Shoe or apparel with additive manufactured element

Abstract

A shoe or apparel, including a first material layer with a first plurality of protrusions, a flexible layer with a plurality of apertures, and a second material layer. The flexible layer is positioned between the first material layer and the second material layer. Each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions of the first material layer extends through at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures of the flexible layer and is connected to the second material layer. The flexible layer is not connected to the first material layer and the second material layer, and thereby can freely move between the first material layer and the second material layer.

Claims

1. A shoe or apparel, comprising: a first material layer with a first plurality of protrusions; a flexible layer with a plurality of apertures; and a second material layer; wherein the flexible layer is positioned between the first material layer and the second material layer, wherein each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions of the first material layer extends through at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures of the flexible layer and is connected to the second material layer, and wherein the flexible layer is configured to move between the first material layer and the second material layer.

2. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein the flexible layer can freely stretch between the first material layer and the second material layer.

3. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions of the first plurality of protrusions of the first material layer are arranged in densities of protrusions ranging from 0.5 to 5 protrusions per cm2.

4. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein the first material layer, the second material layer, or both the first material layer and the second material layer have a three-dimensional shape.

5. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein the first material layer, the second material layer, or both the first material layer and the second material layer comprise at least one thermoplastic material.

6. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein the first material layer, the second material layer, or both the first material layer and the second material layer comprise thermoplastic rubber (TPR), polyurethane (PU), elastomeric polyurethane (EPU), polylactic acid (PLA), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), or a combination thereof.

7. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein the first material layer, the second material layer, or both the first material layer and the second material layer are integrally provided as a single piece.

8. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein the first material layer and the second material layer are manufactured in a single additive manufacturing process.

9. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein the second material layer comprises a second plurality of protrusions.

10. The shoe or apparel according to claim 9, wherein at least one protrusion of the second plurality of protrusions of the second material layer extends through at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures of the flexible layer and is connected to the first material layer.

11. The shoe or apparel according to claim 9, wherein at least one protrusion of the second plurality of protrusions of the second material layer extends through at least one aperture of a plurality of apertures of a second flexible layer and is connected to a third material layer.

12. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein the first material layer, the second material layer, or both the first material layer and the second material layer comprise a network of reinforcing struts.

13. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein the first material layer, the second material layer, or both the first material layer and the second material layer comprise reinforcing areas.

14. The shoe or apparel according to claim 13, wherein the reinforcing areas comprise surface areas ranging from 9 mm.sup.2 to 225 mm.sup.2.

15. A shoe, in particular a sports shoe, according to claim 1, comprising an upper and a sole, wherein the flexible layer forms a portion of the upper.

16. The shoe according to claim 15, wherein the first material layer, the second material layer, or both the first material layer and the second material layer form a shoe midsole, a shoe insole or a shoe outsole.

17. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein the first material layer forms the shoe outsole or the shoe insole, and wherein the second material layer forms the shoe midsole.

18. The shoe according to claim 15, wherein the first material layer, the second material layer, or both the first material layer and the second material layer form at least one reinforcing element of the upper.

19. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein a gap is defined between a protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions and an aperture of the plurality of apertures through which the protrusion extends such that the flexible layer is movable in a planar direction within a distance determined by the gap.

20. The shoe or apparel according to claim 1, wherein a first protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions has a first cross sectional area, and wherein a second protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions has a second cross sectional area that is greater than the first cross sectional area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Aspects of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures in the following. These figures show:

(2) FIGS. 1a, b: schematic representations of structures comprising a first material layer with protrusions, a flexible layer with apertures, and a second material layer according to the present invention.

(3) FIGS. 1c, d: schematic representations of protrusions according to the present invention.

(4) FIG. 2a: schematic representation of a further structure comprising a first material layer, a flexible layer, and a second material layer according to the present invention.

(5) FIG. 2b: schematic representation of a further structure comprising a first material layer, a flexible layer, a second material layer, a second flexible layer and a third material layer, which can be used for the present invention.

(6) FIG. 2c: schematic representation of a further structure comprising a first material layer with protrusions and a second material layer with protrusions, which can be used for the present invention.

(7) FIG. 3: schematic representation of a structure comprising a first material layer with reinforcing struts and a second material layer with reinforcing areas, which can be used for the present invention.

(8) FIG. 4a, b: schematic representations of a shoe according to the present invention.

(9) FIG. 5: an embodiment of a shoe sole shown in different perspectives, which can be used for the present invention.

(10) FIGS. 6a-c: embodiments of parts of a shoe, which can be used for the present invention.

(11) FIG. 7: a further embodiment of a structure, which can be used for the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CURRENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) In the following, embodiments and variations of the present invention are described in more detail by means of a shoe and apparel, in particular a sports shoe and sports apparel. It is, however, emphasized that the present invention is not limited to this.

(13) It is also mentioned that in the following only individual embodiments of the invention can be described in more detail. The skilled person will realize, however, that the features and design options described in relation to these specific embodiments may also be modified or combined in a different manner within the scope of the invention, and that individual features may also be omitted if these seem dispensable in a given case.

(14) The use of a multilayered composition, comprising a first material layer with a plurality of protrusions, a flexible layer with a plurality of apertures and a second layer, allows to equip a shoe or apparel with different materials that are stably connected. Importantly, the connection of the different materials does not influence their individual properties.

(15) The flexible layer, which may form, for example a shoe upper or a sports top, may be equipped with different functional properties, such as bendability, stretchability, permeability to air and water, thermoconductivity, thermal capacity, moisture absorption, abrasion resistance, hardness and thickness.

(16) FIG. 1a shows a schematic representation of a structure according to the present invention. A first material layer 101 comprises a plurality of protrusions 111. The protrusions 111 extend through the apertures 112 of the flexible layer 102 and are connected to the second material layer 103. The apertures of the flexible layer are slightly larger than the protrusions of the first layer, such that a small gap is formed between the apertures and the protrusions. Thereby, the flexible layer is not connected to the first and second material layer and can freely move in a planar direction within a distance that is determined by the gap between each protrusion and the corresponding aperture (indicated by the dotted bidirectional arrow).

(17) FIG. 1b shows a related schematic representation, wherein regular-sized protrusions 111 of the first material layer 101 extend through the apertures of the flexible layer 102. The protrusions can be chosen with a length that is significantly larger than the thickness of the flexible layer. Thereby, the flexible layer can also freely move within a distance that is determined by the length of the protrusions (indicated by the dotted bidirectional arrow).

(18) The protrusions can be formed in various shapes. For example, the protrusions 111 of the first material layer 101 can be formed in a cylindrical shape, as schematically represented in FIG. 1c. Hollow structures, e.g. hollow cylinders are conceivable, as depicted in FIG. 1c. In principle, the protrusions can also be formed in solid structures, such as solid cylinders (not shown).

(19) The protrusions 111 of the first material layer 101 can be also formed as solid or hollow cuboids, for example, as shown in FIG. 1d.

(20) FIG. 2a shows a further schematic representation of a structure according to the present invention, wherein also the second material layer 203 comprises a plurality of protrusions 223 that extend through the apertures 112 of the flexible layer 102. The protrusions 223 may be connected to the protrusions 111 of the first material layer 101, but may also be connected to the first material layer outside the regions of protrusions.

(21) FIG. 2b shows another schematic representation of a structure, wherein the protrusions 223 of the second material layer 203 extend through a second flexible layer 232 with apertures 242 and connects to a third material layer 231. It is conceivable that the protrusions 223 of the second material layer are not positioned on top of the protrusions 111 of the first material layer. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2c, the protrusions 111 of the first material layer 101 and the protrusions 223 of the second material layer 203 can be aligned on top of each other.

(22) FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the first and the second material layers (101, 103). The flexible layer is positioned between the first and the second material layer (not shown). In this example, the first material layer 101 comprises a network of reinforcing struts 331, wherein the struts are interconnected by a plurality of nodes 333. The nodes interconnect three reinforcing struts. The first and the second material layers comprise a network of reinforcing elements 331 and reinforcing areas 332 that are connected by means of protrusions of the first material layer. The protrusions can be localized at the nodes of the network. In principle, the network of reinforcing struts can be of a regular or irregular structure. For example, longer and shorter struts can be 3D-printed, such that the overall network comprises zones of higher stability (shorter struts) and zones of higher flexibility (longer struts). The density of the protrusions, being localized at the nodes, can vary from about 0.5 to 5 protrusions per cm.sup.2. The reinforcing areas 332 can have various shapes, in this case hexagons. However, also different shapes, such as circles or squares, are conceivable (not shown).

(23) Different materials may be employed for the first and second material layers, as well as for the flexible layer. The network of reinforcing struts 331 and the reinforcing areas 332 can be manufactured in a 3D-printing process as a single piece, for example from polylactic acid, TPU or other polymer filaments. Other 3D printed materials for the first and second material layers include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, nylon, ceramic, gypsum, or metals.

(24) The flexible layer 102 with apertures 112 may be weft-knitted or warp-knitted. The apertures 112 can be arranged in patterns, wherein the apertures comprise different cross-sectional areas, ranging from 10 mm.sup.2 to about 70 mm.sup.2. In particular, weft-knitted textiles may be provided with a range of functional properties and used in the present invention in an advantageous manner. A weft-knitting technique allows to manufacture textiles with structures with apertures in those regions, where the first material layer shall extend through the textile layer. Further, the yarn may be varied in certain areas of the textile layer to adjust, for example, locally the stiffness of the textile. According to the invention, also more than one textile layer with a plurality of apertures may be positioned between the first and the second material layers. The additional textile layers may be connected to each other by means of sewing, gluing, welding or linking, for example, but in principle, all textile layers that are sandwiched between the first and the second material layers do not need to be connected mechanically to each other. Multiple textile layers between the first material layer and the second material layer can be in particular relevant for increasing the stability and solidness of, for example, a shoe upper.

(25) The structures of the first and the second material layers (101, 103) may be pre-designed using available CAD model software. The pattern of the apertures of the textile layer 102 can be pre-designed in line with the CAD-model of the first and the second material layers. For example, the textile layer can be weft-knitted to comprise a pattern of apertures. The apertures allow the protrusions of the first material layer to extend through to connect to the second material layer.

(26) The structures according to the present invention can be used for the manufacturing of shoes. In this context, FIG. 4a illustrates a shoe insole. The shoe insole comprises a material layer with a pattern of reinforcing areas 332. The reinforcing areas are formed as hexagons of a uniform surface area of about 100 mm.sup.2. The reinforcing areas further comprise protrusions 111, shown as black circles within the reinforcing areas. In this example, the protrusions have varying cross-sectional areas ranging from about 4 mm.sup.2 to 80 mm.sup.2. The protrusions are arranged, such that regions of the foot requiring a high stability, e.g. the medial side and the heel region, are in particular supported by protrusions with larger cross-sectional areas.

(27) FIG. 4b illustrates schematically a shoe 400 according to the invention. The flexible layer 102 forms at least partially the shoe upper. The second material layer 103 forms the shoe insole, and is connected to the first material layer 101 by means of protrusions (not shown) that extend through apertures of the flexible layer. The first material layer 101 forms the shoe midsole and is three-dimensionally shaped to support the anatomy of the foot. The second material layer extends beyond the first material layer and supports the medial side wing and the heel region. It is conceivable that a further material layer is connected to the second material layer by means of protrusions of the second material layer (not shown). In particular, the further material layer can provide reinforcing elements, such as a heel or a toe cap. In this case, the flexible layer 102 is not only sandwiched between the midsole, formed by the first material layer 101, and the insole, formed by the second material layer 103, but also between the insole and the reinforcing elements formed by a further material layer.

(28) The first and or the second material layer may be formed of highly flexible material, as shown in FIG. 5. In this example, a material layer is 3D-printed from polylactic acid, TPU or other polymer filament, in the form of a shoe sole. As described above with respect to FIG. 3, other potential 3D printed materials include for example acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, nylon, ceramic, gypsum, or metals. The material layer is three-dimensionally shaped and comprises a network of reinforcing struts. Thereby, the material is extremely flexible and light-weight, providing a high comfort for the wearer. During manufacturing of a shoe sole, a flexible layer is added onto the protrusions of the sole to form the shoe upper, and a second material layer is directly printed on top of the protrusions (not shown).

(29) FIG. 6a to FIG. 6c show further embodiments for the manufacture of a shoe, wherein the flexible layer 102 provides at least partially the shoe upper. The apertures of the flexible layer can vary from loosely knitted (FIG. 6 a, b) to fine-gauge knitted fabrics (FIG. 6c). In these embodiments, the first material layer 101 is formed from hexagonal or round reinforcing areas 332 prepared from polylactic acid, which are 3D-printed. The individual reinforcing areas 332 are not connected with neighboring reinforcing areas within the first material layer. The reinforcing areas comprise protrusions that extend through the flexible layer 102 to connect to a second material layer on the opposite side of the flexible layer (not shown). In this embodiment, the second material layer also comprises a pattern of individual reinforcing areas 332 that are not connected with the neighboring areas within the second material layer. Thus, each reinforcing area of the first material layer is connected to a reinforcing area of the second material layer via one protrusion. Alternatively, it is also conceivable to provide the second material layer as a network of interconnected reinforcing struts. The reinforcing areas can be in particular located at sensitive parts of the foot, such as the toe region, as shown in FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b, or at the arch region, as shown in FIG. 6c.

(30) Finally, FIG. 7 shows an embodiment for the manufacture of apparel, wherein the flexible layer comprises symmetrically arranged apertures 112 at a density of about 1 aperture per cm.sup.2, through which the first material layer 101 is connected to the second material layer via protrusions (not shown). The first material layer is formed from reinforcing areas 332 of a round shape that have a cross-sectional area of about 100 mm.sup.2. In this embodiment, the second material layer is also formed from reinforcing areas 332 of round shape, with each reinforcing area not connected to neighboring reinforcing areas of the second material layer, but connected to a reinforcing area 332 of the first material layer via one protrusion (not shown). The protrusions are centrally arranged within each reinforcing area of the first material layer (not shown). The flexible layer comprises elastic yarns to provide sufficient stretchability and, thus, comfort to the wearer. The apparel can be in particular an arm or knee protector.