ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH EXTRUDED COMPONENTS

• US 20190008234A1
• Filed: 07/07/2017
• Published: 01/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reebok International Limited (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Reebok International Limited (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Inventors: CHRISTENSEN, Brian, DAVIS, Paul, VESTUTI, Ricardo, HARDIGAN, Henry, GABORIAULT, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 10,485,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0072 made at least partially of transparent or translucent materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/127 the midsole being multilayer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/186 Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/188 Differential cushioning regions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/025 assembled by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0255 assembled by gluing or thermo bonding
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/027 with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0295 Pieced uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/088 Heel stiffeners A43B23/10, A43B23/14, A43B23/16, A43B23/17 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/00 Other fastenings specially adapted for shoes dress fastenings in general A44B
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/15 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. extrusion moulding around inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/151 Coating hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/155 Partial coating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/156 Coating two or more articles simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/50 using adhesive tape , e.g. thermoplastic tape; using threads or the like B29C65/3444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/62 Stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

An upper for an article of footwear includes a first upper panel, a second upper panel, and an extruded component. The extruded component is disposed along a border between the first upper panel and the second upper panel. The extruded component joins the first upper panel to the second upper panel.

Claims

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

a first upper panel;

a second upper panel; and

an extruded component disposed along a border between the first upper panel and the second upper panel,

wherein the extruded component joins the first upper panel to the second upper panel.

2. The upper of claim 1, wherein the extruded component comprises polyurethane.

3. The upper of claim 1, wherein a material of the first upper panel is different than a material of the second upper panel.

4. The upper of claim 1, wherein the extruded component forms a portion of a closure system for the article of footwear.

5. The upper of claim 1, further comprising a seam joining the first upper panel and the second upper panel.

6. The upper of claim 1, wherein the extruded component is disposed on an exterior surface of the first upper panel and the second upper panel.

7. The upper of claim 1, wherein the extruded component forms an exterior surface of the upper.

8. The upper of claim 1, further comprising:

a third upper panel; and

an additional extruded component disposed along a border between the first upper panel and the third upper panel,

wherein the additional extruded component joins the first upper panel to the third upper panel.

9. An article of footwear comprising:

a sole;

an upper having a plurality of panels; and

an upper extruded component joining two adjacent panels of the plurality of panels together;

wherein the two adjacent panels are joined together only by the upper extruded component.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the upper extruded component joins each of the plurality of panels to adjacent panels, and wherein each of the plurality of panels are joined together only by the upper extruded component.

11. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the sole comprises a sole extruded component.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the sole extruded component comprises a ground-contacting surface of the article of footwear.

13. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the sole extruded component extends from a heel area of the article of footwear to a toe area of the article of footwear.

14. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the sole extruded component is discontinuous and comprises separate heel and forefoot extruded components.

15. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the sole extruded component extends above the sole to form a closure system for the article of footwear.

16. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the plurality of panels comprises at least ten panels.

17. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein at least one panel of the plurality of panels comprises a heel counter.

18. A method of making an upper, the method comprising:

shaping a first panel to form part of the upper;

shaping a second panel to form another part of the upper;

placing the first panel adjacent to the second panel; and

extruding a component along a border between the first panel and the second panel to join the first panel and the second panel together.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein placing the first panel adjacent to the second panel comprises abutting the first panel against the second panel.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

shaping additional panels to form parts of the upper;

extruding the component along borders between the additional panels, the first panel, and the second panel to join each of the panels to form the entire upper.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the first panel completely surrounds the second panel.