US2014033578A1PendingUtilityA1

Combined leather-rubber molded outsole system and method

48
Assignee: WASHINGTON SHOE COMPANYPriority: Aug 6, 2012Filed: Jul 17, 2013Published: Feb 6, 2014
Est. expiryAug 6, 2032(~6 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Karl R. Moehring
B29D 35/122A43D 29/00
48
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

Systems and methods are involved with but are not limited to: placing one or more leather portions in a mold, the mold including a cavity with a cavity shape; placing rubber material in the mold; and applying heat to the one or more leather portions and the rubber material while the one or more leather portions and the rubber material are in the mold and subsequently cooling the one or more leather portions and the rubber material thereby fusing one or more portions of the rubber material to the one or more leather portions and thereby conforming one or more portions of the rubber material to one or more portions of the cavity shape. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a footwear outsole comprising:
 placing one or more leather portions in a mold, the mold including a cavity with a cavity shape;   placing rubber material in the mold; and   applying heat to the one or more leather portions and the rubber material while the one or more leather portions and the rubber material are in the mold and subsequently cooling the one or more leather portions and the rubber material thereby fusing one or more portions of the rubber material to the one or more leather portions and thereby conforming one or more portions of the rubber material to one or more portions of the cavity shape.   
     
     
         2 . The method of manufacturing a footwear outsole of  claim 1  wherein the placing one or more leather portions in a mold, the mold including a cavity with a cavity shape comprises:
 placing one or more leather portions in the cavity with a cavity shape of a footwear outsole shape. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of manufacturing a footwear outsole of  claim 1  wherein the placing one or more leather portions in a mold, the mold including a cavity with a cavity shape comprises:
 placing one or more leather portions having one or more substantially flat surfaces in the cavity with a cavity floor having one or more substantially flat surfaces, the one or more substantially flat surfaces of the one or more leather portions contacting the one or more substantially flat surfaces of the cavity floor. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of manufacturing a footwear outsole of  claim 1  wherein the placing one or more leather portions in a mold, the mold including a cavity with a cavity shape comprises:
 placing one or more leather portions in the cavity with a cavity floor having a toe portion including a front edge of the cavity floor wherein the one or more leather portions are positioned other than at the front toe edge of the cavity floor. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of manufacturing a footwear outsole of  claim 1  wherein the placing one or more leather portions in a mold, the mold including a cavity with a cavity shape comprises:
 placing one or more leather portions as one or more leather pieces. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of manufacturing a footwear outsole of  claim 1  wherein the placing rubber material in the mold comprises:
 placing rubber material as one the following: pure latex, latex blended with calcium carbonate, latex blended with rice husks, devulcanized recycled waste rubber, thermoplastic rubber, carbon reinforced rubber, or silica reinforced rubber. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of manufacturing a footwear outsole of  claim 1  wherein the placing rubber material in the mold comprises:
 placing rubber material on top of the one or more leather portions. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of manufacturing a footwear outsole of  claim 1  wherein the placing rubber material in the mold comprises:
 placing rubber material as substantially a rectangular sheet of rubber, a rectangular bar of rubber, or a collection of rubber pieces. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of manufacturing a footwear outsole of  claim 1  wherein the applying heat to the one or more leather portions and the rubber material while the one or more leather portions and the rubber material are in the mold and subsequently cooling the one or more leather portions and the rubber material thereby fusing one or more portions of the rubber material to the one or more leather portions and thereby conforming one or more portions of the rubber material to one or more portions of the cavity shape comprises:
 applying heat to the one or more leather portions and the rubber material while the one or more leather portions and the rubber material are in the mold to raise temperature inside the cavity to between 150 and 170 degrees centigrade. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of manufacturing a footwear outsole of  claim 1  wherein the applying heat to the one or more leather portions and the rubber material while the one or more leather portions and the rubber material are in the mold and subsequently cooling the one or more leather portions and the rubber material thereby fusing one or more portions of the rubber material to the one or more leather portions and thereby conforming one or more portions of the rubber material to one or more portions of the cavity shape comprises:
 applying heat to the one or more leather portions and the rubber material while the one or more leather portions and the rubber material are in the mold to raise pressure inside the cavity to at least double that of atmospheric pressure found at mold location. 
 
     
     
         11 . A footwear outsole comprising:
 one or more leather pieces; and   rubber material, one or more portions of the rubber material having been fused under heat to the one or more leather pieces.   
     
     
         12 . The footwear outsole of  claim 11  wherein the one or more leather pieces comprise:
 one or more leather portions being one or more exterior ground contact surfaces of the footwear outsole. 
 
     
     
         13 . The footwear outsole of  claim 11  wherein the one or more leather pieces comprise:
 one or more leather portions being one or more substantially flat surfaces of the footwear outsole. 
 
     
     
         14 . The footwear outsole of  claim 11  wherein the one or more leather pieces comprise:
 one or more leather portions being other than one or more front toe edge surfaces of the footwear outsole. 
 
     
     
         15 . The footwear outsole of  claim 11  wherein the one or more leather pieces comprise:
 one or more leather portions being one or more exterior surfaces of the footwear outsole positioned therebetween one or more rubber exterior surfaces of the footwear outsole. 
 
     
     
         16 . The footwear outsole of  claim 11  wherein the rubber material, one or more portions of the rubber material having been fused under heat to the one or more leather pieces comprises:
 the rubber material being one the following: pure latex, latex blended with calcium carbonate, latex blended with rice husks, devulcanized recycled waste rubber, thermoplastic rubber, carbon reinforced rubber, or silica reinforced rubber. 
 
     
     
         17 . The footwear outsole of  claim 11  wherein the rubber material, one or more portions of the rubber material having been fused under heat to the one or more leather pieces comprises:
 the rubber material being fused on interior leather surfaces of the one or more leather pieces and being fused to the one or more leather pieces thereby positioned therebetween the one or more leather pieces. 
 
     
     
         18 . The footwear outsole of  claim 11  wherein the rubber material, one or more portions of the rubber material having been fused under heat to the one or more leather pieces comprises:
 the rubber material including tread portions of the footwear outsole. 
 
     
     
         19 . The footwear outsole of  claim 11  wherein the rubber material, one or more portions of the rubber material having been fused under heat to the one or more leather pieces comprises:
 the rubber material including substantially flat exterior portions of the footwear outsole. 
 
     
     
         20 . The footwear outsole of  claim 11  wherein the rubber material, one or more portions of the rubber material having been fused under heat to the one or more leather pieces comprises:
 the rubber material including ground contact surface portions of the footwear outsole.

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