ITMC20090076A1 - MOLD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SOLES FOR FOOTWEAR - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

accompanying a patent application for an industrial invention entitled:

“MOLD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SOLES FOR FOOTWEAR”.

TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

The present patent application for industrial invention relates to a mold for the production of soles for footwear with one or more colors, with thermoplastic materials or rubber.

As is known, an injection, compression or casting press and a mold are used for the production of soles.

The mold for the single color sole consists of a matrix and a lid. The two-color sole mold is composed of a matrix and two lids, or two matrices and a lid. The mold for the tricolor sole consists of a matrix and three lids.

In order to obtain the desired sole, the aforementioned molds are not always decisive, either for technical construction reasons of the mold, or for reasons of lightness of the sole or for ornamental problems, or to create a void inside the sole which will then be filled with much material. lightweight, such as polyurethane (PU).

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the known art by providing a mold for the production of soles for footwear which is practical, versatile, economical and easy to make.

This purpose is achieved in accordance with the invention, with the characteristics listed in the attached independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments appear from the dependent claims.

The mold for the production of shoe soles according to the invention comprises:

- a matrix with a female part that reproduces the shape of the tread of the sole,

- a first cover which has a male part which is coupled with the female part of the matrix, so as to form a cavity for the realization of the tread of the sole,

- an adapter ring which has an internal lateral surface which reproduces the shape of the lateral wall of the sole, e

- a second lid which has a male part delimited by a side wall which is coupled with said adapter ring arranged on said matrix, so as to form a cavity for making the side wall of the sole.

The advantages of the mold according to the invention are evident. In fact, this mold allows the tread and the lateral wall of the sole to be made of a suitable material, such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Therefore the sole can be completed with a filling material, such as polyurethane (PU), which is contained by the lateral wall of the sole. Advantageously, the tread and the lateral wall of the sole can be made in two different colors.

Further features of the invention will appear clearer from the detailed description that follows, referring to a purely exemplary and therefore non-limiting embodiment, illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

Figs. 1 - 7 are seven schematic views illustrating seven successive stages of the production process of a sole with the mold according to the invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the sole obtained with the mold according to the invention;

Figs. 9 - 12 are four schematic views illustrating four successive steps for completing the production cycle of a mold with the mold according to the invention; Fig. 13 is a sectional view showing an exploded view of the various elements of the mold according to the invention; and Fig. 14 is a front view, schematically illustrating the anchoring means of the mold according to the invention.

For now, with reference to Fig. 13, a mold according to the invention is illustrated, indicated as a whole with the reference number (1).

The mold (1) comprises a single die (M), three lids (C, C1, C2) and an adapter ring (A).

The matrix (M) has a female portion (2) recessed with respect to an upper peripheral surface (20) acting as an abutment. The female portion (2) reproduces the shape of the tread of the sole to be obtained.

The first cover (C) has a male portion (3) protruding with respect to a lower peripheral surface (31) acting as an abutment. The male portion (3) reproduces the shape of the tread of the sole. The male portion (3) protrudes minimally with respect to the lower peripheral surface (31) of the first lid and is adapted to marry with the female portion (2) of the matrix (M). Therefore the lower peripheral surface (31) of the first cover is adapted to abut the upper peripheral surface (20) of the matrix (M).

The second cover (C1) has a male portion (4) protruding with respect to a lower peripheral surface (41) acting as an abutment. The male portion (4) has a shape equal to the shape (3) of the first lid. However, the male portion (4) of the second lid is delimited by a side wall (40) which protrudes with respect to the lower surface (41) of the second lid (C1), in accordance with the thickness of the sole to be obtained.

The third cover (C2) has a male portion (5) protruding with respect to a lower peripheral surface (51) acting as an abutment. The male portion (5) has a shape that reproduces the insole of the sole to be obtained. The male portion (5) is delimited by a side wall (50) which protrudes with respect to the lower surface (51) of the third cover (C2).

The adapter ring (A) has an internal lateral surface (6), shaped in accordance with the lateral surface of the sole to be obtained. The adapter ring (A) has:

- a lower peripheral surface (60) able to abut the upper peripheral surface (20) of the matrix, and - an upper peripheral surface (61) able to abut against the lower peripheral surface (41, 51) of both the second cover (C1) and the third cover (C2).

As shown in Fig. 14, advantageously the mold (1) or the injection press can provide anchoring means (9) comprising:

- first anchoring means (9a) adapted to allow a removable anchoring of the ring (A) to the matrix (M), and

- second anchoring means (9b) adapted to allow a removable anchoring of the ring (A) to the second cover (C1).

By way of example, the anchoring means (9) comprise two "C" -shaped jaws (90) arranged on opposite sides of the ring (A) and pivoted to the ring (A) in a median fulcrum point (93) . Each jaw (90) comprises a first end (91) adapted to fit into a groove (91 ') obtained on the lateral surface of the matrix (M) and a second end (92) able to fit into a groove (92') obtained on the lateral surface of the second cover (C1).

The jaws (90) can be operated by an actuator (94) provided with two pistons (95) acting in opposite directions. The ends of the pistons (95) are pivoted to the jaws (90) at a fulcrum point (96) distant from the median fulcrum (93). The actuator (94) can be of the hydraulic, pneumatic, electric or magnetic type.

Clearly, other mechanical anchoring systems can be envisaged. Alternatively, anchoring systems with magnetic retention or vacuum formation can also be provided.

The first and second anchoring means (9a, 9b) can both be mounted on the ring (A) or the first anchoring means (9a) can be mounted on the matrix (M1) and the second anchoring means (9b) can be mount on the second cover (C1). Alternatively, an accessory can be provided for anchoring which remains fixed to the injection press and which acts on the die (M), on the ring (A) and on the second cover (C1).

The process for producing a sole is described below, using the mold (1) according to the invention.

With reference to Fig. 1, the matrix (M) is fixed. The first cover (C) and the second cover (C1) are mounted on a head (T1) of a press for the injection of a material suitable for the tread of the sole, such as for example thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The head (T1) can translate vertically in the direction of the arrows (F) and can rotate with respect to a horizontal axis in the direction of the arrow (R).

The ring (A) is mounted on the second cover (C1) and is kept integral with it, by means of the second anchoring means (9b). It should be noted that between the side wall (40) of the male of the second cover (C1) and the inner side wall (6) of the ring (A) a gap or cavity (7) having a thin thickness is formed.

Initially, the first cover (C) faces the die (M).

With reference to Fig. 2, the head (T1) is lowered in the direction of the arrow F1, so that the first lid (C) mates with the matrix (M) generating a thin cavity (8) into which the TPU. As shown in Fig. 2A, the TPU assumes the shape of the cavity (8) forming the tread (B) of the sole.

With reference to Fig. 3, the head (T1) is lifted in the direction of the arrow F2 and rotated in the direction of the arrow (R3), so that the second cover (C1) with the ring (A) is arranged in correspondence with the matrix (M) in which the tread (B) is located.

With reference to Fig. 4, the head (T1) is lowered in the direction of the arrow F4, so that the second cover (C1) with the ring (A) mates with the matrix (M) containing the tread (B) . A TPU or other material is injected into the gap (7) between the side wall (40) of the male of the second cover and the inner side wall (6) of the ring (A), possibly of a different color than the color of the tread (B). As shown in Fig. 4A, the TPU assumes the shape of the cavity (7) forming the side wall (P) of the sole which joins the tread (B). At this point the second anchoring means (9b) are opened so as to release the ring (A) from the second cover (C1) and then the first anchoring means (9a) are closed, so as to make the ring ( A) integral with the matrix (M).

As shown in Fig. 5, the head (T1) is raised upwards in the direction of the arrow F5 and the ring (A) remains anchored to the matrix (M) within which the tread (B) and the wall are contained. side (P) of the sole. Then the die assembly (M) and ring (A) is made to translate horizontally in the direction of the arrow F6 to be brought under a second head (T2) of a press for the injection of a filling material, such as for example polyurethane (PU). The third cover (C2) is mounted in the second head (T2).

As shown in Fig. 6, the second head (T2) is lowered in the direction of the arrow F7, so that the third cover (C2) mates with the ring (A) forming a cavity (10) between the tap (5 ) of the second cover and the tread (B) and the wall (P) of the sole contained in the matrix (M) and in the ring (A). With reference to Fig. 6A, the filling polyurethane is injected into the cavity (10) which solidifies forming a filling layer (V) of the sole.

With reference to Fig. 7 the second head (T2) is raised in the direction of arrow F8 and the finished sole (100) is extracted from the die (M) and ring (A) assembly. Fig. 8 shows an enlargement of the sole (100) obtained with the mold according to the invention.

With reference to Fig. 9, after the sole has been extracted from the die (M) and ring (A) group, the die (M) and ring (A) group is moved horizontally in the direction of the arrow F9 in order to position itself under the second cover (C1) placed on the first head (T1) of the TPU injection press.

With reference to Fig. 10, the first head (T1) is lowered in the direction of the arrow F10, so that the second cover (C1) fits into the ring (A). At this point the first anchoring means (9a) are opened, releasing the matrix (M) from the ring (A) and the second anchoring means (9b) are closed, binding the ring (A) to the second cover (C1 ).

With reference to Fig. 11 the first head (T1) is lifted in the direction of the arrow F11, then the ring (A) remains anchored to the second cover (C1).

Finally, with reference to Fig. 12, the first head (T1) is rotated in the direction of the arrow R12, bringing the first cover (C) over the die (M) in the cycle start situation illustrated in Fig. 1.

Numerous variations and modifications of detail can be made to the present embodiment of the invention, within the reach of a person skilled in the art, however falling within the scope of the invention expressed by the attached claims.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS 1) Mold (1) for the production of shoe soles comprising: - a matrix (M) which has a female part (2) which reproduces the shape of the tread of the sole, and - a first cover (3) which has a male part (3) which is coupled with the female part (2) of the matrix, so as to form a cavity (8) for making the tread (B) of the sole, characterized by the fact that it also includes: - an adapter ring (A) which has an internal side surface (6) which reproduces the shape of the side wall of the sole, and - a second cover (C1) which has a male part (4) delimited by a side wall (40) which is coupled with said adapter ring (A) arranged on said matrix (M), so as to form a cavity (7) for the realization of the lateral wall (P) of the sole. 2) Mold (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a third lid (C2) which has a male part (5) which reproduces the shape of the insole of the sole and is coupled to said adapter ring (A) arranged on said matrix (M), so as to define a cavity (10) for the formation of a filling material (V) of the sole. 3) Mold (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises: - first anchoring means (9a) for removably anchoring said adapter ring (A) to said matrix (M), and - second anchoring means (9b) for removably anchoring said adapter ring (A) to said second lid (C1). 4) Mold (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said anchoring means (9a, 9b) are provided on said adapter ring (A) and are operated by at least one actuator (94). 5) Mold (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by the fact that said anchoring means (9a, 9b) are "C" -shaped jaws (90) hinged to said adapter ring (A) and provided with ends (91 , 92) which engage in respective grooves (91 ', 92') formed on the external surface of the matrix (M) and of the second cover (C1).