Methods for Forming Seamless Conformable Booties and Waterproof Breathable Socks

摘要

Waterproof, breathable socks, booties, shoe inserts, and footwear assemblies containing the shoe inserts are provided. The booties and shoe inserts include a laminate of a seamless ePTFE membrane and at least one textile. The bootie is conformable over a range of sizes and shoe shapes, and may be shaped to fit numerous sizes and shapes of asymmetrical shoe lasts. The bootie may shrink to fit, or, alternatively, be stretched to fit, an asymmetrical last having a desired size to form a shoe insert. Such a conformable bootie eliminates the need to have multiple sizes of shoe inserts correlating to particular shoe sizes. In embodiments where the ePTFE is seamless and continuous, the shoe insert eliminates the need for a waterproof seam tape, which is conventionally used to make shoe inserts waterproof. Methods of forming the socks, booties, and shoe inserts are also provided.

主权项

1. A method of forming a seamless bootie comprising:
applying an adhesive on one of (1) a side of a textile or (2) a side of a conformable expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) tape having an extensibility of at least 1.5× in at least one direction; positioning said textile on a symmetrical last; and stretching said conformable ePTFE tape over said textile and said symmetrical last to form a seamless bootie comprising a conformed ePTFE membrane, said adhesive, and said textile.