| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 012146000 | Miscellaneous parts | 84 |
| 20090019648 | Method of Customizing an Article - A method of post customization for articles of footwear is disclosed. The method includes a step of receiving an order for a plurality of pairs of footwear, a step of manufacturing the articles, a step of receiving a set of post customization designs and a step of applying post customization designs to the articles of footwear. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090199353 | Apparatus and Method for Providing Open-Heeled Foot Apparel with Improved Heel Support - A method of manufacturing an article of foot apparel that includes a platform curved to anticipate the natural movement of a foot. The method includes forming the platform with a heel pad having a geometric center point. The method also includes connecting a retaining covering to the platform that is configured to retain a foot at the front of the platform and to allow the heel of the foot to move freely relative to the heel pad. The article of foot apparel conforms more closely to the actual physiology of the foot and allows the heel of the foot to remain centered in the heel pad when worn. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20100107346 | Method of Making an Article Comprising Links - A method of making an article comprising links is disclosed. The method includes a step of generating a link pattern according to a pre-selected portion of the article. The link pattern comprises a plurality of link indicia that correspond to plurality of links. After associating each link from the plurality of links with a link indicia from the plurality of link indicia, a plurality of threads may be threaded through the plurality of links to form a link matrix. The link matrix may be associated with the pre-selected portion of an article to make an article comprising links. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20110252581 | DEBRIS INHIBITOR FOR SHOES AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME - The invention provides debris inhibitors and inhibitor systems and methods of making same. The inhibitors and inhibitor systems of the present invention are worn over athletic or outdoor shoes to inhibit entry of debris into the athletic or outdoor shoes. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110277251 | Transparent outsole with visible artwork - An improved method of boot or shoe construction comprising a boot or shoe constructed using the traditional Goodyear welt process, a midsole comprised of leather or rubber, a transparent outsole with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side of said outsole, a heel, comprised of leather, rubber or any substantially equivalent material, and transparent heel cover with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side. Other embodiments are described and shown. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20140115795 | Protective Toe Cap for Industrial Footwear - The invention relates to a one-piece protective toe cap for safety footwear, forming a concave frame consisting of a front wall with connected side walls, the upper edges of which are joined by a concave surface along the profile of the last. The contour or edge of the flange of the toe cap is provided with a recess in order to house a tab and provide comfort, as well as improving the appearance of the footwear (not shown in these documents). The design withstands impact tests of approximately 101.7 to 146.7 Joules (10.4 to 14.95 kgf-m), leaving clearance of approximately 11 mm to 14 mm in the capped shoe and not only at the tip of the cap. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140230166 | Article of Footwear With Tongue of Varying Thickness - An article of footwear includes a tongue. The tongue includes a medial portion, a lateral portion, a central portion, a top portion and an upper perimeter portion. The medial portion and the top portion have similar thicknesses, which are greater than the thicknesses of the lateral portion, the central portion and the upper perimeter portion. The central portion is the thinnest portion of the tongue. Each portion of the tongue corresponds to a different pressure zone along a foot in order to provide differential cushioning and support against pressure applied by a fastening system. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140259462 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Tensile Element - A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber with a tensile element includes manufacturing a tensile element and incorporating the tensile element into a chamber. A first material layer, a second material layer, and a spacing structure having a plurality of support portions and a plurality of gaps may be stacked. The material layers may be located on either side of the spacing structure or on one side of the spacing structure. A strand may be stitched through the gaps to join the material layers and to form the tensile element. The spacing structure may be removed, and the first material layer may be spaced from the second material layer such that segments of the strand extend between the material layers. The tensile element may then be secured to opposite interior surfaces of an outer barrier, and the outer barrier may be pressurized to place the strand in tension. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20100275393 | METHOD OF MAKING A LASTED SKATE BOOT - A method of making a lasted skate boot comprising: (a) providing a male-female mold having male and female sections for defining a mold cavity therebetween, the male section having sides, a rear portion and a bottom portion for defining a three dimensional shape corresponding to the external three dimensional shape of the foot, the female section defining a recess for receiving the male section, the male section comprising a plurality of inner channels for admitting liquid plastic material in the mold cavity; (b) providing a pre-cut sheet made of cloth material laminated to a support made of non-woven fabric; (c) placing the sheet on the male section of the mold such that the non-woven fabric contacts the sides and rear portion of the male section of the mold; (d) closing the male and female sections of the mold; (e) injecting liquid plastic material in the inner channels such that the liquid plastic material spreads on the sheet, pushes the sheet against the recess of the female section of the mold, fills the mold cavity and fuses with the non-woven fabric to form, after cooling, an outer shell comprising a heel portion for surrounding the heel, an ankle portion for surrounding the ankle, and medial and lateral side portions for enclosing the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively; (f) opening the male and female sections of the mold; and (g) removing the outer shell from the mold. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100005602 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INSOLE - A method for manufacturing insole uses used footwear and recycled wooden articles are primary ingredients, which are pulverized to form particles of the recycled materials. The recycled wood, taking a ratio of weight of 15-35%, is uniformly mixed with matrix rubber that functions to adjust physical properties and foaming agent, and then pressed to form an insole material in a sheet form, which is deposited in a mold to be heated and pressurized for curing and setting thereby forming an insole featuring proper resilience and anti-bacteria and deodorization. The use of the insole is thus completely sanitary and comfortable and also features pollution- and nuisance-free use by repeated use in the sense of environment conservation. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20080271265 | Article of Footwear Having a Worn Appearance and Method of Making Same - An article of footwear made from new or substantially new materials is manufactured with vintage treatment processing to give the article of footwear a vintage or well-worn appearance. The article of footwear may be treated with discoloring substances, such as dyes or bleaching agents. The upper may be formed with wrinkles or a crushed heel portion, such as by using a thin or soft foam behind a polyester covering, eliminating the foam backing and/or heel cup. Further, a rubber outsole may be molded with uneven treads and/or discolored to give the rubber a degraded, worn appearance. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080301887 | SIMPLIFIED SHOE CONSTRUCTION WITH MIDSOLE HAVING OVERMOLDED INSERT - A shoe construction employs a midsole molded of flexible, resilient material around a rigid plate, where the midsole and encapsulated plate are insertable into a separately constructed outsole and shoe upper. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080313824 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method of forming an article of footwear includes the steps of providing an upper having a forefoot portion a midfoot portion a heel portion and a pocket positioned beneath the forefoot portion; placing the upper on a last; inserting a first midsole portion into the pocket; and securing an outsole assembly to the upper, the outsole assembly comprising a second midsole portion and an outsole secured to a lower surface of the second midsole portion. The second midsole portion and the outsole are visible from an exterior of the article of footwear and the first midsole portion is not visible from an exterior of the article of footwear. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090133202 | FOOTWEAR MADE BY IMPROVED PROCESS OF DRAINING STRUCTURE - Footwear is made by a process which creates a draining structure in the footwear. The footwear includes an insole that has conical through holes formed in the top and bottom sides of the insole such that the holes gradually reduce from the top side toward the bottom side. The insole is made by preparing a molten foam material and then using a hydraulic press-controlled mold to mold the molten foam material into a blank insole having a plurality of conical blind holes. Part of the blank insole is then removed to open the conical blind holes by means of the application of a cutting process, a grinding process or a punching process. An outsole is bonded to the bottom side of the insole and has a plurality of drain grooves in communication with the conical through holes for guiding water out of the insole and the outsole. An upper is provided at the top side of the insole for securing the shoe to the user's foot. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090255065 | WATER-RESISTANT AND FLOATABLE FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREFOR - A water-resistant and floatable footwear including an outsole and insole, and an upper member affixed to the sole, wherein the footwear is floatable in water. In particular, the insole of the footwear is constructed of the material “marine buoy;” that is, the insole has an inner structure and an outer coating, the inner structure being constructed of a thermoplastic resin and the outer coating being constructed of a vinyl polymer. The footwear is advantageously water-proof and provides buoyancy in water. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090265868 | Impact Attenuating Devices and Products Containing such Devices - An impact attenuating device includes both concave and convex side walls, e.g., in an interleaved arrangement, optionally at least partially surrounded by a restraining element that may help return the impact attenuating device back to its original orientation after attenuating an impact. Such impact attenuating devices may be included in pieces of footwear and/or other foot-receiving devices. Additionally, such impact attenuating devices or portions thereof may be freely selected and/or interchanged in a piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, e.g., based on one or more characteristics of an intended user and/or an intended use, so as to allow users to obtain footwear (or other devices) customized and targeted for use under a predetermined set of conditions. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100077556 | Fluid-Filled Bladder for Footwear and Other Applications - A fluid-filled structure, such as a bladder, is disclosed. The bladder has a first surface and an opposite second surface that are peripherally joined to define various edges. The bladder encloses a fluid between the first surface and the second surface. A portion of the edges may have a concave configuration, or the edges may have both concave and convex configurations. A shape of the bladder may be a tessellation pattern so that a plurality of the bladder may be efficiently. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100083449 | Midsole Element For An Article Of Footwear - An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a midsole element that defines a void, and the void may extend substantially vertically through a central area of the midsole element. The void may also extend between an upper surface and a lower surface of the midsole element to define an interior surface. A plurality of bores are also defined in the midsole element. The bores may extend substantially horizontally through the midsole element, and the bores may extend between an exterior surface of the midsole element and the void. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100139014 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CLEAT SOLE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a sole ( | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100251492 | FOOTWEAR INCORPORATING A LIGHT SOURCE AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An embodiment of the present invention is a method that includes the steps of: incorporating at least one light source in an upper part of a shoe, wherein the at least one light source that comprises at least a light emitting source that is capable of illuminating, wherein the shoe comprises: 1) the upper part, 2) at least one bonding strip, and 3) a shoe bottom sole part, assembling at least the upper part with the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form an assembled unit; and c) applying sufficient heat to vulcanize the assembled unit so as to result in securing the upper part to the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form the shoe having the at least one light source that is capable of illuminating. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100269271 | Method of Manufacturing Footwear Having Sipes - A method of manufacturing footwear including the steps of positioning a sole member on a first portion of a cutting assembly; heating a second portion of the cutting assembly, the second portion including a cutting die; pressing the heated cutting die into the sole member to form a plurality of sipes in the sole member; and removing the cutting die from the sole member. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100281630 | Article of Footwear with Mesh on Outsole and Insert - An article of footwear including a mesh disposed on the outsole and an insert of the outsole is disclosed. The outsole includes tread elements that extend farther from the outsole than the mesh, providing protection to the mesh. Additionally, the mesh on the insert preferably helps reduce hyperextension of the front of the insert and the article of footwear. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100293727 | INDIVIDUALLY FORMED FOOTWEAR AND A RELATED METHOD - Individually formed footwear such as shoes and insoles for correcting the feet position and alleviate related problems. The shoe or insole includes at least one layer made of thermoplastic material, which material is advantageously chosen from a group of ABS, PVC, A-PET and PETG. A method for providing such footwear to a client at a retail store is likewise presented. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100299850 | METHOD FOR MAKING GOODYEAR SHOE - A method for making a Goodyear shoe includes the steps of: stitching together a lower edge of an upper and a peripheral edge of an inner midsole so as to form a coupled section; placing a last into an assembly resulting from the previous step; placing an outer welt on an outer surface of the upper at the coupled section and stitching the outer welt, the upper, and the inner midsole together; placing a filler on a bottom surface of the inner midsole; bonding a thin sole to a bottom portion of an assembly that results from the previous step and stitching the thin sole to the outer welt; and bonding an outsole and performing edge-abrading. The method prevents a toe cap portion of the upper from tearing and creasing and dispenses with such steps as gripping the upper, driving wire nails, and trimming the lower edge of the upper. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20110047720 | Method of Manufacturing Sole Assembly for Article of Footwear - A method of forming a midsole includes the steps of placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another, injecting a first material into the first mold member to form first and second portions of a midsole preform, positioning the first and second portions in a third mold member of a second mold assembly; placing a second material in the third mold member; placing the third mold member and a fourth mold member in contact with one another, subjecting the second material and the first and second portions to heat to form a midsole preform, placing the midsole preform in a fifth mold member, placing the fifth mold member and a sixth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the midsole preform to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110047721 | Method of Manufacturing Midsole for Article of Footwear - A method of forming includes the steps of: placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below an ambient temperature; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; positioning the first portion of the midsole in the second recess in the third mold member of the second mold assembly; placing a second material into the second recess in contact with the first portion of the midsole; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110094046 | FORMING A SHOE COMPONENT WITH ROCKER BOTTOM - A method of forming a shoe component for an individual is provided and includes defining a footprint of the shoe component for the individual with an orientation relative to a rocker bottom of sheets that each have the rocker bottom and various thicknesses, selecting, from among the sheets, a sheet having a thickness appropriate for the individual based on the orientation of the footprint and removing a portion from the selected sheet reflective of a shape and size of a profile of the footprint. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110131739 | Contoured Fluid-Filled Chamber - A fluid-filled chamber may be incorporated into footwear and other products. The chamber is formed from a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located opposite the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of bonds are spaced inward from the sidewall surface and join the first surface and the second surface, and the bonds are distributed to form a regularly-spaced array, such as a hexagonal array. In some configurations, the first surface and the second surface may define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds. In addition, the bonds may be formed to have a slope that is an average of slopes of the first surface and the second surface in areas proximal the bonds. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110138548 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods For Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110154584 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH TUBULAR SOLE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE - An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper. The sole assembly includes a mat formed of at least one randomly dispersed extruded tubular member, each tubular member being hollow in an in-use condition in which the mat provides support for a user's foot. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20120017382 | METHOD FOR MAKING SHOES - A method for making shoes includes a first mold made of stiff material and a second mold has a concavity in which the shoe is received. The shoe includes a top portion, a connection member and an outsole, wherein the connection member and the outsole are connected to the top portion. The second mold transmits ultra-sonic thermo energy to the connection member and the outsole, so that the connection member and the outsole are properly shrank and securely matched to the top portion. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120060305 | Method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths - A method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths having acts of forming a shoe shell with a rudimentary mold assembly, ejecting the shoe shell from the rudimentary mold assembly and adjusting a width of the sole of the shoe shell before the shoe shell hardens. The sole of the shoe shell has at least one adjusting portion to allow the sole to expand or be compressed. With the acts, each size of the shoe shell needs only one rudimentary mold assembly that has complex structure and high cost to substantially form a basic shape of the shoe shell and multiple shaping molds of different widths that have simple structure and low cost are prepared to further adjust widths of the shoe shell. Consequently, total cost for manufacturing the shoe shell with different widths is effectively lowered. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120137449 | Method for Improving the Performance of Footwear - A mixture of ester based chemicals applied to shoes for the purpose of improving performance in the normal use of the shoe. The mixture is applied to a surface of the shoes and allowed to penetrate the material forming the surface of the shoe. When applied to the sole of a shoe, the esters in the material will alter bulk properties of the shoe sole to alter the adhesion of the shoe to a traversed surface, the operative life of the shoe, the shoe performance and the shoe hardness. The mixture is especially suited for application to previously manufactured climbing shoes. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120260437 | Method of Preparing a Rubber Shoe Sole - Disclosed herein is a novel method of preparing shoe sole. The method of preparing shoe sole includes irradiating an uncured rubber sheet by laser beam to pattern and vulcanize a portion of the uncured rubber, tailoring the partially patterned vulcanized rubber into a shoe shape, and afterward fully vulcanizing the partially patterned vulcanized rubber sheet to form a shoe sole. An additional step of assembling the upper panel of shoe sole on the partially vulcanized rubber sheet is also performed. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120297557 | Shoe Outsole Made Using Composite Material - Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for making a shoe outsole and to shoe outsoles made using such techniques. In one such technique, a sheet of composite material is produced by extruding a base material together with a sheet of fabric material. The sheet of composite material is then cut into an outsole component, and a shoe outsole is fabricated using the outsole component. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120324656 | Method for manufacturing Detachable Zipper Shoe - Method for manufacturing detachable zipper shoe comprises steps of: I. preparing cardboards: 1) structuring a shoe last, 2) making cardboards, and 3) drawing arrays of marks; II. making a vamp: 1) making a first cutting die, 2) cutting, 3) drawing marks on the vamp, 4) combining the vamp, and 5) combining the vamp and an upper zipper; III. making an outsole: 1) forming the outsole, and 2) combining the outsole and a lower zipper; IV. making an inner sole: 1) making a second cutting die, 2) cutting, and 3) combining the inner sole and the outsole; V. fixing the vamp. The method of the present invention adopts sets of marks predetermined on the vamp, the upper zipper, the lower zipper, the inner sole, and the outsole to be aligned with each other, so as to prevent the combination of the afore portions from displacement. Therefore, one single sole of the same size can cooperate with different types of vamps for satisfying a mass production of shoes. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20120324657 | Footwear and Method of Making Thereof - Footwear includes an upper, a sole, and a thread. The upper has upper holes around the upper peripheral. The sole has a lip portion on the sole peripheral lip portion has sole holes around the sole peripheral. The thread attaches the upper and the sole through the upper holes and the sole holes, and forms a set of stitches. A ripple is formed between two sets of stitches and the thread is embedded in the lip portion between the ripples. Each stitch goes through a first upper hole and enters the sole hole of the lip portion, such that the thread forms an angled stitch on the lip portion. The thread then goes through a second upper hole and exits from a third upper hole, such that the thread forms a horizontal stitch on the inside of the footwear. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130025075 | Method Of Manufacturing An Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Tensile Element - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element and a tensile element. The tensile element may include a base layer and a plurality of strands, with the base layer being joined to an exterior surface of the foundation element. In manufacturing the footwear, a thermoplastic polymer material in the base layer may be utilized to bond or otherwise join the tensile element to the foundation element. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130091638 | SOLE COMPONENT FOR AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME - A sole component having a base, a toe cover and an integral line of articulation permitting the toe cover to be molded in an “open” position and moved into a “closed” position during assembly on the article of footwear. The line of articulation may include a line of reduced thickness extending laterally across the sole. The line of articulation may also include breaks defined in the sidewall of the sole in alignment with the line of reduced thickness. The present invention also provides a method of forming a sole component generally including the steps of providing a mold having bottom and top mold parts shaped to cooperatively define a mold cavity in the shape of a sole component having a toe cover joined to a base along a line of articulation, closing the mold parts, injecting a sole forming material into the cavity, removing the sole component and moving the toe cover about the line of articulation into a closed configuration for use. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130160223 | Method For Manufacturing A Sole Assembly and For Manufacturing A Shoe - The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe, comprising the steps of providing an upper assembly with an upper portion comprising an outer material and with a bottom portion; providing a ventilating sole element ( | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130263391 | Methods For Manufacturing Fluid-Filled Chambers Incorporating Spacer Textile Materials - A method for manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber may include obtaining a spacer textile material a stabilization structure. A tensile member is removed from an area of the spacer textile material where the stabilizing structure is absent. The tensile member is located between a first polymer element and a second polymer element. Additionally, (a) the first layer is bonded to the first polymer element, (b) the second layer is bonded to the second polymer element, and (c) the first polymer element and the second polymer element are bonded together around a periphery of the tensile member. | 10-10-2013 |
| 20130291318 | SKATE BOOT WITH IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY - A method of making a skate boot including manufacturing a rear element including a tendon guard for covering at least a rear portion of the ankle received within the boot, and forming a direct connection at a fixed position between contacting portions of the rear element and of a remainder of the skate boot separately from the quarters, the direct connection being formed such that the rear element is an external element of the boot and such that an upper portion of the rear element is displaceable relative to the quarters in a forward and rearward direction, the upper portion of the rear element being displaceable through flexing of the rear element about the connection. | 11-07-2013 |
| 20140000044 | Induction Heating Apparatuses And Processes For Footwear Manufacturing | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140020192 | Footwear Assembly Method With 3D Printing - Methods and systems are disclosed for apparel assembly using three-dimensional printing directly onto fabric apparel materials. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing and assembly of an article of apparel, including designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing, positioning at least a portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray, printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the article using the designed pattern, curing the printed material, and removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140068879 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SHOE AND SHOE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a shoe ( | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140068880 | FLEXIBLE SHOE SOLE - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a composite element adapted for use with an article of footwear. The composite element generally comprises a first portion with a first rigidity and a second portion with a second, different rigidity. The first portion and the second portion each comprise at least one fiber-reinforced layer and are configured to provide the desired rigidity characteristics according to a wearer's characteristics and/or an intended use of the footwear. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140090189 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Reinforcing Element - Several sole components and a method of manufacturing those sole components are disclosed. In general, each sole component includes a fluid-filled bladder and a reinforcing element extending around a portion of the bladder. The reinforcing element is bonded to the exterior of the bladder, and may be recessed into the bladder. In some configurations, the reinforcing element is die-cut from a sheet of polymer material, and the reinforcing element may exhibit a layered configuration. In manufacturing the sole component, the reinforcing element may be located within a mold, and the polymer material forming the bladder may be bonded to the reinforcing element during the molding process. | 04-03-2014 |
| 20140165304 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods for Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140173837 | METHOD OF PRODUCING SOLE FOR BENDING-ACTUATED AERATED FOOTWEAR - A method of producing a sole assembly for manufacturing aerated footwear comprises: fabricating a sole component having an aperture extending from a top surface to a bottom surface, and having recessed cavity along a length of the bottom surface, the aperture connecting to the recessed cavity; attaching a material layer to the recessed cavity; attaching an actuation member to the material layer; and closing the aperture with a valve so as to control the entry of and expulsion of air from the recessed cavity. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140189965 | Article of Footwear with Slots and Method of Making - A sole structure for an article of footwear and a method of making the sole structure is disclosed. The sole structure can include a plurality of slots. The slots are associated with connecting portions that connect portions of the sole structure in the generally longitudinal direction and provide for increased fit, flexibility and stability. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140331418 | Composite Sole Structure - Embodiments relating to a lightweight sole structure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a lobed member having a protruding portion associated with a cleat member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a chambered member located in an indention in an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a cleat member having an outer layer, an intermediate layer, and an inner layer. In some embodiments, a method of making a sole structure may include injecting a chambered member in between an upper member and an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a plurality of zones having varying degrees of flexibility. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include cleat members having penetrating portions for penetrating into the ground surface. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140331419 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MIDSOLE FOR ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method includes placing first and second mold members in contact; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; placing a third mold member and an intermediate mold member in contact injecting a second material into a second recess to form a second portion of a midsole while the second mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the intermediate mold member; positioning the first and second portions in the second recess; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material portion and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20150107032 | Buffing Expanded Foam Items - Foam items may be buffed using particles such as particulate sodium bicarbonate in accordance with the present invention. Foam items may be, for example, expanded EVA foam items pre-formed into an intermediate size and shape. A skin layer may be formed during the expansion of the foam item to form an expanded foam item which may be entirely or partially removed by buffing the item using particles projected with selected buffing parameters. The buffing parameters may be varied based upon the thickness of at least a portion of the skin layer and/or the desired degree of moldability for the foam item after buffing. Particulate sodium bicarbonate or other types of particles used for buffing may be recycled and reused for further buffing of foam items. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150128359 | LOW DENSITY FOAMED ARTICLE MADE BY BEAD FOAM COMPRESSION MOLDING METHOD - Disclosed is a molded foamed article, such as a midsole or outsole for footwear, made by a method in which a desired amount of thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads are placed in a compression mold in the shape of the article and the mold is brought to a peak temperature of from about 130° C. to about 180° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds, then cooled to from about 5° C. to about 80° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds within about 30 seconds after the peak temperature is reached. The foamed article made by the method has a density of from about 0.1 to about 0.45 g/cm | 05-14-2015 |
| 20150374069 | Strand-Wound Bladder - An article of footwear or another product may incorporate a pressure chamber that includes (a) a bladder at least partially formed from a polymer material that is sealed to enclose a pressurized fluid and (b) a strand wound around the bladder and secured to the bladder. In manufacturing the pressure chamber, a bladder with an elongate configuration may be formed. A strand is wound around the bladder, and the strand is secured to the bladder. When incorporated to a sole structure of the article of footwear, for example, a portion of the bladder that includes the strands may be exposed at an outer surface of the sole structure. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160007680 | Sole With Adjustable Sizing | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160023416 | SOLE ASSEMBLY WITH PLURAL PORTIONS THAT COOPERATIVELY DEFINE CHAMBER - A method of forming a sole assembly of an article of footwear that includes an interior space that receives a foot of a wearer is disclosed. The article of footwear also includes an exterior surface. The method includes providing a first portion of the sole assembly. The first portion includes a first surface that at least partially defines the interior space. The first portion also includes a first chamber surface that opposes the first surface. Moreover, the method includes providing a second portion of the sole assembly. The second portion includes a second surface that at least partially defines the exterior surface of the article of footwear. The second portion also includes a second chamber surface that opposes the second surface. The method further includes operably securing the first portion to the second portion such that the first chamber surface and the second chamber surface cooperate to at least partially define a substantially sealed chamber within the sole assembly. | 01-28-2016 |
| 20160113352 | Method of Making a Zonal Compression Shoe - A method of making a shoe includes printing a midsole having a platform and a lattice structure. The platform and lattice structure are integrally formed by printing a first surface of the platform to conform to a sole of a foot of a user and, in association therewith, printing the lattice structure on a second surface of the platform opposite the first surface of the platform. The method also includes positioning the midsole substantially within an outsole such that the lattice structure is substantially facing the outsole and the platform is substantially facing an upper. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160114546 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SOLE WITH SHOE NAIL MADE OF DIFFERENT MATERIAL - A method of manufacturing a sole with shoe nails made of different materials is provided. The method includes pre-forming shoe nails, putting the shoe nails in an injection molding mold, applying a surface treatment agent and an adhesive glue, injecting the heated molten sole material into a mold, binding the sole material and the shoe nails with the adhesive glue, and performing a cooling process to cause the sole material to solidify and turn into a sole and cause the adhesive glue to solidify and couple the sole and shoe nails together. The method enables a sole with shoe nails to be quickly manufactured so easily that it increases production efficiency and economic benefits. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160120258 | PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A FASTENING SYSTEM OF INTERCHANGEABLE STRAPS IN SANDALS - The present invention refers to a process for production of a fastening system of interchangeable straps in sandals that includes the following steps: preparation of the base by creation of several apertures in its material; coating of said base with adhesive for attachment of the material composing the outer layer of the platform, to secure the sole and the insole; application of a fastener within said base, piercing the outer layer of the platform, by pressure on the support which is traversed by said fastener which is inserted inside the base and passes through multiple apertures and is fastened permanently; fastening of said fastener ensuring so that the support remains a reasonable distance from the platform to enable the straps to be engaged and disengaged. The invention also includes the product produced by said process | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160120262 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH A MIDSOLE ASSEMBLY HAVING A PERIMETER BLADDER ELEMENT, A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND A MOLD ASSEMBLY FOR SAME - An article of footwear has a midsole assembly that includes a fluid-filled bladder element having a substantially arc-shaped heel portion and having a lateral arm portion and a medial arm portion spaced from the lateral arm portion. Each of the arm portions extend from the heel portion. The bladder element is configured to be positioned with the heel portion in the heel region of midsole assembly, and the arm portions extending from the heel region to a forefoot region along a peripheral region. A method of manufacturing and a mold assembly for such an article of footwear are provided. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160136910 | SOLE ATTACHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - The present concept is a method of attaching soles which minimizes delamination of the sole. It includes the steps of molding a sole together with a bond material by placing the bond material onto the sole material in the mold, and then adhering a bottom side of a bond material to the inside portion of the sole, in the mold by heating the mold to a pre-selected temperature and for a pre-selected amount of time. The bond material includes a hot melt polyurethane reactive film adhesive on a top side and a barrier material on the bottom side. Finally attaching the sole with bond material to an upper. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160136912 | Decorated Sole Elements for Articles of Footwear and Processes for Making Thereof - A method of forming a decorated midsole element for articles of footwear includes obtaining a decorated film having one or more graphic elements applied to a first surface of the film and placing the decorated film in a mold. A midsole element is obtained and placed in the mold, and pressure is applied to the mold to form a midsole element having a decorated surface. The decorated film may include a layer of polyether-block co-polyamide polymer and the midsole element may be formed of ethylvinylacetate. A midsole assembly and an article of footwear having decorated midsole top layers are also described. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160150853 | Footwear with Power Kick Plate | 06-02-2016 |
| 20160058101 | Knit Component Bonding - A composite structure may include a knit component and a bonded component. The knit component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the knit component includes a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that form a knitted structure. The fusible yarn is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, and the fusible yarn is located on at least the first surface. The bonded component is positioned adjacent to the first surface, and the bonded component is thermal bonded to the first surface with the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20080196181 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A TEXTILE UPPER - An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first area and a second area with a unitary construction. The first area is formed of a first stitch configuration, and the second area is formed of a second stitch configuration that is different from the first stitch configuration to impart varying textures to a surface of the textile element. Various warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be utilized to form the textile element. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20080295263 | Article Of Apparel Incorporating A Stratified Material - An article of apparel having a substrate layer and an incised layer is disclosed. The substrate layer is at least partially formed from a material having a first degree of stretchability. The incised layer is secured to the substrate layer and at least partially formed from a material having a second degree of stretchability, the first degree of stretchability being greater than the second degree of stretchability. In addition, the incised layer includes at least a first incision and a second incision that are concentric, the first incision being positioned within the second incision. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20100064453 | Waterproof Footwear with Elastic Connecting Band - Shoe upper having a lower end of the upper, an outer material with a lower end ( | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100281631 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A FLAT KNIT UPPER CONSTRUCTION OR OTHER UPPER CONSTRUCTION - Flat knitting allows production of textile structures (e.g., for use in footwear uppers) of a final desired shape such that textile cutting steps can be avoided. Flat knitted elements also can be formed directly in desired three dimensional shapes, which can help avoid the need to use additional support structures (e.g., in footwear construction). By selectively placing multiple different yarns and/or stitch patterns at multiple different locations in the overall structure during the knitting process, flat knitted products may have multiple different physical properties (e.g., different stretchability, different moisture management capabilities, etc.) at multiple different locations or zones within a single, unitary construction (e.g., different properties at different zones or locations within a single footwear structure). Additionally, flat knitting can be used to produce pockets, tunnels, or other layered structures in the final product. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20110302727 | Footwear Structure With Textile Upper Member - Articles of footwear include a textile upper member with an exterior constructed from knitted textile material, the exterior including a region with stability ribs and a second unribbed region. The region(s) having stability ribs may be located, for example: along a lateral midfoot side of the upper member; along a forefoot portion of the upper member; and/or along a medial midfoot side of the upper member. Other articles of footwear include an upper member having exterior and interior textile elements joined together in a stitchless manner at the foot-receiving opening of the upper member. The exterior surface of this upper member also may include one or more regions with stability structures. The stitchless textile engagement techniques can provide a smooth, non-bulky, and breathable joint that does not require thick layers of textile material in contact with or adjacent the wearer's foot. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120284935 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Tensile Strands And Securing Strands - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a tensile strand, and a securing strand. The tensile strand is located adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The securing strand joins or secures the tensile strand to the foundation element. Although the thicknesses may vary, a thickness of the tensile strand may be at least three times the thickness of the securing strand. In some configurations, a backing strand may also assist with joining the securing strand to the foundation element. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20120324658 | Composite Shoe Upper and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel of an upper includes a substrate layer formed from a substrate material, a mesh material layer and one or more skin material layers. The mesh composite can be fabricated by first arranging panels of substrate, mesh and skin layer material into an assembly corresponding to the locations of those panels in a completed upper. The assembly may include separate layers of hot melt bonding material interposed between the substrate, mesh and skin layers. The assembly is pressed at an elevated temperature so as to melt the bonding material and the skin layers and bond the elements together. Before the pressed assembly completely cools, it is then pressed a second time in an unheated press. A heat-conductive compressible pad can be used in the pressing process to create a surface effect in the skin layers that reveals a patterns of an underlying mesh layer. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130212811 | Article Of Footwear Having An Upper Incorporating A Tensile Strand With A Cover Layer - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a strand, and a cover layer. The strand is positioned adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The cover layer extends along the strand for the distance of at least five centimeters, and the strand is positioned between the cover layer and the foundation element. In some configurations, the cover layer has a pair of edges on opposite sides of the strand, the strand is substantially centered between the edges of the cover layer for the distance of at least five centimeters, and areas of the exterior surface are exposed beyond the edges of the cover layer. | 08-22-2013 |
| 20130298339 | HYBRID SKATE BOOT - A method of making a skate boot upper, including integrally molding a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion with the quarter overlapping the boot portion only along said edges. Also, a method of making a skate boot upper, including manufacturing a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion through stitching, adhesive or lamination. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130305465 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN UPPER PART OF A SHOE, IN PARTICULAR OF A SPORTS SHOE - The invention relates to a method for producing an upper part ( | 11-21-2013 |
| 20130318726 | Method of Manufacturing An Article of Footwear Including a Composite Upper - A method of manufacturing an upper made of a composite material for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes associating a layer of carbon fiber material and a flexible substrate to form the composite material. A thin outer coating of TPU is applied to an outer surface of the carbon fiber material of the composite material. The method forms an article of footwear having an upper that is generally flexible and lightweight. | 12-05-2013 |
| 20140020193 | Shoe with Composite Upper and Foam Element and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel can be used to form a three-dimensional upper shell that includes extensions used for double-lasting and/or to otherwise provide a shelf to support foam padding. The foam padding may be, e.g., a foam midsole. The extensions of the upper shell may be located in a lower portion of the shell and may be bonded to the foam midsole in a heel, midfoot and/or forefoot regions. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140130270 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 05-15-2014 |
| 20140182069 | Method for Forming a Shoe Vamp Integrally - A method for forming a shoe vamp includes providing a cloth material, forming integrally a plurality of ornamental members on the cloth material by tatting, and arranging the ornamental members on the cloth material in a diverse manner to present different viewing effects of the ornamental members on the cloth material so as to form a product of a shoe vamp. The shoe vamp includes the cloth material and the ornamental members. Thus, each of the ornamental members is formed integrally on the cloth material by tatting so that each of the ornamental members is combined with the cloth material exactly and closely and will not be loosened or detached from the cloth material during a long-term utilization. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140245547 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 09-04-2014 |
| 20140310892 | Method of Printing Onto an Article - A method of printing onto an article includes placing an article on a holding assembly, flattening a portion of the article and printing onto the flattened portion of the article. Flattening can be accomplished using a flattening plate and by controlling the shape of a surface of the holding assembly using a vacuum. | 10-23-2014 |
| 20150089752 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING SEAMLESS SHOE UPPER - A method for producing a seamless shoe upper includes the following steps of: providing a covering piece, a lining piece, and first and second screen-printing jigs having first and second screen portions respectively; surface treating the covering piece using a first treating agent through the first screen portion and the lining piece using a second treating agent through the second screen portion; distributing an adhesive onto the covering piece and the lining piece respectively through the first and second screen portions, so as to form first and second adhesive layers thereon; and bonding the covering piece with the lining piece by overlapping and pressing the first and second adhesive layers together. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150107033 | Automated Trimming Of Pliable Items - The present invention relates to the automated cutting of pliable items. More particularly, the present invention relates to the automatic cutting and/or trimming of pliable items, such as a shoe upper that lacks uniformity. An image of the pliable item is captured having image features and a pattern is retrieved having pattern features, such as a proposed cut path. An image feature is compared to distance tolerances associated with pattern features to adjust the proposed cut path such that it satisfies the distance tolerances while providing a consistently sized and shaped trimmed item. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20160058126 | COMPONENTS FOR ARTICLES OF FOOTWEAR INCLUDING LIGHTWEIGHT, SELECTIVELY SUPPORTED TEXTILE COMPONENTS - Footwear components are made from lightweight textile structures (e.g., including circular knitted structures made from natural or synthetic fibers, such as socks or sock-type structures). The textile structures are selectively supported at various areas to provide desired local characteristics. Methods are provided for making such components, precursors to such components, and articles of footwear containing such components. | 03-03-2016 |
| 012146000 | Soles | 54 |
| 20090019648 | Method of Customizing an Article - A method of post customization for articles of footwear is disclosed. The method includes a step of receiving an order for a plurality of pairs of footwear, a step of manufacturing the articles, a step of receiving a set of post customization designs and a step of applying post customization designs to the articles of footwear. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090199353 | Apparatus and Method for Providing Open-Heeled Foot Apparel with Improved Heel Support - A method of manufacturing an article of foot apparel that includes a platform curved to anticipate the natural movement of a foot. The method includes forming the platform with a heel pad having a geometric center point. The method also includes connecting a retaining covering to the platform that is configured to retain a foot at the front of the platform and to allow the heel of the foot to move freely relative to the heel pad. The article of foot apparel conforms more closely to the actual physiology of the foot and allows the heel of the foot to remain centered in the heel pad when worn. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20100107346 | Method of Making an Article Comprising Links - A method of making an article comprising links is disclosed. The method includes a step of generating a link pattern according to a pre-selected portion of the article. The link pattern comprises a plurality of link indicia that correspond to plurality of links. After associating each link from the plurality of links with a link indicia from the plurality of link indicia, a plurality of threads may be threaded through the plurality of links to form a link matrix. The link matrix may be associated with the pre-selected portion of an article to make an article comprising links. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20110252581 | DEBRIS INHIBITOR FOR SHOES AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME - The invention provides debris inhibitors and inhibitor systems and methods of making same. The inhibitors and inhibitor systems of the present invention are worn over athletic or outdoor shoes to inhibit entry of debris into the athletic or outdoor shoes. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110277251 | Transparent outsole with visible artwork - An improved method of boot or shoe construction comprising a boot or shoe constructed using the traditional Goodyear welt process, a midsole comprised of leather or rubber, a transparent outsole with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side of said outsole, a heel, comprised of leather, rubber or any substantially equivalent material, and transparent heel cover with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side. Other embodiments are described and shown. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20140115795 | Protective Toe Cap for Industrial Footwear - The invention relates to a one-piece protective toe cap for safety footwear, forming a concave frame consisting of a front wall with connected side walls, the upper edges of which are joined by a concave surface along the profile of the last. The contour or edge of the flange of the toe cap is provided with a recess in order to house a tab and provide comfort, as well as improving the appearance of the footwear (not shown in these documents). The design withstands impact tests of approximately 101.7 to 146.7 Joules (10.4 to 14.95 kgf-m), leaving clearance of approximately 11 mm to 14 mm in the capped shoe and not only at the tip of the cap. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140230166 | Article of Footwear With Tongue of Varying Thickness - An article of footwear includes a tongue. The tongue includes a medial portion, a lateral portion, a central portion, a top portion and an upper perimeter portion. The medial portion and the top portion have similar thicknesses, which are greater than the thicknesses of the lateral portion, the central portion and the upper perimeter portion. The central portion is the thinnest portion of the tongue. Each portion of the tongue corresponds to a different pressure zone along a foot in order to provide differential cushioning and support against pressure applied by a fastening system. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140259462 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Tensile Element - A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber with a tensile element includes manufacturing a tensile element and incorporating the tensile element into a chamber. A first material layer, a second material layer, and a spacing structure having a plurality of support portions and a plurality of gaps may be stacked. The material layers may be located on either side of the spacing structure or on one side of the spacing structure. A strand may be stitched through the gaps to join the material layers and to form the tensile element. The spacing structure may be removed, and the first material layer may be spaced from the second material layer such that segments of the strand extend between the material layers. The tensile element may then be secured to opposite interior surfaces of an outer barrier, and the outer barrier may be pressurized to place the strand in tension. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20100275393 | METHOD OF MAKING A LASTED SKATE BOOT - A method of making a lasted skate boot comprising: (a) providing a male-female mold having male and female sections for defining a mold cavity therebetween, the male section having sides, a rear portion and a bottom portion for defining a three dimensional shape corresponding to the external three dimensional shape of the foot, the female section defining a recess for receiving the male section, the male section comprising a plurality of inner channels for admitting liquid plastic material in the mold cavity; (b) providing a pre-cut sheet made of cloth material laminated to a support made of non-woven fabric; (c) placing the sheet on the male section of the mold such that the non-woven fabric contacts the sides and rear portion of the male section of the mold; (d) closing the male and female sections of the mold; (e) injecting liquid plastic material in the inner channels such that the liquid plastic material spreads on the sheet, pushes the sheet against the recess of the female section of the mold, fills the mold cavity and fuses with the non-woven fabric to form, after cooling, an outer shell comprising a heel portion for surrounding the heel, an ankle portion for surrounding the ankle, and medial and lateral side portions for enclosing the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively; (f) opening the male and female sections of the mold; and (g) removing the outer shell from the mold. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100005602 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INSOLE - A method for manufacturing insole uses used footwear and recycled wooden articles are primary ingredients, which are pulverized to form particles of the recycled materials. The recycled wood, taking a ratio of weight of 15-35%, is uniformly mixed with matrix rubber that functions to adjust physical properties and foaming agent, and then pressed to form an insole material in a sheet form, which is deposited in a mold to be heated and pressurized for curing and setting thereby forming an insole featuring proper resilience and anti-bacteria and deodorization. The use of the insole is thus completely sanitary and comfortable and also features pollution- and nuisance-free use by repeated use in the sense of environment conservation. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20080271265 | Article of Footwear Having a Worn Appearance and Method of Making Same - An article of footwear made from new or substantially new materials is manufactured with vintage treatment processing to give the article of footwear a vintage or well-worn appearance. The article of footwear may be treated with discoloring substances, such as dyes or bleaching agents. The upper may be formed with wrinkles or a crushed heel portion, such as by using a thin or soft foam behind a polyester covering, eliminating the foam backing and/or heel cup. Further, a rubber outsole may be molded with uneven treads and/or discolored to give the rubber a degraded, worn appearance. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080301887 | SIMPLIFIED SHOE CONSTRUCTION WITH MIDSOLE HAVING OVERMOLDED INSERT - A shoe construction employs a midsole molded of flexible, resilient material around a rigid plate, where the midsole and encapsulated plate are insertable into a separately constructed outsole and shoe upper. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080313824 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method of forming an article of footwear includes the steps of providing an upper having a forefoot portion a midfoot portion a heel portion and a pocket positioned beneath the forefoot portion; placing the upper on a last; inserting a first midsole portion into the pocket; and securing an outsole assembly to the upper, the outsole assembly comprising a second midsole portion and an outsole secured to a lower surface of the second midsole portion. The second midsole portion and the outsole are visible from an exterior of the article of footwear and the first midsole portion is not visible from an exterior of the article of footwear. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090133202 | FOOTWEAR MADE BY IMPROVED PROCESS OF DRAINING STRUCTURE - Footwear is made by a process which creates a draining structure in the footwear. The footwear includes an insole that has conical through holes formed in the top and bottom sides of the insole such that the holes gradually reduce from the top side toward the bottom side. The insole is made by preparing a molten foam material and then using a hydraulic press-controlled mold to mold the molten foam material into a blank insole having a plurality of conical blind holes. Part of the blank insole is then removed to open the conical blind holes by means of the application of a cutting process, a grinding process or a punching process. An outsole is bonded to the bottom side of the insole and has a plurality of drain grooves in communication with the conical through holes for guiding water out of the insole and the outsole. An upper is provided at the top side of the insole for securing the shoe to the user's foot. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090255065 | WATER-RESISTANT AND FLOATABLE FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREFOR - A water-resistant and floatable footwear including an outsole and insole, and an upper member affixed to the sole, wherein the footwear is floatable in water. In particular, the insole of the footwear is constructed of the material “marine buoy;” that is, the insole has an inner structure and an outer coating, the inner structure being constructed of a thermoplastic resin and the outer coating being constructed of a vinyl polymer. The footwear is advantageously water-proof and provides buoyancy in water. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090265868 | Impact Attenuating Devices and Products Containing such Devices - An impact attenuating device includes both concave and convex side walls, e.g., in an interleaved arrangement, optionally at least partially surrounded by a restraining element that may help return the impact attenuating device back to its original orientation after attenuating an impact. Such impact attenuating devices may be included in pieces of footwear and/or other foot-receiving devices. Additionally, such impact attenuating devices or portions thereof may be freely selected and/or interchanged in a piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, e.g., based on one or more characteristics of an intended user and/or an intended use, so as to allow users to obtain footwear (or other devices) customized and targeted for use under a predetermined set of conditions. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100077556 | Fluid-Filled Bladder for Footwear and Other Applications - A fluid-filled structure, such as a bladder, is disclosed. The bladder has a first surface and an opposite second surface that are peripherally joined to define various edges. The bladder encloses a fluid between the first surface and the second surface. A portion of the edges may have a concave configuration, or the edges may have both concave and convex configurations. A shape of the bladder may be a tessellation pattern so that a plurality of the bladder may be efficiently. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100083449 | Midsole Element For An Article Of Footwear - An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a midsole element that defines a void, and the void may extend substantially vertically through a central area of the midsole element. The void may also extend between an upper surface and a lower surface of the midsole element to define an interior surface. A plurality of bores are also defined in the midsole element. The bores may extend substantially horizontally through the midsole element, and the bores may extend between an exterior surface of the midsole element and the void. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100139014 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CLEAT SOLE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a sole ( | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100251492 | FOOTWEAR INCORPORATING A LIGHT SOURCE AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An embodiment of the present invention is a method that includes the steps of: incorporating at least one light source in an upper part of a shoe, wherein the at least one light source that comprises at least a light emitting source that is capable of illuminating, wherein the shoe comprises: 1) the upper part, 2) at least one bonding strip, and 3) a shoe bottom sole part, assembling at least the upper part with the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form an assembled unit; and c) applying sufficient heat to vulcanize the assembled unit so as to result in securing the upper part to the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form the shoe having the at least one light source that is capable of illuminating. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100269271 | Method of Manufacturing Footwear Having Sipes - A method of manufacturing footwear including the steps of positioning a sole member on a first portion of a cutting assembly; heating a second portion of the cutting assembly, the second portion including a cutting die; pressing the heated cutting die into the sole member to form a plurality of sipes in the sole member; and removing the cutting die from the sole member. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100281630 | Article of Footwear with Mesh on Outsole and Insert - An article of footwear including a mesh disposed on the outsole and an insert of the outsole is disclosed. The outsole includes tread elements that extend farther from the outsole than the mesh, providing protection to the mesh. Additionally, the mesh on the insert preferably helps reduce hyperextension of the front of the insert and the article of footwear. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100293727 | INDIVIDUALLY FORMED FOOTWEAR AND A RELATED METHOD - Individually formed footwear such as shoes and insoles for correcting the feet position and alleviate related problems. The shoe or insole includes at least one layer made of thermoplastic material, which material is advantageously chosen from a group of ABS, PVC, A-PET and PETG. A method for providing such footwear to a client at a retail store is likewise presented. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100299850 | METHOD FOR MAKING GOODYEAR SHOE - A method for making a Goodyear shoe includes the steps of: stitching together a lower edge of an upper and a peripheral edge of an inner midsole so as to form a coupled section; placing a last into an assembly resulting from the previous step; placing an outer welt on an outer surface of the upper at the coupled section and stitching the outer welt, the upper, and the inner midsole together; placing a filler on a bottom surface of the inner midsole; bonding a thin sole to a bottom portion of an assembly that results from the previous step and stitching the thin sole to the outer welt; and bonding an outsole and performing edge-abrading. The method prevents a toe cap portion of the upper from tearing and creasing and dispenses with such steps as gripping the upper, driving wire nails, and trimming the lower edge of the upper. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20110047720 | Method of Manufacturing Sole Assembly for Article of Footwear - A method of forming a midsole includes the steps of placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another, injecting a first material into the first mold member to form first and second portions of a midsole preform, positioning the first and second portions in a third mold member of a second mold assembly; placing a second material in the third mold member; placing the third mold member and a fourth mold member in contact with one another, subjecting the second material and the first and second portions to heat to form a midsole preform, placing the midsole preform in a fifth mold member, placing the fifth mold member and a sixth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the midsole preform to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110047721 | Method of Manufacturing Midsole for Article of Footwear - A method of forming includes the steps of: placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below an ambient temperature; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; positioning the first portion of the midsole in the second recess in the third mold member of the second mold assembly; placing a second material into the second recess in contact with the first portion of the midsole; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110094046 | FORMING A SHOE COMPONENT WITH ROCKER BOTTOM - A method of forming a shoe component for an individual is provided and includes defining a footprint of the shoe component for the individual with an orientation relative to a rocker bottom of sheets that each have the rocker bottom and various thicknesses, selecting, from among the sheets, a sheet having a thickness appropriate for the individual based on the orientation of the footprint and removing a portion from the selected sheet reflective of a shape and size of a profile of the footprint. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110131739 | Contoured Fluid-Filled Chamber - A fluid-filled chamber may be incorporated into footwear and other products. The chamber is formed from a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located opposite the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of bonds are spaced inward from the sidewall surface and join the first surface and the second surface, and the bonds are distributed to form a regularly-spaced array, such as a hexagonal array. In some configurations, the first surface and the second surface may define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds. In addition, the bonds may be formed to have a slope that is an average of slopes of the first surface and the second surface in areas proximal the bonds. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110138548 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods For Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110154584 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH TUBULAR SOLE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE - An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper. The sole assembly includes a mat formed of at least one randomly dispersed extruded tubular member, each tubular member being hollow in an in-use condition in which the mat provides support for a user's foot. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20120017382 | METHOD FOR MAKING SHOES - A method for making shoes includes a first mold made of stiff material and a second mold has a concavity in which the shoe is received. The shoe includes a top portion, a connection member and an outsole, wherein the connection member and the outsole are connected to the top portion. The second mold transmits ultra-sonic thermo energy to the connection member and the outsole, so that the connection member and the outsole are properly shrank and securely matched to the top portion. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120060305 | Method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths - A method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths having acts of forming a shoe shell with a rudimentary mold assembly, ejecting the shoe shell from the rudimentary mold assembly and adjusting a width of the sole of the shoe shell before the shoe shell hardens. The sole of the shoe shell has at least one adjusting portion to allow the sole to expand or be compressed. With the acts, each size of the shoe shell needs only one rudimentary mold assembly that has complex structure and high cost to substantially form a basic shape of the shoe shell and multiple shaping molds of different widths that have simple structure and low cost are prepared to further adjust widths of the shoe shell. Consequently, total cost for manufacturing the shoe shell with different widths is effectively lowered. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120137449 | Method for Improving the Performance of Footwear - A mixture of ester based chemicals applied to shoes for the purpose of improving performance in the normal use of the shoe. The mixture is applied to a surface of the shoes and allowed to penetrate the material forming the surface of the shoe. When applied to the sole of a shoe, the esters in the material will alter bulk properties of the shoe sole to alter the adhesion of the shoe to a traversed surface, the operative life of the shoe, the shoe performance and the shoe hardness. The mixture is especially suited for application to previously manufactured climbing shoes. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120260437 | Method of Preparing a Rubber Shoe Sole - Disclosed herein is a novel method of preparing shoe sole. The method of preparing shoe sole includes irradiating an uncured rubber sheet by laser beam to pattern and vulcanize a portion of the uncured rubber, tailoring the partially patterned vulcanized rubber into a shoe shape, and afterward fully vulcanizing the partially patterned vulcanized rubber sheet to form a shoe sole. An additional step of assembling the upper panel of shoe sole on the partially vulcanized rubber sheet is also performed. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120297557 | Shoe Outsole Made Using Composite Material - Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for making a shoe outsole and to shoe outsoles made using such techniques. In one such technique, a sheet of composite material is produced by extruding a base material together with a sheet of fabric material. The sheet of composite material is then cut into an outsole component, and a shoe outsole is fabricated using the outsole component. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120324656 | Method for manufacturing Detachable Zipper Shoe - Method for manufacturing detachable zipper shoe comprises steps of: I. preparing cardboards: 1) structuring a shoe last, 2) making cardboards, and 3) drawing arrays of marks; II. making a vamp: 1) making a first cutting die, 2) cutting, 3) drawing marks on the vamp, 4) combining the vamp, and 5) combining the vamp and an upper zipper; III. making an outsole: 1) forming the outsole, and 2) combining the outsole and a lower zipper; IV. making an inner sole: 1) making a second cutting die, 2) cutting, and 3) combining the inner sole and the outsole; V. fixing the vamp. The method of the present invention adopts sets of marks predetermined on the vamp, the upper zipper, the lower zipper, the inner sole, and the outsole to be aligned with each other, so as to prevent the combination of the afore portions from displacement. Therefore, one single sole of the same size can cooperate with different types of vamps for satisfying a mass production of shoes. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20120324657 | Footwear and Method of Making Thereof - Footwear includes an upper, a sole, and a thread. The upper has upper holes around the upper peripheral. The sole has a lip portion on the sole peripheral lip portion has sole holes around the sole peripheral. The thread attaches the upper and the sole through the upper holes and the sole holes, and forms a set of stitches. A ripple is formed between two sets of stitches and the thread is embedded in the lip portion between the ripples. Each stitch goes through a first upper hole and enters the sole hole of the lip portion, such that the thread forms an angled stitch on the lip portion. The thread then goes through a second upper hole and exits from a third upper hole, such that the thread forms a horizontal stitch on the inside of the footwear. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130025075 | Method Of Manufacturing An Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Tensile Element - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element and a tensile element. The tensile element may include a base layer and a plurality of strands, with the base layer being joined to an exterior surface of the foundation element. In manufacturing the footwear, a thermoplastic polymer material in the base layer may be utilized to bond or otherwise join the tensile element to the foundation element. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130091638 | SOLE COMPONENT FOR AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME - A sole component having a base, a toe cover and an integral line of articulation permitting the toe cover to be molded in an “open” position and moved into a “closed” position during assembly on the article of footwear. The line of articulation may include a line of reduced thickness extending laterally across the sole. The line of articulation may also include breaks defined in the sidewall of the sole in alignment with the line of reduced thickness. The present invention also provides a method of forming a sole component generally including the steps of providing a mold having bottom and top mold parts shaped to cooperatively define a mold cavity in the shape of a sole component having a toe cover joined to a base along a line of articulation, closing the mold parts, injecting a sole forming material into the cavity, removing the sole component and moving the toe cover about the line of articulation into a closed configuration for use. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130160223 | Method For Manufacturing A Sole Assembly and For Manufacturing A Shoe - The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe, comprising the steps of providing an upper assembly with an upper portion comprising an outer material and with a bottom portion; providing a ventilating sole element ( | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130263391 | Methods For Manufacturing Fluid-Filled Chambers Incorporating Spacer Textile Materials - A method for manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber may include obtaining a spacer textile material a stabilization structure. A tensile member is removed from an area of the spacer textile material where the stabilizing structure is absent. The tensile member is located between a first polymer element and a second polymer element. Additionally, (a) the first layer is bonded to the first polymer element, (b) the second layer is bonded to the second polymer element, and (c) the first polymer element and the second polymer element are bonded together around a periphery of the tensile member. | 10-10-2013 |
| 20130291318 | SKATE BOOT WITH IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY - A method of making a skate boot including manufacturing a rear element including a tendon guard for covering at least a rear portion of the ankle received within the boot, and forming a direct connection at a fixed position between contacting portions of the rear element and of a remainder of the skate boot separately from the quarters, the direct connection being formed such that the rear element is an external element of the boot and such that an upper portion of the rear element is displaceable relative to the quarters in a forward and rearward direction, the upper portion of the rear element being displaceable through flexing of the rear element about the connection. | 11-07-2013 |
| 20140000044 | Induction Heating Apparatuses And Processes For Footwear Manufacturing | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140020192 | Footwear Assembly Method With 3D Printing - Methods and systems are disclosed for apparel assembly using three-dimensional printing directly onto fabric apparel materials. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing and assembly of an article of apparel, including designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing, positioning at least a portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray, printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the article using the designed pattern, curing the printed material, and removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140068879 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SHOE AND SHOE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a shoe ( | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140068880 | FLEXIBLE SHOE SOLE - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a composite element adapted for use with an article of footwear. The composite element generally comprises a first portion with a first rigidity and a second portion with a second, different rigidity. The first portion and the second portion each comprise at least one fiber-reinforced layer and are configured to provide the desired rigidity characteristics according to a wearer's characteristics and/or an intended use of the footwear. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140090189 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Reinforcing Element - Several sole components and a method of manufacturing those sole components are disclosed. In general, each sole component includes a fluid-filled bladder and a reinforcing element extending around a portion of the bladder. The reinforcing element is bonded to the exterior of the bladder, and may be recessed into the bladder. In some configurations, the reinforcing element is die-cut from a sheet of polymer material, and the reinforcing element may exhibit a layered configuration. In manufacturing the sole component, the reinforcing element may be located within a mold, and the polymer material forming the bladder may be bonded to the reinforcing element during the molding process. | 04-03-2014 |
| 20140165304 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods for Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140173837 | METHOD OF PRODUCING SOLE FOR BENDING-ACTUATED AERATED FOOTWEAR - A method of producing a sole assembly for manufacturing aerated footwear comprises: fabricating a sole component having an aperture extending from a top surface to a bottom surface, and having recessed cavity along a length of the bottom surface, the aperture connecting to the recessed cavity; attaching a material layer to the recessed cavity; attaching an actuation member to the material layer; and closing the aperture with a valve so as to control the entry of and expulsion of air from the recessed cavity. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140189965 | Article of Footwear with Slots and Method of Making - A sole structure for an article of footwear and a method of making the sole structure is disclosed. The sole structure can include a plurality of slots. The slots are associated with connecting portions that connect portions of the sole structure in the generally longitudinal direction and provide for increased fit, flexibility and stability. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140331418 | Composite Sole Structure - Embodiments relating to a lightweight sole structure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a lobed member having a protruding portion associated with a cleat member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a chambered member located in an indention in an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a cleat member having an outer layer, an intermediate layer, and an inner layer. In some embodiments, a method of making a sole structure may include injecting a chambered member in between an upper member and an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a plurality of zones having varying degrees of flexibility. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include cleat members having penetrating portions for penetrating into the ground surface. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140331419 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MIDSOLE FOR ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method includes placing first and second mold members in contact; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; placing a third mold member and an intermediate mold member in contact injecting a second material into a second recess to form a second portion of a midsole while the second mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the intermediate mold member; positioning the first and second portions in the second recess; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material portion and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20150107032 | Buffing Expanded Foam Items - Foam items may be buffed using particles such as particulate sodium bicarbonate in accordance with the present invention. Foam items may be, for example, expanded EVA foam items pre-formed into an intermediate size and shape. A skin layer may be formed during the expansion of the foam item to form an expanded foam item which may be entirely or partially removed by buffing the item using particles projected with selected buffing parameters. The buffing parameters may be varied based upon the thickness of at least a portion of the skin layer and/or the desired degree of moldability for the foam item after buffing. Particulate sodium bicarbonate or other types of particles used for buffing may be recycled and reused for further buffing of foam items. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150128359 | LOW DENSITY FOAMED ARTICLE MADE BY BEAD FOAM COMPRESSION MOLDING METHOD - Disclosed is a molded foamed article, such as a midsole or outsole for footwear, made by a method in which a desired amount of thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads are placed in a compression mold in the shape of the article and the mold is brought to a peak temperature of from about 130° C. to about 180° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds, then cooled to from about 5° C. to about 80° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds within about 30 seconds after the peak temperature is reached. The foamed article made by the method has a density of from about 0.1 to about 0.45 g/cm | 05-14-2015 |
| 20150374069 | Strand-Wound Bladder - An article of footwear or another product may incorporate a pressure chamber that includes (a) a bladder at least partially formed from a polymer material that is sealed to enclose a pressurized fluid and (b) a strand wound around the bladder and secured to the bladder. In manufacturing the pressure chamber, a bladder with an elongate configuration may be formed. A strand is wound around the bladder, and the strand is secured to the bladder. When incorporated to a sole structure of the article of footwear, for example, a portion of the bladder that includes the strands may be exposed at an outer surface of the sole structure. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160007680 | Sole With Adjustable Sizing | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160023416 | SOLE ASSEMBLY WITH PLURAL PORTIONS THAT COOPERATIVELY DEFINE CHAMBER - A method of forming a sole assembly of an article of footwear that includes an interior space that receives a foot of a wearer is disclosed. The article of footwear also includes an exterior surface. The method includes providing a first portion of the sole assembly. The first portion includes a first surface that at least partially defines the interior space. The first portion also includes a first chamber surface that opposes the first surface. Moreover, the method includes providing a second portion of the sole assembly. The second portion includes a second surface that at least partially defines the exterior surface of the article of footwear. The second portion also includes a second chamber surface that opposes the second surface. The method further includes operably securing the first portion to the second portion such that the first chamber surface and the second chamber surface cooperate to at least partially define a substantially sealed chamber within the sole assembly. | 01-28-2016 |
| 20160113352 | Method of Making a Zonal Compression Shoe - A method of making a shoe includes printing a midsole having a platform and a lattice structure. The platform and lattice structure are integrally formed by printing a first surface of the platform to conform to a sole of a foot of a user and, in association therewith, printing the lattice structure on a second surface of the platform opposite the first surface of the platform. The method also includes positioning the midsole substantially within an outsole such that the lattice structure is substantially facing the outsole and the platform is substantially facing an upper. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160114546 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SOLE WITH SHOE NAIL MADE OF DIFFERENT MATERIAL - A method of manufacturing a sole with shoe nails made of different materials is provided. The method includes pre-forming shoe nails, putting the shoe nails in an injection molding mold, applying a surface treatment agent and an adhesive glue, injecting the heated molten sole material into a mold, binding the sole material and the shoe nails with the adhesive glue, and performing a cooling process to cause the sole material to solidify and turn into a sole and cause the adhesive glue to solidify and couple the sole and shoe nails together. The method enables a sole with shoe nails to be quickly manufactured so easily that it increases production efficiency and economic benefits. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160120258 | PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A FASTENING SYSTEM OF INTERCHANGEABLE STRAPS IN SANDALS - The present invention refers to a process for production of a fastening system of interchangeable straps in sandals that includes the following steps: preparation of the base by creation of several apertures in its material; coating of said base with adhesive for attachment of the material composing the outer layer of the platform, to secure the sole and the insole; application of a fastener within said base, piercing the outer layer of the platform, by pressure on the support which is traversed by said fastener which is inserted inside the base and passes through multiple apertures and is fastened permanently; fastening of said fastener ensuring so that the support remains a reasonable distance from the platform to enable the straps to be engaged and disengaged. The invention also includes the product produced by said process | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160120262 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH A MIDSOLE ASSEMBLY HAVING A PERIMETER BLADDER ELEMENT, A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND A MOLD ASSEMBLY FOR SAME - An article of footwear has a midsole assembly that includes a fluid-filled bladder element having a substantially arc-shaped heel portion and having a lateral arm portion and a medial arm portion spaced from the lateral arm portion. Each of the arm portions extend from the heel portion. The bladder element is configured to be positioned with the heel portion in the heel region of midsole assembly, and the arm portions extending from the heel region to a forefoot region along a peripheral region. A method of manufacturing and a mold assembly for such an article of footwear are provided. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160136910 | SOLE ATTACHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - The present concept is a method of attaching soles which minimizes delamination of the sole. It includes the steps of molding a sole together with a bond material by placing the bond material onto the sole material in the mold, and then adhering a bottom side of a bond material to the inside portion of the sole, in the mold by heating the mold to a pre-selected temperature and for a pre-selected amount of time. The bond material includes a hot melt polyurethane reactive film adhesive on a top side and a barrier material on the bottom side. Finally attaching the sole with bond material to an upper. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160136912 | Decorated Sole Elements for Articles of Footwear and Processes for Making Thereof - A method of forming a decorated midsole element for articles of footwear includes obtaining a decorated film having one or more graphic elements applied to a first surface of the film and placing the decorated film in a mold. A midsole element is obtained and placed in the mold, and pressure is applied to the mold to form a midsole element having a decorated surface. The decorated film may include a layer of polyether-block co-polyamide polymer and the midsole element may be formed of ethylvinylacetate. A midsole assembly and an article of footwear having decorated midsole top layers are also described. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160150853 | Footwear with Power Kick Plate | 06-02-2016 |
| 20160058101 | Knit Component Bonding - A composite structure may include a knit component and a bonded component. The knit component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the knit component includes a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that form a knitted structure. The fusible yarn is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, and the fusible yarn is located on at least the first surface. The bonded component is positioned adjacent to the first surface, and the bonded component is thermal bonded to the first surface with the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20080196181 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A TEXTILE UPPER - An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first area and a second area with a unitary construction. The first area is formed of a first stitch configuration, and the second area is formed of a second stitch configuration that is different from the first stitch configuration to impart varying textures to a surface of the textile element. Various warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be utilized to form the textile element. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20080295263 | Article Of Apparel Incorporating A Stratified Material - An article of apparel having a substrate layer and an incised layer is disclosed. The substrate layer is at least partially formed from a material having a first degree of stretchability. The incised layer is secured to the substrate layer and at least partially formed from a material having a second degree of stretchability, the first degree of stretchability being greater than the second degree of stretchability. In addition, the incised layer includes at least a first incision and a second incision that are concentric, the first incision being positioned within the second incision. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20100064453 | Waterproof Footwear with Elastic Connecting Band - Shoe upper having a lower end of the upper, an outer material with a lower end ( | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100281631 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A FLAT KNIT UPPER CONSTRUCTION OR OTHER UPPER CONSTRUCTION - Flat knitting allows production of textile structures (e.g., for use in footwear uppers) of a final desired shape such that textile cutting steps can be avoided. Flat knitted elements also can be formed directly in desired three dimensional shapes, which can help avoid the need to use additional support structures (e.g., in footwear construction). By selectively placing multiple different yarns and/or stitch patterns at multiple different locations in the overall structure during the knitting process, flat knitted products may have multiple different physical properties (e.g., different stretchability, different moisture management capabilities, etc.) at multiple different locations or zones within a single, unitary construction (e.g., different properties at different zones or locations within a single footwear structure). Additionally, flat knitting can be used to produce pockets, tunnels, or other layered structures in the final product. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20110302727 | Footwear Structure With Textile Upper Member - Articles of footwear include a textile upper member with an exterior constructed from knitted textile material, the exterior including a region with stability ribs and a second unribbed region. The region(s) having stability ribs may be located, for example: along a lateral midfoot side of the upper member; along a forefoot portion of the upper member; and/or along a medial midfoot side of the upper member. Other articles of footwear include an upper member having exterior and interior textile elements joined together in a stitchless manner at the foot-receiving opening of the upper member. The exterior surface of this upper member also may include one or more regions with stability structures. The stitchless textile engagement techniques can provide a smooth, non-bulky, and breathable joint that does not require thick layers of textile material in contact with or adjacent the wearer's foot. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120284935 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Tensile Strands And Securing Strands - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a tensile strand, and a securing strand. The tensile strand is located adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The securing strand joins or secures the tensile strand to the foundation element. Although the thicknesses may vary, a thickness of the tensile strand may be at least three times the thickness of the securing strand. In some configurations, a backing strand may also assist with joining the securing strand to the foundation element. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20120324658 | Composite Shoe Upper and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel of an upper includes a substrate layer formed from a substrate material, a mesh material layer and one or more skin material layers. The mesh composite can be fabricated by first arranging panels of substrate, mesh and skin layer material into an assembly corresponding to the locations of those panels in a completed upper. The assembly may include separate layers of hot melt bonding material interposed between the substrate, mesh and skin layers. The assembly is pressed at an elevated temperature so as to melt the bonding material and the skin layers and bond the elements together. Before the pressed assembly completely cools, it is then pressed a second time in an unheated press. A heat-conductive compressible pad can be used in the pressing process to create a surface effect in the skin layers that reveals a patterns of an underlying mesh layer. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130212811 | Article Of Footwear Having An Upper Incorporating A Tensile Strand With A Cover Layer - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a strand, and a cover layer. The strand is positioned adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The cover layer extends along the strand for the distance of at least five centimeters, and the strand is positioned between the cover layer and the foundation element. In some configurations, the cover layer has a pair of edges on opposite sides of the strand, the strand is substantially centered between the edges of the cover layer for the distance of at least five centimeters, and areas of the exterior surface are exposed beyond the edges of the cover layer. | 08-22-2013 |
| 20130298339 | HYBRID SKATE BOOT - A method of making a skate boot upper, including integrally molding a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion with the quarter overlapping the boot portion only along said edges. Also, a method of making a skate boot upper, including manufacturing a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion through stitching, adhesive or lamination. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130305465 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN UPPER PART OF A SHOE, IN PARTICULAR OF A SPORTS SHOE - The invention relates to a method for producing an upper part ( | 11-21-2013 |
| 20130318726 | Method of Manufacturing An Article of Footwear Including a Composite Upper - A method of manufacturing an upper made of a composite material for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes associating a layer of carbon fiber material and a flexible substrate to form the composite material. A thin outer coating of TPU is applied to an outer surface of the carbon fiber material of the composite material. The method forms an article of footwear having an upper that is generally flexible and lightweight. | 12-05-2013 |
| 20140020193 | Shoe with Composite Upper and Foam Element and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel can be used to form a three-dimensional upper shell that includes extensions used for double-lasting and/or to otherwise provide a shelf to support foam padding. The foam padding may be, e.g., a foam midsole. The extensions of the upper shell may be located in a lower portion of the shell and may be bonded to the foam midsole in a heel, midfoot and/or forefoot regions. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140130270 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 05-15-2014 |
| 20140182069 | Method for Forming a Shoe Vamp Integrally - A method for forming a shoe vamp includes providing a cloth material, forming integrally a plurality of ornamental members on the cloth material by tatting, and arranging the ornamental members on the cloth material in a diverse manner to present different viewing effects of the ornamental members on the cloth material so as to form a product of a shoe vamp. The shoe vamp includes the cloth material and the ornamental members. Thus, each of the ornamental members is formed integrally on the cloth material by tatting so that each of the ornamental members is combined with the cloth material exactly and closely and will not be loosened or detached from the cloth material during a long-term utilization. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140245547 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 09-04-2014 |
| 20140310892 | Method of Printing Onto an Article - A method of printing onto an article includes placing an article on a holding assembly, flattening a portion of the article and printing onto the flattened portion of the article. Flattening can be accomplished using a flattening plate and by controlling the shape of a surface of the holding assembly using a vacuum. | 10-23-2014 |
| 20150089752 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING SEAMLESS SHOE UPPER - A method for producing a seamless shoe upper includes the following steps of: providing a covering piece, a lining piece, and first and second screen-printing jigs having first and second screen portions respectively; surface treating the covering piece using a first treating agent through the first screen portion and the lining piece using a second treating agent through the second screen portion; distributing an adhesive onto the covering piece and the lining piece respectively through the first and second screen portions, so as to form first and second adhesive layers thereon; and bonding the covering piece with the lining piece by overlapping and pressing the first and second adhesive layers together. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150107033 | Automated Trimming Of Pliable Items - The present invention relates to the automated cutting of pliable items. More particularly, the present invention relates to the automatic cutting and/or trimming of pliable items, such as a shoe upper that lacks uniformity. An image of the pliable item is captured having image features and a pattern is retrieved having pattern features, such as a proposed cut path. An image feature is compared to distance tolerances associated with pattern features to adjust the proposed cut path such that it satisfies the distance tolerances while providing a consistently sized and shaped trimmed item. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20160058126 | COMPONENTS FOR ARTICLES OF FOOTWEAR INCLUDING LIGHTWEIGHT, SELECTIVELY SUPPORTED TEXTILE COMPONENTS - Footwear components are made from lightweight textile structures (e.g., including circular knitted structures made from natural or synthetic fibers, such as socks or sock-type structures). The textile structures are selectively supported at various areas to provide desired local characteristics. Methods are provided for making such components, precursors to such components, and articles of footwear containing such components. | 03-03-2016 |
| 012146000 | Uppers | 19 |
| 20090019648 | Method of Customizing an Article - A method of post customization for articles of footwear is disclosed. The method includes a step of receiving an order for a plurality of pairs of footwear, a step of manufacturing the articles, a step of receiving a set of post customization designs and a step of applying post customization designs to the articles of footwear. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090199353 | Apparatus and Method for Providing Open-Heeled Foot Apparel with Improved Heel Support - A method of manufacturing an article of foot apparel that includes a platform curved to anticipate the natural movement of a foot. The method includes forming the platform with a heel pad having a geometric center point. The method also includes connecting a retaining covering to the platform that is configured to retain a foot at the front of the platform and to allow the heel of the foot to move freely relative to the heel pad. The article of foot apparel conforms more closely to the actual physiology of the foot and allows the heel of the foot to remain centered in the heel pad when worn. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20100107346 | Method of Making an Article Comprising Links - A method of making an article comprising links is disclosed. The method includes a step of generating a link pattern according to a pre-selected portion of the article. The link pattern comprises a plurality of link indicia that correspond to plurality of links. After associating each link from the plurality of links with a link indicia from the plurality of link indicia, a plurality of threads may be threaded through the plurality of links to form a link matrix. The link matrix may be associated with the pre-selected portion of an article to make an article comprising links. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20110252581 | DEBRIS INHIBITOR FOR SHOES AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME - The invention provides debris inhibitors and inhibitor systems and methods of making same. The inhibitors and inhibitor systems of the present invention are worn over athletic or outdoor shoes to inhibit entry of debris into the athletic or outdoor shoes. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110277251 | Transparent outsole with visible artwork - An improved method of boot or shoe construction comprising a boot or shoe constructed using the traditional Goodyear welt process, a midsole comprised of leather or rubber, a transparent outsole with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side of said outsole, a heel, comprised of leather, rubber or any substantially equivalent material, and transparent heel cover with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side. Other embodiments are described and shown. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20140115795 | Protective Toe Cap for Industrial Footwear - The invention relates to a one-piece protective toe cap for safety footwear, forming a concave frame consisting of a front wall with connected side walls, the upper edges of which are joined by a concave surface along the profile of the last. The contour or edge of the flange of the toe cap is provided with a recess in order to house a tab and provide comfort, as well as improving the appearance of the footwear (not shown in these documents). The design withstands impact tests of approximately 101.7 to 146.7 Joules (10.4 to 14.95 kgf-m), leaving clearance of approximately 11 mm to 14 mm in the capped shoe and not only at the tip of the cap. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140230166 | Article of Footwear With Tongue of Varying Thickness - An article of footwear includes a tongue. The tongue includes a medial portion, a lateral portion, a central portion, a top portion and an upper perimeter portion. The medial portion and the top portion have similar thicknesses, which are greater than the thicknesses of the lateral portion, the central portion and the upper perimeter portion. The central portion is the thinnest portion of the tongue. Each portion of the tongue corresponds to a different pressure zone along a foot in order to provide differential cushioning and support against pressure applied by a fastening system. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140259462 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Tensile Element - A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber with a tensile element includes manufacturing a tensile element and incorporating the tensile element into a chamber. A first material layer, a second material layer, and a spacing structure having a plurality of support portions and a plurality of gaps may be stacked. The material layers may be located on either side of the spacing structure or on one side of the spacing structure. A strand may be stitched through the gaps to join the material layers and to form the tensile element. The spacing structure may be removed, and the first material layer may be spaced from the second material layer such that segments of the strand extend between the material layers. The tensile element may then be secured to opposite interior surfaces of an outer barrier, and the outer barrier may be pressurized to place the strand in tension. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20100275393 | METHOD OF MAKING A LASTED SKATE BOOT - A method of making a lasted skate boot comprising: (a) providing a male-female mold having male and female sections for defining a mold cavity therebetween, the male section having sides, a rear portion and a bottom portion for defining a three dimensional shape corresponding to the external three dimensional shape of the foot, the female section defining a recess for receiving the male section, the male section comprising a plurality of inner channels for admitting liquid plastic material in the mold cavity; (b) providing a pre-cut sheet made of cloth material laminated to a support made of non-woven fabric; (c) placing the sheet on the male section of the mold such that the non-woven fabric contacts the sides and rear portion of the male section of the mold; (d) closing the male and female sections of the mold; (e) injecting liquid plastic material in the inner channels such that the liquid plastic material spreads on the sheet, pushes the sheet against the recess of the female section of the mold, fills the mold cavity and fuses with the non-woven fabric to form, after cooling, an outer shell comprising a heel portion for surrounding the heel, an ankle portion for surrounding the ankle, and medial and lateral side portions for enclosing the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively; (f) opening the male and female sections of the mold; and (g) removing the outer shell from the mold. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100005602 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INSOLE - A method for manufacturing insole uses used footwear and recycled wooden articles are primary ingredients, which are pulverized to form particles of the recycled materials. The recycled wood, taking a ratio of weight of 15-35%, is uniformly mixed with matrix rubber that functions to adjust physical properties and foaming agent, and then pressed to form an insole material in a sheet form, which is deposited in a mold to be heated and pressurized for curing and setting thereby forming an insole featuring proper resilience and anti-bacteria and deodorization. The use of the insole is thus completely sanitary and comfortable and also features pollution- and nuisance-free use by repeated use in the sense of environment conservation. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20080271265 | Article of Footwear Having a Worn Appearance and Method of Making Same - An article of footwear made from new or substantially new materials is manufactured with vintage treatment processing to give the article of footwear a vintage or well-worn appearance. The article of footwear may be treated with discoloring substances, such as dyes or bleaching agents. The upper may be formed with wrinkles or a crushed heel portion, such as by using a thin or soft foam behind a polyester covering, eliminating the foam backing and/or heel cup. Further, a rubber outsole may be molded with uneven treads and/or discolored to give the rubber a degraded, worn appearance. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080301887 | SIMPLIFIED SHOE CONSTRUCTION WITH MIDSOLE HAVING OVERMOLDED INSERT - A shoe construction employs a midsole molded of flexible, resilient material around a rigid plate, where the midsole and encapsulated plate are insertable into a separately constructed outsole and shoe upper. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080313824 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method of forming an article of footwear includes the steps of providing an upper having a forefoot portion a midfoot portion a heel portion and a pocket positioned beneath the forefoot portion; placing the upper on a last; inserting a first midsole portion into the pocket; and securing an outsole assembly to the upper, the outsole assembly comprising a second midsole portion and an outsole secured to a lower surface of the second midsole portion. The second midsole portion and the outsole are visible from an exterior of the article of footwear and the first midsole portion is not visible from an exterior of the article of footwear. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090133202 | FOOTWEAR MADE BY IMPROVED PROCESS OF DRAINING STRUCTURE - Footwear is made by a process which creates a draining structure in the footwear. The footwear includes an insole that has conical through holes formed in the top and bottom sides of the insole such that the holes gradually reduce from the top side toward the bottom side. The insole is made by preparing a molten foam material and then using a hydraulic press-controlled mold to mold the molten foam material into a blank insole having a plurality of conical blind holes. Part of the blank insole is then removed to open the conical blind holes by means of the application of a cutting process, a grinding process or a punching process. An outsole is bonded to the bottom side of the insole and has a plurality of drain grooves in communication with the conical through holes for guiding water out of the insole and the outsole. An upper is provided at the top side of the insole for securing the shoe to the user's foot. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090255065 | WATER-RESISTANT AND FLOATABLE FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREFOR - A water-resistant and floatable footwear including an outsole and insole, and an upper member affixed to the sole, wherein the footwear is floatable in water. In particular, the insole of the footwear is constructed of the material “marine buoy;” that is, the insole has an inner structure and an outer coating, the inner structure being constructed of a thermoplastic resin and the outer coating being constructed of a vinyl polymer. The footwear is advantageously water-proof and provides buoyancy in water. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090265868 | Impact Attenuating Devices and Products Containing such Devices - An impact attenuating device includes both concave and convex side walls, e.g., in an interleaved arrangement, optionally at least partially surrounded by a restraining element that may help return the impact attenuating device back to its original orientation after attenuating an impact. Such impact attenuating devices may be included in pieces of footwear and/or other foot-receiving devices. Additionally, such impact attenuating devices or portions thereof may be freely selected and/or interchanged in a piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, e.g., based on one or more characteristics of an intended user and/or an intended use, so as to allow users to obtain footwear (or other devices) customized and targeted for use under a predetermined set of conditions. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100077556 | Fluid-Filled Bladder for Footwear and Other Applications - A fluid-filled structure, such as a bladder, is disclosed. The bladder has a first surface and an opposite second surface that are peripherally joined to define various edges. The bladder encloses a fluid between the first surface and the second surface. A portion of the edges may have a concave configuration, or the edges may have both concave and convex configurations. A shape of the bladder may be a tessellation pattern so that a plurality of the bladder may be efficiently. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100083449 | Midsole Element For An Article Of Footwear - An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a midsole element that defines a void, and the void may extend substantially vertically through a central area of the midsole element. The void may also extend between an upper surface and a lower surface of the midsole element to define an interior surface. A plurality of bores are also defined in the midsole element. The bores may extend substantially horizontally through the midsole element, and the bores may extend between an exterior surface of the midsole element and the void. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100139014 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CLEAT SOLE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a sole ( | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100251492 | FOOTWEAR INCORPORATING A LIGHT SOURCE AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An embodiment of the present invention is a method that includes the steps of: incorporating at least one light source in an upper part of a shoe, wherein the at least one light source that comprises at least a light emitting source that is capable of illuminating, wherein the shoe comprises: 1) the upper part, 2) at least one bonding strip, and 3) a shoe bottom sole part, assembling at least the upper part with the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form an assembled unit; and c) applying sufficient heat to vulcanize the assembled unit so as to result in securing the upper part to the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form the shoe having the at least one light source that is capable of illuminating. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100269271 | Method of Manufacturing Footwear Having Sipes - A method of manufacturing footwear including the steps of positioning a sole member on a first portion of a cutting assembly; heating a second portion of the cutting assembly, the second portion including a cutting die; pressing the heated cutting die into the sole member to form a plurality of sipes in the sole member; and removing the cutting die from the sole member. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100281630 | Article of Footwear with Mesh on Outsole and Insert - An article of footwear including a mesh disposed on the outsole and an insert of the outsole is disclosed. The outsole includes tread elements that extend farther from the outsole than the mesh, providing protection to the mesh. Additionally, the mesh on the insert preferably helps reduce hyperextension of the front of the insert and the article of footwear. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100293727 | INDIVIDUALLY FORMED FOOTWEAR AND A RELATED METHOD - Individually formed footwear such as shoes and insoles for correcting the feet position and alleviate related problems. The shoe or insole includes at least one layer made of thermoplastic material, which material is advantageously chosen from a group of ABS, PVC, A-PET and PETG. A method for providing such footwear to a client at a retail store is likewise presented. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100299850 | METHOD FOR MAKING GOODYEAR SHOE - A method for making a Goodyear shoe includes the steps of: stitching together a lower edge of an upper and a peripheral edge of an inner midsole so as to form a coupled section; placing a last into an assembly resulting from the previous step; placing an outer welt on an outer surface of the upper at the coupled section and stitching the outer welt, the upper, and the inner midsole together; placing a filler on a bottom surface of the inner midsole; bonding a thin sole to a bottom portion of an assembly that results from the previous step and stitching the thin sole to the outer welt; and bonding an outsole and performing edge-abrading. The method prevents a toe cap portion of the upper from tearing and creasing and dispenses with such steps as gripping the upper, driving wire nails, and trimming the lower edge of the upper. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20110047720 | Method of Manufacturing Sole Assembly for Article of Footwear - A method of forming a midsole includes the steps of placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another, injecting a first material into the first mold member to form first and second portions of a midsole preform, positioning the first and second portions in a third mold member of a second mold assembly; placing a second material in the third mold member; placing the third mold member and a fourth mold member in contact with one another, subjecting the second material and the first and second portions to heat to form a midsole preform, placing the midsole preform in a fifth mold member, placing the fifth mold member and a sixth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the midsole preform to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110047721 | Method of Manufacturing Midsole for Article of Footwear - A method of forming includes the steps of: placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below an ambient temperature; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; positioning the first portion of the midsole in the second recess in the third mold member of the second mold assembly; placing a second material into the second recess in contact with the first portion of the midsole; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110094046 | FORMING A SHOE COMPONENT WITH ROCKER BOTTOM - A method of forming a shoe component for an individual is provided and includes defining a footprint of the shoe component for the individual with an orientation relative to a rocker bottom of sheets that each have the rocker bottom and various thicknesses, selecting, from among the sheets, a sheet having a thickness appropriate for the individual based on the orientation of the footprint and removing a portion from the selected sheet reflective of a shape and size of a profile of the footprint. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110131739 | Contoured Fluid-Filled Chamber - A fluid-filled chamber may be incorporated into footwear and other products. The chamber is formed from a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located opposite the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of bonds are spaced inward from the sidewall surface and join the first surface and the second surface, and the bonds are distributed to form a regularly-spaced array, such as a hexagonal array. In some configurations, the first surface and the second surface may define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds. In addition, the bonds may be formed to have a slope that is an average of slopes of the first surface and the second surface in areas proximal the bonds. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110138548 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods For Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110154584 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH TUBULAR SOLE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE - An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper. The sole assembly includes a mat formed of at least one randomly dispersed extruded tubular member, each tubular member being hollow in an in-use condition in which the mat provides support for a user's foot. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20120017382 | METHOD FOR MAKING SHOES - A method for making shoes includes a first mold made of stiff material and a second mold has a concavity in which the shoe is received. The shoe includes a top portion, a connection member and an outsole, wherein the connection member and the outsole are connected to the top portion. The second mold transmits ultra-sonic thermo energy to the connection member and the outsole, so that the connection member and the outsole are properly shrank and securely matched to the top portion. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120060305 | Method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths - A method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths having acts of forming a shoe shell with a rudimentary mold assembly, ejecting the shoe shell from the rudimentary mold assembly and adjusting a width of the sole of the shoe shell before the shoe shell hardens. The sole of the shoe shell has at least one adjusting portion to allow the sole to expand or be compressed. With the acts, each size of the shoe shell needs only one rudimentary mold assembly that has complex structure and high cost to substantially form a basic shape of the shoe shell and multiple shaping molds of different widths that have simple structure and low cost are prepared to further adjust widths of the shoe shell. Consequently, total cost for manufacturing the shoe shell with different widths is effectively lowered. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120137449 | Method for Improving the Performance of Footwear - A mixture of ester based chemicals applied to shoes for the purpose of improving performance in the normal use of the shoe. The mixture is applied to a surface of the shoes and allowed to penetrate the material forming the surface of the shoe. When applied to the sole of a shoe, the esters in the material will alter bulk properties of the shoe sole to alter the adhesion of the shoe to a traversed surface, the operative life of the shoe, the shoe performance and the shoe hardness. The mixture is especially suited for application to previously manufactured climbing shoes. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120260437 | Method of Preparing a Rubber Shoe Sole - Disclosed herein is a novel method of preparing shoe sole. The method of preparing shoe sole includes irradiating an uncured rubber sheet by laser beam to pattern and vulcanize a portion of the uncured rubber, tailoring the partially patterned vulcanized rubber into a shoe shape, and afterward fully vulcanizing the partially patterned vulcanized rubber sheet to form a shoe sole. An additional step of assembling the upper panel of shoe sole on the partially vulcanized rubber sheet is also performed. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120297557 | Shoe Outsole Made Using Composite Material - Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for making a shoe outsole and to shoe outsoles made using such techniques. In one such technique, a sheet of composite material is produced by extruding a base material together with a sheet of fabric material. The sheet of composite material is then cut into an outsole component, and a shoe outsole is fabricated using the outsole component. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120324656 | Method for manufacturing Detachable Zipper Shoe - Method for manufacturing detachable zipper shoe comprises steps of: I. preparing cardboards: 1) structuring a shoe last, 2) making cardboards, and 3) drawing arrays of marks; II. making a vamp: 1) making a first cutting die, 2) cutting, 3) drawing marks on the vamp, 4) combining the vamp, and 5) combining the vamp and an upper zipper; III. making an outsole: 1) forming the outsole, and 2) combining the outsole and a lower zipper; IV. making an inner sole: 1) making a second cutting die, 2) cutting, and 3) combining the inner sole and the outsole; V. fixing the vamp. The method of the present invention adopts sets of marks predetermined on the vamp, the upper zipper, the lower zipper, the inner sole, and the outsole to be aligned with each other, so as to prevent the combination of the afore portions from displacement. Therefore, one single sole of the same size can cooperate with different types of vamps for satisfying a mass production of shoes. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20120324657 | Footwear and Method of Making Thereof - Footwear includes an upper, a sole, and a thread. The upper has upper holes around the upper peripheral. The sole has a lip portion on the sole peripheral lip portion has sole holes around the sole peripheral. The thread attaches the upper and the sole through the upper holes and the sole holes, and forms a set of stitches. A ripple is formed between two sets of stitches and the thread is embedded in the lip portion between the ripples. Each stitch goes through a first upper hole and enters the sole hole of the lip portion, such that the thread forms an angled stitch on the lip portion. The thread then goes through a second upper hole and exits from a third upper hole, such that the thread forms a horizontal stitch on the inside of the footwear. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130025075 | Method Of Manufacturing An Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Tensile Element - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element and a tensile element. The tensile element may include a base layer and a plurality of strands, with the base layer being joined to an exterior surface of the foundation element. In manufacturing the footwear, a thermoplastic polymer material in the base layer may be utilized to bond or otherwise join the tensile element to the foundation element. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130091638 | SOLE COMPONENT FOR AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME - A sole component having a base, a toe cover and an integral line of articulation permitting the toe cover to be molded in an “open” position and moved into a “closed” position during assembly on the article of footwear. The line of articulation may include a line of reduced thickness extending laterally across the sole. The line of articulation may also include breaks defined in the sidewall of the sole in alignment with the line of reduced thickness. The present invention also provides a method of forming a sole component generally including the steps of providing a mold having bottom and top mold parts shaped to cooperatively define a mold cavity in the shape of a sole component having a toe cover joined to a base along a line of articulation, closing the mold parts, injecting a sole forming material into the cavity, removing the sole component and moving the toe cover about the line of articulation into a closed configuration for use. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130160223 | Method For Manufacturing A Sole Assembly and For Manufacturing A Shoe - The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe, comprising the steps of providing an upper assembly with an upper portion comprising an outer material and with a bottom portion; providing a ventilating sole element ( | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130263391 | Methods For Manufacturing Fluid-Filled Chambers Incorporating Spacer Textile Materials - A method for manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber may include obtaining a spacer textile material a stabilization structure. A tensile member is removed from an area of the spacer textile material where the stabilizing structure is absent. The tensile member is located between a first polymer element and a second polymer element. Additionally, (a) the first layer is bonded to the first polymer element, (b) the second layer is bonded to the second polymer element, and (c) the first polymer element and the second polymer element are bonded together around a periphery of the tensile member. | 10-10-2013 |
| 20130291318 | SKATE BOOT WITH IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY - A method of making a skate boot including manufacturing a rear element including a tendon guard for covering at least a rear portion of the ankle received within the boot, and forming a direct connection at a fixed position between contacting portions of the rear element and of a remainder of the skate boot separately from the quarters, the direct connection being formed such that the rear element is an external element of the boot and such that an upper portion of the rear element is displaceable relative to the quarters in a forward and rearward direction, the upper portion of the rear element being displaceable through flexing of the rear element about the connection. | 11-07-2013 |
| 20140000044 | Induction Heating Apparatuses And Processes For Footwear Manufacturing | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140020192 | Footwear Assembly Method With 3D Printing - Methods and systems are disclosed for apparel assembly using three-dimensional printing directly onto fabric apparel materials. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing and assembly of an article of apparel, including designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing, positioning at least a portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray, printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the article using the designed pattern, curing the printed material, and removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140068879 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SHOE AND SHOE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a shoe ( | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140068880 | FLEXIBLE SHOE SOLE - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a composite element adapted for use with an article of footwear. The composite element generally comprises a first portion with a first rigidity and a second portion with a second, different rigidity. The first portion and the second portion each comprise at least one fiber-reinforced layer and are configured to provide the desired rigidity characteristics according to a wearer's characteristics and/or an intended use of the footwear. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140090189 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Reinforcing Element - Several sole components and a method of manufacturing those sole components are disclosed. In general, each sole component includes a fluid-filled bladder and a reinforcing element extending around a portion of the bladder. The reinforcing element is bonded to the exterior of the bladder, and may be recessed into the bladder. In some configurations, the reinforcing element is die-cut from a sheet of polymer material, and the reinforcing element may exhibit a layered configuration. In manufacturing the sole component, the reinforcing element may be located within a mold, and the polymer material forming the bladder may be bonded to the reinforcing element during the molding process. | 04-03-2014 |
| 20140165304 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods for Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140173837 | METHOD OF PRODUCING SOLE FOR BENDING-ACTUATED AERATED FOOTWEAR - A method of producing a sole assembly for manufacturing aerated footwear comprises: fabricating a sole component having an aperture extending from a top surface to a bottom surface, and having recessed cavity along a length of the bottom surface, the aperture connecting to the recessed cavity; attaching a material layer to the recessed cavity; attaching an actuation member to the material layer; and closing the aperture with a valve so as to control the entry of and expulsion of air from the recessed cavity. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140189965 | Article of Footwear with Slots and Method of Making - A sole structure for an article of footwear and a method of making the sole structure is disclosed. The sole structure can include a plurality of slots. The slots are associated with connecting portions that connect portions of the sole structure in the generally longitudinal direction and provide for increased fit, flexibility and stability. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140331418 | Composite Sole Structure - Embodiments relating to a lightweight sole structure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a lobed member having a protruding portion associated with a cleat member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a chambered member located in an indention in an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a cleat member having an outer layer, an intermediate layer, and an inner layer. In some embodiments, a method of making a sole structure may include injecting a chambered member in between an upper member and an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a plurality of zones having varying degrees of flexibility. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include cleat members having penetrating portions for penetrating into the ground surface. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140331419 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MIDSOLE FOR ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method includes placing first and second mold members in contact; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; placing a third mold member and an intermediate mold member in contact injecting a second material into a second recess to form a second portion of a midsole while the second mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the intermediate mold member; positioning the first and second portions in the second recess; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material portion and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20150107032 | Buffing Expanded Foam Items - Foam items may be buffed using particles such as particulate sodium bicarbonate in accordance with the present invention. Foam items may be, for example, expanded EVA foam items pre-formed into an intermediate size and shape. A skin layer may be formed during the expansion of the foam item to form an expanded foam item which may be entirely or partially removed by buffing the item using particles projected with selected buffing parameters. The buffing parameters may be varied based upon the thickness of at least a portion of the skin layer and/or the desired degree of moldability for the foam item after buffing. Particulate sodium bicarbonate or other types of particles used for buffing may be recycled and reused for further buffing of foam items. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150128359 | LOW DENSITY FOAMED ARTICLE MADE BY BEAD FOAM COMPRESSION MOLDING METHOD - Disclosed is a molded foamed article, such as a midsole or outsole for footwear, made by a method in which a desired amount of thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads are placed in a compression mold in the shape of the article and the mold is brought to a peak temperature of from about 130° C. to about 180° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds, then cooled to from about 5° C. to about 80° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds within about 30 seconds after the peak temperature is reached. The foamed article made by the method has a density of from about 0.1 to about 0.45 g/cm | 05-14-2015 |
| 20150374069 | Strand-Wound Bladder - An article of footwear or another product may incorporate a pressure chamber that includes (a) a bladder at least partially formed from a polymer material that is sealed to enclose a pressurized fluid and (b) a strand wound around the bladder and secured to the bladder. In manufacturing the pressure chamber, a bladder with an elongate configuration may be formed. A strand is wound around the bladder, and the strand is secured to the bladder. When incorporated to a sole structure of the article of footwear, for example, a portion of the bladder that includes the strands may be exposed at an outer surface of the sole structure. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160007680 | Sole With Adjustable Sizing | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160023416 | SOLE ASSEMBLY WITH PLURAL PORTIONS THAT COOPERATIVELY DEFINE CHAMBER - A method of forming a sole assembly of an article of footwear that includes an interior space that receives a foot of a wearer is disclosed. The article of footwear also includes an exterior surface. The method includes providing a first portion of the sole assembly. The first portion includes a first surface that at least partially defines the interior space. The first portion also includes a first chamber surface that opposes the first surface. Moreover, the method includes providing a second portion of the sole assembly. The second portion includes a second surface that at least partially defines the exterior surface of the article of footwear. The second portion also includes a second chamber surface that opposes the second surface. The method further includes operably securing the first portion to the second portion such that the first chamber surface and the second chamber surface cooperate to at least partially define a substantially sealed chamber within the sole assembly. | 01-28-2016 |
| 20160113352 | Method of Making a Zonal Compression Shoe - A method of making a shoe includes printing a midsole having a platform and a lattice structure. The platform and lattice structure are integrally formed by printing a first surface of the platform to conform to a sole of a foot of a user and, in association therewith, printing the lattice structure on a second surface of the platform opposite the first surface of the platform. The method also includes positioning the midsole substantially within an outsole such that the lattice structure is substantially facing the outsole and the platform is substantially facing an upper. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160114546 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SOLE WITH SHOE NAIL MADE OF DIFFERENT MATERIAL - A method of manufacturing a sole with shoe nails made of different materials is provided. The method includes pre-forming shoe nails, putting the shoe nails in an injection molding mold, applying a surface treatment agent and an adhesive glue, injecting the heated molten sole material into a mold, binding the sole material and the shoe nails with the adhesive glue, and performing a cooling process to cause the sole material to solidify and turn into a sole and cause the adhesive glue to solidify and couple the sole and shoe nails together. The method enables a sole with shoe nails to be quickly manufactured so easily that it increases production efficiency and economic benefits. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160120258 | PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A FASTENING SYSTEM OF INTERCHANGEABLE STRAPS IN SANDALS - The present invention refers to a process for production of a fastening system of interchangeable straps in sandals that includes the following steps: preparation of the base by creation of several apertures in its material; coating of said base with adhesive for attachment of the material composing the outer layer of the platform, to secure the sole and the insole; application of a fastener within said base, piercing the outer layer of the platform, by pressure on the support which is traversed by said fastener which is inserted inside the base and passes through multiple apertures and is fastened permanently; fastening of said fastener ensuring so that the support remains a reasonable distance from the platform to enable the straps to be engaged and disengaged. The invention also includes the product produced by said process | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160120262 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH A MIDSOLE ASSEMBLY HAVING A PERIMETER BLADDER ELEMENT, A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND A MOLD ASSEMBLY FOR SAME - An article of footwear has a midsole assembly that includes a fluid-filled bladder element having a substantially arc-shaped heel portion and having a lateral arm portion and a medial arm portion spaced from the lateral arm portion. Each of the arm portions extend from the heel portion. The bladder element is configured to be positioned with the heel portion in the heel region of midsole assembly, and the arm portions extending from the heel region to a forefoot region along a peripheral region. A method of manufacturing and a mold assembly for such an article of footwear are provided. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160136910 | SOLE ATTACHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - The present concept is a method of attaching soles which minimizes delamination of the sole. It includes the steps of molding a sole together with a bond material by placing the bond material onto the sole material in the mold, and then adhering a bottom side of a bond material to the inside portion of the sole, in the mold by heating the mold to a pre-selected temperature and for a pre-selected amount of time. The bond material includes a hot melt polyurethane reactive film adhesive on a top side and a barrier material on the bottom side. Finally attaching the sole with bond material to an upper. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160136912 | Decorated Sole Elements for Articles of Footwear and Processes for Making Thereof - A method of forming a decorated midsole element for articles of footwear includes obtaining a decorated film having one or more graphic elements applied to a first surface of the film and placing the decorated film in a mold. A midsole element is obtained and placed in the mold, and pressure is applied to the mold to form a midsole element having a decorated surface. The decorated film may include a layer of polyether-block co-polyamide polymer and the midsole element may be formed of ethylvinylacetate. A midsole assembly and an article of footwear having decorated midsole top layers are also described. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160150853 | Footwear with Power Kick Plate | 06-02-2016 |
| 20160058101 | Knit Component Bonding - A composite structure may include a knit component and a bonded component. The knit component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the knit component includes a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that form a knitted structure. The fusible yarn is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, and the fusible yarn is located on at least the first surface. The bonded component is positioned adjacent to the first surface, and the bonded component is thermal bonded to the first surface with the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20080196181 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A TEXTILE UPPER - An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first area and a second area with a unitary construction. The first area is formed of a first stitch configuration, and the second area is formed of a second stitch configuration that is different from the first stitch configuration to impart varying textures to a surface of the textile element. Various warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be utilized to form the textile element. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20080295263 | Article Of Apparel Incorporating A Stratified Material - An article of apparel having a substrate layer and an incised layer is disclosed. The substrate layer is at least partially formed from a material having a first degree of stretchability. The incised layer is secured to the substrate layer and at least partially formed from a material having a second degree of stretchability, the first degree of stretchability being greater than the second degree of stretchability. In addition, the incised layer includes at least a first incision and a second incision that are concentric, the first incision being positioned within the second incision. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20100064453 | Waterproof Footwear with Elastic Connecting Band - Shoe upper having a lower end of the upper, an outer material with a lower end ( | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100281631 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A FLAT KNIT UPPER CONSTRUCTION OR OTHER UPPER CONSTRUCTION - Flat knitting allows production of textile structures (e.g., for use in footwear uppers) of a final desired shape such that textile cutting steps can be avoided. Flat knitted elements also can be formed directly in desired three dimensional shapes, which can help avoid the need to use additional support structures (e.g., in footwear construction). By selectively placing multiple different yarns and/or stitch patterns at multiple different locations in the overall structure during the knitting process, flat knitted products may have multiple different physical properties (e.g., different stretchability, different moisture management capabilities, etc.) at multiple different locations or zones within a single, unitary construction (e.g., different properties at different zones or locations within a single footwear structure). Additionally, flat knitting can be used to produce pockets, tunnels, or other layered structures in the final product. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20110302727 | Footwear Structure With Textile Upper Member - Articles of footwear include a textile upper member with an exterior constructed from knitted textile material, the exterior including a region with stability ribs and a second unribbed region. The region(s) having stability ribs may be located, for example: along a lateral midfoot side of the upper member; along a forefoot portion of the upper member; and/or along a medial midfoot side of the upper member. Other articles of footwear include an upper member having exterior and interior textile elements joined together in a stitchless manner at the foot-receiving opening of the upper member. The exterior surface of this upper member also may include one or more regions with stability structures. The stitchless textile engagement techniques can provide a smooth, non-bulky, and breathable joint that does not require thick layers of textile material in contact with or adjacent the wearer's foot. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120284935 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Tensile Strands And Securing Strands - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a tensile strand, and a securing strand. The tensile strand is located adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The securing strand joins or secures the tensile strand to the foundation element. Although the thicknesses may vary, a thickness of the tensile strand may be at least three times the thickness of the securing strand. In some configurations, a backing strand may also assist with joining the securing strand to the foundation element. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20120324658 | Composite Shoe Upper and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel of an upper includes a substrate layer formed from a substrate material, a mesh material layer and one or more skin material layers. The mesh composite can be fabricated by first arranging panels of substrate, mesh and skin layer material into an assembly corresponding to the locations of those panels in a completed upper. The assembly may include separate layers of hot melt bonding material interposed between the substrate, mesh and skin layers. The assembly is pressed at an elevated temperature so as to melt the bonding material and the skin layers and bond the elements together. Before the pressed assembly completely cools, it is then pressed a second time in an unheated press. A heat-conductive compressible pad can be used in the pressing process to create a surface effect in the skin layers that reveals a patterns of an underlying mesh layer. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130212811 | Article Of Footwear Having An Upper Incorporating A Tensile Strand With A Cover Layer - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a strand, and a cover layer. The strand is positioned adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The cover layer extends along the strand for the distance of at least five centimeters, and the strand is positioned between the cover layer and the foundation element. In some configurations, the cover layer has a pair of edges on opposite sides of the strand, the strand is substantially centered between the edges of the cover layer for the distance of at least five centimeters, and areas of the exterior surface are exposed beyond the edges of the cover layer. | 08-22-2013 |
| 20130298339 | HYBRID SKATE BOOT - A method of making a skate boot upper, including integrally molding a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion with the quarter overlapping the boot portion only along said edges. Also, a method of making a skate boot upper, including manufacturing a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion through stitching, adhesive or lamination. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130305465 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN UPPER PART OF A SHOE, IN PARTICULAR OF A SPORTS SHOE - The invention relates to a method for producing an upper part ( | 11-21-2013 |
| 20130318726 | Method of Manufacturing An Article of Footwear Including a Composite Upper - A method of manufacturing an upper made of a composite material for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes associating a layer of carbon fiber material and a flexible substrate to form the composite material. A thin outer coating of TPU is applied to an outer surface of the carbon fiber material of the composite material. The method forms an article of footwear having an upper that is generally flexible and lightweight. | 12-05-2013 |
| 20140020193 | Shoe with Composite Upper and Foam Element and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel can be used to form a three-dimensional upper shell that includes extensions used for double-lasting and/or to otherwise provide a shelf to support foam padding. The foam padding may be, e.g., a foam midsole. The extensions of the upper shell may be located in a lower portion of the shell and may be bonded to the foam midsole in a heel, midfoot and/or forefoot regions. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140130270 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 05-15-2014 |
| 20140182069 | Method for Forming a Shoe Vamp Integrally - A method for forming a shoe vamp includes providing a cloth material, forming integrally a plurality of ornamental members on the cloth material by tatting, and arranging the ornamental members on the cloth material in a diverse manner to present different viewing effects of the ornamental members on the cloth material so as to form a product of a shoe vamp. The shoe vamp includes the cloth material and the ornamental members. Thus, each of the ornamental members is formed integrally on the cloth material by tatting so that each of the ornamental members is combined with the cloth material exactly and closely and will not be loosened or detached from the cloth material during a long-term utilization. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140245547 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 09-04-2014 |
| 20140310892 | Method of Printing Onto an Article - A method of printing onto an article includes placing an article on a holding assembly, flattening a portion of the article and printing onto the flattened portion of the article. Flattening can be accomplished using a flattening plate and by controlling the shape of a surface of the holding assembly using a vacuum. | 10-23-2014 |
| 20150089752 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING SEAMLESS SHOE UPPER - A method for producing a seamless shoe upper includes the following steps of: providing a covering piece, a lining piece, and first and second screen-printing jigs having first and second screen portions respectively; surface treating the covering piece using a first treating agent through the first screen portion and the lining piece using a second treating agent through the second screen portion; distributing an adhesive onto the covering piece and the lining piece respectively through the first and second screen portions, so as to form first and second adhesive layers thereon; and bonding the covering piece with the lining piece by overlapping and pressing the first and second adhesive layers together. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150107033 | Automated Trimming Of Pliable Items - The present invention relates to the automated cutting of pliable items. More particularly, the present invention relates to the automatic cutting and/or trimming of pliable items, such as a shoe upper that lacks uniformity. An image of the pliable item is captured having image features and a pattern is retrieved having pattern features, such as a proposed cut path. An image feature is compared to distance tolerances associated with pattern features to adjust the proposed cut path such that it satisfies the distance tolerances while providing a consistently sized and shaped trimmed item. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20160058126 | COMPONENTS FOR ARTICLES OF FOOTWEAR INCLUDING LIGHTWEIGHT, SELECTIVELY SUPPORTED TEXTILE COMPONENTS - Footwear components are made from lightweight textile structures (e.g., including circular knitted structures made from natural or synthetic fibers, such as socks or sock-type structures). The textile structures are selectively supported at various areas to provide desired local characteristics. Methods are provided for making such components, precursors to such components, and articles of footwear containing such components. | 03-03-2016 |
| 012146000 | Toe and heel stiffeners | 1 |
| 20090019648 | Method of Customizing an Article - A method of post customization for articles of footwear is disclosed. The method includes a step of receiving an order for a plurality of pairs of footwear, a step of manufacturing the articles, a step of receiving a set of post customization designs and a step of applying post customization designs to the articles of footwear. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090199353 | Apparatus and Method for Providing Open-Heeled Foot Apparel with Improved Heel Support - A method of manufacturing an article of foot apparel that includes a platform curved to anticipate the natural movement of a foot. The method includes forming the platform with a heel pad having a geometric center point. The method also includes connecting a retaining covering to the platform that is configured to retain a foot at the front of the platform and to allow the heel of the foot to move freely relative to the heel pad. The article of foot apparel conforms more closely to the actual physiology of the foot and allows the heel of the foot to remain centered in the heel pad when worn. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20100107346 | Method of Making an Article Comprising Links - A method of making an article comprising links is disclosed. The method includes a step of generating a link pattern according to a pre-selected portion of the article. The link pattern comprises a plurality of link indicia that correspond to plurality of links. After associating each link from the plurality of links with a link indicia from the plurality of link indicia, a plurality of threads may be threaded through the plurality of links to form a link matrix. The link matrix may be associated with the pre-selected portion of an article to make an article comprising links. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20110252581 | DEBRIS INHIBITOR FOR SHOES AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME - The invention provides debris inhibitors and inhibitor systems and methods of making same. The inhibitors and inhibitor systems of the present invention are worn over athletic or outdoor shoes to inhibit entry of debris into the athletic or outdoor shoes. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110277251 | Transparent outsole with visible artwork - An improved method of boot or shoe construction comprising a boot or shoe constructed using the traditional Goodyear welt process, a midsole comprised of leather or rubber, a transparent outsole with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side of said outsole, a heel, comprised of leather, rubber or any substantially equivalent material, and transparent heel cover with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side. Other embodiments are described and shown. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20140115795 | Protective Toe Cap for Industrial Footwear - The invention relates to a one-piece protective toe cap for safety footwear, forming a concave frame consisting of a front wall with connected side walls, the upper edges of which are joined by a concave surface along the profile of the last. The contour or edge of the flange of the toe cap is provided with a recess in order to house a tab and provide comfort, as well as improving the appearance of the footwear (not shown in these documents). The design withstands impact tests of approximately 101.7 to 146.7 Joules (10.4 to 14.95 kgf-m), leaving clearance of approximately 11 mm to 14 mm in the capped shoe and not only at the tip of the cap. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140230166 | Article of Footwear With Tongue of Varying Thickness - An article of footwear includes a tongue. The tongue includes a medial portion, a lateral portion, a central portion, a top portion and an upper perimeter portion. The medial portion and the top portion have similar thicknesses, which are greater than the thicknesses of the lateral portion, the central portion and the upper perimeter portion. The central portion is the thinnest portion of the tongue. Each portion of the tongue corresponds to a different pressure zone along a foot in order to provide differential cushioning and support against pressure applied by a fastening system. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140259462 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Tensile Element - A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber with a tensile element includes manufacturing a tensile element and incorporating the tensile element into a chamber. A first material layer, a second material layer, and a spacing structure having a plurality of support portions and a plurality of gaps may be stacked. The material layers may be located on either side of the spacing structure or on one side of the spacing structure. A strand may be stitched through the gaps to join the material layers and to form the tensile element. The spacing structure may be removed, and the first material layer may be spaced from the second material layer such that segments of the strand extend between the material layers. The tensile element may then be secured to opposite interior surfaces of an outer barrier, and the outer barrier may be pressurized to place the strand in tension. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20100275393 | METHOD OF MAKING A LASTED SKATE BOOT - A method of making a lasted skate boot comprising: (a) providing a male-female mold having male and female sections for defining a mold cavity therebetween, the male section having sides, a rear portion and a bottom portion for defining a three dimensional shape corresponding to the external three dimensional shape of the foot, the female section defining a recess for receiving the male section, the male section comprising a plurality of inner channels for admitting liquid plastic material in the mold cavity; (b) providing a pre-cut sheet made of cloth material laminated to a support made of non-woven fabric; (c) placing the sheet on the male section of the mold such that the non-woven fabric contacts the sides and rear portion of the male section of the mold; (d) closing the male and female sections of the mold; (e) injecting liquid plastic material in the inner channels such that the liquid plastic material spreads on the sheet, pushes the sheet against the recess of the female section of the mold, fills the mold cavity and fuses with the non-woven fabric to form, after cooling, an outer shell comprising a heel portion for surrounding the heel, an ankle portion for surrounding the ankle, and medial and lateral side portions for enclosing the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively; (f) opening the male and female sections of the mold; and (g) removing the outer shell from the mold. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100005602 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INSOLE - A method for manufacturing insole uses used footwear and recycled wooden articles are primary ingredients, which are pulverized to form particles of the recycled materials. The recycled wood, taking a ratio of weight of 15-35%, is uniformly mixed with matrix rubber that functions to adjust physical properties and foaming agent, and then pressed to form an insole material in a sheet form, which is deposited in a mold to be heated and pressurized for curing and setting thereby forming an insole featuring proper resilience and anti-bacteria and deodorization. The use of the insole is thus completely sanitary and comfortable and also features pollution- and nuisance-free use by repeated use in the sense of environment conservation. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20080271265 | Article of Footwear Having a Worn Appearance and Method of Making Same - An article of footwear made from new or substantially new materials is manufactured with vintage treatment processing to give the article of footwear a vintage or well-worn appearance. The article of footwear may be treated with discoloring substances, such as dyes or bleaching agents. The upper may be formed with wrinkles or a crushed heel portion, such as by using a thin or soft foam behind a polyester covering, eliminating the foam backing and/or heel cup. Further, a rubber outsole may be molded with uneven treads and/or discolored to give the rubber a degraded, worn appearance. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080301887 | SIMPLIFIED SHOE CONSTRUCTION WITH MIDSOLE HAVING OVERMOLDED INSERT - A shoe construction employs a midsole molded of flexible, resilient material around a rigid plate, where the midsole and encapsulated plate are insertable into a separately constructed outsole and shoe upper. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080313824 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method of forming an article of footwear includes the steps of providing an upper having a forefoot portion a midfoot portion a heel portion and a pocket positioned beneath the forefoot portion; placing the upper on a last; inserting a first midsole portion into the pocket; and securing an outsole assembly to the upper, the outsole assembly comprising a second midsole portion and an outsole secured to a lower surface of the second midsole portion. The second midsole portion and the outsole are visible from an exterior of the article of footwear and the first midsole portion is not visible from an exterior of the article of footwear. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090133202 | FOOTWEAR MADE BY IMPROVED PROCESS OF DRAINING STRUCTURE - Footwear is made by a process which creates a draining structure in the footwear. The footwear includes an insole that has conical through holes formed in the top and bottom sides of the insole such that the holes gradually reduce from the top side toward the bottom side. The insole is made by preparing a molten foam material and then using a hydraulic press-controlled mold to mold the molten foam material into a blank insole having a plurality of conical blind holes. Part of the blank insole is then removed to open the conical blind holes by means of the application of a cutting process, a grinding process or a punching process. An outsole is bonded to the bottom side of the insole and has a plurality of drain grooves in communication with the conical through holes for guiding water out of the insole and the outsole. An upper is provided at the top side of the insole for securing the shoe to the user's foot. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090255065 | WATER-RESISTANT AND FLOATABLE FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREFOR - A water-resistant and floatable footwear including an outsole and insole, and an upper member affixed to the sole, wherein the footwear is floatable in water. In particular, the insole of the footwear is constructed of the material “marine buoy;” that is, the insole has an inner structure and an outer coating, the inner structure being constructed of a thermoplastic resin and the outer coating being constructed of a vinyl polymer. The footwear is advantageously water-proof and provides buoyancy in water. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090265868 | Impact Attenuating Devices and Products Containing such Devices - An impact attenuating device includes both concave and convex side walls, e.g., in an interleaved arrangement, optionally at least partially surrounded by a restraining element that may help return the impact attenuating device back to its original orientation after attenuating an impact. Such impact attenuating devices may be included in pieces of footwear and/or other foot-receiving devices. Additionally, such impact attenuating devices or portions thereof may be freely selected and/or interchanged in a piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, e.g., based on one or more characteristics of an intended user and/or an intended use, so as to allow users to obtain footwear (or other devices) customized and targeted for use under a predetermined set of conditions. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100077556 | Fluid-Filled Bladder for Footwear and Other Applications - A fluid-filled structure, such as a bladder, is disclosed. The bladder has a first surface and an opposite second surface that are peripherally joined to define various edges. The bladder encloses a fluid between the first surface and the second surface. A portion of the edges may have a concave configuration, or the edges may have both concave and convex configurations. A shape of the bladder may be a tessellation pattern so that a plurality of the bladder may be efficiently. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100083449 | Midsole Element For An Article Of Footwear - An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a midsole element that defines a void, and the void may extend substantially vertically through a central area of the midsole element. The void may also extend between an upper surface and a lower surface of the midsole element to define an interior surface. A plurality of bores are also defined in the midsole element. The bores may extend substantially horizontally through the midsole element, and the bores may extend between an exterior surface of the midsole element and the void. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100139014 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CLEAT SOLE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a sole ( | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100251492 | FOOTWEAR INCORPORATING A LIGHT SOURCE AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An embodiment of the present invention is a method that includes the steps of: incorporating at least one light source in an upper part of a shoe, wherein the at least one light source that comprises at least a light emitting source that is capable of illuminating, wherein the shoe comprises: 1) the upper part, 2) at least one bonding strip, and 3) a shoe bottom sole part, assembling at least the upper part with the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form an assembled unit; and c) applying sufficient heat to vulcanize the assembled unit so as to result in securing the upper part to the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form the shoe having the at least one light source that is capable of illuminating. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100269271 | Method of Manufacturing Footwear Having Sipes - A method of manufacturing footwear including the steps of positioning a sole member on a first portion of a cutting assembly; heating a second portion of the cutting assembly, the second portion including a cutting die; pressing the heated cutting die into the sole member to form a plurality of sipes in the sole member; and removing the cutting die from the sole member. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100281630 | Article of Footwear with Mesh on Outsole and Insert - An article of footwear including a mesh disposed on the outsole and an insert of the outsole is disclosed. The outsole includes tread elements that extend farther from the outsole than the mesh, providing protection to the mesh. Additionally, the mesh on the insert preferably helps reduce hyperextension of the front of the insert and the article of footwear. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100293727 | INDIVIDUALLY FORMED FOOTWEAR AND A RELATED METHOD - Individually formed footwear such as shoes and insoles for correcting the feet position and alleviate related problems. The shoe or insole includes at least one layer made of thermoplastic material, which material is advantageously chosen from a group of ABS, PVC, A-PET and PETG. A method for providing such footwear to a client at a retail store is likewise presented. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100299850 | METHOD FOR MAKING GOODYEAR SHOE - A method for making a Goodyear shoe includes the steps of: stitching together a lower edge of an upper and a peripheral edge of an inner midsole so as to form a coupled section; placing a last into an assembly resulting from the previous step; placing an outer welt on an outer surface of the upper at the coupled section and stitching the outer welt, the upper, and the inner midsole together; placing a filler on a bottom surface of the inner midsole; bonding a thin sole to a bottom portion of an assembly that results from the previous step and stitching the thin sole to the outer welt; and bonding an outsole and performing edge-abrading. The method prevents a toe cap portion of the upper from tearing and creasing and dispenses with such steps as gripping the upper, driving wire nails, and trimming the lower edge of the upper. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20110047720 | Method of Manufacturing Sole Assembly for Article of Footwear - A method of forming a midsole includes the steps of placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another, injecting a first material into the first mold member to form first and second portions of a midsole preform, positioning the first and second portions in a third mold member of a second mold assembly; placing a second material in the third mold member; placing the third mold member and a fourth mold member in contact with one another, subjecting the second material and the first and second portions to heat to form a midsole preform, placing the midsole preform in a fifth mold member, placing the fifth mold member and a sixth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the midsole preform to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110047721 | Method of Manufacturing Midsole for Article of Footwear - A method of forming includes the steps of: placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below an ambient temperature; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; positioning the first portion of the midsole in the second recess in the third mold member of the second mold assembly; placing a second material into the second recess in contact with the first portion of the midsole; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110094046 | FORMING A SHOE COMPONENT WITH ROCKER BOTTOM - A method of forming a shoe component for an individual is provided and includes defining a footprint of the shoe component for the individual with an orientation relative to a rocker bottom of sheets that each have the rocker bottom and various thicknesses, selecting, from among the sheets, a sheet having a thickness appropriate for the individual based on the orientation of the footprint and removing a portion from the selected sheet reflective of a shape and size of a profile of the footprint. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110131739 | Contoured Fluid-Filled Chamber - A fluid-filled chamber may be incorporated into footwear and other products. The chamber is formed from a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located opposite the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of bonds are spaced inward from the sidewall surface and join the first surface and the second surface, and the bonds are distributed to form a regularly-spaced array, such as a hexagonal array. In some configurations, the first surface and the second surface may define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds. In addition, the bonds may be formed to have a slope that is an average of slopes of the first surface and the second surface in areas proximal the bonds. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110138548 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods For Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110154584 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH TUBULAR SOLE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE - An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper. The sole assembly includes a mat formed of at least one randomly dispersed extruded tubular member, each tubular member being hollow in an in-use condition in which the mat provides support for a user's foot. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20120017382 | METHOD FOR MAKING SHOES - A method for making shoes includes a first mold made of stiff material and a second mold has a concavity in which the shoe is received. The shoe includes a top portion, a connection member and an outsole, wherein the connection member and the outsole are connected to the top portion. The second mold transmits ultra-sonic thermo energy to the connection member and the outsole, so that the connection member and the outsole are properly shrank and securely matched to the top portion. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120060305 | Method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths - A method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths having acts of forming a shoe shell with a rudimentary mold assembly, ejecting the shoe shell from the rudimentary mold assembly and adjusting a width of the sole of the shoe shell before the shoe shell hardens. The sole of the shoe shell has at least one adjusting portion to allow the sole to expand or be compressed. With the acts, each size of the shoe shell needs only one rudimentary mold assembly that has complex structure and high cost to substantially form a basic shape of the shoe shell and multiple shaping molds of different widths that have simple structure and low cost are prepared to further adjust widths of the shoe shell. Consequently, total cost for manufacturing the shoe shell with different widths is effectively lowered. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120137449 | Method for Improving the Performance of Footwear - A mixture of ester based chemicals applied to shoes for the purpose of improving performance in the normal use of the shoe. The mixture is applied to a surface of the shoes and allowed to penetrate the material forming the surface of the shoe. When applied to the sole of a shoe, the esters in the material will alter bulk properties of the shoe sole to alter the adhesion of the shoe to a traversed surface, the operative life of the shoe, the shoe performance and the shoe hardness. The mixture is especially suited for application to previously manufactured climbing shoes. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120260437 | Method of Preparing a Rubber Shoe Sole - Disclosed herein is a novel method of preparing shoe sole. The method of preparing shoe sole includes irradiating an uncured rubber sheet by laser beam to pattern and vulcanize a portion of the uncured rubber, tailoring the partially patterned vulcanized rubber into a shoe shape, and afterward fully vulcanizing the partially patterned vulcanized rubber sheet to form a shoe sole. An additional step of assembling the upper panel of shoe sole on the partially vulcanized rubber sheet is also performed. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120297557 | Shoe Outsole Made Using Composite Material - Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for making a shoe outsole and to shoe outsoles made using such techniques. In one such technique, a sheet of composite material is produced by extruding a base material together with a sheet of fabric material. The sheet of composite material is then cut into an outsole component, and a shoe outsole is fabricated using the outsole component. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120324656 | Method for manufacturing Detachable Zipper Shoe - Method for manufacturing detachable zipper shoe comprises steps of: I. preparing cardboards: 1) structuring a shoe last, 2) making cardboards, and 3) drawing arrays of marks; II. making a vamp: 1) making a first cutting die, 2) cutting, 3) drawing marks on the vamp, 4) combining the vamp, and 5) combining the vamp and an upper zipper; III. making an outsole: 1) forming the outsole, and 2) combining the outsole and a lower zipper; IV. making an inner sole: 1) making a second cutting die, 2) cutting, and 3) combining the inner sole and the outsole; V. fixing the vamp. The method of the present invention adopts sets of marks predetermined on the vamp, the upper zipper, the lower zipper, the inner sole, and the outsole to be aligned with each other, so as to prevent the combination of the afore portions from displacement. Therefore, one single sole of the same size can cooperate with different types of vamps for satisfying a mass production of shoes. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20120324657 | Footwear and Method of Making Thereof - Footwear includes an upper, a sole, and a thread. The upper has upper holes around the upper peripheral. The sole has a lip portion on the sole peripheral lip portion has sole holes around the sole peripheral. The thread attaches the upper and the sole through the upper holes and the sole holes, and forms a set of stitches. A ripple is formed between two sets of stitches and the thread is embedded in the lip portion between the ripples. Each stitch goes through a first upper hole and enters the sole hole of the lip portion, such that the thread forms an angled stitch on the lip portion. The thread then goes through a second upper hole and exits from a third upper hole, such that the thread forms a horizontal stitch on the inside of the footwear. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130025075 | Method Of Manufacturing An Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Tensile Element - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element and a tensile element. The tensile element may include a base layer and a plurality of strands, with the base layer being joined to an exterior surface of the foundation element. In manufacturing the footwear, a thermoplastic polymer material in the base layer may be utilized to bond or otherwise join the tensile element to the foundation element. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130091638 | SOLE COMPONENT FOR AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME - A sole component having a base, a toe cover and an integral line of articulation permitting the toe cover to be molded in an “open” position and moved into a “closed” position during assembly on the article of footwear. The line of articulation may include a line of reduced thickness extending laterally across the sole. The line of articulation may also include breaks defined in the sidewall of the sole in alignment with the line of reduced thickness. The present invention also provides a method of forming a sole component generally including the steps of providing a mold having bottom and top mold parts shaped to cooperatively define a mold cavity in the shape of a sole component having a toe cover joined to a base along a line of articulation, closing the mold parts, injecting a sole forming material into the cavity, removing the sole component and moving the toe cover about the line of articulation into a closed configuration for use. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130160223 | Method For Manufacturing A Sole Assembly and For Manufacturing A Shoe - The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe, comprising the steps of providing an upper assembly with an upper portion comprising an outer material and with a bottom portion; providing a ventilating sole element ( | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130263391 | Methods For Manufacturing Fluid-Filled Chambers Incorporating Spacer Textile Materials - A method for manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber may include obtaining a spacer textile material a stabilization structure. A tensile member is removed from an area of the spacer textile material where the stabilizing structure is absent. The tensile member is located between a first polymer element and a second polymer element. Additionally, (a) the first layer is bonded to the first polymer element, (b) the second layer is bonded to the second polymer element, and (c) the first polymer element and the second polymer element are bonded together around a periphery of the tensile member. | 10-10-2013 |
| 20130291318 | SKATE BOOT WITH IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY - A method of making a skate boot including manufacturing a rear element including a tendon guard for covering at least a rear portion of the ankle received within the boot, and forming a direct connection at a fixed position between contacting portions of the rear element and of a remainder of the skate boot separately from the quarters, the direct connection being formed such that the rear element is an external element of the boot and such that an upper portion of the rear element is displaceable relative to the quarters in a forward and rearward direction, the upper portion of the rear element being displaceable through flexing of the rear element about the connection. | 11-07-2013 |
| 20140000044 | Induction Heating Apparatuses And Processes For Footwear Manufacturing | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140020192 | Footwear Assembly Method With 3D Printing - Methods and systems are disclosed for apparel assembly using three-dimensional printing directly onto fabric apparel materials. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing and assembly of an article of apparel, including designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing, positioning at least a portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray, printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the article using the designed pattern, curing the printed material, and removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140068879 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SHOE AND SHOE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a shoe ( | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140068880 | FLEXIBLE SHOE SOLE - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a composite element adapted for use with an article of footwear. The composite element generally comprises a first portion with a first rigidity and a second portion with a second, different rigidity. The first portion and the second portion each comprise at least one fiber-reinforced layer and are configured to provide the desired rigidity characteristics according to a wearer's characteristics and/or an intended use of the footwear. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140090189 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Reinforcing Element - Several sole components and a method of manufacturing those sole components are disclosed. In general, each sole component includes a fluid-filled bladder and a reinforcing element extending around a portion of the bladder. The reinforcing element is bonded to the exterior of the bladder, and may be recessed into the bladder. In some configurations, the reinforcing element is die-cut from a sheet of polymer material, and the reinforcing element may exhibit a layered configuration. In manufacturing the sole component, the reinforcing element may be located within a mold, and the polymer material forming the bladder may be bonded to the reinforcing element during the molding process. | 04-03-2014 |
| 20140165304 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods for Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140173837 | METHOD OF PRODUCING SOLE FOR BENDING-ACTUATED AERATED FOOTWEAR - A method of producing a sole assembly for manufacturing aerated footwear comprises: fabricating a sole component having an aperture extending from a top surface to a bottom surface, and having recessed cavity along a length of the bottom surface, the aperture connecting to the recessed cavity; attaching a material layer to the recessed cavity; attaching an actuation member to the material layer; and closing the aperture with a valve so as to control the entry of and expulsion of air from the recessed cavity. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140189965 | Article of Footwear with Slots and Method of Making - A sole structure for an article of footwear and a method of making the sole structure is disclosed. The sole structure can include a plurality of slots. The slots are associated with connecting portions that connect portions of the sole structure in the generally longitudinal direction and provide for increased fit, flexibility and stability. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140331418 | Composite Sole Structure - Embodiments relating to a lightweight sole structure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a lobed member having a protruding portion associated with a cleat member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a chambered member located in an indention in an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a cleat member having an outer layer, an intermediate layer, and an inner layer. In some embodiments, a method of making a sole structure may include injecting a chambered member in between an upper member and an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a plurality of zones having varying degrees of flexibility. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include cleat members having penetrating portions for penetrating into the ground surface. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140331419 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MIDSOLE FOR ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method includes placing first and second mold members in contact; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; placing a third mold member and an intermediate mold member in contact injecting a second material into a second recess to form a second portion of a midsole while the second mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the intermediate mold member; positioning the first and second portions in the second recess; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material portion and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20150107032 | Buffing Expanded Foam Items - Foam items may be buffed using particles such as particulate sodium bicarbonate in accordance with the present invention. Foam items may be, for example, expanded EVA foam items pre-formed into an intermediate size and shape. A skin layer may be formed during the expansion of the foam item to form an expanded foam item which may be entirely or partially removed by buffing the item using particles projected with selected buffing parameters. The buffing parameters may be varied based upon the thickness of at least a portion of the skin layer and/or the desired degree of moldability for the foam item after buffing. Particulate sodium bicarbonate or other types of particles used for buffing may be recycled and reused for further buffing of foam items. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150128359 | LOW DENSITY FOAMED ARTICLE MADE BY BEAD FOAM COMPRESSION MOLDING METHOD - Disclosed is a molded foamed article, such as a midsole or outsole for footwear, made by a method in which a desired amount of thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads are placed in a compression mold in the shape of the article and the mold is brought to a peak temperature of from about 130° C. to about 180° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds, then cooled to from about 5° C. to about 80° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds within about 30 seconds after the peak temperature is reached. The foamed article made by the method has a density of from about 0.1 to about 0.45 g/cm | 05-14-2015 |
| 20150374069 | Strand-Wound Bladder - An article of footwear or another product may incorporate a pressure chamber that includes (a) a bladder at least partially formed from a polymer material that is sealed to enclose a pressurized fluid and (b) a strand wound around the bladder and secured to the bladder. In manufacturing the pressure chamber, a bladder with an elongate configuration may be formed. A strand is wound around the bladder, and the strand is secured to the bladder. When incorporated to a sole structure of the article of footwear, for example, a portion of the bladder that includes the strands may be exposed at an outer surface of the sole structure. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160007680 | Sole With Adjustable Sizing | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160023416 | SOLE ASSEMBLY WITH PLURAL PORTIONS THAT COOPERATIVELY DEFINE CHAMBER - A method of forming a sole assembly of an article of footwear that includes an interior space that receives a foot of a wearer is disclosed. The article of footwear also includes an exterior surface. The method includes providing a first portion of the sole assembly. The first portion includes a first surface that at least partially defines the interior space. The first portion also includes a first chamber surface that opposes the first surface. Moreover, the method includes providing a second portion of the sole assembly. The second portion includes a second surface that at least partially defines the exterior surface of the article of footwear. The second portion also includes a second chamber surface that opposes the second surface. The method further includes operably securing the first portion to the second portion such that the first chamber surface and the second chamber surface cooperate to at least partially define a substantially sealed chamber within the sole assembly. | 01-28-2016 |
| 20160113352 | Method of Making a Zonal Compression Shoe - A method of making a shoe includes printing a midsole having a platform and a lattice structure. The platform and lattice structure are integrally formed by printing a first surface of the platform to conform to a sole of a foot of a user and, in association therewith, printing the lattice structure on a second surface of the platform opposite the first surface of the platform. The method also includes positioning the midsole substantially within an outsole such that the lattice structure is substantially facing the outsole and the platform is substantially facing an upper. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160114546 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SOLE WITH SHOE NAIL MADE OF DIFFERENT MATERIAL - A method of manufacturing a sole with shoe nails made of different materials is provided. The method includes pre-forming shoe nails, putting the shoe nails in an injection molding mold, applying a surface treatment agent and an adhesive glue, injecting the heated molten sole material into a mold, binding the sole material and the shoe nails with the adhesive glue, and performing a cooling process to cause the sole material to solidify and turn into a sole and cause the adhesive glue to solidify and couple the sole and shoe nails together. The method enables a sole with shoe nails to be quickly manufactured so easily that it increases production efficiency and economic benefits. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160120258 | PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A FASTENING SYSTEM OF INTERCHANGEABLE STRAPS IN SANDALS - The present invention refers to a process for production of a fastening system of interchangeable straps in sandals that includes the following steps: preparation of the base by creation of several apertures in its material; coating of said base with adhesive for attachment of the material composing the outer layer of the platform, to secure the sole and the insole; application of a fastener within said base, piercing the outer layer of the platform, by pressure on the support which is traversed by said fastener which is inserted inside the base and passes through multiple apertures and is fastened permanently; fastening of said fastener ensuring so that the support remains a reasonable distance from the platform to enable the straps to be engaged and disengaged. The invention also includes the product produced by said process | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160120262 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH A MIDSOLE ASSEMBLY HAVING A PERIMETER BLADDER ELEMENT, A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND A MOLD ASSEMBLY FOR SAME - An article of footwear has a midsole assembly that includes a fluid-filled bladder element having a substantially arc-shaped heel portion and having a lateral arm portion and a medial arm portion spaced from the lateral arm portion. Each of the arm portions extend from the heel portion. The bladder element is configured to be positioned with the heel portion in the heel region of midsole assembly, and the arm portions extending from the heel region to a forefoot region along a peripheral region. A method of manufacturing and a mold assembly for such an article of footwear are provided. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160136910 | SOLE ATTACHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - The present concept is a method of attaching soles which minimizes delamination of the sole. It includes the steps of molding a sole together with a bond material by placing the bond material onto the sole material in the mold, and then adhering a bottom side of a bond material to the inside portion of the sole, in the mold by heating the mold to a pre-selected temperature and for a pre-selected amount of time. The bond material includes a hot melt polyurethane reactive film adhesive on a top side and a barrier material on the bottom side. Finally attaching the sole with bond material to an upper. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160136912 | Decorated Sole Elements for Articles of Footwear and Processes for Making Thereof - A method of forming a decorated midsole element for articles of footwear includes obtaining a decorated film having one or more graphic elements applied to a first surface of the film and placing the decorated film in a mold. A midsole element is obtained and placed in the mold, and pressure is applied to the mold to form a midsole element having a decorated surface. The decorated film may include a layer of polyether-block co-polyamide polymer and the midsole element may be formed of ethylvinylacetate. A midsole assembly and an article of footwear having decorated midsole top layers are also described. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160150853 | Footwear with Power Kick Plate | 06-02-2016 |
| 20160058101 | Knit Component Bonding - A composite structure may include a knit component and a bonded component. The knit component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the knit component includes a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that form a knitted structure. The fusible yarn is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, and the fusible yarn is located on at least the first surface. The bonded component is positioned adjacent to the first surface, and the bonded component is thermal bonded to the first surface with the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20080196181 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A TEXTILE UPPER - An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first area and a second area with a unitary construction. The first area is formed of a first stitch configuration, and the second area is formed of a second stitch configuration that is different from the first stitch configuration to impart varying textures to a surface of the textile element. Various warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be utilized to form the textile element. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20080295263 | Article Of Apparel Incorporating A Stratified Material - An article of apparel having a substrate layer and an incised layer is disclosed. The substrate layer is at least partially formed from a material having a first degree of stretchability. The incised layer is secured to the substrate layer and at least partially formed from a material having a second degree of stretchability, the first degree of stretchability being greater than the second degree of stretchability. In addition, the incised layer includes at least a first incision and a second incision that are concentric, the first incision being positioned within the second incision. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20100064453 | Waterproof Footwear with Elastic Connecting Band - Shoe upper having a lower end of the upper, an outer material with a lower end ( | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100281631 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A FLAT KNIT UPPER CONSTRUCTION OR OTHER UPPER CONSTRUCTION - Flat knitting allows production of textile structures (e.g., for use in footwear uppers) of a final desired shape such that textile cutting steps can be avoided. Flat knitted elements also can be formed directly in desired three dimensional shapes, which can help avoid the need to use additional support structures (e.g., in footwear construction). By selectively placing multiple different yarns and/or stitch patterns at multiple different locations in the overall structure during the knitting process, flat knitted products may have multiple different physical properties (e.g., different stretchability, different moisture management capabilities, etc.) at multiple different locations or zones within a single, unitary construction (e.g., different properties at different zones or locations within a single footwear structure). Additionally, flat knitting can be used to produce pockets, tunnels, or other layered structures in the final product. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20110302727 | Footwear Structure With Textile Upper Member - Articles of footwear include a textile upper member with an exterior constructed from knitted textile material, the exterior including a region with stability ribs and a second unribbed region. The region(s) having stability ribs may be located, for example: along a lateral midfoot side of the upper member; along a forefoot portion of the upper member; and/or along a medial midfoot side of the upper member. Other articles of footwear include an upper member having exterior and interior textile elements joined together in a stitchless manner at the foot-receiving opening of the upper member. The exterior surface of this upper member also may include one or more regions with stability structures. The stitchless textile engagement techniques can provide a smooth, non-bulky, and breathable joint that does not require thick layers of textile material in contact with or adjacent the wearer's foot. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120284935 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Tensile Strands And Securing Strands - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a tensile strand, and a securing strand. The tensile strand is located adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The securing strand joins or secures the tensile strand to the foundation element. Although the thicknesses may vary, a thickness of the tensile strand may be at least three times the thickness of the securing strand. In some configurations, a backing strand may also assist with joining the securing strand to the foundation element. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20120324658 | Composite Shoe Upper and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel of an upper includes a substrate layer formed from a substrate material, a mesh material layer and one or more skin material layers. The mesh composite can be fabricated by first arranging panels of substrate, mesh and skin layer material into an assembly corresponding to the locations of those panels in a completed upper. The assembly may include separate layers of hot melt bonding material interposed between the substrate, mesh and skin layers. The assembly is pressed at an elevated temperature so as to melt the bonding material and the skin layers and bond the elements together. Before the pressed assembly completely cools, it is then pressed a second time in an unheated press. A heat-conductive compressible pad can be used in the pressing process to create a surface effect in the skin layers that reveals a patterns of an underlying mesh layer. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130212811 | Article Of Footwear Having An Upper Incorporating A Tensile Strand With A Cover Layer - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a strand, and a cover layer. The strand is positioned adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The cover layer extends along the strand for the distance of at least five centimeters, and the strand is positioned between the cover layer and the foundation element. In some configurations, the cover layer has a pair of edges on opposite sides of the strand, the strand is substantially centered between the edges of the cover layer for the distance of at least five centimeters, and areas of the exterior surface are exposed beyond the edges of the cover layer. | 08-22-2013 |
| 20130298339 | HYBRID SKATE BOOT - A method of making a skate boot upper, including integrally molding a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion with the quarter overlapping the boot portion only along said edges. Also, a method of making a skate boot upper, including manufacturing a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion through stitching, adhesive or lamination. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130305465 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN UPPER PART OF A SHOE, IN PARTICULAR OF A SPORTS SHOE - The invention relates to a method for producing an upper part ( | 11-21-2013 |
| 20130318726 | Method of Manufacturing An Article of Footwear Including a Composite Upper - A method of manufacturing an upper made of a composite material for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes associating a layer of carbon fiber material and a flexible substrate to form the composite material. A thin outer coating of TPU is applied to an outer surface of the carbon fiber material of the composite material. The method forms an article of footwear having an upper that is generally flexible and lightweight. | 12-05-2013 |
| 20140020193 | Shoe with Composite Upper and Foam Element and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel can be used to form a three-dimensional upper shell that includes extensions used for double-lasting and/or to otherwise provide a shelf to support foam padding. The foam padding may be, e.g., a foam midsole. The extensions of the upper shell may be located in a lower portion of the shell and may be bonded to the foam midsole in a heel, midfoot and/or forefoot regions. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140130270 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 05-15-2014 |
| 20140182069 | Method for Forming a Shoe Vamp Integrally - A method for forming a shoe vamp includes providing a cloth material, forming integrally a plurality of ornamental members on the cloth material by tatting, and arranging the ornamental members on the cloth material in a diverse manner to present different viewing effects of the ornamental members on the cloth material so as to form a product of a shoe vamp. The shoe vamp includes the cloth material and the ornamental members. Thus, each of the ornamental members is formed integrally on the cloth material by tatting so that each of the ornamental members is combined with the cloth material exactly and closely and will not be loosened or detached from the cloth material during a long-term utilization. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140245547 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 09-04-2014 |
| 20140310892 | Method of Printing Onto an Article - A method of printing onto an article includes placing an article on a holding assembly, flattening a portion of the article and printing onto the flattened portion of the article. Flattening can be accomplished using a flattening plate and by controlling the shape of a surface of the holding assembly using a vacuum. | 10-23-2014 |
| 20150089752 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING SEAMLESS SHOE UPPER - A method for producing a seamless shoe upper includes the following steps of: providing a covering piece, a lining piece, and first and second screen-printing jigs having first and second screen portions respectively; surface treating the covering piece using a first treating agent through the first screen portion and the lining piece using a second treating agent through the second screen portion; distributing an adhesive onto the covering piece and the lining piece respectively through the first and second screen portions, so as to form first and second adhesive layers thereon; and bonding the covering piece with the lining piece by overlapping and pressing the first and second adhesive layers together. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150107033 | Automated Trimming Of Pliable Items - The present invention relates to the automated cutting of pliable items. More particularly, the present invention relates to the automatic cutting and/or trimming of pliable items, such as a shoe upper that lacks uniformity. An image of the pliable item is captured having image features and a pattern is retrieved having pattern features, such as a proposed cut path. An image feature is compared to distance tolerances associated with pattern features to adjust the proposed cut path such that it satisfies the distance tolerances while providing a consistently sized and shaped trimmed item. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20160058126 | COMPONENTS FOR ARTICLES OF FOOTWEAR INCLUDING LIGHTWEIGHT, SELECTIVELY SUPPORTED TEXTILE COMPONENTS - Footwear components are made from lightweight textile structures (e.g., including circular knitted structures made from natural or synthetic fibers, such as socks or sock-type structures). The textile structures are selectively supported at various areas to provide desired local characteristics. Methods are provided for making such components, precursors to such components, and articles of footwear containing such components. | 03-03-2016 |
| 012146000 | Last making | 1 |
| 20090019648 | Method of Customizing an Article - A method of post customization for articles of footwear is disclosed. The method includes a step of receiving an order for a plurality of pairs of footwear, a step of manufacturing the articles, a step of receiving a set of post customization designs and a step of applying post customization designs to the articles of footwear. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090199353 | Apparatus and Method for Providing Open-Heeled Foot Apparel with Improved Heel Support - A method of manufacturing an article of foot apparel that includes a platform curved to anticipate the natural movement of a foot. The method includes forming the platform with a heel pad having a geometric center point. The method also includes connecting a retaining covering to the platform that is configured to retain a foot at the front of the platform and to allow the heel of the foot to move freely relative to the heel pad. The article of foot apparel conforms more closely to the actual physiology of the foot and allows the heel of the foot to remain centered in the heel pad when worn. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20100107346 | Method of Making an Article Comprising Links - A method of making an article comprising links is disclosed. The method includes a step of generating a link pattern according to a pre-selected portion of the article. The link pattern comprises a plurality of link indicia that correspond to plurality of links. After associating each link from the plurality of links with a link indicia from the plurality of link indicia, a plurality of threads may be threaded through the plurality of links to form a link matrix. The link matrix may be associated with the pre-selected portion of an article to make an article comprising links. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20110252581 | DEBRIS INHIBITOR FOR SHOES AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME - The invention provides debris inhibitors and inhibitor systems and methods of making same. The inhibitors and inhibitor systems of the present invention are worn over athletic or outdoor shoes to inhibit entry of debris into the athletic or outdoor shoes. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110277251 | Transparent outsole with visible artwork - An improved method of boot or shoe construction comprising a boot or shoe constructed using the traditional Goodyear welt process, a midsole comprised of leather or rubber, a transparent outsole with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side of said outsole, a heel, comprised of leather, rubber or any substantially equivalent material, and transparent heel cover with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side. Other embodiments are described and shown. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20140115795 | Protective Toe Cap for Industrial Footwear - The invention relates to a one-piece protective toe cap for safety footwear, forming a concave frame consisting of a front wall with connected side walls, the upper edges of which are joined by a concave surface along the profile of the last. The contour or edge of the flange of the toe cap is provided with a recess in order to house a tab and provide comfort, as well as improving the appearance of the footwear (not shown in these documents). The design withstands impact tests of approximately 101.7 to 146.7 Joules (10.4 to 14.95 kgf-m), leaving clearance of approximately 11 mm to 14 mm in the capped shoe and not only at the tip of the cap. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140230166 | Article of Footwear With Tongue of Varying Thickness - An article of footwear includes a tongue. The tongue includes a medial portion, a lateral portion, a central portion, a top portion and an upper perimeter portion. The medial portion and the top portion have similar thicknesses, which are greater than the thicknesses of the lateral portion, the central portion and the upper perimeter portion. The central portion is the thinnest portion of the tongue. Each portion of the tongue corresponds to a different pressure zone along a foot in order to provide differential cushioning and support against pressure applied by a fastening system. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140259462 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Tensile Element - A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber with a tensile element includes manufacturing a tensile element and incorporating the tensile element into a chamber. A first material layer, a second material layer, and a spacing structure having a plurality of support portions and a plurality of gaps may be stacked. The material layers may be located on either side of the spacing structure or on one side of the spacing structure. A strand may be stitched through the gaps to join the material layers and to form the tensile element. The spacing structure may be removed, and the first material layer may be spaced from the second material layer such that segments of the strand extend between the material layers. The tensile element may then be secured to opposite interior surfaces of an outer barrier, and the outer barrier may be pressurized to place the strand in tension. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20100275393 | METHOD OF MAKING A LASTED SKATE BOOT - A method of making a lasted skate boot comprising: (a) providing a male-female mold having male and female sections for defining a mold cavity therebetween, the male section having sides, a rear portion and a bottom portion for defining a three dimensional shape corresponding to the external three dimensional shape of the foot, the female section defining a recess for receiving the male section, the male section comprising a plurality of inner channels for admitting liquid plastic material in the mold cavity; (b) providing a pre-cut sheet made of cloth material laminated to a support made of non-woven fabric; (c) placing the sheet on the male section of the mold such that the non-woven fabric contacts the sides and rear portion of the male section of the mold; (d) closing the male and female sections of the mold; (e) injecting liquid plastic material in the inner channels such that the liquid plastic material spreads on the sheet, pushes the sheet against the recess of the female section of the mold, fills the mold cavity and fuses with the non-woven fabric to form, after cooling, an outer shell comprising a heel portion for surrounding the heel, an ankle portion for surrounding the ankle, and medial and lateral side portions for enclosing the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively; (f) opening the male and female sections of the mold; and (g) removing the outer shell from the mold. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100005602 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INSOLE - A method for manufacturing insole uses used footwear and recycled wooden articles are primary ingredients, which are pulverized to form particles of the recycled materials. The recycled wood, taking a ratio of weight of 15-35%, is uniformly mixed with matrix rubber that functions to adjust physical properties and foaming agent, and then pressed to form an insole material in a sheet form, which is deposited in a mold to be heated and pressurized for curing and setting thereby forming an insole featuring proper resilience and anti-bacteria and deodorization. The use of the insole is thus completely sanitary and comfortable and also features pollution- and nuisance-free use by repeated use in the sense of environment conservation. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20080271265 | Article of Footwear Having a Worn Appearance and Method of Making Same - An article of footwear made from new or substantially new materials is manufactured with vintage treatment processing to give the article of footwear a vintage or well-worn appearance. The article of footwear may be treated with discoloring substances, such as dyes or bleaching agents. The upper may be formed with wrinkles or a crushed heel portion, such as by using a thin or soft foam behind a polyester covering, eliminating the foam backing and/or heel cup. Further, a rubber outsole may be molded with uneven treads and/or discolored to give the rubber a degraded, worn appearance. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080301887 | SIMPLIFIED SHOE CONSTRUCTION WITH MIDSOLE HAVING OVERMOLDED INSERT - A shoe construction employs a midsole molded of flexible, resilient material around a rigid plate, where the midsole and encapsulated plate are insertable into a separately constructed outsole and shoe upper. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080313824 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method of forming an article of footwear includes the steps of providing an upper having a forefoot portion a midfoot portion a heel portion and a pocket positioned beneath the forefoot portion; placing the upper on a last; inserting a first midsole portion into the pocket; and securing an outsole assembly to the upper, the outsole assembly comprising a second midsole portion and an outsole secured to a lower surface of the second midsole portion. The second midsole portion and the outsole are visible from an exterior of the article of footwear and the first midsole portion is not visible from an exterior of the article of footwear. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090133202 | FOOTWEAR MADE BY IMPROVED PROCESS OF DRAINING STRUCTURE - Footwear is made by a process which creates a draining structure in the footwear. The footwear includes an insole that has conical through holes formed in the top and bottom sides of the insole such that the holes gradually reduce from the top side toward the bottom side. The insole is made by preparing a molten foam material and then using a hydraulic press-controlled mold to mold the molten foam material into a blank insole having a plurality of conical blind holes. Part of the blank insole is then removed to open the conical blind holes by means of the application of a cutting process, a grinding process or a punching process. An outsole is bonded to the bottom side of the insole and has a plurality of drain grooves in communication with the conical through holes for guiding water out of the insole and the outsole. An upper is provided at the top side of the insole for securing the shoe to the user's foot. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090255065 | WATER-RESISTANT AND FLOATABLE FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREFOR - A water-resistant and floatable footwear including an outsole and insole, and an upper member affixed to the sole, wherein the footwear is floatable in water. In particular, the insole of the footwear is constructed of the material “marine buoy;” that is, the insole has an inner structure and an outer coating, the inner structure being constructed of a thermoplastic resin and the outer coating being constructed of a vinyl polymer. The footwear is advantageously water-proof and provides buoyancy in water. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090265868 | Impact Attenuating Devices and Products Containing such Devices - An impact attenuating device includes both concave and convex side walls, e.g., in an interleaved arrangement, optionally at least partially surrounded by a restraining element that may help return the impact attenuating device back to its original orientation after attenuating an impact. Such impact attenuating devices may be included in pieces of footwear and/or other foot-receiving devices. Additionally, such impact attenuating devices or portions thereof may be freely selected and/or interchanged in a piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, e.g., based on one or more characteristics of an intended user and/or an intended use, so as to allow users to obtain footwear (or other devices) customized and targeted for use under a predetermined set of conditions. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100077556 | Fluid-Filled Bladder for Footwear and Other Applications - A fluid-filled structure, such as a bladder, is disclosed. The bladder has a first surface and an opposite second surface that are peripherally joined to define various edges. The bladder encloses a fluid between the first surface and the second surface. A portion of the edges may have a concave configuration, or the edges may have both concave and convex configurations. A shape of the bladder may be a tessellation pattern so that a plurality of the bladder may be efficiently. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100083449 | Midsole Element For An Article Of Footwear - An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a midsole element that defines a void, and the void may extend substantially vertically through a central area of the midsole element. The void may also extend between an upper surface and a lower surface of the midsole element to define an interior surface. A plurality of bores are also defined in the midsole element. The bores may extend substantially horizontally through the midsole element, and the bores may extend between an exterior surface of the midsole element and the void. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100139014 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CLEAT SOLE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a sole ( | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100251492 | FOOTWEAR INCORPORATING A LIGHT SOURCE AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An embodiment of the present invention is a method that includes the steps of: incorporating at least one light source in an upper part of a shoe, wherein the at least one light source that comprises at least a light emitting source that is capable of illuminating, wherein the shoe comprises: 1) the upper part, 2) at least one bonding strip, and 3) a shoe bottom sole part, assembling at least the upper part with the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form an assembled unit; and c) applying sufficient heat to vulcanize the assembled unit so as to result in securing the upper part to the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form the shoe having the at least one light source that is capable of illuminating. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100269271 | Method of Manufacturing Footwear Having Sipes - A method of manufacturing footwear including the steps of positioning a sole member on a first portion of a cutting assembly; heating a second portion of the cutting assembly, the second portion including a cutting die; pressing the heated cutting die into the sole member to form a plurality of sipes in the sole member; and removing the cutting die from the sole member. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100281630 | Article of Footwear with Mesh on Outsole and Insert - An article of footwear including a mesh disposed on the outsole and an insert of the outsole is disclosed. The outsole includes tread elements that extend farther from the outsole than the mesh, providing protection to the mesh. Additionally, the mesh on the insert preferably helps reduce hyperextension of the front of the insert and the article of footwear. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100293727 | INDIVIDUALLY FORMED FOOTWEAR AND A RELATED METHOD - Individually formed footwear such as shoes and insoles for correcting the feet position and alleviate related problems. The shoe or insole includes at least one layer made of thermoplastic material, which material is advantageously chosen from a group of ABS, PVC, A-PET and PETG. A method for providing such footwear to a client at a retail store is likewise presented. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100299850 | METHOD FOR MAKING GOODYEAR SHOE - A method for making a Goodyear shoe includes the steps of: stitching together a lower edge of an upper and a peripheral edge of an inner midsole so as to form a coupled section; placing a last into an assembly resulting from the previous step; placing an outer welt on an outer surface of the upper at the coupled section and stitching the outer welt, the upper, and the inner midsole together; placing a filler on a bottom surface of the inner midsole; bonding a thin sole to a bottom portion of an assembly that results from the previous step and stitching the thin sole to the outer welt; and bonding an outsole and performing edge-abrading. The method prevents a toe cap portion of the upper from tearing and creasing and dispenses with such steps as gripping the upper, driving wire nails, and trimming the lower edge of the upper. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20110047720 | Method of Manufacturing Sole Assembly for Article of Footwear - A method of forming a midsole includes the steps of placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another, injecting a first material into the first mold member to form first and second portions of a midsole preform, positioning the first and second portions in a third mold member of a second mold assembly; placing a second material in the third mold member; placing the third mold member and a fourth mold member in contact with one another, subjecting the second material and the first and second portions to heat to form a midsole preform, placing the midsole preform in a fifth mold member, placing the fifth mold member and a sixth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the midsole preform to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110047721 | Method of Manufacturing Midsole for Article of Footwear - A method of forming includes the steps of: placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below an ambient temperature; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; positioning the first portion of the midsole in the second recess in the third mold member of the second mold assembly; placing a second material into the second recess in contact with the first portion of the midsole; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110094046 | FORMING A SHOE COMPONENT WITH ROCKER BOTTOM - A method of forming a shoe component for an individual is provided and includes defining a footprint of the shoe component for the individual with an orientation relative to a rocker bottom of sheets that each have the rocker bottom and various thicknesses, selecting, from among the sheets, a sheet having a thickness appropriate for the individual based on the orientation of the footprint and removing a portion from the selected sheet reflective of a shape and size of a profile of the footprint. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110131739 | Contoured Fluid-Filled Chamber - A fluid-filled chamber may be incorporated into footwear and other products. The chamber is formed from a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located opposite the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of bonds are spaced inward from the sidewall surface and join the first surface and the second surface, and the bonds are distributed to form a regularly-spaced array, such as a hexagonal array. In some configurations, the first surface and the second surface may define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds. In addition, the bonds may be formed to have a slope that is an average of slopes of the first surface and the second surface in areas proximal the bonds. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110138548 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods For Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110154584 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH TUBULAR SOLE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE - An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper. The sole assembly includes a mat formed of at least one randomly dispersed extruded tubular member, each tubular member being hollow in an in-use condition in which the mat provides support for a user's foot. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20120017382 | METHOD FOR MAKING SHOES - A method for making shoes includes a first mold made of stiff material and a second mold has a concavity in which the shoe is received. The shoe includes a top portion, a connection member and an outsole, wherein the connection member and the outsole are connected to the top portion. The second mold transmits ultra-sonic thermo energy to the connection member and the outsole, so that the connection member and the outsole are properly shrank and securely matched to the top portion. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120060305 | Method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths - A method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths having acts of forming a shoe shell with a rudimentary mold assembly, ejecting the shoe shell from the rudimentary mold assembly and adjusting a width of the sole of the shoe shell before the shoe shell hardens. The sole of the shoe shell has at least one adjusting portion to allow the sole to expand or be compressed. With the acts, each size of the shoe shell needs only one rudimentary mold assembly that has complex structure and high cost to substantially form a basic shape of the shoe shell and multiple shaping molds of different widths that have simple structure and low cost are prepared to further adjust widths of the shoe shell. Consequently, total cost for manufacturing the shoe shell with different widths is effectively lowered. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120137449 | Method for Improving the Performance of Footwear - A mixture of ester based chemicals applied to shoes for the purpose of improving performance in the normal use of the shoe. The mixture is applied to a surface of the shoes and allowed to penetrate the material forming the surface of the shoe. When applied to the sole of a shoe, the esters in the material will alter bulk properties of the shoe sole to alter the adhesion of the shoe to a traversed surface, the operative life of the shoe, the shoe performance and the shoe hardness. The mixture is especially suited for application to previously manufactured climbing shoes. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120260437 | Method of Preparing a Rubber Shoe Sole - Disclosed herein is a novel method of preparing shoe sole. The method of preparing shoe sole includes irradiating an uncured rubber sheet by laser beam to pattern and vulcanize a portion of the uncured rubber, tailoring the partially patterned vulcanized rubber into a shoe shape, and afterward fully vulcanizing the partially patterned vulcanized rubber sheet to form a shoe sole. An additional step of assembling the upper panel of shoe sole on the partially vulcanized rubber sheet is also performed. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120297557 | Shoe Outsole Made Using Composite Material - Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for making a shoe outsole and to shoe outsoles made using such techniques. In one such technique, a sheet of composite material is produced by extruding a base material together with a sheet of fabric material. The sheet of composite material is then cut into an outsole component, and a shoe outsole is fabricated using the outsole component. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120324656 | Method for manufacturing Detachable Zipper Shoe - Method for manufacturing detachable zipper shoe comprises steps of: I. preparing cardboards: 1) structuring a shoe last, 2) making cardboards, and 3) drawing arrays of marks; II. making a vamp: 1) making a first cutting die, 2) cutting, 3) drawing marks on the vamp, 4) combining the vamp, and 5) combining the vamp and an upper zipper; III. making an outsole: 1) forming the outsole, and 2) combining the outsole and a lower zipper; IV. making an inner sole: 1) making a second cutting die, 2) cutting, and 3) combining the inner sole and the outsole; V. fixing the vamp. The method of the present invention adopts sets of marks predetermined on the vamp, the upper zipper, the lower zipper, the inner sole, and the outsole to be aligned with each other, so as to prevent the combination of the afore portions from displacement. Therefore, one single sole of the same size can cooperate with different types of vamps for satisfying a mass production of shoes. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20120324657 | Footwear and Method of Making Thereof - Footwear includes an upper, a sole, and a thread. The upper has upper holes around the upper peripheral. The sole has a lip portion on the sole peripheral lip portion has sole holes around the sole peripheral. The thread attaches the upper and the sole through the upper holes and the sole holes, and forms a set of stitches. A ripple is formed between two sets of stitches and the thread is embedded in the lip portion between the ripples. Each stitch goes through a first upper hole and enters the sole hole of the lip portion, such that the thread forms an angled stitch on the lip portion. The thread then goes through a second upper hole and exits from a third upper hole, such that the thread forms a horizontal stitch on the inside of the footwear. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130025075 | Method Of Manufacturing An Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Tensile Element - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element and a tensile element. The tensile element may include a base layer and a plurality of strands, with the base layer being joined to an exterior surface of the foundation element. In manufacturing the footwear, a thermoplastic polymer material in the base layer may be utilized to bond or otherwise join the tensile element to the foundation element. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130091638 | SOLE COMPONENT FOR AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME - A sole component having a base, a toe cover and an integral line of articulation permitting the toe cover to be molded in an “open” position and moved into a “closed” position during assembly on the article of footwear. The line of articulation may include a line of reduced thickness extending laterally across the sole. The line of articulation may also include breaks defined in the sidewall of the sole in alignment with the line of reduced thickness. The present invention also provides a method of forming a sole component generally including the steps of providing a mold having bottom and top mold parts shaped to cooperatively define a mold cavity in the shape of a sole component having a toe cover joined to a base along a line of articulation, closing the mold parts, injecting a sole forming material into the cavity, removing the sole component and moving the toe cover about the line of articulation into a closed configuration for use. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130160223 | Method For Manufacturing A Sole Assembly and For Manufacturing A Shoe - The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe, comprising the steps of providing an upper assembly with an upper portion comprising an outer material and with a bottom portion; providing a ventilating sole element ( | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130263391 | Methods For Manufacturing Fluid-Filled Chambers Incorporating Spacer Textile Materials - A method for manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber may include obtaining a spacer textile material a stabilization structure. A tensile member is removed from an area of the spacer textile material where the stabilizing structure is absent. The tensile member is located between a first polymer element and a second polymer element. Additionally, (a) the first layer is bonded to the first polymer element, (b) the second layer is bonded to the second polymer element, and (c) the first polymer element and the second polymer element are bonded together around a periphery of the tensile member. | 10-10-2013 |
| 20130291318 | SKATE BOOT WITH IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY - A method of making a skate boot including manufacturing a rear element including a tendon guard for covering at least a rear portion of the ankle received within the boot, and forming a direct connection at a fixed position between contacting portions of the rear element and of a remainder of the skate boot separately from the quarters, the direct connection being formed such that the rear element is an external element of the boot and such that an upper portion of the rear element is displaceable relative to the quarters in a forward and rearward direction, the upper portion of the rear element being displaceable through flexing of the rear element about the connection. | 11-07-2013 |
| 20140000044 | Induction Heating Apparatuses And Processes For Footwear Manufacturing | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140020192 | Footwear Assembly Method With 3D Printing - Methods and systems are disclosed for apparel assembly using three-dimensional printing directly onto fabric apparel materials. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing and assembly of an article of apparel, including designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing, positioning at least a portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray, printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the article using the designed pattern, curing the printed material, and removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140068879 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SHOE AND SHOE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a shoe ( | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140068880 | FLEXIBLE SHOE SOLE - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a composite element adapted for use with an article of footwear. The composite element generally comprises a first portion with a first rigidity and a second portion with a second, different rigidity. The first portion and the second portion each comprise at least one fiber-reinforced layer and are configured to provide the desired rigidity characteristics according to a wearer's characteristics and/or an intended use of the footwear. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140090189 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Reinforcing Element - Several sole components and a method of manufacturing those sole components are disclosed. In general, each sole component includes a fluid-filled bladder and a reinforcing element extending around a portion of the bladder. The reinforcing element is bonded to the exterior of the bladder, and may be recessed into the bladder. In some configurations, the reinforcing element is die-cut from a sheet of polymer material, and the reinforcing element may exhibit a layered configuration. In manufacturing the sole component, the reinforcing element may be located within a mold, and the polymer material forming the bladder may be bonded to the reinforcing element during the molding process. | 04-03-2014 |
| 20140165304 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods for Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140173837 | METHOD OF PRODUCING SOLE FOR BENDING-ACTUATED AERATED FOOTWEAR - A method of producing a sole assembly for manufacturing aerated footwear comprises: fabricating a sole component having an aperture extending from a top surface to a bottom surface, and having recessed cavity along a length of the bottom surface, the aperture connecting to the recessed cavity; attaching a material layer to the recessed cavity; attaching an actuation member to the material layer; and closing the aperture with a valve so as to control the entry of and expulsion of air from the recessed cavity. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140189965 | Article of Footwear with Slots and Method of Making - A sole structure for an article of footwear and a method of making the sole structure is disclosed. The sole structure can include a plurality of slots. The slots are associated with connecting portions that connect portions of the sole structure in the generally longitudinal direction and provide for increased fit, flexibility and stability. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140331418 | Composite Sole Structure - Embodiments relating to a lightweight sole structure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a lobed member having a protruding portion associated with a cleat member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a chambered member located in an indention in an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a cleat member having an outer layer, an intermediate layer, and an inner layer. In some embodiments, a method of making a sole structure may include injecting a chambered member in between an upper member and an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a plurality of zones having varying degrees of flexibility. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include cleat members having penetrating portions for penetrating into the ground surface. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140331419 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MIDSOLE FOR ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method includes placing first and second mold members in contact; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; placing a third mold member and an intermediate mold member in contact injecting a second material into a second recess to form a second portion of a midsole while the second mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the intermediate mold member; positioning the first and second portions in the second recess; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material portion and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20150107032 | Buffing Expanded Foam Items - Foam items may be buffed using particles such as particulate sodium bicarbonate in accordance with the present invention. Foam items may be, for example, expanded EVA foam items pre-formed into an intermediate size and shape. A skin layer may be formed during the expansion of the foam item to form an expanded foam item which may be entirely or partially removed by buffing the item using particles projected with selected buffing parameters. The buffing parameters may be varied based upon the thickness of at least a portion of the skin layer and/or the desired degree of moldability for the foam item after buffing. Particulate sodium bicarbonate or other types of particles used for buffing may be recycled and reused for further buffing of foam items. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150128359 | LOW DENSITY FOAMED ARTICLE MADE BY BEAD FOAM COMPRESSION MOLDING METHOD - Disclosed is a molded foamed article, such as a midsole or outsole for footwear, made by a method in which a desired amount of thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads are placed in a compression mold in the shape of the article and the mold is brought to a peak temperature of from about 130° C. to about 180° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds, then cooled to from about 5° C. to about 80° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds within about 30 seconds after the peak temperature is reached. The foamed article made by the method has a density of from about 0.1 to about 0.45 g/cm | 05-14-2015 |
| 20150374069 | Strand-Wound Bladder - An article of footwear or another product may incorporate a pressure chamber that includes (a) a bladder at least partially formed from a polymer material that is sealed to enclose a pressurized fluid and (b) a strand wound around the bladder and secured to the bladder. In manufacturing the pressure chamber, a bladder with an elongate configuration may be formed. A strand is wound around the bladder, and the strand is secured to the bladder. When incorporated to a sole structure of the article of footwear, for example, a portion of the bladder that includes the strands may be exposed at an outer surface of the sole structure. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160007680 | Sole With Adjustable Sizing | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160023416 | SOLE ASSEMBLY WITH PLURAL PORTIONS THAT COOPERATIVELY DEFINE CHAMBER - A method of forming a sole assembly of an article of footwear that includes an interior space that receives a foot of a wearer is disclosed. The article of footwear also includes an exterior surface. The method includes providing a first portion of the sole assembly. The first portion includes a first surface that at least partially defines the interior space. The first portion also includes a first chamber surface that opposes the first surface. Moreover, the method includes providing a second portion of the sole assembly. The second portion includes a second surface that at least partially defines the exterior surface of the article of footwear. The second portion also includes a second chamber surface that opposes the second surface. The method further includes operably securing the first portion to the second portion such that the first chamber surface and the second chamber surface cooperate to at least partially define a substantially sealed chamber within the sole assembly. | 01-28-2016 |
| 20160113352 | Method of Making a Zonal Compression Shoe - A method of making a shoe includes printing a midsole having a platform and a lattice structure. The platform and lattice structure are integrally formed by printing a first surface of the platform to conform to a sole of a foot of a user and, in association therewith, printing the lattice structure on a second surface of the platform opposite the first surface of the platform. The method also includes positioning the midsole substantially within an outsole such that the lattice structure is substantially facing the outsole and the platform is substantially facing an upper. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160114546 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SOLE WITH SHOE NAIL MADE OF DIFFERENT MATERIAL - A method of manufacturing a sole with shoe nails made of different materials is provided. The method includes pre-forming shoe nails, putting the shoe nails in an injection molding mold, applying a surface treatment agent and an adhesive glue, injecting the heated molten sole material into a mold, binding the sole material and the shoe nails with the adhesive glue, and performing a cooling process to cause the sole material to solidify and turn into a sole and cause the adhesive glue to solidify and couple the sole and shoe nails together. The method enables a sole with shoe nails to be quickly manufactured so easily that it increases production efficiency and economic benefits. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160120258 | PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A FASTENING SYSTEM OF INTERCHANGEABLE STRAPS IN SANDALS - The present invention refers to a process for production of a fastening system of interchangeable straps in sandals that includes the following steps: preparation of the base by creation of several apertures in its material; coating of said base with adhesive for attachment of the material composing the outer layer of the platform, to secure the sole and the insole; application of a fastener within said base, piercing the outer layer of the platform, by pressure on the support which is traversed by said fastener which is inserted inside the base and passes through multiple apertures and is fastened permanently; fastening of said fastener ensuring so that the support remains a reasonable distance from the platform to enable the straps to be engaged and disengaged. The invention also includes the product produced by said process | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160120262 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH A MIDSOLE ASSEMBLY HAVING A PERIMETER BLADDER ELEMENT, A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND A MOLD ASSEMBLY FOR SAME - An article of footwear has a midsole assembly that includes a fluid-filled bladder element having a substantially arc-shaped heel portion and having a lateral arm portion and a medial arm portion spaced from the lateral arm portion. Each of the arm portions extend from the heel portion. The bladder element is configured to be positioned with the heel portion in the heel region of midsole assembly, and the arm portions extending from the heel region to a forefoot region along a peripheral region. A method of manufacturing and a mold assembly for such an article of footwear are provided. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160136910 | SOLE ATTACHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - The present concept is a method of attaching soles which minimizes delamination of the sole. It includes the steps of molding a sole together with a bond material by placing the bond material onto the sole material in the mold, and then adhering a bottom side of a bond material to the inside portion of the sole, in the mold by heating the mold to a pre-selected temperature and for a pre-selected amount of time. The bond material includes a hot melt polyurethane reactive film adhesive on a top side and a barrier material on the bottom side. Finally attaching the sole with bond material to an upper. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160136912 | Decorated Sole Elements for Articles of Footwear and Processes for Making Thereof - A method of forming a decorated midsole element for articles of footwear includes obtaining a decorated film having one or more graphic elements applied to a first surface of the film and placing the decorated film in a mold. A midsole element is obtained and placed in the mold, and pressure is applied to the mold to form a midsole element having a decorated surface. The decorated film may include a layer of polyether-block co-polyamide polymer and the midsole element may be formed of ethylvinylacetate. A midsole assembly and an article of footwear having decorated midsole top layers are also described. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160150853 | Footwear with Power Kick Plate | 06-02-2016 |
| 20160058101 | Knit Component Bonding - A composite structure may include a knit component and a bonded component. The knit component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the knit component includes a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that form a knitted structure. The fusible yarn is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, and the fusible yarn is located on at least the first surface. The bonded component is positioned adjacent to the first surface, and the bonded component is thermal bonded to the first surface with the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20080196181 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A TEXTILE UPPER - An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first area and a second area with a unitary construction. The first area is formed of a first stitch configuration, and the second area is formed of a second stitch configuration that is different from the first stitch configuration to impart varying textures to a surface of the textile element. Various warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be utilized to form the textile element. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20080295263 | Article Of Apparel Incorporating A Stratified Material - An article of apparel having a substrate layer and an incised layer is disclosed. The substrate layer is at least partially formed from a material having a first degree of stretchability. The incised layer is secured to the substrate layer and at least partially formed from a material having a second degree of stretchability, the first degree of stretchability being greater than the second degree of stretchability. In addition, the incised layer includes at least a first incision and a second incision that are concentric, the first incision being positioned within the second incision. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20100064453 | Waterproof Footwear with Elastic Connecting Band - Shoe upper having a lower end of the upper, an outer material with a lower end ( | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100281631 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A FLAT KNIT UPPER CONSTRUCTION OR OTHER UPPER CONSTRUCTION - Flat knitting allows production of textile structures (e.g., for use in footwear uppers) of a final desired shape such that textile cutting steps can be avoided. Flat knitted elements also can be formed directly in desired three dimensional shapes, which can help avoid the need to use additional support structures (e.g., in footwear construction). By selectively placing multiple different yarns and/or stitch patterns at multiple different locations in the overall structure during the knitting process, flat knitted products may have multiple different physical properties (e.g., different stretchability, different moisture management capabilities, etc.) at multiple different locations or zones within a single, unitary construction (e.g., different properties at different zones or locations within a single footwear structure). Additionally, flat knitting can be used to produce pockets, tunnels, or other layered structures in the final product. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20110302727 | Footwear Structure With Textile Upper Member - Articles of footwear include a textile upper member with an exterior constructed from knitted textile material, the exterior including a region with stability ribs and a second unribbed region. The region(s) having stability ribs may be located, for example: along a lateral midfoot side of the upper member; along a forefoot portion of the upper member; and/or along a medial midfoot side of the upper member. Other articles of footwear include an upper member having exterior and interior textile elements joined together in a stitchless manner at the foot-receiving opening of the upper member. The exterior surface of this upper member also may include one or more regions with stability structures. The stitchless textile engagement techniques can provide a smooth, non-bulky, and breathable joint that does not require thick layers of textile material in contact with or adjacent the wearer's foot. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120284935 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Tensile Strands And Securing Strands - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a tensile strand, and a securing strand. The tensile strand is located adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The securing strand joins or secures the tensile strand to the foundation element. Although the thicknesses may vary, a thickness of the tensile strand may be at least three times the thickness of the securing strand. In some configurations, a backing strand may also assist with joining the securing strand to the foundation element. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20120324658 | Composite Shoe Upper and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel of an upper includes a substrate layer formed from a substrate material, a mesh material layer and one or more skin material layers. The mesh composite can be fabricated by first arranging panels of substrate, mesh and skin layer material into an assembly corresponding to the locations of those panels in a completed upper. The assembly may include separate layers of hot melt bonding material interposed between the substrate, mesh and skin layers. The assembly is pressed at an elevated temperature so as to melt the bonding material and the skin layers and bond the elements together. Before the pressed assembly completely cools, it is then pressed a second time in an unheated press. A heat-conductive compressible pad can be used in the pressing process to create a surface effect in the skin layers that reveals a patterns of an underlying mesh layer. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130212811 | Article Of Footwear Having An Upper Incorporating A Tensile Strand With A Cover Layer - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a strand, and a cover layer. The strand is positioned adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The cover layer extends along the strand for the distance of at least five centimeters, and the strand is positioned between the cover layer and the foundation element. In some configurations, the cover layer has a pair of edges on opposite sides of the strand, the strand is substantially centered between the edges of the cover layer for the distance of at least five centimeters, and areas of the exterior surface are exposed beyond the edges of the cover layer. | 08-22-2013 |
| 20130298339 | HYBRID SKATE BOOT - A method of making a skate boot upper, including integrally molding a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion with the quarter overlapping the boot portion only along said edges. Also, a method of making a skate boot upper, including manufacturing a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion through stitching, adhesive or lamination. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130305465 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN UPPER PART OF A SHOE, IN PARTICULAR OF A SPORTS SHOE - The invention relates to a method for producing an upper part ( | 11-21-2013 |
| 20130318726 | Method of Manufacturing An Article of Footwear Including a Composite Upper - A method of manufacturing an upper made of a composite material for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes associating a layer of carbon fiber material and a flexible substrate to form the composite material. A thin outer coating of TPU is applied to an outer surface of the carbon fiber material of the composite material. The method forms an article of footwear having an upper that is generally flexible and lightweight. | 12-05-2013 |
| 20140020193 | Shoe with Composite Upper and Foam Element and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel can be used to form a three-dimensional upper shell that includes extensions used for double-lasting and/or to otherwise provide a shelf to support foam padding. The foam padding may be, e.g., a foam midsole. The extensions of the upper shell may be located in a lower portion of the shell and may be bonded to the foam midsole in a heel, midfoot and/or forefoot regions. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140130270 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 05-15-2014 |
| 20140182069 | Method for Forming a Shoe Vamp Integrally - A method for forming a shoe vamp includes providing a cloth material, forming integrally a plurality of ornamental members on the cloth material by tatting, and arranging the ornamental members on the cloth material in a diverse manner to present different viewing effects of the ornamental members on the cloth material so as to form a product of a shoe vamp. The shoe vamp includes the cloth material and the ornamental members. Thus, each of the ornamental members is formed integrally on the cloth material by tatting so that each of the ornamental members is combined with the cloth material exactly and closely and will not be loosened or detached from the cloth material during a long-term utilization. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140245547 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 09-04-2014 |
| 20140310892 | Method of Printing Onto an Article - A method of printing onto an article includes placing an article on a holding assembly, flattening a portion of the article and printing onto the flattened portion of the article. Flattening can be accomplished using a flattening plate and by controlling the shape of a surface of the holding assembly using a vacuum. | 10-23-2014 |
| 20150089752 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING SEAMLESS SHOE UPPER - A method for producing a seamless shoe upper includes the following steps of: providing a covering piece, a lining piece, and first and second screen-printing jigs having first and second screen portions respectively; surface treating the covering piece using a first treating agent through the first screen portion and the lining piece using a second treating agent through the second screen portion; distributing an adhesive onto the covering piece and the lining piece respectively through the first and second screen portions, so as to form first and second adhesive layers thereon; and bonding the covering piece with the lining piece by overlapping and pressing the first and second adhesive layers together. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150107033 | Automated Trimming Of Pliable Items - The present invention relates to the automated cutting of pliable items. More particularly, the present invention relates to the automatic cutting and/or trimming of pliable items, such as a shoe upper that lacks uniformity. An image of the pliable item is captured having image features and a pattern is retrieved having pattern features, such as a proposed cut path. An image feature is compared to distance tolerances associated with pattern features to adjust the proposed cut path such that it satisfies the distance tolerances while providing a consistently sized and shaped trimmed item. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20160058126 | COMPONENTS FOR ARTICLES OF FOOTWEAR INCLUDING LIGHTWEIGHT, SELECTIVELY SUPPORTED TEXTILE COMPONENTS - Footwear components are made from lightweight textile structures (e.g., including circular knitted structures made from natural or synthetic fibers, such as socks or sock-type structures). The textile structures are selectively supported at various areas to provide desired local characteristics. Methods are provided for making such components, precursors to such components, and articles of footwear containing such components. | 03-03-2016 |
| 012146000 | Orthopedic parts | 1 |
| 20090019648 | Method of Customizing an Article - A method of post customization for articles of footwear is disclosed. The method includes a step of receiving an order for a plurality of pairs of footwear, a step of manufacturing the articles, a step of receiving a set of post customization designs and a step of applying post customization designs to the articles of footwear. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090199353 | Apparatus and Method for Providing Open-Heeled Foot Apparel with Improved Heel Support - A method of manufacturing an article of foot apparel that includes a platform curved to anticipate the natural movement of a foot. The method includes forming the platform with a heel pad having a geometric center point. The method also includes connecting a retaining covering to the platform that is configured to retain a foot at the front of the platform and to allow the heel of the foot to move freely relative to the heel pad. The article of foot apparel conforms more closely to the actual physiology of the foot and allows the heel of the foot to remain centered in the heel pad when worn. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20100107346 | Method of Making an Article Comprising Links - A method of making an article comprising links is disclosed. The method includes a step of generating a link pattern according to a pre-selected portion of the article. The link pattern comprises a plurality of link indicia that correspond to plurality of links. After associating each link from the plurality of links with a link indicia from the plurality of link indicia, a plurality of threads may be threaded through the plurality of links to form a link matrix. The link matrix may be associated with the pre-selected portion of an article to make an article comprising links. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20110252581 | DEBRIS INHIBITOR FOR SHOES AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME - The invention provides debris inhibitors and inhibitor systems and methods of making same. The inhibitors and inhibitor systems of the present invention are worn over athletic or outdoor shoes to inhibit entry of debris into the athletic or outdoor shoes. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110277251 | Transparent outsole with visible artwork - An improved method of boot or shoe construction comprising a boot or shoe constructed using the traditional Goodyear welt process, a midsole comprised of leather or rubber, a transparent outsole with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side of said outsole, a heel, comprised of leather, rubber or any substantially equivalent material, and transparent heel cover with artwork fixedly attached to the anterior side. Other embodiments are described and shown. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20140115795 | Protective Toe Cap for Industrial Footwear - The invention relates to a one-piece protective toe cap for safety footwear, forming a concave frame consisting of a front wall with connected side walls, the upper edges of which are joined by a concave surface along the profile of the last. The contour or edge of the flange of the toe cap is provided with a recess in order to house a tab and provide comfort, as well as improving the appearance of the footwear (not shown in these documents). The design withstands impact tests of approximately 101.7 to 146.7 Joules (10.4 to 14.95 kgf-m), leaving clearance of approximately 11 mm to 14 mm in the capped shoe and not only at the tip of the cap. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140230166 | Article of Footwear With Tongue of Varying Thickness - An article of footwear includes a tongue. The tongue includes a medial portion, a lateral portion, a central portion, a top portion and an upper perimeter portion. The medial portion and the top portion have similar thicknesses, which are greater than the thicknesses of the lateral portion, the central portion and the upper perimeter portion. The central portion is the thinnest portion of the tongue. Each portion of the tongue corresponds to a different pressure zone along a foot in order to provide differential cushioning and support against pressure applied by a fastening system. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140259462 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Tensile Element - A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber with a tensile element includes manufacturing a tensile element and incorporating the tensile element into a chamber. A first material layer, a second material layer, and a spacing structure having a plurality of support portions and a plurality of gaps may be stacked. The material layers may be located on either side of the spacing structure or on one side of the spacing structure. A strand may be stitched through the gaps to join the material layers and to form the tensile element. The spacing structure may be removed, and the first material layer may be spaced from the second material layer such that segments of the strand extend between the material layers. The tensile element may then be secured to opposite interior surfaces of an outer barrier, and the outer barrier may be pressurized to place the strand in tension. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20100275393 | METHOD OF MAKING A LASTED SKATE BOOT - A method of making a lasted skate boot comprising: (a) providing a male-female mold having male and female sections for defining a mold cavity therebetween, the male section having sides, a rear portion and a bottom portion for defining a three dimensional shape corresponding to the external three dimensional shape of the foot, the female section defining a recess for receiving the male section, the male section comprising a plurality of inner channels for admitting liquid plastic material in the mold cavity; (b) providing a pre-cut sheet made of cloth material laminated to a support made of non-woven fabric; (c) placing the sheet on the male section of the mold such that the non-woven fabric contacts the sides and rear portion of the male section of the mold; (d) closing the male and female sections of the mold; (e) injecting liquid plastic material in the inner channels such that the liquid plastic material spreads on the sheet, pushes the sheet against the recess of the female section of the mold, fills the mold cavity and fuses with the non-woven fabric to form, after cooling, an outer shell comprising a heel portion for surrounding the heel, an ankle portion for surrounding the ankle, and medial and lateral side portions for enclosing the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively; (f) opening the male and female sections of the mold; and (g) removing the outer shell from the mold. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100005602 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INSOLE - A method for manufacturing insole uses used footwear and recycled wooden articles are primary ingredients, which are pulverized to form particles of the recycled materials. The recycled wood, taking a ratio of weight of 15-35%, is uniformly mixed with matrix rubber that functions to adjust physical properties and foaming agent, and then pressed to form an insole material in a sheet form, which is deposited in a mold to be heated and pressurized for curing and setting thereby forming an insole featuring proper resilience and anti-bacteria and deodorization. The use of the insole is thus completely sanitary and comfortable and also features pollution- and nuisance-free use by repeated use in the sense of environment conservation. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20080271265 | Article of Footwear Having a Worn Appearance and Method of Making Same - An article of footwear made from new or substantially new materials is manufactured with vintage treatment processing to give the article of footwear a vintage or well-worn appearance. The article of footwear may be treated with discoloring substances, such as dyes or bleaching agents. The upper may be formed with wrinkles or a crushed heel portion, such as by using a thin or soft foam behind a polyester covering, eliminating the foam backing and/or heel cup. Further, a rubber outsole may be molded with uneven treads and/or discolored to give the rubber a degraded, worn appearance. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080301887 | SIMPLIFIED SHOE CONSTRUCTION WITH MIDSOLE HAVING OVERMOLDED INSERT - A shoe construction employs a midsole molded of flexible, resilient material around a rigid plate, where the midsole and encapsulated plate are insertable into a separately constructed outsole and shoe upper. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080313824 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method of forming an article of footwear includes the steps of providing an upper having a forefoot portion a midfoot portion a heel portion and a pocket positioned beneath the forefoot portion; placing the upper on a last; inserting a first midsole portion into the pocket; and securing an outsole assembly to the upper, the outsole assembly comprising a second midsole portion and an outsole secured to a lower surface of the second midsole portion. The second midsole portion and the outsole are visible from an exterior of the article of footwear and the first midsole portion is not visible from an exterior of the article of footwear. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090133202 | FOOTWEAR MADE BY IMPROVED PROCESS OF DRAINING STRUCTURE - Footwear is made by a process which creates a draining structure in the footwear. The footwear includes an insole that has conical through holes formed in the top and bottom sides of the insole such that the holes gradually reduce from the top side toward the bottom side. The insole is made by preparing a molten foam material and then using a hydraulic press-controlled mold to mold the molten foam material into a blank insole having a plurality of conical blind holes. Part of the blank insole is then removed to open the conical blind holes by means of the application of a cutting process, a grinding process or a punching process. An outsole is bonded to the bottom side of the insole and has a plurality of drain grooves in communication with the conical through holes for guiding water out of the insole and the outsole. An upper is provided at the top side of the insole for securing the shoe to the user's foot. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090255065 | WATER-RESISTANT AND FLOATABLE FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREFOR - A water-resistant and floatable footwear including an outsole and insole, and an upper member affixed to the sole, wherein the footwear is floatable in water. In particular, the insole of the footwear is constructed of the material “marine buoy;” that is, the insole has an inner structure and an outer coating, the inner structure being constructed of a thermoplastic resin and the outer coating being constructed of a vinyl polymer. The footwear is advantageously water-proof and provides buoyancy in water. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090265868 | Impact Attenuating Devices and Products Containing such Devices - An impact attenuating device includes both concave and convex side walls, e.g., in an interleaved arrangement, optionally at least partially surrounded by a restraining element that may help return the impact attenuating device back to its original orientation after attenuating an impact. Such impact attenuating devices may be included in pieces of footwear and/or other foot-receiving devices. Additionally, such impact attenuating devices or portions thereof may be freely selected and/or interchanged in a piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, e.g., based on one or more characteristics of an intended user and/or an intended use, so as to allow users to obtain footwear (or other devices) customized and targeted for use under a predetermined set of conditions. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100077556 | Fluid-Filled Bladder for Footwear and Other Applications - A fluid-filled structure, such as a bladder, is disclosed. The bladder has a first surface and an opposite second surface that are peripherally joined to define various edges. The bladder encloses a fluid between the first surface and the second surface. A portion of the edges may have a concave configuration, or the edges may have both concave and convex configurations. A shape of the bladder may be a tessellation pattern so that a plurality of the bladder may be efficiently. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100083449 | Midsole Element For An Article Of Footwear - An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a midsole element that defines a void, and the void may extend substantially vertically through a central area of the midsole element. The void may also extend between an upper surface and a lower surface of the midsole element to define an interior surface. A plurality of bores are also defined in the midsole element. The bores may extend substantially horizontally through the midsole element, and the bores may extend between an exterior surface of the midsole element and the void. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100139014 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CLEAT SOLE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a sole ( | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100251492 | FOOTWEAR INCORPORATING A LIGHT SOURCE AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An embodiment of the present invention is a method that includes the steps of: incorporating at least one light source in an upper part of a shoe, wherein the at least one light source that comprises at least a light emitting source that is capable of illuminating, wherein the shoe comprises: 1) the upper part, 2) at least one bonding strip, and 3) a shoe bottom sole part, assembling at least the upper part with the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form an assembled unit; and c) applying sufficient heat to vulcanize the assembled unit so as to result in securing the upper part to the at least one bonding strip and the shoe bottom sole part to form the shoe having the at least one light source that is capable of illuminating. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100269271 | Method of Manufacturing Footwear Having Sipes - A method of manufacturing footwear including the steps of positioning a sole member on a first portion of a cutting assembly; heating a second portion of the cutting assembly, the second portion including a cutting die; pressing the heated cutting die into the sole member to form a plurality of sipes in the sole member; and removing the cutting die from the sole member. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100281630 | Article of Footwear with Mesh on Outsole and Insert - An article of footwear including a mesh disposed on the outsole and an insert of the outsole is disclosed. The outsole includes tread elements that extend farther from the outsole than the mesh, providing protection to the mesh. Additionally, the mesh on the insert preferably helps reduce hyperextension of the front of the insert and the article of footwear. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100293727 | INDIVIDUALLY FORMED FOOTWEAR AND A RELATED METHOD - Individually formed footwear such as shoes and insoles for correcting the feet position and alleviate related problems. The shoe or insole includes at least one layer made of thermoplastic material, which material is advantageously chosen from a group of ABS, PVC, A-PET and PETG. A method for providing such footwear to a client at a retail store is likewise presented. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100299850 | METHOD FOR MAKING GOODYEAR SHOE - A method for making a Goodyear shoe includes the steps of: stitching together a lower edge of an upper and a peripheral edge of an inner midsole so as to form a coupled section; placing a last into an assembly resulting from the previous step; placing an outer welt on an outer surface of the upper at the coupled section and stitching the outer welt, the upper, and the inner midsole together; placing a filler on a bottom surface of the inner midsole; bonding a thin sole to a bottom portion of an assembly that results from the previous step and stitching the thin sole to the outer welt; and bonding an outsole and performing edge-abrading. The method prevents a toe cap portion of the upper from tearing and creasing and dispenses with such steps as gripping the upper, driving wire nails, and trimming the lower edge of the upper. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20110047720 | Method of Manufacturing Sole Assembly for Article of Footwear - A method of forming a midsole includes the steps of placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another, injecting a first material into the first mold member to form first and second portions of a midsole preform, positioning the first and second portions in a third mold member of a second mold assembly; placing a second material in the third mold member; placing the third mold member and a fourth mold member in contact with one another, subjecting the second material and the first and second portions to heat to form a midsole preform, placing the midsole preform in a fifth mold member, placing the fifth mold member and a sixth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the midsole preform to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110047721 | Method of Manufacturing Midsole for Article of Footwear - A method of forming includes the steps of: placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below an ambient temperature; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; positioning the first portion of the midsole in the second recess in the third mold member of the second mold assembly; placing a second material into the second recess in contact with the first portion of the midsole; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110094046 | FORMING A SHOE COMPONENT WITH ROCKER BOTTOM - A method of forming a shoe component for an individual is provided and includes defining a footprint of the shoe component for the individual with an orientation relative to a rocker bottom of sheets that each have the rocker bottom and various thicknesses, selecting, from among the sheets, a sheet having a thickness appropriate for the individual based on the orientation of the footprint and removing a portion from the selected sheet reflective of a shape and size of a profile of the footprint. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110131739 | Contoured Fluid-Filled Chamber - A fluid-filled chamber may be incorporated into footwear and other products. The chamber is formed from a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located opposite the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of bonds are spaced inward from the sidewall surface and join the first surface and the second surface, and the bonds are distributed to form a regularly-spaced array, such as a hexagonal array. In some configurations, the first surface and the second surface may define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds. In addition, the bonds may be formed to have a slope that is an average of slopes of the first surface and the second surface in areas proximal the bonds. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110138548 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods For Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110154584 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH TUBULAR SOLE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE - An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper. The sole assembly includes a mat formed of at least one randomly dispersed extruded tubular member, each tubular member being hollow in an in-use condition in which the mat provides support for a user's foot. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20120017382 | METHOD FOR MAKING SHOES - A method for making shoes includes a first mold made of stiff material and a second mold has a concavity in which the shoe is received. The shoe includes a top portion, a connection member and an outsole, wherein the connection member and the outsole are connected to the top portion. The second mold transmits ultra-sonic thermo energy to the connection member and the outsole, so that the connection member and the outsole are properly shrank and securely matched to the top portion. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120060305 | Method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths - A method for manufacturing a one-piece shoe shell of a skate with different widths having acts of forming a shoe shell with a rudimentary mold assembly, ejecting the shoe shell from the rudimentary mold assembly and adjusting a width of the sole of the shoe shell before the shoe shell hardens. The sole of the shoe shell has at least one adjusting portion to allow the sole to expand or be compressed. With the acts, each size of the shoe shell needs only one rudimentary mold assembly that has complex structure and high cost to substantially form a basic shape of the shoe shell and multiple shaping molds of different widths that have simple structure and low cost are prepared to further adjust widths of the shoe shell. Consequently, total cost for manufacturing the shoe shell with different widths is effectively lowered. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120137449 | Method for Improving the Performance of Footwear - A mixture of ester based chemicals applied to shoes for the purpose of improving performance in the normal use of the shoe. The mixture is applied to a surface of the shoes and allowed to penetrate the material forming the surface of the shoe. When applied to the sole of a shoe, the esters in the material will alter bulk properties of the shoe sole to alter the adhesion of the shoe to a traversed surface, the operative life of the shoe, the shoe performance and the shoe hardness. The mixture is especially suited for application to previously manufactured climbing shoes. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120260437 | Method of Preparing a Rubber Shoe Sole - Disclosed herein is a novel method of preparing shoe sole. The method of preparing shoe sole includes irradiating an uncured rubber sheet by laser beam to pattern and vulcanize a portion of the uncured rubber, tailoring the partially patterned vulcanized rubber into a shoe shape, and afterward fully vulcanizing the partially patterned vulcanized rubber sheet to form a shoe sole. An additional step of assembling the upper panel of shoe sole on the partially vulcanized rubber sheet is also performed. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120297557 | Shoe Outsole Made Using Composite Material - Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for making a shoe outsole and to shoe outsoles made using such techniques. In one such technique, a sheet of composite material is produced by extruding a base material together with a sheet of fabric material. The sheet of composite material is then cut into an outsole component, and a shoe outsole is fabricated using the outsole component. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120324656 | Method for manufacturing Detachable Zipper Shoe - Method for manufacturing detachable zipper shoe comprises steps of: I. preparing cardboards: 1) structuring a shoe last, 2) making cardboards, and 3) drawing arrays of marks; II. making a vamp: 1) making a first cutting die, 2) cutting, 3) drawing marks on the vamp, 4) combining the vamp, and 5) combining the vamp and an upper zipper; III. making an outsole: 1) forming the outsole, and 2) combining the outsole and a lower zipper; IV. making an inner sole: 1) making a second cutting die, 2) cutting, and 3) combining the inner sole and the outsole; V. fixing the vamp. The method of the present invention adopts sets of marks predetermined on the vamp, the upper zipper, the lower zipper, the inner sole, and the outsole to be aligned with each other, so as to prevent the combination of the afore portions from displacement. Therefore, one single sole of the same size can cooperate with different types of vamps for satisfying a mass production of shoes. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20120324657 | Footwear and Method of Making Thereof - Footwear includes an upper, a sole, and a thread. The upper has upper holes around the upper peripheral. The sole has a lip portion on the sole peripheral lip portion has sole holes around the sole peripheral. The thread attaches the upper and the sole through the upper holes and the sole holes, and forms a set of stitches. A ripple is formed between two sets of stitches and the thread is embedded in the lip portion between the ripples. Each stitch goes through a first upper hole and enters the sole hole of the lip portion, such that the thread forms an angled stitch on the lip portion. The thread then goes through a second upper hole and exits from a third upper hole, such that the thread forms a horizontal stitch on the inside of the footwear. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130025075 | Method Of Manufacturing An Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Tensile Element - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element and a tensile element. The tensile element may include a base layer and a plurality of strands, with the base layer being joined to an exterior surface of the foundation element. In manufacturing the footwear, a thermoplastic polymer material in the base layer may be utilized to bond or otherwise join the tensile element to the foundation element. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130091638 | SOLE COMPONENT FOR AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME - A sole component having a base, a toe cover and an integral line of articulation permitting the toe cover to be molded in an “open” position and moved into a “closed” position during assembly on the article of footwear. The line of articulation may include a line of reduced thickness extending laterally across the sole. The line of articulation may also include breaks defined in the sidewall of the sole in alignment with the line of reduced thickness. The present invention also provides a method of forming a sole component generally including the steps of providing a mold having bottom and top mold parts shaped to cooperatively define a mold cavity in the shape of a sole component having a toe cover joined to a base along a line of articulation, closing the mold parts, injecting a sole forming material into the cavity, removing the sole component and moving the toe cover about the line of articulation into a closed configuration for use. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130160223 | Method For Manufacturing A Sole Assembly and For Manufacturing A Shoe - The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe, comprising the steps of providing an upper assembly with an upper portion comprising an outer material and with a bottom portion; providing a ventilating sole element ( | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130263391 | Methods For Manufacturing Fluid-Filled Chambers Incorporating Spacer Textile Materials - A method for manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber may include obtaining a spacer textile material a stabilization structure. A tensile member is removed from an area of the spacer textile material where the stabilizing structure is absent. The tensile member is located between a first polymer element and a second polymer element. Additionally, (a) the first layer is bonded to the first polymer element, (b) the second layer is bonded to the second polymer element, and (c) the first polymer element and the second polymer element are bonded together around a periphery of the tensile member. | 10-10-2013 |
| 20130291318 | SKATE BOOT WITH IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY - A method of making a skate boot including manufacturing a rear element including a tendon guard for covering at least a rear portion of the ankle received within the boot, and forming a direct connection at a fixed position between contacting portions of the rear element and of a remainder of the skate boot separately from the quarters, the direct connection being formed such that the rear element is an external element of the boot and such that an upper portion of the rear element is displaceable relative to the quarters in a forward and rearward direction, the upper portion of the rear element being displaceable through flexing of the rear element about the connection. | 11-07-2013 |
| 20140000044 | Induction Heating Apparatuses And Processes For Footwear Manufacturing | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140020192 | Footwear Assembly Method With 3D Printing - Methods and systems are disclosed for apparel assembly using three-dimensional printing directly onto fabric apparel materials. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing and assembly of an article of apparel, including designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing, positioning at least a portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray, printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the article using the designed pattern, curing the printed material, and removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140068879 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SHOE AND SHOE - The invention relates to a method for the production of a shoe ( | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140068880 | FLEXIBLE SHOE SOLE - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a composite element adapted for use with an article of footwear. The composite element generally comprises a first portion with a first rigidity and a second portion with a second, different rigidity. The first portion and the second portion each comprise at least one fiber-reinforced layer and are configured to provide the desired rigidity characteristics according to a wearer's characteristics and/or an intended use of the footwear. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140090189 | Method Of Manufacturing A Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Reinforcing Element - Several sole components and a method of manufacturing those sole components are disclosed. In general, each sole component includes a fluid-filled bladder and a reinforcing element extending around a portion of the bladder. The reinforcing element is bonded to the exterior of the bladder, and may be recessed into the bladder. In some configurations, the reinforcing element is die-cut from a sheet of polymer material, and the reinforcing element may exhibit a layered configuration. In manufacturing the sole component, the reinforcing element may be located within a mold, and the polymer material forming the bladder may be bonded to the reinforcing element during the molding process. | 04-03-2014 |
| 20140165304 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Foam-Filled Elements And Methods for Manufacturing The Foam-Filled Elements - An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a plurality of support elements, and each of the support elements include a shell and a core. The shell defines an interior void and is formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void. The core has a shape of the void and is located within the void, with at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material. The polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements may have different densities. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140173837 | METHOD OF PRODUCING SOLE FOR BENDING-ACTUATED AERATED FOOTWEAR - A method of producing a sole assembly for manufacturing aerated footwear comprises: fabricating a sole component having an aperture extending from a top surface to a bottom surface, and having recessed cavity along a length of the bottom surface, the aperture connecting to the recessed cavity; attaching a material layer to the recessed cavity; attaching an actuation member to the material layer; and closing the aperture with a valve so as to control the entry of and expulsion of air from the recessed cavity. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140189965 | Article of Footwear with Slots and Method of Making - A sole structure for an article of footwear and a method of making the sole structure is disclosed. The sole structure can include a plurality of slots. The slots are associated with connecting portions that connect portions of the sole structure in the generally longitudinal direction and provide for increased fit, flexibility and stability. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140331418 | Composite Sole Structure - Embodiments relating to a lightweight sole structure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a lobed member having a protruding portion associated with a cleat member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a chambered member located in an indention in an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a cleat member having an outer layer, an intermediate layer, and an inner layer. In some embodiments, a method of making a sole structure may include injecting a chambered member in between an upper member and an intermediate member. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include a plurality of zones having varying degrees of flexibility. In some embodiments, the sole structure may include cleat members having penetrating portions for penetrating into the ground surface. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140331419 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MIDSOLE FOR ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR - A method includes placing first and second mold members in contact; injecting a first material into a first recess in the first mold member to form a first portion of a midsole while the first mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the first portion of the midsole from the first recess; placing a third mold member and an intermediate mold member in contact injecting a second material into a second recess to form a second portion of a midsole while the second mold member is maintained at a temperature below ambient; removing the intermediate mold member; positioning the first and second portions in the second recess; placing the third mold member and the fourth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the second material portion and the first portion in the second mold assembly to heat and pressure to form a midsole. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20150107032 | Buffing Expanded Foam Items - Foam items may be buffed using particles such as particulate sodium bicarbonate in accordance with the present invention. Foam items may be, for example, expanded EVA foam items pre-formed into an intermediate size and shape. A skin layer may be formed during the expansion of the foam item to form an expanded foam item which may be entirely or partially removed by buffing the item using particles projected with selected buffing parameters. The buffing parameters may be varied based upon the thickness of at least a portion of the skin layer and/or the desired degree of moldability for the foam item after buffing. Particulate sodium bicarbonate or other types of particles used for buffing may be recycled and reused for further buffing of foam items. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150128359 | LOW DENSITY FOAMED ARTICLE MADE BY BEAD FOAM COMPRESSION MOLDING METHOD - Disclosed is a molded foamed article, such as a midsole or outsole for footwear, made by a method in which a desired amount of thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads are placed in a compression mold in the shape of the article and the mold is brought to a peak temperature of from about 130° C. to about 180° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds, then cooled to from about 5° C. to about 80° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds within about 30 seconds after the peak temperature is reached. The foamed article made by the method has a density of from about 0.1 to about 0.45 g/cm | 05-14-2015 |
| 20150374069 | Strand-Wound Bladder - An article of footwear or another product may incorporate a pressure chamber that includes (a) a bladder at least partially formed from a polymer material that is sealed to enclose a pressurized fluid and (b) a strand wound around the bladder and secured to the bladder. In manufacturing the pressure chamber, a bladder with an elongate configuration may be formed. A strand is wound around the bladder, and the strand is secured to the bladder. When incorporated to a sole structure of the article of footwear, for example, a portion of the bladder that includes the strands may be exposed at an outer surface of the sole structure. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160007680 | Sole With Adjustable Sizing | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160023416 | SOLE ASSEMBLY WITH PLURAL PORTIONS THAT COOPERATIVELY DEFINE CHAMBER - A method of forming a sole assembly of an article of footwear that includes an interior space that receives a foot of a wearer is disclosed. The article of footwear also includes an exterior surface. The method includes providing a first portion of the sole assembly. The first portion includes a first surface that at least partially defines the interior space. The first portion also includes a first chamber surface that opposes the first surface. Moreover, the method includes providing a second portion of the sole assembly. The second portion includes a second surface that at least partially defines the exterior surface of the article of footwear. The second portion also includes a second chamber surface that opposes the second surface. The method further includes operably securing the first portion to the second portion such that the first chamber surface and the second chamber surface cooperate to at least partially define a substantially sealed chamber within the sole assembly. | 01-28-2016 |
| 20160113352 | Method of Making a Zonal Compression Shoe - A method of making a shoe includes printing a midsole having a platform and a lattice structure. The platform and lattice structure are integrally formed by printing a first surface of the platform to conform to a sole of a foot of a user and, in association therewith, printing the lattice structure on a second surface of the platform opposite the first surface of the platform. The method also includes positioning the midsole substantially within an outsole such that the lattice structure is substantially facing the outsole and the platform is substantially facing an upper. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160114546 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SOLE WITH SHOE NAIL MADE OF DIFFERENT MATERIAL - A method of manufacturing a sole with shoe nails made of different materials is provided. The method includes pre-forming shoe nails, putting the shoe nails in an injection molding mold, applying a surface treatment agent and an adhesive glue, injecting the heated molten sole material into a mold, binding the sole material and the shoe nails with the adhesive glue, and performing a cooling process to cause the sole material to solidify and turn into a sole and cause the adhesive glue to solidify and couple the sole and shoe nails together. The method enables a sole with shoe nails to be quickly manufactured so easily that it increases production efficiency and economic benefits. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160120258 | PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A FASTENING SYSTEM OF INTERCHANGEABLE STRAPS IN SANDALS - The present invention refers to a process for production of a fastening system of interchangeable straps in sandals that includes the following steps: preparation of the base by creation of several apertures in its material; coating of said base with adhesive for attachment of the material composing the outer layer of the platform, to secure the sole and the insole; application of a fastener within said base, piercing the outer layer of the platform, by pressure on the support which is traversed by said fastener which is inserted inside the base and passes through multiple apertures and is fastened permanently; fastening of said fastener ensuring so that the support remains a reasonable distance from the platform to enable the straps to be engaged and disengaged. The invention also includes the product produced by said process | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160120262 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH A MIDSOLE ASSEMBLY HAVING A PERIMETER BLADDER ELEMENT, A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND A MOLD ASSEMBLY FOR SAME - An article of footwear has a midsole assembly that includes a fluid-filled bladder element having a substantially arc-shaped heel portion and having a lateral arm portion and a medial arm portion spaced from the lateral arm portion. Each of the arm portions extend from the heel portion. The bladder element is configured to be positioned with the heel portion in the heel region of midsole assembly, and the arm portions extending from the heel region to a forefoot region along a peripheral region. A method of manufacturing and a mold assembly for such an article of footwear are provided. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160136910 | SOLE ATTACHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - The present concept is a method of attaching soles which minimizes delamination of the sole. It includes the steps of molding a sole together with a bond material by placing the bond material onto the sole material in the mold, and then adhering a bottom side of a bond material to the inside portion of the sole, in the mold by heating the mold to a pre-selected temperature and for a pre-selected amount of time. The bond material includes a hot melt polyurethane reactive film adhesive on a top side and a barrier material on the bottom side. Finally attaching the sole with bond material to an upper. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160136912 | Decorated Sole Elements for Articles of Footwear and Processes for Making Thereof - A method of forming a decorated midsole element for articles of footwear includes obtaining a decorated film having one or more graphic elements applied to a first surface of the film and placing the decorated film in a mold. A midsole element is obtained and placed in the mold, and pressure is applied to the mold to form a midsole element having a decorated surface. The decorated film may include a layer of polyether-block co-polyamide polymer and the midsole element may be formed of ethylvinylacetate. A midsole assembly and an article of footwear having decorated midsole top layers are also described. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160150853 | Footwear with Power Kick Plate | 06-02-2016 |
| 20160058101 | Knit Component Bonding - A composite structure may include a knit component and a bonded component. The knit component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the knit component includes a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that form a knitted structure. The fusible yarn is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, and the fusible yarn is located on at least the first surface. The bonded component is positioned adjacent to the first surface, and the bonded component is thermal bonded to the first surface with the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20080196181 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A TEXTILE UPPER - An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first area and a second area with a unitary construction. The first area is formed of a first stitch configuration, and the second area is formed of a second stitch configuration that is different from the first stitch configuration to impart varying textures to a surface of the textile element. Various warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be utilized to form the textile element. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20080295263 | Article Of Apparel Incorporating A Stratified Material - An article of apparel having a substrate layer and an incised layer is disclosed. The substrate layer is at least partially formed from a material having a first degree of stretchability. The incised layer is secured to the substrate layer and at least partially formed from a material having a second degree of stretchability, the first degree of stretchability being greater than the second degree of stretchability. In addition, the incised layer includes at least a first incision and a second incision that are concentric, the first incision being positioned within the second incision. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20100064453 | Waterproof Footwear with Elastic Connecting Band - Shoe upper having a lower end of the upper, an outer material with a lower end ( | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100281631 | ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A FLAT KNIT UPPER CONSTRUCTION OR OTHER UPPER CONSTRUCTION - Flat knitting allows production of textile structures (e.g., for use in footwear uppers) of a final desired shape such that textile cutting steps can be avoided. Flat knitted elements also can be formed directly in desired three dimensional shapes, which can help avoid the need to use additional support structures (e.g., in footwear construction). By selectively placing multiple different yarns and/or stitch patterns at multiple different locations in the overall structure during the knitting process, flat knitted products may have multiple different physical properties (e.g., different stretchability, different moisture management capabilities, etc.) at multiple different locations or zones within a single, unitary construction (e.g., different properties at different zones or locations within a single footwear structure). Additionally, flat knitting can be used to produce pockets, tunnels, or other layered structures in the final product. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20110302727 | Footwear Structure With Textile Upper Member - Articles of footwear include a textile upper member with an exterior constructed from knitted textile material, the exterior including a region with stability ribs and a second unribbed region. The region(s) having stability ribs may be located, for example: along a lateral midfoot side of the upper member; along a forefoot portion of the upper member; and/or along a medial midfoot side of the upper member. Other articles of footwear include an upper member having exterior and interior textile elements joined together in a stitchless manner at the foot-receiving opening of the upper member. The exterior surface of this upper member also may include one or more regions with stability structures. The stitchless textile engagement techniques can provide a smooth, non-bulky, and breathable joint that does not require thick layers of textile material in contact with or adjacent the wearer's foot. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120284935 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating Tensile Strands And Securing Strands - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a tensile strand, and a securing strand. The tensile strand is located adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The securing strand joins or secures the tensile strand to the foundation element. Although the thicknesses may vary, a thickness of the tensile strand may be at least three times the thickness of the securing strand. In some configurations, a backing strand may also assist with joining the securing strand to the foundation element. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20120324658 | Composite Shoe Upper and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel of an upper includes a substrate layer formed from a substrate material, a mesh material layer and one or more skin material layers. The mesh composite can be fabricated by first arranging panels of substrate, mesh and skin layer material into an assembly corresponding to the locations of those panels in a completed upper. The assembly may include separate layers of hot melt bonding material interposed between the substrate, mesh and skin layers. The assembly is pressed at an elevated temperature so as to melt the bonding material and the skin layers and bond the elements together. Before the pressed assembly completely cools, it is then pressed a second time in an unheated press. A heat-conductive compressible pad can be used in the pressing process to create a surface effect in the skin layers that reveals a patterns of an underlying mesh layer. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130212811 | Article Of Footwear Having An Upper Incorporating A Tensile Strand With A Cover Layer - An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element, a strand, and a cover layer. The strand is positioned adjacent to an exterior surface of the foundation element and substantially parallel to the exterior surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The cover layer extends along the strand for the distance of at least five centimeters, and the strand is positioned between the cover layer and the foundation element. In some configurations, the cover layer has a pair of edges on opposite sides of the strand, the strand is substantially centered between the edges of the cover layer for the distance of at least five centimeters, and areas of the exterior surface are exposed beyond the edges of the cover layer. | 08-22-2013 |
| 20130298339 | HYBRID SKATE BOOT - A method of making a skate boot upper, including integrally molding a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion with the quarter overlapping the boot portion only along said edges. Also, a method of making a skate boot upper, including manufacturing a boot portion from a first material, the boot portion including at least an instep portion and at least part of a tendon guard, manufacturing two quarters of a second material more rigid than the first material, and assembling the upper by attaching edges of the quarters to the boot portion through stitching, adhesive or lamination. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130305465 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN UPPER PART OF A SHOE, IN PARTICULAR OF A SPORTS SHOE - The invention relates to a method for producing an upper part ( | 11-21-2013 |
| 20130318726 | Method of Manufacturing An Article of Footwear Including a Composite Upper - A method of manufacturing an upper made of a composite material for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes associating a layer of carbon fiber material and a flexible substrate to form the composite material. A thin outer coating of TPU is applied to an outer surface of the carbon fiber material of the composite material. The method forms an article of footwear having an upper that is generally flexible and lightweight. | 12-05-2013 |
| 20140020193 | Shoe with Composite Upper and Foam Element and Method of Making Same - A bonded mesh composite panel can be used to form a three-dimensional upper shell that includes extensions used for double-lasting and/or to otherwise provide a shelf to support foam padding. The foam padding may be, e.g., a foam midsole. The extensions of the upper shell may be located in a lower portion of the shell and may be bonded to the foam midsole in a heel, midfoot and/or forefoot regions. | 01-23-2014 |
| 20140130270 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 05-15-2014 |
| 20140182069 | Method for Forming a Shoe Vamp Integrally - A method for forming a shoe vamp includes providing a cloth material, forming integrally a plurality of ornamental members on the cloth material by tatting, and arranging the ornamental members on the cloth material in a diverse manner to present different viewing effects of the ornamental members on the cloth material so as to form a product of a shoe vamp. The shoe vamp includes the cloth material and the ornamental members. Thus, each of the ornamental members is formed integrally on the cloth material by tatting so that each of the ornamental members is combined with the cloth material exactly and closely and will not be loosened or detached from the cloth material during a long-term utilization. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140245547 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 09-04-2014 |
| 20140310892 | Method of Printing Onto an Article - A method of printing onto an article includes placing an article on a holding assembly, flattening a portion of the article and printing onto the flattened portion of the article. Flattening can be accomplished using a flattening plate and by controlling the shape of a surface of the holding assembly using a vacuum. | 10-23-2014 |
| 20150089752 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING SEAMLESS SHOE UPPER - A method for producing a seamless shoe upper includes the following steps of: providing a covering piece, a lining piece, and first and second screen-printing jigs having first and second screen portions respectively; surface treating the covering piece using a first treating agent through the first screen portion and the lining piece using a second treating agent through the second screen portion; distributing an adhesive onto the covering piece and the lining piece respectively through the first and second screen portions, so as to form first and second adhesive layers thereon; and bonding the covering piece with the lining piece by overlapping and pressing the first and second adhesive layers together. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150107033 | Automated Trimming Of Pliable Items - The present invention relates to the automated cutting of pliable items. More particularly, the present invention relates to the automatic cutting and/or trimming of pliable items, such as a shoe upper that lacks uniformity. An image of the pliable item is captured having image features and a pattern is retrieved having pattern features, such as a proposed cut path. An image feature is compared to distance tolerances associated with pattern features to adjust the proposed cut path such that it satisfies the distance tolerances while providing a consistently sized and shaped trimmed item. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20160058126 | COMPONENTS FOR ARTICLES OF FOOTWEAR INCLUDING LIGHTWEIGHT, SELECTIVELY SUPPORTED TEXTILE COMPONENTS - Footwear components are made from lightweight textile structures (e.g., including circular knitted structures made from natural or synthetic fibers, such as socks or sock-type structures). The textile structures are selectively supported at various areas to provide desired local characteristics. Methods are provided for making such components, precursors to such components, and articles of footwear containing such components. | 03-03-2016 |
