Sole with extensible structure

• US 7,621,058 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exten.S
• Original Assignee: Exten.S
• Inventors: Durand, Jean-Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US11/603,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20070062069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 36/97, 36/25.R, 36/30.R, 36/28, 36/31, 361/30, 36/43, 36/44
• 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 seared 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. Footwear comprising an upper assembled with an outsole and an insole,

the outsole having an outsole forepart and an outsole back part, wherein the outsole forepart is relatively deformable transversally as compared to the outsole back part,

wherein the outsole comprises

a sole base, wherein a forepart of the sole base is provided with at least one longitudinally oriented opening, said sole base opening being continuous and extending substantially from a toe area substantially to an arch area of the sole base, and

a sole base insert mounted to the sole base, wherein the sole base insert is mounted to the sole base so as close said at least one sole base opening, the sole base insert material being relatively deformable transversally as compared to the sole base material, and

the insole comprising an insole forepart and an insole back part, wherein the insole forepart is relatively deformable transversally as compared to the insole back part,

wherein the deformable forepart of the insole comprises at least one of

(i) a longitudinal slit or longitudinal opening, said insole slit or opening being continuous and extending substantially from a toe area substantially to an arch area of the insole, and

(ii) a longitudinal opening, said insole opening being continuous and extending substantially from a toe area substantially to an arch area of the insole, said opening being filled by an insole insert of stretchable material,

so that a pressure on lateral edges of the upper applied by a foot inserted in the footwear produces a transversal deformation of the superposed insole and outsole as a whole.

2. The sole footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper includes attachment zones which are glued to corresponding attachment zones of the outsole and the insole.

3. The footwear of claim 2, wherein the upper is mounted to the attachment zones of the insole and the outsole between the insole and the outsole.

4. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the insole comprises at least one longitudinal slit.

5. The footwear of claim 4, wherein the insole comprises a plurality of longitudinal slits.

6. The footwear of claim 5, wherein the slits are substantially parallel.

7. The footwear of claim 5, wherein the slits are unconnected.

8. The footwear of claim 5, wherein the insole comprises at least five substantially parallel slits.

9. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the forepart of the insole comprises at least one opening filled by the stretchable material.

10. The footwear of claim 9, wherein the insole comprises a plurality of openings filled by the stretchable material.

11. The footwear of claim 10, wherein the insole openings are filled by molding or gluing one or several inserts of stretchable material.

12. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the the sole base insert is in a stretchable material with shape memorization and is relatively stretchable transversally as compared to the sole base.

13. The footwear of claim 12, wherein the sole base insert is provided with at least one lug on its lower surface, and the at least one lug is countersunk in the at least one opening of the sole base.

14. The footwear of claim 12, wherein the sole base insert is glued or molded to the sole base.

15. The footwear according to claim 12, wherein the sole base insert is at least partially located in a recess of the sole base.

16. The footwear of claim 15, wherein a top surface of the sole base insert is flush with a top surface of the sole base.

17. The footwear of claim 12, wherein the sole base insert seals the at least one opening of the sole base.

18. Footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper includes attachment zones which are assembled to corresponding attachment zones of the outsole and the insole, and the upper is mounted to the attachment zones of the insole and the outsole between the insole and the outsole.

19. An article of footwear having lateral and medial sides, said article comprising:

an upper including an instep portion for covering at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s foot and an insole portion adapted to underlay a wearer'"'"'s foot, said insole portion comprising a non-stretch portion surrounding an expansion portion disposed longitudinally along said insole portion;

a sole unit including an expansion element disposed longitudinally along said sole unit so as to align with said expansion portion of said insole portion;

wherein said expansion portion and said expansion element have a retracted static condition to provide a narrower width to said article of footwear, and have an expanded, adjustment condition to provide a wider width and an increased internal volume to said article of footwear to cooperatively provide dynamic width adjustment.

20. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein said sole unit comprises a cushioning midsole and a ground engaging outsole, and said midsole includes a longitudinal split to accommodate said expansion element.

21. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein said sole unit comprises a cushioning midsole and a ground engaging outsole, and said midsole includes an integrally formed longitudinal expansion element splitting said sole unit between lateral and medial sides.

22. The article of footwear of claim 21, wherein said expansion portion comprises a stretch panel of material attached to said non-stretch portion.

23. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein said expansion portion comprises a stretch panel of material attached to said non-stretch portion.

24. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein said sole unit comprises a cushioning midsole and a ground engaging outsole, and said midsole includes a longitudinal split to accommodate said expansion element.

25. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein said sole unit comprises a cushioning midsole and a ground engaging outsole, and said midsole includes an integrally formed longitudinal expansion element splitting said sole unit between lateral and medial sides.