Machine and method for applying glue onto soles of footwear

Abstract

A machine ( 10 ) for applying glue onto a sole of footwear comprises a support ( 17 ) for a sole and a glue dispensing device ( 14 ) and a movement system ( 13 ) for moving the device ( 14 ) relative to the support ( 17 ) under the control of a control system ( 15 ) so as to follow, with the device ( 14 ), gluing paths along a sole placed on the support ( 17 ). The glue dispensing device ( 14 ) comprises a radial brush ( 30 ) which is motorized to rotate about its central axis ( 31 ) and is designed to pass lightly with its radial periphery along a sole to be glued placed on the support ( 17 ), and a dispensing unit ( 33 ) designed to dispense glue on the periphery of the radial brush ( 30 ). Advantageously, the brush ( 30 ) is kept with its axis substantially parallel tangentially to the edge of the sole during operation of the machine for gluing the edge of the sole.

1 . Machine ( 10 ) for applying glue onto a sole of footwear, comprising a support ( 17 ) for a sole, a glue dispensing device ( 14 ) and a movement system ( 13 ) for moving the device ( 14 ) relative to the support ( 17 ) under the control of a control system ( 15 ) of the machine so as to follow, with the device ( 14 ), gluing paths along a sole placed on the support ( 17 ), characterized in that the glue dispensing device ( 14 ) comprises a radial brush ( 30 ), motorized to rotate about its central axis ( 31 ) and designed to pass lightly with its radial periphery along a sole to be glued placed on the support ( 17 ), and a dispensing unit ( 33 ) designed to dispense glue on the periphery of the radial brush ( 30 ), the support for the sole being designed to fix a sole with an inner side of the sole directed towards the dispensing device. 
     
     
         2 . Machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the dispensing unit ( 33 ) comprises an axial brush ( 34 ) which rests with its end against the periphery of the radial brush ( 30 ). 
     
     
         3 . Machine according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the axial brush ( 34 ) is axially rotating. 
     
     
         4 . Machine according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the axial brush ( 34 ) centrally comprises a nozzle ( 36 ) for dispensing the glue. 
     
     
         5 . Machine according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the nozzle ( 36 ) is at the end of a duct ( 46 ) for supplying the glue, inside which a stem ( 42 ) for adjusting the dispensing action slides axially. 
     
     
         6 . Machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the dispensing unit ( 33 ) is arranged so as to dispense the glue on an area of the periphery of the radial brush ( 30 ) which is far from the support ( 17 ) or from the peripheral zone of the radial brush. ( 30 ) which is designed to rest on the sole to be glued. 
     
     
         7 . Machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the device ( 14 ) comprises a protection ( 38 ) arranged along a portion of the periphery of the radial brush ( 30 ). 
     
     
         8 . Machine according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the position of the protection ( 38 ) is adjustable with respect to the rotating brush. 
     
     
         9 . Machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the movement system ( 13 ) has four or more axes. 
     
     
         10 . Machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the movement system ( 13 ) comprises a first motorized movement along three orthogonal Cartesian axes ( 18 ,  19 ,  20 ) plus two rotations about rotation axes ( 25 ,  26 ) inclined relative to each other. 
     
     
         11 . Machine according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the radial brush ( 30 ) is movable controllably towards a non-operating position spaced from the dispensing unit ( 33 ). 
     
     
         12 . Machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a cleaning device ( 52 ) for cleaning the radial brush ( 30 ) and/or the dispensing unit ( 33 ). 
     
     
         13 . Machine according to  claim 12 , characterized in that cleaning device ( 52 ) comprises a tank ( 53 ) containing two brushes ( 54 ,  55 ) with facing bristles and motorized so as to rotate axially and receive between them the radial brush ( 30 ) and/or the dispensing unit ( 33 ), preferably with scrapers ( 58 ,  59 ) which slide along the two brushes ( 54 ,  55 ) during rotation thereof. 
     
     
         14 . Machine according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the tank ( 53 ) contains a cleaning liquid for the glue. 
     
     
         15 . Method for applying glue onto a sole by means of a machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control system ( 15 ) moves the radial brush ( 30 ) along trajectories on the sole with a rotation axis ( 31 ) of the radial brush ( 30 ) which is kept substantially parallel tangentially to the edge of the sole on the support ( 17 ) so as to spread the glue along said edge. 
     
     
         16 . Method according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the direction of rotation of the radial brush ( 30 ) is such that it passes lightly along the sole towards a free end of the edge of the sole on the support ( 17 ). 
     
     
         17 . Method according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the rotation direction of the radial brush with respect to the sole is reversed by rotating the plane of the radial brush through  180  degrees. 
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the rotation direction of the radial brush with respect to the sole is reversed by inverting the rotation direction of its rotation motor. 
     
     
         19 . Method according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the radial brush ( 30 ) is controllably displaced into a non-operating position spaced from the dispensing unit ( 33 ) and the dispensing unit ( 33 ) is moved so as to spread the glue directly onto the inner side of a sole on the support ( 17 ). 
     
     
         20 . Method according to  claim 19 , characterized in that, after the dispensing unit ( 33 ) has spread glue along the edge of the sole on the support ( 17 ), the radial brush ( 30 ) is brought back into an operating position for receiving glue from the dispensing unit ( 33 ) and spreading it on the sole.