Footwear products, methods for making footwear products, and structures used in making footwear products

• US 20060059713A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc., Pou Chen Group
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Stockbridge, Kurt Joseph, Huang, Shih-Chang, McDowell, Sean Michael, Savage, Peter, Huang, Tien-Yuan, Lee, Sung Yuan
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/30.R
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/02 Footwear stitched or nailed through
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/08 Turned footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/12 Stuck or cemented footwear

Abstract

Methods for making footwear products include: (a) applying cement to a surface of an upper and/or midsole; (b) cooling the upper and/or midsole so that these parts will move relative to one another despite the cement'"'"'s presence; and (c) placing the midsole in the upper. Additional methods include: (a) providing an upper having an interior chamber; (b) placing a prelast member including a midsole allowance part into the chamber; (c) removing the prelast member; and (d) placing a midsole in the chamber. The upper and/or midsole may have cement applied thereto and may be cooled before the insertion step, as described above. When sufficiently cooled, the cement will not immediately bind the parts contacting it, but it will allow relative movement of these parts. After the midsole is positioned in the upper, the assembly may be heated to activate the cement and fix the parts together.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

applying a first cement material to at least a portion of an upper member that will be included in an interior chamber of the upper member;

applying a second cement material to at least a portion of a midsole that will contact the upper member when the midsole is included in the upper member;

cooling at least one of the upper member or the midsole to a sufficient extent so that the midsole and upper member will move with respect to one another despite the presence of the first and second cement materials; and

placing the midsole in the interior chamber of the upper member in a manner such that at least some of the cement-containing portion of the midsole contacts and moves with respect to at least some of the upper member and at least some of the cement-containing portion of the upper member contacts and moves with respect to at least some of the midsole.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

after placing the midsole in the interior chamber of the upper member, heating the midsole and the upper member.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the midsole is placed in the interior chamber of the upper member through a foot-receiving opening defined in the upper member.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

attaching an outsole member to at least a portion of the upper member.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

attaching a heel unit to the upper member.

6. A piece of footwear made by the method of claim 5.

7. A piece of footwear made by the method of claim 4.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

attaching a heel unit to the upper member.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first cement material is the same as the second cement material.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

fitting the midsole into the upper member in a predetermined orientation.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the fitting includes aligning at least one projection provided on the midsole with a projection-receiving recess or opening defined in the upper member.

12. An upper member and midsole assembly made by the method of claim 1.

13. A method, comprising:

providing an upper member, wherein the upper member includes a foot-receiving opening defined therein providing access to an interior chamber defined by the upper member;

placing a prelast member through the opening into the interior chamber, wherein the prelast member includes a midsole allowance part;

removing the prelast member and the midsole allowance part from the upper member; and

placing a midsole in the interior chamber of the upper member through the opening.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

applying a cement material to at least a portion of the upper member that will be included in the interior chamber before placing the midsole in the interior chamber.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

applying a first cement material to at least a portion of the midsole before placing the midsole in the interior chamber.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

applying a second cement material to at least a portion of the upper member that will be included in the interior chamber before placing the midsole in the interior chamber, wherein at least some of the cement-containing portion of the midsole will contact at least some of the upper member and at least some of the cement-containing portion of the upper member will contact at least some of the midsole when the midsole is placed in the upper member.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

prior to placing the midsole in the upper member, cooling at least one of the upper member or the midsole to a sufficient extent so that the cement-containing portion of the midsole will move with respect to the upper member and so that the cement-containing portion of the upper member will move with respect to the midsole.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

after placing the midsole in the interior chamber of the upper member, heating the midsole and the upper member.

19. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

attaching an outsole member to at least a portion of the upper member.

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

attaching a heel unit to the upper member.

21. A piece of footwear made by the method of claim 20.

22. A piece of footwear made by the method of claim 19.

23. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

attaching a heel unit to the upper member.

24. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

placing a last member through the opening into the interior chamber of the upper member after the midsole is placed in the upper member.

25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising:

heating the midsole, upper member, and last member.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

pressing the midsole, upper member, and last member together.

27. A method according to claim 24, further comprising:

pressing the midsole, upper member, and last member together.

28. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

fitting the midsole into the upper member at a predetermined orientation.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the fitting includes aligning at least one projection provided on the midsole with a projection-receiving recess or opening defined in the upper member.

30. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

before placing the midsole in the interior chamber of the upper member, applying a cement material to at least one member selected from the group consisting of;

at least a portion of the midsole and at least a portion of the upper member.

31. A method according to claim 30, further comprising:

prior to placing the midsole in the upper member, cooling at least one of the upper member or the midsole to a sufficient extent so that the midsole will move with respect to the upper member when the midsole is placed in the upper member despite the presence of the cement material.

32. A method according to claim 31, further comprising:

after placing the midsole in the interior chamber of the upper member, heating the midsole and the upper member.

33. A method according to claim 32, further comprising:

pressing the midsole and upper member together.

34. An upper member and midsole assembly made by the method of claim 13.

35. A method, comprising:

applying a cement material to at least one member selected from the group consisting of;

at least a portion of an upper member that will be included in an interior chamber of the upper member and at least a portion of a midsole that will contact the upper member when the midsole is included in the upper member;

cooling at least one of the upper member or the midsole to a sufficient extent so that the midsole and upper member will move with respect to one another despite the presence of the cement material; and

placing the midsole in the interior chamber of the upper member in a manner such that at least some of the midsole contacts and moves with respect to at least some of the upper member despite the presence of the cement material.

36. A method according to claim 35, further comprising:

after placing the midsole in the interior chamber of the upper member, heating the midsole and the upper member.

37. A method according to claim 35, wherein the midsole is placed in the interior chamber of the upper member through a foot-receiving opening defined in the upper member.

38. A method according to claim 35, further comprising:

attaching an outsole member to at least a portion of the upper member.

39. A method according to claim 38, further comprising:

attaching a heel unit to the upper member.

40. A method according to claim 35, further comprising:

attaching a heel unit to the upper member.

41. A method according to claim 35, further comprising:

fitting the midsole into the upper member at a predetermined orientation.

42. A method according to claim 41, wherein the fitting includes aligning at least one projection provided on the midsole with a projection-receiving recess or opening defined in the upper member.

43. An upper member and midsole assembly made by the method of claim 35.

44. A structure comprising:

an upper member having a foot-receiving opening defined therein, wherein the upper member defines an interior chamber and an exterior surface;

a midsole provided in the interior chamber of the upper member and fixed to the upper member, wherein the midsole is completely within the interior chamber; and

an outsole member attached to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the upper member.

45. A structure according to claim 44, further comprising:

a heel unit attached to the exterior surface of the upper member.

46. A structure according to claim 44, wherein the midsole includes at least one projection fitted into at least one recess or opening defined in the upper member.

47. A structure according to claim 44, wherein the midsole includes plural projections fitted into corresponding recesses or openings defined in the upper member.

48. A structure according to claim 44, wherein the midsole includes at least part of an alignment system for aligning the midsole with respect to another element of the structure.

49. A structure according to claim 44, wherein at least a portion of the exterior surface of the upper member forms at least a portion of an outsole of the structure separate from the outsole member.

50. A structure comprising:

an upper member having a foot-receiving opening defined therein, wherein the upper member defines an interior chamber and an exterior surface, wherein at least a portion of the exterior surface of the upper member forms at least a portion of an outsole of the structure; and

a midsole provided in the interior chamber of the upper member and fixed to the upper member, wherein the midsole is completely within the interior chamber.

51. A structure according to claim 50, further comprising:

a heel unit attached to the exterior surface of the upper member.

52. A structure according to claim 50, wherein the midsole includes at least one projection fitted into at least one recess or opening defined in the upper member.

53. A structure according to claim 50, wherein the midsole includes plural projections fitted into corresponding recesses or openings defined in the upper member.

54. A structure according to claim 50, wherein the midsole includes at least part of an alignment system for aligning the midsole with respect to another element of the structure.