Patent EP0117758A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0117758A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Molded shoe innersoles and their preparation
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1984-02-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-02-28
Abstract
Abstract A shoe-innersole material for use in providing cushioning and support in footwear, and a method of manufacturing the shoe-innersole material, the shoe innersole comprising a heel and an arch section composed of a molded, elastomeric polyurethane foam material of low compression set, the heel and arch sections being directly bonded in the molding process to a full-sole material composed either of foam or a solid, flexible sheet material.
Inventors
- 👤 James B. Sullivan
- 👤 Richard B. Fox
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 05:26
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29D; B29D35/00; B29D35/12; B29D35/122; A; A43; A43B; A43B7/00; A43B7/14; A43B7/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
246 words
A method of manufacturing a molded shoe innersole for footwear, which innersole comprises a contoured heel and arch section composed of a low-compression-set, substantially open-cell, elastomeric polyurethane foam material directly bonded in the molding method to an innersole sheet material, the profile of the sheet material and the polyurethane foam-contoured section conforming generally to the inside of the footwear with which the shoe innersole is to be employed, and which method comprises: a) providing an injection mold composed of male and female sections, the sections adapted to be placed in open and closed mold positions, which mold defines at least one, contoured, shoe-heel and arch-section mold cavity therein in the closed position; b) injecting into the mold cavity of the mold a premixed amount of an expandable and reactable elastomeric polyurethane material in an amount sufficient, on reacting and expanding, to form a molded heel and arch section; c) providing in the mold cavity a layer of a flexible innersole sheet material; d) permitting the polyurethane material to react and expand, in an exothermic curing reaction in the mold cavity, into contact with the innersole sheet material, to form a cured, polyurethane elastomeric foam, to provide a molded, contoured, elastomeric polyurethane foam heel and arch section intimately and directly bonded to at least one section of the innersole sheet material; and e) removing from the open mold a blocker sheet of the flexible innersole sheet material, with the molded, nondeformable polyurethane foam-contoured heel section bonded thereto.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
246 words
A method of manufacturing a molded shoe innersole for footwear, which innersole comprises a contoured heel and arch section composed of a low-compression-set, substantially open-cell, elastomeric polyurethane foam material directly bonded in the molding method to an innersole sheet material, the profile of the sheet material and the polyurethane foam-contoured section conforming generally to the inside of the footwear with which the shoe innersole is to be employed, and which method comprises: a) providing an injection mold composed of male and female sections, the sections adapted to be placed in open and closed mold positions, which mold defines at least one, contoured, shoe-heel and arch-section mold cavity therein in the closed position; b) injecting into the mold cavity of the mold a premixed amount of an expandable and reactable elastomeric polyurethane material in an amount sufficient, on reacting and expanding, to form a molded heel and arch section; c) providing in the mold cavity a layer of a flexible innersole sheet material; d) permitting the polyurethane material to react and expand, in an exothermic curing reaction in the mold cavity, into contact with the innersole sheet material, to form a cured, polyurethane elastomeric foam, to provide a molded, contoured, elastomeric polyurethane foam heel and arch section intimately and directly bonded to at least one section of the innersole sheet material; and e) removing from the open mold a blocker sheet of the flexible innersole sheet material, with the molded, nondeformable polyurethane foam-contoured heel section bonded thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1 which includes cutting the blocker sheet to conform to the general shape and desired size of a shoe innersole.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein cutting the blocker sheet comprises die-cutting by the employment of a die having the general shape and desired size of an innersole for use in footwear.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3 which includes employing an expandable polyurethane material, to provide an elastomeric polyurethane foam having a foam density of 64 to to 320 Kg/m (4 to 20 pounds per cubic foot) and a compressive strength of greater than 103 kPa (15 psi) and a compression set of less than about 20%.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
20 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the innersole sheet material comprises a rigid, shoe-last material.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
36 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims which includes employing a reacting and expanding, elastomeric polyurethane foam material which provides an exotherm to a temperature of 49 0 C (120 F) or above.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
32 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims which includes controlling the temperature of the male or female mold sections, before injecting of the polyurethane material into the mold cavity.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
61 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims which includes placing a thin, preformed, rigid resin liner into the female mold section of the injection mold, the resin liner being not adhereable to the elastomeric polyurethane material, and which includes removing the liner with the blocker sheet from the open mold and stripping the blocker sheet from the liner.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 8 wherein the resin liner material is a rigid, polyethylene or polypropylene resin material.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
45 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims which includes completing the curing of the foam-contoured heel and arch sections, after removing from the mold cavity, for a time period sufficient to permit the substantial, full cure of the elastomeric polyurethane foam material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
85 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein step b) comprises injecting the expandable and reactable elastomeric polyurethane material into the female mold cavity with the mold in an open position and step c) comprises placing the innersole sheet material on top of the female mold, prior to full expansion and reaction of the polyurethane material in the female mold cavity, the male and female mold sections then being placed in a closed position for the completion of the expansion and reaction of the polyurethane material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 1 which includes placing in the mold cavity a stiff, flat, footwear last material, to provide a blocker sheet material which comprises a top layer of the flexible innersole material, a foam-contoured heel and arch section and a flat, rigid, last sheet material directly bonded to the bottom of the contoured, foam heel and arch sections.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
32 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the flexible innersole sheet material is selected from fabric, leather, solid flexible man-made or imitation-leather material and flexible foam sheet materials.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein the flexible sheet material comprises an open-cell, flexible foam layer having a fabric layer bonded to at least one surface thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 14 wherein the flexible sheet material comprises a solid, flexible vinyl or polyurethane, flat sheet material.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
92 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the mold cavity comprises a heel and arch section, as well as a thin, flat foot section in the general shape of the outline of the foot, and which method includes injecting the polyurethane foam material into the full mold cavity, to provide a contoured heel and arch section and a flat foam section of the cured, elastomeric polyurethane foam extending in the full shape of a foot and directly bonded to an upper layer of the flexible innersole sheet material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
83 words
A molded shoe innersole for employment in footwear, which innersole comprises a contoured heel and arch section having a generally flat, lower surface and a heel and arch, contoured top surface, the heel and arch sections contoured to provide a contoured arch section and a heel cup section composed of a molded, resilient, elastomeric, open-cell, polyurethane foam material of low compression set, and a sheet material having the general shape of a foot directly bonded to the upper surface of the heel section.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
83 words
A molded shoe innersole for employment in footwear, which innersole comprises a contoured heel and arch section having a generally flat, lower surface and a heel and arch, contoured top surface, the heel and arch sections contoured to provide a contoured arch section and a heel cup section composed of a molded, resilient, elastomeric, open-cell, polyurethane foam material of low compression set, and a sheet material having the general shape of a foot directly bonded to the upper surface of the heel section.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
An innersole according to claim 17 wherein the polyurethane foam material extends from the heel cup section and just forward of the arch section to a thin, tapered, polyurethane foam material extending across the sheet material and directly bonded to the sheet material, which sheet material extends the length of the shoe innersole.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
An innersole according to claim 17 or 18 which includes, directly bonded to the lower, flat surface of the heel section, a stiff, rigid last material in the general shape of a foot.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
An innersole according to claim 17, 18 or 19 wherein the sheet material comprises a flat, thin, flexible, solid or foam sheet material which is directly bonded to and extends over the top surface of the molded, contoured, heel and arch sections.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
An innersole according to any one of claims 17 to 20 wherein the sheet material comprises a thin, flat, flexible sheet material having a fabric upper surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
An innersole according to any one of claims 17 to 21 wherein the sheet material comprises a thin, flexible, vinyl or polyurethane sheet material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
An innersole according to any one of claims 17 to 20 wherein the sheet material comprises a thin, flexible, open-cell, polymeric foam sheet material having a woven fabric bonded to the upper surface of the foam sheet material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
An innersole according to any one of claims 17 to 23 wherein the polyurethane foam material in the heel and arch sections tapers gradually downwardly and just forward of the arch section, to form a flat, generally continuous, diagonal line with the sheet material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
48 words
An innersole according to any one of claims 17 to 23 wherein the heel and arch sections comprise an upwardly raised portion of a generally uniform polyurethane foam thickness extending around and upwardly about the edge of the heel section and forward of the arch of the foot.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
134 words
A molded shoe innersole for employment in footwear, which innersole comprises a contoured heel and arch section having a generally flat, lower, tapered surface and a contoured top surface which is contoured to provide an arch section and a heel cup section, the heel and arch sections composed of a molded, resilient, elastomeric, open-cell, polyurethane foam material having a foam density of from 64 to 320 Kg/m (4 to 20 pounds per cubic foot), and a thin, flat, flexible innersole sheet material having the general shape of a foot directly bonded to the upper surface of the heel and arch sections, the contoured foam heel and arch sections tapering into and extending in a tapered line across the flexible sheet material, which flexible sheet material forms the flexible, forward section of the shoe innersole.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
134 words
A molded shoe innersole for employment in footwear, which innersole comprises a contoured heel and arch section having a generally flat, lower, tapered surface and a contoured top surface which is contoured to provide an arch section and a heel cup section, the heel and arch sections composed of a molded, resilient, elastomeric, open-cell, polyurethane foam material having a foam density of from 64 to 320 Kg/m (4 to 20 pounds per cubic foot), and a thin, flat, flexible innersole sheet material having the general shape of a foot directly bonded to the upper surface of the heel and arch sections, the contoured foam heel and arch sections tapering into and extending in a tapered line across the flexible sheet material, which flexible sheet material forms the flexible, forward section of the shoe innersole.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
38 words
An innersole according to claim 26 which includes a thin, rigid, shoe-last sheet material having the general shape of a foot and directly bonded, in the molding process, to the lower surface of the heel and arch sections.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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