US Patent Application 18450158. Method of Making Foams Using Partial Molds simplified abstract
Contents
Method of Making Foams Using Partial Molds
Organization Name
Inventor(s)
Bryan N. Farris of North Plains OR (US)
David Turner of Portland OR (US)
Method of Making Foams Using Partial Molds - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18450158 titled 'Method of Making Foams Using Partial Molds
Simplified Explanation
- The patent application describes a method of making a foamed article, such as a component for footwear, using a thermoplastic polymer. - The process involves heating the unfoamed article to soften it and then infusing it with an inert gas at a higher pressure than atmospheric pressure. - The higher pressure causes the gas to permeate into the softened article. - The pressure is then reduced to a lower level, causing the article to partially foam. - A partial mold is used to limit the expansion of the foam in certain directions. - The article or a part of it can be made from interconnected, unfoamed thermoplastic polymeric members that create openings between them.
Original Abstract Submitted
A method of making a foamed article, for example a foamed component for an article of footwear, includes forming an unfoamed, thermoplastic polymer into an unfoamed article; heating the article to soften the article and infusing the softened article with at least one inert gas at a first pressure greater than atmospheric pressure that is sufficient to cause the at least one inert gas to permeate into the softened article; and reducing the pressure to second pressure below the first pressure with the unfoamed article softened to at least partially foam the article. A surface of a partial mold limits foam expansion in at least one direction but less than all directions. The article or a part of the article may be formed from an unfoamed structure of interconnected, unfoamed, thermoplastic polymeric members spaced to define openings between the thermoplastic polymeric members.
