A method of preparing shoe components includes the steps of: providing a first shoe component and a second shoe component, forming an adhesive member on one of the first and second shoe components, stacking the first and second shoe components such that the adhesive member is disposed therebetween, heating to melt the adhesive member so as to adhere the first and second shoe components to each other, and suctioning air to adhere the first and second shoe components closely to each other.

Embodiments relate generally to a traction surface and methods for forming the traction surface. The traction surface may comprise a compound material comprising glass fibers oriented orthogonal to the surface of the compound material extending from the compound material, wherein when the traction surface contacts an icy surface, the glass fibers are operable to penetrate a liquid-like top layer of the icy surface to provide grip with an ice layer below the liquid-like top layer. The method for forming the traction surface may comprise integrating glass fibers into a compound material; orienting the glass fibers within the compound material such that the glass fibers are oriented approximately orthogonal to the surface of the compound material; splitting the compound material to expose the glass fibers, wherein the glass fibers extend from the surface of the compound material; and forming the split compound material into a traction surface.

The present disclosure encompasses three-dimensional articles comprising flexible-composite materials and methods of manufacturing said three-dimensional articles. More particularly, the present system relates to methods for manufacturing seamless three-dimensional-shaped articles usable for such finished products as airbags/inflatable structures, bags, shoes, and similar three-dimensional products. A preferred manufacturing process combines composite molding methods with specific precursor materials to form fiber-reinforced continuous shaped articles that are flexible and collapsible.

Methods for manufacturing cushioning elements for sports apparel are described. A method is provided for manufacturing a cushioning element for sports apparel from randomly arranged particles of an expanded material. The method includes positioning a functional element within a mold and loading the mold with the particles of the expanded material, wherein the loading occurs through at least two openings within the mold and/or wherein the loading occurs between different movable parts of the mold.

A method of manufacturing a portion of a boot shell for an ice skate that includes preparing a monolithic, two-dimensional pattern of the boot shell; positioning the monolithic, two-dimensional pattern into a three-dimensional preform of the boot shell; installing the three-dimensional preform in a mold; and consolidating the three-dimensional preform in the mold to produce the portion of the boot shell. An article of footwear for use in ice skating comprising a boot shell structured and arranged to accommodate a wearer's foot and having a medial forefoot portion, a lateral forefoot portion, a sole portion, a lateral ankle portion, a medial ankle portion, and a heel portion, the boot shell further comprising (i) a first thermoformable material having a softening point between 40? C. and 100? C., and (ii) a plurality of fibers, at least one of adjacent to or integrated within the first thermoformable material.

A method of forming three-dimensional composite comprising steps of: (a) manufacturing at least one shaping member; (b) fitting each of the at least one shaping member on each of at least one mold; (c) adhering at least one connection sheet on said each shaping member so as to form each of at least one semi-finished product; (d) fixing said each semi-finished product in a cavity; and (e) heating said each semi-finished product and vacuuming the cavity. Said shaping member has at least one orifice and covers said each mold, and each connection sheet has a substrate and an adhesive layer, a melting point of the adhesive layer is less than the substrate. Said each semi-finished product in the cavity is heated until the adhesive layer melts, and the cavity is vacuumed so that the adhesive layer penetrates into said each shaping member, thus producing a three-dimensional finished product.

A molding device includes a lower die core assembly including a porous lower die core unit, an upper die core assembly including a porous upper die core, a heating assembly for heating the lower die core unit and the upper die core, and a control assembly operable to control temperature of an assembly of the lower die core unit and the upper die core to be direct proportional to a distance by which the upper die core is moved downwardly from a compression starting position where the upper die core comes into contact with the lower die core unit. The control assembly is further operable to control one of a heated gas and a cooled gas to be introduced into and discharged from the upper and lower mold core assemblies at different rates.

A molding device includes lower and upper die core assemblies. The lower die core assembly includes at least two lower die core units surrounding a central axis and defining a mold cavity. The lower die core assembly is convertible between an open state and a closed state. When converted from the closed state into the open state, the lower die core units are moved away from the central axis. When converted from the open state into the closed state, the lower die core units are moved toward the central axis to compress the foaming material. The upper die core assembly is convertible between a lifted state, where the upper die core assembly is spaced apart from the lower die core assembly, and a lowered state to cover the mold cavity.

A molding device includes a lower mold seat including a lower mounting portion, a lower die core assembly mounted in the lower mounting portion and including a lower die core unit defining a mold cavity, an upper mold seat including an upper mounting portion, an upper die core assembly mounted in the upper mounting portion and including an upper die core unit covering the mold cavity, and upper and lower heating units respectively including upper and lower high-frequency heating members respectively inducing eddy current in at least one of the lower die core unit and the lower mold seat and at least one of the upper die core unit and the upper mold seat.

Methods for manufacturing at least a portion of an upper for an article of footwear that include thermo-forming a pattern on the upper. The methods may include disposing a skin for forming an upper over and inflatable bladder and disposing a mold insert between the skin and a surface of a mold cavity. The mold insert may include a mold pattern including surface features formed in the mold insert. The inflatable bladder may be inflated such that the skin is pressed against the mold insert within a heated mold cavity to form a pattern on an exterior surface of the skin and cause the skin to take on the shape of at least a portion of an upper. In some embodiments, the surface features may be disposed in a gradient pattern configured to provide varying degrees of one or more characteristics to different areas of an upper.