Footwear with anti-puncture sole membrane

Abstract

An item of footwear comprises an upper adapted to receive a foot of the wearer. A sole is secured to the upper and adapted to be the interface between the wearer and the ground, the sole having a puncture-resistant membrane connected to the sole so as to provide puncture protection for the foot of the wearer, the puncture-resistant membrane having a puncture-resistant layer. A functional layer extends with and connected directly to the puncture-resistant layer and including at least a first functional layer portion and a second functional layer portion being side by side, the first functional layer portion having a first value for a given mechanical property, the second functional layer portion having a second value for said given mechanical property.

1 . An item of footwear comprising:
 an upper adapted to receive a foot of the wearer; and   a sole secured to the upper and adapted to be the interface between the wearer and the ground, the sole having   a puncture-resistant membrane connected to the sole so as to provide puncture protection for the foot of the wearer, the puncture-resistant membrane having   a puncture-resistant layer,   a functional layer extending with and connected directly to the puncture-resistant layer and including at least a first functional layer portion and a second functional layer portion being side by side, the first functional layer portion having a first value for a given mechanical property, the second functional layer portion having a second value for said given mechanical property.   
     
     
         2 . The item of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the puncture-resistant layer is embedded into the sole. 
     
     
         3 . The item of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a midsole secured to the upper and an outsole adhering to the midsole. 
     
     
         4 . The item of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the puncture-resistant membrane is in or is part of the midsole. 
     
     
         5 . The item of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the puncture-resistant membrane is in the outsole. 
     
     
         6 . The item of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the puncture-resistant layer is at a junction between the midsole and the outsole. 
     
     
         7 . The item of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the puncture-resistant layer is embedded into the midsole. 
     
     
         8 . The item of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the puncture-resistant layer is embedded into the outsole. 
     
     
         9 . The item of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a direct-attach joint is formed between the puncture-resistant layer and a remainder of the sole. 
     
     
         10 . The item of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a junction between the upper and the sole defines an inner perimeter of the item of footwear, and wherein the puncture-resistant layer exteriorly extends to or beyond the inner perimeter. 
     
     
         11 . The item of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the puncture-resistant layer exteriorly extends to or beyond the inner perimeter on a full periphery of the item of footwear. 
     
     
         12 . The item of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a joint between the first functional layer portion and the second functional layer portion is transverse to a longitudinal direction of the item of footwear. 
     
     
         13 . The item of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first functional layer portion and the second functional layer portion are made of a same material with a first density and a second density, respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The item of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the given mechanical property is rigidity, the first functional layer portion being less rigid than the second functional layer portion. 
     
     
         15 . The item of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the first functional portion is located opposite a ball-of-the-foot region of the sole. 
     
     
         16 . The item of footwear of  claim 1 , including three or more of the functional layer portions. 
     
     
         17 . The item of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the functional layer has three of the functional layer portions, with the first functional layer portion, the second functional layer portion and a third functional layer portion being sequentially positioned from toe portion to heel portion of the sole. 
     
     
         18 . The item of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the given mechanical property is hardness, with the hardness being greater in the second functional layer portion than in the first functional layer portion and the third functional layer portion. 
     
     
         19 . The item of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the second functional layer portion is located in a foot arch portion of the sole. 
     
     
         20 . The item of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the puncture-resistant layer is high-tenacity tightly woven non-metallic textile.