Nike, Inc.

Dong Fong Chang

Jeffrey L Johnson

Ross A McLaughlin

Toren P Orzeck

David L Vattes

Donald M Remlinger

A method of making an article of footwear includes the steps of constructing an upper having an inner surface material and an outer surface material which define an upper formation cavity, disposing the upper on a mold core, positioning the mold core and the upper in a base portion of a mold such that the upper formation cavity is accessible from above when the mold cavity is open, pouring a plastic foam material into the upper formation cavity of the upper, closing a top portion of the mold onto the base portion of the mold to thereby sealingly close the mold and the upper formation cavity, curing the plastic foam material within the upper formation cavity of the upper to form a molded article of footwear upper, and opening the top portion of the mold and removing the article of footwear upper. The preferred method of the present invention further includes, prior to the steps of pouring the foam and closing the top portion of the mold, positioning a preformed sole unit on the top portion of the mold, integrally joining the preformed sole unit with the molded article of footwear upper during the curing process of the foam material, and then removing the molded article of footwear from the mold.

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Taichung, Taiwan

Dong Fong Chang