8. In general,
the comfort layer may have the same or smaller or larger lateral dimensions
as/than the
ventilating sole element.
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The comfort layer 40 is provided directly on top of the ventilating sole
element 61. How-
ever, it could also be spaced apart somewhat from the ventilating sole element
61. Such a
spacing may be the result of using a gluing layer for attaching the comfort
layer 40 to the
ventilating sole element 61 that has a sizeable vertical extension. The
comfort layer may
still provide the beneficial properties discussed, when not provided directly
on top of the
ventilating sole element.
The ventilating and surrounding sole elements are produced and attached to the
upper as-
sembly 8 in a several stage process. As a first step, the ventilating sole
element 61 is pro-
io duced, for example through injection-moulding of a polyurethane
(PU) into an accordingly
shaped mould. Polyurethane is one of a plurality of suitable materials that
can be used in
order to form a ventilating sole element 61 that has high stability to support
at least a por-
tion of the weight of the wearer during use, such as during walking, while
having some
flexibility in order to enhance the wearer's comfort during walking. Depending
on the pre-
ferred use of the shoe, a suitable material can be chosen. Examples of such
materials be-
sides polyurethane is EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate). etc.
As a next step, the comfort layer 40 is placed on top of the ventilating sole
element 61 and
attached to it using an adhesive. The ventilating sole element 61 and the
comfort layer 40
are then placed in the desired position with respect to the upper assembly 8
in a mould,
wherein the surrounding sole element material is injection-moulded onto the
upper assem-
bly 8 and the ventilating sole element 61. In this way, the surrounding sole
element 81 ad-
heres to the upper assembly 8 as well as to the sole ventilating element 61,
such that a last-
ing, integral joint of these elements is achieved through the sole material of
the surround-
ing sole element 81. Suitable materials for the surrounding sole element are
polyurethane,
EVA, PVC or rubber, etc..
In the embodiment of Fig. 2a, the netband 15 wraps around the corner of the
upper portion
10, i.e. the part of the upper portion 10 where the upper functional layer
laminate 17 and
the netband 15 of the upper material 11 are bent from a substantially
horizontal orientation
to a substantially vertical orientation. The part having a substantially
vertical orientation
forms the side walls for the wearer's foot. Accordingly, the sole material of
the surround-
ing sole element 81 may penetrate through the netband 15 and onto the upper
membrane
from the underside and from the lateral sides of the upper assembly 8. In this
way, a
strong, multi-directional attachment between the surrounding sole element 81
and the up-
per functional layer laminate 17 is achieved, as well as a good seal provided
between the
laminates 17, 24.
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44
In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 2a, the surrounding sole element 81
reaches further
down than the ventilating sole element 61, which leads to a supporting of the
wearer's
weight by only the surrounding sole element 81 on a plane surface. This may be
desired, as
only a portion of the sole needs to be designed for continuous load bearing of
the wearer,
whereas the material used for the ventilating sole element 61 may be chosen
based on the
manufacturing characteristics for producing the channel system 160 and/or
based on a
minimisation of weight of the ventilating sole element 61 and therefore of the
centre por-
tion of the sole 7 of the shoe 301a in which the ventilating sole element 61
is situated.
Even though, according to the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 2a, the sole 7 of
the shoe
301a is not shown to have an outer sole, it is pointed out that such an
additional sole ele-
ment could be provided therewith as well as with all other embodiments
described. Also,
the undersides of the ventilating sole element 61 and the surrounding sole
element 81 are
not provided with a tread structure for improving the grip of the sole
assembly 7 on the
ground during use of the shoe. It is, however, pointed out that tread elements
may be pro- =
vided at the underside of the sole in all embodiments described. Exemplary
tread struc-
tures/elements will be described below.
Fig. 2b shows a cross-section through a shoe 301b according to another
embodiment.
Many elements of the shoe 301 b are identical to the corresponding elements of
the shoe
301a shown in Fig. 2a. Like or similar elements are denoted with like
reference numerals,
and a description thereof is omitted for brevity.
The channel structure 160 of the ventilating sole element 61 of the shoe 301b
is shown to
have a plurality of longitudinal channels 184, which are rectangular in cross-
section. The
longitudinal channels 184 are connected to each other and to the openings 55
and lateral
passages 50 by a plurality of transverse channels 181, one of which being
positioned and
shown in the cross-sectional plane of Fig. 2b. Each of the lateral ends of the
transverse
channel 181 coincides with a longitudinal channel 184, and no air and moisture
discharg-
ing ports are provided in the transverse channels 181. The positioning of
these lateral ends
is adapted to the positioning of the openings 55 and lateral passages 50,
which extend
through the side wall 608 of the ventilating sole element 61 and through the
surrounding
sole element 81, such that the openings 55, lateral passages 50 and the
transverse channel
181 allow for air flow therethrough. The small cross-sectional area of the
openings 55 and
lateral passages 50 through the side walls 702 and 608 as compared to the
cross-sectional
area of the transverse channel 181 at its lateral ends has the advantage that
a large connec-
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tion area between the lateral surface 602 of the ventilating sole element 61
and the inner
lateral surface 802 of the surrounding sole element 81 is provided, such that
a strong at-
tachment can be achieved.
The longitudinal channels 184 of the channel structure 160 of the shoe 30 lb
extend deeper
into the ventilating sole element 61 than the transverse channels 181. The
provision of
channels with different heights is one measure of achieving a desired
compromise between
channel volume and ventilating sole material volume, i.e. a desired compromise
between
air flow volume and sole stability. Accordingly, different height channels may
also be used
io in the other embodiments described.
In addition to the differences in the channel structure 160, a number of
further differences
between the embodiment of Fig. 2a and the embodiment of Fig. 2b exist.
The ventilating sole element 61 of the shoe 301b does not comprise a circular
lip. The sur-
rounding sole element 81 is arranged below a portion of the upper functional
layer lami-
nate 17 as well as below a portion of the bottom functional layer laminate 24.
In this way,
the surrounding sole element 81 allows for a strong attachment and sealing of
these lami-
nates to each other. Moreover, the comfort layer 40 is extended over the full
width of the
ventilating sole element 61, such that the wearer benefits from the
comfortable feel thereof
over a large portion of the underside of the foot.
In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 2b, the ventilating sole element 61 and
the surround-
ing sole element 81 are provided with tread elements, in particular with a
pattern of pro-
truding and receding portions, for improving the walking characteristics of
the shoe 301b.
It is pointed out that it is possible that the upper material 11, the mesh 12,
the upper mem-
brane 13 and the textile lining 14 are formed as a four-layer laminate in the
embodiment of
Fig. 2b as well as in the other embodiments described.
Fig. 2c shows a cross-section through a shoe 301c according to another
embodiment. Many
elements of the shoe 301c are identical to the corresponding elements of the
shoe 301b
shown in Fig. 2b and shoe 301a shown in Fig. 2a, with a description thereof
omitted for
brevity. However, the ventilating sole element 61 of the shoe 301c is
different from the
ventilating sole element 61 of the shoe 301b. The ventilating sole element 61
of the shoe
301c comprises longitudinal channels 184 and transverse channels 181 that
extend from
the upper surface 606 of the ventilating sole element 61 to the lower surface
604 of the
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ventilating sole element 61. In other words, the channels in the ventilating
sole element 61
extend along the whole height of the ventilating sole element 61. In this way,
water vapour
is communicated from the underside of the bottom functional layer laminate 24
to the un-
derside of the shoe 301c through the channels in addition to being
communicated to the
lateral sides of the shoe 301c through the openings 55 and lateral passages
50. Accord-
ingly, water vapour can be discharged from the inside of the shoe into all
directions.
The cross-sectional view of Fig. 2c cuts through a transverse channel 181 of
the channel
system 160 of the ventilating sole element 61 of the shoe 301c. The water
vapour entering
the ventilating sole element 61 from the inside of the shoe 301c partially
exits the shoe at
its underside via the longitudinal channels 184 and the transverse channels
181 of the
channel structure 160 and partially through the openings 55 and lateral
passages 50,
wherein the transverse channels 181 allow for the air communication between
the channel
system 160 of the ventilating sole element 61 and the lateral passages 50. The
transverse
channels 181 extend across the full width of the ventilating sole element 61.
When seen
from the bottom, the ventilating sole element 61 of the shoe 301c is comprised
of a plural-
ity of individual inner ventilating sole element blocks separated by the
longitudinal and
transverse channels.
Again, the transverse channels 181 and/or the longitudinal channels 184 may
extend over
any portion of the height of the ventilating sole element 61, particularly
over the whole
height, as shown, or over a portion of the height extending from the top of
the ventilating
sole element 61 to the inside thereof. Also, the channels in the ventilating
sole element 61
may have any direction between the longitudinal direction of the shoe 301c and
the trans-
verse direction of the shoe 310c, when seen from its top or bottom. In other
words, the
channels may be oriented in any direction in the ventilating sole element 61,
when looking
at a horizontal cross-section through the sole of the shoe.
It is pointed out that the individual components of the ventilating sole
element may be in-
jection-moulded onto the upper assembly 8 in separate injection-moulding
steps.
The comfort layer 40 of the shoe 301c extends across the entire lateral
extension of the
ventilating sole element 61 and an adjacent portion of the surrounding sole
element 81. In
this way, any discontinuities between the ventilating sole element 61 and the
surrounding
sole element 81, which may be present due to a particular design, such as a
lip or collar at
the lateral edges of the ventilating sole element 61, or due to manufacturing
process imper-
fections, may be covered with the comfort layer 40, such that these
discontinuities are not
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47
detrimental to the wearer's comfort or to the bottom membrane 21. It is
pointed out that the
comfort layer 40 may also extend beyond the ventilating sole element 61 in
other embodi-
ments shown.
Fig. 2d shows a cross-section through another embodiment of a shoe 301d in
accordance
with the invention. Again, all elements of the shoe 301d are identical to the
corresponding
elements of the shoe 301a shown in Fig. 2a, with the exception of the
ventilating sole ele-
ment 61. The ventilating sole element 61 of the shoe 301d comprises channels
184 that
extend through the whole height of the ventilating sole element 61. The
channels are di-
io agonal, meaning that their open ends at the upper surface 606 of the
ventilating sole ele-
ment 61 are offset from their open ends at the lower surface 604 of the
ventilating sole
element 61. This has the advantage that sharp objects that might enter into
these diagonal
channels, e.g. tacks or nails lying on the ground will normally not pass up
the channel, but
get stuck in the material of the ventilating sole element 61 and therefore
will not damage
the functional layer lying above the channels. In the embodiment of Fig. 2d,
the diagonal
channels 184 are longitudinal channels, with their open ends at the upper
surface 606 of
the ventilating sole element 61 being offset in a transverse direction from
their open ends
at the lower surface 604 of the ventilating sole element 61. The diagonal
longitudinal
channels are connected by horizontal channels 181 in the transverse direction
of the shoe
301d, i.e. by transverse channels 181. The transverse channels 181 allow for
fluid commu-
nication between the diagonal channels 184 and the lateral passages 50. Again,
the trans-
verse channels 181 may have any vertical extension. They may extend the whole
height of
the ventilating sole element 61 as well as only portions of it. They may be
covered by sole
material of the ventilating sole element 61 when viewed from the top of the
ventilating
sole element 61, as shown, but they may also extend from the top of the
ventilating sole
element 61 to the inside thereof. It is also possible that the transverse
channels are diago-
nal channels and that the longitudinal channels have a vertical orientation,
as for example
shown in Fig. 2b. Also, both the longitudinal and the transverse channels may
be diagonal,
intersecting and forming a particular fluid communication channel structure.
In the em-
bodiment of Fig. 2d again, water vapour is communicated from the inside of the
shoe to
the underside of the upper assembly 8 and from there together with the air
through the
channels and passages out of the sole, allowing for a water vapour discharge
from the foot
in all directions.
Again, the comfort layer 40 is shown to be provided directly on top of the
ventilating sole
element 61.
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Fig. 3a shows a cross-section through a shoe 302a according to another
embodiment. Many
components of the shoe 302a are similar or identical to the corresponding
elements of the
shoe 301b depicted in Fig. 2b. A description thereof is therefore omitted for
brevity. How-
ever, the shoe 302a comprises a ventilating sole element 62 and a surrounding
sole element
82 that are different from the corresponding elements of the shoe 301b. The
ventilating
sole element 62 has a varying lateral extension from the upper surface 606 to
the lower
surface 604. On the upper surface 606 and for approximately the upper two
thirds of the
ventilating sole element 62, the lateral extension is constant and corresponds
to the exten-
sion of the ventilating sole element 61 of the shoe 301b. Throughout a lower
portion of the
ventilating sole element 62, the ventilating sole element 62 extends over the
complete lat-
eral extension of the sole assembly 7. The ventilating sole element 62
comprises the entire
contact area between the sole assembly 7 and the ground. The ventilating sole
element 62
extends underneath the surrounding sole element 82, such that the surrounding
sole ele-
ment 82 does not touch the ground when the shoe is positioned on its sole. The
surround-
ing sole element 82 fills the lateral pocket between the ventilating sole
element 62 and the
upper assembly 8. It also covers a lower part of the side walls of the upper
assembly 8, i.e.
it is also adjacent a part of the,upper portion 10 of the upper assembly 8
that is arranged in
a substantially vertical direction. The ventilating sole element 62 comprises
five longitudi-
nal channels 184 in the depicted cross-sectional plane, the longitudinal
channels 184 ex-
tending approximately one third into the ventilating sole element 62 from the
upper surface
606 thereof. The longitudinal channels 184 of the shoe 302a are connected by
transverse
channels 181 to each other and to the openings 55 and lateral passages 50,
with the cross-
section of Fig. 3a cutting through one of the transverse channels 181. The
transverse chan-
nels 181 have the same height extension as the longitudinal channels 184 and
also extend
from the upper surface 606 of the ventilating sole element 62 thereinto. The
longitudinal
channels 184 and the transverse channels 181 may be seen as grooves extending
into the
ventilating sole element 62 from its upper surface 606, Again, many other
channel struc-
tures are also possible to effect fluid communication between the top of the
ventilating
sole element 62 and the lateral passages 50, as described with respect to the
other Figures.
The design of the shoe 302a allows for a small amount of sole material being
needed for
the surrounding sole element 82. The ventilating sole element 62, which takes
up most of
the volume of the sole assembly 7, may be produced separately, and the
surrounding sole
element 82 may be produced in a quick, well-controlled injection-moulding
step. This step
may be the last step in finishing the shoe manufacturing.
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Fig. 3b shows a cross-section through a shoe 302b according to another
embodiment. The
shoe 302b is identical to the shoe 302a of Fig. 3a, with the exception of the
sole assembly
7. The shoe 302b comprises a ventilating sole element 62 and a surrounding
sole element
82. An outsole 92 is provided below the ventilating sole element 62 and the
surrounding
6 sole element 82. The surrounding sole element 82 of the shoe 302b is
identical to the sur-
rounding sole element 82 of the shoe 302a, shown in Fig. 3a. The ventilating
sole element
62 of the shoe 302b extends between the inner lateral surface 802 of the
surrounding sole
element 82. The outsole 92 extends across the entire width of the sole
assembly 7 of the
shoe 302b. It covers both the undersides of the ventilating sole element 62
and the sur-
rounding sole element 82. The outsole 92 is the only element of the shoe 302b
coming into
contact with the ground during normal use of the shoe 302b on an even surface.
This de-
sign has the advantage that a particularly suitable material for the outsole
92 can be chosen
independently from any requirements for the ventilating sole element 62 and
the surround-
ing sole element 82. For example, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or rubber
or leather
can be used. Also, the materials of the ventilating sole element 62 and the
surrounding sole
elements 82 may be chosen purely based on factors such as comfort for the
wearer, stabil-
ity of the sole, bonding properties during the manufacture of the shoe 302b,
without having
to worry about the wear and tear of the sole through the continuous contact of
the sole to
the ground during use.
The channel structure 160 of the ventilating sole element 62 has four
longitudinal channels
184 in the cross-sectional plane of Fig. 3b. The channel structure also
comprises transverse
channels 181, one of which being shown in the cross-sectional plane of Fig.
3b. The later-
ally outermost longitudinal channels 184 are not positioned at the lateral
ends of the trans-
verse channel 181. At the lateral ends of the transverse channels 181, air and
moisture dis-
charging ports 182 are provided. The air and moisture discharging ports
comprise recesses
in the floor of the transverse channel 181, with the floor having an inclined
shape in the
exemplary embodiment of Fig. 3b. The lateral ends of the transverse channel
181 are in
air communication with the openings 55 and lateral passages 50, which extend
through the
side walls 608 and 702 of the ventilating sole element 62 and the surrounding
sole element
82, respectively. It is apparent that the channel structure 160 may be
modified in various
different ways as described above.
Fig. 3c shows a cross-section through a shoe 302c according to another
embodiment. Many
elements of the shoe 302c are identical to the corresponding elements of the
shoes 302a
and 302b shown in Figs. 3a and 3b, with a description thereof omitted for
brevity.
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The bottom functional layer laminate 24 of the bottom portion 20 of the upper
assembly 8
of the shoe 302c is a three-layer laminate, which comprises ¨ from bottom to
top ¨ a mesh
23, a bottom waterproof and breathable membrane 21 and a supporting textile
22. The
mesh 23 may give the bottom functional layer laminate 24 enhanced stability.
It is pointed
out that the bottom functional layer laminate 24 of the other embodiments may
also be the
three-layer laminate, as comprised in the shoe 302c.
Fig. 3d shows a cross-section through a shoe 302d according to another
embodiment.
Many elements of the shoe 302d are identical to the corresponding elements of
the shoe
302b shown in Fig. 3b, with a description thereof being omitted for brevity.
The ventilat-
ing sole element 62 of the shoe 302d extends in between the surrounding sole
element 82
in an upper portion of the vertical extension of the surrounding sole element
82. The height
extension of the ventilating sole element 62 is approximately half the height
extension of
the surrounding sole element 82 underneath the upper assembly 8. The channel
system 160
of the ventilating sole element 62 is similar to the channel system 160 of the
ventilating
sole element 62 of the shoe 302a, shown in Fig. 3a. Below the ventilating sole
element 62,
there is provided a sole comfort layer 122, also referred to as midsole 122.
The sole com-
fort layer 122 is co-extensive with the ventilating sole element 62 in the
lateral dimension.
The sole comfort layer 122 does not comprise air communication channels in the
embodi-
ment shown in Fig. 3d, but may also comprise air communication channels in
other em-
bodiments. The three-layered design over a large portion of the lateral
extension of the
sole assembly 7, i.e. the arrangement of ventilating sole element 62, the sole
comfort layer
122 and the outsole 92 on top of each other, allows for selecting a plurality
of materials
highly suitable for certain tasks. In particular, the material for the outsole
92 may be se-
lected based on its grip and abrasion properties, the material for the sole
comfort layer 122
may be selected based on its comfort and cushioning capabilities, and the
material for the
ventilating sole element 62 may be selected based on its ability to provide
stability while
having a channel structure therein. These elements may be attached to each
other through
gluing, injection-moulding or other suitable techniques.
Fig. 3e shows a cross-section through a shoe 302e according to another
embodiment. Many
elements of the shoe 302e are identical to the corresponding elements of the
shoe 302d
shown in Fig. 3d, with a description thereof being omitted for brevity.
In contrast to the shoe 302d, the shoe 302e does not comprise a comfort layer
and a chan-
neled ventilating sole element. It is, however, pointed out that a comfort
layer, as discussed
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above, may also be present in the embodiment of the shoe 302e. It is also
pointed out that
the comfort layer may be dispensed with in the other embodiments described.
The shoe 302e comprises a container element 113. The container element 113 is
filled with
a structure or material 112 allowing for air flow through it. The structure or
material 112
extends through the whole volume of the container element 113, which is
confined by a
bottom part 113a and a side wall 113b. The structure or material 112 allows
for air com-
munication between the underside of the bottom functional layer laminate 24
and the open-
ings 55 and lateral passages 50. The openings 55 extend through the side wall
113b of the
1 o container element 113 and the lateral passages 50 extend through the side
wall 702 of the
surrounding sole element 82. It is also possible that the material of the side
wall 113b of
the container element 113 is made of a material which allows for air flow
through it, e.g. a
porous material.
The container element 113 comprises a circular lip 113c at its upper lateral
edge. The cir-
cular lip 113c is attached to the upper assembly 8 via the strobel stitch 30,
such that at least
the container element 113, including the structure or material 112, is fixed
with respect to
the upper assembly 8, before the surrounding sole element 82 is injection-
moulded. It is
also possible that the container element 113, the sole comfort layer 122, also
referred to as
midsole 122, and the outsole 92 are attached to each other, before this
composite sole
structure is attached to the upper assembly 8 via strobel stitch 30.
The container element 113 forms the ventilating sole element of the shoe 302e.
Its place-
ment underneath the bottom functional layer laminate 24 of the upper assembly
8 estab-
lishes an air communication between the inside of the shoe, the container
element 113 and
the openings 55 and lateral passages 50 provided in the side wall of the
container element
113 and the surrounding sole element 82.
The structure or material 112 may be any such structure or material suitable
for allowing
air communication and for supporting a desired portion of the wearer's weight
during use
of the shoe. The structure or material 112 may be comprised of a number of
filler elements
placed in the container element 113, such that air flow can occur through the
voids in be-
tween the filler elements. Examples for such a structure or material are man
made fabrics
with open cell structure or other suitable materials, as described above.
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The structure or material 112 allowing for air flow through it may be
continuous, three-
dimensionally formed such as a spacer or else a porous structure or material,
having inher-
ent air flow permitting properties.
It is pointed out that the ventilating sole element of other embodiments may
also be substi-
tuted by the structure or material 112 allowing for air flow through and, if
necessary, the
container element 113. It is also possible that the whole ventilating sole
element is made
from an air flow permitting material, such as a porous material, which allows
the water
vapour discharge from the underside of the upper assembly 8 through lateral
passages in
io the material.
Fig. 3f shows a cross-section through a sole 202b in accordance with another
embodiment.
The sole 202b corresponds substantially to the sole of the shoe 302c, shown in
Fig. 3c,
with the exception of a slightly different channel structure 160. Accordingly,
a detailed
description is omitted for brevity. The sole 202b may be manufactured as a
separate ele-
ment and may be attached to the upper assembly 8 of the shoe 302c or any other
upper as-
sembly described herein. The attachment may be achieved by gluing, injection-
moulding
or any other suitable attachment technique.
Fig. 4a shows a cross-section through a shoe 303a according to another
embodiment. The
upper assembly 8, comprising the upper portion 10, the lower portion 20 and
the connec-
tion 30 thereof, and the comfort layer 40 of the sole assembly 7 are identical
to the upper
assembly 8 and the comfort layer 40 of the shoe 302d, shown in Fig. 3d. Also,
regarding its
outer dimensions, the ventilating sole element 63 of the shoe 303a is
identical to the venti-
lating sole element 62 of the shoe 302d. Regarding the channel structure 160,
the ventilat-
ing sole element 63 of the shoe 303a is fairly similar to the ventilating sole
element 62 of
the shoe 302a. However, the channel structure of the ventilating sole element
63 is less
wide, and the side wall 608 of the ventilating sole element 63 has a greater
lateral exten-
sion. A detailed description of these elements is omitted for brevity. The
shoe 303a com-
prises the ventilating sole element 63 and the surrounding sole element 83.
Again, open-
ings 55 and lateral passages 50 are provided, which extend through the side
wall 608 of the
ventilating sole element and side wall 702 of the surrounding sole element for
effecting air
communication between the channel structure of the ventilating sole element 63
and the
lateral outside of the sole assembly 7 of the shoe 303a.
The surrounding sole element 83 not only surrounds the ventilating sole
element 63 later-
ally, but also passes underneath or is arranged below it in the exemplary
embodiment of
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shoe 303a. The surrounding sole element 83 comprises supporting members 133.
The sup-
porting members 133 extend vertically through the surrounding sole element 83.
They are
positioned below the ventilating sole element 63. In the present embodiment,
the surround-
ing sole element 83 comprises four supporting members 133 equally spaced below
the ven-
tilating sole element 63. Depending on their extension in the longitudinal
direction of the
shoe 303a, the supporting members 133 may be ribs or stilts. In other words,
the support-
ing members 133 may have longitudinal extensions substantially equal to their
transverse
extensions, shown in Fig. 4a, or may have longitudinal extensions
substantially larger than
their transverse extensions. In another embodiment, the supporting members may
be
io formed as transverse ribs.
The supporting members 133 may be manufactured as follows. The supporting
members
133 may be made from the same material as the ventilating sole element 63. In
this case
the ventilating sole element 63 and the supporting members 133 may be
injection-moulded
integrally in one injection-moulding step. Accordingly, the surrounding sole
element 83
may then be injection-moulded around the ventilating sole element 63, parts of
the upper
assembly 8 and the supporting members 133 in a subsequent injection-moulding
step. It is
also possible that the supporting members 133 are manufactured separately. In
this case,
they may either be attached to the ventilating sole element 63 or may be kept
in a fixed
position with respect to the ventilating sole element 63 in a mould, before
the surrounding
sole element 83 is injection-moulded.
The supporting members 133 contribute to the stability of the sole, in
particular of the ven-
tilating sole element of the shoe 303a. Their positioning underneath the
ventilating sole
element 63 may offset stability disadvantages that may arise from the
channeled structure
of the ventilating sole element 63. Moreover, the supporting members 133 allow
for a less
restricted selection of the material for the surrounding sole element 83,
because sole stabil-
ity is less of a concern. The supporting members 133 also keep the ventilating
sole element
63 elevated to allow the surrounding sole element material 83 to flow
underneath the ven-
tilating sole element 63 during injection moulding.
Fig. 4b shows a cross-section through a shoe 303b according to another
embodiment.
Many elements of the shoe 303b are identical to the corresponding elements of
the shoe
303a, shown in Fig. 4a, such that a description thereof is omitted for
brevity. The ventilat-
ing sole element 63 of the shoe 303b comprises the channels given in the
ventilating sole
element 63 of the shoe 303a. Also, the openings 55 and lateral passages 50,
extending
through the side walls 608 and 702 of the ventilating sole element 63 and the
surrounding
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sole element 83, are identical to the openings 55 and lateral passages 50 of
the shoe 303b.
Additionally, vertical passages 52 are provided, which extend vertically from
the channel
structure of the ventilating sole element 63 through the ventilating sole
element 63 to its
lower surface 604 and further through the surrounding sole element 83. The
vertical chan-
nels 52 allow for air flow between the channel structure of the ventilating
sole element 63
and the underside of the sole assembly 7. In this way, vertical water vapour
and air dis-
charge channels are provided in the shoe 303b, such that a higher
breathability is achieved.
The supporting members 133 of the surrounding sole element 83 are arranged
around the
vertical channels 52 in the surrounding sole element 83. In other words, the
supporting
members 133 of the surrounding sole element 83 of the shoe 303a are hollow
structures,
through which the vertical channels 52 extend. It is pointed out that the
surrounding sole
element 83 may also be provided without hollow supporting members 133, but may
still
have vertical channels. In general words, vertical channels may extend through
the sur-
rounding sole element 83 in its portion below the ventilating sole element 63.
Such vertical
channels can be made by having vertical pins fixated in a bottom piston of the
mould.
The shoe 303b additionally comprises inserts 51 arranged in at least a portion
of the lateral
passages 50 of the surrounding sole element 83. The inserts 51 are pin-shaped.
They com-
prise pin-heads with the pin-head extension being greater than the diameter of
the lateral
passages 50. The inserts 51 have a hollow structure, such that air and water
vapour dis-
charge from the ventilating sole element 63 through the lateral passages 50 is
effected
through the inside of the inserts 51. The diameter of the lateral passages 50
may be
enlarged so as to accommodate the inserts and ensure an adequate air flow
through them.
Without the inserts 51, the walls of the lateral passages 50 may be rough or
uneven from
the manufacturing process, giving rise to turbulences in the air flow
therethrough and di-
minished air and water vapour discharge capabilities. The hollow inserts 51
ensure that the
air flow through the lateral passages 50 flows along smooth surfaces and is
highly efficient
in transporting air and water vapour from the ventilating sole element 63 to
the outside of
the sole of the shoe 303b. An unimpeded air and water vapour flow through the
lateral pas-
sages may be achieved by the inserts 51 in a cheaper way than by optimizing
manufactur-
ing processes, such as injection-moulding processes for the surrounding sole
element 83.
The inserts 51 may be removable inserts, allowing the wearer to insert them as
desired to
account for different usage scenarios. Being removable, the inserts 51 are
also a way of
making the appearance of the shoe adjustable by the wearer.
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The inserts 51 may also be solid, i.e. not hollow, and removable. In this
case, the wearer
may insert the inserts 51 in extremely adverse usage environments, such as
during heavy
rainfalls or hiking through puddles or muddy terrain. In this way, an entering
of water,
mud, etc. into the sole may be completely prevented, such that the lateral
passages 50 and
the ventilating sole element 63 may not be clogged up or made impermeable to
air flow in
any other way for later use. Also, these solid inserts may be used in low
temperature condi-
tions, such that no flow of cold air through the lateral passages 50 and the
ventilating sole
element 63 causes discomfort to the wearer. In order to save material and
weight, it is also
possible to only make the heads of the pins solid, with the portions of the
pins received by
the lateral passages being hollow. Another measure against the discomfort of
cold air flow
is to provide an insulating comfort layer 40 or an insulating bottom
functional layer lami-
nate 24.
The inserts 51 may be made of metal or plastic or any other suitable material.
It is pointed out that the provision of the inserts 51 and the provision of
the hollow sup-
porting members 133 are independent. While they both may enhance the water
vapour
characteristics of the shoe 303b, one feature may also be provided without the
other. Also,
both features may be provided in the other embodiments discussed, separately
or in com-
bination.
Fig. 5 shows a cross-section through a shoe 304 according to another
embodiment. Many
elements of the shoe 304, particularly the whole upper assembly 8, are
identical to the shoe
303a, as shown in Fig. 4a. Also, the ventilating sole element 64 of the shoe
304 is similar
to the ventilating sole element 63 of the shoe 303a. The surrounding sole
element 84 of the
shoe 304 is modified as compared to the surrounding sole element 83 of the
shoe 303a.
The surrounding sole element 84 of the shoe 304 does not extend to the bottom
of the shoe
304, i.e. to the surface area of the shoe 304 that gets into contact with the
ground during
normal use. The vertical extension of the surrounding sole element 84 of the
shoe 304 is
smaller than the vertical extension of the surrounding sole element 83 of the
shoe 303a.
An outsole 94 is arranged underneath the surrounding sole element 84 of the
shoe 304. The
outsole extends over substantially the whole lateral extension of the
surrounding sole ele-
ment 84. In the cross-sectional view of Fig. 5, the outsole 94 extends over
the whole width
of the surrounding sole element 84. The outsole 94 is provided with a tread in
order to in-
crease traction for the wearer on a variety of surfaces. The outsole 94 does
not comprise
supporting members. Supporting members 134 are present in the surrounding sole
element
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84. Providing a separate outsole 94 for the shoe 304 has the same advantages
as providing
the outsole 92 for the shoe 302b, as discussed in connection with Fig. 3b.
Fig. 6a shows a cross-section through a shoe 305a according to another
embodiment. The
upper assembly 8 and the comfort layer 40 of the shoe 305a correspond to the
upper as-
sembly 8 and the comfort layer of the shoe 304, as described with reference to
Fig. 5. The
shoe 305a comprises a ventilating sole element 65 and a surrounding sole
element 85. The
ventilating sole element 65 has a channel structure 160 identical to the
channel structure
160 of the ventilating sole element 64 of the shoe 304 of Fig. 5. The
surrounding sole de-
w ment 85 has lateral passages 50, which are in fluid communication with
openings 55 and
the channel system 160 of the ventilating sole element 65.
The lateral extension of the ventilating sole element 65 changes somewhat
below the
height of the lower end of the lateral passages 50. Approximately half way
from the upper
surface 606 of the ventilating sole element 65 to its lower surface 604, the
ventilating sole
element 65 extends across almost the entire width of the transverse extension
of the venti-
lating sole element. The surrounding sole element 85 forms a sole element
surrounding the
lateral surface 602 of the wider portion of the ventilating sole element 65.
It also covers
the lower surface 604 of the ventilating sole element 65, thereby forming the
contact sur-
face of the shoe 305a with the ground. The surrounding sole element 85 also
fills the
pocket between the ventilating sole element 65 and the upper assembly 8,
thereby effecting
an attachment between these two components and a waterproof seal between the
upper
portion 10 and the lower portion 20.
The surrounding sole element 85 comprises supporting members 135 arranged
below the
ventilating sole element 65. The design of the ventilating sole element of the
shoe 305a
ensures that the cushioning and comfort capacities of the ventilating sole
element 65 are
taken advantage of over a large volume of the ventilating sole element, while
the complete
surrounding of the ventilating sole element 65 by the surrounding sole element
85 allows
for a uniform optical appearance of the shoe and for the provision of a
durable outer mate-
rial across all outer walls of the sole assembly 7. The surrounding sole
element 85 is pro-
vided with a tread structure.
Fig. 6b shows a cross-section through a shoe 305b according to another
embodiment. As
compared to Fig. 6a, the surrounding sole element 85 is modified in that is
does not com-
prise a portion that gets into contact with the ground during regular use of
the shoe 305b.
In other words, the surrounding sole element 85 surrounds the ventilating sole
element 65
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only laterally, not from the bottom side. An outsole 95 is provided below the
undersides of
the ventilating sole element 65 and the surrounding sole element 85. The
outsole 95 com-
prises supporting members 135. The supporting members 135 are comparable to
the sup-
porting members 135 shown in the lower layer of the surrounding sole element
85 of Fig.
6a. Moreover, the outsole 95 comprises a tread structure on its underside. The
advantages
of having a separate outsole 95 element are the same as described with the
outsole 92 of
the shoe 302b shown in Fig. 3b.
Fig. 6c shows a cross-section through a shoe 305c according to another
embodiment. The
upper assembly 8 of the shoe 305c comprises an upper portion 10, comprising an
upper
material 11 and an upper functional layer laminate 17, and a bottom portion
20, comprising
a bottom functional layer laminate 24. The bottom functional layer laminate 24
extends
across the entire horizontal portion of the upper assembly 8. It also extends
somewhat up
the side portions of the upper assembly 8. The upper functional layer laminate
17 does not
extend all the way down to the transition from the horizontal portion to the
side portions of
the upper assembly 8. The upper material 11, including the netband 15, may
extend as far
down as the upper functional layer laminate 17 or further down than the upper
functional
layer laminate 17. In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 6c, the netband 15
extends down
to the bottom end of the lateral sides of the upper assembly 8. The upper
functional layer
laminate 17 and the bottom functional layer laminate 24 are brought close
together with
the respective edges, with a strobel stitch 30 connecting these components in
the exem-
plary embodiment of Fig. 6c. The strobel stitch 30 also attaches the netband
15 to these
components.
A ventilating sole element 65, which is arranged below the bottom functional
layer lami-
nate 24 and a comfort layer 40, extend across most of the horizontal portion
of the bottom
functional layer laminate 24. In fact, the ventilating sole element 65 may
extend over the
entire horizontal portion of the bottom functional layer laminate 24. This is
possible be-
cause the seam 30, joining the netband 15 of the upper material 11, the bottom
functional
layer laminate 24 and the upper functional layer laminate 17, is situated at a
lower lateral
side of the upper assembly 8 rather than at the underside of the upper
assembly 8. The sur-
rounding sole element 84 may thus only be applied outside the horizontal
lateral extension
of the bottom functional layer laminate 24, rather than also underneath the
bottom func-
tional layer laminate 24 (which is the case in Fig. 6c), whilst still being
able to seal the
seam 30.
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The ventilating sole element 65 in Fig. 6c has a constant width along its
vertical extension
in the cross-sectional plane of Fig. 6c. It may have a constant width in all
transverse cross-
sections throughout the entire longitudinal direction of the shoe 305c. It is
also possible,
however, that the width of the ventilating sole element 65 may vary in the
vertical dimen-
sion in other transverse cross-sections at different longitudinal points
throughout the shoe
305c, as shown for example in Fig. 1. The channel structure 160 of the
ventilating sole
element 65 of the shoe 305c corresponds to the channel structure 160 of the
ventilating
sole element 65 of the shoe 305b, shown in Fig. 6b.
Providing the ventilating sole element 65 over all or almost the entire
lateral dimension of
the sole assembly 7 has the advantage that the high water vapour discharge
capabilities of
the bottom functional layer laminate 24 and the ventilating sole element 65
receiving the
water vapour therefrom may be taken advantage of over a large area. This
feature may also
be applied to all of the other embodiments.
The surrounding sole element 85 surrounds the lateral surface 602 of the
ventilating sole
element 65. It has a constant width throughout the vertical extension of the
ventilating sole
element 65. Above that vertical extension, the surrounding sole element 85
laterally sur-
rounds a lower portion of the upper assembly 8. The sole material of the
surrounding sole
element 85 is penetrated through the netband 15 and through the strobel stitch
30, thereby
sealing the connection region between the upper portion 10 and the lower
portion 20 of the
upper assembly 8. Underneath the ventilating sole element 65 and the
surrounding sole
element 85, an outsole 95 is provided. Again, the outsole 95 is provided with
supporting
members 135 and a tread structure on its underside.
Fig. 7 shows a cross-section through a shoe 306 according to another
embodiment. The
upper assembly 8 of the shoe 306 is identical to the upper assemblies of both
the shoe
301b of Fig. 2b and the shoe 302b of Fig. 3b, with the exception of the bottom
functional
layer laminate 24 used, which will be discussed below. The shoe 306 does not
comprise a
comfort layer on top of the ventilating sole element 66. The surrounding sole
element 86
of the shoe 306 is identical to the surrounding sole element 81 of the shoe
301b. The venti-
lating sole element 66 of the shoe 306 has a channel structure 160 similar to
the channel
structure 160 of the ventilating sole element 62 of the shoe 302c, but
comprising only 4
longitudinal channels 184. The lateral extension of the ventilating sole
element 66 of the
shoe 306 is identical to the lateral extension of the ventilating sole element
62 of the shoe
302c. The ventilating sole element 66 extends between the surrounding sole
element 86
with a constant width along the vertical dimension. The ventilating sole
element 66 ex-
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tends all the way down to the bottom of the sole, particularly as far down
vertically as the
surrounding sole element 86. The ventilating sole element 66 and the
surrounding sole
element 86 form a flush surface (with the exception of the tread structures)
for getting into
contact with the ground during use of the shoe 306. Therefore, the weight of
the wearer
may be evenly distributed between the two components of the ventilating sole
element.
The bottom functional layer laminate 24 of the shoe 306 is provided with dots
29, also re-
ferred to as knobs, on its lower side. Accordingly, the dots 29 are provided
on the lower
surface of the bottom membrane 21. The dots 29 are polymeric dots distributed
over the
io lower surface of the bottom functional layer or membrane in a regular
pattern, particularly
in parallel rows extending in the transverse direction of the shoe, with one
such row being
shown in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 7. The dots 29 have a cushioning
effect, such that
the wearer's comfort is ensured despite the non-uniform nature of the top
surface of the
ventilating sole element 66. The dots 29 have been found to be so efficient
that the comfort
layer may be dispensed with. A bottom functional layer laminate 24 having
polymeric dots
29 may be applied to all other embodiments as well. Due to the spaces present
between the
discrete dots 29, the water vapour permeability of the bottom functional layer
laminate 24
is not compromised. As the bottom functional layer laminate 24 may be readily
manufac-
tured including the dots 29, such a laminate may reduce the number of
components needed
for manufacturing the shoe, such that gains in the manufacturing efficiency
may be
achieved.
Fig. 8 shows a cross-section through a shoe 308 according to another
embodiment. The
upper assembly 8 is similar to the upper assembly 8 of the shoe 305c shown in
Fig. 6c, and
a comfort layer 40 is disposed between the bottom functional layer laminate 24
and a ven-
tilating sole element 68. The shoe 308 comprises the ventilating sole element
68 and a sur-
rounding sole element 88. The ventilating sole element 68 extends vertically
from the com-
fort layer 40 to the lower end of the shoe 308 forming an outer sole of the
shoe 308. The
ventilating sole element 68 is equipped with a tread structure at its
underside. The ventilat-
ing sole element 68 extends across the entire lateral dimension of the shoe
308 in its lower
portion. In its upper portion, the lateral dimension of the ventilating sole
element 68 is re-
duced as compared to the lower portion. The lateral extension of the upper
portion of the
ventilating sole element 68 corresponds approximately to the lateral extension
of the upper
assembly 8. The surrounding sole element 88 surrounds the upper portion of the
ventilat-
ing sole element 68 and a lower portion of the upper assembly 8, covering the
connection
region 30 between the upper portion 10 and the lower portion 20 of the upper
assembly 8.
Openings 55 and lateral passages 50 are provided, which extend through the
side wall 608
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of the ventilating sole element 68 and the side wall 702 of the surrounding
sole element 88,
respectively, and which are in air communication with the channel structure
160 of the
ventilating sole element 68. The ventilating sole element 68 comprises a
channel structure
160 corresponding to the channel structure 160 of the ventilating sole element
65 of the
shoe 305c.
The surrounding sole element 88 has a small lateral extension, which allows
for a very uni-
form design of the ventilating sole element 68, as the vast majority of the
sole volume is
provided by the ventilating sole element 68. Again, the small volume of the
surrounding
sole element 88 allows for a quick and well-controlled injection-moulding of
the surround-
ing sole element 88, while the attachment between ventilating sole element 68
and upper
assembly 8 as well as the sealing of the connection between the upper portion
10 and the
lower portion 20 of the upper assembly 8 as well as the water vapour discharge
capabilities
through the lateral passages 50 can be ensured.
In the embodiments described, a number of modifications may be made, as is
apparent to a
person skilled in that art. Further, the embodiments can be combined in
different ways.
For example, instead of injection-moulding, other techniques can be used for
manufactur-
ing the sole elements of the embodiments described above. For example, the
ventilating
sole element may also be poured into a mould in a casting process. Vulcanizing
is another
well-known sole production process.
Another exemplary modification relates to the two-layer bottom functional
layer laminate
described. It is also possible to provide a three-layer bottom functional
layer laminate, hav-
ing a third layer below the lower membrane. The third layer may be a mesh or
another
suitable material that allows penetration of sole material therethrough during
injection-
moulding, such that a sealing of the lower membrane to the upper membrane may
be ef-
fected.
Another exemplary modification is that the at least one lateral passage 50 can
be provided
with inserts that can be removed before the first use. In particular, the
inserts may be con-
nected to the material around the lateral passages, in particular to the
surrounding sole
element. However, such attachment may be weak, for example only comprising
local at-
tachment points, such that a user may remove the inserts by hand. In this way,
it is ensured
that the lateral passages remain free of dirt during the shipping and selling
process, but that
the lateral passages can be easily completed by the wearer of the shoe.
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In the following, an exemplary method for manufacturing a shoe in accordance
with prin-
ciples of the invention will be described. The skilled person will be aware
that various
changes or adaptations may be made in manufacturing the shoe as far as
appropriate and
depending on the particular needs of the respective shoe construction.
The manufacturing method described in the steps below is described by way of
polyure-
thane injection of the ventilating sole element. However, any other suitable
material for
forming the ventilating sole element may be used, e.g Ethylene Vinyl Acetate
(EVA) Al-
io ternatively, the ventilating sole element can be made in a casting process
where the venti-
lating sole element material is poured (i.e. not injected) into a mould where
it is formed
and cured or in a vulcanization process.
In a process of forming an upper assembly, a bottom portion 20 of the upper
assembly is
attached to an upper portion 10 thereof. This can be done in any suitable way,
for example
using commonly known methods such as gluing, stitching etc. For example, the
bottom
portion may comprise a breathable insole or a waterproof, breathable
functional layer
laminate with a membrane being waterproof and water vapour permeable. The
bottom por-
tion may extend between lower end areas of the upper portion such as shown in
the exam-
ples of Figs. 1 to 8. Particularly, the bottom portion may be seen as the
lower part of the
upper assembly extending between the seams 30. Accordingly, it may encompass
also
parts of the side portions of the upper assembly.
In the examples of Figures 1 - 8 as described above, the bottom portion 20 of
the upper
assembly comprises a waterproof, breathable bottom functional layer laminate.
In an em-
bodiment, a 2-layer bottom functional layer laminate is stitched ("strobeled")
to a water-
proof, breathable upper functional layer laminate at a stitched seam 30
according to the
Strobel method as described above. For example, the laminate may have a
textile layer 22
on top towards the foot and a membrane, which is waterproof and breathable,
below to-
wards the sole.
In the process of forming a sole assembly, an outsole, e.g. of rubber, is made
in a respec-
tive manufacturing step as commonly known. The rubber is vulcanized and shaped
into an
outsole. Afterwards, the outsole may optionally be chemically primed by
brushing "TFL
Primer" (commercially available from the company Forbo Adhesives) on the
surface fac-
ing the foot. Priming is carried out on open rubber cells in a well known
manner to im-
prove the connection to the polyurethane of the ventilating sole element which
is later in-
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jected. After such priming, glue (for example, Helmipur GPU from Forbo
Adhesives) is
applied to that area of the outsole where the ventilating sole element is to
be placed later.
The outsole is dried for a particular period of time as necessary, for example
half an hour
at 25-40 C.
Thereafter, optionally a shank (not shown in Fig. 9b) as commonly known may be
mounted on the outsole on the side facing the foot. The shank may be adhered
to the out-
sole and may be elevated, e.g., by 3-5 millimetre high protrusions which are
arranged on
the side of the shank facing the outsole. This elevation allows the material
of the ventilat-
ing sole element to enter between shank and outsole during the injection
taking place later.
In a further step, the outsole is then placed on a piston of a mould, which is
in the present
embodiment a first injection form or mould and is shaped to mould the
ventilating sole
element. An exemplary injection mould 210 is shown in Fig. 9a. It comprises
side frames
211 which are shown in a closed position surrounding a bottom portion 213 of
the mould.
The structure visible on top of the bottom portion 213 is arranged to form the
channel
structure in the ventilating sole element, as can been seen in Fig. 9c with
channel structure
162. The outsole may be placed on another part of the mould 210, for example
on a top
piston as the top part of the mould. For example, as shown in Fig. 9b, an
outsole 191 is
placed on top of a top piston 212 of the mould 210. In a subsequent step, the
side frames
211 of the mould 210 close from an opened state into the state as shown in
Fig. 9a, where-
in the top piston 212 with the outsole 191 facing the inner space of the mould
is lowered
and seals the mould 210 from the top (not shown).
Afterwards, the material forming the ventilating sole element, such as
polyurethane, is in-
jected into the mould 210 (e.g., conventional polyurethane of the type such as
MS18 from
Elastogran GmbH (BASF)). In an embodiment of the invention, this may be the
same
polyurethane which is used for a surrounding sole element (which may also be
seen as a
midsole) later on. In another embodiment the polyurethane of the ventilating
sole element
is softer (Shore A value of e.g. 30-45) than a polyurethane used for the
surrounding sole
element (Shore A value of e.g. 45-65). This increases comfort for the wearer.
During injec-
tion the formed ventilating sole element is bonded to the outsole. After
completion of the
injection process, these two components now form a monolithic entity, as can
be seen in
Fig. 9c. Subsequently, the edges of the ventilating sole element may be
manually treated
for superfluous material, if any.
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The manufacturing steps as described above may be performed and finished in a
particular
manufacturing site independently from other parts of the shoe, for example by
a sub-
supplier, who will deliver to the shoe manufacturer, for instance, a finished
semimanufac-
tured product comprising the ventilating sole element attached to an outsole.
An embodi-
ment of a ventilating sole element 161 attached to an outsole 191 is shown in
Fig. 9c. In
other embodiments, according to the aspects as described with reference to
Figures 1 to 8,
a semimanufactured product comprising any type of ventilating sole element
with or with-
out an outsole component and/or stilts may be manufactured in a first stage of
a manufac-
turing process, e.g. by a sub-supplier.
As illustrated in Fig. 10, a breathable comfort layer 40 is fixed on the
surface of the venti-
lating sole element, e.g. by glue being manually spread on the edge of the
ventilating sole
element or over parts of or the full surface of the ventilating sole element.
According to an
embodiment, before assembling the material on the ventilating sole element,
mechanical
pressure is applied to the material, which is compressed, e.g., from 2 mm to 1
mm in thick-
ness. This may be done to make the material more compact and hence to lower
the amount
of water absorbed. This advantageously prevents the material from acting as
sponge which
nurtures growth of fungus and the like.
The ventilating sole element with the outsole and the comfort layer is then
placed in an
injection mould, such as a second injection mould 220 (which in this
embodiment is dif-
ferent from the first injection mould 210 for forming the ventilating sole
element), as
shown in Fig. 11. For example, the outsole 191 with the ventilating sole
element 161 and
the comfort layer 40 is placed on top of a bottom piston 222. The second
injection mould
220 incorporates pins 221 in the side frames for making lateral passages in a
surrounding
sole element which if formed during the following injection process.
At the beginning of the moulding process, the last with the upper portion 10
of the shoe is
lowered into the second injection mould 220. The bottom piston 222 is then
raised until
the ventilating sole element has firm contact with the bottom portion 20 of
the shoe upper
assembly placed on the last. The contact between ventilating sole element with
comfort
layer and the bottom portion 20 must be so tight that polyurethane from the
upcoming in-
jection does not enter between bottom portion 20 and comfort layer. In order
to achieve a
tight sealing a lip extends vertically from the surface of the ventilating
sole element. The
lip could be arranged around the full upper circumferential edge of the sole
element, but
preferably a U-shaped lip of approx 2 mm height is made in the heel area, and
a 1 mm high
lip is made in the forefoot area. When raising bottom piston 222 against
bottom portion 20
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an extra mechanical pressure is exerted on the lip in order to deform it a
bit. Due to the
force impact the lip will bend outside and away from the ventilating sole
element, and with
the aid of the comfort layer make a tight seal which prevents entry of
polyurethane. After
raising the bottom piston the side frames with pins 221 close the mould 220,
as shown in
Fig. 12. The pins 221 contact the side wall of the ventilating sole element so
as to form
lateral passages 50 in the surrounding sole element to be injected, but do not
penetrate
them.
Thereafter, an injection with surrounding sole material, particularly PU, is
made, hereby
creating a surrounding sole element. After a certain curing time (e.g. 3.5
minutes) the side
frames are opened and last with the shoe is lifted. Any remaining sprue is
manually re-
moved from the surrounding sole element with a knife.
In a subsequent step, openings 55 are made in the side wall of the ventilating
sole element,
e.g. with a laser or a drill or puncturing e.g. with a hot needle or other
thermal means of
removing wall material . In this regard, Fig. 13 shows a drilling apparatus
230 with a drill
231 suitable for entering into the lateral passages 50.
The creation of openings 55 in the side wall of the ventilating sole element
connects the
lateral passages 50 of the surrounding sole element to the structure or
material of the venti-
lating sole element, so that water vapour can flow and/or diffuse through the
bottom por-
tion of the upper assembly and then flow through the structure or material of
the ventilat-
ing sole element together with the air flowing therethrough and then through
the lateral
passages in the surrounding sole element to the outside of the shoe, that is
the ambient air.
It is not necessary that pins of the mould for forming the surrounding sole
element are ex-
actly aligned with any channels or open parts in the ventilating sole element
prior to injec-
tion moulding, to ensure there is a safe connection between the passages and
openings with
a smooth transition and that no injected material can enter into the channels
or openings of
the ventilating sole element. Rather, according to the invention, the pins for
forming the
lateral passages do not penetrate into any channels or open parts of the
ventilating sole ele-
ment. They can have a position in which they are adjacent to or in contact
with the side
wall of the ventilating sole element. The pins can have a position which is
not aligned with
any channels or open parts, if any, formed in the ventilating sole element.
The structure or
material of the ventilating sole element and the lateral passages in the
surrounding sole
element are interconnected by making apertures or openings in the ventilating
sole element
through the lateral passages, so that thereafter there is a reliable path for
air to communi-
cate between the structure or material of the ventilating sole element and an
outside of the
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surrounding sole element, that is the ambient air, regardless of the exact
position of the
moulding pins.
Fig. 14 shows a finished shoe with a surrounding sole element 181 having
lateral passages
50 formed therein. According to an embodiment, the process of drilling starts
with high
speed and then switches to a lower speed of the drill.
A functional layer/membrane as described herein is a water vapour-permeable
and/or wa-
terproof layer, for example, in the form of a membrane or a correspondingly
treated or fin-
ished material, for example, a textile with plasma treatment. Both the lower
functional
layer, also referred to as lower membrane, and the upper functional layer,
also referred to
as upper membrane, can be parts of a multilayer, generally a two-, three- or
four-layer
laminate; the lower functional layer and the upper functional layer are sealed
so as to be
waterproof in the lower area of the shaft arrangement on the sole side; the
lower functional
layer and the upper functional layer can also be formed from one material.
Appropriate materials for the waterproof, water-vapour-permeable functional
layer are es-
pecially polyurethane, polyolefins, and polyesters, including polyether esters
and laminates
thereof, as described in documents US-A-4,725,418 and US-A-4,493,870. In one
variant.
zo the functional layer is constructed with microporous, expanded
polytetrafluoroethylene
(ePTFE), as described, for example, in documents US-A-3,953,566 and US-A-
4,187,390,
and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene provided with hydrophilic impregnation
agents
and/or hydrophilic layers; see, for example, document US-A-4,194,041.
Microporous func-
tional layers are understood to mean functional layers whose average effective
pore size is
between 0.1 and 2 [Jim, preferably between 0,2 i.un and 0,3 m.
A laminate as described herein is a composite consisting of several layers
permanently
joined together, generally by mutual gluing or sealing. In a functional-layer
laminate, a
waterproof and/or water vapour-permeable functional layer is provided with at
least one
textile layer. The at least one textile layer mostly serves to protect the
functional layer dur-
ing its processing. Here, we speak of a two-layer laminate. A three-layer
laminate consists
of a waterproof, water-vapour-permeable functional layer embedded in two
textile layers.
The connection between the functional layer and the at least one textile layer
occurs by
means of a discontinuous glue layer or a continuous water-vapour-permeable
glue layer. In
one variant, a glue can be applied spot-wise between the functional layer and
the one or
two textile layers. Spot-wise or discontinuous application of glue occurs
because a full-
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surface layer of a glue that is not water vapour-permeable itself would block
the water-
vapour permeability of the functional layer.
A functional layer / functional-layer laminate is considered "waterproof,"
optionally in-
eluding the seams provided on the functional layer / functional-layer
laminate, if it guaran-
tees a water-entry pressure of at least 1 x 104 Pa. The functional-layer
material preferably
withstands a water-entry pressure of more than 1 x 105 Pa. The water-entry
pressure is then
measured according to a test method in which distilled water at 20 2 C is
applied to a
sample of 100 cm2 of the functional layer with increasing pressure. The
pressure increase
1 o of the water is 60 3 cm H20 per minute. The water-entry pressure then
corresponds to the
pressure at which water first appears on the other side of the sample. Details
concerning
the procedure are stipulated in ISO standard 0811 from the year 1981.
Whether a shoe is watertight can be tested, for example, with a centrifuge
arrangement of
the type described in US-A-5,329,807.
A functional layer / functional-layer laminate is considered "water-vapour
permeable" or
"breathable" if it has a water-vapour-permeability number Ret of less than 150
m2 x Pa x
W-1. Water-vapour permeability is tested according to Hohenstein skin model.
This test
method is described in DIN EN 31092 (02/94) and ISO 11092 (1993).
