A method for automated manufacturing of shoe soles comprises the steps of: loading a transfer device with at least one outsole element and at least one supporting element, positioning the loaded transfer device adjacent a first part and a second part of a sole mold, transferring the at least one outsole element from the transfer device to the first part and transferring the at least one supporting element from the transfer device to the second part of the sole mold, filling the sole mold with a plurality of individual particles, and applying a medium to bond and/or fuse the particles with each other and with the at least one outsole element.

Methods of making a foamed article include: (a) milling a block or sheet of thermoplastic polymer to form a precursor; (b) crosslinking the thermoplastic polymer; (c) heating the precursor to a first temperature to soften the thermoplastic polymer; (d) infusing the thermoplastic polymer with at least one inert gas at a first pressure that is sufficient to cause the at least one inert gas to permeate into the softened thermoplastic polymer; and (e) while the thermoplastic polymer is softened, reducing the pressure to a second pressure below the first pressure to at least partially foam the precursor into a foamed article, wherein the foamed article is substantially the same shape as the precursor.

A 3D printed structure of an elastic material having a first wall and a second wall may be provided. In one implementation, the 3D printed structure may include a first layer having a first portion of a first wall part and a first portion of a second wall part. The first portion of the first wall part may include a primary structural layer and the first portion of the second wall part may include a first flexible layer. The 3D printed structure may also include a second layer having a second portion of the first wall part and a second portion of the second wall part. The second portion of the first wall part may include a second flexible layer. The primary structural layer and the first flexible layer may have a first rigidity and a second rigidity, respectively, the first rigidity being greater than the second rigidity.

The disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof, including outsoles, which can be used in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles. In particular, the disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof including an outsole having a dispersion present on a ground facing surface of the outsole. The dispersion compositionally includes a polymeric continuous phase and a hydrophilic dispersant, and exhibits a water uptake rate greater than 20 grams/(meter.sup.2-minutes.sup.1/2). The outsoles can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil on the footwear during wear on unpaved surfaces such as sporting fields. When the outsoles are wetted with water, the outsoles can become more compliant and/or can rapidly uptake and/or expel water, which can prevent soil from adhering to the outsole and/or can assist in shedding soil present on the outsole.

Athletic footwear and cleats comprise a first molded layer comprising a rigid substrate including a hole for connecting the molded layer to a shoe, and wherein the first molded layer is adapted to engage binding elements of a pedal, and a second molded layer formed on the bottom portion of the first molded layer, the second molded layer substantially conforming to a shape of a portion of the first molded layer. The second molded layer forms a soft walking surface adapted to provide traction with a walking surface and a raised portion formed thereon, the raised portion adapted to impact float friction during operation. The first molded layer may include nylon, and the second molded layer comprises a thermoplastic elastomer, a thermoplastic polyurethane, and/or a silicone substrate. A third molded layer may be provided to reduce contact friction between the cleat and the pedal of an exercise cycle.

Described herein is a composition which is suitable for coating components in an in-mold coating process, a process for coating components, and a method of using the composition for improving the flow behavior of compositions used for producing components. The composition includes at least one solvent L, at least one alkoxylated fatty acid and/or fatty alcohol, and at least one alkoxylated polysiloxane.

The present invention relates to an outsole (1) for safety footwear (10) comprising a top surface (2), designed to support the foot of the wearer, a bottom surface (4), designed to be in contact with the ground, and a side surface (6), designed to connect the top surface (2) and the bottom surface (4). The outsole (1) is further provided with an anti-perforation layer (8) and with at least one ventilation passage (12) designed to put into fluidic communication the side surface (6) and the top surface (2) of the outsole (1). According to the invention the outsole (1) is characterized in that the anti-perforation layer (8) is arranged between the bottom surface (4) and the at least one ventilation passage (12) at the heel portion of the outsole (1) and is arranged close to the top surface (2) at a forefoot portion of the outsole (1). The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such an outsole (1).

An article of footwear includes an upper coupled to a sole structure. The upper has a ground facing surface, and opposing medial and lateral sidewalls disposed on and extending from opposite medial and lateral sides of the ground facing surface. The sole structure is formed from a plurality of non-coextensive, thermoplastic foam layers, where each layer extends across a portion of the ground facing surface of the upper. These layers include at least a first foam layer and a second foam layer. The first foam layer has a different hardness and/or density than the second foam layer. Each of the first foam layer and the second foam layer extends into direct contact with, and is directly adhered to the lateral sidewall and the medial sidewall of the upper, and the first foam layer is secured to the second foam layer via an adhesive or a thermal weld.

Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for making a shoe outsole and to shoe outsoles made using such techniques. In one such technique, a sheet of composite material is produced by extruding a base material together with a sheet of fabric material. The sheet of composite material is then cut into an outsole component, and a shoe outsole is fabricated using the outsole component.

Sports boot element of which the wall includes at least two different plastics materials (15, 16), the wall having (i) a first zone (11) including the two different plastics materials within its thickness, the first plastics material (15) forming two layers of the wall constituting the internal and external faces of the said wall, and the second plastics material (16) being interposed between the two layers of the first plastics material (15), and (ii) a second zone (13) including only the second plastics material (16).