阅读说明：本技术 通过将箔片施加在鞋底的侧表面上来制造鞋底的方法和系统 (Method and system for manufacturing a sole by applying a foil on a lateral surface of the sole ) 是由 阿德里安·施特劳斯 于 2019-12-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种通过将箔片施加在鞋底的侧表面上来制造鞋底或其部件的方法。本发明还涉及一种通过本发明的方法制造的鞋、鞋底或其部件,其包括至少部分地覆盖鞋、鞋底或其部件的侧部的箔片。本发明还涉及一种被构造为用于制造鞋底或其部件的注射成型模系统,其包括侧模具框架、上闭合元件、下闭合元件以及箔片和/或对用于覆盖鞋底或其部件的侧表面的箔片进行定位的装置。该系统可选地额外包括被定位或构造为位于该系统的下闭合元件周围的套环。(The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe sole or a part thereof by applying a foil on a side surface of the shoe sole. The invention also relates to a shoe, sole or part thereof manufactured by the method of the invention, comprising a foil at least partially covering a side of the shoe, sole or part thereof. The invention also relates to an injection moulding system configured for manufacturing a shoe sole or a part thereof, comprising side mould frames, an upper closing element, a lower closing element and a foil and/or means for positioning a foil for covering a side surface of a shoe sole or a part thereof. The system optionally additionally includes a collar positioned or configured to be positioned around the lower closure element of the system.)

1. A method of manufacturing a shoe sole or a part thereof by applying a foil (34) on a side surface of the shoe sole, the method comprising:

providing an injection moulding mould system comprising a side mould frame, an upper closure element (30) and a lower closure element;

-positioning the foil (34) in the side mould frame by sandwiching the foil (34) between an upper edge (28) of the side mould frame and the upper closure element (30) and between a lower edge (44) of the side mould frame and the lower closure element, thereby forming a cavity having the shape of a sole or a part thereof, wherein the foil (34) is held against or close to the inside of the side mould frame within the cavity; and

injection molding material (38) is injected into the cavity.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the upper closing element (30) comprises or is configured with a mould or last and the lower closing element comprises or is configured with a substrate (3).

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the foil (34) is positioned in the side mould frames when the injection moulding mould system is in an open position, and the injection moulding mould system is closed to a closed position by closing the side mould frames, lowering the upper closing element (30) and/or raising the lower closing element, thereby forming a substantially material-tight cavity having the shape of a sole or a part thereof.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the upper closing element (30) comprises or is configured with a last and the lower closing element comprises or is configured with a substrate (3), the method comprising:

-providing an outsole on said substrate (3);

-arranging an upper (32) on said last (30);

-arranging the foil (34) in the side mould frame when the injection moulding mould system is in an open position;

closing the injection moulding mould system to a closed position by lowering the last (30) and/or by raising the base plate (3) and then closing the side mould frames, thereby forming a substantially material-tight cavity having the shape of a sole or a component thereof;

injecting an injection molding material (38) into the cavity;

curing the injection molding material (38); and

opening the injection moulding system to an open position by opening the side mould frames, raising the shoe tree (30) and/or lowering the base plate (3) to demould the sole or part thereof.

5. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the injection moulding mould system comprises additional means for positioning the foil (34) outside the side mould frame, preferably clamping elements (36), thereby positioning the foil (34) against or close to a side mould frame wall (19) within the cavity.

6. Method according to claim 2, wherein the injection moulding mould system further comprises a collar (1), wherein the collar (1) is positioned or configured to be positioned flush around the base plate (3) such that the collar (1) and the base plate (3) form the lower closure element, and wherein a lower part of the foil (34) is held between the side mould frame and the collar (1) when closing to form the cavity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

-after closing the injection moulding mould system, bringing the base plate (3) into a lower first position to allow injection of the injection moulding material (38), wherein the base plate (3) is located below a flow channel (27) in the side mould frame and/or a flow channel opening (17) in the collar (1); and is

Wherein the base plate (3) is subsequently brought into a second position in the upper part above the flow channel (27) and/or the flow channel opening (17) to reduce the volume of the cavity to the final shape of the sole or a component thereof, and the injection of the injection moulding material (38) is stopped by closing the flow channel (27) and/or the flow channel opening (17).

8. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein:

a. the foil (34) is heat activated prior to closing the cavity;

b. at least two ends of the foil (34) are thermally melted before and/or during injection of the injection molding material (38);

c. the method further comprises the step of varnishing or coating the foil (34) by spraying varnish or coating in the side mould frame, and/or printing the foil (34) before inserting the foil (34); and/or

d. The method further comprises the step of trimming the foil (34) and/or the sole or parts thereof.

9. A shoe, sole or part thereof, comprising a foil (34) at least partially covering one or more sides of the shoe, sole or part thereof, the shoe, sole or part thereof being manufactured by a method according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. Injection moulding system configured for manufacturing a sole or a part thereof according to the method of any of claims 1-8, comprising a side mould frame, an upper closing element (30), a lower closing element and a foil (34) and/or means for positioning the foil covering the side surfaces of the sole or part thereof.

11. Injection moulding mould system according to claim 10, wherein the side mould frame comprises a runner (27) for injecting injection moulding material (38) into a cavity to be formed in the injection moulding mould system.

12. Injection moulding mould system according to claim 11, further comprising a collar (1), preferably according to claim 6, wherein the collar (1) is positioned or configured to be positioned flush around a base plate (3) such that the collar (1) and the base plate (3) form the lower closure element, and wherein a lower portion of the foil (34) is held between the side mould frame and the collar (1) when closed forming the cavity, and wherein the side mould frame is configured to be positioned flush around the collar (1) when closing the side mould frame.

13. Injection mould system according to claim 12, wherein the side mould frame comprises a groove (21) for the collar (1) so that a lower part of the side mould frame can be positioned flush around the collar (1) and an inner surface of the collar (1) can be positioned flush with a side mould frame wall (19) and substantially material-tight with respect to the injection moulding material (38).

14. Injection molding system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the collar (1) comprises:

a flat and vertical inner surface (5) directly surrounding an open cavity (2), wherein the cavity (2) comprises a vertical height (6) and a contour having the shape of the contour of the base plate (3), wherein the base plate (3) and the collar (1), in particular the cavity (2) of the collar (1), have the shape of a shoe and/or a sole;

an outer surface (7), wherein the outer surface (7) is smoothly curved outwards from an outer edge (9) of the collar (1) to an edge (15) of the collar (1), preferably at a lower transition of the outer surface (7) and the inner surface (5); and

-the outer rim (9) at an upper transition of the inner surface (5) and the outer surface (7), wherein the outer rim (9) preferably comprises a flat surface (11), which is preferably horizontal, and a rounded transition (13) between the flat surface (11) and the outer surface (7).

15. Injection moulding mould system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the collar (1) and the base plate (3) are mounted or configured to be mounted movably relative to each other and configured to move vertically between a first position (4) and a second position,

wherein in the first position (4) the distance between the outer rim (9) of the collar (1) and the base plate (3) is maximal, preferably for injecting injection moulding material (38), and

wherein in the second position the distance between the outer rim (9) of the collar (1) and the base plate (3) is minimal, wherein the outer rim (9) and the base plate (3) are preferably flush.

16. Injection moulding mould system according to claim 15, wherein the collar (1) comprises a runner opening (17), preferably located at the outer rim (9) of the collar (1), and wherein the runner opening (17) is located between the outer rim (9) of the collar (1) and the base plate (3) when the collar (1) and the base plate (3) are in the first position (4).

17. An injection molding mold system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a. means for thermally activating said foil (34) and/or an insert element, preferably a heater and/or a lamp, arranged within said injection moulding system;

b. means, preferably a clamping element (36), for positioning the foil (34) outside the side mould frame, thereby positioning the foil (34) against or close to the side mould frame wall (19) within the cavity;

c. at least one unwind for holding a roll of said foil (34) and a blade, wherein said unwind and said blade are configured to automatically at least partially unwind said roll of foil (34) to automatically sever said foil (34) and position said foil (34) in said side mold in an open position; and/or

d. A printing device for printing on the foil (34), preferably using laser printing, non-impact printing and/or pad printing.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the technical field of injection moulding, in particular for manufacturing soles or parts thereof. The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe sole or a part thereof by applying a foil on a side surface of the shoe sole. The invention also relates to a shoe, sole or part thereof manufactured by the method of the invention, comprising a foil at least partially covering a side of the shoe, sole or part thereof. The invention also relates to an injection moulding system configured for manufacturing a shoe sole or a part thereof, comprising side mould frames, an upper closing element, a lower closing element and a foil and/or means for positioning a foil for covering a side surface of a shoe sole or a part thereof. The system optionally additionally includes a collar positioned or configured to be positioned around the lower closure element of the system.

Background

Injection molding is a technique commonly used for mass production of objects made of thermoplastic or foam materials, most commonly thermoplastic polymers. During a conventional injection molding process, a molding material such as polyurethane foam is forcibly injected into a mold cavity formed by an injection molding die having a specific cavity shape. The injection molding material is held under pressure in the mold cavity, cooled, and then removed as a solidified part having a shape that substantially replicates the shape of the cavity of the mold. Injection molding may preferably be used to manufacture the sole or parts thereof.

Injection molded soles can be produced efficiently and exhibit a high quality and are comfortable to wear. To create the desired comfort, the sole typically includes a foam of a particular nature, preferably including a quantity of air contained within the foam material of the sole, to enhance the cushioning effect of the sole. It is also undesirable that some of the voids that are created also appear on the lateral side of the sole, which not only reduces the aesthetics of the shoe and in the worst case leads to an increase in the amount of waste, but also creates locations for entry of undesirable influences, such as dirt or moisture, which are harmful to the shoe in the long run.

In addition, bubbles and/or separate components of the outer surface of the foam sole may be generated during the molding process described in the art. These defects are usually caused by several reasons. First, the cavity is typically not 100% closed, particularly due to the preferred upper closure element of the cavity having the shape of the shoe upper. Thus, the external conditions are never exactly the same, and different humidity and temperature can affect the material and its production quality. Furthermore, the material itself may be produced with different qualities and non-uniformities throughout, such that the process results cannot be 100% controlled. This can lead to the cavity being filled unevenly and in particular to the skin of the sole (the outer surface, preferably the side surface, of the sole) varying from product to product.

The use of release agents is an additional cause of potential defects, which are applied on the cavity walls before the material is injected, to enable and/or assist release and to avoid any release forces damaging the sole skin. Often the release agent is not applied uniformly, which can lead to defects in the skin, for example, because some parts of the skin adhere to the cavity walls after release.

Another cause of defects may be temperature non-uniformity between different parts of the injection mold and/or temperature associated with the injected material. These temperature differences can lead to defects and uncontrolled reactions, especially at the interface.

Often and only in the case where the minimum amount of air that the injection-moulding material demolds or encloses gives rise to an uneven surface of the produced soles, defective shoes are only possible to achieve the desired quality by means of complicated manual post-treatments and are not necessarily successful, or are sold at a discount. Products with surface defects are generally not sold at all. Such waste reduces production efficiency and carries a higher risk of complete product loss later in the production process, which imposes a higher economic burden on the manufacturer. Moreover, the inspection of the products for detecting the final defects has brought about a further amount of manual tasks, which increase the production costs and are more or less error-prone.

However, even if defects such as voids do not occur, the exterior side surface of the sole is susceptible to abrasion, dirt, chemicals, and weather and reduces aesthetics and product life.

In addition, the possibilities of designing the lateral surface of the shoe are limited due to the structure of the sole and the materials used. In general, varnishes or prints applied to these surfaces have limited durability and have been susceptible to wear in the early stages. Attempts to dye the material itself, for example using differently dyed regions in the cavity, to produce multicolored soles often produce indistinct color transitions and develop color defects due to the reactive distribution of the material. In addition, precise adjustment of the materials to achieve the desired results is very complicated and time consuming.

In order to increase the possibilities of design, in particular of the lateral surfaces of the sole, thereby improving its aesthetic appearance and protecting the shoe and increasing its life, it is advantageous to apply a foil (for example of synthetic material, such as a polymer) on the lateral surfaces of the sole. Such lateral covering of the sole by applying the foil only on the lateral surfaces is not known in the prior art. Individually designed products can be easily and cheaply obtained by using such side foils.

The above-mentioned defects can be easily masked visually and physically by using the side foil. A uniform appearance of the side surfaces may be achieved and protection of the midsole may be improved. In addition, the foil may even help to prevent the above-mentioned drawbacks by eliminating any release agent that is unevenly applied on the cavity walls, since no release agent at all needs to be applied when using such a foil. The applied foil preferably does not stick to the cavity walls and therefore does not require additional releasable material. Furthermore, temperature differences affecting the injected material can be compensated for by the isolating properties of the foil.

Furthermore, the lateral foil covering may also be advantageous for other injection molded products, for example furniture or parts thereof, such as armrests, outdoor seats, stadium seats or seats in vehicles.

EP2913171 describes the provision of a decorative layer for injection moulded sporting goods, wherein the layer has the form of a sheet or film and can be placed in a mould before injection of the thermoplastic material.

However, neither production systems or components for injection-molded objects, in particular shoes, covered with lateral foil nor corresponding production methods are known in the prior art.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device for lateral foil covering of injection moulded shoe soles.

The problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are provided by the dependent claims.

The invention therefore relates to a method for manufacturing a sole or a part thereof by applying a foil on a lateral surface of the sole, the method comprising: providing an injection molding die system comprising a side die frame, an upper closure element and a lower closure element; positioning the foil in the side mould frames by sandwiching the foil between upper edges of the side mould frames and the upper closure element and between lower edges of the side mould frames and the lower closure element, thereby forming a cavity having the shape of the sole or a part thereof, wherein the foil abuts or is close to the inside of the side mould frames within the cavity; and injecting an injection molding material into the cavity.

During a conventional injection molding process, an injection molding material is forcibly injected into an injection molding die that surrounds a cavity having a specific cavity shape in a closed position. The injection molding material is held under pressure in the mold cavity, cooled, and then removed (demolded) as a solidified part whose shape substantially replicates the shape of the cavity of the mold. In this document, the words "injection molding die system", "multi-part injection molding die" and "injection molding die" may be used synonymously.

An injection molding mold system includes a lower closure member. The lower closure element (e.g. base plate) is an element of a multi-part injection moulding system which is positioned at the bottom of the mould and preferably forms the lower boundary of the cavity in the closed position. Which preferably defines the bottom shape of the final shaped product. For example, the substrate may be an element used to form a bottom component of a shoe and/or sole in a molding process for producing the shoe and/or sole. In particular, in this case, the base plate may serve as a support for inserting the outsole on top of the base plate. The outsole is preferably the bottom component of the sole that provides contact between the ground and the remainder of the shoe. Therefore, it is generally preferred that the outsole comprise a particular durable, waterproof and/or non-slip material. Preferably, the outsole has a tread pattern. The surface of the base plate is preferably used to position the outsole. Thus, the negative shape of the bottom (tread) of the outsole is preferably replicated so that the outsole fits flush with the base element in which it is positioned. Thus, the bottom of the cavity is substantially defined by the inserted outsole rather than the substrate itself.

The upper closing element is preferably a closing element closing the cavity from above, such as a model or a last, preferably comprising an upper. In this way, a complete shoe can be produced, preferably in a single process and/or system. The upper preferably encloses the chamber hermetically from above.

The side mould frames preferably form sides of the cavity when in the closed position. For the produced sole, a component of a sole or a complete shoe, the side mould frame preferably establishes the shape of the side surface of the shoe to which the foil is to be applied. Thus, the foil, which is preferably at least partially applied, is to be positioned in the side mould frame, preferably against the side mould frame walls. Preferably, the side mould frame wall comprises a (side) cavity wall or cavity walls when the injection moulding mould system is in the closed position and the cavity is formed.

In one embodiment, the side mould frame comprises a single element. In other embodiments, the side mold frame comprises a plurality of elements that can be brought together to form the sides of the cavity. It is particularly preferred that the side mould frame comprises two elements, herein referred to as side forming elements.

The upper closure element preferably contacts the foil such that the foil is sandwiched between the upper closure element and the side mould frame (preferably its upper edge) and may form a material tight contact surface between the upper closure element and the foil. The upper edge preferably comprises an edge which is especially shaped to material-tightly close the mould around the upper closure element and/or to sealingly clamp the foil material between the upper closure element and the side mould frame. This edge is preferably referred to as the "bite line".

Similarly, the foil will be sandwiched at its lower part between the lower closure element and the lower edge of the side mould frame.

In this position, the injection molding die system is preferably in a closed position and forms a cavity. The foil is preferably positioned tightly along the cavity wall to wrap the side of the product, such as an (inner) sole. After the cavity is closed, the injection molding material may be injected, for example, through the runner. When the injection moulding material is injected into the cavity, it preferably expands and occupies the space defined by the surrounding elements. If the foil is not yet positioned along the cavity walls with the required tightness, the pressure of the expanded material will preferably apply a suitable pressure to the foil.

Thereby an efficient and simple method of applying the foil to the side surface of the sole is provided. The foil is simply positioned by sandwiching it between the side mould frame and the upper closure element above and between the side mould frame and the lower closure element below.

The injection molding die system itself can preferably be a device known to the skilled person or preferably a device described below which is specifically adapted to the method. Apparatuses and systems for such shoe manufacturing, known as direct-sock (direct-sock), are well known in the art and are commercially available, for example, from DESMA shoe-making apparatus, germany (DESMA Schuhmaschinen), ltd.

Suitable foils and/or foil materials are well known to the person skilled in the art and are also incorporated in this document.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper closure element comprises or is configured with a mold or last and the lower closure element comprises or is configured with a base plate.

The last preferably comprises an upper, which is preferably the part of the shoe that covers at least the sides and upper of the foot. Preferably, the upper, when not including the sole, also includes a bottom portion, which is preferably generally of a different material and/or texture, preferably including a layer located between the sole and the wearer's foot.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the foil is positioned in the side mould frames when the injection moulding mould system is in the open position, and the injection moulding mould system is closed to the closed position by lowering the upper closing element and/or raising the lower closing element and closing the side mould frames, thereby forming a substantially material-tight cavity having the shape of the sole or a part thereof.

This embodiment preferably relates to a side mould frame comprising a plurality of elements, e.g. two side forming elements, wherein the elements preferably have a distance to each other in the open position, and wherein closing the side mould frame preferably means arranging the elements flush with each other such that they come together closing the side mould frame forming the sides of the cavity.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the foil is positioned in the side mould frames when the injection moulding mould system is in the open position, and the injection moulding mould system is closed into the closed position by lowering the upper closing element, closing the side mould frames and/or raising the lower closing element, thereby forming a substantially material-tight cavity having the shape of the sole or a part thereof.

This embodiment preferably represents a side mould frame which may also comprise a single element, wherein the step of closing the side mould frame is optional and preferably only applies to side mould frames comprising more than one element. In embodiments where the side mould frames comprise only a single element, in order to bring the cavity into the closed position, the upper closure element is preferably lowered and/or the lower closure element is raised to bring the side mould frames together with them preferably positioned therebetween, thereby forming a substantially material-tight cavity.

In general, the components comprised in the injection molding system may preferably be moved relative to each other such that in the open position a component to be incorporated in a shoe or a sole, such as an outsole, may be inserted and the foil may be (pre-) positioned. The foil is clamped as described above only in the closed position of the injection moulding system. The open position may be achieved, for example, by raising the upper closure element and/or lowering the lower closure element relative to the side mould frame. In one embodiment, the side mould frame may comprise a plurality of, preferably two, moulding elements and the open position may additionally comprise moving the side moulding elements laterally away from each other.

The closed position is preferably defined by a substantially material-tight cavity formed by the side mould frame, the upper closure element and the lower closure element in this position. Accordingly, any other position of the injection molding system is preferably an open position. For example, the open position includes a lowered upper closure element and/or a raised lower closure element and while the side mold frames (e.g., side molding elements) are in the open position, the sides forming the cavity are not closed. Likewise, the open position may for example represent a closed side mould frame (e.g. comprising a single element or two side forming elements brought together) and a raised upper closure element and/or a lowered lower closure element. Preferably, not all elements need be movable, but the injection molding system preferably achieves the open and closed positions by movement of at least one element.

Closing the injection molding mold system preferably includes movement of at least one element thereof (e.g., raising, lowering, and/or closing of the element) to form a closed position of the injection molding mold system.

In order to position and hold the foil before the injection moulding mould system is closed, the foil can be held in the upper part, for example, by a clamping element above the side cavity wall. Subsequently, the foil will preferably hang loosely from the upper part of the side forming element along the side mould frame walls before closing the cavity. When the cavity is closed (e.g. by lowering the upper closure element and/or raising the lower closure element so that they approach the side mould frame or the side moulding elements that are brought together), the foil will preferably be automatically guided, brought into position and sandwiched between the lower edges of the side mould frame and the lower closure element. On the upper side, a foil, which is preferably previously held by some means, is likewise clamped between the upper edge of the side mould frame and the upper closure element.

Preferably, the foil is not only fixed by the above-described method, but also contributes to the material tightness of the cavity. It is therefore preferred that the parts of the injection-molding system are substantially flush with one another and materially sealed closed by sandwiching the foil between them in the manner described. The foil preferably acts as a seal for the material injected into the cavity, similar to a silicon or rubber lip provided between the side mould frame, the lower closure element and the upper closure element. The foil with sealing capability may also preferably prevent the injection molding material from covering the sides of the outsole and/or the sides of the upper. In particular, some uppers made of fabric may absorb the injection-molded material (in particular due to capillary effects), which is particularly undesirable. In particular, uppers including bottoms may be bonded to soles by direct bonding between the cured injection molded material and the uppers (particularly their bottoms). While the bottom portion preferably does not exhibit a capillary effect, the remainder of the upper is preferably separated from the injection molded material by a foil, preferably preventing the effect and enhancing the aesthetics and function of the shoe.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper closure element comprises or is configured with a last and the lower closure element comprises or is configured with a base plate, the method comprising:

disposing an outsole on a substrate;

placing the upper on a last;

disposing the foil in the side mould frame when the injection moulding mould system is in the open position;

closing the injection molding system to a closed position by lowering the last and/or by raising the base plate and then closing the side mold frames, thereby forming a substantially material-sealed cavity having the shape of the sole or a component thereof;

injecting an injection molding material into the cavity;

curing the injection molding material; and

the injection molding system is opened to an open position by opening the side mold frames, raising the last, and/or lowering the base plate to demold the sole or components thereof.

This embodiment preferably represents an embodiment in which the side mould frame comprises more than one element (e.g. two profiled elements) as already described above.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper closure element comprises or is configured with a last and the lower closure element comprises or is configured with a base plate, the method comprising:

disposing an outsole on a substrate;

placing the upper on a last;

disposing the foil in the side mould frame when the injection moulding mould system is in the open position;

closing the injection molding system to a closed position by closing the side mold frames, by lowering the last, and/or by raising the base plate, thereby forming a substantially material-sealed cavity having the shape of the sole or a component thereof;

injecting an injection molding material into the cavity;

curing the injection molding material; and

the injection molding system is opened to an open position by opening the side mold frames, raising the last, and/or lowering the base plate to demold the sole or components thereof.

This embodiment preferably represents an embodiment in which the side mould frame may also comprise a single element as already described above.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention the injection moulding mould system comprises additional means, preferably clamping elements, for positioning the foil outside the side mould frame, thereby positioning the foil against or adjacent the side mould frame wall within the cavity.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the injection moulding mould system further comprises a collar, wherein the collar is positioned or configured to be positioned flush around the base plate such that the collar and the base plate form a lower closure element, and wherein the lower portion of the foil is held between the side mould frame and the collar when closed forming the cavity.

The collar is preferably used and/or configured to hold the foil between the side mould frame and itself, preferably between the side mould frame and its outer surface. The collar is preferably shaped as a "ring" whose inner surface is substantially the outline of the base plate so that it is positioned or configured to be positioned flush around the base plate. The outer surface of the collar is preferably designed to drag the foil and guide it during the closing process, wherein the foil normally hangs loosely along the cavity wall before this closing process. This facilitates a fine and wrinkle-free handling of the foil in the closing and clamping mechanism. The side mould frame and collar are preferably shaped relative to each other such that the foil can be retained and clamped as described. Preferably, the side mould frames and the collar are thus flush with each other when the cavity is closed and the cavity is thus material-tightly closed between the collar and the side mould frames.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, after closing the injection moulding mould system, the base plate is brought into a lower first position to allow injection of injection moulding material, wherein the base plate is located below the flow channel in the side mould frame and/or the flow channel opening in the collar; and wherein subsequently the base plate is brought into a second position in the upper part above the flow channel and/or the flow channel opening to reduce the volume of the cavity to the final shape of the sole or a component thereof and the injection of the injection moulding material is stopped by closing the flow channel and/or the flow channel opening.

It is preferable that the side mold frame includes a flow passage for injecting the injection molding material. The flow channel is preferably located in the lower part of the side mould frame so that it is located below the base plate in the second position of the upper part. It is also preferred that the collar comprises a runner opening so that injection moulding material can still be injected into the cavity through the runner opening which is preferably arranged to coincide with the runner when the collar is in use and the runner is positioned as described above, while the substrate is in the first position. In this preferred embodiment, the preferred flow passage opening (which may preferably be only a slit or hole) of the flow passage and/or the collar is positioned such that it can only be used for injection during the time the substrate is in the first position. In the second position, the flow passage opening is preferably not directly connected to the chamber when the base plate is preferably flush with the outer rim. This is a very practical and simple way of controlling the injection, avoiding that the runner leaves a smudge on the product and that the injection moulding material flows back into the runner and/or the runner opening.

In this preferred embodiment, the collar and the base plate are mounted for movement relative to each other and are configured to move vertically between said first and second positions.

A further object of this embodiment is that after closing the cavity and injecting the injection moulding material, there is preferably a step of further compressing the injected material through the substrate, which also brings the product into its final shape.

It is preferred that the collar is brought into its position by bringing the base plate into the second position of the upper part before closing the cavity. Preferably there is a support member of the substrate fixed to the substrate which can be used to support and move the collar with the substrate as it moves upwardly beyond a specified height. Subsequently, when the cavity is closed, the collar is preferably held in this position to achieve a flush and close contact with the side mould frame, foil and collar, even if the base plate is lowered again to the first position before injection of the injection moulding material. It is also preferred that the side mould frame further comprises a support element of the side mould frame which supports the collar when the side mould frame is closed around the collar and the base plate is lowered such that the base plate and the collar are in the first position. In this way, the collar may preferably be held in a raised position sandwiching the foil between the collar and the side mould frame.

For example, the distance between the first and second positions may be between 10 and 20mm, preferably about 15 mm.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the foil is heat activated before closing the cavity. Heat activation may also be preferred for activating the outsole, making it more resilient and easy to handle, and homogenizing its temperature and the temperature of all elements involved. Furthermore, thermal energy can preferably be used for cleaning all elements involved, in particular by burning dirt (e.g. dust).

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, at least two ends of the foil are heat fused before and/or during injection of the injection moulding material.

The thermal energy for melting may be provided, for example, by heat retained in the mould or a well-defined heat source (e.g. located within the side mould frame) prior to the production cycle and any exothermic reaction (preferably a reaction of polyurethane and isocyanate) occurring within the closed cavity.

For example, a preferred melting temperature may be between 200 ℃ and 300 ℃, in particular 240 ℃ to 260 ℃.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, there is further included the additional step of varnishing or coating the foil by spraying varnish or coating in the side mould frame and/or printing the foil before inserting the foil.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of finishing the foil and/or the sole or parts thereof is further included.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a shoe, sole or part thereof comprising a foil at least partially covering one or more sides of the shoe, sole or part thereof, the shoe, sole or part thereof being manufactured by the method described herein.

The skilled person will recognise that the technical features, definitions and advantages of preferred embodiments of the inventive method also apply to shoes produced by this method.

In another aspect, the invention relates to an injection moulding mould system configured to manufacture a sole or a part thereof according to the method described herein, comprising a side mould frame, an upper closure element, a lower closure element and a foil and/or means to position the foil for covering a side surface of the sole or part thereof.

The skilled person will recognise that the technical features, definitions and advantages of the inventive method and of the shoe produced by this method also apply to the injection moulding system.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the side mould frame comprises a runner for injecting injection moulding material into a cavity to be formed in the injection moulding mould system.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, further comprising a collar, preferably a collar as described herein, wherein the collar is positioned or configured to be positioned flush around the base plate such that the collar and the base plate form a lower closure element, and wherein the lower part of the foil is held between the side mould frame and the collar when closing to form the cavity, and wherein the side mould frame is configured to be positioned flush around the collar when closing the side mould frame.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the side mould frame comprises a groove for the collar, such that a lower part of the side mould frame can be positioned flush around the collar, and an inner surface of the collar can be positioned flush with the cavity wall and substantially material-tight against the injection moulding material.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the collar comprises:

a flat and vertical inner surface directly surrounding an open cavity, wherein the cavity comprises a vertical height and a contour having the contour shape of a base plate, wherein the base plate and a collar, in particular the cavity of the collar, has the shape of a shoe and/or a sole;

an outer surface, wherein the outer surface is preferably smoothly curved outwardly from the outer rim of the collar to the rim of the collar at the lower transition of the outer surface to the inner surface; and

an outer rim at an upper transition of the inner surface and the outer surface, wherein the outer rim comprises a flat surface, preferably horizontal, and a rounded transition between the flat surface and the outer surface.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the foil may be held between the outer rim of the collar and the upper edges of the channels of the side mould frames, and wherein the upper edges of the channels of the side mould frames comprise a second flat surface, preferably parallel to the flat surface of the outer rim.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the collar and the base plate are mounted or configured to be movably mounted relative to each other and configured to move vertically between a first position, in which the distance between the outer edge of the collar and the base plate is maximal, preferably for injecting injection moulding material, and a second position, in which the distance between the outer edge of the collar and the base plate is minimal, in which the outer edge and the base plate are preferably flush.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the collar comprises a flow passage opening, preferably located at an outer edge of the collar, and wherein the flow passage opening is located between the outer edge of the collar and the base plate when the collar and the base plate are in the first position.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a device for thermally activating the foil and/or an insert element, preferably a heater and/or a lamp, arranged in the injection molding system is further comprised.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention the injection moulding mould system comprises additional means for positioning the foil outside the side mould frame, preferably clamping elements, thereby positioning the foil against or adjacent the side mould frame wall within the cavity.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, further comprising at least one unwind configured to hold a roll of foil and a blade, wherein the unwind and the blade are configured to automatically at least partially unwind the roll of foil to automatically sever the foil and position the foil in the side mold in the open position.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a printing device for printing on the foil is further included, preferably using laser printing, non-impact printing and/or pad printing.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the side mold frame further comprises a clamping member including: a first opposing portion (preferably at least one ridge) of a clamping element, an elongate protrusion and a first element of a hinge for positioning the foil against the cavity wall within the side mould frame; and a second opposing portion of the clamping element for positioning against the first opposing portion, wherein the clamping element is configured to clamp the foil in a predetermined position against the cavity wall within the side mould frame, and wherein the second opposing portion of the clamping element preferably comprises the second element of the hinge.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the first opposing portion of the clamping element is positioned in an upper portion of the side mould frame and is configured to contact an upper portion of the foil to allow the foil to hang on the cavity wall when clamped.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the first counterpart of the clamping element and the second counterpart of the clamping element are configured for relative movement between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the foil can be inserted between the first counterpart and the second counterpart, and wherein in the second position the upper part of the foil is at least partially held between the first counterpart and the second counterpart.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the side mould frame comprises at least two closable side forming elements, each of which preferably comprises a first opposite part of the clamping element for positioning the foil.

Embodiments relating to collars

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a collar for a base plate of a multi-part injection molding die is provided, wherein the collar is configured to be positioned flush around the base plate and comprises:

a flat vertical inner surface directly surrounding the open cavity, wherein the cavity comprises a vertical height and a contour having the contour shape of the substrate;

an outer surface; and

and the outer edge at the upper transition part of the inner surface and the outer surface.

The included elements, including the inner surface, the outer surface, and the outer rim are preferably referred to as the side surfaces of the collar. In one embodiment, the present invention therefore relates to a collar configured to be positioned around a base plate of a multi-component injection molding die, wherein the collar is configured to be positioned flush around the base plate, thereby enabling vertical movement of the base plate and/or the collar relative to each other, wherein the collar comprises a side surface comprising:

a smooth and flat vertical inner surface (inner surface of the collar) whereby relative vertical movement between the collar and the base plate is achieved, the side surfaces directly surrounding the open cavity, e.g. forming a collar around the base plate, wherein the collar has a vertical height and is configured to form a profile having the shape of the outer edge of the base plate;

outer surface (outer surface of the ring); and

the outer edge at the upper transition of the inner and outer surface, for example, is such that the inner and outer surface of the collar preferably transitions evenly from the inner surface to the outer surface not through a uniform bend, but rather through an outer edge (ridge, protrusion) located at the upper transition.

Although the collar itself is a device, it is preferably used in conjunction with and/or included in an injection moulding die, particularly with the base plate of the injection moulding die, which is useful for understanding the features of the collar. Therefore, in the following, the use of the collar is preferably explained with respect to the mutual cooperation of the collar and said other elements.

The features of the collar are preferably adapted to the substrate and injection mould, which themselves may be equipment known to the skilled person. During a conventional injection molding process, an injection molding material is forcibly injected into an injection molding die surrounding a cavity having a specific cavity shape. The injection molding material is held under pressure in the mold cavity, cooled, and then removed (demolded) as a solidified part whose shape substantially replicates the shape of the cavity of the mold.

In one embodiment, the injection molding die is a multi-part injection molding die, which preferably comprises at least two parts that are movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the cavity is formed by surrounding parts or elements of a multi-part injection molding die. In the closed position, an injection procedure is performed. The open position is preferably used to remove the cured product, a process which is synonymously referred to as demolding.

In some embodiments, the open position of the mold may also be preferred for positioning additional elements within the mold that should be integrated with the product, such as inserts, outsoles and/or foils that at least partially cover the outer surface of the injection molded product. Preferably, the multi-part injection moulding mould preferably comprises at least 2 parts, more preferably at least 3 parts, more preferably at least 4 parts, most preferably at least 5 parts. In addition, preferably at least 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15 or 20 parts are included.

In one embodiment, the substrate is included in a multi-part injection molding die. The base plate is preferably an element of a multi-part injection molding die which is arranged at the bottom of the die and which preferably forms the lower boundary of the cavity in the closed position. Which preferably defines the bottom shape of the final shaped product. For example, the substrate may be an element used to form a bottom component of a shoe and/or sole in a molding process for producing the shoe and/or sole. In particular, in this case, the base plate may serve as a support for inserting the outsole on top of the base plate. The outsole is preferably the bottom component of the sole that provides contact between the ground and the remainder of the shoe. Therefore, it is generally preferred that the outsole comprise a particular durable, waterproof and/or non-slip material. Preferably, the outsole has a tread pattern. The surface of the base plate is preferably used to position the outsole. Thus, the negative shape of the bottom (tread) of the outsole is preferably replicated so that the outsole fits flush with the base element in which it is positioned. Thus, the bottom of the cavity is substantially defined by the inserted outsole, rather than the base plate itself.

The collar for the base plate of the multipart injection molding mould preferably forms a unit together with the base plate. The collar is preferably positioned flush around the base plate in the open and closed positions of the multi-part injection moulding die, although they are preferably separate parts that are independently movable.

The collar is configured to be positioned flush around the substrate. This preferably means that the collar comprises a cavity, which is at least partially open, in which the base plate can be positioned such that the contour of the base plate substantially conforms to the surrounding surface of the collar. In some embodiments, the outsole, which may be of the same construction as the collar, may also preferably substantially conform to the surrounding surface of the collar. The cavity is at least partially open, meaning preferably that it is open at least on the side of the base element facing the rest of the cavity of the multi-component injection moulding die in the closed position.

In some embodiments, the collar includes a side surface, which preferably includes an inner surface surrounding the cavity and an outer surface spaced from the inner surface by a thickness, which preferably defines the thickness of the side surface. Preferably, the cavity is substantially formed by an inner surface laterally surrounding it. The inner surface preferably includes a vertical height that is substantially defined by the vertical height of the cavity and is formed around the sides of the cavity to contour the substrate of which it is constructed.

The inner surface has a flat vertical surface so that the collar can be positioned flush around the preferably rigid substrate over the entire vertical height of the cavity.

In some embodiments, the inner surface is smooth. This preferably means:

1. friction between the substrate and/or elements disposed on the substrate (e.g., outsole) should be minimized. Those skilled in the art know which materials to select and/or how to treat the inner surface to achieve this.

2. The interior surface substrate is free of voids and/or perforations that might introduce and/or deposit injection molding material (e.g., an (interior) sole material).

The collar comprises an outer rim, such as a ridge or protrusion, at the upper transition of the inner and outer surface. The outer rim thus preferably forms the upper side of the collar. The thickness of the side surface preferably does not need to be constant for the vertical direction or on different sides of the collar. Therefore, the width of the outer rim is preferably not necessarily constant.

A direction indication such as up, down, upper, lower, bottom or top is preferably defined substantially with respect to the direction of gravity of the earth, e.g. "up" is defined substantially in a direction opposite to the direction of gravity and/or where the ground in relation to gravity is located. It may also be preferred that the position of "up" with respect to the cavity, which may be formed by the multi-part injection moulding die, is defined such that a direction indicating "up direction" (e.g. of the base element and/or collar) points in the direction of the cavity. Preferably, all definitions are consistent and, for example, the base element and/or the collar are arranged at the bottom of the cavity with respect to the direction of gravity.

In order to illustrate the purpose and structure of the collar more clearly, an illustrative example will be given below in connection with the production of injection-moulded shoes and/or soles, without however limiting the invention to this example.

This example shows schematically the mutual cooperation of the collar, the base plate and the two side forming elements, wherein these elements preferably together substantially form the bottom and one side of a multi-part injection moulding mould. In this example, a pre-manufactured outsole may be inserted into the mold with the mold in the open position by placing the outsole on a base plate that is disposed within the cavity formed by the collar and that is flushly surrounded by the inner surface of the collar.

The substrate is preferably movable for the production process described, wherein in the first position the substrate is in its lower position within the vertical extension (vertical height) of the cavity within the collar. In this position the distance between the base plate and the (upper) outer edge of the collar is maximal. The cavity is thus configured for movement of the substrate between the first and second positions.

An important feature of the collar is the lateral foil covering that helps to form the (inner) sole. The foil is therefore preferably inserted into each side forming element such that it hangs down along the (side) cavity wall of each side forming element. The foil may preferably be positioned and held in the upper part by clamping elements, e.g. hinges, which are located in the upper part of each side forming element.

In order to produce injection moulded soles by injecting a suitable (inner) sole material, a multi-component injection moulding mould is closed by relative movement between a collar comprising a base plate in a cavity and side moulding elements, bringing these elements together. Prior to closing, the foil may preferably be activated, e.g. heated. By activation, the foil preferably becomes more elastic and easy to handle. When closing the multi-part injection moulding mould, the lower part of each side moulding element closes flush around the collar (preferably its outer surface). The outer surface of the collar drags and guides the foil during the closing process, which generally hangs loosely along the cavity wall prior to closing.

In some embodiments, during the foil covering process, the foil will be sandwiched on its lower portion between the outer surface of the collar and the lower portion of the surrounding side forming elements. The injection moulding material is now injected into the cavity where it expands and occupies the space defined by the surrounding elements. Preferably, the cavity is thus closed from the top by an additional upper closing element and preferably from the sides by the side mould frames, in particular in embodiments where the side mould frames comprise more than one element (e.g. two side forming elements). Thereby, the foil is preferably sandwiched above between the upper closure element and the side mould frame. Due to this clamping, the cavity is preferably closed material-tightly with respect to the injection molding material. At the end of this process, the substrate is moved to a second, upper position, flush with the outer edge of the collar. In this step, the sole material may preferably be further compressed and brought into the actual shape of its sole, which shape is defined by the base plate and the outsole placed thereon, the (side) cavity walls of the side forming elements forming the side mould frames and preferably also the upper closing element. After setting the moulding material and demolding by opening the mold, a complete shoe is thus formed, in which the upper is directly attached to the sole, including the outsole and the midsole covered by the lateral foil.

One advantage of the collar is that it facilitates movement of the material seal of the substrate between the first and second positions. It is often desirable to further compress the injected material during the injection molding process because it becomes less bulky when cooled after injection. This may be achieved by a movable substrate. Furthermore, the movement of the substrate from the first position to the second position preferably also serves to close off the flow channel and/or the flow channel opening for injecting material into the closed cavity. The substrate is moved in an upward direction while closing the flow channels and/or the flow channel openings, thereby avoiding any loss of material/cavity internal pressure from the closed cavity. In a given embodiment, the base plate is in its second position and the collar closes the flow channel and/or the flow channel opening to prevent the aforementioned problems.

However, it is complicated to use prior art techniques to achieve further compression for already closed cavities. This can be more easily achieved by moving the substrate within the collar. Furthermore, moving the base plate creates friction between the base plate and/or outsole and the collar, thus causing wear to the collar. Thus, the use of such a separate interchangeable element as a collar greatly simplifies maintenance and reduces costs.

Another advantage of the collar is the simple and effective (lateral) foil covering of the produced component, for example a shoe sole. Lateral foil coverage of the sole may be achieved by positioning the foils against their cavity walls within the side mould frames (e.g. the side forming elements of the side mould frames).

The foil can be positioned and held in the upper part by a clamping element (e.g. a hinge) above the side cavity wall. The foil may hang loosely from the upper part of the side profiled elements along the cavity wall before closing the side profiled elements on both sides around the collar to form the cavity. When the side forming elements approach the collar and close around the collar to form the cavity (with the bottom of the side forming elements closing flush around the collar), the foil will automatically be guided and brought into position by the outer surface of the collar, which is preferably shaped accordingly.

The foil may then preferably be sandwiched between the side forming elements and the outer surface of the collar below the side cavity wall, while the upper part of the foil is fixed above the side cavity wall by clamping elements before closing the cavity and sandwiched between the upper closing element and the side mould frame/side forming elements when the cavity is closed. By the closing movement and in some embodiments by friction between the outer surface of the collar and the lower part of the side forming elements, the foil is at the same time preferably subjected to some tensile force, while it hangs loose before due to the effect of gravity. In order to carry the preferred frictional forces between the foil and the outer surface and to support the required properties of the foil, the outer surface of the collar may be suitably formed and may preferably be rough. The foil may also be activated by pre-application of heat, thereby making the foil more flexible and resilient.

Suitable foils and/or foil materials are well known to the person skilled in the art and are also introduced below. Thus, in the closed position, the foil is preferably positioned closely along the cavity wall to wrap around the sides of the product (e.g., midsole). After the cavity is closed (there may be an additional upper closing element to close the cavity from above, e.g. a mould or a last), injection moulding material may be injected, e.g. through the runner. If the foil is not yet positioned along the cavity walls with the required tightness, the pressure of the expanded material will apply the appropriate pressure to the foil. The injected material is preferably further compressed by the upward movement of the base plate until the base plate is positioned flush with the outer edge of the collar. In this position, the cavity is preferably formed substantially from below by the substrate, from the side by the cavity walls of the side forming elements (covered by the foil) and from above by the preferably upper closing element. The compression movement of the substrate preferably also prevents possible re-collapse of the injection-molded material during its drying process. After the material is cured and has its final shape, the cavity may be opened for demolding.

Preferably, curing means that the reaction curve of the material flattens and the foam and/or material reaches its final volume.

Thus, by using the collar, the injection molding process and particularly the maintenance of the injection molding die can be simplified. The process becomes less costly and more reliable due to reduced anomalies during production. In particular, the lateral foil covering of the injection molded product can be accomplished in a very simple and effective manner. Using the collar described herein, accidental wrinkling and folding of the foil when the mould is closed to establish the cavity can be surprisingly prevented.

In some embodiments, the collar comprises or comprises a synthetic material, polymer, plastic, or the like. Such a collar may be easily and efficiently produced, for example, by additive manufacturing such as 3D printing. In some embodiments, the collar comprises or is constructed of a metal, such as aluminum or steel. Such a collar is robust and physically well suited for injection molding processes. In some embodiments, the collar comprises or includes a ceramic, which may have excellent thermal properties and a longer life.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer rim comprises a preferably horizontal flat surface and a rounded transition between the flat surface and the outer surface. The outer rim separates the inner surface of the inside of the collar from the outer surface of the outside. The outer rim of this preferred embodiment has a flat surface which presents the contour of the collar on the upper side. The expression "flat surface" preferably means that the surface exhibits a constant angle with the vertical inner surface over the entire surface. The flat surface may preferably be used in combination with a flat mating surface of a side mould frame (e.g. a side forming element) to sandwich the foil between the two surfaces.

In some embodiments, the cavity walls of the side mould frame are preferably delimited from below by said mating surfaces. Thus, a foil hanging from above along the cavity wall can be effectively secured below the cavity wall by the flat surface of the collar and said mating surface of the side mould frame (which are preferably flush in the closed position).

In some embodiments, the planar surface is preferably substantially horizontal. This preferably means that it exhibits an angle of substantially 90 deg. with respect to the vertical inner surface of the collar. This simplifies the manufacture of the flat surfaces and their precise mating with said mating surfaces of the side mould frames.

In some embodiments, it is also preferred that the angle between the perpendicular surface and the flat surface is less than 90 °. Thereby, the fixation of the foil by the flat surface and said mating surface of the side mould frame may be improved. In some embodiments, it is preferred that the angle between the perpendicular inner surface and the flat surface is greater than 90 °. Thereby, the pulling force on the foil is smaller and less strongly distorted, so that the risk of accidental breakage of the foil may be reduced. Therefore, it is also preferred that the edge between the vertical inner surface and the flat surface is rounded.

It is also preferred that there is a rounded transition between the flat surface and the outer surface so that the foil does not encounter sharp edges between the flat surface and the outer surface. Hereby, the foil can be prevented from breaking in a very simple manner.

In another preferred embodiment, the surface of the outer rim is not flat but rounded so that its angle to the vertical inner surface increases progressively with the distance between the point of the outer rim in question and the inner surface of the foil. Thereby, the foil may be prevented from being severely twisted, the foil may be smoothly guided and fracture protection of the foil may be improved.

In all of these embodiments of the outer rim, it is preferred that the side mould frames have mating facing surfaces which are positioned flush with each other in the closed position of the mould and such that both surfaces are configured to sandwich the foil therebetween.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer surface is smoothly curved outwards from the outer edge of the collar to the edge of the collar at the lower transition of the outer surface to the inner surface. The collar preferably has a transition separating the outer surface from the inner surface at the bottom of the collar. This transition is preferably referred to as an "edge".

In this embodiment, it is preferred that the outer surface is smoothly curved outwardly between the outer edge and the edge. It is therefore preferred that in a vertical cross-section of the collar the angle between the tangent to the outer surface and the vertical inner surface increases gradually from the top to the bottom of the outer surface (at least in a part of the outer surface, preferably in the upper part). In this embodiment, the bottom of the foil, which hangs down, preferably loosely, from above and along the cavity wall, may be contacted and smoothly guided by the outer surface when the cavity is closed.

When considering the vertical cross-section of the mould which is closed when forming the cavity, it is preferred to have a smooth and/or flush transition between the cavity wall(s) of the lateral and inner surfaces of the collar, while the outer surface extends wider than the cavity wall. Thus, when closing the cavity, there is a moment when the outer surface comes into contact with the foil that hangs down along the cavity wall and preferably also extends below the wall and hangs straight (due to gravity) below the cavity wall. This moment preferably occurs before the cavity is completely closed. By the preferred shape of the outer surface, at the moment of this contact the foil does not encounter sharp edges and the contact surface between the foil and the outer surface gradually increases during the closing process, so that it is also preferred to gradually increase the friction between the foil and the surface until a preferably larger part of the outer surface comes into contact with the foil. Thereby, no sudden force is exerted on the foil by the outer surface when the mould is closed, thus preventing the foil from breaking, while the friction force may eventually be large enough to subject the foil to a pulling force and elongate it along the cavity wall, such that it preferably substantially replicates the shape of the cavity wall.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the collar comprises a flow passage opening, which in some embodiments is preferably located at the outer edge of the collar. The injection molding material is preferably injected into the cavity using a runner. The flow channel is preferably part of an injection moulding mould, such as a side mould frame and/or a side moulding element. It is preferred that the injection of the material may take place in a portion of the cavity of the collar in which the substrate is located and wherein the substrate is preferably positioned in a lower (first) position within the collar. Thus, the cavity of the collar is at least a part of the cavity. The injection site (flow channel/flow channel opening) is therefore preferably above the substrate. Such injection in a cavity with the substrate in the bottom position may be practical, for example, in order to avoid leaving stains on the surface of the final product where the flow channels are located. In order for the runner to inject material into a portion of the cavity, the collar therefore preferably comprises a runner opening in this embodiment. Preferably, the opening is suitably positioned to overlap the flow channel of the injection molding die when the injection molding die is closed.

Embodiments related to injection molding systems

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, an injection molding die system comprises a collar and a base plate according to the preceding description, wherein the collar is positioned and configured to be positioned flush around the base plate, wherein the collar and the base plate are mounted or configured to be mounted movably relative to each other and configured to move vertically between a first position and a second position.

In some embodiments, in the first position the distance between the outer edge of the collar and the base plate is maximal, preferably for injection of injection moulding material, and in the second position the distance between the upper outer edge of the collar and the base plate is minimal, wherein the outer edge and the base plate are preferably flush.

This preferred embodiment for the use or construction of the collar comprises a collar as described herein, but also optionally comprises a component of a multi-component injection moulding die, in particular a substrate. By this embodiment of the invention, a synergy is possible, since not only the characteristics of the collar, but also the characteristics of the substrate are included in the scope. While the collar itself covers embodiments of the invention, the disclosure includes such additional embodiments with a broader or more comprehensive system, preferably improving the effectiveness of the collar. The invention also relates to a kit comprising components of the system, which are for example arranged close to each other or in relation to each other, for example without being assembled in the system.

In some embodiments, the system includes a substrate. The main functions of the substrate have been described above. The substrate is the main forming element defining the shape of the product resulting from injection molding, preferably defining one side/surface of the product, in particular the side/surface of the bottom. For example, the substrate may be the main forming element for producing shoes and/or shoe soles, defining an outsole (bottom of the shoe). It is therefore preferred that the base plate has the outline of a shoe (sole) and is preferably also shaped as a negative part of the bottom pattern of the outsole.

For example, the outsole may be made of rubber and/or synthetic materials, such as polymers, and inserted into the molding die system prior to the injection molding process, preferably by placing it on a substrate. The inverted portion of the sole preferably represents the negative of the preferred sole contour or pattern so that the sole fits flush when it is properly positioned on the base plate. In this example for making soles, it is also clear to the skilled person that it is necessary to use different shapes and/or sizes of base plate and collar for different shoes and/or different sizes of shoes.

In the preferred embodiment, the collar and base plate are mounted for movement relative to each other and are configured for vertical movement between a first position and a second position. The main purpose of this has been explained above in describing the function of the collar: after closing the cavity and injecting the injection moulding material, an additional compression step of the injected material is preferably performed through the substrate, which also brings the product into its final shape. In addition, the flow channel and/or the flow channel opening can be closed by this movement. For this purpose, a vertical movement is preferably produced between the first position and the second position. In the first position, the distance between the outer edge of the collar and the base plate is preferably at a maximum. The first position is preferably along the vertical height of the cavity, preferably between the rim and the outer edge of the collar. This position is preferably used for injecting injection molding material. In this position, the base plate may preferably be on the bottom of the collar. In the second position, the distance between the upper outer edge of the collar and the base plate is preferably minimal, wherein the outer edge is preferably flush with the base plate and therefore preferably has substantially no distance. However, in the first position the portion of the cavity of the collar above the base plate is part of the cavity on its bottom, which is preferably not the case in the second position, in which the cavity is defined by the base plate and/or an outsole placed on the base plate at the top of the cavity, flush with the outer rim.

In order to seal off the contact area between the substrate and the inner surface and/or the outer rim of the collar and to be material-tight against the injection-moulding material, it may be preferred to use a non-stick material, such as teflon or similar, at the edge of the substrate and/or the inner surface and/or the outer rim of the collar.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the collar comprises a flow passage opening between the outer edge of the collar and the base plate, in which preferred embodiment the flow passage opening, which is preferably only a slit or a hole, is positioned for injection only during the time that the base plate is in the first position, when the collar and the base plate are in the first position. In the second position, the flow passage opening is preferably not directly connected to the chamber when the base plate is preferably flush with the outer rim. This is a very practical and simple way of controlling the injection, avoiding the runner leaving injection smudges on the product and avoiding backflow of the injection moulding material. In a preferred and very simple embodiment, the opening is a vertical slit extending from the outer edge.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the injection moulding mould system further comprises a side mould frame, wherein the cavity is formed by the side mould frame positioned around the collar, the collar and the base plate thereby forming a base of the cavity and the side mould frame forming the cavity wall, and wherein the side mould frame comprises a first opposite part of the clamping element for positioning the foil against the cavity wall within the side mould frame. The general arrangement of this preferred embodiment in which the cavity is formed by the side mould frames (and/or the side moulding elements included) has been described above.

In some embodiments, it is preferred that the system, preferably the side mould frame, comprises a clamping element, in particular a first opposing portion of the clamping element. The clamping element preferably comprises or is configured with at least two opposite parts for clamping the foils, which preferably exert a force on each other and preferably on the foil between them. The clamping element is preferably located above the cavity wall so that the foil can be fixed above the wall. This embodiment provides a simple and effective method for clamping the foil. It is preferred that the cavity wall or walls (synonymous with side cavity wall or walls) are configured as side surfaces for designing the shaped product. As already described, the cavity wall and the base element and preferably the upper closing element of the cavity surround the cavity and thus define its shape, while the injection molded product substantially adopts the shape of the cavity. Thus, any structure on the chamber wall preferably participates in the structure and/or design of the outer surface of the object. For example, when producing a side sole, the side surfaces of the sole may exhibit structure for design and/or function. The structure is substantially shaped by the shape and/or structure of the cavity wall.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the first opposing portion of the clamping element comprises a first element configured as at least one ridge, elongated protrusion and/or hinge for positioning the foil. The foil may be easily positioned and simultaneously secured by means of ridges or elongated protrusions which provide a very simple way of applying a frictional force to the foil in combination with the second opposite portion of the clamping element, which is preferably a counter part which may be secured on the first opposite portion. In a preferred embodiment, the first counterpart is a first element of the hinge. This preferably means that a complete hinge is provided together with the second opposing portion. Preferably, the first element of the hinge is a blade of the hinge. The hinge may be a suitable and simple element to clamp the foil to the side mould frame. The foil is preferably sandwiched between at least two leaves of the hinge. The clamping force holding the two blades together may preferably be gravity, a force exerted by a spring comprised in the hinge and/or a force provided by a motor and/or a force provided hydraulically. The hinge as a clamping element is also simple to use in an automated process and is therefore very suitable for mass production of injection-molded products.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the die further comprises a second opposite portion of the clamping element for positioning against the first opposite portion, wherein the clamping element is configured to clamp the foil against the cavity wall in the side die frame at a predetermined position, and wherein the second opposite portion of the clamping element preferably comprises the second element of the hinge. The second facing portion of the clamping element is preferably adapted to exert a force on the first facing portion and on the foil located between the two facing portions to clamp it in a predetermined position. For the preferred purpose of clamping the foil against the cavity wall in the side frame, the first opposite part of the clamping element is preferably arranged on the side mould frame above the cavity wall, so that it can hang down along the cavity wall by gravity when the foil is clamped. Although the first opposing portion of the clamping element is preferably a fixed element of the side mold frame, the second opposing portion of the clamping element is preferably a detachable element which can be fixed on the first opposing portion, in particular, for example, due to its shape, which preferably fits the first opposing portion. For example, the second opposing portion may be inserted on the first opposing portion. The first opposing portion may preferably constitute a male portion of the plug and the second opposing portion a female portion, and vice versa. In a preferred embodiment, the second opposing portion of the clamping element comprises a second element of the hinge, for example a second leaf of the hinge, and the first opposing portion is a first leaf of the hinge. In this case, the foil is preferably sandwiched between the blades. Further, the first opposite part of the clamping element comprising the hinge may be a surface of a side mould frame, while the second opposite part of the clamping element comprises a knuckle, a pin within the knuckle and/or a blade preferably for clamping the foil between the blade and the surface. When the clamping element is a hinge, the second opposing portion is preferably not detachable but is connected to the sideform frame by a pin and/or knuckle. A very simple and in particular automatically operable clamping element can thereby be realized.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the first opposing portion of the clamping element is positioned in an upper portion of the side mould frame and is configured to contact an upper portion of the foil to allow the foil to hang on the cavity wall when clamped. The foil is preferably not a ring foil but a foil plate, which in its upper part is fixed in the clamping element, the rest of the foil plate preferably hanging down along the chamber wall. This is a particularly simple clamping mechanism requiring little maintenance.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention the side mould frames and the collar are configured to close lower portions of the side mould frames that are flush around the collar, wherein the lower portions of the foil are held between the side mould frames and the collar when closed to form a cavity, wherein the cavity is material sealed against the injection moulding material. In this embodiment, it is preferred that not only the shape of the collar fits the side mould frame, but that the mould frame also fits the collar.

Thus, the shape of both elements may preferably be optimised to achieve that the foil is sandwiched between the side mould frame and the collar when the cavity is closed. It may also be preferred that in this embodiment only the collar fits the side mould frame. The side mould frame may preferably be divided into: an upper portion, the inner wall of which preferably represents a cavity wall when closed to form a cavity and also preferably houses a clamping element above the cavity wall; and a lower portion. The lower part preferably does not form part of the cavity but closes flushly and preferably material-tightly around the collar, in particular the outer surface of the collar. Thus, the cavity may be isolated from the injection moulding material at the intersection of the side mould frame and the collar. A material seal is a preferred feature of the injection molded cavity. In particular, it is preferred that the lower part of the side mould frame closes flushly and material tightly around the collar (in particular the outer surface of the collar) when the foil is located between the lower part of the side mould frame and the collar. As mentioned above, the foil is preferably used for laterally over-molding a product, such as a midsole. It therefore preferably hangs down the cavity wall of the side mould frame, preferably being secured above by the clamping element. The foil should also preferably be fixed below the chamber wall so that it can be well fixed within the chamber to achieve a repeatable foil covering process. This is preferably achieved by sandwiching the foil between the lower part of the side mould frame and the outer surface of the collar and between the upper part of the mould frame and the upper closure element. Hereby it is achieved that the complete side of the moulded product can be covered by the foil. The edges of the foil that are in contact with the product are preferably material-sealed during the injection molding process. Thereby, the edge can be formed in a very clean, practical and/or aesthetic manner. The final overhanging foil that has been used for clamping above and below the cavity wall can preferably be removed after injection moulding.

The lower portion of the side mold frame preferably includes a lower edge of the side mold frame. The upper portion of the side mold frame preferably includes an upper edge of the side mold frame.

It is therefore preferred that the side mould frame can be flush and material-tightly closed against the injection moulding material, with or without a foil. For this reason, it is preferable that the surface of the lower part of the side mold frame and the outer surface of the collar are in conformity and in close contact when the mold is closed, particularly at the edge formed by the cavity wall of the side mold frame. When using a foil, it is preferred that the foil is not wrinkled and is itself thin and has certain elastic and/or sealing properties. The skilled person knows which foil can be selected in order to achieve this. The entire system preferably has a certain elasticity so as to be tightly closed against the material with or without the foil. The force used to bring the systems together to form the cavity should be sufficient. The skilled person knows how to achieve this. By this embodiment, an improved shaped and preferably lateral foil covered high quality product can be achieved.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the side mould frame comprises a groove for the collar, such that a lower part of the side mould frame may be positioned flush around the collar and an inner surface of the collar may be positioned flush with the cavity wall and material-sealed against the injection moulding material. The groove is preferably located below the cavity wall and is preferably formed to replicate an inverse or "negative" of the collar side surface, with the outer surface of the collar being flush with the lower portion of the side mould frame. At the same time, the inner surface of the collar and the chamber wall are preferably adapted to each other such that they are also flush at their contact surfaces. At the edge where the inner surface of the collar makes contact with the cavity wall of the side mould frame, it is preferably material tight against the injection moulding material. When the foil is inserted into the closed cavity, the foil is preferably guided outside the cavity and along the outer surface of the collar through this contact area. In this case, a material seal is also preferred. When the cavity is formed, it may preferably change volume due to vertical movement of the substrate within the open cavity of the collar. During the injection molding process, the substrate is preferably moved until it stops in the second position, where it is flush with the outer rim. Thereby, the injection moulding material is preferably compressed and brought into its final shape. Hereby, an improved and optimized mould system for injection moulding and lateral foil covering may be achieved.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the foil may be held between the outer rim of the collar and the upper edge of the groove of the side mould frame, and the upper edge of the groove of the side mould frame comprises a second flat surface, preferably parallel to the flat surface of the outer rim. This embodiment has been described above in the description of the outer edge surface of the collar. It is therefore preferred that the groove of the side mould frame comprises in its top position a surface of preferably the same shape as the outer rim surface of the collar, so that the two surfaces are in flush contact when the mould is in the closed position. Thereby, the foil may be guided and/or clamped between the two surfaces while being sufficiently smooth and having sufficient contact surfaces to hold the foil tightly and to ensure that the contact surfaces are material-tight against the injection-moulding material.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the side mould frame comprises at least two closable side forming elements, each comprising a first opposite part of a clamping element for positioning the foil. In this embodiment, the side mould frame is preferably divided into two halves, each preferably representing one side of the profiled element. However, it may also be preferred that the side mould frame is divided into more than two parts, for example 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, 50 or 100 parts, each representing one side of the profiled element. It may be useful to divide the side mould frame into at least two side moulding elements, for example to facilitate closing and opening of the cavity, demoulding etc. Each side profile element preferably comprises a first opposite portion of a clamping element as described above. Preferably, a second opposite portion is also included in each side profiled element. Thereby, the foil can be fixed very effectively in each side forming element. For foil covering it is preferred that a separate foil is inserted into each side forming element. When bringing the side forming elements together to form the cavity, the foils preferably overlap at their side edges. During heating, such as by means of molten injection-moulding material or natural heat for activating the foils, the overlapping foils are preferably welded together at their overlapping portions, so that at least one continuous extension of the foil-covered side surface of the moulded object can be produced by means of a plurality of foils secured to the cavity walls of a plurality of side-moulding elements.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the side forming elements and the collar are configured for relative movement, thereby forming a closed position and an open position, wherein in the closed position the lower part of the foil can be at least partially held between the side forming elements and the collar, preferably between the side forming elements and the outer surface of the collar. In this embodiment, the side profiled elements and the collar, and the substrate they comprise, are preferably movable relative to each other to form the cavity. In the closed position, all the side profiled elements are brought together flush and the lower parts of the elements are closed flush around the outer surface of the collar. In this closed position, the side moulding elements preferably together form a side mould frame. As before, when the foil is held partially between the lower part of the side mould frame and the collar, the foil or foils may preferably be held between the lower part of the side moulding element and the outer surface of the collar.

This embodiment is particularly well suited for guiding the foil around the collar when closing the cavity to the closed position and sandwiching the foil between the collar and the side forming elements. Since the side mould frame is divided into a plurality of side moulding elements, the opening and closing process of the cavity can be achieved by a lateral, translational movement of the side moulding elements relative to the collar. Thereby, the collar and the side forming elements are laterally approached, which assists the guiding process of the foil being hung under the cavity wall by the outer surface of the collar. Since such a lateral movement substantially prevents any thrust on the foil, any wrinkling or other undesired deformation of the foil is very effectively prevented.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the first counterpart of the clamping element and the second counterpart of the clamping element are configured for relative movement between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the foil can be inserted between the first counterpart and the second counterpart, and wherein in the second position the upper part of the foil is at least partially held between the first counterpart and the second counterpart. In this embodiment, the clamping element, which preferably comprises two opposing portions, is configured for relative movement between the two opposing portions. Preferably, the movement may be initiated automatically for a substantially automated production process. It is therefore particularly desirable that the second opposing portion does not separate from the first opposing portion, as is the case, for example, in the preferred embodiment of the clamping element in the form of a hinge. This facilitates the relative movement of the two parts and furthermore no additional elements are required to attach and detach the second relative element to achieve the first and second positions.

It may also be preferred that the second opposing element is controlled by some external element, such as a robotic arm connected to the second opposing element and configured to move it between the first and second positions.

The process of inserting and clamping the foil is preferably automated: first, the foil is mechanically inserted between the two opposing portions in the second position. Secondly, the two opposite parts are moved relative to each other to close the clamping element and fix the foil. One embodiment of such movement may be that the second opposing portion moves while the first opposing portion remains in a fixed position, preferably also relative to the side mould frame on which it is located. It may also be preferable to implement a more complex motion in which multiple relative motions of the entire system are combined. For example, the closing process of the cavity by relative movement (e.g. between the side forming elements and the collar) may be combined with a foil insertion process and a closing process of the clamping elements involving relative movement of the two opposing portions from the first position to the second position. Thus, a very efficient and energy and time saving movement can be achieved, thus improving the efficiency of mass production processes.

When using a hinge as the clamping element, the first position indicates that the hinge is in the open position. With the hinge in the open position, the two opposing portions are separated and a foil can be inserted between them. The second position preferably comprises a rotational movement of the hinge through a joint and a pin into the closed position, wherein the foil can be clamped by two opposing parts which are brought into contact via the clamped foil.

It is generally preferred that the entire process including all movements is preferably performed substantially automatically, including suitable electronic control systems, motors and/or hydraulically driven movements. Those skilled in the art (e.g., engineers) know how to implement machinery for such processes.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the side mold frame includes a runner for injecting the injection molding material into the cavity, which may preferably overlap with a runner opening of the collar. Thus, the injection molding process can be very effectively realized.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the injection molding die system further comprises a device for thermally activating the foil, preferably a heater and/or a lamp. Thereby, the foil may preferably be made soft, elastic and thus easy to handle. In addition, different foil plates, which are inserted into different side profiled elements, for example, can preferably be welded together at their overlapping edges.

Embodiments relating to foils

In one embodiment, the foil comprises or is constructed with a synthetic material and/or a polymer. Polyurethanes (PU), in particular Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU), are preferred. The use of TPU foil facilitates the easy design of the appearance of the object by printing different patterns on the foil before or after manufacture. In some embodiments, the foil comprises or is configured with a thermoplastic material comprising or configured with preferably at least one of the following materials: thermoplastic polyurethane TPU, polyamide PA, polyethylene terephthalate PET or polybutylene terephthalate PBT. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of foamed TPU, polyester TPU, and polyether TPU.

In one embodiment, the foil has a thickness of 10 micrometers (μm) to 1 millimeter (mm), preferably 50 μm to 1000 μm, more preferably 100 μm to 500 μm.

It may be preferred to use multiple foils at once to form a stronger and/or structured foil. A device, preferably a heater and/or a lamp, may be located at or near the side mould frame to activate the foil after it has been inserted and clamped and draped along the cavity wall. For example, the heater and/or lamp may be located in the middle of the side molding elements when the mold is in the open position. The lamps are preferably heating lamps emitting infrared radiation which transfers heat which can be absorbed by the foil to activate it. The device, in particular the heater and/or the lamp, is preferably located sufficiently close to the foil to be activated. Hereby, an activated foil may be used, whereby the foil is easier to handle and the risk of foil breakage and/or wrinkling is reduced.

The device for thermally activating the foil may also preferably be used to activate the outsole, in particular to make it more elastic and therefore easy to handle.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the injection molding die system further comprises at least one unwind configured to hold a foil roll, and a blade, wherein the unwind and the blade are configured to automatically at least partially unwind the foil roll to automatically sever the foil and insert the foil into the sidemold in the open position. It is preferred that the basic solution of such a combination of holder and blade for a foil roll is substantially similar to what is known as a tape cutter. The similarity is preferably in that the roll of the blade may serve as an edge for subjecting the foil to a pulling force when tensioned, but may also serve as a blade for cutting the foil when a pulling and/or stretching force is applied above a certain threshold and/or when the foil is positioned at a certain angle to the blade. A preferred method achieved by this embodiment comprises the steps of stretching the foil, inserting the foil, clamping the foil and cutting the foil. The movements involved may preferably be implemented such that all movements involved in connection with the opening and closing process of the foil, the clamping element and the mould (and cavity) are combined into an efficient movement scheme of the entire system forming an automated production process for injection moulded products. Preferably, the same plate length for the inserted foil can be repeated in each production cycle. For the blade, preferably tin or metal sheets and/or lips are used. The tab or lip may be used to sever the foil and preferably also as a barrier to protect the roll of foil from heat applied to the portion of foil inserted into the cavity to activate the foil. To achieve these isolation capabilities, it may also include other suitable materials, such as polymers and/or ceramics. The complete unwind may preferably be similar to an unwind for a household foil.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the injection moulding mould system further comprises a printing apparatus, preferably automated, for printing on the foil, preferably using laser printing, non-impact printing and/or pad printing. Thereby, an aesthetic design of the foil may be facilitated.

One advantage of the foil is that injection-molded products, in particular injection-molded shoe soles, which are at least laterally covered with the foil can be designed in a much simpler manner than designs in which the injection-molded material solidifies on its own, for example, because of a poor adhesion between the varnish and the molding material. In addition, the material is typically porous and/or highly stressed. Aesthetic effects in use such as gloss cannot be achieved directly by varnishing the material. The use of injection moulding materials of different colours is quite complicated and also leads to poor results and limits the design possibilities. Thus, the use of foil may increase the design possibilities of the product as well as the robustness of the design. For example, a personalized design of the shoe can be easily achieved. Printing on a foil is a particularly efficient process. The printing of the foil is preferably done before the insertion of the foil. This facilitates the printing process and allows for the selection of optimal settings for printing.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the injection molding die system is configured for the production of shoe soles and/or shoes. In particular, it is preferred that the base plate and/or the collar, in particular the cavity of the collar, has the shape of a shoe and/or a sole. The system of this embodiment is particularly well suited for producing soles for shoes, which are preferably laterally covered by a foil to protect the possibly porous midsole from weather conditions and/or increased wear, and also to increase the design possibilities.

Embodiments relating to the production method

Another preferred embodiment of the invention is a method for producing a shaped element, preferably a shoe sole, comprising the following steps:

providing an injection moulding mould system comprising a side mould frame and a base plate, preferably based on the description above;

preferably inserting the outsole on the base plate in a first position in which the distance between the outer edge of the collar and the base plate is at a maximum;

inserting at least one foil into the side mould frame, preferably automatically, in the open position, thereby positioning the foil against the first opposing portion of the clamping element and against the cavity wall within the side mould frame;

closing the clamping elements to a closed position and preferably temporarily clamping the foil in an upper part thereof;

heat-activated foils and preferably also the inserted outsole, in particular in case the outsole is made of TPU or rubber;

lowering an upper closing element (e.g. a last with an upper) and finally closing the side moulding elements to form a closed cavity at least partially holding the lower part of the foil between the side mould frame and the base plate and/or collar, preferably material-sealed against the injection moulding material; and using the upper edges of the side mould frames, in particular the bite lines, to keep the upper part of the foil sandwiched between the upper closure element (e.g. a last with an upper) and the side mould frames, preferably material-sealed against the injection moulding material;

preferably injecting an injection molding material into the cavity;

the substrate is preferably moved to a second position in which the distance between the outer edge of the collar and the substrate is minimal, wherein the outer edge is preferably flush with the substrate.

Another preferred embodiment of the invention is a method for producing a shaped element, preferably a shoe sole, comprising the following steps:

providing an injection moulding mould system comprising a side mould frame and a base plate, preferably based on the description above;

preferably inserting the outsole on the base plate in a first position in which the distance between the outer edge of the collar and the base plate is at a maximum;

inserting at least one foil into the side mould frame, preferably automatically, in the open position, thereby positioning the foil against the first opposing portion of the clamping element and against the cavity wall within the side mould frame;

closing the clamping elements to a closed position and preferably temporarily clamping the foil in an upper part thereof;

heat-activated foils and preferably also the inserted outsole, in particular in case the outsole is made of TPU or rubber;

closing the cavity to a closed position and at least partially retaining the lower portion of the foil between the side mould frame and the base plate and/or collar, preferably material sealed against the injection moulding material; and

preferably injecting an injection molding material into the cavity;

the substrate is preferably moved to a second position in which the distance between the outer edge of the collar and the substrate is minimal, wherein the outer edge is preferably flush with the substrate.

The skilled person will be aware of the technical features, definitions and advantages of preferred embodiments of the collar and the form die system that also apply to the inventive method.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the injection molding mould system additionally comprises an upper closing element of the cavity, said upper closing element comprising a closing element or a last containing an upper, and said method further comprises the steps of:

closing the cavity by an upper closing element of the cavity;

preferably the at least two ends of the foil are heat melted before injecting the injection moulding material, wherein the injection moulding material is preferably a sole material;

preferably curing the injection molding material;

preferably demolded.

The upper closure element is preferably a closure element, such as a mould, which closes the cavity from above. It may also be preferred that the upper closure element is a last containing an upper. Thus, a complete shoe may be produced in a single process and/or system. The upper preferably closes the cavity hermetically from the upper material. In addition, the upper part preferably contacts the foil such that the foil is sandwiched between the upper part and the side mould frame, so that a material-tight contact surface can be formed between the upper part and the foil. In this case, the clamping elements of the side mould frame are mainly used for pre-clamping and fixing the foil before closing the cavity from above by the upper closing element. In this case it may also be preferred not to use clamping elements at all, the foil being inserted along the cavity wall by some means only, clamped from below by the collar and/or base plate and side mould frame, and held under tension from above by the unwind and/or the blade. After the upper closure element (e.g. a last with an upper) and/or the side mould frames close the cavity and clamp the foil (e.g. along the bite line), the foil is preferably automatically cut or sheared off. The foil may then be heat fused, preferably while already positioned on the upper profile. For example, the thermal energy for melting may be provided by heat or a well-defined heat source (e.g. located within the side mould frame) remaining in the mould prior to the production cycle and/or any exothermic reaction (preferably a reaction of polyurethane and isocyanate) occurring within the closed cavity.

The step of curing the injection moulding material may preferably include a heating process to evaporate the liquid component of the material and/or to wait for a certain time until curing occurs.

Demolding preferably includes opening the cavity. It may be preferred to remove the overlapping parts of the foil manually and/or automatically.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention the method further comprises the step of varnishing the foil by spraying varnish in the side mould frame and/or printing the foil before inserting the foil. Spraying the varnish into the side mould frame shortly before the foil is inserted into the side mould frame is a very effective way of designing the foil.

Another preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a shoe, wherein the foil at least partially covers one or more sides of the shoe, preferably manufactured by a method and/or an apparatus according to the above description. The shoe can be very firm, complex in design and long in service life.

It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in practicing the invention. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that the method and apparatus within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby. All embodiments relating to collars, injection molding systems, or methods employing these components should be considered to be disclosed in the context of each other, such that features of a collar or system may be considered embodiments of a method, and vice versa.

Without being limiting, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments and the following drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the mutual cooperation of a collar for injection moulding and foil covering of a shoe sole, a base plate and one side moulding element of a side mould frame.

Fig. 2-9 are schematic diagrams of different steps of the production process.

List of reference numerals

1-a collar; 2-a cavity; 3-a substrate; 4-a first position; 5-an inner surface; 6-vertical height; 7-an outer surface; 9-outer edge; 11-a flat surface; 13-a circular transition; 15-collar edge; 17-a flow channel opening; 19-side mould frame wall; 20-side mold frame upper part; 21-a ring groove; 23-a second planar surface; 25-side forming elements; 27-a flow channel; 28-upper edge/bite line; 30-upper closure element/last; 32-shoe upper; 34-a foil; 36-a clamping element; 38-injection molding material; 40-a substrate support member; 42-side mold frame support elements; 44-lower edge.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 schematically shows the mutual cooperation of the collar 1, the base plate 3 and one side moulding element 25 of a side mould frame. The prefabricated outsole may be inserted by placing it on the base plate 3, the base plate 3 being positioned in the first position 4 where the base plate 3 has the greatest distance from the (upper) outer edge 9 of the collar 1. The collar 1 is positioned flush around the base plate 3, wherein its flat vertical inner surface 5 surrounding the cavity 2 has a vertical height 6 and exhibits a contour corresponding to the contour of the base plate 3. The cavity is configured for moving the substrate 3 between the first position 4 and the second position while the collar 1 is positioned flush (and material-tightly) around the substrate 3.

The side moulding element 25, which forms a side mould frame together with a second side moulding element (not shown), is provided with a collar groove 21 so that the inner surface 5 of the collar 1 can be positioned flush with the cavity wall 19 of the side moulding element and the outer surface 7 flush with the lower part of the side moulding element 25. In this way, the cavity may be formed by a side mould frame positioned around the collar 1, the collar 1 and base plate 3 thereby forming the base of the cavity and the side mould frame forming the cavity wall 19. The side molding element 25 includes a runner 27 for injecting injection molding material 38, more specifically midsole material. The flow channel 27 may be made to overlap the flow channel opening 17 of the collar 1. When the sole material 38 is injected, the baseplate 3 is in the first position. Only then the base plate 3 is preferably brought into the second position, flush with the outer edge 9 of the collar 1. During this step, the sole material 38 may preferably be further compressed and brought into the actual shape of its sole, which shape is preferably defined by the baseplate 3 (on which the outsole rests) and the cavity walls 19 of the side mould frame. The upper closing element 30 (not shown) closes the cavity from above during this process, thus contributing to the modelling of the sole produced.

One purpose of the collar 1 in this combination is to allow the material of the base plate 3 to move sealingly while acting as an interchangeable element for the injection moulding mould. This may be necessary due to the increased stress of the component caused by the repeated movement of the substrate 3 within the collar 1. However, the main advantage of the collar 1 is the simple and effective foil covering of the produced component, here the sole. Lateral foil coverage of the sole may be achieved by positioning the foil 34 against the cavity wall 19 in a side mould frame. The foil 34 may be positioned and held in the upper part by clamping elements 36 (not shown), such as hinges, provided in the side mould frame upper part 20. The foil 34 will therefore only hang loosely from the side mould frame upper part 20 along the cavity wall 19 before closing the two side forming elements 25 around the collar. When bringing the side moulding elements 25 and the collar 1 into the closed position, the foil 34 will be dragged by the outer surface 7 of the collar (preferably by friction) until it is material-tightly sandwiched between the flat surface 11 of the collar and the second flat surface 23 of the side mould frame and between the outer surface 7 of the collar 1 and the collar groove 21 of the side mould frame. For the purpose of guiding the foil 34 and dragging the foil 34, the outer surface 7 of the collar 1 preferably has an outwardly curved surface from the outer edge to the collar edge 15 at the bottom of the collar 1. In order that the foil 34 will not be accidentally cut by sharp edges during this procedure, a rounded transition 13 is provided between the flat surface 11 and the outer surface 7 of the collar at the outer edge 9.

Thus, in the closed position, the foil 34 is positioned against the cavity wall 19 to wrap the side of the (inner) sole being produced. If there is also a gap between the foil 34 and the cavity wall 19, this gap is removed by the pressure exerted by the expanding material when injecting the material 38 into the cavity. After demolding, the overhanging portion of foil 34 may preferably be removed (e.g., manually).

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an injection molding system in an open position, including: a lower closure element having a base plate 3 within a collar 1; an upper closure element having a last 30 with an upper 32 disposed thereon; and a side mould frame having two side moulding elements 25. In this example, the open position is achieved by arranging the side forming elements 25 at a certain transverse distance from each other, while the last 30 is (already) in the lowered position. The lower closure element is in a lowered position in which the collar 1 and the base plate 3 are in a second position, the distance between the outer edge 9 of the collar and the base plate 3 being minimal. The outsole may preferably be provided on the base plate 3.

Fig. 3 shows the lower closure element in a raised position, wherein the collar 1 and the base plate 3 are still in the second position. In this position, the collar 1 may preferably be raised by lifting the substrate 3 while placing the collar 1 on the substrate support element 40. The injection molding die system is still in the open position because the side molding elements 25 are still spaced apart.

Fig. 4 shows that the foil 34 is positioned in the side mould frame by means of clamping elements 36 above the side mould frame. The foil 34 hangs loose during this production step, preferably slightly close to the side mould frame walls 19, in particular parallel thereto. The lower part of the foil is guided around the lower closure element by the outer surface 7 of the collar 1. Although not explicitly shown, the foil may preferably comprise two side foil elements which overlap at the front side and the rear side of the sole to be produced.

Fig. 5 shows the injection molding system in a closed position with the side molding members positioned flush around last 30 and the lower closure member. In this way, a cavity is formed in which the foil 34 is sandwiched between the upper edges 28 of the side mould frames (preferably the bite lines) and the last 30 and between the lower edges 44 of the side mould frames and the lower closure element. Although the clamping elements 36 are shown still clamping the foil 34, they are in fact no longer necessary to position the foil 34 within the side mould frame, as the upper part of the foil 34 has been clamped between the last 30 and the side moulding elements 25.

Fig. 6 shows the base plate 3 lowered and the collar 1 and the base plate 3 in a first position for injection of injection moulding material 38 through the runner 27 and/or the runner opening 17 in the collar 1. Even if the base plate is lowered, the collar 1 is positioned in the upper position by the side mould frame support elements 42. In this way, the clamping of the foil 34 between the collar and the lower edge 44 of the side mould frame is preferably enhanced.

Fig. 7 shows that the injection molding material 28 is injected into the cavity through the runner 27 and/or the runner opening 17.

Fig. 8 shows the base plate 3 raised with the base plate 3 and collar 1 in the second position. In this way, the runner 27 and/or the runner opening 17 are closed and the injection process of the injection molding material 28 is ended.

Fig. 9 shows that the injection-molded material has fully expanded, thus filling the entire cavity with the shape of the (mid) sole of the shoe. Material 38 is preferably bonded to foil 34 and upper 32, thereby forming a substantially complete shoe. The foil 34 is preferably at least partially melted on the front and/or back side by the heat released by the material 38. The foil 34 laterally covers the sole, increasing its firmness, aesthetics and the range of footwear designs. After the injection molding material 38 is cured, the shoe may be demolded, preferably by opening the injection molding die system.