Transpiring sole structure for footwear

Abstract

Transpiring sole structure comprising a sole provided with holes and means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water, wherein said holes open along all or part of the external edge of said sole and open either into at least one cavity provided inside said sole or on the upper surface of said sole, said means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water being attached for hermetic closure of said holes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Transpiring sole structure comprising a sole provided with holes and means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water, wherein said holes open along all or part of the outer edge of said sole and wherein at least one cavity is provided inside said sole wherein said holes open, said means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water being attached for hermetic closure of said holes.  
     
     
         2 . Transpiring sole structure according to    claim 1   , wherein said means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water, attached for a water proof hermetic closure of said hole are attached on the outlet of said holes.  
     
     
         3 . Transpiring sole structure according to    claim 1   , wherein said means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water, attached for a water proof closure of said holes are attached inside said holes.  
     
     
         4 . A transpiring sole structure according to claims  1  and  2 , wherein said one cavity at least is in the form of a front cavity wherein the holes provided on the front part of the sole open, and a rear cavity wherein the holes provided on the heel of the sole open.  
     
     
         5 . A transpiring sole structure according to claims  1  and  2 , wherein said one cavity at least is in the form of a pair of right and respectively left front cavities, in which the holes provided on the right and respectively left front part of the sole open, and a pair of right and respectively left rear cavities, in which the holes provided on the right and respectively left rear part of the sole open.  
     
     
         6 . A transpiring sole structure according to claims  1  and  2 , in which said sole is of the cellular sole type, wherein said one cavity at least is in the form of perimetrical cells of said cellular sole, said series of holes opening on the external lateral walls of said cells.  
     
     
         7 . A transpiring sole structure according to the previous claim, wherein passages are provided through the internal lateral walls of the internal cells of the cellular structure, said passages placing said cells in direct communication one with the other.  
     
     
         8 . A transpiring sole structure according to claims  1  and  2 , in which said sole is of the solid sole type, wherein said one cavity at least is in the form of a slot, extending substantially parallel to the outer edge of said solid sole, said series of holes opening on the external lateral wall of said slot.  
     
     
         9 . A transpiring sole structure according to any one of    claims 4    to    8   , wherein said means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water are in the form of a strip of a microporous membrane which is permeable to air but not to water, covering the internal end of said series of holes which open inside said one cavity at least, said strip being attached to the external lateral wall of said one cavity at least by any known technique chosen from among gluing, sealing and waterproofed stitching.  
     
     
         10 . A transpiring sole structure according to any one of    claims 4    to    8   , wherein said means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water are in the form of a series of microporous membranes which are permeable to air but not to water, each membrane of said series of membranes covering the internal end of a corresponding hole of said series of holes which open in said one cavity at least, said series of membranes being attached to the external lateral wall of said one cavity at least by any known technique chosen from among gluing, sealing and waterproofed stitching.  
     
     
         11 . A transpiring sole structure according to any one of    claims 4    to    8   , wherein said means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water are in the form of at least one plug provided at said one cavity at least, said one plug at least having an external shape identical to said one corresponding cavity at least so as to be inserted perfectly therein, and wherein the external lateral wall of said one plug at least in contact with the external lateral wall of said one corresponding cavity at least is covered with a microporous membrane which is selectively permeable to air but not to water.  
     
     
         12 . A transpiring sole structure according to the previous claim, wherein said one plug at least is made in a material which is permeable to air but not to water so as to allow a passage of air from and to the external environment.  
     
     
         13 . A transpiring sole structure according to    claim 11   , wherein said one plug at least is hollow internally and has at least the external lateral wall and the upperwall perforated to allow a passage of air from and to the external environment.  
     
     
         14 . A transpiring sole structure according to    claims 11    to    13   , wherein said membrane which is selectively permeable to air but not to water and which covers the external lateral wall of said one plug at least is attached to said lateral wall of said one corresponding cavity at least by any technique chosen from among gluing, heat-sealing, water proofed stitching or waterproof thrust joint.  
     
     
         15 . A transpiring sole structure according to claims  1  and  3 , wherein said means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water are in the form of a series of elements for transpiration corresponding to said series of holes, each element of said series of elements comprising an assembly of a first, a second and a third part, said first part being in the form of a hollow plug with open internal base and micro-perforated external base, and having such a shape so as to adapt to the corresponding hole wherein it is hermetically inserted, said second part being in the form of a layer of material which is selectively permeable to air but not to water, to be placed for a water proof closure of said open internal base, said third part being in the form of a counter-plug, axially open and inserted in said plug to block said layer between the internal lateral wall of said plug and the external lateral wall of said counter-plug.  
     
     
         16 . A transpiring sole structure according to any one of the previous claims, wherein an arch-support, transpiring or perforated above, is provided, attached to the sole, wherein when said arch-support is perforated, the holes must involve at least the area above said one cavity at least.  
     
     
         17 . A transpiring sole structure comprising a sole provided with holes and means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water, wherein said holes open along all or part of the external edge of said sole and in that said holes open directly on the upper surface of said sole, said means which are selectively permeable to air but not to water being attached for a water proof hermetic closure of said holes.  
     
     
         18 . A transpiring sole structure according to the previous claim wherein said holes opening directly on the upper surface of said sole are covered by said means which are selectively impermeable to air but not to water formed by a membrane in material which is selectively impermeable to air but not to water, perimetrically attached onto the outline of the upper surface of the sole by any technique chosen from among gluing, sealing and waterproofed stitching.