Pneumatic presses with configured press chamber and membrane and methods of using the same

Abstract

Presses are usable to press bond footwear in press chambers lined with an elastic press membrane shaped like the footwear. The press chamber can be held at negative, neutral, and positive pressure, causing the press membrane may to seat evenly to either the press chamber walls or against the footwear for bonding. When at neutral pressure, the press membrane follows the interior contours of the press chamber but is separated from the same, partially compressing the footwear fitted inside. In this way an operator must easily negotiate the footwear into the membrane through an opening in the same but cannot simply throw the footwear into the membrane. The various pressures may be achieved with a pressure source feeding in to the press chambers and may be cycled between an open, vacuum configuration for insertion, neutral holding position, and closed compressed configuration for bonding.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A press for bonding footwear soles, wherein the press comprises:
 a press chamber having an internal surface in a shape of a human foot;   a press membrane enclosed within the press chamber and having an opening to an outside of the press, wherein the press membrane is in the shape of the human foot and is elastic; and   a pressure source configured to reduce pressure in the press chamber to draw the press membrane to the internal surface of the press chamber and open the opening and configured to increase pressure in the press chamber to compress the press membrane to a footwear article having the shape of the human foot for press bonding.   
     
     
         2 . The press of  claim 1 , wherein the press chamber is machined from cast aluminum, and wherein the press membrane is a rubber. 
     
     
         3 . The press of  claim 1 , wherein the opening and the shape of the press membrane requires the footwear article to be maneuvered inside the press membrane and prevents entry of the footwear article through throwing. 
     
     
         4 . The press of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a valve between the pressure source and the press chamber configured to control whether the press chamber is in a pressurized or vacuum state.   
     
     
         5 . The press of  claim 1 , wherein the press membrane at neutral pressure has the shape of the human foot that matches and is smaller than the press chamber to not be in contact with the internal surface of the press chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The press chamber of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the footwear article inside the press membrane, wherein the footwear article is in the shape of the human foot and smaller than the press chamber, wherein the footwear article includes a sole and top portion connected by glue that bonds the sole and top portion upon compression in the press chamber.   
     
     
         7 . The press chamber of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an additional press chamber; and   an additional press membrane, wherein the additional press chamber and the additional press membrane have a same configuration as the press chamber and the press membrane and are operable independent of the press chamber and the press membrane.   
     
     
         8 . A method of pressure bonding footwear, the method comprising:
 inserting a footwear article into a press through an opening in a press membrane in a press chamber of the press, wherein the press chamber has an internal surface of a shape matching the footwear article, and wherein the press membrane has the shape matching the footwear and is elastic;   pressurizing the press chamber to compress the press membrane uniformly to the footwear article to close the opening and bond the footwear article.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 suctioning the press chamber to draw the press membrane to the internal surface of the press chamber and open the opening.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the pressurizing and the suctioning are performed with a pressure source connected to the press chamber through a valve. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the inserting includes maneuvering the footwear article into the press membrane without throwing or losing contact with the footwear article. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the press chamber is machined from cast aluminum, and wherein the press membrane is a rubber. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the press membrane at neutral pressure has the shape of the footwear article that matches and is smaller than the press chamber to not contact with the internal surface of the press chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the footwear article is in a shape of the human foot and smaller than the press chamber, wherein the footwear article includes a sole and top portion connected by glue that bonds the sole and top portion during the pressurizing. 
     
     
         15 . A method of pressure bonding footwear, the method comprising:
 suctioning, with a pressure source, a press chamber in a press with a pressure source to draw a press membrane to an internal surface of the press chamber and open the press membrane to outside the press, wherein the press membrane is elastic, and wherein the inserting includes maneuvering the footwear article into the press membrane without throwing or losing contact with the footwear article;   inserting a footwear article into the press membrane, wherein the press chamber has an internal surface of a shape matching the footwear article,   releasing the press chamber to neutral pressure, wherein the press membrane at the neutral pressure has the shape of the footwear article that matches and is smaller than the press chamber so as to not be in contact with the internal surface of the press chamber, and wherein the releasing causes the press membrane to be in uniform contact with the footwear article and partially bond the footwear article;   pressurizing, with the pressure source, the press chamber to compress the press membrane uniformly to the footwear article to close the opening and bond the footwear article, wherein the footwear article is in a shape of the human foot and smaller than the press chamber, wherein the footwear article includes a sole and top portion connected by glue that bonds the sole and top portion during the pressurizing;   suctioning, with the pressure source, the press chamber to neutral pressure to draw the press membrane to the internal surface of the press chamber and open the press membrane to outside the press; and   withdrawing the bonded footwear article.