Waterproof breathable boot

Abstract

A waterproof breathable boot comprises a sole, at least two panels forming an external shell having an outer most surface waterproof, an internal layer separate from the outer shell and connected to the external shell by the sole such that a gap of air is formed between the internal layer and the external shell, and a drying insert connected to the internal layer. The at least two panels are waterproofly bonded to each other. An adhesive is in direct contact with a first portion of the inner surface and a second portion of the outer surface waterproofly for bonding the first portion to the second portion. The internal layer has wicking properties and is protected from an outside of the boot by the external shell. A method of manufacturing a waterproof breathable boot is also presented.

1 . A waterproof breathable boot comprising:
 a sole;   an external shell extending and connected to the sole, the external shell having an outer most waterproof surface, the external shell including at least two panels having an outer surface and an inner surface, each panel having an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface of the at least two panels forming part of the outer most waterproof surface of the external shell, the outer surface and the inner surface of each panel being waterproof, the at least two panels being waterproofly bonded to each other, the waterproof bonding including an overlapping of a first portion of the inner surface of one of the at least two panels with a second portion of the outer surface of the other one of the at least two panels;   an internal layer separate from the external shell and connected to the external shell by the sole such that a gap of air is formed between the internal layer and the external shell, the internal layer having wicking properties, the internal layer being protected from an outside of the boot by the external shell; and   at least one drying insert integrated to the external shell, the internal layer carrying humidity from the wearer's foot to the at least one drying insert.   
     
     
         2 . The waterproof breathable boot as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the external shell includes at least one layer of polyurethane. 
     
     
         3 . The waterproof breathable boot as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the internal layer has a collar extending outwardly from an upper end of the external shell. 
     
     
         4 . The waterproof breathable boot as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drying insert is mounted in a window defined in the external shell. 
     
     
         5 . The waterproof breathable boot as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a rear seam between the at least two panels, the rear seam extending upwardly from a heel portion of the external shell, the rear seam being covered by a back strap, the back strap being made of impermeable material and forming part of the external shell, an adhesive being in direct contact with the back strap and portions of the at least two panels covered by the back strap. 
     
     
         6 . The waterproof breathable boot as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drying insert is made of a membrane or fabric impermeable to liquid but permeable to water vapor. 
     
     
         7 . The waterproof breathable boot as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the external shell has an innermost surface, said innermost surface being impermeable, thereby providing for an external shell which is impermeable on both the inside and the outside. 
     
     
         8 . The waterproof breathable boot as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a vamp of the boot is made of a single piece of one of the at least two panels. 
     
     
         9 . The waterproof breathable boot as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the waterproof bonding further comprises an adhesive in direct contact with the first portion of the inner surface and the second portion of the outer surface for waterproofly bonding the first portion to the second portion. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing a waterproof breathable boot, the method comprising:
 cutting at least two panels in a waterproof material having an outermost waterproof surface, the panels being cut in accordance to a pattern of the waterproof breathable boot;   positioning at least one of the two panels onto a foot last and sewing adjacent sides of the panels forming a back of the boot so as to create a back seam;   waterproofly bonding a back strap onto the back seam, the back strap being waterproof;   waterproofly bonding a portion of an inside of at least one other panel to a portion of an outside of the at least one of the two panels so as to form a vamp of the boot until forming a waterproof external shell, an outer most surface of the external shell being waterproof;   forming a wicking internal layer and disposing it inside the external shell; and   securing the wicking internal layer and the external shell to a sole.   
     
     
         11 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising locally applying pressure to the waterproof bonds. 
     
     
         12 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein forming the wicking internal layer comprises cutting portions of a wicking material and sewing them according to a pattern of the boot. 
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising mounting a drying insert in a window defined in the external shell. 
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising placing reinforcing pieces between the external shell and the internal layer. 
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising placing pads between the external shell and the internal layer and connecting the pads to at least one of external shell and the internal layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method defined in  claim 10 , wherein the waterproof bonding is done using an adhesive. 
     
     
         17 . A waterproof breathable boot comprising:
 a sole;   an external shell extending upwardly from the sole, the external shell having an outer most waterproof surface, the external shell including at least two panels having an outer surface and an inner surface, each panel having a multiply construction including at least one impermeable film laminated on a microfiber substrate, the impermeable film being provided at said outer surface of said at least two panels to form part of the outermost waterproof surface of the external shell, the at least two panels being waterproofly bonded to each other, the waterproof bonding including an overlapping of a first portion of the inner surface of one of the at least two panels with a second portion of the outer surface of the other one of the at least two panels; and   an internal layer mounted in the external shell with a gap of air therebetween, the internal layer having wicking properties for carrying humidity away from the wearer's foot.   
     
     
         18 . The boot defined in  claim 17 , wherein at least one drying insert is mounted in a window defined in the external shell at a location spaced from the sole, the internal layer carrying humidity from an area proximal to the sole to the at least one drying insert. 
     
     
         19 . The boot defined in  claim 17  wherein the microfiber substrate is laminated on both sides thereof with said impermeable film thereby providing at least two impermeable layers across a thickness of the external shell, a first one of the impermeable layer being provided at said outer most surface of the external shell and a second one of the impermeable layer being provided at an innermost surface of the external shell.