Footwear injection mould

Abstract

A footwear injection mould for Direct Injection moulding of footwear parts, where the mould comprises: a first mould cavity defining a first footwear part, a second mould cavity defining a second footwear part, a first side frame defining at least a part of a first side of the first and second mould cavities, a second side frame defining at least a part of a second side of the first and second mould cavities, and a bottom frame defining at least a part of the first and second mould cavities, where the first and/or the second side frame define(s) at least a part of a first injection channel which is in fluid communication with the first mould cavity and the second mould cavity.

Claims

1. A footwear injection mold for direct injection molding of footwear soles onto lasted footwear uppers, the footwear injection mold comprising: a first mold cavity defining a first sole of a footwear part; a second mold cavity defining a second sole of a footwear part; the lasted uppers define the upper vertical boundaries of the first and second mould cavities; a first side frame defining at least a part of a first side of the first mold cavity and the second mold cavity; a second side frame defining at least a part of a second side of the first mold cavity and the second mold cavity; and a bottom frame defining at least a part of the first mold cavity and the second mold cavity, wherein at least one of the first side frame or the second side frame define(s) at least a part of an injection channel which is in fluid communication with the first mold cavity and the second mold cavity from outside of the footwear injection mold, and wherein the first mold cavity and/or the second mold cavity extend(s) along a longitudinal axis of the footwear injection mold.

2. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the injection channel is configured to be defined when the footwear injection mold is in a closed state.

3. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the injection channel comprises: a first output port in fluid communication with the first mold cavity, and a second output port in fluid communication with the second mold cavity.

4. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 3, wherein the first output port is in fluid communication with the second output port.

5. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the injection channel comprises an input port.

6. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the injection channel is further at least partly defined by the bottom frame.

7. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the injection channel defines an injection channel volume, where the injection channel volume is at least partly defined by at least one of: a side wall of the bottom frame, a side wall of the first side frame, or a side wall of the second side frame.

8. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the injection channel defines an injection channel volume, where the injection channel volume is at least partly defined by a side wall of the first side frame and a side wall of the second side frame.

9. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first mold cavity is positioned in a proximal part of the footwear injection mold, and/or wherein the second mold cavity is positioned in a distal part of the footwear injection mold.

10. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the injection channel extends from a proximal end of the footwear injection mold and in a longitudinal direction towards a distal end of the footwear injection mold.

11. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the injection channel extends into a region between the first mold cavity and the second mold cavity.

12. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the injection channel extends into a distal end of the first mold cavity and/or a proximal end of the second mold cavity.

13. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first mold cavity and/or the second mold cavity extend(s) along a longitudinal axis of the footwear injection mold.

14. The footwear injection mold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the footwear parts are footwear soles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The following is an explanation of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which

(2) FIG. 1 is a top view of a footwear injection mould,

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of a side frame and a bottom frame of a footwear injection mould,

(4) FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the footwear injection mould seen in FIG. 1 taken along the axis III-III, and

(5) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the footwear injection mould seen in FIG. 1 taken along the axis IV-IV.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a top view of a footwear injection mould 2 in a closed state, where the footwear injection mould comprises a first side frame 4, a second side frame 6 and a bottom frame 8. The first side frame 4, the second side frame 6 and the bottom frame 8 define at least parts of a first mould cavity 10 and a second mould cavity 12. The first mould cavity 10 may define a first footwear part, while the second mould cavity 12 may define a second footwear part. The first side frame 4, the second side frame 6 and the bottom frame 8 define an inner surface of the first mould cavity 12 and the second mould cavity 10, where the inner surface is configured to define an outer surface of the footwear part to be injected. The first mould cavity 10 and the second mould cavity 12 in their closed state have a first opening 14 and a second opening 16, where the first opening 14 and the second opening 16 have a form which is adapted to mate with an outer surface of a lasted upper (not shown) so that a primary lip 18 and a secondary lip 20 of the first mould cavity 10 and a primary lip 22 and a secondary lip 24 of the second mould cavity 12 are in contact with an outer surface of a lasted upper in order to close the first opening 14 and the second opening 16 prior to or during an injection moulding process of the footwear part. Thus, the lasted upper operates as an upper boundary of the first mould cavity 10 and the second mould cavity 12 when the first footwear part is injected directly onto a first lasted upper, and the second footwear part is injected directly onto a second lasted upper.

(7) Alternatively, in case the footwear part is not to be injected directly onto an upper, the mould openings 14 and 16 may be provided with an upper mould part (not shown) which may close the mould openings 14 and 16 and which may possibly have an inner surface (facing the mould cavity), e.g. in the form of a sole-contacting surface of an upper, allowing the footwear part to be adhered to an upper after the injection moulding process of the footwear part.

(8) The first side frame 4 has a first inner surface 26 and a second inner surface 28, as shown in FIG. 2, which define at least parts of the mould cavities 10 and 12, which have a shape that forms at least parts of the outer surface of the moulded footwear part. The same may apply to the second side frame, which is not shown in FIG. 2, where the second side frame 6 has a first inner surface 30 and a second inner surface 32, which define at least parts of the mould cavities 10 and 12, which have a shape that forms at least parts of the outer surface of the moulded footwear part. The bottom frame 8 has a first upper surface 34 and a second upper surface 36 that define a bottom part of the first mould cavity 10 and the second mould cavity 12, respectively. The first upper surface 34 and the second upper surface 36 may define a lower part of the footwear part to be injected, such as the ground-contacting surface of the footwear part or a ground-facing surface of a sole part (such as a midsole). Alternatively, the first upper surface 34 and/or the second upper surface 36 may define a mounting surface, where e.g. an outsole part may be positioned on top of the first upper surface 34 and/or the second upper surface 36 prior to injection, and an upper surface of the outsole part (not shown) may define a part of the mould cavity, while a lower part of the outsole part may define a part of the ground-contacting surface of an injected footwear part.

(9) The first side frame 4, the second side frame 6 and the bottom frame 8 are adapted to be inserted into standard footwear injection manufacturing equipment, such as a DESMA D522/24 or other compatible direct injection sole manufacturing machines, and may have a first outer surface 38, a second outer surface 40 and a bottom outer surface 42 that mate with corresponding parts of standard footwear injection manufacturing equipment.

(10) The first side frame 4 and the second side frame 6 in a closed position may abut each other via a first contact surface 44 and a second contact surface 46 when the mould is in its closed state. When the footwear injection mould 2 is in its open state, the first contact surface 44 and the second contact surface 46 may be moved in a vertical direction (in the direction of the axis B) away from each other to allow the insertion of a lasted upper and/or the removal of a lasted upper from the mould cavity.

(11) FIG. 2 is a side view of a footwear injection mould with a first side frame 4 and a bottom frame 8, where the bottom outer surface 42 of the bottom frame is visible. This view shows the first contact surface 44 of the first side frame, where the bottom frame 8 is lined up in a longitudinal direction A with the first side frame 4. The bottom frame 8 comprises a first bottom frame part 48 comprising a first upper surface 34 and a second bottom frame part 50, which comprises a second upper surface 36. The first bottom frame part 48 may be separated from the second bottom frame part 50 in a longitudinal direction A by a separation gap 52, allowing the first bottom frame part 48 to define a part of the lower boundary of the first mould cavity 10 and allowing the second bottom frame part 50 to define a part of the lower boundary of the second mould cavity 12. When the footwear mould 2 is in its closed position, the bottom frame 8 may be maneuvered upwards in a vertical direction C into the position seen in FIG. 3.

(12) The first side frame 4 may have a first injection channel 54, where the injection channel may extend from a proximal end 56 of the first side frame 4 and in a longitudinal direction A towards the distal end 58 of the first side frame 4. The first injection channel 54 may be in the form of a groove 60 in the first contact surface 44, where the groove 60 extends in a longitudinal direction from the proximal end 56 towards a separation part 62, where the separation part is positioned in a longitudinal direction between the first mould cavity 10 and the second mould cavity 12, and where the separation part has an outer surface 64 which mates with an inner surface 66 of the separation gap 52 of the bottom frame 8. The groove 60 extends through a first cavity 70 of the first side frame 4 in a longitudinal direction along a side wall 72 of the first mould cavity 10.

(13) The separation part 62 comprises a central injection channel 68 which has a first end 74 that is in fluid communication with the groove 60 of the first injection channel 54 inside the first cavity 70, allowing liquid injection material to be transported from the proximal end 56 towards the separation part 62. The central injection channel 68 has a second end 76, where the second end comprises a first output port 78 and a second output port 80. The first output port 78 is in fluid communication with the first mould cavity 10, while the second output port 80 is in fluid communication with the second mould cavity 12, allowing liquid material to be transported via the injection channel 54 from the proximal end 56 via the groove 60 and the central injection channel 68 into the first mould cavity 10 and the second mould cavity 12.

(14) All the above disclosures of the first injection channel 54 in view of the first side frame may be applied to a similar injection channel that may be positioned in the second side frame. Thus, the first side frame may have a first injection channel 54 and/or the second side frame may have a second injection channel 54. Thus, one of the side frames may have an injection channel 54, or both side frames may have an injection channel 54.

(15) The first injection channel 54 of the first side frame 4 and/or the second side frame 6 may be open in a vertical direction B and a longitudinal direction C when the footwear injection mould 2 is in its open state. When the footwear injection mould 2 is in its closed state, the first side frame 4 abuts the second side frame 6, and the bottom frame 8 is moved into its position, as seen in FIG. 3. The opposing side frame may close the first injection channel 54 in its longitudinal or vertical direction so that the opposing side frame may define a second groove (not shown), allowing the first injection channel 54 to have a closed diameter. Alternatively, the bottom frame may close the first injection channel 54. Thus, the opposing side frames 4, 6 may define a side wall of the first injection channel 54, and/or an outer (side) surface 82 of the first bottom frame part may define a side wall of the injection channel when the footwear injection mould 2 is in its closed state. Therefore, it may be understood that the groove 60 or the first injection channel 54 is open to the side when the mould is in its open state, but is closed to the side when the footwear injection mould 2 is in its closed state.

(16) The first output port 78 and the second output port 80 may be in fluid communication with the first mould cavity 10 and the second mould cavity 12, respectively, when the mould is in its closed state. An alternative option may be that when the first side frame 4 and the second side frame 6 are in their closed position (as seen in FIG. 1) prior to the bottom frame 8 being moved into its closed position, the output ports 78 and 80 may be open into the mould cavities 10 and 12, where the movement of the bottom frame 8 into its closed position may close off the first output port 78 and the second output port 80, and where the inner surface 66 of the separation gap may move into position and close off the output ports 78 and 80, as seen in FIG. 3. Thus, the material may be injected prior to the vertical movement of the bottom frame 8 into its closed position.

(17) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view taken along a longitudinal axis A of a footwear injection mould 2 in its closed position, where the second side frame 6 and the outer surface 82 of the first bottom frame 8 have completed the outer peripheral boundary of the first injection channel 54, so that the first injection channel 54 is in fluid communication from the input port 84 and to the output ports 78 and 80. The bottom frame and the side frames thus define parts of the injection channel, as may be seen from the sectional view in FIG. 4. Here it may be seen that the outer surface 82 of the bottom frame 8 defines a side wall that abuts the groove 60, which defines the injection channel. Furthermore, in accordance with the present disclosure, the second side frame 6 may also define a second injection channel 86, which is in fluid communication with the input port 84 and the output ports, where the first injection channel 54 may be split into a primary injection channel 88 and a secondary injection channel 90, which are on opposite sides of the bottom frame. This may increase the flow capacity of the first injection channel 54.

(18) The proximal part 92 of the first injection channel 54 and the central injection channel 68 as well as the first output port and the second output port may be defined by the two side moulds so that the first contact surface 44 and the second contact surface 46 define each side of the injection channel. Thus, when the mould is in its open position, the first injection channel 54 may be incomplete, and one side frame (and/or the bottom frame) may only define parts of the periphery of the injection channel.

(19) The use of the terms “first”, “second”, “third” and “fourth”, “primary”, “secondary”, “tertiary”, etc., does not imply any particular order, but are included to identify individual elements. Moreover, the use of the terms “first”, “second”, “third” and “fourth”, “primary”, “secondary”, “tertiary”, etc., does not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms “first”, “second”, “third” and “fourth”, “primary”, “secondary”, “tertiary”, etc., are used to distinguish one element from another. Note that the words “first”, “second”, “third” and “fourth”, “primary”, “secondary”, “tertiary”, etc., are used here and elsewhere for labelling purposes only and are not intended to denote any specific spatial or temporal ordering.

(20) Furthermore, the labelling of a first element does not imply the presence of a second element and vice versa.

(21) It is to be noted that the word “comprising” does not necessarily exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed.

(22) It is to be noted that the words “a” or “an” preceding an element do not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

(23) It should further be noted that any reference signs used do not limit the scope of the claims, that the exemplary embodiments may be implemented at least in part by means of both hardware and software, and that several “means”, “units” or “devices” may be represented by the same item of hardware.

(24) Although features have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the claimed invention, and it will be made obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The claimed invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

(25) 2 Footwear injection mould

(26) 4 First side frame

(27) 6 Second side frame

(28) 8 Bottom frame

(29) 10 First mould cavity

(30) 12 Second mould cavity

(31) 14 First opening

(32) 16 Second opening

(33) 18 Primary lip of first mould cavity

(34) 20 Secondary lip of first mould cavity

(35) 22 Primary lip of second mould cavity

(36) 24 Secondary lip of second mould cavity

(37) 26 First inner surface of first side frame

(38) 28 Second inner surface of first side frame

(39) 30 First inner surface of second side frame

(40) 32 Second inner surface of second side frame

(41) 34 First upper surface

(42) 36 Second upper surface

(43) 38 First outer surface

(44) 40 Second outer surface

(45) 42 Bottom outer surface

(46) 44 First contact surface

(47) 46 Second contact surface

(48) 48 First bottom frame part

(49) 50 Second bottom frame part

(50) 52 Separation gap

(51) 54 First injection channel

(52) 56 Proximal end of first side frame

(53) 58 Distal end of first side frame

(54) 60 Groove

(55) 62 Separation part

(56) 64 Outer surface of separation part

(57) 66 Inner surface of separation gap

(58) 68 Central injection channel

(59) 70 First cavity

(60) 72 Side wall of first cavity

(61) 74 First end of central injection channel

(62) 76 Second end of central injection channel

(63) 78 First output port

(64) 80 Second output port

(65) 82 Outer surface of first bottom frame part

(66) 84 Input Port

(67) 86 Second injection channel

(68) 88 Primary Injection channel

(69) 90 Secondary injection channel

(70) 92 Proximal part of the injection channel