US 11,701,845 B2
Method for forming a composite sole structure component
Aaron Bartel, Beaverton, OR (US); Ryan Hood, Beaverton, OR (US); Sam Lacey, Portland, OR (US); and Christian Alexander Steinbeck, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on Sep. 16, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/22,891.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/901,330, filed on Sep. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0078267 A1, Mar. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 70/84 (2006.01); B29C 35/02 (2006.01); B29D 35/12 (2010.01); A43B 13/04 (2006.01); B29C 45/14 (2006.01); B29K 101/12 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/84 (2013.01) [A43B 13/04 (2013.01); B29C 35/02 (2013.01); B29C 45/14 (2013.01); B29C 45/1418 (2013.01); B29D 35/122 (2013.01); B29D 35/128 (2013.01); B29K 2101/12 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a composite article, the method comprising:
inserting a preform into a mold cavity of a mold, the preform having a strand layer including an interior portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the interior portion, wherein the inserting includes inserting the interior portion of the preform into a molding region of the mold cavity and inserting the peripheral portion of the preform into a relief region of the mold cavity;
closing the mold following insertion of the preform into the mold cavity;
compressing the interior portion of the preform within the molding region in the closed mold;
maintaining the peripheral portion loose within the relief region during compression of the interior portion;
after the maintaining step, providing a liquid material to the preform and infusing at least the strand layer of the preform including the interior portion and the peripheral portion with the liquid material;
curing the liquid material to a solid polymeric material in the closed mold to form a rigid composite preform including the preform infused with the solid polymeric material, the compressed interior portion of the preform being formed into a footbed and a trim flange;
opening the mold after the liquid material is cured; and
removing the cured composite preform from the opened mold cavity.