Nike, Inc.

Paul Irving Archer

Hossein A Baghdadi

Jay Constantinou

Bradley C Tutmark

Joseph Thomas Muth

Sami Mohamad Fakhouri

Floyd Whitney Miles

Gregory Paul Dufour

Jennifer Bee

Jeffrey E Darland

Aspects of the present disclosure provide for composite structures including a bonding layer that adheres a substrate (e.g., including a polymeric composition such as rubber) to a material (e.g., including a polymer such as polyurethane). The adhesion of the substrate to the material through the bonding layer can include chemical bonds such as, but not limited to, siloxane linkages, silanol linkages, silyl linkages, or any combination thereof in the bonding layer.

Composite structures including a bonding layer and methods of making the composite structure

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 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

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.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Paul Irving Archer