Footwear, Article, Method for Keeping Foot and Sock Dry

Abstract

Described herein is a footwear and an article for keeping a foot dry, and a related method. A footwear member may have an exterior surface defining an exterior of the footwear member, an internal surface defining an internal cavity sized to receive the foot and at least portions of the removable membrane, and a footwear size. The removable membrane may be made of a non-rigid, disposable, resilient material that is impermeable to water. The removable membrane may have a membrane exterior surface, a membrane interior surface, and a membrane size corresponding to the footwear size. The removable membrane configured to conform to a shape and a size of the foot. The method may include providing a footwear assembly including a footwear member and a removable membrane, placing the provided membrane over the foot, and positioning the removable membrane with the foot inserted therein within the boot.

1 . A method of keeping a foot dry using a footwear assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a footwear assembly including a footwear member and a removable membrane, the footwear member having an exterior surface defining an exterior of the footwear member, an internal surface defining an internal cavity sized to receive the foot and at least portions of the removable membrane, and a footwear size, the removable membrane comprising a non-rigid, disposable, resilient material that is impermeable to water, the removable membrane having a membrane exterior surface, a membrane interior surface, and a membrane size corresponding to the footwear size, the removable membrane comprising a closed toe section, a heel section opposite to the toe section, a body section between the toe section and the heel section, a lower leg section above the heel section, and a top opening above the lower leg section, the removable membrane configured to conform to a shape and a size of the foot;   placing the provided membrane over the foot so that the toe section covers toes of the foot, the heel section covers a heel of the foot, and the lower leg section covers at least a portion of a lower leg to which the foot is attached so that the membrane exterior surface is facing away from the foot and lower leg, the membrane interior surface facing towards and contacting the foot when the foot is inserted into the removable membrane;   positioning the removable membrane with the foot inserted therein within the boot, the removable membrane preventing water located within the footwear member from contacting the foot.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane exterior is comprised of a same membrane material as the membrane interior. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the membrane material comprises polyurethane. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the membrane material comprises 100% polyurethane. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises, near the top opening, a membrane retainer to prevent the lower leg section and the top opening from falling down, the method further comprising:
 after the membrane is placed over the foot, placing the membrane retainer to prevent the lower leg section and the top opening from falling down along the lower leg section so that water is prevented from entering the top opening.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane is a first membrane and the membrane size is a first membrane size, the method further comprising:
 removing the boot from over the first membrane and the foot;   removing the first membrane from over the foot;   identifying a non-rigid, resilient second membrane impermeable to water comprised of disposable material, having a second membrane exterior surface and a second membrane interior surface, having a second membrane size associated with the boot size, and configured to conform to the shape and size of the foot;   placing the identified second membrane over the foot, thereby replacing the first membrane with the second membrane.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first membrane size is the same as the second membrane size. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises a discrete layer independent of another layer that is configured to cover the lower leg section or another layer that includes a sock. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the placing occurs prior to the positioning. 
     
     
         10 . A footwear to keep a foot dry, comprising:
 a toe portion;   a heel portion;   a first layer defining a boot exterior surface and a boot interior surface, the boot interior surface being distinct from the boot exterior surface and defining an internal cavity sized to receive the foot;   a removable membrane positioned in the internal cavity and having an exterior membrane surface and an interior membrane surface, the exterior membrane surface at least in part contiguous to the boot interior surface, the removable membrane comprising a non-rigid, resilient, disposable material that is impermeable to water and configured to conform to the shape and size of the foot, the removable membrane comprising a closed toe section, a heel section opposite to the toe section, a body section between the toe section and the heel section, a lower leg section above the heel section, and a top opening above the lower leg section; and   a second layer comprising material for at least one of keeping the foot dry and keeping the foot warm, and having an interior second layer surface and an exterior second layer surface, the interior second layer surface at least in part contiguous to the foot, and the exterior second layer surface at least in part contiguous to the interior membrane surface;   wherein, when the foot is inserted into the removable membrane, the toe section covers the toes of the foot, the heel section covers the heel of the foot, the body section covers the body of the foot, the lower leg section covers at least a portion of a lower leg to which the foot is attached so that the exterior membrane surface is facing away from the foot, the interior membrane surface is facing towards the foot, the removable membrane comprises a discrete layer independent of the first and second layers, and the removable membrane prevents water within the internal cavity to contact the second layer and the foot.   
     
     
         11 . The footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the disposable material comprises polyethylene. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear of  claim 10 , wherein, the disposable material comprises 100% polyethylene. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the second layer further comprises, near the top opening, a membrane retainer to prevent the lower leg section and the top opening from falling down the lower leg of the foot. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the lower leg section comprises a height so that at least one of the top opening remains situated above an ankle of the foot or the top opening remains situated between a knee and the ankle. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the toe section of the membrane is configured to be form-fitted to the toes, and the heel section of the membrane is configured to be form-fitted to the heel. 
     
     
         16 . An article for keeping a foot dry after a boot, into which the foot is inserted, is punctured, the boot having a boot exterior surface and a boot interior surface distinct from the boot exterior surface and having a boot membrane that in an initial state is impermeable to water and when punctured is no longer impermeable to water, the article comprising:
 a non-rigid, resilient membrane impermeable to water comprised of disposable material, having a membrane exterior surface and a polyethylene membrane interior surface, conformed to the shape and size of the foot and comprising a toe section, a heel section opposite to the toe section, a body section between the toe section and the heel section, a lower leg section above the heel section, and a top opening above the lower leg section;   the membrane configured for placement over the foot so that the toe section covers toes of the foot and the heel section covers a heel of the foot, and the lower leg section covers at least a portion of a lower leg so that the polyethylene membrane exterior surface is facing exteriorly away from the foot and the interior membrane surface is facing towards the foot and at least some of the interior membrane surface touches the foot while the membrane is placed over the foot and within the boot, wherein the membrane comprises a discrete layer independent of another layer that is configured to cover the lower leg section or another layer that includes a sock;   near the top opening, a membrane retainer to prevent the lower leg section and the top opening from falling down when the foot is placed in the article and the article is placed in the boot with the punctured boot membrane;   
       wherein, the membrane is configured for placement over the foot and inside the boot so that water having entered through the punctured boot membrane and into the interior of the boot is prevented from passing through the membrane, and also water is prevented from entering the top opening, so that the foot remains dry while in the boot. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the fit of the article is configured to prevent sliding of the foot in the article with the article and foot placed in the boot. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 17 , wherein the article is configured for covering both the foot and a sock placed over the foot. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 18  wherein the article is further configured for covering the foot and at least two dry socks placed over the foot. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 16 , further comprising an inner liner for absorbing moisture off of the foot while in contact with at least a portion of the foot and configured to cover only a bottom portion of the foot. 
     
     
         21 . The article of  claim 20 , wherein the bottom portion comprises nylon.