SHOE, IN PARTICULAR SPORTS SHOE, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a shoe having a shoe upper and a sole part connected to the shoe upper, wherein the sole part includes a sole body having a bottom region and a side wall region, wherein the bottom region and the wall region form a receiving chamber which is open at the top, wherein the receiving chamber is filled with a bulk material, wherein the bulk material consists at least partially, of a thermoplastic elastomer and wherein the filled receiving chamber is sealed by a closure body. Further, the closure body is a knitted fabric that forms a lattice structure, wherein the lattice structure has a mesh width (w.sub.1, w.sub.2) of at least 0.5 mm. The disclosure further relates to a method for producing such a shoe.

Claims

1. Shoe, in particular sports shoe, having a shoe upper and a sole part connected to the shoe upper, wherein the sole part comprises a sole body having a bottom region and a side wall region, wherein the bottom region and the wall region form a receiving chamber which is open at the top, wherein the receiving chamber is filled with a bulk material, wherein the bulk material consists at least partially, preferably completely, of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), wherein the filled receiving chamber is sealed by a closure body, and wherein the closure body is a knitted fabric that forms a lattice structure, wherein the lattice structure of the closure body has a mesh width (w.sub.1, w.sub.2) of at least 0.75 mm and at most 2.0 mm, wherein bodies of spherical or ellipsoidal shape are used as bulk material, wherein the dimensions of the bodies of the bulk material in the three spatial directions are between 3 mm and 6 mm, wherein the closure body is provided with a reinforcing layer in its edge region, wherein the reinforcing layer runs around the entire circumferential area of the closure body, and wherein a reinforcing plate is arranged in the bottom region of the sole body.

2. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the mesh width (w.sub.1, w.sub.2) of the lattice structure of the closure body is largely constant over the extension of the closure body.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure body is designed as a flat fabric structure.

6. Shoe according to claim 5, characterized in that the fabric structure is a Leno fabric.

7. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that a fiber-reinforced thread forms the fabric structure.

8. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that an air- and moisture-permeable membrane is arranged above and/or below the closure body.

9. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure body is directly or indirectly glued and/or sewn to the sole body.

10. (canceled)

11. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the shoe upper is glued and/or sewn to the sole part.

12. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the shoe upper has an upper section which is sewn at the bottom with a strobel sole.

13. (canceled)

14. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing layer is formed by a glued-on film.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the bodies of the bulk material are designed as hollow bodies.

18. (canceled)

19. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the bodies of the bulk material consist of foamed thermoplastic elastomer.

20. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the bodies of the bulk material consist of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyamide (TPA) and/or olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPO), wherein said materials are especially expanded.

21. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that a circumferential frame is arranged in the upper end region of the wall region of the sole body, which frame is connected, in particular glued, to the sole body, wherein the frame has a bearing surface for the closure body.

22. Method for the manufacturing of a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, according to claim 1, comprising the steps: a) manufacturing a shoe upper; b) producing a sole part, wherein the production of the sole part comprising the steps: b1) providing a sole body having a bottom region and a lateral wall region, wherein said bottom region and said wall region forming an open-topped receiving chamber; b2) filling the receiving chamber with a bulk material, wherein the bulk material consisting at least partially, preferably completely, of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), wherein bodies of spherical or ellipsoidal shape are used as bulk material, wherein the dimensions of the bodies of the bulk material in the three spatial directions are between 3 mm and 6 mm; b3) closing the filled receiving chamber with a closure body, wherein the closure body used being a knitted fabric which forms a lattice structure, wherein the lattice structure having a mesh width (w.sub.1, w.sub.2) between 0.75 mm and 2.0 mm, wherein the closure body is provided with a reinforcing layer in its edge region, wherein the reinforcing layer runs around the entire circumferential area of the closure body, and wherein a reinforcing plate is arranged in the bottom region of the sole body; c) fastening the shoe upper to the sole part so that the lower region of the shoe upper comes to rest on the closure body.

Description

[0044] In the drawings embodiments of the invention are shown.

[0045] FIG. 1 in exploded view a sports shoe according to a first embodiment of the invention and

[0046] FIG. 2 in a section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shoe, a sports shoe according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0047] In FIG. 1, a shoe 1 can be seen which has a shoe upper 2 and a sole part 3 which are connected to each other (which cannot be seen in FIG. 1 due to the exploded view). The designations “top” and “bottom” refer to the intended use of the shoe and when it is standing on the ground, respectively. The direction of the vertical V and the longitudinal direction L of the shoe 1 are shown.

[0048] The sole part 3 has a sole body 4, which has a bottom region 5 and a wall region 6 with a circumferential edge, so that the bottom region and the wall region delimit a receiving chamber 7, which is designed and provided for receiving bulk material 8. The sole body 4 can be manufactured, for example, by an injection molding process or by a thermoforming process.

[0049] After the shoe upper 2 and the sole part 3 have been produced (which can be done simultaneously or in any order), the receiving chamber 7 is filled with bulk material 8, which is only indicated in FIG. 1.

[0050] As can be seen from FIG. 2, the bulk material 8 is introduced into the receiving chamber 7 in complete packing and, if necessary, under slight pressure. Then the receiving chamber 7 is closed by fitting a closure body 9 so that the bulk material 8 is fixed in the receiving chamber 7.

[0051] It is essential that the closure body 9 is a knitted fabric which forms a lattice structure, the lattice structure having a mesh width w.sub.1, w.sub.2 (see FIG. 1) of at least 0.5 mm. The mesh width w.sub.1 is the distance between the individual threads of the lattice structure in the longitudinal direction L, and the mesh width w.sub.2 is the distance perpendicular thereto. The mesh widths w.sub.1 and w.sub.2 can be the same, but do not have to be. It is essential that the stated value of at least 0.5 mm is maintained, which is essential for improved wearing comfort.

[0052] The shoe upper 2 is then placed on the sole part 3 prepared in this way and the sole part 3 is joined to the shoe upper 2. This can be done by sewing and/or gluing.

[0053] Accordingly, the lower area of the shoe upper 2 now rests—via the closure body 9—on the bulk material 8, so that a pleasant walking sensation is created when using the shoe.

[0054] In general, any material can be used as bulk material 8 (e.g. also sand), while spheres or ellipsoids made of foamed plastic material are preferred; details are given above.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a similar embodiment of the invention.

[0056] First of all, a reinforcing plate 10 should be mentioned here, which is placed in the bottom region 5 of the sole body 4 in order to give the sole improved rigidity. The reinforcing plate 10 can also be one with spring-elastic properties to support the running movement.

[0057] In the upper section 11 of the shoe upper 2, this is made of a material (woven or knitted material) which is connected at the bottom to a strobel sole 12; in FIG. 2, a seam is schematically indicated between the section 11 and the strobel sole 12.

[0058] A special design of the closure body 9 (lattice structure) is also particularly worthy of mention: This has a reinforcing layer 13 in a circumferential edge region, which is implemented by an applied film. The film can be glued on or bonded to the closure body 9 by a thermal process. A frame 16 is attached to the upper end of the wall region 6 of the sole body 4, which is designed as an oval annular structure and corresponds to the shape of the upper edge of the wall region 6. The frame 16 is connected, for example glued, to the upper end of the wall region 6. In this case, the frame 16 has a bearing surface 17 on which the closure body 9 rests with its edge. Here, the closure body 9 is glued to the frame 16 or fastened in some other way.

[0059] In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the sole part 3 also comprises an outer sole 14; an insole 15 is inserted into the interior of the shoe upper 2.

[0060] By selecting the material-specific and geometric parameters (dimensions of the particles of the bulk material, size of the mesh, dimensions of the individual areas of the shoe upper and the sole part, choice of material, etc.), it is possible to influence the spring and damping behavior of the shoe and, in particular, of the sole.

[0061] While, as shown above, a loose insertion of individual bodies in the form of bulk material is envisaged, it is also possible in principle for said bodies made of said materials also to be coupled or joined together at least in part. In this respect, it is possible to create a structure in which a number of bodies are joined together, for example by microwave welding.

[0062] A similar composite of individual bodies can also be produced by embedding the individual bodies in a synthetic foam, in particular polyurethane foam, to create a structure that can be used to build the shoe sole.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0063] 1 Shoe [0064] 2 Shoe upper [0065] 3 Sole part [0066] 4 Sole body [0067] 5 Bottom region of the sole body [0068] 6 Wall region of the sole body [0069] 7 Receiving chamber [0070] 8 Bulk material [0071] 9 Closure body [0072] 10 Reinforcing plate [0073] 11 Upper section of the shoe upper [0074] 12 Strobel sole [0075] 13 Reinforcing layer [0076] 14 Outer sole [0077] 15 Insole [0078] 16 Frame [0079] 17 Bearing surface [0080] w.sub.1 Mesh width [0081] w.sub.2 Mesh width [0082] L Longitudinal direction of the shoe [0083] V Vertical direction