Components with embedded particles and methods of making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12004602-B2
Application number	US-201916715814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2019
Priority date	Dec 16, 2019
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A component, for example, a shoe foxing, may have one or more regions with embedded particles and one or more regions without embedded particles. The one or more regions without embedded particles may comprise one or more outer surfaces of the component. The component may be formed by heating and pressing material sections in a mold. The component may be formed by extrusion. One or more of the material sections may lack embedded particles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
positioning a first section of a first elastomeric material and a second section of a second elastomeric material in a mold, wherein:
the first section comprises embedded particles of a third material different from the second elastomeric material, wherein the first section includes a first outer perimeter edge having a first outer perimeter edge face and a second outer perimeter edge having a second outer perimeter edge face, and
the second section covers the first section and extends past the first outer perimeter edge and the second outer perimeter edge of the first section; and

compressing the first and second sections in the mold, while applying heat to the compressed first and second sections, to form a single molded section, wherein the compressing while applying heat comprises causing portions of the second section to flow over, cover, and bond to the first outer perimeter edge face and the second outer perimeter edge face of the first section.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the embedded particles comprise glitter.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second elastomeric material is transparent.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first elastomeric material is transparent.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
attaching, as a foxing, at least a portion of the single molded section to an article of footwear.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the attaching comprises attaching the at least a portion of the single molded section to one or more of a medial side heel portion of a sole structure of the article of footwear, a toe portion of the sole structure, or a lateral side heel portion of the sole structure.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compressing comprises at least partially fusing the first and second sections.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein after positioning the first section and the second section such that the second section covers the first section and extends past the first outer perimeter edge and the second outer perimeter edge of the first section, the method comprises closing the mold.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying the particles of the third material to a block of the first elastomeric material;
calendering the block with the applied particles until the particles are distributed within the first elastomeric material of the block; and
cutting the first section from the calendered block.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the positioning comprises positioning the first section, the second section, and a third section of a third elastomeric material in the mold,
the third section is positioned between the first section and the second section, and
the third section comprises embedded particles of a fourth material different from the third elastomeric material and different from the third material.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second section comprises embedded particles of a fourth material different from the second elastomeric material and different from the third material.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first outer perimeter edge and the second outer perimeter edge of the first section are major edges, wherein the first section further includes a first minor outer perimeter edge and a second minor outer perimeter edge, and wherein the second section, after the positioning, overlaps the first section along and extends past at least portions of the first outer perimeter edge and the second outer perimeter edge.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises a footwear foxing mold.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first elastomeric material and the second elastomeric material are either transparent or translucent, and wherein the embedded particles comprise glitter particles.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compressing while applying heat forms the single molded section to include: (i) the second section extending across and covering all of the first outer perimeter edge face to form a bottom surface of the single molded section and (ii) the second section extending across and covering all of the second outer perimeter edge face to form a top surface of the single molded section.

16. A method comprising:
positioning a first section of a first elastomeric material adjacent to a second section of a second elastomeric material, wherein:
the first section has: (a) a first major outer perimeter edge having a first major outer perimeter edge face, (b) a second major outer perimeter edge having a second major outer perimeter edge face, (c) a first minor outer perimeter edge, and (d) a second minor outer perimeter edge, and comprises embedded particles of a third material different from the second elastomeric material, and
the second section, after the positioning, overlaps the first section along at least portions of the first major outer perimeter edge and the second major outer perimeter edge; and

compressing, while heating, the first section and the second section in a mold to form a single molded section, wherein the compressing and heating comprise causing portions of the second section to flow over, cover, and bond to the first section along the first major outer perimeter edge face and the second major outer perimeter edge face.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mold comprises a footwear foxing mold.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
attaching, as a foxing, at least a portion of the single molded section to an article of footwear.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first elastomeric material and the second elastomeric material are either transparent or translucent, and wherein the embedded particles comprise glitter particles.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the compressing and heating comprise at least partially fusing the first and second sections.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein after positioning the first section and the second section such that the second section overlaps the first section along at least portions of the first major outer perimeter edge and the second major outer perimeter edge, the method further comprises closing the mold.

22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the compressing while heating forms the single molded section to include: (i) the second section extending across and covering all of the first major outer perimeter edge face to form a bottom surface of the single molded section and (ii) the second section extending across and covering all of the second major outer perimeter edge face to form a top surface of the single molded section.

Assignees

• Converse Inc

Inventors

• Bruno Stephen N

Classifications

• B29C43/20

  Making multilayered or multicoloured articles {(B29C43/14 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29D35/0054

  by compression moulding, vulcanising or the like; Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• B29K2505/00

  Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as filler · CPC title

• B29K2021/003

  Thermoplastic elastomers · CPC title

• B29D35/065

  by compression moulding, vulcanising or the like · CPC title