# US 10,441,026 B2 · Components for articles and methods of making components from embroidered beads > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,026 B2 - Document ID: US10441026B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/795,480 - Filed: 2017-10-27 - Published: 2018-07-12 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-06 - Assignees: Under Armour, Inc. - Applicants: Under Armour, Inc. - Inventors: Tom Luedecke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441026B2 ## CPC - A43B 13/04: Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre - A43B 1/00: Footwear characterised by the material - A43B 13/14: characterised by the constructive form - A43B 13/188: {Differential cushioning regions} - A43B 17/003: {characterised by the material (made of wood A43B17/12, made of sponge, rubber or plastic materials A43B17/14)} - A43B 17/14: made of sponge, rubber, or plastic materials - A43B 23/0215: {Plastics or artificial leather} - A43B 23/0255: {assembled by gluing or thermo bonding} - B29D 35/122: {Soles} - B29D 35/126: {Uppers} - B29D 35/142: {Soles} - B29D 35/146: {Uppers} - B44C 3/12: Uniting ornamental elements to structures, e.g. mosaic plates - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - B44C: PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS (processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general B05D; shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; printing processes to produce transfer pictures B41M3/12; thermographic duplication or marking methods B41M5/00); MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK (imitation of mosaic or tarsia work patterns B44F11/04); PAPERHANGING {(labels G09F; multi-step processes for making paper labels or tags B31D1/02)} ## Abstract Beads may be stitched to a substrate layer and then fused to form structures including foam midsoles, foam pads, and other foam structures. Beads may be embroidered to multiple substrate layers and then folded or stacked together to form a preform used in a mold to form a midsole. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making a component for an article, the method comprising: securing a first set of beads to a first substrate layer to form a first bead-substrate assembly; securing a second set of beads to a second substrate layer to form a second bead-substrate assembly; fusing together the beads of the first set of beads; fusing together the beads of the second set of beads; and stitching each of the beads of the first set of beads to the first bead-substrate assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising fusing together the beads of the first set of beads with the beads of the second set of beads to form a substantially solid and continuous component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first set of beads and the second set of beads are comprised of foam and wherein the component is a foam component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the component is a midsole for an article of footwear. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the component is a pad for an article of apparel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein fusing the first set of beads and fusing the second set of beads comprises heating the first bead-substrate assembly and the second bead-substrate assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein fusing the first set of beads and fusing the second set of beads comprises applying pressure to the first bead-substrate assembly and the second bead-substrate assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising dissolving one or more of the substrate layers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein stitching each of the beads of the first set of beads to the first bead-substrate assembly comprises using an embroidery machine. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising stitching a first bead of the first set of beads to the first bead-substrate assembly by inserting a stitching thread through an aperture formed in the first bead. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising stitching a first bead of the first set of beads to the first bead-substrate assembly by directly inserting a stitching thread through a thickness of the first bead. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising tipping the first bead onto its side after stitching the first bead to the first bead-substrate assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the structural properties of the beads comprising the first set of beads differ from the structural properties of the beads comprising the second set of beads. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the structural properties of the beads comprising the first set of beads are substantially similar to the structural properties of the beads comprising the second set of beads. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate layer is linked with the second substrate layer along a first peripheral edge of the first substrate layer and a second peripheral edge of the second substrate layer; and wherein the method includes folding the first substrate layer against the second substrate layer before fusing the first set of beads and the second set of beads. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate layer is separate from the second substrate layer and wherein the method includes stacking the first substrate layer over the second substrate layer before fusing the first set of beads and the second set of beads. ### Claim 17 A method of making a component for use in an article, the method comprising: securing a first set of beads to a substrate layer; securing a second set of beads to the substrate layer; fusing together the beads comprising the first set of beads and the second set of beads to form a continuous component; and stitching each of the beads of the first set of beads to the substrate layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the component comprises a portion of a sole for an article of footwear. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the beads comprising the first set of beads differ from the beads comprising the second set of beads. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the beads comprising the first set of beads are more rigid relative to the beads comprising the second set of beads. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the beads comprising the first set of beads are denser relative to the beads comprising the second set of beads. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the beads comprising the first set of beads expand to a greater degree when heated relative to the beads comprising the second set of beads. ### Claim 23 A method of making a component for use in an article, the method comprising: receiving custom input information associated with an intended wearer for the article; securing a plurality of beads to a substrate layer to form a bead-substrate assembly according to the custom input information; fusing together the plurality of beads to form the component; and stitching each of the beads of the plurality of beads to the bead-substrate assembly. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, wherein securing the plurality of beads comprises: securing a first set of beads to the substrate layer and securing a second set of beads to the substrate layer, wherein the first set of beads and the second set of beads have different material properties; and wherein the first set of beads and the second set of beads are arranged along the substrate layer according to the custom input information. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, further comprising securing another plurality of beads to another substrate layer to form another bead-substrate assembly, and stacking the bead-substrate assembly and the another bead-substrate assembly. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method according to claim 25, further comprising fusing the plurality of beads and the another plurality of beads together after stacking the bead-substrate assembly with the another bead-substrate assembly. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, wherein the component comprises a portion of a sole for an article of footwear. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, wherein securing the plurality of beads comprises: securing a first set of beads to the substrate layer and securing a second set of beads to the substrate layer, wherein the first set of beads and the second set of beads have substantially similar material properties; and wherein the first set of beads and the second set of beads are arranged along the substrate layer according to the custom input information. ### Claim 29 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein fusing the first set of beads and fusing the second set of beads comprises applying heat and/or pressure to the substrate layer.