US 11,685,816 B2
Foamed articles and methods of making the same
Yihua Chang, Portland, OR (US); Lyle R. Hanson, Beaverton, OR (US); Petr Khlyabich, Beaverton, OR (US); and Richard L. Watkins, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, INC., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on Jan. 5, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/647,018.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/153,248, filed on Feb. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0267554 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C08J 9/35 (2006.01); B32B 5/20 (2006.01); B32B 27/06 (2006.01); B32B 27/30 (2006.01); B32B 38/00 (2006.01); C08J 9/00 (2006.01); C08J 9/12 (2006.01); B32B 5/32 (2006.01)
CPC C08J 9/35 (2013.01) [B32B 5/20 (2013.01); B32B 5/32 (2013.01); B32B 27/065 (2013.01); B32B 27/306 (2013.01); B32B 38/00 (2013.01); C08J 9/0061 (2013.01); C08J 9/122 (2013.01); B32B 2038/0084 (2013.01); B32B 2266/0278 (2013.01); B32B 2437/00 (2013.01); B32B 2437/02 (2013.01); C08J 2203/06 (2013.01); C08J 2323/08 (2013.01); C08J 2329/04 (2013.01); C08J 2375/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for making a foamed article, the method comprising:
placing an article and carbon dioxide in a vessel, wherein the article comprises a solid foamable material which is a thermoplastic elastomeric material comprising one or more first thermoplastic elastomers;
after the placing, maintaining the vessel at a first pressure and first temperature, wherein the first pressure and first temperature are a pressure and temperature at which the carbon dioxide is a liquid and the liquid carbon dioxide is soluble in the solid foamable material, and wherein the maintaining includes holding the article and the liquid carbon dioxide in the vessel for a duration of time sufficient for at least a portion of the liquid carbon dioxide to infuse into the solid foamable material of the article;
following the maintaining and holding, optionally exposing the infused article to a second pressure and second temperature at which the carbon dioxide remains infused within at least a portion of the solid foamable material;
following the maintaining and holding and the optional exposing, subjecting the article to a third pressure and third temperature at which the carbon dioxide infused in the solid foamable material phase transitions to a gas, thereby expanding the solid foamable material into a foamed material and forming the foamed article;
wherein the article comprises a layered structure including a series of three or more layers, including
a first cap layer comprising or consisting essentially of a first cap layer material, the first cap layer including a first cap layer outer surface defining a first outer surface of the layered structure, a first cap layer inner surface opposing the first cap layer outer surface, a first cap layer thickness extending from the first cap layer interior surface to the first cap layer outer surface, wherein the first cap layer outer surface defines a first exterior surface of the article;
a second cap layer comprising or consisting essentially of a second cap layer material, the second cap layer including a second cap layer outer surface defining a second outer surface of the layered structure, a second cap layer inner surface opposing the second cap layer outer surface, a second cap layer thickness extending from the second cap layer interior surface to the second cap layer outer surface, optionally wherein the second cap layer outer surface defines a second exterior surface of the article; and
one or more core layers, wherein each of the one or more core layers comprise or consist essentially of a core layer material, each of the one or more core layers including a core layer first surface, a core layer second surface, and a core layer thickness extending from the core layer first surface of the core layer second surface, wherein each of the one or more core layers is positioned between the first cap layer inner surface and the second cap layer inner surface;
wherein at least one of the three or more layers of the article comprises or consists essentially of a solid foamable material, and the steps of subjecting and expanding expands at least a portion of the solid foamable material of the at least one of the three or more layers into the foamed material, forming the foamed article.