JPS6171002A - Method and apparatus for injection molding of insole to footon site - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of the Invention The present invention relates to shoe insoles or inserts and methods of manufacturing them.

(b) The insole of the invention reduces localized pressure on easily injured areas of the sole of the foot, thereby preventing or reducing injury and future damage to the foot and motor system. This is an element inserted between.

This fixes the foot in a fixed position and orientation with respect to the shoe and controls the shape of the interface of the midsole.
I can accomplish 1&.

Various types of insoles are widely available. For certain problems, a standard, pre-cut insole is sufficient because it can be mass-produced in a variety of axial dimensions and is adapted to fit ordinary shoes. However, there are times when individually custom shoe inserts that are shaped to fit the individual foot are desired.

Such inserts are currently made by laborious and very time-consuming methods. have a disease (af)
fect:ed) Plaster type from foot (p 1 a s
t: e r cast, ) and use this mold to manually make an insert of the correct size and shape to fit the shoe.

Two other methods, which are less time-consuming than the above-mentioned method, are disclosed in the literature and are based on molding the midsole inside the shoe. The first method is to buy standard “creepy” shoes from ordinary stores.
5hoes)'',
Prosthetics and Orthotics International (Prosl; het i cs
and 0r-thotics Tnternat
ional), 19824) Vol, 6, pp, 10B
-110 "Shoe Inserts for Small Deformed Feet"
RoG,
S.

Platts), Nith Knight (S,kntght)
and I Jakins (1, JakinS). This method involves molding an insert within the shoe using either the foot itself or a male mold of the foot. This method involves cutting, sealing, and heat shrinking axially shaped "polythene" (T,
C.I.

This includes constructing a bag made of polyethylene (trade name) and constructing an insole base for reinforcement. The midsole base is placed inside a polythene shoe bag, which is then placed inside the shoe. If the patient's foot is used directly, cover the foot with stockinette fabric and use a sock-shaped foot made of Ambla PO72 with a polyurethane film coated with a release agent in areas that do not require 7 ohm adhesion. to wear it. If a cast is used, cover the cast with a thin latex sheath (1a' t e xsh
Cover with (each).

A flexible, spontaneous polyurethane 7 ohm component is mixed and quickly injected into a polythene bag placed within the shoe. Place the foot or mold inside the shoe? 1. Continue for 2 minutes until the film is cured.

Maintain a good posture. The patient should put weight on the foot.

1. As soon as the 7 ohms have cured, remove the foot and polythene bag from the shoe and trim the insert as necessary. Finish the insert by adding a layer of pre-molded polyurethane foam.

A disadvantage of the above method is that the uncontrolled pressure created within the shoe during molding changes the shape and placement of the foot with respect to the shoe.

A second method of manufacturing an insole inside a shoe is described in U.S. Pat.
, 895.40F1.

This method involves distributing a flexible 7 ohm component inside the shoe, and connecting the insole with a 7 ohm component to maintain its resilience.
place the foot inside the shoe until the midsole has regained its resilience, and the foot has been heated to a temperature sufficient to cause the midsole to lose some of its resilience This includes stepping on one's foot inside.

Both of these methods involve
Difficulties have been encountered in securing the ilt while in the shoe. Therefore, it is impossible to obtain the desired height and exact shape of the midsole by the molding process itself, thus requiring additional steps of trimming or adding layers to the midsole, which The bottom y and the second part of the a are marked.

Furthermore, both of these methods are based on the application of weight during the molding process; cannot be applied to the reformative idea of

(C) Summary of the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and quick method for manufacturing a shoe midsole, which allows accurate control of manufacturing the shoe midsole.

Thus, according to the present invention, there is a process of preparing a mold (mOld) once a month, which defines a fill +] type recess (open top re'cess), and pouring the casting material into this recess. The step of supplying the mold, placing the foot inside the recess at a predetermined angle and position (6) with respect to the mold
The process of overlapping the casting material on the sole of the foot - [
characterized by comprising the steps of making the casting material conform to the shape of the sole of the foot and hardening the casting material,
A method for in-situ injection molding of the midsole to the foot is provided.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing an insole for a foot, which includes the following steps. A molded JH mold is used defining an open-shaped recess, preferably slightly larger than the foot, and preferably shaped to fit the interior base of the shoe. A liquid deformable casting material is injected into the recess, and a preferably flexible heat-insulating layer is placed in the ":" part of the mold. The flexible layer and the casting material in the depressions are superimposed against the foot at a predetermined angle and position, and the casting material is allowed to foam and harden.

According to a preferred embodiment, the mold is coated with a mold release agent before the casting material is poured into it.

Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment, a flexible reinforcing member is arranged in the recess on the injection surface of the casting material.

According to a preferred embodiment, the method further includes the step of restraining the foot at a predetermined angle and position 1d during the molding process.

According to the present invention, there is further provided a method for manufacturing an insole for a foot, which includes the following steps. 0-ρI
astic cellular mal, e-ri
al) is placed within the recess of substantially the same mold as used in the method of the above embodiments, and preferably the flexible thermal insulation layer is placed in a portion of the mold. do. The thermoplastic layer is heated until it can be plastically deformed before and/or after the waste is placed in the mold for forming. Preferably, a flexible heat transfer node is disposed 6 between the thermoplastic layer and the thermal insulation layer. The foot is pressed against the layers until the thermoplastic member conforms to the sole of the foot and the foot reaches the desired depth and orientation with respect to the mold. The thermoplastic member is then allowed to cool, and when the member has regained its resilience, the foot is removed and the insole is finished.

According to the invention, there is further provided an insole cast according to any of the above methods. Additionally, a corrected shoe is provided that includes an insole cast according to any of the methods in item 1.

According to the invention, there is further provided an apparatus for in-situ injection molding of an insole for a foot, comprising an aperture-forming mold defining a foot-shaped depression. According to a preferred embodiment, the mold also defines at least one overflow outlet.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device further includes a layer of insulating material covering the mold. According to a preferred embodiment, the device further includes foot restraint means for restraining the foot in a predetermined position with respect to the mold.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a mold is further formed to define a recess in the midsole to allow lateral compression to accommodate various widths.

Embodiments of the invention further provide for an insole having at least a portion of thermoplastic material to accommodate a specially shaped foot.

D. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The apparatus and method of the present invention will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for manufacturing insole constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of an apparatus for making insole constructed and operative in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 2 assembled for use;

Figures 4.5.6 are diagrams showing the steps of the method for manufacturing an insole according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which Figure 4 is a side sectional view during molding, and Figure 5 is a side sectional view of the insole before trimming. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the final midsole.

Figures 7.8 and 9.10 are diagrams illustrating the steps of a method for manufacturing an insole according to another embodiment 19 of the present invention, in which Figure 7.1 is a perspective view of a piece of insole material; , FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the midsole material placed in the mold before molding, tJSD is a side sectional view during molding, and FIG. 10 is a side sectional view of the final midsole.

Figure t511 is a partially cut away side view of a shoe with a midsole constructed and operative in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a mold for manufacturing a midsole with a recess in the base of the midsole according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the mold taken along line A-A in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the midsole manufactured from the mold of FIG. 12 at a location corresponding to line A--A of FIG. 12.

Figures 15.16 and 17 show preliminary wart 1 on the insole, respectively.
Cross section l of the molded bottom layer, the mold for this layer and the preformed bottom layer positioned within this mold;!
It is 1.

Figures 18.19 and 20 respectively show a preformed bottom layer of an insole with a recess in the base of the insole, a mold corresponding to this layer and a preformed bottom layer positioned within this mold. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom layer.

FIG. 21 shows a mold for an insole with a preformed bottom layer and thermoplastic material placed in the mold.

22 and 23 are cross-sectional views of an insole made from the apparatus of FIG. 21 taken along lines A--A and B--B shown in FIG. 21, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 1, a mold 10 is shown for in-situ injection molding to a foot an insole for insertion into a shoe constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Mold 10 defines an open recess 14 of suitable size and shape to accommodate the foot. Preferably, the shape of the depression 14 is approximately slightly larger than the projected area of the foot.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the recess of the mold is
The same shape as the shape of the shoe to which the midsole should be adapted is specified. A unique feature of the midsole produced by this embodiment of the invention is that the only processing required after molding is to trim excess material from the periphery of the midsole prior to insertion of the midsole into the shoe. That's true. Such immediate use shall
This is not possible with insoles made by prior art methods that typically require the addition of multiple layers to the insole or additional hand shaping and cutting.

auxiliary structural support in the form of raised support elements 16;
It may be provided in a portion of the ankle 14 adjacent to the central arch of the foot. The support element 16 serves to make it possible to form an insole with a higher height in the central arch compared to the side arch parts. The support element 16 is attached to the mold 10
Preferably, it is formed integrally with.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mold 10 has a first
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 13, it may be configured to include a protrusion 17 extending upwardly from the base of the mold. Preferably the protrusion 17 extends and is arranged to extend along the side of the mold adjacent its edge. These projections define corresponding depressions 18 in the base of the midsole 19 formed by the mold (
1's14 figure). These recesses allow the midsole to be laterally compressed and to fit securely into shoes with different widths.

Mold 10 can be constructed of conventional mold materials that are compatible with the casting material. The mold can be made of rubber or polyurethane on two sides, for example, if the casting material is polyurethane. Preferably, the mold is
Made of a material that does not allow the casting material to stick. Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible to apply a mold release agent to the mold before applying the casting material. It is possible to use the usual mold release agents, for example coatings of wax or other substances to prevent adhesion.

2 and 3, a mold for injection molding a right foot midsole constructed and operative in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is shown in exploded and assembled views, respectively. There is. Mold generally indicated by 20, opening type recess 2
4 is specified.

The mold 20 defines a deeper portion 26 (in this case the rear portion of the mold) such that greater depth is provided at the heel than at the toe. The deeper part of the mold allows for the production of insoles with a heel higher than the toe area, as required by the unique problems of the foot, and this allows for the production of insoles with a heel higher than the toe area, as required by the prior art. Eliminates the need to add additional heels or heel leather at this stage.

Mold 20 may also define a plurality of overflow grooves 28. Groove 28 serves as a casting sprue allowing overflow of casting material from recess 24 during the injection molding process. This effect will be explained in more detail below.

An intermediate layer 30 of flexible material may additionally be provided on top of the mold 20. The middle part [30] serves as a heat insulating layer between the casting material and the foot. This intermediate layer serves to protect the foot from the heat of the casting material and also to prevent the casting material from sticking to the skin.

The flexible member 30 must be sufficiently flexible to allow the foot to be placed within the recess and to allow the casting material within the recess 24 to mimic the shape of the sole of the foot.

The flexibility and thickness of the member will reduce the fit between the upper surface of the insole and the sole of the foot.

The flexible layer 30 may be leather, textile, 7 ohm rubber, polyurethane foam or other insulating material having the necessary flexibility and being compatible with the casting material and not adversely affected by the casting temperature. It can be made of something that does not exist. According to a preferred embodiment, the flexible layer 30 adheres to the casting material, thereby becoming an integral, two-part surface of the midsole. The intermediate layer 30 may simply be placed on top of the mold 20, or it may be secured in place on the mold, such as by a telescoping fastening band 324), such as by claws, screws, or other conventional retention means. Good too.

Alternatively, the insulation layer 30 may be provided in the form of a sock-like cover that is worn on the foot during injection molding.

A method of manufacturing an insole according to one of the preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 4-6.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a mold 40 defining an open "1" cutout 44. If desired, the mold 4 () can be spaced apart to prevent the casting material from adhering to the mold. An optional reinforcing layer 45 can be placed within the cavity 44 to reinforce the molded midsole. It can be made of a material that has properties such as being flexible, having good tensile strength and having low bending stiffness.

Suitable materials include canvas, glass fiber M# fabric and carbon filament fabric.

According to another embodiment of the invention, preformed reinforcement) 1
4 can also be used as an intermediary. Such reinforcing layer is designated by the reference numeral 52 in FIGS. 15-17. It is contemplated that the preformed reinforcing layer may be non-uniform in thickness and is typically configured to extend beyond the edges of the mold 54. After forming the midsole, the edges of the reinforcing layer extending beyond the midsole are simply trimmed. The advantage of this feature is that the molding material does not overlap the mold, thus avoiding demolding problems.

Figures 18-20 show another embodiment of the reinforcing layer. In these figures, to provide a recessed insole as described in connection with Figures 12-14,
A reinforcing layer 56 is provided with protrusions 57 formed at the base of the reinforcing layer. In terms of shape, this reinforcing layer 56 has protrusions 59
It corresponds to the mold 58 having the following.

Before actually starting injection molding, examine the foot and patch 47.
A surface with a contour such as
A ring) may be added somewhere on the foot to form a localized depression in the finished insole. These indentations serve to relieve localized pressure or loads placed on a portion of the foot by the finished insole.

The middle N46 of the heat insulating material covers the cavity 44 and molds the mold-1.
- is preferably provided. The insulation M46 can be held in place as the telescopic tightening is done by the band 42. A casting material 48 containing a liquid foamable material is introduced into the cavity 44 . The potting material 48 can be introduced before placing the intermediate layer 46 into the mold, or it can be introduced later through an inlet channel (not shown) in the mold. be.

The casting material 48 can include a polymerizable material that is mixed or activated in liquid form, foams upon polymerization, and hardens at room temperature to a fully foamed state. Polyurethane 7 ohm is particularly useful as the casting material in this embodiment of the invention.

The casting material is introduced into the recess and the intermediate layer 46 is inserted into the cavity.
Immediately after placing the foot 60 in the recess, the back side of the foot 60 is overlapped with the recess and pushed into the recess. The foot 60 is held at the desired angle and position relative to the mold for several minutes while the casting material hardens. This causes the polyurethane to expand and the mixture undergoes polymerization and foaming through the expansion 44.

or, if present, fills the space between the reinforcement 145 and the insulation layer 46 and presses against the foot, thus resting on the f-side surface of the foot. The overlapping of the foot and the casting material can be done either by guiding the foot and overlapping it with the casting material in the mold, or by holding the mold and overlapping it with the foot. I can do it. In any event, it is preferable to perform the injection molding while the patient is still standing, unless weight pressure is required for proper formation of the insole.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a preformed base material of thermoplastic material, such as ethyl vinyl acetate, can be inserted into the mold before adding molding material to fill the mold. be. Reference is made in this regard to FIGS. 21-23.

As shown in these figures, the reinforcing layer 60 is attached to the mold 6
It is located within 2. The reinforcing layer 60 is formed with a lateral edge portion 63 extending to the metatarsal region represented by the dashed line 641. In front of the dashed line 64, the reinforcing layer 60 only includes a bottom portion 65.

The reinforcement M601- includes a preformed layer 66 of thermoplastic material such as ethyl vinyl acetate (typically 2
with a thickness of ~7n) are arranged. The preformed layer 66 is placed within the reinforcing layer 60 in such a way that it fully fills the width of the mold, not in the central portion corresponding to the arch, but in the front and rear portions. In the central portion, the preformed thermoplastic layer is tapered.

In front of the dashed line 64, a top insulation layer 67 is bonded directly onto the preformed layer 66. Behind the broken line 64,
The molding material is used to fill the mold, and the dashed line 6
It is restricted from the front part of 4. In the central part, the molding material fills the mold alongside and above the preformed thermoplastic layer and is covered with thermal insulation N67. Thus, in the central part corresponding to the arch, the foot is supported directly by the molding material and not by the thermoplastic material.

In the front part of the insole, the provision of only thermoplastic material allows that part of the insole to adapt to the shape of the foot during the first few days of use. The curing time can be determined by feeding the curing material at the appropriate rate.

Thermoplastic materials suitable for use as the 31 ply 66 are found in Kansas City, Missouri, United States.
C1ty, Missouri.

tJ, S, A)'s Para Medical Distributors
-t r i 1) LJ 1, ors) under the trade name Plastazote.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the foot is restrained by restraint means at the desired angle and position during the injection molding process. These restraint means may include mechanical retention of the tibia and/or foot, or may also be manual restraint of the foot.

According to embodiments of the invention, the mold can be heated before, during or after the molding step. Heating the mold can be difficult, especially if the casting material is polyurethane.
n), this layer reinforces the midsole. This reinforcing step is not utilized in prior art methods of injection molding the midsole in a portion of the shoe interior 32.

A unique feature of the above embodiments of the invention is that during the foaming process:
Excess liquid casting material flows from the depression in the mold through the gap created by the pressure between layer 46 and the top surface of the mold as shown in FIG. 4 or as shown in FIG. This means that it can overflow into an overflow groove like this.

This prevents excessive pressure from building up around the bottom of the foot or the sides of the foot and changing the placement of the foot relative to the mold or the shape of the foot during the molding process.

As soon as the foaming process is complete (typically completed in 2 to 10 minutes), the foot 60 is removed from the mold overlap and the cast article is removed from the cavity.

As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom and side surfaces of the cast product have the shape of a recess 44, while the bottom and side surfaces of the cast product have the shape of a recess 44;
The surface has the shape of the sole of the foot surrounded by loose material in the shape of 50 if the casting material were to flow out of the recess.

The casting is trimmed by removing excess casting material around the casting, as well as excess insulation material extending from the finished midsole, resulting in the final finish as shown in Figure 6. Dimension and shape.

This midsole can be inserted into a patient's shoe.

In order to shorten the process of fitting the midsole, it is preferable that the dimple 44 complement the bottomed midsole into which the midsole is inserted. Moreover, only removing the overflow casting material
This is all that is needed to complete the midsole. Alternatively, the insole can be tailored to fit the shoe.

Additionally, during the casting process, the insulation layer 46 and reinforcing layer 45 become bonded to the casting material, thereby forming individual integral units, as shown in Figures #&6.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the casting material used is polyurethane. This material has two chemical compositions that, when mixed together, polymerize and release gas, thereby producing 7 ohms. If the polymerization process is placed overlapping the polyurethane, the 7 ohm pressure will cause the casting material to overlap the entire sole of the foot, providing a precisely molded midsole for each individual foot. be done. The provision of an intermediate layer produces a smooth surface very close to the sole of the foot, making the surface of the insole flexible, although it is not exactly a reproduction.

Due to the fact that the mold utilized has an open-shaped recess and a means to allow excess casting material to overflow, in contrast to molding the midsole inside the shoe, the foamable casting material is allowed to flow out of the mold. Thus, rather than uncontrolled pressure building up all around the foot, the controlled pressure of the casting material acts only on the sole of the foot. This makes it possible to keep the foot in place relative to the mold and to obtain the desired midsole shape and height by the molding process itself.

A method for manufacturing an insole according to another embodiment of the present invention is described in Section 7.8.
This will be described below with reference to Figures 9 and 10.

FIG. 7 shows a piece of insole material, generally designated 70, preferably shaped as a standard insole.
blank) is shown. The midsole material piece 70 is comprised of a cellular thermoplastic material that is deformable at temperatures greater than about 60 degrees Celsius, well above the temperatures present within the shoe, and at low pressures (i.e., less than about 1.0 atmospheres). . An example of a suitable material is a thermoplastic 7 ohm, such as available from Para Medical Distributors, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
ibutorS, Kansas C1ty.

Mo, U, S, A, ) thermoplastic 7 ohm "Plastazote" (trademark)
It is. Alternatively, the midsole material piece 70 may be comprised of a flexible thermoplastic material other than those described above.

Piece of material 70 defines a raised portion 72 to accommodate the mid-foot arch and a heel portion 74 that is higher than the toe portion 76. The material piece 70 defines a shape that approximates the shape of the depression 82 of the mold 80. mold 80
is essentially the same as shown in FIG. This initial shape requires relatively little deformation to adapt to the foot, but the deformation due to the pressure exerted on the material during the deformation/molding process can be achieved with the thermoplastic materials described above. It is preferred because the amount is small.

The blank 70 is preheated until it is plastically deformable and then placed into the cavity 82 as shown in FIG. Alternatively, blank 70 may be heated while in the mold, such as by a stream of hot air or other heating means.

The midsole material 70 can also be heated while the foot is pressed against the material during molding. 9th
In the illustrated embodiment, a seat heater 84 is used to heat the upper portion of the blank 70. Heating the upper portion serves to reduce the pressure that the foot must exert in order to stamp the shape of the foot onto the piece of material to obtain the desired shape of the midsole. Heater 84 is a conductive rubber sheet, made in Connecticut, USA.
State Bloomfield (131oomfield.

Connect 1cut, U+S, A) Electro-flex Heat Co., Ltd. (Electro-1'lex
It may be a silicone rubber/fiberglass heater sold by LEAT, Inc.) or any other flexible heating means.

A layer of insulating material 86 is placed over the midsole material 70 or heater 84, if present. The heat insulating layer 86 may be composed of, for example, 7 ohm rubber or polyurethane 71-ohm. Alternatively, the foot may be fitted with an insulating layer in the form of a sock.

Before actually starting the molding, examine the foot and draw the outline (-=
A scuffing surface may be added somewhere on the foot to form a localized depression in the finished insole. These indentations serve to relieve localized pressure or loads placed on a portion of the foot by the finished insole.

A piece of heated insole material is placed in the recess and heat insulation M86
Once placed thereon, the sole of the foot is pressed into the recess so as to overlap it and at the desired angle and position. The foot is held in this position for several minutes while the thermoplastic material deforms. When the midsole material piece 70 has the desired shape, the heating is stopped and the midsole is allowed to cool while the foot is still superimposed on the midsole.

The overlapping of the piece of insole material against the foot is accomplished either by pressing the foot into registration with the piece of material in the mold or by lifting the mold and pressing it onto the foot.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the foot is restrained by restraint means at the desired angle and position during the molding process. These restraints may include mechanical retention of the tibia and/or foot, or the foot may be manually restrained (1° until the thermoplastic insole 70 is sufficiently cooled and its As soon as it has regained its resilience, remove the foot from its overlap with the mold and remove the midsole from the recess.The bottom and sides of the midsole take on the shape of the recess 82, as shown in FIG. The insole is now ready to be inserted into the patient's shoe.

A unique feature of the present invention is that the insole applied according to the above method can be fitted with a special shoe by supplementing the inner base with a recess 82.

This allows the midsole to sit inside the shoe without any deformation, thus adapting to the quantification conditions of the molding process without any addition of material to the midsole or the need for extra trimming. sell. Alternatively, if these special shoes are not used, the insole can be adapted to the shoe by trimming it or adding layers to it, as required.

11, a partially cutaway view of a shoe including an insole constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown. This shoe is
It is composed of an upper 90 and an outer sole 92, and a reinforcing material (f
94 (which in this case has a flat surface). According to any of the methods described above, the insole 96 is inserted into the shoe and attached to or adhered to the insole reinforcing material. When a patient wears the shoe, the midsole conforms to the patient's foot 100.

It will be understood that the invention is described above merely by way of example and is not restricted to the one described above. Rather, the scope of the invention is limited solely by the following claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for manufacturing insole constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. - FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of an apparatus for making insole constructed and operative in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device N of FIG. 2 assembled for use. Figures 4.5.6 are diagrams showing the steps of the method for manufacturing an insole according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which Figure 4 is a side sectional view during molding, and Figure 5 is a side sectional view of the insole before trimming. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the final midsole. 7.8 and 9.10 are diagrams illustrating steps of a method for manufacturing an insole according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a piece of insole material, and FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of the midsole material in the mold before molding, FIG. 9 is a side sectional view during molding, and FIG. 10 is a side sectional view of the final midsole. FIG. 11 is a partially cutaway side view of a shoe having a midsole constructed and operative in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 12 is a plan view of a mold for manufacturing an insole having a recess in the base of the insole according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the mold taken along line A-A in FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the midsole manufactured from the mold of FIG. 12 at a location corresponding to line A--A of FIG. 12. Figures 15.16 and 17 are respectively cross-sectional views of the preformed bottom layer of the midsole, the mold for this layer and the preformed bottom layer positioned within the mold. Figures 18.19 and 20 respectively show a preformed bottom layer of an insole with a recess in the base of the insole, a mold corresponding to this layer and a preformed bottom layer positioned within this mold. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom layer. FIG. 21 shows a mold for an insole with a preformed bottom layer and thermoplastic material placed in the mold. 22 and 23 are cross-sectional views, respectively, of an insole made from the apparatus of FIG. 21 taken along lines A--A and B--B shown in FIG. 121. Explanation of symbols representing main parts in the figure: 10: Mold, 1
4: Indentation, 16: Support element, 17: Protrusion, 18: Indentation, 19: Insole, 20: Mold, 24: Indentation, 28 Niover 70-groove, 30: Intermediate layer, 32: Expandable fastening attached band, 40: mold, 42: elastic tightening band, 44: hollow, 45: reinforcing layer, 46: intermediate layer, 48: casting material, 52
: Reinforcement layer, 54: Mold, 56: Reinforcement layer, 57: Protrusion, 5
82 mold, 59: protrusion, 60: foot or reinforcing layer, 62:
Mold, 63: Side edge portion, 65: Bottom portion, 66: Preformed layer, 67: Heat insulation layer, 70: Insole material piece, 72: Raised portion, Near 4 heel portion, 76: Toe portion, 8
0: Mold, 82: Hollow, 84: Seat heater, 86
: heat insulation layer, 90: shell, 92: outer sole, 94: reinforcing material,
96: Insole. Agent

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A step of preparing a mold defining an open recess, a step of supplying a casting material into the recess, and a step of supplying a casting material into the recess at a predetermined angle with respect to the mold. and positioning the foot, superimposing a casting material on the sole of the foot, conforming the casting material to the shape of the sole of the foot, and curing the casting material. A method of injection molding an insole to a foot on the spot, which is characterized by: (2) The supplying step includes supplying a liquid foamable material into the recess. In-place injection molding method. (3) The step of causing the casting material to conform to the shape of the sole of the foot includes the step of foaming the casting material within the recess so that the upper surface of the casting material conforms to the surface of the foot. Claim No. 2 (2) characterized in that
Method for in-situ injection molding of the insole for the foot described in section ). (4) After the overlapping step, the method further comprises a step of allowing excess casting material to overflow from the mold.
A method of injection molding an insole for a foot according to any one of items 2) to 3) on the spot. (5) Prior to the overlapping step, the method further comprises the step of arranging an intermediate layer of flexible material between the casting material and the foot. (4)
A method of in-situ injection molding an insole for a foot according to any one of paragraphs. (6) The insole is attached to the foot according to claim (5), wherein the placing step includes the step of placing an intermediate layer of heat insulating material on the casting material. In-place injection molding method. (7) Any one of claims (1) to (6), further comprising the step of arranging a flexible reinforcing layer in the recess before the supply step. A method of in-situ injection molding of the insole for the foot as described in Section 1. (8) In-situ injection molding of an insole for a foot according to claim (4), further comprising the step of trimming overflow casting material from the cast article. Method. (9) During the overlapping step, the foot is further restrained at a predetermined angle and position with respect to the mold.
) A method for in-situ injection molding an insole for the foot according to any one of the above items. (10) In-situ injection of an insole into a foot according to any one of claims (2) to (9), characterized in that the foamable material comprises polyurethane. How to form. (11) Any one of claims (1) to (10), further comprising a step of applying a mold release agent to the mold for molding, before the supply step. A method of in-situ injection molding of the insole for the foot as described in Section 1. (12) The supplying step includes supplying a flexible thermoplastic material into the recess, and the step of conforming to the shape of the sole of the foot is capable of plastically deforming the thermoplastic material. pressing the foot onto the thermoplastic material until the desired depth and orientation with respect to the mold is reached; A method for in-situ injection molding of an insole for a foot according to claim 1, characterized in that the method comprises the step of cooling the thermoplastic member during the overlapping process. (13) A patent characterized in that the supplying step comprises the step of supplying a layer of thermoplastic cellular material capable of being plastically deformed under low pressure and at a temperature higher than that naturally occurring within the shoe. A method for in-situ injection molding an insole for a foot according to claim (12). (14) According to any one of claims (12) and (13), wherein the supplying step comprises supplying a thermoplastic member that fits into the recess of the mold. Method for in-situ injection molding of the midsole for the described foot. (15) Claims (12) to (14) further comprising the step of placing a layer of heat insulating material between the casting material and the foot before the overlapping step. ) A method for in-situ injection molding an insole for the foot according to any one of the above items. (16) Any one of claims (12) to (15), further comprising the step of restraining the feet at a predetermined angle and position before the overlapping step. A method of in-situ injection molding of the insole for the foot as described in Section 1. (17) After the supplying step, the method further includes the step of supplying a flexible heating means between the thermoplastic member and the heat insulating material, and the step of heating the thermoplastic member during the stacking step. A method for in-situ injection molding an insole for a foot according to any one of claims (15) and (16). (18) The foot according to any one of claims (1) to (17), further comprising the step of heating a mold for forming during the overlapping step. A method of injection molding the insole on the spot. (19) Any one of claims (1) to (18), further comprising the step of adding a contouring surface before the arrangement step.
A method of in-situ injection molding of the insole for the foot as described in Section 1. (20) The foot according to claim 12, wherein the supplying step comprises the step of supplying a layer of thermoplastic material that can be plastically deformed at low pressure. A method of injecting the midsole in-situ. (21) The foot according to claim (20), characterized in that said supplying step comprises the step of supplying a layer of thermoplastic material over the entire width in the front part of said insole. On the other hand, the insole is injection molded on the spot. (22) A step of arranging a reinforcing layer in the recess, the reinforcing layer being placed in the mold before the supply step to prevent overlapping of the casting material and the mold. Claim No.
A method for injecting an insole for a foot according to any one of items ) to (21) on the spot. (23) The method further comprises the step of defining a recess in the base of the midsole to allow lateral compression of the midsole to accommodate shoes of various sizes. A method for in-situ injection molding an insole for a foot according to any one of scope items (1) to (22). (24) An insole characterized by being injection molded according to the method set forth in any one of claims (1) to (23). (25) A shoe comprising an insole injection molded according to the method according to any one of claims (1) to (23). (26) An apparatus for in-situ injection molding of an insole for a foot, characterized by comprising a mold defining an open foot-shaped recess. (27) The foot according to claim (26), wherein the recess has a raised portion in the central arch region and a depth greater in the heel region than in the toe region. A device that injects and molds insole on the spot. (28) In-situ injection molding of an insole for a foot according to any one of claims (26) or (27), characterized in that the recess is adapted to an internal shoe reinforcement. device to do. (29) The foot according to any one of claims (26) to (28), characterized in that it further comprises means for allowing overflow of excess casting material. A device that injects and molds insole on the spot. (30) Claim 26 further comprising a layer of heat insulating material selectively covering the recess.
An apparatus for on-site injection molding of an insole for a foot according to any one of items ) to (29). (31) Any one of claims (26) to (30), further comprising foot restraint means for restraining the feet in a predetermined posture with respect to the mold. A device for in-situ injection molding of an insole for the foot described in . 32. Apparatus for in-situ injection molding of an insole for a foot according to claim 29, characterized in that said overflow-enabling means comprises at least one overflow outlet. (33) The insole for the foot according to any one of claims (24) to (32), characterized in that the insole also includes a reinforcing layer that defines the bottom surface of the insole. A device that injects and molds the bottom on the spot. (34) The insole is applied in situ to the foot according to any one of claims (24) to (33), characterized in that it also comprises a layer of thermoplastic material. Equipment for injection molding. (35) Claim No. (34) characterized in that the thermoplastic material layer has the entire width in the front part of the midsole.
A device for on-site injection molding of an insole for the foot described in Section 1. (36) The insole is molded with an indentation in the insole base that allows compression in order to fit shoes having various widths. 24) An apparatus for on-site injection molding of an insole for the foot according to any one of items 24) to 34). -] Description 1. A method for in-situ injection molding of an insole for a type of insect. (38) 'J! , a method of in-situ injection molding of the insole for the foot qualitatively as shown in one of the drawings. (39) In-situ injection molding of an insole to a foot substantially as shown and described in the Detailed Description of the Invention. (40) Apparatus i2 for in-situ injection molding of an insole for a foot substantially as shown in any of the drawings;