Paint fixture for shoe portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10104940-B2
Application number	US-201715614255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2017
Priority date	Jan 30, 2014
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

Aspects hereof relate to a holding fixture for holding portions of a shoe during painting. The fixture has a lower jig and an upper jig. The lower jig has an outer wall from which a contacting surface extends. The contacting surface is sized to apply a compressive force to the midsole along a desired paint line, and prevents paint from moving onto the midsole below the contacting surface. The top jig has a lower surface configured to be placed in contact with the top surface of the midsole when the midsole is held in the lower jig and is shaped to apply a downward and outward force on the midsole at an edge defined by the top surface of the midsole and the outer perimeter surface of the midsole, to thereby prevent paint from moving onto the top surface of the shoe portion.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for holding a shoe portion having a top surface, an outer perimeter surface for painting, and a bottom surface, the apparatus comprising:
a first jig having a first support surface and a first outer wall extending from the first support surface, the first outer wall having a first upper surface;
a second jig having a second support surface and a second outer wall extending from the second support surface, the second upper wall having a second upper surface, the first and second jigs removably coupled to one another and moveable between an open and a closed position such that a cavity is defined by the first and second support surfaces and the first and second outer walls;
a first blade coupled to the first upper surface, the first blade having a first inner edge that extends inwardly into the cavity;
a second blade coupled to the second upper surface having a second inner edge that extends inwardly into the cavity;
the first and second blades configured such that the first and second inner edges extend into the outer perimeter of the shoe portion when the first and second jigs are placed in the closed position;
wherein the first and second blades form a masking line, preventing paint from moving into the cavity below the first and second blades.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a top jig having a lower surface, the lower surface of the top jig shaped to apply an outward force on an edge between the top surface of the shoe portion and the outer perimeter surface of the shoe portion, thereby preventing paint from moving onto the top surface of the shoe portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second support surfaces of the first and second jigs have raised portions that apply an upward force to portions of the bottom surface of the shoe portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first and second support surfaces of the first and second jigs have lowered portions that provide an expansion area for the shoe portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first and second jigs are pivotably coupled.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first blade is integrally formed with the first outer wall and the second blade is integrally formed with the second outer wall.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a first front cover coupled to a front portion of the first outer wall, and a second front cover coupled to a front portion of the second outer wall, the first and second covers operable to prevent paint from moving to an area below the front covers.

8. An apparatus for holding a shoe portion, the shoe portion having a top surface, an outer perimeter surface for painting, and a bottom surface, the apparatus comprising:
a first jig having a first support surface and a first outer wall extending from the first support surface, the first outer wall having a first upper surface having a first inner edge that extends inwardly into the cavity;
a second jig having a second support surface and a second outer wall extending from the second support surface, the second upper wall having a second upper surface having a second inner edge that extends inwardly into the cavity, the first and second jigs moveable to form a cavity partially defined by the first and second support surfaces and the first and second outer walls;
wherein the first inner edge and the second inner edge form a masking line that prevents paint from moving into the cavity between the first upper surface and the first support surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a top jig having a lower surface, the lower surface of the top jig shaped to apply an outward force on an edge between the top surface of the shoe portion and the outer perimeter surface of the shoe portion, thereby preventing paint from moving onto the top surface of the shoe portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second support surfaces of the first and second jigs have raised portions capable to apply an upward force to portions of the bottom surface of the shoe portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first and second support surfaces of the first and second jigs have lowered portions that provide an expansion area for the shoe portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first and second jigs are pivotably coupled to one another.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first inner edge and the second inner edge are integrally formed with the first and second outer walls.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a first front cover coupled to a front portion of the first outer wall, and a second front cover coupled to a front portion of the second outer wall, the first cover and the second cover operable to prevent paint from moving to an area below the front covers.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Spampinato Juan-Pier A

Classifications

• B05B12/20

  Masking elements, i.e. elements defining uncoated areas on an object to be coated · CPC title

• A43D95/14

  incorporating marking, printing, or embossing apparatus (ornamentation of shoe part blanks A43D8/16; printing per se , stamping per se B41) · CPC title

• A43B13/00

  Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units · CPC title

• A43D95/06 Primary

  Machines for colouring or chemical treatment; Ornamenting the sole bottoms (burnishing A43D95/20) · CPC title

• A43B3/0078

  provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration (A43B23/24 takes precedence) · CPC title