Footwear manufacturing conveyor system

1 . A footwear manufacturing conveyor system comprising:

a rail system comprising:

a first rail, and

guideways positioned within a boundary of the first rail, adapted to provide at least one path of travel along the rail system;

a propulsion system with a plurality of electrical coils configured to provide magnetic propulsion; and

a plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles including:

a magnet configured to interact with the propulsion system,

a receiving part adapted to receive a footwear last, and

a load bearing element having a primary surface which is configured to engage with the first rail and an opposite secondary surface,

wherein the rail system further comprises a second rail, positioned at an opposite side of the load bearing element, and

wherein the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles are configured to accelerate independently, respectively, along the rail system.

2 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the load bearing element comprises a first rail engaging part and a second rail engaging part.

3 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the first rail engaging part and the second rail engaging part are positioned along an axis along a direction of travel along the rail system.

4 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein, when a respective vehicle of the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles is in a loaded configuration, a payload is such so that a center of gravity of the respective vehicle and the payload is at a distance from a volume of the respective vehicle, and/or

wherein, when the respective vehicle is in an unloaded configuration, the center of gravity is within the volume of the respective vehicle.

5 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the payload is a footwear last where a sole surface of the footwear last faces away from the respective vehicle.

6 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the load bearing element comprises at least one rolling element.

7 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the load bearing element cooperates with the first rail or the second rail at one longitudinal position of the at least one vehicle.

8 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first rail and the second rail is larger than a height of the load bearing element.

9 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said receiving part is detachably connected to said footwear last.

10 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said load bearing element comprises a third rail engaging part engaging horizontally with at least one of said first rail, said second rail, or a third vertical rail.

11 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said third rail engaging part is located on a lower side of said first rail.

12 . The conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said footwear manufacturing conveyor system is a part of a direct injection processing assembly adapted to apply a sole assembly to an upper using an injection molding process, and

wherein said upper is lasted to said footwear last.

13 . A method for reducing friction of a plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles in a footwear manufacturing conveyor system, said method comprising steps of, for the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles, respectively:

engaging a load bearing element of the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles with a rail system including:

a first rail,

guideways positioned within a boundary of the first rail, the guideways being adapted to provide at least one path of travel along the rail system, and

a second rail positioned at an opposite side of the load bearing element;

receiving a footwear last by a receiving part of the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles; and

propelling the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles using a propulsion system provided with a plurality of electrical coils that provide a magnetic propulsion to a propulsion element of the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles,

wherein the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles are configured to accelerate independently along the rail system.

14 . The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein said load bearing element has a primary surface which is configured to engage with the first rail and an opposite secondary surface.

15 . The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the load bearing element includes a first rail engaging part and a second rail engaging part, and

wherein the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles are accelerated when the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles are propelled, causing the first rail engaging part to lift from the first rail.

16 . The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the load bearing element includes a first rail engaging part and a second rail engaging part, and

wherein the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles are accelerated when the plurality of individual independently-controlled vehicles are propelled, causing the first rail engaging part to come into contact with the second rail.

17 . The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein said method further comprises a step of lasting an upper onto said footwear last at a lasting station.