Method for manufacturing shoe upper printed with high-quality 3D design using upper and lower molds
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-13
Smart Images
Figure KR2025010983_13082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Method for manufacturing a shoe upper printed with a high-quality 3D design using upper and lower molds
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a high-quality 3D design printed using upper and lower molds. More specifically, by employing a method of interlocking a lower mold and an upper mold, each having an intaglio and a relief formed therein, to apply pressure and mold both sides of a laminated sheet, the edges of the pattern are formed to a level close to a right angle, and an intaglio pattern is simultaneously formed on the area where the relief pattern is formed, thereby securing the lightness of the product and forming a three-dimensional structure that is differentiated from existing methods. Furthermore, the pressure applied to the press machine is controlled by a stopper formed in the upper mold, thereby maintaining uniform quality such as the thickness, shape, and hardness of the product. Additionally, by forming a plurality of fixing pins in the lower mold, a step difference between the printed layer formed on the upper and the pattern does not occur.
[0002]
[0003] Generally, various types of footwear, such as dress shoes, sneakers, and hiking boots, consist of an upper leather that forms the exterior of the shoe, an outsole that contacts the ground, a midsole installed above the outsole, and an insole that contacts the sole of the foot. The outsole, midsole, and insole thus complementarily protect the sole of the foot while ensuring a comfortable walking experience. In particular, the upper protects the instep and adds design elements to the shoe, thereby enhancing its marketability.
[0004] Accordingly, continuous efforts have been made to improve the quality and productivity of shoe uppers, but since most shoe uppers use general 2D fabrics, films, and synthetic leather, they are manufactured by assembling through multi-stage operations such as no-sewing or sewing, making the process complex and difficult to produce products with the desired level of three-dimensionality.
[0005] For example, conventional methods for producing 3D-shaped uppers include using a method of repeatedly layering printing ink to form thickness, using PU liquid resin, using PU casting to create a three-dimensional shape by injecting into a mold, or using elastic resins such as TPU by injecting into a mold and compression molding. However, due to the complex process conditions, these conventional methods exhibit poor workability and limitations in improving product quality, leading to many problems regarding their widespread application.
[0006] As prior art related to the above-described shoe upper molding method, Korean Registered Patent No. 10-1768978 comprises: a first step of manufacturing a mold including irregularities in an internal space; a second step of manufacturing a two-layer film transfer body by forming a coating layer including a printing layer and polyurethane; a third step of configuring the two-layer film transfer body fixed to the mold so as to be positioned upward; a fourth step of forming a transfer target by injecting liquid or solid thermoplastic polyurethane; and a fifth step of fixing a fabric to the transfer target and then injection molding the two-layer film transfer body, the transfer target, and the fabric by simultaneously applying pressure and heating. A method for manufacturing a shoe upper using a two-layer film is disclosed, comprising the sixth step of manufacturing a shoe by processing an injection-molded two-layer film transfer body, a transfer body, and a fabric. This has the advantage of protecting the transfer body and the fabric transferred to the shoe fabric by manufacturing the shoe while the two-layer film, on which the shoe logo and drawing are transferred, is attached to the fabric.
[0007] In addition, Korean registered patent No. 10-1098941 discloses a shoe part integrally formed on the upper by injection molding a synthetic resin using an injection molding machine, thereby injecting the shoe part integrally onto the upper in a simple manufacturing process using a seamless injection molding method, and then the upper is spread out on the lower mold of a mold and injection molded using an upper mold imprinted with a desired shape to integrally form the shoe part on the upper, and the manufacturing method thereof. The advantage of this molding method is that the manufacturing process is simple due to the seamless injection molding method, resulting in high productivity and a low defect rate, as well as the ability to simply and integrally form various shapes or complex shapes on the upper.
[0008] In addition, as prior art regarding a molding device for manufacturing a shoe upper, Korean Registered Utility Model No. 20-0244339 discloses a shoe upper molding machine in which a passage for injecting air is provided inside an upper mold that moves vertically by the operation of a cylinder, a pad having multiple holes is installed to seal the passage along the inner side, a banding device is installed behind the upper mold to band the bottom joint of the shoe upper as legs on both sides move vertically, and a stopper is provided behind the lower mold, which fixes the shoe upper and has a cooling means inside, in which a fixing plate moves back and forth by the operation of a cylinder. This has the advantage of increasing the cooling effect and allowing the shoe upper to be molded with constant and accurate dimensions at all times, and reducing the number of overall processes and improving productivity by simultaneously molding the joint of the lower part of the shoe sole.
[0009] Meanwhile, patterns such as lining, side strip decorations, side reinforcements, product or brand names, and manufacturer logos may be added to the shoe upper for visual aesthetics and product promotion. The present invention proposes a technology that uses a laminated fabric composed of foam and textile to improve the functionality of the shoe upper, such as durability, elasticity, cushioning, and texture, while simultaneously moving away from the inefficient conventional method of creating 3D patterns by repeatedly layering printed ink to form thickness, thereby molding the pattern of the shoe upper into a high-quality 3D three-dimensional design. The shoe upper produced by the present invention not only has excellent visual effects but can also form a lighter and differentiated three-dimensional structure compared to existing methods.
[0010]
[0011] The objective of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a high-quality 3D printed shoe upper using upper and lower molds, which can produce a shoe upper that is lighter and softer than existing ones, while enabling the rapid and precise molding of a desired complex pattern by employing a method of pressurizing and molding both sides of a laminated fabric by joining a lower mold and an upper mold, each having an intaglio and a relief formed therein, in order to more efficiently improve the quality of the shoe upper.
[0012] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a high-quality shoe upper printed with a 3D design using upper and lower molds, wherein the method of controlling the pressure applied to the upper and lower molds solely by the pressure of a conventional press machine is improved so that the distance between the upper and lower molds is set by the thickness of a stopper formed in the upper mold, thereby controlling the pressure applied to the upper and lower molds in the press machine, so that a shoe upper with uniform quality such as thickness, shape, and hardness can be manufactured, and furthermore, by forming a plurality of fixing pins in the lower mold, a high-quality shoe upper in which no step difference occurs between the printed layer formed on the shoe upper and the pattern can be produced.
[0013]
[0014] To achieve the above objectives, the method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a high-quality 3D design printed using upper and lower molds proposed in the present invention is characterized by comprising: a mold preparation step (S10) of manufacturing a lower mold (10) and an upper mold (20) respectively according to the design of the product to be produced; a fabric preparation step (S20) of manufacturing a laminated fabric (1) made of foam and textile; a mold joining step (S30) of setting a spacing distance between the upper and lower molds (10, 20) when the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) are joined, joining the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) with the laminated fabric (1) in between, and installing the joined upper and lower molds (10, 20) in a press machine; and an upper molding step (S40) of sequentially proceeding with heating and cooling of the press machine to form the upper into a desired shape.
[0015]
[0016] According to the method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a high-quality 3D design printed using upper and lower molds of the present invention, a laminated fabric is interposed between the lower mold and the upper mold, and by simply pressing the lower mold and the upper mold up and down, a pattern can be formed on the upper and various colors can be applied, thereby maximizing work convenience and efficiency, as well as enabling the mass production of high-quality, lightweight uppers in a short time.
[0017] In addition, unlike the conventional method of layering printing ink multiple times, the present invention allows for the precise formation of intaglio and relief patterns on the upper by pressing the lower mold and the upper mold vertically. As a result, the edges of the upper pattern do not become dull but protrude sharply, forming an upper pattern with maximized 3D effects and clearly imparting various colors, thereby reducing the amount of printing ink used and contributing to the reduction of production costs.
[0018] In addition, the present invention improves the method of controlling the pressure applied to the upper and lower molds solely by the pressure of the existing press machine, so that the distance between the upper and lower molds is set by the thickness of the stopper inserted into the guide pin of the upper mold during the mold engagement stage, thereby controlling the pressure applied to the upper and lower molds in the press machine so that the thickness, shape, and hardness of the product are uniformly molded, minimizing the defect rate and enabling the manufacture of a high-quality upper. Furthermore, by adjusting the thickness of the stopper while maintaining the pressure of the press machine at a constant level, it is possible to produce high-quality uppers under various molding conditions.
[0019] In addition, the present invention has the effect of enabling the realization of a desired upper shape by forming a number of fixing pins in the lower mold during the molding process of the laminated fabric, thereby firmly fixing the laminated fabric so that the printed layer and pattern formed on the upper are not misaligned or step differences occur, and the fabric is molded precisely.
[0020]
[0021] FIG. 1 is a process flowchart showing the step-by-step method for manufacturing a shoe upper proposed by the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a molding mold for a shoe upper proposed by the present invention.
[0023] Figure 3 is an actual photograph of the lower mold proposed by the present invention.
[0024] Figure 4 is an actual photograph of the upper mold proposed by the present invention.
[0025] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the pattern area of a typical shoe upper.
[0026] FIG. 6 is an example photograph of a shoe upper manufactured by the molding mold of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the shape in which a pattern is formed on a shoe upper proposed by the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 8 is an example photograph comparing shoe uppers molded with or without the fixing pin of the present invention.
[0029]
[0030] The method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a high-quality 3D design printed using upper and lower molds proposed in the present invention comprises: a mold preparation step (S10) in which a lower mold (10) and an upper mold (20) are each manufactured according to the design of the product to be produced; a fabric preparation step (S20) in which a laminated fabric (1) made of foam and textile is manufactured; a mold joining step (S30) in which a gap is set between the upper and lower molds (10, 20) when the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) are joined, the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) are joined with the laminated fabric (1) in between, and the joined upper and lower molds (10, 20) are installed in a press machine; and an upper molding step (S40) in which heating and cooling of the press machine are sequentially performed to form the upper into a desired shape.
[0031] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lower mold (10) comprises a lower body (10) formed flat with a set width, an intaglio portion (12) formed in the same shape at a position corresponding to the outer shape and pattern of the laminated sheet (1) within a plane allowed by the lower body (20), and guide grooves (13) formed through each at a position adjacent to a corner within the plane of the lower body (11) to guide the overlapping position of the upper mold (20); and the upper mold (20) comprises an upper body (21) formed flat with a set width, a raised portion (22) having a plurality of protrusions formed corresponding to the intaglio portion (12) of the lower mold (10) within a plane allowed by the upper body (21), and guide pins (23) formed protruding at a position corresponding to the guide grooves (13) of the lower mold (10) and fitted into the guide grooves (13) of the lower mold (10) to guide the overlapping position with the lower mold (10).
[0032] Additionally, the mold preparation step (S10) includes: a mold adjustment step (S11) for sketching the mold shape that matches the design of the product to be produced using a 3D program; a body molding step (S12) for preparing the lower body (11) of the lower mold (10) and the upper body (21) of the upper mold (20) respectively by processing the mold material; a CNC work step (S13) for engraving an intaglio part (12) on the surface of the lower body (10) and engraving a relief part (22) on the surface of the upper body (21) using a CNC; and a mold post-processing step (S14) for cleaning, post-processing, and heat-treating the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) after CNC processing is completed.
[0033] In addition, the laminated fabric (1) manufactured in the above fabric preparation step (S20) is composed of: a first fabric made of textile with a thickness of 0.3 to 3.0 mm; a second fabric made of foam with a thickness of 1.0 to 10 mm, laminated on the upper surface of the first fabric; a third fabric made of textile with a thickness of 0.3 to 3.0 mm, laminated on the upper surface of the second fabric; and a printed layer coated with a thickness of 0.02 to 2.0 mm on the upper surface of the third fabric.
[0034] Additionally, the mold joining step (S30) comprises a fabric mounting step (S31) in which a stopper (100) is inserted into a guide pin (23) formed in the upper mold (20) to set a spacing distance between the upper and lower molds (10, 20) according to the thickness of the stopper (100), a laminated fabric (1) is mounted according to the engraved portion (12) of the lower mold (10), and the laminated fabric (1) is inserted into a plurality of fixing pins (15) protruding around the engraved portion (12) to temporarily fix the laminated fabric (1); A mold placement step (S32) in which a stopper (100) is inserted into a guide pin (23) to set a spacing between the upper and lower molds (10, 20), and a guide pin (23) protruding from the edge of the upper mold (20) at a position corresponding to the guide pin (13) in a 1:1 ratio with the guide pin (13) is positioned on the same vertical line as the guide pin (23) formed protruding from the edge of the upper mold (20); and a mold stacking step (S33) in which the upper mold (20) is stacked on the top of the lower mold (10), wherein the intaglio portion (12) of the lower mold (10) and the embossed portion (22) of the upper mold (20) are joined to induce double-sided pressure of the laminated fabric (1).
[0035] Additionally, the upper molding step (S40) includes: a first pressing step (S41) of applying pressure to the upper while heating by supplying heat to the mold in a press machine; and a second pressing step (S42) of applying pressure to the upper and maintaining the molding pattern while cooling by supplying cooling water to the mold in a press machine.
[0036]
[0037] Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a high-quality 3D design printed using upper and lower molds according to the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. This is intended to be an example sufficient to enable a person skilled in the art to easily practice the invention, and does not imply that the technical concept and scope of the present invention are limited thereby.
[0038] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a high-quality 3D design printed using upper and lower molds. By using a laminated fabric made of foam and textile to induce improvements in functionality such as durability, elasticity, cushioning, and texture of the shoe upper, it improves upon the inefficient method of implementing 3D patterns by repeatedly layering existing printing inks to form thickness.
[0039] Accordingly, the present invention adopts a method of pressurizing and molding both sides of a fabric by joining a lower mold (10) and an upper mold (20), each having an intaglio and a relief formed therein, so that the edges of the pattern are formed to a level close to a right angle, resulting in a very excellent three-dimensional effect. Additionally, since an intaglio pattern is simultaneously formed on the part where the relief pattern is formed, the lightness of the product can be secured. Thus, the present invention was completed by developing a method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a high-quality 3D three-dimensional design printed thereon using upper and lower molds, which maximizes convenience and efficiency of use through a structure differentiated from existing ones.
[0040] FIG. 1 is a process flowchart showing the manufacturing method of a shoe upper proposed by the present invention in steps, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a molding mold for a shoe upper proposed by the present invention, FIG. 3 is an actual photograph of a lower mold proposed by the present invention, FIG. 4 is an actual photograph of an upper mold proposed by the present invention, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a pattern portion of a general shoe upper, FIG. 6 is an example photograph of a shoe upper manufactured by the molding mold of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the shape in which the pattern of the shoe upper proposed by the present invention is formed, and FIG. 8 is an example photograph comparing shoe uppers molded according to the presence or absence of a fixing pin of the present invention.
[0041] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a high-quality 3D design printed thereon by joining upper and lower molds together, comprising: a mold preparation step (S10) for making a lower mold (10) and an upper mold (20) respectively; a fabric preparation step (S20) for making a laminated fabric (1); a mold joining step (S30) for installing the joined upper and lower molds (10, 20) in a press device (P); and an upper molding step (S40) for molding into a desired shape.
[0042] Here, the lower mold (10) comprises a lower body (10) formed as a flat plane of a set width, an intaglio portion (12) having a plurality of grooves of a set shape corresponding to the outer shape and pattern of the product formed within the plane allowed by the lower body (10), and guide grooves (13) formed through each at a position adjacent to the corner within the plane of the lower body (10) to guide the overlapping position of the upper mold (20). The upper mold (20) comprises an upper body (21) formed as a flat plane of a set width, a relief portion (22) having a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the intaglio portion (12) of the lower mold (10) formed within the plane allowed by the upper body (21), and a guide pin (23) formed protruding at a position corresponding to the guide groove (13) of the lower mold (10) and fitted into the guide groove (13) of the lower mold (10) to guide the overlapping position with the lower mold (10).
[0043] First, the mold preparation step (S10) is a process of manufacturing a lower mold (10) and an upper mold (20) respectively according to the design of the product to be produced, and includes a mold adjustment step (S11); a body molding step (S12); a CNC work step (S13); and a mold post-processing step (S14).
[0044] The above mold adjustment step (S11) is a process of sketching the outer shape of a mold that matches the design of the product to be produced using a 3D program, and this involves designing the design of the shoe upper or creating a molding mold in 3D (three-dimensional) by referring to the shoe upper design.
[0045] As described above, in the mold adjustment step (S11), a design of the shoe upper is created, and a molding mold may be created in 3D based on the created design.
[0046] The above body molding step (S12) is a process of processing mold material to prepare the lower body (11) of the lower mold (10) and the upper body (21) of the upper mold (20), respectively.
[0047] As described above, in the body molding step (S12), a process is performed in which a mold material selected from a metal such as aluminum or an epoxy resin is processed into a flat plate of a set thickness and then placed on a milling machine or a CNC lathe.
[0048] The above CNC work step (S13) is a process of engraving an intaglio part (12) on the surface of the lower body (10) and engraving a relief part (22) on the surface of the upper body (21) using a CNC, and the above CNC work step (S13) engraves the pattern of the shoe upper onto a flat plate placed on a CNC lathe using 3D mold data produced in the mold adjustment step (S11).
[0049] As described above, the CNC work step (S13) processes the intaglio part (12) on the lower mold (10) and processes the relief part (22) on the upper mold (20) using 3D mold data.
[0050] The above mold post-processing step (S14) is a process of cleaning, post-processing, and heat-treating the lower mold (10) and upper mold (20) after CNC machining is completed.
[0051] Meanwhile, in the mold post-processing step (S14), surface treatments such as matte, semi-glossy, and glossy finishes may be performed as post-processing steps for the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20), and release coating treatments such as Teflon coating may be performed to improve release properties from the upper material when the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) are demolded.
[0052] As described above, the molding mold of the present invention is composed of a lower mold (10) and an upper mold (20), and the lower mold (10) is composed of a lower body (11) made of a flat surface of a set width and an intaglio part (12) having a plurality of grooves of a set shape corresponding to the pattern of a shoe upper manufactured within the flat surface allowed by the lower body (11).
[0053] The lower body (11) is formed with a rectangular shape having a set thickness and is configured with a sufficiently wide width so that a laminated sheet (1) for a shoe upper can be interposed. It is preferable that both the upper and lower sides of the lower body (11) be configured as flat surfaces so that it can be stably mounted on a mold machine and at the same time easily accommodate the laminated sheet (1).
[0054] The above-mentioned engraved portion (12) is formed by arranging a plurality of grooves within the range allowed by the upper surface of the lower body (11), and the shape in which the grooves are arranged refers to a pattern, design, brand name, logo, etc. formed on the upper part of the shoe, mainly a main pattern formed in the shape of '∩' on the sides of the foot, toes, and instep area, or an upper edge, ankle pattern, shoelace hole pattern, etc. formed with a certain width along the edge of the main pattern.
[0055] A plurality of fixing pins (15) are formed protrudingly at set positions and set intervals on the upper edge and ankle portions to fix the laminated sheet (1) seated on the lower body (11) so as not to move, and the fixing pins (15) are formed in a conical shape to support the laminated sheet (1) during the molding process, thereby promoting stable productivity of the product.
[0056] The lower mold (10) may have a plurality of guide grooves (13) further formed on a flat surface. The guide grooves (13) are formed at positions adjacent to each corner of the lower mold (10) and may be formed by being recessed to a set depth or by being through holes that penetrate the upper and lower surfaces. Since these guide grooves (13) serve to guide the stacking position so that the upper mold (20) can be stacked at the correct position of the lower mold (10) by inducing the intervention of the guide pin (23) of the upper mold (20), the guide grooves (13) and the guide pin (23) are formed with corresponding diameters.
[0057] On both sides of the lower mold (10), an arch-shaped recess (18) is formed, and when the processing of the laminated sheet (1) is completed while the upper mold (20) is stacked on the lower mold (10), the worker can easily separate the upper mold (20) from the lower mold (190) by gripping only the upper mold (20) through the recess (18).
[0058] Additionally, a plurality of support members (19) in the form of straight grooves are formed on the outer edge of the lower mold (10). The support members (19) serve to separate the upper mold (20) from the lower mold (10) by inducing the operation of the lever using the support members (19) as a support when the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) overlap each other.
[0059] Meanwhile, the upper mold (20) is formed as a flat surface of a set width, and a raised surface corresponding to the intaglio of the lower mold (10) is formed protrudingly on the flat surface, and is laminated on the upper surface of the lower mold (10) to press the upper surface of the laminated sheet (1).
[0060] This upper mold (20) is composed of an upper body (21) made of a flat surface of a set width, and a raised portion (22) having a plurality of protrusions formed within the flat surface that the upper body (21) allows, corresponding to the recessed portion (12) of the lower mold (10).
[0061] The upper body (21) is formed with a rectangular shape having a set thickness and is configured with a sufficiently generous width to uniformly press the front surface of the laminated fabric (1) for the shoe upper. It is preferable that both the upper and lower surfaces of the upper body (21) be flat so that the press machine can uniformly press the front surface of the laminated fabric (1).
[0062] The above-mentioned raised portion (22) is formed with at least one protrusion protruding within the range allowed by the bottom surface of the upper body (21). This raised portion (22) can be formed at a position corresponding one-to-one (1:1) to the recessed portion (12) of the lower mold (10), and can be formed in a size slightly smaller than the recessed portion (12) so that it can be closely fitted into each recessed portion (12).
[0063] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the raised portion (22) is formed by protruding a number of very small rectangular columns to form a cluster, i.e., a design. Here, 'design' refers to a pattern, design, brand name, logo, etc. of the shoe upper, and can be composed of an overall '∩' shaped arrangement.
[0064] In other words, the above-mentioned embossed portion (22) may be formed protruding in the shape of a square prism, and depending on the design, it may be a clustered design in which a cylinder, triangular prism, polygonal prism, cone, triangular pyramid, etc. are arranged, or it may be a single design such as stripes, text, brand logo, etc.
[0065] As shown in FIG. 4, the upper mold (20) has a fixing groove (25) formed at a position corresponding to the fixing pin (15).
[0066] Due to the configuration of the above fixing pin (15) and fixing groove (25), the fixing pin (15) firmly fixes the laminated fabric (1) during the molding process of the laminated fabric (1), so that the desired shape of the upper can be realized without damage or distortion of the printed layer coated on the upper surface of the third fabric compared to the laminated fabric (1) which is molded while fixed to the lower mold (10) without the configuration of the fixing pin (15).
[0067] This allows for a comparison of the laminated fabric (1) formed according to the presence or absence of the fixing pin (15) in FIG. 8, where FIG. 8(a) shows the upper formed without the fixing pin (15), and FIG. 8(b) shows the upper formed by fixing it with 13 fixing pins (15).
[0068] That is, in the case of FIG. 8(a) where the above-mentioned fixing pin (15) is not used, a phenomenon is observed where the color of the printed layer and the design dividing line of the laminated sheet (1) formed through the upper and lower molds (10, 20) do not match the actual thickness difference of the upper product, resulting in a large number of defects. When the fixing pin (15) is used as in FIG. 8(b), the color of the printed layer and the design dividing line of the laminated sheet (1) formed through the upper and lower molds (10, 20) match the actual thickness difference of the upper product in a 1:1 ratio, so it can be seen that there is no problem at all in realizing the shape of a high-quality product.
[0069] As described above, during the molding process of the laminated sheet (1), the fixing pin (15) can firmly fix the laminated sheet (1). To maximize this effect, it is preferable to form the number of fixing pins (15) and fixing grooves (25) within 5 to 20 each, and these can be formed on the edge and the center of the laminated sheet (1), respectively.
[0070] In addition, the present invention uses a metal such as aluminum or an epoxy resin for the materials of the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) to reduce manufacturing costs, lightness, and thermal conductivity during product molding, thereby reducing the weight of the mold and reducing the fatigue of the worker, as well as precisely molding intaglio and relief on the mold to induce improvement in design quality. As a result, due to the superior thermal conductivity compared to steel, the heat and cooling provided by the press device (P) as shown in FIG. 2 can be smoothly transferred to the laminated sheet (1), thereby improving product quality and productivity.
[0071] In addition, the materials of the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) can be made of various lightweight metals, various fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), engineering plastics, etc., depending on the type of laminated sheet (1) used and conditions such as molding temperature and pressure.
[0072] Next, the above fabric preparation step (S20) is a process for manufacturing a laminated fabric (1) composed of foam and textile, which is a process of manufacturing a foam package by laminating the foam and textile together.
[0073] The above laminated fabric (1) is composed of: a first fabric made of textile with a thickness of 0.3 to 3 mm; a second fabric made of foam with a thickness of 1 to 10 mm, laminated on the upper surface of the first fabric; a third fabric made of textile with a thickness of 0.3 to 3 mm, laminated on the upper surface of the second fabric; and a printed layer coated with a thickness of 0.02 to 2 mm on the upper surface of the third fabric. The material of the foam includes not only commonly used PU foam (Polyurethane foam) but also various types of foamed sheets manufactured using synthetic resin or natural resin that can be effectively used for shoe uppers.
[0074] The above mold joining step (S30) is a process of setting a gap between the upper and lower molds (10, 20) when the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) are joined, joining the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) with the joining fabric (1) in between, and installing the joined upper and lower molds (10, 20) in a press machine.
[0075] When the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) are joined, a separation distance between the upper and lower molds (10, 20) is set. This is achieved by inserting a stopper (100) into a guide pin (23) formed in the upper mold (20), thereby setting the separation distance between the upper and lower molds (10, 20) according to the thickness of the stopper (100), which controls the pressure applied to the laminated fabric (1) by the upper and lower molds (10, 20).
[0076] As described above, the present invention allows the distance between the upper and lower molds (10, 20) to be set by the thickness of the stopper (100), thereby enabling the pressure applied to the upper and lower molds (10, 20) in the press machine to be controlled, so that the thickness and hardness of the laminated fabric (1) are uniformly formed, thereby minimizing the defect rate of the product and having the effect of producing uppers with various thicknesses and hardnesses.
[0077] The above stopper (100) can be produced with a standardized thickness and inserted for use at a desired thickness, but it is preferable to use various thicknesses of the stopper (100) for ease of operation. In the present invention, the thickness of the stopper (100) is formed to be within 0.5 to 2.0 mm by considering various molding conditions.
[0078] The reason is that when the thickness of the stopper (100) is less than 0.5 mm, the pressure applied to the upper and lower molds (10, 20) through the press machine is transmitted too strongly, making it difficult to match the hardness and thickness of the upper formed into the laminated fabric (1). When the thickness of the stopper (100) exceeds 2.0 mm, the gap between the upper and lower molds (10, 20) is excessively wide, and the pressure transmitted to the laminated fabric (1) is too low, resulting in incomplete molding of the upper being manufactured or uneven shape stability.
[0079] Depending on the thickness of the stopper (100) above, the thickness (target) of the upper formed after the laminated fabric (1) is compressed by the press device (P) as in FIG. 2 is as shown in [Table 1] below.
[0080] NO Upper Thickness (Target) Engraving Depth Stopper Thickness Laminated Fabric Thickness 13mm 2.5mm 0.5mm 5mm 24mm 3.5mm 0.5mm 6mm 35mm 4.0mm 1.0mm 7mm 46mm 4.5mm 1.5mm 8mm 57mm 5.5mm 1.5mm 9mm 68mm 6.0mm 2.0mm 10mm
[0081]
[0082] As shown in [Table 1] above, when the thickness of the stopper (100) is formed to be 0.5 to 2 mm and the depth of the intaglio (12) corresponding to the embossed portion (22) is set to 2.5 to 6 mm, it was confirmed that the thickness of the target upper can be uniformly molded in the range of about 3 to 8 mm by taking into account the depth of the intaglio (12) and the thickness of the stopper (100) depending on the type of product.
[0083] Additionally, the mold joining step (S30) prepares for press forming by placing the upper mold (20) over the laminated fabric (1) prepared in the fabric preparation step (S20) while it is spread out on the upper surface of the lower mold (10). At this time, the guide pin (23) of the upper mold (20) is inserted into the guide groove (13) of the lower mold (10) to adjust the position of the molds so that the intaglio portion (12) of the lower mold (10) and the embossed portion (22) of the upper mold (20) can be accurately joined.
[0084] To achieve this, a fabric mounting step (S31) is performed in which a laminated fabric (1) is mounted in alignment with the engraved portion (12) of the lower mold (10), and the laminated fabric (1) is temporarily fixed by inserting it into a fixing pin (15) protruding around the engraved portion (12); and a mold placement step (S32) is performed in which a stopper (100) is inserted into a guide pin (23) to set the spacing between the upper and lower molds (10, 20), and the guide pin (23) protruding from the edge of the upper mold (20) at a position corresponding to the guide groove (13) in a 1:1 ratio is positioned on the same vertical line as the guide groove (13) formed in a recessed shape at the edge of the lower mold (10), and the upper mold (20) is placed on the upper mold (10). The process is composed of a subdivided work process including a mold lamination step (S33) in which an upper mold (20) is laminated on top of a lower mold (10), and the intaglio portion (12) of the lower mold (10) and the embossed portion (22) of the upper mold (20) are joined to induce double-sided pressure of the laminated fabric (1).
[0085] Finally, the upper molding step (S40) is a process of forming a shoe upper on a laminated sheet (1) interposed between the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) by operating a press machine to press the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20).
[0086] The upper molding step (S40) comprises: a first pressing step (S41) of applying pressure to the upper while heating by supplying heat to the mold in a press machine; and a second pressing step (S42) of applying pressure to the upper and maintaining the molding pattern while cooling by supplying cooling water (5 to 10°C) to the mold in a press machine.
[0087] As described above, the upper molding step (S40) may further include an upper post-processing step (S43) in which, after the completion of the first pressing step (S41) and the second pressing step (S42), the shoe upper molded in the molding mold (M) of the present invention is removed, and then silicone is applied to the surface of the molded pattern to induce an improvement in cushioning, texture, and touch; thereby, it is possible to manufacture a shoe upper with a clearer pattern.
[0088] At this time, since the thickness and hardness of the shoe upper are necessarily varied according to the product requirements, in the past, molds of various specifications had to be prepared or the pressure or temperature of the press machine had to be varied, whereas in the present invention, the thickness of the stopper (100) is adjusted while the pressure of the press machine is maintained constant, thereby enabling the production of high-quality uppers under various molding conditions.
[0089] The method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a high-quality 3D design printed using the upper and lower molds of the present invention, which is configured as described above, allows for the formation of a pattern on the upper and the application of various colors simply by interposing a laminated fabric between the lower mold and the upper mold and pressing the lower mold and the upper mold vertically, thereby maximizing work convenience and efficiency, as well as enabling the mass production of high-quality, lightweight uppers in a short period of time.
[0090] In addition, unlike the conventional method of layering printing ink multiple times, the present invention allows for the precise molding of intaglio and relief on the upper by pressing the lower mold and the upper mold vertically, thereby forming an upper pattern with maximized 3D effects where the edges of the pattern protrude sharply without becoming dull, and at the same time, various colors are applied, which reduces the amount of printing ink used and can actively contribute to reducing production costs.
[0091] As described above, the method for manufacturing a shoe upper printed with a high-quality 3D design using upper and lower molds according to the present invention has been described exemplarily according to the embodiments shown in the drawings; however, it should be made clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible.
[0092] Accordingly, the true technical scope of protection of the present invention is determined by the matters set forth in the claims, and technical ideas within an equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included within the scope of rights of the present invention.
[0093]
[0094] The method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a 3D printed design using upper and lower molds according to the present invention can be applied not only to the process of manufacturing a shoe upper but also to the manufacturing of outsoles, midsoles, and insoles. In addition, the manufacturing method of the present invention can also be applied to the method of manufacturing products requiring a 3D shape.
Claims
1. A mold preparation step (S10) for making a lower mold (10) and an upper mold (20) respectively according to the design of the product to be produced; A fabric preparation step (S20) for manufacturing a laminated fabric (1) composed of foam and textile; A mold joining step (S30) in which, when the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) are joined, a gap is set between the upper and lower molds (10, 20), the lower mold (10) and the upper mold (20) are joined with the laminated fabric (1) in between, and the joined upper and lower molds (10, 20) are installed in a press device (P); Upper forming step (S40) of forming into a desired shape by sequentially heating and cooling the press machine; A method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a printed 3D design using upper and lower molds, characterized by being formed as follows.
2. In Paragraph 1, The lower mold (10) above is, A lower body (10) formed of a plane of a set width, an intaglio portion (12) having a plurality of grooves of a set shape corresponding to the outer shape and pattern of the product formed within the plane of the lower body (10), and guide grooves (13) formed through each at a position adjacent to the corner within the plane of the lower body (11) to guide the overlapping position of the upper mold (20); The upper mold (20) above is, A method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a 3D three-dimensional design printed using upper and lower molds, characterized by including an upper body (21) formed as a flat plane of a set width, a raised portion (22) having a plurality of protrusions formed within the plane of the upper body (20) corresponding to the intaglio portion (12) of the lower mold (10), and a guide pin (23) formed protruding at a position corresponding to the guide groove (13) of the lower mold (10) and fitted into the guide groove (13) of the lower mold (10) to guide the overlapping position with the lower mold (10).
3. In Paragraph 1, The above mold preparation step (S10) is, A mold adjustment step (S11) of sketching the outer shape of a mold that matches the design of a product to be produced using a 3D program; A body molding step (S12) of processing mold material to prepare the lower body (11) of the lower mold (10) and the upper body (21) of the upper mold (20), respectively; A CNC operation step (S13) of engraving an intaglio portion (12) on the surface of a lower body (10) and engraving a relief portion (22) on the surface of an upper body (21) using a CNC; A mold post-processing step (S14) for cleaning, post-processing, and heat-treating the lower mold (10) and upper mold (20) after CNC machining is completed; A method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a printed 3D stereoscopic design using upper and lower molds, characterized by including 4. In Paragraph 1, The laminated fabric (1) manufactured in the above fabric preparation step (S20) is, A first fabric made of textile with a thickness of 0.3 to 3 mm; A second fabric laminated on the upper surface of the first fabric and made of foam with a thickness of 1 to 10 mm; A third fabric laminated on the upper surface of the second fabric and made of a textile with a thickness of 0.3 to 3 mm; A printed layer coated on the upper surface of the above-mentioned third fabric with a thickness of 0.02 to 2 mm; A method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a printed 3D design using upper and lower molds, characterized by being composed of 5. In Paragraph 1, The above mold joining step (S30) is, A method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a 3D printed design using upper and lower molds, characterized by inserting a stopper (100) into a guide pin (23) formed in the upper mold (20) so that a gap is set between the upper and lower molds (10, 20) according to the thickness of the stopper (100).
6. In Paragraph 1, The above mold joining step (S30) is, A fabric mounting step (S31) in which a laminated fabric (1) is mounted in alignment with the engraved portion (12) of the lower mold (10), and the laminated fabric (1) is temporarily fixed by inserting it into a plurality of fixing pins (15) protruding around the engraved portion (12); A mold placement step (S32) in which a stopper (1900) is inserted into a guide pin (23) to set a spacing between the upper and lower molds (10, 20), and the upper mold (20) is placed on the upper mold (10) so that the guide groove (13) formed as a recess at the edge of the lower mold (10) and the guide pin (23) formed as a protrusion at the edge of the upper mold (20) at a position corresponding to the guide groove (13) in a 1:1 ratio are positioned on the same vertical line; A mold stacking step (S33) in which an upper mold (20) is stacked on top of a lower mold (10), and the recessed portion (12) of the lower mold (10) and the raised portion (22) of the upper mold (20) are joined to induce double-sided pressure of the laminated fabric (1); A method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a printed 3D stereoscopic design using upper and lower molds, characterized by including 7. In Paragraph 1, The above upper molding step (S40) is, A first pressing step (S41) of applying pressure to the upper while heating by supplying heat to a molding mold (M) composed of a lower mold (10) and an upper mold (20) in a press device (P); A second pressurization step (S42) in which cooling water is supplied from the press device (P) to the upper die (a) and lower die (b) to cool the molding mold (M) while pressurizing the upper and maintaining the molding pattern; A method for manufacturing a shoe upper with a printed 3D stereoscopic design using upper and lower molds, characterized by including