Conforming membrane for manufacturing footwear

Abstract

A low-pressure operation conforming membrane for manufacturing an article of footwear includes a perimeter portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 15 millimeters forming an outer perimeter of the conforming membrane. The conforming membrane also includes a transition portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 4 millimeters between a first surface and a second surface with the transition portion extending interior to the outer perimeter. The conforming membrane also includes a conforming portion extending from the transition portion in a direction of the second surface and forming a receiving cavity, the conforming portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 4 millimeters. The perimeter portion, the transition portion, and the conforming portion are a unitary construction comprising a common material composition.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A conforming membrane for aiding in the joining of a first article and a second article, the conforming membrane comprising:
 a perimeter portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 15 millimeters forming an outer perimeter of the conforming membrane;   a transition portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 4 millimeters between a first surface and a second surface, wherein the transition portion extends interior to the outer perimeter formed by the perimeter portion; and   a conforming portion extending from the transition portion in a direction of the second surface and forming a receiving cavity, the conforming portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 4 millimeters, wherein the perimeter portion, the transition portion, and the conforming portion are a unitary construction comprising a common material composition.   
     
     
         2 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the first article is a foamed polymer-based article. 
     
     
         3 . The conforming membrane of  claim 2 , wherein the first article is a footwear midsole and the second article is a footwear upper. 
     
     
         4 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter portion further comprises a first surface and a second surface, both of the perimeter portion first surface and the perimeter portion second surface are positioned on a common side of the transition second surface as the conforming portion. 
     
     
         5 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter portion has a thickness in a range of 8 to 12 millimeters. 
     
     
         6 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the outer perimeter defines a planar area of 0.08 to 0.15 square meters. 
     
     
         7 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the outer perimeter has a longitudinal length in a range of 400 to 500 millimeters and a transverse length in a range of 200 to 300 millimeters. 
     
     
         8 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the transition portion completely borders the conforming portion and joins the conforming portion and the perimeter portion. 
     
     
         9 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the conforming portion has a durometer in a range of 60 to 61 Asker C. 
     
     
         10 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the conforming portion has a tensile strength in a range of 84 to 90 kg/cm 3 . 
     
     
         11 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the conforming portion has an elongation percentage of at least 540 percent elongation prior to failure of the conforming portion. 
     
     
         12 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the transition portion and the conforming portion have a same durometer, tensile strength, or elongation. 
     
     
         13 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the conforming portion extends in a range of 70 to 110 millimeters from the transition portion second surface. 
     
     
         14 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the conforming portion extends in a range of 80 to 100 millimeters from the transition portion second surface. 
     
     
         15 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving cavity has a greater width in a transverse direction at a first half in a longitudinal direction than a width in the transverse direction at a second half in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         16 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the conforming portion has a thickness of 2 millimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the material composition comprises natural rubber, silicon dioxide, and calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         18 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the material composition is comprised of 75% to 85% by weight rubber and 5% to 15% silicon dioxide. 
     
     
         19 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the material composition is comprised of 5% to 15% by weight silicon dioxide and 5% to 15% calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         20 . The conforming membrane of  claim 1 , wherein the material composition is comprised of a dispersible silica in a range of 8% to 12% by weight of the material composition. 
     
     
         21 . A press having a conforming membrane for aiding in the joining of a first article and a second article, the press comprising:
 the conforming membrane comprising:
 (1) a perimeter portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 15 millimeters forming an outer perimeter of the conforming membrane; 
 (2) a transition portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 4 millimeters between a first surface and a second surface, wherein the transition portion extends interior to the outer perimeter formed by the perimeter portion; and 
 (3) a conforming portion extending from the transition portion in a direction of the second surface and forming a receiving cavity, the conforming portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 4 millimeters, wherein the perimeter portion, the transition portion, and the conforming portion are a unitary construction comprising a common material composition; and 
   a pressure source fluidly coupled with the press to control a pressure differential between the transition first surface and the transition second surface of 0.5 to 3.9 bar.   
     
     
         22 . A method of manufacturing an article of footwear using a conforming membrane for joining a footwear sole portion and a footwear upper, the method comprising:
 positioning the footwear upper on a securing element;   closing the conforming membrane over the footwear upper on the securing element and the footwear sole portion, with a first surface of the conforming membrane contacting the footwear sole portion and the footwear upper, the conforming membrane comprising:
 (1) a perimeter portion having a thickness in a range of 5 to 15 millimeters forming an outer perimeter of the conforming membrane; 
 (2) a transition portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 4 millimeters between a first surface and a second surface, wherein the transition portion extends interior to the outer perimeter formed by the perimeter portion; and 
 (3) a conforming portion extending from the transition portion in a direction of the second surface and forming a receiving cavity, the conforming portion having a thickness in a range of 1 to 4 millimeters, wherein the perimeter portion, the transition portion, and the conforming portion are a unitary construction comprising a common material composition; 
   generating a pressure differential experienced on the first surface of the conforming membrane and an opposite second surface of the conforming membrane, wherein a pressure at the second surface of the conforming membrane is a greater pressure than a pressure at the first surface; and   after a predefined time period, reducing the pressure differential.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the pressure differential is in a range of 0.5 bar to 3.9 bar. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the predefined time period is at least 25 seconds.