The present disclosure is related to three-dimensionally printed articles for use in footwear and associated systems and methods. In some embodiments, a three-dimensionally printed article may comprise a closed-cell foam. The closed-cell foam may have a gradient in and/or may be a single integrated material. In some embodiments, a three-dimensionally printed article may comprise a sensor. The use of such arrangements can, according to certain embodiments, allow for the production of improved articles of footwear and/or customized articles of footwear.

A method of manufacturing an article that includes providing an element formed of an elastomeric material or composite; placing the surface of the element in contact with a substrate; and affixing the element to the substrate. The element includes an uncured, partially cured, or fully cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material and optionally one or more regions of an adhesive material. The element is affixed to the substrate while the surface of the element is in contact with a surface of the substrate by increasing a temperature of at least a portion of the element, applying pressure to at least a portion of the element, or exposing the uncured or partially cured UV radiation curable material to UV radiation in an amount and for a duration of time that is sufficient to partially cure the uncured material or to fully cure the partially cured material.

An article of apparel, sporting equipment, or footwear incorporates a component formed of a UV radiation curable material. In the case of an article of footwear, the UV radiation curable material may be formed into an outsole. The method of manufacturing such articles includes shaping one or more pieces of an ultraviolet (UV) radiation curable material; placing the shaped UV radiation curable material in direct contact with a surface of a textile; using heat or pressure or both to adhere the shaped UV radiation curable material to the surface of the textile, and curing at least a portion of the shaped UV radiation curable material adhered to the surface of the textile by exposing the shaped UV radiation curable material to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, thereby forming an article comprising UV radiation cured material bonded to the surface of the textile.

The present disclosure relates to methods for making elastomeric laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. Aspects of the methods for assembling elastomeric laminates may utilize elastic strands supplied from beams that may be joined with first and second substrates, and may be configured to carry out various types of operations, such as bonding and splicing operations.

Methods and systems are disclosed for apparel assembly using three-dimensional printing directly onto fabric apparel materials. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing and assembly of an article of apparel, including designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing, positioning at least a portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray, printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the article using the designed pattern, curing the printed material, and removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system.

A fabric-like material for reinforcement in an urethane foam molding is obtained by impregnating a part of a surface of a nonwoven fabric of organic fibers with a hot melt magnetic material and immobilizing the hot melt magnetic material. The hot melt magnetic material satisfies compositions described below and has a softening point of 70 to 100° C. Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (A): 10 to 95% by mass. Wax (B): 0 to 30% by mass. Magnetic powder (C): 5 to 70% by mass. (The total of (A), (B) and (C) is 100% by mass.).

A method of printing on fabric includes: (a) loading a thermoplastic material into a nozzle of an extruder, such as an extruder of a three dimensional (3D) printer; (b) positioning a substrate that includes fabric in a print area proximate to the nozzle; (c) heating the thermoplastic material in the nozzle to a temperature that is equal to or greater than a melting point temperature of the fabric; and (d) extruding the heated thermoplastic material from the nozzle as a filament onto the fabric to yield a printed pattern on the fabric.

A retaining device includes a base (51) extending in a longitudinal direction and presenting a top face (511) and a bottom face (512); and a plurality of retaining elements extending from the top face (511) of the base (51), each of the retaining elements being formed by a stem (52) surmounted by a head (53), the stem (52) having a bottom end (521) connected to the base (51), and a top end (522) opposite from the bottom end (521), the head (53) surmounting the top end (522) of the stem (52), and having a bottom face facing towards the base and a top face opposite from the bottom face.

The present invention provides a process for preparing a functionalised polymeric chromatography medium, which process comprises (I) providing two or more non-woven sheets stacked one on top of the other, each said sheet comprising one or more polymer nanofibres, (II) simultaneously heating and pressing the stack of sheets to fuse points of contact between the nanofibres of adjacent sheets, and (III) contacting the pressed and heated product with a reagent which functionalises the product of step (II) as a chromatography medium.

Disclosed is a method for making a composite material, which is of particular use in wound treatment. The composite material has a hydrophilic polyurethane foam material with a first polyurethane polymer; a hydrophilic fiber material having a second polymer, wherein said second polymer is not a polyurethane polymer and wherein said fiber material is capable of absorbing and retaining a fluid. The first polymer is covalently bonded to the second polymer.