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US 2015/0305448 A1Published application
Method of Vacuum Forming A Footwear Upper
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsSergio Cavaliere, Giovanni Adami
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making an article of footwear may include applying an environmental pressure differential across a sheet of upper material to conform the sheet of upper material to a portion of a footwear last, thereby forming at least a portion of an upper of the article of footwear. In addition, the method may include assembling the article of footwear including fixedly attaching the upper of the article of footwear to a sole structure.
Claims20
A method of making an article of footwear, comprising:
- applying an environmental pressure differential across a sheet of upper material to conform the sheet of upper material to a portion of a footwear last, thereby forming at least a portion of an upper of the article of footwear;
- and
- assembling the article of footwear including fixedly attaching the upper of the article of footwear to a sole structure.
A method of making an article of footwear, comprising:
- positioning a sheet of upper material within a chamber, the sheet dividing the chamber into a first compartment on a first side of the sheet and a second compartment on a second side of the sheet;
- positioning at least a portion of a footwear last in the first compartment on the first side of the sheet of upper material;
- applying an environmental pressure differential across the sheet of upper material wherein a first environmental pressure in the first compartment is lower than a second environmental pressure in the second compartment;
- wherein the environmental pressure differential draws the sheet of upper material against the footwear last thereby forming at least a portion of an upper of the article of footwear;
- and
- assembling the article of footwear including fixedly attaching the upper of the article of footwear to a sole structure.
3 more elements
A method of making an article of footwear, comprising:
- positioning a sheet of upper material within a chamber, the sheet dividing the chamber into a first compartment on a first side of the sheet and a second compartment on a second side of the sheet;
- positioning at least a portion of a footwear last in the first compartment on the first side of the sheet of upper material;
- applying an environmental pressure differential across the sheet of upper material wherein a first environmental pressure in the first compartment is lower than a second environmental pressure in the second compartment;
- wherein the sheet has a first surface on the first side of the sheet and a second surface on a second side of the sheet;
- wherein gases under the second environmental pressure exert force against the entire second surface of the sheet within the first compartment, thereby pressing the first side of the sheet against the footwear last thereby conforming a portion of the sheet to the surface of the footwear last to form at least a portion of an upper of the article of footwear;
- and
- assembling the article of footwear including fixedly attaching the upper of the article of footwear to a sole structure.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.