Inner lining for sports footwear having a rigid or semi-rigid shell structure

Claim 1

An inner lining, for use in sports footwear of the type having a rigid or semi-rigid shell structure, said lining comprising an upper and a sole that are formed from a plurality of flexible panels assembled with one another, said sole including a heel portion and said upper comprising: an inner liner having a front portion, a lower rear portion, and upper rear portion forming, along with said sole, a kind of slipper; an outer liner disposed over the front portion of said inner liner to form a pair of lateral pockets extending on either side of said front portion, each pocket having a substantially vertical opening at the rear thereof; and a sheathing covering the lower rear portion of the upper, the heel portion of said sole and lateral portions of the upper behind the front lateral pockets, the sheathing having an upper edge and being fastened permanently to said upper at said upper edge, said sheathing further having vertical edges and means for detachably securing said vertical edges to said outer liner for covering said vertical openings; wherein said sheathing and lateral pockets define a space adapted to receive a padding member extending from one pocket, behind the upper, and into the other pocket; and wherein such a one piece padding member may be detachably inserted under said sheathing and into said lateral pockets to be retained thereby.