Popcorn shoe sole having a textile layer wrapped around and method of making the same

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of popcorn shoe sole with textile layer overlock and its preparation method, including the shoe sole main body shaped by popcorn particle through water vapor and the textile layer surrounded in the side wall surface of above-mentioned shoe sole main body, the textile layer is softened by heat under water vapor heating condition, and the aperture of textile layer is embedded in the surface melting portion of popcorn particle, and the combination structure of mechanical embedding and thermal bonding compound is formed between shoe sole main body and textile layer.The present application uses the textile layer with aperture structure as overlock layer, under water vapor heating condition, the surface melting portion of popcorn particle can be embedded in the aperture of textile layer, and the combination structure of mechanical embedding and thermal bonding compound is formed, and the bonding strength is much higher than the simple bonding mode of traditional surface film covering, effectively solve the problem of overlock layer peeling and falling off.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of shoe material preparation technology, and in particular to a popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Popcorn soles (i.e., ETPU foam granule molded soles) are widely used in various footwear products such as sports shoes and casual shoes due to their lightweight, good resilience, and excellent cushioning performance. However, existing popcorn soles still have many shortcomings in practical applications.

[0003] First, the existing popcorn shoe soles have relatively limited color options, typically only offering basic colors like white and black, which fails to meet consumers' demands for diverse and personalized shoe materials. While color can be added by coating the surface of popcorn kernels, the coating process is complex, and the film is prone to wrinkling and creases during the molding process, resulting in a high defect rate.

[0004] Secondly, popcorn shoe soles are made of a large number of foamed particles bonded together. Gaps inevitably exist between the particles, which can easily form appearance defects such as "mouse holes" on the side wall surface of the sole. Furthermore, there is a risk of particles falling off during use, affecting the product's lifespan and appearance quality.

[0005] Secondly, existing edge-sealing technologies mostly use dense materials such as plastic film and TPU film. The bonding between these materials and popcorn kernels mainly relies on surface adhesion, which has limited bonding strength. Over long-term use or during bending, the edge-sealing layer is prone to peeling and falling off. At the same time, dense film materials have poor air permeability during steam forming, which can easily lead to uneven forming and insufficient bonding.

[0006] Therefore, this case arose. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This invention provides a popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging and its preparation method, to solve the technical problems of existing popcorn shoe soles such as limited color, easy wrinkling and creases in the surface coating, mouse holes and missing particles on the sidewalls of the sole, and low bonding strength between the edging layer and the particles, which are easy to peel off.

[0008] The present invention adopts the following technical solution: A popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging includes a sole body formed from popcorn kernels by steam molding and a textile layer surrounding the sidewall surface of the sole body. The textile layer is softened by steam heating, and the molten portion of the popcorn kernel surface is embedded in the pores of the textile layer. A mechanically interlocked and thermally bonded composite structure is formed between the sole body and the textile layer.

[0009] Furthermore, the aforementioned textile layer is one of woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, or knitted fabric; the aforementioned textile layer is produced from at least one of natural fiber, chemical fiber, or composite fiber.

[0010] Furthermore, the aforementioned chemical fibers include one or more of spandex, polypropylene, vinylon, nylon, polyester, and chlorofiber; the aforementioned composite fibers include one of core-sheath type fibers or split type fibers; the aforementioned core-sheath type fibers include low-melting-point PET core-sheath staple fibers or nylon / polyester core filaments.

[0011] Furthermore, the heat distortion temperature of the aforementioned textile layer is below 185°C.

[0012] Furthermore, the surface of the textile layer is provided with a color layer, which is formed on the surface of the textile layer by spraying or dyeing.

[0013] Furthermore, the aforementioned textile layer is a nonwoven fabric with a thickness of 0.07–0.2 mm and a basis weight of 17–50 g / m².

[0014] A method for preparing a popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging includes the following steps: Step 1: Cut the textile layer into pieces according to the set size, color one side of the fabric, and after air drying or baking, press the uncolored side of the fabric tightly against the inner wall of the frame and fix it with the hanging nails on the frame. Step 2: Install the middle frame with the fabric attached onto the lower mold, and fasten the U-shaped buckles at the front and back of the middle frame onto the positioning posts of the lower mold. Step 3: Close the upper mold, middle frame, and lower mold tightly with a closing pressure of 0.4 to 1.25 bar. Step 4, Vacuuming and Feeding: Vacuum the mold cavity through the air holes around the middle frame, and then suck popcorn kernels in through the feed port of the upper mold. Step 5: Pass water vapor into the mold cavity and keep it for 5-20 seconds to heat and soften the surface of the popcorn kernels and the textile layer. The melted part of the popcorn kernel surface is embedded in the pores of the textile layer. Step 6: The upper mold continues to push forward, and the lower mold spring is pressed tight, further reducing the mold cavity space. The mold closing pressure is 0.6 to 2.45 bar. Water vapor is introduced again to make the popcorn particles stick together. At the same time, the textile layer and the popcorn particles form a strong mechanical interlocking and thermal bonding composite structure. Step 7: Maintain heating and shaping for 70-300 seconds; Step 8: After cooling, open the mold, remove the middle frame, take out the sole, trim the edges to obtain the finished product.

[0015] In step 1 above, the upper and lower edges of the middle frame are provided with hanging pins. The length of the hanging pins is 4 to 10 mm, and the ends are pointed, which are used to fasten the fabric.

[0016] Furthermore, the aforementioned mold includes a lower mold, a middle frame, and an upper mold, all three of which are placed together in a sealed mold cavity; the upper mold is provided with a feed port, and the lower mold is provided with a compression spring; the middle frame is provided with air holes around its perimeter for vacuuming and introducing water vapor.

[0017] As can be seen from the above description of the structure of the present invention, compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: 1. This invention uses a textile layer with a porous structure as the edge layer. Under steam heating conditions, the molten part of the popcorn kernel surface can be embedded in the pores of the textile layer, forming a composite structure of mechanical interlocking and thermal bonding. The bonding strength is much higher than that of the simple bonding method of traditional surface coating, effectively solving the problem of edge layer peeling and falling off.

[0018] 2. The textile layer of the present invention completely wraps the sidewall of the sole, fundamentally solving the problem of rat holes on the surface of popcorn shoe soles, while preventing the particles from falling off, thus improving the appearance quality and service life of the product.

[0019] 3. The textile layer of the present invention has good air permeability, and water vapor can pass through the fabric evenly and act on the popcorn particles, making the molding more uniform and avoiding problems such as uneven molding and insufficient bonding caused by dense film materials.

[0020] 4. The textile layer of the present invention has good flexibility and extensibility. During secondary molding and compression, it can deform uniformly with the shape of the mold cavity, and will not produce wrinkles and creases like traditional plastic films, thus effectively reducing the defect rate.

[0021] 5. The textile layer of the present invention can be made of various types such as woven fabric, non-woven fabric, and knitted fabric. The fiber material covers natural fibers, chemical fibers, composite fibers, etc., and can be flexibly selected according to different performance requirements, with a wide range of applications. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the lower mold of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the upper mold of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a top view of the middle frame structure of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the middle frame of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the middle frame hanging piece of the present invention.

[0027] Among them, 1. lower mold; 2. upper mold; 3. middle frame; 4. textile layer; 11. protrusion; 12. positioning post; 13. bolt; 14. compression spring; 20. steam inlet; 21. feed inlet; 30. air hole; 31. hanging pin; 32. U-shaped buckle. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example 1:

[0029] A popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging is prepared as follows: Mold preparation: The mold consists of a lower mold 1, a middle frame 3, and an upper mold, all three placed together in a sealed mold cavity; the upper mold has a feed inlet 21, and the lower mold 1 has a compression spring 14; the middle frame 3 has air holes 30 around its perimeter, which can be used for vacuuming and introducing water vapor. The upper and lower edges of the middle frame 3 are provided with hanging pins 31, each 6mm long with a pointed end; the middle frame 3 has a U-shaped buckle 32 at the front and back, which can be fastened to the positioning post 12 of the lower mold.

[0030] Mid-frame hanging fabric: Select 0.1mm thick polyester non-woven fabric with a weight of 30g / m² and a heat distortion temperature of approximately 150℃. After cutting textile layer 4 to the set size, spray colored ink on one side of textile layer 4 to form a logo pattern, and dry it at 50℃ for 10 minutes after spraying. Then, attach the uncolored side of textile layer 4 tightly to the inner wall of mid-frame 3, and fix textile layer 4 taut with hanging nails 31.

[0031] The popcorn kernels are made of foamed thermoplastic polyurethane kernels; the polyurethane is an aliphatic polyether type polyurethane.

[0032] Install the middle frame: Install the middle frame 3 with the textile layer 4 attached onto the lower mold 1, and fasten the U-shaped buckles 32 at the front and back of the middle frame onto the positioning posts 12 of the lower mold.

[0033] First mold closing: The upper mold, middle frame 3, and lower mold 1 are closed tightly and placed together in the sealed mold cavity. The upper mold has a feed inlet 21 through which popcorn kernels enter the mold cavity. The lower mold 1 has protrusions 11 at its four corners, with bolts 13 running through them. The lower mold 1 is connected to the base via bolts 13. A compression spring 14 is fitted around the outside of the bolts 13, i.e., the compression spring 14 is sandwiched between the protrusions 11 and the base. The middle frame 3 has air holes 30 around its perimeter for vacuuming and introducing steam. The mold closing pressure is 0.8 bar.

[0034] Vacuuming and feeding: The mold cavity is evacuated to -0.09MPa through the air holes 30 around the middle frame 3, and then popcorn kernels are sucked in from the feed port 21 of the upper mold.

[0035] Steam is introduced: The base of the upper mold 2 is provided with a steam inlet 20. Steam is introduced into the mold cavity and maintained for 13 seconds to melt and soften the surface of the popcorn particles. At the same time, the non-woven fabric is heated and softened, and the surface of the melted popcorn particles is partially embedded in the fiber pores of the non-woven fabric.

[0036] Second mold closing: The upper mold continues to push forward, and the lower mold compression spring 14 presses tightly, further reducing the mold cavity space. The mold closing pressure is 1.6 bar. Water vapor is introduced again to make the popcorn kernels stick together. At the same time, the non-woven fabric and popcorn kernels form a strong mechanical interlocking and thermal bonding composite structure.

[0037] Heat setting: Maintain heat setting for 220 seconds.

[0038] Cooling and mold opening: After cooling to below 60℃ with water, open the mold, remove the middle frame, take out the sole, trim the edges to obtain the finished product.

[0039] The resulting product has a smooth sidewall surface, no rat holes, no particle shedding, clear color and pattern, no wrinkles or folds, peel strength of the edge layer ≥3.5N / mm, and a yield rate of over 98% (tested according to GB / T 532:2008). Example 2:

[0040] A popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging is prepared as follows: Mold preparation: The mold consists of a lower mold 1, a middle frame 3, and an upper mold, all three placed together in a sealed mold cavity; the upper mold has a feed inlet 21, and the lower mold 1 has a compression spring 14; the middle frame 3 has air holes 30 around its perimeter, which can be used for vacuuming and introducing water vapor. The upper and lower edges of the middle frame 3 are provided with hanging pins 31, each 6mm long with a pointed end; the middle frame 3 has a U-shaped buckle 32 at the front and back, which can be fastened to the positioning post 12 of the lower mold.

[0041] Mid-frame hanging fabric: Select 0.15mm thick nylon knitted fabric with a weight of 45g / m² and a heat distortion temperature of approximately 170℃. After cutting textile layer 4 to the set size, dye one side of textile layer 4 with a gradient color, from light gray to dark gray from the front to the back of the sole. Then, attach the uncolored side of textile layer 4 tightly to the inner wall of mid-frame 3 and fix it taut with hanging nails 31.

[0042] The popcorn kernels are made of foamed thermoplastic polyurethane kernels; the polyurethane is an aromatic polyester type polyurethane.

[0043] Install the middle frame: Install the middle frame 3 with the textile layer 4 attached onto the lower mold 1, and fasten the U-shaped buckles 32 at the front and back of the middle frame onto the positioning posts 12 of the lower mold.

[0044] First mold closing: Close the upper mold, middle frame 3, and lower mold 1 tightly with a closing pressure of 0.6 bar.

[0045] Vacuuming and feeding: The mold cavity is evacuated to -0.09MPa through the air holes 30 around the middle frame 3, and then popcorn kernels are sucked in from the feed port 21 of the upper mold.

[0046] Introduce steam: Introduce steam into the mold cavity and maintain for 20 seconds to melt and soften the surface of the popcorn kernels. At the same time, the nonwoven fabric softens due to the heat, and the surface of the melted popcorn kernels is partially embedded in the fiber pores of the nonwoven fabric.

[0047] Second mold closing: The upper mold continues to push forward, and the lower mold compression spring 14 presses tightly, further reducing the mold cavity space. The mold closing pressure is 1.3 bar. Water vapor is introduced again, causing the popcorn kernels to stick together. At the same time, the non-woven fabric and popcorn kernels form a strong mechanical interlocking and thermal bonding composite structure.

[0048] Heat setting: Maintain heat setting for 120 seconds.

[0049] Cooling and mold opening: After cooling to below 60℃ with water, open the mold, remove the middle frame, take out the sole, trim the edges to obtain the finished product.

[0050] The product obtained in this embodiment has a gradient color effect, rich visual layers, a strong bond between the edging layer and the sole, a peel strength of ≥3.7N / mm (GB / T 532:2008), and a yield rate of over 99%. Example 3:

[0051] A popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging is prepared as follows: Mold preparation: The mold consists of a lower mold 1, a middle frame 3, and an upper mold, all three placed together in a sealed mold cavity; the upper mold has a feed inlet 21, and the lower mold 1 has a compression spring 14; the middle frame 3 has air holes 30 around its perimeter, which can be used for vacuuming and introducing water vapor. The upper and lower edges of the middle frame 3 are provided with hanging pins 31, each 6mm long with a pointed end; the middle frame 3 has a U-shaped buckle 32 at the front and back, which can be fastened to the positioning post 12 of the lower mold.

[0052] Mid-frame fabric: A cotton-polyester blended fabric with a thickness of 0.18mm is selected, in which cotton fiber accounts for 60% and polyester fiber accounts for 40%. It is dyed with reactive dyes to produce a solid navy blue color, with a heat distortion temperature of approximately 160℃. After cutting the textile layer 4 to the set size, one side of the textile layer 4 is dyed with a gradient color, from light gray to dark gray from the front to the back of the sole. Then, the uncolored side of the textile layer 4 is tightly attached to the inner wall of the mid-frame 3 and fixed and tightened by the hanging nails 31.

[0053] The popcorn kernels are made of foamed nylon elastomer kernels.

[0054] Install the middle frame: Install the middle frame 3 with the textile layer 4 attached onto the lower mold 1, and fasten the U-shaped buckles 32 at the front and back of the middle frame onto the positioning posts 12 of the lower mold.

[0055] First mold closing: Close the upper mold, middle frame 3, and lower mold 1 tightly with a closing pressure of 1.0 bar.

[0056] Vacuuming and feeding: The mold cavity is evacuated to -0.09MPa through the air holes 30 around the middle frame 3, and then popcorn kernels are sucked in from the feed port 21 of the upper mold.

[0057] Introduce steam: Introduce steam into the mold cavity and maintain for 10 seconds to melt and soften the surface of the popcorn kernels. At the same time, the nonwoven fabric softens due to the heat, and the surface of the melted popcorn kernels is partially embedded in the fiber pores of the nonwoven fabric.

[0058] Second mold closing: The upper mold continues to push forward, and the lower mold compression spring 14 presses tightly, further reducing the mold cavity space. The mold closing pressure is 2.1 bar. Water vapor is introduced again, causing the popcorn kernels to stick together. At the same time, the non-woven fabric and popcorn kernels form a strong mechanical interlocking and thermal bonding composite structure.

[0059] Heat setting: Maintain heat setting for 80 seconds.

[0060] Cooling and mold opening: After cooling to below 60℃ with water, open the mold, remove the middle frame, take out the sole, trim the edges to obtain the finished product.

[0061] The product obtained in this embodiment has a gradient color effect, rich visual layers, a strong bond between the edging layer and the sole, a peel strength of ≥3.1N / mm (GB / T 532:2008), and a yield rate of over 98%. Example 4:

[0062] The technical solution in this embodiment is basically the same as that in Embodiment 1, except that: The textile layer is made of a knitted fabric blended with spandex and nylon, with spandex accounting for 15% and nylon accounting for 85%. It has a thickness of 0.12mm and a weight of 35g / m², and has excellent elasticity and extensibility.

[0063] Introduce steam: Introduce steam into the mold cavity and maintain for 8 seconds.

[0064] Second mold closing: The mold closing pressure is 0.7 bar.

[0065] Heat setting: Maintain heat setting for 280 seconds.

[0066] The resulting product's edging layer has excellent elastic recovery properties, deforming along with the sole when it bends, making it less prone to creases and fatigue damage, resulting in a longer service life. It can withstand 60,000 folds without any new cracks (GB / T 3903.1-2017); the peel strength of the edging layer is ≥3.6N / mm (GB / T 532:2008), and the yield rate is over 98%.

[0067] Comparative Example: A 0.1mm thick TPU film was applied to the surface of the popcorn shoe sole using a traditional TPU film coating process. Testing revealed that approximately 15% of the finished products had wrinkles and creases, resulting in a high defect rate. The peel strength of the edge layer was approximately 1.2 N / mm (tested according to GB / T532:2008), indicating that the film was prone to peeling after prolonged use.

[0068] The above examples and comparative examples show that the present invention uses a textile layer as the edging layer and forms a composite structure of mechanical interlocking and thermal bonding with popcorn particles through a steam molding process. This not only solves the wrinkling and crease problems of traditional coating processes, but also significantly improves the bonding strength between the edging layer and the sole. At the same time, it effectively solves the problems of mouse holes and particle loss, and has significant technological progress and practical value.

[0069] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, but the design concept of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any non-substantial modifications made to the present invention using this concept shall be considered as infringing upon the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging, characterized in that: The shoe includes a sole body formed by steam molding of popcorn kernels and a textile layer surrounding the sidewall surface of the sole body. The textile layer is softened by steam heating, and the molten portion of the popcorn kernel surface is embedded in the pores of the textile layer. A mechanically interlocked and thermally bonded composite structure is formed between the sole body and the textile layer.

2. The popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The textile layer is one of woven fabric, nonwoven fabric or knitted fabric; the textile layer is produced from at least one of natural fiber, chemical fiber or composite fiber.

3. The popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The chemical fibers include one or more of spandex, polypropylene, vinylon, nylon, polyester, and chlorofiber; the composite fibers include one of core-sheath type fibers or split type fibers; the core-sheath type fibers include low-melting-point PET core-sheath staple fibers or nylon / polyester core filaments.

4. The popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The heat distortion temperature of the textile layer is below 185°C.

5. The popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The textile layer has a color layer on its surface, which is formed on the surface of the textile layer by spraying or dyeing.

6. A popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The textile layer is a non-woven fabric with a thickness of 0.07–0.2 mm and a basis weight of 17–50 g / m².

7. The popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The popcorn particles include at least one of foamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles, foamed polyester elastomer particles, and foamed nylon elastomer particles.

8. A method for preparing a popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Cut the textile layer into pieces according to the set size, color one side of the fabric, and after air drying or baking, press the uncolored side of the fabric tightly against the inner wall of the frame and fix it with the hanging nails on the frame. Step 2: Install the middle frame with the fabric attached onto the lower mold, and fasten the U-shaped buckles at the front and back of the middle frame onto the positioning posts of the lower mold. Step 3: Close the upper mold, middle frame, and lower mold tightly with a closing pressure of 0.4 to 1.25 bar. Step 4, Vacuuming and Feeding: Vacuum the mold cavity through the air holes around the middle frame, and then suck popcorn kernels in through the feed port of the upper mold. Step 5: Pass water vapor into the mold cavity and keep it for 5-20 seconds to heat and soften the surface of the popcorn kernels and the textile layer. The melted part of the popcorn kernel surface is embedded in the pores of the textile layer. Step 6: The upper mold continues to push forward, and the lower mold spring is pressed tight, further reducing the mold cavity space. The mold closing pressure is 0.6 to 2.45 bar. Water vapor is introduced again to make the popcorn particles stick together. At the same time, the textile layer and the popcorn particles form a strong mechanical interlocking and thermal bonding composite structure. Step 7: Maintain heating and shaping for 70-300 seconds; Step 8: After cooling, open the mold, remove the middle frame, take out the sole, trim the edges to obtain the finished product.

9. The method for preparing a popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging as described in claim 8, characterized in that: In step 1, the upper and lower edges of the middle frame are provided with hanging pins. The hanging pins are 4 to 10 mm long and have pointed ends for fastening the fabric.

10. The method for preparing a popcorn shoe sole with a textile layer edging as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The upper mold is equipped with a feed inlet, and the lower mold is equipped with a compression spring; the middle frame is equipped with air holes around its perimeter for vacuuming and introducing water vapor.

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