WO2019060242A1 - Procédé amélioré de fabrication de semelles premières - Google Patents

Procédé amélioré de fabrication de semelles premières Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2019060242A1
WO2019060242A1 PCT/US2018/051297 US2018051297W WO2019060242A1 WO 2019060242 A1 WO2019060242 A1 WO 2019060242A1 US 2018051297 W US2018051297 W US 2018051297W WO 2019060242 A1 WO2019060242 A1 WO 2019060242A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
foam sheet
molding
inner sole
sipes
sipe
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2018/051297
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Skip Lei
Wei Geng
Original Assignee
O2 Partners, Llc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by O2 Partners, Llc filed Critical O2 Partners, Llc
Publication of WO2019060242A1 publication Critical patent/WO2019060242A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43—FOOTWEAR
    • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
    • A43B17/00—Insoles for insertion, e.g. footbeds or inlays, for attachment to the shoe after the upper has been joined
    • A43B17/14—Insoles for insertion, e.g. footbeds or inlays, for attachment to the shoe after the upper has been joined made of sponge, rubber, or plastic materials
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43—FOOTWEAR
    • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
    • A43B13/00—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
    • A43B13/14—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the constructive form
    • A43B13/141—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the constructive form with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43—FOOTWEAR
    • A43D—MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT OR METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING OR REPAIRING FOOTWEAR
    • A43D35/00—Presses for shaping pre-existing loose soles, shoe bottoms or soles fixed to shoe bottoms
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
    • B29D35/00—Producing footwear
    • B29D35/0054—Producing footwear by compression moulding, vulcanising or the like; Apparatus therefor
    • B29D35/0063—Moulds
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
    • B29D35/00—Producing footwear
    • B29D35/12—Producing parts thereof, e.g. soles, heels, uppers, by a moulding technique
    • B29D35/122—Soles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
    • B29D35/00—Producing footwear
    • B29D35/12—Producing parts thereof, e.g. soles, heels, uppers, by a moulding technique
    • B29D35/128—Moulds or apparatus therefor

Definitions

  • Inner sole of a shoe, boot or other footwear is where the foot rests.
  • Inner soles also referred to as sock liners, provide comfort, warmth and support to the feet of a user.
  • Inner soles were traditionally made of leather or rubber but now are typically made of open or closed cell synthetic foams. The use of synthetic foam allows for molding of the inner sole to provide support to the user's foot by, for example, providing arch support or heel contours.
  • Sipes are grooves or channels.
  • the sipe or sipes are typically located on the underside of the inner sole at the ball of the foot with the goal of allowing for greater flexibility of the inner sole and, therefore, greater comfort for the user.
  • current methods of manufacturing sipes in inner soles actually result in reduced flexibility at the sipe defeating the intended goal for greater flexibility.
  • the present invention is directed towards a new and non-obvious method of manufacture of the sipe(s) in inner soles.
  • sipes are made in inner soles through a molding process using heat and pressure.
  • the present inventors have solved the industry problem of producing inner soles with denser foam at the sipe location by producing inner soles in a counterintuitive manner. While not being limited to theory, the present inventors have found that if inner soles are molded slowly, rather than quickly as is the industry standard, the foam at the sipe location has time to move or flow laterally from the sipe location, thereby greatly reducing or eliminating compression of the foam at that location. In other words, this method of inner sole production was found to produce sipes without compressing the foam at the sipe location or with minimal compression of the foam at the sipe location. Thus, the method of inner sole production of the present invention, wherein the inner soies are molded slowly in sharp contrast to the prior art methods, produces inner soles with sipes that actually do provide greater flexibility for the user at the sipe location of the inner sole.
  • the foam at the location of the sipe (i.e., above the sipe) after the molding of the sipe is no more than 5%, 10%, 20% or 25% denser that the density of the foam prior to molding of the inner sole.
  • the present invention is a method of manufacture of inner soles with
  • improved sipes comprising: providing; i) a mold comprising a top mold plate and a bottom mold plate with each of the top and bottom mold plates having molding surfaces that face each other during the molding process and one of said top or bottom mold plates having one or more raised sipe elements positioned for the creation of one or more sipes on an inner sole, said mold plates capable of being heated at the molding surface, and ii) a moldable foam sheet; heating the molding surfaces to a temperature suitable for molding the moldabte foam sheet; placing the moldable foam sheet between the top and bottom mold plates; resting the top moid plate on the moldable foam sheet so that the moJdable foam sheet substantially contacts the top mold plate and the bottom mold plate and with no external accelerated pressure applied to the top or bottom mold plates; molding the moldable foam sheet for approximately 135 - 205 seconds until the si pes form in the moldable foam sheet to create a molded foam sheet with at least one sipe per inner sole; removing the moldable foam sheet with at least one sipe per inner sole from the
  • Figure 1 A&B show A) the bottom surface of the top inner sole mold and B) the top surface of the bottom inner sole mold.
  • Figure 2 shows a top view of the bottom inner sole mold.
  • Figure 3 shows a sheet of foam sandwiched between and making substantial contact with the bottom and top molds.
  • Figure 4 shows the placement of the top moid onto the bottom mold.
  • Figure 5 is a close-up view of the sipe bars of the bottom mold.
  • Figure 6 shows a bottom view of a foam sheet after molding by the method of manufacture of the present invention.
  • Figure 7 shows a bottom view of the inner soles of the present invention after trimming.
  • Figure 8 shows an inner sole made by the method of manufacture of the present invention flexed at the sipe locations.
  • the terms “include,” “including,” “comprise,” “comprising,” “contain,” “containing,” “have,” and “having” when used after a set or a system mean an open inclusion and do not exclude addition of other, non-enumerated, members to the set or to the system.
  • the conjunction "or,” if used is not exclusive, but is instead inclusive to mean and/or.
  • a subset of a set may include one or more than one, up to and including all members of the set.
  • Figure 1 A shows a perspective view of the bottom of a top mold 10 of the present invention.
  • the top mold is flipped over so detail of the molding surface can be seen. Heal contours 12 are evident. Also shown are alignment pin receptacles 16 and fine alignment pin receptacles 18.
  • Figure 1 B shows a perspective view of the top surface of the bottom mold. 20 of the present invention. Visible in this view are the heal contours 22 that correspond to the heal contours of the top mold, sipe bars 24, alignment pins 26 and fine alignment pins 28
  • Figure 2 shows a top view of the bottom mold 20 of the present invention. Visible in this view are the heal contours 22, sipe bars 24, alignment pins 26 and fine alignment pins 28.
  • the top surface of the bottom mold may also be designed to mold other things than sipe bars into the inner sole. For example, the manufacturer's name and/or trademark may be molded into the surface of the inner sole for identification.
  • the present invention is not limited by the number of sipes per inner sole nor In the arrangement of sipes on the inner soles. In a preferred embodiment, number of sipe bars may be from 1 to about 10 per inner sole or 1 to 5 per inner sole. In a preferred embodiment, the sipes are contemplated to extend across the width of the inner sole.
  • the sipes may not extend continuously across the inner sole and/or may have areas of non-molded foam between two co-linear or substantially co-linear sections of a sipe. Further, sipes may extend only part of the width of the inner sole and sipes may or may not align with sipes that extend only part of the width of the inner sole from the other side of the inner sole. In other words, sipes that extend from one edge of an inner sole may be discontinuous with sipes that extend from the opposite side of the inner sole. In yet another embodiment, three rows of sipes can be molded into an inner sole of the present invention.
  • sipes may extend about 1/3 of the distance from both sides of the inner sole and discontinuous sipes may be positioned co-linear or approximately co-linear with the sipe extending from the inner sole edges.
  • the sipes of the present invention run substantially from side-to-side of the inner sole and not from heal-to-toe.
  • Figure 3 shows the foam sheet 30 of the inner sole sandwiched between the top 10 and bottom molds 20. During the molding process, the foam sheet makes contact with or makes substantial contact with the bottom surface of the top mold and the top surface of the bottom mold at least for the area of the mold associated with the inner sole being made.
  • the tolerance of the mold in areas that do not result in the molding of the foam sheet into the inner sole of the present invention do not need to be as tight and, therefore, the foam sheet may or may not make substantial contact with the molds in these areas.
  • the inner sole of the present invention is molded slowly to permit the softened or melted foam time to flow laterally from the area of the sipe bars. This is in sharp contrast to prior art methods where inner soles are molded quickly to increase production speed and lower production cost.
  • the present inventors have found that the prior art methods result in foam being compressed at the location of the sipe creating a denser foam at the sipe location. The denser foam actually results in decreased flexibility at the location of the sipe.
  • the actual molding process of the present invention i.e., the dwell time, takes from approximately 135 to approximately 205 seconds.
  • One of ordinary skill in the art will be able to adjust the dwell time of the method of the present invention based on the type of foam used and the temperature of the molding surfaces based on the teachings of this specification without undue experimentation.
  • the molding processes used by prior art methods take only a few seconds.
  • the high speed of molding in the prior art methods is achieved by applying accelerated pressure to the molds.
  • Accelerated pressure can be applied by any means that helps to force the two molds together.
  • the means for generating accelerated pressure can be manual; for example pressure applied by a user pushing down on the mold or a lever or other device or by clamping the mokte together.
  • the means for generating accelerated pressure can also be by mechanical means such as with hydraulic presses.
  • each (top or bottom) molding plate weights about 22 lbs. each (or about 44 lbs. for the pair of top/bottom molding plates).
  • each molding plate may weigh from about 20 to about 24 lbs. or about 21 to about 23 lbs. If the molding plates are designed to mold more than one pair of inner soles at the same time, each molding plate (top or bottom plate) weighs about 22 lbs. per inner sole pair. Since the inner soles of the present invention are molded without accelerated pressure, the weight of the mold used on the top of the foam sheet is important Therefore, the weight of the bottom mold may vary from the ranges given above without adversely affecting the methods of the present invention.
  • devices may be used to ensure that the inner soles of the present invention are not molded too quickly.
  • springs, slow-release hydraulics or other means known to one of skill in the art may be used to ensure that the molding process is slow enough to ensure that the si pes made by the methods of the present invention are made with the characteristics described in the next paragraph and/or to ensure consistency in manufacturing. Any such means may be subject to automatic control by, for example, computer.
  • the method of the present invention results in an inner sole with sipes, wherein the density of the foam at the sipe after molding ' » no more than 5%, 10%, 20% or 25% denser than the density of the foam sheet prior to the molding of the inner sole.
  • the method of the present invention in a preferred embodiment, produces sipes that are positioned in the mold such that the sipes, when molded into the inner sole, are located at or near the ball of the foot when the inner sole is used in footwear.
  • the molding surfaces of the top and bottom molds are heated from approximately 150 °C to approximately 190 °C. In the present invention, the molding surfaces are heated to approximately 170 °C.
  • the actual temperature used is dependent upon the type of foam used and the desire to mold the sipes slowly, as described above.
  • the molds are heated internally with, preferably, electrical heating elements. The heating of the molds may be controlled electronically.
  • the type of foam used can be selected from open cell or closed cell foam.
  • open cell foam is polyurethane, foam rubber, silicon, polyether, polyester, etc.
  • closed cell foam are polyethylene, neoprene, cross-linked polyethylene, polystyrene and polypropylene, etc.
  • any foam suitable for the use as an inner sole is contemplated to be used with the present invention.
  • foams are known to one of ordinary skill in the art. One of skill in the art, with the teachings of this specification, will be able to select a suitable foam sheet for the manufacture of inner soles with the methods of this invention, without undue experimentation.
  • Preferred foam for the present invention is open cell polyurethane.
  • the density of the foam may range from about 2 lb/ft 3 to about 50 lb/ft 3 , about 2 lb/ft 3 - about
  • the foam sheets of the present invention may be covered on at least one side with a cloth material.
  • the foam sheets of the present invention may include, for example, additives to reduce foot odor, such as activated charcoal.
  • the foam sheets of the present invention may be made from more than one type of foam.
  • the foam sheet may be made of a moldable layer and a non-mo!dable layer, the non- moldabte layer suitable of providing impact absorbance.
  • the foam sheets of the present invention may be made from more than one type of foam with, for example, an impact absorbent foam being positioned at or near the heal and a moldable foam being positioned at or near the ball of the foot
  • the inner soles of the present invention may also comprise "memory foam" where suitable.
  • the foam sheets used in the present invention may range in thickness from
  • the method of the present invention produces sipes that are no thicker than 1 mm less than the thickness of the foam sheet prior to molding. For example, if the foam sheet is 4 mm thick, the sipes molded into the foam sheet by the method of the present invention are no more than 3 mm thick.
  • Figure 4 shows the top mold being positioned over the bottom mold.
  • alignment pins 26 and fine alignment pins 28 of the bottom mold are shown.
  • the alignment pins 26 of the bottom mold are positioned in receptacles on the top mold 16.
  • the fine alignment pins of the bottom mold are also positioned in receptacles on the top mold (see, Figure 1, no. 18).
  • Figure 5 shows a close-up view of the sipes 24 and a fine alignment pin 28 on the bottom mold.
  • Figure 6 shows the bottom view of a foam sheet 30 molded with the method of the present invention. The molded sipes 34 are clearly visible.
  • Figure 7 shows a bottom view of the inner soles 32 molded with the method of the present invention after trimming off the excess foam sheet.
  • Figure 8 shows an inner sole 32 molded with the method of the present invention being flexed at the location of the sipes 34.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne de nouveaux procédés non évidents destinés à la fabrication de semelles premières avec des lamelles qui fournissent à l'utilisateur une plus grande flexibilité de la semelle première.
PCT/US2018/051297 2017-09-21 2018-09-17 Procédé amélioré de fabrication de semelles premières WO2019060242A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201762561305P 2017-09-21 2017-09-21
US62/561,305 2017-09-21

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2019060242A1 true WO2019060242A1 (fr) 2019-03-28

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2018/051297 WO2019060242A1 (fr) 2017-09-21 2018-09-17 Procédé amélioré de fabrication de semelles premières

Country Status (1)

Country Link
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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112606351A (zh) * 2020-12-16 2021-04-06 惠州学院 一种制鞋成型设备

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4845861A (en) * 1987-05-29 1989-07-11 Armenak Moumdjian Insole and method of and apparatus for making same
US20060110487A1 (en) * 2004-11-24 2006-05-25 Nike Inc. Footwear mold assembly with interchangeable mold wall
US20070102843A1 (en) * 2005-11-09 2007-05-10 Nike, Inc. Footwear mold heating system and method
US20100269271A1 (en) * 2009-04-23 2010-10-28 Namkook Kim Method of Manufacturing Footwear Having Sipes
US20140015169A1 (en) * 2012-07-11 2014-01-16 Nike, Inc. Mold for Footwear with Sipes and Method of Manufacturing Same
US20140250728A1 (en) * 2013-03-08 2014-09-11 Nike, Inc. Footwear Fluid-Filled Chamber Having Central Tensile Feature

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4845861A (en) * 1987-05-29 1989-07-11 Armenak Moumdjian Insole and method of and apparatus for making same
US20060110487A1 (en) * 2004-11-24 2006-05-25 Nike Inc. Footwear mold assembly with interchangeable mold wall
US20070102843A1 (en) * 2005-11-09 2007-05-10 Nike, Inc. Footwear mold heating system and method
US20100269271A1 (en) * 2009-04-23 2010-10-28 Namkook Kim Method of Manufacturing Footwear Having Sipes
US20140015169A1 (en) * 2012-07-11 2014-01-16 Nike, Inc. Mold for Footwear with Sipes and Method of Manufacturing Same
US20140250728A1 (en) * 2013-03-08 2014-09-11 Nike, Inc. Footwear Fluid-Filled Chamber Having Central Tensile Feature

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112606351A (zh) * 2020-12-16 2021-04-06 惠州学院 一种制鞋成型设备
CN112606351B (zh) * 2020-12-16 2022-05-20 惠州学院 一种制鞋成型设备

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