Waterproof Footwear and Method for Its Production

Abstract

Footwear, having an upper, which is constructed with an outer material having an outer-material end region on the sole side and with a waterproof functional layer which is arranged on the inner side of the outer material and has a functional-layer end region on the sole side; an inner sole and a joining device which joins the outer-material end region to the inner sole, around at least part of the periphery of the upper and allows for a space to be left between the outer-material end region and the inner sole, in such a manner, that the joining device can be flowed through by sealing material that is liquid during application.

1 . Footwear, comprising:
 an upper, which is constructed with an outer material having an outer-material end region on the sole side and with a waterproof functional layer which is arranged on the inner side of the outer material and has a functional-layer end region on the sole side;
 an inner sole; 
   and a joining device which joins the outer-material end region to the inner sole, around at least part of the periphery of the upper and allows for a space to be left between the outer-material end region and the inner sole, in such a manner, that the joining device can be flowed through by sealing material that is liquid during application;   the functional-layer end region extending at least into the region of the joining device and being sealed in a waterproof manner by sealing material which has passed through the joining device to the functional layer during production of the footwear.   
     
     
         2 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , in which the joining device runs around the entire periphery of the upper. 
     
     
         3 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , in which the joining device runs around only part of the periphery of the upper. 
     
     
         4 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , with a joining device which is like or similar to a seam. 
     
     
         5 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , in which the joining device is formed by an expandable seam 
     
     
         6 . Footwear according to  claim 5 , in which the joining device is formed by a loosely sewn seam. 
     
     
         7 . Footwear according to  claim 5 , in which the joining device (is formed by a seam sewn with extensible yarn. 
     
     
         8 . Footwear according to  claim 5 , in which the seam is formed by a Strobel seam, a quilted seam or a cross seam. 
     
     
         9 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , with a moulded-on sealing layer of sealing material which is liquid when it is moulded on and has penetrated through the joining device. 
     
     
         10 . Footwear according to  claim 9 , with a moulded-on outsole, the sealing material being formed by outsole material which is liquid when it is moulded on, 
     
     
         11 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , in which the sealing material is formed by plastic. 
     
     
         12 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , in which the sealing material is formed by adhesive, 
     
     
         13 . Footwear according to  claim 12 , in which the sealing material is formed by reactive hot-melt adhesive which is applied to the joining device and leads to waterproofness in the fully reacted state. 
     
     
         14 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , with a waterproof and water-vapour-permeable functional layer. 
     
     
         15 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , in which the functional-layer end region on the sole side is adhesively bonded to the inner sole. 
     
     
         16 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , in which a substantially non-expandable fixed seam, by means of which the functional-layer end region on the sole side is joined to the inner sole ( 15 ), but not to the outer-material end region on the sole side, is provided in addition to the joining device. 
     
     
         17 . Footwear according to  claim 16 , in which the fixed seam is formed by a Strobel seam. 
     
     
         18 . Footwear according to  claim 1 , in which the outer material ends at a predetermined distance above the inner sole, the distance between the outer material and the inner sole is bridged by a strip of material impermeable to sealing material or liquid sole material, the strip of material is joined to the outer material by means of a top seam and to the functional layer and/or to the inner sole by means of a bottom seam and at least the top one of the two seams forms a joining device, which can be flowed through, and which is in the form of a seam which can expand as a result of loose sewing or sewing with an extensible yarn.