Patent Description:
In order to ensure maximum comfort in an item of footwear, manufacturers, especially sole manufacturers, are constantly striving to find lightweight materials and techniques that improve elastic response and reduce the mechanical stresses transmitted from the ground to the user's foot by distributing them as evenly as possible, on a surface specifically designed to cushion the impact thereof.

In order to achieve these results, expandable and cross-linkable polyolefin materials, such as for example the one commonly known as ethylene vinyl acetate (often referenced by the acronym EVA) and others having similar characteristics, are used increasingly often.

In order to achieve and increase the comfort ensured by a sole made of expanded materials (for example those mentioned in the previous paragraph), it is known to provide, in said sole, transverse grooves that allow, through an alternatedsuccession of empty spaces and regions constituted by expanded material, to calibrate the pliability and the elastic response of the sole in an optimum way.

Soles for footwear which alternate empty spaces and areas of expanded material are also known from <CIT> in the name of this same Applicant. <CIT>, however, highlights a weakness in relation to the industrialization of the sole (and of the machines, plants, molds by means of which it is made) and in the method of production of the blank from which the sole will be obtained. <CIT> entails in fact, like most of the productions of a traditional sole, several steps after the molding step, which must be performed before it is possible to assemble the upper on said sole. In particular, footwear manufacturers generally require the interposition of a lamina between the sole and the upper (as also provided in <CIT>), in order to have a sufficiently large and uniform surface to firmly glue the upper to the sole. Said lamina can be made of various materials and entails auxiliary processes (cutting of the lamina, its stable gluing to the sole) that make the production process long, cumbersome and expensive with obvious drawbacks (risks related to the poor strength of the coupling, reduction of flexibility and softness).

The technical principle and the associated problems highlighted for footwear soles can be combined identically with the production of other manufactured articles in which the teachings of <CIT> can be applied. Consider, for example, any fitness mats (for free exercises) made of expandable and cross-linkable polyolefin materials, or seats for chairs, covers for equipment that comes into contact with the body, etcetera. In these cases also, elastic response and comfort are the goals pursued and transverse grooves, while giving the necessary softness, would still be uncomfortable (a discontinuous supporting surface) and would create discomfort in the part of the body that rests thereon. Therefore, even in these additional manufactured articles it would be necessary to have a lamina interposed between the surface provided with the grooves and the body of the user in order to optimize comfort and maximize the elastic effect. It is evident, in this case also, that the application of the lamina of any material would determine the same drawbacks described above in relation to footwear.

Document <CIT> too discloses a mould and a method for moulding footwear articles according to the state of the art.

The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems described above, devising a mold for providing manufactured articles and soles that allows to provide a manufactured article that is substantially ready for the specific application without the need for additional operations and/or additional components.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to devise a method for molding manufactured articles and soles that allows to provide a manufactured article that is substantially ready for the specific application without requiring additional operations and/or additional components.

Another object of the invention is to devise a mold for providing manufactured articles and soles that is constituted by a limited number of strong components.

Another object of the invention is to devise a mold for providing manufactured articles and soles which is constituted by components that can be coupled easily and intuitively.

Another object of the invention is to devise a method for molding manufactured articles and soles which does not comprises complex steps.

Another object of the invention is to devise a method for molding manufactured articles and soles that can be automated easily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a manufactured article which is suitable to be used directly in its own predefined application without the need for additional processes and/or additional components.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sole which is suitable to be mounted directly in a respective item of footwear without the need for additional processes and/or additional components.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a mold and a method for providing manufactured articles and soles, as well as a manufactured article and/or a sole, which have low costs, are relatively easy to provide and are of assured application.

This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a mold for providing manufactured articles and soles as defined in claim <NUM>.

This aim and these and other objects are also achieved by means of a method for providing manufactured articles and soles as defined in claim <NUM>.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the mold and of the method for providing manufactured articles and soles, as well as of the manufactured article and sole, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

With particular reference to the figures, a mold for providing manufactured articles and soles <NUM> according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral <NUM>.

The mold <NUM> according to the invention comprises at least one lower mold part <NUM>, at least one upper mold part <NUM>, which are mutually complementary, and at least one insert <NUM>.

The lower mold part <NUM> and the upper mold part <NUM> comprise a respective internal recess 2a, 3a; when the two mold parts <NUM> and <NUM> are mutually juxtaposed, they delimit an internal cavity which corresponds to the volume of the two opposite recesses 2a, 3a. The internal cavity is actually slightly smaller than the sum of the volumes of the two recesses 2a and 3a because inside it, in the configuration for use, there is also the insert <NUM>: due to the particular shape of the two recesses 2a and 3a and to the presence of the insert <NUM>, the internal cavity is contoured, having the shape and dimensions correlated with those of the manufactured article to be provided (for example correlated with those of the sole <NUM>).

With particular reference to an innovation of considerable interest in practice and in application, the insert <NUM> can advantageously comprise at least one rail <NUM> and at least two sliders <NUM> which can slide on said rail <NUM>.

Each slider <NUM> comprises conveniently a main body <NUM> provided with a seat <NUM> for the sliding accommodation of the at least one respective rail <NUM> and at least one elongated protruding prong <NUM>.

In the mutual mating configuration, the rail <NUM> and at least one portion of the main bodies <NUM> of the sliders <NUM> are external to the mold parts <NUM>, <NUM> while the prongs <NUM> are advantageously inserted in the contoured cavity through respective openings <NUM> formed along the edge of the mold parts <NUM>, <NUM>.

With particular reference to an embodiment of unquestionable interest in practice and in application, the sliders <NUM> may be advantageously a plurality: the prong <NUM> of each slider <NUM> is conveniently insertable within the contoured cavity, formed by the recesses 2a and 3a as a consequence of the mating of the lower mold part <NUM> and of the upper mold part <NUM>; each prong <NUM> reaches the inside of the cavity through a respective opening <NUM> formed along a corresponding lateral edge of the mold parts <NUM>, <NUM>.

It is specified, moreover, that the main bodies <NUM> of the sliders <NUM> may validly have a shape and dimensions suitable, at a gathered configuration thereof, for the perfect alignment of the prongs <NUM> which are integral therewith with the corresponding lateral openings <NUM> of the mold parts <NUM>, <NUM>.

It is specified that the gathered configuration of the main bodies <NUM> may be conveniently determined by the abutment of a lateral face of each main body <NUM> against a corresponding face of the contiguous main body <NUM>. In this manner the bodies <NUM> are arranged side by side, with the lateral surfaces mutually juxtaposed in an arrangement of minimum longitudinal space occupation (the term longitudinal refers to the direction of the axis of the rail <NUM> and of the corresponding seats <NUM> that accommodate it slidingly).

Furthermore, it is specified that each prong <NUM> of each slider <NUM> can positively have a cross-section with a shape that is chosen from polygonal, mixed-line, circular, elliptical, resembling a predefined shape, and the like.

In practice, each prong <NUM>, once extracted from the manufactured article (sole <NUM>), leaves in said manufactured article a hole (corresponding to the volume previously occupied by the prong <NUM>) which will have the same shape as the prong <NUM>.

In fact, during the injection of the polymer inside the cavity formed by the two mold parts <NUM> and <NUM> the polymer occupies the entire space available, except for the volume occupied by the prongs <NUM>.

It is therefore possible to provide holes (generally transverse through channels) in the manufactured article which modify its mechanical behavior and particularly its deformability following compression.

If the manufactured article is a sole <NUM>, the transverse through channels generated by the prongs <NUM> are distributed so as to make softer the portions subjected to a low load and make stronger the parts under the forefoot and/or the heel, which instead have to bear considerable and potentially even impulsive loads (to increase the comfort of the item of footwear associated with said soles <NUM>).

The shape of the outline of the prongs <NUM> is fundamental to obtain specific mechanical behaviors: a prong <NUM> with a triangular cross-section with a vertex directed toward the top of the sole <NUM> ensures a progressive localized pliability upon compression of said sole <NUM>; a prong <NUM> with a circular cross-section ensures a localized pliability with a substantially sinusoidal trend; a prong <NUM> with a square cross-section ensures a constant localized pliability of the sole <NUM>.

By selecting specific geometric shapes of the prongs <NUM>, associated with predefined prong dimensions, it is possible to predefine the mechanical behavior of the sole <NUM> under compression.

Moreover, the selection of fancy shapes for the cross-section of the prongs <NUM>, such as a heart, a flower, a wave, an animal outline, allow a very high level of customization of the soles <NUM>, while achieving the goal of giving them an ideal mechanical response to compression.

It is not excluded to use shapes, for the prongs <NUM>, that may resemble characters of comics or fairy tales or television series, in order to create lines of shoes dedicated to them which are equipped with their respective soles <NUM>; likewise, the provision of soles <NUM> with transverse through channels having a cross-section that resembles Christmas trees and other traditional symbols associated with civil and/or religious holidays is provided.

All the embodiments described in the last paragraph are particularly interesting for providing soles <NUM> for footwear intended for children.

It is specified that, with particular reference to a particularly effective embodiment, the rail <NUM> may conveniently be longer than the sum of the lengths of the main bodies <NUM> that are present thereon, for the free sliding of the sliders <NUM> along said rail <NUM> and their respective mutual spacing.

As will be seen hereinafter, since the injection of a polymer designed to expand is generally provided (expanded polymers, by incorporating gas cells inside them, ensure a better elastic response and a compression pliability that makes them preferable in all cases in which the manufactured article is designed to constitute a supporting surface for a person), when the manufactured article is extracted from the cavity (following the mutual spacing of the two mold parts <NUM> and <NUM>) a first uncontrolled expansion of said manufactured article occurs (due to the expansion of the gas contained inside the polymer mass), followed by a slow contraction (during the cooling of the gases) until the design dimensions provided for the manufactured article are reached.

In the uncontrolled expansion step immediately following the extraction of the manufactured article from the mold <NUM>, it is fundamental that the sliders <NUM> can slide freely on the rail <NUM>, moving mutually apart: this sliding allows the retention of the correct shape (and dimensions as well) of the holes occupied by the prongs <NUM> and ensures (due to the mutual alignment of the sliders <NUM> ensured by the rail <NUM> and by the shape of the seats <NUM> of the main bodies <NUM>) that the transverse channels formed by the various prongs <NUM> remain correctly aligned with each other.

The present invention extends its protection also to a method for providing manufactured articles and soles <NUM> which entails the execution of a sequence of consecutive steps.

During a first step, a lower mold part <NUM> and an upper mold part <NUM> of a mold <NUM> mate in order to form a contoured internal cavity the shape and dimensions of which are correlated with those of the manufactured article to be provided (be it a generic manufactured article and/or a sole <NUM>).

In a subsequent step it is necessary to insert at least one respective prong <NUM> in the internal cavity through at least one lateral opening <NUM> of at least one of the mold parts <NUM>, <NUM>,.

The opening <NUM> may be arranged on both sides of the mold <NUM>, so as to allow the full crossing of the mold <NUM> by the prong <NUM> (so as to generate a transverse through channel in the manufactured article).

Then one proceeds to the heating, in a subsequent step, of the mold parts <NUM>, <NUM> and of the at least one prong <NUM> to a predefined temperature.

Once the correct temperature of the previously cited components is reached, in a subsequent step one proceeds to inject a polymeric mixture inside the cavity. The temperature to which the mold parts <NUM>, <NUM> and the prong <NUM> have been heated is not lower than the cross-linking start temperature of the polymeric mixture.

After injection there is a substantially static step, i.e., in which it is necessary to wait for a predefined time in order to allow the cross-linking and at least partially the expansion of the polymeric mixture inside the cavity.

After the predefined time has elapsed, a step of separation of the upper mold part <NUM> from the lower mold part <NUM> can then be started by extracting the manufactured article (or sole <NUM>) and allowing its free expansion in the atmosphere for a predefined time.

During this step there is a great expansion of the manufactured article (even far beyond the final dimensions intended in the design): this uncontrolled expansion is due to the presence of numerous inclusions of gas (confined within closed cells present in the polymer) which, being at high temperature and no longer constrained by the rigid shapes of the mold <NUM>, increase in volume considerably.

Subsequent cooling of the manufactured article (left at room temperature) leads to a dimensional contraction of said manufactured article, which stabilizes its final dimensions at the design dimensions.

During this step in which the uncontrolled expansion of the manufactured article and its subsequent contraction to the dimensions intended by the design occurs, the prong <NUM> remains inserted inside said manufactured article, so as to maintain the shape and dimensions of the transverse channel within which it is accommodated.

A subsequent step provides for the extraction of the at least one prong <NUM> from the manufactured article, with consequent retention, in said manufactured article, of a channel (the transverse channel, which may also be a through channel) at the space previously occupied by said prong <NUM>.

In this manner, the manufactured article is substantially equivalent to a traditional manufactured article obtained by molding with the same polymeric mixture, with the difference of providing a transverse through channel which modifies locally its compression pliability.

With particular reference to the method that is particularly efficient and suitable for the production of manufactured articles and/or soles <NUM> with high quality standards, it is specified that the prongs <NUM> may advantageously be a plurality, mutually interconnected by means of a mutual alignment rail <NUM> on which the prongs can slide freely (for example through respective end portions constituted by a main body <NUM> provided with a through seat <NUM> within which the rail <NUM> is slidingly accommodated). By virtue of the presence of the rail <NUM>, the insertion of the prongs <NUM> in the internal cavity of the mold <NUM> through the respective openings <NUM> is simultaneous.

Furthermore, the rail <NUM> helps to maintain the correct alignment among the prongs <NUM>, so that the transverse channels that they generate in the manufactured article correspond perfectly to the design specifications.

The free sliding of the prongs <NUM> on the rail <NUM> is extremely important, since in this step the expanding material is very delicate and any hindrance to its free expansion would damage its shape.

It is specified that preferably the mold parts <NUM>, <NUM> and the at least one prong <NUM>, during the molding operations, can be conveniently kept at a temperature comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>.

The selection of the temperature is linked to the type of polymeric mixture used.

If ethylene vinyl acetate is used (polyethylene vinyl acetate, EVA in acronym), the temperature to which the components are to be brought is higher than <NUM>.

Moreover, it is specified that the mold parts <NUM>, <NUM> and the at least one prong <NUM>, prior to mutual mating and prior to the molding operations, may advantageously be preheated to a temperature comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>.

The present invention extends its protection also to any manufactured article made of polymeric material that comprises at least one main element having predefined shape and dimensions, provided with at least one hollow through channel <NUM>.

It is specified that in a specific embodiment of undeniable interest in application, the manufactured article may be constituted by a sole <NUM> and the main element is therefore a portion of said sole for items of footwear, while the hollow through channels <NUM> are a plurality, with consequent variation of the compression pliability of said sole <NUM>.

The mold <NUM> and the method according to the invention allow:.

Advantageously, the present invention solves the problems described above, devising a mold <NUM> for providing manufactured articles and soles <NUM> that allows to provide a manufactured article (or a sole <NUM>) that is substantially ready for the specific application without requiring additional operations and/or additional components.

In fact, the manufactured article does not need the adhesive bonding of additional flaps made of polymeric or other material, nor it is necessary to perform machining processes in order to provide the transverse through channels <NUM>.

Conveniently, the method for molding manufactured articles and soles <NUM> according to the invention allows to provide a manufactured article that is substantially ready for the specific application without requiring additional operations and/or additional components.

Favorably, the mold <NUM> according to the invention is constituted by a limited number of strong components: the mold is therefore solid and scarcely prone to breakages and/or failures.

Positively, the mold <NUM> according to the invention is constituted by components that can be coupled easily and intuitively.

Usefully, the method for molding according to the invention does not comprise complex steps.

Efficiently, the method for molding according to the invention can be automated easily.

Effectively, the manufactured article according to the invention is suitable to be used directly in its own predefined application without the need for additional processes and/or additional components.

Advantageously, the sole <NUM> according to the invention is suitable to be mounted directly in a respective item of footwear without the need for additional processing and/or additional components.

Validly, the mold <NUM> and the method for providing manufactured articles and soles <NUM>, as well as the manufactured article and/or the sole <NUM> according to the invention, are relatively easy to provide in practice and have low costs: these characteristics make the mold <NUM>, the method, the manufactured article and the sole <NUM> according to the invention innovations of assured application.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the accompanying claims; all the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In the examples of embodiment shown, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other examples of embodiment.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

Claim 1:
A mold for providing manufactured articles and soles (<NUM>), of the type comprising at least one lower mold part (<NUM>), at least one upper mold part (<NUM>) which are mutually complementary and at least one insert (<NUM>), said lower mold part (<NUM>), said upper mold part (<NUM>) and said insert (<NUM>) forming, in the mutual mating configuration, a contoured cavity the shape and dimensions of which are correlated with those of the article to be provided, characterized in that said insert (<NUM>) comprises at least one rail (<NUM>) and at least two sliders (<NUM>) which can slide on said rail (<NUM>), each said slider (<NUM>) comprising a main body (<NUM>) provided with a seat (<NUM>) for the sliding accommodation of the at least one respective rail (<NUM>) and at least one elongated protruding prong (<NUM>), in said mutual mating configuration said rail (<NUM>) and at least one portion of said main bodies (<NUM>) of said sliders (<NUM>) being external to said mold parts (<NUM>, <NUM>) and said prongs (<NUM>) being inserted in said contoured cavity through respective openings (<NUM>) formed along the edge of said mold parts (<NUM>, <NUM>).