EP0978238A1

EP0978238A1 - Moulded insole provided with personalized inserts contained in transparent protective half shells

Info

Publication number: EP0978238A1
Application number: EP99830485A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carlo Gabbanelli
Original assignee: Nova Shoes - Srl
Current assignee: Nova Shoes - Srl
Priority date: 1998-08-07
Filing date: 1999-07-28
Publication date: 2000-02-09
Also published as: ITAN980048U1; IT244870Y1; ITAN980048V0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a moulded insole (1) provided with one or more slots (2) in which half shells (4) moulded with transparent material are inserted for the location and protection of personalized inserts with trademarks, text or figures (3a).

Description

The present patent application relates to a moulded insole provided with personalized inserts contained in protective half shells moulded with transparent plastic material and inserted into suitable slots located on the moulded insole.
The insole according to the present invention is the improved version of a previous model designed and registered by the applicant, with the purpose of reducing the cost of reproducing trademarks or distintictive signs, as well as text or decorative figures, on the upper plant of moulded insoles.
The previous model of insole was characterised by the presence of one or more slots that exactly house moulded inserts, with personalized distinctive signs or decoratives figures on the upper surface.
This type of soles is mostly used in plastic sandals - such as the ones used for the beach or swimming pool - normally made up of a polyurethan moulded bottom, whose upper plant features a digged housing in which the insole is placed and glued. Most of the times, the insole features a soft, anti-slip surface, covered by small protuberances or ribs, whether plaited or not. The upper plant of the insoles is usually personalized with text or figures located and concentrated in the area under the heel.
The distinctive signs are usually obtained through silk-screen printing of the moulded sole or mechanical working of the moulding matrix of the insole, so that the insole comes out of the moulding stage with raised or engraved signs on its plant.
In order to eliminate the need of having as many moulding matrixes as the number of personalizations requested by the different sandal manufacturers, many years ago the applicant had the idea of reproducing the distinctive signs not on the insole directly, but on inserts fitted into suitable slots located on the insole.
It is obvious that also in this case it is necessary to bear the cost of as many moulds as the number of personalized inserts to be produced. However, it is also obvious that the cost of these small moulds is much lower than the cost of the larger mould used for the entire insole.
Moreover, it must be noted that this solution allows the insole manufacturer to reduce, if not eliminate, the incidence of the rate of depreciation of the mould cost on the production cost of the insole, since the same mould can be used to meet the request of several sandal manufacturers, because the personalization of the insole occurs after the moulding stage through the application of the specific personalized insert.
The only defect of these models of insole - characterised by personalized inserts contained in suitable housings located on the insole - is represented by the fact that the distinctive signs, especially if silk-screened, easily lose their integrity or graphic/chromatic clarity, due to the slow, but inevitable wear caused by the foot plant which continuosly lays on and rubs the upper surface of the inserts.
Furthermore, in case of distinctive signs engraved on the insert surface, it has been noted that the engravings immediately tend to be covered with dust and dirt which tend to build up with the passing of time, thus making it difficult to perceive the distinctive signs.
The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate this problem by creating a new model of improved insole, in which the personalized inserts are enclosed and protected in a half shell moulded with transparent plastic material, located between the foot plant and the insert surface, which in this way is no longer subject to the abrasive action of the foot or soil.
For major clarity the description of the insole according to the present invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawing, which is intended for purposes of illustration and not in a limiting sense, whereby:

Figure 1 is the plan view of the upper surface of the insole according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is the cross-section of the insole according to the present invention with a transverse plane passing through the personalized inserts;
Figure 3 to 5 are the same as Figure 2, but refer to different alternative realizations of the insole according to the present invention.

With reference to the above figures, the insole (1) is a moulded insole provided with one or more slots (2) in which suitable moulded inserts (3) with superficial personalized text or figures (3a) are fitted.
The insole (1) is characterised by the fact that the personalized inserts (3) are contained and protected in half shells (4) moulded with transparent material, which are exactly housed in the slots (2).
In the first preferred embodiment of the insole (1) shown in Figure 2, the peripheral walls of the half shell (4) are externally glued to the edge of the slots (2). Alternatively, the half shell (4) can be provided with an external base flange (4a) designed to be fitted and glued under the edge of the slots (2), as shown in Figure 3.
In this second constructive version the half shell (4) is inserted into the slot (2) from the bottom upwards, until the base flange (4a) is fitted against the lower edge of the slot (2).
In case of insoles made up of a non-trasparent upper layer (1a) applied on a transparent lower layer (1b) as shown in Figure 4, the half shell (4) is obtained inside the lower layer (1b), which features a hollow protuberance capable of being exactly inserted into a suitable slot (2) located on the overlying layer (1a).

Claims

Moulded insole provided with personalized inserts contained in transparent protective half shells, of the type comprising one or more slots (2) exactly housing moulded inserts (3) with superficial personalized text or figures, characterized in that the personalized inserts (3) are contained and protected in half shells (4) moulded with transparent material, which are exactly housed in the slots (2).
Insole according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the peripheral walls of the half shell (4) are glued to the edge of the slots (2).
Insole according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the half shell (4) is provided with an external base flange (4a), which is fitted and glued under the edge of the slots (2).
Insole according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that, in case of insoles of the type made up of an non-transparent upper layer (1a) applied on a trasparent lower layer (1b), the half shell (4) is obtained inside the lower layer (1b), which features a hollow protuberance, capable of being extactly inserted into a suitable slot (2) located on the overlying layer (1a).