Methods for manufacturing cushioning elements for sports apparel
Assigneeadidas AG
InventorsAngus Wardlaw, Gerd Rainer Manz, Tru Huu Minh Le, Warren Freeman
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Abstract
Methods for manufacturing cushioning elements for sports apparel are described. A method is provided for manufacturing a cushioning element for sports apparel from randomly arranged particles of an expanded material. The method includes positioning a functional element within a mold and loading the mold with the particles of the expanded material, wherein the loading occurs through at least two openings within the mold and/or wherein the loading occurs between different movable parts of the mold.
Claims20
A method for manufacturing a cushioning element for sports apparel from randomly arranged particles of an expanded material, comprising
- (a) loading a mold with the particles of an expanded material,
- (b) wherein the particles are treated with steam within the mold.
A method for manufacturing a cushioning element for sports apparel from randomly arranged particles of an expanded material, comprising
- (a) loading a mold with the particles of an expanded material,
- (b) wherein the particles are loaded into the mold under pressure;
- and
- (c) treating the particles with steam within the mold.
A method for manufacturing a cushioning element for sports apparel from randomly arranged particles of an expanded material, comprising
- (a) loading a mold with the particles of an expanded material, and
- (b) heating at least a part of the wall of the mold to a temperature to cause the particles of the expanded material adjacent to the at least a part of the wall of the mold to melt either partially or entirely.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.