Sole elements of varying density and methods of manufacture
Assigneeadidas International Marketing B.V.
InventorDaniel Eugene Norton
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Abstract
The invention relates to sole elements and methods for manufacturing sole elements for shoes, in particular for sport shoes, with a specific density distribution in a transverse and/or longitudinal direction. The methods include the steps of manufacturing a sole element preform from a polymer material with a thickness varying in the transverse and/or longitudinal direction depending on the desired density distribution and the press-forming of the sole element preform in a forming tool to form the finished sole element from the sole element preform.
Claims27
A method of manufacturing a finished sole element for a shoe, the finished sole element having a varying density distribution in at least one direction, the method comprising:
- manufacturing a sole element preform from a polymer material;
- and
- press-forming the sole element preform in a forming tool with a selective supply of heat to single sections of a surface of the tool to locally selectively expand areas of the sole element preform to form the finished sole element, wherein a resulting varying density distribution in the finished sole element substantially corresponds to the areas of selective expansion of the sole element preform.
A method of manufacturing a finished sole element for a shoe, the finished sole element having a varying density distribution in at least one direction, the method comprising:
- manufacturing a sole element preform from a polymer material with a thickness varying in the at least one direction corresponding to a desired density distribution in the finished sole element, wherein the sole element preform is manufactured with a first portion having a substantially constant thickness from a medial side of the preform, an intermediate portion with a linear decrease in thickness, and a second portion having a substantially constant thickness in a direction of a lateral side of the preform;
- and
- press-forming the sole element preform in a forming tool to form the finished sole element from the sole element preform.
A method of manufacturing a finished sole element for a shoe, the finished sole element having a varying density distribution in at least one direction, the method comprising:
- manufacturing a sole element preform from a polymer material, wherein the sole element preform is manufactured with a first portion having a substantially constant thickness from a medial side of the preform, an intermediate portion with a linear decrease in thickness, and a second portion having a substantially constant thickness in a direction of a lateral side of the preform;
- and
- press-forming the sole element preform in a forming tool with a selective supply of heat to single sections of a surface of the tool to locally selectively expand the sole element preform to form the finished sole element with the varying density distribution from the sole element preform.
A method of manufacturing a finished sole element for a shoe, the finished sole element having a varying density distribution in at least one direction, the method comprising:
- manufacturing a sole element preform from a polymer material with a thickness varying continuously along at least a portion of the preform in the at least one direction, the varying thickness corresponding to a desired density distribution in the finished sole element;
- and
- press-forming the sole element preform in a forming tool to form the finished sole element from the sole element preform, wherein a resulting varying density distribution in the finished sole element substantially corresponds to the varying thickness of the preform prior to press-forming, wherein the step of manufacturing the sole element preform comprises the step of manufacturing the preform with a first portion having a substantially constant thickness from a medial side of the preform, an intermediate portion with a linear decrease in thickness, and a second portion having a substantially constant thickness in a direction of a lateral side of the preform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.