US 2026/0200145 A1 · SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR

Abstract

A preformed component for a foam structure includes one or more polymer sheets having first unit cells that are repeatedly oriented to define a first pattern along a first region. The first unit cells are connected by a plurality of ridges and a plurality of grooves to provide deformation in a first direction and second unit cells that are repeatedly oriented to define a second pattern along a second region. The second unit cells are connected by a plurality of ridges and a plurality of grooves to provide deformation in a second direction. When the preformed component is foamed, the foam structure includes a first plurality of cells having a shape substantially similar to the shape of the first unit cells and a second plurality of cells having a shape substantially similar to the shape of the second unit cells.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A method for manufacturing a foam component of a sole structure, the method comprising:

fabricating a polymer sheet to form a preformed component;
drying the polymer sheet;
slitting the polymer sheet to form one or more unit cells, the unit cells configured to provide different characteristics or behaviors along directions of the polymer sheet;
resizing the polymer sheets into proportions of the sole structure;
arranging and stacking the polymer sheets;
positioning the polymer sheets within a cavity of an autoclave;
injecting a blowing agent into the cavity of the autoclave, the blowing agent becoming a supercritical fluid that saturates the polymer sheets;
dropping a pressure within the cavity of the autoclave to trigger foaming of the polymer sheets to form the foam component;
and
removing the foam component from the autoclave.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for manufacturing an article of footwear

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for manufacturing an article of footwear

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32