Composite plate for an article of footwear or equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020367602-A1
Application number	US-202016992047-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 12, 2020
Priority date	Jul 20, 2016
Publication date	Nov 26, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for forming a plate includes attaching a first strand portion to a flexible substrate to form a first layer on the substrate and positioning a second strand portion on the first layer to form a second layer on the first layer in a plurality of discrete regions on the substrate. The method also includes positioning a plurality of traction elements into corresponding cavities formed into a first mold surface and positioning the substrate on the first mold surface to change a shape of the substrate. At least one of heat and pressure is applied to the first strand portion, the second strand portion, the substrate, and the traction elements to conform the substrate to the shape of the first mold surface and form the traction elements into the substrate at each of the discrete regions. The method also includes incorporating the substrate into an article of footwear.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
a first component extending along the upper in a forefoot region of the upper and including multiple segments of a first tow of fibers affixed to a first substrate; and a polymeric resin consolidating the first tow of fibers to form the first component.

2 . The upper of claim 1 , wherein the first component extends from a first end disposed proximate to a footbed of the article of footwear to a distal end disposed proximate to an instep region of the upper.

3 . The upper of claim 1 , wherein the first component extends along one of a medial side of the upper and a lateral side of the upper.

4 . The upper of claim 1 , further comprising a second component extending along the upper in the forefoot region and including multiple segments of a second tow of fibers attached to a second substrate.

5 . The upper of claim 4 , wherein the first component extends along one of a medial side of the upper and a lateral side of the upper and the second component extends along the other of the medial side of the upper and the lateral side of the upper.

6 . The upper of claim 5 , wherein the first component extends from a first end proximate to a footbed of the article of footwear to a first distal end proximate to an instep region of the upper and the second component extends from a second end proximate to the footbed of the article of footwear to a second distal end proximate to the instep region of the upper.

7 . The upper of claim 6 , wherein the first distal end opposes the second distal end to define a gap therebetween at the instep region.

8 . The upper of claim 6 , wherein the first distal end is spaced apart from the second distal end at the instep region.

9 . The upper of claim 1 , wherein the multiple segments of the first tow of fibers are part of the same unitary strand.

10 . The upper of claim 1 , wherein the first tow of fibers includes at least one of carbon fibers, boron fibers, glass fibers, and polymeric fibers.

11 . An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
a first component extending along the upper at one of a medial side of the upper and a lateral side of the upper and including multiple segments of a first tow of fibers affixed to a first substrate; a second component extending along the upper at the other of the medial side and the lateral side and including multiple segments of a second tow of fibers affixed to a second substrate; and a polymeric resin consolidating the first tow of fibers to form the first component and consolidating the second tow of fibers to form the second component.

12 . The upper of claim 11 , wherein the first component extends from a first end disposed proximate to a footbed of the article of footwear to a first distal end and the second component extends from a second end disposed proximate to the footbed of the article of footwear to a second distal end.

13 . The upper of claim 12 , wherein the first distal end opposes the second distal end.

14 . The upper of claim 13 , wherein the first distal end is spaced apart from the second distal end to define a gap between the first distal end and the second distal end.

15 . The upper of claim 14 , wherein the gap is disposed at and extends along an instep region of the upper.

16 . The upper of claim 11 , further comprising a plate extending along a length of the upper and forming a portion of a sole structure of the article of footwear.

17 . The upper of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first component and the second component is attached to the plate.

18 . The upper of claim 16 , wherein the first component and the second component are aligned with one another across a width of the plate.

19 . The upper of claim 11 , wherein the multiple segments of the first tow of fibers are part of the same unitary strand and the multiple segments of the second tow of fibers are part of the same unitary strand.

20 . The upper of claim 11 , wherein the first tow of fibers includes at least one of carbon fibers, boron fibers, glass fibers, and polymeric fibers and the second tow of fibers includes at least one of carbon fibers, boron fibers, glass fibers, and polymeric fibers.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Amis Sam
• Bartel Aaron
• Guest Stefan E
• Lacey Sam
• Mcfarland Ii William C
• Steinbeck Christian Alexander
• Sterman Yoav
• Thuss Adam
• Waatti Todd A

Classifications

• A43B23/081

  Toe stiffeners · CPC title

• D05C17/00

  Embroidered or tufted products; Base fabrics specially adapted for embroidered work; Inserts for producing surface irregularities in embroidered products (layered products B32B; non-woven pile fabrics D04H11/00) · CPC title

• B32B2437/02

  Gloves, shoes · CPC title

• B32B2307/56

  Damping, energy absorption · CPC title

• B32B2262/14

  Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials · CPC title