Method and apparatus for manufacturing shoes using wooden lasts

Abstract

 The present invention discloses a shoe making mechanism and a manufacturing method of a shoe, in which a work for fastening an inner sole to a wooden last can be done easily and speedily.
In the manufacturing method of the shoe, metal plates (23,24) having a magnetic absorption property are sticked to an inner sole (21) to form a magnetic absorption portion. On the other hand, magnets (33,34) are buried at positions corresponding to the metal plates (23,24) in a bottom portion of a wooden last (31). The metal plates (23,24) are attached to the magnets (33,34) buried in the wooden last (31) so that the inner sole (21) is fastened to the wooden last (31). After the inner sole (21) is fastened to the wooden last (31), the wooden last (31) is covered with an upper, and the upper and the inner sole are joined by stitches.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and mechanism for manufacturing shoes using a wooden shoe mold. More particularly, the present invention relates to the foregoing method and mechanism for manufacturing a shoe wherein an inner sole of a shoe is fastened to the wooden mold in a detachable manner so as to make so-called stitching process easy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Conventional methods for manufacturing a shoe will be described briefly with reference to Fig. 1. First, in the step (a) a shoe upper 11 is formed by stitching genuine leathers or synthetic leathers or the like. In the step (b) an inner sole 13 is attached to a wooden mold 12 by means of nailing and starching and the like.

[0003] Subsequently, in the step (c), the wooden mold is covered with the stitched shoe upper 11, and a lower fringe portion of the shoe upper 11 is stitched to a peripheral portion of the inner sole 13. As a result of such work, the lower fringe portion of the shoe upper 11 is bent along the surface of the wooden mold 12. Further, the bent portion 11a of the shoe upper 11 is roughened so as to be adhered securely to a bottom sole in a subsequent step described below.

[0004] In the subsequent steps, different processes are carried out in a VP manufacturing method and a CP manufacturing method. As an example of the subsequent processes, the CP manufacturing method will be described hereinafter. In the step (c) insert members such as a cushioning member 14 for protecting the arch of the foot and a member 15 for bending the front portion of the inner sole 13 are mounted on the inner sole 13. Further, in the step (e) a shoe bottom 16 formed of rubber and leather and the like is manufactured.

[0005] In addition, in the step (f) the shoe bottom 16 is adhered to the bent portion of the shoe upper 11 and the inner sole 13 by means of a pressure-applying machine. In general, an insert is placed in a space of the shoes formed by the inner sole 13 and the shoe upper 11 and the insert (not shown) is adhered to the upper surface of the inner sole 13. Thus, the manufacturing processes of the shoe is finished. However, in the conventional manufacturing processes of the shoe, in the step(b) the work to fasten the inner sole 13 to the wooden mold 12 was carried out by nailing or adhering or the like.

[0006] When the inner sole 13 is fastened to the wooden mold 12 by nailing, a nail is usually driven into two portions in a toe section and two portions in a heel section of the inner sole 13, respectively; as a result, four portions of the inner sole 13 are required to be fastened by nailing. After fastening of the inner sole 13 to the hoe upper 11 is completed, the four nails driven into the wooden mold 12 must be pulled out; thus, eight steps of pulling out the nails per pair of shoes are required.

[0007] In addition, when the inner sole is fastened to the wooden mold an improper place of the wooden mold which deviates from the normal position, the nails driven into the wooden mold through the inner sole are required to be pulled out and the work for fastening the inner sole to the wooden mold is required to be carried out again after pulling out all nails. Further, there might be caused an accident of injuring due to the failure of the pulling out of the nails.

[0008] Also in the adhesion of the inner sole 13 to the wooden mold 12, in the same manner as nailing, the inner sole 13 is required to be adhered to the wooden mold 12 at four portions in the inner sole 13, namely, at the two portions in the toe section and the two portions in the heel section. After the inner sole 13 is secured to the shoe upper 11, the inner sole 13 is required to be stripped off from the bottom portion of the wooden mold 12, so that eight steps are required.

[0009] In addition, shoemakers need an adhering machine of high price that would cost, for example, ten million Yen each.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A primary object of the present invention is to solve the problems encountered during the step of adhesion of the inner sole 13 to the wooden mold 12 in the conventional manufacturing methods.

[0011] To accomplish this object, the inventor of the present invention has made extensive tests, and has found that a combination of an unique wooden mold and an unique inner sole may solve the problems.

[0012] The wooden mold and the inner sole of the present invention may provide an unique attaching and detaching means for attaching the inner sole to the wooden mold easily and for detaching the inner sole from the wooden mold easily.

[0013] A manufacturing method for shoes of the present invention comprises the steps of forming detaching means in a wooden mold and an inner sole of a shoe, fastening the inner sole to a bottom portion of the wooden mold detachably by means of the detaching means, covering the wooden mold with a shoe upper, and joining the inner sole to the shoe upper by stitches.

[0014] In the present invention, the inner sole of the shoe is fastened to the bottom portion of the wooden mold freely detachably by means of detaching means according to the present invention; accordingly, a misarrangement of the inner sole to the wooden mold can be adjusted easily when the inner sole is fastened to a place deviates from the normal position that the inner sole is to be fastened. Further, there is no fear that products with flaws and stains are manufactured. Since nails are not used when the inner sole is fastened to the wooden mold, any danger that workers are injured due to the failure of pulling out the nails does not exist.

[0015] In the present invention, a machine for starching and the like is not necessary, so that the cost of equipment is reduced. Further, the steps of, e.g., nailing, pulling out of the nails, starching, and ripping off can be omitted in comparison with the nailing and the starching methods of the prior art.

[0016] In the work the inner sole is fastened to the wooden mold, the wooden mold is covered with the shoe upper, and the inner sole is joined with the shoe upper by stitches. Since strong power to stretch the inner sole in one direction is not required, power for fastening the inner sole to the wooden mold can be produced by means of magnetic absorption (i.e., the ability to be attracted by a magnet), hooks, or hook and loop fasteners (mesh room and loop fasteners, self-gripping fasteners, touch and close fasteners) and the like.

[0017] In addition, if materials wish a magnetic absorption, property, such as a steel plate, magnet, hooks, or Magic Tapes or the like, are used as detachable means, the inner sole can be fastened easily to the wooden mold. And, if the shoe is manufactured using the inner sole equipped with magnets serving as detaching means, increased blood circulation due to the magnetic force is expected.

[0018] According to the present invention, since the inner sole is fastened to the bottom portion of the wooden mold detachably, the inner sole can be fastened to the wooden mold easily and speedily, and many of the prior art manufacturing steps can be largely omitted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 contains perspective views showing briefly a conventional manufacturing process of a shoe;

Fig. 2 contains perspective views showing an inner sole and wooden mold of the present invention; and

Fig. 3 contains perspective views showing a manufacturing method of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Fig. 2 shows an inner sole of a shoe and a wooden mold of an embodiment according to the present invention.

[0021] An inner sole 21 of the shoe of the present invention is formed of a flexible plate of a foot shape as viewed from above. The inner sole 21 has comparatively thin metal plates 23and 24 of a magnetic absorption property adhered to the toe section and the heel section thereof. The foregoing metal plates 23 and 24 serve as a magnetic absorption portion of the present invention. Paper, leather, rubber or vinyl are used for the flexible plate 22. In addition, an iron plate and a stainless steel plate having a magnetic absorption property are used for the metal plates 23and 24. In addition, synthetic resin plate containing metal powder and materials which are attracted by a magnetic force and the like may also be used.

[0022] In addition, the plate 22 of the inner sole 21 may be formed of a material exhibiting a magnetic attraction force prepared by adding metal powders having a magnetic attraction property into synthetic resin, so that the whole plate 22 serves as a magnetic absorption section.

[0023] On the other hand, a body 32 of a wooden mold 31 is formed of a synthetic resin and wood that fit desired sizes and styles of shoes. Note that the term "wooden mold" of the present invention is not limited to a mold made of wood, but it means a mold for manufacturing shoes. In one embodiment of the present invention, the body 32 of the wooden mold 31 has two magnets 33 and 34 buried in its bottom portion 32b. Further, an iron plate 32b is adhered to the bottom portion 32 so as to cover it entirely. The magnets 33 and 34 are disposed at the positions corresponding to the metal plates 23 and and 24 of the inner sole 21, respectively. Specifically, they are preferably disposed at the toe portion and the heel portion of the shoe.

[0024] Note that, for example, the whole body 32 of the wooden mold 31 may be formed of a material exhibiting magnetic force in itself, so that the whole body 32 exhibits magnetic force. This can be accomplished, for example, by preparing synthetic resin containing magnetic powders for the body 32.

[0025] Further, the number and the positions of the metal plates and the magnets of the wooden mold 31 may be varied suitably according to the objectives.

[0026] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 3, the inner sole 21 is fastened to the bottom portion 32a of the wooden mold 31, utilizing the magnetic attraction force between the metal plate 23 and the magnet 33 and the metal plate 24 and the magnet 34. In this situation, the wooden mold 31 is covered with the shoe upper 11, and the lower fringe portion 11a of the shoe upper 11 is joined to the outer peripheral portion of the inner sole 21 by stitches.

[0027] When the lower fringe portion 11a of the shoe upper 11 is joined to the outer peripheral portion of the inner sole 21 by stitches, since the inner sole 21 may be merely fastened to the wooden mold 31 and localized force is not applied to the inner sole 21, the inner sole 21 can be fastened satisfactorily to the wooden mold 31 by a fastening force utilizing magnetic force. Thus, the inner sole 21 is fastened to the wooden mold 31 utilizing magnetic attraction force, so that an attaching operation of the inner sole 21 to the wooden mold 31 and a detaching operation of the inner sole 21 therefrom can be carried out easily and speedily. Additionally, a positioning error of the inner sole 21 to the wooden mold 31 can be easily adjusted.

[0028] Note that the metal plates 23 and 24 attached to the inner sole 21 may be ripped off therefrom after the inner sole 21 is joined to the shoe upper by stitches. It is a matter of course that the metal plates 23 and 24 may be left between the inner sole 21 and an insert (not shown). If these metal plates 23 and 24 are comparatively thin, an increase in weight of the shoe is small and a bottom portion of the shoe can be reinforced so that rather preferable results can be obtained.

[0029] The inner sole 21 having a magnet and a metal plate in a toe and heel section thereof, respectively, and vice versa, may be used. And, the wooden mold having a magnet corresponding to the metal plate formed in the inner sole and a metal plate corresponding to the magnet formed in the inner sole, respectively, may be used.

[0030] In the above embodiment, the magnets may be attached to the inner sole and the metal plates may be attached to the wooden mold. Moreover, the magnets may be attached to both of the inner sole and the wooden mold. When the magnets are attached to the inner sole, it can be expected that circulation of the blood of users of the shoes equipped with the above innersole and the like will be promoted by the magnetic force.

[0031] Further, in the above embodiment, detaching means formed of hooks or Magic Tapes may used for attaching the inner sole and the wooden mold in behalf of the magnetic absorption portion. Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An inner sole of a shoe comprising:
   first means formed in said inner sole;
   wherein said first means constitutes attaching means together with second means formed in a wooden mold, said attaching means attaches said inner sole to said wooden mold in a freely detachable manner.

2. An inner sole according to claim 1, wherein said first means is composed of a material with a magnetic absorption property.

3. An inner sole according to claim 2, wherein said material is a metal plate.

4. An inner sole accordinging to claim 1, wherein said first means is a hook.

5 An inner sole according to claim 1, wherein said first means is a hook and loop fastner.

6. An inner sole accordinging to claim 1, wherein said first means is disposed in a toe section and a heel section of a shoe. respectively.

7. An inner sole according to claim 1, wherein said fisrt means is composed of a material with a magnetic attraction property.

8. An inner sole according to claim 7, wherein said material is a synthetic resin containing magnetic powders.

9. An inner soleaccording to claim 7, wherein said material is a magnet.

10. A wooden mold of a shoe comprising:
   first means formed in said wooden mold;
   wherein said first means constitutes attaching means together with second means formed in an inner sole, said attaching means attach said inner sole to said wooden mold in a freely detachable manner.

11. A wooden mold according to claim 10, wherein said first means is composed of a material with a magnetic attraction property.

12. A wooden mold according to claim 11, wherein said material is a magnet.

13. A wooden mold according to claim 10, wherein said first means is a hook.

14. A wooden mold according to claim 10, wherein said first means is a hook and loop fastner.

15. A wooden mold accordinging to claim 10, wherein said first means is disposed in a toe section and a heel section of said wooden mold, respectively.

16. A wooden mold according to claim 10, wherein said fisrt means is composed of a material with a magnetic absorption property.

17. A wooden mold according to claim 16, wherein said material is a metal plate.

18. A wooden mold according to claim 10, wherein wooden mold is made of a material with a magnetic attraction property.

19. A wooden mold according to claim 10, said wooden mold further comprises a metal plate covering an entire of the bottom portion of said wooden mold.

20. A manufacturing method of a shoe, comprising the steps of:
   preparing said inner sole which has a first means formed therein;
   attaching said inner sole to a wooden mold by contacting said first means tp a second means fromed in said wooden mold in a freely detachable manner;
   covering the wooden mold with a shoe upper; and
   joining the inner sole to the upper by stitches.

Drawing