Foamed Parts Having a Fabric Component, and Systems and Methods for Manufacturing Same

• US 20130276333A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New Balance Athletics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: New Balance Athletic Shoe Incorporated (New Balance Athletics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Murphy, Sean B., Choe, Patrick Y., Wawrousek, Christopher J., Dunbar, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 9,867,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/102
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0009 made at least partially of alveolar or honeycomb material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/127 the midsole being multilayer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/16 Pieced soles with several layers of different material A43B13/12
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/18 Resilient soles skating boots provided with resilient means A43B5/1658
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1209 by impregnating a preformed part, e.g. a porous lining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1271 the preformed parts being partially covered
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/0018 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/0063 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/142 Soles
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/148 Moulds or apparatus therefor

Abstract

The invention relates to parts having a foamed polymeric material attached to a fabric, and systems and methods for forming same. An example method of attaching foamed polymeric material to a fabric layer includes providing a mold having at least one cavity and at least one material injection channel in fluid communication with the cavity, disposing a fabric over the at least one cavity, closing the mold, injecting unfoamed polymeric material into the at least one cavity through the material injection channel, wherein the unfoamed polymeric material penetrates at least a portion of the fabric proximate the at least one cavity to attach the polymeric material to the fabric layer, and foaming the unfoamed polymeric material.

Claims

1. A method of attaching foamed polymeric material to at least one fabric layer, the method comprising:

providing a first mold comprising at least one first cavity and at least one material injection channel in fluid communication with the at least one first cavity;

disposing at least one fabric layer over the at least one first cavity;

closing the first mold;

injecting unfoamed polymeric material into the at least one first cavity through the at least one material injection channel, wherein the unfoamed polymeric material penetrates at least a portion of the fabric layer proximate the at least one first cavity to attach the polymeric material to the fabric layer; and

foaming the unfoamed polymeric material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold comprises a plurality of cavities.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of cavities are arranged such that the foamed polymeric material and fabric forms at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymers, elastomers, and thermoplastics.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material comprises at least one of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), EVA copolymers, polyethylene (PE), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), polyurethane (PU), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), DuPont™

Surlyn®

, blown rubber, or thermoplastic rubbers (TPRs).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one fabric layer comprises at least one of a non-woven fabric layer, woven fabric layer, or a knitted fabric layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein foaming the unfoamed polymeric material comprises:

removing the fabric and attached unfoamed polymeric material from the first mold;

providing a second mold comprising at least one second cavity, the at least one second cavity comprising a volume greater than that of the at least one first cavity;

placing the fabric layer and attached unfoamed material into second mold such that the unfoamed polymeric material extends into the at least one second cavity;

closing the second mold; and

foaming the unfoamed polymeric material within the second cavity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one second cavity comprises a volume of between about 1.1 to 6 times the volume of the at least one first cavity.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the unfoamed polymeric material comprises at least one blowing agent, and wherein foaming the unfoamed polymeric material within the second cavity comprises heating the at least one second cavity to a temperature at or above the temperature at which the blowing agent activates.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein unfoamed polymeric material is injected into the at least one first cavity at a temperature below the temperature at which the blowing agent activates.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein foaming the unfoamed polymeric material comprises:

expanding the at least one first cavity after injecting the unfoamed polymeric material; and

foaming the unfoamed polymeric material within the at least one expanded first cavity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one first cavity is expanded to a volume of about 1.1 to 6 times its unexpanded volume.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the unfoamed polymeric material comprises at least one blowing agent, and wherein foaming the unfoamed polymeric material within the expanded first cavity comprises heating the at least one expanded first cavity to a temperature at or above the temperature at which the blowing agent activates.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein unfoamed polymeric material is injected into the at least one first cavity at a temperature below the temperature at which the blowing agent activates.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the unfoamed polymeric material is injected into the at least one first cavity under pressure, and wherein foaming the unfoamed polymeric material comprises opening the first mold to release at least a portion of the pressure within the at least one first cavity.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein releasing the pressure comprises separating a first mold portion containing the cavity from a second mold portion such that the polymeric material is free to foam and expand without restricting by one or more wall of the cavity.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein releasing the pressure comprises opening the cavity to the surrounding atmosphere while retracting at least one wall of the cavity.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein foaming the unfoamed polymeric material comprises:

providing a mold comprising at least one cavity having at least one retractable wall; and

expanding the at least one cavity to foam the unfoamed polymeric material by retracting the at least one retractable wall.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the unfoamed polymeric material comprises at least one blowing agent adapted to come out of solution upon retracting the at least one retractable wall.

20. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper; and

a sole, wherein the sole comprises a plurality of separate elongate elements of foamed polymeric material attached to a fabric layer.