# US 8,464,383 B2 · Fabric-earing outsoles, shoes bearing such outsoles and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,383 B2 - Document ID: US8464383B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/689,750 - Filed: 2010-01-19 - Published: 2011-07-21 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2010-01-19 - Assignees: Calson Investment Limited - Applicants: Tsoi Wing Sing - Inventors: Tsoi Wing Sing - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464383B2 ## CPC - B29D 35/10: having preformed soles or heels joined on to preformed uppers using a moulding technique, e.g. by feeding or injecting plastics material between the parts to be joined - A43B 13/122: {characterised by the outsole or external layer} - B29D 35/142: {Soles} - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract A method for making a shoe outsole comprises placing rubber against a coating of cured rubber cement on a segment of fabric, heating the rubber to a temperature below the melting points of the cured rubber cement and the rubber, but high enough to render the cured rubber cement and the rubber tackily adherent to each other and vulcanizing the rubber, thereby to adhere the segment of fabric to the rubber, and cooling the vulcanized rubber to form an outsole having an exposed ground-contacting surface that includes the segment of fabric. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for making a shoe, comprising: (a) forming a shoe outsole, comprising acquiring a segment of fabric bearing a coating of cured rubber cement, placing rubber against the coating of cured rubber cement, heating the rubber to a temperature below the melting points of the cured rubber cement and the thermoplastic rubber, but high enough to render the cured rubber cement and the thermoplastic rubber tackily adherent to each other and vulcanizing the rubber, thereby to adhere the segment of fabric to the rubber, and cooling the vulcanized rubber to form an outsole having an exposed ground-contacting surface that includes the segment of fabric, and (b) attaching a shoe upper the outsole. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the shoe upper is attached to the outsole by first attaching it temporarily with rubber cement, wrapping rubber foxing around the upper and the outsole where they meet to form a wrapped upper and outsole combination, and subjecting the combination to vulcanization whereby a rubber layer on the bottom of the upper, the rubber of the outsole and the foxing are all vulcanized, thereby molding them together such that the rubber from the bottom of the upper impregnates the rubber of the outsole and vice versa to form a shoe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising preparing the segment of fabric coated with cured rubber cement by coating a sheet of fabric with rubber cement, allowing the rubber cement to cure to form a coated fabric sheet, and cutting the coated fabric sheet to form the segment of fabric. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the rubber cement comprises natural rubber. ### Claim 5 A method of making a shoe comprising: coating a side of a sheet of fabric with rubber cement; allowing the rubber cement to cure and form a coated fabric sheet; positioning the coated fabric sheet inside a mold with the rubber cement coated side up; inserting rubber into the mold on top of the coated fabric sheet inside the mold; vulcanizing the rubber and the coated fabric sheet inside the mold and forming a resultant outsole; cooling in the outsole and removing the outsole from the mold; and, attaching a shoe upper to the outsole. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: sizing and shaping the sheet of fabric for positioning inside the mold prior to coating the side of the sheet of fabric with rubber cement. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: sizing and shaping the sheet of fabric for positioning inside the mold after coating the side of the sheet of fabric with rubber cement and after allowing the rubber cement to cure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method claim 5, further comprising: the sheet of fabric being one of a plurality of sheets of fabric; coating sides of the plurality of sheets of fabric with rubber cement; allowing the rubber cement to cure and forming a plurality of coated fabric sheets; positioning the plurality of coated fabric sheets inside the mold with the rubber cement coated sides up; inserting rubber into the mold on top of the plurality of coated fabric sheets; and, vulcanizing the rubber and the plurality of coated fabric sheets inside the mold to form the outsole. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method claim 5, further comprising: adhering a mesh sheet onto a side of the coated fabric sheet opposite the rubber cement coated side such that the fabric sheet is sandwiched between the rubber cement and the mesh. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: allowing the rubber cement to continue to cure after positioning the coated fabric sheet inside the mold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: the outsole comprising an exposed ground-contacting surface of more than 50% fabric and less than 50% vulcanized rubber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: the outsole comprising an exposed ground-contacting surface of 51% to 55% fabric and 49% to 45% vulcanized rubber, respectively. ### Claim 13 A method of making a shoe comprising: providing a sheet of fabric; applying a rubber cement to one side of the sheet of fabric that is opposite a fabric side of the sheet fabric; allowing the rubber cement applied to the one side of the sheet of fabric to seep into the one side of the sheet of fabric and leave a coating of the rubber cement on the one side of the sheet of fabric that is opposite the fabric side of the sheet of fabric; allowing the coating of the rubber cement on the one side of the sheet of fabric to cure and form a coated fabric sheet with a cured rubber cement coating on the one side of the coated fabric sheet; positioning the coated fabric sheet in a mold with the cured rubber cement coating on the one side of the coated fabric sheet exposed in the mold and the opposite fabric side of the coated fabric sheet lying against a bottom surface of the mold; inserting rubber into the mold on top of the cured rubber cement coating on one side of the coated fabric sheet; vulcanizing the rubber and the coated fabric sheet inside the mold and forming a shoe outsole; cooling the shoe outsole and removing the shoe outsole from the mold with the outsole comprising an exposed ground-contacting surface of fabric and vulcanized rubber; and, attaching a shoe upper to the outsole. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: sizing and shaping the sheet of fabric for positioning inside the mold prior to applying the rubber cement to the one side of the sheet of fabric. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: sizing and shaping the sheet of fabric for positioning inside the mold after applying the rubber cement to the one side of the sheet of fabric and after allowing the rubber cement to cure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method claim 13, further comprising: the sheet of fabric being one of a plurality of sheets of fabric; coating sides of the plurality of sheets of fabric with rubber cement; allowing the rubber cement to cure and forming a plurality of coated fabric sheets; positioning the plurality of coated fabric sheets inside the mold with the rubber cement coated sides up; inserting rubber into the mold on top of the plurality of coated fabric sheets; and, vulcanizing the rubber and the plurality of coated fabric sheets inside the mold to form the outsole. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method claim 13, further comprising: adhering a mesh sheet onto the fabric side of the sheet of fabric such that the sheet of fabric is sandwiched between the rubber cement and the mesh. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: allowing the rubber cement to continue to cure after positioning the coated fabric sheet inside the mold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: the outsole comprising an exposed ground-contacting surface of more than 50% fabric and less than 50% vulcanized rubber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: the outsole comprising an exposed ground-contacting surface of 51% to 55% fabric and 49% to 45% vulcanized rubber, respectively.