Foamed sole components and method for making a sole with foamed sole components
AssigneeSkechers U.S.A., Inc. II
InventorsKurt Stockbridge, Chih Hsiang Hsu, Anthony Dean
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Abstract
A sole for footwear and a method of manufacturing them comprising at least one polymeric foam expanded through supercritical fluid (SCF). The polymeric foam may have a plurality of holes or cavities introduced into the first surface of the polymer material prior to supercritical fluid expansion, wherein a relative proportion of the plurality of holes or cavities increases with a thickness of the polymer material. A portion of the polymeric foam having at least one hole or cavity may be translucent.
Claims23
A sole for footwear comprising:
- a. a foam comprising a polymer material expanded by a supercritical fluid (SCF);
- b. the foam comprising a first surface and a second surface wherein the first surface is opposite of the second surface;
- and
- c. the foam having a plurality of holes or cavities introduced into the first surface of the polymer material prior to supercritical fluid expansion, wherein a relative proportion of the plurality of holes or cavities increases with a thickness of the polymer material.
A sole for footwear comprising:
- a. a foam comprising a polymer material expanded by a supercritical fluid (SCF) to form the foam;
- b. the foam comprising a first surface and a second surface wherein the first surface is opposite of the second surface;
- c. the foam comprising a plurality of holes or cavities introduced into the first surface prior to the expansion by the SCF, wherein a relative proportion of the plurality of holes or cavities increases with a thickness of the polymer material;
- and
- d. the foam having density range of 0.14 to 0.16 g/cm3 and resiliency range of 60-66% (ASTM D-2632).
A sole for footwear comprising:
- a. a foam comprising polymer material expanded by supercritical fluid (SCF) to form the foam;
- b. the foam comprising a first surface and a second surface wherein the first surface is opposite of the second surface;
- c. the foam having a plurality of holes or cavities introduced into the first surface of the polymer material prior to supercritical fluid expansion, wherein a relative proportion of the plurality of holes or cavities increases with a thickness of the polymer material;
- d. wherein the plurality of holes or cavities have an opening with an area between 3 mm2 to 7 mm2;
- and
- e. wherein at least a portion of the foam having the plurality of holes or cavities is translucent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.