US 12,330,351 B2
Mold insert for use in a mold for the manufacture of a cushioning element for sports apparel
Helge Weiger, Nuremberg (DE); Bastian Gothe, Erlangen (DE); Maximillian Drexler, Wilhermsdorf (DE); Andreas Seefried, Veitsbronn (DE); Marc Simon Anthony Norridge, Fuerth (DE); Jarkko Siltamaeki, Fuerth (DE); Dan Price, Herzogenaurach (DE); Tru Le, Herzogenaurach (DE); Christoph Dyckmans, Nuremberg (DE); and Victor Romanov, Kreuzwertheim (DE)
Assigned to adidas AG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by adidas AG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Jan. 16, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/414,109.
Application 18/414,109 is a continuation of application No. 17/070,806, filed on Oct. 14, 2020, granted, now 11,904,513.
Claims priority of application No. 102019215838.2 (DE), filed on Oct. 15, 2019; and application No. 20200125 (EP), filed on Oct. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0149505 A1, May 9, 2024
Int. Cl. B29C 44/12 (2006.01); B29C 35/08 (2006.01); B29C 44/58 (2006.01); B29D 35/12 (2010.01); B29K 105/04 (2006.01); B29L 31/50 (2006.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 44/1271 (2013.01) [B29C 35/0805 (2013.01); B29C 44/58 (2013.01); B29D 35/122 (2013.01); B29K 2105/048 (2013.01); B29L 2031/504 (2013.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12)] 19 Claims
 
1. A method for manufacturing cushioning elements, the method comprising:
a) providing a mold comprising:
i) at least two mold sections, each of the two mold sections comprising an electrode for providing an electromagnetic field, and
ii) a mold insert manufactured using an additive manufacturing method;
wherein the mold insert is formed from a ceramic filled resin, a cyanate ester, a polylactic acid/polylactide, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyamide 6/nylon 6, polyamide 66/nylon 66, polyamide 12/nylon 12, a polyether ether ketone, a binder system, an epoxy resin, a UV-curing thermoset, or combinations thereof;
b) placing the mold insert in at least one of the two mold sections, wherein the two mold sections are movable relative to each other in a first direction to open the mold;
c) loading the mold with particles;
d) closing the mold, wherein the two mold sections are movable relative to each other in a second direction to close the mold, thereby forming a mold cavity between the electrodes; and
e) applying an electromagnetic field to fuse the surfaces of the particles; wherein the mold insert is adapted to locally adjust a field strength of the electromagnetic field within a cavity of the mold based at least in part on a geometry of the cushioning element.