Pressure Bell Air Control for Accurate Sole-Upper Pressing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shoe sole and upper pressing systems experience displacement issues during the initial phase of the work cycle due to the rubber membrane adhering to the shoe before the hot glue sets, leading to potential misalignment and non-uniform gluing.
Innovation Solution
A pressure bell system with a hydraulic system comprising a vacuum pump and pressure pump, along with three-way and two-way valves, controls air flow to rapidly expand and adhere the rubber membrane to the shoe's inner surface, ensuring precise positioning and uniform gluing by regulating air pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rubber membrane is allowed to slowly return to its original shape during the first step, then the adhesion process is complete, but the sole and upper displace relative to each other
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing air into the chamber before the rubber membrane returns to its original shape. This preliminary air introduction maintains pressure on the membrane during the critical adhesion phase, preventing sole displacement while ensuring complete adhesion. The air is introduced through a valve controlled by a controller that activates at the appropriate moment in the work cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter dynamically during the work cycle. During the first step, the controller opens a valve to introduce air into the chamber, changing the pressure from vacuum to atmospheric or slightly above atmospheric. This parameter change prevents the rubber membrane from adhering to the shoe and maintains positioning accuracy throughout the adhesion process.
2Reliability
If the first step lasts 4-5 seconds to allow adhesion, then gluing is complete, but displacement risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining air pressure in the chamber throughout the first step. The controller continuously monitors the work cycle and keeps the valve open to introduce air, ensuring that pressure is maintained from the moment the vacuum is released until adhesion is complete. This continuous pressure application eliminates positioning instability during the entire 4-5 second adhesion period.
3Ease of operation
If vacuum is created to expand the rubber membrane, then the shoe can be easily introduced, but the membrane adheres to the shoe when returning to atmospheric pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses air as an intermediary substance to prevent direct adhesion between the rubber membrane and the shoe. By introducing air into the chamber during the first step, the air acts as a mediator that maintains separation between the membrane and shoe surface, allowing the membrane to return to its original shape without adhering to the shoe while still maintaining positioning accuracy.
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 system maintains the sole and upper in correct alignment throughout the process, facilitating efficient and reliable gluing without displacement, even before the glue sets, by controlling air pressure and membrane adherence.
Implementation Method 1
The pressure bell has an internal chamber suitable for operating in vacuum condition (at an absolute pressure from 0.2 bar to 0.8 bar approximately) by sucking the air
Implementation Method 2
introducing pressurized air in the inner chamber of the bell (up to 7 bar) by means of a valve, so that the rubber membrane is deformed
Implementation Method 3
the press exploits the elastic return of the rubber membrane to bring the rubber membrane back to its original shape
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A machine for automatically pressing a footwear sole and upper, comprising a pressure bell (100) having a body (1) with a chamber (14) that houses a membrane (2); said body (1) comprising at least one lower hole (15a, 15b), a front hole (16) and a rear hole (17); said machine comprising a hydraulic system (I) connected to the pressure bell (100) and a vacuum pump (3) connected to said at least one lower hole (15a, 15b) of the pressure bell for sucking the air from the chamber (14) of the pressure bell, and a pressure pump (4) connected to said at least one lower hole (15a, 15b) and to the front and rear holes (16, 17) of the pressure bell to feed compressed air into the chamber (14) of the pressure bell.