Footwear having a preformed closed-loop welt structure

Abstract

A footwear having an outsole coupled to an upper by a preformed closed-loop welt. The welt is a formed ring-shaped structure having no ends or breaks. The welt is sized and shaped to receive the upper-outsole junction. The welt provides an intermediary structure for coupling the outsole to the upper. The welt includes a sidewall that facilitates stitching and gluing an upper portion of the sidewall to the upper.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A footwear comprising: 
 an upper;    an outsole coupled to the upper; and    a preformed closed-loop welt coupling the upper and the outsole.    
     
     
         2 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the closed-loop welt is preformed by coupling the ends of a welt material to form a loop configuration prior to coupling with the upper and the outsole.  
     
     
         3 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the closed-loop welt is seamless.  
     
     
         4 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the closed-loop welt comprises a tall sidewall and a rib extending from the tall sidewall, wherein the tall sidewall has a height substantially greater than a width of the rib.  
     
     
         5 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the height of the sidewall is substantially variable along the periphery of the sidewall.  
     
     
         6 . The footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the sidewall includes an upper portion above the rib and a lower portion below the rib, wherein the height of the upper portion is substantially variable along the periphery of the upper portion.  
     
     
         7 . The footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the height of the sidewall is substantially taller at a toe section of the welt than at a middle section of the welt.  
     
     
         8 . The footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the height of the sidewall is substantially taller at a heel section of the welt than at a middle section of the welt.  
     
     
         9 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the sidewall is shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the upper.  
     
     
         10 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the height of the sidewall is substantially uniform along the periphery of the welt.  
     
     
         11 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the closed-loop welt includes an aesthetic element defined on an outer surface of the sidewall.  
     
     
         12 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the closed-loop welt includes a functional element defined on an outer surface of the sidewall.  
     
     
         13 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the closed-loop welt includes a groove defined on an outer surface of the sidewall, wherein the groove is adapted to receive a stitching.  
     
     
         14 . The footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the groove is defined on an upper portion of the sidewall.  
     
     
         15 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the closed-loop welt is sized and shaped to substantially snugly receive the upper and the outsole at an upper-outsole junction.  
     
     
         16 . The footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the closed-loop welt is sized and shaped to substantially specifically receive the upper-outsole junction of either a right or left footwear.  
     
     
         17 . The footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the welt is sized and shaped to substantially universally receive the upper-outsole junction of both a right or left footwear.  
     
     
         18 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the closed-loop welt includes an adhesive material layer for securely coupling the sidewall to the upper.  
     
     
         19 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the sidewall is coupled to the upper by a stitching.  
     
     
         20 . The footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the sidewall is coupled to the upper at an upper portion of the sidewall, wherein the upper portion is sized and shaped to define a surface area with the upper to facilitate coupling the upper portion with the upper.  
     
     
         21 . The footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the upper portion includes a groove adapted to receive the stitching, wherein the upper portion is stitched to the upper along the groove.  
     
     
         22 . A preformed closed-loop welt for coupling a shoe upper to a shoe outsole, the welt comprising: 
 a tall sidewall; and    a rib extending from the tall sidewall;    wherein the tall sidewall has a height substantially greater than a width of the rib.    
     
     
         23 . The welt of  claim 22 , wherein the welt is preformed by coupling the ends of a welt material to form a loop configuration prior to coupling with the upper and the outsole.  
     
     
         24 . The welt of  claim 22 , wherein the height of the sidewall is substantially variable along the periphery of the sidewall.  
     
     
         25 . The welt of  claim 22 , further comprising an adhesive material layer on an inner surface of the sidewall.  
     
     
         26 . A method of constructing a footwear having an upper and an outsole coupled to the upper, the method comprising: 
 providing a preformed closed-loop welt having a tall sidewall and a rib extending from the tall sidewall;    coupling the welt to the upper; and    coupling the welt to the outsole.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein coupling the welt to the upper includes gluing the sidewall to the upper.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein gluing the sidewall to the upper includes gluing an upper portion of the sidewall to the upper.