WO2024042556A1

WO2024042556A1 - Waterproof and water vapour-permeable footwear articles

Info

Publication number: WO2024042556A1
Application number: PCT/IT2022/000044
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrea Giupponi
Original assignee: W. L. Gore & Associati S.R.L.
Priority date: 2022-08-22
Filing date: 2022-08-22
Publication date: 2024-02-29

Abstract

The present application relates to a waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article comprising an upper, an insole, a spacer, and a sole; wherein the upper comprises an outer material, a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane laminated to the inside facing surface of the outer material, wherein the spacer comprises a channel structure; wherein the spacer material is attached to the inside facing surface of the upper and wherein the sole is an injected sole. Further provided is a method of manufacturing such a footwear article.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

WATERPROOF AND WATER VAPOUR-PERMEABLE FOOTWEAR ARTICLES

DESCRIPTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear articles and more particularly to waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear articles and a process for their manufacture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear articles are used for a variety of purposes, such as outdoor sports and heavy duty work such as in the field of fire safety, health work, police, machinery and defence. Such footwear articles are typically much sturdier than everyday articles as they are required to provide reliable protection from the elements and in particular water and fluids.

[0003] In particular in the heavy duty field it is desirable that the footwear articles reliably provide waterproofness during use. For example, in the field of fire safety, boots worn by firemen have to withstand large amounts of water and mechanical stress. Water ingress may render boots cold, heavy and uncomfortable to wear and can then compromise the safety of the wearer. Heavy boots can prevent the wearer from moving quickly while an uncomfortable feeling will distract the attention from the surroundings.

[0004] In addition, waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear articles used in heavy duty work or for outdoor applications often require complex upper materials which can withstand high mechanical stress. In particular, the area between the upper and the sole of a footwear article can pose problems during manufacturing and during use as typically this is where wear and damage can result in water ingress.

[0005] It has been an object of the present application to provide waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear articles which possess reliable and durable waterproofness. A further object of the present application has been to durably prevent ingress of water whilst keeping the footwear article water vapour permeable to allow sweat to dissipate to the outside of the footwear article. And finally there is a need for an optimised manufacturing process of such waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear articles reducing the use of complex materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] A waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article is provided comprising an upper, an insole, a spacer, and a sole. The upper comprises at least an outer material and waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane laminated to the inside facing surface of the outer material. The spacer comprises a channel structure and the sole is an injected sole. The spacer is attached to the inside facing surface of the upper. The channels of the spacer may comprise openings on the surface that is facing the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper.

[0007] The spacer may be selected from a spacer tape, a frame board, or a stuck board. The spacer may be selected from a window board with a spacer material or a window stuck board with a spacer material. The spacer tape may be a tape comprising channels which are perpendicular to the length of the tape. The spacer tape may comprise a flat area for sewing the spacer tape to another material. The channels of the spacer tape may comprise walls on at least 60% of their circumference. The channels of the spacer tape may be open on the surface that is facing the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper. The channels in the spacer tape may extend vertically in the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article.

[0008] The frame board may be in the shape of a footprint. The frame board may comprise an opening in the centre of the frame board. The frame board may comprise further openings positioned along the perimeter of the frame board. The frame board may comprise raised portions which are partitioned by the channels. The channels may be oriented from the opening in the centre of the frame board towards the perimeter of the frame board. The channels of the frame board may comprise walls on at least 60% of their circumference. The channels of the frame board may be open on the surface that is facing the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper. The channels may be located on the surface of the frame board that is facing the sole of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article. The channels may be located on the surface of the frame board that is facing the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper. The channels in the frame board may extend horizontally in the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article.

[0009] The stuck board may be in the form of the toe area of a frame board. The stuck board may comprise an opening in the centre of the stuck board. The stuck board may comprise further openings positioned along the perimeter of the stuck board. The stuck board may comprise raised portions which are partitioned by the channels. The channels may be oriented from the opening in the centre of the stuck board towards the perimeter of the stuck board. The channels of the stuck board may comprise walls on at least 60% of their circumference. The channels may cover 60% of the surface of the stuck board. The channels of the stuck board may be open on the surface that is facing the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper. The channels may be located on the surface of the stuck board that is facing the sole of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article. The channels in the stuck board may extend horizontally in the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article.

[0010] The window board may be in the shape of a footprint. The window board may have one or more openings in the centre of the window board. The spacer material is located on the surface of the window board that is facing the inside of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article. The spacer material may be attached to the window board with adhesive. The spacer material comprises channels. The spacer material may comprise a fibrous network with interconnected channels. The window board may be smaller than the circumference of the opening at the bottom end of the upper.

[0011] The window stuck board may be in the shape of the toe area of the window board. The window stuck board may have one or more openings in the centre of the window stuck board. The spacer material is located on the surface of the window stuck board that is facing the inside of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article. The spacer material may be attached to the window stuck board with adhesive. The spacer material comprises channels. The spacer material may comprise a fibrous network with interconnected channels. The window stuck board may be smaller than the circumference of the opening of the toe area at the bottom end of the upper.

[0012] The spacer may be attached to the bottom end of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper. The spacer may be attached to the surface of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper that is facing the inside of the footwear article.

[0013] The spacer may be attached to the upper with adhesive or with a seam.

[0014] The waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article may further comprise a liner. The liner may comprise at least a lining textile. The liner may comprise at least a lining textile and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane. The liner may comprise a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane sandwiched between two liner textiles. Together with a nonwoven the liner may form a bootie. The bottom end of the liner may extend beyond the bottom end of the upper.

[0015] Further provided is a method of manufacturing a waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article comprising the steps of

- providing an upper comprising a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane laminated to the inside facing surface of an outer material,

- attaching a spacer to the inside facing surface of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper, wherein the spacer comprises a channel structure and wherein spacer is attached to the inside facing surface of the upper and

- injecting a sole polymer. The spacer can be any one of the spacer described herein in relation to the waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article.

[0016] The method may further comprise the step of providing a liner. The liner may comprise at least a liner textile. The liner may comprise at least one liner textile and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane. The method may further comprise the step of attaching the liner to the insole. The footwear article described in this patent application may be manufactured by the above method. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 shows a cross section of a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article comprising a frame board as spacer.

[0018] Figure 2 shows a cross section of a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article comprising a liner and a frame board.

[0019] Figure 3 shows a cross section of a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article comprising a liner bootie and a frame board.

[0020] Figure 4 shows a cross section of a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article comprising a liner, window board and a spacer material.

[0021] Figure 5 shows a cross section of a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article comprising a spacer tape.

[0022] Figure 6 shows a cross section of a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article comprising a protective toe cap, a protective heel cap, a spacer tape, and a window stuck board.

[0023] Figure 7 shows the toe area of a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article comprising window stuck board, a spacer material and a liner.

[0024] Figure 8 shows a frame board.

[0025] Figure 9 shows a stuck board.

[0026] Figure 10 shows a topview of a spacer tape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention.

[0028] To facilitate the understanding of this invention, a number of terms are defined below. Terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as "a", "an" and "the" are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as outlined in the claims.

[0029] The term waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article refers to outer coverings for feet such as shoes, boots, sandals, trainers, sneakers and the like.

[0030] The present invention relates to a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article comprising an upper, an insole, a spacer and a sole.

[0031] The upper comprises an outer material and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane which are laminated. The upper may further comprise at least one textile layer between the outer material and the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane. On the side of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane which faces the inside of the footwear article a backing layer may be laminated. The backing layer may be an open mesh material or a textile layer. Textile layer and open mesh material in regard of the backing layer means any material that allows for the injected polymeric material of the sole to fully penetrate the textile layer or the open mesh material. The textile layer is preferably a knit or a woven. Openings between the fibres, filaments or yarn provide sufficient openings for the injected polymeric sole material to penetrate and to reach the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane. The outer material and the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane are laminated to each other such that the outer material and the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane are attached over most of the surface. The upper may be comprised of a laminate having 2, 3 or 4 layers (including the waterproof and water vapour permeable laminate). [0032] The outer material can be made from any material that is typically used for this purpose. Examples include leather, synthetic leather and textile fabrics. Typically, textile fabrics comprise polyester, polypropylene, polyamide (e.g. nylon) or cotton. The outer material may be a laminate comprising two or more layer of the above materials.

[0033] Textile fabrics may comprise filaments, such a monofilaments, or fibres, or any mixtures thereof. Fibres include natural and synthetic fibres and any mixtures thereof. Natural fibres include cellulosic types such as cotton, hemp or linen; animal fibres such as silk, angora, sheep’s wool, alpaca, cashmere, mohair and any combination thereof.

[0034] Synthetic fibres include fibres based on acrylic polymers, polyesters, polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyamides and any combination thereof. The textile fabrics may be knit fabrics, woven fabrics, or nonwoven fabrics. The fabrics may stretch. The stretchiness may be due to the use of stretchable yarns or fibres, made for example from elastomers. The stretchiness may be due to the way the yarns or fibres are knitted or woven.

[0035] As used herein, the term "knit fabric" refers to any fabric or textile having a configuration with at least one yarn, thread or monofilament turned into consecutive rows of loops, called loop stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active loop stitches are held on a needle until another loop can be passed through them.

[0036] In the process of knitting a fabric is formed by the intermeshing of loops of yarn, yarns or monofilaments. Each thread of yarn or monofilament follows a meandering path, called course, thus forming loops symmetrically to the meandering path of the thread. When one loop is drawn through another, loop stitch is formed. Loop stitches may be formed in horizontal (weft knitting) or vertical direction (warp knitting). A sequence of loop stitches in which each stitch is suspended from the next is called a wale.

[0037] Weft knitting is a method of forming a fabric in which the loops are made in horizontal way from a single yarn or monofilament, and intermeshing of loops takes place in a crosswise direction, i.e. the wales are perpendicular to the course of the yarn or monofilament. Weft knitting may be knit using only one yarn or monofilament, or using a multiplicity of yarns or monofilaments.

[0038] Warp knitting is a method of fabric forming in which the loops are made in a vertical way along the length of the fabric from each warp yarn or monofilament, and intermeshing of loops takes place in a lengthwise direction. In warp knitting, the wales and courses run parallel. One yarn or monofilament is required for each wale, thus numerous ends of yarns or monofilaments are being fed simultaneously to individual needles placed in a lateral direction.

[0039] Preferred knit materials comprise fibres made from polyamide such as nylon (PA 6 or PA 6.6) or polyester.

[0040] “Woven” refers to a fabric or textile formed by weaving. Weaving is a process of fabric forming by the interlacement of warp and weft yarns. Both warp and weft yarns run essentially straight and parallel to each other, either lengthwise (warp) or crosswise (weft).

[0041] “Nonwoven” are typically defined as sheet or web structures where fibres or filaments are entangled mechanically, thermally or chemically. Fibres are laid out in the form of a sheet or web, typically in a random configuration, and then bound either mechanically, such as by needle punching or hydroentangling, or chemically by application of a binder onto the sheet or web, or thermally by melting the fibres or filaments at least partially for bonding with or without a binder present.

[0042] In embodiments the upper may be a laminate comprising four layers. An outermost layer of this laminate may be made of microfibres. This outermost layer may be laminated to a nonwoven layer. On the surface opposite to the microfibre layer the nonwoven layer may be laminated to a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane. As a fourth layer a textile layer may be laminated on the surface of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane that is opposite from the nonwoven layer. This layer is facing the inside of the footwear in the upper. This layer may be an open mesh material such as a knit. The open mesh structure allows for the sole material to penetrate through the textile layer onto the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane. Preferably the microfibres are made from polyamide or polyurethane. Preferably the nonwoven layer is made from polyester or polyamide, for example nylon.

[0043] In embodiments, the outer layer may have been treated to be durable water repellent (DWR). DWR is a treatment of coating, immersing or spraying a hydrophobic agent to fabrics to render them water-resistant or hydrophobic. Preventing the fabric from becoming saturated with water avoids reduction of the breathability of the functional layer.

[0044] The waterproofness of footwear may be determined by use of the Centrifuge test described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,807, and incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The centrifuge tests may be carried out for 30 minutes. The footwear article is considered to be waterproof if no leakage is seen after 30 minutes.

[0045] The water vapour permeability of footwear may be assessed in accordance with the determination of the Whole Boot Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate Test in accordance with the Department of Defense Army Combat Boot Temperate Weather Specifications. The specifications are as follows:

Whole boot water vapour permeability

The boot vapour permeability test shall be designed to indicate the Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate (MVTR) through the test sample by means of a difference in concentration of moisture vapor between the interior and the exterior environment.

Apparatus a) The external test environment control system shall be capable of maintaining 23 (± 1) °C and 50% ± 2% relative humidity throughout the test duration. b) The weight scale shall be capable of determining the weight of test samples filled with water to an accuracy of (± 0.01) gram. c) The water holding bag shall be flexible so that it can be inserted into the test sample and conform to the interior contours; it must be thin enough so that folds do not create air gaps; it must have much higher MVTR than the footwear product to be tested; and it must be waterproof so that only moisture vapor contacts the interior of the footwear product rather than liquid water. d) The internal heater for the test sample shall be capable of controlling the temperature of the liquid water uniformly in the test sample to 35 (± 1) °C. e) The sealing method around the collar of the test sample shall be impervious to both liquid water and water vapour.

Procedure a) Place sample in test environment and condition for at least 12 hours. b) The heating device is inserted into the water holding bag and the complete assembly is then placed into the test sample opening and filled with water to a height of 5 cm measured from inside sole. c) Seal opening around the collar with plastic wrap around the top of the footwear and tape over using packaging tape. d) Heat water in test sample to 35 °C. e) Weigh test sample and record as Wi. f) Hold temperature in test sample after weighing for a minimum of 4 hours. g) After a minimum of 4 hours, reweigh test sample. Record weight as Wf and test duration as Td. h) Calculate MVTR of the test sample in grams/hour from the equation below: i) MVTR = (Wi - Wf)/Td.

This test is in accordance with ASTM D8041 (2016). For example, for a low ankle shoe of European shoe size 42, the footwear may be considered breathable if above calculated value is above 1.5 grams/hour. For larger or smaller shoe sizes, said limit value may be extrapolated in accordance with the increased or decreased surface area of the shoe.

[0046] The waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane is considered to have waterproof characteristics when the requirements specified in DIN EN 343 (2010) are met, i.e. a test of the liquid water resistance with respect to hydrostatic water pressure according to EN 20811 (1992) yields a liquid water resistance Wp of 8000 Pa, or more. Water vapor permeability of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane is tested and defined in EN ISO 15496, also known as the "Cup Test". A 20 cm x 20 cm or a circular 0 100mm sample of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane is placed onto a container containing water and covered with a water vapor permeable and waterproof membrane. Then a cup containing potassium acetate and being covered by the same membrane is placed on the sample. Water vapor passes through the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane into the cup, whose weight increase is then determined. The waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane is considered water vapor permeable or breathable if the water vapor permeability is greater than or equal to 0.01 g/(Pa m² h). If the required size of the sample cannot be obtained, a smaller sample may be used for the measurement using a smaller cup containing half the amount of potassium acetate specified in the Norm, i.e. 50g instead of 100g and mixed with 15.6g of water. The terms water vapor permeability and breathability are used interchangeably herein.

[0047] Non-limiting examples of suitable synthetic polymer membranes which are waterproof and water vapour permeable include polyurethanes, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), modified polytetrafluoroethylene polymers, tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) copolymers, polyalkylenes such as polypropylene and polyethylene, polyether sulfone (PES), polyesters, poly (p- xylylene) (ePPX) as taught in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0032069, porous ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (eUHMWPE) as taught in U.S. Patent No. 9,926,416 to Sbriglia, U.S. Patent Application No. 2021/0317276 to Bell, PCT Patent Application No. 2020/28331 to Bell, porous ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (eETFE) as taught in U.S. Patent No. 9,932,429 to Sbriglia, porous polylactic acid (ePLLA) as taught in U.S. Patent No. 7,932,184 to Sbriglia, et al., porous vinylidene fluoride-co-tetrafluoroethylene or trifluoroethylene [VDF-co-(TFE or TrFE)] polymers as taught in U.S. Patent No. 9,441 ,088 to Sbriglia and copolymers and combinations thereof.

[0048] The waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane may comprise at least one of expanded polytetrafluorethylene (ePTFE), expanded polyethylene, expanded polypropylene, expanded polyolefins, polyurethane, polyester and copolyether ester, polyether, expanded polyether , polyamide , copolyether amides and polyacrylate, and composites or multilayer laminates thereof. The waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane may be made of a fluoropolymer, particularly made of microporous expanded polytetrafluorethylene (ePTFE).

[0049] The microporous polytetrafluoroethylene waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane may be a membrane of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene as taught in US 3,953,566 and US 4,187,390. Such membranes of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene are present in commercially available fabrics from W. L. Gore and Associates, under the tradename GORE-TEX® fabric. The water vapor permeable and waterproof membrane may be composed of a polyurethane coated microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane made substantially according to the teachings of US 4,194,041 and US 4,942,214 assigned to W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc, in Elkton, Md. At least one further support material such as a knitted textile on one or both sides of the membrane may be present.

[0050] In embodiments, the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane comprises a laminate of a membrane and a support layer or a membrane that is sandwiched between two support layers. The support layers may be textile layers as discussed above. A support layer on the surface of waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane facing the spacer may only be an open mesh material or an open textile layer. Open textile layer and open mesh material in this regard means any material that allows for the injected polymeric material of the sole to fully penetrate the open textile layer or the open mesh material. The open textile layer is preferably a knit or a woven.

[0051] The waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane may be present in the total length of the upper. Alternatively, the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane may only be present in the area of the upper that surrounds the foot of the wearer, for example from the bottom of the foot to the area that surrounds the ankle of the wearer but not further.

[0052] The spacer comprises a plurality of channels. The spacer may be selected from a spacer tape, a frame board, a stuck board, a window board with a spacer material, or a window stuck board with a spacer material. The waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article may comprise different spacers in different areas of the waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article.

[0053] The channels in the spacer are adapted to allow the injected sole polymer to flow from the position of injection towards, for example, the perimeter of the upper. The channels in the spacer may allow for the injectable polymer of the sole to flow during injection of the sole towards the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper, and optionally towards the waterproof and water vapor permeable membrane of the liner, thus sealing the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article against water ingress.

[0054] In the sense of the present invention, the term “channel” is used to describe a passage or duct allowing the injectable polymer of the sole assembly to flow through. The channels may have an entry for the injectable polymer and an exit. The channels provide a lumen through which the injectable polymer may flow during injection. There may be openings in the perimeter of the channels allowing the injectable polymer to flow towards the waterproof and water vapor permeable membranes of the upper and/or the liner.

[0055] The channels in the spacer may extend horizontally in the finished footwear article. The channels in the spacer may extend vertically in the finished footwear article. As the injected sole polymer is waterproof the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article is sealed against water ingress. In particular the area between the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper and the waterproof sole is durably sealed to render the footwear article waterproof.

[0056] In addition and in order to improve the flow of the injectable polymer during injection, the channels may comprise an opening in their circumference. In these embodiments, the channel may be in the form of a groove. Alternatively, the channels may be formed between raised portions of the spacer material. The raised portions may at least have a thickness of at least 1.5 mm, preferably at least 3 mm. The channels may have a diameter of at least 1.5 mm, preferably at least 3 mm. [0057] The channels may be grooves or spaces between the raised portions of the spacer material and may have any suitable geometry such as for example a square, rectangular, triangular, elliptic or round diameter.

[0058] Alternatively the channels may be formed from a three-dimensional wave pattern where the channel is formed by the space between a trough and the 2 crests on either side along the length of the spacer material.

[0059] In a further embodiment the channels may be formed in a spacer material that is used in combination with a window board or a window stuck board. The spacer material comprises a fabric of intertwined fibres providing channels to allow for the injected polymer to enter and flow through the channels formed between the fibres of the fabric. The channels may have a diameter of at least 1.5 mm, preferably at least 3 mm.

[0060] The spacer material may be made from polymer materials comprising polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyurethane (PU), synthetic rubber (TR) or natural fibres as further discussed above. The spacer material may be a nonwoven. The spacer material may be leather. The spacer material may have a thickness of at least 1 mm to allow for the sole material to penetrate and flow through the channels of the spacer material.

[0061] The spacer material may be a spacer tape. The spacer tape may be provided as a ribbon comprising a plurality of channels perpendicular to the length of the ribbon. The spacer tape may be a tape comprising the above mentioned channels spanning the width or a portion of the width of the tape. The spacer tape may comprise a portion without channels which may extend in the longitudinal direction of the tape. This portion may be used for attachment of the spacer tape within the footwear article. This portion of the spacer tape not comprising channels may have a smaller thickness than the rest of the spacer tape to facilitate attachment for example by a Strobel seam. The spacer tape may be made from a sufficiently bendable material that is capable of conforming to the contour of the footwear article. [0062] The spacer tape may be cut into the appropriate length to conform to a portion of or the whole circumference of the footwear article. The spacer tape may be used in at least a portion of the waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article, for example in the middle foot and/or the heel portion of the footwear article. The spacer tape may be used in the middle foot and heel portion of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article while a different spacer is used in the toe portion of the waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article. The waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article may comprise a spacer tape in the middle foot and heel portion of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article and a stuck board or window stuck board may be used in the toe region of the waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article as spacer.

[0063] The waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article may comprise a frame board as the spacer. The frame board may comprise the shape of a footprint. The frame board may be a frame in the form of a footprint with a large opening in the centre of the frame board. The sole polymer may be injected through this opening. On the frame, the frame board may comprise the channels which are oriented such that the lumen of the channels traverses the frame in a direction from the inside to the outside, for example, across the width of the frame. When injected through the opening in the centre of the frame board the sole polymer enters the channels and flows across the frame towards the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper and/or the liner. In addition, the frame board may further comprise a flat and/or raised portion for attachment to the upper. In a further embodiment, the frame board comprises in addition to the channels openings in the frame to optimise the flow of the injected sole polymer. The openings may have different sizes and/or different geometries such as circles, squares, triangles, ellipses and the like.

[0064] The spacer may further be a stuck board. A stuck board may be the toe portion of a frame board. The positioning of the channels and/or further openings in the frame board apply to the stuck board as well. The stuck board may not comprise a central opening. The stuck board may be shaped as a front portion of a footprint that has been cut off in the middle foot area. The channels may be arranged such that their lumens extend from the cut line towards the outer rim of the stuck board. The stuck board may comprise a raised portion around the outer rim for attachment to the insole, the liner and/or the upper. The stuck board may be glued to the insole, liner and/or upper with adhesive. The insole may be a net board.

[0065] The spacer may be a window board with a spacer material. The window board may be in the shape of a footprint. The window board may comprise at least one opening. The sole polymer may be injected through the at least one opening. The window board may be flat. On the surface that is facing the inside of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article the window board comprises a spacer material as described above. The spacer material may be attached to the window board. The spacer material may be glued to the window board. The spacer material may be sewn to the window board. The spacer material may cover the at least one opening of the window board. The spacer material may only cover the window board but not the at least one opening.

[0066] The spacer may be a window stuck board with a spacer material. The window stuck board has the same outline as the stuck board. The window stuck board may not have any raised portions. The window stuck board may have at least one opening.

[0067] On the surface that is facing the inside of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article the window stuck board comprises a spacer material as described above. The spacer material may be attached to the window stuck board. The spacer material may be sewn to the window stuck board. The spacer material may be attached to the window stuck board with adhesive. The spacer material may cover the at least one opening. The spacer material may only cover the window stuck board but not the at least one opening.

[0068] The spacer may be attached to the upper at the bottom end of the inside facing surface of the upper. The spacer may be attached to the upper with adhesive. The spacer may be sewn to the upper. The spacer may be located between the bottom ends of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membranes of the upper and the liner.

[0069] The waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article may comprise different spacers in the toe area of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article than the rest of the waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article, for example the middle foot portion and/or the heel portion.

[0070] The waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article may further comprise a liner. The liner may be located on the inside of the upper. The liner may comprise at least one textile layer or a mesh material. The liner may comprise at least one textile layer and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane. The liner may be a laminate comprising a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane sandwiched between two textile layers. The liner may be in the form of a bootie. The liner may form a bootie only in the toe area. At the bottom the bootie may comprise a different material than at the sides of the bootie. At the bottom of the bootie the liner may be reinforced with a different material. If the material at the bottom of the bootie is different from the material on the sides of the bootie the different materials may be sewn together. The bottom of the bootie may be made from a nonwoven board.

[0071] When the liner is open at the bottom and comprises a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane, the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane faces the spacer. In order for the injected sole polymer to reach the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the liner, any textile layer located between the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane and the spacer must have an open textile structure or open mesh structure as described for the upper as well.

[0072] The bottom end of the liner may extend beyond the bottom end of the upper.

[0073] The insole may be made of any suitable material such as for example bonded leather, synthetic fabrics, thermoplastic polymers, fibreboard or rubber. The insole may be a lasting board, a strobel board, a net board or a toe lasting board. A lasting board may have a higher stiffness and hardness than a strobel board. A strobel board is typically a textile material to enable stitching of the spacer and/or the liner to the strobel board. A toe lasting board is a lasting board with smaller dimensions to allow for sealing of the bootie between the toe lasting board and the seam sewing of the strobel board to the bootie. [0074] Typical lasting adhesives such as hotmelt or pressure sensitive adhesives can be used, for example co-polyester or polyamide hotmelt adhesives or polyurethane.

[0075] When a protective toe cap is used as a safety toe cap this safety toe cap extends to the edge of the lasting board and potentially not enough injected sole material would be able to penetrate through the spacer onto the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper to seal the footwear article. In order to improve the amount of injected sole material to reach the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane a lasting board comprising a window and a spacer material can be used as insole. Around the window a spacer material may be attached on the upper surface of the insole facing the underside of the foot of the wearer. The spacer material may have raised edges around the window with channels for the injected sole material to flow through towards the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane. Alternatively it may be a mesh. The mesh may be glued over the window. The spacer material preferably has a thickness of at least 2 mm.

[0076] The sole may be made from a polymeric material such as polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and injected over the bottom of the footwear construction that is assembled on a last.

[0077] At the end of the manufacturing process a footbed may be placed into the waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article. The footbed may be made from material that cushions the foot of the wearer and provides a better fit and further thermal insulation.

[0078] In embodiments, the footbed may comprise two layers of material. The bottom layer facing the sole may be made from for example polyurethane (PU) foam, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), ad/or polyethylene (PE) foams. The upper layer facing the foot of the wearer may be made from any of the materials disclosed for the liner. The footbed may be removable and not be attached to the insole and/or liner.

[0079] Figure 1 shows a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article 10 comprising an upper 40, an insole 50 and a sole 90. A frame board 60 is glued to the underside of the insole 50 with adhesive 80. The frame board 60 could also be manufactured one-piece with the insole 50. The upper 40 comprises at least an outer material 20 and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30. On the surface of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 that faces the inside of the footwear article 10 a further open textile layer or open mesh layer be laminated (not shown).

[0080] The bottom end of the upper 40 is glued to the frame board 60 with lasting adhesive 70. When the sole polymer is injected to mould the sole 90, the sole polymer will flow through the central opening of the frame board 60. On the surface facing the sole 90 the frame board 60 comprises channels directing the sole polymer from the central opening of the frame board 60 towards the outside of the footwear article. The polymer entering these channels will be in contact with the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 of the upper 40 and form a waterproof bond. The channels are located in a raised portion around the central opening of the frame board 60 and injection of the sole polymer creates a sealing ring around the bottom of the footwear article 10 durably waterproofing the footwear article 10.

[0081] An alternative embodiment is shown in Figure 2. In contrast to the embodiment of Figure 1 , the embodiment of Figure 2 is double lasted allowing for sealing of two waterproof and water vapour permeable membranes at once. The upper 40 comprises an outer material 20 and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30. On the surface of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 that faces the inside of the footwear article 10 a further textile layer or mesh layer may be laminated (not shown).

[0082] The waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article 10 further comprises a liner 110. The liner 110 is a laminate of at least a lining textile 100 and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30. Alternatively, the liner 110 may be a laminate comprising a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 sandwiched between two lining textiles 100 (not shown).

[0083] In a first step the lining 110 is attached to the underside of the insole 50 with lasting adhesive 70. The lasting adhesive may be applied discontinuously so that the injected sole material can enter between the lining an the insole. Then a frame board 60 is atached to the outward facing surface of the liner 110 with adhesive 80. The adhesive must be compatible with the sole material, i.e. the adhesive and the sol material merge. Alternatively the adhesive may be applied in dots so that the sole material can flow around the adhesive dots towards the waterproof and water vapor permeable membrane of the liner. The frame board comprises raised portions around the inner perimeter which are intersected by channels. And finally, the upper 40 is lasted to the frame board 60 and atached with lasting adhesive 70. The perimeter edge of the liner 110 may extend beyond the frame board 60 and the upper 40. If desired, a protective toe cap can be inserted between the liner 110 and the upper 40 (not shown).

[0084] When the sole polymer is injected to mould the sole 90, the sole polymer will seal the perimeter edge of the liner 110 and in particular provide a seal with the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 of the liner 110 when the liner 110 extends beyond the upper 40 and the frame board 60. Further, the sole polymer will flow through the central opening of the frame board 60 and then through the channels towards the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 of the upper 40. A sealing ring is created around the botom of the footwear article 10 rendering the connection between the upper 40 and the sole 90 waterproof.

[0085] Figure 3 depicts an embodiment of a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article 10 comprising a liner 110, an upper 40, an insole 50 and a sole 90. In contrast to the double lasted waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article 10 of Figure 1 , the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article 10 of Figure 3 comprises a strobel board as insole 50 and the botom end of the liner 110 is sewn to the strobel board 50 to form a bootie.

[0086] The frame board 60 is glued to the botom of the bootie with adhesive 80. The frame board 60 in this embodiment comprises a narrower frame than the frame board 60 of Figure 1 to allow for the injected sole polymer to reach the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 of the upper 40 on both the inside and outside perimeter of the frame board 60. In addition, the injected sole polymer also reaches the waterproof and water vapor permeable membrane of the liner. This results in a seal between the sole and both waterproof and water vapor permeable membranes. [0087] Once the frame board 60 is attached to the bootie the upper 40 is lasted to the frame board 60 with lasting adhesive 70 and the sole 90 is moulded by injection. This construction does not require a lasting board for the lasting step due to the presence of the frame board 60.

[0088] The waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article 10 of Figure 4 differs from the embodiment of Figure 3 in that as a spacer a windows board 150 and a spacer material 140 are used instead of a frame board that comprises channels on the frame. When the sole polymer is injected to mould the sole the sole polymer enters through the openings in the windows board 150 and flows through the spacer material 140. Because of the three-dimensional structure of the spacer 140 the injected sole polymer can make contact with the waterproof and water vapour permeable membranes 30 of both the upper 40 and the liner 110. A waterproof seal is provided underneath the foot of the wearer of the waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article 10 where the upper 40 is lasted to the bootie.

[0089] In all the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 4, the upper 40 is lasted onto the spacer in order to provide channels through which the injected sole polymer can flow to reach the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 of the upper 40 and, if present, the liner 110. The flow of injected sole polymer can also be directed in another way by a spacer.

[0090] Figure 5 depicts such an embodiment where a spacer tape 160 as a spacer is sewn to the bottom of the upper 40. The spacer tape 160 comprises channels that direct the injected sole polymer through vertical channels onto the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 of the membrane of the upper. The upper 40 is closed by a net board 170 which is attached to the upper 40 and the spacer tape 160 with a separate seam.

[0091] However, it may not always be possible to attach a spacer tape along the entire circumference of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article 10. For example, heavy duty work boots often require the presence of a steel toe cap and/or a heel protective cap to protect the foot of the wearer from mechanical impact. To cater for these applications different spacers can be used in this case in different areas of the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article. Figure 6 shows such an embodiment.

[0092] A protective toe cap 200 is located between the upper 40 and the liner 110 in the toe area while a protective heel cap or a standard heel cap (typically made from a polyester nonwoven) 210 is positioned between the liner 110 and the upper 40 in the heel region. The liner 110 comprises a liner textile 100 and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30. The bottom edge of the liner 110 is sewn to a nonwoven 220 such that a bootie is formed. The upper 40 comprises an outer material 20 and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30. In the heel area the bottom edge of the upper 40 is sewn to a net board 170. In the middle foot area a spacer tape 160 is sewn to the bottom end of the upper 40 and then the net board 170 is attached by a separate seam 120. In the toe area the net board 170 is glued to the liner 110. Then a stuck board 190 is attached to the net board 170 with lasting adhesive 70. The stuck board 190 comprises channels on the underside that is facing the sole 90. The upper 40 is then lasted to the stuck board 190.

[0093] When the sole polymer in injected over the net board 170 the spacer tape 160 will guide the injected sole polymer to the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 of both the upper 40 and the liner 110 in the heel and middle foot area and via the vertical channels of the spacer tape 160. In the toe area the injected sole polymer is guided by the channels of the stuck board 190 towards the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane 30 of both the liner 110 and the upper 40.

[0094] Alternatively a window stuck board 230 together with a spacer material 140 can be used instead of the stuck board 190 of Figure 6. Such an embodiment is shown in Figure 7. The spacer material 140 is attached to the window stuck board 230 on the surface facing the bootie which formed by the liner 110 and a nonwoven 220. The bottom end of the upper 40 is then attached to the window stuck board 230 with adhesive 70. Upon injection the sole polymer will flow through the openings in the window stuck board 230 and is then distributed through the spacer material 140 towards the waterproof and water vapour permeable membranes 30 of the upper 40 and the liner 110 providing a durable waterproof seal. [0095] Figure 8 shows a frame board 60 which has an opening in the centre of the frame board 60 with the frame in the form of a footprint around the opening. On the frame there are raised portions 270 between which the channels 240 are located. In the upper half of the frame board 60 the raised portions are located towards the middle of the width of the frame allowing for space along the outer rim for attaching the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper. In the lower half of the frame board 60 the raised portions 270 have been moved towards the inner rim of the frame with additional openings 250 added to the frame to increase the flow of the sole polymer during injection.

[0096] Figure 9 shows an embodiment of a stuck board 190. The outline of the stuck board 190 is shaped like the outline of the toe area of an insole. The channels 240 are located between raised portions 270 which direct the flow of the sole polymer during injection. For a windows stuck board 230 there is an opening in the centre leaving only a frame. The window stuck board 230 may be the toe portion of a frame board 60. In order to improve the flow of the injected sole polymer the window stuck board may comprise openings around the rim.

[0097] A spacer tape 160 is shown in Figure 10. The tape comprises extended edges 260 which provide an area for attachment to the upper. These extended edges are in the same plane as the stitches fastening the spacer tape 160 in the waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article. The channels 240 are positioned between the raised portions 270.

Claims

1. Waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article comprising an upper, an insole, a spacer, and a sole; wherein the upper comprises at least an outer material and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane laminated to the inside facing surface of the outer material, wherein the spacer comprises a channel structure; wherein the spacer is attached to the inside facing surface of the upper; and wherein the sole is an injected sole.

2. The waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article according to claim 1 , wherein the spacer is selected from a spacer tape, a frame board, or a stuck board.

3. The waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article according to claim 1 , wherein the spacer is selected from a windows board with a spacer material or a window stuck board with a spacer material.

4. The waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the spacer is attached to the bottom end of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper.

5. The waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the spacer is attached to upper with adhesive or with a seam.

6. The waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a liner.

7. The waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article according to claim 6, wherein the liner comprises at least a liner textile or at least a liner textile and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane.

8. The waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article according to claims 6 or claim 7, wherein the liner together with a nonwoven forms a bootie.

9. The waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the bottom end of the liner extends beyond the bottom end of the upper.

10. The waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the channels of the channel structure extend horizontally in the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article.

11. The waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the channels of the channel structure extend vertically in the waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article.

12. The waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the channels comprise a wall on at least 60% of their circumference.

13. Method of manufacturing a waterproof and water vapor permeable footwear article comprising the steps of

- attaching a spacer between an insole and the inside facing surface of the waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane of the upper, wherein the spacer comprises a channel structure and wherein spacer is attached to the inside facing surface of the upper; and

- injecting a sole polymer.

14. The method of manufacturing a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article according to claim 13, further comprising providing a liner and optionally wherein the liner comprises at least a liner textile or at least a liner textile and a waterproof and water vapour permeable membrane.

15. The method of manufacturing a waterproof and water vapour permeable footwear article according to claim 14, further comprising the step of attaching the liner to the insole.