Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Mold assembly with removable mold tool, bladder for a wearable article, and method of manufacturing the bladder
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Application No.: US16943255Application Date: 2020-07-30
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Publication No.: US11318658B2Publication Date: 2022-05-03
- Inventor: Dervin A. James
- Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US OR Beaverton
- Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
- Current Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US OR Beaverton
- Agency: Quinn IP Law
- Main IPC: B29C51/00
- IPC: B29C51/00 ; B29C51/10 ; B29C51/20 ; B29C51/30 ; B29K23/00 ; B29K75/00 ; B29K101/12 ; B29L31/50

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a wearable article may include providing a modular mold assembly that defines a mold cavity. The modular mold assembly may include a base and a first removable mold tool that interfits with the base. The base may have a mold surface partially defining the mold cavity and the first removable mold tool may have a mold surface disposed at and further defining the mold cavity of the modular mold assembly. A topography of the mold surface of the first removable mold tool may be nonuniform and different than a topography of the mold surface of the base. The method may include disposing polymeric material at the mold cavity, and then thermoforming a bladder in the mold cavity from the polymeric material. The bladder may have an outer surface with a nonuniform topography imparted by the topography of the mold surface of the first removable mold tool.
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