Method for manufacturing a shoe component and shoe component

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a shoe component (100) includes the steps of providing a sole unit (1) having a thermoplastic rim portion (2), placing a shoe last (4) on the sole unit (1), heating the thermoplastic rim portion (2) so that the thermoplastic rim portion (2) becomes flowable and / or melts and / or softens to obtain a heated thermoplastic rim portion (2'), applying a molten thermoplastic upper material (5) onto the thermoplastic rim portion (2) and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion (2') to produce an upper component (8), and hardening the molten thermoplastic upper material (5) applied onto the thermoplastic rim portion (2) and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion (2') and the heated thermoplastic rim portion (2') to obtain a fixed engagement between the upper component (8) and the sole unit (1).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention is in the field of shoe manufacturing and relates to a method for manufacturing shoe components, in particular shoes, as well as shoe components preferably obtained by such a method. [Background technology]

[0002] Various different manufacturing methods for shoes are known in the prior art. Conventionally, the sole unit is foamed, e.g., foam-molded, and the upper is produced separately as a knitted fabric by conventional knitting. Furthermore, it is also possible to produce large solid uppers, such as those known from ski boots, by injection molding or additive manufacturing, e.g., 3D printing.

[0003] One advantage of additive manufacturing is that uppers can generally be individually tailored to the wearer's foot. However, while additive manufacturing of large, solid uppers is relatively straightforward, additive manufacturing of textiles with regular patterns, such as knit or woven patterns, remains challenging. For example, common problems include undesirable material adhesion between different printed filaments and fibers, as well as high costs per manufactured upper.

[0004] During shoe manufacturing, the upper and sole are usually made separately and then joined together in a separate, additional process step. Most commonly, the upper and sole are connected by a stitch, typically a Strobel stitch. It is also possible to use an external adhesive, i.e., to glue the upper to the sole.

[0005] A common problem with known manufacturing methods is that they all rely on a separate, additional process step to connect the upper and the sole. Furthermore, the stitched connection is typically not liquid-tight, i.e., waterproof, so an additional bonding layer is often applied. This not only reduces the efficiency of the process, but also poses a health hazard to workers, as the components of such bonding agents may contain harmful substances.

[0006] It is therefore a general object of the present invention to advance the state of the art in shoe technology, particularly in the field of shoe manufacturing, and preferably to completely or at least partially overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. In advantageous embodiments, a manufacturing method for shoe components is provided that is more efficient than known methods. In further advantageous embodiments, a method is provided that allows for a safer manufacturing process. In further advantageous embodiments, a method is provided that allows for the manufacturing of shoe components to be easily tailored to the individual condition of a particular wearer's foot. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This general object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments follow from the dependent claims and the general disclosure.

[0008] According to a first aspect, the general object is achieved by a method for manufacturing a shoe component. The shoe component may preferably be a shoe, such as a sports shoe. The method comprises the following steps: a. Providing a sole unit comprising a thermoplastic rim portion. b. Placing a last, specifically a shoe last, on the sole unit. The last may be placed on the sole unit, for example, with the side of the sole unit including the thermoplastic rim portion facing the last. c. Heating the thermoplastic rim portion, in particular so that the thermoplastic rim portion becomes flowable and / or melts and / or softens to obtain a heated thermoplastic rim portion. Softening means that the heated thermoplastic rim portion is softer than before heating. For example, the heated thermoplastic rim portion may have a lower Asker C value than before step c. d. Applying the molten thermoplastic upper material onto the thermoplastic rim portion and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion to produce the upper component. In the first case, i.e., when the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied onto the unheated thermoplastic rim portion, the heated thermoplastic rim portion (step c) can be obtained, for example, during and / or due to the application of the molten thermoplastic upper material. In the latter case, i.e., when the molten thermoplastic upper material can be applied onto an already heated thermoplastic rim portion, the thermoplastic rim portion is first heated, and then the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied thereon. e. Curing both the molten thermoplastic upper material applied onto the thermoplastic rim portion and / or the heated thermoplastic rim portion, thereby obtaining a fixed engagement between the upper component and the sole unit. Preferably, the fixed engagement is a material-adhesive engagement, and optionally also a shape-fixing engagement. In step e, the curing of the molten thermoplastic upper material and the curing of the heated (and therefore flowable and / or melted and / or softened) thermoplastic rim portion are carried out together, for example simultaneously.

[0009] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, a shoe last is a shape-providing element that has the shape of a human foot.

[0010] It is generally understood in this specification that the term "comprising" is to be interpreted as meaning the inclusion of the features that follow this term, but not excluding the presence of other features, unless it would render the claim inoperative. On the other hand, when the expression "consisting of" is used, no further features are present in the corresponding item, except for those that follow said expression.

[0011] The term "heated thermoplastic rim portion" as used in step c means that the thermoplastic rim portion has a higher temperature after step c than the thermoplastic rim portion in step a or after curing in step e, for example. The heated thermoplastic rim portion is therefore typically flowable and / or melts and / or softens. In particular, the heated thermoplastic rim portion has a temperature above room temperature (23°C), preferably a temperature equal to the melting temperature of the thermoplastic rim portion.

[0012] It is further understood that the steps referred to above as steps a-e need not be performed in this order, although this may be the case in some embodiments. In particular, the reference characters "a," "b," "c," "d," and "e" are not to be understood as representing a particular order of steps, but instead serve the purpose of identifying and distinguishing corresponding steps of the method according to the present invention. Thus, step c may be performed, for example, before, after, or together with step b. In some embodiments, it is also possible to perform step d before step c, or to perform steps c and d together. Thus, heating and / or softening of the thermoplastic rim portion may be achieved by, and in particular only by, the application of molten thermoplastic upper material. Instead of using the reference characters "a," "b," "c," "d," and "e," hyphens may also be used.

[0013] The method according to the present invention has the advantage that the manufacture of the upper component and the connection of the upper component to the sole unit are carried out together in a single process step. This is applied as a molten thermoplastic upper material directly onto the thermoplastic rim portion and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion. Therefore, the connection between the upper and the sole unit is achieved simultaneously with the creation of the upper. Furthermore, because both the thermoplastic rim portion and the thermoplastic upper material melt and / or are fluid and / or soften during the application of the thermoplastic polymer material onto the thermoplastic rim portion, or at least before the molten thermoplastic upper material and the heated rim portion are cured, they achieve a strong and tight connection upon curing. Therefore, additional means for connecting the upper component to the sole unit, such as stitching or a separate adhesive, are not required and can be omitted. Such an embodiment is advantageous because it improves the runner's performance. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the applicant believes this is caused by better force transmission of the foot's running motion through the upper component to the sole unit. Furthermore, since the thermoplastic rim portion is in a molten and / or fluid and / or softened state during application of the thermoplastic upper material, or at least prior to hardening of the molten thermoplastic upper material and the heated rim portion, a liquid-tight, in particular waterproof, connection is achieved.

[0014] The curing in step e preferably includes cooling the applied molten thermoplastic upper material and the flowable and / or melted and / or softened thermoplastic rim portion of the sole unit. The cooling may be active cooling or may involve allowing the applied molten thermoplastic upper material and the flowable and / or melted and / or softened thermoplastic rim portion (i.e., the heated thermoplastic rim portion) to reach ambient temperature (23°C) on their own.

[0015] The thermoplastic rim portion of the sole unit may typically have a specific width and height and form the periphery of the sole unit. The width of the thermoplastic rim portion typically refers to the extension of the thermoplastic rim portion in a horizontal plane, i.e., the plane defined by the longitudinal and lateral directions. The thermoplastic rim portion of the sole unit also typically has a specific height, i.e., vertical extension. The height may typically be 1% to 60%, particularly 5% to 50%, and more particularly 10% to 40% of the total height of the sole unit, i.e., its total extension in the vertical direction. The total height may also be referred to as the "thickness" of the sole unit.

[0016] The directional designations used in this disclosure should be understood as follows: The longitudinal direction L of a shoe component is represented by an axis extending from the heel area, respectively from the heel edge, to the forefoot region, respectively to the midsole tip, and thus extends along the longitudinal axis of the shoe component. The lateral direction T of a shoe component extends transversely to the longitudinal axis, substantially parallel to the ground in the operating state. Thus, the lateral direction extends along the transverse axis of the shoe component. In the context of the present invention, the vertical direction V indicates a direction in the direction of the insole or in the operating state in the direction of the wearer's foot, and thus extends along the vertical axis of the shoe component. The longitudinal, vertical, and lateral directions may all be perpendicular to one another. The designation "horizontal" refers to a plane extending in the longitudinal and lateral directions and perpendicular to the vertical direction. The lateral side of a shoe component, respectively a sole unit, is the outer periphery of the shoe component, respectively a sole unit, between the heel edge and the sole tip, which abuts the lateral instep of the wearer's foot in the worn state. The medial side of a shoe component, or sole unit, refers to the inner circumference of the shoe component, or sole unit, between the heel edge and the sole tip, located opposite the lateral side. Thus, in a pair of worn shoes, the medial sides of the two shoes face each other, and the lateral sides face away from each other. Furthermore, shoe components can typically be longitudinally divided into a forefoot area, a heel area, and a midfoot area located between the forefoot and heel areas. For example, the forefoot area extends from the shoe tip, i.e., opposite the longitudinal direction, for 30-45% of the total length of the shoe component in the longitudinal direction. The heel area, for example, extends from the heel edge in the longitudinal direction for 20-30% of the total length of the shoe component in the longitudinal direction. The midfoot area extends directly between the heel area and the forefoot area, such that the longitudinal length of the midfoot area constitutes the remaining portion of the total length, specifically 15-50% of the total length.

[0017] In some embodiments, step d includes step d1 of applying molten thermoplastic upper material onto the thermoplastic rim portion and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion to produce the upper component, and step d2 of pressing the applied molten thermoplastic upper material and the heated thermoplastic rim portion together. Such embodiments enhance the tightness and rigidity of the engagement between the sole unit and the upper component.

[0018] In some embodiments, step d, individually step d1, further comprises applying a molten thermoplastic upper material onto the last to produce the upper component.

[0019] In certain embodiments, the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied onto the last so as to circumferentially surround the last, particularly so as to circumferentially surround the last in a completely horizontal direction. However, in each of these embodiments, the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied onto the last particularly so as to allow the last to be removed from the manufactured upper component without destroying the manufactured upper component. That is, the thermoplastic upper material is applied so that the upper component defines a foot opening.

[0020] Typically, after step e, the shoe last is removed, thereby forming a foot receiving section that corresponds to the shape of the shoe last.

[0021] In some embodiments, the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied to the thermoplastic rim portion and / or the heated thermoplastic rim portion, and optionally to the last, as one or more filaments. That is, a single filament is applied continuously to the last, or multiple filaments are applied to the last, preferably one after the other. However, the filaments are typically separate from one another during application.

[0022] Thus, in some embodiments, it may be possible to spray and / or spread and / or apply individual filaments of molten thermoplastic upper material onto the thermoplastic rim portion and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion and, optionally, onto the last. In certain embodiments in which multiple filaments are applied, the filaments may have a length of 20 mm or less, particularly 10 mm or less, and particularly 5 mm or less.

[0023] Such embodiments using one or more filaments have the advantage of easily and reliably achieving a specific shape for the upper. In particular, a shoe last can be designed as an individual model of a specific wearer's foot. For example, in some embodiments, the method can include taking a 3D scan of the wearer's foot and manufacturing a shoe last based on the 3D scan, for example, by additive manufacturing. Furthermore, using filaments can achieve and / or mimic a woven structure for the upper. For example, if multiple separate filaments are applied, particularly randomly, the resulting upper component can achieve and / or mimic a nonwoven fabric. If a single filament is applied continuously to the shoe last, the resulting upper component can achieve and / or mimic a knitted upper. If several filaments are applied regularly, for example, so that they form a lattice structure, the resulting upper component can achieve and / or mimic a woven upper.

[0024] In some embodiments, the thermoplastic rim portion is heated in step c) to a temperature of from 110°C to 350°C, in particular from 200°C to 350°C, more particularly from 200°C to 250°C, more particularly to 230°C.

[0025] In some embodiments, the molten thermoplastic upper material has a temperature in step d of from 110°C to 350°C, particularly from 200°C to 350°C, particularly from 250°C to 300°C, more particularly 280°C.

[0026] The thermoplastic rim portion, in some embodiments, may be made from polyester, polyamide, polyether block amide (PEBA), polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyolefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or a mixture thereof. In some embodiments, the entire sole unit may be made from polyester, polyamide, polyether block amide (PEBA), polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyolefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or a mixture thereof.

[0027] In some embodiments, the thermoplastic upper material can be polyester, polyamide, polyether block amide (PEBA), polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyolefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or a mixture thereof.

[0028] In some embodiments, the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied by a nozzle, for example a spray nozzle, onto the thermoplastic rim portion and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion, and optionally onto the last.

[0029] In some embodiments, the nozzle may have a distance to the thermoplastic rim portion of 20 to 50 mm, in particular 30 to 40 mm.

[0030] In some embodiments, the nozzle is part of an application unit that is movable in three-dimensional space. The movement of the application unit in three-dimensional space can be controlled by a control unit in a preferred embodiment. The control unit can include, for example, a circuit, in particular a microprocessor. In some embodiments, the application unit can include or be a robotic arm. Thus, the application unit can move around the sole unit and / or last during step d.

[0031] In some embodiments, the application unit and the last are moved relative to one another during step d. This can be achieved by moving the application unit in three-dimensional space, by moving the last and sole unit in three-dimensional space, or by moving the application unit, last, and sole unit in three-dimensional space.

[0032] In some embodiments, the nozzle has an outlet opening for the molten thermoplastic upper material and multiple exhaust openings. The exhaust openings are arranged around the outlet opening, and pressurized air is supplied through the exhaust openings to the molten thermoplastic upper material exiting the nozzle so that the molten thermoplastic upper material exiting the nozzle is applied as a spiral filament onto the thermoplastic rim portion and / or the heated thermoplastic rim portion and / or onto the shoe last. The use of the spiral filament results in the formation of a looped structure of the upper component having multiple intersecting but non-intertwined loops. Thus, it is possible to provide an upper component that achieves and / or mimics a knitted textile. However, by preselecting the properties of the spiral filament, such as the helical pitch, inclination, or radius, the corresponding loops formed can be easily varied on the upper component. For example, it is possible to use narrower loops by selecting a smaller radius in locations with high mechanical stress during running and wider loops in locations where specific flexibility is advantageous.

[0033] In some embodiments, the molten thermoplastic filaments may be supplied to the thermoplastic rim portion and / or heated thermoplastic rim portion at a speed of at least 0.1 m / s, particularly at least 0.5 m / s, and more particularly at least 0.7 m / s. In some embodiments, the molten thermoplastic filaments may be supplied to the thermoplastic rim portion and / or heated thermoplastic rim portion at a speed of 0.1 m / s to 10 m / s, particularly 0.1 m / s to 5 m / s, and more particularly 0.1 m / s to 1 m / s. In some embodiments, the molten thermoplastic filaments may be supplied to the thermoplastic rim portion and / or heated thermoplastic rim portion at a speed of 0.5 m / s to 10 m / s, particularly 0.5 m / s to 5 m / s, and more particularly 0.5 m / s to 1 m / s. In some embodiments, the molten thermoplastic filaments may be fed to the thermoplastic rim portion and / or the heated thermoplastic rim portion at a speed of 0.7 m / s to 10 m / s, particularly 0.7 m / s to 5 m / s, and more particularly 0.7 m / s to 1 m / s.

[0034] In some embodiments, the pressurized air has a temperature of between 400°C and 800°C, particularly between 400°C and 800°C, and more particularly between 500°C and 600°C.

[0035] The helical filament may have a radius of, for example, at least 0.5 mm, in particular at least 1 mm, in particular at least 2 mm. For example, the radius may be between 0.5 mm and 20 mm, in particular between 1 mm and 10 mm.

[0036] Typically, in such embodiments, only a single helical filament exits the exit opening, and not multiple filaments simultaneously.

[0037] In some embodiments, the helical filament is applied at least partially or completely as a continuous filament. Thus, the resulting upper component comprises or consists of a plurality of continuous loops of a single continuous filament. For example, it may be possible to form at least 10, preferably at least 50, more preferably at least 100, more preferably at least 500, and more preferably at least 1000 loops from a single continuous filament.

[0038] The exhaust openings may preferably include a horizontal angle β between a horizontal plane perpendicular to the outlet opening and the discharge direction and an axis passing through the exhaust opening, respectively, along which the air leaves the exhaust opening. Furthermore, the exhaust openings are aligned along an axis passing through the corresponding air outlet opening in the direction of the pressurized air flow, and are not oriented directly towards the axis extending in the discharge direction through the centre of the outlet opening, but are shifted horizontally thereto by an angle α, i.e. perpendicular to the discharge direction and the outlet opening. Preferably, the angle α may be between 5° and 35°, in particular between 15° and 30°.

[0039] In some embodiments, the heating in step c) is performed by an IR heater. In certain embodiments, the IR heater is spaced apart from the thermoplastic rim portion during heating. It may also be possible to use a heated air stream for heating. For example, the heated air stream may have a temperature of 400°C to 800°C, particularly 450°C and 700°C, and more particularly 500°C and 600°C. In some embodiments, the heated air stream is supplied onto the thermoplastic rim portion. For this purpose, a heat gun or related device may be used. The term "heated air" means that the air has a temperature above the melting temperature of the material of the thermoplastic rim portion. Thus, the heated air has a temperature selected to cause the thermoplastic rim portion to become flowable and / or melt and / or soften. In some embodiments, the heating in step c) is performed by a heating element directly contacting the thermoplastic rim portion. In some embodiments, the IR heater is part of the application unit. It may also be possible for the application unit to supply the heated air stream. In some embodiments, the flow of heated air can be pressurized air supplied to the molten thermoplastic upper material through an exhaust opening of the nozzle and out the exit opening.

[0040] In some embodiments, the melting temperature of the thermoplastic rim portion is between 150°C and 300°C, particularly between 180°C and 280°C, and more particularly between 200°C and 250°C.

[0041] In certain embodiments, step c, i.e., heating the thermoplastic rim portion so that it becomes flowable and / or melts and / or softens, may also be performed partially or even completely by application of molten thermoplastic upper material onto the thermoplastic rim portion. In the latter case, i.e., when step c is performed only (i.e., completely) by application of molten thermoplastic upper material onto the thermoplastic rim portion (i.e., by step d), the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied onto the thermoplastic rim portion and thermal energy is transferred from the applied molten thermoplastic upper material to the thermoplastic rim portion, which heats the thermoplastic rim portion, in particular so that it becomes flowable and / or melts and / or softens.

[0042] In some embodiments, the sole unit includes a central section, and the thermoplastic rim portion completely circumferentially surrounds the central section. Preferably, the thermoplastic rim portion is in direct contact with and / or disposed directly adjacent to the central section. The central section may be made from the same material as the thermoplastic rim portion, or may be made from a different material. In certain embodiments in which the central section is made from the same material as the thermoplastic rim portion, the thermoplastic rim portion and the central section may be integrally formed, i.e., formed as a single piece. In certain embodiments, the sole unit may be a single-piece sole unit.

[0043] In some embodiments, the last in step b is placed on the midsection. However, in some embodiments, the last is not placed on the thermoplastic rim portion. In certain embodiments, the last is placed only on the midsection of the sole unit.

[0044] In alternative embodiments, the last is placed on both the central section and the thermoplastic rim portion. In particular, the last can be placed on the sole unit such that the sole unit and the last are flush with one another, or such that the sole unit protrudes from the last, in particular laterally and / or medially.

[0045] In some embodiments, the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied onto the thermoplastic rim portion and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion so as to circumferentially surround, preferably completely surround, the central section of the sole unit. By circumferentially surrounding the central section, a tight, liquid-tight connection, particularly a waterproof connection, between the sole unit and the upper component can be achieved.

[0046] In some embodiments, the thermoplastic rim portion has a width of 0 mm to 5 mm, particularly greater than 0 mm to 5 mm, and more particularly 0.1 mm to 2.5 mm. As outlined above, the width of the thermoplastic rim portion is the extension of the thermoplastic rim portion in the horizontal plane defined by the longitudinal and lateral directions. While this may be true in some embodiments, the width of the thermoplastic rim portion need not be constant at all positions on the thermoplastic rim portion, and in particular may vary within the ranges provided above.

[0047] In some embodiments, the upper component and the sole unit are connected only by the fixing engagement provided in step e, for example, by material adhesion between the upper component and the sole unit, and optionally by form-locking engagement. The form-locking engagement can occur if the applied thermoplastic upper material forms a loop, whereby the thermoplastic rim portion forms the form-locking engagement after curing.

[0048] In some embodiments, the connection between the upper component and the sole unit is free of stitches and / or separate adhesives, which increases the efficiency of manufacturing the shoe component. A separate adhesive is an adhesive that is additionally added to the thermoplastic rim portion and / or the thermoplastic upper material, but is not an inherent part of the thermoplastic rim portion and / or the thermoplastic upper material.

[0049] In a second aspect of the present invention, the general object is achieved by a shoe component, particularly a shoe. In a preferred embodiment, the shoe or shoe component of the second aspect of the present invention can be obtained by any of the methods of the embodiments described herein, particularly with respect to the first aspect of the present invention. The shoe or shoe component comprises a sole unit and an upper component. The sole unit comprises a thermoplastic rim portion. The upper component is made of a thermoplastic upper material. Furthermore, the thermoplastic rim portion and the upper component are connected to each other by a direct material-bonding engagement between the thermoplastic rim portion and the upper component. The direct material-bonding engagement means that the thermoplastic rim portion and the upper component form a material-bonding engagement together without external additives such as adhesives.

[0050] In some embodiments, the connection between the sole unit and the upper component is free of stitches and / or separate adhesives.

[0051] In some embodiments, the upper component is comprised of one or more filaments of a thermoplastic upper material. The one or more filaments may be randomly distributed, particularly filaments each having a length of 20 mm or less, particularly 10 mm or less, and particularly 5 mm or less. Alternatively, the one or more filaments may be regularly distributed. In certain embodiments, the one or more filaments may each form a loop structure. Each loop structure may consist of multiple loops. Typically, the loops overlap but are not intertwined. Generally, the one or more filaments may be connected to one another by a material bond connection at the connection point. In certain embodiments, it is also possible for a single filament to form such a material bond connection point with itself.

[0052] In some embodiments, the upper is a woven element. In some embodiments, the upper may comprise one or more filaments, preferably made from a thermoplastic upper material. In certain embodiments, the one or more filaments form a loop structure.

[0053] In some embodiments, the shoe may include a peripheral fused section. In particular, the peripheral fused section may form a direct material-bonded engagement between the thermoplastic rim portion and the sole unit. The peripheral fused section may be, for example, disposed circumferentially around the central section of the sole unit. The fused section may preferably be a section where the upper component and the sole unit are directly fused. In certain embodiments, the peripheral fused section extends circumferentially around the central section of the sole unit.

[0054] In some embodiments, the upper component of the shoe may have at least one physical property different from the peripheral fused section, such as a different hardness (e.g., Asker C hardness) and / or porosity and / or density. The upper component may be a woven element as described above, and the peripheral fused section may also be a continuous polymer section, particularly a welded seam.

[0055] In some embodiments, the sole unit of the shoe may have at least one physical property that differs from the perimeter fused section, such as a different hardness (e.g., Asker C hardness) and / or porosity and / or density. It may also be possible for the sole unit to be a foamed component and for the perimeter fused section to be a continuous polymer section, particularly a welded seam.

[0056] In some embodiments, the peripheral fused section may have a height, ie an extension in the vertical direction, of 1 mm to 20 mm, particularly 5 mm to 15 mm, and more particularly 5 mm to 10 mm.

[0057] In some embodiments, the peripheral fused section may have a height of 1% to 60%, particularly 5% to 50%, and more particularly 10% to 40% of the total height of the sole unit, i.e., its total extension in the vertical direction.

[0058] In some embodiments, the peripheral fused section may comprise multiple fused loop structures.

[0059] The following examples disclose further aspects and embodiments of the present invention, which may also be combined with any of the other embodiments described herein.

[0060] Example 1. A method for manufacturing a shoe component, in particular a shoe, comprising: a. providing a sole unit comprising a thermoplastic rim portion; b. placing a shoe last on the sole unit; c. heating the thermoplastic rim portion such that the thermoplastic rim portion becomes flowable and / or melts to obtain a heated thermoplastic rim portion; d. applying a molten thermoplastic upper material onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion to produce an upper component; e. curing the molten thermoplastic upper material applied onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion and the heated thermoplastic rim portion to obtain a fixed engagement, in particular a material bond and optionally a shape-fixing engagement, between the upper component and the sole unit; A method comprising:

[0061] Example 2. The method of Example 1, wherein step d further comprises applying a molten thermoplastic upper material onto a last to produce an upper component.

[0062] Example 3. The method of Example 1 or 2, wherein the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied as one or more thermoplastic filaments onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion and, optionally, onto the last.

[0063] Example 4. The method according to any of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the thermoplastic rim portion is heated in step c to a temperature of between 110°C and 350°C, in particular between 200°C and 250°C, more particularly to 230°C.

[0064] Example 5. The method of any of Examples 1-4, wherein the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied by a nozzle onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion and optionally onto the last.

[0065] Example 6. The method of example 5, wherein the nozzle is part of an application unit that is movable in three-dimensional space, the movement of the application unit being optionally controlled by a control unit.

[0066] Example 7. The method of example 6, wherein the application unit and the shoe last are moved relative to each other during step d.

[0067] Example 8. The method of any of Examples 5-7, wherein the nozzle has an outlet opening for the molten thermoplastic upper material and a plurality of exhaust openings, the exhaust openings being arranged around the outlet opening, and pressurized air is supplied to the molten thermoplastic upper material exiting the outlet openings such that the molten thermoplastic upper material exiting the nozzle is applied to the shoe last as a spiral filament.

[0068] Example 9. The method of any of Examples 1-8, wherein in step c, the heating step is performed by an IR heater by applying a stream of heated air and / or by placing a heating element in direct contact with the thermoplastic rim portion.

[0069] Example 10. The method of any of Examples 1-9, wherein the sole unit comprises a central section and the thermoplastic rim portion completely circumferentially surrounds the central section.

[0070] Example 11. The method of example 10, wherein the shoe last is placed on the central section, in particular only on the central section, in step b.

[0071] Example 12. The method of example 10 or 11, wherein in step d, the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion so as to completely circumferentially surround the central section.

[0072] Example 13. The method according to any of Examples 1 to 12, wherein the thermoplastic rim portion has a width w of more than 0 mm to 5 mm, in particular 0.1 mm to 2.5 mm.

[0073] Example 14. The method of any of Examples 1-13, wherein the upper component and the sole unit are connected only by a fixed engagement and / or the connection between the upper component and the sole unit is free of stitches and / or separate adhesive.

[0074] Example 15. A shoe component, preferably obtainable by the method of any of Examples 1-14, wherein the shoe comprises a sole unit and an upper component, the sole unit comprising a thermoplastic rim portion, the upper component being made from a thermoplastic upper material, and the sole unit and the upper component being connected to each other by direct material adhesive engagement between the thermoplastic rim portion and the upper component.

[0075] Example 16. The shoe component of Example 15, wherein the connection between the sole unit and the upper component is free of stitches and / or separate adhesive.

[0076] The invention described herein will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which should not be construed as limiting the invention as defined in the appended claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0077] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a scheme of a method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 illustrates the application of molten thermoplastic upper material onto a heated thermoplastic rim portion according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3a] FIG. 1 illustrates a nozzle as it may be used in some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 3b] FIG. 1 illustrates a nozzle as it may be used in some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 shows a scheme of a method according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0078] FIG. 1 shows a process scheme of a method for manufacturing a shoe component 100. In A, a sole unit 1 is provided. The sole unit 1 comprises a thermoplastic rim portion 2 having a width w that completely surrounds a central section 3 in the circumferential direction. Note that the width w is exaggerated for clarity. Then, in B, a shoe last 4 is placed on the sole unit 1, particularly on the central section 3. The thermoplastic rim portion 2 is further heated, in this case by an IR heater 12, until it melts and / or becomes flowable and / or softens and / or melts. It is understood that heating includes raising the temperature of the thermoplastic rim portion to typically at least room temperature (23°C) or higher. By heating the thermoplastic rim portion 2, a heated thermoplastic rim portion 2' is obtained (see C). A molten thermoplastic upper material 5 is then applied onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion 2' by a nozzle 6. In this embodiment, the nozzle is a spray nozzle, and the molten thermoplastic upper material is sprayed onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion 2' and further onto the last 4. The nozzle 6 is part of an application unit 7 that is movable in three-dimensional space. When the molten thermoplastic upper material applied to the heated thermoplastic rim portion 2' is hardened (see D), a fixed engagement, in particular a material-adhering engagement, and optionally a shape-locking engagement, is established between the upper component 8 and the sole unit 1. In this or any other embodiment described herein, the last 4 can be removed to obtain the shoe component 100 (see E).

[0079] FIG. 2 shows a step of applying a molten thermoplastic upper material onto a heated thermoplastic rim portion 2′ and, optionally, onto a shoe last 4 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The application unit 7 includes a barrel 10 and a screw 9 disposed within the barrel 10. The barrel 10 and the screw 9 together form an extrusion unit. That is, the thermoplastic upper material can be supplied to the extrusion unit, particularly through a funnel-shaped feeder. Typically, the thermoplastic upper material is supplied to the extrusion unit in a solid state, for example, in the form of granules. Then, inside the extrusion unit, the thermoplastic upper material is melted and forced toward and through a nozzle 6. The application unit 7 is movable in three-dimensional space so that it can be moved relative to the sole unit 1 and the shoe last 4.

[0080] The nozzle 6 used in this embodiment has an outlet opening for the molten thermoplastic upper material 5 and a plurality of exhaust openings (the outlet opening and exhaust openings are not shown in FIG. 2; see FIGS. 3a and 3b for a detailed view of the nozzle 6). The exhaust openings are arranged around the outlet opening, and pressurized air is supplied to the molten thermoplastic upper material 5 emerging from the outlet opening so that the molten thermoplastic upper material 5 emerging from the nozzle 6 is applied to the last as a spiral filament. As can be seen, the emerging molten thermoplastic material 5 forms a single spiral filament between the heated thermoplastic rim portion 2′ and the nozzle 6. Due to the movement of the application unit 7 relative to the sole unit 1 and the last 4, this results in the formation of an upper component consisting of a plurality of loops. The loops cross each other but are not intertwined with each other.

[0081] FIG. 3a shows a schematic top view of the nozzle 6 used in the application unit 7 of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3a, the exhaust opening 61 is not directly aimed at the nozzle's outlet opening 62. The nozzle 6 has six such exhaust openings 61 (for clarity, only one of the exhaust openings is designated). They are oriented along an axis 64 passing through the corresponding air outlet opening in the direction of compressed air flow, and are not directly oriented toward an axis 63 extending in the discharge direction through the center of the outlet opening. For this purpose, they are displaced horizontally, i.e., perpendicular to the discharge direction and the outlet opening 62, by an angle α. The angle α along the exhaust opening, i.e., along the axis 64 passing through the corresponding exhaust opening in the direction of compressed air flow, relative to the axis 63 directly aimed at the outlet opening 62 can be between 5° and 35°, particularly between 15° and 30°. FIG. 3b shows a schematic side view of the nozzle 6 used in the application unit 7 of FIG. 2. The horizontal angle β between a horizontal plane 66 perpendicular to the discharge direction and the exhaust opening (for greater clarity, the direction of the air outlet opening 61 is indicated by axis 65) is between 40° and 60°, preferably between 50° and 60°, in particular 55°. The arrangement of the exhaust opening relative to the outlet opening 62 makes it possible to direct the pressurized air onto the molten thermoplastic upper material 5 so that the molten thermoplastic upper material 5 is applied to the heated thermoplastic rim portion as a spiral filament.

[0082] 4 shows a process scheme of a method for manufacturing a shoe component 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. At A, a sole unit 1 is provided. The sole unit 1 comprises a thermoplastic rim portion 2 having a width w and a height h that completely circumferentially surrounds a central section 3. It should be noted that the width w is exaggerated for clarity.

[0083] 1 , it can be seen that the shoe last 4 is then placed on the sole unit 1, and in contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the shoe last is placed on both the central section 3 and the rim portion 2, specifically so that the shoe last 4 and the sole unit 1 are flush with each other. Furthermore, the thermoplastic rim portion 2 is heated by a hot air stream (i.e., a heated air stream having a temperature above room temperature [23°C], specifically above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic rim portion) of an application unit 7, which also comprises a nozzle 6, as will be further explained below. For example, this air stream can be pressurized air being supplied onto the molten thermoplastic upper material exiting the nozzle outlet opening (see above). The thermoplastic rim portion 2 is heated by the hot air stream supplied by the application unit 7 until the thermoplastic rim portion 2 melts and / or becomes flowable and / or softens. It is understood that heating includes raising the temperature of the thermoplastic rim portion, typically to at least room temperature (23°C) or above. By heating the thermoplastic rim portion 2, a heated thermoplastic rim portion 2' is obtained (see C). In this embodiment, the thermoplastic rim portion 2 is first heated, and then the application of the molten thermoplastic upper material is carried out (see C). This embodiment is shown by path i). The molten thermoplastic upper material 5 is then applied onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion 2' by a nozzle 6. In this embodiment, the nozzle is a nozzle as shown in Figures 3a and 3b, and the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied as a spiral filament onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion 2' and further onto the last 4. The nozzle 6 is part of an application unit 7 that is movable in three-dimensional space. Alternatively, the application unit may be stationary, and the last and sole unit may be moved in three-dimensional space relative to the application unit 7.

[0084] Alternatively, route ii) may be followed. In this embodiment, the last 4 is placed on the sole unit 1 as described above. However, in this embodiment, heating the thermoplastic rim portion so that it becomes flowable and / or melts and / or softens is performed solely by transferring heat energy from the molten thermoplastic upper material 5 that has been applied to the thermoplastic rim portion 2. Therefore, in contrast to route i), no separate heating step is performed.

[0085] The last 4 is placed on the sole unit 1 so that the sole unit 1 and last 4 are flush with one another, and the molten thermoplastic upper material is applied laterally and medially onto the sole unit 1. The dotted line at D indicates that the interface between the sole unit 1 and the upper 8 is covered by the thermoplastic upper material. The thermoplastic rim portion 2 is completely covered by the applied thermoplastic upper material.

[0086] Upon hardening (see D) the molten thermoplastic upper material applied to the heated thermoplastic rim portion 2' establishes a fixed engagement, in particular a material-bonding engagement, and optionally a shape-locking engagement, between the upper component 8 and the sole unit 1. In this or any other embodiment described herein, the last 4 can be removed to obtain the shoe component 100 (see E). [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1 Sole Unit 100 Shoe Components 2 Thermoplastic rim parts 2' heated thermoplastic rim section 3. Central Section 4 shoe last 5. Thermoplastic upper material 6 nozzles 61 Exhaust opening 62 Exit opening 63 Axis passing through the center of the outlet opening 64 Axis passing through the exhaust opening 65 Axis passing through the exhaust opening in the direction of the outgoing compressed air 66 horizontal plane 7 Coating unit 8 Upper components 9 barrels 10 screws 11 Control unit 12 IR heater 13 Feeder L Longitudinal direction T horizontal direction V Vertical h height w width

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a shoe component (100), in particular a shoe, comprising: a. Providing a sole unit (1) comprising a thermoplastic rim portion (2); b. placing a shoe last (4) on the sole unit (1); c) heating said thermoplastic rim portion (2) so that it becomes flowable and / or melts and / or softens to obtain a heated thermoplastic rim portion (2'); d. applying a molten thermoplastic upper material (5) onto said thermoplastic rim portion (2) and / or onto said heated thermoplastic rim portion (2') to produce an upper component (8); e) hardening the heated thermoplastic rim portion (2') and the molten thermoplastic upper material (5) applied on the thermoplastic rim portion (2) and / or on the heated thermoplastic rim portion (2') to obtain a fixed engagement, in particular a material-adherent engagement and optionally a shape-fixing engagement, between the upper component (8) and the sole unit (1); A method comprising:

2. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein step d further comprises applying the molten thermoplastic upper material (5) onto the last (4) to produce the upper component (8).

3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the molten thermoplastic upper material (5) is applied as one or more thermoplastic filaments onto the thermoplastic rim portion (2) and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion (2'), and optionally onto the last (4).

4. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the thermoplastic rim portion (2) is heated in step c) to a temperature of 110°C to 350°C, in particular 200°C to 250°C, more particularly 230°C.

5. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the molten thermoplastic upper material (5) is applied by a nozzle (6) onto the thermoplastic rim portion (2) and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion (2'), and optionally onto the last.

6. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the nozzle (6) is part of an application unit (7) movable in three-dimensional space, the movement of the application unit (7) being optionally controlled by a control unit (11).

7. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the application unit (7) and the shoe last (4) are moved relative to each other during step d.

8. 8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the nozzle (6) has an outlet opening (62) for the molten thermoplastic upper material (5) and a plurality of exhaust openings (61), the exhaust openings (61) being arranged around the outlet opening (62), and pressurized air is supplied to the molten thermoplastic upper material (5) emerging from the outlet openings (62) so that the molten thermoplastic upper material (5) emerging from the nozzle (6) is applied as a spiral filament onto the thermoplastic rim portion (2) and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion (2′) and / or onto the shoe last.

9. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein in step c) the heating step is performed by an IR heater (12) by applying a stream of heated air and / or by having a heating element in direct contact with the thermoplastic rim portion.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the sole unit (1) comprises a central section (3), and the thermoplastic rim portion (2) completely circumferentially surrounds the central section (3).

11. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the shoe last (4) is placed in step b) on the central section (3), in particular on the central section (3) only, or on the central section (3) and the thermoplastic rim portion (2).

12. 12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein in step d, the molten thermoplastic upper material (5) is applied onto the thermoplastic rim portion (2) and / or onto the heated thermoplastic rim portion (2') so as to completely surround the central section (3) in the circumferential direction.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermoplastic rim portion (2) has a width (w) of more than 0 mm to 5 mm, in particular 0.1 mm to 2.5 mm.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the upper component (8) and the sole unit (1) are connected only by said fixed engagement and / or the connection between the upper component (8) and the sole unit (1) is free of stitches and / or separate adhesives.

15. Preferably, a shoe component (100) obtainable by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the shoe comprises a sole unit (1) and an upper component (8), the sole unit (1) comprising a thermoplastic rim portion (2), the upper component (8) being made from a thermoplastic upper material, the sole unit (1) and the upper component (8) being connected to each other by direct material adhesive engagement between the thermoplastic rim portion (2) and the upper component (8).

16. The shoe component (100) according to claim 15, wherein the connection between the sole unit (1) and the upper component (8) is free of stitches and / or separate adhesives.

Images