Method of manufacturing an article of sport gear

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an article of sport gear, the method comprising: providing a first component; making a second component by: (i) applying heat to expand polymeric microspheres each comprising a polymeric shell and a fluid encapsulated in the polymeric shell to produce a core of polymeric cellular material that comprises a first side and a second side opposite one another and a body of expanded polymeric microspheres; (ii) molding a covering onto the core of polymeric cellular material such that the covering covers at least part of the first side and at least part of the second side of the core of polymeric cellular material; and mounting the second component to the first component.

1 . A method of manufacturing an article of sport gear, the method comprising:
 a) providing a first component;   b) making a second component by:
 applying heat to expand polymeric microspheres each comprising a polymeric shell and a fluid encapsulated in the polymeric shell to produce a core of polymeric cellular material that comprises a first side and a second side opposite one another and a body of expanded polymeric microspheres; and 
 molding a covering onto the core of polymeric cellular material such that the covering covers at least part of the first side and at least part of the second side of the core of polymeric cellular material; and 
   c) mounting the second component to the first component.   
     
     
         2 . A method of manufacturing a component for an article of sport gear, the method comprising:
 a) molding a core of polymeric cellular material that comprises a first side and a second side opposite one another and a body of expanded polymeric microspheres by applying heat to expand polymeric microspheres each comprising a polymeric shell and a fluid encapsulated in the polymeric shell; and   b) molding a covering onto the core of polymeric cellular material such that the covering covers at least part of the first side and at least part of the second side of the core of polymeric cellular material.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the core of polymeric cellular material is molded in a given mold and the covering is molded onto the core of polymeric cellular material in the given mold. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the core of polymeric cellular material is molded in a first mold and the covering is molded onto the core of polymeric cellular material in a second mold different from the first mold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the covering is molded onto the core of polymeric cellular material after the core of polymeric cellular material is molded. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the covering is molded onto the core of polymeric cellular material by applying heat to the covering onto the core of polymeric cellular material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein molding the core of polymeric cellular material comprises lowering a temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein molding the covering on the core of polymeric cellular material comprises lowering a temperature.