CN116056601A - Expandable last for supplying inserts to footwear and method for supplying inserts to footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

An expandable shoe last (2) for supplying an insert (100) for footwear (110) comprising: an expansion assembly (40); an expandable shell (6) arranged around the expansion assembly (40) and the liquid chamber (8) within the expandable shell (6); wherein the expandable last (2) can be inserted into the shoe (110) through the collar of the shoe (110), and wherein the expandable shell (6) configured to expand to press the insert (100) toward the inside of the footwear (110); and wherein the expansion assembly (40) is configured to adapt its extension to apply the local pressure Apply to expandable shell (6).

Description

Expandable last for supplying footwear with inserts and method for supplying footwear with inserts

The invention belongs to the field of producing footwear. In particular, the invention belongs to the field of equipping footwear with inserts.

In recent years, waterproof shoes have become a trend. Waterproof and breathable shoes have been developed that provide an all-around waterproof structure around the wearer's foot, yet at the same time provide breathability so that moisture and perspiration from the wearer's foot can escape from the inside of the shoe. escape. Although such waterproof and breathable shoes provide users with a very convenient feeling in a wide range of usage scenarios, the proportion of waterproof shoes in all shoes is still low.

Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a device that allows waterproof footwear while maintaining a high degree of flexibility (flexibility) during the footwear production process. It would be further beneficial to provide a method that allows waterproof footwear while maintaining a high degree of flexibility during footwear production.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention include an expandable last for supplying (fitting) an insert to footwear, comprising: a shape-stable core support element; an expandable shell disposed around the core support element; a liquid chamber; and a liquid port that provides fluid communication between the liquid chamber and an external liquid source; wherein the expandable last is insertable into the shoe through a collar of the shoe, and wherein, when via When the fluid port receives fluid in the fluid chamber, the expandable shell is configured to expand to press the insert toward the inside of the footwear.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention allow equipping (fitting) footwear with inserts in a flexible and efficient manner. In particular, exemplary embodiments of the present invention allow for the provision of an insert on the inside of a shoe when the collar is the only point of entry to the interior of the shoe. Still more specifically, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention allow for outfitting footwear with an insert when the footwear has been fully assembled or nearly fully assembled. The footwear can be equipped with a waterproof and breathable insert, such as a waterproof and breathable inner cover (footcover), and thus can be made waterproof in a convenient, flexible and efficient manner. In particular, when footwear is designed and assembled according to conventional non-waterproof designs and is ready-to-wear or nearly ready-to-wear, it can still be equipped with a waterproof-breathable insert. In the case of ready-to-wear footwear, it can also be said that non-waterproof footwear that is easy to assemble can be retrofitted with a waterproof breathable insert and thus can be made waterproof.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an expandable last is insertable into footwear through a collar of the footwear, and the expandable shell is configured to expand when fluid is received in the fluid chamber via the fluid port, so that the insert Press against the inside of the shoe. The expandable last can be easily introduced into the interior of the shoe, and the expandable shell can apply pressure to the insert with a high degree of uniformity. Since the expandable shell expands upon receiving liquid in the liquid chamber via the liquid port and engaging the insert, the inherent pressure equalizing effect of the liquid can be exploited in close proximity to the insert. Since the expandable shell forms a barrier between the fluid chamber in which pressure builds up and the insert, a highly direct and highly uniform pressure can be applied to the insert to press the insert towards the inside of the footwear. The expandable shell is configured to expand during operation of the expandable last and thereby press the insert towards the inside of the footwear. It should be appreciated that the expandable last is configured to receive fluid in the fluid chamber in operation and the expandable shell is configured to apply pressure to the insert in operation when disposed in the footwear.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an expandable last is configured for supplying (equipping) an insert with a shoe. In particular, the expandable last may be configured for any, or any subset, or all of the following: inserting the insert into the interior of the shoe, positioning the insert within the interior of the shoe, connecting the insert with the The inside of the footwear is mechanically joined and the insert is attached/adhered to the inside of the footwear. The expandable last is configured to apply pressure to the insert against the inside of the footwear via the expandable shell.

The expandable last has a dimensionally stable core support element. The term "dimension-stable core support element" relates to a core support element having a substantially stable shape. In particular, it concerns core support elements without active shape adjustment means, such as spring-loaded actuators, hydraulic or pneumatic actuators, or the like. The term "shape stable" does not exclude that the core support element has some elasticity and/or allows some plastic deformation. For example, the core support element may deform elastically and/or plastically when pushed into the interior of the footwear. However, by being shape-stabilized, the core support element retains its overall shape. The shape of the core support element may not undergo a substantial transformation and may retain its general appearance.

An expandable last has an expandable shell disposed around a core support element. The expandable housing can be made of any material that expands under the pressure of the liquid in the liquid chamber. Expansion of the expandable shell may include elastic deformation and/or plastic deformation. The expandable housing may be a bladder/bladder (bladder) that expands when liquid is received in the liquid chamber. In particular, the expandable casing may be a balloon surrounding the dimensionally stable core support element, the liquid chamber being formed on the inside of the balloon. The expandable shell may be expandable at a portion thereof or may be expandable substantially all over. In other words, the expandable properties of the housing can be provided in a part or in the whole part thereof. Accordingly, the expandable shell may be configured to press the insert against the medial side of the footwear at selected portions of the insert or substantially anywhere along the insert. The expandable shell may be substantially foot-shaped. The foot-shaped properties of the expandable shell may exist in the unexpanded state. It is also possible that the expandable shell assumes a foot shape when receiving liquid in the liquid chamber.

An expandable shoe last comprises a dimensionally stable core support element and an expandable shell arranged around the core support element. In this way, the stability/reinforcing strength of the core support element is combined with the expandability properties of the expandable shell. In this way, a good compromise between the insertability of the expandable last and the adaptation to the inside contour of the shoe can be achieved.

The expandable last can be inserted into the shoe through the collar. In other words, the expandable last can be inserted into the shoe through the foot insertion opening of the shoe. In other words, the expandable last can be inserted into the shoe from the top when the shoe is placed in its normal use orientation on a table or other horizontal structure.

An expandable last includes a fluid chamber within an expandable shell. The expandable casing may be liquid-tight/waterproof, in particular watertight/waterproof. In the case of a liquid, in particular water, used in operation in the liquid chamber, it is possible to press the insert towards the insert of the shoe in a particularly efficient manner. Smaller amounts of fluid may be required and the need for high air pressure may be eliminated compared to using gas to apply pressure. For example, in a particular application, a water pressure of about 0.2 bar may be suitable for pressing the insert towards the inside of the footwear, whereas an air pressure of 6-7 bar is required to achieve a similar result. Many expandable materials cannot handle such high pressures and will crack/tear, so using a liquid provides a higher degree of design flexibility than using a gas to inflate an expandable shell. Furthermore, the liquid has beneficial properties when applying counter pressure from the outside of the footwear. For example, as described below, the incompressibility of the liquid allows relatively low liquid pressures to be used when backpressure is applied in the pressure chamber. Compared to this, the compressed air inside the expandable shell must have a higher pressure to avoid compression due to back pressure.

The expandable last has a fluid port that provides fluid communication between the fluid chamber and an external fluid source. A fluid-tight seal may be provided between the fluid chamber and the fluid port. The liquid port may have a connection for attaching a liquid line (pipe/line) to an external liquid source. The connection may be any suitable externally or internally threaded or threadless connection. It may have a suitable locking mechanism to ensure a secure connection between the liquid port and the external liquid source/line. The term liquid port providing liquid communication between a liquid chamber and an external liquid source means that the liquid port has the ability to pass liquid therethrough and allow liquid communication between the liquid chamber and the external liquid source in operation.

Due to the expandable shell of the expandable last, the expandable last can be used for a wide range of shoe sizes. In particular, it is possible that the expandable last is adapted to a range up to 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 shoe sizes (European shoe sizes). Thus, it is possible to cover the entire range of standard adult shoe sizes, ie European shoe sizes 35 to 47, using only two or three different expandable lasts. Further, the expandable last can be used for a variety of different shoe shapes, and the expandable shell adapts to the inner contour of the shoe via the liquid in the liquid chamber.

According to further embodiments, the core support element is substantially L-shaped or substantially T-shaped or substantially U-shaped or substantially foot-shaped. In this way, the core support element may be particularly suitable for providing a high degree of stability to an expandable last. The core support element may be dimensioned to extend at least 50%, in particular at least 70%, further in particular between 90% and 100% beyond the vertical extension of the shoe interior, and/or beyond the footwear interior At least 30%, specifically more than at least 50%, further specifically more than at least 70%, or even more than between 90% and 100% of the horizontal extension.

According to a further embodiment, the core support element is rigid. In particular, the core support element may be made of metal or of rigid plastic material or of sintered material. A core support element may be considered rigid if it does not deform during manual introduction of the expandable last into the shoe. The rigid core support element can provide a high degree of stability to the expandable last during use in footwear.

According to a further embodiment, the core support element is flexible. In particular, the core support element may be elastic, more particularly made of elastic rubber material. A core support element may be considered flexible if its shape changes temporarily or permanently during manual introduction of the expandable last into the shoe. Flexible core support elements may be particularly suitable for easy introduction of expandable lasts into the interior of footwear. The elastic core support element may provide a good compromise between easy insertion and high stability when inserted into footwear. The core support elements may be made of any suitable flexible material. Suitable flexible materials include rubber, polyurethane, silicone and thermoplastic polyurethane materials. Rigid or flexible materials for the core support elements can be chosen depending on the size of the core elements. Where the dimensions of the core support element are close to the interior dimensions of the footwear, the flexible material may allow much easier insertability through the collar. In cases where the dimensions of the core support element are significantly smaller than the interior dimensions of the footwear, insertability may not be an issue and a rigid material may be chosen.

According to a further embodiment, the liquid chamber comprises substantially the entire volume between the core support element and the expandable shell. In this way, the expandable last is highly flexible and thus has a large liquid volume in the liquid chamber during operation. The determination of covering such a large volume of liquid also allows for an expandable last with a lower overall part count. In a particular embodiment, the expandable last may have no additional components between the dimensionally stable core support element and the expandable shell, the volume between which forms the liquid chamber. However, it is also possible to provide additional components between the core support element and the expandable shell. For example, filling elements, such as filling spheres or cuboid filling elements, may be provided between the core support element and the expandable shell. Such filling elements may float freely between the core support element and the expandable shell and/or may be attached to the core support element and/or the expandable shell. The packing element may reduce the liquid volume required by the expandable shell to generate the desired pressure on the insert. In this way, supplying the shoe with the insert can be done in a particularly short time.

According to a further embodiment, the core support element comprises at least one liquid supply line coupled to the liquid port and providing liquid communication between the liquid port and the liquid chamber. Liquid can reach the liquid chamber at one or more desired locations via at least one liquid supply line. The entire liquid supply line (pipe) may also be referred to as a liquid supply line system. At least one liquid supply line may have one or more openings towards the liquid chamber. An efficient distribution of the liquid in the liquid chamber can be achieved and a beneficial dynamic build-up of pressure within the inflatable housing can be enabled via suitable design of the liquid supply line system and the opening(s).

According to a further embodiment, at least one liquid supply line is arranged in the core support element and has at least one opening towards the liquid chamber. The core support element may serve the dual purpose of providing stability to the expandable last and assisting in the distribution of liquid in the liquid chamber by housing at least one liquid supply line.

According to further embodiments, the expandable shell is elastic. In particular, the expandable shell may be made of any kind of elastic material suitable for expanding under liquid pressure and applying pressure to the insert. The expandable shell can be made of latex material. In particular, the expandable shell can be made of natural latex material or synthetic latex material. The expandable shell can also be made of another rubber material. Rubber materials, in particular latex materials, can provide a good compromise between expandability and firmness with respect to varying pressures. Other suitable elastic materials are stretchable film materials and multilayer structures. The inflatable housing can be made of a liquid-tight material, especially a waterproof material.

According to further embodiments, the expandable shell is a one-layer structure or a two-layer structure or a three-layer structure. The expandable shell can also have more layers. In the case of expandable shells with a two- or three-layer design, a good compromise between expandability and tear resistance can be achieved. Two/three floors can be co-extensive. Reinforcement patches may also be provided in critical portions of the expandable shell, thereby forming a multilayer structure at selected portions. The two/three layers can be made of the same material or can be adapted to the specific requirements of the inside/outside of the expandable shell. For example, the inner layer may be adapted to fit well with the liquid in the liquid chamber, while the outer layer may be adapted to fit well with the insert. One or more or all layers may be made of a liquid-proof material, especially a waterproof material.

According to a further embodiment, the expandable casing has dimensionally specific elastic properties at least in one or more regions thereof. In other words, the expandable shell may expand easier/faster/at lower pressure along a certain dimension than along one or more other dimensions. In this way, the expansion of the expandable shell can be controlled for a particular application/for a particular footwear. More specifically, the final shape of the expandable shell and/or the application of dynamic pressure on different parts of the insert can be controlled via specific sizing of the expandable shell.

According to a further embodiment, the liquid chamber is at least partially filled with open cell foam. In particular, most of the liquid chamber or substantially the entire liquid chamber may be filled with open cell foam. The open cell foam can allow liquid to be distributed within the liquid chamber while giving the liquid chamber some inherent shape. In this way, the shape of the expandable last can be inherently similar to the interior of the shoe, while still allowing the liquid to adapt the expandable shell to the inner contours of the shoe. The open cell foam may be of any suitable open cell form. Suitable open cell foams include open cell polyurethane foams, silicone foams, natural foams and polyethylene foams. The open cell foam itself expands after absorbing liquid. However, it is also possible for an open cell foam to substantially retain its shape after absorbing liquid. Alternatively/additionally, the liquid chamber may be at least partially filled with a spacer fabric. The spacer fabric can similarly provide some inherent shape to the expandable shell while allowing liquid to distribute and "fine-tune" the shape of the expandable shell as it expands and engages the insert. Neither the open cell foam nor the spacer fabric has active shape adjustment devices. They have an inherent shape that passively accommodates liquid entering the open cell foam/spacer fabric.

According to a further embodiment, the inflatable last further comprises at least one inflatable fluid bag arranged on the outside or inside of the inflatable shell. In particular, the expandable last may comprise at least one expandable fluid bag disposed on the outside of the expandable shell, and/or may comprise at least one expandable liquid bag disposed on the inside of the expandable shell. In this way, a local adaptation of the pressure exerted on the insert towards the inside of the shoe can be achieved. In particular, at least one expandable fluid bag is capable of being filled with liquid to a different pressure level at at least the location of the expandable liquid bag compared to the liquid chamber within the inflatable housing. The at least one inflatable fluid bag can be used in a variety of ways. For example, higher fluid pressure may be used to press the Insert more forcefully against the inside of the shoe at locations where attachment between the Insert and the shoe is difficult. The lower pressure in the at least one expandable fluid bag can be used to reduce stress (pressure) on sensitive parts of the inner side of the footwear. The volume of the at least one expandable liquid bag may be less than the volume of the liquid chamber, in particular less than 20% of the volume of the liquid chamber, further in particular less than 10% of the volume of the liquid chamber. In this way, the liquid in at least one expandable liquid bag may be more locally constrained than the liquid in the liquid chamber. The liquid in the at least one inflatable liquid bag can be prevented from flowing to the most easily deformable part of the footwear. The inflatable fluid bag can be considered as an additional bladder/bladder, in particular an additional bladder/bladder provided on the outside/inside of the inflatable shell.

According to further embodiments, the expandable last further comprises at least one auxiliary fluid port providing fluid communication between the at least one expandable fluid bag and at least one external fluid source. The at least one external liquid source may be one or more separate liquid sources, or may be/comprise the same external liquid source, such as for a liquid chamber within the inflatable housing. By means of at least one auxiliary liquid port and, if present, one or more separate external liquid sources, the at least one inflatable fluid bag can be used to flexibly control the pressure therein compared to the pressure in the liquid chamber within the inflatable housing.

According to a further embodiment, the expandable last further comprises at least one auxiliary liquid supply line (pipe) coupling at least one expandable liquid bag to at least one auxiliary liquid port. In this manner, at least one inflatable fluid bag is able to perform its desired function at a low fluid bag volume, wherein the auxiliary liquid supply line(s) implement the auxiliary liquid port(s) and the auxiliary liquid port(s) ) Fluid transfer between inflatable fluid bags. At least one expandable liquid supply line can extend through the liquid chamber within the expandable housing. However, it is also possible for at least one auxiliary liquid supply line to extend along the outside of the inflatable housing.

According to further embodiments, the at least one inflatable fluid bag comprises: an inflatable fluid bag at the instep portion of the inflatable shell; an inflatable liquid bag at the toe portion of the inflatable shell; in a forefoot portion of the inflatable shell Inflatable fluid bag in the inflatable fluid bag in the upper midfoot portion of the inflatable shell. The inflatable fluid bag at the instep portion of the inflatable shell may be provided on the outside or inside of the inflatable shell. The inflatable fluid pocket at the toe portion of the inflatable shell can be positioned on the outside or inside of the inflatable shell. The expandable fluid pocket in the forefoot portion of the inflatable shell may be positioned in the forefoot portion of the inflatable shell such that it abuts the inflatable shell when inflated. The expandable fluid pocket in the upper midfoot portion of the inflatable shell may be positioned in the midfoot portion such that it abuts the inflatable shell when inflated. With the inflatable fluid bag located at the instep portion of the inflatable shell and/or the inflatable fluid bag located within the upper midfoot portion of the inflatable shell, the insert can be effectively pressed against the medial side of the footwear at its tongue portion. Attachment between the insert and the tongue portion of the footwear, which can be difficult due to the particular nature of the construction of the tongue, can be achieved in an efficient manner. With an inflatable fluid pocket at the toe portion of the inflatable shell and/or with an inflatable fluid pocket in the forefoot portion of the inflatable shell, the insert can be effectively pressed against the footwear at the toe portion of the inflatable shell. Attachment between the insert and the toe portion of the footwear can be achieved in an efficient manner that may be difficult due to irregularities in the internal contour of the toe portion and/or due to the relatively rigid nature of the toe portion of the footwear. Difficulty, such irregularities and/or relatively rigid properties may act to push liquid to other parts of the inflatable shell.

According to a further embodiment, at least one expandable liquid bag is at least partially filled with open cell foam, in particular with open cell polyurethane foam, and/or with a spacer fabric. When filled with liquid, the at least one expandable liquid pocket may have a greater extension (amount/extent) than the open cell foam/spacer fabric. The spacer fabric may be particularly suitable for inflatable fluid bags having a somewhat flat shape, such as those provided at the instep portion of the inflatable shell.

According to a further embodiment, the expandable last further comprises a cover to which the core support element and the expandable shell are mounted. The cover provides an efficient way to secure the positional relationship between the core support element and the expandable shell while still allowing the two elements to move relative to each other in their respective sections. While the positional relationship between the core support element and the expandable shell may be fixed at one end thereof, the expandable shell is free to expand and move away from the core support element over most of it. The core support member and expandable shell extend downwardly from the cover when the last is inserted into the footwear and the footwear is placed in its normal use orientation on a table or other horizontal structure. In this way, the cover may form the upper portion of the expandable last when inserted into the footwear in the normal shoe orientation. This interpretation of the relative positions of the cover and the core support element/expandable shell when used to supply an insert for footwear does not exclude that the cover is a side or lower part of an expandable last. In other words, the expandable last may be positioned upside down, ie with the cover facing down, at selected times or during substantially the entire operation of providing the insert with the shoe.

According to a further embodiment, the liquid port is provided in the cover. In this way, the cover is also the structure of the inflatable last that provides the connection point to the external liquid source. In particular, a liquid port can be provided in the cover in such a way that an external liquid source/external liquid supply line can be attached to the cover. A liquid port can extend through the cover.

According to a further embodiment, the cover has an extension substantially corresponding to the cross-section of the collar. In this way, the cover may have sufficient extension (extension) for mounting the core support element, the expandable shell and, if required, the liquid ports to the cover. Additionally, the expandable shell may be mounted to the cover around the perimeter region of the cover. In this way, the expandable shell can immediately engage the insert on the inside of the footwear when fluid is received in the fluid chamber.

According to further embodiments, the expandable last further comprises a heater configured to heat the liquid in the liquid chamber and/or heat the expandable shell. The heater may facilitate expansion of the liquid and/or may provide warming/heating of the insert by heating the liquid and/or the expandable shell. Such warming/heating of the Insert may assist in positioning the Insert by making it more flexible and/or may assist in attaching the Insert to the inside of the footwear, for example by activating a heat-activatable adhesive on the Insert. The heater may be an electric heater, which may have a power cord to an external power source. The heater may also have a rechargeable power source, such as a rechargeable battery, which may allow the heater to operate at least temporarily without being coupled to an external power source.

According to further embodiments, the expandable last includes an external heater configured to heat the liquid before it is introduced into the liquid chamber. In this way, the above-mentioned beneficial effects of using a heating liquid in the liquid chamber can be achieved while maintaining the core support element/liquid chamber without a heating function. External heaters can be located in more accessible locations and can be designed/operated without the constraints associated with the interior of the footwear.

According to a further embodiment, the expandable last is configured for supplying footwear with a waterproof and breathable inner cover (boot). In this way, the footwear can be waterproofed with the help of an inflatable last. As noted above, an expandable last can help waterproof footwear late in assembly, especially at the point when the collar is the only point of entry (point of contact) into the interior of the footwear. The waterproof and breathable inner sleeve may for example be embodied according to any of the embodiments as described in PCT/EP2017/068030 and/or PCT/EP2018/084179, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

According to a further embodiment, the expandable last is configured for supplying footwear with a waterproof and breathable inner cover (foot cover), wherein the waterproof and breathable inner cover is provided with pressure-sensitive adhesive and/or heat-activated adhesive on its outer side. compound to attach to the inside of the footwear. The pressure sensitive adhesive and/or the heat activated adhesive may be disposed on selected portions of the outer side of the waterproof and breathable inner sleeve, or may be disposed on substantially the entire outer side of the waterproof and breathable inner sleeve. The pressure sensitive adhesive and/or heat activated adhesive may be provided as a continuous adhesive layer or an adhesive pattern, such as a dotted or striped pattern. Expandable shoe lasts may be particularly suitable for inserting waterproof and breathable inner sleeves (foot boots) provided with adhesive, because by inserting the expandable last in the unexpanded state together with the waterproof and breathable inner sleeve, the time required for inserting the expandable shoe can be reduced. Risk of adhesive getting stuck in undesired positions during lasting. It should be noted that it is also possible to use a separate device to insert the waterproof and breathable inner sleeve into the footwear and then use an expandable last to apply pressure to the insert towards the inside of the footwear. Further, the attachment between the waterproof breathable inner cover and the inner side of the footwear may be supplemented by an adhesive strip in the collar area of the footwear. The adhesive strip in the collar area of the footwear may also provide a clean finish, blocking the upper edge of the insert from being seen and preventing delamination of the multilayer insert from the upper edge. The term "heat-activated adhesive" refers to an adhesive that has the ability to be activated by heat. Heat-activatable adhesives may also be referred to as heat-activatable adhesives.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include an expandable last for supplying an insert for footwear, comprising: an expansion assembly; an expandable shell disposed around the expansion assembly; and a liquid chamber within the expandable shell; wherein the The expanded last is insertable into the footwear through the collar of the footwear, and wherein the expandable shell is configured to expand to press the insert toward the inside of the shoe; and wherein the expansion assembly is configured to adapt its extension toward the inside of the shoe The inner side of the tool applies localized pressure to the inflatable shell. Exemplary embodiments of an expandable shoe last with an expansion assembly and an expandable shell provide for efficiently supplying footwear with inserts compared to the above-described exemplary embodiments with a shape-stable core support element and an expandable shell. alternative tools. The additional features, variants and effects described above apply in a similar manner to the expandable shoe last with expansion assembly and expandable shell, as long as they are not conceptually excluded by the expansion assembly.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an expandable shoe last includes an expansion assembly and an expandable shell disposed around the expansion assembly. In this way, the expandable last can combine the local application of pressure via the expansion assembly to specific portions of the expandable shell with a more uniform application of pressure to the insert by the liquid in the liquid chamber. A good compromise between uniform application of pressure and localized application of pressure can be achieved. Furthermore, the local application of pressure can achieve a pre-shaping of the expandable shell and thus can allow a particularly good positioning of the insert relative to the inner side of the shoe. Further, the expansion assembly can also provide core support for the expandable last.

According to further embodiments, the expansion assembly includes at least one of a hydraulically operated piston, a pneumatically operated piston, an electrically operated piston and a spring loaded piston for applying the localized pressure. Active and highly granular application of localized pressure is possible for each of the hydraulically, pneumatically and electrically operated pistons. With a spring-loaded piston, external controls and power supplies can be eliminated and efficient application of localized pressure can be achieved with relatively low complexity. Specifically, a spring-loaded piston may allow the expansion assembly to apply localized pressure without complex interactions between the piston and external control/power entities.

According to further embodiments, the expansion assembly includes a base plate to which at least one of a hydraulically operated piston, a pneumatically operated piston, an electrically operated piston, and a spring loaded piston is mounted. In this way, the piston can have a well-defined path of travel relative to the base plate, which in turn can allow a well-defined path of travel relative to the footwear. The base plate may allow a well-defined setting (arrangement)/positioning of the expansion assembly within the footwear.

According to further embodiments, the spring-loaded piston includes at least one of a coil spring and a gas spring. In particular, the spring-loaded piston (spring-loaded piston) may comprise a helical spring or a gas spring.

According to further embodiments, the expansion assembly is configured to apply localized pressure to at least one of the toe portion and the heel portion of the inflatable shell. In this way, the expansion assembly may be particularly suitable for exerting localized pressure on the front and/or rear of the inflatable shell. This in turn may allow for good longitudinal positioning, stretching and/or attachment of the insert to the inside of the footwear. Thus, the expansion assembly can work in a similar way to a shoe tree and can ensure that the insert is provided over the entire length of the inner side of the shoe.

According to further embodiments, the expansion assembly includes a spring frame having a forefoot spring portion configured to apply localized pressure to at least one of the toe portion and the instep portion of the inflatable shell, and a heel spring portion. A portion is configured to apply localized pressure to the heel portion of the inflatable shell. By means of the spring frame, local pressure can be exerted in a particularly efficient manner on critical parts of the insert. The spring frame may be an elastic spring structure which resembles the foot profile/foot frame in its longitudinal direction. The inflatable shell can conform to some degree to the general shape of the human foot, while leaving sufficient room for liquid within the inflatable shell to provide uniform pressure application to the inflatable shell. Likewise, a good compromise between a uniform application of pressure and a localized application of pressure can be achieved. The spring frame can work similar to a shoe tree and can provide the desired stretching of the expandable shell at the toe portion and/or the instep portion and/or the heel portion of the expandable shell.

According to a further embodiment, the spring frame is made of metal, in particular steel. According to an alternative embodiment, the spring frame is made of composite material, in particular of fiber reinforced plastic material. The spring frame can be made of elastic synthetic material. It can also be made of memory alloy or bimetal. It is also possible that the spring frame is made of a combination of parts of different materials, in particular of metal parts and parts of composite material. Further, a pressure applying pad may also be provided at the spring frame for applying local pressure. The pressure application pad can be made of different materials, such as a plastic material, in particular a plastic material softer than that of the spring frame, or a filling material (cushion material).

According to a further embodiment, the forefoot spring portion is configured to urge (urge) the forefoot end thereof in a forward direction and in an upward direction. In this way, a particularly good stretching of the insert and/or a particularly good attachment between the insert and the toe part of the shoe can be achieved in an efficient manner, which may be due to poor inner contours in the toe part. Regularity and/or due to the relatively stiff nature of the toe portion of the footwear can be difficult. The upward component of the force exerted by the forefoot end of the forefoot spring portion can be particularly effective in achieving an overall secure attachment between the insert and the toe portion of the footwear.

According to a further embodiment, the forefoot spring portion has a wave shape, wherein the first exposed portion applies localized pressure to the instep portion of the inflatable shell and the second exposed portion applies localized pressure to the toe portion of the inflatable shell. The undulating shape of the forefoot spring portion provides a particularly efficient way of applying localized pressure to the toe portion of the inflatable shell and the instep portion of the inflatable shell. With the undulating shape, a balanced application of localized pressure between the instep portion and the toe portion of the inflatable shell can be achieved. The undulating shape may be particularly suitable for providing localized compression in the forefoot portion of the expandable last. As mentioned above, the second exposed portion may in particular be a forefoot end and may in particular be configured to be stressed in a forward direction and in an upward direction.

According to a further embodiment, the forefoot spring portion comprises an instep spring element extending along the instep portion of the expandable shell and having its free end pointing backwards. The instep spring element may in particular extend along the instep portion of the inflatable shell and may have its free end pointing in the rearward and upward direction. With such a special instep spring element, localized pressure can be exerted particularly well on the instep part of the inflatable shell. Although the instep spring element is considered part of the forefoot spring portion, it is the element that extends away from that portion of the forefoot spring portion that extends between the collar region of the inflatable last and the forefoot end of the forefoot spring portion. Due to this remote extension, the instep spring element has a rearwardly directed free end. With the free ends of the instep spring elements pointing backwards, the forefoot spring portion can be effectively designed to provide localized pressure on the toe portion of the inflatable shell in a highly targeted manner and in a highly targeted manner on the inflatable Localized pressure is provided on the instep part of the shell, where specific details of the toe part and the instep part are taken into account in a particularly effective manner.

According to a further embodiment, the heel spring portion is configured to urge its heel end in a rearward direction and an upward direction. In this way, an attachment between the insert and the heel portion of the shoe can be achieved in an efficient manner, which might be difficult due to the particular shape of the heel construction of the shoe. In particular, the upward component of the force of the heel end towards the expandable shell/insert may be particularly effective in facilitating said attachment.

According to a further embodiment, the expansion assembly comprises a dimensionally stable core support element. The dimensionally stable core support element may in particular be substantially L-shaped or substantially T-shaped. A dimensionally stable core support element may provide increased stability to the spring framework of the expansion assembly. The dimensionally stable core support element can in particular reach the sole part of the expandable shell. Thus, it can provide efficient positioning of the expandable shell in the downward part of the expandable last. In particular, the shape-stable core support element can counteract potential upward components of the force exerted by the forefoot end and/or the heel end of the spring frame. Therefore, it may facilitate multidirectional stretching of expandable shells.

According to a further embodiment, the expandable last further comprises a cover to which the expandable shell is mounted. In particular embodiments, the expansion assembly is fixed in place relative to the cover. For example, the expansion assembly may be mounted to the cover via mounting rods. In this way, an effective positioning of the expansion assembly relative to the collar can be achieved. Furthermore, core support for the expandable last can be achieved in an efficient manner, similar to the core support elements discussed above.

According to a further embodiment, the spring frame is mounted to the cover. It is also possible to mount the spring frame to the core support element which in turn is mounted to the cover. It is also possible to mount both the spring frame and the core support element to the cover.

According to further embodiments, the expansion assembly is attached to the expandable housing. In this case, the expansion assembly may not be attached to the cover or may be attached to the cover in addition to the inflatable shell. The attachment between the expansion assembly and the inflatable housing may provide a particularly well-defined (defined) local pressure application by the expansion assembly.

According to further embodiments, the inflatable last further includes a fluid port providing fluid communication between the fluid chamber and an external fluid source, wherein the inflatable shell is configured to receive the fluid in the fluid chamber via the fluid port The liquid expands to press the insert against the inside of the footwear. In this way, a more uniform pressure across the liquid chamber is provided by receiving liquid from an external liquid source in addition to the localized pressure exerted by the expansion assembly.

According to a further embodiment, the expandable last further comprises a heater disposed in the liquid chamber, wherein the heater is configured to heat the liquid in the liquid chamber to expand the expandable shell by increasing the liquid volume in the liquid chamber and Press the insert against the inside of the shoe. In this way, the increased liquid volume due to heating of the liquid provides a more uniform pressure across the liquid chamber in addition to the localized pressure exerted by the expansion assembly. In this way, a more uniform application of pressure can be achieved without providing liquid ports and without increasing the amount of liquid in the liquid chamber.

According to a further embodiment, the heater is an electric heater. The electric heater can be coupled to an external power source via a power cord. A power cord can extend through the cover. The heater may also include a rechargeable power source, such as a rechargeable battery.

According to a further embodiment, the expansion assembly and the heater are fixed in position relative to each other. In a specific embodiment, the expansion assembly and the heater are formed as an integral structural unit. In this way, the expandable last can have a high degree of intrinsic stability and can be handled (handled) in a particularly convenient manner.

According to a further embodiment, the expandable last further comprises a cover to which the expandable shell is mounted. An expansion assembly and/or heater may also be mounted to the cover. In particular, the expansion assembly and heater may be mounted to the cover as an integral structural unit.

According to a further embodiment, the inflatable shell and the cover form a liquid-tight shell. In particular, the cap and inflatable housing may have no liquid ports. A cap and an inflatable shell without a liquid port is understood in that no liquid communication between the liquid chamber and the outside of the inflatable last takes place during the expansion operation, ie during the application of pressure to the insert via the inflatable shell. The liquid-tight enclosure can keep the amount of liquid in the liquid chamber fixed, and the expansion of the expandable enclosure can be caused only by heating of the liquid in the liquid chamber. This does not preclude the provision of suitable means for filling liquid into or draining liquid from the liquid chamber between such normal operations. For example, the liquid may be changed after a certain number of expansion operations, eg for cleaning, maintenance of the heater, preventing liquid from depositing on the inflatable shell, etc.

According to further embodiments, the expandable last may be combined with an external heater, such as an electric oven or a microwave. Specifically, an embodiment of the present invention may be a combination of an expandable last and an external heater in which the expandable last may be placed with the footwear. In this way, the expandable last and the shoe can be heated together, and the heating effect described above with respect to the heater inside the expandable last can occur as a result of external heating.

An expandable last having an expansion assembly and an expandable shell as described with respect to any of the above embodiments may additionally have any of the following features alone or in any combination:

The liquid chamber comprises substantially the entire volume between the expansion assembly and the inflatable housing.

The expandable shell is elastic, in particular made of latex material.

The expandable shell has dimensionally specific elastic properties at least in one or more regions thereof.

The liquid chamber is at least partially filled with open cell foam, in particular with open cell polyurethane foam, and/or with a spacer fabric.

The expandable last also includes at least one expandable fluid bag disposed on the outside or inside of the expandable shell.

The expandable last also includes at least one auxiliary fluid port that provides fluid communication between the at least one expandable fluid bag and at least one external fluid source.

The expandable last further comprises at least one auxiliary liquid supply line coupling at least one expandable liquid bag to at least one auxiliary liquid port, wherein the at least one auxiliary supply line extends in particular through the liquid chamber.

The at least one inflatable fluid bag includes at least one of: an inflatable fluid bag at an instep portion of the inflatable shell; an inflatable fluid bag at a toe portion of the inflatable shell; Inflatable Fluid Bag; Inflatable fluid bag in the upper midfoot portion of the inflatable shell.

At least one expandable liquid bag is at least partially filled with open cell foam, in particular with open cell polyurethane foam, and/or with a spacer fabric.

A liquid port is provided in the cover.

The cover has an extension (extension/extension) substantially corresponding to the cross-section of the collar of the shoe.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include an expandable last for supplying an insert for footwear, comprising: an expandable (expandable) shell; a fluid chamber within the expandable shell; and a fluid port providing a fluid communication between the fluid chamber and an external fluid source; wherein the expandable last is insertable into the footwear through the collar of the footwear, and wherein the inflatable last when fluid is received in the fluid chamber via the fluid port, expands The shell is configured to expand to press the insert toward the inside of the footwear; and wherein the expandable shell has dimensionally specific elastic properties at least in one or more regions thereof. Exemplary embodiments of an expandable last whose expandable shell has dimension-specific elastic properties provide an alternative means for efficiently supplying inserts to footwear compared to the exemplary embodiments of the expandable last described above. The additional features, variants and effects described above apply in a similar manner to expandable shoe lasts whose expandable shells have dimensionally elastic properties, as long as they are not conceptually excluded by expandable shells having dimensionally elastic properties.

With an expandable shell having dimension-specific elastic properties, the expansion process of the expandable shell can be controlled and a particularly effective pressure application to the insert can be achieved. For example, dimensionally specific elastic properties may allow the expandable shell to first assume a desired rough shape before highly uniform pressure is applied to the insert. By having dimension-specific elastic properties, the expandable shell responds differently to pressure increases along at least two dimensions. The dimensions may be those defined in a Cartesian coordinate system, or may be suitably defined in the case of a substantially foot-shaped last, such as longitudinal dimensions of the inflatable shell and circumferential dimensions of the inflatable shell.

According to additional embodiments, the expandable shell has size-specific elastic properties in at least one of the midfoot portion and the forefoot portion of the expandable shell. In this way, a particularly good adaptation to the shape of the shoe can be achieved. Plus, it adapts well to different sized footwear. In this way, an expandable last can be used for footwear of widely varying sizes.

According to additional embodiments, the expandable shell is configured to expand more readily in a longitudinal dimension than in a circumferential dimension in at least one of the midfoot portion and the forefoot portion. In this way, the expandable shell can be expanded first in the longitudinal dimension and then in the circumferential dimension. This in turn may allow the expandable last to first cover the full length of the longitudinal dimension of the shoe before applying pressure around the periphery of the expandable last. This behavior may assist in positioning/holding the insert in place in a particularly targeted manner until all around pressure is applied. The term that the expandable shell is configured to expand more easily along the longitudinal dimension than along the circumferential dimension means that the expandable shell expands earlier and/or at lower fluid pressure along the longitudinal dimension than along the circumferential dimension.

According to further embodiments, the expandable last has no dimensionally stable core support element and/or no expansion assembly arranged inside the expandable shell. In other words, applying pressure to the insert can be achieved simply by providing an inflatable shell with dimensionally specific elastic properties and building up pressure within the liquid chamber via liquid received through the liquid port.

An expandable shoe last having an expandable shell with size-specific elastic properties as described with respect to any of the above embodiments may additionally have any of the following features alone or in any combination:

The liquid chamber comprises substantially the entire volume within the expandable housing.

The expandable shell is made of latex material.

The liquid chamber is at least partially filled with open cell foam, in particular with open cell polyurethane foam, and/or with a spacer fabric.

The expandable last also includes at least one expandable fluid bag disposed on the outside or inside of the expandable shell.

The expandable last also includes at least one auxiliary fluid port that provides fluid communication between the at least one expandable fluid bag and at least one external fluid source.

The expandable last further comprises at least one auxiliary liquid supply line coupling at least one expandable liquid bag to at least one auxiliary liquid port, wherein the at least one auxiliary supply line extends in particular through the liquid chamber.

The at least one inflatable fluid bag includes at least one of: an inflatable fluid bag at an instep portion of the inflatable shell; an inflatable fluid bag at a toe portion of the inflatable shell; Inflatable Fluid Bag; Inflatable fluid bag in the upper midfoot portion of the inflatable shell.

At least one expandable liquid bag is at least partially filled with open cell foam, in particular with open cell polyurethane foam, and/or with a spacer fabric.

The expandable last also includes a cover to which the expandable shell is mounted.

A liquid port is provided in the cover.

The cover has an extension (extension/extension) substantially corresponding to the cross-section of the collar of the shoe.

The expandable last also includes a heater configured to heat the liquid in the liquid chamber and/or heat the expandable shell.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include an expandable last for supplying an insert for footwear, comprising: a rigid last portion; an expandable shell disposed adjacent to the rigid last portion; a liquid within the expandable shell a chamber; and a fluid port providing fluid communication between the fluid chamber and an external fluid source; wherein the inflatable last is insertable into the shoe through a collar of the shoe, and wherein, when via the fluid port Upon receiving fluid in the fluid chamber, the expandable shell is configured to expand to compress the insert toward the inside of the footwear. In contrast to the exemplary embodiments of the expandable last described above, the exemplary embodiment of an expandable last having a rigid last portion and an expandable outer shell adjacent to the rigid last portion provides a method for effectively furnishing footwear. Alternative tooling for supply inserts. The additional features, variations and effects described above apply in a similar manner to expandable lasts having a rigid last portion and an expandable shell adjacent to the rigid last portion, as long as they are not conceptually divided by the rigid last portion and the expandable last portion. Combination of expansion shells excluded.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an expandable last includes a rigid last portion and an expandable shell disposed adjacent to the rigid last portion. Rigid last sections can provide effective pressure application in various parts of the footwear, where rigid structures can achieve good results. Conversely, the expandable shell can have a smaller extension and thus can provide the desired highly uniform pressure with a smaller amount of liquid. The flexibility of the expandable shell can be combined in an advantageous manner with the low complexity of the rigid last part.

The expandable last may also include multiple rigid last sections and/or multiple expandable shells. Additional features and variations as described herein apply to one or a subset of the plurality of rigid last portions or all and/or one or a subset of the plurality of expandable shells.

According to a further embodiment, the rigid last part is made of metal such as aluminum. The metal may provide a highly rigid structure of the last part and may be a good conductor of heat in case the rigid last part is heated and/or the liquid in the liquid chamber is heated. Aluminum offers a good compromise between the beneficial properties of the metal and its relatively low weight. The rigid last portion may also be made of other suitable materials, such as heat resistant plastic.

According to a further embodiment, the rigid last portion is heatable. In this way, the rigid last portion can be used to heat the liquid in the liquid chamber of the expandable last, and can thus assist in the expansion of the expandable shell. Furthermore, the rigid last portion can apply heat to the insert and thus can help attach the insert to the inside of the footwear, for example by activating a heat activated adhesive on the insert. Additionally/alternatively, the rigid last portion may be thermally conductive, configured to conduct heat from the heated liquid in the liquid chamber to the insert.

According to further embodiments, the expandable last includes a rigid forefoot and instep last portion and a rigid heel last portion, wherein the expandable shell is disposed between the rigid forefoot and instep last portion and the rigid heel last portion. In this way, the expandable last comprises a so-called split last, which has a front rigid last part and a rear rigid last part. The space between the rigid forefoot and instep last portion and the rigid heel last portion may be partially or substantially completely filled with the expandable shell, at least in the expanded state. In this manner, highly uniform pressure can be applied to the medial midfoot and/or ankle portion of the footwear, while the front and rear rigid last portions apply pressure to the medial forefoot and heel portions of the footwear.

According to further embodiments, the rigid forefoot and instep last portion and the rigid heel last portion are movable relative to each other, and the expandable last includes means for controlling contact between the rigid forefoot and instep last portion and the rigid heel last portion. pitch actuator. In this way, the expandable last can be adapted to the shoe in question, in particular to the shoe size of the shoe in question. Further, the expandable last can be controlled in this way to apply a desired pressure to the front and heel portions of the inside of the footwear. Furthermore, the expandable last can be inserted into the shoe in a particularly convenient manner when the distance between the rigid forefoot and instep last part and the rigid heel last part is small. The actuators may be pneumatic actuators or hydraulic actuators or electric actuators.

According to a further embodiment, the expandable last further comprises at least one expandable fluid pocket arranged on the outside of the rigid last portion. In this way, as mentioned above, a local adaptation of the pressure exerted on the insert towards the inside of the shoe can be achieved.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one expandable fluid pocket comprises at least one expandable fluid pocket in the toe area and/or in the heel area of the inflatable last, in particular in the toe area of the rigid forefoot and instep last sections Inflatable liquid bag. The term "toe region" may refer to the upper side of the toe region of the inflatable last or the lower side of the toe region of the inflatable last or the combined upper and lower sides of the toe region, which reaches the end of the inflatable last.

An expandable last having a rigid last portion and an expandable shell disposed adjacent to the rigid last portion as described with respect to any of the embodiments above may additionally have any of the following features alone or in any combination:

The liquid chamber comprises substantially the entire volume within the expandable housing.

The expandable shell is elastic, in particular made of latex material.

The expandable shell has dimensionally specific elastic properties at least in one or more regions thereof.

The liquid chamber is at least partially filled with open cell foam, in particular with open cell polyurethane foam, and/or with a spacer fabric.

The expandable last also includes at least one auxiliary fluid port that provides fluid communication between the at least one expandable fluid bag and at least one external fluid source.

The expandable last also includes at least one auxiliary liquid supply line coupling the at least one expandable liquid bag to the at least one auxiliary liquid port, wherein the at least one auxiliary supply line specifically extends through the liquid chamber.

At least one expandable liquid bag is at least partially filled with open cell foam, in particular with open cell polyurethane foam, and/or with a spacer fabric.

The expandable last also includes a cover to which the expandable shell is mounted.

A liquid port is provided in the cover.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include an expandable last for supplying an insert for footwear, comprising: an expandable shell; a pellet chamber within the expandable shell; and a pellet port between the pellet chamber and A particle passage is provided between the external particle source; wherein the expandable last is insertable into the footwear through the collar of the shoe, and wherein the expandable shell is configured to expand when receiving particles in the particle chamber via the particle port to press the insert towards the inside of the shoe. The particle port may be specifically configured to provide a passage of particles between the particle chamber and the externally heated particle source. Compared to the exemplary embodiments of the expandable last described above, the exemplary embodiment of an expandable last having a pellet chamber within an expandable shell and a pellet port for receiving pellets within the pellet chamber provides for effective An alternative tool for supplying inserts for footwear. The additional features, modifications and effects described above apply in a similar manner to expandable shoe lasts with particle chambers inside the expandable outer shell, as long as they are not conceptually excluded by the combination of particle chambers and expandable outer shell.

Utilizing the pellet chamber and pellet port within the expandable shell, the expandable last can be easily introduced into the interior of the footwear and the expandable shell can apply pressure to the insert in a highly uniform manner as the pellet is received in the pellet chamber superior. Relying on particles to apply pressure to the insert in a highly uniform manner, the expandable last can function similarly to the expandable last described above, without relying on a liquid as the pressure applying medium. In this way, the footwear is protected from damage in the event that the expandable shell is punctured or torn during supply of the insert with the footwear, as described herein. Heated particles received, for example, from an external source of heated particles may assist in attaching the insert to the inside of the footwear, for example by activating a heat-activatable adhesive on the insert.

An expandable last having a particle chamber within an expandable shell as described with respect to any of the above embodiments may additionally have any of the following features alone or in any combination:

The particle chamber comprises substantially the entire volume within the expandable housing.

The expandable shell is elastic.

The expandable shell is made of latex material.

The expandable shell is made of synthetic material, in particular textile material. The expandable shell may be nylon stockings, for example.

The expandable shell has dimensionally specific elastic properties at least in one or more regions thereof.

The expandable last also includes at least one expandable fluid bag disposed on the outside or inside of the expandable shell.

The expandable last also includes at least one auxiliary fluid port that provides fluid communication between the at least one expandable fluid bag and at least one external fluid source.

The expandable last further comprises at least one auxiliary liquid supply line coupling at least one expandable liquid bag to at least one auxiliary liquid port, wherein the at least one auxiliary supply line extends in particular through the particle chamber.

The at least one inflatable fluid bag includes at least one of: an inflatable fluid bag at an instep portion of the inflatable shell; an inflatable fluid bag at a toe portion of the inflatable shell; Inflatable Fluid Bag; Inflatable fluid bag in the upper midfoot portion of the inflatable shell.

At least one expandable liquid bag is at least partially filled with open cell foam, in particular with open cell polyurethane foam, and/or with a spacer fabric.

A particle port is provided in the cover.

The cover has an extension substantially corresponding to the cross-section of the collar of the footwear.

The expandable last also includes a heater configured to heat the pellets in the pellet chamber and/or heat the expandable shell.

The expandable last also comprises a dimensionally stable core support element, in particular a substantially L-shaped or substantially T-shaped core support element.

It is also possible to introduce the particles into the insert without an intervening (interposed) expandable shell. The particles may be introduced into the insert prior to placing the insert within the footwear and/or while the insert is positioned within the footwear, and may be achieved via controlling the amount of particles within the insert and/or the temperature of the particles Apply pressure to the insert.

As described herein, exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include methods of supplying inserts for footwear using an expandable last. An expandable last may be implemented according to any of the embodiments described above. The additional features, modifications and effects described above with respect to an expandable last apply in an analogous manner to the method of supplying an insert for footwear.

According to a further embodiment, the insert is a waterproof and breathable inner sleeve. In this way, the method for supplying footwear with an insert can also be referred to as a method for waterproof footwear.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include a method for supplying an insert to footwear, the method comprising: inserting an expandable last into footwear through a collar, the expandable last having an expandable shell and a a liquid chamber in the interior; the insert is pressed toward the inside of the footwear by inflating the inflatable shell through the liquid in the liquid chamber. The additional features, modifications and effects described above with respect to an expandable last apply in an analogous manner to the method of supplying an insert for footwear. In particular, an expandable last may be implemented according to any of the embodiments described above.

According to further embodiments, expanding the expandable housing via liquid in the liquid chamber includes introducing liquid into the liquid chamber. In particular, liquid may be introduced from an external liquid source via a liquid port in the expandable last. Any suitable liquid can be used to inflate the expandable shell. Suitable liquids include water, oil and heat transfer fluids such as 3M Novec

According to further embodiments, expanding the expandable housing via liquid in the liquid chamber includes introducing heated liquid into the liquid chamber. In particular, the liquid may be introduced at a temperature between 60°C and 200°C. The temperature may depend on the liquid used. For example, water may be introduced at a temperature between 60°C and 95°C. The term "heating liquid" may refer to a liquid that is warmer than the chamber, in particular a liquid having at least 30°C.

According to further embodiments, expanding the expandable housing via liquid in the liquid chamber includes heating liquid in the liquid chamber. In particular, the liquid may be heated via a heater provided within the expandable shell.

According to a further embodiment, the insert is a waterproof and breathable inner sleeve. In this way, the method for supplying footwear with an insert can also be referred to as a method for waterproof footwear.

According to another embodiment, inserting the expandable last into the shoe through the collar of the shoe comprises inserting the expandable last after the interior space of the shoe has been closed, for example after the shoe has been lasted and the sole has been applied. The last is inserted into the inner space of the shoe. Inserting the expandable last into the footwear may occur while the footwear is otherwise fully assembled or substantially fully assembled.

According to a further embodiment, pressing the insert towards the inside of the footwear comprises attaching/adhering the insert to the inside of the footwear.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include a method for supplying an insert to footwear, the method comprising: inserting an expandable last into footwear through a collar of the footwear, the expandable last having an expandable shell and an A particle chamber within the expandable shell; the insert is pressed towards the inside of the footwear by inflating the expandable shell through the particles in the particle chamber. Additional features, modifications and effects described above with respect to expandable shoe lasts and with respect to methods of supplying inserts for footwear by expanding an expandable shell with a liquid apply to supplying footwear by expanding the expandable shell via particles in a similar manner. Insert method. In particular, an expandable last may be implemented according to any of the embodiments described above.

It should be noted that, as described herein, the exemplary embodiments of the expandable last may also be used for purposes other than providing inserts for footwear. In particular, expandable lasts can also be used in the early stages of shoe production. For example, an expandable shoe last according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be used to last a shoe upper thereon. An expandable last according to the following definitions also forms part of the subject-matter of the invention.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include an expandable shoe last comprising: a shape stable core support element; an expandable shell disposed around the core support element; a fluid chamber within the expandable shell; a fluid port, the fluid port Liquid communication is provided between the liquid chamber and an external source of liquid; wherein the expandable housing is configured to expand when liquid in the liquid chamber is received via the liquid port.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include an expandable shoe last comprising: an expansion assembly; an expandable shell disposed around the expansion assembly; and a liquid chamber within the expandable shell; wherein the expandable shell is configured to expand; and wherein, The expansion assembly is configured such that its extension is adapted to apply localized pressure to the inflatable shell.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include an expandable last comprising: an expandable shell; a fluid chamber within the expandable shell; a fluid port providing fluid communication between the fluid chamber and an external source of fluid; wherein , the expandable housing is configured to expand when liquid is received in the liquid chamber via the liquid port; and wherein the expandable housing has dimensionally specific elastic properties at least in one or more regions thereof.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include an expandable last comprising: a rigid last portion; an expandable shell disposed adjacent to the rigid last portion; a fluid chamber within the expandable shell; a fluid port, the fluid port Liquid communication is provided between the liquid chamber and an external source of liquid; wherein the expandable housing is configured to expand when liquid is received in the liquid chamber via the liquid port.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include an expandable shoe last comprising: an expandable shell; a particle chamber within the expandable shell; and a particle port providing a particle passage between the particle chamber and an external particle source; wherein the expandable last is insertable into the footwear through a collar of the footwear, and wherein, upon receiving particles in the particle chamber via the particle port, the expandable shell is configured to expand to direct the insert towards the interior of the footwear press.

The additional features, modifications and effects described above with respect to the exemplary embodiment of the expandable last in the case of supplying an insert for footwear apply in a similar manner to the exemplary embodiment of the expandable last in the preceding five paragraphs.

Further exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an expandable shoe last according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section;

Figure 2 shows an expandable shoe last according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention in longitudinal section;

Figure 3 shows an expandable shoe last according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section;

Figure 4A shows an expandable shoe last according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section, and Figure 4B shows a variant thereof in longitudinal section;

Figure 5 shows an expandable shoe last according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section;

Figure 6 shows an expandable shoe last according to a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section;

Figure 7 shows an expandable shoe last according to a seventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section;

Figure 8 shows an expandable shoe last according to an eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section;

Figure 9 shows an expandable shoe last according to a ninth exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section;

Figure 10 shows a method for supplying inserts for footwear according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the method using an expandable last according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 11 shows an expandable shoe last according to a tenth exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section;

Figure 12 shows an expandable shoe last according to an eleventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section; and

Fig. 13 shows an expandable shoe last according to a twelfth exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section.

Fig. 1 shows an expandable shoe last 2 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention in a schematic longitudinal section. When imagining that the expandable shoe last 2 is placed inside the shoe and the shoe is placed on a table or other horizontal structure in its normal use position, the sectional view of Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view with substantially A cross-sectional plane extending through the center of the expandable last. The expandable last 2 can be used for left and right shoes. However, it is also possible to use different versions of the inflatable last for the left shoe and the right shoe.

The expandable last 2 comprises a dimensionally stable core support element 4 . In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 1, the core support element 4 is substantially foot-shaped. This means that the core support element 4 generally resembles a human foot, with an ankle section, a heel section, a midfoot section and a forefoot section. In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 1, the core support element is flexible, made of rubber material. This means that the core support element 4 has a certain flexibility, which is particularly useful for inserting an expandable last into the interior of a shoe. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 , the core support element 4 is made of an elastic rubber material, the elasticity of which counteracts deformation and maintains the shape of the foot within the shoe. The core support element 4 is considered to be shape stable since it does not have any active shape adjustment means. Plus, its elasticity is designed to maintain the shape of the foot. Further, while providing some flexibility, the rubber material of the core support element is rigid enough for the expandable last that it does not completely loosen its shape/undergo significant shape transformation during insertion into the shoe.

The expandable last 2 also includes an expandable shell 6 . An expandable shell 6 is arranged around the core support element 4 . A liquid chamber 8 is formed between the core support element 4 and the expandable shell 6 . The expandable shell 6 is made of latex material for example and forms the outermost part of the expandable last 2 for the most part. Specifically, the expandable shell 6 forms the outermost part of the expandable last 2 in the heel portion, the midfoot portion, the forefoot portion and part of the ankle portion of the expandable last 2 . The expandable housing 6 is elastic and expandable when liquid is received in the liquid chamber 8 .

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 , the inflatable housing 6 is liquid-tight/liquid-tight (impermeable to liquids). Upon receiving a liquid, such as water, the expandable housing 6 contains the liquid in the liquid chamber 8 and expands in response to the increased amount of liquid. The latex material of the expandable shell 6, which is waterproof in nature, is also in an expanded/stretched state. The expandable shell 6 may have a layer of latex. It can also be made of a two-layer or three-layer structure, especially a two-layer latex structure or a three-layer latex structure.

The expandable last 2 also includes a cover 10 . A dimensionally stable core support element 4 and an expandable shell 6 are mounted to the cover 10 . The expandable shell 6 together with the cover 10 completely encloses the core support element 4 and the liquid chamber 8 .

The cover 10 is a substantially rotationally symmetrical structure having an inner cover part 12 and an outer cover part 14 . Cover 10 may be made of plastic or other suitable material. The expandable shell 6 is sandwiched between an inner cover part 12 and an outer cover part 14 in a liquid-tight manner. For additional sealing, suitable sealing tapes, such as vulcanized tapes, can be applied. In this way, no liquid can escape from the liquid chamber 8 through the inflatable casing 6 or through its connection to the cover 10 . The cover 10 has a transverse cross-sectional extension substantially corresponding to the transverse extension of the collar of the shoe. In particular, the lateral extension of the cover 10 may correspond to the lateral extension of the collar of the shoe at or above the ankle portion thereof.

The expandable last 2 also includes a liquid port 16 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 , liquid port 16 is part of cover 10 . Specifically, the liquid port 16 is a conduit through the inner cover portion 12 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 , the liquid port 16 is equipped with a valve 18 which allows liquid to be pressed into the inflatable last 2 from an external liquid source and prevents liquid from flowing back out of the inflatable last 2 . Valve 18 can be operated in such a way that liquid can drain from liquid chamber 8 while generally preventing liquid from flowing out of liquid chamber 8 .

The core support element 4 includes a liquid supply line (tubing) system 20 coupled to the liquid port 16 . Liquid from an external liquid source may enter liquid supply line system 20 through liquid port 16 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 , the liquid supply line system 20 has a substantially vertical liquid supply line extending downwardly from the liquid port 16 , and a support from the sole-side end of the substantially vertical line towards the core Both the heel portion of the element 4 and the forefoot portion of the core support element 4 extend substantially horizontal liquid supply lines. The substantially horizontal liquid supply line has two openings 22 towards the liquid chamber 8 . In particular, the substantially horizontal liquid supply line has an opening 22 towards the heel portion of the liquid chamber 8 and an opening towards the forefoot portion of the liquid chamber 8 . In this way, the core support element 4 and its liquid supply line system 20 are well suited for distributing the liquid received by the liquid port 16 within the liquid chamber 8 .

In use, an insert can be provided around the expandable shell 6, the expandable last 2 and the insert can be jointly introduced into the footwear, an external source of liquid can be coupled to a liquid port 16 through which liquid, in particular heated liquid, can be passed. 16 and the liquid supply line system 20 are introduced into the liquid chamber 8, the expandable shell 6 can expand in response to the increased amount of liquid in the liquid chamber 8, and the insert can be pressed against the inside of the footwear. A more detailed description of providing the insert on the inside of the footwear is given in Figure 10 below. It should be noted that the method steps described are merely exemplary, and that other ways of supplying inserts for footwear may be implemented with an expandable last according to exemplary embodiments. For example, it is also possible to place the insert in the shoe to secure the upper part of the insert to the collar area of the shoe, and then introduce the expandable last into the joint (joint structure) of the shoe and the insert. When introducing an expandable last into an insert, a cover (cover) can be placed over the last to protect the insert and/or expandable shell from being punctured and to facilitate the smooth insertion of the expandable last into the insert. into the insert. The cover may be a sock-like structure, in particular a textile sock-like structure. The introduction of the liquid and subsequent steps can then be performed as described above. It should be pointed out that when the expandable last is used to introduce the insert into the shoe, the cover can also be placed on the expandable last as an intermediate element between the expandable last and the insert. In this case, the cover may allow for a smoother pulling of the insert over the expandable last.

Figure 2 shows an expandable last 2 according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention in a schematic longitudinal section. The various components of the expandable last 2 of FIG. 2 are the same/similar as the corresponding components of the expandable last 2 of FIG. 1 . They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description. The two main differences between the expandable last 2 of FIG. 2 and the expandable last 2 of FIG. 1 are the design of the core support element 4 and the provision of open cell foam 24 in the liquid chamber 8 . These differences are discussed in more detail below.

The core support element 4 of the expandable last 2 of Fig. 2 is substantially L-shaped. The two legs of the L-shaped core support element 4 are substantially vertical legs extending from the cover 10 in the direction of the sole of the inflatable last 2, and from the sole-side end of the sole towards the inflatable last 2. A substantially horizontal outrigger extending from the forefoot portion. The L-shaped core support element is a rigid structure, made of metal or rigid plastic material.

The liquid supply line system 20 of the core support element 4 of Fig. 2 has a plurality of branches. In particular, six openings 22 connect the liquid supply line system 20 with the liquid chamber 8 . Two of said openings 22 are set in the ankle part of the expandable shoe last 2, one is set in the heel part of the expandable shoe last 2, two are set in the midfoot part of the expandable shoe last 2, and One is provided in the forefoot part of the expandable last 2 . Fewer or greater numbers of openings and branches providing liquid paths to said openings are also possible.

The open cell foam 24 is arranged around the core support element 4 in the liquid chamber 8 . Open cell foam 24 is a pliable (flexible) and soft structure that allows liquid to absorb and pass through. In this way, the open cell foam can on the one hand absorb liquid and on the other hand transmit it to the expandable shell 6 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 , the open cell foam is provided in most of the liquid chamber 8 . The core support element 4 forms the core/skeleton around which the open cell foam 24 is disposed. The open cell foam 24 provides the expandable shell 6 with an initial shape while allowing the shape to change (adapt) when liquid is received in the liquid chamber 8 .

Figure 3 shows an expandable last 2 according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention in a schematic longitudinal section. The various components of the expandable last 2 of Figure 3 are the same/similar to those of the expandable last discussed above. They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 , the core support element 4 is substantially T-shaped with substantially vertical legs and substantially horizontal bars/plates, the substantially horizontal bars/plates The transverse plate extends from the substantially vertical legs towards the heel portion of the inflatable last 2 and the forefoot portion of the inflatable last 2 . It is also possible that the core support element has two substantially vertical legs and a substantially horizontal cross bar/plate attached to the two substantially vertical legs. In this case, the core support element will be substantially U-shaped, in particular in the form of an inverted U. In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 3, the core support element 4 has no liquid supply line system. Alternatively, the liquid port 16 is directly coupled to the liquid chamber 8 . Liquid from an external liquid source is supplied directly to the liquid chamber 8 without flowing through the core support element 4 .

The inflatable last 2 of FIG. 3 also includes an inflatable liquid bag 26 arranged on the outside of the inflatable shell 6 at the instep of the inflatable shell 6 . The expandable last 2 of FIG. 3 also includes an auxiliary liquid port 28 coupled to the expandable liquid bag 26 via an auxiliary liquid supply line 30 . The auxiliary liquid port 28 is equipped with a valve 32 . An auxiliary liquid supply line 30 extends through the interior of the inflatable housing 6 , ie through the liquid chamber 8 . Alternatively, an auxiliary liquid supply line may extend along the outside of the inflatable shell 6 . The auxiliary liquid supply line 30 may be a flexible liquid supply line, such as a rubber hose type liquid line.

The expandable fluid bag 26 is made of a resilient material, such as a latex material, and is expandable upon receiving fluid via the auxiliary fluid port 28 and the auxiliary fluid supply line 30 . The liquid port 16 and the auxiliary liquid port 28 allow to control the pressure in the liquid chamber 8 and the pressure in the inflatable liquid bag 26 to be different from each other, so that the instep part of the inflatable last 2 and the rest of the inflatable last 2 can be realized Controlled pressure differential between sections. Liquid port 16 and auxiliary liquid port 28 may be coupled to various external liquid sources. Additionally/alternatively, other means for achieving the desired pressure difference between the liquid chamber 8 and the inflatable liquid bag 26 may also be provided, such as different valves in the liquid port 16 and the auxiliary liquid port 28 .

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 , spacer fabric 34 is disposed within inflatable fluid bag 26 . The spacer fabric 34 may provide the initial shape of the inflatable fluid bag 26 while allowing fluid to pass therethrough and be distributed within the inflatable fluid bag 26 .

Fig. 4A shows an expandable shoe last 2 according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention in a schematic longitudinal section. The various components of the expandable last 2 of Figure 4A are the same/similar to those of the expandable last discussed above. They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description.

The expandable last 2 of FIG. 4A is somewhat similar to the expandable last of FIG. 1 . The expandable last 2 of Fig. 4A also comprises a shape-stable core support element 4 substantially in the shape of the foot. The core support element 4 is slightly shorter in the forefoot portion of the expandable shell and has a substantially flat front end portion. As indicated by the circles in Figure 4A, the liquid supply line system 20 of the core support element 4 of Figure 4A has a transverse opening 22 close to its front end, rather than an opening towards the front of the core support element.

The expandable last 2 of FIG. 4A also includes an expandable fluid bag 26 disposed within the expandable shell 6 and between the front end of the core support element 4 and the toe end of the expandable shell 6 . In particular, an expandable liquid bag is arranged adjacent to the front end of the core support element 4 . Inflatable fluid bag 26 is in fluid communication with secondary fluid port 28 via secondary fluid supply line 30 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4A , the auxiliary liquid supply line 30 extends at least partially through the core support element 4 . The expandable fluid bag 26 is configured and configured to expand upon receiving fluid from an external fluid source via the secondary fluid port 28 and secondary fluid supply line 30 . Further, the expandable liquid bag 26 is arranged and configured to expand towards the front of the expandable shoe last, ie expand towards the front of the expandable shell 6, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 4A. In particular, the expandable fluid bag 26 can be expanded to abut against (butt against) the expandable outer shell 6 in operation. In this way, the inflatable fluid bag 26 is able to apply pressure to the toe portion of the insert in a particularly targeted manner. The fluid in the inflatable fluid bag 26 is able to apply pressure to the toe section in a highly reliable manner and will not avoid the toe area, regardless of the general conditions within the shoe. The pressure within the inflatable fluid bag 26 can be selected to be the same or similar to the pressure within the fluid chamber 8 during operation. The pressure within the inflatable fluid bag 26 may also be greater than the pressure within the fluid chamber 8 .

Fig. 4B shows an expandable last 2 according to a modification of the expandable last 2 of Fig. 4A. The expandable last 2 of Fig. 4B is also an exemplary embodiment according to the invention and is also depicted in a schematic longitudinal section.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4B , the core support element 4 and inflatable fluid bag 26 in the forefoot portion of the inflatable shell 6 do not abut along a flat surface, but along a contoured surface (contoured surface). ) adjacent. In particular, the core support element 4 extends in its upper part further to the front of the expandable last 2 than to the lower part of the expandable last 2 . In this way, expansion of the inflatable liquid bag towards the top is restricted, at least to some extent, and expansion towards the front of the inflatable shell 6 is facilitated.

Further, a guide element 36 such as a knitted fabric is provided on the sole side of the front of the core support element 4 and on the sole side of the inflatable fluid bag 26 . The guide element 36 may serve the dual purpose of holding the sole side of the inflatable fluid bag 26 in position relative to the core support element 4 and preventing expansion of the inflatable fluid bag 26 towards the sole side of the inflatable shell 6 . The contoured engagement surface between the core support element 4 and the expandable fluid bag 26 and the guide element 36 may cooperate to facilitate expansion of the expandable fluid bag 26 towards the front of the inflatable last 2 . The expandable fluid bag 26 may be molded or welded to the core support element 4 or may be attached thereto in any other suitable manner. Furthermore, the guide element 36 may be molded or welded to the core support element 4 and/or the inflatable fluid bag 26 . It is also possible that the guide element 36 may be integral with the inflatable fluid bag 26 and/or the core support element 4 . For example, the expandable fluid bag 26 and/or the core support element may be molded onto the guide element 36 . In that case, the guide element may be partially or fully disposed in the inflatable fluid bag 26 and/or the core support element. The guide element 36 can eg be made of PE, PES or PA.

The inflatable fluid bag 26 in the forefoot portion of the inflatable shell 6 may be made of any suitable inflatable material and may be coupled to a guide element 36 . The inflatable fluid pocket 26 in the forefoot portion of the inflatable shell 6 may be made of a bladder-like structure (bladder structure) having an inherent 3D shape. The expandable liquid bag may for example be made of latex or a thermoplastic or adhesive plastic compound, such as butyl rubber.

Still further, the expandable last includes an expandable fluid pocket 26 in the upper midfoot portion of the expandable shell 6 . The inflatable liquid bag 26 is coupled to an external liquid source via a further auxiliary liquid port 28 and a further auxiliary liquid supply line 30 . The inflatable fluid pocket 26 in the upper midfoot portion of the inflatable shell 6 may be partially or completely filled with spacer fabric or may not be filled with spacer fabric. The inflatable fluid pocket 26 in the upper midfoot portion of the inflatable shell 6 helps to apply proper pressure through the instep portion of the inflatable shell 6 to the instep portion of the insert.

Fig. 5 shows in a schematic longitudinal section an expandable last 2 according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the invention. The various components of the expandable last 2 of Figure 5 are the same/similar to those of the expandable last discussed above. They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description.

Compared with the expandable last of Figures 1 to 4, the expandable last 2 of Figure 5 has an expansion assembly 40, which will be described in detail below. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5 , the liquid port 16 is directly coupled to the liquid chamber 8 such that liquid from an external liquid source is supplied directly into the liquid chamber 8 .

The expansion assembly 40 includes a base plate 42 and a spring loaded piston 44 . The base plate 42 is oriented substantially horizontally and is arranged inside the inflatable shell 6 at its sole portion. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5 , the base plate 42 extends over about 50% of the sole area of the expandable last 2 . A spring loaded piston 44 is attached to the base plate 42 and is also oriented substantially horizontally. The spring-loaded piston is arranged to stretch the expandable shell 6 in the longitudinal direction of the expandable last 2 and to exert localized pressure on the expandable shell 6 in the heel and toe portions of the expandable last 2 . Due to the localized pressure generated by the spring of the spring-loaded piston 44, no active means, ie means relying on an external energy supply, are required to apply the localized pressure. The partial pressure is only generated by the spring of the spring-loaded piston 44 against the compression of the spring.

The expansion assembly 40 also includes a mounting rod 54 coupled to the cover 10 . The expansion assembly 40 is fixed in position relative to the cover 10 via the mounting rod 54 . An overall stable arrangement can be achieved and the expansion assembly can provide core support for the expandable last 2, similar to the core support element 4 described above.

The expandable last 2 of FIG. 5 allows localized pressure to be provided at selected portions of the expandable last 2 while providing a more uniform ambient pressure (all-round pressure) through the liquid in the liquid chamber 8 . In this way, dynamic application of different pressure levels and/or different pressures at different times can be achieved in an efficient manner.

Fig. 6 shows an expandable last 2 according to a sixth exemplary embodiment of the invention in a schematic longitudinal section. The various components of the expandable last 2 of Figure 6 are the same/similar to those of the expandable last discussed above. They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description.

The expandable last 2 of FIG. 6 is somewhat similar to the expandable last 2 of FIG. 5 . However, the expansion assembly 40 differs considerably from the expansion assembly 40 of FIG. 5 . In particular, instead of the spring-loaded piston 44 an active piston 46 is provided. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 6 , the active piston 46 is a pneumatically operated piston 46 . Similar to the spring loaded piston 44 of FIG. 5 , a pneumatically operated piston 46 applies localized pressure to the heel and toe portions of the inflatable shell 6 .

The expansion assembly 40 includes a pneumatic port 48 in the cap 10 and a pneumatic line (pneumatic line) 50 connecting the pneumatic port 48 to the pneumatically operated piston 46 . The pneumatic port 48 has a valve 52 . In operation, extension of pneumatically operated piston 46 may be controlled via pneumatic pressure therein, which in turn may be controlled via an external gas source, such as an external air source, coupled to pneumatic port 48 . In this way, the application of localized pressure can be highly finely controlled.

The expansion assembly 40 of FIG. 6 also includes a mounting rod 54 . The base plate 42 and pneumatically operated piston 46 are fixed in position relative to the cover 10 via mounting rods 54 . In this way, the expansion assembly 40 has a high positional stability within the expandable last 2, and the expandable last 2 as an overall highly stable structure can be easily handled (handled).

Fig. 7 shows an expandable last 2 according to a seventh exemplary embodiment of the invention in a schematic longitudinal section. The various components of the expandable last 2 of Figure 7 are the same/similar to those of the expandable last discussed above. They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description.

The expandable last 2 of Figure 7 is somewhat similar to the expandable last 2 of Figure 5, although there are some notable differences. The expandable last 2 of FIG. 7 also has an expansion assembly 40 comprising a base plate 42 and a spring loaded piston 44 . The expansion assembly 40 also includes a mounting rod 54 that is mounted to the cover 10 and to which the base plate 42 is mounted. A spring loaded piston 44 is in turn mounted to the base plate 42 . In this way, the spring loaded piston 44, base plate 42, mounting rod 54 and cover 10 are fixed in position relative to each other. In this arrangement, the spring loaded piston 44 exerts localized pressure on the inflatable shell 6 at a single portion thereof. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 7 , a spring-loaded piston 44 applies localized pressure to the toe portion of the inflatable shell 6 .

The expandable last 2 of FIG. 7 also includes a heater 60 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 7 , the heater 60 is implemented as an electric heater. Specifically, the heater is implemented as a heating coil wound around the mounting rod 54 . The heater 60 is coupled to a power cable 62 that extends through the cover 16 and can be coupled to an external power source, such as a power adapter that in turn can be connected to a standard electrical outlet. Via the heater, the liquid in the liquid chamber 8 can be heated and expanded. Expansion of the liquid can be used for expansion of the expandable shell 6 . In this way, a highly uniform pressure can be generated around the inflatable shell 6 in addition to the localized pressure exerted by the expansion assembly 40 .

In the exemplary embodiment of Figure 7, neither the cap 10 nor the inflatable housing 6 has liquid ports. When positioned within the shoe and pressure is applied to the insert towards the inside of the shoe, no liquid is added to or drained from the liquid chamber 8 . Heating of the liquid within the liquid chamber 8 provides omnidirectional pressure application to the insert. It should be pointed out that any suitable liquid can be used to achieve the expansion of the expandable shell 6 . For example, the liquid chamber 8 may be filled with water, and the expansion of the water when heated may provide the desired pressure increase.

It should be pointed out that instead/additionally to arranging a heater in the liquid chamber 8, the expandable shoe last can be placed in a heating device, such as an electric oven or a microwave oven, and then inserted into the shoe. This heating may also effect expansion of the liquid in the liquid chamber 8 and the application of pressure to the insert via the expandable shell 6 may occur via the heated liquid.

Fig. 8 shows an expandable last 2 according to an eighth exemplary embodiment of the invention in a schematic longitudinal section. The various components of the expandable last 2 of Figure 8 are the same/similar to those of the expandable last discussed above. They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description.

The expandable last 2 of Figure 8 is somewhat similar to the expandable last 2 of Figure 5, although there are some notable differences. The expandable last 2 of FIG. 8 does not have core support elements, expansion assemblies or heaters, as described with respect to FIGS. 1 to 7 . However, the expandable last 2 of FIG. 8 has a liquid port 16 through the cover 10 for injecting liquid into the liquid chamber 8 . The expandable housing 6 only expands in response to the introduction of liquid into the liquid chamber 8 .

The expandable shell 6 has dimension-specific elastic properties. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 8, midfoot portion 70 of inflatable shell 6 has dimension-specific elastic properties. Other parts of the expandable shell 6 may also have dimensionally specific (dimension-specific) elastic properties.

Specifically, midfoot portion 70 of expandable shell 6 is stretched along longitudinal dimension 72 under lower fluid pressure than circumferential dimension 74 . Circumferential dimension 74 is defined herein as extending around the tubular cross-section of midfoot portion 70 . Since the expandable shell 6 expands more easily in the midfoot portion 70 along the longitudinal dimension 72 than along the circumferential dimension 74, the increase in fluid pressure causes the midfoot portion 70 to elongate along the length of the inflatable last 2, and then peripheral expansion occurs. In this direction, the cross-section of the midfoot portion 70 increases accordingly. In this way, the expandable last 2 can first be adapted to a particular shoe size/length and then exert a highly uniform all-round pressure on the insert against the inside of the shoe. In a specific exemplary embodiment, the length of the midfoot portion may extend between 10% and 30%, specifically about 20%, before circumferential expansion occurs.

Fig. 9 shows an expandable last 2 according to a ninth exemplary embodiment of the invention in a schematic longitudinal section. The various components of the expandable last 2 of Figure 9 are the same/similar to those of the expandable last discussed above. They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description.

The expandable last 2 of FIG. 9 includes a rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 and a rigid heel last portion 82 . The rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 and the rigid heel last portion 82 are made of aluminum. Together they form a split last with a rigid front and a rigid rear. Both the rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 and the rigid heel last portion 82 are heatable. They are connected with front power line 81 and back power line 83 respectively, can provide electric energy for the internal heater of rigid forefoot and instep last part 80 and rigid heel last part 82 via power line. The internal heater may be an induction heater or may include a heating cartridge or may include other suitable heating devices. It is also possible that both the rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 and the rigid heel last portion 82 are non-heatable. They can still conduct heat, and the wires 81, 83 can be sensor wires coupling temperature sensors within the rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 and the rigid heel last portion 82 to the control unit.

Rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 and rigid heel last portion 82 are movable relative to each other. The expandable last 2 includes a pneumatic actuator 84 configured to control the spacing between the rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 and the rigid heel last portion 82 . The expandable last 2 also includes a first gas port 86 equipped with a valve 88 and a second gas port 90 equipped with a valve 92 . The first gas port 86 and the second gas port 88 are coupled to the pneumatic actuator 84 via a first gas line (line) 94 and a second gas line (line) 96 , respectively. The first gas port 86 and the second gas port 90 are configured to introduce gas into the pneumatic actuator 84 and release gas from the pneumatic actuator 84 from an external gas source, respectively. By corresponding control of the first gas port 86 and the second gas port 90, the pressure in the pneumatic actuator 84 and thus the spacing between the rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 and the rigid heel last portion 82 can be measured with a high degree of accuracy. way is controlled. Thus, the split last can accommodate different shoe sizes/lengths within a wide size/length range.

The expandable last 2 also comprises an expandable shell 6 having a liquid chamber 8 inside. . The expandable last 2 also includes a liquid port 16 with a valve 18 coupled to the liquid chamber 8 via a liquid supply line 20 . In operation, a liquid may be received in the liquid chamber 8, and in those portions of the footwear between the rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 and the rigid heel last portion 82, the inflatable shell 6 may convert the height Uniform pressure is applied to the insert located on the inside of the footwear.

The expandable last 2 also includes an expandable fluid pocket 26 disposed around the toe portion of the rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 . The liquid chamber 8 and the inflatable liquid bag 26 are coupled via an auxiliary liquid supply line (tubing) 30 . Auxiliary fluid supply line (tubing) 30 extends through rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 . With the use of the expandable fluid bag 26 , the pressure applied to the insert in the forefoot portion of the footwear may be more uniform than with a rigid forefoot and instep last portion 80 . The inflatable fluid pocket can balance the sharp contours of the shoe interior in the toe section in a particularly effective manner.

Combining the rigid forefoot and instep rearmost part 80 and the rigid heel rearmost part 82 on the one hand, and the inflatable shell 6 and the inflatable fluid bag 26 on the other hand, in the use of a rigid, relatively simple to implement last part and the use of a highly flexible and very A good compromise can be achieved between inflatable last sections suitable for applying uniform pressure.

Fig. 10 shows a method for supplying an insert 100 for footwear 110 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The method uses an expandable last 2 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the exemplary illustration of FIG. 10 , the expandable last 2 corresponds to the expandable last 2 of FIG. 5 . However, it is emphasized that an expandable last according to any of the embodiments described herein may be used.

FIG. 10A depicts the expandable last 2 and insert 100 . The insert 100 is arranged on the expandable last 2 . The insert 100 is in a relaxed state, ie in a state not stretched by the expandable last 2 . In the illustration of Figure 10, the insert 100 is a waterproof, breathable inner sleeve. Therefore, the method shown in FIG. 10 is a method for waterproof footwear. A waterproof and breathable inner sleeve may eg be implemented according to any of the embodiments as described in PCT/EP2017/068030 and/or PCT/EP2018/084179.

Insert 100 includes a first gummed region 102 around a toe portion of insert 100 , a second gummed region 104 around a heel portion of insert 100 , and a third gummed region 106 along a collar of insert 100 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 10, the first glued region 102, the second glued region 104 and the third glued region are all provided with a heat activated adhesive. As an alternative/in addition to the third glued area 106, a textile strip (fabric strip) sewn to the insert 100 and provided with a suitable adhesive may be provided.

FIG. 10B depicts the expandable last 2 and the insert 100 inserted inside the shoe 110 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the footwear 110 is a low top shoe. The insert 100 is placed onto the sole portion inside the shoe 110 and rests against the heel portion inside the shoe 110 when the expandable last is introduced. With the expandable last 2 in an unexpanded state and the insert 100 in a relaxed state, the insert 100 is spaced apart from the rest of the interior of the shoe 110 .

FIG. 10C depicts an expandable last 2 with a spring-loaded piston 44 of greater horizontal extension than in FIG. 10B . The change in extension (amount/range) is the result of the spring of the spring loaded piston counteracting its compression and exerting localized pressure on the toe and heel portions of the inflatable shell 6 . The change in extension (amount/range) can be triggered by a release mechanism. For example, a spring loaded piston may have a release button which can be operated/pushed by an operator. For example, the release button may be manually operated through the footwear 110 , the insert 100 and the inflatable shell 6 or only through the inflatable shell 6 or via a suitable mechanism at the cover 10 . The spring loaded piston can also expand without a release mechanism. For example, a spring-loaded piston may continuously force (continuously push it to extend) its extension when inserted into the shoe, similar to a shoe tree. It is also possible that the introduction of liquid causes expansion of the spring loaded piston, or triggers a change in extension (amount/range) in any other suitable way.

FIG. 10D depicts an expandable last 2 with an external liquid supply line (pipe/line) 120 coupled to the liquid port 16 of the expandable last 2 . Water is introduced into the liquid chamber 8 of the inflatable last 2 via the liquid port 16 . In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 10, water is introduced into the liquid chamber 8 at a temperature between 60°C and 98°C, in particular at a temperature of about 95°C. Furthermore, water is introduced until the target liquid pressure is reached in the liquid chamber 8 . The target liquid pressure may be between 0.1 bar and 2 bar, in particular about 0.2 bar. As a result, insert 100 is pressed against the inside of footwear 110 . The water provides a uniform pressure within the liquid chamber 8 and presses the insert 100 towards the inside of the shoe 110 in a highly uniform manner. The temperature of the water also activates the heat activated adhesive in the first glued area 102 , the second glued area 104 and the third glued area 106 . It should be understood that the temperature and pressure of the liquid may be selected according to the particular liquid used. Various types of heat activated adhesives can be activated at temperatures between 60°C and 200°C and the liquid can be introduced at a temperature suitable for the adhesive in question. An example of a suitable adhesive is a temperature reactivatable PU such as Irotex from the company P.B. Fuller.

FIG. 10E depicts the expandable last 2 with the external liquid supply line 120 disconnected from the liquid port 16 .

FIG. 10F additionally depicts toe guard 130 over the toe portion of footwear 110 . Toe protector 130 may be held in place by a rubber band wrapped around the heel of footwear 110 . In this manner, counter pressure may be provided at and protected at the toe portion of the footwear 110 .

FIG. 10G depicts expandable last 2 , insert 100 , footwear 110 and toe protector 130 loosely placed in bag 138 . The bag 138 is in turn placed in the pressure chamber 140 . The pressure chamber 140 is coupled to a pressure line (pipe/line) 142 through which pressurized air can flow into the pressure chamber 140 .

FIG. 10H depicts the condition after pressurized air has flowed into the pressure chamber 140 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 10 , an air pressure of between 2 bar and 7 bar, in particular about 5.5 bar, is used for pressurizing the pressure chamber 142 . The pressurized air presses the bag 138 against the footwear 110 and provides counter pressure to the inflatable last 2 .

The combination of the water pressure in the expandable last 2 , the heat of the water in the expandable last 2 and the air pressure in the pressure chamber 140 is an efficient way to adhere the insert 100 to the inside of the shoe 110 . A very stable attachment with highly uniform adhesion across the first 102 , second 104 and third 106 glued regions can be achieved.

Fig. 11 shows an expandable shoe last 2 according to a tenth exemplary embodiment of the invention in a schematic longitudinal section. The various components of the expandable last 2 of Figure 11 are the same/similar to those of the expandable last discussed above. They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description.

The expandable last 2 of FIG. 11 is somewhat similar to the expandable last 2 of FIG. 5 . In particular, the expandable last 2 of FIG. 11 also has an expansion assembly 40 and also has a liquid port 16 coupled directly to the liquid chamber 8 . However, the expansion assembly 40 of the expandable last 2 of FIG. 11 is completely different from the expansion assembly 40 of the expandable last 2 of FIG. 5 , as will be explained below.

The expansion assembly 40 of the expandable last 2 of FIG. 11 has a dimensionally stable core support element 4 . The core support element 4 is substantially T-shaped. In particular, the core support element 4 has the design of the core support element 4 described above in relation to FIG. 3 . Instead of being considered as a T-shaped core support element, the core support element 4 may also be considered as a combination of a base plate and mounting bars attaching the base plate to the cover 10 as described above with reference to FIG. 5 . The characteristics described above with respect to the various embodiments of the core support element and with respect to the various embodiments of the combination of the base plate and the mounting rod can be similarly applied to the expansion assembly 40 of the expandable last 2 of FIG. 11 . implemented in the architecture.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 11 , expansion assembly 40 includes a spring frame 55 . The spring frame 55 is secured to the cover 10 and extends from the cover 10 towards the forefoot portion of the inflatable last 2 and towards the heel portion of the inflatable last 2 . Specifically, the spring frame 55 has a forefoot spring portion 56 and a heel spring portion 57 . Both the forefoot spring portion 56 and the heel spring portion 57 are configured to apply localized pressure to the expandable shell 6 of the expandable last 2 .

The forefoot spring portion 56 has a wave shape. Specifically, the forefoot spring portion 56 has a first exposed portion 56a and a second exposed portion 56b. The first exposed portion 56a is located at the instep portion of the inflatable last 2 . The second exposed portion 56b is located at the toe portion of the inflatable last 2 . When a straight line is fitted through the wave shape of the forefoot spring portion 56 , the first exposed portion 56 a and the second exposed portion 56 b may be considered as tall portions of the wave shape of the forefoot spring portion 56 .

The forefoot spring portion 56 also includes a pressure applying pad 56c. A pressure applying pad 56 c is provided at the forefoot end of the forefoot spring portion 56 .

The heel spring portion 57 extends from the cover 10 towards the heel portion of the inflatable last 2 . The heel spring portion 57 has a pressure applying pad 57 a at the heel end of the heel spring portion 57 .

The forefoot spring part 56 and the heel spring part 57 are metal strip-shaped designs. Along the longitudinal direction of the expandable last 2, the forefoot spring portion 56 has the wave shape as described from the cover 10 to the toe portion of the expandable last 2, while the heel spring portion 57 runs from the cover 10 to the heel portion of the expandable last 2 have the curved shape depicted. Along the transverse direction of the inflatable last 2, i.e. in the direction orthogonal to the viewing plane of FIG. Metal strips are formed between the heel parts of the expandable shoe last 2 . The forefoot spring portion 56 and the heel spring portion 57 may in particular be made of metal strips having a width between 1 cm and 3 cm, in particular between 1 cm and 2 cm.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 11 , the forefoot spring portion 56 and the heel spring portion 57 are made from a continuous metal strip, ie they are provided in a one-piece structure. However, the forefoot spring portion 56 and the heel spring portion 57 may also be separate elements, each of which is mounted to the cap 10 or the core support element 4 .

The exception to the constant width of the forefoot spring portion 56 and heel spring portion 57 is the pressure application pad 56c at the toe portion of the forefoot spring portion 56 and the pressure application pad 57a at the heel portion of the heel spring portion 57 . The pressure application pads 56c, 57a have a wider extension (extension) than the forefoot spring portion 56 and the heel spring portion 57 to provide a slightly more protruding pressure application on the inflatable shell 6 .

The spring action of the spring frame 55 is described below. Both the forefoot spring portion 56 and the heel spring portion 57 are configured to exert a spring force in the expandable last 2 that pushes the forefoot spring portion 56 and the heel spring portion 57 upward.

In this context, the term "upwardly" corresponds to the upward direction in the viewing plane of Fig. 11, which also corresponds to the upward direction of the footwear when oriented in the normal use position. This upwardly directed spring force is illustrated in FIG. 11 by the spring frame 55 shown in two different positions/states. In particular, the spring frame 55 is shown on the one hand in dashed lines, wherein said positions/states represent possible positions/states after insertion of the expandable last 2 into the shoe. In this position/state, forefoot spring portion 56 and heel spring portion 57 are biased downwardly, and forefoot spring portion 56 and heel spring portion 57 exert an upward force. This upwardly directed force urges/forces the spring frame 55 to a second depicted position/state, which is shown in solid lines. In this position/state, the first exposed portion 56a applies partial pressure to the instep portion of the inflatable shell 6, the second exposed portion 56b applies partial pressure to the toe portion of the inflatable shell 6, and the heel spring portion 57 The heel end of the inflatable shell 6 exerts localized pressure on the heel portion of the inflatable shell 6 . The first exposed portion 56a approximately midway between the cover 10 and the toe end of the forefoot spring portion 56 applies localized pressure in a generally upward direction. The second exposed portion 56b, which is the toe end of the forefoot spring portion 56, exerts local pressure in the forward and upward directions. The heel end of the heel spring portion 57 exerts partial pressure in the rearward direction and the upward direction.

With the spring frame 55 of the expandable last 2 of Fig. 11 it is possible to apply localized pressure at particularly critical parts, namely the instep part, the toe part and the heel part, where pressure in a specific direction is particularly effective for the attachment of the insert . The expansion assembly 40 of the inflatable last 2 of FIG.

It has been described that the spring frame 55 and the core support element 4 are considered together as an expansion assembly. However, the spring frame 55 can also be considered as an additional element that complements the core support element 4 . In particular, the core support element 4 may be implemented in any of the variants described above with reference to Figures 1 to 4, and a spring framework may be added thereto to apply the local pressure.

Fig. 12 shows an expandable shoe last 2 according to an eleventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a schematic longitudinal section. The various components of the expandable last 2 of Figure 12 are the same/similar to those of the expandable last discussed above. They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description.

The expandable last 2 of FIG. 12 is somewhat similar to the expandable last 2 of FIG. 11 . Specifically, the expandable last 2 of FIG. 12 also includes an expansion assembly 40 having a spring frame 55 . In the exemplary embodiment of Figure 12, the expandable last 40 has no core support elements. However, the expandable last 40 of FIG. 12 may additionally be provided with core support elements, as described herein.

The spring frame 55 of the expandable last 2 of FIG. 12 also has a forefoot spring portion 56 and a heel spring portion 57 . The heel spring portion 57 is implemented in the same manner as the heel spring portion 57 of the spring carrier 55 of FIG. 11 . Refer to the description above.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 12, forefoot spring portion 56 is substantially L-shaped from cover 10 to its toe end. This substantially L-shaped structure may be ridged, as shown in FIG. 12 , or may apply an upward spring force, as described with respect to forefoot spring portion 56 of FIG. 11 . The forefoot spring portion 56 of FIG. 12 includes an instep spring element 58 extending along the instep portion of the expandable shell 6 . In particular, the instep spring element 58 extends in an upward and rearward direction from near the toe portion of the depicted substantially L-shaped structure. The terms upward and rearward refer to the directions shown in Figure 12, which correspond to the directions when the inflatable last 2 is inserted into the shoe in its normal use orientation. It can also be said that the free ends of the instep spring elements 58 point in the rearward and upward direction.

The instep spring element 58 is configured to apply localized pressure to the instep portion of the inflatable shell 6 . For purposes of illustration, the instep spring element 58 is shown in two states/positions. On the one hand, the instep spring element 58 is shown in dashed lines, which may correspond to the position/state after insertion of the expandable last 2 into the shoe. When in said position/state, the spring action of the instep spring element 58 forces the instep spring element 58 upwards. This spring action causes the instep spring element 58 to be forced upwards and exert a localized pressure on the instep portion of the inflatable shell 6 . The pressure application position/state is shown by the solid line in FIG. 12 .

The expandable last 2 of FIG. 12 has similar properties to the expandable last 2 of FIG. 11 . Specifically, both rely on a spring frame 55 to apply local pressure. While both expandable lasts may or may not be provided with core support elements, the substantially rigid L-shape of the forefoot spring elements 56 of the expandable last 2 of FIG. Inherently supported, thereby making it easier to provide the expansion assembly 40 without core support elements.

Fig. 13 shows an expandable shoe last 2 according to a twelfth exemplary embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section. The various components of the expandable last 2 of Figure 13 are the same/similar to those of the expandable last discussed above. They are provided with corresponding reference numerals and reference is made to their above description.

The expandable last 2 of FIG. 13 has an expandable shell 6 mounted to a cover 10 . For a description of the expandable shell 6 and cover 10, reference is made to the description of the expandable last discussed above.

Inside the expandable housing 6 a particle chamber 61 is provided. A particle port 62 is provided in the cover 10 . The particle port 62 forms a particle passage into the particle chamber 61 . Via the particle port 62 , particles 63 can be introduced into the expandable housing 6 and can be sucked out of the expandable housing 6 . For illustrative purposes, a small number of particles 63 are shown within the particle chamber 61 in FIG. 13 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 13 , the particles 63 are provided in the form of metal or glass spheres, in particular metal or glass spheres having a diameter between 2 mm and 8 mm, further in particular between 3 mm and 6 mm in diameter. Glass ball. The metal can be steel. Granules can also be provided in the form of sand.

The particles 63 introduced into the particle chamber 61 may be provided by an external particle source 64 . The external particle source 64 has a particle container 65 and a particle heater 67 . The particle container 65 is connected to the particle port 62 by a particle quantitative valve 66 , and the particle quantitative valve is arranged between the particle container 65 and the particle port 62 . Via the pellet heater 67 and the pellet dosing valve 66 the amount and temperature of pellets 63 inside the expandable shell 6 of the expandable last 2 can be controlled.

In operation, the particles 63 may provide a substantially uniform pressure on the insert to press the insert against the footwear. Furthermore, where the particles 63 are heated, the particles 63 are an effective means of activating a heat-activated adhesive, which can be used to attach the insert to the footwear. As mentioned above, the expandable shell 6 may have dimensionally specific elastic properties at least in one or more regions thereof. Furthermore, as mentioned above, a dimensionally stable core support element or an expansion assembly may be provided within the expandable shell 6 . In this way, localized pressure application can be combined with a more uniform pressure application, as achieved via particles 63 .

The expandable shell 6 of the expandable last 2 of Fig. 13 may be made of latex material, as described above with respect to various other embodiments of the expandable last. The expandable shell 6 of the expandable last 2 of Fig. 13 can also be made of synthetic material, in particular textile material. The inflatable shell 6 can be nylon stockings, for example.

Test Methods and Definitions

Water resistance of footwear may be determined by the centrifuge test described in US Patent No. 5,329,807, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Centrifugation tests can be performed for 30 minutes. If no leakage is detected after 30 minutes, the article of footwear is considered waterproof.

According to the Department of Defense Army Combat Boot Temperate Weather Specifications, the breathability of footwear can be evaluated as determined by the full boot moisture vapor transmission rate test. The specifications are as follows:

Full Boot Breathability

The boot air permeability test shall be designed to indicate the moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of the sample passing the test by the difference in moisture concentration between the internal environment and the external environment.

equipment

a. The external test environment control system shall be capable of maintaining 23(±1)°C and 50%±2% relative humidity throughout the duration of the test.

b. The weighing scale shall be capable of determining the weight of the test sample filled with water to an accuracy of (±0.01) grams.

c. The hydration bag should be flexible so that it can be inserted into the test sample and conform to the internal contour; it must be thin enough that folding does not create air gaps; its MVTR must be much higher than that of the footwear product to be tested; And it must be waterproof so that only moisture and not liquid water contacts the interior of the article of footwear.

d. The internal heater used for the test sample shall be able to uniformly control the temperature of the liquid water in the test sample at 35(±1)℃.

e. The method of sealing the collar surrounding the test specimen shall be impervious to liquid water and water vapour.

program

a. Place the sample in the test environment and conditions for at least 12 hours.

b. Insert the heating device into the water retention bag, then put the whole assembly into the opening of the test sample, and fill it with water to a height of 5 cm from the inside of the sole.

c. Seal the opening with plastic wrap around the collar near the top of the footwear and tape it on.

d. Heat the water in the test sample to 35°C.

e. Weigh the test sample and record as Wi.

f. After weighing, maintain the temperature in the test sample for at least 4 hours.

g. After at least 4 hours, reweigh the test sample. Record the weight as Wf and the test duration as Td.

h. Calculate the MVTR of the test sample in grams/hour according to the following formula: MVTR=(Wi-Wf)/Td.

The test complies with ASTM D8041(2016).

For example, for a low-ankle shoe in European shoe size 42, the footwear may be considered breathable if the above calculated value is above 1.5 g/h. For larger/smaller shoe sizes, the limit can be extrapolated from the increased/decreased surface area of the shoe.

As mentioned above, the waterproofness and breathability of the entire inner jacket can also be determined by centrifugation testing and moisture vapor transmission rate testing of the entire boot, respectively.

While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its essential scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that it will include all embodiments falling within the appended claims.

Claims (57)

1. An expandable last (2) for supplying an insert (100) for footwear (110), comprising:

an expansion assembly (40);

an inflatable enclosure (6) disposed about an inflation assembly (40); and

-a liquid chamber (8) within the expandable casing (6);

wherein the expandable last (2) is insertable into the footwear (110) through a collar of the footwear (110), and wherein the expandable shell (6) is configured to expand to press the insert (100) towards the inside of the footwear (110); and

Wherein the expansion assembly (40) is configured such that its extension is adapted to apply a local pressure onto the expandable casing (6) towards the inside of the footwear (110).

2. The expandable last (2) according to claim 1, wherein the expansion assembly (40) comprises at least one of a hydraulically operated piston, a pneumatically operated piston (46), an electrically operated piston and a spring loaded piston (44) for applying a localized pressure.

3. The expandable last (2) according to claim 2, wherein the expansion assembly (40) includes a base plate (42) to which at least one of the hydraulically, pneumatically, electrically and spring-loaded pistons (46, 44) is mounted.

4. An expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the expansion assembly (40) comprises a spring-loaded piston (44) for applying a partial pressure, wherein the spring-loaded piston (44) comprises at least one of a helical spring and a gas spring.

5. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the expansion assembly (40) is configured to apply a localized pressure to at least one of a toe portion and a heel portion of the expandable shell (6).

6. The expandable last (2) of claim 1, wherein the expansion assembly (40) includes a spring frame (55), the spring frame (55) having a forefoot spring portion (56) and a heel spring portion (57), the forefoot spring portion configured to apply a localized pressure to at least one of a toe portion and an instep portion of the expandable shell (6), the heel spring portion configured to apply a localized pressure to a heel portion of the expandable shell (6).

7. The expandable last (2) according to claim 6, wherein the forefoot spring portion (56) is configured to apply a force to its forefoot end in a forward direction and an upward direction.

8. The expandable last (2) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the forefoot spring portion (56) has a wave shape with a first exposed portion (56 a) exerting a local pressure on the instep portion of the expandable shell (6) and with a second exposed portion (56 b) exerting a local pressure on the toe portion of the expandable shell (6).

9. The expandable last (2) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the forefoot spring portion (56) comprises an instep spring element (58) extending along an instep portion of the expandable casing (6) and having a free end directed rearwards.

10. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the heel spring portion (57) is configured to urge the heel end thereof in a rearward direction and an upward direction.

11. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the expansion assembly (40) comprises a shape-stable core support element (4), wherein the shape-stable core support element (4) is in particular substantially L-shaped or substantially T-shaped.

12. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a cover (10), the expandable casing (6) being mounted to the cover (10).

13. The expandable last (2) according to claim 12, wherein the expansion assembly (40) is fixed in position with respect to the cover (10), in particular mounted to the cover (10) via a mounting rod (54).

14. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the expansion assembly (40) is attached to the expandable shell (6).

15. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a liquid port (16) providing liquid communication between the liquid chamber (8) and an external liquid source (120), wherein the expandable shell (6) is configured to expand to press the insert (100) towards the inside of the footwear (110) when liquid is received in the liquid chamber (8) via the liquid port (16).

16. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a heater (60) disposed within the liquid chamber (8), wherein the heater (60) is configured to heat the liquid within the liquid chamber (8) to expand the expandable shell (6) and press the insert (100) toward the inside of the footwear (110) by increasing the volume of liquid in the liquid chamber (8).

17. The expandable last (2) according to claim 16, wherein the heater (60) is an electric heater.

18. The expandable last (2) according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the expansion assembly (40) and the heater (60) are fixed in position relative to each other, wherein the expansion assembly (40) and the heater (60) are in particular formed as an integral structural unit.

19. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 16 to 18, further comprising a cover (10), the expandable shell (6) being mounted to the cover (10).

20. The expandable last (2) according to claim 19, wherein the expandable shell (6) and the cover (10) form a liquid tight shell.

21. An expandable last (2) for supplying an insert (100) for footwear (110), comprising:

A shape stable core support element (4);

-an expandable casing (6) arranged around the core support element (4);

-a liquid chamber (8) within the expandable casing (6); and

-a liquid port (16) providing liquid communication between the liquid chamber (8) and an external liquid source (120);

wherein the expandable last (2) is insertable into the footwear (110) through a collar of the footwear (110), and wherein the expandable shell (6) is configured to expand to press the insert (100) towards the inside of the footwear (110) when liquid is received in the liquid chamber (8) through the liquid port (16).

22. The expandable last (2) according to claim 21, wherein the core support element (4) is substantially L-shaped or substantially T-shaped or substantially U-shaped or substantially foot-shaped.

23. The expandable last (2) according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the core support element (4) is rigid, in particular made of metal or rigid plastic material.

24. The expandable last (2) according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the core support element (4) is flexible, in particular made of an elastic rubber material.

25. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein the liquid chamber (8) comprises substantially the entire volume between the core support element (4) and the expandable shell (6).

26. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 21 to 25, wherein the core support element (4) comprises at least one liquid supply line (20) coupled to the liquid port (16) and providing liquid communication between the liquid port (16) and the liquid chamber (8).

27. The expandable last (2) according to claim 26, wherein the at least one liquid supply line (20) is provided inside the core support element (4) and has at least one opening (22) towards the liquid chamber (8).

28. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 21 to 27, wherein the expandable shell (6) is elastic, in particular made of latex material.

29. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 21 to 28, wherein the expandable shell (6) has, at least in one or more areas thereof, size-specific elastic characteristics.

30. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 21 to 29, wherein the liquid chamber (8) is at least partially filled with an open cell foam (24), in particular with an open cell polyurethane foam, and/or with a spacer fabric.

31. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 21 to 30, further comprising at least one expandable fluid bag (26) arranged outside or inside the expandable casing (6).

32. The expandable last (2) according to claim 31, further comprising at least one auxiliary liquid port (28) providing liquid communication between the at least one expandable liquid bag (26) and at least one external liquid source.

33. The expandable last (2) according to claim 32, further comprising at least one auxiliary liquid supply line (30) coupling the at least one expandable liquid bag (26) to the at least one auxiliary liquid port (28), wherein the at least one auxiliary liquid supply line (30) in particular extends through the liquid chamber (8).

34. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 31 to 33, wherein the at least one expandable fluid bag (26) comprises at least one of the following:

An inflatable fluid bag at the instep portion of the inflatable shell (6);

an inflatable fluid bag at the toe portion of the inflatable enclosure (6);

an inflatable fluid bag in the forefoot portion of the inflatable shell (6);

an inflatable fluid bag in the upper midfoot portion of the inflatable enclosure (6).

35. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 31 to 34, wherein the at least one expandable liquid bag (26) is at least partially filled with an open cell foam, in particular with an open cell polyurethane foam, and/or with a spacer fabric.

36. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 21 to 35, further comprising a cover (10), the core support element (4) and the expandable shell (6) being mounted to the cover (10).

37. The expandable last (2) according to claim 36, wherein the liquid port (16) is provided in the cover (10).

38. The expandable last (2) according to claim 36 or 37, wherein the cover (10) has an extension substantially corresponding to the cross section of the collar of the footwear (110).

39. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 21 to 38, further comprising a heater configured to heat the liquid in the liquid chamber (8) and/or to heat the expandable shell (6).

40. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 21 to 39, configured for supplying the footwear with a waterproof vapor-permeable inner sleeve, in particular provided on its outer side with a pressure-sensitive adhesive and/or a heat-activated adhesive for attachment to the inner side of the footwear.

41. An expandable last (2) for supplying an insert (100) for footwear (110), comprising:

an inflatable housing (6);

-a liquid chamber (8) within the expandable casing (6); and

-a liquid port (16) providing liquid communication between the liquid chamber (8) and an external liquid source (120);

wherein the expandable last (2) is insertable into the footwear (110) through a collar of the footwear (110), and wherein the expandable shell (6) is configured to expand to press the insert (100) towards the inside of the footwear (110) when receiving liquid in the liquid chamber (8) through the liquid port (16); and

wherein the expandable casing (6) has, at least in one or more regions thereof, size-specific elastic properties.

42. The expandable last (2) according to claim 41, wherein the expandable shell (6) is configured to expand more easily along a longitudinal dimension (72) than along a circumferential dimension (74) in at least one of the midfoot portion (70) and the forefoot portion.

43. Expandable last (2) according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the expandable last (2) is free of shape-stable core support elements and/or of expansion components arranged inside the expandable shell.

44. An expandable last (2) for supplying an insert (100) for footwear (110), comprising:

a rigid last portion (80, 82);

an inflatable enclosure (6) disposed adjacent to the rigid last portion (80, 82);

-a liquid chamber (8) within the expandable casing (6); and

-a liquid port (16) providing liquid communication between the liquid chamber (8) and an external liquid source (120);

wherein the expandable last (2) is insertable into the footwear (110) through a collar of the footwear (110), and wherein the expandable shell (6) is configured to expand to press the insert (100) towards the inside of the footwear (110) when receiving liquid in the liquid chamber (8) via the liquid port (16).

45. Expandable last (2) according to claim 44, wherein the rigid last portion (80, 82) is made of a metal such as aluminium.

46. Expandable last (2) according to claim 44 or 45, wherein the rigid last portion (80, 82) is heatable.

47. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 44 to 46, comprising a rigid forefoot and instep last portion (80) and a rigid heel last portion (82), wherein the expandable shell (6) is disposed between the rigid forefoot and instep last portion (80) and the rigid heel last portion (82).

48. The expandable last (2) according to claim 47, wherein the rigid forefoot and instep last portion (80) and the rigid heel last portion (82) are movable relative to each other, and wherein the expandable last comprises an actuator (84) for controlling the spacing between the rigid forefoot and instep last portion (80) and the rigid heel last portion (82), wherein the actuator (84) is in particular a pneumatic actuator or a hydraulic actuator or an electric actuator.

49. The expandable last (2) according to any one of claims 44 to 48, further comprising at least one expandable fluid bag (26) disposed outside the rigid last portion (80, 82).

50. The expandable last (2) according to claim 49, wherein the at least one expandable fluid bag (26) comprises at least one expandable fluid bag in a toe area and/or a heel area of the expandable last (2), in particular in a toe area of the rigid forefoot and instep last portion (80).

51. An expandable last (2) for supplying an insert (100) for footwear (110), comprising:

an inflatable housing (6);

-a particle chamber (61) within the expandable casing (6); and

a particle port (62) providing a particle passage between a particle chamber (61) and an external particle source (64), in particular between the particle chamber (61) and an external heated particle source (64);

wherein the expandable last (2) is insertable into the footwear (110) through a collar of the footwear (110), and wherein the expandable shell (6) is configured to expand to press the insert (100) towards an inside of the footwear (110) when particles (63) are received in the particle chamber (61) via the particle port (62).

52. A method of supplying an insert (100) for footwear (110) using an expandable last (2) according to any one of the preceding claims.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the insert (100) is a waterproof breathable inner sleeve.

54. A method for supplying an insert (100) for an article of footwear (110), the method comprising:

inserting an expandable last (2) into the footwear (110) through a collar of the footwear (110), the expandable last (2) having an expandable shell (6) and a liquid chamber (8) within the expandable shell; and

The insert (100) is pressed towards the inside of the footwear (110) by expanding the expandable casing (6) via the liquid in the liquid chamber (8).

55. The method of claim 54, wherein expanding the expandable housing (6) via the liquid in the liquid chamber (8) comprises introducing the liquid into the liquid chamber (8).

56. The method of claim 54 or 55, wherein expanding the expandable housing (6) via the liquid in the liquid chamber (8) comprises heating the liquid in the liquid chamber (8).

57. The method of any of claims 54 to 56, wherein the insert (100) is a waterproof breathable inner sleeve.

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