Jig for a shoe sole portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10376019-B2
Application number	US-201414149142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2014
Priority date	Jan 7, 2014
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

Automated painting of a shoe sole portion of a shoe is enhanced by use of a jig. The shoe sole portion may be secured between top and bottom plates of the jig such that a side surface of the shoe sole portion is left exposed. Additionally, the jig is adapted to create configurable masking lines along the side surface of the shoe sole portion using multi-layer deforming layers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A jig for securing during painting a shoe sole portion comprising a relatively planar lower surface, at least a partially concave upper surface opposite the lower surface, a medial side surface and a lateral side surface, wherein the medial side surface, and the lateral side surface of the shoe sole portion converge at a toe region and a heel region of the shoe sole portion, the jig in an open position comprising:
a bottom plate having a layered construction comprising a first non-deforming layer, an inner deforming sub-layer, and an outer deforming sub-layer positioned between the inner deforming sub-layer and the first non-deforming layer, the outer deforming sub-layer of the bottom plate being releasably secured to the first non-deforming layer of the bottom plate by one or more of screws, adhesives, and hook-and-loop fasteners, the inner deforming sub-layer being more deformable than the outer deforming sub-layer, the inner deforming sub-layer of the bottom plate having a shoe sole portion facing surface and an opposing surface, the shoe sole portion facing surface comprising a convex surface; and
a top plate pivotably coupled to the bottom plate, the top plate having a layered construction comprising a first non-deforming layer, an inner deforming sub-layer, and an outer deforming sub-layer positioned between the inner deforming sub-layer and the first non-deforming layer, the outer deforming sub-layer of the top plate being releasably secured to the first non-deforming layer of the top plate by one or more of screws, adhesives, and hook-and-loop fasteners, the inner deforming sub-layer being more deformable than the outer deforming sub-layer, the inner deforming sub-layer having a shoe sole portion facing surface and an opposing surface, the shoe sole portion facing surface comprising a planar surface;
wherein:
the inner deforming sub-layer and the outer deforming sub-layer of each of the bottom plate and the top plate are formed of a unitary construction,
when the jig is in the open state, the bottom plate and the top plate of the jig are not in contact with the shoe sole portion and the top plate and the bottom plate of the jig are not in contact with each other, and
the top plate and the bottom plate are adapted to secure the shoe sole portion there between when the jig is in a closed position such that the planar surface of the inner deforming sub-layer of the top plate of the jig is adapted to be in contact with the relatively planar lower surface of the shoe sole portion, the convex surface of the inner deforming sub-layer of the bottom plate of the jig is adapted to be in contact with the at least partially concave upper surface of the shoe sole portion, and at least a portion of the lateral side surface or the medial side surface of the shoe sole portion is left exposed for painting.

2. The jig of claim 1 , wherein the shoe sole portion facing surface of the inner deforming sub-layer of the top plate is positionable proximate to the shoe sole portion facing surface of the inner deforming sub-layer of the bottom plate when the jig is in the closed position.

3. The jig of claim 1 , further comprising an open-assist mechanism affixed to the first non-deforming layer of the top plate at a first end that is opposite a second end having a pivotal coupling between the top plate and the bottom plate, the open-assist mechanism adapted to transition the jig from the closed position to the open position.

4. A jig for securing during painting a shoe sole portion comprising a relatively planar lower surface, at least a partially concave upper surface opposite the lower surface, a medial side surface, and a lateral side surface, wherein the medial side surface and the lateral side surface of the shoe sole portion converge at a toe region and a heel region of the shoe sole portion, the jig in an open position comprising:
a bottom plate having a layered construction comprising a first rigid layer, an inner deforming sub-layer, and an outer deforming sub-layer positioned between the inner deforming sub-layer and the first rigid layer, the outer deforming sub-layer of the bottom plate being releasably secured to the first rigid layer of the bottom plate by one or more of screws, adhesives, and hook-and-loop fasteners, the inner deforming sub-layer being more deformable than the outer deforming sub-layer, the inner deforming sub-layer of the bottom plate having a shoe sole portion facing surface and an opposing surface, the shoe sole portion facing surface comprising a convex surface; and
a top plate pivotably coupled to the bottom plate, the top plate having a layered construction comprising a second rigid layer, an inner deforming sub-layer, and an outer deforming sub-layer positioned between the inner deforming sub-layer and the second rigid layer, the outer deforming sub-layer of the top plate being releasably secured to the second rigid layer of the top plate by one or more of screws, adhesives, and hook-and-loop fasteners, the inner-deforming sub-layer being more deformable than the outer deforming sub-layer, the inner deforming sub-layer of the top plate having a shoe sole portion facing surface and an opposing surface, the shoe sole portion facing surface comprising a planar surface;
wherein the inner deforming sub-layer and the outer deforming sub-layer of each of the bottom plate and the top plate are formed of a unitary construction, wherein when the jig is in the open state, the top plate and the bottom plate of the jig are not in contact with the shoe sole portion and the top plate and the bottom plate of the jig are not in contact with each other, and wherein the top plate and the bottom plate are adapted to receive the shoe sole portion when the jig is in a closed position such that the planar surface of the inner deforming sub-layer of the top plate of the jig is adapted to be in contact with the relatively planar lower surface of the shoe sole portion, the convex surface of the inner deforming sub-layer of the bottom plate of the jig is adapted to be in contact with the at least partially concave upper surface of the shoe sole portion, and at least a portion of the lateral side surface or the medial side surface of the shoe sole portion is left exposed for painting.

5. The jig of claim 4 , wherein the inner and outer deforming sub-layers of the top plate and the bottom plate are more deformable than the first and second rigid layers.

6. The jig of claim 4 , wherein the inner and outer deforming sub-layers of each of the top plate and the bottom plate are constructed using cast polyurethane.

7. The jig of claim 4 , wherein the first and second rigid layers are constructed from metal.

8. The jig of claim 4 , further comprising an open-assist mechanism affixed to the second rigid layer of the top plate, wherein the open-assist mechanism is adapted to transition the jig from the closed position to the open position through a translation of longitudinal movement of the jig.

9. The jig of claim 8 , wherein the open-assist mechanism comprises a first member and a second member, wherein the first member extends beyond a lateral side of the second rigid layer of the top plate and the second member extends beyond a medial side of the second rigid layer of the top plate.

10. The jig of claim 9 , wherein the first member and the second member are coupled with the second rigid layer of the top plate at a first end opposite of a second end that is pivotally coupled with the first rigid layer of the bottom plate.

11. The jig of claim 4 , wherein the inner deforming sub-layers of each of the top plate and the bottom plate have a hardness in a range of 45-55 durometers on the Shore A scale.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Regan Patrick Conall
• Ou Feng-Ming
• Chen Hao-Zhen
• Wu Chih-Chung

Classifications

• A43D95/14

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

• A43D8/32

  Working on edges or margins (of leather in general C14B1/02, C14B11/00) · CPC title

• A43D5/02 Primary

  Stands for making footwear (stands for cleaning shoes A47L23/16) · CPC title

• A43B13/00

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

• A43D5/00 Primary

  Hand appliances or hand tools for making or repairing shoes, other than those covered by groups A43D15/00, A43D19/00, A43D95/00, A43D100/00, A43D117/00 · CPC title