Flock sole, its machine of manufacture and its production method

Abstract

The invention covers both the sole structure and its related production equipment and technology, especially in relation to a type of flocked shoe sole. Compared with the existing technology, the shoe sole can trap and retain fiber particles via electrostatic or electrostatic spraying, which is not only anti-slippery also with elegant looking and reduce the cost. This set of equipment for making flocked sole is highly automatic, easy to operate, save the labor and reduce the production cost. The production procedure consists of 1) applying prime coating; 2) applying adhesive; 3) natural flock retention or electrostatic flocking; 4) electrostatic separation, cleaning, pairing and packaging. The whole process has been shortened dramatically, simplify the procedure, and reduce the cost. Also the solvent and adhesive used are both environmental friendly, harmless, which helps increase the productivity and yield.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing a flocked sole, said apparatus comprising: a treatment solution application unit, an adhesive application unit, an electrostatic flocking device, an electrostatic separation device, and an oven, wherein said treatment solution application unit, said adhesive application unit, said electrostatic flocking device, said electrostatic separation device and said oven are aligned along a production line, wherein said electrostatic flocking device comprises: a hollow electrostatic box, an electrostatic grid member inside said hollow electrostatic box, a flock spreader attached and connected on top of said electrostatic box, and at least one brush inside said flock spreader, wherein said brush comprises a soft bristle member and a hard bristle member.

2. An apparatus for manufacturing a flocked sole according to claim 1, characterized in that: said treatment solution application unit comprises a solvent spray gun.

3. An apparatus for manufacturing a flocked sole according to claim 1, characterized in that: said adhesive application unit comprises an adhesive spray gun.

4. An apparatus for manufacturing a flocked sole according to claim 1, characterized in that: the electrostatic box comprises a recycle bin at a bottom portion of the electrostatic box.

5. An apparatus for manufacturing a flocked sole according to claim 1, characterized in that: the electrostatic separation device comprises a hollow electrostatic separation box with an electrostatic grid fitted inside said hollow electrostatic separation box.

6. An apparatus for manufacturing a flocked sole according to claim 5, further comprising: a dust collector connected to said electrostatic separation box.

7. An apparatus for manufacturing a flocked sole according to claim 1, further comprising: a motor, wherein said brush members are longitudinally aligned and are driven by the motor to rotate in said flock spreader.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a flocked outsole according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates a structure of a full set of flocked sole making machine according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a flocked sole making machine and its configuration according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a production process of a flocked sole production according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(5) We hereby explain this invention in further details by several embodiments, which is a preferable example in real practice.

Embodiment 1

(6) FIG. 1: This is a structural illustration of a flocked sole. As indicated in FIG. 1, this is a sole with flocking finish, it includes the sole body 1, the bottom of the sole bears grooves 13 and the front section of the bottom is flat surface 14. The said sole bottom attracts fibre particles, which are the flock members, naturally or via electrostatic flocking. The electrostatic flocking includes attracting the flock members via static electricity or via electrostatic spraying. The grooves 13 have different depth. The flock members, which is preferably fiber particles, can increase the friction coefficient and provide anti-slippery function while enhancing the appearance as well as lowering the production cost.

Embodiment 2

(7) As indicated in FIG. 2-3, a whole set of flocked sole making machine comprises a treatment agent application unit 12, an adhesive application unit 3, an electrostatic flocking device 4, an electrostatic separation device 5 and an oven 6. The treatment agent application unit 12, the adhesive application unit 3, the electrostatic flocking device 4, the electrostatic separation device 5 and the oven 6 are aligned on the same production line. The electrostatic flocking device 4 comprises a hollow electrostatic box 41 and an electrostatic grid member 42 inside the electrostatic box 41. On top of the electrostatic box 41, a flock spreader 43 which is connecting to the electrostatic box 41 is positioned. Inside the flock spreader 43, there is at least one brush 7. The oven 6, the treatment agent application unit 12 and the adhesive application unit 13 are not indicated on the illustration. Preferably, each of the treatment solution application unit 12 and the adhesive application unit 13 comprises a spray gun.

(8) According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the brush 7 includes both soft and hard bristles and the brush 7 is longitudinally aligned. This brush 7 is driven by a motor and spins inside the flock spreader. The soft bristles blend the fiber particles evenly and the hard bristles loosen the fiber particles, which prevent the flock spreader from being blocked by the flock (which is the fiber particles). The speed and volume of fibre particles are controlled by adjusting the opening of the spreader 43 and the blending speed of the brush 7. This ensures the evenness of the fibre particles.

(9) According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, beneath electrostatic box 41 there is a recycling box 44, which collects all of the loose particles that are not attracted and flocked to the soles. This recycle process reduces the waste to the maximum and keeps the production studio clean and tidy rather than have the fibre particles flying everywhere.

(10) According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the said electrostatic separator 5 consists of a hollow electrostatic separation box 51 and inside it there is an electrostatic grid 52. This electrostatic separation box is connected with a loose particle collector such as a dust collector 8. When passing through the electrostatic grid 52, the loosen particles on the sole will be separated and come off from the sole and collected by the particle collector and recycled.

(11) According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, this set of equipment includes a control box 9 and electrostatic generator 10 (not shown on the FIGs). On the control box 9, there are control buttons 11, which control and regulate flock spreader 43, electrostatic box 41, electrostatic separation box 51 and loose particle collector 8. Electrostatic generator 10 is cabled with electrostatic box 41 and electrostatic separation box 51.

Embodiment 3

(12) According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 4, a flocked sole making equipment and technology include the following production steps:

(13) Step 1: wiping or spraying treatment agent:

(14) apply the section of the sole where it is going to attract flocks with treatment agent such as a solvent and let it air dry;

(15) Step 2: apply adhesive;

(16) Apply a layer of adhesive onto the portion at which the treatment agent is applied by using the adhesive spray gun of the adhesive application unit;

(17) Step 3: attract fibre naturally or via electrostatic;

(18) The soles after step 2 treatment will be sent into electrostatic box; There are fibre particles inside the flock spreader. Those fibre particles are blended loosely and evenly, falling through electrostatic box, the electrostatic grid will generate electrostatic, at the effect of the generated electrostatic, the fibre particles will be evenly spreading across the sole surface bearing adhesive, the un-used or trapped fibre particles will fall back to the recycling box beneath. Or under pressure, the fibre particle may be trapped or stuck on the adhesive coated surface. The said pressure is ranging between 0.1-0.5 MPa;

(19) Step 4: Electrostatic separation, cleaning and packaging

(20) The soles after step 3 treatment will be sent through electrostatic separation box, where those fibre particles that haven't be trapped or stuck firmly by the adhesive will be sucked away or removed by electrostatic generated by electrostatic grid. The removed loose fibre particles will be collected by dust collector and sent back to an oven with a temperature of 65 to 75 C. and dried for 3-15 minutes. Afterwards, any residual loose fibre particles or excessive adhesive will be finally cleaned or wiped away. Then the soles will be paired and packaged.

(21) According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solvent selected from prime coating as stated in Step 1 should be RB31 solvent, the type of adhesive stated in Step 2 should be TX-7 water based adhesive or R255 water based adhesive. The shoe soles are can be made from different materials, i.e. rubber, EVA, PU, TPR or syndicate rubber, RB31 solvent or any other available solvent can be used for prime coating. This solvent can increase the adhesive strength dramatically; The adhesive can be either TX-7 or R255 water based one. Alternatively, other available adhesive can be chosen for this purpose according to the sole material.

(22) According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be pointed out again that as stated in step 1, for the sole bottom with shallow groove, the prime coating should be applied by brush and by spray operations for the sole with deeper groove.

(23) Finally, it should be addressed that above practical example is for demonstrating this new technical solution. It is not to limit the protection scope of this new invention. Although the detailed explanation and demonstration has been given based on the example mentioned as above. The technician and engineers working in this industry should understand that they can modify or substitute this new technical solution, but any modification or substitution shouldn't deviate from the nature and scope of this solution.

(24) One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.

(25) It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.