Method for permanently waterproofing footwear

Abstract

A method for waterproofing footwear (2), the footwear (2) including an upper assembly (4) having an outer construction (6) and a sole (8), includes providing a waterproof, breathable bootie (10) having a waterproof, breathable laminate construction, the waterproof, breathable laminate construction comprising a functional layer (54) and at least one textile layer (56, 58); inserting the waterproof, breathable bootie (10) into an inner space (12) of the outer construction (6) and the sole (8), when the outer construction (6) and the sole (8) are in an assembled state; and fixing the waterproof, breathable bootie (10) in position in the inner space (12) of the outer construction (6) and the sole (8).

1 . A method comprising:
 providing a waterproof, breathable bootie having a waterproof, breathable laminate construction,
 wherein the waterproof, breathable laminate construction comprises a functional layer and at least one textile layer, 
   inserting the waterproof, breathable bootie through a collar of a footwear
 wherein the waterproof, breathable bootie is inserted into an inner space of the footwear, after the inner space of the footwear has been closed, and 
   permanently fixing the waterproof, breathable bootie in position in the inner space of the footwear by attaching the waterproof, breathable bootie to the footwear in a donning region of the footwear, and   attaching the waterproof, breathable bootie to the footwear in at least one further attachment region of the footwear to permanently waterproof the footwear.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inserting of the waterproof, breathable bootie takes place after the inner space has been formed by an upper assembly of the footwear. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the inserting of the waterproof, breathable bootie takes place after a sole of the footwear has been applied to the upper assembly, or
 wherein the inserting of the waterproof, breathable bootie takes place; before a sole of the footwear is applied to the upper assembly.   
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inserting of the waterproof, breathable bootie takes place after the inner space has been jointly formed by an upper assembly of the footwear and a sole of the footwear. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the waterproof, breathable bootie consists of the waterproof, breathable laminate construction. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the attaching of the waterproof, breathable bootie to the footwear in the donning region of the footwear comprises adhering an adhesive tape of the waterproof, breathable bootie, arranged in a collar region of the waterproof, breathable bootie, to the donning region of the footwear. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the attaching of the waterproof, breathable bootie to the footwear in the donning region of the footwear comprises sewing the waterproof, breathable bootie in a collar region thereof to the donning region of the footwear. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the attaching of the waterproof, breathable bootie to the footwear in the donning region of the footwear comprises attaching the waterproof, breathable bootie to the footwear at a distance of at least 2 cm from a sole portion of the inner space. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the attaching of the waterproof, breathable bootie to the footwear in at least one further attachment region of the footwear comprises attaching the waterproof, breathable bootie to the footwear in at least one of a toe region of the footwear and a heel region of the footwear. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the attaching of the waterproof, breathable bootie to the footwear in at least one further attachment region of the footwear comprises adhering the waterproof, breathable bootie to the 25 footwear in at least one of the toe region of the footwear and the heel region of the footwear. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of permanently fixing the waterproof, breathable bootie in the inner space of the footwear comprises adhering the waterproof, breathable bootie to the footwear substantially all around its outer surface. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of inserting the waterproof, breathable bootie into the inner space comprises arranging the waterproof, breathable bootie on a last and inserting the last together with the waterproof, breathable bootie into the inner space. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the last is expandable; and
 wherein the step of permanently fixing the waterproof, breathable bootie in position in the inner space comprises expanding the last within the inner space;   wherein the last comprises at least two last portions; and   wherein the step of expanding the last within the inner space comprises spacing the at least two last portions.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the last is heatable; and
 wherein the step of permanently fixing the waterproof, breathable bootie in position in the inner space comprises heating the last, when inserted into the inner space.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the step of permanently fixing the waterproof, breathable bootie in position in the inner space comprises applying pressure to the last from outside of an upper assembly of the footwear and/or from outside of a sole of the footwear,
 wherein the step of applying pressure to the last from outside of the upper assembly and/or from outside of the sole comprises at least one of:
 applying pressure to an instep portion of the upper assembly via an instep pressuring device, 
 applying pressure around a heel portion of the upper assembly via a forked heel pressuring device, 
 applying pressure to the sole via a sole pressure plate, and 
 applying pressure around an entirety of the upper assembly and sole via a bag around the footwear and the last. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the waterproof, breathable bootie is at least partly elastic. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the waterproof, breathable bootie is elastic at least in a mid-foot portion thereof, in particular at least in a mid-foot portion that extends along at least 50% of a length from a tip of the waterproof, breathable bootie to a rear of the waterproof, breathable bootie, and/or   wherein the waterproof, breathable bootie is elastic at least in a top portion thereof, in particular at least in a top portion that extends along at least 40%, in particular along at least 50%, of a circumference of the waterproof, breathable bootie.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the waterproof, breathable laminate construction comprises a one-piece functional layer and at least one textile layer,
 wherein the one-piece functional layer is a seamless, one-piece functional layer, or 
   wherein the waterproof, breathable laminate construction comprises multiple waterproof, breathable laminate pieces,
 wherein each of the multiple waterproof, breathable laminate pieces comprises a functional layer piece and at least one textile layer piece, or 
   wherein the waterproof, breathable laminate construction comprises multiple functional layer pieces and at least one textile layer.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the upper assembly has an upper material
 wherein the upper assembly has one of:
 i) a mono tongue,
 wherein part of the upper material forms a tongue of the footwear, 
 
 ii) a separate tongue,
 wherein a tongue piece is attached to the upper material and 
 
 iii) a gusset-type tongue,
 wherein a tongue piece is attached to the upper material via an intermittent bridge piece, and 
 
   wherein the step of permanently fixing the waterproof, breathable bootie in position in the inner space comprises attaching the waterproof, breathable bootie to said one of the mono tongue, the separate tongue, and the gusset-type tongue.   
     
     
         20 . A footwear produced in accordance with the method of  claim 1 .