CN110871582A

CN110871582A - Foam molded body, shoe body member, and method for producing same

Info

Publication number: CN110871582A
Application number: CN201811014207.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 萧锦勋
Original assignee: Shenglong Materials Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shenglong Materials Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-08-31
Filing date: 2018-08-31
Publication date: 2020-03-10

Abstract

The invention provides a foam molding body, a shoe body component and a manufacturing method thereof, comprising the following steps: a setting step of placing a foamed base material containing a plurality of semi-foamed particles of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) into a mold that is not affected by microwaves; and a foaming step, heating the mould in a microwave mode to enable the semi-foaming particles in the mould to be subjected to temperature rise caused by microwave action to foam and mutually extrude, and cooling and demoulding to form a foaming molded body. The semi-foamed particles include a plurality of first particles having a first particle size range and a plurality of second particles having a second particle size range, and a median value of the first particle size range is substantially greater than a median value of the second particle size range. In the disposing step, the first particles and the second particles are disposed in different zones of the mold respectively.

Description

Foam molded body, shoe body member, and method for producing same

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a foam molded body, a shoe body member and a method for producing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a foamed molded article and a shoe body member which are foamed and molded by microwave heating, and a method for producing the same

Background

Molded plastic rubber articles have been widely used in various fields in modern times to produce various appliances or products. Such as toys, shoes, automotive parts, electronic parts, etc. As mentioned above, injection molding is commonly used to melt plastics by heating at high temperature and then injecting the melted plastics into a mold to form various plastic-rubber molded bodies. However, in this process, an injection molding machine and a relatively high-temperature-resistant mold are required to be arranged, so that the setting specification and cost of the entire process are increased. Therefore, there is a need for the development of a plastic rubber molded article having various properties, a method for producing such a plastic rubber molded article, and a specific process for applying the same to various designs or products.

In view of the above, to provide other plastic-rubber molded bodies with other structures, taiwan patent publication TW 201736423a proposes a foamable composition for foaming, foamed Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) particles produced by foaming and granulating the foamable composition, a microwave molded body made of the foamable composition, and a corresponding manufacturing method; taiwan patent publication TW 201736450a proposes a method of forming a microwave molded body on a surface portion of an object and a microwave molded body produced thereby; and taiwan patent publication TW 201736093 a proposes a corresponding method for forming a microwave-molded shoe and a microwave-molded shoe made thereby. The taiwan patent publication discloses several foaming granular materials specially designed for adjusting the color or hardness of the granules during granulation, and discloses a part or an object which can be bonded with the foaming granular material through an adhesive layer or can be welded with the foaming granular material through melting by microwave heating. However, the above patent does not further propose materials applicable according to the properties of microwave heating and various configurations of foaming, so as to further provide a method for preparing microwave molded bodies with various specific structures and configurations and a finished product thereof.

Disclosure of Invention

The technical means for solving the problems are as follows:

in order to solve the above problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing a foamed molded body, including: a setting step of placing a foamed base material containing a plurality of semi-foamed particles of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) into a mold that is not affected by microwaves; and a foaming step, heating the mould in a microwave mode to enable the semi-foaming particles in the mould to be subjected to temperature rise under the action of microwaves to foam and extrude each other, and forming a foaming molding body after cooling and demoulding. Wherein the semi-foamed particles comprise: the particle size distribution includes a plurality of first particles having a first particle size range and a plurality of second particles having a second particle size range, and a median of the first particle size range is substantially greater than a median of the second particle size range. In the step of disposing, the first particles and the second particles are disposed in different zones of the mold respectively.

In one embodiment, it further comprises: in the setting step, one or more partition plates are placed in the mold, and the first particles and the second particles are respectively placed in different blocks of the mold partitioned by the partition plates.

In one embodiment, the partitions are made of semi-foamed material and are heated together with the semi-foamed particles in the foaming step by microwave heating for foaming.

In one embodiment, the mold cavity of the mold is in the shape of a shoe body part, and the foam molding body is a shoe body part.

In one embodiment, before the foaming step, the method further comprises placing a shoe last sleeved with an upper on the mold, so that at least a portion of the upper contacts the semi-foamed particles, and the semi-foamed particles placed on the mold are distributed along the bottom of the shoe last.

In one embodiment, before the foaming step, the method further comprises spreading semi-foaming particles, which are the same as or different from the semi-foaming particles, between the upper and the last along the bottom of the last.

In one embodiment, the upper fitted over the shoe last has a double-layered structure, and before the foaming step, the method of manufacturing the foamed molded body further includes laying semi-foamed particles, which are the same as or different from the semi-foamed particles, between an inner layer and an outer layer of the upper along the bottom of the shoe last.

In one embodiment, in the disposing step, one or more film-like elements are further disposed partially in the mold to contact the semi-foamed particles, wherein the film-like elements comprise a material that can be heated by microwave.

In one embodiment, at least one of the membrane-like elements is a waterproof moisture-permeable membrane, and the method for manufacturing the foamed molded body further comprises coating at least a part of the semi-foamed particles with the waterproof moisture-permeable membrane before the foaming step.

In one embodiment, at least one of the film-like elements has a pattern, and the foamed molded body formed after foaming has a marking pattern corresponding to the pattern.

In one embodiment, at least one of the film-like elements includes a foamable material or a material that can be heated by microwave and partially melted to weld other materials, and is covered to define a covering space, and at least a portion of the semi-foamed particles disposed in the mold is disposed in the covering space, wherein the covering space includes an extension section where the semi-foamed particles are not disposed, and wherein the foamed molded body has an extension portion formed by foaming the semi-foamed particles to fill the extension section.

In one embodiment, before the foaming step, at least one inlay element and the semi-foaming particles are arranged in the mold together, wherein the inlay element is a material or a product thereof that is not affected by microwaves.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a foamed molded body produced by the above method. In the foamed molded body, the hardness of a portion formed by foaming the first particles is lower than that of a portion formed by foaming the second particles, and the density of the particle boundary of a portion formed by foaming the first particles is lower than that of a portion formed by foaming the second particles.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a shoe body part manufactured by the above method, and the shoe body part is the foamed molded body having a shape of a shoe body part. In the shoe body member, the hardness of the portion formed by foaming the first particles is lower than the hardness of the portion formed by foaming the second particles, and the density of the particle boundary of the portion formed by foaming the first particles is lower than the density of the particle boundary of the portion formed by foaming the second particles.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a foamed molded body including a structure foamed by a plurality of semi-foamed particles of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). The semi-foamed particles have a plurality of first particles in a first particle size range and a plurality of second particles in a second particle size range. The hardness of the part formed by foaming the first particles is less than that of the part formed by foaming the second particles, and the density of the particle boundary of the part formed by foaming the first particles is lower than that of the particle boundary of the part formed by foaming the second particles.

In one embodiment, the foamed molded body further comprises at least one mosaic element embedded in the structure, and the mosaic element is a material or a finished product thereof which is not affected by microwaves.

In one embodiment, the foamed molded body further comprises one or more film-like elements welded or bonded to the surfaces of the semi-foamed particles.

In one embodiment, at least one of the film-like elements is correspondingly patterned and attached to the foam molding body.

In one embodiment, at least one of the membrane-like elements is a waterproof moisture-permeable membrane.

In one embodiment, at least one of the membrane-like elements encapsulates the structure.

In one embodiment, the foam molding is a shoe body part having a shoe body part shape.

In one embodiment, the shoe body member is bonded to at least a portion of an upper in a fused form.

Efficacy against the prior art:

according to the method for manufacturing the foamed molded body, the foamed molded body and the shoe body component provided by the embodiment of the invention, the foamed molded body and the shoe body component can be configured by the particle size according to the requirement and design without other specific procedures or materials, so that each part of a final finished product has different hardness or softness. Therefore, the delicacy and applicability of the foamed molded article formed by microwave molding can be improved.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing a foamed molded body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2A to 2C are schematic diagrams illustrating a foaming base material according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2D is a schematic diagram of microwave heating foaming according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a foamed molded body produced by the method shown in fig. 2A to 2D.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a foamed molded body manufactured by a mold having a shape of a shoe body part according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5A to 5D are schematic views illustrating a foaming base material and a partition according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5E is a schematic view of microwave heating foaming according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6A is a schematic view of a foamed base material and a spacer according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6B is a schematic view of microwave heating foaming according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is a schematic view of a foamed base material and an inlay element according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7B is a schematic view of microwave heating foaming according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a schematic view of a foamed molded body produced by the method shown in fig. 7A and 7B.

Fig. 9 is a schematic view of a foamed base material and a film-like member according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a schematic view of a foamed molded body produced by heating foaming in a microwave manner with the configuration of fig. 9.

Fig. 11A to 11E are schematic views illustrating a foamed base material and a film-like member according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11F is a schematic view of microwave heating foaming according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a schematic view of a foamed molded body produced by the method shown in fig. 11A to 11F.

Fig. 13A and 13B are schematic views illustrating the arrangement of the foamed base material and the footwear last and the upper according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of the arrangement of FIGS. 13A and 13B with a shoe body part formed by microwave heat foaming and the shoe body part bonded to an upper.

Fig. 15 is a schematic view illustrating the arrangement of a foamed base material and a footwear last and an upper according to a first variation of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of the arrangement of FIG. 15 with the shoe body component and insole and the shoe body component bonded to the upper produced by microwave heat foaming.

Fig. 17 is a schematic view illustrating the arrangement of a foamed base material and a footwear last and an upper according to a second variation of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a schematic view of the arrangement of FIG. 17 with the shoe body component and insole and the shoe body component bonded to the upper produced by microwave heat foaming.

Description of the main component symbols:

10: method of producing a composite material

S100: setting step

S200: foaming step

r1, r2, r 3: block

r1 ', r2 ', r3 ': in part

h1, h2, h 3: hardness of

100: die set

110: die cavity

120: upper cover

200. 200': foamed base material

205. 205': semi-foamed particles

210: first particles

220: second granule

300: microwave oven

400. 400', 400 ": foamed molded article

401. 402, 410: particle boundary

450: extension part

500: partition board

510: base seat

600: mosaic assembly

700: film-like element

710: pattern(s)

710': indicating pattern

720: cladding space

721: main body space

722: extension section

800: shoe last

805: shoe tree bottom

900: shoe upper

905. 915: foamed molded article

910: outer layer

920: inner layer

1000. 2000, 3000: shoes with air-permeable layer

Detailed Description

Various embodiments will be described hereinafter, and the spirit and principles of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, while certain specific embodiments are specifically illustrated herein, these embodiments are merely exemplary and are not to be considered in all respects as limiting or exhaustive. Thus, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

Referring to fig. 1, a method 10 of manufacturing a foamed molded body according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a setting step S100 of setting a foamed base material, and a foaming step S200 of foaming the foamed base material. For example, referring to fig. 2A to 2C in conjunction with fig. 1, according to the method 10 of the present embodiment, in the setting step S100, the foamed base material 200 is first placed into the mold 100 that is not affected by microwaves (i.e., into the cavity 110 of the mold 100). In particular, not being affected by microwaves may for example not be heated by microwaves and may be tolerant to ambient temperature increases due to microwave heating. In detail, a material that is too transparent and low-loss material is not easily penetrated by microwaves and cannot be absorbed, or a material that is completely opaque such as a metal conductor is not completely reflected and cannot be penetrated by microwaves, and such a material that cannot be heated by microwaves is a material that is not affected by microwaves without being denatured or changed (for example, foamed) due to temperature rise of other surrounding materials. In contrast, high loss materials that are sensitive to microwaves are materials that are heated by absorbing microwaves and are affected by microwaves because the transparency is such that the microwaves are absorbed only after a certain distance. In addition, even if the microwave is not directly absorbed and heated, the material is affected by the microwave when the temperature is raised and the material is denatured or changed (for example, foamed) when the peripheral material absorbs the microwave.

As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the foaming base material 200 includes a plurality of semi-foaming particles 205 that can be directly heated to be foamed in the microwave or foamed by a temperature increase caused by heating of other adjacently disposed materials. For example, the semi-foamed particles 205 in the foamed base material 200 may be a high loss material that can be foamed by microwave heating. Alternatively, in the case where the semi-foamed particles 205 are materials that are difficult to heat by microwaves, an additive that easily absorbs microwaves (e.g., Al2O 3-SiC) may be further added to the foaming base material 200, so that the semi-foamed particles 205 can be foamed by the temperature increase caused by heating due to the absorption of microwaves by the surrounding additive.

Here, the mold 100 that is not affected by the microwave may be, for example, the mold 100 made of a material that is affected by the microwave without temperature increase, and/or the mold 100 made of a material that can endure high temperature without deformation. Further, the mold 100 (the cavity 110 of the mold 100) may have various desired shapes to produce a foamed molded body having a desired shape, and may be an integrally molded member or assembled of a plurality of members.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the semi-foamed particles 205 may be made of Polyurethane (PU), Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and may be particles of a certain size that have foaming ability and are formed after being foamed to a certain degree. Specifically, the semi-foamed particles 205 can be made of Polyurethane (PU), Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material by molding, adding a foaming agent, mixing, and performing incomplete foaming, and still have foaming ability. For example, semi-foamed particles 205 may be formed by semi-foaming a foamed thermoplastic polyurethane (i.e., a foamed Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the semi-expanded particles 205 may be particles prepared by any means to be expanded to some extent to have a particle form and still maintain the expansion capability.

In detail, according to the present embodiment, the semi-foamed particles 205 disposed in the mold 100 may include: a plurality of first particles 210 having a first particle size range, and a plurality of second particles 220 having a second particle size range. Since the shape of the particles used in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may be non-spherical but rather nearly spherical, the particle size is defined as the maximum major axis length of the particle. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the median of the first particle size range is substantially greater than the median of the second particle size range. That is, the first particles 210 are substantially larger than the second particles 220. For example, in a preferred embodiment, the middle of the first particle size range is substantially equal to the average particle size of the first particles 210, and the middle of the second particle size range is substantially equal to the average particle size of the second particles 220. However, due to process tolerance, etc., there may be a difference in particle size between the plurality of first particles 210 or between the plurality of second particles 220, and the average particle size thereof is not necessarily equal to the intermediate value.

As described above, as shown in fig. 2A and 2B, the first particles 210 and the second particles 220 having different sizes may be respectively disposed in different regions of the mold 100. For example, the first granules 210 may be disposed in the block r1 and the block r3, and the second granules 220 may be disposed in the block r 2. However, the above are merely examples, and the mold 100 may be divided into a plurality of different blocks in other forms, and the first particles 210 and the second particles 220 may be respectively disposed in different blocks. In addition, according to other embodiments of the present invention, it is also possible to further include other particles with different particle size ranges according to the above principle, and the particles are separately arranged in different blocks from the first particles 210 and the second particles 220, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

According to a preferred embodiment, referring to fig. 2C, the mold 100 may further include an upper cover 120, and after the foaming base material 200 is placed as shown in fig. 2A and 2B, the upper cover 120 may be disposed on the mold 100 to define a space in which the foaming base material 200 can be foamed.

Next, referring to fig. 2D together with fig. 1 and fig. 2A to 2C, according to the method 10 of the present embodiment, the foaming step S200 includes heating the mold 100 by microwave, so that the semi-foaming particles 205 in the mold 100 are subjected to microwave action to generate temperature rise for foaming and mutual extrusion. That is, the mold 100 and the foaming base material 200 including the semi-foamed particles 205 (i.e., the first particles 210 and the second particles 220) described above therein may be heated together by the microwaves 300. Thus, the semi-foamed particles 205 may be foamed (e.g., due to a self-temperature increase caused by microwaves or a temperature increase caused by surrounding materials such as additives). As a result, the foamed semi-foamed particles 205 can be surface-compression-welded to each other due to foaming. Therefore, the foam molded body can be formed into an integrally molded foam molded body after cooling and demolding.

For example, referring to fig. 3, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the foamed molded body 400 produced by the method 10 for producing a foamed molded body described above with reference to fig. 1 to 2D may be integrally molded. That is, the foamed molded body 400 is not scattered and fragmented, and is regarded as an integrated object as a whole. Among them, the half foamed particle 205 corresponding to the block r1 where the first particle 210 was originally disposed is formed as the first portion r1 ' of the foamed molded body 400, the half foamed particle 205 corresponding to the block r2 where the second particle 220 was originally disposed is formed as the second portion r2 ' of the foamed molded body 400, and the half foamed particle 205 corresponding to the block r3 where the first particle 210 was originally disposed is formed as the third portion r3 ' of the foamed molded body 400. As described above, the second portion r2 ' formed by the smaller second granules 220 has a higher density than the first and third portions r1 ' and r3 ' formed by the larger first granules 210. Thus, the second portion r2 ' may have a higher stiffness relative to the first and third portions r1 ', r3 '. In other words, the hardness h2 of the second portion r2 ' may be higher than the hardness h1 of the first portion r1 ' and the hardness h3 of the third portion r3 '. That is, the hardness of the portion formed by foaming the first particles 210 is lower than the hardness of the portion formed by foaming the second particles 220. In addition, as mentioned above, although only the first particles 210 and the second particles 220 are used to form the foamed molded body 400 with two different hardnesses or softnesses in the present embodiment, according to other embodiments of the present invention, when it is expected that each portion of the foamed molded body 400 should have three or more hardnesses or softnesses, other particles having other particle size ranges may be added corresponding to the above principle, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

With continued reference to fig. 3, particle boundaries formed by the fusion of semi-expanded particles 205 to one another can be seen in the finished foamed molded body 400 according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, particle boundaries 401 in the first and third portions r1 ' and r3 ' formed by the foaming of the first particles 210 can be observed, and particle boundaries 402 in the second portion r2 ' formed by the foaming of the second particles 220 can be observed. In addition, a particle boundary 410 formed by the first particles 210 fusing the second particles 220 can also be observed between the first portion r1 'and the second portion r 2', or between the third portion r3 'and the second portion r 2'. As described above, the density of the particle boundaries 401 of the portions formed by foaming the first particles 210 may be lower than the density of the particle boundaries 402 of the portions formed by foaming the second particles 220. In addition, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the particle boundaries of the foamed molded body 400 may be difficult to be distinguished by the naked eye, or even the degree of fusion of foams to each other is high to eliminate the particle boundaries. Accordingly, the above description of particle interfaces is merely exemplary, and the invention is not limited thereto.

The foamed molded article 400 may have various shapes depending on the shape of the mold 100 used in the setting step S100, and may be manufactured into various products. For example, the foamed molded article can be used as a shoe body member. For example, referring to fig. 4, in the method of manufacturing a foamed molded body according to another embodiment of the present invention, the cavity 110 of the mold 100 is in the shape of a shoe body part. Therefore, after the setting step S100 and the foaming step S200 are performed similarly to the above, the foamed molded body 400' may have a shoe body part shape (e.g., a midsole, an outsole, or an insole). That is, the shoe body member is a foamed molded body 400' having a shoe body member shape.

As described above, the foamed molded body 400' that is a shoe body part can control hardness or softness based on factors such as comfort of the foot of an intended wearer. For example, the method 10 described above with reference to fig. 1-3 may be used to arrange first particles 210 having a first larger particle size range to blocks r1 and r3 of the mold cavity 110 and second particles 220 having a second smaller particle size range to block r2 of the mold cavity 110, and then the mixture is foamed by microwave heating to form shoe body components with different hardness or softness in each portion.

For example, similarly to the above description with reference to fig. 3, in the foamed molded body 400 ', the hardness of the portions r1 ' and r3 ' foamed by the first particles 210 is lower than the hardness of the portion r2 ' foamed by the second particles 220, and the density of the particle boundary 401 of the portions r1 ' and r3 ' foamed by the first particles 210 is lower than the density of the particle boundary 402 of the portion r2 ' foamed by the second particles 220. Among them, the softer portions r1 'and r 2' of the shoe body part (e.g., midsole, outsole, or insole) of the resulting foamed molded body 400 'may correspond to the portion of the wearer's ball that is expected to contact the shoe body to increase wearing comfort, and the harder portion r2 'corresponds to the portion of the wearer's ball that is expected not to contact the shoe body to increase support. However, the above are only examples, and the hardness or softness of each portion of the foamed molded body 400' can be configured according to various designs and requirements to meet various requirements. In addition, the shape of the cavity 110 of the mold 100 of fig. 4, the soft and hard configuration of the foamed molded body 400' as the shoe body part, and the final product are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Further, referring to fig. 5A and 5B, in the setting step S100, in order to distribute the first granules 210 and the second granules 220 to different blocks according to design or requirement, one or more partitions 500 may be further disposed on the mold 100 (i.e., placed in the cavity 110 of the mold 100) to divide the mold 100 into different blocks r1, r2 and r 3. Then, the first particles 210 and the second particles 220 are respectively placed in different regions r1, r2 and r3 of the mold 100 separated by the partitions 500. In detail, when different particles are placed under the partition plate 500 as in the above-mentioned embodiment of fig. 2A to 2B, it is preferable to place the different particles together and gradually increase the respective stack heights thereof, and in the case of the embodiment of fig. 5A to 5B having the partition region of the partition plate 500, the above-mentioned process of placing the different particles may be sequentially performed according to the types of the particles. For example, as shown in fig. 5A and 5B, the first pellet 210 may be placed to the desired blocks r1 and r3, and then the second pellet 220 may be placed to the desired block r 2. However, this is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, after the first particles 210 and the second particles 220 are disposed as shown in fig. 5A and 5B, referring to fig. 5C, the partition 500 can be taken out from the mold 100 before the foaming step S200. Next, as shown in fig. 5D and 5E, the upper cover 120 is covered and heated by microwave to perform a foaming step S200 (for example, foaming due to self-temperature rise caused by microwave or temperature rise caused by surrounding materials such as additives). Therefore, the surfaces of the semi-expanded beads 205 are fused to each other to form an integrally molded expanded molded body similar to that shown in FIG. 3.

However, referring to another embodiment of the present invention shown in fig. 6A and 6B, when the foaming base material 200 and the spacers 500 are provided similarly to fig. 5A and 5B, if the spacers 500 are made of semi-foaming material similar to the semi-foaming particles 205, the spacers 500 do not need to be taken out before the foaming step S200, and can be foamed by being heated in a microwave manner together with the semi-foaming particles 205 in the foaming step S200 (for example, foamed due to self-temperature rise caused by microwave or temperature rise caused by surrounding materials such as additives). Therefore, the partition 500 and the surfaces of the semi-foamed particles 205 are mutually pressed and welded to form an integrally formed foamed molded body.

The method 10 for manufacturing a foamed molded body, the foamed molded body 400 and the shoe body component (i.e., the foamed molded body 400') described above with reference to fig. 1 to 6B may further include an insert component according to the requirement. For example, referring to fig. 7A, before the foaming step S200, according to some embodiments of the present invention, an inlay element 600 may be further disposed in the mold 100 together with the semi-foaming particles 205. Specifically, the insert element 600 may be placed directly in the mold 100 to be aligned with the semi-foamed particles 205, or the insert element 600 may be placed using a positioning element, such as a base 510 having a material similar to that of the spacer 500, and the base 510 on which the insert element 600 is placed may be placed in the mold 100 to be aligned with the semi-foamed particles 205. Wherein the inlay element 600 is made of a material that is not affected by microwaves. For example, the inlay element 600 is made of a material that cannot be heated by microwaves, and thus the inlay element 600 retains its original properties and morphology after microwaves. Therefore, referring to fig. 7B, in the foaming step S200, the insert assembly 600 is not affected by microwaves, for example, is heated by microwaves to be foamed. In contrast, the base 510 selectively placed for placing the insert element 600 may be heated by microwave to foam (e.g., foam due to microwave-induced temperature increase or temperature increase caused by surrounding materials such as additives), and then be pressed and welded with the surface of the semi-foamed particles 205 to form an integrated object. As described above, the foamed semi-foamed particles 205 and the selectively placed base 510 can be extruded and welded to each other by foaming, so that the insert element 600 is also extruded and fixed. Therefore, the foam molding body 400 embedded with the insert member 600 can be formed by cooling and demolding. Accordingly, referring to fig. 8 together with fig. 7A and 7B, the insert member 600 can be inserted as a different material into the integrally molded foam molding 400 having different hardness in different regions, while maintaining its original shape and functional properties. However, the method of tessellating the damascene element 600 described above is merely exemplary, and other ways of tessellating the damascene element 600 may be used, depending on the embodiment.

As described above, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the inlay element 600 may comprise a chip, a metal sheet, or any object made of a material that is not polar and can not be heated by microwave or other materials that can not be affected by microwave, and can be used as an ornament or a functional component in the finished foam molding body 400. For example, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the inlay component 600 may be a GPS tracking chip, and the foamed molded body 400 may be made into a shoe body part similar to fig. 4. Thus, the real-time whereabouts of the athletic contestants or individuals with disabilities of self-care wearing the footwear components may be tracked.

Further, according to other embodiments of the present invention, one or more film-like elements 700 may also be locally disposed in the mold 100 in the disposing step S100 to contact with the semi-foamed particles 205 (e.g., the first particles 210 and/or the second particles 220). The membrane-like element 700 may be made of a material that can be heated by microwave, for example. For example, the membrane-like element 700 may comprise a material similar to the semi-foamed particles 205 or may be bonded to the semi-foamed particles 205 after microwaving. For example, the membrane-like element 700 may comprise PU, TPU, or TPE. Thus, after microwaving, the film-like elements 700 can adhere to the foamed semi-foamed particles 205.

For example, referring to fig. 9, in addition to the semi-foamed particles 205 including the first particles 210 and the second particles 220, a film-like member 700 having a pattern 710 may be further disposed in the mold 100 in the disposing step S100. Here, for convenience of illustration, the mold 100 of fig. 8 is transparent, and the walls of the mold 100 defining the cavity 110 are so thin as to be ignored.

As described above, referring to fig. 10, after the foaming step S200 is performed, the film-like member 700 and the semi-foamed particles 205 are welded together to form the integrally formed foamed molded body 400, and the pattern 710 on the film-like member 700 is adhered to the foamed molded body 400 correspondingly (the foamed molded body 400 looks like the "printed" pattern 710). That is, the foamed molded body 400 formed after foaming has the indication pattern 710' corresponding to the pattern 710. For example, the indication pattern 710' may be an indication or description of the foamed molded body 400, or may be any decorative pattern. In detail, according to an embodiment, the film-like member 700 may be a non-foaming material, and may be a material having the same or similar properties as Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). Thus, the surface of film-like member 700 is only slightly melted when it is heated by microwaves, thereby forming an adhesive force with the semi-foamed material (e.g., semi-foamed particles 205) when it is squeezed by the microwave post-foaming. In this case, since the film-like member 700 is not foamed, the film-like member 700 is not deformed, so that the original position of the pattern 710 is not changed or affected. Therefore, the indication pattern 710' corresponding to the pattern 710 can be formed after the foaming step S200. Furthermore, according to another embodiment, the membrane-like element 700 may be a non-foamed material and may not be a material of the same or similar nature as the Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). Therefore, there is no melting of the surface of the film-like member 700 (e.g., cling film) when heated by microwave. In this case, when the film-like member 700 and the semi-foamed material (e.g., the semi-foamed particles 205) are foamed and extruded by the microwave, the semi-foamed material can be coated and positioned even though the firm adhesion is not easily achieved, so that the original position of the pattern 710 is not changed or affected. Therefore, the indication pattern 710' corresponding to the pattern 710 can be formed after the foaming step S200. However, the above are only examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the membrane-like members 700 is a waterproof moisture-permeable membrane (not shown in the drawings). Specifically, the waterproof moisture-permeable film can help to discharge sweat of a human body in the form of water vapor and can help to isolate the permeation of external water liquid. For example, the waterproof moisture-permeable film may have a waterproof capacity of 1000-. However, the above are merely examples, and the waterproof moisture-permeable film may be designed to have various degrees of waterproof ability and moisture permeability according to the needs and expectations.

As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof moisture-permeable film may include or may be made of a material that can be heated by microwave, and may include a material having properties similar to those of the semi-foamed particles 205, for example. For example, the waterproof moisture-permeable film may comprise Polyurethane (PU), Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), which are not foamed or have negligible foaming ability. As described above, before the foaming step S200, at least a portion of the semi-foamed particles 205 may be further coated with a waterproof moisture-permeable film. Therefore, since the materials have commonality, the waterproof moisture-permeable film can be welded or fixed to at least a part of the formed foam molded body 400 after the foaming step S200. That is, at least a part of the foamed molded body 400 may be insulated or coated with the waterproof moisture-permeable films that are welded to each other and substantially maintain the original properties or the original structure, thereby improving the waterproof moisture-permeable ability of at least a part of the formed foamed molded body 400.

In addition, according to a further embodiment of the invention, at least one of the membrane-like elements 700 comprises a foamable material that can be foamed, for example by heating in a microwave manner. Therefore, various specific structures or shapes for forming the foamed molded body 400 according to the intended design can be used.

Specifically, referring to fig. 11A to 11F, at least one of the film-like elements 700 is a material containing a foamable material or a material that can be heated by microwave to be partially melted and welded to another material, and may be coated to define a coating space 720. As shown in fig. 11A to fig. 11C sequentially, the foaming base material 200 including the semi-foaming particles 205 can be disposed in the coating space 720 defined by the film-like member 700. Next, as shown in fig. 11D and 11E sequentially, the film-like member 700 may be closed and the closed film-like member 700 with the foaming base material 200 inside may be set in the mold 100, and the mold 100 may be capped with the upper cap 120 in preparation for foaming. As described above, when the disposing step S100 is completed, the covering space 720 may include a main space 721 in which the semi-foamed particles 205 are disposed and an extending section 722 in which the semi-foamed particles 205 are not disposed.

Next, referring to fig. 11F together with fig. 11A to 11E, when the above configuration is performed in the foaming step S200, the semi-foamed particles 205 are foamed and expanded along the covering space 720 defined by the film-like member 700, and thus a part of the foamed and expanded semi-foamed particles 205 extend to fill the extension section 722. Therefore, referring to fig. 12, the finished foamed molded body 400 ″ may have an extended portion 450 formed by the half-foamed particles 205 being foamed to fill the extended region 722. Thus, the particular structure or shape desired can be produced by the configuration of the membranous member 700. For example, as shown in fig. 12, the extension portions 450 may be flanges slightly protruding from both side edges of the self-foaming molded body 400 ″. The extensions 450 may, for example, serve as flanges on both sides of the footwear body component, thereby increasing the strength of the connection of the footwear body component to other portions of the footwear, such as the upper, or enhancing the protective strength of the footwear body on both sides of the foot. However, the above is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the shape of the covering space 720 and the shape of the resulting foamed molded body 400 ″ shown here.

As described above, since the method of manufacturing a foamed molded body and the foamed molded body manufactured according to the present invention can be used to manufacture a shoe body part, according to other embodiments of the present invention, the foamed molded body (i.e., the shoe body part) can be further connected to or manufactured into other portions of the shoe body while being completed. Therefore, the process can be further simplified and the preparation time or cost can be reduced.

Specifically, referring to fig. 13A and 13B, similar to fig. 4, the cavity 110 of the mold 100 may have a shape of a shoe body part. In this regard, before the foaming step S200, a last 800 covered with the upper 900 may be further disposed on the mold 100. Here, the disposition of the shoe tree 800 on the mold 100 is a relative concept, and is not limited to the disposition of the shoe tree 800 above the mold 100 defined by the direction of gravity. For example, as shown in fig. 13A, after the step S100 of disposing the foamed base material 200 containing the semi-foamed particles 205 in the mold 100, a last 800 covered with an upper 900 is disposed on the mold 100 (i.e., above in the gravity direction). Alternatively, as shown in fig. 13B, the last 800 with the upper 900 thereon may be first placed on the mold 100 (i.e., under the gravity direction), and the cavity 110 for placing the foamed base material 200 is defined by the mold 100 and the bottom 805 of the last 800 with the upper 900 thereon. Next, foamed base material 200 including semi-foamed particles 205 is placed in mold 100 and carried by last bottom 805 of last 800 over which upper 900 is placed.

As described above, as shown in fig. 13A and 13B, before the foaming step S200, a last 800 covered with the upper 900 may be further disposed on the mold 100, such that at least a portion of the upper 900 contacts the half-foamed particles 205, and the half-foamed particles 205 disposed on the mold 100 are distributed along a last bottom 805 of the last 800. Therefore, when semi-foamed particles 205 are foamed by heating in a microwave manner in a fixed space subsequent to the foaming step S200, semi-foamed particles 205 are connected to each other by foaming and welded, and simultaneously bonded to upper 900 along last bottom 805 of last 800. That is, semi-foamed particles 205 may form an integrally formed shoe body part (i.e., foamed molded body 400') adhered to upper 900 at last bottom 805 corresponding to last 800. Therefore, after the foaming step S200, the shoe 1000 combining the upper 900 and the shoe body part as shown in fig. 14 can be formed by removing the shoe tree 800 without performing a separate process of bonding the shoe body part and the upper 900 after forming the shoe body part.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, in order to allow the shoe body part (i.e., the foamed molded body 400') to be more smoothly bonded to the upper 900 while being formed, the upper 900 may include PU, TPU, or TPE, which is not foamed or has negligible foaming capacity. For example, upper 900 may be woven from yarns of PU, TPU, or TPE. However, the present invention is not limited thereto as long as it can be bonded with a shoe body part (i.e., the foamed molded body 400').

In addition, although not shown in the drawings, according to another embodiment of the present invention, an outsole material or outsole may be laid on the semi-foamed particles 205 before the foaming step S200. For example, the outsole material or outsole may be laid on the semi-foamed particles 205 only under the condition that the shoe tree 800 and the upper 900 are not provided, or on the other side of the semi-foamed particles 205 opposite to the shoe tree 800 and the upper 900 under the condition that the shoe tree 800 and the upper 900 are provided. In addition, when the outsole material or outsole is scattered and not completely laid on one surface of the entire foam base material 200, the outsole material or outsole may be laid on the surface of the foam base material 200 according to a pattern expected to be presented by the outsole. Therefore, the outsole, the foamed molded body 400 '(for example, the foamed molded body 400' as the midsole), and the upper 900, which are welded to each other, can be selectively formed at the same time in the foaming step S200.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, in order to allow the shoe body part (i.e., the foamed molded body 400') to be more smoothly bonded to the outsole or outsole material while being formed, the outsole or outsole material may include PU, TPU, or TPE, which does not foam or has negligible foaming ability. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, as it can be bonded with the shoe body part (i.e., the foamed molded body 400').

Next, a first variation of the above-described embodiment based on the setup last 800 will be described with continued reference to fig. 15 and 16. Specifically, referring to fig. 15, when the shoe tree 800 sleeved with the upper 900 is disposed, before the foaming step S200, the method may further include additionally spreading semi-foamed particles 205' that are the same as or different from the semi-foamed particles 205 disposed in the mold 100 between the upper 900 and the shoe tree 800 along the bottom 805 of the shoe tree 800. For example, semi-foamed particles 205 ' may be semi-foamed particles 205 ' having the same particle size range or may be semi-foamed particles 205 ' having different particle size ranges. That is, foamed base material 200 'including semi-foamed particles 205' may be additionally distributed between upper 900 and last 800 along last bottom 805 of last 800. Therefore, the semi-foamed particles 205' are also heated by microwave to be foamed in the foaming step S200 (for example, due to self-temperature increase caused by microwave or temperature increase caused by surrounding materials such as additives). As shown in fig. 16, the foamed semi-expanded beads 205 'may be separately formed into an integrally molded foamed molded body 905 from the foamed molded body 400'.

Here, the foamed molded body 905 may be an insole of the shoe 2000 formed after the foaming step S200 is performed in the arrangement of fig. 15. That is, the shoe body part (i.e., the foamed molded body 400'), the footwear insole (i.e., the foamed molded body 905) and the upper 900 are simultaneously formed and bonded by a single foaming step S200.

In addition, a second variation of the above-described embodiment based on the setup shoe tree 800 will be described hereinafter with reference to fig. 17 and 18. In the second variation, the shoe tree 800 may be covered with the double upper 900, and the foamed molded body may be further formed between the double upper 900. In detail, referring to fig. 17, an upper 900 fitted over a last 800 has a double-layered structure including an outer layer 910 and an inner layer 920. Further, similar to the first variation described above with reference to fig. 15 and 16, before the foaming step S200, semi-foamed particles 205' that are the same as or different from the semi-foamed particles 205 disposed in the mold 100 may be additionally distributed and laid between the inner layer 920 and the outer layer 910 of the upper 900 along the bottom 805 of the last 800. For example, semi-foamed particles 205 ' may be semi-foamed particles 205 ' having the same particle size range or may be semi-foamed particles 205 ' having different particle size ranges. That is, foamed base material 200 'including semi-foamed particles 205' may be additionally distributed between inner layer 920 and outer layer 910 of upper 900 along last bottom 805 of last 800. Therefore, the semi-foamed particles 205' are also heated by microwave to be foamed in the foaming step S200 (for example, due to self-temperature increase caused by microwave or temperature increase caused by surrounding materials such as additives). As shown in fig. 18, the above-mentioned foamed semi-expanded beads 205 'may be additionally formed separately from the foamed molded article 400' into an integrally molded foamed molded article 915.

Here, the foamed molded body 915 may be an insole or a filler of the shoe 3000 formed after the foaming step S200 is performed in the arrangement of fig. 17. That is, a shoe body part (i.e., the foamed molded body 400 '), an insole or a filler (i.e., the foamed molded body 915) may be simultaneously formed and bonded to the shoe body part (i.e., the foamed molded body 400') and the upper 900 by a single foaming step S200.

Further, although not shown in the drawings, based on the third variation of the above-described embodiment in which the footwear last 800 is provided, the foamed molded body 905 or the foamed molded body 915 may be directly formed according to the above-described principle without forming the foamed molded body 400 ', and the semi-expanded particles 205' having different particle diameter ranges may be provided inside thereof accordingly. Alternatively, based on the fourth variation of the above-described embodiment in which the footwear last 800 is provided, the foamed molded body 905 and the foamed molded body 915 may be simultaneously and directly formed according to the above principle without forming the foamed molded body 400 ', and the semi-expanded particles 205' having different particle diameter ranges may be accordingly provided in at least one interior thereof. Alternatively, based on the fifth variation of the above-described embodiment in which the shoe tree 800 is provided, the foamed molded body 400 ', the foamed molded body 905, and the foamed molded body 915 may be formed at the same time, and the semi-expanded particles 205 and/or 205' having different particle diameter ranges may be provided in at least one of the inner portions thereof, accordingly. As mentioned above, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings.

Further, although not shown in the drawings, a waterproof moisture-permeable membrane as described above may also be applied in the embodiment in which the footwear last 800 and the upper 900 are provided. Specifically, the waterproof moisture-permeable film can cover a portion of the semi-foamed particles 205 and a portion of the upper 900 at the same time, and is bonded to the formed shoe body component (i.e., the foamed molded body 400 ') and the upper 900 after the foaming step S200, so as to function as a waterproof moisture-permeable film for the portion of the shoe body component (i.e., the foamed molded body 400') and the portion of the upper 900. Similarly, the waterproof moisture-permeable film may be applied to other foam-molded articles formed together as described above, and will not be described in detail here.

In summary, according to the embodiments of the present invention, the foamed molded body or the shoe body part can be completed by a microwave heating process under relatively inexpensive and simple setting conditions in various ways. In detail, compared to the conventional injection molding process, the microwave heating process performed according to the embodiments of the present invention can shorten the process time and save energy because it is not necessary to melt the base material at a high temperature, thereby greatly reducing the production cost. Furthermore, microwave heating is to heat the heating object from the inside to the whole in a short time, which is faster and more uniform than the known outside-in heating method, so that the homogeneity of the final product can be improved, and the microstructure is not easy to be damaged and the preferred microstructure and the corresponding functional properties thereof can be retained. Therefore, the performance and yield of the manufactured product can be improved, and the prepared foam molding body or shoe body part can have required or expected detailed structure, shape or property. Therefore, the applicability and usability of the foamed molded article can be improved or improved.

What has been described above are merely some of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that various changes and modifications can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and principle of the invention. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is defined by the appended claims and that various changes in form, combination, modification and alteration may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for producing a foamed molded body, characterized by comprising:

a setting step of placing a foamed base material containing a plurality of semi-foamed particles of thermoplastic polyurethane in a mold that is not affected by microwaves; and

a foaming step, heating the mould in a microwave mode to enable the semi-foaming particles in the mould to be subjected to microwave action to generate temperature rise so as to foam and extrude each other, and forming a foaming molding body after cooling and demoulding;

wherein the semi-foamed particles comprise: a plurality of first particles having a first particle size range, and a plurality of second particles having a second particle size range, wherein the median of the first particle size range is substantially greater than the median of the second particle size range

In the step of arranging, the first particles and the second particles are respectively arranged in different blocks in the mold.

2. The method of producing a foam molding according to claim 1, further comprising: in the setting step, one or more partition plates are placed in the mold, and the first particles and the second particles are respectively placed in different blocks of the mold partitioned by the partition plates.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the partitions are made of a semi-foamed material and are heated together with the semi-foamed particles in the foaming step by microwave heating for foaming.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cavity of the mold is in the shape of a shoe body part and the foamed molded body is a shoe body part.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, prior to the foaming step, placing a last over which an upper is placed, such that at least a portion of the upper contacts the semi-foamed particles, and such that the semi-foamed particles placed in the mold are distributed along a bottom of the last.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising spreading semi-foamed particles, which are the same as or different from the semi-foamed particles, between the upper and the last along the bottom of the last before the foaming step.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the upper fitted over the shoe last has a double-layered structure, and the method of manufacturing the foamed molded body further comprises spreading semi-foamed particles, which are the same as or different from the semi-foamed particles, between the inner layer and the outer layer of the upper along the bottom of the shoe last before the foaming step.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein in the disposing step, one or more film-like members are further disposed partially in the mold to contact the semi-expanded particles,

wherein the film-like elements comprise a material that can be heated by microwave.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the membrane-like members is a waterproof moisture-permeable film, and the method of manufacturing the foamed molded body further comprises coating at least a portion of the semi-foamed particles with the waterproof moisture-permeable film before the foaming step.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the film-like elements has a pattern, and the foamed molded article formed after foaming has a logo pattern corresponding to the pattern.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the film-like elements comprises a foamable material or a material that can be heated by microwave to be partially melted and welded to another material and is covered to define a covering space, and at least a portion of the semi-foamed particles disposed in the mold is disposed in the covering space,

wherein the coating space comprises an extension section without the semi-foaming particles arranged therein

Wherein the foam molding body is provided with an extension part formed by filling the extension section with the half-foaming particles through foaming.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing at least one insert element in the mold together with the semi-foamed particles before the foaming step, wherein the insert element is a material or a product thereof that is not affected by microwaves.

13. A foamed molded body produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising:

the hardness of the part formed by foaming the first particles is less than that of the part formed by foaming the second particles, and the density of the particle boundary of the part formed by foaming the first particles is lower than that of the particle boundary of the part formed by foaming the second particles.

14. A shoe body part made by the method of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the shoe body part is the foamed molded body having a shoe body part shape, wherein:

15. A foam-molded article comprising a structure formed by foaming a plurality of semi-foamed particles of a thermoplastic polyurethane,

the semi-foamed particles have a plurality of first particles having a first particle size range and a plurality of second particles having a second particle size range,

16. The foamed molding of claim 15 further comprising at least one insert element embedded in the structure, wherein the insert element is a material or a finished product thereof that is not affected by microwaves.

17. The foamed molding of claim 15 further comprising one or more film-like elements welded or bonded to the surface of the semi-foamed particles.

18. The foam molding of claim 17 wherein at least one of the membrane elements is patterned to correspond to the foam molding.

19. The foam molding of claim 17 wherein at least one of the membrane elements is a waterproof moisture-permeable membrane.

20. The foamed molding of claim 17 wherein at least one of the film-like elements encases the structure.

21. The foam molding of claim 15 wherein the foam molding is a shoe body part having a shoe body part shape.

22. The foamed molding of claim 21 wherein said shoe body part is adhesively bonded to at least a portion of an upper.