Footwear with improved upper

Abstract

An article of footwear including a sole assembly and an upper, the upper including a flexible envelope, the boot extending lengthwise from a rear end to a front end, widthwise between a lateral side and a medial side, and height-wise from the sole assembly to an upper end, the boot including a stiffener located in the area of the rear end. The boot includes a reinforcement which is at least partially superimposed onto the stiffener.

1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole assembly;   an upper comprising a flexible envelope;   the article of footwear extending lengthwise from a rear end to a front end, widthwise between a lateral side and a medial side, and height-wise from the sole assembly to an upper end;   a stiffener located in an area of the rear end;   a reinforcement at least partially superimposed onto the stiffener.   
     
     
         2 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reinforcement comprises an arch extending along the lateral side, the rear end, and the medial side, in the area of an upper end of the stiffener.   
     
     
         3 . An article of footwear according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the reinforcement comprises a lower extension extending the arch towards the sole assembly.   
     
     
         4 . An article of footwear according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the reinforcement comprises a lateral lug, a rear lug, and a medial lug, the lateral, rear, and medial lugs extending the arch towards the sole assembly.   
     
     
         5 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the stiffener has at least one recess structured and arranged to receive the reinforcement.   
     
     
         6 . An article of footwear according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the stiffener comprises:
 a lateral groove in which the lateral lug is inserted; 
 a rear groove in which the rear lug is inserted; 
 a medial groove in which the medial lug is inserted. 
   
     
     
         7 . An article of footwear according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 one of the lugs extends from the arch to the sole assembly.   
     
     
         8 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reinforcement partially covers the stiffener.   
     
     
         9 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the stiffener is comprised of a molded synthetic material;   the reinforcement is comprised of a molded synthetic material.   
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reinforcement extends towards the upper end of the article of footwear, beyond an upper end of the stiffener.   
     
     
         11 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reinforcement comprises an upper lateral extension and an upper medial extension.   
     
     
         12 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a collar connected to the reinforcement by a fastening mechanism.   
     
     
         13 . An article of footwear according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the fastening mechanism is an articulation.   
     
     
         14 . An article of footwear according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the articulation of the collar in relation to the reinforcement extends along a transverse axis of the article of footwear.   
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the stiffener extends from the rear end of the article of footwear towards the front end, so that front ends of lateral and medial walls of the stiffener are located at a distance between 40 and 65% of the length of the sole assembly, the distance (d) being measured from the rear end of the article of footwear.   
     
     
         16 . A modular method for manufacturing an article of footwear from a plurality of components, said plurality of components comprising:
 a sole assembly;   an upper having a flexible envelope and a stiffener;   a plurality of reinforcements, each of the plurality of reinforcements being structurally complementary with the stiffener for being assembled to the stiffener, and each of the plurality of reinforcements having a respective different size and/or shape;   the method comprising:
 assembling one of the plurality of reinforcements having a size and/or shape specifically adapted to a particular use of the article of footwear. 
   
     
     
         17 . A method for manufacturing an article of footwear comprising a sole assembly and an upper, the upper comprising a flexible envelope, the article of footwear comprising a stiffener, the method comprising, in the following sequence:
 molding the stiffener using a mold comprising a base having a shape demarcating an inner surface of the stiffener, as well as a first cover demarcating an outer surface of the stiffener;   molding a reinforcement in contact with the stiffener using a mold comprising the base carrying the stiffener, as well as a second cover substituted for the first cover, the second cover leaving space to add the reinforcement.