Vertically lapped nonwoven in footwear

#The disclosure generally pertains to vertically lapped (perpendicular-laid) nonwoven applications in footwear, and more specifically the use of nonwoven layers in an upper and/or sole of footwear and/or portions thereof.

#Proper moisture management in footwear is necessary for providing sufficient comfort and functional performance for the intended use. The particular aspect of moisture control is especially important in athletic footwear and work shoes, which are used for a variety of activities including walking, running, outdoor activities, sports activities etc. With such footwear, the accumulation of excessive perspiration around the foot and inside the footwear may cause uncomfortable and irritable foot problems such as bacterial and/or fungal infections. The foot problems are exacerbated not only while performing strenuous work or activities but also while wearing the footwear with synthetic non-porous uppers and/or soles (e.g. polyurethane coated uppers and/or soles) that often do not provide sufficient air circulation and are known to trap sweat and body oils inside of the shoes.

#Generally, footwear will include two primary elements, an upper which covers the upper parts of the foot and a sole structure which is placed between the bottom of a foot and the ground to provide support and to maintain traction while running or walking. The upper includes the heel area and extends outwardly from an outer peripheral edge of the sole to securely receive and position the foot with respect to the sole structure. A variety of materials are commonly used for manufacturing the upper, including fabrics, natural or synthetic leather, natural and synthetic rubber and foams. Despite offering good resiliency and elasticity, especially the synthetic foams, those materials are relatively poor in moisture transport and are not “breathable”. In addition, the use of the above materials increases the cost of the footwear as well as taking a toll on the environment as the majority of the listed materials are often not recyclable.

#FIG. 1A is a plan view of an exemplary vertically lapped nonwoven in a single layer.

#FIG. 1B is a side view of exemplary two layers of vertically lapped nonwovens.

#FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary dual layer of vertically lapped nonwovens after adhesion.

#The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward multilayers of vertically lapped nonwovens in footwear. These embodiments benefit from an absorbency, breathability, as well as a cushioning functionality which can be achieved with vertically lapped nonwovens incorporated into various types of footwear. As used herein, by “footwear”, it is meant one or a plurality of apparels or garments that are used for protection of the feet against adversities of the environment, usually regarding ground textures and temperature. Footwear described herein primarily serves the purpose to ease the locomotion and prevent injuries but may also be used for fashion and adornment. Some exemplary types of footwear include, but are not limited to, boots, athletic shoes, dance flats, diabetic shoes, mules, high-tops, skate shoes, school shoes, sneakers, toe shoes, sandals, flip-flops, closed slippers, open slippers, clogs, surgical shoes, etc. The present nonwoven layers are highly suited as a replacement of synthetic fibers, materials (e.g. polyurethane) or coating of synthetic fibers on leathers or on fabrics in footwear, in which the one side of the layer comes in direct contact with the feet of the wearer; the feet being with or without socks. As noted above, all or portions of the nonwoven layers disclosed in the present invention are vertically lapped.

#Conventional articles of footwear include two primary elements, an upper which covers the upper parts of a foot and a sole structure which is placed between the bottom of a foot and the ground to provide support and to maintain traction while running or walking. The upper includes the heel area and extends outwardly from an outer peripheral edge of the sole to securely receive and position the foot with respect to the sole structure. Both the upper and sole may have a configuration that protects the foot and provides ventilation, thereby cooling the foot and removing perspiration. The upper forms a void on the interior of the footwear for receiving the foot. The void has the general shape of the foot and access to the void is provided at an ankle opening. The upper may extend over the instep and toe areas of the foot, along the medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around the heel area of the foot.

#The uppers may have a mechanism (e.g., laces, straps with buckles, zippers, elastic, Velcro straps, buttons, snaps, rubber bands, etc.) to tighten the upper on the foot. A lacing system often is incorporated into the upper to allow selective changes to the size of the ankle opening and to permit the wearer to modify certain dimensions of the upper to accommodate feet with varying proportions. In addition, the upper may include a tongue that extends under the lacing system to enhance the comfort of the footwear. The upper also may include a heel counter to limit or control movement of the heel. In some embodiments, the front part of the footwear, starting behind the toe and extending around the eyelets towards back part of the shoe, may be referred as a vamp. Further, the rear and sides of the upper that covers the heel behind the vamp may be referred as a quarter.