Nike, Inc.

Nike International Ltd.

Feng Tay Enterprises Co., Ltd.

Nike Innovate C.v.

Bradley C Tutmark

Hossein A Baghdadi

Joseph Thomas Muth

Sami Mohamad Fakhouri

Jay Constantinou

Floyd Whitney Miles

Arthur Parker Molinari

Yasushi Ichikawa

Paul Irving Archer

Hideyuki Ishii

H Kenneth Hanson, Iii

Danny David Lumpkin

Robert L Ritchie

Shawn J Schnee

Nicholas Yontz

Brian G Prevo

Gregory Paul Dufour

Thomas J Kennedy, Iii

Yihua Chang

Derek A Fitchett

Takahisa Ono

Yutaka Kabeshita

Anna Schoborg

Nicholas A Leech

Chia-Chyi Cheng

Aaron Bender

Seisuke Tomita

Hsin Cheng

Kerby LaVar Maxwell

Eric Coats

Iii H Kenneth Hanson

Eloise E Mariotte

Hossein Allen Baghdadi

Physical foaming a footwear component with a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid is provided. The method include temperature conditioning a mold and then engaging the mold with a robot that conveys the mold to a press. At the press a gas counter pressure is applied to a cavity of the mold before injecting a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid into the cavity of the mold. The process continues with releasing the gas counter pressure from the cavity of the mold and then removing the footwear component from the cavity of the mold. The parameters of the method are configured for the formation of the footwear component in an automated manner.

Footwear component manufacturing methods

A molding system and a method for operation of the molding system are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material from an upstream device into an in-mold tuning chamber in a filling position where the in-mold tuning chamber is positioned at least partially within a mold cavity. The method also includes adjusting at least one of a temperature of and a pressure applied to the molten polymeric material in the in-mold tuning chamber to create a first tuned molten polymeric material and releasing the tuned molten polymeric material into the mold cavity from the in-mold tuning chamber.

Molding system and method

A foam article, such as a cushioning element for an article of footwear, apparel or sporting equipment is provided that comprises a foam component, such as a midsole, having a number of beneficial physical characteristics. The cushioning element is a low-density foamed component with a surface skin that encases the remaining foam volume. The cushioning element has a number of foam volumes, arranged to achieve a more consistent foam component. Additionally, the cushioning element includes a series of concentric ridges extending radially outwardly from injection gate vestige locations, and a number of striation bands near the perimeter of the cushioning element. The location of the gate vestiges can be beneficially arranged to produce intersecting flow boundaries that are located away from key strain areas of the cushioning element. The cushioning element is more environmentally-friendly, requiring less energy to produce while still providing acceptable energy return and low density.

Foam article with enhanced properties

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment including a foam are provided. The foam portion of the components and articles include a composition which includes a thermoplastic copolyester, the composition having a foam structure. A polymer layer is provided on at least on surface of the foam portion. The polymer layer can control or reduce the water uptake of the foam portion. Methods of making the compositions, foams, and components are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding, or injection molding followed by compression molding.

Foam compositions and uses thereof

A system including an injector, a press, and a robotic conveyance is used to form a physically foamed article of footwear component from a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid. The parameters and features of the system are configured for the formation of the footwear component in an automated manner with enhanced throughput by the system.

Footwear component manufacturing system

Tooling and components of an injection-molding system may be used to mold a foam article. The tooling and components may include features that control parameters of the injection-molding and foaming process, such as temperature, pressure, shot size, shot placement, and the like.

Footwear mold system for injection-molding

Footwear mold assembly for injection-molding

A molding system and a method for operation of the molding system are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material into a shot tuning chamber from an upstream device, adjusting a temperature of and/or pressure applied to the molten polymeric material in the shot tuning chamber, and flowing the molten polymeric material from the shot tuning chamber into a mold cavity.

A golf ball of a first color is dyed to a second color with an anionic or nonionic disperse dye. Either or both of a pigmented coating layer or an optional clear coating layer on the pigmented coating layer comprises a member selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyureas, polyamides, and combinations thereof, which can be dyed by the anionic or nonionic disperse dye.

Method for dyeing golf balls and dyed golf balls

Growing community of inventors

Aloha, OR, United States of America

Bradley C Tutmark