权利要求：
1. A method of manufacturing a component (14, 26, 36, 60, 62, 64, 120, 121a-c, 122, 123, 124a-c, 140, 150, 152, 160, 161, 163, 165), the method comprising: preparing a first composition comprising a plurality of foam particles (142, 144a-b) suspended in a first material (141), wherein each particle of the plurality of foam particles is formed of a foamed second polymeric material; extruding the first composition; and solidifying the extruded first composition, forming a component.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first material (141) is a first thermoplastic material, and the extruding comprises increasing at least a portion of the first polymeric material to a temperature above a softening or melting temperature of the first thermoplastic material, but below the melting temperature of the second polymeric material of the plurality of foam particles (142, 144a-b).
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first material (141) is a first thermoplastic material, and the method further comprises forming the first composition by increasing a temperature of the first thermoplastic material to a temperature at or above the melting temperature of the first thermoplastic material but below a melting temperature of the second polymeric material, and suspending the plurality of foam particles (142, 144a-b) in the molten first polymeric material prior to the extruding, optionally wherein the forming the first composition comprises increasing the temperature of the first thermoplastic material to a temperature at or above the melting temperature of the first thermoplastic material but at least 20 degrees C below the melting temperature of the second polymeric material, optionally wherein the forming the first composition comprises increasing the temperature of the first thermoplastic material to a temperature at or above the melting temperature of the first thermoplastic material but at least 10 degrees C below a Vicat softening temperature of the second polymeric material.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the extruding comprises extruding the first composition onto a second component, and the solidifying comprises solidifying the extruded first composition in contact with the second component, bonding the extruded first composition to the second component.
5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the method further comprises shaping the extruded first composition prior to the solidifying, and the solidifying comprises solidifying the shaped extruded first composition, optionally wherein the extruding and shaping comprise one or more iterations of extruding a first layer of the first composition, then extruding a second layer of the first composition onto the first layer, and bonding the second layer to the first layer, optionally wherein the extruding and shaping comprise 2 to 50 of the iterations.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising decorating the component (14, 26, 36, 60, 62, 64, 120, 121a-c, 122, 123, 124a-c, 140, 150, 152, 160, 161, 163, 165), optionally wherein the decorating comprises applying a coating to the component, or embossing or debossing the component, or both.
7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the method further comprises foaming the first material (141) of the extruded first composition before or during the solidifying.
8. A first composition comprising: a first material (141); and a plurality of foam particles (142, 144a-b) comprising a foamed second polymeric material suspended in the first material, wherein at least 20 percent of the plurality of foam particles are spheroid or ellipsoid in shape; wherein the first material is a first polymeric thermoplastic material having a melting temperature at least 20 degrees C below the melting temperature of the second polymeric material.
9. The first composition according to claim 8, wherein the first composition comprises from about 1 part to about 50 parts per hundred of the foam particles (142, 144a-b) per part of the first material on a weight basis.
10. The first composition according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the first material (141) is a thermoplastic material, wherein the first thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoplastic polyester, or a thermoplastic polyamide, wherein the foamed second polymeric material of the plurality of foam particles comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyesters, polyamides, vinyl polymers, polyolefins, polyacrylonitriles, polyphenylene ethers, polycarbonates, polyureas, styrene polymers, co-polymers thereof, and combinations thereof, optionally wherein the first thermoplastic material has a melting temperature that is at least 10 degrees C lower than the melting temperature of the foamed second polymeric material of the plurality of foam particles.
11. The first composition according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of foam particles (142, 144a-b) comprise foam particles having a density of about 0.1 grams per cubic centimeter to about 0.8 grams per cubic centimeter.
12. An article (10) comprising a component (14, 26, 36, 60, 62, 64, 120, 121a-c, 122, 123, 124a-c, 140, 150, 152, 160, 161, 163, 165) comprising the first composition according to any one of claims 8 to 11.
13. The article (10) according to claim 12, wherein the article is a component (14, 26, 36, 60, 62, 64, 120, 121a-c, 122, 123, 124a-c, 140, 150, 152, 160, 161, 163, 165) of an article of footwear, apparel, or sporting equipment, optionally wherein the component of an article of footwear, apparel or sporting equipment is a cushioning element for an article of footwear or an impact absorbing element, optionally wherein the cushioning element for an article of footwear is a midsole, an outsole, a combination midsole-outsole unit, a sock-liner, an ankle collar, or a heal-cushioning pad.
14. The article (10) according to claim 12 or claim 13, comprising a component (14, 26, 36, 60, 62, 64, 120, 121a-c, 122, 123, 124a-c, 140, 150, 152, 160, 161, 163, 165) made by the method of claim 2.
15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the first composition according to any one of claims 8 to 11, or the article according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the foam particles have a number average particle size of about 0.04 millimeters to about 10 millimeters in the longest dimension.