Method of making an article of footwear with a segmented plate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10016919-B2
Application number	US-201514754978-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A method of making an article of footwear is disclosed. The method may generally include placing a first rigid member into a first region of a molding cavity and placing a second rigid member into a second region of the molding cavity. The first rigid member may be spaced from a first cleat and the second rigid member may be spaced from a second cleat. A second material may be injected into the first region and into the second region to form a sole comprising a first plate member and a second plate member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
inserting at least one cleat into a first mold half of a mold;
inserting a first reinforcement member into a second mold half of the mold;
attaching the first reinforcement member to the second mold half;
closing the mold to define a first cavity between the first mold half including the at least one cleat and the second mold half including the first reinforcement member;
maintaining a first gap between the at least one cleat and the first reinforcement member after the mold is closed;
injecting a first material into the first cavity and within the first gap to form a sole plate including the first material, the at least one cleat, and the first reinforcement member; and
attaching the sole plate to an article of footwear.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating the first mold half and the second mold half following formation of the sole plate to expose a surface of the sole plate within the first mold half.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising defining a second cavity between the first mold half and a third mold half, the first mold half having the sole plate disposed therein.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising injecting a second material into the second cavity to form a midsole of the article of footwear.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein injecting the second material into the second cavity attaches the sole plate to the midsole.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein injecting the second material into the second cavity causes the second material to contact the first reinforcement member.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein injecting the second material into the second cavity includes injecting a material having less stiffness than the first material.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the first reinforcement member to the second mold half includes attaching the first reinforcement member to the second mold half via a releasable adhesive.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein inserting the at least one cleat into the first mold half includes forming a second gap between a portion of the at least one cleat and a surface of the first mold half on an opposite side of the at least one cleat than the first gap.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein injecting the first material into the first cavity includes injecting the first material into the second gap.

11. A method comprising:
inserting at least one cleat into a first mold half of a mold;
inserting a first reinforcement member into a second mold half of the mold;
closing the mold to define a first cavity between the first mold half including the at least one cleat and the second mold half including the first reinforcement member;
maintaining a first gap between the at least one cleat and the first reinforcement member after the mold is closed;
injecting a first material into the first cavity and within the first gap to form a sole plate including the first material, the at least one cleat, and the first reinforcement member;
defining a second cavity between the first mold half and a third mold half, the first mold half having the sole plate disposed therein;
injecting a second material into the second cavity to form a midsole of an article of footwear including the sole plate and the second material; and
attaching the midsole to an upper to form the article of footwear.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising separating the first mold half and the second mold half following formation of the sole plate to expose a surface of the sole plate within the first mold half.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein injecting the second material into the second cavity causes the second material to contact the first reinforcement member.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein injecting the second material into the second cavity includes injecting a material having less stiffness than the first material.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising attaching the first reinforcement member to the second mold half before closing the mold to define the first cavity.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein inserting the at least one cleat into the first mold half includes forming a second gap between a portion of the at least one cleat and a surface of the first mold half on an opposite side of the at least one cleat than the first gap.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein injecting the first material into the first cavity includes injecting the first material into the second gap.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Cook Christopher S
• Roulo David J

Classifications

• B29D35/087

  forming first the outer sole part · CPC title

• B29C2045/1454

  injecting between inserts not being in contact with each other · CPC title

• B29D35/142

  Soles · CPC title

• B29D35/084

  using exchangeable mould elements · CPC title

• A43C15/02

  attached to the sole · CPC title