THREE-DIMENSIONAL THERMO-MOLDING OF FOOTWEAR

• US 20170325545A1
• Filed: 05/16/2016
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: BECKER, Ronald Daniel, Musho, Edward John, Wilson, III, Charles Griffin, Leimer, Robert, Barney, Howard Hunter, Groeneweg, Nicholas Allen, Hennebery, Ian James, George, Kelli Amelia, Hather, Alistair, Arnese, Carl, Perrault, Jacques
• Granted Patent: US 10,779,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/026 Laminated layers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/028 Resilient uppers, e.g. shock absorbing
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0295 Pieced uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/042 Uppers made of one piece one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/07 Linings therefor lining laminated with upper A43B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0078 provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration A43B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/14 with foot-supporting parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 3/04 Pneumatic lasts; Elastic lasts
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/0072 Last constructions; Mountings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/126 Uppers
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/146 Uppers
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/148 Moulds or apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material

Abstract

Methods for manufacturing uppers for articles footwear that include thermo-forming an upper composed of one or more low melting point thermoplastic polymers. The methods may include disposing a skin for forming an upper over and inflatable bladder. The skin may include at least one of a base layer composed of a low melting point thermoplastic polymer and a grid layer including a yarn composed of a low melting point thermoplastic polymer. The skin and inflatable bladder may be placed into a mold cavity and the mold may be heated to a predetermined temperature. The inflatable bladder may be inflated such that the skin is pressed against an interior surface of the heated mold cavity to cause the skin to take on the shape of the internal surface of the mold cavity, thereby forming an upper for an article of footwear.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

disposing an inflatable bladder around a last;

disposing a skin over the inflatable bladder, the skin comprising at least one of;

a base layer comprising a low melting point thermoplastic polymer and a grid layer comprising a yarn composed of a low melting point thermoplastic polymer;

placing the assembled last, inflatable bladder, and skin within a cavity of a mold;

heating the mold to a predetermined temperature; and

inflating the inflatable bladder such that the skin is pressed against an interior surface of the heated mold cavity to cause the skin to take on the shape of the internal surface of the mold cavity onto which it is pressed, thereby forming an upper for an article of footwear.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined temperature is below a melting point of the low melting point thermoplastic polymers of the base layer and the grid layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined temperature is 180 degrees C. or less.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the low melting point thermoplastic polymers of the base layer and the grid layer are selected from the group consisting of:

polyesters, polyamides, polyethylene, polyethylene foams, polyurethane foams, co-polymers thereof, and polymer blends thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the base layer and the base layer is a substantially mechanically isotropic material.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the base layer and the base layer is a substantially homogenous material.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the base layer and the grid layer and wherein the grid layer is disposed over the base layer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the grid layer and the yarn of the grid layer comprises thermoplastic polyurethane.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the grid layer and the yarn of the grid layer is woven and comprises a woven pattern comprising areas with different yarn densities configured to provide one or more different characteristics to different areas of the upper.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the grid layer and the grid layer comprises a pattern comprising areas with different open pore densities configured to provide one or more different characteristics to different areas of the upper.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the base layer and wherein disposing the skin over the inflatable bladder comprises disposing one or more shell layers comprising a low melting point thermoplastic polymer over at least a portion of the base layer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the grid layer and wherein disposing the skin over the inflatable bladder comprises disposing one or more shell layers comprising a low melting point thermoplastic polymer over at least a portion of the grid layer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold is a customized mold comprising a customized interior surface for a particular individual.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold is a customized mold comprising a customized interior surface for a particular foot type and size.

15. An upper for an article of footwear comprising an upper made by the method of claim 1.

16. A method of manufacturing an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

disposing an inflatable bladder around a last;

disposing a skin over the inflatable bladder, the skin comprising a layer comprising a low melting point thermoplastic polymer;

placing the assembled last, inflatable bladder, and skin within a cavity of a mold;

heating the mold to a predetermined temperature less than or equal to 180 degrees C.; and

inflating the inflatable bladder such that the skin is pressed against an interior surface of the heated mold cavity to cause the skin to take on the shape of the internal surface of the mold cavity onto which it is pressed, thereby forming an upper for an article of footwear.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the low melting point thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of:

polyesters, polyamides, polyethylene, polyethylene foams, polyurethane foams, co-polymers thereof, and polymer blends thereof.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the layer comprises a yarn composed of a low melting point thermoplastic polymer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the yarn comprises a core composed of a high melting point thermoplastic polymer coated with a low melting point thermoplastic polymer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the low melting point thermoplastic polymer has a melting point of 200 degrees C. or less.