US 12,239,186 B2
Structure and procedure for making a shoe with knitted upper
Marco Redini, Asola (IT)
Assigned to TRERE′ INNOVATION S.R.L., Asola (IT)
Appl. No. 17/793,737
Filed by TRERE′ INNOVATION S.r.l., Asola (IT)
PCT Filed Jan. 22, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IT2021/000001
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 19, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/149085, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 29, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000001459 (IT), filed on Jan. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0055536 A1, Feb. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. A43B 13/38 (2006.01); A43B 1/04 (2022.01); A43B 7/142 (2022.01); A43B 9/18 (2006.01); A43B 23/02 (2006.01); B29C 45/14 (2006.01); B29D 35/06 (2010.01); B29D 35/12 (2010.01)
CPC A43B 13/38 (2013.01) [A43B 1/04 (2013.01); A43B 7/142 (2013.01); A43B 9/18 (2013.01); A43B 23/0235 (2013.01); B29C 45/14311 (2013.01); B29C 45/14811 (2013.01); B29D 35/062 (2013.01); B29D 35/064 (2013.01); B29D 35/128 (2013.01); B29C 2045/14327 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for making a shoe with a knitted upper, the method comprising:
creating an upper which is made by knitting a double stocking including an inner stocking portion and an outer stocking portion, the double stocking having a tube shape that is closed on an end of the inner stocking portion and open on an end of the outer stocking portion;
forming the upper by placing the inner stocking portion on a shoe-tree and turning the outer stocking portion on the inner stocking portion to form a double layer;
subjecting the upper on the shoe-tree to a steam jet that dampens and softens a thermosetting polymer yarn included in the upper;
passing the upper through a kiln to dry off residual humidity from the subjecting of the upper to the steam jet, and to heat the upper to a melting temperature of the thermosetting polymeric yarn such that dimensions of the upper return to initial dimensions, the initial dimensions being dimensions of the upper prior to the subjecting of the upper to the steam jet;
when the upper on the shoe-tree exits the kiln, transporting the upper on the shoe-tree on a roller conveyor so as to yield heat to an environment external to the kiln and thereby lower a temperature of the upper on the shoe-tree;
transporting the upper on the shoe-tree through a refrigerator that stabilizes the thermosetting polymer yarn to fix the upper dimensionally;
removing the upper from the shoe-tree when the upper is at an ambient temperature,
wherein during the forming of the upper, an insole comprising an arch structure is positioned, the insole covering an entire sole area of the shoe-tree and extending upward along sides of the shoe-tree, the insole being made of thermoformed felt and having a series of slots which are shaped and positioned to create fixing and gripping points for the inner and outer stocking portions between themselves and with the insole and a sole of the shoe;
after the removing of the upper from the shoe-tree, constructing the sole by:
inserting the upper into a shoe-tree of a mould;
positioning the shoe-tree of the mould with the upper between two portions of the mould, and closing the portions of the mould so as to partially enclose the upper and form a cavity insulated from an exterior;
injecting polyurethane into the cavity in the mould, wherein the insole forms a barrier in the cavity that limits the passage of the injected polyurethane into an inner part of the upper, wherein only a predetermined quantity of the injected polyurethane passes through the slots of the insole so as to form the fixing and gripping points between the sole and the insole and the inner and outer stockings;
opening the portions of the mould once the injecting of the polyurethane has terminated; and
removing the upper and the sole as a single unit from the mould and from the shoe-tree of the mould.