Described are methods for manufacturing a plastic component, in particular a cushioning element for sports apparel, a plastic component manufactured with such methods, for example a sole or a part of a sole for a shoe, and a shoe with such a sole. The method for the manufacture of a plastic component includes loading a mold with a first material includes particles of an expanded material and fusing the surfaces of the particles by supplying energy. The energy is supplied in the form of at least one electromagnetic field.

A fluid-filled chamber, which may be incorporated into articles of footwear and other products, may include an outer barrier and a tensile element. The outer barrier may have a first portion, an opposite second portion, and an interior surface defining an interior void. The tensile element may be secured to the first portion of the outer barrier in a plurality of first bond areas and may be secured to the second portion of the outer barrier in a plurality of second bond areas. Each of the bond areas may be connected to portions of the tensile element spaced from the interior surface.

A method of manufacturing an insole may include providing an electronic element on a support layer; connecting a connector to the support layer; providing the support layer to a lower mold frame; covering the lower mold frame with an upper mold frame; and applying a foam material between the lower mold frame and the upper mold frame.

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.

The present invention provides a method for making a sole structure with a knitted fabric and a sole structure. The method comprises steps of: placing a thermoplastic filling material in a knitted fabric, sealing an opening of the knitted fabric, placing the knitted fabric with the opening sealed in a mold, applying a heating temperature to melt the thermoplastic filling material of the knitted fabric, and restricting a shape of the knitted fabric via the mold to make a sole structure. The sole structure includes a compressible elastomer and a knitting texture wrapped around the compressible elastomer and fused with a surface of the compressible elastomer. The compressible elastomer is formed from the thermoplastic filling material after being melted and cooled. The knitting texture is formed from the knitted fabric and is capable of being directly observed from an appearance of the sole structure.

A plate is used for a sole that forms a part of a shoe. The plate includes a reinforcement portion composed of a composite material containing a synthetic resin and a plurality of fibers. The plurality of fibers in the reinforcement portion each have a weight average fiber length not shorter than 0.4 mm and not longer than 7.0 mm and have such an orientation property that orientations thereof are aligned in a foot length direction.

A method including inserting into a mold a first tool having a first surface. The method further includes printing a second tool from a polymer material and inserting the second tool into the first tool. The second tool having a smaller wall thickness than the first tool and including a second surface opposing and in contact with the first surface of the first tool and a third surface formed on an opposite side of the second tool than the second surface.

A sole system for an article of footwear may include one or more of the following: a knitted component including an underfoot portion having a plurality of knitted cleat members; and an outsole cover assembly having a plurality of recesses corresponding to the plurality of knitted cleat members of the knitted component. The outsole cover assembly may substantially cover the underfoot portion of the knitted component.

A sole structure for an article of footwear may include a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid, the chamber having a first chamber barrier layer and a second chamber barrier layer bonded to the first chamber barrier layer about peripheral portions of the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer to define an interior void between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer. The sole structure may also include a tensile member bonded to, and extending between, the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer. The sole structure may include a bond inhibiting material located between the tensile member and the first chamber barrier layer, the tensile member and the first chamber barrier layer being unbonded in an unbonded area in which the bond inhibiting material is disposed. The chamber may include an outwardly extending bulge in the unbonded area.

A heel cap manufacturing method includes the steps of: a) preparing a multilayer composite material; b) performing the first time of molding by thermal pressing to the multilayer composite material by a thermal pressing device to obtain a thermal pressed semi-product; c) taking out the thermal pressed semi-product from the thermal pressing device and fixing it to a heel cap mold; d) performing the second time of molding by cold pressing to the thermal pressed semi-product together with the heel cap mold in a cooling device to obtain a cooled semi-product; and e) demolding and rewarming the cooled semi-product to obtain a finished heel cap. The present invention uses the processing manner of molding twice by cold and thermal pressing to manufacture the structurally more complex heel cap, effectively lowering difficulty of the manufacturing process and raising production efficiency. A heel cap manufacturing equipment is also provided.