A molding device includes first and second molds, and a material passage. The first mold includes a first porous layer including a first porous main body, a first molding surface and a first connecting tube formed in the first porous main body. The first mold has a first gas passage for a gas to be supplied into the first porous main body. The second mold includes a second porous layer including a second porous main body, a second molding surface cooperating with the first molding surface to define a cavity, and a second connecting tube formed in the second porous main body. The material passage extends through one of the first and second molds, and is spatially communicated with the cavity for entrance of a supercritical foaming material into the cavity.

A skate (e.g., an ice skate) or other footwear for a user. The skate or other footwear comprises a skate boot or other foot-receiving structure for receiving a foot of the user and possibly one or more other components, such as a skating device (e.g., a blade 5 and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface (e.g., ice). In some cases, at least part of the skate boot or other foot-receiving structure and optionally at least part of one or more other components (e.g., the skating device) may be constructed from one or more materials (e.g., foams) molded by flowing in molding equipment during a molding process (e.g., injection molding or 0 casting). This may allow the skate or other footwear to have useful performance characteristics (e.g., reduced weight, proper fit and comfort, etc.) while being more cost-effectively manufactured.

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.

A hybrid mold (1) for a shoe sole comprises a body (7) affording a molding surface (3) and at least one molding insert (2), the molding insert (2) being produced according to a first method and the molding surface (3) being produced according to a second method distinct from the first.

A method of manufacturing a sole structure includes melting a first material in a first plasticization zone of a first injection line and melting a second material in a second plasticization zone of a second injection line. A first blowing agent is injected into the first material within a first mixing zone of the first injection line. The first blowing agent is a supercritical fluid within the first mixing zone. The first material and the second material are co-injected into a mold to form the sole structure. The first material is injected from a first injection chamber and the second material is injected from a second injection chamber. The first blowing agent nucleates within the mold to expand and foam the first material within the mold.

A sole structure includes a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region along a longitudinal direction of the article of footwear. The sole structure includes a midsole, which has a plurality of cavities defined by outer edges, and each of the cavities of the plurality of cavities extends between a lateral side of the footwear and a medial side of the footwear. Each cavity of the plurality of cavities is defined by a first rounded end, a second rounded end opposite of the first rounded end, a front side edge, and a rear side edge. The front side edge and the rear side edge connect the first rounded end with the second rounded end and the plurality of cavities is configured to programmably collapse or deform the sole structure when a force is applied downward.

A die-casting forming mold for vulcanized rubber boots, comprising: a combined shaft mold provided with an inner cavity corresponding to a shaft of a rubber boot; a last mold 21 provided with partition elements, comprising a body substantially corresponding to the shaft of the rubber boot in shape, and two or more partition elements disposed on the body, the last mold 21 being adapted to be mounted in the inner cavity of the shaft mold to form a die-casting forming cavity between the wall of the inner cavity of the shaft mold and the outer surface of the last mold 21, and the die-casting forming cavity being divided into two or more portions by the last mold 21 and the shaft mold, wherein the last mold 21 further comprises: a longitudinally extending rubber injection channel extending longitudinally downward from the upper surface of the last mold 21, and a transversely extending rubber injection channel extending transversely from the longitudinally extending rubber injection channel to a rubber outlet in the surface of the last mold 21; and a rubber injection plate 5 adapted to be mounted to the top of the shaft mold to guide the injection of an unvulcanized mixed rubber material, the rubber injection plate 5 being provided with: a rubber injection hole 11 adapted to be connected to an external injection head to inject the unvulcanized mixed rubber material, and a rubber injection channel for communicating the rubber injection hole 11 with the longitudinally extending rubber injection channel.

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment including a foam are provided. The foam portion of the components and articles include a composition which includes a thermoplastic copolyester, the composition having a foam structure. A polymer layer is provided on at least on surface of the foam portion. The polymer layer can control or reduce the water uptake of the foam portion. Methods of making the compositions, foams, and components are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding, or injection molding followed by compression molding.

A method for manufacturing a midsole of an article of footwear includes generating a positive model of a midsole. The positive model includes a region of empty volume that defines an aperture or channel. The method further includes creating a negative model based on the positive model, and printing, layer by layer, a negative mold to form a physical representation of the negative model. The negative mold includes a region of solid volume that corresponds with the region of empty volume in the positive model. The method further includes supplying a midsole material to the negative mold to form the midsole. The midsole includes a midsole aperture or channel formed therein by the region of solid volume in the negative mold.

A sole component molded with different portions molded from different bead foams where there is a gradual transition between the different bead foams, as well as a method and apparatus for manufacturing the same. The molding system includes a mold cavity that is partially divided into at least two adjacent mold regions by at least one blade. The blade does not fully separate adjacent regions, but instead defines a space allowing beads introduced into adjacent regions to intermingle or overlap at the interface between the mold regions. The size, shape and configuration of the blade and the space may vary from application to application. The molding system may include a blade retractor that allows the blade to be retracted after the beads are loaded and before the beads are joined. The different bead foams may be different expanded thermoplastic polyurethane bead foams that vary in density or hardness or color.