Sole with extensible structure footwear equipped with same and method for mounting same

• US 20040128861A1
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exten.S
• Original Assignee: Exten.S
• Inventors: Durand, Jean-Jacques
• Granted Patent: US 7,155,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/97
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/26 adjustable as to length or size
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/12 Special watertight footwear overshoes A43B3/16
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/12 Stuck or cemented footwear

Abstract

Sole with stretchable structure, a footwear article provided with such a sole and its assembly method.

The invention relates to a footwear sole where the forepart is associated with a stretchable material making it possible to fit differing foot widths easily; it also relates to the footwear equipped with such a sole and the method for mounting this footwear.

It is constituted of a sole base (1) comprising openings (4) in which the lugs (3) of the stretchable part (2) are positioned in a sealed manner.

The insole (5) comprises a deformable structure (6) in its forepart. When the wearer'"'"'s foot is put into a footwear article provided with such a complex, it exerts pressure on the edges of the upper (10) thus causing deformation of the sole. This ability of deforming the sole avoids feelings of compression of the foot.

The device according to the invention is intended in particular for the manufacture of footwear with the ability of adapting to differing foot anatomies.

Claims

1. Stretchable sole for a shoe of the type where a rigid sole base (1) is glued (9) onto the edges of the upper (10), characterized in that said base is glued or molded on an insert (2) which is mounted in a stretchable way, transversally, between the gluing zones (9) of said base and of said upper (10).

2. Stretchable sole according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one insert (2), provided with lugs (3) on its lower surface, said insert (2) being produced by molding a stretchable material with shape memorization and glued or soldered by injection on a rigid sole base (1), the forepart thereof being provided with openings (4) into which the lugs (3) are countersunk, in a sealed way.

3. Stretchable sole according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the rigid sole base (1) has resistive properties suitable for abrasion.

4. Footwear according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is constituted of an upper (10), of an insole (5), of a sock lining (8) and of a stretchable sole insert (2), the insole (5) being constituted of a deformable forepart (6) and of a rigid back part (7).

5. Footwear according to claim 4, characterized in that the deformable forepart (6), of the insole (5), is obtained by parallel slits which have been made longitudinally in said part.

6. Method of assembly according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized by the following operations:

preparation of a sole sub-assembly, by assembling a rigid sole base (1) and a stretchable insert (2), glued or molded on said base,

preparation and assembly of the insole (5) and its deformable foot forepart (6) with its rigid back part (7),

mounting and gluing using a last of standard shape of the upper (10) on the insole (5),

assembly of a sub-assembly of the sole with the mounted upper,

setting of the sock lining (8) on the upper face of the insole (5).