U.S. patent application number 16/540262 was filed with the patent office on 2021-02-18 for component for joining upper and sole parts of an article of footwear.
The applicant listed for this patent is C. & J. CLARK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED. Invention is credited to Gary DUCLOS.
Application Number | 20210045492 16/540262 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004278022 |
Filed Date | 2021-02-18 |
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20210045492 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DUCLOS; Gary |
February 18, 2021 |
COMPONENT FOR JOINING UPPER AND SOLE PARTS OF AN ARTICLE OF
FOOTWEAR
Abstract
A chassis part for connecting upper part and a sole part of an
article of footwear with a flange structure, a sole part and an
article of footwear comprising a chassis part and a method for
joining an upper and sole are disclosed. The chassis part comprises
a base portion and a flange portion at the periphery of the chassis
part. The base portion is arranged on a lower level than the flange
portion and provides at least one cavity on the upper side of the
chassis part and at least one downward extending portion on the
underside of the chassis part. The at least one cavity is arranged
to accommodate filler material, the at least one downward extending
portion is arranged for engagement with the sole part, and the
flange portion is arranged for joining to a flange portion of the
upper part.
Inventors: |
DUCLOS; Gary; (Waltham,
MA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
C. & J. CLARK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED |
Somerset |
|
GB |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004278022 |
Appl. No.: |
16/540262 |
Filed: |
August 14, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/04 20130101;
A43B 13/14 20130101; A43B 13/125 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/14 20060101
A43B013/14; A43B 13/04 20060101 A43B013/04; A43B 13/12 20060101
A43B013/12 |
Claims
1. A chassis part for connecting upper part and a sole part of an
article of footwear with a flange structure, the chassis part
comprising a base portion and a flange portion at the periphery of
the chassis part, wherein the base portion is arranged on a lower
level than the flange portion and provides at least one cavity on
the upper side of the chassis part and at least one downward
extending portion on the underside of the chassis part, and the at
least one cavity is arranged to accommodate filler material, the at
least one downward extending portion is arranged for engagement
with the sole part, and the flange portion is arranged for joining
to a flange portion of the upper part.
2. The chassis part according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
cavity extends substantially over the foot supporting area of the
sole part.
3. The chassis part according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
downwards extending portion and the corresponding at least one
cavity have a substantially similar contour.
4. The chassis part according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
downwards extending portion and the corresponding at least one
cavity have different contours.
5. The chassis part according to claim 1, wherein at least one
downwards extending portion of the chassis part has a substantially
similar contour than a corresponding cavity provided in an outsole
of the sole part.
6. The chassis part according to claim 1, wherein the
cross-sectional profile of the chassis part resembles a tray.
7. The chassis part according to claim 1, comprising at least one
cavity provided with at least two parts of different depths.
8. The chassis part according to claim 1, comprising at least one
shank element between an outsole member of the sole part and at
least one downward extending portion of the chassis part.
9. The chassis part according to claim 1, wherein substantially the
entire volume of the at least one cavity is filled with filler
material.
10. The chassis part according to claim 1, wherein the filler
material is pre-attached into the at least one cavity before
lasting.
11. The chassis part according to claim 1, comprising a snap-fit
arrangement between the filler material and the chassis part.
12. The chassis part according to claim 1, wherein the filler
material comprises ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) or
similar soft foam material.
13. The chassis part according to claim 1, comprising at least two
chassis parts.
14. The chassis part according to claim 1, comprising a separate
welt component under the flange portion and around the base
portion.
15. A sole arrangement for an article of footwear, the sole
arrangement comprising: a chassis part comprising a base portion
and a chassis flange portion for attachment to an upper flange
portion extending from an upper part of the article of footwear,
the base portion being arranged on a lower level than the chassis
flange portion to provide at least one chassis cavity on the upper
side of the chassis part and a downward extending portion on the
underside of the chassis part; filler material in the at least one
cavity; and an outsole member comprising edge portion at the
periphery of the outsole member, wherein the flange portion of the
chassis part is placed above the edge portion.
16. The sole arrangement part according to claim 15, the outsole
member comprising at least one outsole cavity for accommodating the
at least one downward extending portion of the chassis part.
17. The sole arrangement part according to claim 16, wherein at
least one downwards extending portion and corresponding at least
one outsole cavity have a substantially similar contour.
18. The sole arrangement part according to claim 15, wherein the
chassis flange portion is placed on the edge portion of the outsole
member.
19. The sole arrangement part according to claim 15, comprising a
separate welt component placed under the flange portion and around
the base portion of the chassis component, and on top of the edge
portion of the outsole member.
20. The sole arrangement according to claim 15, further comprising
at least one of a footbed, a heel cup, or a sock above the filler
material.
21. Article of footwear comprising: an upper part comprising an
upper flange portion; a chassis part comprising a base portion and
a chassis flange portion, wherein the base portion is on a lower
level than the chassis flange portion to provide at least one
chassis cavity on the upper side of the chassis part and at least
one downward extending portion on the underside of the chassis
part, and wherein the chassis flange portion and the upper flange
portion are stitched together; filler material in the at least one
chassis cavity; and a sole part comprising edge portion at the
periphery of the sole part, wherein the chassis flange portion is
placed above the edge portion.
22. The article of footwear according to claim 21, wherein the
upper flange portion comprises a lasted welt.
23. The article of footwear according to claim 21, comprising at
least one of a stitch-out structure, a corner-stich structure, a
mechanically stitched structure or a hand stitched structure for
joining the upper part and the sole part.
24. A method of producing an article of footwear, comprising:
stitching an upper flange portion of an upper part to a chassis
flange portion of a chassis part comprising a base portion, wherein
the base portion of the chassis part is provided on a lower level
than the chassis flange portion to provide at least one chassis
cavity on the upper side of the chassis part and a downward
extending portion on the underside of the chassis part; placing
filler material in the at least one chassis cavity; and joining a
sole part of the article of footwear to the upper part through the
chassis part.
25. The method according to claim 24, comprising placing the filler
material into the at least one cavity before stitching the chassis
flange portion to the upper flange portion.
26. The method according to claim 24, comprising placing the filler
material into the at least one cavity after stitching the chassis
flange portion to the upper flange portion.
27. The method according to claim 24, comprising inserting the at
least one downward extending portion of the chassis part into a
corresponding outsole cavity.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The disclosure relates to articles of footwear comprising a
flange structure for joining an upper part to a sole part, to a
sole structure, a component part for joining an upper to a sole,
and a method of joining sole and upper parts.
BACKGROUND
[0002] An article of footwear can comprise, e.g., a shoe, sandal,
boot or the like. An article of footwear typically comprises main
parts known as the upper and the sole. A sole part can comprise
component parts such as an outsole, a midsole, an insole, a
footbed, a sock, heel cup, shank, and so on. The various components
can be bound during manufacture of the sole part and/or a shoe. The
upper and the sole, and any components thereof can be made of
different materials. An upper can be made from materials such as,
e.g., leather, fabrics and/or synthetic materials. A sole is
typically made from more hardwearing materials, e.g., rubber,
leather, thermoplastic material or hardwearing synthetic material,
or a combination of these materials. A sole can be provided with
soft or cushioning parts for better comfort.
[0003] Different components can be attached to each other by
various techniques, such as stitching, adhesion such as gluing or
cementing, merging or fusing the materials under heat and/or
pressure and so on.
[0004] A footwear structure comprising flanges extending
substantially sideways from the upper and sole for the joining the
upper and the sole can be provided. A shoe with a flanged structure
may comprise a leather or synthetic flanged board or midsole
extending outwards from the lower edge of an upper and a thereto
attached flange part extending from the upper. A sole part of
rubber or another sole material may then be attached underneath the
midsole. The attachment of the sole to the upper can be, e.g., by
stitching through the flange structure and/or adhesion, e.g.,
gluing, cementing and/or fusing the materials. Various forms of
such structure are known.
[0005] A form of flanged structures is known as stitch-out
construction where a flange is mechanically, or otherwise forced
lasted/shaped over a last. In such flanged structure a midsole or
lasting board then connects the upper to the sole. A full midsole
board can be placed on top of an outsole such that the outer edge
on the periphery thereof is sandwiched between the upper flange and
the outsole.
[0006] Use of the midsole board for connecting the upper and the
sole provides a firm structure. However, the design can also be
hard for the wearer as it offers no underfoot cushioning. Fixing
any cushioning on the board can become difficult, time consuming
and add to the cost of making articles of footwear. It can also
increase the overall girth and/or bulk of the finished shoe as
allowances for such cushioning must be considered when creating the
last. The midsole board can also reduce overall flexibility by
adding another layer between the sole and the upper.
[0007] The herein described embodiments aim to address one or more
of problematic issues in relation to articles of footwear.
SUMMARY
[0008] According to an aspect there is provided a chassis part for
connecting upper part and a sole part of an article of footwear
with a flange structure, the chassis part comprising a base portion
and a flange portion at the periphery of the chassis part, wherein
the base portion is arranged on a lower level than the flange
portion and provides at least one cavity on the upper side of the
chassis part and at least one downward extending portion on the
underside of the chassis part, and the at least one cavity is
arranged to accommodate filler material, the at least one downward
extending portion is arranged for engagement with the sole part,
and the flange portion is arranged for joining to a flange portion
of the upper part.
[0009] According to an aspect there is provided a sole arrangement
for an article of footwear, the sole arrangement comprising a
chassis part comprising a base portion and a chassis flange portion
for attachment to an upper flange portion extending from an upper
part of the article of footwear, the base portion being arranged on
a lower level than the chassis flange portion to provide at least
one chassis cavity on the upper side of the chassis part and a
downward extending portion on the underside of the chassis part,
filler material in the at least one cavity, and an outsole member
comprising edge portion at the periphery of the outsole member,
wherein the flange portion of the chassis part is placed above the
edge portion.
[0010] According to another aspect there is provided an article of
footwear comprising an upper part comprising an upper flange
portion, a chassis part comprising a base portion and a chassis
flange portion, wherein the base portion is on a lower level than
the chassis flange portion to provide at least one chassis cavity
on the upper side of the chassis part and at least one downward
extending portion on the underside of the chassis part, and wherein
the chassis flange portion and the upper flange portion are
stitched together, filler material in the at least one chassis
cavity, and a sole part comprising edge portion at the periphery of
the sole part, wherein the chassis flange portion is placed above
the edge portion.
[0011] According to a yet another aspect there is provided method
of producing an article of footwear, comprising stitching an upper
flange portion of an upper part to a chassis flange portion of a
chassis part comprising a base portion, wherein the base portion of
the chassis part is provided on a lower level than the chassis
flange portion to provide at least one chassis cavity on the upper
side of the chassis part and a downward extending portion on the
underside of the chassis part, placing filler material in the at
least one chassis cavity, and joining a sole part of the article of
footwear to the upper part through the chassis part.
[0012] According to a more detailed aspect the at least one cavity
extends substantially over the entire foot supporting area of the
sole part.
[0013] The at least one downwards extending portion and the
corresponding at least one cavity may have a substantially similar
contour. Alternatively, the at least one downwards extending
portion and the corresponding at least one cavity may have
different contours.
[0014] At least one downwards extending portion of the chassis part
may have a substantially similar contour than a corresponding
cavity provided in an outsole of the sole part. The cross-sectional
profile of the chassis part may resemble a tray.
[0015] At least one cavity may be provided with at least two parts
of different depths.
[0016] At least one shank element may be provided between an
outsole member of the sole part and at least one downward extending
portion of the chassis part.
[0017] Substantially entire volume of the at least one cavity may
be filled with filler material. A snap-fit arrangement may be
provided between the filler material and the chassis part. Filler
material may be pre-attached into the at least one cavity before
lasting. Filler material may also be placed into the at least one
cavity after stitching the chassis flange portion to the upper
flange portion.
[0018] Filler material may comprise ethylene-vinyl acetate
copolymer (EVA) or similar soft foam material.
[0019] At least two separate chassis parts pay be provided.
[0020] A separate welt component may be provided under the flange
portion and around the base portion.
[0021] An outsole member may comprise at least one outsole cavity
for accommodating at least one downward extending portion of a
chassis part. The at least one downwards extending portion and
corresponding at least one outsole cavity may have substantially
similar contours.
[0022] The chassis flange portion is suitably arranged for placing
on the edge portion of the outsole member.
[0023] A separate welt component may be placed under the flange
portion and around the base portion of the chassis component. The
welt component can be placed on top of the edge portion of the
outsole member.
[0024] The upper flange portion can comprise a lasted welt.
[0025] The article of footwear may comprise at least one of a
stitch-out structure, a corner-stich structure, a mechanically
stitched structure or a hand stitched structure for joining the
upper part and the sole part.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] Various exemplifying embodiments of the invention are
described below with reference to the attached drawings. Steps and
elements explained herein may be reordered, omitted, and combined
to form different embodiments and any step indicated as performed
may be caused to be performed in another order. In the
drawings:
[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective and partially sectioned view of an
example of an article of footwear according to the herein describe
principles;
[0028] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are views of an example of a chassis
part;
[0029] FIG. 3 is a top view of an outsole member;
[0030] FIGS. 4A and 4B are sectioned views of different parts in
exploded and assembled presentations;
[0031] FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are cross-sectional views of the sole
part of FIG. 4B;
[0032] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate producing an article of footwear
according to an example;
[0033] FIG. 8 shows a sectioned side view of another example of a
sole part;
[0034] FIG. 9 is a sectioned side view of an example of an article
of footwear comprising a chassis component;
[0035] FIGS. 10 and 11 show a further example; and
[0036] FIGS. 12 and 13 are flowcharts in accordance with certain
embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] In the following certain detailed examples of the invention
will be described with reference to the drawings. The like numbers
in the drawings refer to like features.
[0038] FIG. 1 shows an example of an article of footwear, and more
particularly a partially cut-out view of an article of footwear 1
with a flanged structure 4 for joining an upper part 2 and a sole
part 3. More particularly, a stitch-out structure is shown. The
stitch-out structure may comprise a leather or synthetic flange 6
extending from the lower edge of the upper part 2 and a flange
portion 8 of a chassis part 10. A sole part 3 can be provided with
edge portion 7 in the circumference of the sole part 3. The
attachment between the sole part and the upper part can be provided
through the flanged structure. The attachment can be, e.g., by
stitching and/or adhesion and so on.
[0039] The sole part 3 can comprise different components. The
example of FIG. 1 shows an outsole member 5 as the base component.
The outsole member 5 can be made of suitable hardwearing material
or materials. For example, an outsole member can be made of rubber,
polyurethane, injectable ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA),
thermoplastic rubber (TPR) and/or any other material suitable for
an outsole.
[0040] A specifically formed chassis part 10 is provided on top of
the outsole member 5. A chassis part may comprise a base portion 15
at the center and a flange portion 8 at the periphery of the
chassis part. As will be explained in more detail below with
reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the base portion 15 extends laterally
on a lower level than the flange portion 8 to provide a cavity 13
on the upper facing side of the chassis part and a downward
extending portion 12 on the underside of the chassis part 10.
[0041] The flange portion 8 is arranged for sandwiching between
similarly shaped flange member 6 of the upper part 2 and the edge
portion 7 of the outsole member 3. The flange portion 8 of the
chassis part 10 can be stitched by stitching 9 to the flange member
6 extending from the upper part 2.
[0042] The upper part 2 can be attached to the chassis part 10
through a stitch-out construction. This can be provided by
stitching machinery. An example of providing the stitching is shown
in FIG. 7. The upper may also be attached to the chassis part and
the sole member by. Only a part of the stitch may be done by hand.
Adhesion and/or fusion, or any other appropriate attachment
technique may also be used.
[0043] The lower side of the flange portion 8 can be attached to
the edge part 7 provided at the periphery of the outsole 5. The
attaching can be done by stitching, by machine and/or hand, and/or
adhesion and/or fusion, or by any other appropriate attachment
technique.
[0044] The chassis part 10 can be made from a variety of materials.
The material is preferably chosen such that it exhibits a durometer
high enough to ensure proper tear strength from construction
stitching at the flange structure area. Non-limiting examples of
suitable materials include rubber, polyurethane, thermoplastic
polyurethane (TPU), and so on.
[0045] It is noted that other structures for joining the upper and
sole are possible. For example, the so called opanka or corner
stich structure may be used instead of the stich-out structure of
FIG. 1.
[0046] FIG. 2A shows a top view of an example of a chassis part 10.
FIG. 2B is a cross-sectioned view along line A-A of the chassis
part 10 of FIG. 2A. FIG. 2C shows a bottom view of the chassis
part. As shown by the example of FIG. 2B, the chassis part 10 can
comprises a flange portion 8 that is raised by a step 14 from the
level of the base part 15. A difference compared to a conventional
midsole made of a flat board is that the conventional midsole board
would be flat and thus extend straight on a level over the entire
width and length of the outsole 5 and the flange portion 7.
[0047] The upper surface of the base part 15 provides an upward
facing cavity 13. The cavity 13 on the topside of the chassis part
10 is called herein as the chassis cavity.
[0048] The chassis cavity 13 can be filled with suitable filler
material 18. The filler material can be, e.g., soft foam to provide
cushioning and soft support for the foot. For example, the filler
material may comprise of various formulations of ethylene-vinyl
acetate copolymer (EVA), polyurethane, open cell foam or the like
soft foam material. Filler material 18 can be inserted within the
chassis cavity at an appropriate stage of manufacture of the
article of footwear.
[0049] FIG. 3 shows top view of an outsole member 5 that can be
joined with the chassis part 10 of FIGS. 2A-2C. In this example the
top surface of the outsole member 5 has been shaped to provide an
upward facing cavity 11, hereinafter called outsole cavity. The
outsole cavity 11 is provided within the raised edge formation 7 on
the periphery of the outsole. In the shown example the outsole
cavity is dimensioned to match the dimensions of the downward
extending portion 12 so that the downward extending part 12 of the
chassis part 10 of FIGS. 2A-2C can be inserted in the outsole
cavity 11 and a good fit is provided between them.
[0050] The outsole 5 of FIG. 3 example has the ribbed bars in the
forepart of the cavity 11. An outsole may also be provided without
any rib or other formations in the forepart, or elsewhere in the
cavity.
[0051] The surface contour of the downward protruding part 12 on
the underside of the chassis part can be made substantially similar
to the surface contour of the cavity 13 on the topside of the
chassis part 10. An example of a stepped tray like contouring is
shown in FIG. 2B. Instead of the stepped profile 14 the levelling
between the base portion and the flange portion can be angled more
smoothly. An example of a smoother step between the base portion
and flange portion levels is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0052] The surfaces on the topside and underside can also have
differing contours. An example of this is shown in FIG. 8.
[0053] Fitting of the chassis part 10 to the outsole member 5 of
this example is shown in more detail in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4A
shows an exploded cross sectional side view from front to back of
members of a possible sole part 3 according to the herein disclosed
principles. FIG. 4B shows the sole part 3 is in assembled form.
FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are cross-sections of FIG. 4B along lines B-B,
C-C and D-D, respectively. The bottom surface of the chassis part
10 faces the top surface of the outsole member 5. In the shown
example the downward portion 12 is placed tightly in the outsole
cavity 11 but this is not necessary in all implementations.
[0054] The geometry of the chassis part creates an outer flange
that takes the place of the outer edges of a conventional midsole.
The outer flange can be stitched to in accordance with the
construction feature of a stitch-out shoe, while creating a space
or pocket by pulling the base portion of the chassis part down into
area that is conventionally occupied by the outsole. In this
example downward extending portion 12 is accommodated in the
outsole cavity 11. The pocket or cavity 13 on top of the chassis
part 10 allows for a soft material 18 such as EVA or the like to be
placed in the space that would have conventionally been occupied by
the hard midsole board. This enables a sole unit where cushioning
is provided directly under the foot, with no more hard midsole
board to get in between.
[0055] As shown, e.g., in FIGS. 1, 6, 8, 10 and 11, at least one
further component such as a separate footbed 19 can be positioned
on top of the filler material 18.
[0056] In accordance with a possibility a piece of EVA or other
filler material matching the shape of the chassis cavity 13 is
provided. The filler material piece can be attached, e.g., cemented
down to the chassis so that the filler material piece stays in
place. The attachment can be done before the upper is lasted and
sole laid into engagement with the chassis part. This can be
advantageous in certain applications because getting into a
finished shoe down in the toe part to apply adhesive and place the
filler material in the chassis cavity may become a cumbersome
task.
[0057] In accordance with another possibility a "snap-in" or
"snap-fit" type arrangement can be provided between the chassis
part and a filler material piece. For example, angles and/or shapes
such as grooves and protrusions can be provided in the filler
material piece and chassis geometries. These can be provided such
that the fitting of the filler material can take place in a lasted
and/or otherwise finished shoe.
[0058] At least one shank element 20 can be placed between the
chassis part 10 and the outsole member 5. Cavities 21, 22 (see e.g.
FIGS. 2C and 3) can be formed in the outsole and/or chassis parts
for holding the shank element(s) in place. Cavities 25 and pillars
or ribs 26 can be provided in the heels sections.
[0059] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate an example of producing an article
of footwear as described herein. A lasted upper part 2, a footbed
component 19, a filler material component 18 of suitable soft
material, a chassis component 10 with a chassis cavity 13 for
receiving the filler material 18, and a outsole 5 with an outsole
cavity 11 for receiving the underside insertion part 12 of the
chassis component 10 below the flange level are shown in the
explosion view of FIG. 6 before assembly of the components
together.
[0060] In the top part of FIG. 7 a flanged construction according
to the herein described principles is produced using a conventional
stitching machine 30. At this stage the chassis flange 8 is
stitched to the upper flange 6. In the lower part of FIG. 7 an
outsole member 5 is attached to the chassis part 10 after the
stitching stage.
[0061] FIG. 8 shows a sectioned side view of another example of a
sole structure 3 with a chassis part 10. In this version a thicker
footbed 48 is provided. The chassis part 10 is shaped to have a
chassis cavity that has different depths at the toe section and the
heel section thereof. That is, the cavity may have a step 40 where
the depth of the chassis cavity changes so that the footbed 48
provided by filler material can be made thicker at the front part
of the shoe. The chassis part 10 can also be shaped to have a
chassis cavity depth that is constant from toe to heel.
[0062] The bottom side of the chassis part and the outsole cavity
can be shaped accordingly. More than two chassis cavity parts of
different depths can be provided.
[0063] The footbed 48 can also be made higher than the chassis
cavity. This is illustrated by the dashed lined 49.
[0064] A heel cup 42 may also be provided. This can be made of the
same or different material than the footbed 48.
[0065] The contour of the upper and outsole sides of the chassis
component can be different. This is illustrated by the difference
in the upper and bottom surface contours of the flange step 44 and
the cavity step 40.
[0066] The construction of FIG. 8 is particularly suited for the
snap-fit type assembly. The footbed 48 can be post applied as a
filler material piece insert and "snapped" in or out of the chassis
part in a finished shoe.
[0067] FIG. 9 shoes a sectioned side view of an article of footwear
1. A stitching 9 joins a flange portion 8 of the chassis part 10 to
a flange portion 6 of the upper part 2.
[0068] According to the above examples substantially the entire
base part, i.e., the entire area within the flange portion of the
chassis part can be formed as a recess to provide a chassis cavity
on the top side of the chassis part. It is also possible to have
only a part of the internal area of the chassis part recessed.
Also, more than one cavity can be provided on the upper side of a
chassis part. For example, a first cavity can be provided on the
heel section and at least one another cavity on the toe section of
a chassis part. Different filler material can be placed in
different chassis cavities.
[0069] More than one chassis part can be provided. For example, one
chassis part can be provided in the toe section and another in the
heel section. Two or more flanged chassis parts can also be placed
on top of each other. Different chassis parts can be made of
different materials.
[0070] A sole structure may also comprise further layers, such as
additional cushioning, ventilation and/or waterproofing layers.
[0071] FIGS. 10 and 11 show an example comprising an outsole that
does not need to be moulded or shaped in any specific way to have a
specific geometry for facilitating fitting of the bottom portion of
a chassis part into the sole part. FIG. 10 shows as a partially
exploded view components of a sole structure comprising a chassis
part 10 with a flange portion 8. The chassis part can be as
described in the above examples. The chassis cavity 13 can be
filled with filler material 18.
[0072] Instead of an outsole shaped according to the underside of
the chassis part 10 a substantially "flat" outsole part 50 is
provided. The void between the flange portion 8 and the edge
portion of the outsole 50 is filled by an external or separate welt
component 60 provided under the flange portion 8 and around the
base portion 15 of the chassis part 10. The material of the
external welt can be for example plantation crepe, rubber, EVA,
outsole grade leather, felt, and various other materials that are
typical for shoemaking and have appropriate wear characteristics.
The external welt can be made from the same material as the
outsole, or it can be something completely different.
[0073] FIGS. 12 and 13 are flowcharts according to certain examples
of producing an article of footwear.
[0074] FIG. 12 shows a method where an article of footwear is
produced by placing filler material in a chassis cavity of a
chassis part at 100. If more than one cavity is provided, multiple
cavities can be filled. A flange portion of an upper member is
stitched at 102 to a flange portion of the chassis part, the
chassis part comprising a base portion on a lower level than the
chassis flange portion to provide the chassis cavity and at least
one downward extending portion. An outsole member comprising edge
portion at the periphery of the outsole member is then joined to
the chassis part at 104. At this stage the flange portion of the
chassis part is placed above the edge portion. The chassis flange
portion is thus placed between the upper flange portion and the
edge portion of the outsole.
[0075] The outsole member may comprise at least one outsole cavity
on the chassis part side of the outsole member. The attaching may
comprise inserting the at least one downward extending portion of
the chassis part in the corresponding outsole cavity.
[0076] The stitching may be a mechanically provide stitch-out
structure. The stitching may also be provided manually. An example
of such is a corner stitched structure.
[0077] FIG. 13 shows another possibility of implementing the method
where an article of footwear is produced by stitching at 110 a
flange portion of an upper part to a flange portion of a chassis
part. The stitching may be by machine and/or by hand. The chassis
part comprises a base portion on a lower level than the chassis
flange portion to provide a chassis cavity (or multiple cavities)
and a corresponding downward extending portion. An outsole member
is attached at 112 to the chassis part.
[0078] Filler material can then be placed at 114 in the chassis
cavity or cavities of the chassis part. The filler material can be,
e.g., snap fitted to the chassis cavity or cavities.
[0079] The outsole may comprise at least one outsole cavity on the
chassis part side of the outsole member. The attaching may then
comprise inserting a downward extending portion of the chassis part
in a corresponding outsole cavity.
[0080] After the attachment an upper and sole combination may be
subjected to one or more additional operations, such as welt
finishing by a grinder, hot knife, sand buffeting, buffing wheels
and so on. The edge of the outsole member can be finished e.g. by a
thermal finishing tool such as a hot knife.
[0081] The herein described chassis part, or an element comprising
a combination of a chassis and filler material can be understood as
a type of a midsole, as it replaces the conventional midsole made
from a flat board. A difference is that the herein described
chassis part used in place of conventional midsole comprises a
flange portion on the periphery thereof that is raised from the
base part in the middle. The chassis part may provide advantage,
e.g., in saving of materials, ease of manufacture of shoes, making
sole construction thinner and/or more flexible. An article of
footwear comprising a chassis part as described may be produced
without increasing the toe height, or other measures, while
providing improved comfort.
[0082] The foregoing description provides by way of exemplary and
non-limiting examples a full and informative description of
exemplary embodiments of the invention. However, various
modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled
in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when
read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended
claims. All such and similar modifications of the teachings of this
invention will still fall within the spirit and scope of this
invention.
* * * * *