Method for manufacturing footwear by injection-molding, and footwear obtained with said method

• US 5,647,150 A
• Filed: 11/02/1995
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asolo SPA (Zanata Family)
• Original Assignee: Nordica SpA (Tecnica Group S.P.A.)
• Inventors: Perotto, Riccardo, Romanato, Mariarosa
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US08/545,719
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 36/117.1, 36/45, 36/3 A, 12/142 R, 12/146 C, 12/142 E, 12/142 EV, 12/142 P
• US Class Current: 36/117.1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0255 assembled by gluing or thermo bonding
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/027 with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/07 Linings therefor lining laminated with upper A43B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0084 Arrangement of flocked decoration on shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/04 Ski or like boots
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/0482 made from materials with different rigidities
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/0492 Telemark boots
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/125 provided with a vapour permeable member, e.g. a membrane A43B23/022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/061 by injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/50 Footwear, e.g. shoes or parts thereof

Abstract

A method of manufacturing footwear, including the steps of positioning a sock portion over a mold element in which the sock portion comprises a fabric layer and a thermoplastic film layer connected to the fabric layer, such that the thermoplastic film layer is positioned between the mould element and the fabric layer, and injection-molding a thermoplastic material to the sock portion positioned over the mold element such that heated thermoplastic material flows through the fabric layer and bonds with the thermoplastic film layer and such that the thermoplastic material at least partially covers the fabric layer for forming a portion of an item of footwear.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing footwear, comprising the steps of:

positioning a sock portion over a mold element in which said sock portion comprises a fabric layer and a thermoplastic film layer connected to the fabric layer, such that the thermoplastic film layer is positioned between the mould element and the fabric layer; and

injection-molding a thermoplastic material to said sock portion positioned over the mold element such that heated thermoplastic material flows through the fabric layer and coheres with the thermoplastic film layer and such that the thermoplastic material at least partially covers the fabric layer for forming a portion of an item of footwear.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of positioning a sock portion over a mold element includes positioning a sock portion which further comprises a protective fabric layer connected to the thermoplastic film layer, such that the protective fabric layer is positioned in contact with the mold element.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of positioning a sock portion over a mold element includes positioning a sock portion in which the fabric layer is constituted by a grid-like sheet.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the step of forming open regions of the sock portion which are unaffected by the thermoplastic material.

5. An item of footwear which is manufactured according to a process comprising the steps of:

positioning a sock portion over a mold element in which said sock portion comprises a fabric layer and a thermoplastic film layer connected to the fabric layer, such that the thermoplastic film layer is positioned between the mould element and the fabric layer; and

injection-molding a thermoplastic material to said sock portion positioned over the mold element such that heated thermoplastic material flows through the fabric layer and bonds with the thermoplastic film layer;

wherein the item of footwear includes a portion formed by said sock portion and a layer of thermoplastics material which at least partially covers the fabric layer of said sock portion; and

wherein said portion of the item of footwear includes a cohered thermoplastics material portion formed of portions of said thermoplastic material and said thermoplastic film layer.

6. The item of footwear of claim 5 wherein said sock portion further comprises a protective fabric layer connected to the thermoplastic film layer opposite said fabric layer.

7. The item of footwear of claim 5 wherein the said fabric layer is constituted by a grid-like sheet.

8. The item of footwear of claim 7 wherein said sock portion is constituted by said grid-like sheet coextruded with said thermoplastic film layer.

9. The item of footwear of claim 5 further comprising open regions of the sock portion which are unaffected by the thermoplastic material.

10. The item of footwear of claim 9 wherein said open regions comprise an open region arranged at a metatarsal region of the item of footwear.

11. The item of footwear of claim 9 wherein said open regions comprise an open region arranged at an instep region of the item of footwear.

12. The item of footwear of claim 9 wherein said open regions comprise an open region arranged at a rear region above a heel region of the item of footwear.