METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A SOLE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A FULLY OR PARTIALLY HOT-FORMED TEXTILE SOLE ELEMENT, AND FOOTWEAR ITEM COMPRISING SUCH A SOLE STRUCTURE

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a sole structure involving supplying at least one textile sole element having an outer face, including one or more at least partially hot-meltable filament(s); placing the at least one textile sole element in a mould structure including a sole cavity intended to come into contact with the outer face of the textile sole element; placing an inflatable bladder in the mould structure and inflating the inflatable bladder to press the outer face of the textile sole element either directly or indirectly firmly against the sole cavity and heating the textile sole element to melt the at least partially hot-meltable filament(s) and mould the sole cavity onto the outer face of the sole element; obtaining a sole structure including a thermally compressed textile sole element.

Claims

1-25. (canceled)

26. A method for manufacturing a sole structure, the method comprising: (i) providing at least one textile sole element having an external face, comprising one or several at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s); (ii) disposing the textile sole element in a mold structure comprising a sole cavity; (iii) disposing an inflatable bladder in the mold structure, and inflating the inflatable bladder to press, directly or indirectly, the external face of the textile sole element against the sole cavity, and heating the textile sole element to melt the at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s) and substantially mold the sole cavity on the external face of the textile sole element; and (iv) obtaining a sole structure comprising at least one thermo-compressed textile sole element.

27. The method for manufacturing a sole structure according to claim 26, wherein the textile sole element comprises a textile sole support having an external face, and one or several textile functional region(s) disposed, particularly in a spaced and located manner, on the external face of the textile sole support.

28. The method for manufacturing a sole structure according to claim 27, wherein the textile functional region(s) is/are one or several textile pocket(s).

29. The method for manufacturing a sole structure according to claim 26, wherein the textile sole element comprises a textile sole support having an external face, and a continuous or discontinuous textile layer, comprising one or several at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s), disposed along the external face of the textile sole support.

30. The method for manufacturing a sole structure according to claim 29, wherein the continuous or discontinuous textile layer comprises a section having a thickness e.sub.i in step i) and a thickness e.sub.f in step iv), e.sub.i being different from e.sub.f.

31. The method for manufacturing a sole structure according to claim 26, wherein the ratio of the mass of the hot melted material derived from the at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s) in said at least one textile sole element to the total mass of said at least one textile sole element is greater than or equal to 50%.

32. The method for manufacturing a sole structure according to claim 26, wherein the textile sole element is of unitary textile construction.

33. The method for manufacturing a sole structure according to claim 26, wherein the sole structure is an outsole, particularly the outsole comprises one or several fully or partly hot melted textile studs.

34. A method for manufacturing a footwear, the method comprising the implementation of the method for manufacturing a sole structure according to claim 26, providing a main textile bootie comprising one or several at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s), and thermoforming the main textile bootie, particularly during step iii) or independently of step iii).

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein said at least one textile sole element is of unitary textile construction with the main textile bootie.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein said at least one textile sole element is a textile envelope comprising a sole portion and a peripheral portion for partially wrapping the foot.

37. The manufacturing method according to claim 34, comprising an auxiliary textile bootie comprising one or several at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s) having a volume for accommodating the foot receiving, at least partly, the main textile bootie.

38. The manufacturing method according to claim 34, wherein the sole structure in step iv) comprises one or more of a hot melted textile material of the at least partly hot melted main bootie and a hot melted textile material of the at least partly hot melted auxiliary bootie.

39. A sole structure for a footwear, the sole structure capable of being obtained by the method for manufacturing a sole structure according to claim 26, wherein the sole structure comprises at least one at least partly hot melted textile sole element, having substantially opposite internal and external faces, wherein the external face of the textile sole element comprises a sole cavity, and wherein said textile sole element has a variable thickness.

40. The sole structure according to claim 39, wherein the sole cavity comprises at least one negative or positive cavity, and wherein the internal face of the textile sole element comprises at least one region facing said negative or positive cavity which is substantially planar.

41. The sole structure according to claim 39, wherein a thickness e.sub.1 of the textile sole element in a section comprising a positive cavity is greater than a thickness e.sub.2 of the textile sole element in a section comprising a negative cavity.

42. The sole structure according to claim 39, wherein the ratio of the mass of the hot melted textile material in the textile sole element to the total mass of the textile sole element is greater than or equal to 50%.

43. The structure according to claim 39, wherein the textile sole element is an outsole comprising one or several at least partly hot melted textile stud(s).

44. A footwear comprising a sole structure according to claim 38.

45. The footwear according to claim 44, comprising an at least partly hot melted main textile bootie.

46. The footwear according to claim 45, wherein the textile sole element is of unitary textile construction with the main textile bootie.

47. The footwear according to claim 44, wherein the at least partly hot melted textile sole element is a textile envelope comprising a sole portion and a peripheral portion for partially wrapping the foot.

48. The footwear according to claim 45, comprising an at least partly hot melted auxiliary textile bootie and having a volume for accommodating the foot receiving, at least partly, the main textile bootie.

49. The footwear according to claim 45, wherein said textile sole element comprises one or more of a hot melted textile material of the main bootie and a hot melted textile material of the auxiliary bootie.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0157] The disclosure will be better understood upon reading the description of the embodiments of the disclosure given by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0158] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a side view of a first example of a textile sole element, before thermo-compression, according to the disclosure;

[0159] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a side view of a second example of a textile sole element, before thermo-compression, according to the disclosure;

[0160] FIG. 3 schematically represents a side view of a first example of a sole structure including the first example or the second example of a thermo-compressed textile sole element;

[0161] FIG. 4 schematically represents a substantially perspective top view of the first example of a sole structure represented in FIG. 3;

[0162] FIG. 5 schematically represents a side view of the sections of the sole structure represented in FIGS. 3 and 4;

[0163] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a side view of a first example of a main textile bootie associated with a third example of a textile sole element, and another sole element, before thermo-compression;

[0164] FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a top view of a second example of a sole structure including the third example of a textile sole element represented thermo-compressed in FIG. 6;

[0165] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a side view of the second example of a sole structure represented in FIG. 7;

[0166] FIG. 9 schematically illustrates a side view of a second example of a main textile bootie associated with three textile sole elements according to a fourth example, before thermo-compression;

[0167] FIG. 10 schematically illustrates a side view of a third example of a main textile bootie, a first example of an auxiliary textile bootie, and two textile sole elements according to a fifth example, before thermo-compression;

[0168] FIG. 11 schematically illustrates a side view of a fourth example of a main textile bootie, a second example of an auxiliary textile bootie, and a sixth example of a textile sole element of textile construction unitary with the main bootie, before thermo-compression;

[0169] FIG. 12 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a third example of a sole structure including a textile sole element according to a seventh example which is thermo-compressed;

[0170] FIG. 13 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a first example of a mold structure according to the disclosure;

[0171] FIG. 14 schematically illustrates a top view of a first example of a sole cavity of the mold structure of FIG. 13;

[0172] FIG. 15 schematically illustrates a side view of the first example of a sole cavity of the mold structure of FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0173] The first example of a textile sole element 10 represented in FIG. 1 includes a textile sole support 12 having substantially opposite internal 12a and external 12b faces, and textile functional regions 20 projecting from the external face 12b. Preferably, the textile functional regions 20 and the sole support 10 are of unitary textile construction. The textile sole support 12 and the textile functional regions 20 each include one or several at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s).

[0174] The second example of a textile sole element 30 includes a textile sole support 40 having substantially opposite internal 40a and external 40b faces, and a textile layer 50, in this specific example continuous, disposed on the external face 40b. Preferably, the textile sole support 40 and the textile layer 50 are of unitary textile construction, and each include one or several at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s). The textile layer 50 may include more at least partly hot-meltable yarns than the sole support 40. When they are of unitary textile construction, it is possible to differentiate in the thickness of the textile the distribution of the the least partly hot-meltable yarns.

[0175] In these examples, the textile sole elements 10 and 30 are each a knit of unitary knitted construction. It is possible, however, that the textile sole elements are each combined with one or several other auxiliary, in particular textile or not, sole elements, for example one or several polymer film(s) and/or one or several molded functional piece(s), for example made of foam and/or one or several reinforcing piece(s).

[0176] The sole structure 60 includes the thermo-compressed textile sole element 10 or 30 according to the same sole cavity of a given mold structure. The sole structure 60 is in this specific example, an outsole 70, and includes substantially opposite internal 60a and external 60b faces. The sole structure 60 includes eight positive cavities 72, in particular studs and a negative cavity 74, in particular a transverse slot making it possible to soften the outsole 70. The sole structure 60 has a longitudinal axis L extending substantially between the front edge 62 and the rear edge 64, and a transverse axis T extending substantially between the medial edge 66 and the lateral edge 68. The axes T and L are secant, and may be substantially perpendicular. It is noted in the figures that the sole structure 60 has a full volume. Furthermore, the regions 71 of the internal face 60a of the sole structure 60 substantially facing the positive cavities 72 and the negative cavity 74 are substantially planar. In FIG. 5, the section 75 of the thermo-compressed textile sole element 70 includes the positive cavity 72 and has a thickness e.sub.1. The section 76 of the thermo-compressed textile sole element 70, without positive or negative cavity, has a base thickness e.sub.0. The section 77 of the thermo-compressed textile sole element 70, including the negative cavity 74, has a thickness e.sub.2. The thickness of the thermo-compressed sole element 70 is therefore variable, particularly e.sub.1 is greater than e.sub.2. FIG. 6 represents one variant of an assembly to be thermo-compressed to form an upper and a sole structure of a footwear. The assembly includes a main textile bootie 80 having an internal foot-receiving volume and including one or several at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s). The main bootie 80 includes a sole portion 81, a front portion 82, a rear portion 83, and lateral 84 and medial 85 portions. The assembly also includes a third example of a textile sole element 90 in the form a textile envelope, and partly receiving the main bootie 80. The textile sole element 90 includes a sole portion 91 and a peripheral portion for partially wrapping the foot 92. The peripheral portion for partially wrapping the foot 92 extends substantially vertically from the sole portion 91, at least partly along the front and rear edges, and the lateral and medial edges of the sole portion 91.

[0177] It is possible to arrange another auxiliary sole element which is an intermediate piece 95 between the sole portion 81 of the main bootie 80 and the sole part 91 of the textile sole element 90, for example a polymer film to provide a reinforcing function. The assembly intended to be thermo-compressed to form the sole structure thus includes the textile sole element 90, the intermediate piece 95 and possibly at least partly the sole portion 81 of the bootie 80. The assembly intended to form the footwear, including the main bootie 80, the textile sole element 90 and the intermediate piece 95, undergoes a thermo-compression step during which an inflatable bladder is disposed in the internal volume of the main bootie 80, then the assembly is disposed in a mold structure, the inflatable bladder is inflated so as to push the external face 90b of the textile sole element 90 against the sole cavity of the mold structure. Then, the assembly is heated to a heating temperature Tc in order to melt the hot-meltable material(s), in particular of the at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s). The hot melted material fills the sole cavity and thus forms a corresponding at least partly hot melted textile sole cavity on the external face of the thermo-compressed and at least partly hot melted textile sole element 90.

[0178] FIGS. 7 and 8 represent a second example of a sole structure 100 which is obtained by the thermo-compression only of the textile sole element 90 represented in FIG. 6. This sole structure 100 is preferably an outsole. The thermo-compressed textile sole element 105 includes a sole portion 106 having substantially opposite internal 106a and external 106b faces as well as a partial foot-wrapping portion 108 extending substantially vertically from the sole portion 106. As may be seen in FIG. 7, the internal face 106a of the sole portion 106 is substantially planar implicitly because of the substantially smooth surface of the inflatable bladder implemented. Furthermore, the sole structure 100 includes positive cavities 110 projecting from the external face 106b. Advantageously, the sole structure 100 includes via the at least partly hot melted wrapping portion 108 a counter 112 and a front hard toe-puff 114 as well as lateral holding wings 115.

[0179] FIG. 9 represents an assembly intended to form a footwear after at least one thermo-compression step including a second example of a main textile bootie 120 associated with three textile sole elements 130, 132 and 134. The three textile sole elements 130, 132 and 134 are independent and form together substantially a textile envelope similar to the textile envelope 90 of FIG. 6. Preferably, the main bootie 120, the textile sole elements 130, 132, 134 including, in particular each, one or several at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s).

[0180] FIG. 10 represents an assembly intended to form a footwear after at least one thermo-compression step including a third example of a main textile bootie 140 associated with two textile sole elements 150 and 152 and an auxiliary textile bootie 160. The two textile sole elements 150 and 152 are independent and form together substantially a textile envelope similar to the textile envelope 90 in FIG. 6. Preferably, the auxiliary bootie 160, the main bootie 140 and the textile sole elements 150, 152, including, in particular each, one or several at least partly hot-meltable yarn(s). The two sole elements 150, 152 are disposed in the extension of each other and at least between the sole portion 141 of the main bootie 140 and the sole portion 161 of the auxiliary bootie 160. In this case, the thermocompression of the assembly intended to form the footwear, includes the at least partly hot melted, in particular also thermo-compressed, main 140 and auxiliary 160 booties. The sole structure includes, at least partly, the sole portion 161 of the least partly hot melted (in particular thermo-compressed) auxiliary bootie 160, the at least partly hot melted (in particular thermo-compressed) textile sole elements 150, 152, and possibly at least partly the sole portion 141 of the main bootie 140. The sole portion of the main bootie may be constructed, particularly during knitting, so as to have a significant thickness, for example include looped stitches, and be partially hot-meltable so that a mat of non-hot melted yarns remains to provide comfort.

[0181] FIG. 11 represents an assembly intended to form a footwear after at least one thermo-compression step (iii) including a main textile bootie 170, an auxiliary textile bootie 180 and a textile sole element 173 of textile, in particular knitted, construction unitary with the sole portion 171 of the main bootie 170. The assembly could include another textile sole element of textile construction unitary with the sole portion of the auxiliary bootie. In this specific example, the sole portion 171 has a textile construction configured such that it includes at least two thicknesses or textile layers. The textile sole element 173 could alternatively be formed from the sole portion 181 of the auxiliary bootie 180. In practice, after thermocompression of the assembly, the sole structure includes the at least partly hot melted and thermo-compressed sole portion 181, the at least partly hot melted and thermo-compressed textile sole element 173, and the at least partly hot melted and thermo-compressed sole portion 171.

[0182] FIG. 12 represents a third example of a sole structure 200 alone including at least one at least partly hot melted 210 and thermo-compressed textile sole element including a sole portion 220 having substantially opposite internal 220a and external 220b faces, and an at least partly hot melted and thermo-compressed peripheral portion for partially wrapping the textile foot 230, particularly extending substantially vertically from the sole portion 220 and along the front 202, rear 204, medial 206 and lateral 208 edges. The sole structure 200 further includes four lateral 240 and four medial 250 branches projecting respectively along the peripheral wrapping portion 230 along respectively the lateral 208 and medial 206 edges. The branches 240, 250 each include first ends in connection with the wrapping portion 230, and second, in particular free, ends. The second ends of the lateral branches 240 converge towards the second ends of the medial branches 250. In this specific example, the wrapping portion 230 forms a sort of shell delimiting a partial accommodating volume for the foot and including a hard toe-puff and a rear counter. The sole structure 200 thus provides reinforcement to the upper of a footwear via the branches 240, 250. The second free ends may also each include a through-aperture, such as an eyelet, for example for the passage of an elongate element (example a shoelace). The sole structure 200 may be obtained by means of the superposition of several textile sole elements, at least one of which has a shape similar to that of the textile envelope 90 with lateral and medial textile branches. The branches may be formed by knitting or by cutting in at least one textile sole element. When the footwear is manufactured using at least one textile bootie according to the disclosure, it is possible that these branches result from the local disposition of hot-meltable yarns on the lateral and medial portions of the (main and/or auxiliary) bootie.

[0183] FIG. 13 represents a first example of a mold structure 300 including left 310 and right 320 upper parts, and a lower part 330. The lower part 330 includes a sole cavity 340, which is seen from above in FIG. 14 and from the side in FIG. 15. The sole cavity 340 includes in this example negative cavities 345, which form positive cavities on the external face of at least one thermo-compressed textile sole element.

[0184] Generally, the yarn(s) in the embodiments above is/are as defined in the present text.

[0185] The method according to the disclosure advantageously allows manufacturing in a simplified manner, in particular via a single step of hot-forming and press-forming, a sole structure or a footwear including an upper and a sole structure. It is possible to locally functionalize without limit the sole structure or the footwear in a simplified manner according to the disposition and the type of yarn(s) (melt-type, color, material, etc.) implemented. In addition, it is possible to manufacture in a single hot-forming and press-forming step, an entire footwear, which enormously simplifies the manufacturing method, reduces its cost and limits the generation of scrap and the manufacturing errors when many operations are required.