US 12,262,781 B2
Direct bottomed article of footwear with a film mold
Steven Edmund Jan Cornelis Ploem, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OH (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on Nov. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/520,141.
Application 17/097,947 is a division of application No. 16/270,388, filed on Feb. 7, 2019, granted, now 10,869,524, issued on Dec. 22, 2020.
Application 18/520,141 is a continuation of application No. 17/402,253, filed on Aug. 13, 2021, granted, now 11,864,623.
Application 17/402,253 is a continuation of application No. 17/097,947, filed on Nov. 13, 2020, granted, now 11,337,488, issued on May 24, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/628,134, filed on Feb. 8, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0090617 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A43B 13/18 (2006.01); A43B 9/18 (2006.01); A43B 13/12 (2006.01); A43B 13/28 (2006.01); A43B 13/40 (2006.01); A43B 23/04 (2006.01); A43D 3/02 (2006.01); B29D 35/00 (2010.01); B29D 35/10 (2010.01)
CPC A43B 13/18 (2013.01) [A43B 9/18 (2013.01); A43B 13/12 (2013.01); A43B 13/122 (2013.01); A43B 13/125 (2013.01); A43B 13/28 (2013.01); A43B 23/042 (2013.01); B29D 35/0009 (2013.01); B29D 35/10 (2013.01); A43B 13/40 (2013.01); A43D 3/022 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a plurality of different articles of footwear with a common mold, the method comprising:
positioning a first polymeric film composition over a mold cavity of a mold having a first molding surface forming a ground-facing surface of a footwear sole, and a second molding surface forming a sidewall of the footwear sole;
securing the first polymeric film composition over the mold cavity to enclose the mold cavity;
drawing a vacuum through the mold cavity enclosed by the first polymeric film composition until at least a portion of the first polymeric film composition contacts the first molding surface and the second molding surface as the first polymeric film composition forms a first liner for at least a portion of the mold cavity;
positioning a first footwear upper at the mold cavity, wherein the first footwear upper is positioned such that an injected polymeric foam composition mechanically engages with the first footwear upper to form a first article of footwear comprised of the first polymeric film composition, the injected polymeric foam composition, and the first upper;
removing the first article of footwear from the mold cavity;
positioning a second polymeric film composition over the mold cavity, wherein the second polymeric film composition has a different visual characteristic than the first polymeric film composition;
securing the second polymeric film composition over the mold cavity to enclose the mold cavity;
drawing the vacuum through the mold cavity enclosed by the second polymeric film composition until at least a portion of the second polymeric film composition contacts the first molding surface and the second molding surface as the second polymeric film composition forms a second liner for at least the portion of the mold cavity;
positioning a second footwear upper at the mold cavity, wherein the second footwear upper is positioned such that the injected polymeric foam composition mechanically engages with the second footwear upper to form a second article of footwear comprised of the second polymeric film composition, the injected polymeric foam composition, and the second footwear upper; and
removing the second article of footwear from the mold cavity.