Nike, Inc.

Other

Charles R Edwards

Yihua Chang

Hossein A Baghdadi

Richard L Watkins

Stefan E Guest

Aaron William Bartel

Christian Alexander Steinbeck

Joel L Passke

Eric Steven Schindler

Dervin A James

Jeremy Gantz

Yuanmin Wang

Adam Kohn

Harry Lam Pham

Honam Ko

One or more aspects of the present disclosure provide for composite elements that include a textile having a plurality of fibers, the plurality of fibers comprising a first thermoplastic material; and a second thermoplastic material surrounding the plurality of fibers of the textile and consolidating at least a portion of the textile, wherein the second thermoplastic material has a melting temperature lower than a melting temperature of the first thermoplastic material. The composite elements can be used as part of a fluid chamber or cushioning element, whereby the composite element imparts puncture resistant to the fluid chamber or cushioning element. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Footwear sole structure having a composite element and methods for manufacturing same

The present disclosure is directed to articles that include one or more coated fiber(s) (i.e., fiber(s) with a cured coating disposed thereon), where the coating includes a matrix of crosslinked polymers and optionally a colorant (e.g., pigment particles or dye or both). The cured coating is a product of crosslinking a coating composition including uncrosslinked polymers (e.g., a dispersion of uncrosslinked polymers in a carrier, wherein the uncrosslinked polymers are crosslinked to form the matrix of crosslinked polymers). The present disclosure is also directed to articles including the coated fibers, methods of forming the coated fibers and articles, and methods of making articles including the coated fibers.

Articles including coated fibers and methods of making coated fibers and articles

The present disclosure is directed to articles that include a cured coating that includes a matrix of crosslinked polymers and optionally a colorant (e.g., pigment particles or dye or both). The cured coating can include a matrix of crosslinked polymers. The cured coating is a product of crosslinking a coating composition comprising uncrosslinked polymers (e.g., a dispersion of uncrosslinked polymers in a carrier to form the matrix of crosslinked polymers), wherein the uncrosslinked polymers are crosslinked to form the matrix of crosslinked polymers. The matrix of crosslinked polymers can be elastomeric. The present disclosure is also directed to articles including these bladders, methods of forming these bladders, and methods of making articles including these bladders, where the bladders include the cured coating.

Articles and methods of making articles including a coating

A bladder includes a first polymeric film, a second polymeric film attached to the first polymeric film to form a chamber, and one or more grooves formed in an exterior surface of the chamber. In one configuration, the grooves are formed in the exterior surface of the chamber by subjecting the chamber to a laser-etching process.

Laser etched article of footwear and related method

A foamed article is made by infusing the article of thermoplastic elastomer with a supercritical fluid, then removing the article from the supercritical fluid and either (i) immersing the article in a heated fluid or (ii) irradiating the article with infrared or microwave radiation.

Process for foaming thermoplastic elastomers

Pellets, beads, particles, or other pieces of a thermoplastic elastomer having a maximum size in at least one dimension of 10 mm or less (collectively, 'pellets') are infused with a supercritical fluid in a pressurized container, then rapidly depressurized and heated either by immersion in a heated fluid or with infrared or microwave radiation to foam the pellets The pellets are prepared with at least two different densities. Pellets with different densities, thermoplastic elastomer compositions, or foam response rates are placed in different areas of a mold. The mold is filled with pellets, then the pellets are molded into a part. The part has areas of different density as a result of the placement of pellets of different density.

Article with controlled cushioning

Decorative foamed articles are prepared from foamed pellets, beads, particles, or other articles of a thermoplastic elastomer infused with a supercritical fluid in a pressurized container, then rapidly depressurized and heated either by immersion in a heated fluid that can rapidly heat the article or with infrared or microwave radiation to heat and foam the pellets, beads, particles, or other articles that are then molded into the articles. The pellets are dyed with a nonionic or anionic dye one of: (1) before being infused with the supercritical fluid, (2) during being infused with the supercritical fluid by a nonionic or anionic dye dissolved or dispersed in the supercritical fluid, which optionally comprises a polar liquid, (3) during immersion in the heated fluid, where the heated fluid contains the dye, or (4) after being foamed.

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

Charles R Edwards