METHOD OF MANUFACTURING OF ANTISTATIC SOLES AND SHOES, SOLE AND SHOE OBTAINED THEREBY

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing antistatic soles, which comprises the phases of forming a sole (1) from electrically isolating or conducting plastic or elastomeric material, inserting a segment (2a) of electrically conducting wire (2) into a tubular tip (3), holing the sole (1) in a point (5) by means of the tubular tip (3) thereby introducing the segment (2a) of electrically conducting wire (2) through the sole (1), extracting the tubular tip (3) from the sole (1) leaving the segment (2a) of electrically conducting wire (2) inserted in the sole (1), cutting the segment (2a) of wire (2) inserted in the sole (1) from the ground side, leaving a predetermined length (L), folding the segment of wire (2) from the ground side so that it adheres to the sole (1); the invention further relates to a method for manufacturing shoes (15) using the soles described above, the antistatic soles and the antistatic shoes obtained by the aforesaid methods.

Description: 2 conductors buried within the mould of the sole. These solutions, too, have not been found satisfactory in terms of cost and functionality. Disclosure of Invention The aim of the present invention is to provide an enhanced method for manufacturing antistatic soles, which allows the manufacture of improved antistatic soles and which is simple and economical to implement. Another aim of the present invention is to provide an enhanced method for manufacturing antistatic shoes, and the present invention further relates to the antistatic soles obtained by the aforementioned method and to the shoes employing said antistatic soles. In accordance with some aspects of the present invention, a method for manufacturing antistatic soles, a method for the manufacturing of antistatic shoes, the sole obtained by the method and the shoe employing such a sole, as specified in the independent claims, are presented. The dependent claims refer to preferred and advantageous embodiments of the invention. Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the present invention, purely by way of non limiting example, are disclosed hereafter with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 through 11 illustrate the manufacturing phases of an antistatic sole of the present invention; Figures 12 and 13 illustrate the further manufacturing phases of an antistatic shoe of the present invention; and Figures 14 and 15 show a top front view of two sections of shoes with antistatic soles of the present invention. Description of the Illustrative Embodiments The manufacture of an antistatic sole according to the present invention takes place according to the phases illustrated in Figures 1 tlirough 11. A sole 1 made of plastic or elastomeric material is obtained in a known manner. The sole 1 exhibits a side la suitable for coming in contact with the ground and a side lb suitable for connecting with an upper. In the sole are inserted one or more wires 2 made of electrically conducting material, preferably copper. The electrical conductors in the form of wires 2 provide the advantage of having a wear comparable to that of the material of the sole 1, whilst conducting elements of greater section form, over time, projecting areas on the bottom of the sole due to the different wear. These projecting areas can cause sliding, stumbling, and can scratch the parts that come in contact with the sole, for instance floors, stairs, parts of motor vehicles, etc. On the other hand, the metal wires, even with small section, already achieve a satisfactory electrical connection through the sole made of isolating material. In order further to increase the electrical conductivity of the sole 1, the compound of the sole 1 can also be made electrically conducting by the addition of electrically conducting particles. For instance, it is possible to use metal and metal oxide dusts, carbon dust, graphite dust. The insertion of the wire 2 in the sole 1 takes place by means of a tubular tip 3, as shown in Figure 1. A segment 2a of wire 2 is inserted only partially inside the tubular tip 3, in order not to project from the end 4 destined to hole the sole 1. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 2, the sole 1 is holed in a point 5 by means of the tip 3, then the segment 2a is extracted through the tubular tip 3. As shown in Figure 3, the segment 2a is cut with cutting means 6, for instance two blades in mutual co-operation, leaving a predetermined length L from the ground side la of the sole 1. Thereafter, as shown in Figure 4, the length L is folded back in order to make it adhere to the sole 1 from the ground side la. These operations are then repeated for a series of points 5a, 5b, 5c located in different positions of the sole, as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8. It should be noted that the section of the wire 2 can be very small because the necessary rigidity to hole the sole 1 is provided by the tubular tip 3. Said tip 3 also has sufficiently small section so that also the holes, created in the points 5 a, 5b, 5 c of the sole 1, are sufficiently small and do not allow the passage of liquids or other external agents. Also the elastic return of the material of the sole 1, subsequent to the introduction of the tubular tip 3, favours the adherence of the edge of the holes of the sole 1 to the wire segments 2a, and provides the sole 1 with optimal tightness against water and other external agents. The wire segments 2a are then wound together and collected in the rear area of the sole 1 as shown in Figure 10. Figure 11 shows the successive phase of insertion of an electrically conducting pin 18. Said pin 18 is inserted in a seat 18a in the rear area of the sole 1 and serves as a comiection between the wire segments 2a and the upper parts of a shoe which shall be described hereafter. The phases for the manufacture of the shoe are shown in Figures 12 and 13. On the sole 1, from the upper side lb, is glued a first insole 7, positioned in the front part of the sole, whose function is to increase comfort and to serve as a protection for the wire segments 2a. Subsequently, an upper 13, manufactured in a known manner, is connected to the sole 1 by means of a seam 14 positioned on the edge of the sole 1, or by means of gluing. On top of the first insole 7 is glued a second insole 8 whose shape extends on the complete surface of the sole 1 and which presents a first lamina 9 of conducting material positioned in the rear area of the sole 1. The lamina 9 is destined to make contact between the pin 18, connected to the wire segments 2a previously wound on the sole 1, and a second lamina 10, also made of conducting material, positioned in a third insole 11. The third insole 11 is in the rear area of the shoe and, being padded, it also has the function of increasing wear comfort and dampening the walking action. The second lamina 10 electrically connects the first lamina 9 with the heel of the user of the shoe, thereby achieving the desired electrical passage between ground and user. The lamina 10 is discshaped to make the contact more comfortable for the user. Alternatively, the lamina can have rectangular shape like the lamina 12 shown in Figure 12. The finished shoe 15 is shown in Figure 13. Figure 14 shows a section of a shoe 15 with the sole 1 obtained with the method described previously. With the configuration of the wire segments 2a shown in this figure, the material of the sole 1 can indifferently be electrically isolating or conducting. Figure 15 shows a section of a shoe 15 with a sole 16 made of electrically conducting material. In this case, only segments 17a, 17b, 17c of electrically conducting material, of lesser length, are present and they are not wound together. Their function is to increase the electrical conductivity of the sole 16. In this case, too, in the rear area of the sole is present an electrically conducting pin 18 which serves as an electrical connection between the sole 16 as a whole and the first lamina 9 of the sole 8 described previously. Key I SOLE la GROUND SIDE OF THE SOLE 1 lb UPPER SIDE OF THE SOLE 1 2 WIRES OF CONDUCTING MATERIAL 2a WIRE SEGMENT 3 TUBULAR TIP 4 END 5 HOLING POINT 5a, 5b, 5c SERIES OF HOLING POINTS 6 CUTTING MEANS 7 FIRST LNSOLE 8 SECOND INSOLE 9 FIRST LAMINA 10 SECOND LAMINA I I THIRD INSOLE 12 RECTANGULAR LAMINA 13 UPPER 14 SEAM 15 SHOE 16 SOLE 17 WIRE SEGMENTS 18 PIN 18a SEAT FOR THE PIN 18

Claims: Claims 1. Method for manufacturing antistatic soles, characterised in that it comprises the following phases: a) forming a sole (1) made of isolating plastic or elastomeric material, the sole having a side (la) suitable for coming in contact with the ground and a side (lb) suitable for connecting with an upper; b) inserting a segment (2a) of electrically conducting wire (2) into a tubular tip (3), in such a way that it does not project beyond the holing end (4) of the tip (3); c) holing the sole (1) in a point (5) by means of the tubular tip (3) thus introducing the segment (2a) of electrically conducting wire (2) through the sole (1); and d) extracting the tubular tip (3) from the sole (1) leaving the segment (2a) of electrically conducting wire (2) inserted in the sole (1). 2. Method for manufacturing soles as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises the following phases: e) cutting the segment (2a) of wire (2) inserted in the sole (1) from the ground side, leaving a predetermined length (L); and f) folding the wire (2) segment from the ground side so that it adheres to the sole (1). 3. Method for manufacturing soles as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that it comprises the following phases: repeating the phases a), b), c), d), e), f) on a predetermined number of points (5a, 5b, 5c) of the sole (1); and winding together, from the upper side (lb), the segments (2a) of wire (2) inserted in the sole (1). 4. Method for manufacturing soles as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that it comprises the following phases: inserting a pin (18) into the sole (1) from the upper side (lb) and connecting it with the segments (2a) of wire (2). 5. Method for manufacturing soles as claimed in one of the previous claims, characterised in that the material of the sole (16) is made electrically conducting by the addition of electrically conducting particles selected from the group constituted by metal and metal oxide dusts, carbon dust and graphite dust. 6. Method for manufacturing antistatic soles, characterised in that it comprises the following phases: a) forming a sole (1) made of electrically conducting plastic or elastomeric material, the sole (1) having a side (la) suitable for coming in contact with the ground and a side (lb) suitable for connecting with an upper; b) inserting a segment of electrically conducting wire (2) into a tubular tip (3), in such a way that it does not project beyond the holing end (4) of the tip (3); c) holing the sole (1) in a point (5) by means of the tubular tip (3) thus introducing a segment of electrically conducting wire (2) through the sole (1); and d) extracting the tubular tip (3) from the sole (1) leaving the segment of electrically conducting wire (2) inserted in the sole (1). 7. A method for manufacturing soles as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that it comprises the following phases: e) cutting the segment (2a) of wire (2) inserted in the sole (1) from the ground side (la), leaving a predetermined length (L); f) cutting the segment (2a) of wire (2) inserted in the sole (1) from the upper side (lb), leaving a second predetermined length (LI); g) folding the segment (2a) of wire (2) from the ground side (la) and from the upper side (lb), so that the segment (2a) adheres to the sole (1) from both sides (la, lb). 8. Method for manufacturing soles as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that it comprises the following phases: h) repeating the phases a), b), c), d), e), f), g) on a certain number of points (5a, 5b, 5 c) of the sole (1). 9. Method for manufacturing antistatic shoes (15) as claimed in one or more of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises the following additional phases: gluing a first insole (7), positioned in the front part of the sole (1), having the function of protecting the wire segments (2a); connecting an upper (13) to the sole (1) by means of a seam (14) positioned on the edge of the sole (1), or by means of gluing; gluing a second insole (8), having a shape that extends over the whole surface of the sole (1) and exhibiting a first lamina (9) made of conducting material and positioned in the rear area of the sole (1), said first lamina (9) being in electrical contact with the wire segments (2a); gluing a third insole (11), positioned in the rear area of the shoe (15), the third insole (11) being provided with a second lamina (10), destined to the contact with the heel of the user of the shoe (15), said second lamina (10) being made of electrically conducting material and being electrically connected with the first lamina (9). 10. Method for manufacturing shoes ( 15) as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that said second lamina (10) is disc-shaped to make contact with the user of the 10 shoe (15) more comfortable. 11. Antistatic sole manufactured with the method as claimed in one or more of the claims from 1 to 8, characterised in that it comprises a sole (1) made of plastic or elastomeric material, the sole having a side (la) suitable for coming in contact with the ground and a side (lb) suitable for connecting with an upper; at least a segment (2a) of electrically conducting wire (2) passing through said sole (1), the segment (2a) comprising an end of predetermined length (L), projecting from the sole (1) from the ground side (la), said end being folded back in such a way as to adhere to the sole (1); and a pin (18) inserted in the sole (1) from the upper side, said pin (18) serving as electrical connection for the sole (1) as a whole and being able to be electrically connected with parts of a shoe. 12. Antistatic sole as claimed in claim 11 , characterised in that the wire segment (2a) is electrically connected to the pin (18). 13. Antistatic sole as claimed in claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the material of the sole (16) is made electrically conducting by means of the addition of electrically conducting particles selected from the group constituted by metal and metal oxide dusts, carbon dust and graphite dust. 14. Antistatic sole (15) manufactured with the method as claimed in one or more of the claims from 9 to 10, characterised in that it comprises a sole (1; 16) as claimed in one or more of the claims from 11 to 13; a first insole (7) for protecting the wire segment (2a), said insole (7) being positioned and glued in the front part of the sole (1; 16); an upper (13) connected to the sole (1; 16) by means of a seam (14) or by means of gluing; a second insole (8), having a shape that extends over the whole surface of the sole (1; 16) and presenting a first lamina (9) made of conducting material positioned in the rear area of the sole (1; 16), said first lamina 11 (9) being in electrical contact with the wire segment (2a); and a third insole (11) glued on the second insole (8) and being positioned in the rear area of the shoe (15), the third insole (11) being provided with a second lamina (10), destined to the contact with the heel of the user of the shoe (15), said second lamina (10) being made of electrically conducting material and being electrically connected with the first lamina (9). 15. An antistatic shoe (15) as claimed in claim 14, characterised in that said second lamina (10) is disc-shaped to make the contact with the user of the shoe (15) more comfortable. 16. A method for manufacturing a sole and a shoe as claimed in claims 1 through 10, sole and shoe as claimed in claims 11 through 15 and as described and illustrated herein with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings and for the purposes mentioned herein.

Inventors: TAMBURINI BRUNO, TAMBURINI, BRUNO
Applicants: LION SHOES S R L, TAMBURINI BRUNO, LION SHOES S.R.L., TAMBURINI, BRUNO
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A43B7
IPC codes: A43B7, A43B13