Apparatus for reshaping footwear and the method thereof

Abstract

The present invention is directed to apparatus and a method for reshaping a footwear shell, the apparatus includes a support structure, a drive mechanism and external mold arrangement that drives the external mold toward or away from the shell being reshaped; and an internal mold assembly that includes an angled support arm having a first leg adapted to couple to one of a selection of couplings provided in the support structure and a second leg offset from the first leg at an angle θ. The internal mold assembly also includes an adapter that is rotatably fixed to the second leg of the angled support arm, and a static mold removably fixed to the adapter and coaxially aligned with a common axis extending through the external mold and static mold, the support arm angle θ provides an improved support shape that improves placement of the static mold within the footwear shell during reshaping.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the internal support arm and mold positioned to reshape the left side of a shell or the like.

FIG. 1A is a top plan view of the preferred support arm shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing the internal support arm and mold of FIG. 1 positioned within a shell.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing the internal support arm and mold positioned to reshape the right side of a shell or the like.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing the internal support arm and mold positioned to reshape the toe portion of a shell or the like.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view showing the internal support arm and mold of FIG. 4 positioned within the toe portion of a shell.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of an alternate support arm adapter used to reshape the toe portion of a shell or the like.

FIGS. 7A-7D show the external movable mold generally aligned with the shell target mark.

FIGS. 8A-8D show the locating device precisely aligned with the shell target mark.

FIGS. 9A-9D show the locating device repositioned within the external mold in response to reshaping the shell target area.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged isometric view of a support arm adapter.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the adapter shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a cross-section view taken along the lines 12-12 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is an isometric view showing the internal support arm adapter and selection of internal static molds.

FIG. 14 is a plan view showing the external mold applying pressure against the internal mold during reshaping or stretching.

FIG. 15 is a cross-section view taken along the lines 15-15 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. Apparatus for reshaping a footwear shell, comprising: a) a support structure;b) a drive mechanism associated with said support structure;c) an external mold assembly, said external mold assembly fixed to said drive mechanism, said external mold assembly moveable toward or away from the shell along a common axis through said drive assembly and said external mold assembly; andd) an internal mold assembly comprising; i) an angled support arm having a first leg adapted to demountably couple to said support structure and a second leg offset from said first leg at an angle θ;ii) an adapter rotatably fixed to said second leg of said angled support arm; andiii) a static mold removably fixed to said adapter and coaxially aligned with said common axis;whereby said support arm angle θ provides an improved support arm shape that improves placement of said static mold within the footwear shell during reshaping.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, said external mold assembly, comprising: a) a mold body having a cavity therein shaped to provide a complementary mold surface to said static mold; andb) a locater plate housed within said mold body, said locater plate extendable into said cavity along said common axis, said locater plate including an aperture that provides a line-of-sight to a target on the shell when said locater plate is in an extended position.

3. The assembly recited in claim 2, said locater plate, comprising: at least one indexing shaft slidably captured within an aperture extending from said cavity to an outside surface of said mold body, said at least one indexing shaft capable of maintaining said locater plate at an extended or retracted position within said cavity.

4. The assembly recited in claim 3, wherein said at least one indexing shaft is calibrated to provide a linear measurement indicative of an amount of reshaping at said shell target.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 1, comprising a support arm having an angle θ between about 15° and about 90°.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 1, comprising a support arm having an angle θ between about 45° and about 75°.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 1, comprising a support arm having an angle θ of about 60°.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein: said support leg is tubular to provide a conduit that extends from said first leg through said second leg.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein said adapter includes a chamber that communicates with said support arm conduit and at least one orifice extending from said chamber to an exterior surface of said adapter.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein said adapter includes a pin coaxially aligned with said common axis, said pin adapted to releasably fix said static mold to said adapter about said common axis.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 10, wherein said coaxial pin is a heating element attached to a heat source control.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 10, wherein said adapter includes a plurality of indexing apertures radially spaced apart about said coaxial pin, each said indexing pin adapted to receive an indexing pin extending outward from said static mold.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said support arm has a total length between about 25 cm and about 60 cm in combination with said angle θ so that said static mold is coaxially aligned with said common axis.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said support arm has a preferred total length between about 36 cm and about 40 cm in combination with said angle θ so that said static mold is coaxially aligned with said common axis.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 9, comprising a controlled coolant source to deliver coolant through said conduit provided in the support arm and into said adapter chamber, said coolant discharged from said at least one orifice onto said static mold and the footwear shell.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein said coolant is compressed air.

17. Apparatus for reshaping a footwear shell, comprising: a) A support structure comprising, i) a base plate,ii) a first frame member equally spaced between a second frame member and a third frame member, each frame member fixed to said base plate and extending in an upward direction there from;b) a drive mechanism attached to said first frame member and comprising a drive shaft assembly;c) a static mold assembly adapted for selective attachment to demountable coupling means provided in said first frame member, said second frame member, and said third frame member, said static mold assembly, comprising, i) an angled support arm having a first leg adapted for selective attachment to one said demountable couplings provided in said frame members, and a second leg offset from said first leg at an angle θ,ii) a static mold coaxially aligned a common axis extending though said drive shaft assembly; andd) a complementary pressing mold fixed to said drive shaft assembly and coaxially aligned along said common axis, said complementary pressing mold moveable toward or away from said static mold when said drive mechanism is operated.

18. The apparatus recited in claim 16, wherein said angle θ provides an improved support arm shape that improves placement of said static mold within the footwear shell during reshaping.

19. The apparatus recited in claim 16, wherein said static mold assembly is selectively attached to one of said frame member demountable couplings to position said static mold either along a left side, a right side, or a toe portion when said static mold is inserted into the footwear shell.

20. The apparatus recited in claim 16, comprising a support arm having an angle θ between about 15° and about 90°.

21. The apparatus recited in claim 16, comprising a support arm having an angle θbetween about 45° and about 75°.

22. The apparatus recited in claim 16, comprising a support arm having an angle θ of about 60°.

23. The apparatus recited in claim 16, wherein said support arm is tubular and said static mold is removably attached to an adapter rotatably coupled to said second leg of said support arm.

24. The apparatus recited in claim 23, wherein said adapter comprises; a) a chamber that communicates with said tubular support arm to provide a conduit from said coupled end into said chamber; andb) at least one orifice extending from said chamber to an outside surface of said adapter.

25. The apparatus recited in claim 23, wherein said adapter includes a pin coaxially aligned with said common axis, said pin adapted to releasably fix said static mold to said adapter about said common axis.

26. The apparatus recited in claim 25, wherein said coaxial pin is a heating element attached to a heat source control.

27. The apparatus recited in claim 25, wherein said adapter includes a plurality of indexing apertures radially spaced apart about said coaxial pin, each said indexing pin adapted to receive an indexing pin extending outward from said static mold.

28. The apparatus recited in claim 17, wherein said support arm has a total length between about 25 cm and about 60 cm in combination with said angle θ so that said static mold is coaxially aligned with said common axis.

29. The apparatus recited in claim 17, wherein said support arm has a preferred total length between about 36 cm and about 40 cm in combination with said angle θ so that said static mold is coaxially aligned with said common axis.

30. The apparatus recited in claim 17, said complementary pressing mold, comprising: a) a mold body having a cavity formed therein and shaped to provide a complementary mold surface to said static mold; andb) a locater plate housed within said mold body, said locater plate extendable into said cavity along said common axis, said locater plate including an aperture that provides a line-of-sight from said locater plate to a target on the shell.

31. The assembly recited in claim 30, said locater plate comprising: at least one indexing shaft slidably captured within an aperture extending from said cavity to an outside surface of said mold body, said at least one indexing shaft capable of maintaining said locater plate at an extended or retracted position within said cavity.

32. The assembly recited in claim 31, wherein said at least one indexing shaft is calibrated to provide a linear measurement indicative of an amount of reshaping at said shell target.

33. The apparatus recited in claim 16, wherein said drive mechanism comprises a combination threaded drive shaft and a hand wheel arrangement operated to move said complementary pressing mold toward or away from said static mold.

34. The apparatus recited in claim 24, comprising a controlled coolant source to deliver coolant through said tubular support arm and into said chamber, said coolant discharged from said at least one orifice to cool said apparatus and reshaped footwear shell.

35. The apparatus recited in claim 34, wherein said coolant is compressed air.

36. A method for reshaping a footwear shell, comprising: selecting a static mold having a desired mold surface shape, and attaching said static mold to an angled support arm;attaching said support arm to a selected coupling in a group of couplings provided in a support structure so that said static mold is positioned to reshape either a left side, a right side, or a toe portion of the footwear shell;selecting a complementary pressing mold having a desired mold surface shape, and attaching said complementary pressing mold to a drive mechanism;inserting said angled support arm into the footwear shell so that said static mold is positioned proximate a predetermined target area for shell reshaping;positioning said static mold precisely at said target area using a line-of-sight from said complementary pressing mold to said target area;applying heat from an energy source to at least said static mold;operating said drive mechanism to drive said complementary pressing mold against said target area so that a compressive force is applied against a resistance provided by said static mold;measuring when a predetermined of reshaping at said target area has occurred;cooling said reshaped shell and heated mold in response to said predetermined measurement;operating said drive mechanism to disengage said complementary pressing mold from the reshaped target area; andremoving the reshaped footwear shell from said angles support arm.

37. The method recited in claim 36, wherein said static mold and said complementary pressing mold are in coaxial alignment along a common axis.

38. The method recited in claim 37, said angled support arm further comprising: a) a first leg selectively attached to one of said couplings provided in said support structure; andb) a second leg offset from said first leg at an angle θ, said offset second leg coaxially aligning said static mold with said common axis.

39. The method recited in claim 38, comprising a support arm having an angle θ between about 15° and about 90°.

40. The method recited in claim 38, comprising a support arm having an angle θ between about 45° and about 75°.

41. The method recited in claim 38, comprising a support arm having an angle θ of about 60°.

42. The method recited in claim 38, wherein said support arm has a total length between about 25 cm and about 60 cm in combination with said angle θ so that said static mold is coaxially aligned with said common axis.

43. The method recited in claim 38, wherein said support arm has a preferred total length between about 36 cm and about 40 cm in combination with said angle θ so that said static mold is coaxially aligned with said common axis.

44. The method recited in claim 38, further comprising: extending a locator plate housed within said complementary pressing mold;positioning said static mold within the footwear shell at the precise target area using a line-of-sight that extends from an aperture provided in said extended locater plate to said predetermined target area.

45. The method recited in claim 44, wherein said locater plate position within said complementary pressing mold provides a continuing measurement indicative of the shell reshaping.

46. The method recited in claim 38, further comprising: adjusting said static mold by inserting a mold indexing pin into one of a selection of indexing apertures provided in said angled support arm, said indexing apertures radially spaced apart about said common axis.