Shoe with upper comprising at least one glued part

The invention relates to the field of footwear, and more particularly to sports shoes.

Athletic shoes comprise a sole which can be flexible or rigid and which is mounted on a rod which covers the foot of the user. This rod is mostly in the form of several pieces which are cut and joined together so as to form a three-dimensional envelope closest possible to the shape of the foot. Generally, the shape of these parts and materials that constitute are dictated by the position of said parts and the function you want to fill them. The stem may also include inserts such as reinforcing front end, generally heavy leather or rubber.

In most athletic shoes, the rod has inner and outer side areas which are intended to be moved towards one another by a clamping system, usually a lacing. These areas are then separated by a longitudinal slot below which may extend a tongue comfort.

In some types of shoes, including skiing shoes or some hiking shoes, the rod has a protective flap which covers the lacing system, but may deviate to allow lacing and unlacing, so the boot on and removing the boot from the boot. Such a flap is disclosed in<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="EP1310182A"><text>EP 1310182</text></patcit>. This protective flap is particularly useful for footwear designed to be worn in the snow as it avoids that snow can be introduced into the shoe at the level of the slot which separates the lateral parts of the rod.

In a conventional design of the shank, the various parts that constitute it are normally sewn (which is also called pitting). For this, the parts to be assembled have overlapping portions in which two adjacent pieces are superimposed. A through sewing, visible from both sides of the overlay links the two parts to one another. With a through sewing, the sewing thread is exposed on both sides, thus including the outer face of the rod. It is thus exposed to external stresses and in particular to friction which can abrade the wire and thus cause failure of the seam. Similarly, it is known that the through seams are moisture entry points in the boot.

An object of the present invention to propose a new design of the assembly of some parts of the stem of a shoe.

A particular aim is sought to increase the wear resistance and / or resistance to moisture penetration.

Another of the objectives sought is to provide a new aesthetic of the shoe.

This or these objects are achieved in the shoe according to the invention, which is of the type comprising the features of the characterizing part of claim 1.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description, as well as the light of the accompanying drawings in which:<ul><li>the <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> is a schematic perspective view with cutaway of a first embodiment of an illegal sports shoe with the invention, the shoe with a protective flap,</li><li>the <figref idrefs="f0001">2</figref> is an enlarged view of the cutaway of the <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> illustrating in more detail the bonding area,</li><li>the <figref idrefs="f0002">3</figref> is a view similar to that of <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> illustrating the invention with the embodiment of the assembly of the protective flap (which is also illustrated in open position),</li><li>the <figref idrefs="f0002">4</figref> is a view similar to <figref idrefs="f0001">2</figref>, That is to say an enlarged view of the cutaway of the <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> illustrating in greater detail the embodiment of the flap adhesive area on the rod.</li></ul>

There is shown an athletic shoe 10 which essentially comprises a sole 12 on which a rod 14 is mounted by any known technique. The rod 14 can thus be mounted on the sole by gluing, stitching, molding or by any other method.

The rod 14 of the shoe according to the invention is essentially a flexible rod, that is to say a rod formed of main parts in flexible materials, or relatively flexible, such as fabrics, coated fabrics, leather and / or synthetic materials used in thin films such as films, ... etc. The rod may, however, include relatively rigid complementary elements to ensure forming the rod, and, for example, a right foot support, such as rigid or semi-rigid buttresses, nozzles, protection elements or decoration or local reinforcements.

Furthermore, the use of materials that are flexible by nature does not prevent their use in thickness or in a chemical form such that they possess a certain rigidity.

As opposed to alpine ski boots rigid materials, flexible rod of the present invention adapts to the flexion of the foot and / or in place of it in the sport.

According to the invention, the rod 14 is formed externally of several parts, that is to say at least two parts. At least two of these parts are joined by a bonding zone.

By gluing, is understood to mean a two part assembly by an adhesive material interposed between the two pieces, a bonding by welding wherein the two materials are joined directly to each other under the effect of a local application of heat or under the effect of vibrations, for example by gluing or high-frequency ultrasound. In the first case, the material used may be a liquid or pasty adhesive, a cement, or a hot melt tape. In the second case, sometimes called connection by welding, there is no material-supply between the two parts to be assembled.

Preferably, the bonding area will be continuous for reasons of better mechanical strength, better appearance, and for reasons of better impermeability.

In both examples shown in <figref idrefs="f0001 f0002">Figures 1 to 4</figref>The sneaker is a cross country ski boot 10, the sole 12 comprises attachment means 16 for cooperating with a mounting skiing. Variations<figref idrefs="f0001">figures 1</figref> and <figref idrefs="f0002">3</figref> differ only in the embodiment of the bonded assembly.

As can be seen in <figref idrefs="f0002">3</figref>, The illustrated shoe of the rod comprises an external vamp 15 that substantially covers the forefoot and extends rearwardly along the sole, substantially up to the heel. It also comprises a clamping system, in this case a clamping system by lacing 20, intended to bring two parts of the rod 22 separated by a longitudinal slot 24 which extends in the instep zone. The areas 22 may be formed integrally with the vamp 15, or formed as separate pieces. In this first type of shoes, the rod 14 also includes a protective flap 26 which, in an open position (cf.<figref idrefs="f0002">3</figref>), Provides access to the lacing, and a closed position (cf. <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref>) Covers the clamping means 20 and the longitudinal slot 24.

The protective flap 26 is constituted by a piece of flexible material which covers the portion of the rod 14 corresponding to the upper part of the foot from the rear of the toes to the ankle. The flap 26 thus comprises inner and outer longitudinal edges 17, and a front edge 32 which are joined to the vamp 15 by gluing. The longitudinal edges 17 of the flap 26 extend along the sides of the instep of the boot, and the leading edge 32 extends substantially transversely through a zone corresponding to the metatarsophalangeal bending zone of the shoe . The rear edge of the flap 26 is free, and the flap 26 has a zip fastener 28 which opens into the rear edge and delimits the flap in two parts able to move apart from one another when the slide 28 is open to provide access to lacing. The flap 26 is preferably made of a substantially impermeable material, such as a coated fabric or a PVC sheet.

According to the invention, the flap 26 is joined to the vamp 15 by a bonding zone 18 that preferably extends continuously over the entire length of the edges, longitudinal 17 and transverse 32, the flap.

On the <figref idrefs="f0001">2</figref>, Schematically there is illustrated one way of achieving this bonding using by a layer of glue 30 distributed along the bonding area. In this case, we see firstly that the edge of the flap 26 and the vamp 15 overlap in the bonding area 18, the flap being arranged above the slap. Furthermore, the flap edge 26 is trimmed, that is to say, it is cut diagonally to gradually reduce its thickness as and as we approach the edge. Preferably, it is the lower face of the flap 26 which is thus chamfered. Thus, after assembly, we do not perceive, or virtually no, extra thickness at the boundary between the flap and the vamp.

In this embodiment, the assembly is achieved with a conventional adhesive. It may thus be an adhesive PU base; for example a curable two-component adhesive of the type used for the assembly rod / sole. This glue is deposited, for example manually with a brush on the bonding areas, and assembly and realized eventually pressed to ensure good adhesion.

On the <figref idrefs="f0002">4</figref>, At least one of the two pieces that are assembled by gluing comprises, in the bonding zone 18, a zone forming a recess, that is to say whose surface has a disbursement. This counterbore may be a mere local deformation, a thinner zone, or an area having experienced a local compression to reduce its thickness, with the additional result of a local densification of the material. This compression is generally obtained by methods involving heat and pressure, for example by labeling with high frequencies.

Thus, in the example shown, the edge of the vamp 15 has a compressed zone with reduced thickness extending over the entire assembly zone 18. The upper surface of the vamp 15 therefore has a disbursement marked by a flange 32, the disbursement corresponding to a thickness region "e2" less than the thickness "e1" from the rest of the vamp. The edge of the flap 26, which can be trimmed or not, so it overlaps disbursed edge of the vamp, always with the interposition of the adhesive 30. As shown in the figure, the disbursement of the slap reduces the thickening of 'glued, allowing the edge of the flap to be almost flush with the upper face of the vamp beyond the flange 32. of course it could be provided that each of the contacting faces of the two parts are assembled by gluing them in cash overlapping area, which would further reduce any excess thickness. Advantageously, the disbursement to protect the edge of the part that is above the overlap (in this case the flap of song 36), thus limiting the risk of separation by tearing and peeling. In addition, the flange 32 serves to contain the glue in case it fluerait outwardly when the assembly is pressurized to ensure gluing, limiting the unsightly nature of any overflow of adhesive. Besides, in case that glue overflow would occur, beyond the overlapping area, the rim 32 would force the glue back in contact with the singing of the edge of the flap 26, drowning the song in the glue. The song would then be reinforced by a slight excess of glue, eg avoiding any risk of fraying of singing.

Advantageously, the zipper 28 is also assembled to the flap 26 by gluing. To do this, the flap is provided in a rectangular cutout which extends for example parallel to a longitudinal edge 17 of the flap, and which opens into the rear edge of the flap. The zipper, which comprises two strips (each of which carries a set of teeth), is adhered by the outer edges of the tapes against the underside of the flap, along the edges of the window.

With this construction bonded can be seen that the connection will not be affected by friction and other external stresses, which increases the lifetime. This is particularly important for the connecting regions which are located in the lower part of the shoe, that is to say the part located below the ankle of the user, and more particularly in the metatarsophalangeal bending zone and in the lacing zone.

Of course, such a glue joint is completely waterproof, resistant to moisture penetration into the boot, moisture from rain or snow.

The adhesive bonding is particularly advantageous for the junction parts of the rod which are arranged on the outside of the stem, and which are both visible, subject to direct contact with water, moisture or snow, and subject to friction. Such an assembly is particularly interesting for a protective flap, but may also be used for other parts of the stem, as will be seen in conjunction with other embodiments. Indeed adhesive bonding eliminates the existence of seam particularly fragile vis-a-vis of abrasion friction and therefore eliminates the risk of breaking of said seams. The adhesive bonding also provides a very particular aesthetic by the absence of any visible seams.

In the embodiment illustrated, the materials of the two parts of the rod which are connected to one another by adhesive bonding are identical and of the same order of thickness.

Optionally, provision may be made for the assembly of the two parts in question, the bonding area is completed by other joining means. It is known that bonding techniques are very efficient in terms of resistance to shear stresses. However, they may be less resistant to tear or peel stresses. If one of the parties of the two pieces connecting area is particularly prone to such constraints, we can choose to replace or supplement, in this area, adhesive bonding by another type of assembly, for example by stitching . In the example shown, it may be provided that, at the rear ends of the longitudinal edges 17 of the flap, the bonding area is reinforced with stitching.

Naturally, the present invention is not limited to embodiments described above by way of non-limiting examples, but encompasses all embodiments similar or equivalent. In particular, the specific aspects of each of the described embodiments may be implemented in other embodiments, with the associated benefits.