System and method for forming an article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10897962-B2
Application number	US-201715444642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2017
Priority date	Feb 22, 2013
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A fusing system includes an upper member and a base member. The upper member includes a pressing layer and the base member is associated with a last member. The pressing layer has a contoured portion that approximates the shape of a portion of the last member. The upper member can be associated with the base portion and a vacuum can be applied so that the pressing layer is pulled down onto materials disposed on the last member for purposes of fusing the materials together to form articles, such as articles of footwear.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making articles of footwear, comprising:
placing a base layer and at least one additional layer on a first surface of a last member, wherein the last member has a geometry of a foot and has a hollow interior;
pulling a pressing layer against the base layer, the at least one additional layer, and the first surface of the last member by creating a vacuum between the pressing layer and the last member;
flowing, via an airflow heating pipe, and while the pressing layer is pulled against the base layer, hot air into the hollow interior of the last member, wherein the airflow heating pipe extends into a first portion of the hollow interior; and
removing the base layer and the at least one additional layer from the last member after the at least one additional layer has fused to the base layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the last member is attached to a base member, and wherein a portion of the pressing layer has a geometry that is similar to the geometry of the last member.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the airflow heating pipe extends outwardly from the base member and into the first portion of the hollow interior.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein a second airflow heating pipe extends outwardly from the base member and into a second portion of the hollow interior.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pressing layer includes a flat outer peripheral portion and a contoured central portion.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the last member is attached to a base member, wherein the pressing layer is attached to an upper member, and wherein the upper member is lowered onto the base member.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the upper member includes a cavity configured to receive the contoured central portion of the pressing layer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the last member comprises a plurality of airflow holes that provide fluid communication between the hollow interior and an outer surface of the last member.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the last member is attached to a base member, wherein an interface member is disposed on the base member and the last member is attached to the interface member, wherein the interface member includes a first vacuum aperture that is in fluid communication with a first vacuum channel extending through the base member, and wherein creating the vacuum between the pressing layer and the last member comprises applying a vacuum through a first vacuum hole formed on a bottom surface of the last member.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first vacuum hole confronts the first vacuum aperture such that the first vacuum hole is in fluid communication with the first vacuum aperture.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the interface member includes at least a first positioning pin that is inserted into a first receiving slot formed in the last member.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the interface member includes at least a first positioning pin, and wherein the last member includes a first receiving slot formed in a bottom surface of the last member that engages the first positioning pin.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the last member is attached to a base member, and wherein the pressing layer is disposed within an upper member, and further comprising:
lowering the upper member onto the base member to seal a region between the pressing layer and the base member.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising circulating cool air within the hollow interior.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the last member is releasably attached to a base member.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Johnson Daniel A
• Tseng Yung-Tsung

Classifications

• A43D3/02 Primary

  Lasts for making or repairing shoes (making of wooden lasts B27M3/20) · CPC title

• B29D35/126

  Uppers · CPC title

• A43D25/07 Primary

  using flexible diaphragm pressing devices · CPC title

• B29D35/146

  Uppers · CPC title