GB2120079A - Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

In making an article of footwear the upper of which is in the form of one or more straps, each strap 10, 11 has its end portions 12 disposed in respective notches in a reinforcing member which underlies the insole. The end portions of the straps are secured in the notches by stitching 18 and the insole is then bonded to the upper surfaces of the reinforcing member and the end portions of the straps. The upper and insole are then force lasted and the sole unit is bonded to the lower surface of the reinforcing member and end portions 12. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of footwear Ttris invention relates to the manufacture of footwearand is more particularly concerned with footwearsuch as sandals and mules in which the upper is in theform of a strap or straps secured to an insole.

According to the invention there is provided an article of footwear comprising an upper in the form of one or more straps secured to a reinforcing layer underlying an insole, said reinforcing layer having peripheral notches in which respective end portions of the strap or straps are laid, said insole being bonded to the uppersurface of the reinforcing layer and said end portions ofthestrap or straps, and a sole unit bonded to the bottom faces ofthe reinforcing layer and said end portions.

The invention also provides a method of making an article offootwearofwhich the upper is in the form of one or more straps, comprising the steps of aying end portions ofthe strap or straps in respective peripheral notches in a reinforcing membermadefrom flexible sheet material, the reinforcing member having the same general outline as an insole as an insole for the article, bonding an insole to the upperfaces ofthe reinforcing member and the end portions ofthe strap or straps laid in said notches,then force lastingthe upper and insole and bonding a sole unit to the underneath faces ofthe reinforcing member and said end portions.

Preferablythe notches are of substantially rectangularshape and the end edges ofthe strap or straps are secured in abutting relation with the base edges ofthe respective notches by stitching.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the outline of a reinforcing member employed in making an article of footwear according to the invention, Figure 2 shows the outline of an insole used in the article, Figure 3 shows the underside of the assembly ofthe upper and reinforcing member, and Figure 4 is a perspective view ofthe sole unit of the article.

Referring to the drawings,.the manufacture is illustrated of a sandal the upper ofwhich comprises essentiallytwo straps 10,11 one of which extends across the instep ofthe foot and the other ofwhich extends aboutthe article. The lower ends of these straps are secured to an insole on which the foot rests.

In the illustrated method of manufacture, the lower end portions 12 ofthe straps which serve to anchorthe straps are laid in respective peripheral notches 13 in a reinforcing member 14 which is shown in outline in Figure 1. The member T4 is made from a flexible sheet material and corresponds in general outline to the insole 15 ofthe article, see Figure 2. The notches 13 have a depth corresponding to the length of the anchoring portion 12 of strap end to be received and have widths corresponding to the widths of the respective strap end portions.The strap end portions are laid in the associated notches with their end edges 16 substantially in abutment with the complementary edges 17 ofthe notches and are stitched to the reinforcing member by zig-zag stitching 18.As shown in Figure 3, the stitching need not be interrupted between adjacent straps. The insole 15, which is made from flexible sheet materiai and shaped as shown in Figure 2, is then bonded tothe upper surfaces of the reinforcing member 14 and strap end portions 12, and the upper and insole are subsequentlyforce lasted.

This lasting operation can be carried out without the need to use lasting machinery.

A moulded sole unit 20 (Figure 4) is then bonded to the underside of the reinforcing member 14 and the end portions 12 ofthe straps to complete the construction. In the illustrated arrangement the sole unit has an upstanding lip 21 about the periphery and in this case, shallow periphera; notches 22 reformed in the insole to accommodate the thickness of each strap where the strap contacts the innerface ofthe iip.

It will be seen that in the illustrated construction the end portions ofthe straps are fastened into a laminate which not only provides the straps with a secure anchorage against pulling out in wear, but also results in a flat anchorage construction which is comfortable in wear and causes no unsightly bulges on the sole unit.

1. An article offootwearcomprising an upper in the form of one or more straps secured to a reinforcing layer underlying an insole, said reinforcing layer having peripheral notches in which respective end portions ofthe strap or straps are laid, said insole being bonded to the upper surface of the reinforcing layer and said end portions of the strap or straps, and a sole unit bonded to the bottom faces ofthe reinforcing layer and said end portions.

2. A method of making an article offootwear of which the upper is in the form of one of more straps, comprising the steps of laying end portions ofthe strap or straps in respective peripheral notches in a reinforcing member made from a flexible sheet material,the reinforcing member having thesame general outline as an insoleforthe article, bonding an insole to the upper faces ofthe reinforcing member andthe end portions ofthe straporstraps laid in said notches, then force lasting the upper and insole and bonding a sole unit to the underneath faces ofthe reinforcing member and said end portions.

3. An article offootwearasclaimed in claim 1 wherein the notches are substantially rectangular shape and the end edges ofthe strap or straps are secured in abutting relation with the base edges ofthe respective notches by stitching.

4. An article of footwear as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the sole unit has an upstanding peripheral lip extending about the insole, and wherein shallow notches are formed in the edges oftheinsole to accommodate the straps.

5. An article offootwear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

6. A method of making an article offootwear which method is substantially ashereinbefore de scribed with referencefo and as illustrated in the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of footwear Ttris invention relates to the manufacture of footwearand is more particularly concerned with footwearsuch as sandals and mules in which the upper is in theform of a strap or straps secured to an insole. According to the invention there is provided an article of footwear comprising an upper in the form of one or more straps secured to a reinforcing layer underlying an insole, said reinforcing layer having peripheral notches in which respective end portions of the strap or straps are laid, said insole being bonded to the uppersurface of the reinforcing layer and said end portions ofthestrap or straps, and a sole unit bonded to the bottom faces ofthe reinforcing layer and said end portions. The invention also provides a method of making an article offootwearofwhich the upper is in the form of one or more straps, comprising the steps of aying end portions ofthe strap or straps in respective peripheral notches in a reinforcing membermadefrom flexible sheet material, the reinforcing member having the same general outline as an insole as an insole for the article, bonding an insole to the upperfaces ofthe reinforcing member and the end portions ofthe strap or straps laid in said notches,then force lastingthe upper and insole and bonding a sole unit to the underneath faces ofthe reinforcing member and said end portions. Preferablythe notches are of substantially rectangularshape and the end edges ofthe strap or straps are secured in abutting relation with the base edges ofthe respective notches by stitching. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the outline of a reinforcing member employed in making an article of footwear according to the invention, Figure 2 shows the outline of an insole used in the article, Figure 3 shows the underside of the assembly ofthe upper and reinforcing member, and Figure 4 is a perspective view ofthe sole unit of the article. Referring to the drawings,.the manufacture is illustrated of a sandal the upper ofwhich comprises essentiallytwo straps 10,11 one of which extends across the instep ofthe foot and the other ofwhich extends aboutthe article. The lower ends of these straps are secured to an insole on which the foot rests. In the illustrated method of manufacture, the lower end portions 12 ofthe straps which serve to anchorthe straps are laid in respective peripheral notches 13 in a reinforcing member 14 which is shown in outline in Figure 1. The member T4 is made from a flexible sheet material and corresponds in general outline to the insole 15 ofthe article, see Figure 2. The notches 13 have a depth corresponding to the length of the anchoring portion 12 of strap end to be received and have widths corresponding to the widths of the respective strap end portions.The strap end portions are laid in the associated notches with their end edges 16 substantially in abutment with the complementary edges 17 ofthe notches and are stitched to the reinforcing member by zig-zag stitching 18.As shown in Figure 3, the stitching need not be interrupted between adjacent straps. The insole 15, which is made from flexible sheet materiai and shaped as shown in Figure 2, is then bonded tothe upper surfaces of the reinforcing member 14 and strap end portions 12, and the upper and insole are subsequentlyforce lasted. This lasting operation can be carried out without the need to use lasting machinery. A moulded sole unit 20 (Figure 4) is then bonded to the underside of the reinforcing member 14 and the end portions 12 ofthe straps to complete the construction. In the illustrated arrangement the sole unit has an upstanding lip 21 about the periphery and in this case, shallow periphera; notches 22 reformed in the insole to accommodate the thickness of each strap where the strap contacts the innerface ofthe iip. It will be seen that in the illustrated construction the end portions ofthe straps are fastened into a laminate which not only provides the straps with a secure anchorage against pulling out in wear, but also results in a flat anchorage construction which is comfortable in wear and causes no unsightly bulges on the sole unit. CLAIMS

1. An article offootwearcomprising an upper in the form of one or more straps secured to a reinforcing layer underlying an insole, said reinforcing layer having peripheral notches in which respective end portions ofthe strap or straps are laid, said insole being bonded to the upper surface of the reinforcing layer and said end portions of the strap or straps, and a sole unit bonded to the bottom faces ofthe reinforcing layer and said end portions.

2. A method of making an article offootwear of which the upper is in the form of one of more straps, comprising the steps of laying end portions ofthe strap or straps in respective peripheral notches in a reinforcing member made from a flexible sheet material,the reinforcing member having thesame general outline as an insoleforthe article, bonding an insole to the upper faces ofthe reinforcing member andthe end portions ofthe straporstraps laid in said notches, then force lasting the upper and insole and bonding a sole unit to the underneath faces ofthe reinforcing member and said end portions.

3. An article offootwearasclaimed in claim 1 wherein the notches are substantially rectangular shape and the end edges ofthe strap or straps are secured in abutting relation with the base edges ofthe respective notches by stitching.

4. An article of footwear as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the sole unit has an upstanding peripheral lip extending about the insole, and wherein shallow notches are formed in the edges oftheinsole to accommodate the straps.

5. An article offootwear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

6. A method of making an article offootwear which method is substantially ashereinbefore de scribed with referencefo and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.