Boot and shoe making – Processes – Miscellaneous parts
Patent
1997-06-19
1999-04-06
Patterson, M. D.
Boot and shoe making
Processes
Miscellaneous parts
36 28, 36 30A, 36 12, A43D 916, B29D 31508
Patent
active
058902481
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to footwear such as shoes.
Some shoe designs have a cavity between the outer sole and the shoe upper which normally contains a piece of synthetic material placed in the cavity during manufacture of the shoe. Whilst providing some cushioning for the wearer, the synthetic piece does not always effectively extend throughout the outer sole such as into the heel portion of the shoe and since it is a discrete piece of material it is not possible to vary the cushioning effect in a range of shoes.
EP-A-0 018 663 describes a method of making an athletic shoe in which an upper and a preformed rubber outsole are secured together by a foamed polyurethane midsole which is injected between the two. This bonds the outsole and the upper together.
EP-A-0 048 965 discloses a padded shoe sole having orthopedic properties which consists of a wear-resistant lower walking sole layer and a flexible upper padded layer of light-weight foam. Either the walking sole layer or the upper padded layer is foam-filled in a mold and allowed to cure. The other layer is then foam-filled into the mold for curing and bonding to the first layer. The walking sole layer is bonded to the shoe upper by the upper padded layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,604 discloses a shoe which has an instep bonded to a bottom layer by an intermediate layer. The bottom layer and instep are positioned in a mold and the intermediate layer in a liquid form is flowed into the spaces between the bottom layer and the instep. The intermediate layer is cooled and bonds the bottom layer and the instep together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide an improved item of footwear and a method of manufacturing such an item of footwear.
The present invention provides an item of footwear such as a shoe comprising an outer sole and heel unit and an upper having an insole, and at least one cavity between the outer sole and heel unit and insole having inserted therein by injection a resilient material which provides cushioning between the outer sole and heel unit and insole;
wherein said outer sole and heel unit and said upper are secured together to provide said item of footwear prior to injection of said resilient material into said at least one cavity.
The invention also provides a method of manufacturing an item of footwear such as a shoe comprising: providing an outer sole and heel unit and an upper having an insole; assembling said item of footwear by securing said outer sole and heel unit to said upper thereby to form at least one empty cavity between said outer sole and heel unit and said insole of said upper; and subsequent to said assembly, injecting into said at least one cavity a resilient material thereby to provide cushioning between said outer sole and heel unit and said insole.
In a preferred form of the invention the material is a synthetic material, preferably a plastics foam.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is further described hereafter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a preferred form of a shoe according to the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is another longitudinal section through the shoe.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, there is shown a shoe 10 having a shoe upper 12 of leather or synthetic material secured to a multi-layered sole and heel unit 14. The assembly has an outer sole and heel unit formed by an outer sole 16 and a heel 15 of resilient, lightweight synthetic material, an intermediate layer or mid sole 17 which may or may not be integral with the outer sole and heel unit, and an insole 20. In the illustrated embodiments the intermediate layer 17 has a cavity 18 extending the full length of the shoe from the toe portion to the heel portion between the outer sole 16 (or mid sole 17) and the insole 20. Normally, during manufacture of the shoe a discrete piece or pieces of a resilient material such as a synthetic foam would be inserted int
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Patterson M. D.
White & Co. (Earls Barton) Limited
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