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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0043]The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose various embodiments or configurations of a shoe or an article of footwear. Although embodiments are disclosed with reference to a shoe, such as a running shoe, tennis shoe, basketball shoe, etc., concepts associated with embodiments of the shoe may be applied to a wide range of footwear and footwear styles, including basketball shoes, cross-training shoes, football shoes, golf shoes, hiking shoes, hiking boots, ski and snowboard boots, soccer shoes and cleats, walking shoes, and track cleats, for example. Concepts of the shoe may also be applied to articles of footwear that are considered non-athletic, including dress shoes, sandals, loafers, slippers, and heels. Accordingly, concepts described herein may be utilized in a variety of products.
[0044]The term “about,” as used herein, refers to variation in the numerical quantity that may occur, for example, through typical measuring and manufacturing procedures used for articles of footwear or other articles of manufacture that may include embodiments of the disclosure herein; through inadvertent error in these procedures; through differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of the ingredients used to make the compositions or mixtures or carry out the methods; and the like. Throughout the disclosure, the terms “about” and “approximately” refer to a range of values ±5% of the numeric value that the term precedes.
[0045]The present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear and/or specific components or portions of the article of footwear, such as a midsole, an outsole or a sole structure. The article of footwear may include an upper, sleeve or sock that is at least partially formed from a knit material, a woven textile, a braided component and/or a combination of one or more of the aforementioned materials. The knit material may be made by knitting of yarn, the woven textile by weaving of yarn, and the braided component may be made by braiding. Knit textiles or materials include textiles formed by way of warp knitting, weft knitting, flat knitting, circular knitting, and/or other suitable knitting operations. The knit textile may have a plain knit structure, a mesh knit structure, and/or a rib knit structure, for example. Woven textiles include, but are not limited to, textiles formed by way of any of the numerous weave forms, such as plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, dobbin weave, jacquard weave, double weaves, and/or double cloth weaves, for example. The upper, sleeve, or sock may comprise a variety of materials, such as a first knit material or yarn, a second knit material or yarn, and/or a third knit material or yarn, which may have varying properties or varying visual characteristics.
[0046]FIG. 1 illustrates a method 100 for manufacturing an article of footwear (e.g., a shoe) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, a portion of the method may be carried out using a controller that includes a processor and memory, and some portions of the method may be performed by an additive manufacturing system (e.g., a 3D printer). In some embodiments, the controller may be integrated into the additive manufacturing system. In other embodiments, the controller may be located remotely from the additive manufacturing system and may be in wireless communication with the additive manufacturing system.
[0047]The method 100 may initiate at step 102 by forming a sleeve or an upper. The sleeve or upper may be formed or manufactured by a knitting, weaving, or braiding process from a knit, woven, or braided material. In some embodiments, the sleeve or upper may be formed entirely from one or more knit materials. In general, the sleeve or upper may be formed in the general shape of a sock that is wearable by a user.
[0048]In some embodiments, the sleeve or upper may define a front distal end, a rear distal end, an external surface, an internal surface, and an opening. The internal surface may form an internal cavity within which a foot of a user may be received. The opening may provide access to the internal cavity. The sleeve may include an upper portion and a midsole portion. The midsole portion may at least partially extend over a bottom portion of the external surface. In some embodiments, the sleeve or upper may be fabricated from a single knit material. In some embodiments, the sleeve or upper may be fabricated from more than one material. For example, the knit material of the sleeve or upper may comprise a first knit material that spans the upper portion and a second knit material that spans the midsole portion. Accordingly, the forming of the sleeve or upper at step 102 may comprise forming the upper portion of the sleeve or upper from the first knit material and forming the midsole portion of the upper or sleeve from the second knit material.
[0049]In general, the sleeve or upper may be formed so that a midsole that may be inserted into the internal cavity during manufacture of the article of footwear is at least partially visible. For example, in some embodiments, the second knit material may be at least partially transparent so that a portion of a midsole received within the sleeve or upper is externally visible through the midsole portion of the sleeve. In some embodiments, the second knit material may be a transparent monofilament knit or yarn material. In some embodiments, the sleeve or upper may include an aperture through which a portion of the midsole is visible.
[0050]After the sleeve or upper is formed at step 102, a last is inserted into the internal cavity of the sleeve or upper at step 104 (see, e.g., FIG. 5). The last may be inserted into the internal cavity of the sleeve or upper so that the last engages the internal surface of the sleeve or upper and supports the external surface of the sleeve or upper. For example, a volume defined by the last may be greater or equal to than a resting or unsupported internal volume of the internal cavity (e.g., a volume with no components inserted into or in engagement with the upper), which ensures that the last fills the internal cavity and engages the internal surface when the last is inserted into the internal cavity. In some embodiments, a volume and shape of the last may define the production-intent size and shape of the article of footwear.
[0051]In general, forming the sleeve or upper from one or more knit materials may allow the manufacture to be more efficient, when compared to the manufacture of conventional uppers, and the batch size (i.e., the number of uppers produced in a batch) is not limited by the manufacturing process. While the use of one or more knit materials provides several manufacturing benefits, the structural integrity of the upper or sleeve may require reinforcement to form a stabilized sleeve or upper. For example, at step 106, a framework is printed, layer by layer, onto the external surface of the upper or sleeve. In some embodiments, the framework may be printed layer by layer onto the external surface by an additive manufacturing system (e.g., a 3D printer). The various methods of additive manufacturing used to manufacture the framework on a portion of the sleeve or upper according to the present disclosure may include binder jetting, direct energy deposition, selective laser melting (SLM), fused deposition modeling (FDM), electron beam melting, laser powered bed fusion (LPBF), ultrasonic additive manufacturing, material extrusion, material jetting, Joule printing, electrochemical deposition, cold spray metal printing, DLP metal printing, Ultrasonic Consolidation or Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM), LENS laser-based printing, vat photo-polymerization, sheet lamination, or electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3).
[0052]In general, the framework may be printed onto selective portions of the external surface of the sleeve or upper to reinforce and stabilize the sleeve or upper. In some embodiments, the framework may define a matrix pattern that includes a plurality of segments. The plurality of segments may extend along the external surface of the sleeve or upper from the front distal end to the rear distal end. In some embodiments, the plurality of segments may be arranged on both an external medial side of the sleeve or upper and an external lateral side of the sleeve or upper.
[0053]The plurality of segments may include row segments or a first set of lines and column segments or a second set of lines. In some embodiments, the row segments may be arranged along portions of the external surface so that the row segments are generally parallel to one another, and the column segments may be arranged along portions of the external surface so that the column segments are generally parallel to one another. The generally parallel arrangement of the row segments and the column segments does not limit the shape of the row segments and the column segments to straight segments. For example, the row segments and/or the column segments may define straight segments, curved segments, wavy segments, or any other shape. In some embodiments, the row segments may not be generally parallel to one another and may be aligned or extend in a common direction. For example, the row segment may extend in a general direction from the front distal end to the rear distal end (e.g., a heel-toe direction). Similarly, in some embodiments, the column segments may not be generally parallel to one another and may be aligned or extend in a common direction. For example, the column segments may extend in a general direction that intersects the row segments, or in a general direction from the external medial side to the external lateral side. In some embodiments, the row segments may interconnect with and intersect the column segments to form a crisscross pattern.
[0054]In general, the row segments may be spaced from one another and the column segments may be spaced from one another. In some embodiments, a row spacing defined between adjacent pairs of the row segments may be approximately equal. In some embodiments, a row spacing defined between adjacent pairs of the row segments may vary from a row spacing minimum to a row spacing maximum. In some embodiments, a ratio between the row spacing maximum and the row spacing minimum may be between about 1 and about 5, or between about 1 and about 4, or between about 1 and about 3, or between about 2 and about 4. In some embodiments, the row spacing defined between the individual row segments in an adjacent pair of row segments may vary in addition to or as an alternative of the row spacing varying between adjacent pairs of the row segments.
[0055]In some embodiments, a column spacing defined between adjacent pairs of the column segments may be approximately equal. In some embodiments, a column spacing defined between adjacent pairs of the column segments may vary from a column spacing minimum to a column spacing maximum. In some embodiments, a ratio between the column spacing maximum and the column spacing minimum may be between about 1 and about 5, or between about 1 and about 4, or between about 1 and about 3, or between about 2 and about 4. In some embodiments, the column spacing defined between the individual column segments in an adjacent pair of column segments may vary in addition to or as an alternative of the column spacing varying between adjacent pairs of the column segments.
[0056]In some embodiments, each of the plurality of segments defines a shape and size that may remain about constant over the framework. For example, the plurality of segments each may define a segment height and a segment width. In some embodiments, the segment heights and the segment widths may be about equal.
[0057]In some embodiments, the segment heights, the segment widths, and/or the segment shapes may vary over selective portions of the external surface to provide increased or decreased stability/reinforcement to the sleeve or upper. For example, the segment height and/or the segment width may be increased in portions of the external surface to provide increased stability/reinforcement. Alternatively or additionally, a shape of the segments may vary (e.g., transition from triangular in cross-section to round or semicircular in cross-section) to provide increased stability/reinforcement. In some embodiments, the segment heights may vary from a minimum segment height to a maximum segment height. For example, the maximum segment height between about 1 and about 5 times larger than the minimum segment height, or between about 1 and about 4 times larger than the minimum segment height, or between about 1 and about 3 times larger than the minimum segment height, or between about 2 and about 4 times larger than the minimum segment height. The ranges between the maximum segment height and the minimum segment height described herein maintain a critical balance between increased and/or decreased stability/reinforcement while maintaining a pleasing aesthetic for the article of footwear.
[0058]In some embodiments, the segment widths may vary from a minimum segment widths to a maximum segment widths. For example, the maximum segment widths between about 1 and about 5 times larger than the minimum segment widths, or between about 1 and about 4 times larger than the minimum segment widths, or between about 1 and about 3 times larger than the minimum segment widths, or between about 2 and about 4 times larger than the minimum segment widths. The ranges between the maximum segment widths and the minimum segment widths described herein maintain a critical balance between increased and/or decreased stability/reinforcement while maintaining a pleasing aesthetic for the article of footwear.
[0059]In some embodiments, the plurality of segments may include a first segment with a first segment height at a first location on the external surface, a second segment with a second segment height at a second location on the external surface, and a third segment with a third segment height at a third location on the external surface. In some embodiments, the second segment height is greater than the first segment height and the third segment height. In some embodiments, the third segment height is greater than the second segment height, and the second segment height is greater than the first segment height.
[0060]In some embodiments, the plurality of segments include a first segment with a first segment width at a first location on the external surface, a second segment with a second segment width at a second location on the external surface, and a third segment with a third segment width at a third location on the external surface. In some embodiments, the second segment width is greater than the first segment width and the third segment width. In some embodiments, the third segment width is greater than the second segment width, and the second segment width is greater than the first segment width.
[0061]In some embodiments, the framework may include an outsole that is printed, layer by layer, onto the bottom portion of the external surface or a sole side of the sleeve or upper. Accordingly, the step 106 may comprise printing the framework, layer by layer, on the sleeve or upper and printing the outsole, layer by layer, onto the bottom portion of the external surface or a sole side of the sleeve or upper. In some embodiments, the outsole may be fabricated from the same material as the plurality of segments. For example, the outsole may be formed integrally with the framework. In some embodiments, the outsole may be fabricated from a different material than the plurality of segments. In some embodiments, the outsole may be connected to the framework at the external medial side and the external lateral side of the sleeve or upper.
[0062]In some embodiments, the framework as a whole may be printed layer by layer at step 106. For example, one layer of the entire framework (e.g., the outsole and the plurality of segments) may be printed at a time until all of the layers of the framework have been printed onto the portions of the external surface. In some embodiments, portions of the framework may be printed layer by layer prior to other portions of the framework being printed layer by layer. For example, the outsole may be printed layer by layer and then the plurality of segments may be printed layer by layer, or vice versa.
[0063]With continued reference to FIG. 1, once the framework is printed at step 106, the last may be removed from the internal cavity of the sleeve or upper, and a midsole may be inserted into the internal cavity at step 108. The combination of the sleeve or upper and the midsole arranged therein may form the article of footwear. In some embodiments, an insole or sock liner may be inserted into the internal cavity in addition to the midsole.
[0064]In general, forming the reinforced sleeve or upper separately from the midsole allows for various sleeves/uppers to be combined with different midsoles to provide selective cushioning properties, with the only requirement being that the midsole is sized to fit (e.g., made for the same sized shoe) as the reinforced sleeve or upper.
[0065]FIG. 2 illustrates a method 200 for manufacturing an article of footwear (e.g., a shoe) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Similar to the method 100, the method 200 may initiate at step 202 by forming a sleeve or an upper. The sleeve or upper may be formed or manufactured by a knitting, weaving, or braiding process from a knit, woven, or braided material. In some embodiments, the sleeve or upper may be formed entirely from one or more knit materials. In general, the sleeve or upper may be formed in the general shape of a sock that is wearable by a user.
[0066]In some embodiments, the sleeve or upper may define a front distal end, a rear distal end, an external surface, an internal surface, and an opening. The internal surface may form an internal cavity within which a foot of a user may be received. The opening may provides access to the interior cavity. The sleeve may include an upper portion and a midsole portion. The midsole portion may at least partially extend over a bottom portion of the external surface. In some embodiments, the sleeve or upper may be fabricated from a single knit material. In some embodiments, the sleeve or upper may be fabricated from more than one material. For example, the knit material of the sleeve or upper may comprise a first knit material that spans the upper portion and a second knit material that spans the midsole portion. Accordingly, the forming of the sleeve or upper at step 202 may comprise forming the upper portion of the sleeve or upper from the first knit material and forming the midsole portion of the upper or sleeve from the second knit material.
[0067]In general, the sleeve or upper may be formed so that a midsole that may be inserted into the internal cavity during manufacture of the article of footwear is at least partially visible. For example, in some embodiments, the second knit material may be at least partially transparent so that a portion of a midsole received within the sleeve or upper is externally visible through the midsole portion of the sleeve. In some embodiments, the second knit material may be a transparent monofilament knit or yarn material. In some embodiments, the sleeve or upper may include an aperture through which a portion of the midsole is visible.
[0068]After the sleeve or upper is formed at step 202, a last is inserted into the internal cavity of the sleeve or upper at step 204 (see, e.g., FIG. 5). The last may be inserted into the internal cavity of the sleeve or upper so that the last engages the internal surface of the sleeve or upper and supports the external surface of the sleeve or upper. For example, the volume of the last may be greater than a resting or unsupported volume of the sleeve or upper (e.g., a volume with no components inserted into or in engagement with the sleeve or upper), which ensures that the last expands and stretches the sleeve or upper when the last is inserted into the internal cavity. In some embodiments, a volume and shape of the last may define the production-intent size and shape of the article of footwear.
[0069]In general, forming the sleeve or upper from one or more knit materials may allow the manufacture to be more efficient, when compared to the manufacture of conventional uppers, and the batch size (i.e., the number of uppers produced in a batch) is not limited by the manufacturing process. While the use of one or more knit materials provides several manufacturing benefits, the structural integrity of the upper or sleeve may require reinforcement to form a stabilized sleeve or upper. For example, at step 206, a framework is printed, layer by layer, onto the external surface of the upper or sleeve. In some embodiments, the framework may be printed layer by layer onto the external surface by an additive manufacturing system (e.g., a 3D printer). The various methods of additive manufacturing used to manufacture the framework on a portion of the sleeve or upper according to the present disclosure may include binder jetting, direct energy deposition, selective laser melting (SLM), fused deposition modeling (FDM), electron beam melting, laser powered bed fusion (LPBF), ultrasonic additive manufacturing, material extrusion, material jetting, Joule printing, electrochemical deposition, cold spray metal printing, DLP metal printing, Ultrasonic Consolidation or Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM), LENS laser-based printing, vat photo-polymerization, sheet lamination, or electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3).
[0070]In general, the framework may be printed onto selective portions of the external surface of the sleeve or upper to reinforce and stabilize the sleeve or upper. In some embodiments, the framework may define a matrix pattern that includes a plurality of segments. The plurality of segments may extend along the external surface of the sleeve or upper from the front distal end to the rear distal end. In some embodiments, the plurality of segments may be arranged on both an external medial side of the sleeve or upper and an external lateral side of the sleeve or upper.
[0071]The plurality of segments may include row segments or a first set of lines and column segments or a second set of lines. In some embodiments, the row segments may be arranged along portions of the external surface so that the row segments are generally parallel to one another, and the column segments may be arranged along portions of the external surface so that the column segments are generally parallel to one another. The generally parallel arrangement of the row segments and the column segments does not limit the shape of the row segments and the column segments to straight segments. For example, the row segments and/or the column segments may define straight segments, curved segments, wavy segments, or any other shape. In some embodiments, the row segments may not be generally parallel to one another and may be aligned or extend in a common direction. For example, the row segment may extend in a general direction from the front distal end to the rear distal end (e.g., a heel-toe direction). Similarly, in some embodiments, the column segments may not be generally parallel to one another and may be aligned or extend in a common direction. For example, the column segments may extend in a general direction that intersects the row segments, or in a general direction from the external medial side to the external lateral side. In some embodiments, the row segments may interconnect with and intersect the column segments to form a crisscross pattern.
[0072]In general, the row segments may be spaced from one another and the column segments may be spaced from one another. In some embodiments, a row spacing defined between adjacent pairs of the row segments may be approximately equal. In some embodiments, a row spacing defined between adjacent pairs of the row segments may vary from a row spacing minimum to a row spacing maximum. In some embodiments, a ratio between the row spacing maximum and the row spacing minimum may be between about 1 and about 5, or between about 1 and about 4, or between about 1 and about 3, or between about 2 and about 4. In some embodiments, the row spacing defined between the individual row segments in an adjacent pair of row segments may vary in addition to or as an alternative of the row spacing varying between adjacent pairs of the row segments.
[0073]In some embodiments, a column spacing defined between adjacent pairs of the column segments may be approximately equal. In some embodiments, a column spacing defined between adjacent pairs of the column segments may vary from a column spacing minimum to a column spacing maximum. In some embodiments, a ratio between the column spacing maximum and the column spacing minimum may be between about 1 and about 5, or between about 1 and about 4, or between about 1 and about 3, or between about 2 and about 4. In some embodiments, the column spacing defined between the individual column segments in an adjacent pair of column segments may vary in addition to or as an alternative of the column spacing varying between adjacent pairs of the column segments.
[0074]In general, each of the plurality of segments defines a shape and size that may remain about constant over the framework. For example, the plurality of segments each may define a segment height and a segment width. In some embodiments, the segment heights and the segment widths may be about equal.
[0075]In some embodiments, the segment heights, the segment widths, and/or the segment shapes may vary over selective portions of the external surface to provide increased or decreased stability/reinforcement to the sleeve or upper. For example, the segment height and/or the segment width may be increased in portions of the external surface to provide increased stability/reinforcement. Alternatively or additionally, a shape of the segments may vary (e.g., transition from triangular in cross-section to round or semicircular in cross-section) to provide increased stability/reinforcement. In some embodiments, the segment heights may vary from a minimum segment height to a maximum segment height. For example, the maximum segment height between about 1 and about 5 times larger than the minimum segment height, or between about 1 and about 4 times larger than the minimum segment height, or between about 1 and about 3 times larger than the minimum segment height, or between about 2 and about 4 times larger than the minimum segment height. The ranges between the maximum segment height and the minimum segment height described herein maintain a critical balance between increased and/or decreased stability/reinforcement while maintaining a pleasing aesthetic for the article of footwear.
[0076]In some embodiments, the segment widths may vary from a minimum segment widths to a maximum segment widths. For example, the maximum segment widths between about 1 and about 5 times larger than the minimum segment widths, or between about 1 and about 4 times larger than the minimum segment widths, or between about 1 and about 3 times larger than the minimum segment widths, or between about 2 and about 4 times larger than the minimum segment widths. The ranges between the maximum segment widths and the minimum segment widths described herein maintain a critical balance between increased and/or decreased stability/reinforcement while maintaining a pleasing aesthetic for the article of footwear.
[0077]In some embodiments, the plurality of segments may include a first segment with a first segment height at a first location on the external surface, a second segment with a second segment height at a second location on the external surface, and a third segment with a third segment height at a third location on the external surface. In some embodiments, the second segment height is greater than the first segment height and the third segment height. In some embodiments, the third segment height is greater than the second segment height, and the second segment height is greater than the first segment height.
[0078]In some embodiments, the plurality of segments include a first segment with a first segment width at a first location on the external surface, a second segment with a second segment width at a second location on the external surface, and a third segment with a third segment width at a third location on the external surface. In some embodiments, the second segment width is greater than the first segment width and the third segment width. In some embodiments, the third segment width is greater than the second segment width, and the second segment width is greater than the first segment width.
[0079]In some embodiments, the framework may include an outsole that is printed, layer by layer, onto the bottom portion of the external surface or a sole side of the sleeve or upper. Accordingly, the step 206 may comprise printing the framework, layer by layer, on the sleeve or upper and printing the outsole, layer by layer, onto the bottom portion of the external surface or a sole side of the sleeve or upper. In some embodiments, the outsole may be fabricated from the same material as the plurality of segments. For example, the outsole may be formed integrally with the framework. In some embodiments, the outsole may be fabricated from a different material than the plurality of segments. In some embodiments, the outsole may be connected to the framework at the external medial side and the external lateral side of the sleeve or upper.
[0080]In some embodiments, the framework as a whole may be printed layer by layer at step 106. For example, one layer of the entire framework (e.g., the outsole and the plurality of segments) may be printed at a time until all of the layers of the framework have been printed onto the portions of the external surface. In some embodiments, portions of the framework may be printed layer by layer prior to other portions of the framework being printed layer by layer. For example, the outsole may be printed layer by layer and then the plurality of segments may be printed layer by layer, or vice versa.
[0081]After printing framework, layer by layer, onto the formed sleeve or upper at step 206, a midsole may be printed, layer by layer, at step 208. In some embodiments, the midsole may be manufactured by an additive manufacturing system (e.g., a 3D printer). Manufacturing a midsole from an additive manufacturing system allows the formation or manufacture of a midsole with complex and customizable geometric features using a molding process that is not limited by midsole design. In some embodiments, the formed midsole may include geometric structures, such as an aperture, opening, a channel, a tunnel, void, or lattice structure formed in the midsole by the additive manufacturing system.
[0082]The use of the terms “lattice portion” or “lattice structure,” herein refer to portions of a negative mold and/or a portion of an article of footwear (e.g., a midsole) formed by one of a plurality of interconnected segments, interconnected shapes, interconnected channels, interconnected openings, and/or interconnected surfaces. In some embodiments, a lattice structure or lattice portion may be formed integrally with a negative mold or a portion of an article of footwear by an additive manufacturing process. In some embodiments, the lattice structure or lattice portion may define at least one cutout, opening, aperture, or absence of material that is formed within a unit cell (e.g., a repeated pattern defined by the lattice structure). The use of a lattice structure within a negative mold and/or a portion of an article of footwear may allow various manufacturing and performance characteristics to be modified, improved, and/or customized. For example, a lattice structure or lattice portion may define a substantially reduced weight or density when compared to a solid material. It follows that the incorporation of a lattice structure or a lattice portion into a shoe or sole may reduce the overall volume or mass of material needed to manufacture an article of footwear. Further, a lattice structure or a lattice portion may include geometric features with improved cushioning properties, when compared to solid material, so the incorporation of a lattice structure or a lattice portion into a midsole may reduce overall weight and improve cushioning performance in an article