Patent Application
20170127754
Insulation can be used to increase warmth in many different articles of clothing or footwear. In boots designed to be worn in cold and wet conditions, for example, increased amounts of insulation may keep the wearer's feet warm.
Varying amounts of insulation in a type of footwear may be indicated by a weight, for example in grams. More insulation (i.e., a greater weight of insulation) generally provides enhanced insulation and greater warmth.
When insulating footwear designed for vigorous activities, such as hiking or hunting, the amount of insulation can be an important consideration—too much insulation may cause the wearer's foot to overheat and perspire, resulting in blisters and potential injury, while too little insulation may cause the wearer's foot to become cold.
When designing conventional footwear, the goal is to generally provide the footwear with a target overall level or weight of insulation. Footwear designed for colder weather activities will have a greater weight of insulation, whereas footwear for warmer activities will generally have a lighter weight of insulation. This approach, though, fails to consider that different regions of the foot may be better suited to different levels of insulation.
The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items or features.
In various embodiments described herein, different types of footwear include insulation for keeping a wearer's foot warm. In some embodiments, the footwear may have different zones where each zone has a different level of insulation. For example, the footwear may be a boot with three different insulation zones that each provide a different level of insulation for a specific part of a wearer's foot. For example, the first insulation zone may be the heel region, the second insulation zone may be the main part of the foot region excluding the heel region and the toe region, herein labeled as the saddle region. The third insulation zone may be the toe region. The different zones may each provide a different level of cold protection. For example, the zone of the heel region may have a lower level of insulation than the zone of the saddle region. The zone of the saddle region, may in turn, have a lower level of insulation than the zone of the toe region.
The different insulation zones may be selected based on an analysis and refinement of existing boot constructions that include a single layer of insulation having a consistent-thickness throughout the entire boot. The size of each insulation zone may then be further refined by reducing the amount of insulation in areas requiring less insulation, for example in the heel region zone. The target insulation level for each different zone may be determined by taking into consideration the overall insulation value based on sales history and proven performance of traditional insulated footwear. For example, the insulation amount in each zone may be selected so that an average amount of insulation over the entire boot is about equal to that found in a conventional insulated boot. Once the highest overall insulation value is determined, the different insulation zones with lower insulation values may be determined by incrementally stepping down or decreasing from the highest value. For example, the toe region zone may contain the highest overall insulation level, and the saddle region zone may be determined by incrementally stepping down or decreasing from the insulation level of the toe region zone. Further, the heel region zone may be determined by incrementally stepping down or decreasing from the insulation level of the saddle region zone.
In one implementation, the different zones, each with a different level of insulation, may be created by using layers of insulation.
This implementation provides the benefit of different insulation levels for different parts of a wearer's foot, which results in improved functionality of the footwear. The lower insulation level in the heel region zone 20 decreases the possibility of overheating and perspiration and the chance that a wearer's heel will slip while the wearer is participating in vigorous activity, thereby decreasing the possibility that the wearer will develop blisters or other injury to the heel region of their foot. Meanwhile, the increased level of insulation provided in the saddle region of a wearer's foot decreases the possibility that the main part of wearer's foot will become cold; and the highest level of insulation in the toe region zone 40 ensures that the relatively heat-sensitive toe region of a wearer's foot remains warm.
According to an embodiment,
When ends 28 of the first insulation layer 25 are connected together at the points indicated by the dashed lines, the first insulation layer 25 is formed into the shape of the foot-covering top portion of an article of footwear. When ends 28 are connected, the first insulation layer 25 has an opening 29 that matches the opening in an item of footwear in which a wearer inserts their foot.
In one implementation, the first and second insulation layers are combined to create two different insulation zones, as shown in
In another implementation, the first, second, and third insulation layers are combined to create three different insulation zones, as shown in
Prior to final assembly, the individual insulation layers may be stitched together, as previously described. The pre-assembly of the insulation layers ensures that the middle layer of insulation, or second insulation layer 35, does not become bunched between the other two layers, 25 and 45. Once the pre-assembled insulation layers are in place, specific rubber panels are assembled over the insulation layers for completing the manufacture of the footwear.
In another embodiment, boot 10, as shown in
Alternatively, the progression of increasing insulation could start at the shaft region zone 70 and the insulation level could decrease with each preceding zone. For example, the shaft region zone 70 may have the highest level of insulation, the heel region zone 20 may have the second highest level of insulation, the saddle region zone 30 may have the third highest level of insulation, and the toe region zone 40 may have the lowest level of insulation.
In yet another embodiment, there may not be a progression of increasing or decreasing insulation levels, but rather one or more specific zones may have the highest level of insulation. For example, the saddle region zone 30 may have the highest insulation level of boot 10, as shown in
The plurality of insulation zones and the corresponding insulation levels can be varied depending on the desired application for the footwear. One skilled in the art will realize that a virtually unlimited number of variations to the above descriptions are possible, and that the examples and the accompanying figures are merely to illustrate one or more examples of implementations
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the claims.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted, without departing from claimed subject matter. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of claimed subject matter without departing from the central concept described herein. Therefore, it is intended that claimed subject matter not be limited to the particular embodiments or implementations disclosed, but that such claimed subject matter may also include all embodiments or implementations falling within the scope of the appended claims, and equivalents thereof.
In the detailed description above, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of claimed subject matter. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that claimed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, apparatuses, or systems that would be known by one of ordinary skill have not been described in detail so as not to obscure claimed subject matter.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “one implementation,” or “an implementation” may mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with a particular embodiment or implementation may be included in at least one embodiment or implementation of claimed subject matter. Thus, appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “one implementation,” or “an implementation” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily intended to refer to the same embodiment or implementation, or to any one particular embodiment or implementation described. Furthermore, it is to be understood that particular features, structures, or characteristics described may be combined in various ways in one or more embodiments or implementations. In general, of course, these and other issues may vary with the particular context of usage. Therefore, the particular context of the description or the usage of these terms may provide helpful guidance regarding inferences to be drawn for that context.
