The present invention generically relates to a footwear assembled with preformed pieces and a related footwear assembly method.

More particularly, the invention relates to a footwear assembly method and the related product, according to which an integral protective hull or shell is used to protects against abrasion and impact and internally houses the midsole and the upper of the footwear; the specific geometry of the shell on the lower surface, which is particularly flat and uniform, allows quick positioning of the tread (or sole) for the assembly and gluing stage.

This facilitates the replacement of the worn tread with a new one by means of reactivatable adhesives or mechanically by means of special "rasp-notch" machines adapted for the purpose.

In addition, the invention is designed to ensure greater ecology, speed and economy in the tread replacement stage.

In particular, facilitating the replacement of the worn tread leads to the extension of the life of the product and thus to the significant reduction of the need to dispose of the residue or the product in its entirety; thus, the life of the product can be extended by two to three times compared to the current one.

It is also possible to consider the idea of being able to sell a replacement sole or tread at the same time as the sale of the footwear, also providing a sticker already printed with the address of the factory intended for replacement, so that the customer/consumer can perceive the great advantage of this new proposal.

Footwear, especially a technical footwear, for example, for running or hiking, have special characteristics (such as weight or type of support) in the different parts that make it up, which are particularly important for the activity that is carried out by the user.

In particular, a technical footwear essentially consists of four parts: upper, shell, midsole, and tread (or sole).

The upper is the upper part of the footwear, the part that wraps around the foot. It can comprise one piece (tubular upper) or several pieces sewn together (rigid upper). Its purpose is to ensure that the foot is held inside the footwear, as well as to provide lightness, breathability and sometimes waterproofing. It can be made of synthetic materials such as nylon or microfibers, natural materials such as leather, or from a mix of overlapping and integrated layers. Lacing is also an integral part of the upper.

The shell is the back part of the footwear, the part that wraps around the heel of the foot and restores stability to the footwear. It is normally made of thermoplastic material, and its stiffness can increase depending on the use for which the footwear is intended; trivially, footwear for high mountains have a shell that is much stiffer than those for running.

The midsole is the part located between the upper and the tread (or sole) and in sports footwear is undoubtedly the most important part having to provide cushioning and shock protection. It is generally made of EVA (Ethyl-Vinyl-Acetate), a petroleum derivative.

Sometimes the compound may also contain polyurethane or polyethylene, depending on specific technologies developed by manufacturers. In hiking footwear, the midsole may consist of several layers of different materials to provide flexibility, rigidity, cushioning and protection at certain more sensitive points.

Often there are also cushioning systems in the heel that are intended to break down the vertical force, given by walking and body weight, into its horizontal component in order to make the contact of the foot with the ground less traumatic.

Finally, some footwear have a stiffer insert called “shank” in the middle part.

The tread (or sole) is the part of the footwear that is sometimes made in one piece with the midsole and is in direct contact with the ground. Its aim is to provide traction and grip on the ground. The design depends on the type of activity for which the footwear is designed, while the compounds used are mostly vulcanized rubber.

The assembly of a footwear and, in particular, the assembly of a sport or technical footwear, such as, for example, a mountaineering footwear, in a traditional manner, involves gluing a finished upper to a midsole (if present) and a sole or tread, as well as the application of a protective edging (mudgard) made of rubber or TPU perimetrically to the upper.

However, this mode of assembly causes several drawbacks, first of all that related to the fact that, in case of resole, the removal operations of the tread and rubber mudgard imply rather long and economically onerous processing times.

Moreover, such operations are particularly impactful on the upper due to the variety of materials that make up the upper. In the context of the aforementioned needs, therefore, it is the aim of the present invention to obviate the aforementioned technical drawbacks and, specifically, to realize an assembled footwear with preformed pieces and, in particular, a sports or technical footwear, which allows to simplify the operations of removal and replacement of the worn tread, reducing the time, cost and labor required.

Another aim of the invention is to realize a process for assembling the aforementioned footwear, particularly sports or technical footwear.

These and other aims, which will appear more clearly later in the discussion, are achieved by an assembled footwear with preformed pieces, according to the appended claim 1 , and by a related assembly process, according to claim 4; other detailed technical features are described in subsequent claims.

Advantageously, according to the invention, the time, the costs, and the labor required for replacement of the worn sole or tread is reduced by the adoption of specific reactivatable adhesives around 60-75 °C or by special machinery capable of mechanically removing the gluing residue on the lower surface of the midsole.

Further features and advantages of footwear assembled with preformed pieces, according to the present invention, will be more apparent from the following description, referring to a preferred and illustrative, but not limiting embodiment, and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- figures 1 , 2 and 3 show respective exploded perspective views of an assembled footwear with preformed pieces, made according to the present invention.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, the footwear, particularly a sports or technical footwear, according to the present invention, comprises an integral shell 10 of abrasion and impact protection, which is configured to house the midsole and the upper of the footwear.

In addition, a sole or tread 1 1 , made of rubber, is fixed to the lower outer surface 12 of the integral shell 10 by gluing or similar techniques.

As mentioned above, a midsole designed to dampen impacts generated during walking is positioned within the shell 10, and an upper block is housed above the midsole; in particular, the assembly procedure according to the present invention involves fixing the tread 1 1 to the lower outer surface 12 of the integral shell 10, positioning the midsole within the integral shell 10, and then housing the upper block above the midsole.

The specific geometry of the lower outer surface 12 of the shell 10, which is particularly flat and uniform, is configured to ensure a quick positioning of the tread 1 1 for the assembly and gluing phase.

Similarly, in the case of replacement of the tread 1 1 (for example, in the resole stage of footwear), the operation of removing the worn tread is easier than the prior art and limits the possibility of damaging the upper of the footwear, since this step is carried out either by a localized heating process designed to weaken the fastening bonds between the fixing glue, the shell 10, and the tread 1 1 , or by a mechanical process of removing the fixing residue (mechanical carding).

From the description made, the characteristics of the footwear assembled with preformed parts and the related assembly process, which are the subject matter of the present invention, are clear, as are the advantages.

In particular, the main advantages derived from the assembly procedure according to the invention concern the reduction of time, cost and labor required for the replacement of the worn tread, either by the adoption of specific reactivatable adhesives or by the use of special mechanical carding machinery suitable for mechanically removing the residual gluing on the lower surface of the integral shell and midsole.

Finally, the invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all within the inventive concept of the appended claims; moreover, all details may be substituted by other technically equivalent elements and the materials used, provided they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the needs and state of the art.

Where features and techniques mentioned in any claim are followed by reference marks, such reference marks have been appended for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and, accordingly, such reference marks have no limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference marks.