Abstract
Item of footwear having an upper arrangement and a sole, wherein the upper arrangement has a top material and an air-permeable layer arranged in a base of the upper, the air-permeable layer is arranged above the sole, in a sole-side, bottom region of the upper arrangement, the air-permeable layer has a three-dimensional structure allowing the through-passage of air in at least the horizontal direction, and a sole-side, bottom peripheral region of the top material of the upper is replaced, over at least part of its peripheral extent, by at least one connecting material which, beginning at least above an underside of the air-permeable layer and running outside the air-permeable layer, is arranged on the base of the upper and is air-permeable at least in a sub-region located at least in part at the same level as the air-permeable layer and thus connects the air-permeable layer to the exterior surroundings such that air can be exchanged between the exterior surroundings and the air-permeable layer.
Claims
1. A shoe having a) a shaft arrangement and a sole, wherein: b) the shaft arrangement has b.1) an outer shaft material and b.2) an air-permeable layer arranged in a shaft bottom; c) the air-permeable layer is arranged in a lower area of the shaft arrangement on the sole side above the sole d) the air-permeable layer has a three-dimensional structure that permits air passage at least in the horizontal direction through the air-permeable layer and is embodied as an air-permeable spacer structure; and e) the outer shaft material has at least two at least roughly opposite air-passage openings in a lower peripheral area on the sole side and in the foot transverse direction or foot longitudinal direction, said openings connect the air-permeable layer to the outer surroundings in a horizontal direction for a convective air exchange through the air-permeable layer between the outer surroundings and the air-permeable layer.
2. The shoe according to claim 1 that has a water vapor-permeable functional layer at least in a lower area of the shaft arrangement that faces the sole, the air-permeable layer being arranged beneath the functional layer.
3. The shoe according to claim 2, wherein the functional layer is waterproof.
4. The shoe according to claim 2 with a shaft functional layer and a shaft-bottom functional layer.
5. The shoe according to claim 4, with a functional layer bootie, in which a shaft area is formed at least partially by the shaft functional layer and a shaft bottom area is formed by the shaft-bottom functional layer.
6. The shoe according to claim 4, wherein the functional layer of the shaft functional layer and the shaft bottom functional layer are part of an at least two-layer laminate.
7. The shoe according to claim 6, wherein the laminate is a shaft-bottom functional layer laminate or a shaft functional layer laminate.
8. The shoe according to claim 2, wherein the functional layer has a water vapor-permeable membrane.
9. The shoe according to claim 2, wherein the functional layer has a membrane constructed with expanded microporous polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE).
10. The shoe according to claim 4, wherein the air-permeable layer is situated beneath the shaft-bottom functional layer.
11. The shoe according to claim 10, wherein the air-permeable layer is situated directly beneath the shaft-bottom functional layer.
12. The shoe according to claim 2, wherein the air-permeable layer is at least water vapor-permeable in the direction toward the functional layer.
13. The shoe according to claim 2, wherein the at least one air-passage opening is arranged in the outer shaft material least partially at the same height as the air-permeable layer.
14. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein the at least one air-passage opening has a total surface of at least 50 mm.sup.2.
15. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein a lower area of the outer shaft material on the sole side forms a lasting edge, and the air-permeable layer is arranged above the lasting edge of the outer shaft material.
16. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein the shaft arrangement comprises an inlay sole and an additional inlay sole which is arranged beneath the air-permeable layer.
17. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein a penetration-protection element is arranged in above sole.
18. The shoe according to claim 1, said air-permeable spacer structure has a flat structure and a plurality of spacer elements extending away from the flat structure, vertically or at an angle between 0 and 90.
19. The shoe according to claim 18, wherein the spacer elements are embodied as knobs.
20. The shoe according to claim 18, wherein the air-permeable spacer structure is constructed with two parallel arranged flat structures, and the two flat structures are joined to each other and held spaced from one another in an air-permeable manner by spacer elements.
21. The shoe according to claim 1, said spacer structure is constructed with a reinforced knit.
22. The shoe according to claim 1, said spacer structure is constructed to be corrugated or sawtooth-shaped.
23. The shoe according to claim 1, in which the at least one air-passage opening has shape selected from the group consisting of round and angular.
24. The shoe according to claim 1, in which the at least one air-passage opening is covered with an air-permeable protective material in the form of a gauze or mesh.
25. The shoe according to claim 1, in which the at least one air-passage opening is sealed by a device.
Description
(1) In the enclosed drawing figures:
(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective oblique view of a first embodiment example of a shoe designed according to DE 10 2008 027 856 with several air passage openings in the shaft outer material;
(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective oblique view of a second embodiment example of a shoe designed according to DE 10 2008 027 856 with several air passage openings in the shaft outer material;
(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective oblique view of a third embodiment example of a shoe designed according to DE 10 2008 027 856 with several partially closable air passage openings in the shaft outer material;
(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective oblique view of a fourth embodiment example of a shoe designed according to DE 10 2008 027 856 with an air-permeable grid-like component of the outer shaft material enclosing the shaft periphery;
(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a cross-section through part of the forefoot area of a shoe designed according to one of the variants shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, in a first variant of its shaft arrangement;
(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a cross-section through part of the forefoot area of a shoe designed according to one of the variants shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, in a second variant of its shaft arrangement;
(8) FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a cross-section through part of the forefoot area of a shoe designed according to one of the variants shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, in a third variant of its shaft arrangement;
(9) FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a cross-section through part of the forefoot area of a shoe designed according to one of the variants shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, in a fourth variant of its shaft arrangement;
(10) FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a cross-section through part of the forefoot area of a shoe designed according to one of the variants shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, in a fifth variant of its shaft arrangement;
(11) FIG. 10 shows a first variant of an air-permeable layer usable for a shoe designed according to DE 10 2008 027 856;
(12) FIG. 11 shows a second variant of an air-permeable layer usable for a shoe designed according to DE 10 2008 027 856;
(13) FIG. 12 shows a third variant of an air-permeable layer usable for a shoe designed according to DE 10 2008 027 856;
(14) FIG. 13 shows a fourth variant of an air-permeable layer usable for a shoe designed according to DE 10 2008 027 856;
(15) FIG. 14 shows a fifth variant of an air-permeable layer usable for a shoe designed according to DE 10 2008 027 856;
(16) FIG. 15 shows a first variant of footwear designed according to the invention in a partial sectional view before a lasting process;
(17) FIG. 16 shows a second variant of footwear designed according to the invention, similar to the first variant of FIG. 15, after a lasting process and the application of an outsole;
(18) FIG. 17 shows a third variant of footwear designed according to the invention in a partial sectional view with a Strobel seam shaft arrangement;
(19) FIG. 18 shows the footwear depicted in FIG. 17 after the application of an outsole;
(20) FIG. 19 shows a fourth variant of footwear designed according to the invention in a partial sectional view with an air-permeable layer connected to the shaft outer material, before application of the sole;
(21) FIG. 20 shows a plan view of part of a first variant of a connection material according to the invention for footwear according to the invention;
(22) FIG. 21 shows a plan view of part of a second variant of a connection material according to the invention for footwear according to the invention;
(23) FIG. 22 shows a plan view of part of a first variant of a cover strip according to the invention for footwear according to the invention; and
(24) FIG. 23 shows a plan view of part of a second variant of a cover strip according to the invention for footwear according to the invention.
(25) FIG. 24 shows a plan view of part of a third variant of a connection material according to the invention in the form of a composite made of rubber band and lattice band.
(26) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment example of a shoe 10 according to DE 10 2008 027 856, which has a shaft arrangement 12 and a sole 14 applied to the lower end area of the shaft arrangement 12, wherein this embodiment example involves an outsole. The shaft arrangement 12, in the usual manner, has on its upper end a foot-insertion opening 12a, from which a lace area 12b extends in the direction of the forefoot area of the shaft arrangement 12. In the lower end area of the shaft arrangement 12, a number of air passage openings 20 arranged around part of the periphery of the shaft arrangement 12 can be seen. In the front part of the forefoot area, which corresponds roughly to the toe area of the shoe, no air passage openings are provided in this embodiment. The air passage openings 20 are uniformly distributed around the remaining peripheral area of the shaft arrangement 12, with roughly the same spacing, and are formed to be circular. The air passage openings 20 are also provided with an air-permeable protective covering 22, in order to prevent the penetration of large particles, such as stones. The protective covering 22 can cover the air passage opening from the outside and/or from the inside. A protective covering 22 can be applied to each individual air passage opening 20, or an overall protective covering 22 can extend over all air passage openings. The protective covering 22 can be designed, for example, to be gauze-like or mesh-like.
(27) FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment example of a shoe 10 according to DE 10 2008 027 856, which largely agrees with the first embodiment example shown in FIG. 1, but differs from the first embodiment example with respect to the arrangement and shape of the air passage openings 20. The air passage openings 20 of the shoe shown in FIG. 2 have an elongated rectangular shape in the peripheral direction of the shaft arrangement 12 and are situated in the forefoot area or heel area of the shaft periphery in the lower end area of the shaft arrangement. The air passage openings 20 also have a gauze-like protective covering 22.
(28) FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment example of a shoe 10 according to DE 10 2008 027 856, which largely agrees with the second embodiment example shown in FIG. 2, but differs from the second embodiment example with respect to the arrangement of the air passage openings 20. In the third embodiment example, the air passage openings 20 also have an elongated rectangular shape in the peripheral direction of the shaft arrangement 12. However, air passage openings 20 that are at least roughly opposite each other in the transverse direction of the foot are situated only in the forefoot area of the shaft periphery. The air passage openings 20 are covered with a grid-like protective covering 22.
(29) FIG. 3 also shows a device 45 that is also representative for all variants of FIGS. 1 to 4, by means of which the air passage openings 20 can be closed as required. The movable device 45 shown includes means by which an at least water-repellant material temporarily closes the air passage opening 20. In the variant shown, an at least water-repellant material can be pushed by means of a slide device along the shaft periphery over the air passage opening 20, until it is closed. The slide device can be provided for one air passage opening or for several air passage openings. The movable device 45 makes it possible for the air passage opening and therefore the air-permeable layer (not shown) of the shaft arrangement 12 to be temporarily protected against the penetration of liquids such as water. Closure of the air passage openings can also be advantageous in the winter or at very cold temperatures, since unduly severe cooling of the foot can thereby be prevented. Plugs, slides, flaps, a continuous band, and all other closure mechanisms can be used as devices for closure of the air passage openings. Possible materials for closure of the air passage opening can be plastics, foams, coated textiles, TPU, TPE, silicone, polyolefins, polyamides, and vulcanizates.
(30) FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment example of a shoe 10 according to DE 10 2008 027 856 which largely agrees with the first embodiment example shown in FIG. 1, but differs from the first embodiment example in that the air passage openings 20 are formed by an air-permeable material that extends around the entire periphery of the lower shaft area. Particularly high air exchange can thereby be achieved between the air-permeable layer and the outer surroundings of the shoe 10, with a correspondingly effective removal of heat and moisture from the shoe interior to the outer surroundings of the shoe 10. The air-permeable material is a component of the outer shaft material. In one variant, it can be made of a separated perforated, grid-like or mesh-like material, which is attached in the lower peripheral area of the outer shaft material on the sole side, or the outer shaft material itself is correspondingly treated mechanically in this lower peripheral area, for example, by punching or perforation. Meshes, gauzes, gauze-like textiles, open-pore foams, air-permeable textiles, and combinations of these materials can be used as the air-permeable material. These materials can consist, for example, of polyesters, polyamides, polyolefins, TPE, TPU, or vulcanizates.
(31) All variants in FIGS. 1 to 4 have the common feature that at least two air passage openings are at least roughly opposite each other in the transverse direction of the foot or the longitudinal direction of the foot. Because of this, air flow can form through the air-permeable layer, which is essential during the removal of water vapor and heat from the shoe interior by convection. The air flow can also be actively generated with an incorporated fan.
(32) The variants in FIGS. 1 to 4 can also be combined with one another.
(33) FIGS. 5 to 9 each show a cross section through a part of the forefoot area of a shoe according to DE 10 2008 027 856, especially along line A-A in FIG. 1. While such a line is shown only in FIG. 1, the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 5 to 9 also apply to the variants shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. FIGS. 5 to 9 each show a shaft arrangement 12 with a sole 14 applied to it, which represents an outsole in the shown variant. The variants shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 differ with respect to the corresponding shaft arrangement 12.
(34) All shaft arrangements 12 of the variants in FIGS. 5 to 9 have an outer shaft material 16, on the inside of which a lining is situated, which has either a bootie functional layer 34 (FIGS. 5 and 9), a shaft functional layer 37 (FIGS. 6 and 7), or only a liner layer 18 without a functional layer (FIG. 8). In all five variants, a shaft bottom functional layer is situated in the area of the shaft bottom 15. The shaft functional layer and the shaft bottom functional layer can be common parts of a functional layer bootie 39 (FIG. 5 or 9), or they can be separate functional-layer parts that are sealed with respect to one another (FIGS. 6 and 7). In FIG. 8, only the shoe bottom has a functional layer. All these functional layers in the embodiment examples shown are part of a multilayer functional layer laminate, of a three-layer functional layer laminate 24, 27, or 28 in the variants shown, with a functional layer 34, 37, or 38, which is embedded between two textiles 25 and 26. The textiles in 25 and 26 can usually be one textile layer each. The shaft functional layer 37, or the shaft functional layer laminate 27 (FIGS. 6 and 7), or the liner layer 18 (FIG. 8) can be attached to an inlay sole 30 by means of a Strobel seam 32. An air-permeable layer 40 (FIGS. 5 to 9) is situated beneath the shaft bottom functional layer 38 or the shaft bottom functional layer laminate 28, specifically at least at about the height of the at least one air passage opening 20. The lower end area of the outer shaft material 16 on the sole side is either glue-lasted or attached as a last insert 16a by means of lasting glue (not shown) on the bottom of the inlay sole 30 (FIGS. 5 and 9) or the air-permeable layer 40 (FIGS. 6 and 7). Or the lower end area of the shaft upper material 16 on the sole side is connected by means of an additional Strobel seam 33 to an additional inlay sole 30a (FIG. 8).
(35) In all the variants shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, the outer material 16 is constructed with a water vapor-permeable material. The inlay sole 30 arranged above the shaft bottom functional layer laminate 28 (FIGS. 6 to 8) and the liner layer 18 (FIG. 8) are also constructed with water vapor-permeable material. All layers of the shaft bottom situated beneath the air-permeable layer 40, such as the inlay sole 30 in FIG. 5, the filling layers 31 in FIGS. 6 and 7, and the additional inlay sole 30a in FIG. 8 need not have water vapor permeability.
(36) In the variants of FIGS. 5 to 9, the air passage openings 20 of the outer shaft material 16 are situated directly above the angled area of the inserted lower end area of the outer shaft material 16, specifically at a height such that the air passage openings 20 are at least at roughly the same height as the peripheral side surfaces 42 of the air-permeable layer 40. In order to achieve particularly effective air passage between the air-permeable layer 40 and the air passage openings 20, the air passage openings 20 preferably have a vertical extension roughly equal to the vertical thickness of the air-permeable layer 40, and the air passage openings 20 and the air-permeable layer 40 are aligned with respect to each other in the vertical direction such that a horizontal middle plane of the air-permeable layer 40 and a center axis of the corresponding air passage opening 20 are at least at roughly the same vertical height.
(37) In all five variants, the sole 14 is connected to the lower area of the shaft arrangement 12 in such a way that it is connected to the bottom of the lower end area 16a of the outer shaft material 16 forming the insert, and to the area of the bottom of the shaft bottom that is not covered by this insert. Unevenness on the bottom of the shaft bottom, caused in particular by a last insert 16a of the outer shaft material 16, can be compensated by a filler layer 31. The sole 14 can be constructed with waterproof material, in which rubber or a rubber-like elastic plastic, for example, an elastomer, is involved. The sole 14, however, can also consist of a water vapor-permeable material, such as leather. The sole 14 can be a prefabricated sole glued to the shaft arrangement 12 or a sole molded onto the shaft arrangement 12. A walking surface of this sole, situated on the bottom of the sole 14, is provided in the usual manner with a groove pattern, in order to form profile protrusions that improve the anti-slip characteristics of the shoe 10 provided with such a sole 14. In all variants shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, an upper edge 14a of the sole 14 ends beneath the lower end of the corresponding air passage opening 20.
(38) In a manner not shown, especially in the case of walking or hiking shoes, a rubber strip serving mostly as pebble protection can be applied to the area of the outer shaft material 16 situated directly above the upper edge 14a of the sole 14, i.e., where the at least one passage opening 20 is situated, for example by gluing to the outer shaft material 16 and the upper edge 14a of the sole, which has the same color as the sole 14, for example. In order to avoid blocking the air permeability of the air passage openings 20, the rubber edge on the air passage openings 20 is provided in turn with air passage opening at corresponding sites.
(39) In all variants of FIGS. 5 to 9, the air passage openings 20 are provided with an air-permeable protective covering 22, which is formed, for example, by a gauze or mesh made of metal or plastic or by a textile material with high air permeability and therefore also high water vapor permeability. The protective covering 22 can be situated on the outside (FIGS. 5, 6, 8, and 9) or inside (FIG. 7) of the corresponding air passage opening 20. Either each air passage opening 20 has its own protective covering 22 applied or a common protective covering strip is applied to some of the air passage openings 20 or all air passage openings 20, which strip extends over the corresponding number of air passage openings 20.
(40) FIGS. 5 to 9 will now be considered in additional detail.
(41) In the variant according to FIG. 5, the functional layer on the inside of the outer shaft material 16 and the functional layer on the top of the air-permeable layer 40 are both part of a sock-like bootie 39 that lines the entire shaft arrangement 12 on its inside, except for the foot-insertion opening 12a. Such a bootie is usually stitched together from several functional layer parts, wherein the stitching sites are glued over with a watertight seam-sealing strip and made watertight in this way. However, the bootie could also be produced from one piece of material, which would then no longer entail the need for sewing together and sealing. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the bootie is constructed with the already mentioned functional layer laminate 24. The shaft arrangement 12 is therefore waterproof, and after addition of a sole 14, a waterproof shoe is present. The air-permeable layer 40 is arranged in the shaft bottom area directly beneath the functional layer laminate 24 of the bootie 39. The air-permeable layer 40 then extends over the entire shaft bottom area, and the entire foot sole is then available for water vapor exchange and heat exchange. Beneath the air-permeable layer 40 the inlay sole 40 is situated, on the bottom of which the last insert 16a of the lower end area on the sole side is attached by means of lasting glue (not shown). Instead of using a separate inlay sole, it is also possible in certain variants to make the bottom or lower support surface of the air-permeable layer 40 correspondingly stable, so that the last insert can be attached to this bottom. In such an embodiment, the air-permeable layer additionally assumes the function of an inlay sole.
(42) In the variant according to FIG. 6, separate functional layers 37 and 38, which belong to the shaft functional layer laminate 27 and the shaft bottom functional layer laminate 28, respectively, are situated on the inside of outer material 16 and in the area of shaft bottom 15. An inserted lower end area 27a of the shaft functional layer laminate 27 on the sole side is firmly stitched to the inlay sole 30 by mean of a Strobel seam 32. The shaft bottom functional layer laminate 28 is situated beneath the inlay sole 30 and extends to beneath the inserted end area 27a of the shaft functional layer laminate 27 and is joined in a waterproof manner to the end area 27a by means of a sealing material (not shown), for example, in the form of a sealing glue, so that the shoe interior is waterproof all around because of the cooperation of the functional layers 37 and 38, which are sealed with respect to each other, with the exception of the foot-insertion opening 12a and the lace area 12b of the shoe 10, as when a functional layer bootie is used. It is also possible to connect the shaft bottom functional layer above the inlay sole to the shaft functional layer laminate in a waterproof manner. Since the shaft bottom functional layer 38 extends to beneath the inserted end area 27a and thereby beyond the Strobel seam 32, the Strobel seam 32 is also sealed from the shaft bottom functional layer 38. The air-permeable layer 40 is arranged directly beneath the shaft bottom functional layer laminate 28. The last insert 16a of the outer
(43) material 16 is attached to the bottom or lower support surface of the air-permeable layer 40 by means of a lasting glue (not shown). The air-permeable layer therefore additionally assumes the function of an inlay sole. In principle, however, it would also be possible to provide a separate inlay sole beneath the air-permeable layer. Unevenness on the bottom of the shaft bottom 15 caused by the last insert 16a of the outer material 16 is compensated by the filler layer 31, in the manner already mentioned.
(44) The variant shown in FIG. 7 differs from the variant shown in FIG. 6 only in that the protective covering 22 is not arranged on the outside, but on the inside of the outer shaft material 16, directly along the peripheral side surfaces 42 of the air-permeable layer 40 and on the inside, in front of the air passage opening 20.
(45) The variant shown in FIG. 8 differs from the variants according to FIGS. 5 to 7, on the one hand, in that the outer material 16 is provided only with a liner layer 18, but not with a shaft functional layer, except for a lower area close to the shaft bottom 15 and, on the other hand, by the fact that two inlay soles and two Strobel seams are present. The liner layer 18 has a liner layer insert 18a on a lower end on the sole side, which insert is joined to an inlay sole 30 by means of a Strobel seam 32. The lower end area 16a of the outer shaft material 16 on the sole side is connected by means of an additional Strobel seam 33 to an additional inlay sole 30a. The shaft bottom functional layer 38, which can again be part of the shaft bottom functional layer laminate, has an upward protruding collar 38a on its outer periphery that extends into a gap between the outer material 16 and the liner layer 18. The air-permeable layer 40 is arranged between the shaft bottom functional layer 38 or the shaft bottom functional layer laminate and the additional inlay sole 30a. The shaft bottom functional layer laminate can also be arranged above the inlay sole.
(46) However, the upper shaft area in the variant according to FIG. 8 is not waterproof. The shoe according to FIG. 8 is therefore particularly suitable for a use where wetness from the top is less of a concern than wetness from the bottom and from the side, i.e., for walking or hiking in moist surroundings, when it is not raining or when one is standing for only a shorter time in the rain.
(47) The variant shown in FIG. 9 essentially corresponds to the variant shown in FIG. 5. In contrast to FIG. 5, the inlay sole 30 is configured such that the surface of the inlay sole 30 directed toward the air-permeable layer 40 is raised in the center at an angle and protrudes into the air-permeable layer. The lower support surface of the air-permeable layer 40 is therefore raised or pressed according to the angular elevation of the inlay sole 30. As a result of this, two sloped planes are formed within the air-permeable layer, which run downward from the center in the direction of the peripheral side surfaces 42 and thus facilitate runoff of any water present in the air-permeable layer 40. Such a configuration of the inlay sole 30 can also be provided for the variants in FIGS. 5 to 8.
(48) Different variants of spacer structures 60 are shown as examples in FIGS. 10 to 14, which are suitable for the air-permeable layer 40. All these spacer structures have the common feature that they form two support surfaces spaced from each other, wherein the spacer structure lies with the lower support surface on the corresponding substrate and its upper support surface serves as a support surface for the layer situated above the spacer structure, which can be the bottom area of the functional layer bootie (FIG. 5 or 9) or the shaft bottom functional laminate (FIGS. 6 to 8). The two support surfaces are either both formed by a flat structure, and are held at a spacing from each other by means of spacers situated between them, at least the upper one of which is air permeable (FIG. 11), or only the lower support surface is formed by a flat structure, from which spacer elements protrude, the free ends of which form support points that together have the function of the upper support surface (FIGS. 10, 12, and 14). Or else there is neither a lower nor an upper flat structure, but a single flat structure which is brought into a corrugated or zigzag form with lower and upper wave or tooth crests that define the lower or upper support surface (FIG. 13).
(49) The spacer structures shown in FIGS. 10 to 14 will now be considered in more detail.
(50) In the variant shown in FIG. 10 of a spacer structure 60 appropriate as an air-permeable layer 40, roughly hemispherical protrusions or bulges 65 bulge upward from a lower flat structure 64, whose upper crests define an upper support surface. In one variant, this spacer structure 60 consists of an initially flat knit or solid material which, after it has been brought to the form shown, is stiff or stiffened by a deep-drawing process, for example, such that it retains this shape even under the stress to which it is exposed during walking with the shoe equipped with this spacer structure. In addition to a deep-drawing process, other steps already mentioned can also be used, namely deformation and stiffening by a thermoforming process or impregnation with a synthetic resin that cures to the desired form and stiffness.
(51) FIG. 11 shows an embodiment example for a spacer structure 60 suitable as an air-permeable layer 40, whose upper and lower support surfaces are formed by two parallel air-permeable flat structures 62 and 64 that are chosen, for example, from the group of polyolefins, polyamides, and polyesters, wherein the flat structures 62 and 64 are joined to each other in an air-permeable manner by support fibers 66 and are simultaneously spaced. At least some of the fibers 66 are arranged as spacers, at least roughly perpendicular, between the flat structures 62 and 64. The fibers 66 are made of a flexible, deformable material, such as polyester or polypropylene. Air can flow through the flat structures 62 and 64 and between the fibers 66. The flat structures 62 and 64 are of open-pore woven, warp-knit, or knit textile materials. Such a spacer structure 60 can be the already mentioned spacer knit available from the Tylex Co. or the Mller Textile Co.
(52) The spacer structure 60 shown in FIG. 12 has a structure similar to the spacer structure shown in FIG. 10, but it consists of a knit of knit fibers or knit filaments that is brought into this form and consolidated in this form by a thermal process or impregnation with synthetic resin.
(53) FIG. 13 shows a variant of a spacer structure 60 with a zigzag or a sawtooth profile, to which an initially flat material has been shaped, such that the upper and lower crests 60a and 60b define the upper and lower support surface of this spacer structure 60. The spacer structure 60 of this form can also be formed by the already mentioned methods and reinforced to the desired stiffness.
(54) FIG. 14 shows another embodiment example of a spacer structure 60 suitable as an air-permeable layer 40. In this variant, spacer elements are formed not by protrusions or bulges from the single lower flat structure 68, but by fiber bundles 70 that protrude upward from the flat structure 68 and whose upper free ends together define the upper support surface. The fiber bundle 70 can then be applied by flocking the lower flat structure 68.
(55) Variants of footwear according to the invention and/or its components will now be considered and explained with reference to FIGS. 15 to 24. FIGS. 15 and 16 show variants of the lasted version before and after the lasting process, FIGS. 17 and 18 show a variant of the Strobel version and FIG. 19 again shows a variant of the lasted version.
(56) Although only the lasting and Strobel seam versions are considered in the following variants, the invention is in no case restricted to these, but is also applicable to all other versions.
(57) In the figures explained below the same reference numbers are used for the same elements and features, even when the embodiment examples involve different versions.
(58) When terms such as top, bottom, above, beneath, vertical, horizontal and so forth are used, this refers to the specific figure and is not to be taken absolutely.
(59) FIG. 15 shows a partial structure of a first, lasted variant of footwear 100 according to the invention in a partial sectional view in the forefoot area in a stage of production before a lower end area of a shaft 101 on the sole side is lasted to the bottom of a peripheral area of an inlay sole 130, often also called the insole.
(60) This footwear 100 has a shaft arrangement 102 with shaft 101 and a shaft bottom 115, with which the lower area of the shaft 101 on the sole side is closed.
(61) The shaft 101 has an outer material 116 and a shaft functional layer 234 on the inside thereof, and, in the depicted variant, a shaft liner 225 on the inside thereof. The shaft bottom 115 has a shaft bottom functional layer 334 and, in the depicted variant, a shaft bottom liner 335 on the top thereof. In the area of the outer periphery of the shaft bottom 115, the shaft functional layer 234 and the shaft bottom functional layer 334, on the one hand, and the shaft liner 225 and the shaft bottom liner 335, on the other hand, are connected to each other by a shared Strobel seam 326. In order to seal the connection transition between the shaft functional layer 234 and the shaft bottom functional layer 334 at this stitching site, a sealing material 328 is situated in the area of the Strobel seam 326 beneath the shaft bottom functional layer 334 and a lower end area of the shaft functional layer 234, inserted to the shaft bottom 115. An air-permeable layer 140, beneath which the inlay sole 130 is situated, is arranged beneath the shaft bottom functional layer 334.
(62) The actual outer material 116 ends at a spacing above the air-permeable layer 140 where it is lengthened with a connection material 210, which is connected to the shaft outer material 116 by means of a seam 215 and which in the production stage depicted in FIG. 15 hangs downward and is embodied as air-permeable in an area between the seam 215 and the bottom of inlay sole 130 in order to permit air exchange between a peripheral side surface 142 of the air-permeable layer 140 and the outside of the footwear 100 at the level of the air-permeable layer 140 in the finished footwear 100. The lower end area of the connection material 210 lying away from seam 215 hangs downward above the inlay sole 130 far enough that it can serve as a connection material lasting edge 214 in a subsequent lasting process. On the outside of the connection material 210 a cover strip 212 is situated, whose upper end area covers seam 215 and therefore does not allow this seam 215 to be visible in the finished footwear 100. A lower end area of the cover strip 212 also hangs downward over the plane of the inlay sole 130 such that its lower end area can serve as a cover strip lasting edge 218 in a subsequent lasting process. In an area situated at the level of the air-permeable layer 140, the cover strip 212 is also embodied as air permeable in order to permit air exchange between the air-permeable layer 140 and the outside of the cover strip 212.
(63) In the depicted variant the connection material 210 and the cover strip 212 have air-permeable regions whose vertical extension goes beyond the top and the bottom of the air-permeable layer 140. As a result, not only is a particularly effective air exchange guaranteed between the air-permeable layer 140 and the outside of the footwear 100, but it is also ensured that even with tolerance-related vertical positioning differences of the connection material 210 and/or the cover strip 212 relative to the air-permeable layer 140, air-permeable regions of the connection material 210 and the cover strip 212 are always located at the level of the air-permeable layer 140. In the areas in which the air-permeable regions of the cover strip come to lie in the area of the shaft, this further increases the climate comfort of the shoe, since the water vapor-impermeable shaft cover is partially removed. For the desired air exchange between air-permeable layer 140 and the outside of footwear 100, however, it is sufficient for the connection material 210 and the cover strip 212 to be embodied as air-permeable only in the thickness area of the air-permeable layer 140, wherein it may even be sufficient for these air-permeable regions of the connection material 210 and cover strip 212 to extend only over a partial area of the thickness of the air-permeable layer 140.
(64) An example in which both the connection material 210 and the cover strip 212 are embodied as air permeable in the vertical area corresponding only roughly to the thickness of the air-permeable layer 140 is shown by a second, also lasted variant of the invention depicted in FIG. 16.
(65) FIG. 16 also shows a partial sectional view in the forefoot area of footwear 100 with the partial structure similar to that of FIG. 15, but after the process of lasting the lower end area of the shaft 101 on the sole side onto the bottom of the inlay sole 130, and after the application of a sole 114, also called the outsole, which in the depicted variant is an outer sole. In contrast to the variant depicted in FIG. 15, the shaft functional layer and the shaft bottom functional layer are part of a functional layer bootie 134, i.e., a sock-like functional layer insert. In the same manner, the liner prescribed in this variant consists of a liner bootie 125, which has a shaft liner area and a shaft bottom liner area. The functional layer bootie 134 and the linear bootie 125 can usually each be a part of a functional layer laminate bootie 139.
(66) Otherwise the variants of FIGS. 15 and 16 are the same.
(67) FIG. 16 shows that in this variant both the connection material 210, which can be embodied as mesh-like or lattice-like at least in the air-permeable region, and the cover strip 212 are lasted onto the bottom of the inlay sole 130. In the variant depicted in FIG. 16, a connection material last insert 214 is first lasted in a first lasting process by means of a connection material lasting glue 216 onto the bottom of inlay sole 130. In a subsequent, second lasting process a cover strip last insert 218 is then lasted onto the bottom of the connection material last insert 214 by means of a cover strip lasting glue 220.
(68) It is also possible to connect the connection material last insert 214 and the cover strip last insert 218 to each other before the lasting process and to fasten them to the bottom of the inlay sole 130 in a single lasting process by means of a single layer of lasting glue.
(69) As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the actual outer material 116 stops above the air-permeable layer 114 so that the peripheral side surface 142 of the air-permeable layer 140 remains uncovered by the outer material 116. The fastening site, for example a stitching site formed by a seam 215, between the outer material 116 and the connection material 210 is also situated above the air-permeable layer 140. Since the connection material 210 is embodied as air permeable at least in the area in which it lies opposite the peripheral side surface 142 of the air-permeable layer 140, largely unhampered air exchange is made possible between the air-permeable layer 140 and the outside of the connection material 210.
(70) The cover strip 212, for example in the form of a band of rubber of rubber-like material, is embodied as air permeable at least in the area that lies at the level of the peripheral side surface 142 of the air-permeable layer 140, so that a largely unhampered air exchange can occur between the air-permeable layer 140 and the outside of the cover strip 212.
(71) In the variant depicted in FIG. 16 the cover strip 212 on its upper longitudinal side (seen in FIG. 16) has an overhang over the fastening area (seam 215) between connection material 210 and outer material 116, so that this fastening area is covered by the cover strip 212. The cover strip 212 in this area therefore serves, on the one hand, to keep this fastening area invisible in the finished footwear and, on the other hand, to protect this fastening area from mechanical damage. If in one variant the connection between outer material 116 and connection material 210 occurs by means of the seam 215 shown in FIG. 16, which has a certain sensitivity to mechanical friction and whetting, the reliability and service life of the footwear 100 is significantly improved by covering the seam 215 by the cover strip 212.
(72) Because of the last inserts 214 and 218, a step forms on the bottom of the peripheral area of the inlay sole 130, which would lead to a cavity between inlay sole 130 and the sole 114 that is applied later beneath the inlay sole 130. In order to avoid such a cavity, a filler layer 222 is applied to a middle area of the inlay sole bottom, which filler layer is situated within the last inserts 214 and 218. When, after production of the shaft arrangement 102, whose shaft bottom 115 has, from the top downward (viewed in FIG. 16), the shaft bottom area of functional layer 134, the air-permeable layer 140, the inlay sole 130 and the filler layer 222, and optionally, as in the variant depicted in FIG. 16, a textile layer 125 serving especially as a liner on the inside of functional layer 134, the sole 114 is also applied, in the case of the variant in FIG. 16 in the form of an outsole, then because of the filler layer 222 said sole will lie on an essentially flat bottom of the shaft bottom 115. The sole 114 can be a sole that is glued onto the shaft bottom 115 or a sole that is molded onto the shaft bottom 115. Both sole types are equally suited for the footwear 100 according to the invention.
(73) FIGS. 17 and 18 show a third variant of footwear according to the invention, which largely agrees with the first variant depicted in FIG. 15 with respect to the formation of the shaft arrangement 102. It deviates to the extent that in the third variant according to FIGS. 17 and 18, on the one hand, the lower end area of the connection material 210 is connected to the inlay sole 130 by means of a seam 330, which can be a Strobel seam, and on the other hand, the lower end area of cover strip 212 does not emerge in a horizontal insert, as in the variants of FIGS. 15 and 16, but extends completely vertically. As shown in FIG. 18, which shows the shoe structure, once the partial structure according to FIG. 17 has been provided with the sole 114 and the cover strip 212, the cover strip 212 extends on its lower end in vertical alignment up to the upper edge of the sole 114. In this variant the cover strip 212 can be applied after the sole 114 has been fastened to the shaft bottom 115, either by gluing to shaft bottom 115 or by molding onto shaft bottom 115.
(74) FIG. 19 shows a fourth, lasted variant of footwear 100 according to the invention before the processes of lasting and application of a sole 114 have been carried out, which are not shown for this variant but can be conducted according to FIG. 16. This fourth variant largely agrees with the first variant according to FIG. 15 with respect to the shaft and shaft bottom structure. Deviation relative to FIG. 15 exists to the extent that the connection material 210 is material of the air-permeable layer 130, which protrudes vertically upward from the peripheral edge of the air-permeable layer 140 and is connected by seam 315 to the lower end of outer material 116. Deviating from FIGS. 15 and 16, in the fourth variant according to FIG. 19 only a single lasting process is necessary, namely fastening the cover strip last insert 218 to the bottom of the inlay sole 130 by lasting. In particular, when the cover strip 212 is embodied as air permeable over a large part of its vertical extension between seam 215 and inlay sole 130, a large-area air exchange with the outside of the footwear 100 can occur via the connection material 210 formed by the material of air-permeable layer 140.
(75) For all the previously described variants it applies that the connection material 210 and the cover strip 212 begin at least above a bottom of the air-permeable layer 140 and are air permeable in the vertical area extending at least over a partial area of the thickness of air-permeable layer 140.
(76) Two embodiment examples for a connection material 210 suitable for footwear 100 according to the invention are shown in FIGS. 20 and 21. In both figures it is indicated based on the lateral outlines that only a section of a connection material is involved, which actually has a greater length.
(77) FIG. 20 schematically depicts a first embodiment example in which the connection material 210 is formed from a mesh-like or latticed material and has the same opening size over its entire width extent, i.e., has the same air permeability per unit of surface over its entire length and width extent.
(78) FIG. 21 schematically depicts a second embodiment example in which the opening size of the connection material 210 is greater in an upper part 210a of its width extent than in the remaining lower part 210b of its width extent in order to create a particularly good adaptation to the different requirements in the upper part 210a of its width extent and in the lower part 210b of its width extent. Owing to the greater opening size in the upper part 210a of the width extent, a higher air permeability is achieved wherever this connection material 210 is opposite the peripheral side surface 142 of the air-permeable layer 140 than in the lower part 210b of the width extent with the smaller opening size, which forms at least partly the connection material insert 214 and is intended to have a particularly high mechanical loadability there in order to be able to tolerate the lasting forces or other fastening forces particularly well. However, it is also possible to construct only the upper part 210a of the width extent of the connection material 210 with air-permeable material, for example in the form of a latticed material, mesh-like material, textile mesh or by material made air-permeable by perforations, whereas the lower part 210b of the width extent of connection material 210 is constructed with a material without air permeability but with particularly high fastening force loadability.
(79) FIGS. 22 and 23 show embodiment examples for the cover strips 212 suitable for the footwear 100 according to the invention. In this case as well it is indicated by lateral outlines that the depiction involves only a partial section of the corresponding cover strip.
(80) In order to produce a particularly high mechanical protective function for the lower area of the shaft 101, i.e., where a walking shoe, for example, also called a hiking shoe, which is supposed to be particularly suited for mountain walking, is exposed to particularly high impact, friction and whetting loads, preferably a particularly robust material, for example, in the form of a band of rubber, rubber-like plastic or robust textiles whose robustness is improved for example, by coating the textile or the rubber-like mass, can be used for the cover strips 212.
(81) Another possibility involves constructing the cover strip 212 with an air-permeable material in order to ensure in the finished footwear at the level of the air-permeable layer 140 the desired air permeability of the air-permeable layer 140 to the outside of the cover strip 212. In the variants depicted in FIGS. 22 and 23 the cover strip 212 is constructed with a naturally air-permeable material, which can be embodied as particularly robust, and passage openings that permit the desired air permeability are formed in that area of the cover strip 212 that lies opposite the air-permeable layer 140 in the finished footwear.
(82) In the variant depicted in FIG. 22 the cover strip 212 in its longitudinal extension has recesses 213 spaced from each other, which extend to the lower longitudinal edge of the cover strip 212 so that the cover strip 212 at these locations is open downward. The connection material 210 extends behind the recesses.
(83) In the case of the variant depicted in FIG. 23 the cover strip 212 in its longitudinal extension is formed in areas that are spaced from each other by corresponding perforations with lattice zones 217, which permit the desired air permeability at the required locations. In this variant the partial area of the cover strip 212 situated beneath the lattice zones 217 remains unweakened, i.e., in the area that forms the cover strip last insert 218, so that a cover strip 212 of the variant depicted in FIG. 23 is particularly suitable to take up the forces occurring during a lasting process or other fastening process. In addition, the lower area of the cover strip 212 according to FIG. 20 can be better grasped with the lasting tongs used for lasting than the cover strips 212 according to FIG. 19, which have gaps 213 in the lower area, especially if lasting tongs are used that only grip a relatively small longitudinal area of the cover strip 212.
(84) The variant in FIG. 23 can also be embodied such that the openings are arranged uniformly over the entire surface and over the entire width and length of the cover strip 212.
(85) FIG. 24 shows as a configuration example a side plan view of part of the footwear 100 according to the invention, wherein at the top the outer material 116 of shaft 101 is shown, on the bottom part of the sole 114 is shown, and in between the cover strip 212 and its air passage openings, which in this case are mesh-like or lattice-like connection material 210, are shown.
(86) Information now follows concerning the structure, material, and properties for the connection materials which are particularly suitable for the footwear according to the invention. Structure: Mesh or lattice Material: Plastic in which especially PA (polyamide) and PES (polyester) are suitable Alternative: TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), PP (polypropylene) Thickness: suitable: 0.3 mm to 3 mm preferred: 0.5 mm to 2 mm especially preferred: 1.4 m to 1.8 mm Width: Must amount to at least part of the thickness, preferably equal to or greater than the thickness of the air-permeable layer Basis weight: suitable: 50-1000 g/m.sup.2 preferred: 200-700 g/m.sup.2 for example: a) the product KIWI (484 g/m.sup.2) from Panatex s.r.l., Prato, Italy b) article 1517 from Acker Textilwerke GmbH, Seligenstadt, Germany Shape of the air passage openings: any Size of the air passage openings: suitable: 0.1-10 mm preferred: 0.5 mm to 5 mm Surface ratio of air permeability openings: greater than 10% of the total surface preferably greater than 30% of the total surface Air permeability (measured according to DIN ISO 9237:1995): suitable: 100-8000 L/m.sup.2s at 100 Pa pressure difference preferred: 1000-5000 L/m.sup.2s at 100 Pa pressure difference 1500-5000 L/m.sup.2s at 100 Pa pressure difference 2000-5000 L/m.sup.2s at 100 Pa pressure difference
(87) Mechanical Properties:
(88) The strength and elongation were determined using the example of the material KIWI from Panatex s.r.l. according to ISO 13934.1 (02/99) on the Instron test instrument: 1.sup.st measurement in the transverse direction: at 150N tensile force, elongation (%): 3.2% 2.sup.nd measurement in the diagonal direction: at 150N tensile force, elongation (%): 12.5% 3.sup.rd measurement in the longitudinal direction: at 150N tensile force, elongation (%): 53%
