An article of footwear includes a sole structure including a polymeric bladder element enclosing a fluid-filled interior cavity. The bladder element has a surface with a groove that extends generally parallel with a transverse edge from a lateral side to a medial side, and has a reduced thickness at the groove. A first length along a longitudinal midline of the bladder element from a longitudinal extremity of the bladder element to the groove corresponds with a first footwear size, and a second length along the longitudinal midline of the bladder element from the longitudinal extremity to the transverse edge corresponds with a second footwear size larger than the first footwear size. The sole structure is used in a method of manufacturing an article of footwear.

A cushioning article includes a bladder enclosing an interior cavity and retaining a gas in the interior cavity. A tensile component is disposed in the interior cavity and includes tensile layers and a plurality of tethers connecting the tensile layers. The tensile layers are connected to an inner surface of the bladder such that the tethers span across the interior cavity. The bladder has an inwardly-protruding bond that joins an inner surface of the bladder to the tensile component, protrudes inward into the interior cavity, and partially traverses the plurality of tethers such that the bladder is narrowed at the inwardly protruding bond and the gas in the interior cavity fluidly communicates across the inwardly-protruding bond. A method of manufacturing a cushioning article is disclosed.

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.

An article of footwear having a sole structure including a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid is described, along with a method of making the article. The chamber may include a tensile member extending between a first chamber barrier layer and a second chamber barrier layer. The tensile member may include a first tensile member layer bonded to the first chamber barrier layer, a second tensile member layer bonded to the second chamber barrier layer, and a plurality of tethers connecting the first tensile member layer to the second tensile member layer. The second tensile member layer may include a first section and a second section separate from the first section. In addition, a portion of the second chamber barrier layer may extend toward the first tensile member layer between the first section and the second section, the portion being joined to the first tensile member layer.

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.

A method for making an elastically yielding layer (14) on a rigid or substantially rigid support surface (16) of an article (12) comprises a step of providing a support surface (16) inside a mold (18) for injection molding provided with a molding cavity (20), comprising a die (22) and a punch (24). The support surface (16) is in use facing the elastically yielding layer (14). The support surface (16) forms a wall of the molding cavity (20). There is also a step of providing an insert (26) inside the molding cavity (20) and a step of closing the mold (18). A step of injection molding of a thermoplastic polymer above the support surface (16), between the support surface (16) and the mold (18) is also provided.

A footwear midsole, method of manufacture and mould for the manufacture thereof, which relates to a footwear midsole and a method for the manufacture of a footwear midsole obtained by moulding. The midsole presents a first body with a hollow or recess that determines perimeter walls in said first body with an intermediate filling that extends above the perimeter walls and a third material, acting as a lining, overlaid on the second material. The method uses a special mould which, in addition to a lower part and an upper part, is equipped with an intermediate piece, such that the method presents a casting phase between the aforementioned walls of a filling layer of said second material, preferably polyurethane.

A plate for an article of footwear includes a first barrier member and a second barrier member attached to the first barrier member to define an interior void between the first barrier member and the second barrier member. In addition, the plate includes a foam member disposed within and completely filling the interior void.

Methods for manufacturing three-dimensional components of articles, including articles of footwear, apparel, and sporting equipment are provided. The disclosed methods comprise providing a first composition comprising a plurality of foam particles suspended in a liquid polymerizable composition, polymerizing a first portion of the liquid polymerizable composition to form a first layer of polymeric material at least partially encapsulating a first portion of the plurality of foam particles, repeating the polymerizing and forming for at least a second and third iteration, each iteration forming a layer on the previous layer, thereby forming a three-dimensional component having at least three layers, each layer including foam particles at least partially encapsulated by the first polymeric material. Articles manufactured using the disclosed methods are also provided.