A flexible unit cell is disclosed. The flexible unit cell is a single unit that can be repeated and interconnected to create a flexible design such as a covering for an object or person. The flexible unit includes a rigid portion and a flexible connection portion. Flexible units connect via the flexible connection portion to form a flexible design that can move and flex based on the connection of the flexible connection portions between flexible units. Further, the rigid portions of the flexible units may not be connected, allow such movement. The flexible unit is designed such that a flexible design made using such flexible units maintains a degree of rigidity so it can keep a shape of a surface of an object, but also maintains enough flexibility to conform to the surface even if the object bends or moves. Further disclosed are processes for manufacturing such flexible unit cells.

Methods and systems are provided for color printing. For example, a method of printing is provided, including printing a three-dimensional object onto a substrate using a printing device. The method includes receiving color graphic design information at the printing device and receiving the substrate at the printing device. The color graphic design information represents a color graphic. The method further includes printing a lower color graphic layer of the three-dimensional object onto the substrate using the color graphic design information and printing a transparent structural layer of the three-dimensional object onto the lower color graphic layer. The method further includes printing an upper color graphic layer of the three-dimensional object onto the transparent structural layer using the color graphic design information. A combination of the upper color graphic layer and the lower color graphic layer visually matches the color graphic.

An apparatus for the thermo-forming and/or thermo-adhesive bonding of semi-finished products comprises: an oven (6) having walls (8, 9, 11, 12) delimiting a chamber (13) configured for housing at least one semi-finished product (4); devices (15, 16, 20) for generating a flow of heated fluid; wherein at least one of the walls (11) has a plurality of openings (19) in fluid communication with the devices (15, 16, 20). Baffles (23) and/or closing elements (24) are mounted near at least some of the openings (19). The baffles (23) are configured to divert the heated fluid leaving the openings (19). The closing elements (24) are configured to obstruct some of the openings (19). The baffles (23) and/or the closing elements (24) are movable with respect to the walls (11) and/or they are replaceable, in order to change conditions of the flow of heated fluid in the chamber (13).

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 a first pressure and first 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 second temperature and second pressure, and subjecting the article to a third pressure and third 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.

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 a first pressure and first 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 second temperature and second pressure, and subjecting the article to a third pressure and third 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.

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 a first pressure and first 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 second temperature and second pressure, and subjecting the article to a third pressure and third 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 method of printing a three-dimensional color object having a contoured surface onto a substrate includes printing color ink layers and structural ink layers. A color ink layer is printed onto the substrate. Structural ink layers are printed onto the color ink layer to build the three-dimensional shape of the object. The contoured surface is formed from varying the heights of pixel columns in the printing information. The heights of the pixel columns may be varied by printing different numbers of layers in adjacent columns or by printing the same number of layers in adjacent columns where some pixels in a column have different thicknesses than other pixels in the column.

A multifunctional fabric, a fabricating method thereof and an outdoor garment are described. The multifunctional fabric comprises: a PTFE microporous membrane; wherein the PTFE microporous membrane is added with an inorganic nano luminescent material. In this way, after the fabric is made into garments, particularly when it is applied in outdoor sports garments, the inorganic nano luminescent material can absorb UV rays to make the garments glow, thereby not only improving aesthetics of the garments, but also reducing damage of the UV rays to human health. In addition, by adding the inorganic nano luminescent material in the PTFE microporous membrane, the problems of poor firmness and persistence of a single PTFE material can be overcome. Because the molecular bond of the inorganic nano luminescent material has high intensity and is stable, the multifunctional fabric will be durable after it is added with the inorganic nano luminescent material.

Described are methods of two-dimensionally and three-dimensionally forming an article of wear using vacuum forming in an automated process. In the two-dimensional method, the article of wear comprises a generally flat shape with three-dimensional features molded into the first material layer.

A flexible inner socket is fabricated by forming a pre-socket. The pre-socket includes a body formed with an opening and an enclosed end. The enclosed end is opposite to the opening. The body of the pre-socket has an outer circumference that is smaller than the inner circumference of the rigid prosthetic socket. Different portions of the body may have different thicknesses. The preform socket is heated. After the heating, the flexible inner socket is formed by molding the pre-socket onto the inner surface of the rigid prosthetic socket to form the flexible inner socket. The inner circumference of the rigid prosthetic socket is reduced by a thickness of the flexible inner socket when the flexible inner socket is attached to the inner surface of the rigid prosthetic socket. An opening of the flexible inner socket may be trimmed after the formation to fit contours of an opening of the rigid prosthetic socket.