Booties and footwear assemblies comprising seamless extensible film, and methods therefor

Abstract

Waterproof, breathable socks, booties, shoe inserts, and footwear assemblies containing the shoe inserts are provided. The booties and shoe inserts may include a laminate comprising a seamless extensible film, such as a polyurethane film, and at least one textile. The bootie is suitable for a range of sizes and shoe shapes. The bootie may shrink to fit, or, alternatively, be stretched to fit, an asymmetrical last having a desired size to form a shoe insert. A bootie having a seamless extensible film eliminates the need to have multiple sizes of shoe inserts correlating to particular shoe sizes. In embodiments where the polyurethane film 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 bootie comprising:
 a seamless, extensible film having a three dimensional configuration of   a symmetrical or an asymmetrical last or portion thereof, wherein the film comprises a first side and a second side.   
     
     
         2 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein the extensible film is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane (PU), polyethylene (PE), polyester (PES), polypropylene (PP), polyether (PE), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polystyrene, polyamide, polybenzimidazole (PBI), polycarbonate, polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate (PEVA), polyvinylchloride (PVC), cellulose acetate, polyimide, and block and random copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein the extensible film is polyurethane (PU). 
     
     
         4 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein the extensible film is porous and the porous extensible film is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane (PU), polyethylene (PE), polyester (PES), polypropylene (PP), polyether (PE), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polystyrene, and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein the film has a minimum elongation at break of 200% or more in at least one direction. 
     
     
         6 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein the film has a minimum elongation at break from 200% to 500% in at least one direction. 
     
     
         7 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein the film has a minimum elongation at break of 500% or more in at least one direction. 
     
     
         8 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein the seamless, extensible film comprises a conformed film having a three dimensional configuration of a symmetrical last or portion thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein the seamless, extensible film comprises a shaped film having a three dimensional configuration of an asymmetrical last or portion thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein said bootie has a maximum of 25 N/cm force to stretch at 10% elongation in any direction. 
     
     
         11 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein said bootie has an elastic recovery of at least 50% in any direction. 
     
     
         12 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein said seamless, extensible film has a thickness variation from a first location in said bootie to a second location in said bootie. 
     
     
         13 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein said bootie is waterproof and breathable. 
     
     
         14 . The bootie of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one polymeric overlay on said first or second side of said seamless, extensible film. 
     
     
         15 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein said bootie has a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 3 g/hr. 
     
     
         16 . The bootie of  claim 1 , wherein a first textile joined to said first side of said film to form a first laminate. 
     
     
         17 . The bootie of  claim 16 , wherein a second textile is positioned adjacent said film opposing said first textile to form a second laminate. 
     
     
         18 . The bootie of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of said seamless, extensible film, said first textile, and said second textile has at least one additional layer thereon. 
     
     
         19 . The bootie of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one additional layer is an abrasion resistant coating or an oleophobic coating. 
     
     
         20 . The bootie of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of said first textile and said second textile have at least some elastic properties. 
     
     
         21 . The bootie of  claim 16 , wherein said first textile and said second textile are selected from the group consisting of a knitted textile tube, a woven textile tube, a tubular sock and a formed sock. 
     
     
         22 . The bootie of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of said first textile and said second textile is a sock having a heel portion, a toe portion, and a body portion positioned there between, and wherein at least one of said heel portion and said toe portion is reinforced. 
     
     
         23 . The bootie of  claim 16 , further comprising an adhesive positioned on at least one of said seamless, extensible film, said first textile, and said second textile. 
     
     
         24 . The bootie of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one second component attached to said seamless, extensible film, said laminate or a portion thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The bootie of  claim 24 , wherein said at least one second component creates regions in said bootie, at least one of said regions possessing a function or feature different from another said region. 
     
     
         26 . The bootie of  claim 24 , wherein said at least one second component is selected from the group consisting of a textile, a second component laminate, a textile laminate, a membrane, or a second film different from said seamless, extensible film. 
     
     
         27 . The bootie of  claim 24 , wherein said second component laminate and said textile laminate include a polymer membrane. 
     
     
         28 . A process comprising the steps of:
 providing the seamless, extensible film of  claim 1 ;   creating an opening or fold in the seamless, extensible film; and   joining the seamless, extensible film together at the opening or fold by creating an integrally joined interface.   
     
     
         29 . A bootie comprising:
 a first portion comprising a laminate, the laminate comprising:
 a seamless, extensible film having a three dimensional configuration of a symmetrical or an asymmetrical last or portion thereof, wherein the film comprises a first side and a second side, wherein the film is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane (PU), polyethylene (PE), polyester (PES), polypropylene (PP), polyether (PE), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polystyrene, polyamide, polybenzimidazole (PBI), polycarbonate, polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate (PEVA), polyvinylchloride (PVC), cellulose acetate, polyimide, and block and random copolymers thereof; and 
 a textile on at least one of the first and/or second side; and 
   a second portion attached to the first portion, wherein the second portion is selected from the group consisting of a textile, a second component laminate, a textile laminate, a membrane, or a second film different from said seamless, extensible film.   
     
     
         30 . The bootie of  claim 29 , wherein the film has a minimum elongation at break of 200% or more in at least one direction.