FIBER-FOAM SHOE INSOLES, AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

Abstract

This document discloses antistatic shoe insoles that include a flexible foam layer and antistatic filaments of textile material interspersed throughout the foam layer and extending passed or exposed at the surface of the shoe insole and methods of making such an antistatic shoe insole. The antistatic filaments are needle punched through the foam layer. The antistatic filaments may be any suitable antistatic material blended with any felt fiber such as wool fiber, cotton fiber, polyester fiber, or the like.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A method of manufacturing a shoe insole, the method comprising: positioning a fabric layer on a top surface of a flexible foam body; and embedding a plurality of filaments from the fabric layer into the flexible foam body such that the plurality of filaments form a mechanical bond between the fabric layer and flexible foam body.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein embedding the plurality of filaments includes oscillating a plurality of needles, each including downwardly extending barbs, through the fabric layer and into the flexible foam body.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein oscillating the plurality of needles causes the barbs to grab hold of portions of the fabric layer to form the plurality of filaments.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein oscillating the plurality of needles includes causing the plurality of needles to penetrate the flexible foam body by a depth of between about 12 mm to about 15 mm.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein oscillating the plurality of needles moving the plurality of needles downwardly through the fabric layer and through the flexible foam body such that the plurality of filaments extends from the top surface of the flexible foam body passed the bottom surface thereof.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein embedding the plurality of filaments in the flexible foam body includes causing at least a portion of the plurality of filaments to be entangled within the flexible foam body.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the fabric layer is configured to directly contact a user's foot when the shoe insole is worn by a user.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the fabric layer includes a non-woven fabric formed with a conductive material.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the flexible foam body is an open-cell polyurethane foam.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the flexible foam body is a closed-cell EVA foam.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the fabric layer is not coupled to the flexible foam body by an adhesive.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the fabric layer comprises a blend of polyester fabric with steel fibers.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein an end portion of the plurality of filaments are exposed exteriorly from a bottom surface of the flexible foam body.

25. The method of claim 12 further comprising cutting the bonded fabric layer and flexible foam body into the shape of a shoe insole.

26. The method of claim 12, wherein the fabric layer includes a natural textile fabric.

27. The method of claim 12, wherein the fabric layer includes at least one of cotton, wool, jute, hemp, polylactic acid, and bionylon.

28. A method of manufacturing a shoe insole, the method comprising: positioning a fabric layer including a non-woven fabric on a top surface of a flexible foam body; oscillating a plurality of needles, each including downwardly extending barbs, through the fabric layer and into the flexible foam body causing a plurality of filaments from the fabric layer to form a mechanical bond between the fabric layer and flexible foam body; and cutting the bonded fabric layer and flexible foam body into the shape of a shoe insole.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein oscillating the plurality of needles moving the plurality of needles downwardly through the fabric layer and through the flexible foam body such that the plurality of filaments extend from the top surface of the flexible foam body passed the bottom surface thereof.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein embedding the plurality of filaments in the flexible foam body includes causing at least a portion of the plurality of filaments to be entangled within the flexible foam body.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the fabric layer is configured to directly contact a user's foot when the shoe insole is worn by a user.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the non-woven fabric is formed with a conductive material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an antistatic insole, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 3 is an illustration depicting a flexible foam body used in an antistatic insole, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 4 is an illustration depicting a first step of manufacturing an antistatic fiber-foam insole, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 5 is an illustration depicting a second step of manufacturing an antistatic fiber-foam insole, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 6 is illustration depicting a cross-sectional view of an antistatic insole during a second step of manufacturing an antistatic fiber-foam insole, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0018] FIG. 7 is cross-sectional view an antistatic insole, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] As illustrated in FIG. 1, an antistatic shoe insole 2 includes a main body portion 4 which is comprised of a flexible foam body 16. The body portion 4 has a bottom working surface 8 and a top surface 12. As is known in the art, in some embodiments, the shoe insole 2 can be constructed to be double sided such that the top surface and the bottom working surfaces will appear to be the same. In other embodiments, the top surface and bottom working surface may be different materials to ensure the optimal comfort and design for the shoe wearer. Several non-limiting examples of the top surface of the instant invention can be any conductive woven or non-woven material such as a steel-polyester felt blend or carbon-containing fibers, while several non-limiting examples of the bottom working surface of the instant invention can be comprised of any conductive woven or non-woven material such as silver coated fibers or fine inox wire. In other embodiments, there can be an optional cover layer disposed on top of the antistatic felt layer. For example, any suitable woven, knitted, or non-woven fabric may be optionally used as a cover layer provided that it has adequate antistatic properties. The cover layer can be made of an antibacterial material, a microbial material, a moisture wicking material, or any other suitable material that has inherent antistatic dissipation properties.

[0020] In some embodiments, the foam body 6 is comprised of an open-cell polyurethane foam (PU), both other suitable materials such as a closed-cell ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam may also be used. Still further, in certain embodiments, the foam body 6 is comprised of a non-woven fiber batting made from elastomeric polyester or the like that can substitute conventional foams known in the art.

[0021] The antistatic shoe insole 2 further comprises a layer of antistatic felt 18 disposed on top of the foam body 6, as shown in FIGS. 1-2. The antistatic felt layer 18 forms the top surface 12 of the antistatic insole 2. The antistatic layer 18 comprises a blend of a textile fabric with an antistatic additive. For example, in some embodiments, the antistatic layer 18 is made of a blend of steel fibers in a polyester fabric. In other embodiments, depending on the use of the antistatic insole 2, the antistatic layer 18 can comprise a natural textile fabric such as cotton, wool, jute, hemp, and even more advanced natural materials such as polylactic acid, or bionylon blended with the antistatic additive. In the antistatic layer 18 the antistatic additive comprises at least 1%_percent by weight. In other embodiments, the additive may range from 1 to 50 percent by weight, and more preferably may range from between 5 to 20 percent by weight. The antistatic additive can be steel fibers, carbon-containing fibers, silver coated fibers, fine inox wire, or any other suitable conductive fiber.

[0022] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the insole 2 further includes filaments 24 of the antistatic layer 18 penetrating through the flexible foam body 6. The filaments 24 are embedded into the foam body a given depth such that an end portion 24a of the filaments 24 extend to the bottom working surface 8 of the foam body so as to be exteriorly exposed. This exposure of the antistatic filaments 24 permits electrical static discharge to be dissipated through the shoe wearer's feet, into and out of the sole insole, and safely out to the floor.

[0023] In other embodiments, the present invention is directed to a method of manufacturing an antistatic insole. In some embodiments, the method comprises disposing an antistatic felt layer on top of a flexible foam body, where the antistatic felt layer is a blend of a non-woven textile with an antistatic additive, and penetrating a plurality of filaments of the antistatic layer into the flexible foam body, wherein the filaments are embedded into the foam body and a portion of the filaments extend to a bottom working surface of the foam body so as to be exteriorly exposed. FIGS. 3-7 illustrate the various steps in one embodiment of a method of manufacturing an antistatic shoe insole in accordance with the present invention. Initially, a flexible foam body 16 is provided. The foam body 16 may be a sheet of foam while in other instances it may be a continuous sheet of foam that may be fed from a roll or the like.

[0024] Preferably, the foam body 16 is comprised of open-cell PU foam but other suitable materials such as closed-cell EVA foam may also be used. The density of the foam 16 will be selected as desired for the particular purpose for which the antistatic shoe insoles 2 may be used.

[0025] In a first step, an antistatic layer 18 is disposed on the foam body 16 as shown in FIG. 4. The antistatic layer 18 is a non-woven fabric formed with an antistatic additive (i.e. a conductive material). The antistatic layer 18 comprises a blend of textile fibers with conductive fibers. For example, in some embodiments, the antistatic layer 18 is preferably made from a blend of steel fibers and polyester fibers In other embodiments, depending on the use of the antistatic insole 2, the antistatic layer 18 can comprise a natural textile fabric such as cotton or wool, jute, hemp, and even more advanced natural materials such as polylactic acid, or bionylon blended with the antistatic additive. The antistatic additive can be steel fibers, carbon-containing fibers, silver coated fibers, fine inox wire, or any other suitable conductive fiber.

[0026] In the antistatic layer 18 the antistatic additive comprises at least 1 percent by weight. In other embodiments, the additive may range from 1 to 50 percent by weight, and more preferably may range from between 5 to 20 percent by weight. The antistatic additive can be steel fibers, carbon-containing fibers, silver coated fibers, fine inox wire, or any other suitable conductive fiber.

[0027] Like the foam body 16, the antistatic layer may be a sheet, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, while in other instances it may be fed from a continuous roll onto the foam 16. In some embodiments, the antistatic layer 18 can be optionally affixed to the foam 16 through the use of an appropriate adhesive to insure a secure bond therebetween. In other embodiments, the antistatic layer 18 may be affixed to the foam body by stitching or any other suitable method.

[0028] Following step 100, in step 200, filaments 24 of the antistatic layer 18 are embedded into the foam body 16, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. To embed the filaments 24 into the foam body 16, a needle punch or needle looming process is performed. The needle loom works by in-feeding the foam body 16 with the antistatic layer 18 into a needle looming machine. The foam body and the antistatic layer, layered like a sandwich, are fed into the needle loom by an automatic conveyor belt that introduces the two layers to the needle board in oscillation.

[0029] With the antistatic layer 18 overlying the foam body 16, the combined structure is then placed under a plurality of needles 20, each of which carries a plurality of downwardly extending barbs 22, seen in FIG. 5. The needles 20 and barbs 22 are used to produce what is commonly referred to as needle punched felt and similar materials, which are known in the art. The needle loom oscillates the needle board into the foam body and antistatic layer sandwich a given thickness. Essentially, the barbs 22 on the needles 20 grab a hold of portions of the antistatic layer 18 and punch filaments 24 of the antistatic layer 18 into the foam body 16. The typical needle penetration is 12 mm to 15 mm but can be adjusted depending on the thickness of the foam body 16. The needles 20 penetrate a sufficient depth to carry the filaments 24 through the combined thickness of the antistatic layer 18 and the foam body 16 to create a mechanical bond between the foam body 16 and antistatic layer 18. Further, the needles penetrate a sufficient depth to such that a plurality of end portions 24a of the filaments extend to the bottom working surface of the foam body so the portions 24a are exteriorly exposed.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 6, as the needles 20 are moved downwardly through the antistatic layer 18, the barbs 22 catch a plurality of filaments 24 and draw them downwardly into the foam 16 so that the filaments 24 extend from the top surface 12 as shown in FIG. 2 and through the foam 16 as shown in FIG. 6. Preferably, the ends of the fibers are drawn passed the bottom surface 8 of the foam 16 so as to be exposed at and extend beyond the working surface 8. The needles 20 are then raised. However, the elongated filaments 24 are entangled within and remain in the foam as shown in FIG. 7.

[0031] This process can be repeated as many times as desired in order to increase the density of the antistatic filaments 24 relative to the foam body 16. To do so, after the needles 20 are raised, the combined antistatic layer 18 and foam body 16 are shifted within the needle loom and the needles 20 are then again moved downwardly to penetrate additional filaments 24 from the antistatic layer 18 into the foam 16. Thus, the density of the filaments 24 relative to the foam body 16 is a function of the number of needles 20, the speed of movement of the antistatic layer 18 and foam 16 under the needles 20 and the frequency of the up and down strokes of the needles 20.

[0032] After the antistatic filaments 24 are needle punched into and through the foam body 16 as shown in FIG. 7, the composite structure can be cut to the desired shoe insole shape, a finishing step 300, to form an antistatic shoe insole. If a single sided antistatic shoe insole is being produced, a cover layer can be secured on top of the antistatic layer 18. If a double-sided antistatic shoe insole is to be produced, the antistatic layers 18 of two antistatic fiber injected sheets will be secured together with adhesive in between them, as is well known in the art. As should be apparent, the final antistatic shoe insoles can be cut into the proper shape before or after they are assembled.

[0033] Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims.