Puncture resistant footbed

Abstract

A footwear system includes a shoe and a footbed. The shoe includes a sole assembly, an upper coupled to the sole assembly, and an interior space that is defined by the sole assembly and the upper. The footbed is movable with respect to the shoe between first and second arrangements. The first arrangement includes the footbed disposed in the interior space and the second arrangement includes the footbed disposed out of the interior space. The footbed includes a flexible layer that has first and second surfaces, and a puncture resistant layer that is coupled to the second surface of the flexible layer. The puncture resistant layer is disposed proximate to the sole assembly in the first arrangement.

1 . A footbed insertable in an interior space of a footwear assembly configured to receive a wearer's foot and that includes a sole assembly and an upper, the footbed comprising:
 a flexible support layer removeably insertable in the interior space between the sole assembly and the upper; and   a non-metallic, puncture resistant layer fixed to the flexible support layer and movable therewith into a first position disposed between the upper and the sole assembly, the puncture resistant layer being disposed between the sole assembly and the flexible support layer so as to provide a puncture resistant barrier between the wearer's foot and the sole assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The footbed of  claim 1  wherein the puncture resistant layer comprises a non-metallic textile adhered to the flexible support layer. 
     
     
         3 . The footbed of  claim 1  wherein the puncture resistant layer prevents the object penetrating through the sole assembly with a penetrating force of up to 270 pounds-force from penetrating through the flexible support layer. 
     
     
         4 . The footbed of  claim 1  wherein the flexible support layer and the puncture resistant layer in the first arrangement are positioned atop the sole assembly when positioned in the interior area. 
     
     
         5 . The footbed of  claim 1  wherein the puncture resistant layer is a conformable layer molded into an ergonomically contoured shape to provide support to the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         6 . The footbed of  claim 1  wherein the puncture resistant layer includes a top surface, the flexible support layer includes a bottom surface immediately adjacent to the top surface. 
     
     
         7 . The footbed of  claim 1  further comprising a base layer coupled to the puncture resistant layer intermediate the puncture resistant layer and the sole assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The footbed of  claim 1  wherein the puncture resistant layer is adhesively coupled to the flexible layer. 
     
     
         9 . The footbed of  claim 1 , wherein the he flexible support layer comprises an ergonomically contoured top surface to provide support to the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         10 . The footbed of  claim 1  wherein the flexible layer comprises a shock pad portion to absorb and dissipate impact forces exerted on the flexible layer. 
     
     
         11 . The footbed of  claim 10  wherein the flexible layer includes a recess and the shock pad portion is disposed in the recess. 
     
     
         12 . The footbed of  claim 10 , wherein a first shock pad portion is disposed at a heel region of the flexible layer, and a second shock pad portion is disposed at a forefoot region of the flexible layer. 
     
     
         13 . A footwear system comprising:
 a footwear assembly including a sole assembly, an upper coupled to the sole assembly, and an interior space defined by the sole assembly and the upper; and   a footbed movable with respect to the footwear assembly between first and second arrangements, the first arrangement including the footbed disposed in the interior space and the second arrangement including the footbed disposed out of the interior space, the footbed including a flexible layer having first and second surfaces, and a non-metallic puncture resistant layer coupled to the second surface of the flexible layer, the puncture resistant layer being disposed proximate to the sole assembly in the first arrangement.   
     
     
         14 . The footwear system of  claim 14  wherein the footbed is configured so that an object penetrating through the sole assembly with a penetrating force of up to 270 pounds-force is prevented by the puncture resistant layer from penetrating through the flexible layer. 
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a footbed, the method comprising:
 forming a flexible material to provide a flexible support layer, the forming includes defining a first surface of the flexible layer with contoured shape to ergonomically support a wearer's foot, the flexible support layer having a first perimeter that defines a shape and size;   providing a puncture resistant textile that forms a puncture resistant layer having a second perimeter that substantially matches the shape and size of the first perimeter; and   laminating together the flexible layer and the puncture resistant layer in a mold to that the puncture resistant layer is molded into a contoured shape.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the laminating comprises adhering a second surface of the flexible layer to the puncture resistant layer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising die cutting a multiple ply puncture resistant textile to form the puncture resistant layer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising covering the first surface of the flexible layer with at least one of a moisture-wicking cover and an antimicrobial cover.