Three dimensional footwear component and method of manufacture
A 3D foam component for an article of footwear and a method for manufacturing a 3D foam component for an article of footwear is provided. The method includes a sequential deposition of liquid droplets of liquid polymer material onto an object carrier. A blowing agent is introduced to the molten polymer prior to or sequentially with or after the discharge of a liquid droplet. The resulting component includes a plurality of foam pellets formed by the expansion and cooling of droplets of liquid polymer material injected with the blowing agent.
1. A method of manufacturing a polymer foam component for an article of footwear comprising:
sequentially dispensing droplets of a liquid polymer material from a discharge unit into a design space at least partially defined by an object carrier configured to support a polymer foam component for an article of footwear during construction;
introducing a blowing agent to the liquid polymer material at least one of before and, during and after the sequentially dispensing step;
generating control signals in response to coordinates of a 3D design for the polymer foam component; and
moving the at least one of the object carrier and the discharge unit relative to the other in response to the control signals;
wherein the polymer foam component comprises a plurality of foam pellets formed by the expansion and cooling of the droplets in the design space,
wherein the discharge unit comprises a material reservoir terminating at an outlet opening, and
wherein the sequentially dispensing step comprises oscillating a nozzle needle within the material reservoir relative to the outlet opening.
2. The method of claim 1 comprising:
oscillating the nozzle needle within the material reservoir relative to the outlet opening in response to the control signals.
3. The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the introducing the blowing agent comprises injecting blowing agent into the material reservoir beneath the nozzle needle.
4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the introducing the blowing agent comprises injecting blowing agent into the material reservoir.
5. The method of claim 4 comprising:
controlling the dispensing rate of droplets from the discharge unit in response to the control signals.
6. The method of claim 5 comprising:
controlling the injection of blowing agent in response to the control signals.
7. A method of manufacturing a polymer foam component for an article of footwear comprising:
sequentially dispensing droplets of a liquid polymer material from a discharge unit into a design space at least partially defined by an object carrier;
expanding the droplets of liquid polymer material by introducing therein a blowing agent;
allowing the droplets of liquid polymer material to cure and produce a plurality of foam pellets that form at least one of a midsole, an outsole and an insole of an article of footwear; and
cooling the droplets of liquid polymer material injected with the blowing agent.
8. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein the blowing agent comprises at least one of a chemical blowing agent and a physical blowing agent.
9. A method of manufacturing a polymer foam component for an article of footwear comprising:
sequentially dispensing droplets of a liquid polymer material from a discharge unit into a design space at least partially defined by an object carrier;
expanding the droplets of liquid polymer material by introducing therein a blowing agent;
allowing the droplets of liquid polymer material to cure and produce a plurality of foam pellets that form at least one of a midsole, an outsole and an insole of an article of footwear; and
varying at least one of a size and a shape of the plurality of foam pellets.
10. The method of claim 9 comprising:
introducing the blowing agent in at least one of the liquid polymer material and the droplets via at least one of a port and a secondary nozzle adjacent a primary nozzle before the droplets are deposited in place within the design space.