US 7,464,428 B2
Sole elements of varying density and methods of manufacture
Daniel Eugene Norton, El Paso, Tex. (US)
Assigned to adidas International Marketing B.V,, Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Filed on Nov. 01, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/978,828.
Claims priority of application No. 103 52 658 (DE), filed on Nov. 11, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2005/0166423 A1, Aug. 04, 2005
Int. Cl. A43D 25/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 12—146B  [12/146 BR; 12/142 R; 36/142] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a finished sole element for a shoe, the finished sole element having a varying density distribution in at least one direction, the method comprising:
manufacturing a sole element preform from a polymer material; and
press-forming the sole element preform in a forming tool with a selective supply of heat to single sections of a surface of the tool to locally selectively expand areas of the sole element preform to form the finished sole element, wherein a resulting varying density distribution in the finished sole element substantially corresponds to the areas of selective expansion of the sole element preform.