Last, method for manufacturing last, and method for manufacturing footwear upper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11547181-B2
Application number	US-202117237996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2021
Priority date	Apr 24, 2020
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

There is provided a user-dedicated last that can be easily manufactured without using large-scale equipment. A last for forming a footwear upper configuring an article of footwear comprises a foot length forming member defining a shape of the last at least in the lengthwise direction of the article of footwear, and a plurality of foot width forming members defining a shape of the last at least in the widthwise direction of the article of footwear and assembled to the foot length forming member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A last for forming a footwear upper configuring an article of footwear, comprising:
a foot length forming member that defines a shape of the last at least in a lengthwise direction of the article of footwear;
a plurality of foot width forming members that define a shape of the last at least in a widthwise direction of the article of footwear and are assembled to the foot length forming member; and
a heel portion comprising a plurality of the foot width forming members aligned in a heightwise direction as heel forming members;
wherein the heel forming members are separate from a remainder of the plurality of the foot width forming members and are assembled to the foot length forming member separately from the remainder of the plurality of the foot width forming members.

2. The last according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the foot length forming member and the foot width forming member has a position identifier that indicates a position of the foot length forming member and the foot width forming member in the last.

3. The last according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of foot width forming members are aligned in the lengthwise direction, and
adjacent ones of the foot width forming members are spaced narrower in a middle foot portion of the last than in a front foot portion of the last.

4. The last according to claim 1 , wherein
the foot width forming member is in a form of a plate, and the plurality of the foot width forming members are aligned in the lengthwise direction, and
at least one of the foot width forming members in a middle foot portion of the last has a smaller thickness than at least one of the foot width forming members in a front foot portion of the last.

5. The last according to claim 1 , wherein
the foot length forming member is in a form of a rod extending in the lengthwise direction, and
each of the foot width forming members has a throughhole allowing the foot length forming member to pass therethrough.

6. The last according to claim 5 , wherein
the plurality of the foot width forming members are aligned in the lengthwise direction, and
the last further comprises:
a spacer disposed between adjacent ones of the foot width forming members to define a spacing between the adjacent ones of the foot width forming members.

7. The last according to claim 1 , wherein the foot length forming member is in a form of a plate.

8. The last according to claim 1 , wherein the foot length forming member has a hollow or solid three-dimensional shape.

9. The last according to claim 7 , wherein
the foot length forming member has an engagement groove, and
one of the foot width forming members is assembled in the engagement groove.

10. The last according to claim 9 , wherein
at least one of the foot width forming members has a second engagement groove and another foot length forming member is assembled in the second engagement groove, and
the engagement groove and the second engagement groove each have a tapered portion allowing the groove to have a width that decreases as the groove approaches a bottom of the groove.

11. The last according to claim 1 , wherein the foot length forming member and the foot width forming members are made of paper.

12. The last according to claim 1 , further comprising a common portion invariable in shape and position.

13. The last according to claim 12 , wherein the common portion configures a bottom surface of the last and has a shape corresponding to that of an upper surface of a footwear sole to which the footwear upper is bonded.

14. The last according to claim 1 , further comprising a movable portion invariable in shape and positionally variable.

15. The last according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover in a form of a sheet or a plate and externally covering at least a portion of the last.

16. A method for manufacturing a footwear upper, comprising:
covering the last of claim 1 with an unformed upper made of a fiber sheet including a heat-shrinkable yarn; and
applying heat to form the unformed upper along a shape of the last to be a formed upper.

Assignees

• Asics Corp

Inventors

• Kozuka Yuya
• HATANO Genki
• Takashima Shingo
• Sakaguchi Masanori
• Abe Satoru
• Kitayama Hironori

Classifications

• A43D3/027 Primary

  Lasts with exchangeable parts, e.g. for changing the form or for remodelling · CPC title

• A43D1/04

  Last-measuring devices · CPC title

• A43D8/00

  Machines for cutting, ornamenting, marking or otherwise working up shoe part blanks (pulling-over or lasting A43D9/00 - A43D23/00; making or fastening soles, heels or welts A43D25/00 - A43D83/00) · CPC title

• A43D3/02 Primary

  Lasts for making or repairing shoes (making of wooden lasts B27M3/20) · CPC title

• A43D11/12

  Machines for forming the toe part or heel part of shoes, with or without use of heat · CPC title