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 waterproof, breathable sock comprising:
 a seamless conformed expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane having a first side and a second side; and   a first elastic textile affixed to said first side of said ePTFE membrane, said first elastic textile having an elasticity of at least about 50%,   wherein said seamless conformed ePTFE membrane and said first elastic textile form a first laminate.   
     
     
         2 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said first textile is selected from a knitted textile tube, a woven textile tube, and a tubular sock. 
     
     
         3 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said first textile is affixed to said ePTFE membrane with a discontinuous adhesive. 
     
     
         4 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said first textile is affixed to said ePTFE membrane with a continuous breathable adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said ePTFE membrane has a thickness variation from a first location in said sock to a second location in said sock of at least 1.2:1. 
     
     
         6 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said ePTFE membrane and said first elastic textile has at least one additional layer thereon. 
     
     
         7 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one additional layer is an abrasion resistant coating. 
     
     
         8 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one additional layer is an oleophobic coating 
     
     
         9 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , further comprising a second elastic textile affixed to said second side of said ePTFE membrane, said second elastic textile having an elasticity of at least about 50%, wherein said ePTFE membrane, said first elastic textile, and said second elastic textile form a second laminate. 
     
     
         10 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one second component attached to said second laminate or a portion thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one second component creates regions within said sock, at least one of said regions possessing a function or feature different from another said region. 
     
     
         12 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 10 , 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. 
     
     
         13 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 12 , wherein said laminate and said textile laminate include a polymer membrane. 
     
     
         14 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 13 , wherein said polymer membrane is a fluoropolymer membrane. 
     
     
         15 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 14 , wherein said fluoropolymer membrane is a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane or an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. 
     
     
         16 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of said ePTFE membrane, said first elastic textile, and said second elastic textile has at least one additional layer thereon. 
     
     
         17 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one additional layer is an abrasion resistant coating. 
     
     
         18 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 17 , wherein said abrasion resistant coating is present on at least one of said first side and said second side of said ePTFE membrane. 
     
     
         19 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one additional layer is an oleophobic coating. 
     
     
         20 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 9 , further comprising an adhesive positioned on at least one of said ePTFE membrane and said first elastic textile. 
     
     
         21 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 20 , wherein said adhesive is a discontinuous adhesive. 
     
     
         22 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 20 , wherein said adhesive is a continuous breathable adhesive. 
     
     
         23 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 9 , wherein said first and second elastic textiles are selected from a knitted textile tube, a woven textile tube, a tubular sock and a formed sock. 
     
     
         24 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 9 , wherein said first and second elastic textiles are affixed to said ePTFE membrane with a discontinuous adhesive. 
     
     
         25 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 9 , wherein said first and second elastic textiles are affixed to said ePTFE membrane with a continuous breathable adhesive. 
     
     
         26 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of said ePTFE membrane, said first elastic textile, and said second elastic textile has thereon a discontinuous adhesive; and
 wherein at least one of said ePTFE membrane, said first elastic textile, and said second elastic textile has thereon a continuous breathable adhesive.   
     
     
         27 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one polymeric overlay on said sock. 
     
     
         28 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 9 , wherein a portion of said second laminate is removed and said portion is affixed to at least one second component. 
     
     
         29 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 28 , 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. 
     
     
         30 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said sock is breathable. 
     
     
         31 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said sock is breathable over its entirety. 
     
     
         32 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said sock has a generally symmetrical shape. 
     
     
         33 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said sock does not demonstrate leaking when said sock is subjected to the Sock Centrifuge Waterproofness Test. 
     
     
         34 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said ePTFE membrane has a density greater than or equal to about 2.0 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         35 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said ePTFE membrane is amorphously locked. 
     
     
         36 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1  wherein said sock has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 3 g/hr. 
     
     
         37 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said sock has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 5 g/hr. 
     
     
         38 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said sock has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 10 g/hr. 
     
     
         39 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said sock has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 20 g/hr. 
     
     
         40 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said sock has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 30 g/hr. 
     
     
         41 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein said ePTFE membrane has a density greater than or equal to about 2.0 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         42 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one polymeric overlay on said sock. 
     
     
         43 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one second component attached to said first laminate or a portion thereof. 
     
     
         44 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 43 , wherein said at least one second component creates regions in said sock, at least one of said regions possessing a function or feature different from another said region. 
     
     
         45 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 43 , 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. 
     
     
         46 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 45 , wherein said laminate and said textile laminate include a polymer membrane. 
     
     
         47 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 46 , wherein said polymer membrane is a fluoropolymer membrane. 
     
     
         48 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 47 , wherein said fluoropolymer membrane is a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane or an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. 
     
     
         49 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive positioned on at least one of said ePTFE membrane and said first elastic textile. 
     
     
         50 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 49 , wherein said adhesive is a discontinuous adhesive. 
     
     
         51 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 49 , wherein said adhesive is a continuous breathable adhesive. 
     
     
         52 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said first laminate is removed and said portion is affixed to at least one second component. 
     
     
         53 . The waterproof, breathable sock of  claim 52 , 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.