ITBA20110045A1 - METHOD TO DECORATE DIRECTLY IN THE MOLD, OBJECTS MADE BY MOLDING, WITH ANY SUITABLE MATERIAL (IN PARTICULAR FOUNDATIONS FOR SHOES), AND MOLDS FOR THE SAID METHOD. - Google Patents

Description

I. TITLE

METHOD FOR DECORATING, DIRECTLY IN THE MOLD, OBJECTS MADE BY MOLDING, WITH ANY SUITABLE MATERIAL (IN PARTICULAR FOOTWEAR FOR FOOTWEAR), AND MOLDS FOR THE SAID METHOD.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For clarity, we give an explanatory list of the abbreviations cited below, relating to the molding materials taken into consideration:

EVA = Etìlen ~ vinyl Acetate

PA = Polyamide

PE = Polyethylene

PET = Polyethylene terephthalate

PUR = Polyurethane

PVC = Polyvinyl chloride

TPU = Thermoplastic polyurethane

TR = Thermoplastic rubber.

A. Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the decoration of objects, which can be made by molding, with any suitable material, obtained with the insertion and prior anchoring in the molds themselves, in an appropriate manner, of pre-decorated coatings with images, drawings, colors, particular surface finishes . These coatings are obtained by shearing them or in any way cutting them, to the precise shape and size of the areas of the mold to be covered, from sheets or films of synthetic and / or artificial and / or natural materials. pre-decorated as mentioned, they will remain indissolubly fixed to the surfaces of the objects to be decorated: in this way the objects will be perfectly decorated by the images, drawings, colors, surface finishes, performed on the visible faces of the coatings, as well as by the colors and visual and tactile characteristics of the constituent materials of the coatings.

[0002] By molding with "any suitable material '<*> it is meant that the material for molding the objects, envisaged in the present patent application, must be suitable for the molding required, but is not limited to thermoplastic materials (such as PVC , TPU, TR, PE / EVA, polystyrene and the like), which are generally easily moldable, with normal injection machines, but also includes "difficult" materials, such as polyurethane (PUR), vulcanizable rubber and other similar materials, foams or not. These are very useful and often indispensable for the production of objects of good volume and low density and of good quality, but they have the serious problems of producing abundant smudges, on the printed objects, and of adhering tenaciously to the surfaces of the molds, which which requires the spraying on them of suitable release agents, before each molding, and then washing them from the molded objects [0003] The said coatings can also be made in n precious materials, and their application, according to this method, is much simpler, effective, quick, precise and economical than that performed by applying them by hand, on pre-printed objects, according to the classic artisanal methods, indeed, in many cases manages to carry out by hand, in an artisanal way, everything that can be achieved according to the method object of this patent application and at drastically low costs and very high production rates

[0004] Better to say, with the claimed method, it is possible to carry out, in a workmanlike manner and in an impeccable way, the coating of three-dimensional objects, so that the decorations, pre-imprinted on the coatings themselves, in any method and with any available technology, are applied, with the utmost precision, stably and indissolubly, without deformation of the decorative images themselves, on the objects to be decorated,

[0005] In particular, the objects, relating to the present patent application, are foundations for footwear, and the descriptions will mainly refer to these, but also concern the decoration of any other object, made by molding suitable materials, according to the modalities that are illustrated for the shoe bottoms.

B. Previous state of the art

[0006] From the research carried out, patents have been filed which have partially solved, and with different means, problems connected with the anchoring, in the molds, of coatings of parts of footwear bottoms, limited to some synthetic thermoplastic materials, used for the molding of themselves.

Among the various patents analyzed we have selected the following three, because they are the most pertinent to the subject of this patent application.

[0007] 1 - The patent of the Société Anonyme Pasquier Frères n ° 1,531,806, filed in Paris on 07-07-1967 and its completive n ° 93,572, filed on 10-10-1967, concern a method for coating only the heels of bottoms for footwear, molded with thermoplastic materials (preferably polyvinyl chloride), in which the means for anchoring the coatings in the molds in the right position are represented by some pins, fixed in the molds, on the partial contour of the surfaces to be coated.

[0008] Apart from the unsightly presence of the traces of the pins on the molded object, this patent does not claim the possibility of using the application of the coating, to be inserted in the mold, as a method for decorating the bottom. In fact, the inventor has the sole purpose of covering the heel with a material of the same type used to make the upper, in imitation of footwear in which the same purpose is pursued by gluing by hand, on the pre-printed heel, its coating, generally obtained, sic et simpliciter, from the same material used for the upper. On the other hand, the solution of anchoring the coating in the mold; by means of pins fixed on the contour of its perimeter, it requires the coating to be so rigid that it does not deform under the thrust exerted by the thermoplastic molding material introduced into the mold: this is not always possible and in many cases counterproductive.

[0009] 2 - The US3705934 patent, filed in our own name, on 12-07-1968, concerns a method for coating printable objects, also in this case, with thermoplastic materials, in particular bottoms for footwear: the method provides for the '' application on the surfaces of the mold of thin sheets arranged, interlocking, around the boundary areas of the surfaces of the mold to be decorated, in a perpendicular position to them, so that these serve as a guide for orienting, depositing and containing the coatings on the mold itself, and to keep them firmly anchored on the areas to be decorated, even during the inflow into the mold of the molding material,

[0010] This patent greatly improves the previous one, because it replaces point guides, for anchoring the coatings in the mold, with a guide extended along the partial or total contour of the coating perimeter, which avoids the problems of deformation of the coatings themselves under the pressure of the molding material and the possible infiltrations of the same between the mold and the coating, given that the molding material is a thermoplastic. The problem of infiltrations would not be solved, however, if the molding material were a PUR or a vulcanizable rubber. In fact, these materials preserve, during molding, the fluidity of the liquids, and therefore the possibility of infiltrating any opening, which is not watertight, and therefore also within the interlocking games of the said laminations, until the cross-linking has occurred. in the mold, while thermoplastic materials have the characteristic of immediately becoming very viscous and not very smooth as soon as they come into contact with the surfaces of the mold and the coating materials, which are "cold". These materials are called "thermoplastic" precisely because they become very plastic and flow "when hot", at temperatures above 160-170 ° C, but immediately assume the state of very viscous fluids at lower temperatures, until they return to the solid state, at room temperature.

[0011] This characteristic of thermoplastic materials allows not only to make the infiltration of material between the mold and the coatings anchored therein difficult, but also to obtain moldings without burrs along the junction lines of the assembly parts of molds made in several parts , while this is not the case with non-thermoplastic materials, such as 11 PUR, vulcanizable rubber and the like.

[0012] 3 - 1! patent

relates to a method of coating shoe bottoms in polyurethane foam, using films, preferably of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), with a great elongation capacity and which are compatible with polyurethane foam, used for the molding of the bottoms, capable of binding firmly to the same, without the need for adhesives, but after heating them

[0013] Said films can be, if necessary, previously printed with screen printing or holographic methods, so as to be able to reproduce, on the bottoms, finishes such as wood or cork or marble, and are introduced, before the molding material, into the cavity of the mold, where the bases will be printed, and made to adhere perfectly to its superfid, first by aspiration of the ana present between the film and the superfid of the mold and then with hot air under pressure, it acts on the other side of the film, to be sure that all the air present between the surfaces of the mold and the film, introduced into it, is completely expelled - the said film is a flat film, with a rectangular shape, which is placed and hermetically tightened above the mold, in which it is the impression of the bottom to be produced is present, and is recalled inside the cavity of the impression, first, by sucking in the air contained in the cavity itself, and then compressing it, from above, into the cavity, by means of compressed air a preheated, as mentioned

[0014] In this patent it is necessary to strictly cover all the surfaces of the mold (more precisely the part of the mold that reproduces the imprint of the object to be printed), and this is only possible with a film that has an exceptional elongation

[0015] The inventor declares that the main purpose of the patent is to improve the abrasion resistance and non-slip characteristics of the PUR bases and to avoid painting them, bringing color to the bases, pre-coloring the films themselves: the patent goes so far as to create bases that have different colors and two surface finishes

[0016] In order to obtain dò, with the claimed method, a film that has the capacity of great elongation must necessarily be used, since it is introduced by an opening, which, for example, in the heel area is just about 5 cm, while the surfaces to be covered, in the same area, come to have a width, in a bottom with a 15 cm high heel, of over 30 cm. But the film's great elongation capacity, imposed by the method adopted to obtain the surface coating, denies this method the possibility of conceiving the decoration of the backgrounds as foreseen in our method, because the elongation of the film also produces the deformation of the decorations. , imprinted on it [0017] The three patents, besides the defects and incompleteness mentioned above, have other serious defects as described below.

The first two provide, as molding material, only thermoplastic materials that do not present the serious problem of easily infiltrating under the coatings anchored in the molds and in the tiniest cracks present on them, along the junction lines from their component parts, and not even sides. more serious problem of adhering tenaciously to the surfaces of the molds themselves. Furthermore, the molds adopted are made in at least 3 or 4 parts for each half pair of bottoms, to allow a fad and extraction of the mold bottoms from the molds, without causing any stress to the elements used to anchor the coatings in the molds.

[0018] Due to the specific characteristics of the polyurethane and of the materials similar to it, almost all of the production made with them is produced with molds consisting of only two parts; a lid and the mold proper, in which the imprint of the object to be printed is reproduced, in this way all the smudges of the materials are eliminated, which would disfigure the aesthetics of the printed object, even after they have been trimmed, except those that occur along the junction lines of the mold, properly defined, with the corresponding lid, which can be easily eliminated and / or well masked

[0019] However, this fact implies that the extraction of the objects from the molds takes place causing strong stress to the objects themselves, because all parts of the molded object that have no undercuts must be elastically deformed in order to come out of the molds, which are formed in monobloc, that. generally. completely contains the printed object, and its closing lid,

[0020] It is therefore evident that. if PUR were to be used as a molding material, and molds made up of only two parts, both the fastening parts and the thin laminations, applied by interlocking into the molds, as envisaged in the first two patents, would be severely deformed and / or torn from their anchors already when the first piece was extracted, thus losing their function.In the case of US3705934, even if the stuck laminations were not eradicated, after the first moldings, they would still be severely deformed and rendered unusable, and furthermore they would have infiltrations of material within the clearances present between the stuck laminations and the superfict of the mold in which they are stuck, which would seriously disfigure the aesthetic appearance of the so molded bottoms

[0021] While in the third cited patent, the same problem does not arise, because it concerns the production of polyurethane foam bases only, for which the inventor has adopted a solution that allows to avoid the problems associated with the difficult workability of polyurethane, covering all the walls of the mold with a pre-colored TPU film, capable of great elongation, to completely cover all the surfaces of the actual mold, excluding only the surfaces modeled by the lid

[0022] But this solution solves very well only the problem of taming the difficult workability of the polyurethane, not the more important one of being able to decorate, in a workmanlike manner, objects (shoe bottoms in this case), with decorations of any type, shape and design, without these being deformed or disfigured in the processing adopted to apply them to the objects themselves

[0023] Therefore the anchoring means, in the molds, of the coatings, envisaged in the first two patents, are not suitable for the coating of molded objects with polyurethane foam or with other materials similar or behaving in the same way, while the solution contemplated in the third patent, that of RPM, it is not suitable for decorating, in a workmanlike manner, bases or objects in PUR and similar materials.

. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

[0024] Our method for the decoration of objects obtained by molding in polyurethane and other similar materials, expanded or not, through indissoluble fixing, on the objects themselves, of pre-decorated coatings, prepared in the molds, in which the objects will be printed, on the areas that you want to decorate, foresees, in a first solution, to surround the areas of the mold, corresponding to those you want to decorate on the object, with generally thin ribs, slightly protruding from the surfaces of the mold (0.5-1 mm not limiting ), perpendicular to these, obtained in the same material of the mold, in a single body, without adding or carrying over or joining or welding of other materials.

[0025] Furthermore, within the said areas, thus delimited, it provides for the creation of one or more very small air intake holes. The pre-decorated coatings, having the precise shape and size of the areas to be decorated, contoured as mentioned, will be manually inserted into the mold, with the help of the same ribs, which surround the areas to be decorated and serve to identify, guide, position, with absolute precision, and contain the said coatings: with the help of the exhalation of air, which is provided within each area, the coatings will be correctly and precisely placed on the areas to be decorated, wedged between the said confines tome and firmly positioned in the molds, in close contact with the surfaces to be decorated, adhering to the same watertight

[0026] The aspiration of the ana, as proposed by us, carries out various important functions in the application of our method. the coating is compressed, watertight, against the surfaces of the mold, to achieve a firm and safe anchoring of the same in the desired position, thus ensuring that the coating does not undergo deformation when the molding material flows into the mold and there are no infiltrations of the between the coating and the surfaces of the mold.

[0027] The second solution provides that, instead of creating, in the molds, relief edges, without solution of continuity, around the areas to be coated, as described, all said areas are excavated, imprinting the relative coatings to be coated. allocate, just enough to allow the correct introduction of the coatings themselves in the relative impressions. Also in this case, the coatings will be firmly and precisely positioned in the molds, sucking the air, interposed between the coatings and the impressions themselves, by means of one or more very small suction holes, located inside the various impressions themselves, to make watertight contact between the coverings and the surfaces to be decorated

[0028] The depth of the excavation of the said footprints can be equal to, greater or lesser than the thickness of the coatings, but in most cases it is preferable that it be deep 9 minimum necessary to constitute an easy and safe guide for the operator. , which must house them in the mold, and it is also convenient that the coatings have a preferably low thickness.

[0029] The minimum possible height of the edges, foreseen in the first solution, and the minimum depth of the cavities, as foreseen in the second solution, serve to facilitate the extraction of the bases from the molds, since these are made, as mentioned, in only two parts: a lid and the mold itself, which is the one in which the imprint of the object to be printed is reproduced.

[0030] In the first solution, the minimum height of the ribs also serves to avoid the risk of them being damaged by the stresses to which they will be subjected during the extraction of the bottoms from the molds, while this problem is totally and brilliantly eliminated in the second solution

[0031] This same method is valid even if the objects to be decorated are made by molding with thermoplastic materials, provided that the molds are formed in only two parts as described for the molding of objects in PUR and similar materials.

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Fig 1, of Plate 1, represents a shoe sole, wedge-shaped, with a decorative insert (or lining), also wedge-shaped, suitably designed and decorated;

[0033] Fig. 2, of Plate 1, represents a shoe bottom of the wedge type with a 10 mm plateau;

[0034] Fig, 3, of Table 2, represents a shoe bottom of the heel-tail type. The lining of the lateral surfaces of the bottom is applied only to the heel;

[0035] Fig.3 ’of Table 2, represents the bottom view of the bottom of Fig, 3: a way of covering the bottom surface of the bottom is shown;

[0036] Fig. 4, of Plate 3, represents a sole with a large platform and 150 mm high heel, of the tail type, where both the plateau and the heel are covered and therefore decorated;

[0037] Fig. 5, of Plate 3, represents a wedge bottom with a plateau 40 mm high, with a heel height of 130 mm, with lateral surfaces almost completely covered and decorated;

[0038] Fig. 6, of Table 2, represents the median longitudinal section of a mold, without the relative lid, for the production of a wedge sole;

[0039] Fig. 7, of Table 2, shows the cross section AA of the mold of Fig, 6 and the relative side view, in the direction that goes from the heel to the tip of the bottom,

[0040] Fig. 8, of Table 4 shows a top view of a mold, without the relative lid, for molding pre-decorated bases, equipped with a watertight air chamber into which the very small suction holes lead out air - made to serve all the areas to be decorated,

[0041] Fig. 9, of Table 4, shows the median longitudinal section, in lateral view, of the same mold of Fig. 8;

[0042] Fig. 10, of Table 4, shows a side view of the mold of Fig. 8;

[0043] Fig. 11, of Table 4, shows the bottom view of the mold of Fig. 8;

[0044] Fig. 12, of Table 4, shows the section BB of the mold of Fig, 11 and relative side view in the direction that goes from the heel to the tip of the bottom.

[0045] Rg. 13, of Plate 5, shows the lateral view, from the inside, of a wedge bottom without a tread sole,

[0046] Fig. 14, of Plate 5, shows the lateral view from the inside, of a wedge bottom with tread sole,

V DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME FAVORITE EXECUTIONS

[0047] To describe in detail some preferred executions of our decoration method, let's start with its execution in the case that the objects are soles for footwear m PUR foam, which, as we have mentioned, is a very important and versatile molding material, very appreciated to consumers, but difficult to work with, due to some of its peculiar characteristics

[0048] To realize the numerous and serious difficulties that the PUR molding technology presents, for the preventive decoration in the mold, of PUR foam bases, it is enough to consider that 44 years have passed since the filing of the first patent, which describes the coating, directly in the mold, of the heels of soles for footwear, molded in thermoplastic material, without others having tried their hand, with the necessary precautions, at least the same operation for soles in compact or expanded PUR

[0049] In fact, compact or expanded PUR presents serious problems of smudging, between the assembly parts of molds, made in several parts, difficult or, better, impossible to eliminate so that no visible, unsightly trace remains on the objects furthermore, it has a formidable and tenacious adhesiveness on the surfaces of the molds and on most of the materials, so much so as to require a preventive spraying, on the molds, of good release agents, based on waxes and / or silicones, before each molding operation What this which requires a subsequent washing of the objects, with solvents type 8 perchlorethylene, carried out within the evaporation temperature range of the same, which is about 110 120 0

[0050] The abundant and conspicuous smudges are due to the fact that PUR. when it is poured or injected into the molds, it is, to all intents and purposes, a liquid material capable of easily infiltrating any microscopic crack or opening with which it comes into contact, and also when it begins to foam (in the case of PUR expanded) is to be considered a liquid, with the devastating characteristic of being able to infiltrate all openings, which are not closed in a watertight manner: liquid-tight.

[0051] The problems created by the ability of PUR to infiltrate through the smallest cracks and give rise to conspicuous burrs have been solved, in the common manufacturing practice of PUR objects, by adopting molds made up of only two parts: the mold itself, which contains the imprint of the object to be printed, and the relative closing cover. In this way the burrs are present only along the contact lines of said two parts of the mold, where trimming is easier and where any trimming imperfections are very well masked.

[0052] But this solution results in a new complication, for those who want to put into practice a decoration of the objects with pre-decorative coatings, to be inserted in the molds, before the molding of the objects, in fact the said insertion must be done in a monobloc mold, which therefore allows only one way of access and extraction of the objects from the mold. From molds made in this way, the objects must be extracted by exerting a traction on them, with suitable means, on their area which remains uncovered after opening the lid of the mold. The traction force to be exerted will be the greater the more the undercuts are and the more pronounced they occur in the molds,

[0053] But this is not enough, because the characteristic of PUR to infiltrate easily into the smallest cracks, requires that the coatings to be inserted in the molds are protected, in a safe and impeccable way, from the risk that the PUR can infiltrate between them and the surfaces of the mold on which they are placed.

[0054] Other no less complex problems arise from the fact that PUR is also a material that adensce tenaciously on almost all the surfaces it comes into contact with, which is an advantage, considering that most coatings can thus being easily and indissolubly attached to the objects to be decorated, without the need for glue, but a huge problem if we consider that the molding of the PUR cannot be performed without spreading good release agents in the molds, which requires a subsequent washing of the printed objects to eliminate the detachments with which they are covered

[0055] The seriousness of this problem depends on the fact that the washing products are very aggressive and are used at quite high temperatures; in fact it occurs, as stated, with perchlorethylene at a temperature of about 110-120 ° C. A washing of this type, on objects pre-decorated in the mold, as proposed in our decoration method, together with the release agents would also eliminate all the decorations carried out on the coatings and would also damage many coatings made of synthetic, artificial or natural materials that are sensitive to the action of perchlorethylene and / or action of the temperature of 110-120 "C

[0056] The resolving answers to all the problems connected to the adoption of PUR as molding materials for the objects to be decorated, according to the method object of the present patent application, are illustrated in detail in the following description. Keeping in mind that other materials, besides PUR, present similar problems, difficult to process, such as vulcanizable rubber and the like, we found that the solutions developed for PUR apply to them as well, due to the applicability of our method of decoration.

- FIRST PREFERRED EXECUTION

[0057] Our method for decorating objects in polyurethane and other similar materials, expanded or not, by indissoluble anchoring, on the objects themselves, of coatings, having the exact shape and size of the areas to be decorated, suitably pre-decorated, on the face which, on the objects, will appear on sight, prepared in the molds in which the objects will be printed, provides, in a first solution, to surround the zones of the mold, corresponding to those that are to be decorated on the object, with generally thin ribs (0.5-1 mm, non-limiting) and slightly protruding (0.5-1 mm, non-limiting) from the surfaces of the mold, perpendicular to these, made of the mold material itself, in a single body, without adding or storing them or joints or welds of other materials

[0058] The thickness of the ribs is required "thin", in order to make visible as little as possible the traces of the ribs that will appear on the printed and decorated backgrounds according to our decoration method, and this is correct for most of the applications of our method , especially if the funds are intended for the production of elegant or classic footwear. But in other applications, when the bottoms are intended for the production of youthful footwear and / or sports or casual style, the thickness of the ribs may be required of a "thick" type, with a thickness of a few millimeters, because the presence of their traces on the funds must be highlighted, making them an integral part of the required sporty or casual look. In any case, whether the ribs are required "thin" or "thick", it is advisable to keep the torus protrusion or height, with respect to the surfaces to be decorated of the molds, always to the minimum possible, to minimize the stress to which the bases will be subjected to the the moment of extraction from the molds, if this does not conflict with you any requests for the final acquirenli of the funds.

[0059] Within each area, thus delimited, along its perimeter, with said edges, one or more air intake holes, with a very small section (preferably made by laser), are made to avoid noticing their presence on finished objects. Said coatings are positioned manually, on the areas to be coated on the molds (or to decorate objects printed in them), with the help of the delimiting ribs that surround, without interruption, the areas of the mold to be coated, while it is being the air suction is activated, interposed between the coating and the said area of the mold. Each coating, positioned, as mentioned, within the aforementioned boundary edges, is pushed, by atmospheric pressure, acting on the other side of the coating, in an energetic way, by means of the suction of air, interposed between it and the mold. the mold itself thus remaining firmly anchored to the area to be coated, tightly adhering to the surfaces of the mold: watertight.

[0060] For the suction of the air to produce the watertight seal, the constituent material of the coatings must be impermeable to air, or at least sufficiently impermeable, and that the surfaces of the coatings and the corresponding areas of the areas to be decorated of the mold , are smooth and overlapping in adherence, at least for a small, sufficiently wide band, along the entire outermost perimeter of each coating: even the areas of the mold to be decorated must be impermeable to air. artificial ones are generally impermeable or sufficiently impermeable to air

[0061] If the material of the coatings were not impermeable to air, this required characteristic is easily obtained by giving a uniform layer of glue or by applying a coating with an impermeable synthetic material, on the face that comes into contact with the molding material. coupled, with the application of a uniform layer of adhesive, are generally sufficiently impermeable to air, and those that are not coupled can become so with said coating

- SECOND PREFERRED EXECUTION

[0062] In the present patent application a second solution is provided for delimiting the areas to be coated: it consists in identifying the said areas, defining them and delimiting them by digging the imprint of the coatings themselves in the mold. In this way each coating will be embedded in the relative impression, dug into the mold, and firmly anchored to the area to be coated, sucking the air present between it and the corresponding area of the mold Each impression, carved on the surfaces of the mold, to receive the relative coating, has one or more holes for air intake

[0063] The creation of the delimitation edges of the areas to be coated on the mold, as envisaged in the first solution, described above, and the excavation, in the mold, of the impressions of the coatings, as envisaged in the second solution, is possible in various ways. most of which involve computerized processing; in three-dimensional graphics, prototypes of the objects to be decorated and their subsequent physical realization, with different machines and technologies ranging from CNC milling machines with 3-4 milling axis heads to various rapid prototyping technologies [0064] With rapid prototyping it is It is also possible to obtain the mold directly, if, instead of 8 prototype of the object, 8 corresponding mold is directly processed in computed three-dimensional graphics: this is then physically made, by direct milling of a suitable metal block, with CNC milling machines with three head or more milling axes, controlled by the tool path files, obtained from the computerized three-dimensional graphics files, obtained in the said mold design To better clarify how it is possible to make molds with the boundary edges, as described by us, or with the excavation of the impressions of the coatings, as foreseen in the second illustrated solution, describes Here is a detailed description of one of the most popular methods, especially in the production of PUR bottoms, for making molds

[0065] A prototype of the bottom, generally in fit No. 37 (in the case of women's shoes), Once the design is complete, the file, processed in computenized three-dimensional graphics, is transformed, thus obtained, into a tool path file, for a CNC milling machine with 3-4 milling axes, and with this a first physical prototype of the object to be produced by molding is realized in a suitable material, capable of guaranteeing sufficient dimensional stability, and easily machinable on CNC milling machines.

[0066] The suitable materials, in which the prototypes are made, to be used as models for making the relative molds, generally by melting suitable metals, are well seasoned wood or synthetic materials that can be easily machined with the tool, such as PE (Polyethylene ), imitation wood in rigid polyurethane foam (PUR), epoxy resin or cross-linked polyester and the like. The prototypes obtained with the aforementioned CNC milling machines can be those to be used directly as casting models for the realization of the relative mold or, as happens in most cases, are further processed by highly specialized craftsmen, who cover you, partially or totally, with materials, generally sheets of vulcanized rubber or other synthetic or natural materials, to obtain prototypes having a surface with particular grains or engraved designs or hospital effects, difficult or not conveniently executable with CNC milling machines on each prototype to be made. thicknesses {the coating sheets used by the artisans, as mentioned, are foreseen in the graphic elaboration of the basic prototype, so that 8 final prototype is the one having the right dimensions required for the object to be obtained in production, taking into account the casting shrinkages ,

[0067] The final prototype, built as mentioned above, is called a 'maquette' and it represents, in the smallest details, the shape, the dimensions (except for the surcharge for casting shrinkage), the surface finishes, excluding colors, of the The object to be produced The maquette is then used as a casting model for the realization of the relative mold, generally in light metal, among which aluminum is the most used (non-limiting), or in cross-linkable resins such as epoxies, polyester, reinforced, or not, with glass or carbon fibers, and similar. The model made in this way is, as mentioned, the one having fit No. 37: to obtain the three-dimensional computer graphic files of the models relating to the other fits, it is sufficient to execute one of the file elaborated for fit 37.

[0068] All that which is embossed on the maquete is hollowed out on the relative mold and vice versa. coatings, as described above, the graphic files of the maquettes are processed by foreseeing the presence of the ribs on the same 'these will result on the maquettes as grooves or incisions having the same depth and width, respectively, to the height and width of the ribs that are wishes to carry out this on the relative molds as regards the realization of the containment and delimitation ribs, as envisaged in the first of the two solutions described above.

[0069] On the other hand, in order to define and delimit the areas to be coated, by digging the imprints of the coatings themselves in the mold, as envisaged in the second solution, computerized three-dimensional graphic processing of the prototype of the object to be produced or maquette is carried out, with the presence, on the areas to be coated, of increases of thickness equal to the depth of the excavation that is made empty, on the relative mold these will result on the maquettes. on all the areas to be coated, such as continuous relief areas having the height equal to the depth of the excavation that is hollowed out on the relative molds.

[0070] Of the two solutions illustrated above, the first offers maximum versatility, allowing to decorate the soles with a series of coatings, at the discretion of shoe designers, who can conceive and create patchwork coatings, made up of as many pieces as desired , of various shapes, materials, colors and decorations, to obtain backgrounds never seen before and not obtainable with other means and technologies, to create Vip shoes Just trace on the maquette, relating to the bottom to be made, all the incisions necessary to make, on the corresponding mold, the border edges of each area to be decorated with patchwork housing, as envisaged by the stylists: each area is equipped with at least one air intake hole.

The second solution does not allow the areas to be decorated to be pushed up to the number allowed by the Solution knob, but can nevertheless allow an abundant reasonable number of them. From the same computerized three-dimensional graphics files with which the maquette is processed. containing the traces of the ribs or the shape of the imprint excavations of the coatings, as described above, the shapes and dimensions of the coatings to be placed in the molds, on the corresponding areas to be coated, are obtained. Or these are obtained, by detecting them from the first prototypes obtained by molding, with the methods normally practiced by shoe model makers to obtain the shapes and dimensions of the component parts of the upper or of the lining of the shoe bottoms: i.e. covering, with suitable adhesive paper, the areas to be copied and engraved on the paper along the delimitation lines of the same, which, on these prototypes, coincide with the traces left on them by the coasts or with the contour edges of the imprint excavations of the coatings,

[0071] The enormous flexibility of the first solution outclasses the possibilities offered by the three aforementioned patents, and this is due to the invention of the new way of conceiving and manufacturing the ribs for orienting, positioning and accepting the coverings, described in the method object of the this patent application

[0072] The method described above, which makes use of the construction of the maquettes, to be used as casting models, for the realization of the molds, equipped with the means suitable for allowing the decoration of objects made by molding, is the simplest, most precise one. and versatile ET, however, it is possible to obtain said prototypes also with other methods. same results, even without the realization of the maquette as described by us. In fact, the prototypes suitable for the high realization of molds for the application of our method of decoration of objects in the molding can be obtained with the various methods and technologies of rapid prototyping. These are many and new ones are continually proposed, which we will not illustrate in detail, because each of them is only one of the possible means to make molds suitable for the application of our method.

[0073] We will only mention the case where the methods and technologies of rapid prototyping are used to obtain the molds directly, rather than the prototypes to be used as casting models to obtain the relative molds in this case.

the ribs or excavations, as required, second method object of this patent application, will be designed in the files, processed in three-dimensional graphics that will be used to obtain the tool path for the CNC milling machine, which will make the mold, by direct milling of a appropriate metal block.

- OTHER FAVORITE EXECUTIONS

[0074] In the description, up to now, of our decoration method, it has been said that the areas to be coated, on the surfaces of the mold that reproduce the objects, are identified and delimited along their perimeters, without solution of continuity, with suitable means suitable for orienting, receiving and containing the coatings themselves These suitable means were then defined, in a first solution, as protruding edges on the surfaces of the molds, perpendicular to these, and in the second solution as impressions of the coatings: in both solutions it is assumed that the said means, separately, completely delimit the area in which the coating must be received and held and this is true in many cases.But in most cases that occur in practical implementation, the areas to be coated will be partially delimited , for example from the coasts, and partly from excavations to imprint the coatings, and also partly from coasts, partly from improvised excavations of the coatings and in part by other equivalent and substitute means, which perform the function of the coasts and / or imprint excavations of the coatings equally well

[0075] As can be seen, for example not limiting, in the case in which the coating consists of a single band that covers almost all the lateral surfaces of the bottom, as shown in Fig. 2 of Table 1. In this it is noted that the surface to be coated is surrounded, in the lower part, by a rib whose traoda on the printed bottom is given by line 11 which, starting from the bottom family, from its internal side, runs along the entire perimeter of the bottom to return to the point of departure. From this point a second ridge starts which rises perpendicularly to the first until it meets the upper edge of the mold, the so-called "border". The strip left on the bottom printed by this edge is represented by line 10, while that left by the "border * is represented by line 12. This extreme edge or" border can be made in such a way as to protrude slightly towards the mold, as shown in Fig 7 of Table 2, in the sections 54 (they are the section points of the border 54 retative to the section AA) or it can be made without the said protrusion: in the first case the covering is bordered at the top by the said protrusion of the "ribs', in the second case instead of the lid that closes the mold.

Therefore, the boundary closure of the area to be covered without solution of continuity is given, in the first case, by the coast the Oli trace on the bottom is constituted by the line 11, by the rib whose trace on the bottom coincides with the line 10 and by the extreme upper edge (or "border") of the mold, whose trace on the bottom is line 12, in the second case the said "border" is replaced by the presence of the mold lid. What has been said for the means relating to the first solution (edges bordering the areas to be coated), described in our method, also applies to the second solution (imprint excavations of the coatings).

[0076] The foregoing, referring to the case in which all, or almost all, the lateral surfaces of the mold are coated with a single coating, also applies in all cases in which one or more partial coatings are provided, the presence of which it goes up to the said upper limit, or to the lower guelph of the imprint of the bottom reproduced in the mold, where there is the edge or the closure of the lid or the lower limit of the imprint of the bottom reproduced in the mold See Rg. 3 of Table 2, in the heel area and Fig, 4 of Table 3, in the heel and plateau area. non-limiting example, can be seen in Rg. 4 of Table 3, where the full body of the mold (corresponding, in Rg. 4, which represents the bottom, to the area between the heel and the plateau) bordering the area 34 to be decorated, performs in all and for all you functions of a rib: line 40 represents the trace on the bottom of the limit of the full body of the mold which borders the area 34 to be decorated

[0077] Our decoration method presents 2 borderline cases in which the edges or the imprint excavations of the coatings seem completely absent, but the method is not only regularly implemented, but is also optimized, in the sense that it is feasible, according to the methods described up to now, without the bottoms undergoing significant mechanical stresses during extraction from the molds.

[0078] Referring to Fig 13 of Table 5, this happens if we assume, as the lower edge of the lining, the full body of the mold, which closes the impression of the bottom, reproduced in the mold, in its lowest part, of which line. 82. is the trace on the printed bottom, as the upper edge of the mold lid (when closed), of which line 83 is the trace on the printed bottom, and a rib placed vertically on the side walls of the mold, on the inner side of the bottom (non-limiting), which joins, downwards, with the said full body of the mold and, upwards, with the (closed) lid of the mold, of which 80 is the relative trace left on the printed bottom: this is the only rib, apparently present in the mold. Considering that it is decided to use a pre-decorated coating that covers all the lateral surfaces of the mold, the initial and final edges (in length) of this coating will abut against (two sides of the rib 80, while the solid body of the mold, which limits the The downward impression (82), and the lid of the mold form the contour of the coating respectively on its lower side 82 and on the upper one 83 In this way the coating is completely contoured and blocked on the walls to be coated of the mold, with the help of the air intake that blocks it, watertight, against the same Considering that the vast majority of footwear bottoms have tapers that widen from the bottom to the top of the bottom, in the extreme case, described above, it is possible to extract the bottom, coated and decorated, from the mold, without exerting any mechanical stress on it, if the bottom is not designed, even partially, with lateral perices marked by undercuts or grips due to knurling, incisions, chisels and the like. On the bottom, which is thus made, the tread is missing, which is then made by gluing a suitable insole under it.

[0079] The second extreme case, see Fig. 14 of Table 5, differs from the one illustrated above only in the fact that the slab 84 is placed in the mold, before the introduction of the coating 81, so that the upper edge 82 of the same it performs the functions of the rib that surrounds the lower side of the cladding. This insole must be recessed, on its contour, perfectly against the side walls of the mold and sealed, watertight, on the lower surface of the mold in contact with it, by practicing suction holes of the ata on said contact surface, as occurs for the decoration of the lateral surfaces of the mold, according to our method, see Fig. 9, Fig. 11 and Fig. 12.

[0080] The two limit cases described above can also be pushed further to the limit, by eliminating the edge 80 and replacing it with a "mark '' made with an appropriate paint or by engraving it on the corresponding area of the mold, which indicates to the employee Insertion of the claddings, the precise starting and closing point at which the extreme edges, in length, of the cladding 81 must abut against each other: thus the simplest way of applying our method is achieved. of decoration, where there are no evident ribs or impressions of the coverings, but the method is equally applicable, because their replacement elements are present and perform their function very well, assisted by the aspiration of the ata, as foreseen in the method itself.

[0081] These borderline cases, very valid with normal molding materials in PUR or even with elastic thermoplastic materials, appear as the optimal solutions to be adopted, if the molding material is of the rigid type, by virtue of the fact that the extraction of the bottoms, from the molds, takes place without mechanical stress, due to the absence of undercuts of any type on the internal surfaces of the mold. The absence of mechanical stress in the extraction of the bottoms from the molds allows for special decorations, not possible otherwise.

[0082] This is the case in which it is desired to decorate the backgrounds with compositions of rhinestones of any type, multicolored or not, structured according to design or not and in any case having a great ornamental and decorative effect. In fact, it is sufficient to transfer the rhinestones on the coating to be applied in the mold, without peeling, and then insert it into the mold, with the sheet to be peeled in contact with the surfaces of the mold, and then perform the molding of the bottom. the extraction of the bottom will take place without any mechanical stress, so the rhinestones will not be subjected to friction that could uproot them from their position and the rhinestone decoration will be perfectly applied to the bottom, without imperfections.

[0083] As already highlighted, the coating bearing the rhinestones, in addition to being impermeable to the ata, will present along its outermost contour edge, a relief area, without interruption, of any width, provided it is sufficient for the purpose , and of such thickness as to be flat with the sheet to be peeled, formed by perfectly smooth surfaces, which overlapping in adherence to those, equally smooth and impermeable to air, of the area to be coated of the mold, allows the creation of the vacuum necessary to keep the coating firmly positioned during the molding of the bottom and adherent, watertight, to the surfaces corresponding to those on the object to be decorated.Before the extraction of the bottom, the air intake will be interrupted, to allow easy extraction and without any friction: once the extraction has taken place, the peeling will be performed, after a thermostating in the oven, to simplify the peeling, alfocco rrenza The peeling can also be carried out regularly immediately after transferring the rhinestones onto the coating and before inserting it into the mold, making sure that the rhinestones cannot, in the long run, scratch the surface of the mold with which they come into contact.

[0084] The means for safely positioning the coatings on the areas of the molds to be coated, as well as the methods and technologies for making them, in cases where the molding material of the objects is difficult to work (PUR, vulcanizable rubber and the like). It is still necessary to overcome the difficulties imposed by the problem of first having to spread good quality release agents in the molds, and then, having to wash the printed objects, to eliminate them; This washing is carried out, in the normal production of PUR bases, with perchlorethylene at temperatures of about 110-120 “C.

[0085] Our method provides for different solutions for this type of problem, which can be adopted in production, at the choice of the users themselves. in most cases of common molding processes with 8 PUR, "sacrificial" release agents, the semi-permanent release agents have the precious characteristic in the application of our decoration method, to adhere stably to the surfaces of the molds and to facilitate the sliding of objects printed on the same Their action therefore cancels 8 defects "to adenre tenaciously to the surfaces of the molds' of the molding material, PUR in this case, and what is even more interesting without canceling the excellent adhesion of the same to the coatings, without the need , in most cases, through the intermediation of any glue

[0086] Adopting therefore the semi-permanent release agents, the decoration of the objects, according to our method, is carried out by applying in advance a semi-permanent release agent on all the molds being processed, according to the instructions of the supplier, which generally foresees a cooking time of the release agent in several superimposed layers: this firing requires a global waiting time ranging from 30 'to 45', after which production can be started, without the application of other release agents, up to a certain number of moldings Those that can be performed, without the need to renew the release agent already applied, depend on the characteristics of the PUR used and the complexity of the shape of the object to be printed, but generally, in the application of the our method, they are not less than 50-100 moldings: in practice it is possible to cover abundantly a working shift of a carousel which is equivalent to 1,000-1,500 pairs of bottoms produced. They are not many, but they are not even few, if it is estimated that, after a single trimming operation, the objects thus printed and decorated are ready for any post-processing operations or for delivery to user customers. If we consider that our decoration method also provides for the total decoration of the visible surfaces of the shoe bottoms, with the application, in the molds, of coatings, which cover both all the lateral surfaces and those of the insole application. tread, you will have that. after extraction, and after trimming, the funds are ready for delivery to the dentists. In fact, when the backgrounds have completely decorative surfaces, with images, colors and / or pre-established and pre-imprinted finishes on the coatings, perform other posi workings.

[0087] Good quality semi-permanent release agents are produced, for example, by:

Henkel Italia S.p, A. Adhesive Technologies Via Amoreti, 78; 20157 Milan, Italy;

from the:

Zyvax Corporate: Mailing Address RO. Box 1825 Ellijay, GA USA 30540 Telephone; 1 (706) 698-4405, Fax: 1 (706) 635-8103;

and from several other companies, in Italy and abroad

[0088] Another very valid, but less simple solution, which allows the application of our decoration method, consists in the adoption of the usual sacrificial release agents, based on waxes and / or silicones, but in carrying out their washing, at room temperature, with new generation solvents, in suitably calibrated mixtures, less volatile and less toxic than perchlorelylene. that do not attack plastics, rubber and paints. A solvent of this type is Eco-Solv, produced by the Industrial Chemical Company, located in Italy, in via Colle Marchino 14 03039 Sora (FR), Tel 0776891555. Fax 0776891351

[0089] While the adoption of semi-permanent release agents poses absolutely no problem to our decoration method, this second solution in cut uses the usual "sacrificial" release agents and is washed, at room temperature, with suitably calibrated solvent mixtures , which do not attack plastics, metals, rubber and paints, can create problems for the decorations shown on the coatings, if they are not made with "paints" that are resistant to said solvents

In fact, these decorations will not always be made with paints and, in most cases, they will be combined with decorations made with inks for screen printing or for printers or plotters for digital printing if these resist the action of said solvents, then ø washing with Eco-Solv solves the problem in an exhaustive way [0090] Inks that certainly resist the action of Eco-Solv, for example not limiting, are the sublimation ones, both for screen printing and for digital printing, if their sublimation, before introducing the coatings into the molds. to damage the substrate of the prints or that they are subjected to temperatures close to those of sublimation of the sublimation inks , which are between 160 and 200 ° C: neither of the two conditions occurs in the proposed washing

[0091] However, the adoption of sublimation inks is not always possible, because it depends on the type of constituent material of the coatings: in fact not all of them! materials are suitable for receiving prints with sublimation inks Those suitable are films or fiber sheets (and therefore the fabrics obtained from these) of PET, PA, CELLULOSE TRIACETATE, PUR, TPU and the like. Natural materials are generally not suitable, such as cotton, wool, linen, hemp, leather, wood, cork, etc. [0092] When it is not possible to use sublimation inks and those that are able to use do not resist the action of solvents Eco-Solv type, in washing operations, our method is still applicable with a slight increase in costs, but without reducing its productivity. '' action of the Eco-Solv type solvents, suitable or adaptable, with appropriate treatments (corona or plasma treatment), to digital or screen printing, and to print the decorations, in a mirror image, on the face of said films that would be in contact with the molding material: in this way the decorations will be visible, on the objects, for transparency and. at the same time, their contact with washing solvents will be avoided.This is fine if the inks used are opaque, because, if they were not and the molding material of the background cracked black or very dark, the decorations thus printed on the coatings would not be visible,

[0093] In all cases in which the inks are not opaque, the most immediate solution would be to use a molding material in a white or fairly light color and to paint, in the required dark color, the parts of the base that are not covered by the coatings. But this solution is very expensive, because the painting operations of the bases, generally currently adopted in the common production of PUR bases, drastically reduce productivity, even if it is a question of painting single-color bases, but even more serious is the reduction of productivity when it comes to painting multicolored bases, as is almost always the case in the application of! our method of decoration: in fact, the painting must take place only on partial areas of the bases, because the others have already been decorated during their molding and these must be protected during any painting operations.

[0094] In these cases, the best solution consists in maintaining the dark color of the molding material and making the said decorations visible by attaching, hot or at high frequency or with ultrasound or in any other suitable way, on the face of the coating , which would come into contact with B molding material, a thin film of opaque white color: this masks the black or dark color of the molding material and, at the same time, highlights the decorations printed on the transparent film. By adopting for this purpose, as a non-limiting example, an opaque white PUR Q TPU film, it can be welded, both hot and in high frequency, to films of the same type, transparent, which bear the decorations of the coating, thus avoiding having to perform expensive painting operations on finished products Other films are suitable for obtaining the solution described here, provided that they are, in some way, weldable or suitably glued together,

[0095] It is even better if an opaque coating is adopted, such as a white film or a fabric or other suitable material, and the decorations are imprinted on their visible face, which will then be protected by hot etching, at the top frequency or with ultrasound or otherwise, on the face where the decorations are imprinted, a thin transparent film of material resistant to washing.

These ways, described above, of protecting the decorations, shown on the coatings, are much more general remedies, applicable even when the washing is carried out with a high temperature, as long as the transparent films, adopted to make the coatings, or to carry out the protections described , resist the washing treatment thus made, Films of this type are those made of PET, PA, CELLULOSE TRIACETATE, PUR, TPU and the like. However, these films are also suitable for receiving decorations with sublimation inks, therefore they lend themselves to the application of our decoration method, without problems, i.e. printing them also on the external face of the coatings that comes into contact with the washing solvents, even when the washing is carried out with perchlorethylene at a high temperature (110-120 ° C). The said decorations are preferably first printed on sublimation paper and then transferred by sublimation on the said films. They could also be printed directly on the films, from which the coatings will be cut, and sublimated on the same films, but generally their printing is impossible, if they are not previously subjected to appropriate pre-treatments, such as corona or plasma treatment, which have some problems of practical applicability, if they are not carried out "at home": printing on immediate matìc paper and subsequent transfer onto films, by sublimation, is practical and easy, even if slightly more expensive

[0096] But of course not all decorations can be limited to prints with sublimation inks, just as not all coatings can be made up of suitable transparent films or not,

In fact, our method is proposed as a general method, for the decoration of objects, not only with suitable films, but with different synthetic, artificial and natural materials, even precious ones, with decorations performed by printing, with sublimation inks or not, but also with Markings in focus or with engravings under presses or in high frequency (for the materials suitable for this) or with embroidery or with applications of glitter or studs or stress and other ornamental materials compatible with our method and so on.

[0097] The materials for the cladding can be thin sheets of natural cork, coupled with thin layers of synthetic or artificial materials or fabric, which have the purpose of preventing the cork layer from crumbling; thin layers (1-1, 5 mm, not limiting) of microporous rubber sliced perpendicularly from blocks, obtained by gluing, one on top of the other, several sheets of microporous rubber, of different color to each layer, or they can be fine fine hairs , synthetic or natural suede, leathers, fabrics of all types and obtained with any textile fiber, of various colors or with fine prints or images or personalized decorations and with various surface treatments, flocked fabrics in one or more colors, etc. If the fabrics are made of microfiber with synthetic fibers of materials printable with sublimation inks, they are themselves suitable for receiving prints with sublimation inks: it will thus be possible to create decorative coatings in printable fabrics with sublimation inks, capable of surviving unscathed even washing with sublimation inks. high temperature perchlorethylene.

[0098] For coatings made of all the aforementioned materials, not suitable for subimatic printing, our decoration method is immediately applicable, if permanent release agents are used, which do not require washing operations on the printed objects. adopt sacrificial release agents, which require a subsequent washing operation, it is necessary to verify the suitability of any material, used for the coatings, and / or the decorations performed on them to withstand the washing action unharmed, with Eco-Solv or with perchlorethylene, and replace, case by case, the unsuitable coatings ε / or decorations with others resistant to the washing required or, if the chosen coatings and / or decorations are to be strictly respected, it is necessary to replace the sacrificial release agents with semi-permanent ones according to our method of decoration of printed objects in materials that are difficult to work is, therefore, in any case, feasible [0039] Ma, com and previously said, it is also valid for the production of any object or shoe base obtained by molding, with any other synthetic or artificial, thermoplastic, compact or expanded material, which does not have the problems of molding of polyurethane or vulcanized rubber, such as, for example, but not limited to, PVC, TPU, TR, PE / EVA, shockproof polystyrene and the like, thermoplastic, compact or expanded. Generally, thermoplastic materials must be introduced into the molds by injection and not by casting and this only means that, where coatings of the part of the bottom that comes into contact with the floor are foreseen, a suitable hole must be provided in the coating itself. , in correspondence with the entry point of the material into the mold, to allow the free passage of the thermoplastic material, which is generally injected into the mold from below and near the heel: the hole made in the said coating is made so that it a seal on the nozzle, made in the mold, through which the thermoplastic material that is injected flows into it.

[0100] It must be said that the objects molded in thermoplastic materials, even if expanded, have a significantly higher density than those made in expanded PUR, but this problem is easily solved by designing suitable lightening inserts, to be made, generally, in rigid PUR very expanded, to be introduced, in an appropriate way, into the molds for molding bottoms in expanded thermoplastic material, before carrying out the molding itself: in this way the said inserts will function as lightening cores of the molded bottoms in thermoplastic material and it is possible so to obtain thermoplastic molded bottoms with a density comparable to that of expanded PUR molded bottoms,

[0101] Our method is applicable in all technologies and with all molding materials adopted in them and also in all cases in which the printed objects are not shoe bottoms or parts of them In essence, the method object of this application patent, invented to make possible the decoration of printed objects with materials that are difficult to work with, it is immediately applicable, even more so, in the production of objects printed with materials that are easy to work with; as thermoplastic materials are, and it presents itself as an important technical evolution, which outclasses the patents previously filed and expired for a long time (Patent n ° 1,531.806, filed in Paris on 07-07-1967 and its completion n ° 93,572 , filed on 10-10-1967 by the Société Anonyme Pasquier Freres, the US3705934 patent, filed on 12-07-1968) and also there patent WO02085598, filed on 23-04-2001 with inventor Ruggeri Gianpietro (IT).

[0102] Said technical evolution concerns both the invention of the new way of conceiving and manufacturing the orientation, positioning and reception edges of the claddings, and the realization of imprint excavations of the claddings to be allocated, alternatively or simultaneously with the said edges , both the identification of various constituent parts of the surfaces of the mold, interpreted as alternative means of the ribs and the excavations mentioned and used for this purpose, and the simultaneous adoption of the air intake, present between the coatings and the surfaces of the molds to be cover or decorate. As well as speeding up the positioning of the partial coatings and making it firmly in the molds, the air intake allows the adoption of one-piece coatings to cover all the visible lateral surfaces of the shoe bottoms, which it would be really unlikely without the aforementioned aspiration. In fact, the said coatings have a considerable length, as well as a good height, in the areas corresponding to the notches of the bottoms, which would make their arrangement and their permanence on site really fortunate, in areas surrounded only by ribs of the least protrusion, or in excavations, with imprint of the coatings, of the minimum possible depth, on the surfaces of the molds, without the suction of air, foreseen in our method.

[0103] The advantage of using air suction also in the decoration, according to our method, of molded bases in thermoplastic material, however, requires the adoption of molds made in only two parts also for thermoplastics. mold that reproduces the imprint of the bottom, was made in two parts (and therefore the whole mold in at least 3 parts), instead of in a single block, and the coating to be made fell astride the separation zone of the two (as always necessarily happens if a single coating must decorate all or almost all the lateral surfaces of the bottom), the air intake would not be effective, because air would flow continuously from the said separation area, preventing the required air emptying from being obtained between the coating and the surface of the mold to be coated,

[0104] Therefore, the method, object of the present patent application, in addition to ensuring an easier and more precise insertion and anchoring of the coatings in the molds together with a more effective masking, on the finished objects, of the traces of the orientation and containment edges of the coatings in the mold, it also ensures the possibility of adopting molds formed by only two parts even in the production of molded objects in thermoplastic materials, which translates into a considerable reduction in the cost of the molds and in greater slenderness and flexibility of production. This is not possible by adopting the solutions envisaged in the two aforementioned patents. Molds made of two-part soybeans can also be adopted in the production of direct injection footwear: one part constituted by the mold itself, which reproduces the imprint of the bottom, and the other by the last (on which the upper is mounted), which it would replace the lid, present in the case of molding of bottoms only.

[0105] This innovation - in the molding of objects in thermoplastic materials, unlike that described for materials that are difficult to process, such as polyurethane or rubber and the like, does not present any complication, neither smudging nor adherence to the molds, nor of preventive spraying of release agents, in the molds, and the need for subsequent washing of the molded objects. Therefore it does not even imply problems of protection of the decorative elements, from washing solvents, of objects printed and decorated in the mold: this innovation turns out to be simply a perfect solution to a problem that had not yet been solved in a workmanlike manner.

[0106] In all applications of the decoration method illustrated in the present patent application, each mold has only one connection to the air intake system, even when the intake holes made for each area to be coated, in each mold, there are more than one and the areas to be covered are more than one. To obtain this simplification, each mold is equipped with an airtight chamber, made by digging, by milling or otherwise, on the lateral faces of the mold, the cavities that will constitute a part of the final air chamber and applying, on the hollowed areas of the airtight closing plates bolted to the mold itself. It is sufficient to make hollows, preferably, only on the two side walls of the mold and connect them to each other by making two openings, within the two metal diaphragms that remain not milled, one on the front and one on the back of the mold: in this way all the air intake holes will starve into the resulting single airtight chamber, so that, when the air is drawn in, through the only connection attachment of the mold to the air suction system, each suction hole, can produce the required suction (see Fig 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10, Fig. 11, FIG. 12).

[0107] The air chambers described are also obtained directly in the casting of the mold, suitably modeling the casting sand and / or using suitable cores, in order to obtain the emptying described Or, if the mold is made, with one of the methods of rapid prototyping, by milling directly I mold from a metal block, with CMC milling machines with three or more milling axes, the excavations necessary for the realization of said airtight communicating chambers, will be foreseen in the file in three-dimensional computerized graphics by which will get the toolpath files for the said CNC milling machines. In Fig 9, Fig; 10, Fig. 11 and FIG. 12 also illustrates how it is possible to extend the air chamber also to the area of the lower part of the bottom to allow to decorate, according to our method, in addition to the lateral surfaces, also the surfaces of the lower part of the bottom, which go in contact with the floor.

[0108] Therefore, the method of decorating objects, made by molding, claimed in the present patent application, allows not only to decorate, but also to cover, with any type of suitable material, not excluding precious ones, any object that can be made by molding , with an important reduction in costs compared to any other type of execution and in a perfect workmanlike manner: it is superior, for quality, precision, speed and cost reduction even to the handcrafted execution, In fact there is a considerable saving on the yield of material used for the coatings, which is around 10-15% of the normal consumption necessary to obtain the coatings made, in an artisanal way, on pre-printed objects: savings that, if the coatings are in precious materials, becomes a truly significant saving item .

[0109] The execution speed of the application of the coating and / or decoration is from 100 to 300 times higher than that performed in an artisanal way, and of perfect quality: the quality of the gluing of the coatings to the objects is perfect (obtained in most of the cases without the use of adhesives), perfect centering of the decorations, which require an orderly and symmetrical arrangement of the same on the object, and without any deformation of the images or ornamental motifs adopted.

[0110] Important further savings are achieved due to the fact that molds made of only two parts: a lid or its equivalent, and a mold proper, which reproduces the imprint of the object. For example, for the molding of thermoplastic materials, the molds adopted for the production of direct injection footwear, under the upper mounted on the last, are made up of 10 parts, per pair, the cost of which is around € 3,500-4,000 per pair. , while the molds made up of only two parts, or 4 parts per pair, cost about € 1,000 per pair: thus, according to our method, we have a cost that is 3.5-4 times lower In an activity in which f products are all obtained by molding, especially if subject to fashion variability, as is the case in the production of bottoms for footwear, having such a high competitive advantage over the cost of molds translates into a decisive strength to beat any competitor of the sector. The drastic reduction of the constituent parts of a mold does not only produce competitive advantages in the investment costs of the molds, but a more important competitive advantage due to the faster 'lime to market ”of the products required by the market, because producing a series of molds made up of 4 pieces per pair, it takes much less than half the time needed to produce one made up of 10 pieces per pair: this translates into the possibility of putting new products on the market one or two months before the competition.

[0111] The cost reductions illustrated above are present, in large part, in the production of objects in thermoplastic molding materials, which refer to a lower market segment, and therefore more sensitive to price: this is a sure predictor of great sales success for footwear obtained with rounds of this type, which will be decidedly new, aesthetically rich, artisanal, always fashionable, and at very competitive prices. To better illustrate the present patent application, and the enormous flexibility of the claimed decoration method, we give some examples, by way of non-limiting illustration, of possible embodiments in the case of bottoms for footwear, with reference to the following figures.

[0112] Fig. 1, of Plate 1, represents, in lateral view, from the inside, a wedge sole, with a decorative covering 5, also wedge-shaped, arranged so as to make it appear as if stuck under a bottom 4, with heel . The said decorative coating is applied, both on the internal side of the background, and on the external one, therefore two coatings for each background. Said coatings appear as wedges made up of numerous layers of various colors: these are printed on the coatings, which are obtained from a white polyester sheet, on the exposed face, with sublimation inks (not limiting). On the bottom drawn in Fig. 1 you can see the lines 1, 2, 3 and 9 which are the traces left on the bottom by the corresponding contour edges of the area of the mold to be coated, on which the pre-decorated coating 5 has been positioned. The lines 1 and 3, in the area of the bottom corresponding to the high soles of the feet, merge into the single line 3, which proceeds towards the tip of the bottom and, turning towards the other side of the bottom, the external one (where it becomes 3 '), goes to flow into line V which, together with the corresponding line 2 ', surrounds the corresponding coating 5' applied on the other side of the bottom: all these elements of the other side of the bottom, indicated by T, 21, 3 ', 5' do not appear in Fig, 1, precisely because they correspond, not visible in Fig, 1, to elements 1, 2. 3, 5 There is no element 9 ', because the edge made in the mold, of which 9 is the trace left on the bottom, it is present only on the internal hiatus of the bottom. In the description given, it is understood that in zone 4, surrounded by the traces of ribs 1, 2 and 3, and in zone 6, surrounded by traces of ribs 1 and 3, the molding material appears on sight, which for the moment we assume that it is the PUR and is black, l! printed bottom thus appears as a bottom in black PUR, consisting of a thick insole 6, apparently glued under a bottom 4 with heel, with insertion between the bottom and the insole of a wedge insert 5, in multicolored plywood. But, by carefully observing the figure, it can be seen that zone 4 is also bordered at the top by the upward closing edges of the mold, whose trace in Fig. 1 is line 7, and by the coast whose trace on the bottom of Fig. . 1 is line 9, so the whole area 4 can be considered an area to be coated, according to our method 9. Similarly, zone 6 is bordered at the top by ribs 1 and 3 whose traces left on the printed background are given by lines 1 and 3, but also internally by the limit where the bottom imprint reproduced in the mold ends and by rib 9: the trace of the said limit in Fig. 1 is the line 8, so that also the zone 6 can be considered a zone that can be covered and decorated. The edge of the mold whose trace on the bottom is represented by line 9 represents the limit on which the ends of the coatings which cover respectively zone 4 and zone 6 of the mold abut Therefore, with the same mold, it is also possible to obtain other 4 "basic variants" of funds, as follows:

- bottom as described, where two red coatings are inserted in zones 4 and 6

- bottom as described, where a red coating is inserted only in zone 6

- bottom as described, where the coating 5 is of the same color as zone 4; in this case the appearance of a wedge stuck under a bottom with heel disappears, appearing instead as a simple wedge bottom or as a two-tone wedge bottom, if zone 6 is made in a different color from that of the other two elements

- bottom as described, where the lining 5 is of the same cotere as zone 6: in this case the final bottom appears as a bottom with a heel wedged on a structure, which supports it like a pedestal, shaped on its own support lines The 4 variants , of which above, are called "basic variants" because they create, with the first described, 5 variants of typology of bases all obtained with the same mold, from which all the variants of color combinations, surface finishes and of decorative effects achievable on each "basic variant", by varying the materials of the coatings as well as their colors and related decorative effects or images on them reported or imprinted, And all these possible variants are obtained without performing any post processing if the only trimming of the possible burrs between the lid and the relative mold: no painting, and, if permanent release agents are used, no washing

[0113] In order for zones 4 and 6 to be considered, for all purposes, as zones to be decorated, according to our decoration method, they must have collision or more air intake holes, which, when said zones are not are coated, they can cause problems of the molding material leaking into the air chamber described above (being PUR), at least in the first molding operation. But, as clearly reported in the present patent application, said holes are very small and pins can also be easily closed, with suitable fillers or similar materials, easily eliminated, if necessary, with a brief application of ultrasounds.

[0114] If a thermoplastic is then used as the molding material, the need to close the holes mentioned above is completely eliminated if necessary; trimming is not even necessary, and no release agents are required. The bases extracted from the molds are immediately ready for delivery to end users.

[0115] Our method however allows to realize the bottom represented in Fig.1, in all its variants, described above, even in a simpler and faster way. In fact, suppose that the mold with which it is printed does not have any other rib except rib 9, and suppose that we cover all the visible lateral surfaces of the same with a single coating taken from a sheet of synthetic materials suitable for printing. relief with presses that use fata frequency, for example not limiting a sheet of non-plasticized PVC with a thickness of 0.2 (M), 25 mm or more. On said coating, all fake traces of ribs 1, -2, 3 will be engraved and marked in black color. The zones 4, 5 and 6 will be colored, each time, in one of the ways described obtain all the possible variants illustrated above. For example, by coloring zones 5 so that they appear to consist of numerous layers of various colors, and zones 4 and 6 in black, you will have the first version illustrated above and similarly all the others.Then inserting in the mold, thus modified, the single coating decorated in the various possible ways described, so that its extremes in length are on the only edge of which line 9 is the trace left on the printed bottom, any bottom of those described can be made in an extremely simple and fast way in the many versions illustrated in detail. Furthermore, in this way, it is possible to change, as desired, the grain of the surfaces of the various elements considered, creating, for example, a non-limiting surface, the surface of zone 4 and zone 6 with a sandblasted effect and that of zone S, with a glossy effect ' varnish or vice versa: these variants are obtained without modifying the surfaces of the mold used for the molding of the bases, but only the surfaces of the mold used for the high-frequency treatment of the single coating, pre-decorated in high frequency, adopted for the purpose

[0116] But this is still a limited version of the possibilities offered by our method. In fact, on the said lining it is also possible to change both the lines of the false ribs and the shape and extension of the areas circumscribed by them, at the will of the footwear designer who designs the final shoe. conceive a coating on which patchwork of any complexity can be made, obtained by printing and in alia frequency, with all types of surface grain, decorations and all the colors that the imagination of a stylist can conceive the amazing result due to our method is ert an unlimited series of bases of such rich workmanship can only be made by inserting suitably pre-decorated one-piece coatings in the same mold, quite simple.

[0117] Fig. 2, of Plate 1, represents, in side view, a wedge bottom, with a 10 min plateau, covered along the lateral surfaces with a single pre-decorated coating. The bottom shows its internal hiatus in view, where you can see the line 10, which is the trace, on the printed bottom, of the edge made on the corresponding mold. This rib is located where ϊ extreme edges, in the direction of the length, of the coating, correctly positioned in the mold, line 11 is the trace, on the printed bottom, of the corresponding rib made in the mold to outline the lower part of the coating, while the line 12 is the trace, left on the printed bottom, of the upper limit edge of the bottom imprint produced in the mold, normally called the border, which, in this case, assumes the function of the upper closing edge of the contour of the area to be coated: this ultimately it is completely surrounded by the lower edge of the area to be coated, represented by the trace 11, on the printed bottom, by the edge on which the extreme edges of the length of the coating abut, represented by the trace 10 and the upper closing edge of the mold, represented from trace 12 on the printed background The zone 13, delimited at the top by trace 11 and at the bottom by lower boundary edge of the bottom imprint reproduced in the mold, of which 14 is the trace left on the molded bottom, is an area that is not covered by the coating - and therefore the molding material of the bottom will appear there, creating the effect of the presence of an insole attached under the bottom. The coating 15 is made of natural color, the decoration is represented by fire markings, in the shape of, arranged in an ornamental design, on the entire coating and therefore on the whole printed background: since the color of the fire markings will be black , black PUR will be used as molding material and then the applied false insole 13, will appear in black. TPU (thermoplastic material) as molding material, the bottom can be put on delivery as soon as it is extracted from the mold: release agents are not used, it cannot be trimmed. The version described above is only one of thousands possible: the one given here, in which the leatherette is used as a covering and with the decorations to be well centered on the bottom, is very easy to make, according to our method, but very complicated, if not impossible, to perform in an artisanal way, applying the coating on the pre-printed bottom, because the real leather has a certain rigidity which represents a real obstacle in the artisanal execution.

[0118] The bottom described can also be obtained, in a more economical way, by replacing the leather with a PVC sheet not plasticized by the heat of the leather, on which the fake black b orcs are made, with a high frequency treatment. this case is valid when described at the end of the previous case relating to Fig. to identify fake heels or particular trends of lines that characterize a shoe base, up to the creation of patchwork decorations,

[0119] Fig. 3, of Plate 2. shows a bottom 20 with a tail heel, which has a lining 18 at the heel finished shoe, it is not possible to notice that the assembly process of the sole to the upper was not performed according to the classic assembly methods of a shoe with a tail heel, but with an innovative method. In fact the area to be coated is surrounded in the mold by a rib whose trace, on the printed bottom, is represented by line 19; while the line 23 is the trace, on the printed slit, of the edge that limits the area to be covered from above and which coincides with the extreme upper edge of the mold, and 21 is the trace of the lower limit of the heel imprint, present in the corresponding mold, which limits the area to be invested from below. The lining 18 therefore covers the entire rear and lateral surface of the heel, except in the area 24, comprised between the track 19 and the lateral edge of the heel (25): this is on the two sides of the heel itself. Therefore, in the area 24, the molding material will appear on sight, which is of the same color as the sole 20, and appears as a "tail" of the sole, in all respects as in the true tail heel processing. The zone 22, delimited with dashed lines, is represented under the heel, which will be applied under the bottom, after molding, so that it is interchangeable. colored In the example presented in Fig. 3, the coating is made with a silver metallized film (with a thickness of 0.15-0.20 mm, not limiting), in the areas bordering the trace 19 and partially with the 23, and metallized in gold in the part bordering only the trace 23 and bounded by the outline of the line 29.

[0120] FK5. 3 of Plate 2, represents the bottom view of the slit of Fig. 3, where it is noted that the sole 20 is covered by an under sole 26, generally in a different color and in a different material from that of the sole 20. This under sole , which can be prefabricated in several materials and colors and be pre-decorated with images, designs and ornaments, as well as adding an aesthetic note to the look of the sole, has, in most applications, the task of anti-slip and improve resistance. to wear and repeated bending of the sole 20: in short, it performs the functions of a decorative and at the same time functional coating, intended to improve the quality of the sole and of the relative footwear It is applied to the sole 20, according to our method of decoration, surrounding the area of the mold to be coated (in this case, not limiting, that of the under sole 26), with a seamless edge along its entire perimeter. 3 The line 27 that delimits the under sole 26, is the trace, left on the sole 20, of the rib 27, which, on the mold, delimits the area corresponding to the under sole 26. In addition to the rib 27, for the correct application of our decoration method, within the area to be coated there are one or more air intake holes, to keep the under sole in perfect, watertight contact with the corresponding surfaces of the mold; in order to avoid possible infiltration of the PUR, on sight, on the soto sole,

[0121] Fig, 4, of Plate 3, represents, in lateral view, a bottom with a very high heel and with a compensation plateau of about 5 cm, where the heel is covered, for example, without limitation, with a film 28, metallic silver, with a thickness of 0.15-0.20 mm (non-limiting), and the plateau with a lining 34, in faded jeans fabric, coupled with two bodies, bearing as decoration, in embroidery, the image of 4 cherries stylized (two on the external fate and two on the internal one), complete with stem and leaves. The lining 28 of the heel does not cover it entirely, but leaves the area 30 uncovered, between the line 31 and the 32, where the first is the trace left, on the printed bottom, by the corresponding rib made on the mold in partial outline of the said lining. 28, and 32 represents the lateral edge of the heel. The remaining ribs which complete the perimeter contour of the investiture 28 are the upper edge of the mold in the heel area, whose trace on the bottom is given by the line 33, and the lower limit of the cavity which , in the mold, it reproduces the lower limit of the heel, whose trace on the bottom is given by line 39; In the area 30, which remains uncovered, the molding material of the bottom is visible, which appears as the "tail * of the sole of a processing of the bottom with a tail heel. Even the lining 34 of the plateau does not completely cover me, but it leaves the area 38 uncovered, between lines 36 and 37. which are the traces left on the printed bottom, respectively by the rib of the lower contour of the lining 34 and by the extreme lower edge of the bottom imprint reproduced in the mold: in area 38, not covered, the molding materials of the bottom are visible, appearing as a sole applied under the bottom. printed is the line 35, and the full body of the mold in the fornix area, whose border with the coating 34 is represented by the line 40: 3 said "full body" of the mold is not a real edge, but a perfectly oversees functions. The zone 29, placed under line 39. and drawn in broken lines, is the under heel that will be applied under the pre-printed sole, because it must be interchangeable. Of course, the possible materials for you coatings are endless.

as well as the decorations that can be made on them

[0122] Fig, 5, of Plate 3, represents, in lateral view, a wedge bottom, very high, with a 4 cm duke compensation plateau. The bottom is represented with H its internal side visible, where the line 48 can be seen, which is the traoda laxed at the bottom from the rib made in the corresponding mold and on which the ends, in length of the only pre-decorated 43, abut. made of polyester firn, which is initially white in color, with a thickness of about 0.15-0.20 mm, non-limiting This is, for example, non-limiting, pre-colored, with (non-limiting) inks, in the area of heel and toes, in dark brown stratified and polished faux leather, and in the remaining part in brownish leather color. , on the printed bottom, from the lower edge of the excavation, to the imprint of the coating 43, made on the corresponding mold, and the line 46 which is the trace, on the printed bottom, of the lower extreme edge of the bottom imprint, reproduced in the mold itself. line 44 is the trace left, on the printed bottom, by the extreme upper edge of the mold. Therefore the lines 44, 45 and 48 are the traces left on the printed bottom by the elements that in the mold form the complete outline of the coating 43 In the area 47, between the traces 45 and 46, the molding material is visible. of the bottom, appearing as a slab glued under the bottom. In this example, as contour elements to position and firmly hold the coating on the surfaces to be coated of the mold, corresponding to those to be decorated on the printed bottom, the edge of the excavation, in the mold, imprinting the coating, whose trace on the bottom is given by line 45, the edge left as a separator septum in said excavation, whose trace on the bottom is given by line 48 and the extreme upper edge of the mold, whose trace on the bottom is represented by line 44

[0123] So this version has both contour elements belonging to the first solution (ribs), described above, and to the second solution (excavation of the lining), and alternative elements whose function is similar to them such as the extreme upper edge of the mold, the imprint of which on the printed bottom is represented by the line 44 H, made as described up to now, it has only one type of coating material and therefore only one type of surface finish and different colors. If, on the other hand, the ribs corresponding to lines 49 and 50 were also made in the stempo, which would become the traces left on the bottom of said ribs, there could be up to three types of new coatings: 43, 41 and 42, each having a different surface finish . For a non-limiting example, if the new cover 43 were made in fabric, the 41 in leatherette and the 42 in suede, one could have a background which, in addition to being able to present three different colors, would also present three types of surface finishes, as well as , of course, to the various decorations that could be made on the three coatings used. In this case the three coatings would be surrounded in part by the ribs, whose traces on the bottom are represented by the lines 48, 49 and 50, in part by the edge of the excavation, in the mold, imprinting the lining (second solution), whose trace on the bottom is given by line 45, it starts from the extreme upper edge of the mold, whose trace on the bottom is line 44.

[0124] Fig, 6, of Table 2. represents the longitudinal median section and lateral view, of a mold, one-piece, without its lid, for the production of a pre-decorated wedge bottom, according to our method, where the lines 52 and 53, which represent 2 partial delimitation edges of the zone to be decorated, together with line 54, which represents, in all its thickness, S final upper edge of the mold, close the complete contour of the delta zone. This is given by all the lateral surfaces of the mold, except the area 55, between the rib 52 and the line 56. which it represents, in the section and view. 8 lower limit of the imprint of the bottom in the mold. This area remains uncovered to make the molding material appear and create a false finishing slab of the bottom itself

[0125] Fig 7, of Table 2. shows the cross section, according to AA, and relative side view, in the direction that goes from the heel to the tip of the footprint reproduced in the mold of Fig 6 and shows, in view and section, both the rib 52 and 8 the extreme upper edge 54 of the mold, which, in this case, assumes the function of the upper contour edge of the area to be coated, a rib that was not built because it would have been pleonastic.

[0126] Fig. 8, Fig 9, Fig, 10, Fig 11, Fig 12 of Table 4 Fig. 8 represents the top view of a monobloc mold, without its lid, for the production of decorated bottoms, according to the our method. Fig. 8 shows one of the ways to provide the mold with an airtight chamber, into which all the aha suction holes created in the mold lead to the various areas to be decorated, thus limiting the connection of the mold, to the air intake system. to a single attack. In said figure 60 is the top view of the imprint of the bottom, to be printed and decorated, reproduced in the mold, 74 is Fatacco for I! connection of the mold to the air intake system, 61 and 62 are 2 plates bolted on the sides of the mold with interposed airtight gaskets, which serve to hermetically close the air chambers made by milling the areas respectively between the plate 61 and the dashed line 63, and between the plate 62 and the dashed line 64. These two air chambers were connected together by milling, respectively, the area between the wall 65 of the mold and the dashed line 66, and the mold wall 67 and the dashed line 68

[0127] The area included between the dotted lines is the residual area of the mold, which, after the milling required, remains to contain the imprint of the bottom to be made. The lines are dashed because they indicate elements of the mold that are not visible, as it is clear by observing Fig, 9, which represents the median longitudinal section of the mold of Fig. 8 In fact in Fig. 9 the same elements 60, 65 can be observed , 66, 67 and 68 seen in section In the same Fig. 9 it is also noted the element 71, which represents a plate bolted under the bottom of the mold, which. similarly to the plates 61 and 62. it has the function of hermetically sealing, airtight, the air chamber 70 obtained on the bottom of the mold, and connected by means of the air chambers 72 and 73 high to another two air chambers , obtained on the two sides of the mold and hermetically closed by the plates 61 and 62. In the air chamber 70 they will go through (air intake holes to be made in the areas that will eventually be decorated, in the lower area of the bottom or tread

[0128] Fig, 10 shows, in side view, the plate 61 bolted to the side of the mold of Fig 8, and Fig. 11 shows, in bottom view, the plate 71 bolted under the same mold. In figure 11: 70 it is the air chamber, seen from below, the lines that surround it are dashed, because the chamber is not visible. Fig. 12 is the side view, in the direction from the heel to the tip of the bottom, of the section BB of the mold of Fig, 11, where you can see the two lateral air chambers 76 and 76, connected to each other, with the chamber air 70 and with the air chambers 72 and 73. as can be seen in Fig, 8 and Fig. 9.

[0129] Fig. 13 delta Table 5: this realization was first described as an extreme case of our decoration method, as the coating is completely surrounded on its entire perimeter, even though only the edge is present in the mold 80

[0130] Fig. 14 of Table 5: also this realization, like that of Fig. 13, was first described as an extreme case of our decoration method, for the same reason,

[0131] But even these two extreme cases become even more exceptional if the edge 80 is also eliminated and replaced with a "mark", made with an appropriate paint, or by engraving it, on the corresponding area of the mold, which serves to indicate , for the insertion of the coverings, the exact point where the extremes, in length, of the covering must be attested: in accordance with the said sign, theft against the other will be attested without the intermediation of the coast 80

These three cases have been illustrated in detail above and have been referred to here for completeness

Claims (1)

CLAIMS 1 - Method for decorating, adorning, embellishing objects, obtained by molding synthetic and / or artificial and / or natural materials, in molds consisting mainly of two parts (one of which is the mold itself and the other the relative lid of closure), in which the decorations, which will appear on the final object, are obtained by inserting, in the relative production mold, coatings, pre-decorated with the decorations, having the exact shape and size of the areas to be decorated, before the object is printed: the coatings and related decorations will thus be indissolubly fixed to the surfaces of the printed objects the correct and stable insertion of the coatings into the mold is made possible by the fact that the areas to be coated, on the surfaces of the mold that reproduce those of the objects, are identified and delimited along their perimeters, without interruption, with appropriate means, made on the molds themselves, suitable to orient, receive and contain the coatings themselves, and by the fact that within each said zone there are one or more small holes for the suction to the rear, preferably made by laser, to create the vacuum between the coatings and the surfaces of the mold with which they are in contact with, in order to obtain that the atmospheric pressure, acting on the other face of the coatings, pushes them vigorously, and blocks them firmly, against the surfaces of the mold, watertight. 2 - Method according to Claim 1, in which the suitable means for orienting, receiving and containing the coverings are constituted by ribs, perpendicular to the surfaces of the mold (which reproduce those of the objects), in relief on the same: the ribs surround the areas to be decorate along their entire perimeter, seamlessly. They are obtained in the same material of the mold, in a single body, without adding or removing or joining or welding other materials, they generally have a thin thickness, however such as to guarantee that they can withstand the stresses to which they will be subjected during molding and the extraction of the object from the mold and protrude on the surfaces of the mold for the minimum possible height, which allows them to carry out, in a correct and safe way, the task of orienting, receiving and containing the coatings. 3 - Method according to Claims 1 and 2, in which the ribs that surround the areas to be decorated have, either part or all of the path of the contour of the areas to be decorated, a significant thickness of a few millimeters (while remaining, generally, protruding on the surfaces of the mold for the minimum possible height), when the emphasis of their presence is required by the look you want to give to the final shoe, as is generally the case in casual or sporty style youth footwear 4 - Method according to claim 1, wherein the suitable means for orienting, receiving and containing the coverings are obtained by excavating the impressions of the coverings in the mold: the coverings will be inserted in said excavations carried out on the mold The depth of the excavation can be equal to or greater than or less than the thickness of the coating that must be received, of the minimum possible depth, which allows, in any case, that the coatings are correctly positioned, oriented and securely blocked, against (and above the mold to be decorated: also the coatings have a preferably low thickness 5 - Method according to claims 1, 2 and 3, in which the ribs on the mold for orienting, receiving and containing the dressings, are obtained by acting on the relative maquete, which will serve as a casting model for the realization of the mold, with cross-linkable resins or by fusion of metals: the edges are reproduced on the mold by designing, in three-dimensional computerized graphics, the graphic file, with which the maquette is made. so that the grooves of a width and depth equal respectively to the thickness and height of the ribs required on the mold are dug, taking into account the casting shrinkage 6 - Method according to claims 1 and 4, in which the excavations on the mold are obtained by acting on the relative maquette, which is used for the realization of the mold, with crosslinked resins or by fusion of metals: the excavations are reproduced, on the mold, by designing, in three-dimensional computerized graphics, the graphic file, with which the maquette is created. so that the increases are reproduced on the same in the areas that are to be excavated on the mold: the increases will have a thickness equal to the depth of the excavation required on the mold, taking into account the casting shrinkage 7 - Method according to claims 1, 2 and 3, in which the mold, with the relative ribs to guide and firmly contain the coatings, is made with any of the rapid prototyping methods: any rapid prototyping method is adopted, it is sufficient to provide , in the elaboration, in computerized three-dimensional graphics, of the graphic file, which is used for the realization of the mold, the presence of the edges as required, taking into account the casting withdrawals, if necessary If the rapid prototyping is adopted to directly realize the mold , for direct machining with CNC milling machines with 3 or more milling axis heads, casting shrinkages are not to be foreseen, 8 Method according to claims 1 and 4, in which the mold, with the relative excavations to guide and firmly contain the coatings, is made with any of the rapid prototyping methods: any rapid prototyping method is adopted, it is sufficient to foresee, in the processing, in computerized three-dimensional graphics, of the graphic file, which is used for the realization of the mold, the presence of the excavations as required, taking into account the casting withdrawals, if necessary. If rapid prototyping is adopted to make the mold directly, for direct machining with CNC milling machines with 3 or more axis milling heads, casting shrinkages are not to be foreseen. 9 - Method according to claim 1, wherein the suitable means for orienting, receiving and containing the coatings are not necessarily only the edges of claims 2 and 3 or only the impressions of the coatings of claim 4 for each application to be carried out, but they can be mixed, in the sense that, in each application, each area can be surrounded, in part by ribs, in part by imprint excavations of the investiture, 10 - Method according to Claims 1 and 9, in which the suitable means for orienting, receiving and containing the coatings, for each application, can be mixed, and not consisting only of ribs or impressions of the coatings, but of these elements and by other means or elements equivalent in any way, such as, for example, but not limited to, the upper extreme closing edges of the molds or, in replacement, the presence of the mold closing lid or full parts of the molds, which delimit the areas to be decorating, and other means whose function can be fully assimilated to that of the ribs and of the imprint excavations of the coatings, as can also be seen in the detailed descriptions of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 of Table 1, Fig. 3 of Table 2, Frg. 4 and Fig. 5 of Table 3, Fig. 13 and Fig 14 of Table 5, shown in the examples of possible embodiments. 11 - Method according to Claims 1, 9 and 10, in which the suitable means for orienting, receiving and containing the coatings, for each application, consist of elements, protruding from the internal surfaces of the mold, dips, different from the ribs or from the imprint excavations of the coatings, with the presence, at the limit, of a single rib, oriented vertically, as described for you Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 of table 5, defined as "borderline cases of our decoration method" and as in the "extreme case" par excellence, from which the coast (80) mentioned is also eliminated. 12 - Method according to Claim 11, in which, if the bottom to be printed is designed so that all its sections with vertical solids, when the bottom is placed on the floor in its normal position of use, they constantly widen, starting from bottom to top (there are no undercuts), and in order not to have engraved or hammered or knurled surfaces or with, but only smooth surfaces, it can be extracted from! relative mold without undergoing stress and lends itself, both to be printed with rigid material, and to be decorated with coatings decorated with stress or other similar ornaments, without drawbacks. 13 - Method according to claim 1 wherein all the very small air intake holes, made in each area to be coated, in the molds used for molding the objects, flow into a system of airtight chambers, made on the molds same, communicating tunnel and connections, with a single ρ yield of a na to the air intake system, 14 - Method according to claim 1, where, in cases where the molding material of the objects is compact polyurethane or foam or vulcanizable rubber or similar materials, which adhere tenaciously to the surfaces of the molds, if semi-permanent release agents are adopted for the molds, our decoration method is applicable in any case without drawbacks. While with sacrificial release agents it is applicable only with appropriate measures intended to protect the decorations, imprinted on the pre-decorated coatings, and / or the coatings themselves, from the action of the subsequent washing performed, generally, with perchlorelylene at a high temperature, if the decorations and / or the coatings themselves do not resist said washing 13 - A method according to Claim 14, wherein, a suitable expedient to protect against the action of washing, the decorations, imprinted on. and the coatings themselves, of the printed and decorated objects, when the decorations and the same do not resist washing with high temperature perdoroethylene, consists in carrying out the washing itself, at room temperature, with new generation solvents, in suitably calibrated mixtures, less, volatile and less toxic than perdoroethylene, which do not attack plastics, rubber and paints, such as, for example, but not limited to, formulated in the Eco-Solv product, by the Compagnia Chimica Industriale. 16 - Method according to the preceding claim, in which, if the inks used for printing the decorations on the coatings do not resist washing, however performed, but the coatings resist it well and are transparent, the decorations are printed in a specular way on the same, on the face that comes into contact with the molding material: the decorations will be seen, in any case, on the objects, in transparency, if the inks used are opaque 17 - Method according to the previous claim, in which, to make in any case, if the decorations on the printed objects are allowed, a sheet of opaque white material, generally the same as the one of the coating or compatible with it, after printing the decorations on the coating itself 18 - Method according to claims 14, 15, 16 and 17, in which the appropriate remedy intended to protect the. decorations, imprinted on the pre-decorated coatings, and / or the coatings themselves, by the action of the subsequent washing, are obtained, otherwise, by adopting an opaque coating, such as a white film or a fabric or other suitable matenaie, and impressing on the bull face exposed the decorations These and / or the coatings themselves will be protected by applying, hot, in high frequency or with ultrasound or in another way, on the face where the decorations are imprinted, a thin transparent film of material resistant to washing, such as , for example not limiting, films of PET, PA, CELLULOSE, PUR, TPU and the like. 19 - Method according to claims 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. in which, if the constituent material of the coatings resists the action of washing solvents and is suitable for printing with sublimation inks, our decoration method is in every case directly and normally applicable without the adoption of any particular precautions, making the coatings - with sheets of said materials & printing them - decorations with sublimation inks In particular, if the coatings are of fabrics, made of microfibre or synthetic fibers of materials printable with sublimable inks and resistant to the action of washing solvents, they are in any case suitable for use * directly and normally in our method without the adoption of any particular precautions., 20 - Method according to Claim 1, in which the pre-decorated garments to be inserted into the mold can be such as to partially or totally cover the lateral surfaces and / or the surfaces of the bottom sole, which comes into contact with the floor, and can be a , with full coverage or almost, or more than one. for the lateral surfaces, and one. with total or almost total coverage, or more than one, for the surfaces of the bottom sole 21 - Method according to Claim 20, in which, by adopting, as a decorative coating, a single coating, which covers all or almost all of the lateral surfaces of said mold, it is possible to realize infinite varieties of combinations of false partial bottom coatings, embossed at the top frequency, on the only same coating, each having its own type of surface grain and the various decorations and colors that the imagination of a stylist can conceive. The different realizations of bases thus achievable depend only on the molds for the atta frequency treatment of the coatings and not on the structure of the mold for the molding of the objects, which remains unchanged: in essence, although the, the mold remains the same. molding of the objects and the shape and dimensions of the coating, used for the decoration of the background, it is possible to create an infinite variety of executions of different backgrounds, which have various surface grains, colors and decorations, all obtained by inserting, from time to time, in the mold, in which the molding of the bottom is carried out, a single decorative coating pre-embossed and pre-decorated in high frequency: see Fig 1 and Fig. 2 of Table 1 and related detailed descriptions, among the illustrative examples of the claimed method. 22 - Method according to Claim 1, in which the watertight seal between the coatings and the mesh surfaces of the mold to be coated, to be achieved by means of the suction of the air comprised between the coatings themselves and the said surfaces, is obtained if the constituent material of the coatings is impermeable to air, or at least sufficiently impermeable, and if the surface of the coatings and the corresponding ones of the mold, are totally smooth and overlapping in adherence, or are such at least for a small band, sufficiently wide , along the entire outermost perimeter of each coating, without interruption, even the areas to be decorated of the mold must be impermeable to air 23 - Method according to the preceding claims, in which. the objects to be decorated, adorned, embellished are, both bottoms for footwear, and any other object, made by molding suitable materials, according to the methods illustrated for (shoe bottoms