Cushioning elements for apparel and other products and methods of manufacturing the cushioning elements
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorDavid Turner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for manufacturing the cushioning elements may include utilizing a die with a plurality of die elements positioned in a particular arrangement. A polymer material, which may be a polymer foam material, is located between the die and an extractor. The polymer material is compressed between the die and the extractor, and the die elements cut the polymer material to form a plurality of pad components, which are arranged like the die elements. The die and the extractor are separated, and the pad components are secured to the extractor in the arrangement of the die elements. Additionally, the pad components are bonded to at least one material layer such that the pad components remain in the arrangement of the die elements.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a cushioning element, the method comprising:
- providing a die and an extractor, the die having a plurality of die elements, and the extractor including a plurality of pins and an extractor sheet, the pins extending through apertures in the extractor sheet;
- locating a polymer material between the die and the extractor;
- compressing the polymer material between the die and the extractor, the die elements cutting the polymer material to form a plurality of pad components, and the pins extending into the pad components;
- separating the die and the extractor, the pad components being secured to the pins;
- compressing the pad components against a first material layer with the extractor to bond the pad components to the first material layer;
- separating the extractor sheet from the pins to push the pad components from the extractor;
- and
- compressing the pad components against a second material layer to bond the pad components to the second material layer.
A method of manufacturing a cushioning element, the method comprising:
- providing a die and an extractor, the die having a plurality of die elements, and the extractor including a plurality of pins and an extractor sheet, the pins extending through apertures in the extractor sheet;
- locating a polymer material between the die and the extractor;
- compressing the polymer material between the die and the extractor, the die elements cutting the polymer material to form a plurality of pad components, and the pins extending into the pad components;
- separating the die and the extractor, the pad components being secured to the pins;
- compressing the pad components against a first material layer with the extractor to bond the pad components to the first material layer;
- separating the extractor sheet from the pins to push the pad components from the extractor;
- separating the extractor sheet and the pad components;
- positioning a second material layer against the pad components;
- and
- compressing the pad components against the second material layer to bond the pad components to the second material layer.
A method of manufacturing a cushioning element, the method comprising:
- providing a die and an extractor, the die having a plurality of die elements, and the extractor including a plurality of pins and an extractor sheet, the pins extending through apertures in the extractor sheet;
- locating a polymer material between the die and the extractor;
- compressing the polymer material between the die and the extractor, the die elements cutting the polymer material to form a plurality of pad components, and the pins extending into the pad components;
- separating the die and the extractor, the pad components being secured to the pins;
- positioning the extractor proximate a heating plate so that the pad components are disposed between the extractor and the heating plate;
- placing a first material layer between the pad components and the heating plate;
- compressing the pad components against a first material layer with the extractor to bond the pad components to the first material layer;
- separating the extractor sheet from the pins to push the pad components from the extractor;
- separating the extractor sheet and the pad components;
- positioning a second material layer against the pad components;
- and
- compressing the pad components against the second material layer to bond the pad components to the second material layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.