Foam Plastic Shoe Insole With Adhesive-Coated Textile Ply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing foam plastic shoe insoles fail to securely position a flexible layer on the underside, leading to floating issues during the foaming process and undermining of the textile layer, resulting in reduced cushion height and design limitations.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a foam sole mold with an adhesive-coated flexible layer that adheres to the mold's shaping surface, preventing foaming and ensuring the flexible layer remains fixed, visible, and impermeable to foam plastic, allowing for a stable and customizable orthopedic design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the textile layer is surrounded on all sides with foamed plastic and the foaming plastic foams through the textile layer, then the textile layer provides structural support, but the textile layer floats during the foaming process and its position cannot be defined precisely
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible layer is pre-coated with adhesive before being placed in the mold. This preliminary action ensures that when the foaming process begins, the layer is already secured to the mold surface, preventing floating and position deviation during the foaming process.
Solution Approach 2:
An adhesive layer is introduced as an intermediary between the flexible layer and the mold surface. This adhesive mediator creates a strong bond that prevents the flexible layer from floating during foaming, while allowing for easy removal of the finished product from the mold.
2Manufacturing precision
If the textile layer is placed in the lower mold half and clamped by the upper mold half, then the layer is secured during molding, but the textile layer is foamed through and cannot be arranged on the underside of the finished insole
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible layer is extracted from the conventional clamping position and repositioned on the underside of the insole by adhering it to the lower mold half before foaming. This extraction allows the layer to remain visible and accessible on the underside while still being securely positioned during the foaming process.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the flexible layer is made impermeable to foam plastic, then the layer remains visible and intact on the underside, but the layer cannot be securely fixed without adhesive
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive is applied to the flexible layer in advance, before the layer is placed in the mold. This preliminary coating ensures that when the layer is positioned on the mold surface, it is immediately secured, preventing any floating or position deviation during the subsequent foaming process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method ensures a dimensionally stable and cushioned shoe insole with a visible flexible layer, maintaining the intended position and cushion height, enabling effective pressure distribution and aesthetic design without rework, and allowing for various material options like textiles and plastic films.
Implementation Method 1
the flexible layer is coated with an adhesive before it is placed in the foam mold. The side of the flexible layer that is coated with adhesive is placed on the shaping surface of the lower mold half with as much full-surface contact as possible and adheres there.
Implementation Method 2
A foamable plastic such as polyurethane (PU) or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) is introduced into the cavity, which is provided by the upper and lower mold halves in the foaming mold, and shoe insoles are foamed.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for manufacturing a foam plastic shoe insole from a foamable plastic and a flexible layer in a shoe insole foam mold with an upper and a lower mold half. The upper mold half forms an orthopedic footbed on the upper side facing the foot, and the lower mold half forms a bottom of the shoe insole adapted to the inner shape of the shoe. The flexible layer is impermeable to the foamable plastic and forms a permanent bond with it. The flexible layer is coated with an adhesive on the side of the lower mold half facing away from the foot, or on a shaping surface, so that after the flexible layer is placed in the lower mold half, it is completely and seamlessly fixed to the shaping surface.After introducing and foaming plastic in the closed mold to form the foam plastic shoe insole, the foam plastic shoe insole can be removed from the shoe insole foam mold after the foam plastic has hardened, with the outside of the flexible layer being visible.