Method of manufacturing spray-on footwear

• US 10,485,301 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2018
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wolverine Outdoors, Inc. (Wolverine World Wide Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wolverine Outdoors, Inc. (Wolverine World Wide Inc.)
• Inventors: Bohnsack, Shaun Michael, Matis, Clark A., Smith, Lee Martin, Burch, John H., Dean, Martin William Frederick, Loveder, Christopher John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US15/969,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20180242691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/32 by adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0205 characterised by the material material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/024 Different layers of the same material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/042 Uppers made of one piece one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/08 Heel stiffeners; Toe stiffeners
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/081 Toe stiffeners
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/08 Turned footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 1/025 comprising optical means, e.g. mirrors, photo-electric cells, for measuring or inspecting feet
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 2200/10 Fully automated machines, i.e. machines working without human intervention
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 2200/60 Computer aided manufacture of footwear, e.g. CAD or CAM
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 3/02 Lasts for making or repairing shoes making of wooden lasts B27M3/20
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 3/026 Lasts for making rubber footwear or for vulcanizing rubber soles to footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 3/10 Devices for removing lasts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/3842 Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/08 Coating a former, core or other substrate by spraying or fluidisation, e.g. spraying powder spray-up of reinforcing fibres B29C70/305
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/06 : having soles or heels formed and joined on to preformed uppers using a moulding technique, e.g. by injection moulding, pressing and vulcanising
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/128 : Moulds or apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 : Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 : Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/76 : otherwise than in a plane, e.g. in a tubular way
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/07 : otherwise than in a plane, e.g. in a tubular way
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 : Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49023 : 3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 : Item configuration or customization

Abstract

A method is provided for making footwear utilizing a spray-on material. The method can include spraying a spray-on fabric onto surfaces of a three dimensional last. The last can be produced using additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing, based on data corresponding to dimensions and contours of a consumer'"'"'s foot, and/or preselected aesthetic footwear designs. The spray-on fabric is sprayed onto the surfaces of the last and allowed to cure to form a flexible, non-woven fabric upper. The upper can be removed from the last and turned inside out. With the upper turned inside out, a sole can be joined to the fabric upper to form the footwear.

Claims

1. A method of constructing footwear comprising:

spraying a spray-on fabric onto a plurality of exterior footwear surfaces of a three dimensional last, the spray-on fabric comprising a plurality of fibers that are combined with a polymer and a solvent, the solvent adapted to enable the spray-on fabric to be dispensed from the source in at least one of a liquid form and a semi-liquid form;

allowing the spray-on fabric to cure on the three dimensional last to form a flexible non-woven first fabric upper, the first fabric upper having a thickness extending from a first upper exterior to a first upper interior, the first upper interior being adjacent the three dimensional last;

the first fabric upper having an upper bottom;

removing the first fabric upper from the three dimensional last;

joining a sole to the upper bottom.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

turning the first fabric upper inside out so that the first upper exterior becomes a second upper interior, and the first upper interior becomes a second upper exterior, the second upper exterior having the upper bottom.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

measuring the thickness of the first fabric upper after the spray-on fabric is sprayed on the three dimensional last.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

measuring the thickness of the first fabric upper as the spray-on fabric is sprayed on the three dimensional last.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

spraying additional spray-on fabric onto the three dimensional last in preselected regions of the three dimensional last so that the thickness varies from a first region to a second region.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of exterior footwear surfaces include a first plurality of recesses and a first plurality of projections;

wherein during the spraying step, the spray-on fabric extends into the first plurality of recesses and over the first plurality of projections,

wherein after a turning step of turning the first fabric upper inside out, the second upper exterior includes a second plurality of projections that correspond to the first plurality of recesses, and a second plurality of projections that correspond to the first plurality of recesses.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

placing the sole adjacent the upper bottom; and

adhering the sole to the upper bottom so the adhesive engages the plurality of fibers on the upper bottom of the first fabric upper.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising:

spraying a polymeric layer onto at least one of the plurality of exterior footwear surfaces and the first fabric upper to produce a structural component of the first fabric upper with an automated machine.

9. The method of claim 1 comprising:

placing a strip of polymeric material on the exterior of the three dimensional last; and

spraying the first spray-on fabric over the polymeric material to produce a structural component of the first fabric upper.

10. A method of constructing footwear comprising:

spraying a first spray-on fabric onto a plurality of exterior footwear surfaces of a three dimensional last;

applying a material to at least one of the spray-on fabric and the exterior footwear surfaces of the three dimensional last;

allowing the first spray-on fabric to cure on the three dimensional last to form a flexible non-woven first fabric upper, the first fabric upper having a thickness extending from a first upper exterior to a first upper interior, the first upper interior being adjacent the three dimensional last;

removing the first fabric upper and the material from the three dimensional last; and

joining a sole to the first fabric upper.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising:

turning the first fabric upper inside out so that the first upper exterior becomes a second upper interior, and the first upper interior becomes a second upper exterior;

wherein during the joining step, the first fabric upper is turned inside out.

12. The method of claim 10:

wherein the material is a polymeric material applied over a preselected region of at least one of the three dimensional last and the spray-on fabric sprayed on at least one of the plurality of exterior surfaces, the material adding rigidity to the first fabric upper.

13. The method of claim 10,

wherein the material is a strip of plastic that becomes joined with the spray-on fabric, the strip of plastic adding rigidity to the first fabric upper.

14. The method of claim 10,

applying a coating layer to preselected regions of the second upper exterior after the turning step;

wherein the coating layer comprises a polymer that adds structural rigidity to the first fabric upper in a preselected region.

15. The method of claim 10 comprising:

applying a coating layer to a preselected region of the first upper exterior,

wherein the coating layer comprises a second spray-on fabric having at a different property than the first spray-on fabric.

16. The method of claim 10 comprising:

wherein the material is a woven material applied over a preselected region of at least one of the three dimensional last and the spray-on fabric sprayed on at least one of the plurality of exterior surfaces, the material adding rigidity to the first fabric upper.

17. The method of claim 10, comprising:

measuring the first spray-on fabric as it is applied to achieve the thickness of the first fabric upper.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the spray-on fabric comprises a plurality of fibers, a polymer and a solvent,

wherein the solvent is adapted to enable the spray-on fabric to be dispensed from a nozzle in at least one of a liquid form and a semi-liquid form.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising:

allowing the solvent to evaporate before the removing step.

20. A method of constructing footwear comprising:

applying a spray-on fabric including a plurality of fibers on a three dimensional last in the form of a human foot;

allowing the spray-on fabric to cure to form a flexible non-woven fabric upper;

removing the fabric upper from the three dimensional last;

turning the fabric upper inside out; and

joining a sole to the fabric upper while the fabric upper is turned inside out.