POWDER APPLICATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING STIFFENING ELEMENTS FROM PULVEROUS MATERIAL

Abstract

A powder application apparatus for an at least partially meltable powder to be applied onto a feeding element for producing reinforcing elements comprises a powder container. In the area of an outlet of the powder container a template for defining a basic shape of a reinforcing element to be produced is provided. Further, a closing device for opening and closing the outlet is provided. For producing reinforcing elements having different stiffness, barrier elements in particular connected with the template are provided. The barrier elements reduce the powder supply to the feeding element such that a reinforcing element with areas of different material thickness are created. A method for producing such a reinforcing element.

Claims

1. A powder application apparatus for an at least partially meltable powder to be applied onto a feeding element for producing reinforcing elements for shoes, bags, orthopedic applications or the like, comprising a powder container, a template provided at an outlet of the powder container for defining a basic shape of a reinforcing element to be produced, and a closing device that opens and closes the outlet, wherein at least one barrier element for reducing the powder supply to the feeding element for creating areas of the reinforcing element having a smaller material thickness.

2. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one barrier element is connected with the template.

3. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one barrier element comprises webs.

4. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of barrier elements serve for creating an area of the reinforcing element having a smaller material thickness.

5. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of webs extend in parallel to each other and/or are bent.

6. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the area of a smaller material thickness is configured as an at least partially or completely circumferential edge area.

7. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the powder is applied such that on the feeding element, even in the area of the at least one barrier element, a preferably completely closed material layer is formed.

8. The powder application apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the preferably completely closed material layer is realized by the flowability of the powder and/or the shape of the at least one barrier element and/or the distance between the template and an upper surface of the feeding element and/or a time period of the powder supply.

9. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one barrier element tapers in the conveying direction of the powder.

10. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one barrier element is inclined in the conveying direction of the powder.

11. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein on the at least one barrier element has a variable width in particular transversely to the conveying direction.

12. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the template and an upper surface of the feeding element ranges between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm.

13. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flowability of the powder is 20-30 seconds, measured with a 10 mm nozzle as per EN ISO 6186.

14. The powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the feeding element comprises a conveyor belt.

15. A method for producing reinforcing elements, in particular for shoes, bags, orthopedic applications or the like from an at least partially meltable powder, in particular using a powder application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a powder is applied, in the basic shape of the reinforcing element to be produced, onto a feeding element, wherein less powder is applied in certain areas for producing areas of the reinforcing element having a smaller material thickness.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the powder is applied from a powder container via a template onto the feeding element.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the powder is applied such that on the feeding element even in the area of the at least one barrier element a preferably completely closed material layer is formed.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the preferably completely closed material layer is realized by the flowability of the powder and/or the shape of the at least one barrier element and/or the distance between the template and an upper surface of the feeding element and/or a time period of the powder supply.

19. A reinforcing element from an at least partially meltable powder, produced according to a method for producing reinforcing elements, in particular for shoes, bags, orthopedic applications or the like from an at least partially meltable powder, in particular using a powder application apparatus according to claim 1 comprising areas of different material thickness, wherein a powder is applied, in the basic shape of the reinforcing element to be produced, onto a feeding element, wherein less powder is applied in certain areas for producing areas of the reinforcing element having a smaller material thickness.

20. The reinforcing element according to claim 19, wherein the edge area of the reinforcing element is formed as an area of a different material thickness.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In the Figures:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a powder application apparatus according to the disclosure,

[0026] FIGS. 2-5 show schematic top views of different templates,

[0027] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of webs of a template according to a preferred embodiment, and

[0028] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of webs of a template according to another preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0029] A powder application apparatus comprises a powder container 10 in which an at least partially meltable powder 12 is arranged. At an outlet 14 of the powder container 10 a template 16 is arranged. For opening and closing the outlet 14, a closing means configured as a slider 18 in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is provided. By opening the slider 18 in the direction indicated by an arrow 20, powder 12 freely flows by gravity through the template 16 onto an upper surface 22 of a feeding element 24 which is a conveyor belt in the illustrated exemplary embodiment.

[0030] To allow the powder 12 to be applied, nearly in the form of the basic or final shape of a reinforcing element to be produced, onto the upper surface 22 of the conveyor belt 24, the conveyor belt 24 is stopped with the slider 18 in the open state, for example.

[0031] In the different embodiments of the templates 14 illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, similar and identical components are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0032] The templates each comprise a circumferential edge element 26 which in particular serves for fastening to a corresponding fastening means in the outlet 14 of the powder container 10. The frame-shaped element 26 has connected thereto barrier elements 28 configured as webs.

[0033] In the area of the barrier elements 28, less powder 12 freely flows onto the upper surface 22 of the conveyor belt 24. Thereby, reinforcing elements having different material thickness are produced. For finishing the reinforcing element, the powder is compounded by application of pressure and/or heat.

[0034] For ensuring a different powder material thickness in the areas of the barrier elements 28, but, on the other hand, applying a closed powder layer onto the upper surface 22 of the conveyor belt 24, the webs 28 can have a triangular cross-section, for example (FIG. 6). Thereby, for producing a reinforcing element 30, a powder material 12 is applied onto an upper surface 22 of the conveyor belt 24 such that in the free-flowing direction 32 an area 34 having a smaller material thickness is created below the barrier elements 28.

[0035] The barrier elements 28 configured as webs may also be inclined with respect to a free-flowing direction 32, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 7.