Article of footwear and method of manufacturing an article of footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12144396-B2
Application number	US-202117463656-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2021
Priority date	May 30, 2018
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper and a strobel stitched to the upper at a series of stitches disposed in stitch holes that extend through the strobel. The strobel and the upper define a foot-receiving cavity with an inner surface of the strobel disposed at the foot-receiving cavity. A midsole is secured to the upper and an outer surface of the strobel is disposed at the midsole. The stitch holes are obstructed such that the stitch holes are not exposed to both the midsole and the foot-receiving cavity. Accordingly, when a flowable polymeric material is injected in a mold cavity to form the midsole with the lower portion of the upper and the strobel in the mold cavity, the stitch holes will not provide a path for entry of the flowable polymeric material into the foot-receiving cavity. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear is disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising:
obstructing stitch holes that extend through a strobel; wherein a series of stitches are disposed in the stitch holes and secure the strobel to an upper so that the strobel and the upper define a foot-receiving cavity; and
after obstructing the stitch holes, injecting a flowable polymeric material into a mold cavity configured as a midsole mold such that the flowable polymeric material contacts an outer surface of the strobel; wherein the obstructing the stitch holes inhibits the flowable polymeric material from passing through the strobel to the foot-receiving cavity via the stitch holes.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein obstructing the stitch holes is by securing a gasket to the outer surface of the strobel over the stitch holes.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein securing the gasket to the outer surface of the strobel is by adhering the gasket to the strobel or by thermally bonding the gasket to the outer surface of the strobel.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the series of stitches borders a perimeter of the strobel in a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the strobel; and
the gasket extends over the stitch holes in the heel region and the midfoot region.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the gasket further extends over the stitch holes in the forefoot region.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the gasket is a flat, elongated strip with a U-shaped heel portion, a medial arm portion extending forward from the U-shaped heel portion, and a lateral arm portion extending forward from the U-shaped heel portion;
the medial arm portion and the lateral arm portion terminate rearward of a foremost extent of the strobel; and
at least some of the stitch holes at which the strobel is stitched to the upper are forward of the medial arm portion and the lateral arm portion.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
stitching the strobel to the upper to establish the series of stitches and the stitch holes.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
prior to stitching the strobel to the upper, abutting an inner surface of the strobel to an inner surface of the upper along a periphery of the strobel to define a peripheral flange; and
wherein the stitch holes extend through the peripheral flange from the outer surface of the strobel to the outer surface of the upper and are displaced from the foot-receiving cavity.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the strobel includes a first layer and a second layer, the second layer comprises a material that inhibits the flowable polymeric material from penetrating the second layer, and the method further comprising:
prior to stitching the strobel to the upper, positioning the strobel adjacent to the upper so that the strobel and the upper define the foot-receiving cavity with the first layer disposed at the foot-receiving cavity and the second layer exposed.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
prior to injecting the flowable polymeric material:
inserting a last in the foot-receiving cavity; and
disposing the strobel and a lower portion of the upper into the mold cavity.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
adjusting the lower portion of the upper and the strobel to a predetermined position on the last; wherein the predetermined position is indicated by alignment features on the strobel and markings on the last.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
solidifying the flowable polymeric material in the mold cavity to form a midsole secured to the upper; and
withdrawing the strobel, the lower portion of the upper, and the midsole from the mold cavity.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the outer surface of the strobel is directly secured to the midsole.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
obstructing the stitch holes is by securing a gasket to the outer surface of the strobel over the stitch holes prior to disposing the strobel and the lower portion of the upper into the mold cavity; and
the gasket is between the outer surface of the strobel and an inner surface of the midsole.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
a medial portion of the gasket extends over the stitch holes at a medial side of the strobel and a lateral portion of the gasket extends over the stitch holes at a lateral side of the strobel; and
the outer surface of the strobel is exposed to the midsole between the medial portion of the gasket and the lateral portion of the gasket.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Calle Juan M
• Ploem Steven

Classifications

• B29D35/061

  by injection moulding · CPC title

• B29D35/122

  Soles · CPC title

• B29D35/062

  using means to bond the moulding material to the preformed uppers · CPC title

• A43B9/02

  Footwear stitched or nailed through · CPC title

• A43B9/06

  stitched or nailed through · CPC title