Article of footwear of nonwoven material and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A method of forming a portion of an article of footwear includes the steps of providing a last having an exterior surface, extruding a plurality of polymeric fibers, projecting a stream of the extruded polymeric fibers onto the last to form a mat having the shape of the exterior of the last, and subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in a mold.

1 . A method of forming a portion of an article of footwear comprising the steps of: 
 providing a last having an exterior surface;    extruding a plurality of polymeric fibers;    projecting a stream of the extruded polymeric fibers onto the last to form a mat having the shape of the exterior surface of the last; and    subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in a mold.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are formed of polyurethane.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are formed of a polyether block amide.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the last comprises a frame covered by a mesh material.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the frame and mesh material are formed of metal.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are meltblown.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are spunbond.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in the mold is performed with the mat on the last.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of removing the mat from the last.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold includes at least one surface irregularity to form a mating surface irregularity on the mat.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold includes a recess to form a mating projection on the mat.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold includes a projection to form a mating recess on the mat.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of moving the last as the polymeric fibers are projected onto the last.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of moving the last is performed with a robot.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of moving the stream of extruded polymeric fibers with respect to the last as the polymeric fibers are projected onto the last.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of moving the stream of extruded polymeric fibers is performed with a robot.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of moving the last and moving the stream of extruded polymeric fibers with respect to the last as the polymeric fibers are projected onto the last.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mat forms an upper for an article of footwear.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a vacuum at the exterior surface of the last.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mat is water resistant.  
   
   
       21 . A method of forming an article of footwear comprising the steps of: 
 providing a last having an exterior surface;    providing a vacuum at the exterior surface of the last;    extruding a plurality of polymeric fibers;    depositing at least some of the polymeric fibers onto the last to form a mat having the shape of the exterior of the last;    subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in a mold to form an upper; and    securing the upper to a sole assembly.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the polymeric fibers are formed of polyurethane.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the polymeric fibers are formed of polyether block amide.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the last comprises a frame covered by a mesh material.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the polymeric fibers are meltblown.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the polymeric fibers are spunbond.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of removing the upper from the last.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the mold includes at least one surface irregularity to form a mating surface irregularity on the upper.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the mold includes a recess to form a mating projection on the upper.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the mold includes a projection to form a mating recess on the upper.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the sole assembly includes a midsole and an outsole.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of moving the last as the polymeric fibers are deposited on the last.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of moving the stream of extruded polymeric fibers with respect to the last.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of moving the last as the polymeric fibers are deposited on the last and moving the stream of extruded polymeric fibers with respect to the last.  
   
   
       35 . the method of  claim 21 , wherein the upper is water resistant.  
   
   
       36 . An upper for an article of footwear comprising, in combination: 
 a mat of nonwoven extruded polymeric fibers formed in a shape of an upper for an article of footwear, the upper being seamless.    
   
   
       37 . The upper of  claim 36 , wherein the polymeric fibers are formed of polyurethane.  
   
   
       38 . The upper of  claim 36 , wherein the polymeric fibers are formed of a polyether block amide.  
   
   
       39 . The upper of  claim 36 , wherein the polymeric fibers are meltblown.  
   
   
       40 . The upper of  claim 36 , wherein the polymeric fibers are spunbond.  
   
   
       41 . The upper of  claim 36 , further comprising a surface irregularity on an exterior surface of the upper.  
   
   
       42 . An article of footwear comprising, in combination: 
 a sole assembly; and    an upper secured to the sole assembly, the upper comprising a mat of nonwoven extruded polymeric fibers and being seamless.    
   
   
       43 . The article of footwear of  claim 42 , wherein the sole assembly includes a midsole and an outsole.  
   
   
       44 . The article of footwear of  claim 42 , wherein the polymeric fibers are formed of polyurethane.  
   
   
       45 . The article of footwear of  claim 42 , wherein the polymeric fibers are formed of polyether block amide.  
   
   
       46 . The article of footwear of  claim 42 , wherein the polymeric fibers are meltblown.  
   
   
       47 . The article of footwear of  claim 42 , wherein the polymeric fibers are spunbond.  
   
   
       48 . The article of footwear of  claim 42 , further comprising a surface irregularity on an exterior surface of the upper.  
   
   
       49 . An upper of an article of footwear formed by the steps of: 
 providing a last having an exterior surface;    providing a vacuum at the exterior surface of the last;    extruding a plurality of polymeric fibers;    projecting a stream of the extruded polymeric fibers onto the last to form a mat having the shape of the exterior of the last; and    subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in a mold to form an upper.    
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the polymeric fibers are formed of polyurethane.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the polymeric fibers are formed of a polyether block amide.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the last comprises a frame covered by a mesh material.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the frame and mesh material are formed of metal.  
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the polymeric fibers are meltblown.  
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the polymeric fibers are spunbond.  
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the step of subjecting the mat to heat and pressure in the mold is performed with the mat on the last.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 56 , further comprising the step of removing the mat from the last.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the mold includes at least one surface irregularity to form a mating surface irregularity on the mat.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the mold includes a recess to form a mating projection on the mat.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the mold includes a projection to form a mating recess on the mat.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising the step of moving the last as the polymeric fibers are projected onto the last.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the step of moving the last is performed with a robot.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising the step of moving the stream of extruded polymeric fibers with respect to the last as the polymeric fibers are projected onto the last.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the step of moving the stream of extruded polymeric fibers is performed with a robot.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising the steps of moving the last and moving the stream of extruded polymeric fibers with respect to the last as the polymeric fibers are projected onto the last.