US 11,911,936 B2
Single-phase solution molding
Jeffrey E. Darland, Tigard, OR (US); and Ryan Alvin Mace, Newberg, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/107,404.
Application 17/107,404 is a continuation of application No. 15/993,022, filed on May 30, 2018, granted, now 10,850,434.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/513,146, filed on May 31, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0086412 A1, Mar. 25, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29C 44/04 (2006.01); B29C 44/08 (2006.01); B29C 44/10 (2006.01); B29C 44/34 (2006.01); B29C 45/00 (2006.01); B29C 45/17 (2006.01); B29K 23/00 (2006.01); B29K 75/00 (2006.01); B29K 101/12 (2006.01); B29K 105/04 (2006.01); B29K 105/24 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 44/0415 (2013.01) [B29C 44/105 (2013.01); B29C 44/3453 (2013.01); B29C 44/348 (2013.01); B29C 44/08 (2013.01); B29C 44/3492 (2013.01); B29C 44/3496 (2013.01); B29C 45/0001 (2013.01); B29C 45/174 (2013.01); B29K 2023/083 (2013.01); B29K 2075/00 (2013.01); B29K 2101/12 (2013.01); B29K 2105/04 (2013.01); B29K 2105/046 (2013.01); B29K 2105/24 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of molding a footwear component using a single-phase solution, the method comprising:
pressurizing a mold cavity of a footwear component mold above atmospheric pressure to a mold pressure, wherein the mold pressure is at least a pressure to maintain a single-phase solution as a single phase, wherein the single-phase solution is comprised of a polymer composition and a gas;
injecting the single-phase solution into the mold cavity;
maintaining at least the mold pressure in the mold cavity during the injecting of the single-phase solution; and
cooling the polymer composition below a glass transition temperature of the polymer composition to form the footwear component,
wherein the mold comprises a pressure regulator that maintains at least the mold pressure as the single-phase solution is injected into the mold cavity and wherein the mold cavity remains a constant volume,
wherein the gas is selected from one of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2).