Layered materials, methods of making, methods of use, and articles incorporation the layered materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12376644-B2
Application number	US-202318464778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2023
Priority date	May 3, 2018
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure, in general, provides for a layered material that can be incorporated in to textiles (e.g., footwear, apparel, sporting equipment, or components of each). In an aspect, the layered material includes an externally facing layer and a thermoplastic hot melt adhesive layer and optionally one or more inner layers between the externally facing layer and the thermoplastic hot melt adhesive layer. The present disclosure provides for articles including the layered material such as footwear, apparel, sporting equipment, a component of an article of sporting equipment, apparel or footwear, including a outsole structure for footwear.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An outsole component for an article of footwear, comprising:
a layered material having an externally facing layer and a second layer opposite the externally facing layer, wherein the externally facing layer comprises a hydrogel material and the second layer comprising a thermoplastic hot melt adhesive material; and
a backing plate affixed to the second layer of the layered material, wherein the backing plate comprises one or more traction elements configured to be ground-facing when the outsole component is part of an article of footwear;
wherein the externally facing layer of the layered material forms at least a portion of an outer surface of the outsole component.

2. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the externally facing layer is disposed on the backing plate in an area separating the one or more traction elements.

3. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the backing plate includes a toe region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, wherein the layered material is disposed on the midfoot region.

4. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 wherein one or more inner layers are disposed between the externally facing layer and the second layer, wherein the one or more inner layers are selected from a tie layer, a regrind layer, and an elastomer layer.

5. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the backing plate includes a toe region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, wherein the layered material is disposed on the midfoot region wherein the one or more traction elements are not located in the midfoot region, and wherein the one or more traction elements are located in the toe region, the heel region, or both.

6. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the layered material is not disposed on a tip of the one or more traction elements that are configured to be ground contacting.

7. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the one or more traction elements are selected from the group consisting of: a cleat, a stud, a spike, and a lug.

8. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the one or more traction elements are integrally formed with the backing plate or the one or more traction elements are removably attached to the backing plate.

9. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel material is selected from the group consisting of: a polyurethane hydrogel, a polyamide hydrogel, a polyurea hydrogel, a polyester hydrogel, a polycarbonate hydrogel, a polyetheramide hydrogel, a hydrogel formed of addition polymers of ethylenically unsaturated monomers, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof.

10. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel material comprises a hydrogel formed of a copolymer, wherein the copolymer is a combination of two or more types of polymers within each polymer chain.

11. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 10 , wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of: a polyurethane/polyurea copolymer, a polyurethane/polyester copolymer, and a polyester/polycarbonate copolymer.

12. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic hot melt adhesive material comprises one or more thermoplastic polymers selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyethers, polyamides, polyurethanes and polyolefins.

13. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic hot melt adhesive material comprises a polymeric composition, wherein the polymeric composition exhibits a melting temperature of from about 80 degree Celsius to about 135 degree Celsius.

14. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the tie layer includes a tie material comprising a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyethers, polyamides, polyurethanes, polyolefins, and a combination thereof.

15. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the regrind layer includes a regrind material comprising two or more of the following: the hydrogel material, the thermoplastic hot melt adhesive material, an elastomer material, and a tie material.

16. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic hot melt adhesive material comprises a polymeric composition, the polymeric composition exhibits a glass transition temperature Tg of about 50 degree Celsius or less.

17. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic hot melt adhesive material comprises a polymeric composition, the polymeric composition exhibits a melt flow index of about 0.1 g/10 min to about 60 g/10 min at 160 degree Celsius using a test weight of 2.16 kg.

18. The outsole component for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic hot melt adhesive material comprises a polymeric composition, the polymeric composition exhibits an enthalpy of melting of at least about 5 J/g.

19. An article of footwear comprising an upper and an outsole component according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• CONSTANTINOU Jay
• Dyer Caleb W
• Walker Jeremy D
• Wright Zachary C

Classifications

• Y10T428/24802

  Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.] · CPC title

• A43C15/16

  Studs {or cleats} for football or like boots · CPC title

• A43B5/02

  Football boots {or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby} · CPC title

• A43C15/168

  with resilient means, e.g. shock absorbing means · CPC title

• A43C15/02

  attached to the sole · CPC title