Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – Mechanical shaping or molding to form or reform shaped article – To produce composite – plural part or multilayered article
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-01
2003-05-13
Szekely, Peter (Department: 1714)
Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
Mechanical shaping or molding to form or reform shaped article
To produce composite, plural part or multilayered article
C264S273000, C264S274000, C264S276000, C264S297500, C264S319000, C264S324000, C264S328200, C264S328900, C264S331110, C264S331130, C264S328140, C264S327000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06562271
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nonslip member capable of being used as an outsole of shoe and to a manufacturing method of the nonslip member.
2. Prior Art
Hitherto, a nonslip member in which a nonslip convex of polyurethane elastomer is fixed to a soft base fabric such as nonwoven fabric has been known (see, for example, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (unexamined) Hei 6-826 and the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (unexamined) Hei 6-296502). By using the base fabric, when used as an outsole, such a nonslip member exhibits characteristics of light weight and easy bending, and moreover has various advantages such as freedom in design, improvement in adhesive property to midsole, etc.
An example of conventional manufacturing method of the nonslip member is hereinafter described.
FIG. 9
shows the conventional manufacturing method disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (unexamined) Hei 6-826, and in which FIG.
9
(
a
) is a perspective view showing an injection step of urethane resin, FIG.
9
(
b
) is a perspective view showing a squeezing step, FIG.
9
(
c
) is a perspective view showing a heating step, and FIG.
9
(
d
) is a perspective view showing a nonslip member.
As shown in FIG.
9
(
a
), a polyurethane resin U is supplied to a metallic mold
100
. Then, as shown in FIG.
9
(
b
), after squeezing an excessive portion of the polyurethane resin U overflowing on the surface of the metallic mold
100
with a jig
101
, the polyurethane resin U is heated and aged at
100
for 5 to 15 minutes. Subsequently, as shown in FIG.
9
(
c
), a nonwoven fabric F is placed on the metallic mold
100
, a holding plate
102
is further placed thereon, and they are held from above and under for closing, then polyurethane resin U is heated again at 120° C. for 30 to 40 minutes and hardened. Thereafter, the polyurethane resin U is released from the metallic mold and heated at 90° C. for a long time, then cooled, whereby a nonslip member (outsole) shown in FIG.
9
(
d
) is obtained. Thus, in this prior art, by “squeezing” the resin U overflowing on the surface of the metallic mold
100
, the surface of the nonwoven fabric is prevented from being stuck by the excessive portion of polyurethane resin U so as not to affect the softness and light weight of the nonwoven fabric F.
However, since the polyurethane elastomer is used in the prior art, the step called “squeezing” is essential as mentioned above, and therefore a problem exists in that manufacturing efficiency is lowered. Moreover, a skill is required in the “squeezing” step.
Now, another conventional manufacturing method of the nonslip member is hereinafter described.
FIGS.
10
(
a
), (
b
), (
c
), (
d
) and (
e
) are sectional views showing the conventional manufacturing method in order of the steps thereof disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (unexamined) Hei 6-296502.
To manufacture the nonslip member according to this prior art, first as shown in FIG.
10
(
a
), a blank sheet S is inserted between an upper punch die
211
on which a predetermined shape of concave
213
is formed and a lower punch die
212
on which a predetermined shape of convex
221
is formed. Then, by the frictional force between the concave
213
and a convex
221
, a small piece
230
is punched out from the blank sheet S. After the punching, by disengaging the dies
211
and
212
as shown in FIG.
10
(
c
), a base
226
on which a base fabric F is placed is disposed under the upper punch die
211
shown in FIG.
10
(
d
). Then, as shown in FIG.
10
(
e
), by moving the upper punch die
211
and the base
226
close to each other, the base fabric F is held therebetween, and by moving a press rod
214
downward, the small piece
230
remaining in the concave
213
is extruded out of the concave
213
to be pressed on the base fabric F.
Thus, in this prior art, it is necessary to operate the press rod
214
, after the steps of disengaging the pair of metallic molds
211
and
212
shown in FIG.
10
(
c
), disposing the base
226
shown in FIG.
10
(
d
), and moving the upper punch die
211
downward. As a result, a further problem exists in that manufacturing efficiency is poor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a nonslip member and a manufacturing method in which any squeezing step is not required.
Another object of the invention is to provide a manufacturing method of a nonslip member superior in manufacturing efficiency.
To accomplish the foregoing objects, there is provided according to the invention a nonslip member in which a large number of nonslip convexes are fixed to an upper surface of a base fabric performing an anchoring action (generally called “anchoring effect”), characterized in that the nonslip convexes are composed of a rubber.
In the manufacturing method of a nonslip member according to the invention, first, an unvulcanized rubber is pressed between a metallic mold having a large number of molding concaves corresponding to the nonslip convexes and a holding plate, and the unvulcanized rubber is semi-vulcanized by heating. After the semi-vulcanization, the holding plate is released and burrs not accommodated in the molding concaves of the metallic mold are removed. Thereafter, a base fabric is laid covering a part to be molded serving as the nonslip convexes. By pressurizing and heating the part to be molded while laying the base fabric and closing the metallic molds, the part to be molded is vulcanized, and the vulcanized nonslip convexes are caused to get in the upper surface of the base fabric performing the anchoring action to be fixed thereto.
In the invention, since the nonslip convexes are not composed of resin but of rubber, by semi-vulcanizing the nonslip convexes, burrs not accommodating in the molding concaves are hardened. As a result, the burrs can be removed and, therefore, the conventional “squeezing” step is not required at all. Furthermore, by composing the nonslip convexes of rubber, hardness of the nonslip convexes can be reduced and gripping characteristic thereof is improved, and therefore it is difficult for the nonslip member to slip even on the slippery smooth floor or road.
Further, when peripheral edge of each nonslip convex is provided with a thin reinforcing part, anchoring force between the nonslip convexes and the base fabric are increased. Furthermore, when the thin reinforcing part is recessed from the upper surface of the base fabric, there is no possibility of losing the advantage of light weight.
In the invention, the “semi-vulcanization” does not mean that an unvulcanized rubber is vulcanized by half or so, but means that a portion of the unvulcanized rubber supplied to the metallic mold is completely or incompletely vulcanized and the remaining portion is left unvulcanized or incompletely vulcanized. In other words, the “semi-vulcanization” means that a portion to be a burr among the unvulcanized rubber supplied to the metallic mold is completely or incompletely vulcanized and a portion filling up the molding concave among the unvulcanized rubber is left unvulcanized or incompletely vulcanized.
Being different depending upon kind and composition of polymer employed, the semi-vulcanization is usually performed by pressurizing and heating the unvulcanized rubber for about 40 sec to 60 sec while keeping the temperature of the metallic mold and the holding plate at 145° C. to 160° C. (preferably at 150° C. to 155° C.). In such a manufacturing method, the “semivulcanization” is an essential requirement because the nonslip convexes are strongly fixed to the base fabric as a result that the molded part is vulcanized after getting in the upper surface of the base fabric performing the anchoring action.
In the invention, the fixation of the rubber forming the nonslip convexes to the base fabric is achieved largely depending on the anchoring action of the upper surface of the base fabric. Accordingly, it is essential that the semi-vulcanized rubber of sma
Hayashi Tomohiro
Hiraoka Keiji
Inohara Masanobu
ASICS Corporation
Szekely Peter
Zall Michael
LandOfFree
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