Method For Manufacturing A Sole Assembly and For Manufacturing A Shoe

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe, comprising the steps of providing an upper assembly with an upper portion comprising an outer material and with a bottom portion; providing a ventilating sole element ( 161 ) having a structure or material allowing for air flow through it; placing the ventilating sole element in a mould ( 220 ), said mould having pins ( 221 ) projecting in a lateral direction; positioning the ventilating sole element and the upper assembly such that an upper part of the ventilating sole element contacts the bottom portion of the upper assembly; closing the mould such that the pins contact a side wall of the ventilating sole element, and injection moulding so as to form a surrounding sole element ( 195 ) being fixed to the upper assembly and to the ventilating sole element, said surrounding sole element comprising lateral passages ( 50 ) from the outside of the surrounding sole element to the side wall of the ventilating sole element formed by the pins; and after injection moulding, connecting the lateral passages of the surrounding sole element to the structure or material of the ventilating sole element. The invention is also related to a method for manufacturing a corresponding sole assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Method for manufacturing a breathable sole assembly, comprising the steps of:
 providing a ventilating sole element having a structure or material allowing for air flow through it,   placing the ventilating sole element in a mould, said mould having pins ( 221 ) projecting in a lateral direction;   closing the mould such that the pins contact a side wall of the ventilating sole element, and injection moulding so as to form a surrounding sole element being fixed to the ventilating sole element, said surrounding sole element comprising lateral passages from the outside of the surrounding sole element to the side wall of the ventilating sole element formed by the pins; and   after injection moulding, connecting the lateral passages of the surrounding sole element to the structure or material of the ventilating sole element.   
     
     
         2 . Method for manufacturing a breathable shoe, comprising the steps of:
 providing an upper assembly with an upper portion comprising an outer material and a breathable bottom portion;   providing a ventilating sole element having a structure or material allowing for air flow through it;   placing the ventilating sole element in a mould, said mould having pins projecting in a lateral direction;   positioning the ventilating sole element and the upper assembly such that an upper part of the ventilating sole element contacts the bottom portion of the upper assembly;   closing the mould such that the pins contact a side wall of the ventilating sole element, and injection moulding so as to form a surrounding sole element being fixed to the upper assembly and to the ventilating sole element, said surrounding sole element comprising lateral passages from the outside of the surrounding sole element to the side wall of the ventilating sole element formed by the pins; and   after injection moulding, connecting the lateral passages of the surrounding sole element to the structure or material of the ventilating sole element.   
     
     
         3 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral passages of the surrounding sole element are connected to the structure or material of the ventilating sole element by making at least one opening through the side wall of the ventilating sole element through the lateral passages of the surrounding sole element, particularly by drilling, puncturing, lasering or other thermal removal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ventilating sole element has a channel structure at least at an upper side thereof allowing for communication of air between the channels and the lateral passages of the surrounding sole element. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ventilating sole element is made as a container element having a bottom part and a side wall so as to form an inner space of the container element, wherein in the inner space there is positioned a structure or material allowing for air flow through it. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the ventilating sole element has a functional layer attached to the surface facing the bottom portion of the upper assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the upper assembly comprises a breathable outer material and a waterproof, breathable functional layer arrangement extending over said upper portion and said bottom portion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a side end area of a bottom functional layer of said functional layer arrangement and a lower end area of an upper functional layer of said functional layer arrangement are connected to one another with a waterproof seal being provided at the connection. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the side end area of said bottom functional layer and the lower end area of said upper functional layer are stitched to one another to form a stitched seam. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said surrounding sole element is moulded so as to penetrate to the upper functional layer so as to form a seal at the stitched seam by material of the surrounding sole element formed by the injection moulding. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a netband is provided, said netband connecting a lower end area of the breathable outer material with the side end area of the bottom functional layer, and wherein said netband is penetrated by material of the surrounding sole element in the moulding step. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said bottom functional layer is provided with supporting members, particularly knobs, at its lower surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ventilating sole element comprises at least one lip protruding from the side wall of the ventilating sole element. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein positioning of the ventilating sole element is done with a bottom piston pressing and deforming said protruding lip of the ventilating sole element against the bottom portion of the upper assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ventilating sole element is attached to the bottom portion of the upper assembly in a first injection-moulding step, and connected to the surrounding sole element formed in a second injection-moulding step. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a comfort layer is provided on top of said ventilating sole element towards the upper assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the comfort layer is attached to the top of said ventilating sole element, in particular by spotwise or circumferential gluing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the underside of said ventilating sole element forms at least a part of an outer sole. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the undersides of said surrounding sole element and of said ventilating sole element form at least a part of an outer sole. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the underside of said ventilating sole element is arranged at a higher position as compared to the underside of said surrounding sole element. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an additional sole element is provided forming at least a part of an outer sole, said additional sole element being arranged below said ventilating sole element. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said additional sole element is arranged below said surrounding sole element and said ventilating sole element. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surrounding sole element extends below said ventilating sole element. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said surrounding sole element forms at least a part of an outer sole. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein an additional outer sole element forming at least a part of an outer sole is arranged below said surrounding sole element. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein supporting members are formed in portions of said surrounding sole element below said ventilating sole element, said supporting members extending substantially vertically through said surrounding sole element. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a comfort layer is provided on top of said ventilating sole element towards the upper assembly, wherein the comfort layer has an upper side and a lower side, where the upper side is facing the bottom portion of the upper assembly, and the lower side is facing the ventilating sole element, wherein the lower side is stiffer than the upper side, particularly the lower side being stiff and the upper side being soft.