MOLD FOR A FOOTWEAR COMPONENT

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mold for forming a component of a footwear article, the mold comprising, at least partially, a plurality of adjacent thin molding elements stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the footwear article component, each element of the plurality of thin molding elements being oriented globally in the thickness direction of the footwear article component, each element of the plurality of thin molding elements being provided with a notched edge on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements in the thickness direction of the footwear article component having a profile required to shape the footwear article component. Abstract figure: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: MOLD FOR A FOOTWEAR COMPONENT

[0001] The present invention relates to a mold for a component of a footwear article and a method for forming a component of a footwear article. The invention relates, in particular, to a mold for forming a shoe sole or the like.

[0002] In recent years, shoe soles with increasingly varied shapes and colors have appeared on the market. Some highly original shapes are solely intended to produce an attractive visual effect or an effect that adds value to the product. Other shapes are designed to produce one or more technical effects, such as, for example, shock absorption, comfort, grip, protection, etc.

[0003] Continuing in this vein, towards great diversity and great originality, sole manufacturers have recently incorporated new manufacturing processes allowing the production of even more unusual products.

[0004] For example, document KR20140146737 discloses a method for manufacturing a custom-made shoe sole, comprising a step of obtaining 3D data of the insole by means of a photograph of a customer's sole, with a 3D measuring means, a step of modifying the 3D data of the sole to form the data for the custom-made shoe sole, a step of producing the custom-made sole by transmitting the data to the 3D printer.

[0005] This solution is relatively laborious and costly to implement and is only of interest for specific products, in the context of the production of unique parts or in very small quantities.

[0006] Document CN204426864 discloses a method for manufacturing sports shoes that are easy to assemble and disassemble. The various soles are created using a 3D printer.

[0007] Document CN104959597 discloses a method for manufacturing shoe soles using a 3D printer.

[0008] These various examples employing 3D printing use expensive solutions with very low productivity, and it is therefore not possible to produce soles under advantageous conditions on a large scale.

[0009] US patent 20070063368 discloses a shoe mold composed of several parts, including a part consisting of a solid metal structure, and another part made in the form of a cellular metal structure designed to facilitate ventilation during molding. The cellular part is produced by molding using foam particles. This type of mold is relatively complex and expensive but does not allow for the production of complex shapes in the molded sole.

[0010] Therefore, it is necessary to create and produce a footwear component such as a shoe sole that is original and high-performing, but at an attractive cost for mass production.

[0011] A "longitudinal direction / orientation" is a direction / orientation parallel to the direction / orientation from the heel to the toe of the shoe. A direction / orientation parallel to the direction / orientation from the heel to the toe of the shoe ± 10° is considered to be "substantially parallel" to the longitudinal direction / orientation.

[0012] A "lateral direction / orientation" is a direction / orientation perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction / orientation of the shoe and a thickness direction / orientation of the shoe. A direction / orientation perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction / orientation of the shoe and a thickness direction / orientation of the shoe ± 10° is considered to be "substantially parallel" to the lateral direction / orientation.

[0013] A first object of the invention is to propose a component of a footwear article having original and innovative shapes, high performance and an advantageous cost, and a method for forming such a component of a footwear article.

[0014] Another object of the invention is to propose a molding element as a means of forming such a component of a footwear article which offers great flexibility in terms of changes in design or size.

[0015] For these purposes, the present invention proposes a mold for forming a component of a footwear article, the mold comprising, at least partially, a plurality of thin molding elements adjacent to each other, stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the component of the footwear article, each element of the plurality of thin molding elements being oriented globally in the thickness direction of the component of the footwear article, each element of the plurality of thin molding elements being provided with a notched edge on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements in the thickness direction of the component of the footwear article having a profile required to shape the component of the footwear article such that the plurality of notched edges forms a molding cavity for the component of the footwear article.

[0016] This structure provides a means of forming a footwear component with original and innovative shapes, high performance and a advantageous cost, and a molding element that offers great flexibility in terms of design or size changes.

[0017] Since the mold comprises, at least partially, a plurality of adjacent thin molding elements stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the footwear component, air trapped between the footwear material and the mold is efficiently vented through minute gaps between two adjacent thin molding elements. This contributes to excellent ventilation during molding while also promoting the flow of trapped air between the footwear material and a face of each thin molding element intended to be in contact with the footwear material, thus ensuring rapid demolding in any quantity. It is therefore possible to improve both molding and demolding performance.

[0018] Since the mold comprises, at least partially, a plurality of thin molding elements adjacent to one another, stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the footwear component, this ensures the application of homogeneous pressure and thermal energy to the footwear material during molding, resulting in improved adhesion and wear performance of the footwear component. This also guarantees good molding and demolding performance. It is thus possible to improve the performance of the footwear component while simultaneously improving its production efficiency.

[0019] Given that the mold comprises, at least partially, a plurality of thin molding elements adjacent to each other, stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the footwear component and that the plurality of thin molding elements are provided with a notched edge on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements in the thickness direction of the footwear component having a profile required to shape the footwear component, one or more thin molding elements can be reused for footwear components in a series of different designs or different sizes.On the other hand, when a thin molding element is damaged, it is possible to resume the formation of the footwear component more quickly by simply exchanging / replacing the damaged thin molding element without having to recreate the entire mold. This makes it possible to obtain a footwear component at a cost-effective price, and to obtain a mold that offers great flexibility in terms of design or size changes.

[0020] Furthermore, since each element of the plurality of thin molding elements has a notched edge on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements in the thickness direction of the footwear component, and since this notch has a profile required to shape the footwear component, original and innovative shapes of the footwear component can be obtained. This is because it is possible to integrate a pattern or design into a hollow section that only becomes visible at the end of the component's service life. Moreover, such a hidden pattern or design helps prevent counterfeiting of a footwear component design and maintains the component's performance until the end of its service life. It is thus possible to give the footwear component original and innovative shapes.

[0021] Furthermore, since each element of the plurality of thin molding elements has a notched edge on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements in the thickness direction of the footwear component having a profile required to shape the footwear component, adjusting the vertical stiffness of the footwear component as a function of an area of ​​the component in contact with the ground and locally adapting the density of the footwear material are possible by locally varying the depth of the notched edge of the thin molding elements, resulting in a variation in the thickness of the footwear component without using expensive and highly specific foam material. It is thus possible to improve the performance of the footwear component while simultaneously improving the production efficiency of the footwear component.

[0022] In another preferred embodiment, the plurality of thin molding elements are stacked in the longitudinal direction.

[0023] With this structure, it is possible to improve the performance of the footwear component since the formation of grooves or slots extending laterally on the component would be facilitated, thus contributing to its adhesion performance. Furthermore, this structure would eliminate the mechanical complexity of the mold due to the need for non-aligned and symmetrical clamping forces to compensate for rotations caused by clamping torques.

[0024] In another preferred embodiment, the plurality of thin molding elements are stacked in the lateral direction.

[0025] With this structure, it is possible to improve the performance of the footwear component since the formation of grooves or slots extending in a longitudinal orientation on the footwear component would be facilitated, thus contributing to liquid drainage performance. On the other hand, this structure would eliminate the mechanical complexity of the mold due to non-aligned and symmetrical clamping forces to compensate for rotations caused by clamping torques.

[0026] In another preferred embodiment, the mold further comprises at least one thin support element without a notched edge.

[0027] With this structure, it is possible to increase flexibility in terms of design or size changes since at least one thin support element without a notched edge helps to compensate for gaps resulting from such design or size changes for mold adaptation in a press, so that a footwear component can be obtained at an advantageous cost.

[0028] In another preferred embodiment, each element of the plurality of thin molding elements is a metal plate.

[0029] With this structure, it is possible to obtain a footwear component at an advantageous cost since the metal plate is advantageous in terms of availability, ease of processing, and thermal conductivity relative to the footwear material during molding.

[0030] In another preferred embodiment, each element of the plurality of thin molding elements has a thickness between 0.1 mm and 5.0 mm measured in the stacking direction.

[0031] If the thickness of the thin molding elements is less than 0.1 mm, there is a risk of breakage during molding, leading to a decrease in productivity. If the thickness of the thin molding elements is greater than 5.0 mm, there is a risk that flexibility in terms of design or size changes will decrease, making the cost less advantageous. By setting the thickness of each element in the plurality of thin molding elements between 0.1 mm and 5.0 mm, measured in the stacking direction, it is possible to obtain a footwear component at a cost-effective price without a decrease in productivity.

[0032] In another preferred embodiment, each element of the plurality of thin molding elements has a thickness of between 1% and 5% of a mold length measured in the stacking direction.

[0033] If the thickness of the thin molding elements is less than 1% of the mold length measured in the stacking direction, there is a risk of breakage of the thin molding elements during molding, leading to a degradation in productivity. If the thickness of the thin molding elements is greater than 5% of the mold length measured in the stacking direction, there is a risk that flexibility in terms of design or size changes will decrease, making the cost less advantageous. By setting the thickness of each element in the plurality of thin molding elements between 1% and 5% of the length of the With the mold measured in the stacking direction, it is possible to obtain a footwear component at an advantageous cost without degrading productivity.

[0034] With the structures described above, it is possible to obtain a footwear component with original and innovative shapes, high performance and an advantageous cost, and a molding element constituting a means of forming such a footwear component which offers great flexibility in terms of changes in design or size.

[0035] With the structures described above, it is possible to obtain a component of a footwear article having an outer surface which is, at least partially, ribbed.

[0036] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of non-limiting examples, the embodiment of the invention.

[0037] In these drawings:

[0038] [Fig.1] is a schematic perspective view of a mold according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] [Fig.2] is a schematic perspective view of some variants of a thin molding element according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] [Fig.3] is a schematic perspective view of a component of a footwear item molded using the mold according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] [Fig.4] is a schematic perspective view of a mold according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] [Fig.5] is a schematic perspective view of a mold according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0044] A device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to [Fig.1], 2 and 3.

[0045] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a mold according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of some variants of a thin molding element according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a footwear component molded using the mold according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] A mold 1 is a mold for forming a component of a footwear item 99 (illustrated in [Fig. 3]). The mold 1 comprises, at least partially, a plurality of thin molding elements 2 adjacent to one another, stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the footwear component 99. Each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 is oriented globally in the thickness direction of the footwear component 99. Each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 is provided with a notched edge 25 on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 in the thickness direction of the footwear component 99 having a profile required to shape the footwear component 99.

[0047] As illustrated in [Fig.1], the plurality of thin molding elements 2 are stacked in the longitudinal direction, with at least one thin support element 3 without a notched edge 25. In the present embodiment, the mold 1 includes some thin support elements 3 at its two stacking ends.

[0048] As illustrated in [Fig.2], a shape of the notched edge 25 varies even among the thin molding elements 2 stacked in the same mold 1. For example, a simple notched edge 25 as illustrated in [Fig.2] (A), a partial notched edge 25 as illustrated in [Fig.2] (B), a recess 26 formed in the notched edge 25 as illustrated in [Fig.2] (C), a projection 27 extending from the notched edge 25 as illustrated in [Fig.2] (D), or a locally thickened portion 28 forming the notched edge 25 on the thin molding element 2 as illustrated in [Fig.2] (E).

[0049] A notched edge 25 could be obtained by cutting the thin molding element 2 with a plane perpendicular to the main surface of the thin molding element 2 (see notched edge 25a in [Fig. 5]) or with an inclined plane forming an angle of less than 90° with the main surface of the thin molding element 2 (see notched edge 25b in [Fig. 5]). As illustrated in the embodiment of [Fig. 5], stacking thin molding elements with notched edges 25b results in a continuous or smooth profile of the walls of the molding cavity 21', compared to obtaining a stepped profile with stacking thin molding elements with notched edges 25a.

[0050] Each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 is a metal plate. A metal for the plurality of thin molding elements 2 is, for example, a chemical element such as iron, aluminum, copper, titanium, magnesium, zinc, tin, lithium, or an alloy such as steel (mild or hard), stainless steel, or duralumin, suitable for forming the mold 1 in terms of thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, and workability. The thin molding element 2 can be manufactured using any process known in the art, for example, press forming, machining such as turning, drilling, boring, milling, broaching, sawing, shaping, planing, abrasive cutting, boring, tapping, electrical discharge machining (EDM), electrochemical machining, electron beam machining, photochemical machining, ultrasonic machining, casting pressure forging, cold or hot forging, molding, additive manufacturing or a combination of these processes.

[0051] Each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 has a thickness of between 0.1 mm and 5.0 mm measured in the stacking direction, and has a thickness of between 1% and 5% of a mold length measured in the stacking direction.

[0052] The plurality of thin molding elements 2 are stacked and clamped by means of a system allowing the plurality of thin molding elements 2 (not illustrated) to be clamped against each other in a direction normal to the plurality of thin molding elements 2. The clamping system can be any system known in the art, such as mechanical clamping by means of screws, jacks, cams etc., using a fluid (pneumatic, hydraulic, etc.) or a shape memory material, in an active or passive manner.

[0053] As illustrated in [Fig. 3], a footwear component 99 features original and innovative shapes, high performance, and an advantageous cost. Connecting parts between adjacent thin molding elements 2 have the appearance of a plurality of thin lines extending in the laterally direction.

[0054] Since the mold 1 comprises, at least partially, a plurality of adjacent thin molding elements 2 stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the footwear component 99, air trapped between the footwear material and the mold 1 is efficiently evacuated through minute gaps between two adjacent thin molding elements 2. This contributes to excellent ventilation during molding while also promoting the flow of trapped air between the footwear material and a face of each of the thin molding elements intended to be in contact with the footwear material, so as to ensure rapid demolding in any quantity. It is thus possible to improve both molding and demolding performance.

[0055] Since the mold 1 comprises, at least partially, a plurality of thin molding elements 2 adjacent to one another, stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the footwear component 99, this ensures the application of homogeneous pressure and thermal energy to the footwear material during molding, resulting in improved adhesion and wear performance of the footwear component 99. This also guarantees good molding and demolding performance. It is thus possible to improve the performance of the footwear component 99 while simultaneously improving its production efficiency.

[0056] Given that the mold 1 comprises, at least partially, a plurality of thin molding elements 2 adjacent to each other, stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the footwear component 99 and that the plurality of thin molding elements 2 are provided with a notched edge 25 on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 in the thickness direction of the footwear component 99 having a profile required to shape the footwear component 99, one or more thin molding elements 2 can be reused for footwear components 99 in a series of different designs or different sizes.On the other hand, when a thin molding element 2 is damaged, it is possible to resume the formation of the footwear component 99 more quickly by simply exchanging / replacing the damaged thin molding element 2 without having to recreate the entire mold 1. This makes it possible to obtain a footwear component 99 at a cost-effective price, and to obtain a mold 1 that offers great flexibility in terms of design or size changes.

[0057] Furthermore, since each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 is provided with a notched edge 25 on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 in the thickness direction of the footwear component 99 having a profile required to shape the footwear component 99, original and innovative shapes of the footwear component 99 can be obtained since it is possible to integrate a pattern or design into a hollow part which appears only at the end of the life of the footwear component 99, for example by means of the indentation 26 formed in the notched edge 25, the projection 27 extending from the notched edge 25 and / or the locally thickened part 28.On the other hand, such a hidden pattern or design helps to prevent counterfeiting of a footwear component model 99 and to maintain the performance of the footwear component 99 until the end of its life. It is thus possible to equip the footwear component 99 with original and innovative shapes.

[0058] Furthermore, since each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 is provided with a notched edge 25 on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 in the thickness direction of the footwear component 99 having a profile required to shape the footwear component 99, an adjustment of the vertical stiffness of the footwear component 99 as a function of an area of ​​the footwear component 99 in contact with the ground and a local adaptation of the density of the footwear material are possible by the local variation of a depth of the notched edge 25 of the elements of Thin molding 2 results in a variation in the thickness of the footwear component 99 without using expensive, high-specification foam material. This makes it possible to improve the performance of the footwear component 99 while also improving its production efficiency.

[0059] Since the plurality of thin molding elements 2 are stacked in the longitudinal direction, it is possible to improve the performance of the footwear component 99 because the formation of grooves or slots extending laterally on the footwear component 99 would be facilitated, thus contributing to its adhesion performance. Furthermore, this structure would eliminate the mechanical complexity of the mold 1 due to misaligned and symmetrical clamping forces required to compensate for rotations caused by clamping torques.

[0060] Since the mold 1 further comprises at least one thin support element 3 without a notched edge, it is possible to increase flexibility in terms of design or size changes since the at least one thin support element 3 without a notched edge helps to compensate for gaps resulting from such design or size changes for adapting the mold 1 in a press, so that a footwear component 99 can be obtained at an advantageous cost.

[0061] Since each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 is a metal plate, it is possible to obtain a footwear component 99 at an advantageous cost since the metal plate is advantageous in terms of availability, ease of processing, and thermal conductivity relative to the footwear material during molding.

[0062] Since each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 has a thickness between 0.1 mm and 5.0 mm measured in the stacking direction, it is possible to obtain a footwear component 99 at an advantageous cost without degradation of productivity.

[0063] If the thickness of the thin molding elements 2 is less than 0.1 mm, there is a risk of breakage of the thin molding elements 2 during molding, leading to a decrease in productivity. If the thickness of the thin molding elements 2 is greater than 5.0 mm, there is a risk that flexibility in terms of design or size changes will decrease, making the cost less advantageous.

[0064] The thickness of the thin molding elements 2 is preferably between 0.5 mm and 4.5 mm measured in the stacking direction, more preferably between 1.0 mm and 4.0 mm measured in the stacking direction.

[0065] Given that each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 2 has a thickness between 1% and 5% of a measured length of the mold 1 in the stacking direction, it is possible to obtain a component of shoe item 99 at an advantageous cost without degradation of productivity.

[0066] If the thickness of the thin molding elements 2 is less than 1% of the mold length 1 measured in the stacking direction, there is a risk of breakage of the thin molding elements 2 during molding, leading to a decrease in productivity. If the thickness of the thin molding elements 2 is greater than 5% of the mold length 1 measured in the stacking direction, there is a risk that flexibility in terms of design or size changes will decrease, making the cost less advantageous.

[0067] The thickness of the thin molding elements 2 is preferably between 1.5% and 5% of a length of the mold 1 measured in the stacking direction, more preferably between 1.5% and 4.5% of a length of the mold 1 measured in the stacking direction.

[0068] The thickness of the thin molding elements 2 stacked in the same mold 1 can vary.

[0069] The plurality of thin molding elements 2 and the at least one thin support element 3 may be made of the same material, or of a different material.

[0070] A plurality of thin molding elements 2 stacked with or without at least one thin support element 3 constituting the mold 1 can be placed in a press known in the art, with or without a support structure compensating for a gap between the mold 1 and the press. The mold 1 can be used on one side of the footwear component in the thickness direction of the footwear component, or on both sides.

[0071] A mold 21 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to [Fig. 4]. [Fig. 4] is a schematic perspective view of a mold according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The construction of this second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment except for the structure illustrated in [Fig. 4], and the description will therefore be given with reference to [Fig. 4].

[0072] As illustrated in [Fig. 4], the mold 21 is a mold for forming a component of a footwear item (not shown). The mold 21 comprises, at least partially, a plurality of adjacent thin molding elements 22 stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the footwear item component. Each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 22 is oriented globally in the thickness direction of the footwear item component. Each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 22 has a notched edge 225 on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements 22 in the thickness direction of the component of a footwear item having a profile required to shape the component of the footwear item.

[0073] As illustrated in [Fig.4], the plurality of thin molding elements 22 are stacked in the lateral direction, with at least one thin support element 23 without a notched edge 225. In the present embodiment, the mold 21 includes some thin support elements 3 at its two stacking ends.

[0074] Since the plurality of thin molding elements 22 are stacked in the laterally direction, it is possible to improve the performance of the footwear component because the formation of grooves or slots extending in a longitudinal orientation on the footwear component would be facilitated, thus contributing to its liquid drainage performance. Furthermore, this structure would eliminate the mechanical complexity of the mold 21 due to misaligned and symmetrical clamping forces required to compensate for rotations caused by clamping torques.

[0075] The invention is not limited to the examples described and represented and various modifications may be made without departing from its scope. List of reference signs

[0076] • 1.21 mold • 2, 22 thin molding element • 25, 225 notched edge • 26 indentation in the notched edge • 27 projection from the notched edge • 28 local thickening section • 3 thin support elements • 99 component of footwear

Claims

Demands

1. Mold (1) for forming a shoe sole, characterized in that the mold (1) comprises, at least partially, a plurality of thin molding elements (2) adjacent to each other, stacked unidirectionally in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the shoe sole, each element of the plurality of thin molding elements (2) is oriented globally in the thickness direction of the shoe sole, each element of the plurality of thin molding elements (2) is provided with a notched edge (25) on one side of each element of the plurality of thin molding elements (2) in the thickness direction of the shoe sole having a profile required to shape the shoe sole such that the plurality of notched edges forms a molding cavity for the sole and a pattern or design can be integrated into a hollow part of the shoe sole.

2. Mold (1) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of thin molding elements (2) are stacked in the longitudinal direction.

3. Mold (1) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of thin molding elements (2) are stacked in the lateral direction.

4. Mold (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mold (1) further comprises at least one thin support element (3) without a notched edge.

5. Mold (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each element of the plurality of thin molding elements (2) is a metal plate.

6. Mold (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each element of the plurality of thin molding elements (2) has a thickness between 0.1 mm and 5.0 mm measured in the stacking direction.

7. Mold (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each element of the plurality of thin molding elements (2) has a thickness of between 1% and 5% of a length of the mold (1) measured in the stacking direction.

8. Method for forming a shoe sole, characterized in that a mold according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is used.

9. Shoe sole obtained using the process according to claim 8, characterized in that its outer surface is, at least partially, ribbed.

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