Shoe with composite upper and foam element and method of making same

• US 10,595,591 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2018
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Dojan, Frederick J., Johnson, Daniel A., Kohatsu, Shane S., Huang, Chin-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Bays, Marie D
• Application Number:
  US16/045,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20180325217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 36 45, 36 3 A, 12142 R, 12146 C
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/00 Footwear characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/022 with waterproof breathable membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0225 Composite materials, e.g. material with a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0255 assembled by gluing or thermo bonding
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/026 Laminated layers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0295 Pieced uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/06 ventilated
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/085 in the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 3/02 Lasts for making or repairing shoes making of wooden lasts B27M3/20
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 5/02 Stands for making footwear stands for cleaning shoes A47L23/16
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/146 Uppers
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/148 Moulds or apparatus therefor

Abstract

A bonded mesh composite panel can be used to form a three-dimensional upper shell that includes extensions used for double-lasting and/or to otherwise provide a shelf to support foam padding. The foam padding may be, e.g., a foam midsole. The extensions of the upper shell may be located in a lower portion of the shell and may be bonded to the foam midsole in a heel, midfoot and/or forefoot regions.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a portion of an upper for an article of footwear, comprising:

positioning a plurality of panels into an assembly in which the locations of the panels correspond to locations to be occupied by the panels in a completed upper, wherein the assembly includes

a substrate material panel having a first side and a second side,

a mesh material panel having a first side facing away from the substrate material panel and a second side facing the substrate material panel, at least a portion of the mesh material panel overlapping the substrate material panel in a mesh/substrate overlap area,

a skin material panel having a first side facing away from the substrate material panel and a second side facing the substrate material panel, at least a portion of the skin material panel overlapping both the substrate material panel and the mesh material panel in a skin/mesh/substrate overlap area, and

a first layer of hot melt bonding material positioned between one of (a) the substrate material panel and the mesh material panel, and (b) the mesh material panel and the skin material panel;

compressing the assembly at a first temperature in a first pressing operation during which the first sides of the substrate material, mesh material and skin material panels face a compressible surface conforming to the assembly; and

compressing the assembly at a second temperature in a second pressing operation during which the first sides of the substrate material, mesh material and skin material panels face a compressible surface conforming to the assembly, and

wherein the second pressing operation is performed after the first pressing operation, and the second temperature is lower than the first temperature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the assembly includes a second layer of hot melt bonding material between the other of (a) the substrate material panel and the mesh material panel, and (b) the mesh material panel and the skin material panel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first temperature is at or above a melting point of the skin material and the second temperature is substantially below the melting point of the skin material.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second temperature is room temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate material comprises an artificial leather and the mesh material comprises a single layer warped knit with an open structure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the assembly includes multiple skin material panels, each of the skin material panels having a first side facing away from the substrate material panel and a second side facing the substrate material panel, at least a portion of each of the skin material panels overlapping both the substrate material panel and the mesh material panel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate material panel includes a plurality of openings and the mesh material panel overlays each of the openings.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

the substrate, mesh and skin material panels correspond to a front portion of the completed upper,

the panel assembly includes at least one hindfoot region panel corresponding to a rear portion of the completed upper, and

a portion of the substrate panel along a first edge thereof overlaps a portion of the least one hindfoot region panel along a first edge thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising joining a second edge of the least one hindfoot region panel to a second edge of the substrate panel to create an upper shell in which the first side of the substrate material in a portion of the substrate material in a lateral shell region faces the first side of the substrate material in a portion of the substrate material in a medial shell region.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the assembly corresponds to a region of the upper that will, at the completion of upper fabrication, cover substantially all of the upper outside of a tongue portion of the completed upper and forward of an intersection of the tongue opening and a collar of the completed upper.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

positioning an upper pan of an assembly jig over a lower pan of the assembly jig, the lower pan having a plurality of locating pins extending away from the lower pan and the upper pan having a surface with a plurality of holes formed therein, the holes having locations corresponding to locations of the locating pins, each locating pin protruding through its corresponding hole after completion of positioning the upper pan, and wherein the act of positioning a plurality of panels into an assembly comprises positioning the plurality of panels on the upper pan, wherein each of said panel locations in the assembly is identified by at least a portion of the locating pins;

placing a compressible pad over the panel assembly so as to provide the compressible surface;

removing the upper pan from the lower pan while the compressible pad is in place over the panel assembly; and

compressing the upper pan, the panel assembly and the compressible pad at the first temperature in the first pressing operation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning the plurality of panels into the assembly includes placing openings in the panels over the locating pins.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first temperature is at or above a melting point of a material from which at least one of the panels is formed.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising compressing the upper pan, the panel assembly and a compressible pad at the second temperature in the second pressing operation following the first pressing operation, wherein the second temperature is substantially below the first temperature.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second temperature is between 20°

C. and 30°

C.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate material panel comprises a synthetic leather, and wherein the skin material panel comprises at least one of thermoplastic polyurethane and polyurethane.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mesh material panel comprises a single layer warped knit with an open structure.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the compressible pad comprises a silicone pad.