Method for assembling a shoe upper comprising a heel stiffener

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for assembling an upper (1) comprising an outer shell (6) with an inner wall (8) having a heel area (8a) on which a stiffener (11) is positioned, said method involving: equipping the area (8a) with a tab (14) forming a housing (15) with a portion of the inner wall (8), said housing being accessible through a lower slot (16); positioning an adhesive material on the inner surface of the tab (14), the portion of the inner wall (8) forming the housing (15) being free of adhesive material; applying at least one layer (10) of an inner liner (7) to the shell (6) for bonding thereof while leaving the slot (16) free to access; inserting into the slot (16) at least an upper portion (11b) of the stiffener (11) in order to arrange said upper portion in the housing (15) with said stiffener on the heel area (8a).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Method for assembling a shoe upper comprising a heel counter

[0003] The invention relates to a method of assembling the upper of a footwear article, and thus a footwear article comprising an upper which is assembled by means of such a method.

[0004] It applies in particular to the manufacture of a footwear item of the "high-top shoe" type, the upper of which includes a high collar to ensure ankle support, especially during the practice of a sporting and / or outdoor activity such as hiking or Nordic walking.

[0005] Such a footwear article advantageously includes an inner boot made of waterproof, and possibly breathable, material, which is fixed by gluing to an inner wall of the outer shell of the upper.

[0006] The presence of a high collar, combined with a more or less significant rigidity of the upper, makes such footwear difficult to put on.

[0007] To overcome this drawback, there are footwear items whose upper has a rigid material reinforcement inserted at the heel area, in order to facilitate putting them on while providing additional support to improve user comfort and prevent the risk of injury during the practice of their sporting and / or outdoor activity.

[0008] To equip a shoe like the one described above with such a heel counter, it would need to be positioned between the outer shell and the waterproof inner lining. This proves complex to achieve due to the bonding process. The invention aims to improve upon the prior art by proposing, in particular, a method for equipping the upper of a footwear item with a rigid heel counter, notably to facilitate donning the shoe, in conjunction with an upper comprising an outer shell and an inner lining bonded to said shell.

[0009] To this end, according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a method for assembling the upper of a footwear item comprising an outer shell and an inner lining fixed by bonding to an inner wall of said shell, said wall having a heel area on which a heel counter is disposed, said method providing for:

[0010] - equip the heel area with a tongue forming a housing between the external surface of said tongue and a portion of the internal wall of the shell, said housing being accessible through a lower slot;

[0011] - to place an adhesive material at least on the inner surface of the tongue, the portion of the inner wall forming the housing being devoid of adhesive material;

[0012] - apply at least one layer of the liner onto the outer shell for gluing, leaving the slot free to access;

[0013] - insert into the slot at least one upper portion of the buttress in order to position said portion in the housing with said buttress on the heel area.

[0014] According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a footwear article comprising an upper assembled by means of such a method, said upper having a lower edge which is fixed to a sole structure forming with it a space for receiving a user's foot, the heel counter being taken in the fixing of said edge.

[0015] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description, made with reference to the attached figures, in which: [Fig.1] schematically represents, in lateral view, a footwear article according to the invention, the heel part of the upper of which is omitted to represent the heel counter;

[0016] [Fig. 2] schematically represents, in sagittal section, the heel part of the upper of a footwear item according to the invention;

[0017] [Fig.3] schematically represents the step of fixing the tongue on the heel area of ​​the outer shell, as part of an assembly process according to the invention;

[0018] [Fig. 4] and

[0019] [Fig.4b] schematically represent, respectively in lateral view and in perspective view from the front, a buttress for a footwear article according to the invention.

[0020] In relation to these figures, a method for assembling a leg 1 of a footwear article is described below, as well as a footwear article comprising a leg 1 assembled using such a method.

[0021] The upper 1 has a lower edge 1a which is fixed to a sole structure 2, notably by stitching, forming with it a space 3 for receiving a user's foot.

[0022] Advantageously, the sole structure 2 comprises a lower surface 4 on which recessed and / or raised patterns 5 are formed, particularly to improve the adhesion of said lower surface to the ground. These patterns 5 may be integral to the material of the lower surface 4, or may be formed on an additional layer that may be bonded or overmolded onto said lower surface.

[0023] In the embodiment shown, the footwear is of the "high-top shoe" type, and the upper 1 includes a high collar 1b to provide additional support around the user's ankle. Such footwear is particularly suitable for sports and / or outdoor activities such as hiking or Nordic walking. The upper 1 includes an outer shell 6, made in particular of natural leather (smooth, nubuck, suede, nubuck, etc.) or synthetic leather (imitation leather), or even of a polymer material (mesh, nylon, etc.).In particular, as shown in Figure 1, the outer shell 6 is formed by assembling, notably by seams 6b, several pieces 6a, said pieces being able to be made of materials of different composition, appearance and / or properties, for example according to their relative location with respect to the user's foot, the properties sought in each location (reinforcement at the instep for the fitting of laces...), or the overall aesthetic appearance sought for the article.

[0024] The upper 1 further includes an internal liner 7 which is fixed by gluing to an internal wall 8 of the external shell 6.

[0025] In the description, the terms "internal" and "external" are taken in reference to the user's foot reception space 3, and refer to arrangements respectively close to and far from said space, and located respectively on the left and right in Figure 2.

[0026] Advantageously, especially for use of the article in a sporting and / or outdoor activity, the slipper 7 includes at least one waterproof and possibly breathable inner layer 9, in particular formed of a micro-perforated and / or porous membrane which is glued into the outer shell 6.

[0027] The shoe 7 may also include at least one external foam layer 10 which is glued into the external shell 6, particularly at a heel area 8a, for padding purposes, the waterproof layer 9 itself being glued at least onto the foam layer 10.

[0028] The heel area 8a of the inner wall 8 is equipped with a buttress 11 which is placed on it, in particular to provide the user with additional support at the level of their heel, and thus improve their comfort, while preventing the risk of injury during the practice of their sporting and / or outdoor activity.

[0029] For this purpose, the buttress 11 is made of a thermoplastic material, in order to provide rigidity at the heel area 8a.

[0030] As shown more particularly in figures 1, 4a and 4b, the buttress 11 has a base portion 11a surmounted by an upper portion 11b, said base portion forming two wings 12 which extend in a curved manner on either side of said upper portion to border the heel area 8a.

[0031] In particular, in the case of an article of type "high shoe", the heel area 8a extends over the high collar 1b, and the upper portion 11b of the heel counter 11 is arranged on said high collar.

[0032] Advantageously, the upper portion 11b is curved backwards to form a ramp 13 for inserting the foot into the footwear, which makes it easier for the user to put it on, especially in the case of a high-top shoe as described above.

[0033] We now describe a method for assembling the upper 1 of a footwear article as described previously, in which a buttress 11 is arranged on its heel area 8a.

[0034] The method firstly involves equipping the heel area 8a with a tongue 14 forming a housing 15 between an external surface of said tongue and a portion of the internal wall 8 of the shell 6, said housing being accessible through a lower slot 16 to allow the subsequent insertion of the buttress 11. In particular, the tongue is formed of a textile piece.

[0035] In relation to Figure 3, in which only half of the heel area 8a is shown, the tongue 14 is fixed to the portion of the inner wall 8 by stitching along at least one upper line 17, and more particularly: - an upper stitching line 17, which preferably extends over the entire width of an upper edge of said tongue; and

[0036] - two lower lines of stitching 18 made so as to delimit on either side the lower slit 16, in particular to the dimension of the upper portion 11 b of the buttress 11 to ensure its retention by avoiding lateral displacements of the buttress 11 inserted later into the housing 15.

[0037] To attach the inner liner 7 to the shell 6, the process involves the following steps in succession:

[0038] - to place an adhesive material at least on the internal surface of the tongue 14, the portion of the internal wall 8 forming the housing 15 being devoid of adhesive material in order to be able to insert the buttress 11 between said portion of internal wall and said tongue;

[0039] - apply at least one layer 9, 10 of said bootie on the outer shell 6 for its bonding, leaving the slot 16 free access for the introduction of said buttress.

[0040] In relation to figure 2, the bootie 7 comprises at least one layer of foam 10 which is glued to the inner surface of the tongue 14, as well as at least one waterproof inner layer 9 which is glued into the outer shell 6, and in particular at least onto the layer of foam 10.

[0041] As shown in this same figure 2, the outer shell 6 and at least one layer of the inner bootie 7, in particular the waterproof layer 9, each have an upper edge 19, said edges being joined together, in particular by stitching 20.

[0042] In particular, the process involves gluing the foam layer 10 directly onto the inner wall 8 of the outer shell 6 and onto the inner surface of the tongue 14, then turning the waterproof inner layer 9 over, at the upper edges 19 previously sewn together, onto the inner wall 8 previously coated with said foam layer, so as to achieve its gluing onto said foam layer.

[0043] After gluing at least one layer 9, 10 of the boot 7 into the outer shell 6, the process then involves inserting into the slot 16 at least the upper portion 11b of a buttress 11 as described previously, in order to position said upper portion in the housing 15 with said buttress on the heel area 8a.

[0044] Advantageously, when the heel counter 11 is made of thermoplastic material, said heel counter may be covered at least partially with a protective layer 21, in particular based on a non-woven material which is glued to an internal face of said heel counter, in order to limit the risk of wear by friction of the part of the inner boot 7, and in particular of a layer of foam 10 and / or the waterproof layer 9, intended to be placed in contact with said heel counter during the assembly of the upper 1.

[0045] To achieve this, the process may involve successively:

[0046] - to associate the protective layer 21 with the buttress 11 after its insertion into the housing 15, in particular at the level of a lower part of the base part 11a of said buttress, which is protruding from said housing;

[0047] - turn over the waterproof layer 9 to glue it into the outer shell 6, and in particular onto the foam layer 10 and the protective layer 21, at the level of the heel area 8a.

[0048] After assembling the upper 1, the process may provide for forming a footwear article by attaching the lower edge 1 of said upper to a sole structure 2, as previously indicated.

[0049] In particular, this fixing is made so that the buttress 11 is taken into the fixing of this lower edge 1a, in order to associate said buttress with the sole structure 2, and thus to ensure its immobilization in the footwear article.

Claims

8 DEMANDS 1. A method for assembling an upper (1) of a footwear article comprising an outer shell (6) and an inner bootie (7) fixed by bonding to an inner wall (8) of said shell, said wall having a heel area (8a) on which a heel counter (11) is disposed, said method comprising: - equip the heel area (8a) with a tongue (14) forming a housing (15) between the external surface of said tongue and a portion of the internal wall (8) of the shell (6), said housing being accessible through a lower slot (16); - to place an adhesive material at least on the inner surface of the tongue (14), the portion of the inner wall (8) forming the housing (15) being devoid of adhesive material; - apply at least one layer (9, 10) of the liner (7) onto the outer shell (6) for gluing, leaving the slot (16) freely accessible; - insert into the slot (16) at least one upper portion (11 b) of the buttress (11 ) in order to position said portion in the housing (15) with said buttress on the heel area (8a).

2. Assembly method according to claim 1, characterized in that the tab (14) is fixed on the portion of the inner wall (8) by stitching along at least one upper line (17).

3. Assembly method according to claim 2, characterized in that two lower stitch lines (18) are made to delimit on either side the lower slot (16).

4. Assembly method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the slipper (7) comprises at least one outer layer of foam (10) which is glued to the inner surface of the tongue (14). 9 5. Assembly method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the bootie (7) comprises at least one waterproof and optionally breathable inner layer (9) which is glued onto the outer shell (6).

6. Assembly method according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the waterproof layer (9) is glued at least onto the foam layer (10).

7. Assembly method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one layer (9) of the inner bootie (7) and the shell (6) each have an upper edge (19), said edges being joined together, in particular by stitching (20).

8. Assembly method according to claim 7, characterized in that at least the layer (9) of the boot (7) is turned over at the level of the upper edges (19) on the inner wall (8) of the shell (6) to effect its bonding.

9. Assembly method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the buttress (11) is made of thermoplastic material to provide rigidity to the heel area (8a).

10. Assembly method according to claim 9, characterized in that the buttress (11) is covered at least partially with a protective layer (21).

11. Assembly method according to claim 10, characterized in that the protective layer (21) is associated with the buttress (11) after its insertion into the housing (15).

12. Assembly method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the stem (1) has a rising collar (1b) over which the heel area (8a) extends.

13. Assembly method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the buttress (11) has a base portion (11a) surmounted by the upper portion (11b), said base portion forming two wings (12) extending in a curved manner on either side of said upper portion to border the heel area (8a).

14. Assembly method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the upper portion (11b) is curved backwards to form a ramp (13) for inserting the foot into the footwear article.

15. Footwear article comprising an upper (1) assembled by means of a method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, said upper having a lower edge (1a) which is fixed to a sole structure (2) forming with it a space (3) for receiving a user's foot, the heel counter (11) being taken into the fixing of said edge.

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