Methods for manufacturing cushioning elements for sports apparel

• US 9,849,645 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2017
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: Wardlaw, Angus, Manz, Gerd Rainer, Le, Tru Huu Minh, Freeman, Warren
• Primary Examiner(s): THEISEN, MARY LYNN F
• Application Number:
  US15/452,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20170173910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 29/00 Machines for making soles from strips of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/3455 for particles, powder, fibres, e.g. fluidized or sprayed
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/003 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/18 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C43/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/34 Feeding the material to the mould or the compression means B29C43/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/0054 by compression moulding, vulcanising or the like; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/0063 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/142 Soles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2675/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2905/00 Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as mould material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/504 Soles

Abstract

Methods for manufacturing cushioning elements for sports apparel are described. A method is provided for manufacturing a cushioning element for sports apparel from randomly arranged particles of an expanded material. The method includes positioning a functional element within a mold and loading the mold with the particles of the expanded material, wherein the loading occurs through at least two openings within the mold and/or wherein the loading occurs between different movable parts of the mold.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a cushioning element for sports apparel from randomly arranged particles of an expanded material, comprising:

(a) positioning of a functional element within a mold; and

(b) loading the mold with the particles of the expanded material, wherein the particles of the expanded material surround the functional element from at least two different sides.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the particles are loaded into the mold within a stream of a transport liquid and/or a stream of steam.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the loading occurs through at least two openings within the mold.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the loading occurs between different movable parts of the mold.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the particles of the expanded material are treated within the mold with pressure and/or heat and/or steam.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional element comprises a foil comprising thermoplastic urethane.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the foil is provided as a container that contains randomly arranged particles of a second expanded material.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the particles of the expanded material and/or the particles of the second expanded material comprise a mixture of at least two different kinds of particles, which differ in their raw material and/or their size and/or their density and/or their color.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the particles of the expanded material are coated with a liquid matrix material in order to achieve a substantially even distribution of the particles within the liquid matrix material.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising heating at least a part of a wall of the mold to a temperature which at least partially or entirely melts the particles of the expanded material that lie adjacent to the part of the wall of the mold.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the individual steps of the method are carried out at two or more stations of an automated production facility.

12. A method for manufacturing a cushioning element for sports apparel from randomly arranged particles of an expanded material, comprising:

(a) loading a mold with the particles of the expanded material;

(b) wherein the particles are loaded into the mold within a stream of a transport liquid.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the transport liquid is at least partially removed from the mold.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the particles of the expanded material are treated within the mold with pressure and/or heat and/or steam after the transport liquid has been at least partially removed from the mold.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the transport liquid remaining in the mold solidifies under an influence of the pressure and/or heat and/or steam treatment.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, after conclusion of the pressure and/or heat and/or steam treatment, the transport liquid and/or the solidified transport liquid is at least partially dissolved out and/or melted out and/or removed by pressure from the cushioning element.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising positioning a functional element within the mold.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the loading occurs through at least two openings within the mold.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the at least two openings are arranged in such a manner that the loaded particles of the expanded material surround the functional element from at least two different sides.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the loading occurs between different movable parts of the mold.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the functional element comprises a foil comprising thermoplastic urethane.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the foil is provided as a container that contains randomly arranged particles of a second expanded material.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the particles of the expanded material and/or the particles of the second expanded material comprise a mixture of at least two different kinds of particles, which differ in their raw material and/or their size and/or their density and/or their color.

24. The method according to claim 12, wherein the particles of the expanded material are coated with a liquid matrix material in order to achieve a substantially even distribution of the particles within the liquid matrix material.

25. The method according to claim 12, further comprising heating at least a part of a wall of the mold to a temperature which at least partially or entirely melts the particles of the expanded material that lie adjacent to the part of the wall of the mold.

26. The method according to claim 12, wherein the individual steps of the method are carried out at two or more stations of an automated production facility.

27. A method for manufacturing a cushioning element for sports apparel from randomly arranged particles of an expanded material, comprising:

(a) positioning of a functional element within a mold; and

(b) loading the mold with the particles of the expanded material, wherein the particles are distributed around the functional element within the mold.