Sole mold for manufacturing a sole

• US 10,974,476 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2020
• Issued: 04/13/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: Le, Tru Huu Minh, Robertson, Christopher, Holmes, Christopher Edward, Reuber, Norbert, Kurtz, Maximilian Philipp, Hubert, Rene, Richardt, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Robert B
• Application Number:
  US16/833,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20200230905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/0063 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/122 Soles
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/128 Moulds or apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/142 Soles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/504 Soles
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

A sole mold for manufacturing a sole from a plurality of particles includes at least one first opening for supplying the particles, and at least two second openings for supplying a gaseous and/or liquid medium to bond and/or fuse the particles together. At least a portion of the sole mold is manufactured by an additive manufacturing method.

Claims

1. A sole mold for manufacturing a sole from a plurality of particles, the mold comprising:

at least one first opening for supplying the particles;

at least two second openings for supplying a gaseous and/or liquid medium to bond and/or fuse the particles together;

wherein at least a portion of the sole mold is manufactured by an additive manufacturing method; and

wherein up to 50% of the surface of the sole mold is provided with the at least two second openings.

2. The sole mold of claim 1, wherein the at least two second openings have a smaller length than the average size of the particles to be molded in the sole mold.

3. The sole mold of claim 1, wherein the at least two second openings are provided with a biggest dimension of up to 5.0 mm.

4. The sole mold of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of sole mold comprises a thickness of equal or less than 10 mm.

5. The sole mold of claim 4, wherein the portion is provided in the side wall of the sole mold.

6. The sole mold of claim 4, wherein the portion comprises essentially the complete sole mold.

7. The sole mold of one of the preceding claims, wherein the sole mold comprises a top part, a bottom part and a side wall;

and wherein the at least two second openings are provided in the side wall.

8. The sole mold of claim 7, wherein the at least two second openings are further provided in the top part, the bottom part, and the side wall.

9. The sole mold of claim 1, further comprising at least one recess and/or at least one projection to position a pre-manufactured outsole.

10. The sole mold of claim 9, wherein the at least two second openings are arranged adjacent to the at least one recess and/or at least one projection.

11. The sole mold of claim 1, wherein the at least two second openings are arranged in an essentially regular pattern.

12. The sole mold of claim 1, further comprising a means for closing the at least one first opening.

13. The sole mold of claim 1, further comprising a means for holding a supporting element inside the mold.

14. The sole mold of claim 1, wherein the mold comprises a means for ejecting a manufactured sole from the sole mold.

15. The sole mold of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the sole mold comprising the at least two openings is manufactured by an additive manufacturing method.

16. The sole mold of claim 1, wherein the at least two second openings are arranged in a substantially regular pattern.

17. The sole mold of claim 1, further comprising a means for closing the at least one first opening.

18. The sole mold of claim 1, wherein the sole mold comprises a plurality of first openings and wherein the first openings are provided with different shapes.

19. An arrangement of a plurality of sole molds of claim 1.

20. The arrangement of a plurality of sole molds of claim 19, wherein infrastructure for gaseous and/or liquid medium is shared among the plurality of sole molds.