Waterproof and breathable sole for shoes, and shoe manufactured with such sole

(12) PATENT DESCRIPTION (19) PL (11) 206774 (13) B1 (21) Application number: 375711 (51) Int.Cl.

(22) Filing date: September 18, 2003 A43B 7/12 (2006.01)

A43B 13/16 (2006.01) (86) Date and number of the international application:

2003-09-18, PCT / EP03 / 010395 (87) International application publication date and number:

April 8, 2004, WO04 / 028284 (54)

Waterproof and Breathable Shoe Sole and Shoe (30) Priority:

24.09.2002, IT, PD2002A000246 (43) Application announced:

12.12.2005 BUP 25/05 (45) The following was announced about the grant of the patent:

30.09.2010 WUP 09/10 (73) Authorized by the patent:

GEOX SPA, Montebelluna, IT (72) Inventor (s):

MARIO POLEGATO MORETTI, Crocetta Del Montello, IT (74) Agent:

item. stalemate. Anna Słomińska-Dziubek

PL 206 774 B1

Description of the invention

The present invention relates to an improved waterproof and breathable sole for boots and shoes.

Water-resistant and breathable soles made of plastics are known.

One such sole is disclosed in WO 97/14326.

In this case, the sole comprises an midsole with a membrane made of a material which is impermeable to water and permeable to water vapor, combined with a lower protective layer of a material which is resistant to hydrolysis, non-wetting, breathable and / or perforated, and a tread made of a perforated elastomer which is circumferentially and hermetically bonded to the midsole.

The waterproof and breathable sole disclosed in WO 98/51177 is also known. It comprises a pre-mounted inlay in which there is a membrane which is impermeable to water and permeable to water vapor, connected to a lower protective layer made of a material which is hydrolysis resistant, non-wettable, breathable and / or perforated.

The insert is completed with an overmoulded or mounted element that surrounds the membrane and the protective layer and is hermetically attached thereto.

The insert is part of the midsole and is connected, together with the midsole, to a tread made of perforated plastic material that is overlaid or fitted.

In both cases, the protective layer situated beneath the diaphragm is designed to protect the diaphragm from being punctured by foreign objects that may have accidentally entered the openings.

The protective layer is usually made of felt and is breathably attached to the membrane (by means of spots of a thermoplastic adhesive, e.g. based on polyurethane) to allow vapor from the inside of the shoe to diffuse outward through the holes in the tread.

Breathable and waterproof soles for shoes are also known from USSN 09 / 978,634 and EPA No. 01124210.4 and include, at least part of their length, a lower waterproof component which is a tread, an upper component with a support structure that has openings connected to with outlet openings at least in the top surface and peripheral surface, and a waterproof vapor-permeable membrane, which surrounds externally at least the outward facing areas of the top component.

The lower component, the upper component and the membrane are hermetically connected in the areas of possible internal water infiltration.

Although the soles described above have been commercially available for years and are unanimously proven to be capable of producing heat and water vapor exchange between the microclimate inside the shoe and the microclimate outside the shoe, such soles, in some cases such as, for example, use by that proportion of users with quantitatively higher than average foot sweating, were found to be able to breathe, which is insufficient to completely get rid of the vapors and to ensure a proper microclimate inside the shoe.

The structure of the soles described above, in fact, comprises, at least in the lower region, layers of microperforated plastic material, i.e. provided with openings of a diameter in the order of 1-2 millimeters, and a total microperforation area in each case delimiting the area of ​​the membrane which it is actually exposed to heat and vapor exchange.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a waterproof and breathable sole for shoes and a suitable shoe having an improved structure that is able to utilize to the maximum extent the breathing properties of the membrane, which is impervious to water and permeable to water vapor.

It is within the scope of this object to provide a waterproof and breathable sole for shoes having a structure that allows the membrane area to be enlarged until it encompasses substantially the entire sole of the foot.

Another object is to provide a sole which does not entail particular design complications compared to known soles.

Another object is to provide a sole whose cost is competitive with the known types.

A waterproof and breathable shoe sole according to the invention, comprising a perforated plastic tread and a membrane of water-impermeable and water-vapor-permeable material arranged thereon, is characterized in that it comprises a supporting layer which has at least one a pre-selected macro-area having a surface area of ​​at least one square centimeter and made of a mesh, of felt or other diffusively perforated material, the membrane covering the supporting layer is bonded thereto in at least one predetermined macro area, and the tread has at least one through-hole macro-perforation formed underneath and connected to the at least one macro area, the latter being at least one macro-area of ​​the supporting layer is exposed to the outside of the tread in the at least one continuous macroperforation, and the tread is hermetically connected to the membrane and the supporting layer at least over the circumference of at least one macro area.

The support layer, in areas outside of at least one macro area, may be made of fine mesh, leather or other similar materials.

The diaphragm may be laminated together with a fine mesh mesh made of synthetic material above it to retain it.

The membrane can be connected to the support layer by means of spots of glue in the contact areas.

The support layer may be entirely made of mesh, felt or other diffusively perforated material, and have a single large macro area covered on top by a membrane, and the tread may be bonded to the support layer and hermetically connected to the membrane at least in its circumferential region. .

The tread may have one large through-hole macroperforation that covers the area of ​​the sole beyond the rim, the macroperforation may be limited by protrusions forming, together with the rim, a contact surface of the sole with the ground.

The tread may be an element injection molded directly on the support layer, which has a reduced thickness at least around the circumference and is circumferentially perforated or bounded by a mesh, the tread material passing at least around the circumference through the mesh or felt openings of the support layer and is hermetically connected to the membrane. .

A peripheral layer of glue may be distributed over the support layer, the tread and membrane being monolithically and hermetically connected to each other by means of an adhesive passing through openings in the mesh or felt of the support layer.

Between the support layer and the membrane or between the support layer and the tread, a PVC or PU membrane can be secured by means of high-frequency welding, the openings of the mesh or felt of the support layer being penetrated by the molten membrane to a monolithic connection of the sole components.

Between the layer and the membrane, a PVC or PU membrane can be attached by high-frequency welding to form an assembly which is glued to the tread.

A shoe according to the invention, comprising an upper part, an insole unit and a sole with a plastic tread and a membrane of water-impermeable and water-vapor-permeable material, is characterized in that the upper part is connected to the insole unit and to the sole in the peripheral area of ​​the insole unit. and the sole comprises a support layer that has at least one predetermined macro area, having a surface area of ​​the order of at least one square centimeter and made of mesh, felt or other diffusively perforated material, and the covering membrane supporting layer is bonded thereto in at least one predetermined macro area, and the tread is formed with at least one through macroperforation located under and associated with at least one macro-area, the at least one supporting layer macro area is exposed to the outside of the tread in the at least one continuous macroperforation, and the tread is hermetically connected to the membrane and the supporting layer at least around the circumference of the at least one macro area.

The connection between the insole assembly, the upper and the sole may be a glued or high frequency welded connection.

The insert assembly may be joined in a downwardly facing area with respect to a filler layer made of a material such as diffusively perforated EVA or coir.

Above the insole assembly, an inner sole made of breathable and diffusively perforated material may be attached.

The inner sole may be connected, in the area facing downwards, with a layer made of polyethylene which is diffusion-perforated or anatomically contoured.

PL 206 774 B1

The upper part may be mounted on an insert assembly which is connected in the lower area to a layer made of a material such as diffusion perforated EVA which is a means for hermetically sealing the high frequency membrane to the upper part from above circumferentially in relation to the macro area, and furthermore, the tread is circumferentially glued to the macro area. to the team.

The support layer, in areas outside of at least one macro area, may be made of fine mesh, leather or other similar materials.

The diaphragm may be laminated together with a fine mesh mesh made of synthetic material above it to retain it.

The membrane can be connected to the support layer by means of spots of glue in the contact areas.

The support layer may be entirely made of mesh, felt or other diffusively perforated material, and have a single large macro area covered on top by a membrane, and the tread may be bonded to the support layer and hermetically connected to the membrane at least in its circumferential region. .

The tread may have one large through-hole macroperforation that extends beyond the periphery of the sole, the macroperforation being limited by protrusions forming, together with the periphery, the sole-ground contact surface.

The tread may be an element injection molded directly on the support layer, which has a reduced thickness at least around the circumference and is circumferentially perforated or bounded by a mesh, the tread material passing at least around the circumference through the mesh or felt openings of the support layer and is hermetically connected to the membrane. .

A peripheral layer of glue may be distributed over the support layer, the tread and membrane being monolithically and hermetically connected to each other by means of an adhesive passing through openings in the mesh or felt of the support layer.

Between the support layer and the membrane or between the support layer and the tread, a PVC or PU membrane can be secured by means of high-frequency welding, the openings of the mesh or felt of the support layer being penetrated by the molten membrane to a monolithic connection of the sole components.

Between the layer and the membrane, a PVC or PU membrane can be attached by high-frequency welding to form an assembly which is glued to the tread.

The waterproof and breathable shoe sole has a construction that allows the full extent of the breathable feature of the waterproof vapor-permeable membrane.

The design allows the membrane area to be enlarged until it covers substantially the entire sole of the foot.

The manufacture of the sole does not entail any particular design complications with respect to conventional soles.

The subject matter of the invention is shown in the drawing in which Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal cross-section of a waterproof and breathable shoe sole according to the invention, in a first embodiment, Fig. 2 shows an enlarged cross-section of a detail of the sole of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows an enlarged cross-section of a detail of the sole of fig. 1, fig. 4 - an exploded view of the components of the variant of fig. 3, fig. 5 - a cross-section taken along a longitudinal plane of a waterproof and breathable shoe sole having a structure according to the invention in this variant, fig. 6 - an unfolded cross-section, taken along a longitudinal plane, of a waterproof and breathable shoe sole having a structure according to the invention in its a second preferred embodiment, fig. 7, a cross section taken along a longitudinal plane, the sole of fig. 6 after folding, and fig. 8 bottom perspective view of a shoe provided with the sole of Figs. 6 and 7, Fig. 9 - an enlarged cross-section of the detail in Fig. 7.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the waterproof and breathable shoe sole has, in a first preferred embodiment, a structure which includes a support layer 10 which is made of mesh, felt or other diffusively perforated material in predefined macro areas 11.

The support layer 10 is, in this case, an insole assembly.

The term "macro-area" is used to refer to a portion of areas, preferably of the order of at least one square centimeter.

PL 206 774 B1

In other portions 12, the support layer 10 may be made of a mesh with small meshes of synthetic material, leather, or other commonly used materials.

The structure also comprises a membrane 13 made of a material that is impermeable to water and permeable to water vapor (which is commercially available and is made of, for example, porous polytetrafluoroethylene), laminated to a fine mesh 14 to support it. it lies above it, is made of synthetic material, and is attached above the support layer 10 in at least the macro areas 11 which it covers.

The membrane 13 can be made of an airtight material or of an air-permeable material.

The membrane 13 can be attached by glue spots (not shown in the figures) to the support layer 10 at the contact areas.

The tread 15 made of a plastic material has through macroperforations 16 in the macro areas 11 and is hermetically sealed to the membrane 13 and to the support layer 10 at least at the periphery of the macro areas 11.

The through-hole macroperforations 16 may be cut by cross members 16a which prevent lateral deformation of the system by acting as stressing elements during deformations that arise as a consequence of use.

The joint (Figs. 1 and 2) can be provided, for example, by a peripheral layer 17 of glue that is distributed for penetration through the meshes of the mesh when the components are joined, and for the monolithic assembly of the tread 15 and the membrane 13.

Alternatively (Figs. 3 and 4), it is possible to insert a PVC or PU film 18 between the support layer 10 and the membrane 13 or between the tread 15 and the support layer 10, and then perform high-frequency welding between the tread 15 and the membrane 13 by melting of the film 18, with its penetration between the meshes of the mesh for a monolithic connection of the components.

Alternatively, it is possible to manufacture high frequency welding of the layer 10 and the membrane 13 to the film 18 and then gluing the assembly to the tread 15.

An inner sole, not shown in the figures, made of breathable or diffusively perforated material for supporting the foot, can be fitted above the support layer 10 and the membrane 13 with a fine mesh 14.

The sole described can be attached, in known methods, to any kind of upper part 20 to form a shoe 21.

Referring to Fig. 5, in a slightly other preferred embodiment, it is possible to provide a single macro area 11 that covers the entire sole of the foot without portions 12, irrespective of the arrangement of the through-holes 16 of the tread 15.

In this case, the membrane 13 and its mesh 14 also enclose the entire sole of the foot.

The peripheral layer 17 of glue or film 18 extends circumferentially.

With reference to Figures 6 to 9, the waterproof and breathable shoe sole according to the second preferred embodiment has a structure which includes a support layer 110 which is entirely made of mesh, felt or other diffusively perforated material which suitably constitutes a single large macro area. 111.

The sole again comprises a membrane 113 made of a material that is impervious to water and permeable to water vapor (commonly available commercially and made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, for example), laminated together with the fine mesh 114 which lies above it for its of the support, is made of synthetic material and is fitted above the support layer 110 which completely covers it.

The membrane 113 may be made of an air-impermeable material or an air-permeable material.

The diaphragm 113 is preferably attached by spots of glue to the support layer 110.

It is possible to attach a protective layer 110a, made of, for example, felt, beneath the membrane 113, for example, if the support layer is made of mesh.

A tread 115 made of a plastics material is attached to the supporting layer 110 and is hermetically connected to the membrane 113 at least over the circumferential region of the membrane.

PL 206 774 B1

The joint can be produced by directly injecting the tread 115 onto the support layer 110 in the mold, with at least circumferential penetration through the mesh or felt meshes, the thickness of which is suitably reduced at its periphery, circumferentially perforated or surrounded by a mesh to contact the membrane 113.

The tread 115 is provided to form a macroperforation 116, for example a single large through-hole macroperforation 116 that encompasses substantially the entire sole of the foot, except for the rim 115a, which is broken by protrusions 115b forming a ground contact surface with rim 115a.

The connection between the tread 115 and the supporting layer 110 can also be achieved by the methods described in the first preferred embodiment, i.e., by gluing or high frequency welding.

The sole may be coupled to the top 120 so as to provide a shoe 121 that is assembled on the liner assembly 124 and is optionally coupled in a downward facing region to a filler layer 122 made of a foamed material such as diffusion-perforated EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate). ), coir and so on.

The filler layer 122, when made of diffusively perforated EVA or the like (thus being naturally waterproof but air permeable), can be used for circumferential hermetic high frequency welding from above the membrane 113 to the top 120.

The subsequent gluing of tread 115 need not necessarily be hermetic. The connection between the sole and the upper part 120 is in the circumferential region of the sole unit and is made, for example, by gluing or high frequency welding.

Inner sole 119 made of breathable and diffusively perforated material may be fitted above the insole assembly 124.

The inner sole 119 may also be attached, in a downward region, to an impact-absorbing layer 119a made of polyethylene or the like, which is diffusion-perforated and anatomically contoured.

Other layers, not shown, such as cleaning inserts, absorbent layers, and so on, can also be made.