Breathable shoe

Abstract

A breathable shoe, including: an upper assembly ( 10;310;410 ) having a breathable upper ( 11;311;411 ); a membrane ( 14;314;414 ) made of a material which is waterproof and breathable, and a sole ( 16;116;216;316;416 ) made of perforated elastomer, which are all mutually attached such that the membrane is arranged between the upper assembly and the sole, and the sole is sealed perimetrically to the membrane, in a manner to prevent moisture to enter into the upper assembly from the sole through the membrane, and to permit moisture to leave the inside of the upper assembly through the membrane and through the sole. In one preferred embodiment, the membrane is first attached to the upper assembly so that the upper assembly is a unitary upper assembly including the membrane, and such unitary upper assembly is subsequently attached to the sole.

1 . A breathable shoe comprising: 
 an assembly which wraps around a foot insertion region and comprises a breathable upper;    at least one membrane made of a material which is waterproof and breathable and is associated with said assembly in a downward region;    a sole made of perforated elastomer, joined to said upper and sealed perimetrically to said membrane; and    a protective element made of a material which is resistant to hydrolysis, water-repellent, breathable or perforated, arranged below said membrane in a region between an upper part of said sole and its internal part which is adjacent to a ground contact surface.    
   
   
       2 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein said assembly includes a breathable tubular upper.  
   
   
       3 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein said assembly includes: 
 a breathable upper;    a breathable or perforated assembly insole, under which edges of said breathable upper are folded and glued so as to form a sack; and    a breathable or perforated filler layer which is surrounded by the folded edges of said breathable upper.    
   
   
       4 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein said sole has, in its upper part, a hollow region which is delimited perimetrically by a border, protrusions protruding from said hollow region, and holes or channels being formed in said border and connecting said hollow region to the outside.  
   
   
       5 . The shoe according to  claim 4 , wherein each one of said holes is inclined with respect to the ground contact surface so that an outward part is lower than an inward part.  
   
   
       6 . The shoe according to  claim 5 , wherein said holes have one-way valves which only allow air to flow outward.  
   
   
       7 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein said protective element is sandwiched between two components which are mutually joined hermetically and into which said sole is divided, each component having through holes.  
   
   
       8 . A method for manufacturing a breathable shoe, comprising: 
 providing an upper assembly including a breathable tubular upper having a bottom portion extending continuously between two opposite side portions;    providing a membrane made of a material which is waterproof and breathable;    providing a sole made of perforated elastomer; and    mutually attaching said upper assembly, said membrane, and said sole such that said membrane is arranged between said upper assembly and said sole and said sole is sealed perimetrically to said membrane, in a manner to prevent moisture from entering into said upper assembly from said sole through said membrane, and to permit moisture to leave an inside of said upper assembly through said membrane and through said sole,    wherein said mutually attaching includes initially attaching said membrane to said upper assembly by spot gluing so that said upper assembly is a unitary upper assembly including said membrane, and subsequently attaching said unitary upper assembly to said sole.    
   
   
       9 . A method for manufacturing a breathable shoe, comprising: 
 providing an upper assembly having a breathable upper, a breathable assembly insole and a breathable filler layer;    attaching folded edges of said breathable upper below said breathable assembly insole;    attaching said breathable filler layer below said breathable assembly insole;    providing a membrane made of a material which is waterproof and breathable;    providing a sole made of perforated elastomer; and    mutually attaching said upper assembly, said membrane, and said sole such that said membrane is arranged between said upper assembly and said sole and said sole is sealed perimetrically to said membrane, in a manner to prevent moisture from entering into said upper assembly from said sole through said membrane, and to permit moisture to leave an inside of said upper assembly through said membrane and through said sole,    wherein said mutually attaching includes initially attaching said membrane to said breathable filler layer of said upper assembly by spot gluing so that said upper assembly is a unitary upper assembly including said membrane, and subsequently attaching said unitary upper assembly to said sole.