Mold assembly for shaping and cutting sock liners

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11331870-B2
Application number	US-201815992397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2017
Publication date	May 17, 2022
Grant date	May 17, 2022

Abstract

Aspects hereof relate to a multi-part mold assembly for use in manufacturing articles. The mold assembly provides for contouring, shaping and cutting materials to form articles via a continuous single processing operation. The mold assembly includes an upper mold portion with a three-dimensional contouring/shaping portion and a first cutting edge, a lower mold portion with a three-dimensional contouring/shaping portion and a second cutting edge, and a base portion into which the lower mold portion may retract during use. Upon application of a first force, the upper and lower mold portions cooperate to contour/shape a material from which an article is to be formed. Upon application of a second force greater than the first, the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge interact to shear the material that extends beyond the respective cutting edges. The result is an article that is contoured, shaped and cut/trimmed utilizing a single processing operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manufacturing mold assembly comprising:
a movable upper mold portion that includes at least a portion that includes a three-dimensional shape corresponding with a contour of a first surface of an article to be manufactured utilizing the manufacturing mold assembly, a periphery portion surrounding the three-dimensional shape, and an intermediate spring disposed between the periphery portion and the movable upper mold portion, wherein the three-dimensional shape has a first cutting edge at least a portion of a perimeter thereof, wherein the first cutting edge is removably coupled to fixedly formed on the movable upper mold portion;
a lower mold portion comprising:
having at least a first portion and a second portion that having include a three-dimensional shape corresponding with a contour of a second, opposite surface of the article to be manufactured utilizing the manufacturing mold assembly, each of the first portion and second portion three-dimensional shape of the lower mold portion having a second cutting edge at least a portion of a perimeter thereof;
a cutting plate portion having comprising at least one aperture shaped to receive the first portion and the second portion, wherein the at least one aperture includes the second cutting edge at least at a portion of a perimeter thereof;
and at least one vertical channel therein configured for receiving one or more springs, wherein the second cutting edge is removably coupled to fixedly formed on the lower mold portion; and
a base portion comprising at least one cavity configured to receive the lower mold portion, such that wherein the lower mold portion is retractable in a substantially vertical direction relative to the base portion upon a first force being applied to the at least one or more springs positioned within the at least one vertical channel, and the lower mold portion as well as the movable portion of the movable upper mold portion retractable in the substantially vertical direction relative to the base portion upon a second force being applied to the intermediate spring and the one or more springs.

2. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein upon application of the first force to the one or more springs at least one spring, the movable upper mold portion and the lower mold portion cooperate to provide a three-dimensional shape to a material positioned between the movable upper mold portion and the lower mold portion.

3. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 2 , wherein upon application of the second force to the one or more springs, the second force being greater than the first force, the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge cooperate to shear the material positioned between the movable upper mold portion and the lower mold portion.

4. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first cutting edge is integral to the movable upper mold portion.

5. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first cutting edge is removably coupled with the movable upper mold portion.

6. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second cutting edge is integral to the lower mold portion.

7. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first surface of the article to be manufactured utilizing the manufacturing mold assembly is comprised of an EVA material, wherein the second surface of the article to be manufactured utilizing the manufacturing mold assembly is comprised of a mesh material, and wherein the EVA material and the mesh material are adhered to one another.

8. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second cutting edge is removably coupled with the lower mold portion.

9. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the article to be manufactured is a sock liner for use with a shoe.

10. A manufacturing mold assembly comprising:
a movable upper mold portion that includes at least a portion that includes a three-dimensional shape corresponding with a contour of a first surface of an article to be manufactured utilizing the manufacturing mold assembly, a periphery portion surrounding the three-dimensional shape, and an intermediate spring disposed between the periphery portion and the movable upper mold portion, wherein the three-dimensional shape has a first cutting edge at least a portion of a perimeter thereof, wherein the first cutting edge is removably coupled to the movable upper mold portion;
a lower mold portion having at a first portion and a second portion, each having least a portion that includes a three-dimensional shape corresponding with a contour of a second, opposite surface of the article to be manufactured utilizing the manufacturing mold assembly, the lower mold portion having a plurality of vertical channels therein, each vertical channel configured for receiving a spring wherein a second cutting edge is removably coupled to the lower mold portion;
a cutting plate having at least one aperture therein that is shaped to receive the lower mold portion, the at least one aperture having the second cutting edge at least at a portion of a perimeter thereof; and
a base portion comprising at least one cavity configured to receive the lower mold portion, the base portion also configured for supporting the cutting plate and having at least one cavity therein shaped for receiving the lower mold portion such that the lower mold portion is retractable in a substantially vertical direction within the at least one cavity of the base portion upon a first force being applied to a plurality of springs positioned within the plurality of vertical channels and the lower mold portion as well as the movable portion of the movable upper mold portion retractable in the substantially vertical direction relative to the base portion upon a second force being applied to the intermediate spring and the spring.

11. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 10 , wherein upon application of the first force to the plurality of springs, the movable upper mold portion and the lower mold portion cooperate to provide a three-dimensional shape to a material positioned between the movable upper mold portion and the lower mold portion.

12. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 11 , wherein upon application of the second force to the plurality of springs, the second force being greater than the first force, the first cutting edge of the movable upper mold portion and the second cutting edge of the cutting plate cooperate to shear the material positioned between the movable upper mold portion and the lower mold portion.

13. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first cutting edge is integral to the movable upper mold portion.

14. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first surface of the article to be manufactured utilizing the manufacturing mold assembly is comprised of an EVA material, wherein the second surface of the article to be manufactured utilizing the manufacturing mold assembly is comprised of a mesh material, and wherein the EVA material and the mesh material are adhered to one another.

15. The manufacturing mold assembly of claim 10 , wherein the article to be manufactured is a sock liner for use with a shoe.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Farr Todd R
• Fu Howard

Classifications

• B29D35/0081

  with displaceable sole plates · CPC title

• B29D35/128 Primary

  Moulds or apparatus therefor · CPC title

• B29D35/148

  Moulds or apparatus therefor · CPC title

• B29L2031/507

  Insoles · CPC title

• B29K2823/083

  EVA, i.e. ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer · CPC title