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US 8,302,233 B2Granted
Method of making an article of footwear and apparatus
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey C. Spanks, Thomas Foxen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making a sole for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes steps of attaching a double sided acrylic adhesive film to a composite plate. The composite plate is then attached to an outer member of the article of footwear using the acrylic adhesive film.
Claims25
A method of making a sole for an article of footwear, comprising:
- manufacturing a composite plate by forming a laminate by bonding a first side of a first adhesive film to a first side of a composite sheet and bonding a first side of a second adhesive film to a second side of the composite sheet, wherein the laminate includes a first protective layer on a side of the first adhesive film opposite to the composite sheet and a second protective layer on a side of the second adhesive film opposite to the composite sheet;
- after manufacturing the composite plate, removing the first protective layer from the first adhesive film, and with the first protective layer removed, attaching the composite plate to a first portion of an upper surface of an outer-sole using the first adhesive film, leaving a remaining portion of the upper surface of the outer-sole exposed;
- thereby fixedly attaching the composite plate to the first portion of the upper surface of the outer-sole via the first adhesive film;
- applying a midsole-to-outer-sole adhesive to the exposed remaining portion of the upper surface while keeping the second protective layer on the second adhesive film, wherein the midsole-to-outer-sole adhesive is different from the second adhesive film;
- removing the second protective layer from the second adhesive film;
- attaching a first portion of a lower surface of a midsole to the composite plate via the second adhesive film;
- and
- attaching a second portion of the lower surface of the midsole to the exposed remaining portion of the upper surface of the outer-sole via the midsole-to-outer-sole adhesive.
5 more elements
A method of making a sole for an article of footwear, comprising:
- applying a first adhesive film to a top portion of a composite sheet, the first adhesive film comprising a double sided adhesive film, to form a composite plate including the composite sheet and the first adhesive film;
- associating the first adhesive film with a first portion of a lower surface of a midsole, leaving a remaining portion of the lower surface of the midsole;
- applying the first adhesive film to the first portion of the lower surface;
- thereby fixedly attaching the composite plate to the midsole via the first adhesive film, with the remaining portion of the lower surface of the midsole devoid of the first adhesive film;
- attaching a first portion of an upper surface of an outer-sole to the composite plate via a second adhesive film;
- and
- attaching a second portion of the upper surface of the outer-sole to the remaining portion of the lower surface of the midsole via a midsole-to-outer-sole adhesive different from the second adhesive film.
4 more elements
A method of making a sole for an article of footwear, the sole having a length and a width, and the method comprising:
- forming a composite plate by
- layering a first side of a first adhesive film adjacent to a first side of a composite sheet,
- layering a first protective layer on a second side of the first adhesive film opposite the first side of the adhesive film,
- layering a second adhesive film adjacent to a second side of the composite sheet opposite the first side of the composite sheet, and
- layering a second protective layer on a second side of the second adhesive film opposite the first side of the second adhesive film,
- wherein the composite plate has a length that is less than the length of the sole, and has a width that is less than the width of the sole;
- removing the first protective layer;
- associating the second side of the first adhesive film with an injection mold, wherein the second side of the first adhesive film of the composite plate serves as a molding wall corresponding to a first portion of an upper surface of an outer-sole, and wherein another wall of the injection mold serves as a molding wall corresponding to a remaining portion of the upper surface of the outer-sole;
- forming an outer-sole in the injection mold through an injection molding process, the outer-sole being formed in the injection mold in such a way that the second side of the first adhesive film is permanently bonded with the outer-sole;
- removing the outer-sole with bonded composite plate from the injection mold;
- applying a midsole-to-outer-sole adhesive to the remaining portion of the upper surface of the outer-sole, wherein the midsole-to-outer-sole adhesive is different from the second adhesive film;
- removing the second protective layer;
- and
- bonding a midsole to the outer-sole by fixedly attaching the second side of the second adhesive film to a first portion of a lower surface of the midsole and attaching the remaining portion of the upper surface of the outer-sole to a second portion of the lower surface of the midsole via the midsole-to-outer-sole adhesive.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.