Production process of a footwear with elastically expandable inlet

Abstract

Production process of a brogue-style footwear comprising an upper provided with an inlet for the foot that is suitable for being elastically expanded during the insertion or extraction of the user's foot due to the provision of an elastic fabric insert that is assembled in correspondence of the foot inlet and covered by a leather flap.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a production process of a footwear, such as a brogue or derby-style shoe, which is provided with an elastically expandable inlet, as well as to the footwear obtained with such a process.

[0002] Firstly, it is necessary to describe the traditional characteristics of a brogue or derby-style footwear, with specific reference to the respective upper. The upper comprises: a vamp, which forms the front part of the upper, also including the toe cap; a quarter formed of two symmetrical lateral sections that are joined at the heel area and extend towards the vamp from opposite sides, in such a way that the respective front edges are in closed position at the instep of the foot, substantially defining the opening through which the foot is inserted or removed from the footwear.

[0003] The front edges of the quarter have respective sets of holes for the laces, which allow the opening to be alternately narrowed or widened. The borders of the vamp surmount said two symmetrical sections of the quarter.

[0004] It is precisely because of this last feature that a brogue-style footwear differs from a derby-style footwear, since, while featuring a vamp and a quarter, the latter is characterized by the fact that the two symmetrical sections of the quarter surmount the borders of the vamp.

[0005] The process according to the invention is suitable for being implemented both in the production of a brogue-style footwear and in the production of a derby-style footwear, including a no-lace version.

[0006] As mentioned, just like a typical derby-style footwear, a typical brogue-style footwear is characterized by the fact that it is a laced shoe, and it is precisely the presence of laces that is currently considered a weak point for two reasons: firstly, the laces need to be tied and untied every time (to wear and take off such a shoe, respectively) and, secondly, it gives the shoe a rather classic look, which may not be in line with the preferences of a young clientele who love an informal style.

[0007] US1921177A describes a classic shoe with laces.

[0008] A careful consideration of the prior art led to the conception of the new process according to the invention, the purpose of which is to realize a footwear that is visually similar to a brogue or derby-style shoe, but which has no laces and is instead provided with an elastically expandable inlet for a quick and easy insertion and removal of the foot.

[0009] In order to give such an elastic capacity to the inlet of the new footwear according to the invention, the shape of the upper has been modified with respect to the prior art, and more precisely, the shape of the quarter provided in said upper.

[0010] In particular, with respect to the traditional technology, the length of the two symmetrical lateral parts of the quarter has been reduced, so that, rather than being disposed in an extremely close position on the front of the upper - as in the case of the typical laced shoes - the front edges are kept at a considerable distance from each other, so as to generate a central window in the upper, which is essentially disposed at the height of the instep of the user's foot.

[0011] In order not to obstruct the central window, the traditional tongue associated with the vamp has been eliminated from the vamp, where, according to the prior art, the edges of the quarter provided with holes for the laces are overlapped.

[0012] The two distant opposite edges of the quarter are joined by an elastic fabric insert mounted at the window. Said insert guarantees the elastic deformability of the inlet of the new footwear when the user's foot is inserted and extracted from the footwear and, more specifically, due to the interference with the user's instep suffered by said insert during the aforementioned operations.

[0013] The elastic fabric insert forms the base for sewing a conforming piece of leather, known as "flap," which is suitable for exactly occupying the central window of the upper as long as the inlet of the footwear is not subject to the deforming stress imposed by the user's foot.

[0014] While the flap does not prevent the extension and subsequent recovery of the fibers of the underlying elastic fabric insert, the flap is advantageously capable of concealing said insert during the normal use of the footwear.

[0015] In fact, such an elastic fabric insert can be seen from the outside of the new footwear in question only when the forced spreading of the inlet occurs and the extension of the fibers of the elastic fabric effectively lifts the flap, temporarily detaching the edges of the flap from the corresponding borders of the window of the upper.

[0016] The elastic fabric in the very narrow space (of the order of a few millimeters) generated between the borders of the window and the edges of the corresponding flap attached to the elastic fabric insert is in any case visible.

[0017] Although it has been stated so far that the footwear obtained with the new process in question practically consists in a footwear devoid of laces, nothing prevents the footwear from being provided with false laces that do not need to be tied and untied each time due to the elastic deformability of the inlet of the footwear. Therefore, in such a case, the false laces only serve to make the footwear obtained with the new process in question even more visually similar to a traditional brogue or derby-style laced shoe, except for the fact that the false laces do not need to be tied and untied by the user.

[0018] The innovative upper provided with the elastic fabric insert and the leather flap is suitable for being normally assembled on a typical sole preferably designed for laced footwear, using a traditional technology.

[0019] The main purpose of the present invention has been achieved in accordance with the characteristics listed in the independent claim 1.

[0020] Advantageous embodiments of this invention appear in the dependent claims.

[0021] For greater clarity, the description of the invention continues with reference to the attached drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only and are not limiting, wherein: Fig. 1A is a plan view of the quarter to be mounted on the upper of the new footwear in question; Fig. 1B is a plan view of the vamp suitable for being coupled with said quarter; Fig. 2A is a plan view of the elastic fabric insert suitable for being mounted on said upper; Fig. 2B is a plan view of the leather flap suitable for being sewn onto said elastic fabric insert; Figs. 3 and 4 show the assembly operations of the elastic fabric insert of Fig. 2A on the quarter of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an interior view of the upper after sewing the quarter of Fig. 1A, already provided with the insert of Fig. 2A, onto the respective vamp of Fig. 1B; Fig. 6 is an interior view of the upper after assembling the respective lining; Fig. 7 shows the upper of Fig. 6 after trimming the lining; Fig. 8 is an exterior view of the upper which is now completed after assembling the flap of Fig. 2B onto the elastic fabric insert of Fig. 2A; Figs. 9 and 10 are two diagrammatic sectional views taken in correspondence with the circle reproduced in Fig. 8 of the two different configurations that are alternately assumed by the "elastic insert and leather flap" assembly; Fig. 11 shows the footwear obtained with the new process in question, with two different views.

[0022] With reference to the attached Figures, the operating steps of the process according to the invention are described.

[0023] The first step (step A) consists in the fabrication of the structural parts of the upper (T) suitable for being mounted on the footwear (C). Said parts consist of: a leather vamp (1) comprising a toe cap (1a) and a concave antero-superior edge (1b) and devoid of the typical central tongue; a leather quarter (2) suitable for being mounted on said vamp (1) during use; wherein said quarter (2) is provided at the anterior end of its symmetrical lateral sections (2a, 2b) with two divergent rounded edges (2a', 2b') suitable for being maintained at a considerable mutual distance and also capable of being exactly joined with said antero-superior edge (1b) of said vamp when said quarter (2) is attached to said vamp (1) to generate a substantially U-shaped window (3) suitable for being disposed on the upper (T) substantially at the height of the instep of the user's foot; the provision of said window (3) can be seen in Fig. 5, although in such a case, the window (3) is already occupied by the insert (4) referred to below; an elastic fabric insert (4) comprising two rounded, symmetrical lateral edges (4a, 4b) joined by a transverse rounded edge (4c), so as to have a U-shaped profile suitable for occupying the window (3) of said upper (T) during use; wherein said insert (4) has a greater surface area than that of said window (3), so that its perimeter edge (4a) extends in a more external position with respect to the perimeter edge of said window (3) during use, as shown in Fig. 5; a leather flap (6) with a U-shaped profile corresponding to that of the window (3) of the upper (T) and extending between two rounded lateral edges (6a, 6b) joined by a rounded transverse edge (6c); wherein said flap (6) is suitable for being exactly mounted inside said window (3) above said insert (4) during use, as shown in Figs. 2B and 8.

[0024] The second step (step A1) consists of providing a lining (5) suitable for being mounted inside said upper (T), and provided with a cutout (5a) suitable for being exactly aligned with said window (3) of the upper (T); wherein said cutout (5a) is circumscribed by a perimeter edge (5b) that is disposed inside said window (3) during use; see Fig. 6 in this regard.

[0025] The third step (step B) consists of assembling said elastic fabric insert (4) on said quarter (2) from the inside of the upper (T), in a position comprised between said symmetrical lateral sections (2a, 2b) thereof; wherein said assembly is performed by means of two first stitch lines (L1) that attach the lateral edges (4a, 4b) of said insert (4) to said divergent rounded edges (2a', 2b') of the edges (2a, 2b) of said quarter (2); as shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

[0026] The fourth step (step C) consists of firmly coupling the quarter (2) to the vamp (1) by means of a second stitch line (L2) that is used to sew the rounded transverse edge (4c) of said insert (4) to the antero-superior edge (1c) of the vamp (1).

[0027] The fifth step (step D) consists of assembling said lining (5) inside said upper (T), wherein said assembly provides for making a third stitch line (L3) to sew the edge (5b) of the cutout (5a) of said lining (5) with said elastic fabric insert (4), as shown in Fig. 6.

[0028] The sixth step (step E) consists of trimming said edge (5b) of the cutout (5a) of the lining (5) for the part that protrudes inside the window (3) of the upper (T), downstream of said third stitch line (L3), as shown in Fig. 7.

[0029] The seventh step (step F) consists of assembling said leather flap (6) above said elastic fabric insert (4) from the outside of the upper (T); wherein said flap (6) is sewn to said elastic fabric insert (4) by means of a fourth stitch line (L4) made at its lateral edges (6a, 6b) and transverse edge (6c); see Fig. 8 in this regard.

[0030] The eighth step (step G) consists of assembling said upper (T) on a respective sole (S), as shown in Fig. 11.

[0031] In the preferred embodiment shown in Figs. 2B and 8, said flap (6) is provided at the top with a central incision (6d) having a substantial V-shape, through which the underlying elastic fabric insert (4) remains partially visible, in a condition such that said insert (4) represents an alternative to the traditional leather tongues of laced shoes.

[0032] Having completed the description of the structure of the upper (T) of the footwear (C), it is necessary to clarify the way in which said upper (T) can take advantage of said elastically deformable inlet through which the user's foot can be comfortably and quickly inserted or removed.

[0033] As long as the upper (T) is not yet occupied by the user's foot, or even after inserting the foot, the elastic fabric insert (4) is expected to remain in its natural position, not being subject to any deforming stress.

[0034] In such a first case, the flap (6) remains exactly inside the window (3) of the upper (T), in such a way that the borders (6a, 6b, 6c) remain substantially in contact with the corresponding borders of the window (3) of the upper (T), as shown in Fig. 8.

[0035] In such a configuration, anyone observing the footwear (C) provided with the upper (T) from the outside will not detect the presence of said elastic fabric insert (4) mounted at the window (3) of the upper (T), all around the flap (6), precisely because the window (3) is entirely occupied by the flap (6).

[0036] However, when the user's foot is inserted into or extracted from the upper (T), stress is inevitably generated on the inlet of the upper (T) from the inside toward the outside, and the only part capable of suffering said stress without any damage is the elastic fabric insert (4) that, in fact, suffers a forced deformation mainly at its perimeter borders, temporarily increasing the surface area thereof.

[0037] So, the following two conditions occur simultaneously: the first one consists in lifting the flap (6) sewn on said elastic fabric insert (4) towards the outside of the window (3) of the upper (T); the second one consists in the forced - and finally visible - separation of the lateral borders (6a, 6b) and transverse borders (6c) of the flap (6) from the corresponding borders of the window (3) of the upper; it being provided that such a separation is the result of the extension suffered by the border (BE) of the elastic fabric insert (4) comprised between the perimeter fixing points provided inside the upper (T), consisting in the first stitch line (L1) and in the second stitch line (L2) on one side, and in the fourth stitch line (L4) on the other side.

[0038] In order to verify the operating mode of the elastic fabric insert (4), reference is made to the observation of the diagrammatic Figures 9 and 10, wherein Fig. 9 shows the natural "contracted" position assumed by said insert (4) in idle condition between the lateral border of the window (3) and the corresponding lateral border (6a) of the flap (6).

[0039] Fig. 10 shows the "extended" position assumed by the insert (4) in operating position (i.e., in the presence of the deforming interference of the user's foot), at the border (BE) held between the first stitch line (L1) and the fourth stitch line (L4).

[0040] Only when the borders of the flap (6) and of the window (3) are temporarily separated, it will be possible to verify the presence of the underlying elastic fabric insert (4) in intermediate position.

[0041] The flap (6) may have a perfectly smooth outer surface or, alternatively, two central adjacent lines of false holes to simulate that the footwear (C) is deliberately worn by the user without laces, or with a set of false laces.

Claims

1. Production process of a footwear (C) comprising an upper (T) provided with an elastically expandable inlet, wherein said process comprises the following operating steps: A) fabrication of the structural parts of the innovative upper (T) suitable for being mounted on the footwear (C), wherein said parts consist of: - a leather vamp (1) that comprises a toe cap (1a) and a concave antero-superior edge (1b) and is devoid of the typical central tongue; - a leather quarter (2) suitable for being mounted on said vamp (1) during use; wherein said quarter (2) is provided at the anterior end of its symmetrical lateral sections (2a, 2b) with two divergent rounded edges (2a', 2b') suitable for being maintained at a considerable mutual distance and also capable of being exactly joined with said antero-superior edge (1b) of said vamp when said quarter (2) is attached to said vamp (1) to generate a substantially U-shaped window (3) suitable for being arranged on the upper (T) substantially at the height of the instep of the user's foot; - an elastic fabric insert (4) comprising two rounded, symmetrical lateral edges (4a, 4b) joined by a transverse rounded edge (4c), so as to have a U-shaped profile suitable for occupying the window (3) of said upper (T); wherein said insert (4) has a greater surface area than that of said window (3), so that its perimeter edge (4a) extends to a more external position with respect to the perimeter edge of said window (3) during use; - a leather flap (6) with a U-shaped profile compatible with that of the window (3) of the upper (T) that extends between two rounded lateral edges (6a, 6b) joined by a rounded transverse edge (6c); wherein said flap (6) is suitable for being exactly mounted inside said window (3) above said insert (4) during use; B) assembly of said elastic fabric insert (4) on said quarter (2) from the inside of the upper (T), in a position comprised between said symmetrical lateral sections (2a, 2b) of said quarter (2); wherein said assembly is performed by means of two first stitch lines (L1) that are symmetrical to each other and are used to attach the lateral edges (4a, 4b) of said insert (4) to said divergent rounded edges (2a', 2b') of the edges (2a, 2b) of said quarter (2); C) firm coupling of the quarter (2) with the vamp (1) by means of a second stitch line (L2) that is also used to sew the rounded transverse edge (4c) of said insert (4) to the antero-superior edge (1c) of the vamp (1); F) assembly of said leather flap (6) above said elastic fabric insert (4) from the outside of the upper (T); wherein said flap (6) is sewn to said elastic fabric insert (4) by means of a fourth stitch line (L4) made at its lateral edges (6a, 6b) and transverse edge (6c); G) assembly of said upper (T) on a respective sole (S).

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein said process comprises the following additional steps between step C and step F: A1) provision of a lining (5) suitable for being mounted inside said upper (T), wherein said lining (5) is provided with a cutout (5a) suitable for being exactly aligned with said window (3) of said upper (T) during use; wherein said cutout (5a) is circumscribed by a perimeter edge (5b) that is disposed inside said window (3) during use; D) assembly of said lining (5) inside said upper (T); wherein said assembly provides for making a third stitch line (L3) used to sew the edge (5b) of the cutout (5a) of said lining (5) with said elastic fabric insert (4); E) trimming of said edge (5b) circumscribing the cutout (5a) of the lining (5) for the part that protrudes inside the window (3) of the upper (T), downstream of said third stitch line (L3).

3. The process according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said flap (6) is provided towards the top with a substantially V-shaped incision (6d).

4. The process according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said flap (6) comprises a set of laces.

5. Footwear (C) comprising an upper (T) with an elastically expandable inlet, wherein said footwear (C) is produced according to the process of the preceding claims.

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