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US 11,612,210 B2Granted
Methods for compression molding foam articles
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsRainer Malinowski, Joseph Thomas Muth, Christian Alexander Steinbeck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Compression molded foam articles are provided having a closed cell foam structure comprising a plurality of cells having an anisotropic cell shape. The disclosed compression molded foam articles can be used as components or parts of a variety of articles, including articles of footwear and athletic equipment. Methods are disclosed for making the disclosed compression molded foam articles from a foamed preform having an elastomeric closed cell foam with substantially isotropic cell shape. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.
Claims19
A method of preparing a midsole, comprising:
- arranging a preform in a compression mold;
- wherein the preform comprises a polymeric foam material having a closed cell foam structure;
- wherein the preform is associated with a preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis such that each axis is perpendicular to the other two;
- wherein the preform has a preform longitudinal dimension parallel to the preform y-axis of a preform x-y plane;
- wherein the preform z-axis is parallel to a direction of compression applied to the compression mold;
- wherein the preform has a preform height that is a dimension parallel to the preform z-axis;
- wherein the preform has an initial preform height equal to the preform height prior to compression molding;
- wherein the preform has a preform area comprising an area of the preform x-y plane;
- and
- wherein the preform has an initial preform area that is the preform area prior to compression molding;
- wherein the compression mold comprises a mold cavity;
- and wherein the mold cavity is associated with a mold cavity x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis such that each axis is perpendicular to the other two;
- wherein the mold cavity has a mold cavity longitudinal dimension parallel to the mold cavity y-axis of a mold cavity x-y plane;
- wherein the mold cavity z-axis is parallel to the direction of compression applied to the compression mold;
- wherein the mold cavity has a mold cavity height that is a dimension parallel to the preform z-axis when the mold is closed;
- wherein the mold cavity has a mold cavity area corresponding to an area of a mold cavity bottom;
- and
- wherein the mold cavity bottom is a mold cavity x-y plane opposite a mold cavity opening;
- wherein the initial preform area is less than about 75 percent the mold cavity area;
- wherein the arranging comprises aligning the preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis with the mold cavity x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis;
- and
- wherein the initial preform height is from about 1.1- to about 5-fold greater than the mold cavity height;
- closing the compression mold and compressing the preform into a closed mold cavity;
- applying heat, pressure, or a combination of both to the closed mold cavity for a duration of time to:
- (a) alter at least one preform dimension along the preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis;
- and
- (b) alter the closed cell foam structure to a closed cell foam structure having a greater proportion of anisotropic cell shapes, thereby forming a compression molded foam article;
- opening the compression mold after the at least one preform dimension in the preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis and the closed cell foam structure are altered;
- removing the compression molded foam article from the compression mold;
- wherein the compression molded foam article retains dimensions of the closed mold cavity within about plus or minus 50 percent;
- and
- wherein the compression molded foam article has the closed cell foam structure having a greater proportion of closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes as compared to the preform, or having substantially the same proportion of closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes as compared to the preform, where an average aspect ratio of the proportion of the closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes is greater as compared to the preform, or both the proportion and the average aspect ratio of closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes are greater in the closed cell foam structure of the compression molded foam article as compared to the close call foam structure of the preform.
29 more elements
A method of preparing a midsole, comprising:
- arranging a preform in a compression mold;
- wherein the preform comprises a polymeric material having a closed cell foam structure;
- wherein the preform is associated with a preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis such that each axis is perpendicular to the other two;
- wherein the preform has a preform longitudinal dimension parallel to the preform y-axis of a preform x-y plane;
- wherein the preform z-axis is parallel to a direction of compression applied to the compression mold;
- wherein the preform has a plurality of initial preform widths;
- wherein each initial preform width of the plurality of initial preform widths is designated as IPWi;
- wherein i is an integer having a value of 1 to 100;
- and
- wherein each IPWi has a dimension parallel to the preform x-axis of the preform x-y plane at a position, Yi, along the preform longitudinal dimension prior to compression molding;
- wherein the preform has a preform height;
- wherein the preform height is a dimension parallel to the preform z-axis;
- and
- wherein an initial preform height is the preform height prior to compression molding;
- wherein the compression mold comprises a mold cavity associated with a mold cavity x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis such that each axis is perpendicular to the other two;
- wherein the mold cavity has a longitudinal dimension parallel to the mold cavity y-axis of a mold cavity x-y plane;
- wherein the mold cavity z-axis is parallel to the direction of compression applied to the compression mold;
- wherein the mold cavity has a plurality of mold cavity widths;
- wherein each mold cavity width of the plurality of mold cavity widths is designated as CWj;
- wherein j is an integer having a value of 1 to 100;
- wherein each CWj has a dimension parallel to the mold cavity x-axis of the mold cavity x-y plane of the preform at a position, Pj, along the mold cavity longitudinal dimension;
- wherein the mold cavity has a mold cavity height that is a dimension parallel to the preform z-axis when the mold is closed;
- wherein the arranging comprises aligning the preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis with the mold cavity x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis;
- wherein each Pi is associated with a corresponding position of the preform longitudinal dimension when the preform y-axis and the mold cavity y-axis are aligned;
- wherein the initial preform height is from about 1.1- to about 5-fold greater than the mold cavity height;
- wherein the preform and the mold cavity are associated with a plurality of mold gaps;
- wherein each mold gap of the plurality of mold gaps is designated as MGk;
- wherein k is an integer having a value of 1 to 100;
- wherein each MGk is obtained from the following equation:
- M
-
- G
- k
- =
- C
-
- W
- j
- -
- I
-
- P
-
- W
- i
- C
-
- W
- j
- and wherein each mold gap is independently from about 0.200 to about 0.7;
- closing the compression mold and compressing the preform into a closed mold cavity;
- applying heat, pressure, or a combination of both to the closed mold cavity for a duration of time to:
- (a) alter at least one preform dimension along the preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis;
- and
- (b) alter the closed cell foam structure of the preform to a closed cell foam structure having a greater proportion of anisotropic cell shapes, thereby forming a compression molded foam article;
- opening the compression mold after the at least one preform dimension in the preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis and the closed cell foam structure are altered;
- removing the compression molded foam article from the compression mold;
- wherein the compression molded foam article retains dimensions of the closed mold cavity within about plus or minus 50 percent;
- and
- wherein the compression molded foam article has the closed cell foam structure having a greater proportion of closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes as compared to the preform, or having substantially the same proportion of closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes as compared to the preform, where an average aspect ratio of the proportion of the closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes is greater as compared to the preform, or both the proportion and the average aspect ratio of closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes are greater in the closed cell foam structure of the compression molded foam article as compared to the closed cell foam structure of the preform.
57 more elements
A method of preparing a midsole, comprising:
- arranging a preform in a compression mold;
- wherein the preform comprises a polymeric material having a closed cell foam structure;
- wherein the preform is associated with a preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis such that each axis is perpendicular to the other two;
- wherein the preform has a preform longitudinal dimension parallel to the preform y-axis of a preform x-y plane;
- wherein the preform z-axis is parallel to a direction of compression applied to the compression mold;
- wherein the preform has a preform height that is a dimension parallel to the preform z-axis;
- wherein the preform has an initial preform height equal to the preform height prior to compression molding;
- wherein the preform has a preform volume;
- and
- wherein the preform has an initial preform volume that is the preform volume prior to compression molding;
- wherein the compression mold comprises a mold cavity;
- and wherein the mold cavity is associated with a mold cavity x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis such that each axis is perpendicular to the other two;
- wherein the mold cavity has a longitudinal dimension parallel to the mold cavity y-axis of a mold cavity x-y plane;
- wherein the mold cavity z-axis is parallel to the direction of compression applied to the compression mold;
- wherein the mold cavity has a mold cavity height that is a dimension parallel to the preform z-axis when the mold is closed;
- wherein the mold cavity has a mold cavity volume associated with the mold when it is closed;
- wherein the arranging comprises aligning the preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis with the mold cavity x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis;
- wherein the initial preform height is from about 1.1- to about 5-fold greater than the mold cavity height;
- wherein less than about 75 percent of the mold cavity volume is occupied by the preform;
- and
- wherein at least 30 percent of the initial preform volume is positioned outside the mold cavity;
- closing the compression mold and compressing the preform into a closed mold cavity;
- applying heat, pressure, or a combination of both to the closed mold cavity for a duration of time to:
- (a) alter at least one preform dimension along the preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis;
- and
- (b) alter the closed cell foam structure of the preform to a closed cell foam structure having a greater proportion of anisotropic cell shapes, thereby forming a compression molded foam article;
- opening the compression mold after the at least one preform dimension in the preform x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis and the closed cell foam structure are altered;
- removing the compression molded foam article from the compression mold;
- wherein the compression molded foam article retains dimensions of the closed mold cavity within about plus or minus 50 percent;
- and
- wherein the compression molded foam article has the closed cell foam structure having a greater proportion of closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes as compared to the preform, or having substantially the same proportion of closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes as compared to the preform, where an average aspect ratio of the proportion of the closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes is greater as compared to the preform, or both the proportion and the average aspect ratio of closed cells with the anisotropic cell shapes are greater in the closed cell foam structure of the compression molded foam article as compared to the closed cell foam structure of the preform.
28 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.