Shoe cushioning material and manufacturing mold thereof

Abstract

Provided is a mold (4) for manufacturing a shoe cushion (1), the mold (4) comprising: a first mold (5); a second mold (6) seated on the first mold (5) and configured to contain first cavities (6a); a third mold (7) seated on the second mold (6) and configured to contain second cavities (7a), wherein the second cavities (7a) are smaller than the first cavities (6a) of the second mold (6); a fourth mold (8) seated on the third mold (7); and one or more air vents (9) formed between the first mold (5) and the second mold (6).

Claims

1. A mold (4) for manufacturing a shoe cushion (1), the mold (4) comprising: a first mold (5); a second mold (6) seated on the first mold (5) and configured to contain a first cavity (6a); a third mold (7) seated on the second mold (6) and configured to contain a second cavity (7a), wherein the third mold (7) extends over the first cavity (6a) to form a step (11), wherein the second cavity (7a) is formed smaller than the first cavity (6a) of the second mold (6); a fourth mold (8) seated on the third mold (7) and extending down into and fitting in the second cavity (7a), wherein the step (11) is located at the same level as a bottom of the fourth mold (8); and an air vent (9) extending from an outside of the mold (4) to under the first cavity (6a) and venting out air from the first cavity (6a) to the outside of the mold (4).

2. The mold (4) according to claim 1, wherein the second mold (6) and the third mold (7) are integrated into a single body, forming an integrated side mold (10), wherein the air vent (9) extends from the outside of the mold (4) through between the first mold (5) and the second mold (6) to under the first cavity (6a).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a shoe to which a shoe cushion of the present invention is applied.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a shoe cushion is separated from a sole.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred embodiment of a shoe cushion manufactured according to the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates a sectional configuration of a shoe cushion according to the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a mold for manufacturing shoe cushions according to the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 illustrates a sectional view of another embodiment of a mold for manufacturing shoe cushions according to the present invention.

EMBODIMENTS

(7) Hereinafter, particulars for the practice of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A shoe cushion according to the present invention and a mold for manufacturing the shoe cushion have the following functions and configuration features.

(8) A shoe cushion according to the present invention is attached to a sole of a forefoot part, upon which body weight is concentrated during walking, and is manufactured in a long oval shape or a streamlined shape. A coating material is attached to an outer surface of a body of the shoe cushion, except for a portion of an upper surface thereof, thereby preventing penetration of water, dust, etc. thereinto. Accordingly, noise generation and contamination, discoloration, and damage of a cushion side exposed to the outside may be prevented, thereby maximizing durability thereof.

(9) In addition, a manufacturing mold for manufacturing the cushion may be constituted of first to fourth molds. Here, the second and third molds of the first to fourth molds may be integrally formed. A coating material is inserted into a cavity of the mold, and then the coating material is attached to inner walls of the cavity by air suction force through air vents. Next, after injecting a polyurethane resin as a main material, the manufacturing mold is closed with the fourth mold, and foam-molding is completed. As a result, a cushion including the body, an outer surface of which has been adhesively coated with the coating material, is manufactured.

(10) FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a shoe to which a shoe cushion of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a shoe cushion is separated from a sole. Common shoes are manufactured by attaching a sole A and an outsole to a bottom of an upper leather using a synthetic rubber or a resin so that an entire cushioning effect during walking is provided by the sole A alone.

(11) As shown in the drawings, a general configuration of the sole A of the present invention is formed by attaching, to an arc-shaped recessed portion A1 formed at a sole A of a heel part or forefoot part upon which body weight is concentrated during walking, a cushion that has an attachment surface having the same arc shape as the recessed portion A1. After the attachment, the cushion 1 is formed to protrude farther downward than the sole A so that the cushion 1 first lands on the ground during walking and jogging and, accordingly, a shock absorbing force of alleviating shock transmitted to the body is exerted.

(12) FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred embodiment of a shoe cushion manufactured according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 illustrates a sectional configuration of the shoe cushion.

(13) As shown in the drawings, a shoe cushion 1 of the present invention may have a streamlined or long oval shape, when viewed at a side thereof, to correspond to an arc shape of a recessed portion formed at the sole. A foam-molded body 2 of the cushion 1 is formed using polyurethane (PU) as a main material. Particularly, an outer surface of the body 2 is coated with a coating material 3 made of thermo polyurethane (TPU) having excellent elasticity and durability, and the cushion 1 is configured to be coupled to the recessed portion A1 formed at the sole.

(14) An entire outer surface of the cushion 1, except for the center of an upper part of the outer surface thereof, is coated with the coating material 3 to wrap the entire surface. In particular, it is important to completely cover upper side edges 2a of the cushion 1 with the coating material 3.

(15) For this, the coating material 3 may be pre-manufactured in the form of a bag with an open top.

(16) FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view of a mold for manufacturing shoe cushions according to the present invention. A mold 4 for manufacturing the cushion 1 of the present invention includes a first mold 5 disposed at the bottom thereof; second molds 6 disposed on opposite sides of the first mold 5, third molds 7 respectively disposed on the second molds 6, and a fourth mold 8 formed on the third molds 7.

(17) Cavities 6a and 7a, in which the cushion 1 are to be foam-molded, are respectively formed between the second molds 6 and between the third molds 7, the second molds 6 and the third molds 7 being seated on the first mold 5. At least one fine air vent 9 is formed between the first mold 5 and the second molds 6.

(18) The air vent 9 is provided to develop and attach the coating material 3, manufactured in a bag shape, to inner walls of the cavities 6a and 7a using air suction force. Detailed descriptions thereof are provided below.

(19) When shown at the front sectional view of FIG. 5, the cavities 7a formed at the third molds 7 are manufactured to be smaller than the cavities 6a formed at the second molds 6 so that upper parts of the cavities 6a of the second molds 6 are in contact with portions of lower surfaces of the third molds 7.

(20) In another embodiment of the present invention, the second and third molds 6 and 7 seated on the first mold 5 may be integrally manufactured in a single body, thereby constituting side molds 10, as shown in FIG. 6.

(21) In this case, steps 11 are formed at portions of the side molds 10 which are in contact with a bottom surface of the fourth mold 8 so that side edges 2a of the body 2 are covered with the coating material 3.

(22) Such a configuration is possible because a material of the cushion 1, which is a product to be molded, has flexible and compressible characteristics and, accordingly, a foam-molded cushion 1 may be taken out to the outside using only the side molds 10 of the single body having the steps 11 without separation of the second and third molds.

(23) The cushion 1 of the present invention may be manufactured through the following manufacturing processes using the mold 4 for manufacturing shoe cushions of the present invention configured as described above.

(24) In a state in which the fourth mold 8 of the manufacturing mold 4 is opened, the coating material 3 is inserted into the cavities 6a and 7a formed by the first mold 5, the second molds 6, and the third molds 7 such that an opening of the coating material 3 faces upward.

(25) Since the coating material 3 is made of thermo polyurethane (TPU) having excellent elasticity and durability and is manufactured in a bag shape having an open top, the coating material 3 maintains close contact with inner walls of the cavities 6a and 7a while developing to the inner walls when air inside the cavities 6a and 7a is sucked through the air vents 9 between the first mold 5 and the second molds 6 using an air suction device (not shown) after being inserted into the cavities 6a and 7a.

(26) Next, a liquid polyurethane (PU) resin is injected into an inner space of the bag-type coating material 3 tightly inserted into the cavities 6a and 7a of the manufacturing mold 4, followed by closing with the fourth mold 8 and performing foam-molding.

(27) After completing the foam-molding, the fourth mold 8 is opened, and the foam-molded cushion 1 is taken out of the cavities 6a and 7a. As a result, the cushion 1 is coated with the coating material 3 in a shape of wrapping the bottom, sides, and a portion of the top of the body 2. The coating material 3 protruding upward from the cushion 1 is removed using a cutter or the like (grinding work). Finally, the cushion 1 including the coating material 3 attached thereto is completed.

(28) In particular, when the cushion 1 is manufactured using the manufacturing mold 4 of the present invention, a portion of the coating material 3 is formed on some portions of the cavities 6a of the second molds 6 to wrap inward along the upper side edges 2a of the cushion 1 because the portions of the cavities 6a are in contact with the bottom of the third molds 7. Accordingly, penetration of water into the cushion 1 through sides of an outwardly exposed portion of the cushion 1 of a completed shoe may be perfectly blocked.

(29) The coating material 3 formed to wrap the upper side edges 2a of the cushion 1 is attached to the recessed portion A1 of the sole A so that dust or water cannot penetrate between the coating material 3 and sides of the cushion 1 when exposed to the outside. Accordingly, the function of the cushion 1 may be secured for a long time and contamination may be minimized.

(30) The body 2 of the shoe cushion 1 of the present invention manufactured as described above is molded using a polyurethane (PU) resin having excellent resilience and elasticity as a main material. The body 2 is entirely wrapped with the coating material 3 made of a thermo polyurethane (TPU) resin, except for a portion of an upper surface of the body 2. The coating material-wrapped shoe cushion 1 is bonded and fixed to the recessed portion A1 of the sole A using a bond so that a shoe sole wherein sides of the cushion 1 exposed to the outside and the side edges 2a thereof are completely wrapped with the coating material 3 is completed.

(31) Accordingly, since dust or water cannot penetrate into the coating material 3 and between sides of the cushion 1 even when the cushion 1 is exposed to the outside, a noise problem during walking generated when a cushion material, which has absorbed water, is compressed may be addressed. In addition, since sides of the cushion 1 exposed to the outside are protected by the coating material 3, the cushion 1 may be protected against contamination, discoloration, and cushion damage due to scratches, whereby endurance lifespan thereof may be greatly increased and a cushioning function and the like, as essential functions of the cushion 1, may be kept for a long time.

(32) While the present invention has been described referring to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the embodiments disclosed, rather, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the claims.

(33) TABLE-US-00001 Description of Reference numerals 1: cushion 2: body 2a: side edge 3: coating material 4: manufacturing 5: first mold 6: second molds 6a: cavity mold 7: third mold 7a: cavity 8: fourth mold 9: air vent 10: side mold 11: step A: sole A1: recessed portion