Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
  • A43B7/32—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with shock-absorbing means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B13/00—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B13/00—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
  • A43B13/02—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the material
  • A43B13/12—Soles with several layers of different materials
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B13/00—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
  • A43B13/42—Filling materials located between the insole and outer sole; Stiffening materials
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B3/00—Footwear characterised by the shape or the use

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the construction of a boot sole, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved safety boot sole construction to prevent puncturing of the sole by high energy and high velocity projectiles thus affording greater protection to an individual's foot without over-restricting movement.
• U.S. Patent no. 5,237,758 to Zachman this uses semi-elliptical sections intersecting at loops with adjacent webs of adjacent loops intersecting with flexible rods directed through the intersecting loops to minimise lateral displacement of adjacent webs.
• U.S. Patent no. 5,285,583 to Aleven this uses a protective layer composed of plastic and including a flexible forepart portion having an insole board bonded to its bottom surface and a fabric liner bonded to its top surface during the process of moulding the protective plastic layer. The plastic used by Aleven is molten plastic injected in the final bonding process.
• UHL GMBH KARL A multi-layer boot sole having a walking surface, a damping intermediate sole, and an upper insole.
• the base is a thermo-plastic moulding, or is made of metal, ceramic or graphite, in which multi-filament organic or inorganic reinforcing fibres are embedded in the form of a mat, or woven or knitted into the structure.
• the elastic profiled portions are formed on the underside of the base by injection moulding or pressing.
• the base can contain only a single layer of woven fibres, its total thickness being approximately 0.5 mm.
• the present invention provides a blast and fragment resistant polyester and/or polyether-based polyurethane boot sole comprising embedded protective material in which the material is embedded throughout the entire sole and is composed of at least one woven polyaramid (Kevlar) layer, the density of which is less than or equal to 15 oz per square yard. Increasing density and additional layers of woven polyaramid fibres increases the blast and fragment resistance.
• woven polyaramid Kevlar
• polyaramid (Kevlar) and/or graphite fibres can be coated thinly with polyester or polyether based polyurethane before they are woven into the required mat form, this will greatly improve adhesion between the polyaramid and polyurethane material.
• polyester fibres preferably poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibres
• PET poly(ethylene terephthalate)
• Kevlar poly(ethylene terephthalate)
• carbon graphite fibres can be interwoven with or between the polyaramid (Kevlar) layers to further strengthen and to stiffen the sole.
• a woven layer of mineral fibres notably ceramic fibres or S-glass fibres, can be included into the boot sole to act as a fire wall for protection against hot gasses with temperatures of between 815 and 1 ,650 degrees
• Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a boot having a first embodiment of the sole construction according to the present invention
• Figure 1-A is an enlarged view of the sole construction of Figure 1;
• Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a boot having a second embodiment of the sole construction according to the present invention
• Figure 2- A is an enlarged view of the sole construction of Figure 2;
• Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a boot having a third embodiment of the sole construction according to the present invention;
• Figure 3-A is an enlarged view of the sole construction of Figure 3;
• Figure 3-B is an enlarged view of an alternative sole construction to that depicted in Figure 3-A;
• Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a boot having a fourth embodiment of the sole construction according to the present invention.
• Figure 4- A is an enlarged view of the sole construction of Figure 4; and Figure 4-B is an enlarged view of an alternative sole construction to that depicted in Figure 4- A.
• a boot having a first embodiment of the sole construction according to the present invention is generally depicted as 10 in Figures 1 and 1-A.
• the boot 10 has a standard shaped upper portion 11 and a composite sole 13.
• the composite sole 13 comprises an outer polyurethane sole 14 having a tread 17, an intermediate sole 15 into which is embedded a layer of polyaramid fibres 18, and optionally, an upper sole 16.
• the composite safety boot sole is made in a traditional multi-stage mould which is commonly used in the polyurethane shoe soling industry.
• polyester and/or polyether-based polyurethane is first injected into a composite sole mould cavity to form the outer (lower) sole 14 such that its density is typically in the range of 500 to 2000 kg/m 3 .
• one thick layer of polyaramid (Kevlar) woven fibre material 18 is placed onto the outer (lower) sole 14 which remains in the mould cavity.
• the polyaramid (Kevlar) fibre material can be precoated with polyester and/or polyether-based polyurethane prior to weaving.
• the coat of polyurethane serves to facilitate good adhesion with and penetration by polyurethane which is injected into the mould cavity.
• the density of the polyaramid layer 18 is at least 5 oz per square yard, preferably 15 oz per square yard, for each ply of woven polyaramid material.
• This thick polyaramid layer 18 preferably consists of bundles of polyaramid in crowfoot or leno weave with 70% to 90% in the X to Y direction (that is perpendicular to toe-to-heel), and 10 to 30% in the toe-to-heel direction.
• the thickness of the layer of the polyaramid layer 18 is at least 0.07 inches, more typically 0.11 inches, using Kevlar 49 in 7100 dernier bundles with tensile strength of 43,000 PSI and modulus 19 million PSI with a 0.07 inch diameter polyaramid fibres.
• polyester and/ or polyether-based polyurethane is injected into the mould cavity containing the outer (lower) sole 14 at the base of the sole to form the intermediate sole 15.
• the polyurethane after injection into the mould has a typical density of ⁇ 1000 kg/m 3 .
• the upper portion 11 can be directly attached to the polyurethane composite sole 13 comprising of the outer (lower) and intermediate soles 14, 15 or a third upper sole 16 can be added on top of the intermediate sole for enhanced comfort.
• a shoe sole 13 made according to the above method with the preferred 15 oz per square yard polyaramid layer 18 is effective in providing blast and fragment resistance to 60 grain projectile with a velocity of 1350 fps. It also conserves good toe-to-heel flexion in order to enable running, jumping and to clear obstacles such as rope ladders, rope climbing and small steps, while avoiding delamination of the sole in subsequent use.
• a boot having a second embodiment of the sole construction according to the present invention is depicted as 20 in Figures 2 and 2-A.
• the sole 13 has further layers 18 of polyaramid fibre material incorporated therein.
• the outer sole can have up to two layers of polyaramid fibre 18.
• the intermediate sole 15 would typically have between 2 and
• the polyaramid layers 18 consist preferably of polyaramid fibres being of 0.01 inch diameter.
• the fibres are woven together to form a layer less than 0.06 inches thick and, more typically, about 0.04 inches thick.
• a polyester and/or polyether-based polyurethane is then injected into a composite shoe sole mould cavity to form the outer (lower) sole 14 such that its density is typically in the range of 500 to 2000 kg/m 3 .
• a polyester and/or polyether-based polyurethane is injected into the mould cavity to form the intermediate sole 15 such that the polyurethane has a typical density of ⁇ 1000 kg/m 3 .
• the upper portion 11 can be directly attached to the polyurethane composite sole 13 comprising of the outer (lower) and intermediate soles 14, 15 or a third, upper polyurethane sole 16 can be included for enhanced comfort.
• This is achieved by allowing the outer and intermediate soles (made by the process above) to remain in the mould cavity and by injecting polyester and/or polyether-based polyurethane onto the intermediate sole 15.
• a shoe sole made according to the above method is even more effective in providing blast and fragment resistance than the first embodiment due to the multiple polyaramid layers.
• polyaramid layers 18 as described in relation to soles depicted in Figures 1 and 2 are interwoven with polyester (PET) fibres and the boot sole is made in the same manner as described above.
• interwoven polyaramid and polyester (PET) fibres has the advantage of further increasing the adhesion of the polyurethane material to the embedded layer(s) 18. This being due to the intrinsically superior adhesion between polyurethane and polyester.
• the polyaramid layers 18 as described in the embodiments above are further interwoven with carbon graphite fibres having 12K TOW and a tensile strength of 470,000 PSI and modulus of 35 million PSI with the boot sole 13 being made in the same manner as described above.
• the use of interwoven carbon graphite fibres has the advantage of further increasing strength and stiffness and of improving wear resistance.
• boot sole 13 is made as described above except that, in addition, a layer of woven ceramic fibres of composite ceramic/polyaramid fibres 31 are included into the intermediate sole 15.
• the woven ceramic fibre layer is preferably comprised of 0.05 inch diameter ceramic fibres with 70% to 90% of the ceramic fibres being woven into a crowfoot or leno weave in the X-Y direction (perpendicular to the toe-to-heel direction) and with 10% to 30% of ceramic fibres in the toe-to-heel direction.
• This layer is embedded in the intermediate sole above the polyaramid (Kevlar) layer(s) 18 (see Figure 3- A).
• a thin (0.025 inch) composite layer 32 of ceramic/polyaramid fibres preferably consisting of standard bidirectional weave can be embedded in the upper sole 16.
• the boot sole incorporating this composite layer of ceramic/polyaramid fibres
• a layer of composite S-Glass fibres can be added into the middle or upper sole 14, 15 (see Figures 4, 4-A and 4-B).
• Glass fibres are woven into a crowfoot or leno weave in the X-Y direction (perpendicular to the toe-to-heel direction) and with 10% to 30% of S-Glass fibres in the toe-to-heel direction, is embedded in the intermediate sole above the polyaramid (Kevlar) layer(s) 18 ( Figure 4- A).
• a thinner (0.025 inch) layer 42 of S-Glass fibres preferably having a standard bi-directional satin weave can be embedded in the upper sole 16 ( Figure 4-B).
• the boot sole 13 incorporating the layer of S-Glass fibres 41 , 42 allows for protection against hot gasses with a temperature resistance of 815 degrees Celsius for the very brief duration of the blast.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)
• Polyurethanes Or Polyureas (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (12)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (29)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1995
  • 1995-03-01 SG SG1995000037A patent/SG34208A1/en unknown
• 1996
  • 1996-02-28 KR KR1019970705448A patent/KR100229887B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-02-28 CA CA002213988A patent/CA2213988C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-02-28 TR TR97/00745T patent/TR199700745T1/xx unknown
  • 1996-02-28 NZ NZ304186A patent/NZ304186A/en unknown
  • 1996-02-28 DE DE69608258T patent/DE69608258T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-02-28 AT AT96907854T patent/ATE192631T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-02-28 EP EP96907854A patent/EP0812140B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-02-28 WO PCT/SG1996/000001 patent/WO1996026655A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1996-02-28 CN CN96192057A patent/CN1121830C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-02-28 AU AU51313/96A patent/AU694636B2/en not_active Ceased
• 1997
  • 1997-08-26 NO NO19973905A patent/NO310541B1/no unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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