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updated 05/17/13

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Method and product of manufacturing a shoe body having a mottled outsole for a shoe

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a shoe body having a mottled outsole has steps of preparing first plastic pellets, preparing an upper member intermediate, preparing second plastic pellets of multiple colors, foam molding and shaping. A shoe body formed from the method has an upper member and an outsole. The upper member has multiple foam elements connected integrally to each other. The outsole is connected to the upper member and has multiple foam elements having multiple colors and connected integrally to each other. ...

Agent: Hershkovitz & Associates - Alexandria, VA, US
Inventor: Kuo-Liang Hung
USPTO Applicaton #: #20080005856 - Class: 12146 B (USPTO) -

The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080005856, Method and product of manufacturing a shoe body having a mottled outsole for a shoe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001]1. Field of Invention

[0002]The present invention relates to a shoe, and more particularly to a method and product of manufacturing a shoe body having a mottled outsole.

[0003]2. Description of the Related Art

[0004]A conventional shoe body is manufactured by foam molding with foam materials such as ethyl-vinyl acetate (EVA) or other such plastic foams and has an outer surface. Because the conventional shoe body uses materials of the same color during manufacturing, the conventional shoe body has no color or texture variation and therefore has low aesthetic value.

[0005]Two conventional methods of adding colors to the conventional shoe body are: [0006]1. Painting the outer surface of the conventional shoe; or [0007]2. Printing transfers onto the outer surface of the conventional shoe body.

[0008]The above conventional methods color the conventional shoe body effectively for a short period of time, but the paint or transfers are prone to fading, flaking off or being worn off during usage. Therefore, the appearance of the conventional shoe is diminished.

[0009]To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a method and product of manufacturing of a shoe body having a mottled outsole to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010]The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method and product of manufacturing a shoe body having a mottled outsole that will not fade or be worn off even after long-term usage.

[0011]A method of manufacturing a shoe body having a mottled outsole in accordance with the present invention comprises steps of preparing first plastic pellets, preparing an upper member intermediate, preparing second plastic pellets of multiple colors, foam molding and shaping.

[0012]A shoe body in accordance with the present invention comprises an upper member and an outsole. The upper member comprises multiple foam elements connected integrally to each other. The outsole is connected to the upper member and comprises multiple irregular foam elements having multiple colors and connected integrally to each other meaning the shoe body will not lose aesthetic value with usage.

[0013]Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a method of manufacturing a mottled outsole in accordance with the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of first plastic pellets of a first embodiment of the method in FIG. 1;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an upper member intermediate of the first embodiment the method in FIG. 1;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an upper member intermediate of a second embodiment of the method in FIG. 1;

[0018]FIG. 5 is an operational perspective view of the upper member intermediate and second plastic pellets of the first embodiment of the method in FIG. 1 in the shoe mold;

[0019]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a shoe body of the first embodiment of the method in FIG. 1;

[0020]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of the outsole of the method in FIG. 1; and

[0021]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the shoe body of the second embodiment of the method in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022]With reference to FIG. 1, a method of manufacturing a shoe body having a mottled outsole in accordance with the present invention comprises steps of preparing first plastic pellets, preparing an upper member intermediate, preparing second plastic pellets of multiple colors, foam molding and shaping.

[0023]With further reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, the step of preparing first plastic pellets (10, 10A) may comprises preparing the first plastic pellets (10, 10A) of multiple colors or one color. In a first embodiment of the method as shown in FIG. 2, the first plastic pellets (10) have multiple colors such as yellow, red and pink. In a second embodiment of the method as shown in FIG. 4, the first plastic pellets (10) have one color. The first plastic pellets (10, 10A) may be Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) pellets. The first plastic pellets (10) of multiple colors are prepared by using a plastic material with color agents.

[0024]The step of preparing an upper member intermediate (20, 20A) is performed by heating and pressing the first plastic pellets (10, 10A). The upper member intermediate (20, 20A) may comprise at least one strap. In the first embodiment of the method as shown in FIG. 3, the upper member intermediate (20) has multiple colors. In the second embodiment of the method as shown in FIG. 4, the upper member intermediate (20A) has one color.

[0025]With further reference to FIG. 5, the step of preparing second plastic pellets (60) of multiple colors may comprise preparing second plastic pellets (60) of multiple colors such as yellow, pink and red. The second plastic pellets (60) may be EVA pellets and may be prepared by using a plastic material with color agents.

[0026]With further reference to FIGS. 6 to 8, the step of foam molding is performed by mounting the intermediate (20, 20A) and the second plastic pellets (60) in a shoe mold (30), then heating the shoe mold (30) to foam the first plastic pellets (10, 10A) and the second plastic pellets (20, 20A) to form multiple irregular foam elements (A) connected integrally to each other and to make a preliminary shoe body (40, 40A). The preliminary shoe body (40, 40A) may be composed of at least one strap (41, 41A) and an outsole (42). The shoe mold (30) may comprise a stamping die (31), a last (32) and a base die (33). The last (32) is mounted between the stamping die (31) and the base die (33), and has an upper surface and at least one optional groove corresponding to and respectively engaging each one of the at least one strap of the intermediate (20, 20A). The base die (33) corresponds to the stamping die (31) and has a cavity (331) holding the second plastic pellets (60).

[0027]In the first embodiment of the method as shown in FIG. 6, the upper member (41) is mottled and has colors of yellow, red and pink. In the second embodiment of the method as shown in FIG. 8, the upper member (41A) has one color.

[0028]The step of shaping is performed by mounting the preliminary outsole (40, 40A) on a last, then heating, shaping and cooling the preliminary outsole (40, 40A) to shape the shoe body. The last may be the last (32) of the shoe mold (30).

[0029]Because the outsole (42) is formed by foaming the second plastic pellets (60) of multiple colors, the outsole (42) is mottled. The outsole (42) will not fade so the appearance of the outsole (42) remains, adding aesthetic value, even after long-term usage.

[0030]A shoe body (40, 40A) formed by the method in accordance with the present invention comprises an upper member (41, 41A) and an outsole (42). The upper member (41, 41A) may comprises multiple irregular foam elements of multiple colors or one color connected integrally to each other, may be made of EVA material and may be composed of at least one strap. The outsole (42) is connected to the upper member (41, 41A) and comprises multiple irregular foam elements (A) of multiple colors connected integrally to each other and may be made of EVA material. The colors of the irregular foam elements (A) of the outsole (42) may comprise yellow, red and pink.

[0031]Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

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