Footwear and other products incorporating cultured leather

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840745-B2
Application number	US-201414193331-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2014
Priority date	Jul 30, 2010
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A variety of products may incorporate cultured leather, which is produced in vitro. Examples of products that may incorporate cultured leather include footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, furniture, handbags or any other consumer or industrial product that commonly incorporates conventional leather or synthetic leather.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a product, the method comprising:
providing a container apparatus, the container apparatus including a culture medium and a support element therein;
placing at least one reinforcing structure on the support element;
introducing dermal cells into the culture medium, so that the dermal cells grow and divide to form a tissue layer including a first stratum on a first side of the tissue layer, a second stratum on a second side of the tissue layer and having different properties than the first stratum, and a third stratum disposed between the first stratum and the second stratum, wherein various solutions are deposited at different stages to induce specific strata to form, and wherein the reinforcing structure extends into both the first stratum and the second stratum and the reinforcing structure has (a) a first portion that extends into the third stratum such that the first portion of the reinforcing structure is parallel to both a first surface and a second surface of the third stratum, (b) a second portion that is perpendicular to the first portion of the reinforcing structure, the second portion of the reinforcing structure extending from the first portion through both the third stratum and the first stratum such that the second portion is surrounded by the third stratum and the first stratum, and (c) a third portion that is perpendicular to the first portion of the reinforcing structure, the third portion extending from the first portion through both the third stratum and the second stratum such that the third portion is surrounded by the third stratum and the second stratum; and wherein the second stratum has different properties that the first stratum, wherein the tissue layer grows around the at least one reinforcing structure in such a manner as to completely surround the at least one reinforcing structure, thereby forming a cultured leather that incorporates the at least one reinforcing structure;
removing the cultured leather from the container apparatus; and
incorporating the cultured leather into a product.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, furniture, and bags.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the support element and the at least one reinforcing structure are configured such that the at least one reinforcing structure is at least partially submerged in the culture medium.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reinforcing structure comprises a single scaffold which the cultured leather surrounds.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein-the reinforcing structure further includes a plurality of portions extending from a point in the first stratum through the third stratum and into the second stratum.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the least one reinforcing structure comprises a plurality of hollow spherical elements; the plurality of hollow spherical elements reducing the density of the cultured leather as compared to a substantially identical cultured leather that does not include any such plurality of hollow spherical elements.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing structure increases a stiffness of the cultured leather as compared to a substantially identical cultured leather that does not include any such reinforcing structure.

8. A method of manufacturing a product, the method comprising:
providing a container apparatus, the container apparatus including a culture medium therein;
depositing at least one explant onto the culture medium, the explant containing dermal cells, so that the dermal cells grow and divide to form a tissue layer, whereby various solutions are deposited at different stages to induce specific strata to form, and the tissue layer undergoes cell differentiation to form a cultured leather including a first stratum, a second stratum differing from the first stratum with respect to at least one physical property, and a third stratum disposed between the first stratum and the second stratum, wherein a reinforcing structure extends into both the first stratum and the second stratum and the reinforcing structure has (a) a first portion that extends into the third stratum such that the first portion of the reinforcing structure is parallel to both a first surface and a second surface of the third stratum, (b) a second portion that is perpendicular to the first portion of the reinforcing structure, the second portion of the reinforcing structure extending from the first portion through both the third stratum and the first stratum such that the second portion is surrounded by the third stratum and the first stratum, and (c) a third portion that is perpendicular to the first portion of the reinforcing structure, the third portion extending from the first portion through both the third stratum and the second stratum such that the third portion is surrounded by the third stratum and the second stratum; and wherein the second stratum has different properties that the first stratum,
removing the cultured leather from the container apparatus; and
incorporating the cultured leather into a product.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method further includes a step of controlling at least one of temperature, humidity, and gas composition within the container apparatus in such a manner as to promote growth of the dermal cells.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises a step of triggering a bioengineered cellular compound that stabilizes the cultured leather, thereby effectively tanning the cultured leather, prior to incorporating the cultured leather into a product.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the bioengineered cellular compound comprises tannin.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein
the step of depositing at least one explant onto the culture medium whereby the tissue layer undergoes cell differentiation to form a cultured leather includes cell differentiation to form the cultured leather having the first stratum, the second stratum, and a third stratum;
wherein each of the first stratum, the second stratum, and the third stratum differ from each other with respect to at least one property.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein
the container apparatus further includes a plurality of reinforcing structures therein;
the step of depositing at least one explant onto the culture medium so that the dermal cells grow and divide to form a tissue layer includes the tissue layer growing around the plurality of reinforcing structures in such a manner as to completely surround the plurality of reinforcing structures, thereby forming a cultured leather that incorporates the plurality of reinforcing structures; and
the plurality of reinforcing structure comprise a plurality of hollow spherical elements; the plurality of hollow spherical elements reducing the density of the cultured leather as compared to a substantially identical cultured leather that does not include any such plurality of hollow spherical elements.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein
the container apparatus further includes a support element therein;
the method further comprises a step of placing the reinforcing structure on the support element;
the step of depositing at least one explant onto the culture medium so that the dermal cells grow and divide to form a tissue layer includes the tissue layer growing around the reinforcing structure in such a manner as to completely surround the reinforcing structure, thereby forming a cultured leather that incorporates the at least one reinforcing structure;
wherein the support element and the reinforcing structure

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Greene Pamela S

Classifications

• B32B2437/02

  Gloves, shoes · CPC title

• B32B9/045

  of synthetic resin · CPC title

• C14C13/02 Primary

  Manufacture of technical leather · CPC title

• B32B2601/00

  Upholstery · CPC title

• B32B2266/0278

  Polyurethane · CPC title