当前申请(专利权)人地址：
One Bowerman Drive,Beaverton, Oregon 97005 US | DUTCH PARTNERSHIP,One Bowerman Drive,Beaverton, Oregon 97005 US
摘要：
Methods for manufacturing components of articles, including articles of footwear, apparel, and sporting equipment are provided. The disclosed methods comprise extruding a first composition comprising a plurality of foam particles suspended in a first material, wherein each particle of the plurality of foam particles is formed of a foamed second polymeric material; and solidifying the extruded first composition, forming a component. Also disclosed are first compositions comprising a first material and a plurality of foam particles comprising a foamed second polymeric material suspended in the first material. Articles and methods of manufacturing articles using the disclosed methods and compositions are also provided. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.
技术问题语段：
The patent text describes a method for manufacturing components using foam particles made of thermoplastic elastomers, which can be used in the manufacture of footwear and other athletic equipment. The technical problem addressed by the patent is to provide a method for manufacturing components that combines the speed, customizability, and flexibility of extrusion methods with the useful performance and material properties of foamed polymeric materials. The disclosed methods allow for the fabrication of components with sub-regions of differential material properties, which can be discrete regions or gradients of material properties.
技术功效语段：
The present patent is about methods of making components using foam particles that are extruded with a thermoplastic material. These methods allow for the manufacture of components with improved performance and material properties. The foam particles can be customized and the methods have flexible and customizable methods. The components can be used in the manufacture of footwear, including pre-forms, midsoles, outsoles, sockliners, and heel-cushioning pads. The methods decrease manufacture and build time while permitting the fabrication of components with sub-regions of differential material properties. The patent also describes a method of forming a component by extruding a first composition comprising a plurality of foam particles suspended in a first material, solidifying the extruded first composition, and then using the solidified composition to form the component.
权利要求：
CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. A method of manufacturing a component, the method comprising: extruding a first composition comprising a plurality of foam particles suspended in a first material, wherein each particle of the plurality of foam particles is formed of a foamed second polymeric material; and solidifying the extruded first composition, forming a component.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first material 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.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first material 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 in the molten first polymeric material prior to the extruding.
4. The method according to claim 3, 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.
5. The method according to claim 4, 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.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, 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.
7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the method further comprises shaping the extruded first composition prior to the solidifying, and the solidifying comprises solidifying the shaped extruded first composition.
8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, 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.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the extruding and shaping comprise 2 to 50 of the iterations.
10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising decorating the component.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the decorating comprises applying a coating to the component, or embossing or debossing the component, or both.
12. A first composition comprising: a first material; and a plurality of foam particles comprising a foamed second polymeric material suspended in the first material.
13. The first composition according to claim 12, wherein the first composition comprises from about 1 part to about 50 parts per hundred of the foam particles per part of the first material on a weight basis.
14. The first composition according to any one of the claims 12 to 13, wherein the first material 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.
15. The first composition according to claim 14, 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.
16. The first composition according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of foam particles comprise foam particles having a density of about 0.1 grams per cubic centimeter to about 0.8 grams per cubic centimeter.
17. An article comprising a component comprising the first composition according to any one of claims 12 to 16.
18. The article according to claim 17, wherein the article is a component of an article of footwear, apparel, or sporting equipment,
19. The article according to calim 18, 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.
20. The article according to claim 19, 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.