Ventilated shoe

• US 6,401,364 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Salomon SA (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Salomon SA (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Burt, Igor
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US09/594,552
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 36/3.R, 36/3.A, 36/45, 36/84, 36/87, 36/88, 36/54, 36/55, 36/9.R
• US Class Current: 36/3.00A
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/00 Footwear characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/05 woven
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/07 Linings therefor lining laminated with upper A43B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/08 with air-holes, with or without closures
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/082 the air being expelled to the outside
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/02 Footwear stitched or nailed through

Abstract

A ventilated shoe having an external layer, a reinforcing layer, and an internal layer, with both the external layer and the internal layer being made from a ventilated mesh material. The reinforcing layer provides a structure for reinforcing the shoe, and is generally positioned between a portion of the external layer and the internal layer. The reinforcing layer is sized and configured to permit the transmission of the fitting stress given by the shoes laces on the eyelets, to the sole portion of the shoe, thereby providing the upper portion of the shoe with durability and stability. The reinforcing layer is configured to provide the maximum amount of structural stability and durability to the shoe, while generally being utilized over a minimum area of the shoe in order to provide the shoe with the maximum porosity. The shoe includes stitching that connects the external layer to the reinforcing layer, which does not restrict the free flow of fluid along the internal layer, thereby allowing the fluid to travel along the internal layer and exit the shoe via open areas where a reinforcing layer is not present.

Claims

1. A ventilated shoe comprising:

a first layer made of a ventilated mesh material;

a second layer made of a ventilated mesh material;

a means for reinforcing said shoe positioned between a portion of said first layer and a portion of said second layer; and

a means for connecting said first layer, said second layer, and said means for reinforcement,

wherein one of said first layer and said second layer is provided as an internal layer, and wherein said internal layer is made of a three dimensional mesh material.

2. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said reinforcing means includes a reinforcement layer made of a ventilated material.

3. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said connecting means includes a first plurality of stitches that extend through said reinforcing means and connects said first layer with said second layer.

4. The ventilated shoe according to claim 3, wherein said connecting means further includes a second plurality of stitches connecting said second layer and said reinforcing means.

5. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said connecting means includes a plurality of stitches that extend through said reinforcing means and connects said first layer with said second layer, said plurality of stitches extending from an eyelet portion of said shoe to a sole portion of said shoe along a direction of stresses extending from an upper portion of said shoe to a sole portion of said shoe.

6. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said second layer and said reinforcing means are connected by a plurality of stitches extending about an outer boundary of said reinforcing means.

7. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, further comprising a first secondary reinforcement layer attached on an exterior surface of said second layer at a toe part and a second secondary reinforcement layer attached on an exterior surface of said second layer at a heel part of said shoe.

8. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, further comprising a first reinforcement member positioned between said first layer and said second layer at a toe part and a second reinforcement member positioned between said first layer and said second layer at a heel part of said shoe.

9. The ventilated shoe according to claim 8, wherein said first and second reinforcement members are made of plastic and have a plurality of holes having a diameter in a range from 1 mm to 5 mm.

10. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, further comprising a secondary reinforcement layer attached on an interior surface of said first layer at an eyelet part of said shoe.

11. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said ventilated shoe is provided with a ventilated construction over substantially an entire area of said ventilated shoe.

12. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said first layer, said second layer, and said means for reinforcing are attached together substantially without glue.

13. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said means for reinforcing includes an opening defining an open area, said first layer and said second layer extend over said open area.

14. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said means for reinforcing includes a reinforcement layer made of non-woven material.

15. The ventilated shoe according to claim 14, wherein said reinforcement layer has a plurality of ventilation holes.

16. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said means for reinforcing includes a reinforcement layer made of woven textiles.

18. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said three dimensional mesh material has a plurality of holes having a diameter in a range from 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

20. The ventilated shoe according to claim 1, wherein said external layer and said reinforcement layer are connected by a second plurality of stitches.

17. A ventilated shoe comprising:

an internal layer made of a ventilated mesh material;

an external layer made of a ventilated mesh material and having a portion connected to said internal layer; and

a reinforcement layer positioned between a portion of said internal layer and a portion of said external layer, said reinforcement layer having a portion connected to said external layer,

wherein said internal layer is made of a three dimensional mesh material.

19. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said internal layer and said external layer are connected by a first plurality of stitches that extend through said reinforcement layer.

21. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said internal layer and said external layer are connected by a plurality of stitches that extend through said reinforcement layer, said plurality of stitches extending from an eyelet portion of said shoe to a sole portion of said shoe along a direction of stresses extending from an upper portion of said shoe to a sole portion of said shoe.

22. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said external layer and said reinforcement layer are connected by a plurality of stitches extending about an outer boundary of said reinforcement layer.

23. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said reinforcement layer is made of a ventilated material.

24. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, further comprising a first secondary reinforcement layer attached on an exterior surface of said external layer at a toe part and a second secondary reinforcement layer attached on an exterior surface of said external layer at a heel part of said shoe.

25. The ventilated shoe according to claim 24, wherein said first and second secondary reinforcement layers are fixed to said external layer by glue.

26. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, further comprising a tongue portion of said shoe including a layer of ventilated foam positioned beneath said external layer.

27. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, further comprising an ankle portion of said shoe including a layer of ventilated foam positioned beneath said external layer.

28. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said shoe includes an upper portion and a sole portion, said upper portion being fixed to said sole portion by glue.

29. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said ventilated mesh material of said external layer has a plurality of holes having a diameter in a range from 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

30. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, further comprising a first reinforcement member positioned between said internal layer and said external layer at a toe part and a second reinforcement member positioned between said internal layer and said external layer at a heel part of said shoe.

31. The ventilated shoe according to claim 30, wherein said first and second reinforcement members are made of plastic and have a plurality of holes having a diameter in a range from 1 mm to 5 mm.

32. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, further comprising a secondary reinforcement layer attached on an interior surface of said internal layer at an eyelet part of said shoe.

33. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said ventilated shoe is provided with a ventilated construction over substantially an entire area of said ventilated shoe.

34. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said internal layer, said external layer, and said reinforcement layer are attached together substantially without glue.

35. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said reinforcement layer includes an opening defining an open area, said internal layer and said external layer extend over said open area.

36. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said reinforcement layer is made of non-woven material.

37. The ventilated shoe according to claim 36, wherein said reinforcement layer has a plurality of ventilation holes.

38. The ventilated shoe according to claim 17, wherein said reinforcement layer is made of woven textiles.