CN1173653C - Shoe structure, article of footwear and method of assembling same - Google Patents

Abstract

A shoe structure, the sole of which includes an insole, an outsole shell and a welt. The insole has a downwardly extending flange, the outsole shell defines a space that houses the padding material, and the welt interconnects the outsole shell and insole with the upper. For assembly, the upper is lasted and sewn to the insole. The welt is then sewn to the insole/upper combination. Filling material is then injected into the void in the outsole shell and the shell is attached to the upper/insole/welt assembly. Sew the outsole welt to the shell around the entire perimeter of the sole. The stitching extends between the stitching slots in the welt and the stitching slots in the outsole shell.

Description

Shoe structure, article of footwear and method of assembling same

technical field

The present invention relates to a shoe structure, in particular to a shoe structure whose sole is mounted on a shoe upper through a welt.

Background technique

Footwear uses a variety of different sole structures. For the most part, each sole structure is characterized in such a way that it is particularly suited to a particular application. For example, certain sole structures are selected for their durability, others for their resilience and comfort, and still others for their aesthetic appeal. One particularly popular type of sole construction is called a welt construction. The reason for the popularity of welt structures is that they are beautiful and durable. There are various types of welt constructions, but in each construction a "welt", eg a long strip of material such as leather or hard rubber, is used to hold the sole and upper together. Fig. 1 is an exploded sectional view of a traditional welt structure. This structure includes a welt 150 which secures the upper 158 and the sole 172 together. Welt 150 includes a base 152 having an upwardly extending flange 154 toward the center of the base and a downwardly extending flange 156 at an inner edge of base 152 . Sole 172 includes insole 160 , midsole 168 and outsole 170 . Insole 160 includes downwardly extending flanges 164 for securing insole 160, upper 158, and welt 150 together.

Assembly of the structure involves a number of usual steps. First, the components of the upper 158 are cut from the desired material and the components are joined together (usually by sewing). The spliced upper 158 is tightly wrapped around the monopod or shoe last, and the spliced upper 158 is fixed to the insole 160 by nails or stitches, or fastened to the insole flange 164 superior. This step gives upper 158 the desired shape and is commonly referred to as lasting. Once lasted, the welt 150 is stitched or nailed to the upper 158 and insole 160 with a stitch or nail loop through the inner welt flange 156, the bottom edge of the upper 158, and the insole flange 164. . The midsole 168 is stitched, stapled or secured to the bottom of the upper/insole assembly. Typically, the midsole 168 is affixed to the upper/insole assembly by sewing stitches through the base 152 of the welt 150 and the midsole 168 . The outsole 170 is then secured to the bottom of the midsole 168, typically with cement or other adhesive. While this structure is aesthetically pleasing and durable, it is a relatively heavy structure and does not have the resilience of other structures.

In an effort to improve the elasticity and reduce the weight of shoe soles, various sole structures incorporating polyurethane have been developed. For example, certain shoe manufacturers currently sell shoes with solid polyurethane outsoles. Typically, such polyurethane outsoles are either fastened directly to the upper or to a midsole that is fastened to the upper. Polyurethane is a softer material that is not as hard-wearing as many other outsole materials such as leather and rubber. Also, polyurethane has poor tear resistance. As a result, it does not hold sutures or staple loops well, making it less suitable for use in welt constructions.

In an effort to overcome these problems, many attempts have been made to incorporate polyurethane into an enclosure. This shell is relatively tear-resistant, and it forms the wear surface of the sole. One such structure includes a rubber shell filled with polyurethane. This shell is glued to the upper in a conventional manner. While this construction has the more comfortable and weighty properties of polyurethane, it does not have the aesthetic and durable benefits of welt construction.

Contents of the invention

The present invention overcomes the foregoing problems by providing a sole structure comprising polyurethane filled in an outsole shell secured to the upper by a welt. The sole structure includes: a generally conventional insole; an outsole shell made of a durable, wear-resistant material; and a welt interconnecting the outsole shell and insole with the upper. The outsole shell defines a cavity that houses a polyurethane fill material. Polyurethane filler material fills the cavity and bonds directly to the insole, welt and outsole.

In a preferred embodiment, the welt includes a base and a downwardly extending flange, wherein the base is sewn to the shell and the downwardly extending flange is sewn to the upper and insole flange. The housing preferably defines a stitch channel extending around the entire perimeter of the housing to receive suture interconnecting the welt and the housing.

In a second aspect, the housing includes a plurality of protrusions, such as scallops, extending into the polyurethane cavity. Polyurethane surrounds and attaches to the protrusions to strengthen the connection of the polyurethane to the shell.

The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a shoe. First, the upper is lasted and sewn or nailed to the insole. The welt is then sewn or stapled to the insole/upper combination. The polyurethane is then injected into the cavity in the shell and the shell is attached directly to the upper/insole/welt assembly. As the polyurethane cures, it unfolds to fill the void and bonds to the shell, insole and welt. The welt is then sewn to the shell around the entire perimeter of the sole. The stitching extends between the stitching slot in the welt and the stitching slot in the shell, and preferably does not pass through the polyurethane.

The present invention provides a durable and comfortable sole structure. Since the present invention does not require a midsole, the structure is more resilient. The outsole shell gives the sole excellent wear characteristics. Also, the use of polyurethane makes the outsole lighter and more resilient than traditional welt construction. Additionally, suture channels in the housing receive sutures to protect them from erosion and fraying. The invention is also easy to manufacture with conventional machinery. Also, as the polyurethane cures, it expands and seals the seam holes and seams between the insole, welt and upper. Thus, the present invention makes it possible to manufacture waterproof welt shoes without the need for a membrane.

Description of drawings

These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be better understood and appreciated by referring to the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a welt sole structure according to the prior art;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an article of footwear incorporating the present invention;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the shoe;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an article of footwear incorporating the present invention;

Fig. 5 is the side view of its sole shell;

Fig. 6 is the top plan view of its sole shell;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the sole shell taken along line VII-VII in Fig. 6 .

Detailed ways

A boot is constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , which is generally referred to as 10 . For purposes of disclosing the subject matter of the invention, the invention is described in connection with a conventional 3/4 height boot. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is equally applicable to other types of shoes with soles. For purposes of this disclosure, the terms "inner" and "outer" will be used to refer to a direction toward and away from the interior of the boot, respectively.

In general, boot 10 includes upper 12 secured to sole 14 by welt 16 . As may be best shown in FIG. 3 , sole 14 includes an insole 18 and an outsole shell 20 . The outsole shell 20 defines a space 22 which houses a padding material 24, such as polyurethane. Welt 16 is mounted to and interconnects with upper 12 , insole 18 and shell 20 .

The shoe upper 12 is generally a traditional shoe upper and will not be described in detail. Suffice it to say that upper 12 includes heel 29 , upper 28 and rear stay 30 . Upper 12 terminates at lower perimeter 26, which is mounted to sole 14 as described in detail below. Upper 12 is preferably made of leather, canvas, nylon, or other suitable material, and may include a lining (not shown) or other conventional attachments.

Welt 16 extends around the entire circumference of boot 10 to interconnect upper 12 and sole 14 . As perhaps best shown in FIG. 4 , welt 16 may generally also be a conventional welt. The welt 16 includes a generally horizontal base 32 having an upwardly extending upper flange 34 toward the center of the base 32 and a downwardly extending lower flange 36 at the inner edge of the base 32 . The base 32 has a lower surface that will be in contact with the filler material, and an upper surface opposite the lower surface, below which the suture 72 is to be recessed through the suture slot 38 in the welt base. The outer surface of upper flange 34 is rounded to reduce the profile of welt 16 , among other things. Lower flange 36 is generally rectangular in cross-section and is of sufficient size to accept loops, sutures or other fasteners. The horizontal base 32 defines an upwardly opening suture channel 38 that extends around its proximate outer edge along the strip 16 . Welt 16 will receive suture 40 at lower flange 36 (first position) and will receive suture 72 at suture channel 38 (second position), which interconnects housing 20 and housing 20 as described in detail below. Welt16.

As noted above, sole 14 includes an insole 18, an outsole shell 20, and a padding material 24, such as polyurethane. If desired, the sole 14 may also include a heel handle (not shown), padding (not shown) or other conventional sole components. The insole 18 is generally a conventional shoe insole and includes a base 42 and a downwardly extending flange 44 . Base body 42 is generally planar and corresponds to the contoured shape of the foot. An insole flange 44 extends downwardly around a peripheral portion near the outer edge of the base body 42 . Insole flange 44 is sufficiently sized to receive spike loops, stitches, or other fastening components.

Outsole shell 20 is preferably made of relatively hard rubber or other sufficiently durable and wear-resistant material. The outsole shell 20 generally includes a base 46 and a peripheral wall 48 projecting upwardly from the periphery of the base 46 . Base 46 includes an inner surface 50 and an outer surface 52 . Outer surface 52 forms the wear surface of sole 14 such that it is contoured to define the desired heel and tread pattern. The outer surface 52 can also be textured as desired to improve the traction and aesthetics of the boot. The peripheral wall 48 may also include an inner surface 54 and an outer surface 56 . The outer surface 56 of the perimeter wall 48 may be contoured or textured to provide a desired visual appearance. The outer surface 56 defines an outwardly opening suture channel 58 . The suture groove 58 extends around a peripheral portion near the upper edge of the peripheral wall 48 . The cross section of the suture slot 58 is generally rectangular. However, its shape can vary depending on the application. The peripheral wall 48 includes a plurality of scallops 60 or other protrusions that extend inwardly near the upper edge of the peripheral wall 48 . The scallops 60 join the padding 24 to improve the interconnection of the various sole components. If desired, the scallops 60 may define apertures (not shown) through which the filler 24 can flow to improve the interconnection of the sole components. Obviously, the scalloped protrusions 60 can be replaced by other similar protrusions.

Filling material 24 is preferably a conventional polyurethane foam. The inner surface 50 of the base 46 and the inner surface 54 of the peripheral wall 48 together define the space 22 which receives the filler material 24 . As described below, filler material 24 is preferably poured into void 22 during assembly of boot 10 so that it spreads out to flow around and joins insole 18 , outsole 20 and welt 16 . The concentration and precise chemical composition of the polyurethane will vary from application to application depending on a variety of factors, including the size of void 22 and the desired cushioning and resilience properties.

Manufacturing and Assembly

Boot 10 is typically manufactured using conventional machinery. The insole 18 is manufactured using conventional techniques and equipment. The insole base 42 and insole flange 44 are manufactured in a conventional manner. The insole flange 44 is attached to the lower surface of the insole base 42 by cement, adhesive or other conventional means. Alternatively, the insole 18 may be made with a unitary base and flange. The insole 18 is nailed or otherwise secured to the lower surface of a conventional last (not shown).

Upper 12 is generally manufactured using conventional techniques and equipment. The desired upper material (not shown) is cut to form the various parts of the upper including upper 28 , heel 29 and rear stay 30 . The components of upper 12 are then assembled and sewn together using conventional methods and equipment. A lining (not shown) may be sewn to the inside of the upper during the installation step. The mounted upper 12 is stretched onto a last (not shown) and nailed to the insole 18 . The insole flange 44 is nailed directly to the lower periphery 26 of the upper 12 using conventional equipment and techniques to secure the upper 12 and insole 18 to each other. Alternatively, insole flange 44 may be sewn to upper 12 in a conventional manner.

The welt 16 is manufactured using conventional techniques and equipment. For example, welt 16 may be extruded from a hard and durable rubber. Once upper 12 is lasted into insole 18 , welt 16 is affixed to upper 12 and insole 18 . First, the welt lower flange 36 is sewn to the perimeter of the upper 12 and insole 18 using conventional equipment and techniques. Such flange stitching 40 preferably passes completely through the welt lower flange 36 , the lower perimeter 26 of the upper 12 and the insole flange 44 . If desired, a padding (not shown), a heel shank (not shown), or other conventional sole components may be glued to the lower surface of insole 18 using conventional adhesives or cements.

The outsole shell 20 is fabricated using conventional techniques and equipment. Outsole shell 20 is preferably injection molded or pour molded from a hard, durable rubber using conventional molding equipment. However, outsole shell 20 may also be formed from other durable outsole materials. Stitch slots 58, scallops 60, voids 22, and the desired tread pattern are all formed as an integral part of outsole shell 20 during the molding operation.

Once the outsole shell 20 is manufactured, it is attached to the upper/welt/insole combination using conventional machinery. Such machinery preferably includes a conventional die (not shown), which facilitates assembly of the boot 10 . The die includes an upper die half that receives the upper/welt/insole combination and a lower die half that receives the outsole shell 20 . The die halves are designed such that the die is closed so that the upper/welt/insole combination is fully aligned with the outsole shell 20 . The die places the lower surface of the welt 16 directly against the upper surface of the peripheral wall 48, which is firm enough to prevent unrolled polyurethane from entering the seamed portion during assembly.

After the outsole shell 20 and upper/welt/insole combination are inserted into the appropriate die half, an appropriate amount of filler material 24, preferably polyurethane foam, is poured into the void 22. As the polyurethane foam is poured into space 22, it begins to unfold and cure. The die is immediately closed to fully align the upper/welt/insole combination with the outsole shell 20. The polyurethane foam continues to expand and cure, allowing it to surround, entrap and join various components, including the insole 18, welt 16 and outsole shell 20. As it unrolls, the polyurethane foam flows into the stitching lines between the welt 16, the upper 12, the insole 18 and into the stitching holes of these parts. Thus, the polyurethane filling material 24 makes it possible to manufacture waterproof welts without the need for conventional membranes.

Polyurethane foam is generally well known in the footwear industry, so it will not be described in detail. Suffice it to say that polyurethane foams are generally obtained by combining polyethers such as polypropylene glycol with diisocyanates in the presence of water and a catalyst. The resulting chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide, which causes the polymer to foam. The rigidity and elasticity of the polyurethane foam can be changed as the application changes, using various well-known techniques such as by adjusting the types and contents of the reactants when necessary. In addition, the rigidity and elasticity of polyurethane can be changed by adjusting the volume of polyurethane foam deposited in the space 22 .

After the filler material 24 has fully cured, the welt 16 is sewn directly to the outsole shell 20 using conventional machinery. The outsole stitching 72 extends around the perimeter of the boot 10 , through the stitching slots 38 of the welt 16 and the stitching slots 58 of the outsole shell 20 . Seams 72 are recessed into grooves 38 and 58 to protect them from erosion and wear. As shown in FIG. 4 , outsole stitching 72 does not pass through padding material 24 .

Finally, some traditional finishing touches are performed on the boot 10 . For example, trimming and shaping the edges of the sole 14; cleaning, polishing and treating the upper 12 as appropriate and necessary; threading shoelaces into the eyelets.

The above description relates to preferred embodiments of the invention. Various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, said spirit and aspects being construed in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims (30)

1. A shoe structure comprising: an upper having a lower perimeter; an insole having a flange and a lower surface, said flange being secured to said lower periphery of said upper; an outsole shell defining a space; a welt secured to said upper, said outsole shell and said insole flange; stitching means for interconnecting said outsole shell and said welt; and A filling material accommodated in the space, the filling material filling the space, and attached to the lower surface of the outsole shell and the insole. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said outsole shell includes a base and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from said base, said peripheral wall directly engaging said welt. 3. The structure of claim 2, wherein said peripheral wall defines a suture channel and includes an outer surface, said suture channel receiving said suturing device, whereby said suturing device is removed from said suturing device. The outer surface is concave. 4. The structure of claim 3, wherein said filling material is polyurethane. 5. The structure of claim 4, wherein said outsole shell includes a plurality of protrusions extending into said void, said protrusions being trapped by said filler material. 6. The structure of claim 5, wherein said stitching means passes only through said welt and said outsole shell. 7. An article of footwear comprising: an upper having a lower perimeter; A shoe sole having an insole and an outsole shell defining a space within which is contained a filling material bonded to the insole and the on the outsole shell, and a welt interconnecting the upper and the sole, the welt being secured to the insole and the upper in a first position and to the outsole shell in a second position superior. 8. The article of claim 7, wherein the welt is secured to the outsole shell by stitching. 9. The article of claim 8, wherein said outsole shell defines a stitch channel and includes an outer surface through which said stitch passes, whereby said The suture is recessed below the outer surface. 10. The article of claim 9, wherein said outsole shell includes a base and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from said base, said peripheral wall directly engaging said welt. 11. The article of claim 10, wherein the filler material is polyurethane. 12. The article of claim 11, wherein said outsole shell includes a plurality of protrusions extending into said void, said protrusions being trapped by said filler material. 13. The article of claim 12, wherein the stitching passes only through the welt and the outsole shell. 14. A method of assembling an article of footwear, comprising: constructing an upper having a lower perimeter; securing an insole to the lower perimeter of the upper; securing a welt to the insole and upper to form an insole/welt/upper combination; An outsole shell is provided, the outsole shell has a bottom and a peripheral wall extending upward from the bottom, the bottom and the peripheral wall together define a space; introducing a fill material into the space where it solidifies and expands; placing the insole/welt/upper combination over the outsole shell prior to curing of the filler material so that the filler material expands and joins the insole/welt/upper combination; and Secure the welt directly to the outsole shell. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of securing the welt to the outsole shell includes sewing the welt to the outsole shell. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of introducing includes pouring a polyurethane foam into the space. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the outsole shell defines a suture slot, and the sewing step includes sewing a suture through the suture slot, whereby the suture is removed from the outsole The outer surface of the housing is concave. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the outsole includes a plurality of protrusions protruding into the space, and the pouring step includes pouring a sufficient volume of polyurethane into the space so that the polyurethane stretches to the protrusions. around and into it. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of securing the welt to the insole and the upper includes passing stitches through the welt, the lower perimeter of the upper, and the insole. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the welt defines a stitch slot, and the sewing step includes sewing a stitch through the stitch slot in the welt and the stitch in the outsole shell A groove whereby the stitching is recessed from the outer surface of the outsole shell and the outer surface of the welt. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein said providing step includes manufacturing the outsole shell from a durable rubber. 22. An article of footwear comprising: an upper having a lower perimeter; an insole having a base having an outer edge and a flange extending downwardly from said base, said flange extending around said base near said outer edge; a welt having a base having an inner edge and a flange extending downwardly from said inner edge of said welt base, said base having a lower surface, said lower periphery of said upper being disposed on said shoe between the inner bottom flange and the welt flange; means for securing said lower periphery of said upper between said insole flange and said welt flange; an outsole shell having a base and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from said base; means for securing said outsole shell directly to said welt; and A filler material contained therein and filling a space defined by the outsole shell, the welt, the upper, and the insole. 23. The article of claim 22, wherein said peripheral wall includes an upper surface that directly engages said lower surface of said welt base. 24. The article of claim 23, wherein said means for securing said welt to said outsole shell is stitching. 25. The article of claim 24, wherein said outsole shell defines a stitch channel and includes an outer surface through which said stitch passes, whereby said The suture is recessed below the outer surface. 26. The article of claim 25, wherein the padding material is polyurethane foam. 27. The article of claim 26, wherein the outsole shell includes a plurality of protrusions extending into the void, the protrusions being trapped by the filler material. 28. The article of claim 27, wherein the stitching passes only through the welt and the outsole shell and not through the padding material. 29. The article of claim 28, wherein the welt base defines a stitch channel and includes an upper surface, the stitches pass through the welt base stitch channel, whereby The stitching is recessed below the upper surface of the welt base. 30. The article of claim 29, wherein the outsole shell is rubber.

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