摘要：
Various articles, such as footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, watchbands, and the like, and methods of forming those articles are presented. The articles are generally formed, in whole or in part, using rapid manufacturing techniques, such as laser sintering, stereolithography, solid deposition modeling, and the like. The use of rapid manufacturing allows for relatively economical and time efficient manufacture of customized articles. The articles may include one or more reinforcements configured to provide added durability to various regions of the articles. In addition, the articles may be formed from two or more materials in a single rapid manufacturing process. The rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique may also include using of varying intensities of the laser to fuse material to form the articles.
技术问题语段：
The technical problem addressed in this patent is the limitations of current manufacturing methods for manufacturing articles such as footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment. These methods require expensive molding equipment that can only produce articles with limited design variations, and often result in material waste and the inability to customize the article to the wearer's needs. Additionally, articles produced using these methods have regions that are prone to wear and tear, which can cut short their useful life. The patent proposes a solution to address these issues by using a rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique to form article components using multiple layers of fuse bonded particles of a thermoplastic elastomer material.
技术功效语段：
The invention is about a shoe with reinforcing regions that can be made using traditional methods or quickly created using 3D printing. There are also options for adding impact attenuation to the midsole by creating apertures that match projections on the insole. These features can be customized for the individual wearer.
权利要求：
1. An article of footwear, comprising: a sole structure including a midsole and an outsole; and an upper connected to the sole structure and forming a void for receiving a foot of a wearer, the upper including: a) a first portion formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material as multiple, successive layers of fuse bonded particles of the thermoplastic elastomer material in a rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique, and b) a first reinforced region engaged with the first portion of the upper by adhesive, stitching, or a mechanical fastener, the first reinforced region including a material selected from plastic, metal, leather, and textile materials.
2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first reinforced region is engaged with the first portion of the upper at a flex region at a vamp forefoot region of the upper.
3. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein the first reinforced region is formed of at least one of textile and leather materials.
4. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein the first reinforced region is connected to the first portion of the upper with stitching or adhesives.
5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first reinforced region includes an eyelet reinforcement.
6. The article of footwear of claim 5, wherein the eyelet reinforcement is formed of at least one material selected from textile, leather and plastic.
7. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first reinforced region includes a collar region reinforcement.
8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first reinforced region is engaged with the first portion of the upper by an adhesive.
9. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first reinforced region is engaged with the first portion of the upper by stitching.
10. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first reinforced region is engaged with the first portion of the upper by a mechanical fastener.
11. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first reinforced region includes a plastic material.
12. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first reinforced region includes a metal material.
13. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first reinforced region includes a leather material.
14. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first reinforced region includes a textile material.
15. A method of making an article of footwear according to claim 1, comprising: (a) forming a first portion of an upper by fuse bonding particles of thermoplastic elastomer material using a rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique; (b) engaging a first reinforced region with the first portion of the upper by adhesive, stitching, or a mechanical fastener, wherein the first reinforced region includes a material selected from the group of plastic, metal, leather, and textile materials; and (c) engaging the upper with a sole structure that includes a midsole and an outsole.