Waterproof footwear construction

Abstract

Footwear is constructed of an upper and an outsole having a water barrier wall, which extends upwards from the lower edge of the upper and overlaps a bottom portion of the later, wherein the upper and outsole are stitched so that the overlapped water barrier wall and the bottom portion of the upper are not pierced.

1 . Footwear comprising: 
 an upper formed with a bottom portion; and    an outsole having a water barrier wall extending from the outsole, wherein the water barrier wall overlaps and is coupled to the bottom portion of the upper to minimize water leakage.    
   
   
       2 . The footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one thread stitched through the outsole and the upper, wherein the thread does not penetrate the water barrier wall.  
   
   
       3 . The footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the outsole has an outsole wall topped by an upper edge, the upper edge having a lip spaced outwards from the water barrier wall and defining therewith a bottom area of the upper edge, wherein the water barrier wall extends upwards from the upper edge and is contingent with and stitchlessly coupled to the bottom portion of the upper.  
   
   
       4 . The footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the outsole wall has a plurality of channels opening into the bottom area of the upper edge of the outsole, the bottom portion of the upper having a lower peripheral edge extending at an angle therefrom and juxtaposed with the bottom area of the upper edge of the outsole, the lower peripheral edge of the upper being provided with a series of holes each aligned with a respective hole of the holes in the bottom area of the upper edge and traversed by the at least one thread, the water barrier wall terminating at a greater distance from the lower peripheral edge of the upper than the lip of the outsole.  
   
   
       5 . The footwear of  claim 3 , further comprising a layer of sealant located between the water barrier wall and an inner side of the bottom portion of the upper, the sealant being a heat- or pressure-activated waterproof cement.  
   
   
       6 . The footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the waterproof cement is enabled to flow between the waterproof barrier wall and the inner side of the bottom portion of the upper and further between the bottom area of the upper edge of the outsole and the lower peripheral edge of the upper to bond the upper to the outsole.  
   
   
       7 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the water barrier wall is configured with a non-uniform height with regions of the water barrier wall exposed to greater flexing forces being higher than regions thereof not exposed to the greater flexing forces.  
   
   
       8 . The footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the water barrier wall has the height varying between 10 and 20 mm and has a thickness ranging between 0.5 and 1.5 mm.  
   
   
       9 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the outsole is made from water-resistant material selected from the group consisting of rubber, plastic, water-resistant leather and a combination thereof, the outsole being molded integrally with the water barrier wall.  
   
   
       10 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the upper has an inner forefoot region provided with a lining, the water barrier wall being sandwiched between a lower region of the lining and the bottom portion of the upper.  
   
   
       11 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the outsole is provided with a central cavity delimited by the water barrier wall and configured to receive a midsole so that the peripheral water barrier wall separates the midsole from the upper.  
   
   
       12 . The footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the midsole has a forefoot region provided with at least one slit.  
   
   
       13 . The footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the outsole, midsole, and upper are made from flexible material.  
   
   
       14 . Footwear comprising: 
 an upper having a lower edge;    an outsole having an upper edge provided with a lip and a water barrier wall spaced inwards from the lip, the upper edge of the outsole being configured to receive the lower edge of the upper between the lip and water barrier wall, which extends upwards from the lower edge and overlaps an inner surface of the upper; and    a waterproof sealant provided between and coupling the inner surface of the upper and the water barrier wall, wherein the lower edge of the upper and the upper edge of the outsole are stitched together by a thread, which does not penetrate the water barrier wall.    
   
   
       15 . The footwear of  claim 14 , further comprising a midsole separated from the upper by the water barrier wall.  
   
   
       16 . A method for constructing footwear, comprising: 
 (a) providing an upper;    (b) providing an outsole having a water barrier wall, wherein the water barrier wall extends upwards from an upper edge of the outsole;    (c) juxtaposing the upper with the outsole so that the water barrier wall overlaps an inner side of the upper; and    (d) stitching the outsole to the upper without piercing the juxtaposed water barrier wall.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the upper edge of the outsole has a lip spaced outwards from the water-barrier wall, the method further comprising: 
 prior to step (d), bending a lower edge of the upper, thereby extending the lower edge substantially parallel to a bottom of the upper edge of the outsole;    applying a waterproof sealant between the inner side of the bottom portion of the upper and the water barrier wall; and    after step (d), activating the waterproof sealant, thereby enabling the waterproof sealant to flow between the inner side of the bottom portion of the upper and the water barrier wall and between the bottom of the upper edge of the outsole and the lower edge of the upper, thereby bonding the outsole and upper together.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step (c) includes: 
 providing a plurality of channels in an outsole wall, wherein the plurality of channels each opens at opposite ends thereof to an exterior of the outsole wall and to the bottom of the upper edge of the outsole, respectively;    providing a series of holes in the lower edge of the upper;    aligning each of the series of holes provided in the lower edge of the upper with a respective one of the holes opening into the bottom of the upper edge; and    traversing the plurality of channels formed in the outsole wall and the holes formed in the lower edge of the upper by at least one thread, thereby stitching the upper to the outsole, the layer of activated waterproof sealant plugging the holes while flowing across the upper edge of the outsole.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising a step of placing a midsole within a cavity formed in the outsole and delimited by the water barrier wall, thereby isolating the midsole from the upper.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising a step of coupling an inner lining with the inner side of the upper along a forefoot portion of the upper so that the waterproof wall is sandwiched between bottom portions of the lining and the upper.