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US 2011/0078922 A1Published application
Thermoforming upper process with reinforcement
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsSergio Cavaliere, Matteo Tessaro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear is provided and includes an upper having a medial side and a lateral side simultaneously formed from a single sheet of material in a thermoforming mold. The medial side and lateral side are joined to each other such that a joint between the medial side and the lateral side extends continuously from a heel portion of the upper to a toe portion of the upper.
Claims30
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper including a medial side and a lateral side simultaneously formed from a single sheet of material in a thermoforming mold and joined to each other such that a joint between said medial side and said lateral side extends continuously from a heel portion of said upper to a toe portion of said upper.
An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
- a medial portion including a first heel portion, a first bottom portion, and a first toe portion formed from a sheet of material in a thermoforming mold;
- and
- a lateral portion including a second heel portion, a second bottom portion, and a second toe portion formed from said sheet of material in said thermoforming mold, said lateral portion joined to said medial portion to attach said first heel portion to said second heel portion, said first bottom portion to said second bottom portion, and said first toe portion to said second toe portion.
A method of manufacturing an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising:
- providing a sheet of material;
- forming said sheet into a medial portion of the upper in a thermoforming mold;
- forming said sheet into a lateral portion of the upper in a thermoforming mold;
- separating said medial portion from said sheet;
- separating said lateral portion from said sheet;
- and
- attaching said medial portion to said lateral portion along a joint extending from a heel portion to a toe portion of said attached medial and lateral portions.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.