Article of footwear of nonwoven material and method of manufacturing same
First Claim
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21. A method of forming an article of footwear comprising the steps of:
- providing a last having an exterior surface;
providing a vacuum at the exterior surface of the last;
extruding a plurality of polymeric fibers;
depositing at least some of the polymeric fibers onto the last to form a mat having the shape of the exterior of the last;
subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in a mold to form an upper; and
securing the upper to a sole assembly.
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Abstract
A method of forming a portion of an article of footwear includes the steps of providing a last having an exterior surface, extruding a plurality of polymeric fibers, projecting a stream of the extruded polymeric fibers onto the last to form a mat having the shape of the exterior of the last, and subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in a mold.
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Citations
65 Claims
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21. A method of forming an article of footwear comprising the steps of:
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providing a last having an exterior surface;
providing a vacuum at the exterior surface of the last;
extruding a plurality of polymeric fibers;
depositing at least some of the polymeric fibers onto the last to form a mat having the shape of the exterior of the last;
subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in a mold to form an upper; and
securing the upper to a sole assembly. - View Dependent Claims (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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28-1. The method of claim 21, wherein the mold includes a recess to form a mating projection on the upper.
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36. An upper for an article of footwear comprising, in combination:
a mat of nonwoven extruded polymeric fibers formed in a shape of an upper for an article of footwear, the upper being seamless. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An article of footwear comprising, in combination:
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a sole assembly; and
an upper secured to the sole assembly, the upper comprising a mat of nonwoven extruded polymeric fibers and being seamless. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An upper of an article of footwear formed by the steps of:
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providing a last having an exterior surface;
providing a vacuum at the exterior surface of the last;
extruding a plurality of polymeric fibers;
projecting a stream of the extruded polymeric fibers onto the last to form a mat having the shape of the exterior of the last; and
subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in a mold to form an upper. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification