Conformable Booties, Shoe Inserts, and Waterproof Breathable Socks Containing An Integrally Joined Interface

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 shaped expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane having at least one integrally joined interface attaching said shaped ePTFE membrane to itself, said ePTFE membrane having a first side and a second side; and 
 a textile affixed to said first side, 
   wherein said ePTFE membrane and said textile form a laminate.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said integrally joined interface comprises a patch, stitches, an adhesive, staples, waterproof tape, or one or more folds. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said textile is affixed to said first side of said ePTFE membrane with a discontinuous adhesive. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said textile is affixed to said first side of said ePTFE membrane with a continuous breathable adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . 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. 
     
     
         6 . 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. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said ePTFE membrane and said textile has at least one additional layer thereon. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear article of  claim 7 , wherein said one additional layer is an abrasion resistant coating. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear article of  claim 8 , wherein said abrasion resistant coating is present on at least one of said first side and said second side of said ePTFE membrane. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said ePTFE membrane has a density greater than or equal to 2.0 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         11 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one polymeric overlay on said shoe insert. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one second component attached to said laminate or a portion thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear article of  claim 12 , 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. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear article of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one 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. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear article of  claim 14 , wherein said laminate and said textile laminate include a polymer membrane. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear article of  claim 15 , wherein said polymer membrane is a fluoropolymer membrane. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear article of  claim 16 , wherein said fluoropolymer membrane is a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane or an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said shaped ePTFE membrane is seamless. 
     
     
         19 . 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 shaped expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane having at least one integrally joined interface attaching said shaped ePTFE membrane to itself, said 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 ePTFE membrane, said first textile, and said second textile form a laminate.   
     
     
         20 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , wherein said integrally joined interface comprises a patch, stitches, an adhesive, staples, waterproof tape, or one or more folds. 
     
     
         21 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , wherein said first textile and said second textile are affixed to said ePTFE membrane with a discontinuous adhesive. 
     
     
         22 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , wherein said first and second textiles are affixed to said ePTFE membrane with a continuous breathable adhesive. 
     
     
         23 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , 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.   
     
     
         24 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , 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. 
     
     
         25 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , 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. 
     
     
         26 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of said ePTFE membrane, said first textile, and said second textile has at least one additional layer thereon. 
     
     
         27 . The footwear article of  claim 26 , wherein said one additional layer is an abrasion resistant coating. 
     
     
         28 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , wherein said ePTFE membrane has a density greater than or equal to 2.0 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         29 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , further comprising at least one polymeric overlay on said shoe insert. 
     
     
         30 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , further comprising at least one second component attached to said laminate or a portion thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The footwear article of  claim 30 , 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. 
     
     
         32 . The footwear article of  claim 30 , wherein said at least one 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. 
     
     
         33 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , wherein said laminate and said textile laminate include a polymer membrane. 
     
     
         34 . The footwear article of  claim 33 , wherein said polymer membrane is a fluoropolymer membrane. 
     
     
         35 . The footwear article of  claim 34 , wherein said fluoropolymer membrane is a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane or an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. 
     
     
         36 . The footwear article of  claim 19 , wherein said shaped ePTFE is seamless.