Shoe having waterproof breathable shell

Abstract

A shoe includes a waterproof shell which has at least one vent hole provided between upper and lower ends of the shell. A screen member which is porous to provide ventilation is disposed across the vent hole and attached to an inner surface of the shell. A ventilating sheet is disposed inwardly of the screen member and attached sealingly to the shell to cover the screen member. The ventilating sheet is made of a waterproof breathable membrane. Due to the screen member and the ventilating sheet, the shell is both waterproof and breathable.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A shoe comprising: 
 a sole unit;    a shell made of a waterproof material and including an upper end, a lower end, and a toe part and a heel part which are interconnected between said upper and lower ends, said lower end being connected to said sole unit, said shell further having at least one vent hole provided in said shell between said upper and lower ends;    a screen member disposed across said vent hole and being porous to provide ventilation; and    a ventilating sheet disposed inwardly of said screen member and attached to said shell to line said screen member, said ventilating sheet being made of a waterproof breathable membrane and being connected in a watertight manner to said shell around said vent hole.    
     
     
         2 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said shell has a plurality of said vent holes provided at intervals in all parts of said shell between said upper and lower ends of said shell.  
     
     
         3 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said ventilating sheet has an upper marginal end extending to said upper end of said shell and a lower marginal end extending to said lower end of said shell, said ventilating sheet being endless between said upper and lower marginal ends, said upper and lower marginal ends being attached sealingly to said upper and lower ends of said shell, thus forming seams at said upper and lower marginal ends.  
     
     
         4 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising waterproof sealing members provided respectively along said seams.  
     
     
         5 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said vent holes are provided in a portion of said shell, said ventilating sheet having marginal ends attached sealingly to said portion of said shell around all of said vent holes.  
     
     
         6 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said screen member is formed as one piece with at least one portion of said shell.  
     
     
         7 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a support base which is formed separately from said shell and which is attached to an inner surface of said shell, said screen member being formed integrally with said support base, said support base being fitted within said vent hole.  
     
     
         8 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said screen member is formed as a meshed screen sheet which is formed separately from said shell and which is attached to an inner surface of said shell to cover said vent hole.  
     
     
         9 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said shell includes a layer of textile material and a layer of resinous molding material which is molded over said layer of textile material, said vent hole being provided in said layer of resinous molding material without extending through said layer of textile material, said layer of textile material having a portion extending across said vent hole to serve as said screen member.  
     
     
         10 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said ventilating sheet and said shell have therebetween a watertight seam which extends around said vent hole, said ventilating sheet having a marginal end that extends along said watertight seam.  
     
     
         11 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a waterproof sealing member provided along said watertight seam.