EP0968667A1 - Shoe provided with draining and moisture removing means - Google Patents

Abstract

The boot is constituted by an external heel part (110) and an inner lining (120). The lining is made from a complicated fabric comprising two parallel textile surfaces (124,126) connected together by a layer of wires (125). The wire layer defines a compressible space between the two textile surfaces. It extends from the bottom (121) to the upper end (122) of the external heel. It is only connected to the external heel by a peripheral top stitch (123).

Description

The subject of the present invention is a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, such as a hiking shoe, provided with means of drainage and evacuation of humidity.

The problem of ventilation of the inside of a shoe and the evacuation of air is a long-standing problem that has never been resolved in a way totally satisfactory.

So the mountaineering shoe known under the trade name "CLIMA-COMPREX" by Koflach has a waterproof outer shell and a inner liner provided with longitudinal channels on its outer wall communicating with through holes of said liner and intended for evacuation humidity laden air.

The problem with such a shoe is that the air discharge rate is very limited and therefore ventilation is insufficient to remove moisture. Through elsewhere, the distance of the foot from the outer wall of the boot causes condensation problems, especially since the outer casing is exposed to cold.

Different constructions have also been tried with so-called materials "waterproof-breathable", that is to say materials permeable to water vapor but waterproof. The constructions certainly allow an excellent seal vis-à-vis the outside but have the drawback of breathability or insufficient humid air evacuation.

Indeed, the so-called "waterproof-breathable" materials or membranes provide a breathability despite everything reduced and in fact covering only 10% of the needs moisture evacuation of the foot.

More recently, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the company Boréal has put developed a mountain shoe consisting of an outer upper 1 in leather and a liner-like lining 2, designed to wick away moisture and consisting of lower part 21 surrounding the foot part proper and of a part upper 22 surrounding the ankle part.

• un tissu tridimensionnel 25,
• une membrane "imper-respirante", du type connu sous la dénomination commerciale "Sympatex", collée sur une couche textile de protection 26 (résistance à l'abrasion),
• une couche de cuir constituant la tige externe 1.

As shown in more detail in FIG. 1A, the lower part 21 of the lining 2 is made of a multilayer material comprising, from the inside to the outside:

• a three-dimensional fabric 25,
• a "waterproof-breathable" membrane, of the type known under the trade name "Sympatex", bonded to a protective textile layer 26 (abrasion resistance),
• a layer of leather constituting the outer upper 1.

The upper part 22 of the lining consists of a layer of leather 27 and foam 28.

The two parts 21-22 are connected by a high peripheral seam 23, of even a low peripheral seam 24 assembles the lower part 21 of the slipper.

The use of three-dimensional fabric 25 is intended to allow evacuation water vapor outwards in a transverse and vertical direction.

In practice, this evacuation is stopped in the vertical direction by the presence of the upper peripheral seam 23 and the lower peripheral seam 24.

Therefore, perspiration can only be evacuated in a transverse direction in the lower part 21 of the lining, through the "waterproof-breathable" membrane 26 and the outer leather wall of the outer rod 1.

However, as indicated above, "waterproof-breathable" materials do not do not allow sufficient moisture to escape and the effect obtained is therefore not satisfying.

The object of the present invention is therefore to remedy these drawbacks and to provide improved shoe construction and allow better evacuation of moisture produced by perspiration.

This object is achieved in the shoe according to the invention which is of the type constituted an external rod and an internal lining, by the fact that the internal lining is made of a complexed fabric comprising two parallel textile faces connected together by a layer of wires extending essentially perpendicular to the plane constituted by each of the two textile faces, and defining a space compressible between these two textile faces, by the fact that it extends from the bottom to the upper end of the outer rod, and that it is not connected to the outer rod only by a high peripheral seam.

Complexed tissue, better known as three-dimensional tissue, defines a layer of air surrounding the foot over the entire surface of the shoe and rises to the top of the shoe upper, thus allowing optimal evacuation of moist air from the foot to the top of the shoe, and this through maximum exchange area.

Such a construction solves the problem of too limited exchange surface as in the case of constructions using a "waterproof-breathable" layer or channel and through hole systems described above.

In addition, the assembly of the lining to the outer rod by a single seam high device ensures that humid air can be exhausted in one direction essentially vertical, that is to say from the bottom to the top of the shoe.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the internal lining forms a slipper joined by a single median longitudinal seam. This construction guarantees also good circulation of humid air since it can be exhausted from the middle seam of the sole to the sides of the liner.

La figure 1 est une vue en perspective arrière avec arraché partiel d'une chaussure selon l'art antérieur.

La figure 1A est une vue de détail de la figure 1.

La figure 2 est une vue en perspective arrière d'un chausson selon l'art antérieur.

La figure 3 est une vue similaire à la figure 1 d'une chaussure selon l'invention.

La figure 3A est une vue de détail de la figure 3.

La figure 3B est une vue de détail de la figure 3.

La figure 3C est une vue de détail similaire à la figure 3B selon un autre mode de réalisation.

La figure 4 est une vue similaire à la figure 2 d'un chausson selon l'invention.

In any case, the invention will be better understood and other characteristics thereof will be highlighted with the aid of the description which follows with reference to the appended schematic drawing.

Figure 1 is a rear perspective view with partial cutaway of a shoe according to the prior art.

FIG. 1A is a detailed view of FIG. 1.

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of a liner according to the prior art.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a shoe according to the invention.

FIG. 3A is a detailed view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3B is a detailed view of FIG. 3.

Figure 3C is a detail view similar to Figure 3B according to another embodiment.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a liner according to the invention.

As shown in particular in Figures 3 and 4, the shoe 100 according to the invention consists of an outer rod 110, a sole 101 and a lining inner bootie 120.

Unlike liner 2 of the known prior art, liner 120 according to the invention has a continuous structure from the bottom, that is to say its sole 121 to its upper end 122.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the liner 120 consists of a complexed fabric three-dimensional, namely: two parallel textile faces or layers respectively internal 124 and external 126, these two faces 124 and 126 being connected together by a layer of wires 125 extending essentially perpendicular to the plane formed by each of these faces and defining an elastically compressible air space between these two faces 124, 126. Such a three-dimensional fabric is generally made up during the same manufacturing step. It can also be created using two textile tablecloths produced independently of each other and then connected by an airy layer depending on its thickness. The two faces 124, 126 are preferably made up of jersey tablecloths, they can also be made up of sheets of woven or non-woven threads.

In all cases, the materials constituting the three-dimensional fabric are of preferably hydrophobic synthetic materials.

Preferably, the internal face 124, located closest to the foot of the user, is formed by a jersey with large mesh intended to allow an optimal evacuation in radial direction (i.e. substantially perpendicular to the plane of said layer 124) of perspiration generated by the foot.

The external face 126 is preferably, although not necessarily, associated with a additional layer 127 provided with a "waterproof-breathable" membrane (cf. FIG. 3C) such as those known under the trade names "Gore Tex", "Sympatex" or "Clima Dry".

In this case, the additional layer 127 is preferably constituted by a fabric with tight meshes to form an effective support for said membrane and protect it against abrasion.

As shown in Figure 4 the shoe 120 is made from two pieces cut from complexed fabric, assembled along a single longitudinal seam 123 arranged substantially along a median longitudinal plane of said liner 120.

Therefore, the perspiration emitted by the foot can circulate freely from the sole 121 of the lining, on either side of the longitudinal seam 123, and go up along the vertical walls of the lining, without being stopped by horizontal seams (like seams 23 of the bootie in Figure 2), up to the upper end 122 of said lining as shown by the arrows V.

Therefore, the entire surface of the lining 120 can be used to evacuate, by effect of convection, the humidity resulting from perspiration from the bottom to the top, by a vertical circulation of hot humid air through the air layer defined by the layer 125.

As the evacuation of moisture takes place essentially in one direction longitudinal, i.e. in the plane or thickness of the material constituting the lining, in contrast to an evacuation in a radial direction through the wall of the material as in the case of the shoe known from FIGS. 1 and 2, the addition a layer 127 with "waterproof-breathable" membrane does not hinder the evacuation of humidity and also provides the desired seal for a building really "breathable waterproof".

As shown in Figure 3A, the liner 120 is connected at its end upper 122 - edge to edge - to the outer rod 120 by a peripheral seam 123 which is then turned over, this seam 123 therefore does not hinder the circulation of air wet to the upper end 122 of the lining.

A "through" seam 130 may also be provided between the lining 120 and the outer rod 110 so as to define a comfort bead at the rear of the shoe. Insofar as this seam 130 only extends over part of the perimeter of the upper end 122 of the lining, it does not interfere excessively the evacuation of perspiration upwards.

The rod 110 is preferably made of a breathable material such as leather 111, associated with a comfort material such as foam 112. Of course, all types of materials, including waterproof materials, can be used to all or part of the stem.

Note that the three-dimensional structure of the lining also allows limit the quantity and thickness of comfort foam 112 for the upper, since the air layer defined by the three-dimensional structure itself provides a certain comfort.

The air circulation V described above takes place in particular by the effect of pumping (contraction / extension of materials) linked with deformations of the shoe when walking.

• l'air humide reste à l'état gazeux dans la doublure car il reste très proche du pied, lui-même chaud, et ne se condense donc pas comme dans les structures de chausson avec canaux de ventilation prévus à l'extrémité dudit chausson,
• le tissu tridimensionnel capte l'humidité par capillarité de sa face interne en contact avec la chaussette ou le pied de l'utilisateur et l'évacue, de sorte que l'humidité restant au contact du pied est quasi nulle.

Surprisingly, the effect of circulation and evacuation of humid air by the lining construction described above is extremely advantageous for the following reasons:

• the humid air remains in the gaseous state in the lining because it remains very close to the foot, which is itself hot, and therefore does not condense as in liner structures with ventilation channels provided at the end of said liner,
• the three-dimensional fabric captures moisture by capillarity of its internal face in contact with the sock or the foot of the user and discharges it, so that the moisture remaining in contact with the foot is almost zero.

• comme indiqué précédemment, le tissu tridimensionnel participe au confort par sa couche interne élastique qui peut se déformer ponctuellement et élastiquement en cas de compression. Par ailleurs, cette couche élastique revient toujours en position initiale et ne se tasse donc pas comme les mousses usuelles,
• la couche d'air stockée dans le tissu tridimensionnel renforce l'isolation thermique de la chaussure et permet donc de supprimer des épaisseurs de mousse prévues à cet effet. A confort thermique égal, la chaussure comporte donc moins de mousses qui sont susceptibles de stocker l'humidité et qui augmentent son poids,
• la doublure en tissu tridimensionnel sèche beaucoup plus rapidement que les doublures traditionnelles du fait de sa constitution à partir de matériaux hydrophobes et également de sa surface d'échange importante.

In addition, this construction offers other advantages:

• as indicated above, the three-dimensional fabric contributes to comfort by its elastic internal layer which can deform punctually and elastically in the event of compression. Furthermore, this elastic layer always returns to the initial position and therefore does not settle like the usual foams,
• the layer of air stored in the three-dimensional fabric reinforces the thermal insulation of the shoe and therefore makes it possible to remove the thicknesses of foam provided for this purpose. With equal thermal comfort, the shoe therefore has fewer foams which are capable of storing moisture and which increase its weight,
• the three-dimensional fabric lining dries much faster than traditional linings due to its constitution from hydrophobic materials and also its large exchange surface.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above by way of nonlimiting example but encompasses all the embodiments thereof similar or equivalent.

In particular, it is not limited to an application to a type lining. liner, that is to say having a sole, and can work very well effectively with lining portions extending from the bottom to the upper end of the rod.

Claims (5)

Shoe consisting of an external upper (110) and an internal lining (120), characterized in that the internal lining (110) consists of a complexed fabric having two parallel textile faces (124, 126) connected together by a layer (125) of wires, extending essentially perpendicular to the plane formed by each of the two faces, and defining a compressible space between the two faces parallel (124, 126), in that it extends from the bottom (121) to the end upper (122) of the external rod (110), and in that it is not connected to the external rod (110) than by a high peripheral seam (123). Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the lining (120) comprises a sole part (121) intended to receive the foot. Shoe according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the internal lining (120) forms a liner assembled by a single seam substantially median longitudinal (123). Shoe according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the lining comprises a layer (127) provided with a "waterproof-breathable" membrane. Shoe according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the upper outer (110) is at least partially made of a breathable material such as leather.

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