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  Waterproof footwear and method for its productionUSPTO Application #: 20070101610Title: Waterproof footwear and method for its production Abstract: Footwear, having an upper (13), which is constructed with an outer material (17) having an outer-material end region (27) on the sole side and with a waterproof functional layer (19) which is arranged on the inner side of the outer material (17) and has a functional-layer end region (23) on the sole side; an inner sole (15) and a joining device (25) which joins the outer-material end region (27) to the inner sole (15), around at least part of the periphery of the upper and allows for a space (33; 33a; 33b) to be left between the outer-material end region (27) and the inner sole (15), in such a manner, that the joining device (25) can be flowed through by sealing material (37; 39) that is liquid during application; the functional-layer end region (23) extending at least into the region of the joining device (25) and being sealed in a waterproof manner by sealing material (37; 39) which has passed through the joining device (25) to the functional layer (19) during production of the footwear. (end of abstract) Agent: Kevin J Boland W L Gore & Associates Inc - Newark, DE, US Inventor: Franz Haimerl USPTO Applicaton #: 20070101610 - Class: 036014000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Sole-attaching Means, Rubber The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070101610. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to footwear with an upper, which is constructed with an outer material and a waterproof functional layer arranged on the inner side of the outer material, an outer-material end region on the sole side being joined to an inner sole and a functional-layer end region on the sole side being sealed by a sealing material leading to waterproofness. An example of footwear of this type is known from the applicant's EP 0 298 360 B1. [0002] The invention also relates to a method for producing footwear of this type. [0003] In the case of the footwear according to EP 0 298 360 B1, the outer-material end region ends at a predetermined distance from an inner sole serving as an insole, this distance being bridged by a gauze strip through which liquid material can flow, one longitudinal side of which is sewn to the outer-material end region and the other longitudinal side of which is sewn to the insole. One end of the functional layer on the sole side reaches down as far as the insole and is likewise sewn to the latter. This known footwear has a moulded-on outsole. When the outsole is being moulded on, the gauze strip is penetrated by liquid outsole material, whereby such outsole material flows against the outer side of the functional layer and, after curing, brings about waterproof sealing of the functional layer in the functional-layer end region. [0004] With this so-called gauze-strip solution, which has proven to be very successful, particularly good and reliable waterproofness of breathable shoes has been accomplished. [0005] The sewing of the gauze strip on its two longitudinal sides requires a certain effort, with corresponding consequent costs. What is more, at points at which the insole has a small radius of curvature, in particular in the case of children's shoes, it is not always that easy to sew the gauze strip without any folds. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present invention provides footwear with which such problems can be overcome, which is inexpensive, can be handled more easily during production, including at points with small radius of curvature, and leads to good waterproofness. [0007] The invention provides footwear according to claim 1 which can be produced in a way corresponding to claim 19. Embodiments of the footwear according to the invention and of the method according to the invention are provided in the dependent claims. [0008] Footwear according to the invention comprises an upper, which is constructed with an outer material having an outer-material end region on the sole side and with a waterproof functional layer which is arranged on the inner side of the outer material and has a functional-layer end region on the sole side. What is more, such footwear has an inner sole and a joining device which joins the outer-material end region to the inner sole, which runs around at least part of the periphery of the upper, and which allows for a space to be left between the outer-material end region and the inner sole in such a manner, that it can be flowed through by sealing material that is liquid during application. The functional-layer end region extends at least into the region of the joining device and is sealed in a waterproof manner by sealing material which has passed through the joining device during production of the footwear. [0009] In the case of the method according to the invention, footwear of the stated type is produced by the outer-material end region being joined to the inner sole by means of a joining device running around at least part of the periphery of the upper, in such a way that a space through which liquid can flow can be established between the outer-material end region and the inner sole, that the functional-layer end region is designed in such a way that it extends at least into the region of the joining device, and that, while the outer-material end region and the inner sole are kept at a distance from each other by means of the joining device, which can be flowed through by liquid, a sealing material which is in the liquid state and leads to waterproofness is applied to the outer side of the joining device in such a way that it flows through the liquid-permeable joining device against the functional-layer end region. [0010] The functional-layer end region is formed in such a way that the sealing material flows against a surface-area region of the functional layer, just a cut edge of the functional layer or both. [0011] In the case of one embodiment of the invention, a lining is arranged on the inner side of the functional layer, the lining being either a separate lining layer or a lining layer joined to the functional layer to form a laminate. [0012] In embodiments of the invention, the inner sole is an insole or some other material which closes off the upper at its end on the sole side, for example an intermediate sole or a sealing sheet (gasket). [0013] In one embodiment of the invention, the joining device is formed by a joining device which is like or similar to a seam. [0014] In one embodiment of the invention, the joining device is formed by an expandable seam, which is either loosely sewn, so that it can be flowed through by liquid sealing material at least in a stretched or extended state, or which is sewn with an extensible yarn, so that the outer-material end region on the sole side and the inner sole can be brought to such a distance from each other during the production of the footwear by extending the yarn that liquid sealing material can flow through the extended seam. The extensible yarn may be elastically extensible yarn or non-elastically extensible yarn. [0015] In one embodiment of the invention, the joining device is formed by a Strobel seam, which is either loosely sewn or sewn with extensible yarn. However, other types of seams, for example a quilted seam or a cross seam, which are loosely sewn or sewn with extensible yarn, are also suitable. [0016] However, a joining device according to the invention does not have to be formed by a sewn seam. Other types of joining devices are also suitable, as long as they only form a connection between the outer material and the inner sole through which liquid material can flow. Examples of joining devices which are not sewn but are suitable for the invention are adhesive filaments or adhesive strips, which are adhesively attached to the outer material and to the inner sole, loops or individual rings, which are joined to the outer material and to the inner sole, or staple like joining elements, which are joined to the outer material and to the inner sole. [0017] In the case of footwear with a joining device according to the invention, in the form of a seam, only a single joining seam is required in the region of the connection between the outer material and the inner sole, said joining seam also being entirely unproblematical even at those points at which the inner sole has a small radius of curvature. All that is required in comparison with footwear with a conventional seam, as shown for example in FIG. 1 of the already cited EP 0 298 360 B1, is to design the seam in such a way that it can be flowed through by liquid material, i.e. has or allows (for example by extending) a distance between the outer material and the inner sole through which liquid sealing material can flow against a zone of the functional layer located in the region of the joining device and, as a result, the said zone can be sealed by the sealing material. [0018] In the case of a joining device according to the invention in the form of a sewn seam, this means that the sewing machine used for producing the seam merely needs to be set in such a way that it creates a seam which can be flowed through by liquid material, or that extensible yarn is sewn with a conventional sewing machine st at a conventional setting and this yarn is extended by liquid sealing material being applied, in such a way that the liquid sealing material can flow against the said zone of the functional layer through the extended seam. [0019] A seam according to the invention accordingly does not entail any greater effort than that which is required for a conventional seam, for example for the prior-art footwear shown in FIG. 1 of the cited EP 0 298 360 B1. The labour costs for the production of a seam according to the invention are consequently no higher than in the case of producing the seam of footwear of the cited prior art. [0020] In the case of one embodiment of the invention, the functional-layer end region on the sole side is adhesively bonded to the inner sole. [0021] In the case of one embodiment of the invention, a substantially nonexpandable fixed seam, by means of which the functional-layer end region on the sole side is joined to the inner sole, but not to the outer-material end region on the sole side, is provided in addition to the joining device. [0022] In the case of one embodiment of the invention, the fixed seam is formed by a Strobel seam. Continue reading... Full patent description for Waterproof footwear and method for its production Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Waterproof footwear and method for its production patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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