Waterproof footwear
AssigneeW. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
InventorsWalter Bleimhofer, Thorger Hubner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Footwear consisting of an insole, an upper sewn to the insole, a lining for lining the upper which is also sewn to the insole and has microporous functional layer that is waterproof and permeable to water vapor, and a waterproof plastic sole which is injection-molded to the bottom side of the insole and the lower portion of the upper and encloses the seam region. The lower portion of the upper which is adjacent to the insole is formed by a porous material that is adapted to be penetrated by the plastic sole material which is liquid during the injection molding operation.
Claims20
Footwear comprising an insole having a bottom side, an upper having lower and upper portions, said lower portion sewn to the insole forming connecting seams, a lining that lines the upper and is also sewn to the insole at a connecting seam and has a microporous functional layer which is waterproof and permeable to water vapor, and a plastic sole which is injection-molded to the bottom side of the insole and the lower portion of the upper, and encloses the connecting seams, characterized in that at least the lower portion of the upper which is adjacent the insole is formed by porous material adapted to be penetrated by the plastic sole which is liquid during injection molding.
A method of making footwear having an upper lined with a microporous functional layer that is waterproof and permeable to water vapor in which the lining extends beyond the upper to form a connecting region and an insole comprising the steps of:
- sewing the connecting region of the upper and lining to the insole thereby forming a seam;
- and
- injection molding a plastic sole to the insole in a manner that encloses the seam and a lower portion of the upper wherein the plastic sole is in liquid form during injection-molding and whereby the liquid plastic penetrates the connecting region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.