ONE-WAY PERMEABLE MEMBRANE WITH PROTECTIVE BARRIER AND METHOD OF ITS MANUFACTURE

Abstract

The name of the invention: One-way membrane with a barrier protection, which ensures the function of permeability even in the case of contradirectional mechanical pressure, and the method of its manufacture. The invention relates to a single-layer or multilayer membrane (1) with through apertures (2), whose face layer (1) is connected with thin flexible plastic or rubber segments (3) overlapping the apertures (2) and allowing the air or fluid to flow only in the direction from the underside layer (12) of the membrane (1) to the face layer (11) of the membrane (1), as check valves/flaps in the number of up to 30 pieces per 1 cm.sup.2. It further relates to the method of manufacturing the membrane (1).

Claims

1. A membrane, single-layer or multilayer, with through apertures, wherein thin flexible plastic or rubber segments are attached to its face layer, whereas they overlap the apertures and allow the air or liquid to flow only in the direction from the underside layer of the membrane to the face layer of the membrane, as check valves/flaps in the number of up to 30 pieces per 1 cm2.

2. The plastic or rubber flexible segments according to claim 1, wherein the segments, individual or mutually connected by the connecting parts, are composed of an unfixed working part overlapping the apertures in the membrane and a connecting part firmly attached to the face of the membrane.

3. The membrane according to claim 2 2, wherein spacing barriers made of plastics or rubber are attached to its face layer, whereas they have a height being at least twice greater than the thickness of the segments and bound the surface the face layer of the membrane under the working part of one to four segments.

4. A method for manufacturing the membrane according to claim 2 2, wherein the segments are made of the material adhesive to the material of the face layer of the membrane and, using a standard printing technology (screen printing, flex printing, offset printing, jet printing, etc.), are printed on the face layer of the membrane, but only after the lately removable or releasable partial separation layer is printed on the places under the working part of the segments and apertures, whereas and the connecting parts of the segments are firmly connected with the face of the membrane after drying/curing and the working part of the segments is released after removal or release of the partial separation layer.

5. The method for manufacturing the membrane according to claim 2 2, wherein the segments are made of material non-adhesive to the material of the face layer of the membrane and, using a standard printing technology (screen printing, flexo printing, offset printing, jet printing, etc.), are printed on the face layer of the membrane, but only after the partial bonding layer, made of the material adhesive to the material of the face layer of the membrane as well as the material of the segments, is printed on places under the connecting part of the segments, with which it forms a firm connection after drying, whereas only the working part of the segments will remain free.

6. The method of manufacturing the membrane according to claim 3, wherein the segments are made of material non-adhesive to the material of the face layer of the membrane and, using a standard printing technology (screen printing, flexo printing, offset printing, jet printing, etc.), are printed on the face layer of the membrane, and the spacing barrier of material adhesive at least to the material of the face layer of the membrane is then printed on the connecting parts of the segments and the face layer of the membrane, with which it is firmly connected after drying, overlapping and also retaining the connecting parts of the segments at the face layer of the membrane whereas the working part of the segments is free.

7. The method of manufacturing the membrane according to claim 6, wherein the membrane with through apertures, in the desired shape and thickness, is printed on the work-bench with Teflon or other non-adhesive surface finish which can be permanently fitted with protrusions filling the area of the apertures of the printed membrane so as to achieve a plane for printing the segments or the protrusions are printed from a material similar to the material for the separation layer, always before or after the printing of the membrane, the protrusions are removed after all priming operations are completed.

8. The method of manufacturing the membrane according to claim 6, wherein the membrane with through apertures is a pre-fabricated perforated foil or fabric which is fed from a roll into a standard printing machine, in which it is printed with the partial separation layer on the face of the membrane, whereas the segments are printed afterwards and their connecting parts are joined to the face layer of the membrane, and whereas the face of the membrane is printed with spacing barriers which, after thermal drying, also firmly adhere to the face layer of the membrane, whereas the working part of the segments will get loose after the separation layer is removed.

9. The method of manufacturing the membrane according to claim 3, wherein the segments are made of material adhesive only to the material of the bonding layer and, using a standard printing technology (screen priming, flexo printing, offset printing, jet printing, etc.), on the work-bench with Teflon or other non-adhesive surface finish, the partial bonding layer is printed first, forming a set of a plurality of individual discrete elements of the size and location allowing for a partial overlap of the partial bonding layer with the membrane during the subsequent printing of the membrane with through apertures, in the places of the connecting apertures in the membrane, and subsequent connection of the partial bonding layer with the segments through the connecting apertures by means of the connecting parts of the segments printed on the face of the membrane.

10. The method of manufacturing the membrane according to claim 9 wherein the freedom of movement of the working part of the segments above the apertures in the membrane is ensured by the fact that the separation layer, e.g. a solution of K2CO3 (50%), glucose (25%) and water (25%) with a low addition of surfactant or oil emulsion, is printed before printing the segment, on the area of the face layer of the membrane under the working part of the segment, forming a mechanical or chemical barrier against the connection of the material of the working part of the segment printed on the face of the membrane prior to its drying/curing, whereas the separation layer is removed or eliminated after the end of the production cycle.

11. The method of manufacturing the membrane according to claim 9, wherein the freedom of movement of the working part of the segments above the apertures in the membrane is ensured by the fact that the printing of the segments is done with a material, e.g. based on a silicone emulsion, which is non-adhesive to the material of the face of the membrane, e.g. made of PVC and rubber mixtures, even in the uncured state, whereasafter curingthe working part of the segments remains free and the connecting part of the segments is attached to the membrane, e.g. mechanically by reprinting the spacing barriers.

12. The method of manufacturing the membrane according to claim 3, wherein the membrane with through apertures placed on the laminating or welding work-bench is a pre-fabricated perforated foil whose through apertures are, by means of a feed device, overlapped from the face with the working parts of the segments made of flexible plastic or robber, and the feed device is then used to lay the spacing barrier formed by a perforated foil whose apertures are larger than the size of the working part of the segments above which they are positioned, whereas they are connected to each other in this position by heat lamination/gluing or high-frequency welding.

13. The method of manufacturing the membrane according to claim 3, wherein the set of segments using a standard printing technology (screen printing, flex printing, offset printing, jet printing, etc.), is printed on a non-adhesive work surface and then overprinted by a set of spacing barriers, with which it is connected at the places of the connecting parts, whereas this assemblyafter removal from the work surfaceis connected to the perforated membrane by heat lamination, gluing or high frequency welding so that the working parts of the segments overlap the apertures in the membrane with which the connecting parts of the segments are connected.

14. The method of using the membrane according to claim 3, wherein the standard insole of the foam material, from its tread side, is at least partly covered by the membrane which ensures air flow only in one direction.

15. The method of using the membrane according to claim 3, wherein the standard insole of the foam material, from its tread as well as lower side, is at least partly covered by the membrane which ensures air flow only in one direction.

16. Method for using the membrane according to claim 3, wherein the standard insole of the foam material, from its tread side in the heel region, is covered by the face part of the membrane, and, in the region of toes and metatarsus, is covered by the underside part of the membrane which provides air circulation.

Description

CLARIFICATION OF FIGURES IN DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1a a detail of printed membrane with arc-shaped apertures

[0024] FIG. 1b a detail of a finely perforated membrane/conventional foil

[0025] FIG. 1c a detail of the printed segments on the face layer of the membrane

[0026] FIG. 2a detail of the partial proof of the separation layer on the face of the membrane

[0027] FIG. 2b a detail of the partial proof of the bonding layer adhesive bridges

[0028] FIG. 2c a detail of the partial proof of the of the separation layer on the perforated conventional foil

[0029] FIG. 3a a detail of the printed segments on the face layer of the membrane supported by the partial separation layer

[0030] FIG. 3b a detail of the printed segments on the face layer of the membrane supported by the partial bonding layer under the connecting parts of the segments

[0031] FIG. 3c a detail of the printed segments on the face layer of a membrane of the material non-adhesive to the face layer of the membrane

[0032] FIG. 3d a detail of printed segments on the face of a finely perforated membrane/conventional foil prior to the printing of spacing barriers

[0033] FIG. 3e a detail of an individual segment printed on the separation layer and the face of the membrane bounded by the spacing barrier cross-section

[0034] FIG. 4a a detail of the membrane with segments and barriers in the initial position

[0035] FIG. 4b a detail of the segments and spacing barriers printed on a conventional perforated foil

[0036] FIG. 4c a detail of the membrane with segments in the open position

[0037] FIG. 5a a detail of the partial bonding layer printed on a work-bench

[0038] FIG. 5b a detail of the membrane printed on a work-bench with protrusions

[0039] FIG. 5c a detail of the printed flaps connected through connecting apertures with the bonding layer

[0040] FIG. 6 a view of a ready-to-connect membrane lamination, bonding or welding, with connected segments of flaps and barriers

[0041] FIG. 7 a detail of the functional arrangement of the finished membrane in the form of an air pump

[0042] FIG. 8 a detail of the embodiment of an insole coated with the one-way permeable membrane only from the top side for a modified body of the shoe

[0043] FIG. 9 a detail of the embodiment of an insole coated on both sides with the one-way permeable membrane with the same orientation of permeability for a modified body of the shoe

[0044] FIG. 10 a detail of the embodiment of an insole coated with two separate portions of the one-way permeable membrane with a reverse orientation only from the top side

[0045] FIG. 11 a view of the bearing foil with grooves

EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION IMPLEMENTATION

[0046] Examples of embodiments and manufacturing methods, including examples of use in footwear.

Exemplary Embodiment 1

[0047] The basic element of the one-way permeable membrane is the membrane 1, approximately 0.2 mm thick, printed by a printing technology from a flexible plastic on a work-bench with Teflon or other non-adhesive/non-adherent treatment, with protrusions, with through apertures 2 sized approximately 0.81 mm as shown in FIG. 1a. These apertures 2 also using the printing technology, are overlapped with thin segments 3 printed from a flexible plastic, approximately 0.1 mm thick, which are or will be, depending on the manufacturing method, firmly connected to the face of the membrane 11 with their connecting part 31 and which completely overlaps the apertures 2 of the membrane 1 with their working part 32 not connected to the face of the membrane 11 and thus fulfil the function of the check valves/flaps as shown in FIG. 1c. The pairs of segments 3 are bounded by spacing barriers 4 made of tough plastic, about 0.2 mm high and about 0.5 to 1 mm wide, as seen in FIG. 4a. The spacing barriers 4 serve to protect the segments 3 from mechanical damage and also provide free space for the movement of the working part 32 of segments 3 as seen in FIG. 4c, or possibly anchor the segments in the given position according to the method of manufacture. These may be separate protrusions or joined profiles.

[0048] For an environment with a higher mechanical stress, the spacing barrier 4 is used for each segment 3 separately. See FIG. 3e.

Exemplary Embodiment 2

[0049] In this exemplary embodiment, the change compared to the previous embodiment consists only in the fact that the membrane 1 with apertures 2 with an area of about 0.01 mm.sup.2, shown in FIG. 1b, is not printed in situ by the printing technology but obtained as a commercially available perforated foil with the desired properties, e.g. from PVC. The detail of the final product is shown in FIG. 4b. The apertures 2 are covered by segments 3 and spacing barriers 4 at least for 90%. Individual components can be obtained by a printing technology or by pressing or cutting on plotter. Instead of the perforated foil, a permeable fabric can also be used.

Method of Manufacture

[0050] For the manufacture of one-way permeable membrane, it is possible to use commercially available materials, such as printing emulsions from PVC/based on soft PVC (Plastizol), PUR/based on aromatic and aliphatic polyurethanes, PAK/based on polyacrylate dispersions, silicone emulsions (SXT ELASTI-WHITE 200 from the company PRINTOP), etc., as well as polyester or PVC perforated foils or permeable fabrics. The foils may be reinforced with textile fibres. Only the separation layer material is a suitable individually mixed emulsion, e.g. K.sub.2CO.sub.3(about 50%), glucose (about 25%) and water (about 25%), with a small addition of surfactant. However, it is possible to use many other removable mixtures based on dextrin, gum and volatile oils. Also, the material for the bonding layer/adhesive bridge is suitable to be prepared individually, e.g. from fluid rubber (about 50%) and silicone emulsion (about 50%). Due to the wide range of plastics with the required properties, namely flexibility, abrasion resistance, toughness, adhesion or non-adhesion mutual bonds, the above-mentioned materials are named as one of many. The work-benches of the printing machines may be equipped with a non-adhesive surface, or it is possible to use transfer paper for print transferring. Most of the materials used for printing require just slight drying between operations; the final drying/thermal curing is done only after the last printing. To accelerate the production cycle, materials with UV curing can be used.

Production Method Example 1

[0051] On a standard screen printing machine, at least with four screens which are standardly prepared for individual graphic prints, with work-benches 5 with Teflon surface finish or with protrusions 51 equipped with a thermal drying tunnel with a set temperature of approx. 160 C., the following operations are carried out:

Operation 1

[0052] Printing from screen 1, having a fibre diameter of about 200 m, is done with the material consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 65%) and terephthalate (35%), and the work-bench is used to print the desired shape of the membrane 1 in a circular shape, with a thickness of about 0.2 mm, with a pattern constituting a set of a plurality of small unprinted rectangles sized 0.81.2 mm, being future apertures 2 in the membrane 1. See FIG. 1a.

Operation 2

[0053] After drying, the work-bench with the printed membrane 1 is moved under the screen 2. Printing from screen 2, having a fibre diameter of about 50 m, is done with the material for the separation layer 13, consisting of kaolin (about 10%), talc (about 30%), glucose (about 25%), water (about 35%) and a small addition of glycerine, and the partial separation layer 13 is printed on the face 11 of the membrane 1 overlaying the apertures 2 of the membrane 1 with a small overlap. See FIG. 2a.

Operation 3

[0054] After drying, the work-bench with the printed membrane 1 is moved under the screen 3. Printing from screen 3, having a fibre diameter of 100 m, is done with the material adhesive to the face 11 of the membrane 1 consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 45%), terephthalate (about 10%) and fluid rubber (about 45%), and the segments 3 with a thickness of about 0.1 mm, are printed on the face 11 of the membrane 1, whereas their working part 32 is above the elements of the printed partial separation layer 13 and also above the apertures 2 in the membrane 1, and their connecting parts 31 are firmly connected to the face 11 of the membrane 1 after being dried. See FIG. 3a.

Operation 4

[0055] After drying, the work-bench with the printed membrane (1) is moved under the screen 4. Printing from screen 4, having a fibre diameter of 200 m, is done with the material adhesive at least to the face 11 of the membrane 1 consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 65%) and terephthalate (about 35%), and the spacing barriers 4, with a height of about 0.2 to 0.3 mm, are printed on the face 11 of the membrane 1 whereas their area overlaps the connecting parts 31 of the segments 3 and the remaining area of the spacing barriers 4 is firmly connected to the face 11 of the membrane 1 after being dried. See FIG. 4a.

[0056] Operation 4 can be repeated in order to obtain a greater height of spacing barriers 4.

[0057] Upon completion of the printing operations and thermal drying/curing, the membrane is pulled down from the work-bench, the separation layer 13 is washed away, and the correct function of working parts of the segments 32 is tested by air pressure from the underside 12 of the membrane 1. See FIG. 4c.

[0058] If necessary, the individual printing operations can be repeated even in more working positions, i.e. the use of two or more screens, and the order of operations can also be reversed.

Production Method Example 2

[0059] On a standard screen printing machine, at least with four screens which are standardly prepared for individual graphic prints, with work-benches with Teflon surface finish 5 or with protrusions 51 equipped with a thermal drying tunnel, the following operations are carried out:

Operation 1

[0060] Printing from screen 1, having a fibre diameter of about 200 m, is done with the material consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 65%) and terephthalate (35%), and the work-bench is used to print the desired shape of the membrane 1 in a circular shape, with a thickness of about 0.2 mm, with a pattern constituting a set of a plurality of small unprinted rectangles sized 0.81.2 mm, being future apertures 2 in the membrane 1. See FIG. 1a.

Operation 2

[0061] After drying, the work-bench with the printed membrane 1 is moved under the screen 2. Printing from screen 2, having a fibre diameter of about 50 m, is done with the material for the bonding layer 14 consisting of fluid rubber (about 50%) and silicone emulsion (about 50%), which is adhesive to the face 11 of the membrane 1 and also to the material for printing the segments 3 whereas the partial bonding layer 14 is printed on the face 11 of the membrane 1 in locations intended for subsequent printing of the connecting parts 31 of the segments 3. See FIG. 2a.

Operation 3

[0062] After drying, the work-bench with the printed membrane 1 is moved under the screen 3. Printing from screen 3, having a fibre diameter of 100 m, is done with the material non-adhesive to the face 11 of the membrane 1, e.g. the emulsion of silicone mixtures SXT ELASTI-WHITE 200 from the company PRINTOP, and the segments 3 with a thickness of about 0.1 mm, are printed on the face 11 of the membrane 1 whereas their working part 32 is above the apertures 2 in the membrane land their connecting parts 31 after drying are firmly connected to the face 11 of the membrane 1 through the bonding layer 14/adhesive bridges, whereas the working part 32 of the segments 3 remains free even after drying. See FIG. 3a.

Operation 4

[0063] After drying, the work-bench with the printed membrane 1 is moved under the screen 4. Printing from screen 4, having a fibre diameter of 200 m, is done with the material consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 65%) and terephthalate (about 35%), which is at least adhesive to the face 11 of the membrane 1 on which the spacing barriers 4 are printed, with a height of about 0.2 to 0.3 mm, whereas their area overlaps the connecting parts 31 of the segments 3 and the remaining area is firmly connected to the face 11 of the membrane 1 after being dried. See FIG. 4a.

[0064] Operation 4 can be repeated in order to obtain a greater height of spacing barriers 4.

[0065] If necessary, the individual printing operations can be repeated even in more working positions, i.e. the use of two or more screens, and the order of operations can also be reversed.

[0066] Upon completion of the printing operations, the membrane is pulled down from the work-bench.

Production Method Example 3

[0067] On a standard screen printing machine, at least with three screens which are standardly prepared for individual graphic prints, with work-benches with Teflon surface finish 5 or with protrusions 51, equipped with a thermal drying tunnel, the following operations are carried out:

Operation 1

[0068] Printing from screen 1, having a fibre diameter of about 200 m, is done with the material consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 65%) and terephthalate (35%), and the work-bench is used to print the desired shape of the membrane 1 in a circular shape, with a thickness of about 0.2 mm, with a pattern constituting a set of a plurality of small unprinted rectangles sized 0.81.2 mm, being future apertures 2 in the membrane 1. See FIG. 1a.

Operation 2

[0069] After drying, the work-bench with the printed membrane 1 is moved under the screen 2. Printing from screen 2, having a fibre diameter of 100 m, is done with the material non-adhesive to the face 11 of the membrane 1, e.g. the emulsion of silicone mixtures SXT ELASTI-WHITE 200 from the company PRINTOP, and the segments 3 with a thickness of about 0.1 mm, are printed on the face 11 of the membrane 1 whereas their working part 32 is above the apertures 2 in the membrane 1. After drying, the printed segments are not firmly connected to the face 11 of the membrane 1 because the materials used are not capable of mutual adhesion. See FIG. 3c.

Operation 3

[0070] After drying, the work-bench with the printed membrane 1 is moved under the screen 3. Printing from screen 3, having a fibre diameter of 200 m, is done with the material consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 65%) and terephthalate (about 35%), which is at least adhesive to the face 11 of the membrane 1, and the spacing barriers 4, with a height of about 0.2 to 0.3 mm, are printed on the face 11 of the membrane 1 whereas their area overlaps the connecting parts 31 of the segments 3 and the remaining area is firmly connected to the face 11 of the membrane 1 after being dried. In this way, the connecting parts 31 of the segments 3 are anchored in the initial position to the face 11 of the membrane 1. See FIG. 4a.

[0071] Operation 3 can be repeated in order to obtain a greater height of spacing barriers 4.

[0072] If necessary, the individual printing operations can be repeated even in more working positions, i.e. the use of two or more screens, and the order of operations can also be reversed.

[0073] Upon completion of the printing operations, the membrane is pulled down from the work bench.

Production Method Example 4

[0074] This embodiment uses a commercially available perforated PVC foil with a thickness of 0.2 mm, in a roll, with apertures sized about 0.06 mm in diameter, in the number of about 100 per 1 mm.sup.2, which forms the membrane 1 with through apertures 2. This membrane is fed into a jet printing machine equipped at least with three consecutively arranged print heads fitted with nozzles preferably in a width corresponding to the fed membrane 1 and a control unit for processing digital data of the graphic master.

[0075] Printing head 1 at the first position is refilled with the material for the separation layer 13 consisting of kaolin (about 10%), talc (about 30%), glucose (about 25%), water (about 35%) and a small addition of glycerine, and according to the set program prints the pattern of the partial separation layer 13 on the face 11 of the membrane 1, with a thickness of about 0.05 mm. See FIG. 2c.

[0076] Printing head 2 at the second position is refilled with the material adhesive to the face 11 of the membrane 1 e.g. consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 45%) and terephthalate (about 10%) and fluid rubber (about 45%), and according to the set program prints the pattern of the segments 3 on the face 11 of the membrane 1, with a thickness of about 0.1 mm, whose working part 32 is above the elements of the partial separation layer 13 and also above the apertures 2 in the membrane 1, and whose connecting parts 31 are firmly connected to the face 11 of the membrane 1 after being dried. See FIG. 3d.

[0077] Printing head 3 at the third position is refilled with the material adhesive at least to the face 11 of the membrane 1 e.g. consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 65%) and terephthalate (about 35%), and on the membrane prints the spacing barriers 4 with a height of about 0.2 to 0.3 mm, whose area overlaps the connecting part 31 of the segments 3 and the remaining area is firmly connected to the face 11 of the membrane 1 after being dried. See FIG. 4b.

[0078] The printing machine is followed by a drying oven with a set temperature of about 160 C.; the individual components are dried and the separation layer 13 is subsequently removed by rinsing with pressure water.

[0079] When using a prefabricated perforated foil, a small portion of the apertures (up to 10%) located on the area between the edges of the segments 3 and the spacing barriers 4, remains uncovered and will allow the air to flow in both directions, which may be an advantage in some applications.

Production Method Example 5

[0080] On a standard screen printing machine, at least with four screens which are standardly prepared for individual graphic prints, with work-benches with Teflon surface finish 5 or with protrusions 51 equipped with a thermal drying tunnel, the following operations are carried out:

Operation 1

[0081] Printing from screen 1, having a fibre diameter of about 200 m, is done with the material adhesive to the material for printing the segments 3 e.g. the emulsion of silicone mixtures SXT ELASTI-WHITE 200 from the company PRINTOP. The partial bonding layer 14 with the pattern comprising a set of a plurality of small printed squares sized 1 mm1 mm, is printed on the locations intended for future subsequent printing of the connecting parts 31 of the segments 3. See FIG. 5a.

Operation 2

[0082] After drying, the work-bench with the printed partial bonding layer 14 is moved under the screen 2. Printing from screen 2, having a fibre diameter of about 200 m, is done with the material consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 65%) and terephthalate (35%), and the work-bench is used to print the desired shape of the membrane 1, with a thickness of about 0.2 mm, with a pattern constituting a set of a plurality of small unprinted rectangles sized 0.81.2 mm, being future apertures 2 in the membrane 1, and a larger set of unprinted squares sized 0.7 mm 0.7 mm, being future connecting apertures 141 centrally located above the elements of the partial layer 14. See FIG. 5b.

Operation 3

[0083] After drying, the work-bench with the printed membrane 1 is moved under the screen 3. Printing from screen 3, having a fibre diameter of 100 m, is done with the material non-adhesive to the face 11 of the membrane 1, e.g. the emulsion of silicone mixtures SXT ELASTI-WHITE 200 from the company PRINTOP, but adhesive to the partial layer 14. The segments 3, with a thickness of about 0.1 mm, are printed on the face 11 of the membrane 1 whereas their working part 32 is above the apertures 2 in the membrane 1 and their connecting parts 31 are above the connecting apertures 141, under which there are already printed squares of the partial layer 14 with which after drying/curing they will be firmly connected through the connecting apertures 141, whereas the working part 32 of the segments 3 will remain free even after drying. Due to the fact that the individual squares of the partial bonding layer 14 are larger than the connecting apertures 141 in the membrane 1 the connecting parts 31 of the segments 3 are firmly attached to the membrane 1. See FIG. 5c.

Operation 4

[0084] After drying, the work-bench with the printed membrane 1 is moved under the screen 4. Printing from screen 4, having a fibre diameter of 200 m, is done with the material consisting of the emulsion of PVC (about 65%) and terephthalate (about 35%), which is at least adhesive to the face 11 of the membrane 1 on which the spacing barriers 4 are printed, with a height of about 0.2 to 0.3 mm, whereas their area overlaps the connecting parts 31 of the segments 3 and the remaining area is firmly connected to the face 11 of the membrane 1 after being dried.

[0085] Operation 4 can be repeated in order to obtain a greater height of spacing barriers 4.

[0086] If necessary, the individual printing operations can be repeated even in more working positions, i.e. the use of two or more screens, and the order of operations can also be reversed.

[0087] Upon completion of the printing operations, the membrane is pulled down from the work-bench.

[0088] The above-mentioned individual production methods can be modified with regard to different printing devices, for screen printing, flexo printing, offset printing, jet printing, etc., whereas the individual printing operations can be repeated in order to obtain a thicker printing layer.

Production Method Example 6

Operation 1

[0089] The perforated membrane 1 made of soft PVC with a thickness of 1 mm, with through apertures 2 sized 1 mm in diameter, with a square pitch of 4 mm, is placed on a standard laminating/gluing or welding work-bench. The process can be carried out in pieces or continuously from an endless strip. See FIG. 6.

Operation 2

[0090] Using a feed device, the segments 3, with a thickness of 0.3 mm, made of soft PVC with an admixture of rubber (45%), are placed on the face 11 of the membrane 1 so that their working part 32 overlaps the apertures 2 of the membrane 1.

Operation 3

[0091] Using a feed device, the spacing barrier 4 made of perforated PVC foil, with a thickness of 1 mm, with apertures greater than the working part 32 of the segments 3 is placed on the membrane 1 fitted with segments 3 so that these apertures are centred above the apertures 2 in the membrane 1.

[0092] It is also possible to use some printing operations from the previously mentioned printing methods 1 to 5 to print the set of segments 3, on which the set of spacing barriers 4 is printed, which overlaps the set of segments 3 only in places of the connecting parts 31 of segments 3. In this case, operations 2 and 3 will be combined in one common operation.

Operation 4

[0093] Using a heated lamination roller or a high-frequency planar electrode, the membrane 1 is connected with the segments 3 in the connecting part 31 and the spacing barrier 4 into one whole.

[0094] The above method may be reversed or may be combined with the printing technology.

[0095] The method of using the one-way permeable membrane in the insole design

[0096] 1. The method of using a new design arrangement of the insole with the one-way permeable membrane.

[0097] In a standardly prepared footwear insole 7 made of foam material, its tread side is connected, e.g. by gluing, with the spacing barriers 4 on the face 11 of the membrane 1 with apertures into one whole which is subsequently inserted into the skeleton 8 of the shoe with a grooved bottom and ventilation apertures 81 covered by the cover tape 82. See FIG. 8.

[0098] 2. The method of using a new design arrangement of the insole with the one-way permeable membrane.

[0099] In a standardly prepared footwear insole 7 made of foam material, its tread side is connected, e.g. by gluing, with the spacing barriers 4 with the face 11 of the membrane 1 with apertures, and its lower side is connected, by gluing, with the underside 12 of the membrane 1 into one whole which is subsequently inserted into the skeleton 8 of the shoe with a grooved bottom and ventilation apertures 81 covered by the cover tape 82. The sides can be swapped. See FIG. 7 and FIG. 9.

[0100] 3. The method of using a new design arrangement of the insole with the one-way permeable membrane.

[0101] In a standardly prepared footwear insole 7, made of foam material, its upper side in the heel region is connected, by gluing, through the spacing barriers 4, with the face 11 of the membrane 1 with apertures, and its region of toes and metatarsus is connected, by gluing, with the underside 12 of the membrane 1. If the lower side of the insole 7 is backed with the grooved foil 9, the air circulation will be improved. See FIG. 10 and FIG. 11.

REFERENCES

[0102] 1 membrane with apertures [0103] 11 face layer of the membrane [0104] 12 underside layer of the membrane [0105] 13 separation layer [0106] 14 bonding layer/adhesive bridge [0107] 141 connecting apertures [0108] 2 apertures [0109] 3 segments [0110] 31 connecting part of the segments [0111] 32 working part of the segments [0112] 4 spacing barrier [0113] 5 work-bench surface [0114] 51 protrusions [0115] 6 protective textile [0116] 7 insole made of foam material [0117] 8 shoe skeleton [0118] 81 ventilation apertures in the skeleton [0119] 82 protective tape of the ventilation apertures [0120] 9 grooved foil