THREE-DIMENSIONALLY THERMO-MOLDED FOOTWEAR

• US 20170325546A1
• 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 11,324,282 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 23/042 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: B29C 49/22 using multilayered preforms or parisons
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/44 for applying pressure through the walls of an inflated bag
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/14 using multilayered preforms or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/28 for applying pressure through the wall of an inflated bag or diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/428 of moulds or mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/146 Uppers
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/148 Moulds or apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/50 Footwear, e.g. shoes or parts thereof

Abstract

Articles of footwear including a thermo-molded upper having a skin composed of one or more low melting point thermoplastic polymers. 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 uppers may be formed by placing a skin and an inflatable bladder into a mold cavity and heating the mold 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. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:

a single integrally molded skin defining a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a rearfoot portion of the upper, the skin comprising at least one of;

a base layer defining a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a rearfoot portion of the upper, the base layer comprising a low melting point thermoplastic polymer; and

a grid layer comprising of a yarn composed of a low melting point thermoplastic polymer.

2. The upper of claim 1, comprising a shell layer comprising a low melting point thermoplastic polymer.

3. The upper of claim 1, wherein the low melting point thermoplastic polymers of the base layer and the grid layer have melting points of 200 degrees C. or less.

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

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

6. The upper of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the base layer and the grid layer and wherein the grid layer is at least partially embedded within the base layer.

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

8. The upper 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.

9. The upper of claim 8, wherein the characteristics are selected from the group consisting of:

breathability, strength, thermal conductivity, and stretchability.

10. The upper of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the grid layer and the grid layer is a woven layer.

11. The upper of claim 10, wherein the woven layer comprises a woven pattern comprising areas with different yarn densities configured to provide one or more different characteristics to different areas of the upper.

12. The upper of claim 1, wherein the skin comprises the base layer and the grid layer.

13. The upper of claim 12, comprising a plurality of shell layers comprising a low melting point thermoplastic polymer disposed over the grid layer.

14. The upper of claim 13, wherein the plurality of shell layers provide one or more different characteristics to different areas of the upper.

15. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper according to claim 1; and

a midsole coupled to the upper.

16. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:

a single integrally molded skin defining a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a rearfoot portion of the upper, the skin comprising a yarn composed of a low melting point thermoplastic polymer.

17. The upper of claim 16, wherein the yarn comprises a core composed of a high melting point thermoplastic polymer coated with a low melting point thermoplastic polymer.

18. The upper of claim 16, comprising a base layer defining a portion of the forefoot portion, the midfoot portion, and the rearfoot portion of the upper, the base layer comprising a low melting point thermoplastic polymer.

19. The upper of claim 18, wherein the yarn is disposed over the base layer.

20. The upper of claim 18, wherein the yarn is at least partially embedded in the base layer.