Two part sole structures and uses thereof

Abstract

Two part sole structures are provided having a first foam component containing a polyolefin resin with a polyurethane resin component adhered to a surface of the first foam component. For example, in some aspects, a sole structure or a portion thereof is provided having a first sole component containing a foam composition and a second sole component adhered to a surface of the first sole component, where the second sole component includes a polyurethane resin. The second sole component is in some aspects printed or extruded onto the surface of the foam. In particular, midsoles including the foams and having an outsole component on the ground facing portion are provided for use in an article of footwear. Methods of making the sole structures are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the sole structures.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising an upper and a sole structure, the sole structure comprising:
 a first sole component including a first composition, wherein the first composition comprises an olefinic ethylene-octene copolymer elastomer; and   a printed or extruded outsole component adhered to a ground-facing surface of the first sole component, wherein the printed or extruded outsole component comprises an outsole composition, and the outsole composition includes a polyurethane resin.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the first composition is a foamed composition comprising the olefinic ethylene-octene copolymer elastomer. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the first composition further comprises an effective amount of a polymeric resin modifier. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the first composition is substantially free of polyurethane. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the outsole composition is a thermosetting composition. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the outsole composition is substantially free of solvent. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane resin comprises a reaction product of an isocyanate prepolymer with a second prepolymer. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear according to  claim 7 , wherein the second prepolymer is multifunctional. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear according to  claim 7 , wherein the second prepolymer is selected from the group consisting of a diacid prepolymer, a diol prepolymer, a diamine prepolymer, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear according to  claim 9 , wherein the diacid prepolymer is multifunctional. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear according to  claim 9 , wherein the second prepolymer is the diacid prepolymer. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the sole structure further comprises a primer or an adhesive or both a primer and an adhesive between the first sole component and the printed or extruded outsole component. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear according to  claim 12 , wherein the sole structure comprises the primer between the first sole component and the printed or extruded outsole component, and the primer is a polyurethane primer. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear according to  claim 12 , wherein the sole structure comprises the primer between the first sole component and the printed or extruded outsole component, and the primer is a chlorinated polyolefin primer. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear according to  claim 12 , wherein the sole structure comprises the adhesive between the first sole component and the printed or extruded outsole component, and the adhesive is a polyurethane adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the printed or extruded outsole component is a printed outsole component. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the printed or extruded outsole component is an extruded outsole component. 
     
     
         18 . A method of making an article of footwear, the method comprising:
 printing an outsole composition onto a ground-facing surface of a sole component, thereby forming a printed outsole component and adhering the printed outsole component to the ground-facing surface of the sole component;   wherein the sole component includes a sole component composition defining the ground-facing surface of the sole component, and the sole component composition includes an olefinic ethylene-octene copolymer elastomer; and   wherein the outsole composition includes a polyurethane resin.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising heating the ground-facing surface of the sole component prior to the printing. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making an article of footwear, the method comprising:
 extruding an outsole composition onto a ground-facing surface of a sole component, thereby forming an extruded outsole component and adhering the extruded outsole component to the ground-facing surface of the sole component;   wherein the sole component includes a sole component composition defining the ground-facing surface of the sole component, and the sole component composition includes an olefinic ethylene-octene copolymer elastomer; and   
       wherein the outsole composition includes a polyurethane resin.