W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

W. L. Gore & Associati, S.r.l.

Other

Fimcim S.p.a.

Andrea Giupponi

Marc Peikert

Christian Bier

Ambrosius Bauer

Leslie N Rikleen

Michael Magyar

Eric O'Bryan

Guenter Kiederle

Russell Brill

Jens Heidenfelder

Eric O'bryan

Martin Pfister

Marco Agazzoni

Uberto Fontana

The invention is an article of footwear incorporating insulation material, such as a low bulk insulation material, to provide warmth in cold weather, yet with the style, agility, and breathability of a typical conventional shoe or boot. Additionally, in a further embodiment, the invention includes these features in a shoe or boot which is also waterproof and breathable. These aspects of the present invention are achieved through a placement, or mapping, of low bulk insulation to maximize the footwear article attributes of warmth, style, agility, and breathability.

Insulated footwear articles

Item of footwear () having an upper arrangement () and a sole (), wherein the upper arrangement () has a top material () and on air-permeable layer () arranged in a base of the upper, the air-permeable layer () is arranged above the sole (), in a sole-side, bottom region of the upper arrangement (), the air-permeable layer () has a three-dimensional structure allowing the through-passage of air in at least the horizontal direction, and a sole-side, bottom peripheral region of the top material () of the upper is replaced, over at least part of its peripheral extent, by at least one connecting material () which, beginning at least above an underside of the air-permeable layer () and running outside the air-permeable layer (), is arranged on the base of the upper and is air-permeable at least in a sub-region located at least in part at the same level as the air-permeable layer (), and thus connects the air-permeable layer () to the exterior surroundings such that air can be exchanged between the exterior surroundings and the air-permeable layer ().

Item of footwear with ventilation in the bottom region of the shaft, and air-permeable spacer structure which can be used for this purpose

A footwear () comprises an upper arrangement () and a sole (), in which the upper arrangement () comprises an upper material () comprising in a lower peripheral area at least one air permeable portion (), an air-permeable layer () arranged in a lower area of the upper arrangement () on the sole side above the sole (), wherein the air-permeable layer () is water vapor permeable and has a three-dimensional structure that permits passage of air at least in the horizontal direction; and at least one water vapor permeable functional layer () arranged on an inner side of the upper material () and above the air-permeable layer (). The at least one air permeable portion () enables the air permeable layer () to communicate with the outer surroundings such that air is exchanged between the outer surroundings and the air permeable layer (), said air permeable portion () further enables the water vapor permeable functional layer () to communicate with the outer surroundings such that water vapor is transported from an inner side of the functional layer () to the outer surroundings. A water vapor permeable first protective layer () is arranged between the air permeable portion () and the functional layer () in at least an area of the air permeable portion () above the air-permeable layer (), wherein the first protective layer () is adapted for protecting the functional layer () against particles penetrating through the air permeable portion ().

Footwear with air permeable layer and air permeable portion in a lower peripheral area of the upper arrangement

Item of footwear () having an upper arrangement () and a sole (), wherein the upper arrangement () has a top material () and an air-permeable layer () arranged in a base of the upper, the air-permeable layer () is arranged above the sole (), in a sole-side, bottom region of the upper arrangement (), the air-permeable layer () has a three-dimensional structure allowing the through-passage of air in at least the horizontal direction, and a sole-side, bottom peripheral region of the top material () of the upper is replaced, over at least part of its peripheral extent, by at least one connecting material () which, beginning at least above an underside of the air-permeable layer () and running outside the air-permeable layer (), is arranged on the base of the upper and is air-permeable at least in a sub-region located at least in part at the same level as the air-permeable layer (), and thus connects the air-permeable layer () to the exterior surroundings such that air can be exchanged between the exterior surroundings and the air-permeable layer ().

Growing community of inventors

Verona, Italy

Andrea Giupponi