Breathable Waterproof Shoe Sole With Perforated Insole
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional breathable shoes with leather uppers lack waterproofness, especially in rainy conditions, and existing breathable and waterproof sole designs are complex to manufacture and may compromise vapor permeation.
Innovation Solution
A shoe design featuring a breathable and waterproof sole and upper with a membrane sandwiched between layers, where the sole is overmolded with polymeric material and includes perforations for vapor permeation, ensuring hermetic sealing at the membrane connections, and a method involving direct injection molding with specific mold designs to prevent polymer seepage into vapor permeation areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If natural materials such as leather are used for the upper, then breathability is improved, but waterproofness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining natural leather upper with a synthetic breathable and waterproof membrane (such as Gore-Tex®). The membrane is integrated into the upper structure, creating a composite material system that simultaneously provides breathability through the membrane's microporous structure and waterproofness through its hydrophobic properties, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing different regions of the upper with different properties. The outer surface maintains the natural leather characteristics for breathability and comfort, while the inner layer incorporates the breathable and waterproof membrane for water resistance. This localized differentiation allows each region to perform its specific function optimally.
2Reliability
If a membrane is added to ensure waterproofness, then waterproofness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the breathable and waterproof membrane with the upper structure by integrating it as an inner layer during the manufacturing process. The membrane is combined with the insole and upper components in a unified assembly, reducing the number of separate manufacturing steps and simplifying the overall production process while ensuring complete waterproofness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling the membrane with the insole and upper components before final shoe assembly. The membrane is integrated into the upper structure during the manufacturing process itself, ensuring proper sealing and connection points are established in advance, which simplifies subsequent assembly steps and reduces manufacturing complexity.
3Reliability
If the sole is made hermetically sealed, then waterproofness is improved, but vapor permeation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality to the sole by creating different regions with different properties. The peripheral region of the sole is made hermetically sealed to prevent water infiltration, while the central region maintains porosity or breathability features to allow vapor permeation. This localized differentiation ensures each region performs its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sole into functionally distinct zones: a peripheral sealed portion for waterproofness and a central breathable portion for vapor permeation. This segmentation allows the sole to simultaneously provide both waterproof protection and breathability, with each segment optimized for its specific purpose.
4Reliability
If multiple layers are added to ensure both breathability and waterproofness, then performance is improved, but structural simplicity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functional layers (breathable and waterproof membrane, insole, upper components) into a single integrated assembly. The membrane is combined with the insole and upper structures during manufacturing, creating a unified component that provides both breathability and waterproofness without requiring separate assembly steps, thus maintaining structural simplicity while achieving high performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves complete waterproofness while maintaining breathability and durability, simplifying manufacturing through conventional technologies and direct injection methods, effectively preventing water infiltration and ensuring high standards of vapor exchange.
Implementation Method 1
a breathable and waterproof membrane (for example made of a material such as Gore-Tex® or the like)
Implementation Method 2
a breathable and waterproof membrane (for example made of a material such as Gore-Tex® or the like)
Implementation Method 3
said upper is provided with passages toward said membrane for the polymeric material during the overmolding of said sole, said passages being arranged substantially at the connecting region between said upper and said membrane
Implementation Method 4
an at least partially perforated or breathable insole
Implementation Method 5
correct vapor permeation as well as an effective exchange of heat and water vapor between the environment inside the shoe and the external environment
Implementation Method 6
said breathable and waterproof sole being at least partially overmolded on said assembly, said shoe being characterized in that said upper is provided with passages toward said membrane for the polymeric material during the overmolding of said sole
Data Source
AI summary
A shoe with a breathable and waterproof sole and upper, including a breathable and waterproof sole, an assembly associated with the sole in an upward region, an external breathable upper, an internal lining and, between them, a breathable and waterproof membrane, and an at least partially perforated or breathable insole, which is joined at least to the upper and to the breathable and waterproof membrane. The shoe thereby has a sole that is joined hermetically and peripherally to the assembly at the connecting region between the upper and the breathable and waterproof membrane.