Articles and Components with UV Radiation Curable Elastomeric Materials and Methods of Making the Same

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an article that includes providing an element formed of an elastomeric material or composite; placing the surface of the element in contact with a substrate; and affixing the element to the substrate. The element includes an uncured, partially cured, or fully cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material and optionally one or more regions of an adhesive material. The element is affixed to the substrate while the surface of the element is in contact with a surface of the substrate by increasing a temperature of at least a portion of the element, applying pressure to at least a portion of the element, or exposing the uncured or partially cured UV radiation curable material to UV radiation in an amount and for a duration of time that is sufficient to partially cure the uncured material or to fully cure the partially cured material.

1 . An article comprising:
 an element having a surface including a layer of a first elastomeric material in a first area, the first elastomeric material including a first uncured ultraviolet (UV) radiation curable elastomeric material, or a first partially cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material, or a first fully cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material, the element having a surface, wherein the first elastomeric material includes a UV radiation curable millable polyurethane gum;   an upper, wherein the first area of the element in affixed with a second area of the upper, wherein the second area is an area of the surface of the upper, and the second area comprises a layer of a second elastomeric material, wherein the second elastomeric material includes a second uncured UV radiation curable elastomeric material, or a second partially cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material, or a second fully cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the element has a shape, the shape formed by molding, cutting or trimming the elastomeric material. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the upper comprises one or more textiles. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more textiles includes knit textiles, woven textiles, non-woven textiles, braided textiles, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more textiles includes fibers or yarns formed from a polymeric material comprising thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs), polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein one or more chemical bonds are formed between the surface of the element and the surface of the upper. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article further includes an adhesive material that defines at least a portion of the surface of the element. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein at least one physical bond exists between the adhesive material and the surface of the upper. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the uncured or partially cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material further comprises one or more photoinitiators. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein the photoinitiators are independently selected from the group consisting of phosphine oxides, benzophenones, a-hydroxy-alkyl aryl ketones, thioxanthones, anthraquinones, acetophenones, benzoins and benzoin ethers, ketals, imidazoles, phenylglyoxylic acids, peroxides, and sulfur-containing compounds. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the adhesive material is a hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the hot melt adhesive is selected as one from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate polymers, polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polyurethanes, styrene block copolymers, polycaprolactone, polycarbonates, fluoropolymers, silicones, and mixtures or copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the upper comprises one or more materials, the one or more materials including leather, thermoset polymers, thermoplastic polymers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic polymers include thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs), polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first elastomeric material comprises the first uncured UV radiation curable elastomeric material. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first elastomeric material comprises the first partially cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first elastomeric material comprises the first fully cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the second elastomeric material comprises the second uncured UV radiation curable elastomeric material. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the second elastomeric material comprises the second partially cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the second elastomeric material comprises the second fully cured UV radiation curable elastomeric material.