Assembly for coloring articles and method of coloring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9974362-B2
Application number	US-201414199381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2014
Priority date	Mar 8, 2013
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A coloring system includes an assembly for retaining articles to be colored and an actuator for moving the assembly. The assembly can be translated horizontally, raised and lowered and rotated by the actuator. The coloring system may include a fluid control system that allows gas to be removed from a container of the assembly while the container is immersed in a liquid coloring agent.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A coloring system for making a colored article, comprising: an assembly, the assembly further including:
a central support member;
a container including an interior bounded by a top wall defining a closed end of the container and a side wall extending from the top wall to an open end of the container disposed at an opposite end of the container than the top wall, the container being attached to the central support member;
at least one fastening structure configured to fasten an article within the container in a fixed position;
an actuator that connects to the central support member, the actuator being configured to introduce the assembly into a liquid coloring agent, wherein the open end of the container allows the liquid coloring agent to contact a first portion of the article, while suspending a second portion of the article above the liquid coloring agent within a volume of air trapped between the top wall, a portion of the side wall, and a surface of the liquid coloring agent; and
wherein the actuator can rotate the assembly such that the article may rotate about a central axis of the assembly, the central axis extending through a center of the central support member.

2. The coloring system according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator can rotate the assembly in a clockwise direction.

3. The coloring system according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator can rotate the assembly in a counterclockwise direction.

4. The coloring system according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening structure comprises at least one bar and a spring clip member, and wherein the article is retained using the spring clip member to press the article against the at least one bar.

5. The coloring system according to claim 1 , wherein the container is a first container and wherein the assembly includes a second container, wherein the second container is substantially similar to the first container, and wherein the first container and the second container are both attached to the central support member.

6. The coloring system according to claim 1 , wherein actuator can further be used to raise and lower the assembly along a direction parallel with the central axis of the central support member.

7. The coloring system according to claim 1 , wherein a volume of the trapped volume of air can be adjusted by selectively removing air from the container when the container is at least partially filled with the liquid coloring agent.

8. The coloring system according to claim 1 , wherein the central support member includes at least one opening, the at least one opening permitting removal of air from the trapped volume of air when the container is at least partially filled with the liquid coloring agent to increase the volume of the liquid coloring agent within the container.

9. The coloring system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one opening is associated with a vent that is movable between an open position and a closed position, the vent preventing air from escaping the trapped volume of air when in the closed position and permitting air to escape the trapped volume of air when in the open position.

10. The coloring system according to claim 9 , further comprising a sensor associated with an interior region of the container, the vent being moved between the open position and the closed position in response to information from the sensor.

11. The coloring system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one opening of the central support member is in fluid communication with a fluid pump that is configured to remove air from the container when the fluid pump is activated.

12. A coloring system for making a colored article, comprising:
an assembly, the assembly further including:
a central support member, the central support member including at least one opening;
a container including an interior bounded by a top wall defining a closed end of the container and a side wall extending from the top wall to an open end of the container disposed at an opposite end of the container than the top wall, the container being attached to the central support member and wherein the at least one opening of the central support member is in fluid communication with the interior of the container;
at least one fastening structure configured to fasten an article within the container in a fixed position;
an actuator that connects to the central support member, the actuator being configured to introduce the assembly into a liquid coloring agent, wherein the open end of the container allows the liquid coloring agent to enter the container and trap an initial air pocket within the container between the top wall, a portion of the side wall, and a surface of the liquid coloring agent, and wherein the liquid coloring agent within the container contacts a first portion of the article, while suspending a second portion of the article above the liquid coloring agent, the second portion of the article being disposed in the initial air pocket; and
wherein the at least one opening of the central support member is in fluid communication with the initial air pocket to allow air to flow out of the container in order to increase the volume of the liquid coloring agent within the interior of the container, thereby decreasing the volume of the initial air pocket, when the container is at least partially filled with the liquid coloring agent.

13. The coloring system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one opening of the central support member is in fluid communication with a fluid pump and wherein the fluid pump is configured to remove the air from the container when the fluid pump is activated.

14. The coloring system according to claim 13 , wherein the assembly includes a sensor associated with the interior of the container, and wherein the fluid pump pulls air from the container in response to information from the sensor.

15. The coloring system according to claim 14 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor.

16. The coloring system according to claim 14 , wherein the sensor is a fluid level sensor.

17. The coloring system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one opening is associated with a vent, wherein the vent can be actuated between an open position and a closed position, and wherein placing the vent in the closed position seals the interior so that air cannot escape from the interior and wherein placing the vent in the open position allows air to escape from the interior.

18. The coloring system according to claim 17 , wherein the assembly includes a sensor associated with the interior of the container, and wherein the vent is moved between the open position and the closed position in response to information from the sensor.

Assignees

• Nike Inc
• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Baggen Jared S
• Schoborg Anna
• Ye Feng

Classifications

• B05C13/02

  for particular articles · CPC title

• A43B1/0027

  made at least partially from a material having special colours · 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

• B05C3/20

  for applying liquid or other fluent material only at particular parts of the work (B05C3/02 takes precedence) · CPC title