Conformable Booties, Shoe Inserts, and Footwear Assemblies Made Therewith, and Waterproof Breathable Socks

Abstract

Waterproof, breathable socks, booties, shoe inserts, and footwear assemblies containing the shoe inserts are provided. The booties and shoe inserts include a laminate of a seamless ePTFE membrane and at least one textile. The bootie is conformable over a range of sizes and shoe shapes, and may be shaped to fit numerous sizes and shapes of asymmetrical shoe lasts. The bootie may shrink to fit, or, alternatively, be stretched to fit, an asymmetrical last having a desired size to form a shoe insert. Such a conformable bootie eliminates the need to have multiple sizes of shoe inserts correlating to particular shoe sizes. In embodiments where the ePTFE is seamless and continuous, the shoe insert eliminates the need for a waterproof seam tape, which is conventionally used to make shoe inserts waterproof. Methods of forming the socks, booties, and shoe inserts are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A footwear article comprising:
 an upper portion;   a shoe insert adjacent to said upper portion; and   a sole portion adjacent to said upper portion and said shoe insert, said shoe insert comprising:
 a seamless shaped expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane, said ePTFE membrane having a first side and a second side; and 
 a textile affixed to said first side, 
 wherein said seamless shaped ePTFE membrane and said textile form a laminate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said textile is affixed to said first side of said ePTFE membrane with a discontinuous adhesive. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said textile is affixed to said first side of said ePTFE membrane with a continuous breathable adhesive. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said textile is selected from the group consisting of a knitted textile tube, a woven textile tube, a tubular sock and a formed sock. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said textile has at least some elastic properties. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said textile is elastic. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said textile is a sock. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear article of  claim 7 , wherein said sock has a heel portion, a toe portion, and a body portion positioned therebetween, and
 wherein at least one of said heel portion and said toe portion is reinforced.   
     
     
         9 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said shoe insert is self-supporting. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said ePTFE membrane has a thickness variation from a first location in said shoe insert to a second location in said shoe insert of at least 1.2:1. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said ePTFE membrane and said textile has at least one additional layer thereon. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear article of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one additional layer is an abrasion resistant coating. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear article of  claim 12 , wherein said abrasion resistant coating is present on at least one of said first side and said second side of said ePTFE membrane. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear article of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one additional layer is an oleophobic coating. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said ePTFE membrane is amorphously locked. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said ePTFE membrane has a density greater than or equal to 2.0 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         17 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said sole portion of said footwear article is breathable. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear article of  claim 17 , wherein said upper portion of said footwear article is breathable. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear article of  claim 18 , wherein said shoe insert is breathable over its entirety. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , wherein said footwear article is breathable. 
     
     
         21 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said footwear article does not demonstrate leaking when said footwear article is subjected to the Centrifuge Waterproofness Test. 
     
     
         22 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said shoe insert is substantially free of wrinkles. 
     
     
         23 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein there are substantially no air gaps between said upper portion and said shoe insert. 
     
     
         24 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said shoe insert is removable from said footwear article. 
     
     
         25 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one polymeric overlay on said shoe insert. 
     
     
         26 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said insert is attached to said upper and said sole portion via an adhesive. 
     
     
         27 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said shoe insert has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 3 g/hr. 
     
     
         28 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said shoe insert has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 5 g/hr. 
     
     
         29 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said shoe insert has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 10 g/hr. 
     
     
         30 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said shoe insert has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 20 g/hr. 
     
     
         31 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said shoe insert has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 30 g/hr. 
     
     
         32 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one second component attached to said laminate or a portion thereof. 
     
     
         33 . The footwear article of  claim 32 , wherein said at least one second component creates regions in said shoe insert, at least one of said regions possessing a function or feature different from another said region. 
     
     
         34 . The footwear article of  claim 32 , wherein said at least second component is selected from the group consisting of a textile, a laminate, a textile laminate, a polymer membrane and a second ePTFE membrane different from said conformed ePTFE membrane. 
     
     
         35 . The footwear article of  claim 34 , wherein said laminate and said textile laminate include a polymer membrane. 
     
     
         36 . The footwear article of  claim 35 , wherein said polymer is a fluoropolymer membrane. 
     
     
         37 . The footwear article of  claim 36 , wherein said fluoropolymer membrane is a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane or an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. 
     
     
         38 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive positioned on at least one of said ePTFE membrane and said textile. 
     
     
         39 . The footwear article of  claim 38 , wherein said adhesive is a discontinuous adhesive. 
     
     
         40 . The footwear article of  claim 38 , wherein said adhesive is a continuous breathable adhesive. 
     
     
         41 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said laminate is removed and said portion is affixed to at least one second component. 
     
     
         42 . The footwear article of  claim 41 , wherein a portion of said laminate is removed and at least one second component replaces said removed portion. 
     
     
         43 . A footwear article comprising:
 an upper portion;   a shoe insert adjacent to said upper portion; and   a sole portion adjacent to said upper portion and said shoe insert, said shoe insert comprising:
 a seamless shaped expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane having a first side and a second side; 
 a first textile forming an interior portion of a shoe insert; and 
 a second textile forming an exterior portion of said shoe insert, 
 wherein said second textile is positioned adjacent said ePTFE membrane opposing said first textile, and 
 wherein said seamless shaped ePTFE membrane, said first textile, and said second textile form a laminate. 
   
     
     
         44 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said first textile and said second textile are affixed to said ePTFE membrane with a discontinuous adhesive. 
     
     
         45 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said first textile and said second textile are affixed to said ePTFE membrane with a continuous breathable adhesive. 
     
     
         46 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein at least one of said ePTFE membrane, said first textile, and said second textile has thereon a discontinuous adhesive; and
 wherein at least one of said ePTFE membrane, said first textile, and said second textile has thereon a continuous breathable adhesive.   
     
     
         47 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said first and second textiles are selected from the group consisting of a knitted textile tube, a woven textile tube, a tubular sock and a formed sock. 
     
     
         48 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said first textile and said second textile have at least some elastic properties. 
     
     
         49 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said first textile and said second textile are elastic. 
     
     
         50 . The footwear article of  claim 43  wherein at least one of said first textile and said second textile is a sock 
     
     
         51 . The footwear article of  claim 50  wherein said sock has a heel portion, a toe portion, and a body portion positioned therebetween, and
 wherein at least one of said heel portion and said toe portion is reinforced. 
 
     
     
         52 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said ePTFE membrane has a thickness variation from a first location in said shoe insert to a second location in said shoe insert of at least 1.2:1. 
     
     
         53 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein at least one of said ePTFE membrane, said first textile, and said second textile has at least one additional layer thereon. 
     
     
         54 . The footwear article of  claim 53 , wherein said at least one additional layer is an abrasion resistant coating. 
     
     
         55 . The footwear article of  claim 53 , wherein said at least one additional layer is an oleophobic coating. 
     
     
         56 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said ePTFE membrane is amorphously locked. 
     
     
         57 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said ePTFE membrane has a density greater than or equal to 2.0 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         58 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said footwear article does not demonstrate leaking when said footwear article is subjected to the Centrifuge Waterproofness Test. 
     
     
         59 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said shoe insert is substantially free of wrinkles. 
     
     
         60 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein there are substantially no air gaps between said upper portion and said shoe insert. 
     
     
         61 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said sole portion of said footwear article is breathable. 
     
     
         62 . The footwear article of  claim 61 , wherein said upper portion of said footwear article is breathable. 
     
     
         63 . The footwear article of  claim 62 , wherein said shoe insert is breathable over its entirety. 
     
     
         64 . The footwear article of  claim 63 , wherein said footwear article is breathable. 
     
     
         65 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said shoe insert is removable from said footwear article. 
     
     
         66 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said shoe insert is attached to at least one of said upper and said sole portion via an adhesive. 
     
     
         67 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said shoe insert has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 3 g/hr. 
     
     
         68 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said shoe insert has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 5 g/hr. 
     
     
         69 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said shoe insert has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 10 g/hr. 
     
     
         70 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said shoe insert has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 20 g/hr. 
     
     
         71 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein said shoe insert has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 30 g/hr. 
     
     
         72 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , further comprising at least one polymeric overlay on said shoe insert. 
     
     
         73 . The footwear article of  claim 47 , further comprising at least one second component attached to said laminate or a portion thereof. 
     
     
         74 . The footwear article of  claim 73 , wherein said at least one second component creates regions in said footwear article, at least one of said regions possessing a function or feature different from another said region. 
     
     
         75 . The footwear article of  claim 73 , wherein said at least second component is selected from the group consisting of a textile, a laminate, a textile laminate, a polymer membrane and a second ePTFE membrane different from said conformed ePTFE membrane. 
     
     
         76 . The footwear article of  claim 75 , wherein said laminate and said textile laminate include a polymer membrane. 
     
     
         77 . The footwear article of  claim 76 , wherein said polymer is a fluoropolymer membrane. 
     
     
         78 . The footwear article of  claim 77 , wherein said fluoropolymer membrane is a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane or an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. 
     
     
         79 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , further comprising an adhesive positioned on at least one of said ePTFE membrane, said first textile, and said second textile. 
     
     
         80 . The footwear article of  claim 79 , wherein said adhesive is a discontinuous adhesive. 
     
     
         81 . The footwear article of  claim 79 , wherein said adhesive is a continuous breathable adhesive. 
     
     
         82 . The footwear article of  claim 43 , wherein a portion of said laminate is removed and said portion is affixed to at least one second component. 
     
     
         83 . The footwear article of  claim 82 , wherein a portion of said laminate is removed and at least one second component replaces said removed portion.