Articles of footwear including unitary footbed-sole components and stitching and methods of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A method of forming an article of footwear according to an embodiment of the present invention includes injection molding a footbed component as a single monolithic piece, the footbed component comprising a footbed having a top surface configured to contact a user's foot when the article of footwear is worn by the user, the footbed component further comprising a stitch-out flange extending laterally outwardly about the footbed, the stitch-out flange having a top surface and a bottom surface; arranging at least a portion of an upper as a layer against the top surface of the stitch-out flange; stitching the upper to the stitch-out flange by applying a stitching pattern completely through the upper and the top and bottom surfaces of the stitch-out flange, for example along a vertical direction with respect to the footbed component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming an article of footwear, the method comprising:
 injection molding a footbed component as a single monolithic piece, the footbed component comprising a footbed having a top surface configured to contact a user's foot when the article of footwear is worn by the user, the footbed component further comprising a stitch-out flange extending laterally outwardly about the footbed, the stitch-out flange having a top surface and a bottom surface;   arranging at least a portion of an upper as a layer against the top surface of the stitch-out flange;   stitching the upper to the stitch-out flange by applying a stitching pattern completely through the upper and the top and bottom surfaces of the stitch-out flange.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the stitching pattern comprises applying the stitching pattern along a vertical direction with respect to the footbed. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein injection molding the footbed comprises injection molding the footbed component of a foaming resin comprising ethylene vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adhering an outsole component to a bottom surface of the footbed component. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein injection molding the footbed component comprises molding an indentation on the bottom surface of the footbed component complementary in shape to the outsole component to receive the outsole component. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adhering a midsole component to a bottom surface of the footbed component. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein injection molding the footbed comprises molding an indentation on the bottom surface of the footbed component complementary in shape to the midsole component to receive the midsole component. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising adhering an outsole component to a bottom surface of the midsole component. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising covering the stitching pattern on the bottom surface of the stitch-out flange with the midsole component. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein stitching the upper to the stitch-out flange is accomplished without any cement or adhesives applied between the upper and the stitch-out flange. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the upper is attached to the footbed component only by the stitching pattern. 
     
     
         12 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a footbed component, wherein the footbed component is injection molded as a single monolithic piece, the footbed component comprising a footbed having a top surface configured to contact a user's foot when the article of footwear is worn by the user, the footbed component further comprising a stitch-out flange extending laterally outwardly about the footbed, the stitch-out flange having a top surface and a bottom surface;   an upper; and   stitching that extends completely through the upper and the top and bottom surfaces of the stitch-out flange to attach the upper to the footbed component.   
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the stitching extends along a vertical direction with respect to the footbed. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the footbed component is formed of a foaming resin comprising ethylene vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , further comprising an outsole component adhered to a bottom surface of the footbed component. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the footbed component further comprises an indentation on the bottom surface of the footbed complementary in shape to the outsole component to receive the outsole component. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , further comprising a midsole component adhered to a bottom surface of the footbed component. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the footbed component comprises an indentation on the bottom surface of the footbed component complementary in shape to the midsole component to receive the midsole component. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , further comprising an outsole component adhered to a bottom surface of the midsole component. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the midsole component covers the stitching on the bottom surface of the stitch-out flange. 
     
     
         21 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein no cement or adhesives are applied between the upper and the stitch-out flange. 
     
     
         22 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the upper is attached to the footbed component only by the stitching.