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US 9,668,544 B2Granted
Last system for articles with braided components
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsRobert M. Bruce, Eun Kyung Lee, Craig K. Sills
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A last system and a method of making the last system are disclosed. The last system includes a last member and an exterior layer. The exterior layer becomes deformable when heated above a characteristic temperature. The method can include forming a braided footwear component on the last system. The exterior layer may be joined with the braided footwear component by heating the last system above the characteristic temperature.
Claims13
A method of making an upper for an article of footwear, comprising:
- providing a last member, the last member having an outer surface;
- forming an exterior layer of a heat deformable material onto the outer surface of the last member;
- forming a braided footwear component onto the exterior layer;
- heating the exterior layer so that the exterior layer is joined with the braided footwear component to form a composite structure;
- and
- removing the last member from the composite structure.
3 more elements
A method of making an upper for an article of footwear, comprising:
- providing a last member, the last member having an outer surface;
- forming a first region of an exterior layer onto the outer surface of the last member, wherein the first region has a first thickness and wherein the exterior layer is comprised of a heat deformable material;
- forming a second region of the exterior layer onto the outer surface of the last member, wherein the second region has a second thickness that is different from the first thickness;
- forming a braided footwear component onto the exterior layer;
- heating the exterior layer so that the exterior layer is joined with the braided footwear component to form a composite structure;
- and
- removing the last member from the composite structure.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.