Item of footwear comprising a rigid shell and flexible half-sole

• US 20060101672A1
• Filed: 06/17/2003
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Random Design
• Original Assignee: Random Design
• Inventors: Valat, Gerard, Ragot, Cedric
• Granted Patent: US 7,430,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/131
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/16 Pieced soles with several layers of different material A43B13/12
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/027 with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0295 Pieced uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/145 Boots for motorcyclists
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/18 Joint supports, e.g. instep supports

Abstract

An item of footwear, particularly a motorcycle boot (1), includes a rigid shell (4) which defines a body that is designed to surround the foot of the user. The body consists of a lower sole-forming part (20), an upper vamp-forming part (22), an inner lateral part and an outer lateral part, the lateral parts connecting the aforementioned lower and upper parts. The inventive item of footwear includes an opening (16, 18) in one of the four constituent body parts, which passes through the rigid shell and which is sealed by a flexible half-sole (12, 14).

Claims

1. Item of footwear (1), in particular a motorcycle boot, comprising a rigid shell (4) which is produced from a first material and which defines a body which is intended to surround the foot of a user, the body having a lower portion (20) which forms a sole, an upper portion (22) which forms a vamp, an inner lateral portion (21) and an outer lateral portion (23), said lateral portions connecting the lower portion (20) and the upper portion (22), these four portions extending in an extension direction (6) between a first zone which forms a heel (8) and a second zone which forms a tip (10), said item having an opening (16, 18) defined in only one of the said four portions of the body, said opening extending through the rigid shell and being closed by means of a flexible pad (12, 14) which is produced from a second material, said second material being more flexible than the first.

2. Item of footwear according to claim 1, characterised in that the opening (16, 18) is provided with spacing from the ends (24, 26) of the body in the extension direction.

3. Item of footwear according to either claim 1, characterised in that the opening (16) is provided in a zone of the lower portion (20) which serves to support the sole of the foot of the user.

4. Item of footwear according to claim 3, characterised in that the opening (16) extends transversely to the direction of extension (6) over less than half the width of the item of footwear.

5. Item of footwear according to claim 3, characterised in that the pad (12) extends in a recessed manner relative to the rigid shell (5).

6. Item of footwear according to claim 2, characterised in that the opening (18) is provided in the upper portion (22).

7. Item of footwear according to claim 6, characterised in that the opening (18) is provided substantially at the centre of the upper portion (22) relative to the extension direction.

8. Item of footwear according to claim 1, characterised in that the first material has a hardness which is at least 20% greater than the hardness of the second material.

9. Item of footwear according to claim 8, characterised in that the pad (12, 14) has a hardness of between 60 and 80 Shore.

10. Item of footwear according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises another rigid shell which defines an upper (4) which is intended for receiving the leg of the user and means (30) for articulating the upper relative to the body.

11. Item of footwear according to claim 2, characterised in that the opening (16) is provided in a zone of the lower portion (20) which serves to support the sole of the foot of the user.

12. Item of footwear according to claim 4, characterised in that the pad (12) extends in a recessed manner relative to the rigid shell (5).

13. Item of footwear according to claim 3, characterised in that the opening (18) is provided in the upper portion (22).

14. Item of footwear according to claim 4, characterised in that the opening (18) is provided in the upper portion (22).

15. Item of footwear according to claim 5, characterised in that the opening (18) is provided in the upper portion (22).

16. Item of footwear according to claim 2, characterised in that the first material has a hardness which is at least 20% greater than the hardness of the second material.

17. Item of footwear according to claim 3, characterised in that the first material has a hardness which is at least 20% greater than the hardness of the second material.

18. Item of footwear according to claim 4, characterised in that the first material has a hardness which is at least 20% greater than the hardness of the second material.

19. Item of footwear according to claim 5, characterised in that the first material has a hardness which is at least 20% greater than the hardness of the second material.

20. Item of footwear according to claim 6, characterised in that the first material has a hardness which is at least 20% greater than the hardness of the second material.