Outsoles for esd type protective footwear and methods of manufacturing the same

Abstract

An outsole ( 2 ) for a footwear, which prevents electrostatic discharges (ESD) from a person wearing the footwear to a device being handled, is substantially made of a flexible material ( 5 ) and comprises an electrically conductive connection from an upper surface ( 2 a ) of the outsole to a lower surface ( 2 b ) of the outsole. The electrically conductive connection consists of one or several electrically conductive fibers ( 4 ).

1 . An outsole for a footwear, which prevents electrostatic discharges from a person wearing the footwear to a device being handled, said outsole being substantially made of a flexible material and comprising an electrically conductive connection from an upper surface of said outsole to a lower surface of said outsole, wherein that said electrically conductive connection consists of one or several electrically conductive fibers. 
   
   
       2 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein said electrically conductive connection consists of a plurality of electrically conductive fibers. 
   
   
       3 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of electrically conductive fibers provides a plurality of electrically conductive paths from the upper surface of said outsole to the lower surface of said outsole. 
   
   
       4 . The outsole of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of electrically conductive fibers are present in a non-woven condition. 
   
   
       5 . The outsole of  claim 4  wherein said plurality of electrically conductive fibers, which are present in the non-woven condition, are present throughout the entire outsole. 
   
   
       6 . The outsole of  claim 4  wherein said plurality of electrically conductive fibers, which are present in the non-woven condition, are present at one or several separate lateral portions of the outsole. 
   
   
       7 . The outsole of  claim 4  wherein said plurality of electrically conductive fibers, which are present in the non-woven condition, have each a length, which is longer than a thickness of said outsole, and wherein each of said plurality of electrically conductive fibers provides an electrically conductive path from the upper surface of said outsole to the lower surface of said outsole. 
   
   
       8 . The outsole of  claim 6  wherein said plurality of electrically conductive fibers, which are present in the non-woven condition, are present as one or several felted layers. 
   
   
       9 . The outsole of  claim 8  wherein said one or several felted layers are arranged substantially vertically in said outsole. 
   
   
       10 . The outsole of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of electrically conductive fibers are present as one or several woven layers. 
   
   
       11 . The outsole of  claim 10  wherein said one or several woven layers are arranged substantially vertically in said outsole. 
   
   
       12 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein said one or several electrically conductive fibers are molded integrally in said flexible material. 
   
   
       13 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein said one or several electrically conductive fibers are carbon fibers. 
   
   
       14 . The outsole of  claim 1  wherein said electrically conductive connection comprises one or several electrically conductive fibers, which are stitched or knitted into a fiber based system, matrix, or layer. 
   
   
       15 . A footwear which prevents electrostatic discharges from a person wearing the footwear to a device being handled, said footwear comprising the outsole of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       16 . A method for manufacturing an outsole for a footwear, which prevents electrostatic discharges from a person wearing the footwear to a device being handled, the method comprising the steps of forming said outsole substantially of a flexible material; and forming an electrically conductive connection, which extends from an upper surface of said outsole to a lower surface of said outsole, wherein forming said electrically conductive connection by means of arranging one or several electrically conductive fibers in said flexible material. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said electrically conductive connection is formed by means of arranging a plurality of electrically conductive fibers in said flexible material. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said plurality of electrically conductive fibers are arranged in said flexible material in a non-woven condition. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said plurality of electrically conductive fibers, which are arranged in said flexible material in the non-woven condition, are distributed throughout the entire outsole. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said one or several electrically conductive fibers are stitched or knitted into a fiber based system, matrix, or layer, which in turn is arranged in said flexible material. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said one or several electrically conductive fibers are molded integrally in said flexible material. 
   
   
       22 . A method for manufacturing a footwear, which prevents electrostatic discharges from a person wearing the footwear to a device being handled, said method comprising the method of  claim 16 .