Disclosed is a method for molding a foamed article, such as a midsole or outsole for footwear, in which first water, then a desired amount of thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads are placed in a compression mold in the shape of the article and the mold is brought to a peak temperature of from about 130° C. to about 180° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds, then cooled to from about 5° C. to about 80° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds within about 30 seconds after the peak temperature is reached. The foamed article made by the method has a density of from about 0.1 to about 0.45 g/cm.sup.3.

Foamed articles including a foamed thermoplastic elastomeric material, methods of making the foamed articles, and methods for manufacturing articles of footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment incorporating such foamed articles are provided. In one aspect, a method for making a foamed article comprises placing an article comprising a foamable material and carbon dioxide in a vessel, maintaining the vessel at an infusing pressure and infusing temperature at which the carbon dioxide is a liquid and carbon dioxide is soluble in the foamable material, optionally exposing the infused article to a first intermediary holding temperature and first intermediary holding pressure, and subjecting the article to an expanding pressure and expanding temperature at which the infused carbon dioxide phase transitions to a gas, thereby expanding the foamable material into a foamed material and forming the foamed article.

A mold, a molding apparatus, and a method for manufacturing articles or components is used to manufacture an article or component of the article that at least partially comprises an ultraviolet (UV) curable material. The mold and apparatus comprise at least one mold wall formed of a cyclic olefin copolymer, which is in contact with UV radiation curable material and allows the article or component of the article to be exposed to UV radiation for a period of time in order to provide for at least partial cure thereof.

A method for making a foam component is provided and includes inserting a foam material into a cavity of a mold having a top plate and a bottom plate, heating the foam material to cause the foam material to expand, and moving one of the top plate and the bottom plate relative to the other of the top plate and the bottom plate as the foam material expands and contacts the one of the top plate and the bottom plate to cause the foam material to fold over on itself within the cavity.

Sandals with biomechanical foot support, robust usability and cost-effectiveness are disclosed. The footwear may comprise a biomechanical sole and a Y-shaped rubber strap anchored to the sole. The sole has a top surface including a raised contour on the medial side of the sandal, and a low profile heel cup. The raised contour on the medial side and the heel cup match the natural anatomic shape of the foot, and thus provides a biomechanical foot support. The bottom surface of the sole may be a roughed surface to provide necessary traction and friction when a wearer/user walks. The bottom surface further comprises a plurality of grooves to allow water to be expelled and increase traction.

An article of footwear has a tubular structure that may conform to various anatomical features of a foot. The tubular structure has a tunnel, and a tensile strand runs through the tunnel. Applying tension along the tensile strand may cause the tubular structure to conform more closely to one or more anatomical features. The geometry, or path, of the tubular structure on the article may be customized.

An article of footwear has a tubular structure that may conform to various anatomical features of a foot. The tubular structure has a tunnel, and a tensile strand runs through the tunnel. Applying tension along the tensile strand may cause the tubular structure to conform more closely to one or more anatomical features. The geometry, or path, of the tubular structure on the article may be customized.

A fluid-filled chamber, which may be incorporated into articles of footwear and other products, may include an outer barrier, a first tensile structure, and a second tensile structure. Any of the first and second tensile structures may include one or more textile tensile members. The first and second tensile structures may be located within an interior void defined by the outer barrier and may be bonded to the outer barrier. The first and second tensile structures may be bonded to the outer barrier in different areas of the outer barrier that are in fluid communication with each other. The first tensile structure may have a height greater than a height of the second tensile structure. In turn, the relative locations and differences of height between the tensile structures may impart a contour to the chamber.

Articles of wear having one or more textiles that include a low processing temperature polymeric composition and a high processing temperature polymeric composition, and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The low processing temperature polymeric composition and the high processing temperature polymeric composition can be selectively incorporated into a textile to provide one or more structural properties and/or other advantageous properties to the article. The textile can be thermoformed to impart such structural and/or other advantageous properties to the article of wear. 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.

An article of footwear comprises a sole structure having a cushioning component defining an enclosed, fluid-filled chamber. The cushioning component has a top wall, a bottom wall, a medial side wall at a medial side of the article of footwear, and a lateral side wall at a lateral side of the article of footwear. The cushioning component includes a unitary outsole having a bottom portion, a medial side portion, and a lateral side portion. The bottom portion is bonded to the bottom wall, the medial side portion is bonded to the medial side wall, and the lateral side portion is bonded to the lateral side wall. A method of manufacturing includes disposing the first and second polymer sheets and the outsole in a mold assembly and thermally bonding the outsole to the second polymer sheet, and the first and second polymer sheets to one another to form a chamber.