Footwear having waterproof vapor-permeable sole and sockliner for same

1. Footwear comprising:

an upper sized and shaped for covering a human foot of a predetermined size, said upper having a lower edge defining a lower boundary of the upper and an upper edge defining an opening through which the foot is inserted when positioning the footwear on the foot;

a unitary waterproof vapor-permeable sheet having an outer edge defining a shape corresponding to the foot stitched to the lower edge of the upper so that an interior surface of the upper and an upper surface of the sheet define an interior of the footwear into which the foot is inserted, said upper surface of the sheet forming a bottom surface of the interior of the footwear; and

a compliant sole attached to the upper and extending below the waterproof vapor-permeable sheet, the sole extending longitudinally between a forefoot section positioned for underlying a forefoot of a wearer and a heel section positioned for underlying a heel of the wearer, said compliant sole having a sidewall, a lower surface forming an exterior bottom surface of the footwear, and an upper surface opposite the lower surface, the upper surface having elongate channels extending laterally across the upper surface, each of the channels having a width measured longitudinally with respect to the sole that varies along a length of the respective channel, and the sidewall having ports permitting air to flow between the elongate channels and an ambient atmosphere outside the sole.

2. Footwear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sole comprises:

a compliant midsole forming the upper surface having the elongate channels and the sidewall having the ports; and

a durable outsole including the lower surface forming the exterior bottom surface of the footwear.

3. Footwear as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the elongate channels extending laterally across the upper surface of the sole has a cross section that varies along a length of the respective channel.

4. Footwear as set forth in claim 1 wherein a portion of the sole positioned for underlying an arch of the foot is devoid of elongate channels.

5. Footwear as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a sockliner having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the lower surface including a groove that extends over more than one of the elongate channels extending laterally across the upper surface of the sole, the sockliner having perforations extending through the sockliner from the groove in the lower surface to the upper surface for directing air between the groove and the interior of the footwear.

6. Footwear as set forth in claim 5 wherein the perforations extending through the sockliner have a greater density in a portion of the sockliner adapted to underlie foot structures including at least one of a phalange and a metatarsal head than in at least some other portions of the sockliner.

7. Footwear as set forth in claim 6 wherein the sockliner comprises a layer of open cell foam overlying a layer of closed cell foam.

8. Footwear as set forth in claim 7 wherein the layer of open cell foam comprises slow recovery foam.

9. Footwear as set forth in claim 7 wherein the sockliner comprises cloth applied to an upper surface of the open cell foam.

10. Footwear comprising:

an upper sized and shaped for covering a human foot of a predetermined size, said upper having a lower edge defining a lower boundary of the upper and an upper edge defining an opening through which the foot is inserted when positioning the footwear on the foot;

a compliant sole attached to the upper having a sidewall, a lower surface forming an exterior bottom surface of the footwear, and an upper surface opposite the lower surface, the sole extending longitudinally between a forefoot section positioned for underlying a forefoot of a wearer and a heel section positioned for underlying a heel of the wearer, the upper surface having elongate channels extending laterally across the upper surface, and the sidewall having ports permitting air to flow between the elongate channels and an ambient atmosphere outside the sole, wherein each of the channels has a width measured longitudinally with respect to the sole, the width being greater than that of the corresponding port; and

a waterproof vapor-permeable sheet overlying the compliant sole.

11. Footwear as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a sockliner positioned above the sheet to provide a base upon which a foot rests when inserted in the footwear, said sockliner comprising an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface including a groove having at least a portion extending longitudinally along the lower surface and following at least a portion of a perimeter of said lower surface, the sockliner having perforations extending through the sockliner from the groove in the lower surface to the upper surface for directing air through the sockliner.

12. Footwear as set forth in claim 10 wherein each of the channels has a height measured laterally with respect to the sole and the channels, the height being greater than that of the corresponding port.

13. Footwear as set forth in claim 10 wherein each of the elongate channels extends generally parallel to the other channels.

14. Footwear as set forth in claim 10 wherein each of the channels has a cross section that varies along a length of the respective channel.

15. Footwear as set forth in claim 14 wherein each of the elongate channels is deeper adjacent the sidewall than at its middle.

16. Footwear as set forth in claim 15 wherein each of the elongate channels is wider adjacent the sidewall than at its middle.

17. Footwear as set forth in claim 14 wherein each of the elongate channels is wider adjacent the sidewall than at its middle.

18. Footwear as set forth in claim 10 wherein a portion of the sole positioned for underlying an arch of the foot is devoid of elongate channels.

19. Footwear comprising:

an upper sized and shaped for covering a human foot of a predetermined size, said upper having a lower edge defining a lower boundary of the upper and an upper edge defining an opening through which the foot is inserted when positioning the footwear on the foot;

a compliant sole attached to the upper having a sidewall, a lower surface forming an exterior bottom surface of the footwear, and an upper surface opposite the lower surface, the sole extending longitudinally between a forefoot section positioned for underlying a forefoot of a wearer and a heel section positioned for underlying a heel of the wearer, the upper surface having elongate channels extending laterally across the upper surface, each of the channels having a width measured longitudinally with respect to the sole that varies along a length of the respective channel, and the sidewall having ports permitting air to flow between the elongate channels and an ambient atmosphere outside the sole; and

a waterproof vapor-permeable sheet overlying the compliant sole.

20. Footwear as set forth in claim 19 further comprising a sockliner positioned above the sheet to provide a base upon which a foot rests when inserted in the footwear, said sockliner comprising an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface including a groove having at least a portion extending longitudinally along the lower surface and following at least a portion of a perimeter of said lower surface, the sockliner having perforations extending through the sockliner from the groove in the lower surface to the upper surface for directing air through the sockliner.

21. Footwear as set forth in claim 19 wherein each of the elongate channels is deeper adjacent the sidewall than at its middle.

22. Footwear as set forth in claim 19 wherein each of the elongate channels is wider adjacent the sidewall than at its middle.

23. Footwear as set forth in claim 19 wherein a portion of the sole positioned for underlying an arch of the foot is devoid of elongate channels.

24. Footwear as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a sockliner positioned on the upper surface of the sheet to provide a base upon which a foot rests when inserted in the footwear, said sockliner comprising an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface including a groove having at least a portion extending longitudinally along the lower surface and following at least a portion of a perimeter of said lower surface, the sockliner having perforations extending through the sockliner from the groove in the lower surface to the upper surface for directing air through the sockliner.

25. Footwear comprising:

an upper sized and shaped for covering a human foot of a predetermined size, said upper having a lower edge defining a lower boundary of the upper and an upper edge defining an opening through which the foot is inserted when positioning the footwear on the foot;

a compliant sole attached to the upper having a sidewall, a lower surface forming an exterior bottom surface of the footwear, and an upper surface opposite the lower surface, the upper surface having elongate channels extending laterally across the upper surface, each of the channels having a cross section that varies along a length of the respective channel, and the sidewall having ports permitting air to flow between the elongate channels and an ambient atmosphere outside the sole;

a waterproof vapor-permeable sheet overlying the compliant sole; and

a sockliner positioned above the sheet to provide a base upon which a foot rests when inserted in the footwear, said sockliner comprising an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface including a groove having at least a portion extending longitudinally along the lower surface and following at least a portion of a perimeter of said lower surface, the sockliner having perforations extending through the sockliner from the groove in the lower surface to the upper surface for directing air through the sockliner.