US 12,226,972 B2
System for manufacturing mold-based equipment for direct injection production of footwear and a method for manufacturing footwear
Jakob Moller Hansen, Bredebro (DK); and Jens Sonne Mortensen, Bredebro (DK)
Assigned to ECCO Sko A/S, Bredebro (DK)
Appl. No. 17/438,666
Filed by ECCO Sko A/S, Bredebro (DK)
PCT Filed Mar. 12, 2020, PCT No. PCT/DK2020/050062
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 13, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/182259, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 17, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19162519 (EP), filed on Mar. 13, 2019; application No. 19175667 (EP), filed on May 21, 2019; application No. 2019 70470 (DK), filed on Jul. 18, 2019; and application No. 19192265 (EP), filed on Aug. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0152961 A1, May 19, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29D 35/00 (2010.01); A43D 3/02 (2006.01); B29C 33/38 (2006.01); B29D 35/06 (2010.01); B29D 35/12 (2010.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29D 35/0027 (2013.01) [A43D 3/024 (2013.01); B29C 33/3835 (2013.01); B29C 33/3842 (2013.01); B29D 35/0036 (2013.01); B29D 35/061 (2013.01); B29D 35/122 (2013.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); B29D 35/0045 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing footwear by direct injection production at at least one footwear manufacturing facility located at a footwear manufacturing location, wherein said method includes providing at least one mold that is configured for direct injection production of footwear, said method comprising:
providing a footwear design and mold descriptive data relating to direct injection mold inserts by a design facility located at a design facility location;
manufacturing a mold corresponding to said footwear design by a mold manufacturing facility located at a mold manufacturing location, said mold being configured for direct injection mold of a sole part of said footwear, wherein said mold comprises a basic direct injection mold, which is attachable to injection mold equipment and is configured for at least partly channelling injection material to a mold cavity, said basic direct injection mold further being configured for accommodating direct injection mold inserts to further define said mold cavity;
manufacturing a last corresponding to said footwear design by a last manufacturing facility located at a last manufacturing location;
communicating said mold descriptive data to the at least one footwear manufacturing facility for additive manufacturing of said direct injection mold inserts at said footwear manufacturing location;
testing said direct injection mold inserts at said at least one footwear manufacturing facility and communicating correction information to the design facility;
providing by the design facility corrected mold descriptive data to said at least one footwear manufacturing facility;
combining said direct injection mold inserts with said basic direct injection mold to provide said mold corresponding to said footwear design at said footwear manufacturing location, and
manufacturing at least one piece of footwear according to said footwear design by the at least one footwear manufacturing facility located at the footwear manufacturing location, whereby said last corresponding to said footwear design and said mold corresponding to said footwear design are utilized.