GB2101922A - Process for the manufacture of an outsole with a relief-type profile from a closed-cell foamed, crosslinked ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer - Google Patents

Process for the manufacture of an outsole with a relief-type profile from a closed-cell foamed, crosslinked ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2101922A
GB2101922A GB08210335A GB8210335A GB2101922A GB 2101922 A GB2101922 A GB 2101922A GB 08210335 A GB08210335 A GB 08210335A GB 8210335 A GB8210335 A GB 8210335A GB 2101922 A GB2101922 A GB 2101922A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
slab
relief
temperature
outsole
heated
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB08210335A
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GB2101922B (en
Inventor
Rudiger Voll
Walter Hoche
Gerhard Graab
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Carl Freudenberg KG
Original Assignee
Carl Freudenberg KG
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Publication date
Application filed by Carl Freudenberg KG filed Critical Carl Freudenberg KG
Publication of GB2101922A publication Critical patent/GB2101922A/en
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Publication of GB2101922B publication Critical patent/GB2101922B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29DPRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
    • B29D35/00Producing footwear
    • B29D35/12Producing parts thereof, e.g. soles, heels, uppers, by a moulding technique
    • B29D35/122Soles
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43FOOTWEAR
    • A43BCHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
    • A43B13/00Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
    • A43B13/02Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the material
    • A43B13/04Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C44/00Shaping by internal pressure generated in the material, e.g. swelling or foaming ; Producing porous or cellular expanded plastics articles
    • B29C44/34Auxiliary operations
    • B29C44/56After-treatment of articles, e.g. for altering the shape
    • B29C44/5627After-treatment of articles, e.g. for altering the shape by mechanical deformation, e.g. crushing, embossing, stretching
    • B29C44/5636After-treatment of articles, e.g. for altering the shape by mechanical deformation, e.g. crushing, embossing, stretching with the addition of heat
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08JWORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J9/00Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof
    • C08J9/04Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof using blowing gases generated by a previously added blowing agent
    • C08J9/06Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof using blowing gases generated by a previously added blowing agent by a chemical blowing agent
    • C08J9/10Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof using blowing gases generated by a previously added blowing agent by a chemical blowing agent developing nitrogen, the blowing agent being a compound containing a nitrogen-to-nitrogen bond
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08JWORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J2323/00Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Derivatives of such polymers
    • C08J2323/02Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Derivatives of such polymers not modified by chemical after treatment
    • C08J2323/04Homopolymers or copolymers of ethene
    • C08J2323/08Copolymers of ethene

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)
  • Casting Or Compression Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
  • Shaping Of Tube Ends By Bending Or Straightening (AREA)
  • Molding Of Porous Articles (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Porous Articles, And Recovery And Treatment Of Waste Products (AREA)

Abstract

An outsole with a relief-type profile is manufactured from a closed-cell foamed, crosslinked ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer by a process in which the material used is shaped to give a slab, crosslinked and expanded by activation of a blowing agent contained therein and then subjected to a further heat treatment, the slab is split by at least one cut into several part slabs, after which the surface of a part slab is heated on one side or both sides to a temperature of at least 120 DEG C and at most 200 DEG C, with the proviso that the temperature does not exceed 75 DEG C at a depth which corresponds to the depth of the profile desired, after which stage each surface thus heated is then given a relief-type profile by the impression of an embossing ram which has been heated to a temperature of 65 to 80 DEG C.

Description

SPECIFICATION Process for the manufacture of an outsole with a relief-type profile from a closed-cell foamed, crosslinked ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer It is known to use an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer (hereinafter refered to as EVA) in the manufacture of outsoles for shoes. The vinyl acetate content of the EVA used for this purpose is usually 14 to 28%, and material of this type are distinguished not only by a particularly great flexibility but also be a low weight, a good wear behaviour and the fact that they are readily coloured.
An extremely finely structured, homogeneous pore structure is of particular importance for most of these positive properties. The shaping and processing of such materials must therefore always be carried out with the thought in mind that disadvantageous impairments or modifications of the pore structure should be avoided as far as possible.
German Offenlegungsschrift 1,685,383 describes a process for the manufacture of a profiled sole from rubber having a pore structure, in which process an amount of rubber mixture corresponding to the size of the sole is introduced into a sole mould, which during this step is larger than the volume of the finished sole, in which process the rubber mixure is then distributed evenly in the mould by driving up the bottom ram and with a time delay foamed up to the final size during the subsequent lowering of the bottom ram. The finished sole can then be removed from the mould, and it is distingished by a finely structured, uniform pore structure. Nevertheless, the process mentioned has been unable to establish itself because the sequence of individual working steps is time-consuming and pecludes mass production at advantageous costs.For this reason it is not possible to apply the process in an analogous manner to the manufacture of the profiled outsole from EVA.
Austrian Patent Application 6,757/78 describes a process for the manufacture of a moulded shoe part with a relief-type structure surface from a closed-cell foamed, cross-linked polyolefin. In this process a foamed plastic parison with spcific dimensions is formed from the material used and shaped in a mould by the application of a combined heat pressure treatment to the shape desired. This process results in a considerable contraction of the foamed plastic parison across its entire cross-section and, resulting from this, an increase of the specific weight and an impairment of the flexibility. Pore size and pore size distribution vary to a quite extraordinary extent as a function of the particular degree of contraction, which fact is disadvantageous as far as wear behaviour is concerned. For this reason an outsole cannot be manufactured by this method.The possibility of processing EVA is not raised in the literature reference mentioned.
The present invention seeks to provide an economical process for the mass production of a profiled outsole from a closed-cell foamed, crosslinked EVA, which process ensures that a homogeneous and uniformly fine pore structure is obtained, and hence an outsole is manufactured which is distinguished above all by a high flexibility while at the same time having low weight and good wear behaviour.
According to the invention there is provided a process for the manufacture of an outsole with a relief-type profile from a closed-cell foamed, crosslinked ethylene/vim, acetate copolymer, wherein the material used is shaped to give a slab, crosslinked and expanded by activation of a blowing agent, contained therein and then subjected to a further heat treatment, the slab is split by at least one cut into several part slabs, the surface of a part slab is heated on one side of both sides to a temperature of at least 1 20 C and at most 200 C, with the proviso that the temperature does not exceed 75 C at a depth which corresponds to the depth of the desired profile, and that each surface thus heated is given a relief-type profile by the impression of an embossing ram which has been heated to a temperature of 65 to 80 C Preferably, the surface of the part slabs is ground off before heated. Advantageously before heating, the surfaces of the part slabs opened up by the splitting are coated to a thickness of 0.1 to 0.3 mm with a continuous film of an elastomeric material, for example an elastomeric polyurethane.
In contrast to known process the process according to the invention makes it possible to give a relief-type structure to the flat surface of the foamed plastics parison employed without significantly increasing the specific weight. The homogeneous and uniformly fine pore structure originally present is thereby retained and this is of particular advantage as regards those properties of a shoe outsole which are important in practical use.
The necessary slabs of closed-cell foamed, cross-linked EVA can be shaped and vulcanised in customary multi-daylight presses. Uniform admixing of a blowing agent which has a decomposition point below the vulcansation temperature produces, on opening of a multi-daylight press, a spontaneous increase in volume by a factor of about 3 and formation of the fine pore structure desired. The surfaces are smooth and flat and it is therefore not necessary to undertake additional mechanical processing before a slab is further processed by splitting it. Because of the closed pore structure the surfaces are completely closed in themselves. The pore diameter distribution varies between 30 and 100 Cu and the average value is 60 Il.
The splitting, with the aid of a machine, of a slab into several part slabs opens up these pores, in themselves closed, which are located in a splitting region, and the result is a velvety appearance which is markedly different from the appearance of those surfaces which faced the plates of the press during the vulcanisation. However, this change is not accompanied by a disadvantageous change in the mechanical properties and it is therefore sufficient to classify the part slabs using fashion or taste criteria. This does not of course exclude the possibility of making the appearance of the surfaces more uniform, if appropriate, by additionally grinding or coating them with elastomeric materials.
It is critical to heat the slabs in such a manner that the tempeature gradient claimed is maintained across the zone of what later becomes the depth of the profile. This is most simply realised by using a high energy infrared radiator. The cycle time for the subsequent profiling of the surface in an embossing die is relatively short and lasts only a few seconds. After remqval of the pressure rame a significant tendency of the embossed profile to recover was not observed, and outsoles of the desired shape and size can be punched out from the part slabs thus obtained by means of customary methods.
It is also possible to profile both surfaces of the part sheets by application of a corresponding process, for example, to obtain an improved adhesion during the glueing to the insole. However, in general it is not necessary to use a procedure of that type, and a profiling on one side of the outsole is adequate.
In the text which follows the present invention is illustrated in more detail by means of examples.
Example 1 The components indicated in the table which follows are introduced into an internal mixer and mixed for about 8 minutes at a temperature of 120"C to give a homogeneous stock. Percentage data relate to the particular proportion of an individual component in the total weight of the final product: Ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer hving a vinayl acetate content of 20% 60% Precipitated silicic acid 17% Coated calcium carbonate 13% Zinc soap of a fatty acid as a processing aid 2.5% Azodicarbonamide as a blowing agent 1.7% Iron oxide pigment as a colourant 5.4% After complete homogenisation the mixture as given above is removed from the internal mixer and further processed at a temprature of 70"C in a friction roll mill.During this processing stage the composition is made up to 100% by the addition of 0.4% by weight of an a, a'-bis-(t-butylperoxy)-diisopropylbenzene as a cross-linking auxiliary.
The intermediate obtained is shaped to give a slab which has a thickness of 2.3 cm with a length of 82 cm and a width of 58 cm. The size corresponds precisely to the size of the recess of a mould, which is prewarmed to a temperature of 170 C and into which the slab is then placed. The mould is immediately closed with a moulding pressure of at least 70 kp/cm2 and the slab contained is heated for 15 minutes at the temperature set. This results in vulcanisation and activation of the blowing agent contained in the slab.
At the end of the time given, the mould is opened, and the blowing agent, which has decomposed through the action of the temperature mentioned, allows the slab to expand to a size of 120 x 85 cm at a thickness of 3.4 cm. The slab is placed into an annealing oven prewarmed to a temperature of 80"C and is fully vulcanised during a time period of 6 hours. After cooing, the density is 0.35 g,'cm3.
The slab thus obtained is then divided with the aid of a rotation hoop knife into part slabs which have a thickness of 6 mm. A design which has a size of 30 x 20 cm is punched out from one such part slab and irradiated with a power of 6.5 W/cm2 for a time interval of 2.5 seconds with the aid of an infrared black body radiator. This produces at the surface a temperature of 1302C and, at a depth of 3 mm below the surface, a temperature of 70 C.
The slab thus warmed is introduced without delay into a mould and is profiled by it at the surface. The embossing ram used consisted of steel and had been heated to a temperature of 80 C. The profile consisted ofcolumn-shaped recesses having a diameter of 5 mm and a depth of 3 mm and locted a distance of 12 mm apart.
A moulding pressure of 6 kp!cm2 was used at a residence time of the slab in the press of 10 seconds. This shaped the surface according to the shape of the embossng tool and the surface is distinguished by particularly well delineated contours. The density after cooling was 0.37 g/cm3 and was thus almost unchanged.
Example 2 The procedure described in Example 1 was repeated with the use of an embossing tool having a relief-structured embossing surface consisting of recesses shaped like a frustum of a pyramid. The recesses were immediately adjacent to one another and had a depth of 3 mm and a side length of 4 mm. This embossing design was also transferred with well delineated contours onto the moulding inserted. The density was 0.36 g/cm3 and was thus almost unchanged. The pore structure was distinguished by an almost unchanged, excellent homogeneity.
Example 3 A part slab of size 30 x 20 cm in accordance with Example 1 is inserted, contrary to the information given there for producing a certain temperature gradient, into a heat chamber and is heated in it to a temperature of 1300C which prevails across the entire cross-section. The slab is then transferred to a mould and structured at the surface by using the embossing tool described in Example 1 and by application of the same conditions. This produces an appearance which is distinguished by poorly delineated contours, and the density had increased to an undesirable value of 0.56 g/cm3. In addition, flexibility and wear behaviour did not correspond to the requirements placed on a good outsole material.

Claims (7)

1. A process for the manufacture of an outsole with a relief-type profile from a closed-cell foamed, crosslinked ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, wherein the material used is shaped to give a slab, crosslinked and expanded by activation of a blowing agent contained therein and then subjected to a further heat treatment, the slab is split by at least one cut into several part slabs, the surface of a part slab is heated on one side or both sides to a temperature of at least 1 200C and at most 200"C, with the provison that the temperature does not exceed 750C at a depth which corresponds to the depth of the desired profile, and that each surface thus heated is given a relief-type profile by the impression of an embossing ram which has been heated to a temperature of 65 to 80 C.
2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the part slabs is ground off before heating.
3. A process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, before heating, the surfaces of the part slabs opened by the splitting are coated to a thickness of 0.1 to 0.3 mm with a continuous film of an elastomeric material.
4. A process according to claim 3, wherein the elastomeric material is elastomeric polyurethane.
5. A process according to claim 1 carried out substantially as described in either of the foregoing Examples 1 and 2.
6. An outsole when manufactured by a process according to any of claims 1 to 5.
7. Shoes having outsoles according to claim 6.
GB08210335A 1981-04-08 1982-04-07 Process for the manufacture of an outsole with a relief-type profile from a closed-cell foamed, crosslinked ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer Expired GB2101922B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE3114105A DE3114105C2 (en) 1981-04-08 1981-04-08 Process for the production of a relief-like profiled outsole made of foamed ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2101922A true GB2101922A (en) 1983-01-26
GB2101922B GB2101922B (en) 1985-04-17

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Family Applications (1)

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GB08210335A Expired GB2101922B (en) 1981-04-08 1982-04-07 Process for the manufacture of an outsole with a relief-type profile from a closed-cell foamed, crosslinked ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer

Country Status (9)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS57177702A (en)
AT (1) AT378734B (en)
BE (1) BE891480A (en)
CA (1) CA1167213A (en)
DE (1) DE3114105C2 (en)
ES (1) ES8304479A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2503624B1 (en)
GB (1) GB2101922B (en)
IT (1) IT1147623B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2388810A (en) * 2002-05-25 2003-11-26 Ching-Chin Chen Manufacturing EVA outsoles

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0624832B2 (en) * 1986-03-11 1994-04-06 カネボウ・エヌエスシ−株式会社 Patterned sheet composite material and method for producing the same
IL112246A (en) * 1995-01-04 1996-03-31 Nimrod Production Ltd Footwear insole and a process for its manufacture
DE102004014609A1 (en) * 2004-03-23 2005-10-13 Carl Freudenberg Kg Composite plate for orthopedic technology, process for their preparation and their use
JP4666355B2 (en) * 2005-03-28 2011-04-06 株式会社イノアックコーポレーション Method for producing crosslinked polyolefin open cell foam

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DE892237C (en) * 1950-05-16 1953-10-05 Continental Gummi Werke Ag Process for the production of rubber soles
DE1479385C3 (en) * 1965-08-21 1974-07-04 Joachim 8522 Herzogenaurach Kuehn Device for cutting material sheets made of rubber or plastic into strips which, in longitudinal section, follow the profile of shoe soles with a heel provided thereon
DE1685383C3 (en) * 1966-08-12 1981-05-27 Desma-Werke Gmbh, 2807 Achim Method and device for producing a rubber sole with a pore structure
US3812225A (en) * 1967-01-23 1974-05-21 Furukawa Electric Co Ltd Method of manufacturing foamed crosslinked polyolefin slabs involving multiple expansion techniques and direct gas pressure
SE372455B (en) * 1967-05-25 1974-12-23 Bakelite Xylonite Ltd
DE1811762A1 (en) * 1967-11-29 1969-06-26 Porous Plastics Ltd Finishing surface of porous thermoplastic material
DE1769414C3 (en) * 1968-05-21 1975-08-14 Bayer Ag, 5090 Leverkusen Process for the production of foam bodies for packaging purposes
CA1012419A (en) * 1972-12-15 1977-06-21 Charles R. Culp In-line mechanical embossing of resilient laminar floor material
GB1477506A (en) * 1975-05-06 1977-06-22 Gt Enterprises Ltd Method of moulding plastics materials
JPS5211338A (en) * 1975-07-18 1977-01-28 Hitachi Ltd Multiple carbureter of variable stage type
JPS5286465A (en) * 1975-10-29 1977-07-18 Armstrong Cork Co Multiilevel embossing of foam material
JPS52123460A (en) * 1976-04-09 1977-10-17 Sekisui Chemical Co Ltd Device for continuously producing foamed sheet material
JPS52125585A (en) * 1976-04-14 1977-10-21 Nippon Rubber Co Production of footwear bottom
FR2364630A1 (en) * 1976-09-15 1978-04-14 Nippon Rubber Co Injection moulding rubber compsn. for shoe soles - contains (1,2)-polybutadiene and a diene rubber
FR2402427A1 (en) * 1977-09-07 1979-04-06 Jallatte Sa Rubber shoe soles production method - involves placing roll in mould, after first cutting it into sections having shape of shoe
DE7729034U1 (en) * 1977-09-20 1979-04-19 Fa. Carl Freudenberg, 6940 Weinheim Shoe molding or insert
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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2388810A (en) * 2002-05-25 2003-11-26 Ching-Chin Chen Manufacturing EVA outsoles

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2503624B1 (en) 1986-01-31
BE891480A (en) 1982-03-31
ES511225A0 (en) 1983-03-01
DE3114105A1 (en) 1982-10-28
FR2503624A1 (en) 1982-10-15
DE3114105C2 (en) 1986-07-24
JPS57177702A (en) 1982-11-01
ES8304479A1 (en) 1983-03-01
AT378734B (en) 1985-09-25
IT8247809A0 (en) 1982-02-17
CA1167213A (en) 1984-05-15
GB2101922B (en) 1985-04-17
ATA138182A (en) 1985-02-15
IT1147623B (en) 1986-11-19

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