Strobel Footwear Construction

Abstract

Waterproof footwear having a liner material, insole, and sealing carrier are described herein. The sealing carrier includes one or more layers containing a flowable polymer adapted to flow upon application of energy in order to impart a waterproof seal.

1 . Waterproof footwear comprising:
 a liner material comprising at least a waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer, and perimeter edge portion, the liner material further being secured to an upper material;   an insole attached to the perimeter edge portion; and   a sealing carrier adapted for closing the upper material and waterproofing the footwear article, said sealing carrier comprising a top surface wherein the top surface is attached to at least a portion of the bottom perimeter edge portion of the liner material, and further wherein at least a portion of the top surface is adapted to flow upon application of energy to form a waterproof seal with the upper material.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing carrier comprises at least two layers. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the at least two layers comprises a polymeric layer comprising a melting point greater than the other layer or layers. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the at least two layers comprises a polymeric layer comprising a melting point lower than the other layer or layers. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer comprises a polymeric membrane material. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the polymeric membrane material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyester, polyether, polyamide, polyacrylate, copolyether ester, and copolyether amide. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the polymeric membrane material comprises microporous, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric layer is a polyurethane. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the polymeric layer is a polyurethane. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the liner material comprises at least one waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer and at least one textile layer. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein an outer sole is secured to the footwear. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing carrier is stretchable. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the insole is stretchable. 
     
     
         14 . Waterproof footwear comprising:
 a liner material comprising at least a waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer and a textile layer, the liner material further being secured to an upper material and comprising a perimeter edge portion;   an insole attached to the perimeter edge portion; and   a sealing carrier adapted for closing the upper material and waterproofing the footwear article, said sealing carrier comprising a first layer with a top surface wherein the top surface is attached to at least a portion of the bottom perimeter edge portion of the liner material, and further wherein at least a portion of the top surface is adapted to flow upon application of energy to form a waterproof seal with the upper material, and comprising a second layer comprising a melting point greater than the first layer.   
     
     
         15 . A bootie for use within waterproof footwear, the bootie comprising
 a liner material comprising at least a waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer, and a perimeter edge portion;   an insole attached to the perimeter edge portion; and   a sealing carrier, said sealing carrier comprising a top surface wherein the top surface is attached to at least a portion of the bottom perimeter edge portion of the liner material, and further wherein at least a portion of the top surface is adapted to flow upon application of energy.   
     
     
         16 . The bootie of  claim 15  wherein the liner material further comprises a textile. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the sealing carrier comprises at least two layers. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the at least two layers comprises a polymeric layer comprising a melting point greater than the other layer or layers. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the at least two layers comprises a polymeric layer comprising a melting point lower than the other layer or layers. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer comprises a polymeric membrane material. 
     
     
         21 . The footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the polymeric membrane material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyester, polyether, polyamide, polyacrylate, copolyether ester, and copolyether amide. 
     
     
         22 . The footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the polymeric membrane material comprises microporous, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         23 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the polymeric layer is a polyurethane. 
     
     
         24 . The footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the polymeric layer is a polyurethane. 
     
     
         25 . A method for making waterproof footwear comprising:
 Providing upper material;   providing a liner material comprising at least a waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer and a non waterproof bottom portion;   securing an insole material to the non waterproof bottom portion of the laminate liner material to form a bootie;   locating a shoe last within the bootie to form a bottom portion of the bootie which includes the insole material and a perimeter edge portion of the laminate liner material;   providing a sealing carrier comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, and further wherein at least a portion of the top surface is adapted to flow upon application of energy to form a waterproof seal with the upper material;   attaching the top surface of the sealing laminate to the bottom portion of the bootie, the sealing laminate covering the surface of the first insole material and at least a portion of the perimeter edge portion of the laminate liner material to form a waterproof bootie;   applying energy to the sealing laminate at the bottom surface to form a waterproof seal with the waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer; and   attaching an outsole to the bottom surface to form waterproof footwear.