US 11,673,357 B2
Injection-molding method
Marco Fischhold, Herzogenaurach (DE); Eric Jeandin, Herzogenaurach (DE); Harald Geyer, Herzogenaurach (DE); Ulisse Tanzini, Herzogenaurach (DE); Goussev Stanislav, Herzogenaurach (DE); Andrew Leslie, Herzogenaurach (DE); Matthias Linz, Herzogenaurach (DE); and Sergius Merker, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Assigned to adidas AG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by adidas AG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Jul. 30, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/526,907.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2018 212 760.3 (DE), filed on Jul. 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0039161 A1, Feb. 6, 2020
Int. Cl. B29D 35/06 (2010.01); A43B 9/18 (2006.01); A43B 23/02 (2006.01); A43B 1/04 (2022.01); A43B 7/12 (2006.01); B29D 35/10 (2010.01); B29D 35/00 (2010.01)
CPC B29D 35/061 (2013.01) [A43B 1/04 (2013.01); A43B 7/12 (2013.01); A43B 9/18 (2013.01); A43B 23/0245 (2013.01); B29D 35/0009 (2013.01); B29D 35/10 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of producing an article of footwear comprising:
providing an upper;
providing a mold and opening the mold;
inserting the upper into the open mold;
closing the mold; and
injecting a pressurized molten resin,
wherein, after the injecting, there is a gap filled with the resin between a side wall of the mold and an outer surface of at least a first portion of the upper, wherein the gap is essentially zero at a contacting point between the side wall of the mold and the outer surface of at least the first portion of the upper, wherein the gap increases gradually from the contacting point in at least a first region of the mold,
wherein the resin forms a coating along the outer surface of the first portion of the upper, and the resin forms at least a part of a sole element disposed along an outer surface of a bottom region of the upper,
wherein the first portion of the upper is disposed along a side of the upper, and the bottom region of the upper is disposed below the first portion of the upper and extends from a lateral side to a medial side of the upper, and
wherein closing the mold compresses at least a second portion of the upper, and wherein the second portion of the upper is compressed by a first compression distance at a first part of the second portion of the upper and by a second compression distance at a second part of the second portion of the upper, wherein the first compression distance is smaller than the second compression distance.