Sock-lined footwear and associated manufacturing method

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns a sock-lined footwear upper defining a foot-receiving cavity and comprising a sock having an outer surface and an inner surface at least partially delimiting the foot-receiving cavity and comprising a heel counter area; an outer layer covering at least partially the outer surface of the sock; and a heel pad at least partially secured to the inner surface of the sock in the heel counter area thereof. The present disclosure also concerns such a heel pad, an item of sock-lined footwear comprising such an upper and a method for manufacturing such an item of sock-lined footwear.

1 . A sock-lined footwear upper defining a foot-receiving cavity and comprising:
 a sock having an outer surface and an inner surface at least partially delimiting the foot-receiving cavity and comprising a heel counter area;   an outer layer covering at least partially the outer surface of the sock; and   a heel pad at least partially secured to the inner surface of the sock in the heel counter area thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the heel pad has a sole-facing edge, a length, a height, an inner surface at least partially delimiting the foot-receiving cavity and an opposed outer surface at least partially secured to the inner surface of the sock, and wherein the heel pad comprises at least one heel-abutting portion protruding inwardly and extending along at least a portion of the length of the heel pad, in an upper portion thereof, the heel-abutting portion creating a thickness variation in the heel pad and being shaped and dimensioned to extend at least partially above a heel of a user's foot at least partially engaged into the foot-receiving cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one heel-abutting portion comprises one or more elongated cushioning pads protruding inwardly and comprising a peripheral border at least partially rounded. 
     
     
         4 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one heel-abutting portion comprises two elongated cushioning pads, and wherein the heel pad has an axis of symmetry extending substantially vertically between said two elongated cushioning pads. 
     
     
         5 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 2 , wherein the heel pad comprises one or more depressions formed in the inner surface and creating an additional thickness variation in the heel pad, and wherein, considered along the height of the heel pad, said one or more depressions comprises an elongated depression extending below said at least one heel-abutting portion. 
     
     
         6 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 5 , wherein the elongated depression has upper and lower edges, and wherein a distance between the upper edge and the sole-facing edge of the heel pad varies along the length of the heel pad. 
     
     
         7 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 5 , wherein said one or more depressions further comprises a substantially circular central depression having an increasing depth towards a center thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 7 , wherein the elongated depression at least partially intersects the central depression. 
     
     
         9 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 2 , wherein, considered along the height of the heel pad, the heel pad has a middle portion extending below the upper portion comprising the at least one heel-abutting portion, and, considered along at least a portion of the length of the heel pad, a thickness of the upper portion is greater than a thickness of the middle portion. 
     
     
         10 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 9 , wherein the heel pad further comprises a sole-adjacent portion, wherein, considered along the height of the heel pad, the middle portion extends between the upper portion and the sole-adjacent portion, and wherein, considered along at least a portion of the length of the heel pad, a thickness of the sole-adjacent portion is smaller than the thickness of the middle portion. 
     
     
         11 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the heel pad comprises a periphery sewed at least partially to the inner surface of the sock. 
     
     
         12 . The sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the heel pad comprises an inner layer, an outer layer and a resilient material layer at least partially made of latex sandwiched between the inner and outer layers. 
     
     
         13 . A heel pad for a sock-lined footwear upper comprising an inner sock having an inner surface at least partially delimiting a foot-receiving cavity and comprising a heel counter area, the heel pad having a length and a height and comprising:
 an outer surface securable to the inner surface of the inner sock in the heel counter area thereof;   an opposed inner surface; and   at least one heel-abutting portion protruding forwardly and creating at least one protrusion on the inner surface, the at least one heel-abutting portion extending along at least a portion of the length and being shaped and dimensioned to extend at least partially above a heel of a user's foot at least partially engaged into the foot-receiving cavity when the heel pad is at least partially secured to the inner sock.   
     
     
         14 . The heel pad according to  claim 13 , wherein the heel pad has a substantially semi-circular shape having an apex and being delimitated by an arcuate peripheral edge and a substantially straight peripheral edge, said at least one heel-abutting portion comprising two elongated cushioning pads extending adjacent to the arcuate peripheral edge and defining a convexity towards the apex, and wherein the heel pad has an axis of symmetry extending substantially vertically between said two elongated cushioning pads. 
     
     
         15 . The heel pad according to  claim 14 , further comprising an elongated depression formed in the inner surface and extending, considered along the height of the heel pad, below said two elongated cushioning pads. 
     
     
         16 . The heel pad according to  claim 15 , further comprising a substantially circular central depression formed in the inner surface, the elongated depression at least partially intersecting the central depression. 
     
     
         17 . An item of sock-lined footwear comprising:
 an outsole having an inner surface and an outer surface; and   a sock-lined footwear upper according to  claim 1 , the sock-lined footwear upper extending from the outsole, the heel pad being adjacent to the outsole.   
     
     
         18 . The item of sock-lined footwear according to  claim 17 , wherein the heel pad is adjacent to the outsole. 
     
     
         19 . A method for manufacturing an item of sock-lined footwear, the method comprising:
 providing a heel pad and a sock having an outer surface and an inner surface comprising a heel counter area;   securing the heel pad to the inner surface of the sock, in the heel counter area thereof;   providing a footwear last having an outer surface with a heel pad-receiving recess formed therein;   positioning the sock over the footwear last with the heel pad at least partially received in the heel pad-receiving recess;   covering at least partially the outer surface of the sock with a vulcanizable material; and   forming at least partially an upper of the item of sock-lined footwear with said vulcanizable material.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein securing the heel pad to the inner surface of the sock further comprises sewing the heel pad to the inner surface of the sock.