# US 8,245,378 B2 · Method and apparatus for manufacturing components used for the manufacture of articles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,245,378 B2 - Document ID: US8245378B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/854,830 - Filed: 2007-09-13 - Published: 2009-03-19 - Granted: 2012-08-21 - Earliest claimed: 2007-09-13 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Anthony Carl Dean - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8245378B2 ## CPC - B29C 33/3842: {Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining} - B29C 33/046: {using gas} - B29C 33/306: {Exchangeable mould parts, e.g. cassette moulds, mould inserts (moulds with exchangeable mould parts for injection moulding B29C45/2673; mounting of exchangeable mould inserts for injection moulding B29C45/2675)} - B29C 33/3835: {Designing moulds, e.g. using CAD-CAM} - B29C 43/02: of articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles {(B29C35/0227 takes precedence)} - B29C 43/52: Heating or cooling - B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] - B29C 64/124: using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified - B29C 64/153: using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting - B29D 35/122: {Soles} - B29D 35/128: {Moulds or apparatus therefor} - B29L 2031/50: Footwear, e.g. shoes or parts thereof - B29L 2031/743: {Jewellery} - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - Y10T 29/49947: by applying separate fastener - Y10T 29/49963: Threaded fastener - Y10T 29/4998: Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing components used in the manufacture of wearable articles are presented. Some of the methods of manufacturing a mold and the apparatuses themselves include, among other features, forming a plate having a mold insert. The mold insert is removably connected to the plate and is formed using a rapid prototyping technique. In addition, methods for manufacturing wearable articles are presented. The methods generally including forming a mold, including a mold insert formed using a rapid prototyping technique. In addition, the methods include performing the steps of a molding operation on the mold. The molding operation may include any of several known molding operations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacture of a mold, comprising: forming a first plate from a first material, the first plate having a generally planar surface against which an article may be formed; forming a mold insert using a rapid prototyping technique, the mold insert being formed of a second material different from the first material; forming a second plate having a generally planar portion and at least one aperture formed in the generally planar portion, the aperture configured to receive the mold insert and the generally planar portion of the second plate configured to contact the generally planar surface of the first plate during a molding operation; and engaging the first plate with the second plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including removably connecting the mold insert to the second plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further including connecting the mold insert to the second plate using at least one of screws and bolts. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the mold insert further includes forming the mold insert having a uniform wall thickness. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first material is at least one of aluminum and steel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second material is one of nylon, aluminum filled nylon and glass filled nylon. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mold insert is formed of a material able to withstand processing at 300-350° F. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mold insert is formed of a material able to withstand processing at between 5 and 20 tons. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the rapid prototyping technique is one of laser sintering, stereolithography, and fused deposition modeling. ### Claim 10 A method of manufacture of a mold, comprising: forming a first plate, including forming a planar region and an aperture configured to receive a first mold insert; forming the first mold insert and removably connecting the first mold insert to the first plate, forming the first mold insert including forming a first cavity region in the first mold insert in which at least a portion of a molded article is formed; forming a second plate, the second plate being generally planar and providing a surface against which the at least a portion of the molded article is formed; forming a third plate, including forming an aperture in the third plate configured for receiving a second mold insert, the third plate being located between the first plate and the second plate; and forming the second mold insert and removably connecting the second mold insert to the third plate forming the second mold insert including forming a second cavity region in the second mold insert in which the at least a portion of the molded article is formed; and wherein the first and second mold inserts are formed using a rapid prototyping technique. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the rapid prototyping technique is one of laser sintering, stereolithography and fused deposition modeling. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein forming the first and second mold inserts includes selectively fusing together layers of a powder material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the powder material is one of nylon, aluminum filled nylon and glass filled nylon. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein forming the first and second mold inserts includes forming a pattern to be molded onto an exterior surface of the molded article. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein forming the first and second mold inserts includes forming a texture to be molded onto an exterior surface of the molded article. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein forming the first and second mold inserts including forming the mold inserts having a uniform wall thickness. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of manufacture of a mold of claim 1, wherein forming the mold insert using a rapid prototyping technique includes embedding a heating element in the mold insert. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of manufacture of a mold of claim 10, wherein forming the first, second and third plates includes hingedly connecting the first, second and third plates. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first, second and third plates are arranged substantially parallel to each other and aligned with each other during a molding operation.