FR2695809A1 - Footwear sole - comprises flat layer of material with transverse hollow tubular elements attached to underside - Google Patents

Abstract

The sole comprises a flat upper section (7) and a series of transverse hollow elements (5,6) on the underside, which can be in the form of tubes in different numbers and sizes. The sole has a series of smaller dia. tubes beneath its front section, and larger dia. tubes beneath the heel, and in a variant of the design a second layer of flat material can be incorporated beneath the tubes, in contact with the grond. The sole can be made from a material which is suitable for extrusion, preferably supply and transparent, such as PVC, a polymer or rubber. In another variant of the design the tubes can be longer than the width of the sole and sealed and turned upwards at their ends before joining to the edges of the sole. USE/ADVANTAGE - Suitable for wide range of footwear or as under-soles for existing footwear, being light in weight and supple in use.

Description

The present invention relates to the production of soles for all types of shoes, from a drawn or molded strip.

 This is a flat sole made up of hollow profiled elements, of variable number and dimensions, intended for the production of barefoot shoes for adults and children making it possible to compose an unlimited number of models, and of a sole, of the same type as the flat sole, with raised edges intended for the production of all types of shoes for adults and children.

The invention consists in making a sole consisting of a series of hollow sections which are joined to a flat part.

For economic reasons, these soles are preferably produced from a cutting technology in a strip of an appropriate width described below.

The use of this technology does not exclude the manufacture of soles by injected molds. Unlike traditional manufacturing processes, this technology does not use molds.

Given the fact that in traditional manufacturing, a mold is required for each foot and each size or half size, this technology allows substantial savings.

The technology in question here is based on the following operations: a) Drawing. The wire drawing die (1) is a perforated metal device such that the processed raw material leaves in hollow sections, the rods (2) and (3) of the die representing the internal diameter (12 mm) of the hollow sections (5 ) and (6), circular in this case, separated from each other but united to a flat part (7) emerging from the horizontal part of the wire drawing die.

The die comprises two series of circular openings, one of which (2) has a smaller diameter (16 mm), a diameter which corresponds to the outside diameter of the hollow profiles (5) which exit therefrom.

The other series (3), with a diameter of 20 mm, comes out of the hollow profiles (6) with an outside diameter of 20
The difference between the outside diameters of the two series of openings (5) and (6), their inside diameter being constant (12 mm), determines a different thickness for hollow profiles of type (5): 2 mm, and for hollow profiles of type (6): 4 mm. The hollow profiles of smaller diameter (5) are intended for the anterior part of the sole (soles and toes). The hollow profiles of larger diameter (6) are intended for the rear part of the sole (heel).

The flat part of the sole (7) has a constant thickness of 4 mm. The hollow sections with a thickness of 4 mm (6) are completely integrated in their upper part into the thickness of the flat part of the sole (7), entirely occupying this thickness. The hollow profiles with a thickness of 2 mm (5) are fully integrated in their upper part into the thickness of the -2 flat part (7) of the sole, occupying only half the thickness of this part plane. On the horizontal ground axis of the two types of hollow profiles, there is therefore a difference of 2 mm
between the series of hollow profiles with a larger diameter and the series of hollow profiles with a smaller diameter. This is how the finished flange has a total thickness of 18 mm in the area of hollow profiles with smaller diameter (5) and a total thickness of 20 mm in the area of the hollow sections of larger diameter (6).

Figure 1 shows the section of the wire drawing die.

Figure 2 shows the cross section of this die along the axis A.-A.

Figure 3 shows the cross section of this die along the axis B.-B.

b) Cutting the soles. At the end of the drawing operation a) a strip (B) is obtained in which the soles will be cut.

After cooling, this strip is ready to be cut. The operation is carried out by cutting with a press, the machine being provided with multiple cookie cutters in the form of soles.

The size of these cookie cutters corresponds to the different sizes of soles desired.

The cookie cutter is positioned on the strip according to the number of pipes necessary for the length of the heel. For an adult size (12), the cookie cutter cuts the four larger diameter pipes (6). For a child size (13), the cookie cutter only cuts two or three of the larger diameter pipes (6).

The soles are cut along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip, or else at an angle of 70 "to 110 between the longitudinal axis of the sole and the longitudinal axis of the strip.

The reason why the cutting angle of the soles can vary between 700 and 1100, as indicated above, is due to questions relating to the balance between pronation and supination of the foot during walking. Many people suffer from excessive pronation or supination. The variability of the angle of the pipes with respect to the axis of the sole allows variable support to be obtained for optimizing walking and the possible correction of foot defects.

As regards the sole with raised edges (11), the cutout (10) incorporates an additional width over the entire perimeter, width which will form the edge intended to be raised from the inner contour (9). The width between the interior contour (9) and the cutting contour (10) therefore corresponds to the raised (vertical) edge of the sole.

FIG. 4 shows the strip as it appears at the exit of the wire drawing die and some examples of cutting the soles.

c) Folding and rolling of the raised edge (width between the interior contour (9) and the cutting contour (10)).

The operation is carried out by means of a rolling mill. During the same operation, the vertical ends of the pipes (10) are welded. The sole is then ready to receive the upper of the shoe.

The manufacture of flat soles intended for barefoot shoes comprises the operations s a) and b).

The manufacture of soles with raised edges intended for all types of shoes includes operations a), b) and c).

In the finished soles (11), (12), (13), the pipes of larger diameter (6) correspond to the rear part of the foot (heel) and the pipes of smaller diameter (5) correspond to the front part (plant and toes). The pipes are in contact with the ground while the upper part (7), intended to be in contact with the foot, is covered with a hygienic sole (17).

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention:
Figure 5 shows the finished flat sole.

Figure 6 shows the cross section of the sole along the axis C.-C.

These soles, in addition to the invention which they represent, therefore offer the following characteristics: lightness, due to the existing empty volume, flexibility, due to the use preferably of PVC as a raw material (see Choice of materials below), resistance, aesthetics.

The characteristics of these insoles are ideal for the following uses: walking, running, sport, leisure, foot protection, orthopedics.

The specific characteristic of the flat sole lies in the use of hollow profiles, or pipes, for the protected passage of strips, ribbons or laces and in the use of spaces between each hollow profile for the passage of these same strips, ribbons or laces. This characteristic offers the possibility of achieving an unlimited number of combinations around the foot thanks to the number of pipes, therefore of possible passages. On the top of the foot, the strap can be crossed, tied, wrapped around the ankle, according to the imagination of each. The last knotting or closing operation allows you to adjust the tension of the strap wherever it is in contact with the foot, in order to achieve perfect comfort.

Figure 7 and Figure 8, with their elements (5), (6), (12), (17) already described, show two models of combinations between sole and strap among an almost unlimited number of combinations.

The flat type sole can also be used as a skate under any existing shoe. For this use, the flat type sole is provided with a self-adhesive material.

The raised edge sole (11) folded along the outline (9) is also coated with a hygienic sole (17). The vertical end (10) of the raised edges is flattened and welded over the entire vertical perimeter of the sole. This sole is ready to receive the fitting of the upper part of the shoe, an operation commonly practiced in the manufacture of shoes, from soles with raised edges.

Consequently, the horizontal part of the pipes in contact with the ground remains swollen.

Figure 9 shows the entire sole with raised edges.

Figure 10 shows the section of said sole along a transverse axis D.-D.

Figure 11 shows a detail of a pipe whose ends have been bent, flattened and welded.

The characteristics of this sole are those which have been described above (lightness, flexibility, resistance, aesthetics). Added to this is stability, due to the greater support solidity obtained by the air contained in the pipes. This same characteristic makes it possible to obtain a great grip on the ground on any ground and in any condition.

Figure 12 and Figure 13 show two possibilities of using the hollow sole - closed shoe and boot - from countless possible models.

The hollow sole is suitable for the following uses: walking, running, sport, leisure, protection of the foot against attack and bad weather, orthopedics, all in perfect comfort for the foot.

The hollow sole can also be used as such, as a skate under any existing shoe. The fixing between the two elements (sole and shoe) can be carried out by gluing and by forced insertion casing.

Regarding the raw material, the most suitable for making flat soles or raised edges is PVC, preferably flexible, class B because of its heat resistance up to 900. Very aesthetic results are obtained with colorless transparent PVC, colored transparent, non-transparent colored or screen-printed.

Any other synthetic material suitable for wire drawing or extrusion, as well as rubber, may be used.

Claims (9)

1) Sole (11), (12), (13) for any type of shoe characterized in that it consists of a flat part (7), having the shape of said sole, provided, in its lower part, with two series of hollow profiles or pipes (5) and (6), of variable number and dimensions, transverse to the axis of the sole, the first series (5) (front part of the sole) consisting of profiles  hollow of smaller diameter, the second series (6) (heel) consisting of hollow sections of larger diameter. 2) sole according to claims 1), characterized in that it comprises an additional flat part in contact with the ground. 3) sole according to claims 1) and 2) characterized in that it has an outer width raised vertically, flattened and welded, forming a rim and intended to receive by fitting the upper part of the shoe. 4) Sole according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of wire-drawing material or suitable for extrusion, preferably flexible and transparent, colorless or colored material, in particular PVC, polymer, rubber. 5) Sole according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is produced by a transverse cutting in a strip at an angle of 70 "to 110 between the longitudinal axis of the sole (14), (15) , (16) and the axis of the length of the strip (8). 6) Application of the sole according to any one of the preceding claims as a pad to be added under any other existing shoe by etl self-adhesive fixing or by forced insertion socket. 7) Sole according to any one of claims from 1) to 5) intended for the production of barefoot shoes with straps, ribbons or laces for flat soles, low closed shoes, boots, sports and leisure shoes for soles with raised edges. 8) A method of producing soles according to any one of claims from 1) to 5) characterized in that it comprises the following operations: a) drawing in a die (1), (2), (3) of the raw material for obtaining the base band (8); b) cutting the soles (11), (12), (13) in the strip (8) by multiple punch on press machine; c) for the sole with raised edges (11), vertical folding of a width peripheral to the sole, this vertical rim being flattened and welded at the ends, operation carried out by rolling between two rollers. 9) A method of producing soles according to any one of claims from 1) to 5) characterized in that it consists of an injection molding.