Article of footwear having a multi-layered upper

Abstract

An article of footwear (and a method of manufacturing an article of footwear) can include improved bonding (e.g., reduced delamination potential) between a footwear upper and a sole structure (e.g., along at least a portion of a bite line). For example, a footwear upper can include an outward-facing surface (e.g., an exterior-facing side) that faces away from a foot-receiving cavity. Additionally, the outward-facing surface can include a first region that overlaps with and bonds to a sole structure (e.g., a plate or a midsole) and a second region that does not overlap with the sole structure (e.g., at least a portion of the second region includes a portion of the upper that encloses a foot-receiving space, such as a backstay, instep, vamp, heel, etc.). Examples of the present disclosure relate to various features of the first region that improve bonding with the sole structure, such as through thermal bonding, adhesive bonding, mechanical bonding, chemical bonding, etc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to a footwear article having improved bonding strength between the upper and sole structure of the footwear. Background Technology

[0002] The design and manufacture of footwear and sporting equipment involves a multitude of factors, from aesthetic paradigms and comfort and feel to performance and durability. While designs and fashion may be rapidly evolving, the demand for improved performance in the footwear and sporting equipment market remains constant. Furthermore, the market has shifted towards requiring low-cost and recyclable materials that still meet growing performance requirements. To balance these needs, footwear and sporting equipment designers are employing a wide range of materials and designs for various components. Attached Figure Description

[0003] Other instances of this disclosure will be readily understood when the detailed embodiments described below are read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0004] Figure 1 It is an exterior perspective view of footwear products, and Figure 1 Reference view including cross section AA.

[0005] Figure 2 It is a top-down plan view of footwear products, and Figure 2 Reference view including cross section BB.

[0006] Figure 3 This is a partial deconstructed view of a footwear product, in which part of the upper has been removed.

[0007] Figure 4 It is a flowchart illustrating some of the steps / operations related to the manufacture of footwear products.

[0008] Figure 5A This is a cross-sectional view showing the upper of the shoe with a surface texture.

[0009] Figure 5B This shows a cross-sectional view of the Ströbel attached to the shoe upper.

[0010] Figure 6A The illustration shows the first material that can be formed into the shoe upper.

[0011] Figure 6B The illustration shows another material that can be used to form the upper of a shoe.

[0012] Figure 7A The illustration shows another material that can be used to form the upper of a shoe.

[0013] Figure 7B The illustration shows another material that can be used to form the upper of a shoe. Detailed Implementation

[0014] This disclosure relates to a footwear article (and a method of manufacturing a footwear article) associated with an improved bond (e.g., reduced delamination) between the footwear upper and sole structure and along at least a portion of the interlocking line. For example, the footwear upper may include an outward-facing surface (e.g., an externally facing side) facing away from the foot receiving cavity. Additionally, the outward-facing surface may include a first region that overlaps with and is bonded to the sole structure (e.g., a plate, midsole, outsole, or other portion of the sole structure) and a second region that does not overlap with the sole structure (e.g., at least a portion of the second region includes the portion of the upper surrounding the foot receiving space, such as the heel counter, instep, forefoot, heel, etc.). Examples of this disclosure relate to various features of the first region that improve the bond with the sole structure, such as through thermal bonding, adhesive bonding, mechanical bonding, chemical bonding, etc. (and these features may not be present in the second region, or these features may differ in the second region). In at least some instances, the bonding between the first region of the upper and the sole structure can include a bonding produced by directly molding the sole to the upper, such that the materials of the sole and / or the first region (due to heat) are at least partially softened (e.g., can melt) and fused together (e.g., these materials can be at least partially mixed in a softened state and cured in a mixed state to form a bond). This is one example of bonding, and the properties of the first region can be improved with one or more other types of bonding methods (e.g., mechanical, chemical, adhesive, etc.) to enhance the bonding with the sole structure.

[0015] Footwear uppers may include materials (e.g., synthetic leather materials) having properties (e.g., chemical compositions) configured to bond with a sole structure. For example, the sole structure may include a first thermoplastic composition, and the footwear upper material may include a second thermoplastic composition configured to bond with the first thermoplastic composition (e.g., by thermal bonding) and resist delamination when subjected to forces associated with a user wearing the footwear during sports-related activities. Conventional techniques typically involve applying additional or different properties (e.g., surface properties, including surface chemical compositions) to the footwear upper material (e.g., a first region and a second region), such as by applying a cleaning agent, corona treatment, printing components (e.g., inks or other colorant carriers), surface texture (e.g., a surface with varying embossing or other z-height dimensional offsets), etc. However, it has been found in conjunction with this disclosure that these additional and / or different properties of the footwear upper material can (e.g., when associated with a first region overlapping with the sole structure) reduce the strength of the bond between the footwear upper material and the sole structure. For example, if the first area of ​​the upper that overlaps with the sole structure includes a different surface chemical composition than the sole structure, the bond between the two structures may not be as strong and may have a higher risk of delamination (e.g., based on peel strength tests, it may have lower peel strength).

[0016] In contrast to conventional methods, examples of this disclosure may include a first region of an outward-facing surface (e.g., a first region that overlaps with and is bonded to a sole structure) that has different characteristics compared to a second region of an outward-facing surface (e.g., a second region that does not overlap with a sole structure). The characteristics of the first region, which differ from those of the second region, can improve the bond strength between the first region and the sole. For example, the first region may include a first characteristic on the outermost surface of the outward-facing surface, and this first characteristic differs from a second characteristic on the outermost surface of the outward-facing surface in the second region. Among other things, the first and second characteristics may include chemical compositions (e.g., surface chemistry, which may include thermoplastic compositions), surface textures (or the absence of surface textures), or combinations thereof, or any other surface characteristics that may differ. In some instances, the first and second characteristics are corresponding chemical compositions, and the first characteristic includes a thermoplastic polyolefin resin composition that differs from the second characteristic. For example, the surface in the second region may not contain any amount of thermoplastic polyolefin resin composition, or may contain less than a certain threshold amount (e.g., less than 5% of the composition, such as by weight). In some instances, the second property may include (on the surface of the second region and opposite to the surface of the first region) a cleaning solution composition, a surface with a higher degree of oxidation, a primer composition, an ink composition, a surface texture (e.g., a raised feature that is deeper than that of the first region), or any and all combinations thereof. In some instances, the first property (e.g., a thermoplastic composition on the surface of the first region) may help improve the bonding strength between the footwear upper and sole structure.

[0017] The first region (e.g., having properties different from the second region and contributing to improved bonding with the sole) may include the width extending from the distal edge of the upper (e.g., the distal edge at least partially wrapped under the footbed) to a location aligned with the bite line (e.g., the location or junction where the distal edge of the sole structure aligns with the upper, where the two bond to each other). In at least some instances, this width may vary depending on the location of the first region surrounding the periphery of the footwear article. For example, the first width of the first region along the midfoot may differ from the second width of the first region in the forefoot. In some instances, the varying width associated with the first region may contribute to increased strength in selected areas (e.g., wider areas) and reduced weight in other areas (e.g., narrower areas), and in this respect, the varying width may help balance various overall (sometimes competing or conflicting) characteristics. In other words, in some locations, the first region may include a larger width where increased bonding strength is desired between the upper and other underfoot structures (e.g., sole, durability plate, strobel, etc.), while in other locations, the first region may include a smaller width where sufficient bonding strength can be achieved with a smaller bonding surface area, and this smaller width can contribute to less overall material and a lower overall weight (of the footwear).

[0018] In at least some instances, the outward-facing surface may include a transition region positioned between the first and second regions. For example, the upper may include a first region adjacent to the transition region, which is adjacent to the second region. In some instances, the outermost surface of the transition region is not bonded to the sole structure. For example, the transition region may extend from the cleavage line and into the second region (e.g., extending to a location where the outward-facing surface transitions from having the first characteristic to having the second characteristic). Additionally, the transition region may include characteristics that can facilitate a stronger bond with the sole structure (e.g., a chemical composition, surface texture (or lack thereof), or a combination thereof, or any other surface characteristic), and these characteristics are similar to those of the first region and different from those of the second region. In some instances, the transition region may include (or form) a cushioning region that prevents the characteristics of the second region from being associated with the surface bonded to the sole structure, and in this respect, the cushioning region may reduce the likelihood of bonding failure and delamination between the upper (in the first region) and the sole structure. In at least some cases, the transition region may extend around the entire periphery of the footwear article. In some instances, the width of the transition region (e.g., from the cleavage line to the second region) is the same at two or more locations around the periphery. In some instances, the width of the transition zone (e.g., from the occlusal line to the second zone) can vary depending on its position around the periphery.

[0019] One or more different known surface analysis techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or similar techniques, can be used to assess the surface chemical composition (e.g., for one or more regions associated with the upper). For example, one or more surface analysis techniques can be used to analyze the surface chemical composition of a second region of the upper (which does not overlap with and is not bonded to the sole) to assess whether the surface of the second region differs from the transition region and / or the first region. In at least some instances, surface analysis techniques can be used to determine whether the second region includes one or more properties that are detrimental to bonding with the sole structure (compared to the properties of the first and / or transition regions). In at least some instances, surface analysis techniques can be used to determine whether the second region includes a higher amount of polymeric material (e.g., PU, ​​such as in inks or other surface layers) that differs from the thermoplastic composition of the sole structure (e.g., thermoplastic polyolefin resin composition) compared to the first and / or second regions. In at least some instances, surface analysis techniques can be used to determine whether the second region is more oxidized than the first and / or second regions.

[0020] At least some instances of this disclosure relate to the strength of the bond between the upper and sole structure. The strength of the bond can be evaluated in various ways, measuring its ability to resist delamination under stress. In some instances, these tests may be referred to as “peel strength tests.” In at least some cases, peel strength can be measured based on the SATRA TM411.

[0021] The terms “an,” “a,” “the,” “at least one,” and “one or more” are used interchangeably to indicate the presence of at least one of the items. When such terms are used, multiple such items may exist unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. Unless explicitly or clearly indicated otherwise in the context (including the appended claims), all numerical values ​​of parameters (e.g., quantities or conditions) in this specification shall be understood to be modified in all cases by the term “about,” regardless of whether “about” actually appears before the numerical value. “About” indicates that the stated numerical value allows for some slight imprecision (numerically close to exact; close to or quite close to the value; approximately). If the imprecision provided by “about” is not understood in that ordinary sense in the art, then “about” as used herein at least indicates a variation that can be caused by common methods of measuring and using such parameters. If the numerical definition is necessary for understanding the scope of the claimed element, the term “about” may include + / - 10% of a given element. Furthermore, disclosure of a scope shall be understood to specifically disclose all values ​​within that scope and further subdivisions of the scope.

[0022] The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, or components. The order of steps, processes, and operations may be changed where possible, and additional or alternative steps may be employed. As used herein, the term “or” includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items. The term “any of…” should be understood to include any possible combination of the referenced items, including any one of the referenced items. The term “any of…” should be understood to include any possible combination of the referenced claims in the appended claims, including any one of the referenced claims.

[0023] For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives may be used throughout the detailed description corresponding to the illustrated examples. Those skilled in the art will recognize that terms such as “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “top,” and “bottom” may be used descriptively with respect to the drawings and not to limit the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0024] Throughout the specific embodiments and in the claims, the term "longitudinal" refers to the direction in which the length of the extending component is directed. For example, the longitudinal direction of a shoe extends between the forefoot and heel areas. The terms "forward" or "front" are used to refer to a general direction from the heel area toward the forefoot area, while the terms "backward" or "rear" are used to refer to the opposite direction, i.e., from the forefoot area toward the heel area. In some cases, a component may be identified as having a longitudinal axis and forward and backward longitudinal directions along that axis. The longitudinal direction or axis may also be referred to as the front-back direction or axis.

[0025] As may be used throughout this specific embodiment and in the claims, the term "lateral" refers to the direction of the width of the extending component. For example, the lateral direction of a shoe extends between the outer and inner sides of the shoe. The lateral direction or axis may also be referred to as the outer direction or axis, or the middle outer direction or axis.

[0026] As may be used throughout this specific embodiment and in the claims, the term "vertical" refers to a direction substantially perpendicular to both the lateral and longitudinal directions. For example, when the sole is laid flat on a ground surface, the vertical direction can extend upwards from the ground surface. It should be understood that each of these directional adjectives can be applied to various components of the sole. The term "upwards" or "upwardly" refers to a vertical direction pointing towards the top of a component, which may include the instep, fastening area, and / or throat of the upper. The term "downwards" or "downwardly" refers to a vertical direction pointing towards the bottom of a component, opposite to the upward direction, and can generally refer to the bottom of the sole structure of a footwear article.

[0027] The “interior” of footwear (such as a shoe) refers to the portion of the space occupied by the wearer’s foot when the shoe is worn. The interior may also be referred to as the foot-receiving cavity. The “inner side” of a component refers to the side or surface of a component in an assembled footwear article that faces (or will face) the interior of the component or footwear article. The “inner side” may also be referred to as the “inward-facing side” or “inward-facing surface.” The “outer side” or “outer surface” of a component refers to the side or surface of a component in an assembled shoe that is oriented away from (or will be oriented away from) the interior of the shoe. The “outer side” may also be referred to as the “outward-facing side” or “outward-facing surface,” as well as the “outer-facing side” or “outer-facing surface.” In some cases, other components may be located between the inner side of a component and the interior of the assembled footwear article. Similarly, other components may be located between the outer side of a component and the exterior of the assembled footwear article. Furthermore, the terms "inward" and "inner" refer to directions toward the interior of a component or footwear product (such as a shoe), and the terms "outward" and "outer" refer to directions toward the exterior of a component or footwear product (such as a shoe). Additionally, the term "proximal" refers to the direction closer to the center of the footwear component or closer to the foot when the user inserts their foot into the footwear. Similarly, the term "distal" refers to the relative position further away from the center of the footwear component or further away from the foot when the user inserts their foot into the footwear. Therefore, the terms proximal and distal can be understood as providing generally relative terms to describe relative spatial positions.

[0028] Various examples are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, and in some cases, the structure, relationships, and / or function of the examples can be better understood by referring to these specific embodiments. However, the examples associated with the subject matter of this application are not limited to those illustrated in the drawings or explicitly described below. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In some cases, details may be omitted for clarity, brevity, and / or simplicity, but this does not preclude the inclusion of those details associated with the examples of this disclosure.

[0029] Footwear products

[0030] Now for reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 To describe the components of footwear product 10. Figure 1 The outer side of footwear 10 is depicted. Figure 2 The top of the footwear is depicted, and Figure 3 Partially deconstructed views are depicted. In one example, the footwear article may include a football / rugby boot. In other examples, the footwear article may include a variety of other types of footwear articles, such as other footwear articles with or without cleats (e.g., for American football, golf, basketball, sportswear / casual, tennis shoes, hiking boots / shoes, etc.). When describing the various figures mentioned in this disclosure, the same reference numerals refer to the same parts in all views (although the parts may not be exactly the same).

[0031] Footwear article 10 includes at least two main components, namely a sole structure 12 and an upper 14. When footwear article 10 is worn (as intended on the foot), the sole structure 12 is typically positioned near the sole surface of the foot (i.e., the bottom of the foot). The sole structure 12 protects the bottom of the foot and, in addition, reduces ground reaction forces, absorbs energy, provides traction friction, and controls foot movements such as pronation and supination. The upper 14 is attached to the sole structure 12 and, together with the sole structure 12, forms a foot receiving cavity 16. Figure 2 In other words, while the sole structure 12 typically surrounds the bottom of the foot, the upper 14 extends over and at least partially covers the back portion of the foot (i.e., the top or instep of the foot) and secures the footwear 10 to the foot. The upper 14 includes a foot insertion opening 18 through which the foot is inserted when the footwear 10 is worn, thereby positioning the foot into the foot receiving cavity 16.

[0032] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As indicated, footwear article 10 may include a forefoot region 20, a midfoot region 22, a heel region 24, and an ankle region 26. The forefoot region 20, midfoot region 22, and heel region 24 extend through the sole structure 12 and the upper 14. The ankle region 26 is located within a portion of the upper 14. The forefoot region 20 generally includes the portion of footwear article 10 corresponding to the toe and the joints connecting the metatarsals and phalanges. The midfoot region 22 generally includes the portion of footwear article 10 corresponding to the arch and instep of the foot. The heel region 24 corresponds to the posterior portion of the foot (including the calcaneus). The ankle region 26 corresponds to the ankle. The forefoot region 20, midfoot region 22, heel region 24, and ankle region 26 are not intended to delineate precise areas of footwear article 10, but rather to represent general areas of footwear article 10 to aid in understanding various aspects of this specification. Additionally, these general areas may be used to describe parts of the footwear article using relative terms. For example, the first structure can be described as being closer to the heel than the second structure, in which case the second structure would be more towards the toes and closer to the forefoot.

[0033] Footwear product 10 also has an inner side 28 (in) Figure 2 Identified and in Figure 1 (Center is obscured) and outer 30 (in) Figure 2 Identified and in Figure 1 (See image). The medial side 28 and the lateral side 30 extend through each of the forefoot region 20, midfoot region 22, heel region 24, and ankle region 26, and correspond to opposite sides of the footwear article 10, respectively falling on opposite sides of the longitudinal midline reference plane 29 of the footwear article 10, as understood by those skilled in the art. For example, the longitudinal midline reference plane 29 may pass through the foremost point and the rearmost point of the sole structure. Therefore, the medial side 28 is considered to be opposite to the lateral side 30. Generally, the lateral side corresponds to the outer region of the foot (i.e., the surface facing away from the other foot), and the medial side corresponds to the inner region of the foot (i.e., the surface facing the other foot). On the other hand, the footwear article includes a forefoot portion (e.g., further forward) and a rearfoot portion (e.g., further backward), which fall on opposite sides of the latitudinal midline reference plane 31 of the footwear article 10. The latitudinal midline reference plane 31 extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal midline reference plane 29 and the ground surface plane, and is evenly spaced between the foremost point and the rearmost point of the footwear 10. Additionally, these terms can also be used to describe the relative positions of different structures. For example, a first structure closer to the inner portion of the footwear can be described as being inside a second structure that is closer to the outer region and further outward. Conversely, a first structure closer to the front end of the footwear can be described as being in front of a second structure that is closer to the rear end.

[0034] When describing footwear, the relative terms "bottom" and "top" can also be used. For example, the top portion usually corresponds to the upper part that is closer to the head when a person's foot is flat on a level ground surface and the person is standing upright, while the bottom portion usually corresponds to the lower part that is further away from the head and closer to the ground surface.

[0035] The sole structure 12 of the footwear product 10 may include sole components, such as one or more plates, a midsole, an outsole, an insole, etc. Additionally, as in... Figure 1 As depicted in reference view AA, at least a portion 110 of the upper 14 may be attached to at least a portion 112 of the sole structure 14. In some instances, at least a portion of the surface of the upper 14 attached to the sole structure 12 may comprise a synthetic leather material as described herein, optionally wherein the attachment surface of the upper 14 is at least partially defined by a polyolefin resin composition as described herein. In some instances, both the attachment surface of the upper 14 and the attachment surface of the sole structure 12 may comprise a polyolefin resin composition. The bonding strength between two surfaces both formed of a polyolefin composition is generally stronger than the bonding strength between a first surface formed of a polyolefin composition and a second surface formed of a non-polyolefin polymer composition, because the surface energy of polyolefins is generally different from other types of polymer materials commonly used in footwear manufacturing. Since the bond strength of a thermal bond formed between two polyolefin resin compositions is generally greater than that of an adhesive bond (e.g., a bond formed using a hot melt adhesive or bonding agent), it is advantageous to use a thermal bond to attach the surfaces together when both the surface of the upper and the surface of the sole structure are defined by a polyolefin resin composition, wherein the polyolefin resin composition of the upper and / or sole structure is softened or melted and then re-cured to form a bond.

[0036] As used in this disclosure, "thermal bonding" can include bonding between two components that is formed when at least one of the two components is heated to at least a softening point and comes into contact with the other of the two components, such that the two components are bonded upon cooling. In some instances, the two components are bonded by chemical bonding, by mechanical bonding, or by a combination of chemical and mechanical bonding. For example, in some cases, thermal bonding can include chemical bonding based on van der Waals forces, dipole interactions, and / or dispersive forces, although the covalent bonding of the components may not necessarily be modified or altered (e.g., neither created nor destroyed). In at least some instances, thermal bonding can include mechanical bonding, such as where softened material of a heated component flows around a portion of another component and solidifies upon cooling to at least partially encapsulate that portion. In at least some instances, at least a small amount of material from a first component (e.g., sole structure 12) may be mixed with at least a small amount of material from a second component (e.g., upper 14, including the portion of the upper overlapping with sole structure 12). The degree of mixing can depend on various factors, such as the degree to which one or both components are heated and / or the amount of time for which heat is applied.

[0037] In some instances, the materials for both the upper and the sole can be softened, at least partially mixed together, and then cured to form a bond. The polyolefin resin composition of the synthetic leather material can be the same as the polyolefin resin composition of the sole structure. The polymer components of the two polyolefin resin compositions (i.e., the portion of the composition consisting of all the polymers present in the polyolefin resin composition) can include the same type of polymer at the same concentration, or can include the same type of polymer at different concentrations, or can include different types of polymers. The polyolefin components of the two polyolefin resin compositions (i.e., the portion of the composition consisting of all the polyolefins present in the polyolefin resin composition) can include the same type of polyolefin at the same concentration, or can include the same type of polyolefin at different concentrations, or can include different types of polyolefins.

[0038] In some instances, the sole structure 12 can be made of a variety of other materials and can include a variety of elements (e.g., in addition to polyolefin resin compositions). For example, the sole structure 12 may include a compressible polymer foam element (e.g., polyurethane or vinyl acetate (EVA) foam) that attenuates ground reaction forces (i.e., provides cushioning) when compressed between the foot and the ground during walking, running, or other walking activities. In other aspects, the sole may include fluid-filled chambers, plates, regulators, or other elements that further attenuate forces, enhance stability, or influence foot movement. The sole may be a single piece or may be multiple components integrated into a single unit. In some aspects, the sole may include a midsole integrated into the outsole as a single unit. The outsole may be a single piece or may be several outsole components and may be formed of an abrasion-resistant rubber material that may be textured to impart adhesive friction and / or may include adhesive friction elements such as outsole patterns or studs attached to the midsole. The outsole can extend the entire length and width of the sole or only partially span the length and / or width.

[0039] As indicated, the upper 14 typically includes a portion that overlaps with and connects to the sole structure 12. In an example, the interlocking line 116 is the junction between the end edge 114 of the sole structure 12 and the upper 14. Additionally, the footwear article 10 may include a strobel 120 (or a durable plate or other durable panel). The strobel 120 can be used to provide structural integrity at the bottom of the upper 14, such as when the upper 14 is lasted and bonded to the sole structure 12. In some instances, the strobel 120 may also contribute to other properties in the footwear article 10, such as cushioning, motion control (e.g., motion control of the wearer's foot relative to the footwear article 10), stiffness, etc. In some instances, the strobel may be covered by an insole or other material layer.

[0040] Examples of this disclosure relate to footwear articles 10 associated with an improved combination (e.g., reduced likelihood of delamination) between footwear upper 14 and sole structure 12. In an example, the footwear upper 14 includes outward-facing surfaces 122a (first region), 122b (transition region), and 122c (second region) facing away from the foot receiving cavity 16. Additionally, the outward-facing surfaces 122a to 122c may include a first region 122a that overlaps with and is incorporated into the sole structure 12 (e.g., a plate, midsole, outsole, or other sole component) and is further... Figure 1 In the cross-sectional view, the extent (e.g., length) of the first region 122a is indicated by reference arrow 124a. In an example, the outward-facing surfaces 122a to 122c may include a second region 122c that does not overlap with the sole structure 12, and... Figure 1In the deconstructed view, at least a portion of the extent (e.g., length) of the second region 122c is indicated by reference arrow 124c. Examples of this disclosure relate to various features of the first region 124a that improve the bond with the sole structure 12, such as through thermal bonding, adhesive bonding, mechanical bonding, chemical bonding, etc.

[0041] In examples, the footwear upper 14 may include a material (e.g., synthetic leather material) having properties (e.g., chemical compositions) configured to bond with the sole structure 12. For example, the sole structure 12 may include a first thermoplastic composition, and the footwear upper 14 (e.g., the textile of the footwear upper 14 and / or a coating or other material attached to the surface of the textile) may include a second thermoplastic composition configured to adequately bond with the first thermoplastic composition (e.g., by thermal bonding). Examples of this disclosure may include a first region 122a of the outward-facing surface (e.g., overlapping and bonded to the sole structure 12), which has different properties compared to a second region 122c of the outward-facing surface (e.g., not overlapping with the sole structure). For example, the first region 122a may include a first property (e.g., ...) on the outermost surface of the outward-facing surface. Figure 6A (where the outermost surface is represented by layer 620), and the first characteristic differs from the second characteristic, which is on the outermost surface of the outward-facing surface in the second region 122c (e.g., Figure 6B The outermost surface is represented by layer 630, which can be a decorative layer or another layer. Figure 1 In the second region 122c, the second characteristic is indicated by dotted portion 129 and dotted portion 128, while the first region 122a does not have dotted portion 129 and dotted portion 128.

[0042] Among other things, the first and second characteristics may include chemical compositions (e.g., surface chemistry or surface chemical compositions), surface textures, or combinations thereof, or any other surface characteristics that may differ. In some instances, each of the first and second characteristics is a corresponding chemical composition, and the first characteristic includes a thermoplastic polyolefin resin composition that differs from the second characteristic. For example, the surface in the second region 122c may not contain any amount of thermoplastic polyolefin resin composition, or may include amounts less than a certain threshold (e.g., less than 5% of the composition, such as by weight). In some instances, the second characteristic may include a cleaning solution composition, a surface with a higher degree of oxidation (compared to the first region), a primer composition, an ink composition (e.g., polyurethane or other chemical compositions different from thermoplastic polyolefin resin compositions), surface textures, or any and all combinations thereof. The second region 122c may have different characteristics in different areas of the upper 14. For example, the second region 122c may have an ink composition in some regions (e.g., 129 depicted with the first dotted pattern), and the second region 122c may have different properties in some other regions (e.g., 128 depicted with the second dotted pattern) imparted by different ink compositions, corona treatments, cleaning solutions, etc. In this example, the first property may help improve the bonding strength between the footwear upper and sole structure.

[0043] refer to Figure 5A The illustration depicts an example associated with a second region 122c having a surface texture (e.g., grooves or other recesses or embossed shapes or patterns) having one or more relief depths 510 and 512. The relief depth is the distance between the outermost surface of the second region 122c and the base or bottom surface of the relief portion. In at least some instances, the relief depth may be approximately zero. In at least some instances, a second characteristic associated with the second region 122c may include a larger relief depth (e.g., 510). In at least some instances, the relief depth can taper from a larger relief depth to a smaller relief depth as the outermost surface extends from a first position further away from the occlusal line to a second position closer to the occlusal line. In some instances, this taper can reach a relief depth of almost zero. In at least some instances, this taper can reduce the likelihood that the surface texture might reduce the peel strength of the bond between the upper 14 and the sole structure 12. In other words, in at least some instances, if the portions of the upper that overlap with the sole structure (e.g., for bonding) include a large relief depth, the raised portions of the upper are more likely to contact the sole structure to a lesser extent (e.g., compared to an upper with lower relief), and therefore, reducing the relief height can increase the likelihood that the raised portion of the upper (with relief) has greater contact (e.g., over a larger surface area) and can form a stronger bond.

[0044] The first region 122a may include a width (e.g., indicated by arrow 124a) extending from the distal edge 126 of the upper 14 (e.g., the distal edge wrapping under the footbed) to a position aligned with the bite line 116. In at least some instances, this width may vary depending on the location of the first region 122a. For example, the first width of the first region 122a along the midfoot may differ from the second width of the first region in the forefoot. In some instances, the varying width associated with the first region 122a may help balance various overall (and sometimes competing or conflicting) characteristics. For example, in some locations, the first region may include a larger width where increased bonding strength is desired between the upper and other underfoot structures (e.g., sole, durability plate, etc.), while in other locations, the first region may include a smaller width where sufficient bonding strength can be achieved with a smaller bonding surface area, and this smaller width may contribute to less overall material and a lower overall weight (of the footwear).

[0045] In at least some instances, the outward-facing surface may include a transition region 122b spatially positioned between the first region 122a and the second region 122c. In some instances, the outermost surface of the transition region 122b is not bonded to the sole structure 12. For example, the transition region 122b may extend from a position aligned with the cleavage line 116 into the second region 122c. Additionally, the transition region may include properties similar to the first region 122a but different from those of the second region 122c (e.g., chemical composition, surface texture, or a combination thereof, or any other surface property). In some instances, the transition region 122b may include a buffer region that prevents the properties of the second region 122c from being associated with the surface bonded to the sole structure, which could otherwise reduce the likelihood of bonding failure and delamination. In at least some cases, the transition region 122b may extend around the entire periphery of the footwear article (e.g., along the entire cleavage line 116). In some cases, the transition region 122b may extend around a portion of the periphery of the footwear article (e.g., along a portion of the cleavage line 116).

[0046] In some instances, the width of the transition region (as indicated by reference arrow 124b) can vary depending on its position around the perimeter. For example, in Figure 2The cross reference BB is marked in the middle, and the dimension 124b of the transition area 122b is marked accordingly. In some instances, the width dimension 124b in the forefoot or toe can be smaller than the corresponding width dimension 124b of the transition area 122b in other areas along the footwear article 10. Furthermore, providing a smaller transition area can reduce the potential damage to the surface coverings (e.g., inks or other printed components; protective layers; abrasion layers; etc.) associated with the second area 122c in the desired area, while still ensuring some cushioning between the second area 122c and the bite line 116.

[0047] In at least some instances, Strobel 120 (e.g., see also...) Figure 5B The strobel 120 (or any part thereof) is attached to the edge of the upper 14, which at least partially covers the underside of the footbed. The strobel 120 can be attached to the upper 14 in various ways, such as by stitching, adhesion, chemical bonding, mechanical bonding, thermal bonding, and any combination thereof. In some instances, the inward-facing surface 125 of the cavity 16 facing the foot (e.g., Figure 1 and Figure 3 ) adheres to Strobel 120. For example, hot melt adhesive (e.g., Figure 5B 127) can be used to attach the inward-facing surface 125 to the Strombel 120. In some instances, a portion or section of the upper can be bonded to the Strombel 120 with adhesive, while another different portion or section of the upper can be sewn together.

[0048] refer to Figure 3 The image depicts a partial deconstructed view of footwear article 10, and unless otherwise explicitly indicated, footwear article 10 may include elements related to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The same features are depicted and described. For example, footwear article 10 includes an upper 14 bonded to a sole structure 12, and a portion or region 122a of the upper overlaps with and is directly bonded to the sole structure 12. Additionally, footwear article 10 may include an inwardly facing surface 125 attached to a strobel 120. Furthermore, the upper 14 may include a second region 122c that has different characteristics compared to region 122a, and for illustrative purposes, a theoretical interlocking line 116 is identified.

[0049] In the examples disclosed herein, the portion of the upper 14 extending below the interlocking line 116 may be referred to as the joining skirt (e.g., the joining woven edge), and... Figure 3 The figure is marked with reference numeral 130 (see also the attached figure). Figure 1(Referencing view AA in the diagram). In at least some instances, the joining skirt 130 includes a region 122a of an outward-facing surface. In some instances, the joining skirt 130 may include an inward-facing surface 125. In some instances of this disclosure, the joining skirt 130 may include a size dimension (e.g., width) measured from edge 126 to occlusal line 116, and... Figure 1 In reference view AA, the width dimension of the combined skirt 130 is identified by reference numeral 132.

[0050] In this example, the width 132 of the connecting skirt 130, measured from edge 126 to the interlocking line 116, can be consistent at two or more locations surrounding the periphery of the footwear article 10. For example, the dimensions of the connecting skirt 130 can be the same at two or more locations in the heel area, midfoot area, toe area, medial side, lateral side, and any combination thereof.

[0051] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the dimensions (e.g., width) of the joining skirt 130, measured from edge 126 to the interlocking line 116, can vary between two or more locations around the periphery of the footwear article 10. For example, the dimensions of the joining skirt 130 at a location associated with the toe or forefoot can be larger than the dimensions of the joining skirt 130 at a more rearward portion of the footwear article. As an illustration, in Figure 2 The cross reference BB is identified, and the dimension 134 of the connecting skirt 130 is marked accordingly. In some instances, the width dimension 134 may be greater than the width dimension 132. Among other things, providing a larger connecting skirt 130 with a larger surface area (e.g., on the outward-facing surface and on the inward-facing surface) can provide a stronger bond with the sole structure 12 and / or with the Struber 120 in areas that may be subjected to greater or more frequent forces (e.g., forces such as those caused by the wearer's activities).

[0052] Footwear articles including the first region 122a, the transition region 122b, and the second region 122c can be constructed or manufactured in various ways (e.g., Figure 4 (The operation is illustrated in the diagram). In some instances, the upper may include a first surface (e.g., before it is attached to the sole structure). Figure 4The first surface (422) is configured to operate or function as an outward-facing surface when the upper is bonded to the sole structure, and the second surface is configured to operate as an inward-facing surface (e.g., facing a foot-receiving cavity). In at least some instances, the first surface, which will ultimately function as an outward-facing surface, may include one or more properties (e.g., chemical composition, texture, etc.) that facilitate bonding (e.g., thermal bonding) with the sole structure. For example, the first surface may include a thermoplastic composition (e.g., a thermoplastic polyolefin resin composition) configured to form a strong bond with a thermoplastic composition (e.g., a thermoplastic polyolefin resin composition) of the sole structure.

[0053] In some instances, the masking material 450 is applied to a first surface (e.g., a masking portion applied to the first surface) and along the outer periphery of the upper. This masking material (e.g., the masking portion of the first surface) can extend from the distal outer periphery of the upper (e.g., from the edge 126 that will be wrapped under the footbed and, in some cases, attached to the durability plate or strobel) and inward to a location extending beyond the first surface where it will ultimately align with the bite line when the upper is attached to the sole. Alternatively, the masking material can terminate outside the final bite line, exposing the central portion of the first surface. That is, the portion of the masking material 450 that extends from the distal outer periphery of the upper and inward beyond the final bite line (and to the central exposed portion) can function as a transition or buffer zone. In the case of applying the masking material, the first surface may include a masked outer periphery and an exposed central portion. In some instances, at least a portion of the upper covered by the clasp will operate as a first region 122a associated with the combined skirt (e.g., 130). In some instances, at least a portion of the upper covered by the clasp will include a transition region 122b.

[0054] In some instances, with a masking agent applied to a first surface and along its peripheral edge, one or more operations are performed on the exposed central portion of the first surface, and these operations can modify the surface properties of the exposed central portion. In these instances, the masking agent reduces the likelihood that the operations will modify the surface properties of the masked peripheral edge (e.g., the thermoplastic composition of the masked peripheral edge can still include states conducive to bonding with the sole structure, even though the properties of the exposed central portion are modified). In at least one instance, the operation may include cleaning the first surface by applying a cleaning agent, and the application of the cleaning agent can modify the surface properties of the exposed central portion, while the masking agent reduces the likelihood that the masked peripheral edge will change. In at least one instance, the operation may include subjecting the first surface to a corona treatment, and the corona treatment can modify the surface properties of the exposed central portion (e.g., by oxidizing the surface), while the masking agent reduces the likelihood that the masked peripheral edge will change. In some instances, the operation may include applying a primer to the first surface, and the primer can modify the surface properties of the exposed central portion, while the masking agent reduces the likelihood that the masked peripheral edge will change. In some instances, the operation may include applying ink to a first surface (e.g., by screen printing or other ink application processes), and the ink (e.g., comprising at least some polymers other than polyolefins) may modify the surface properties of the exposed central portion while the masking reduces the likelihood of changes in the masked peripheral edges. In some instances, the operation may include applying a surface texture to the first surface (e.g., by depositing material with a raised pattern and / or by imprinting the surface texture into the surface), and the surface texture (e.g., comprising raised areas of depth) may modify the surface properties of the exposed central portion while the masking reduces the likelihood of changes in the masked peripheral edges.

[0055] In at least some instances, after one or more operations modifying the surface properties of the exposed central portion, the covering may be removed to expose the peripheral edge of the first surface, which still includes one or more properties (e.g., chemical composition, texture, etc.) that facilitate bonding with the sole structure (e.g., thermal bonding). As indicated above, the now uncovered peripheral edge may include a portion that would comprise the first region 122a and the transition region 122b.

[0056] One or more different lasting techniques can be used to last the shoe upper. In some instances, the strobel or durability plate is joined (e.g., by stitching, adhesive, etc.) to a second surface of the upper (e.g., a surface on the side of the upper opposite the first surface, and also referred to herein as the inward-facing surface). For example, the outer edge of the upper (e.g., the joining skirt 130) can be wrapped under the last (e.g., by stretching or pulling the outer edge) and attached to the strobel or durability plate. In some instances, the strobel is positioned on the underside of the last, and the joining skirt 130 is pulled under the last and attached to the underside of the strobel. In some instances, a portion of the upper (a portion of the joining skirt 130) can be pre-attached to the strobel before being positioned on the last. For example, pre-attachment can be done by stitching, adhesive, or any other strobel attachment technique. In some instances, pre-attachment can occur in the heel area.

[0057] In some instances, when the joining skirt 130 is attached to the Strombel (e.g., attaching the inward-facing surface of the joining skirt 130 to the underside of the Strombel), the various portions of the joining skirt 130 are stretched to different degrees beneath the last. In some instances, it is desirable to increase the tension to ensure that as much of the outward-facing surface as possible is available for joining to the sole structure. In some instances, it is desirable to increase the tension to minimize the size of the transition area. In some instances, a smaller tension is applied to ensure sufficient cushioning between the second region 122c and the actual bite line (e.g., once the sole structure is attached). In some instances, different tensions applied at different areas of the joining skirt 130 can help to further pull the theoretical bite line and transition area 122b beneath the last or position them higher on the last. Thus, once the sole structure is joined to the upper (e.g., directly injection molded onto the upper, where the upper is on the last), the width (e.g., 124b) can vary at different locations around the perimeter.

[0058] In examples where the upper is arranged on a last, one or more additional operations may be performed to attach the upper to the Strombel and / or prepare the upper for bonding to the sole structure. For example, in some cases where the upper (e.g., the inward-facing surface of the upper) is bonded to the Strombel or a durable plate by adhesive (e.g., by heat melt 127 along the bonding interface), the upper may be sanded or polished (e.g., in…). Figure 5B (Near 129) to reduce the likelihood of excess adhesive on the first surface of the upper, which can increase the likelihood that the outer edge of the first surface retains one or more properties (e.g., chemical composition, texture, etc.) that contribute to bonding with the sole structure (e.g., thermal bonding). When necessary, additional bonding and sanding / polishing can be performed to fully bond any portion of the edge to the Struber or durability plate.

[0059] More specifically, in some instances, the strobel and the inward-facing side of the upper (e.g., the inward-facing side of the combined skirt) may comprise textiles or composite textiles, including knitted textiles, woven textiles, nonwoven textiles, spacer textiles, foam layers, and any combination thereof. In at least one instance, at least the lower side of the strobel 120 (e.g., the side facing away from the foot receiving cavity) and the inward-facing side 125 of the combined skirt 130 may comprise corresponding nonwoven textiles. Additionally, in some instances, the lower side of the strobel 120 may be bonded (e.g., via 127) to the inward-facing surface 125 of the upper (e.g., along the combined skirt 130) via a hot-melt film (e.g., a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) hot-melt film) by an adhesive. Thus, the bonding interface may comprise fibers of the strobel nonwoven textile bonded via the hot-melt film and fibers of the inward-facing surface nonwoven textile (e.g., these fibers are mechanically trapped and / or encapsulated in the hot-melt film). In some instances, the hot melt film can extend to the distal edge of the upper (e.g., along the distal edge of the portion pulled under the last and attached to the strobel) and continue continuously along the edge (e.g., near 129). In this respect, the adhesive bond between the strobel and the upper can include a sealing edge (e.g., along 129) that acts as a barrier against other materials flowing into or being squeezed into any gaps between the strobel and the bonded skirt, and reduces the likelihood of delamination. For example, in footwear articles having this type of sealing edge or sealing bond interface between the inward-facing surfaces of the strobel and the upper, the bond may be substantially free of (e.g., equal to or less than 10%) of the sole structural composition (e.g., thermoplastic compositions that are injected directly under pressure into the strobel and the upper and, in the absence of a sealing bond interface, may enter gaps or spaces and cause delamination between the upper and the strobel).

[0060] Additionally, as indicated above, any excess hot melt film (e.g., TPU hot melt film) can be removed from the underside of the strobel not covered by the bonded skirt and along the sealing edge (e.g., if any excess hot melt has seeped beyond the end edge). Among other things, removing excess hot melt (e.g., near 129) reduces the likelihood that the thermoplastic composition of the hot melt will soften and / or remelt and mix with the thermoplastic composition of the sole structure when the sole structure is bonded to the last upper (e.g., via direct injection molding).

[0061] In some instances, the upper has already been combined (e.g., via...) Figure 5BAfter the 127th section (1) is attached to the Ströbel or durability plate, the upper can be bonded to the sole structure. For example, the sole structure can be bonded to the outer edge of a first surface (e.g., away from the last), which still includes one or more properties (e.g., chemical composition, texture, etc.) that facilitate bonding with the sole structure (e.g., thermal bonding). In some instances, the sole structure can be injected directly (e.g., via injection molding) onto the last upper, such that the sole structure is bonded to the outer edge of the first surface. For example, the sole structure mold can be positioned relative to the last upper, and the edge of the mold can be positioned within the outer edge of the first surface (which includes one or more properties), and the edge of the mold can be spaced apart from portions having modified properties (e.g., due to cleaning, corona treatment, primer, ink, etc.). In an example, the thermoplastic composition of the sole structure can be deposited into a mold and thermally bonded to the outer edge of a first surface, thereby creating a first region (e.g., having the first characteristics and bonded to the sole structure), a transition region (e.g., having the first characteristics and not bonded to the sole structure) and a second region (e.g., having the second characteristics different from the first characteristics and not bonded to the sole structure).

[0062] In some instances, the sole structure thermally bonded to the upper (e.g., bonded to a bonding skirt) is substantially free of thermoplastic compositions comprising the hot melt film used to attach the strobel to the upper. For example, the possibility of the hot melt thermoplastic composition mixing with the sole structure thermoplastic composition is minimized when excess hot melt is removed (e.g., via sanding or polishing) before the sole structure is directly injected onto the upper. In this context, "substantially free" can include an amount equal to or less than 10% by weight of the hot melt thermoplastic composition in the sample unit (e.g., a 5 mm cube). In these instances, by minimizing the hot melt thermoplastic composition mixed in the sole structure thermoplastic composition, the risk of cracks, fissures, instabilities, breakage, and splitting is minimized.

[0063] The footwear upper 14 and sole structure 12 may include a variety of materials. As indicated above, the footwear upper may include materials (e.g., synthetic leather materials) having properties (e.g., chemical compositions) configured to combine with the sole structure (e.g., plate, midsole, outsole, durable plate, etc.). In some instances, the footwear upper material, sole structure, or both the footwear upper material and sole structure may include a polyolefin resin composition.

[0064] Polyolefin resin composition

[0065] As disclosed herein, a polyolefin resin composition is a mixture or blend of one or more polyolefins and optionally one or more additional components selected from polymer resin modifiers, clarifying agents, colorants, fillers, processing aids, non-polyolefin polymers, or any combination thereof.

[0066] Various polyolefin resin compositions are provided, exhibiting abrasion resistance and flexural durability suitable for the aforementioned articles and components. In some examples, polyolefin resin compositions comprising a polyolefin copolymer and an effective amount of a polymeric resin modifier are provided. The effective amount of the resin modifier provides improved flexural durability while maintaining suitable abrasion resistance. For example, in some examples, the effective amount of the polymeric resin modifier is such that it effectively allows the resin composition to pass a flexural test according to a low-temperature Ross flexural test using a plate sampling procedure. Simultaneously, when measured according to an abrasion loss test using a pure material sampling procedure, the resin composition still retains a suitable abrasion loss. In some examples, resin compositions that are otherwise identical except for the absence of a polymeric resin modifier are not subjected to a low-temperature Ross flexural test using a pure material sampling procedure.

[0067] Polymer resin modifiers can provide improved flexural strength, toughness, creep resistance, or flexural durability without a significant loss of abrasion resistance. In some examples, a resin composition is provided comprising a polyolefin copolymer and an effective amount of a polymer resin modifier, wherein the effective amount of the polymer resin modifier is such that, when measured according to a wear loss test using a pure material sampling procedure, it effectively allows the resin composition to undergo a flexural test according to a low-temperature Ross flexural test using a plate sampling procedure without significant change in wear loss compared to a second resin composition identical to the resin composition except that it does not contain the polymer resin modifier. In other words, in some examples, the effective amount of the polymer resin modifier is sufficient to produce a resin composition that does not stress whiten or crack during 150,000 flexural cycles of a low-temperature Ross flexural test, while the abrasion resistance of the resin composition is not significantly reduced, and therefore is not significantly different from the abrasion resistance of a comparative resin composition that is identical to the resin composition except that it does not contain the polymer resin modifier.

[0068] In some instances, based on abrasion loss tests using a pure material sampling procedure, the polyolefin resin composition exhibits a wear loss of approximately 0.05 cubic centimeters (cm²). 3 From approximately 0.1 cubic centimeters (cm) 3 Approximately 0.07 cubic centimeters (cm) 3 From approximately 0.1 cubic centimeters (cm) 3 Approximately 0.08 cubic centimeters (cm) 3 From approximately 0.1 cubic centimeters (cm)3 Or, approximately 0.08 cubic centimeters (cm²) 3 ) to approximately 0.11 cubic centimeters (cm) 3 Wear loss. In some instances, when measured according to wear loss tests using a pure material sampling procedure, the wear loss of the resin composition did not change significantly compared to the wear loss of a second resin composition that was identical to the resin composition except for the absence of a polymer resin modifier. When measured according to wear loss tests using a pure material sampling procedure, changes in wear loss of about 30%, about 25%, about 20%, about 15%, about 10%, or less, as used herein, are considered insignificant.

[0069] Polyolefin resin compositions may include a variety of polyolefin copolymers. These copolymers may be alternating copolymers, random copolymers, block copolymers, or graft copolymers. In some examples, these copolymers are random copolymers. In some examples, these copolymers include a plurality of repeating units, each of which is individually derived from an olefin monomer having about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms. In other examples, these copolymers include a plurality of repeating units, each of which is individually derived from a monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-butene, 1-octene, and combinations thereof. In some examples, the polyolefin copolymer includes a plurality of repeating units, each individually selected from formulas 1A to 1D. In some examples, the polyolefin copolymer includes a first plurality of repeating units having a structure according to formula 1A and a second plurality of repeating units having a structure selected from formulas 1B to 1D.

[0070]

[0071] In some instances, the polyolefin copolymer comprises multiple repeating units, each individually having a structure according to Formula 2.

[0072]

[0073] Where R 1 It is a C1-C chain that is hydrogen-rich, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched. 12 Alkyl, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C 12 Heteroalkyl, C1-C6 heteroalkyl, or C1-C3 heteroalkyl. In some instances, each repeating unit in the first plurality of repeating units has a structure according to Formula 1A above, and each repeating unit in the second plurality of repeating units has a structure according to Formula 2 above.

[0074] In some examples, the polyolefin copolymer is a random copolymer of a first plurality of repeating units and a second plurality of repeating units, wherein each of the first plurality of repeating units is derived from ethylene and each of the second plurality of repeating units is derived from a second olefin. In some examples, the second olefin is an olefin monomer having about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms. In other examples, the second olefin includes propylene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-butene, or other straight-chain or branched-terminated olefins having about 3 to 12 carbon atoms. In some examples, the polyolefin copolymer contains about 80% to about 99% by weight, about 85% to about 99% by weight, about 90% to about 99% by weight, or about 95% to about 99% by weight of polyolefin repeating units based on the total weight of the polyolefin copolymer. In some examples, the polyolefin copolymer consists essentially of polyolefin repeating units. In some examples, the polymer in the resin composition consists essentially of a polyolefin copolymer.

[0075] Polyolefin copolymers may include ethylene, i.e., may include repeating units derived from ethylene, such as those in Formula 1A. In some instances, the polyolefin copolymer includes about 1% to about 5% by weight, about 1% to about 3% by weight, about 2% to about 3% by weight, or about 2% to about 5% by weight of ethylene based on the total weight of the polyolefin copolymer.

[0076] Polyolefin resin compositions can be prepared without the need for polyurethane and / or polyamide. For example, in some instances, the polyolefin copolymer is substantially free of polyurethane. In some instances, the polymer chains of the polyolefin copolymer are substantially free of urethane repeating units. In some instances, the resin composition is substantially free of polymer chains comprising urethane repeating units. In some instances, the polyolefin copolymer is substantially free of polyamide. In some instances, the polymer chains of the polyolefin copolymer are substantially free of amide repeating units. In some instances, the resin composition is substantially free of polymer chains comprising amide repeating units.

[0077] In some instances, the polyolefin copolymer includes polypropylene or a polypropylene copolymer. In some instances, the polymeric component of the resin composition (i.e., the portion of the resin composition formed by all the polymers present in the composition) is substantially composed of a polypropylene copolymer. In some instances, a resin composition is provided comprising a polypropylene copolymer and an effective amount of a polymeric resin modifier, wherein the resin composition has the wear loss as described above, and wherein the effective amount of the polymeric resin modifier is an amount that effectively allows the resin composition to pass a flexural test according to a low-temperature Ross flexural test using a plate sampling procedure. In some instances, the effective amount of the polymeric resin modifier is such that, when measured according to a wear loss test using a pure material sampling procedure, the wear loss effectively allows the resin composition to pass a flexural test according to a low-temperature Ross flexural test using a plate sampling procedure without significant change compared to the wear loss of a second resin composition identical to the resin composition except that it does not contain a polymeric resin modifier.

[0078] Polypropylene copolymers may include random copolymers, such as random copolymers of ethylene and propylene. The polypropylene copolymer may include about 80% to about 99% by weight, about 85% to about 99% by weight, about 90% to about 99% by weight, or about 95% to about 99% by weight, based on the total weight of the polypropylene copolymer. In some examples, the polypropylene copolymer includes about 1% to about 5% by weight, about 1% to about 3% by weight, about 2% to about 3% by weight, or about 2% to about 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the polypropylene copolymer. In some examples, the polypropylene copolymer is a random copolymer comprising about 2% to about 3% by weight of a first plurality of repeating units and about 80% to about 99% by weight of a second plurality of repeating units, based on the total weight of the polypropylene copolymer; wherein each repeating unit in the first plurality of repeating units has a structure according to Formula 1A above, and each repeating unit in the second plurality of repeating units has a structure according to Formula 1B above.

[0079] The combination of abrasion resistance and flexural durability can be related to the overall crystallinity of the resin composition. In some instances, when measured according to a pure material sampling procedure using a crystallinity test, the resin composition has a crystallinity percentage (crystallinity%) of about 45%, about 40%, about 35%, about 30%, about 25%, or less. It has been found that adding a polymeric resin modifier to a resin composition in an amount that only slightly reduces the crystallinity percentage of the resin composition can produce a resin composition capable of passing a low-temperature Ross flexural test while maintaining relatively low abrasion loss, compared to a resin composition that is otherwise identical except for the absence of a polymeric resin modifier. In some instances, the polymeric resin modifier results in a decrease in the crystallinity percentage (crystallinity%) of the resin composition. In some instances, when measured according to a crystallinity test using a pure material sampling procedure, the crystallinity percentage (crystallinity%) of this resin composition is at least 6 percentage points, at least 5 percentage points, at least 4 percentage points, at least 3 percentage points, or at least 2 percentage points smaller than the crystallinity percentage (crystallinity%) of a resin composition that is otherwise identical except for the absence of a polymeric resin modifier.

[0080] In some instances, the effective amount of the polymeric resin modifier, based on the total weight of the resin composition, is about 5% to about 30% by weight, about 5% to about 25% by weight, about 5% to about 20% by weight, about 5% to about 15% by weight, about 5% to about 10% by weight, about 10% to about 15% by weight, about 10% to about 20% by weight, about 10% to about 25% by weight, or about 10% to about 30% by weight. In some instances, the effective amount of the polymeric resin modifier, based on the total weight of the resin composition, is about 20% by weight, about 15% by weight, about 10% by weight, about 5% by weight, or less.

[0081] Polymer resin modifiers may include the various exemplary resin modifiers described herein. In some examples, the polymer resin modifier is a metallocene-catalyzed copolymer consisting primarily of isotactic propylene repeating units, wherein about 11% to 15% by weight of ethylene repeating units are randomly distributed along the copolymer based on the total weight of the metallocene-catalyzed copolymer. In some examples, the polymer resin modifier comprises about 10% to about 15% by weight of ethylene repeating units based on the total weight of the polymer resin modifier. In some examples, the polymer resin modifier comprises about 10% to about 15% by weight of repeating units according to Formula 1A above based on the total weight of the polymer resin modifier. In some examples, the polymer resin modifier is a copolymer of repeating units according to Formula 1B above, and the repeating units according to Formula 1B are arranged in an isotactic stereochemical configuration.

[0082] In some instances, the polymer resin modifier is a copolymer containing isotactic propylene repeating units and ethylene repeating units. In some instances, the polymer resin modifier is a copolymer comprising a first plurality of repeating units and a second plurality of repeating units; wherein each repeating unit in the first plurality of repeating units has a structure according to Formula 1A above, and each repeating unit in the second plurality of repeating units has a structure according to Formula 1B above, and wherein the repeating units in the second plurality of repeating units are arranged in an isotactic stereochemical configuration.

[0083] As used in “outer-facing layer”, the term “outer-facing” refers to the intended position of an element when it is present in the article during normal use. If the article is footwear, the element is positioned towards the ground during normal use by the wearer when in a standing position, and therefore may contact the ground, including the unpaved surface, when the footwear is used in a conventional manner, such as standing, walking, or running on an unpaved surface. In other words, even if the element may not necessarily face the ground during the various stages of manufacturing or shipping, if the element is intended to face the ground during normal use by the wearer, it is understood to be outer-facing, or more specifically, ground-facing for footwear articles. In some cases, due to the presence of elements such as adhesive friction elements, an outer-facing (e.g., ground-facing) surface may be positioned towards the ground during normal use, but may not necessarily contact the ground. For example, on hard or paved surfaces, the ends of adhesive friction elements on the outsole may directly contact the ground, while the portion of the outsole between the adhesive friction elements does not contact the ground. As illustrated in this example, the portion of the outsole located between the adhesive friction elements is considered to face outwards (e.g., towards the ground), even though it may not be in direct contact with the ground in all cases.

[0084] Synthetic leather materials

[0085] In various examples, this document discloses synthetic leather materials comprising a synthetic leather polymer coating attached to a synthetic leather textile layer; wherein the synthetic leather polymer coating comprises a synthetic leather polymer coating composition; and optionally, wherein the synthetic leather textile layer comprises fibers or yarns comprising a synthetic leather fiber / yarn polymer composition. In some examples, the disclosed synthetic leather materials may also optionally include a synthetic leather protective or decorative layer attached to the polymer coating.

[0086] The disclosed synthetic leather materials are considered to have several advantages, particularly for manufacturing articles such as footwear or clothing. In some instances, the use of polyolefin resins allows for the production of synthetic leather materials that are less prone to stress fading. Additionally or alternatively, the use of polyolefin resin compositions in the disclosed synthetic leather materials is considered to promote better bonding between other components or materials used in the articles (such as footwear, clothing, or sporting equipment). For example, in instances where the disclosed synthetic leather materials comprising polyolefin resin compositions are used to manufacture shoe uppers, these uppers can exhibit enhanced bonding with polyolefin components (such as sole structures). Therefore, using the same or similar polymeric materials for both components and synthetic leather materials increases the ability to recover both components in the same stream without having to separate them, thereby reducing waste. Additionally or alternatively, the use of polyolefin resin compositions in the disclosed synthetic leather provides a material with a lower density compared to more conventional footwear materials such as TPU. Therefore, using a high percentage of these polyolefins in footwear can produce lighter footwear compared to footwear made with the same amount of denser polymers such as TPU.

[0087] refer to Figure 6A and Figure 6B , Figures 6A to 6B A cross-sectional view of the disclosed synthetic leather material is shown. Figure 6A This is a cross-sectional view of the disclosed synthetic leather material 600, which includes a synthetic leather textile layer 610 to which a synthetic leather polymer coating 620 is attached. In at least some examples, Figure 6A A cross-sectional view can represent a cross-sectional view of the upper 14 in at least the first region 122a and the transition region 122b. Figure 6B This is a cross-sectional view of the disclosed synthetic leather material 600, which includes a synthetic leather textile layer 610, a synthetic leather polymer coating 620 attached to the synthetic leather textile layer 610, and a synthetic leather protective or decorative layer 630 attached to the synthetic leather polymer coating 620. In at least some examples, Figure 6B The cross-sectional view can represent the cross-sectional view of the upper 14 in the second region 122c.

[0088] Figure 6A The image shows a cross-sectional view of the disclosed synthetic leather material 600, which includes a synthetic leather textile layer 610 and a synthetic leather polymer coating 620 attached to the synthetic leather textile layer 610. It should be understood that the synthetic leather polymer coating includes a synthetic leather polymer coating composition, and the synthetic leather textile layer includes fibers or yarns, which include a synthetic leather fiber / yarn polymer composition. Figure 6B This is a cross-sectional view of the disclosed synthetic leather material 600, which includes a synthetic leather textile layer 610, a synthetic leather polymer coating 620 attached to the synthetic leather textile layer 610, and a synthetic leather protective or decorative layer 630 attached to the synthetic leather polymer coating 620. It should be understood that the synthetic leather textile layer can be any suitable textile, including but not limited to knitted textiles, woven textiles, non-woven textiles, crocheted textiles, and knotted textiles. Knitted textiles suitable for the disclosed synthetic leather material include, but are not limited to, plain knitted textiles, circular knitted textiles, or weft-knitted textiles.

[0089] refer to Figure 7A and Figure 7B , Figures 7A to 7B A cross-sectional view of the disclosed synthetic leather material is shown. Figure 7A This is a cross-sectional view of the disclosed synthetic leather material 700, which includes a synthetic leather textile layer 710, a first synthetic leather polymer coating 720, and a second synthetic leather polymer coating composition 730 attached to the first synthetic leather polymer coating 720 and then attached to the synthetic leather textile layer 710. In at least some examples, Figure 7A A cross-sectional view can represent a cross-sectional view of the upper 14 in the first region 122a and the transition region 122b. Figure 7B This is a cross-sectional view of the disclosed synthetic leather material 700, which includes a synthetic leather textile layer 710, a first synthetic leather polymer coating 720, and a second synthetic leather polymer coating composition 730 attached to the first synthetic leather polymer coating 720, and further includes a synthetic leather protective or decorative layer 740 attached to the second synthetic leather polymer coating 730. In at least some examples, Figure 7B The cross-sectional view can represent the cross-sectional view of the upper 14 in the second region 122c.

[0090] The disclosed synthetic leather materials may include multiple synthetic leather polymer coatings, wherein multiple as used herein refers to two or more coatings. Figure 7A This is a cross-sectional view of the disclosed synthetic leather material 700, which includes a synthetic leather textile layer 710, a first synthetic leather polymer coating 720, and a second synthetic leather polymer coating 730 attached to the first synthetic leather polymer coating 720. It should be understood that each of the plurality of synthetic leather polymer coatings includes a synthetic leather polymer coating composition, and the synthetic leather textile layer includes fibers or yarns containing a synthetic leather fiber / yarn polymer composition. Figure 7AAs shown, the synthetic leather textile layer 710 and the first synthetic leather polymer coating 720 can be different layers. Alternatively, the combination of the synthetic textile and the first synthetic leather polymer coating can form a single composite layer.

[0091] When using multiple synthetic leather polymer coatings, the polymer component of each coating (i.e., the portion of the coating material formed by all the polymers present in the material) can include the same or different types of polymers. Examples of different types of polymers include polyolefins, polyesters, polyethers, polyamides, polyurethanes, and polyacrylates. For example, see reference... Figure 7A The first synthetic leather polymer coating composition 720 may be substantially free of the polyolefin resin composition described herein and consists of one or more thermoplastic polymers, such as, for example, polyester, polyether, polyamide and polyurethane, and the second synthetic leather polymer coating composition 730 includes the polyolefin resin composition as described herein.

[0092] Alternatively, the first synthetic leather polymer coating composition 720 comprises a polyolefin resin composition as described herein, and the second synthetic leather polymer coating composition 730 is substantially free of the polyolefin resin composition described herein and consists of one or more polymers, such as polyesters, polyethers, polyamides, and polyurethanes provided herein, for example.

[0093] Alternatively, the first synthetic leather polymer coating composition 720 and the second synthetic leather polymer coating composition 730 are each polyolefin resin compositions as described herein, wherein the first synthetic leather polymer coating composition and the second synthetic leather polymer coating composition comprise the same or different polyolefin resin compositions. For example, when the first polymer coating composition and the second polymer coating composition comprise different polyolefin resin compositions, the polymer components of the different polyolefin resin compositions may include polyolefins with different chemical structures, or may include polyolefins having the same chemical structure but different concentrations.

[0094] Figure 7BThis is a cross-sectional view of the disclosed synthetic leather material 700, which includes a synthetic leather textile layer 710, a first synthetic leather polymer coating 720, and a second synthetic leather polymer coating 730 attached to the first synthetic leather polymer coating 720, and further includes a synthetic leather protective or decorative layer 740 attached to the second synthetic leather polymer coating 730. It should be understood that the synthetic leather textile layer can be any suitable textile, including but not limited to textiles selected from knitted textiles, woven textiles, non-woven textiles, crocheted textiles, or knotted textiles. Knitted textiles suitable for the disclosed synthetic leather material include, but are not limited to, knitted textiles selected from plain knitted textiles, circular knitted textiles, or weft-knitted textiles.

[0095] The thickness of the synthetic leather polymer coating can be varied as needed. When using two or more synthetic leather polymer coatings, the thickness of each layer can be varied or modified. (Reference) Figure 7A In one example, the thickness of the first synthetic leather polymer coating composition 720 is less than the thickness of the second synthetic leather polymer coating composition 730, for example, by at least 5%. In another example, the thickness of the first synthetic leather polymer coating composition 720 is greater than the thickness of the second synthetic leather polymer coating composition 730, for example, by at least 5%. In yet another example, the thickness of the first synthetic leather polymer coating composition 720 is equal to the thickness of the second synthetic leather polymer coating composition 730.

[0096] In one example, the synthetic leather polymer coating can be a film attached to a synthetic leather textile layer. For example, the polyolefin resin composition described herein can be extruded into a film, which is then attached to the synthetic leather textile layer. In other examples, two or more different films can be extruded and sequentially attached to the synthetic leather textile layer. For example, Figure 7A and Figure 7B The first and second synthetic leather polymer coating compositions depicted can each be films already attached to the synthetic leather textile layer.

[0097] The disclosed synthetic leather material may include the disclosed polyolefin resin composition in one or more of a synthetic leather textile layer, a synthetic leather polymer coating, and / or a synthetic leather protective or decorative layer. As disclosed above, the disclosed polyolefin resin composition may include a polyolefin resin and a modified polymer resin, and optionally a clarifying agent, to form one or more layers of the synthetic leather material.

[0098] For example, the disclosed polyolefin resin composition can be used to form one or more films, which are combined with nonwoven textiles to form the outer layer of a synthetic leather material. In other cases, the disclosed polyolefin resin can be used to form fibers or filaments, which in turn can be used to form yarns, which can be used to form the nonwoven textile portion of the synthetic leather material. In still other cases, the disclosed polyolefin resin can be used to form both a surface layer and a nonwoven textile layer.

[0099] In some instances, the synthetic leather polymer coating may be porous (e.g., foamed). Alternatively, or in combination with a porous synthetic leather polymer coating, a porous polymer layer may be positioned between the synthetic leather coating and the synthetic leather textile layer. Optionally, in various instances, a transparent or colored protective or decorative coating may be applied to or attached to the outer surface of the polymer layer.

[0100] In some instances, transparent or colored protective or decorative coatings (e.g., Figures 1 to 3 129 and 122c) may include properties different from those of the polyolefin resin composition in one or more of the synthetic leather textile layer and / or synthetic leather polymer coating (e.g., different polymer composition properties). Therefore, it may be advantageous to include a bonding region 122a and an optional transition region 122b, which may be free of transparent or colored protective or decorative coatings, to increase the likelihood of a stronger bond between the upper (e.g., in the bonding region) and the sole (e.g., which may also include a polyolefin resin composition similar to that of the bonding region).

[0101] While polyester (PET) yarns or fibers can be used to manufacture synthetic leather textile layers, for example, in fibers or yarns used to manufacture textile layers, other types of synthetic fibers, natural fibers, or recycled fibers can be used. Furthermore, synthetic leather textile layers can utilize one or more fibers or yarns comprising thermoplastic polymer compositions as disclosed herein. The use of microfibers in synthetic leather textile layers can improve the hand feel (softness and flexibility) of synthetic leather materials.

[0102] In some cases, a synthetic leather polymer coating may include a synthetic leather polymer coating composition comprising the disclosed thermoplastic polymer composition. For example, a synthetic leather polymer coating may include a synthetic leather polymer coating composition comprising polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride. Polyurethane-based synthetic leather materials may be used in footwear, and polyvinyl chloride-based synthetic leather materials are commonly used in sporting goods. In other cases, a synthetic leather polymer coating may include a synthetic leather polymer coating composition comprising the disclosed polyolefin resin composition.

[0103] As described above, synthetic leather materials include a synthetic leather textile layer, which comprises textiles (e.g., a first textile). This textile can be a non-woven textile, a knitted textile, or a woven textile. "Textile" can be defined as any material made from fibers, filaments, or yarns characterized by flexibility, fineness, and a high ratio of length to thickness. Textiles are generally classified into two categories. The first category includes textiles produced directly from a web of filaments or fibers through random interlocking to construct non-woven fabrics and felts. The second category includes textiles formed by mechanically manipulating yarns to produce woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, braided fabrics, crocheted fabrics, etc.

[0104] As used herein, the terms "filament," "fiber," or "multi-fiber" refer to materials in the form of discrete, elongated sheets, the length of which is significantly greater than their width. Fibers can include natural fibers, man-made fibers, or synthetic fibers. Fibers can be produced using conventional techniques such as extrusion, electrospinning, interfacial polymerization, drawing, etc. Fibers can include carbon fibers, boron fibers, silicon carbide fibers, titanium dioxide fibers, alumina fibers, quartz fibers, glass fibers, such as E, A, C, ECR, R, S, D, and NE glass and quartz, etc. Fibers can be formed from synthetic polymers capable of forming fibers, such as poly(etherketone), polyimide, polybenzoxazole, poly(phenylene sulfide), polyester, polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene), aromatic polyamides (e.g., aramid polymers, such as para-aramid fibers and meta-aramid fibers), aromatic polyimide, polybenzimidazole, polyetherimide, polytetrafluoroethylene, acrylics, modified acrylics, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyamide, polyurethane, and copolymers such as polyether-polyurea copolymers, polyester-polyurethane, polyether block amide copolymers, etc. Fibers can be natural fibers (e.g., silk, wool, cashmere, camel hair, cotton, flax, hemp, jute, sisal). Fibers can also be man-made fibers derived from recycled natural polymers, such as rayon, lyocell, acetate, triacetate, rubber, and poly(lactic acid).

[0105] Fibers can have indefinite lengths. For example, man-made and synthetic fibers are typically extruded in substantially continuous strands. Alternatively, fibers can be short fibers, such as cotton fibers or extruded synthetic polymer fibers, which can be cut to form short fibers of relatively uniform length. Short fibers can have lengths ranging from about 1 mm to 100 cm or more, plus any increments therein (e.g., 1 mm increments).

[0106] Fibers can have any of a variety of cross-sectional shapes. Natural fibers can have a natural cross-section or a modified cross-sectional shape (e.g., using processes such as mercerizing). Man-made or synthetic fibers can be extruded to provide strands with a predetermined cross-sectional shape. The cross-sectional shape of a fiber can affect its properties, such as its softness, luster, and wicking capacity. Fibers can have a circular or substantially circular cross-section. Alternatively, fibers can have a non-circular cross-section, such as flat, elliptical, octagonal, rectangular, wedge-shaped, triangular, dogbone-shaped, multi-lobed, multi-channeled, hollow, core-shell, or other shapes.

[0107] Fibers can be processed. For example, the properties of fibers can be affected at least in part by processes such as drawing (stretching) fibers, annealing (hardening) fibers, and / or crimping or texturing fibers.

[0108] The fiber can be a multi-component fiber, such as a fiber comprising two or more co-extruded polymeric materials. The two or more co-extruded polymeric materials can be extruded in core-sheath, island, segment, stripe, or side-by-side configurations. Multi-component fibers can be processed to form multiple smaller fibers (e.g., microfibers) from a single fiber, for example, by removing sacrificial material.

[0109] As used herein, the term "yarn" refers to an assembly formed of one or more fibers, wherein the strands have a considerable length and a relatively small cross-section, and is suitable for the production of textiles by hand or by machine, including textiles made using weaving, knitting, crocheting, braiding, sewing, embroidery, or rope-making techniques. Thread is a type of yarn commonly used for sewing.

[0110] Yarn can be made from fibers formed from natural, man-made, and synthetic materials. Synthetic fibers are most commonly used to make staple yarn from short fibers and filament yarns. Staple yarn is made by arranging and twisting short fibers together to form bonded strands. The process of forming yarn from short fibers typically involves carding and drafting the fibers to form slivers, drafting and twisting the slivers to form rovings, and spinning the rovings to form strands. Multiple strands can be plyed (twisted together) to make thicker yarn. The twisting direction of short fibers and plyed yarns can affect the final properties of the yarn. Filament yarn can be formed from a single long, substantially continuous filament (often called a "monofilament yarn") or from multiple individual filaments combined together. Filament yarn can also be formed from two or more long, substantially continuous filaments, combined by twisting or entanglement of these filaments together, or both simultaneously. Like staple yarn, multiple strands can be plyed together to form thicker yarn.

[0111] Once formed, the yarn can undergo further processing, such as texturing, thermal or mechanical treatment, or coating with materials such as synthetic polymers. The fibers, yarns, or textiles used in the disclosed articles, or any combination thereof, may be sized. Sizing fibers, yarns, and / or textiles are coated with a sizing composition on at least a portion of their surface, selected to alter absorption or abrasion characteristics, or to achieve compatibility with other materials. The sizing composition promotes wetting and penetration of the coating or resin on the surface and contributes to achieving desired physical properties in the final article. Exemplary sizing compositions may include, for example, epoxy polymers, urethane-modified epoxy polymers, polyester polymers, phenolic polymers, polyamide polymers, polyurethane polymers, polycarbonate polymers, polyetherimide polymers, polyamideimide polymers, polystyrene-pyridine polymers, polyimide polymers, bismaleimide polymers, polysulfone polymers, polyethersulfone polymers, epoxy-modified urethane polymers, polyvinyl alcohol polymers, polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers, and mixtures thereof.

[0112] For example, two or more types of yarn can be combined to form composite yarns, such as single-covered or double-covered yarns and core-spun yarns. Therefore, yarns can have a variety of configurations that generally conform to the descriptions provided herein.

[0113] The yarn may include at least one thermoplastic material (e.g., one or more fibers may be made of thermoplastic materials). The yarn may be made of thermoplastic materials. The yarn may be coated with a material, such as a thermoplastic material.

[0114] The linear mass density, or weight per unit length, of yarn can be expressed in various units, including denier (D) and tex (tex). Denier is the mass in grams of 9,000 meters of yarn. The linear mass density of a single filament of a fiber can also be expressed as denier / filament (DPF). Tetras is the mass in grams of 1,000 meters of yarn. Decitex is another measure of linear mass and is the mass in grams of 10,000 meters of yarn.

[0115] As used herein, toughness should be understood as the amount of force (expressed in units of weight, such as pounds, grams, centineutons, or other units) required to break a yarn (i.e., the breaking force or point of breakage) divided by the yarn's linear mass density, which is expressed, for example, in denier (unstretched), decibels, or some other measure of weight per unit length. The breaking force of a yarn is determined by subjecting a sample of the yarn to a known amount of force, for example using a strain gauge force sensor (such as an INSTRON testing system) (Norwood, MA, USA). Yarn toughness and yarn breaking force are distinct from bursting strength, a measure of how much pressure can be applied to the surface of a textile before it bursts.

[0116] Typically, the minimum toughness required for yarn to withstand the forces applied in industrial knitting machines is about 1.5 g / denier. Most yarns formed from commercial polymer materials typically have a toughness in the range of about 1.5 g / denier to about 4 g / denier. For example, polyester yarns commonly used in the manufacture of knitted uppers for footwear have a toughness in the range of about 2.5 g / denier to about 4 g / denier. Yarns formed from commercial polymer materials considered to have high toughness typically have a toughness in the range of about 5 g / denier to about 10 g / denier. For example, commercially available packaged dyed polyethylene terephthalate yarn from National Spinning in Washington, NC, USA, has a toughness of about 6 g / denier, and commercially available solution-dyed polyethylene terephthalate yarn from Far Eastern New Century has a toughness of about 7 g / denier. Yarns made from high-performance polymer materials typically have a toughness of about 11 g / denier or greater. For example, yarns made from aramid fibers typically have a toughness of about 20 g / denier, and yarns made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with a toughness greater than 30 g / denier are available from Dyneema, Stanley, NC, USA, and Spectra, Colonial Heights, VA, USA.

[0117] Various techniques exist for mechanically manipulating yarns to form textiles. These techniques include, for example, interlacing, twisting, and looping. Interlacing is the crossing and interweaving of two yarns that intersect each other at right angles. The yarns used for interlacing are generally referred to as “warp” and “weft”. Woven textiles consist of warp and weft yarns. The warp yarns extend in a first direction, and the weft yarn strands extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Twisting and interlacing encompass various procedures, such as braiding and knotting, in which yarns intertwine with each other to form textiles. Looping involves forming multiple rows of interlaced loops, with knitting being the most commonly used looping method. Textiles can be formed primarily from one or more yarns that are mechanically manipulated (e.g., by interlacing, twisting, and / or looping processes as described above).

[0118] Textiles can be nonwoven textiles. Typically, nonwoven textiles or fabrics are sheet or web structures made of fibers and / or yarns bonded together. This bonding can be chemical and / or mechanical and can be formed using heat, solvents, adhesives, or combinations thereof. Exemplary nonwoven fabrics are flat or tufted porous sheets made directly from individual fibers, molten plastics, and / or plastic films. They are not made by weaving or knitting and do not necessarily require converting fibers into yarns, but yarns can be used as a source of fibers. Nonwoven textiles are typically manufactured by placing small fibers together in the form of sheets or webs (similar to paper on a paper machine) and then mechanically (e.g., in the case of felt, by interlocking them with serrated or barbed needles, or by hydraulic entanglement that creates a stronger fabric through friction between the fibers) with an adhesive or by heat (by applying an adhesive (in the form of powder, paste, or polymer melt) and melting the adhesive onto the web by raising the temperature). Nonwoven textiles can be made from short fibers (e.g., by wet web forming, air-laid web forming, carding / cross-laying processes) or extruded fibers (e.g., by meltblown or spunbond processes or combinations thereof) or combinations thereof. The bonding of fibers in nonwoven textiles can be achieved through thermal bonding (with or without calendering), hydroentanglement, ultrasonic bonding, needle punching (needle-punching felting), chemical bonding (e.g., using adhesives such as latex emulsions or solution polymers or adhesive fibers or powders), meltblown bonding (e.g., fibers are bonded as air reduces fiber entanglement during the simultaneous formation of fibers and web), spunbond, nonwoven, carded nonwoven, and meltblown nonwoven.

[0119] In some instances, the synthetic leather textile layer may include fibers or filaments comprising or substantially composed of a fiber / yarn polymer composition. The fiber / yarn polymer composition may be thermoplastic. The fiber / yarn polymer composition may include polyolefins, or polyamides, or polyurethanes, or polyesters, or polyether polymers, or any combination thereof. The polymer component of the fiber / yarn polymer composition may consist substantially of one or more polyesters. The polymer component of the fiber / yarn polymer composition may consist substantially of one or more polyolefins. These one or more polyolefins may include one or more polypropylenes or consist substantially of one or more polypropylenes.

[0120] Synthetic leather materials may have a thickness of about 0.8 mm to about 2.5 mm, or about 0.9 mm to about 2.2 mm, or about 1 mm to about 2 mm, or about 1.2 mm to about 1.4 mm, or about 1.3 mm to about 1.5 mm, or about 1.4 mm to about 1.6 mm. Synthetic leather materials may have a weight of about 400 to about 1,000, or about 450 to about 900, or about 500 to about 700 g / m². Synthetic leather materials may have a malen burst score in the range of 15 to 25, or 10 to 22, as determined by the malen burst test as described herein.

[0121] Various methods can be used to manufacture the disclosed synthetic leather materials. Typically, these methods involve the step of combining a synthetic leather textile layer with a synthetic leather polymer coating and / or a synthetic leather polymer coating composition. In one example, the synthetic leather polymer coating may be applied as a liquid to the synthetic leather textile layer and then cured or dried. Specific methods for providing the liquid polymer coating can be any suitable method of applying a liquid polymer composition to the textile layer, including but not limited to spreading or spraying onto the textile layer. In some cases, depending on the properties of the liquid and the manufacturing process, the liquid polymer coating may impregnate the textile layer. In another example, the polymer coating may initially form a film and then be attached to the textile layer using a separate adhesive layer, or by applying a solvent and pressure to soften the film, or by applying heat to soften the film and apply pressure. In some examples, attaching the synthetic leather textile layer to the synthetic leather polymer coating includes applying a liquid synthetic leather polymer coating composition to the synthetic leather textile layer and allowing the liquid synthetic leather polymer coating composition to cure into a solid synthetic leather polymer coating composition upon contact with the synthetic leather textile layer, thereby forming the synthetic leather polymer coating and mechanically bonding the synthetic leather coating to the synthetic leather textile layer.

[0122] In other instances, when multiple synthetic leather polymer coatings and / or synthetic leather polymer coating compositions are to be applied to a synthetic leather textile layer, each polymer coating or composition may be applied sequentially to the synthetic leather textile. In some instances, one or more polymer coating compositions or polymer coatings may be applied to the synthetic leather textile layer in the form of a film (including a single-layer film or a multilayer film). For example, a single-layer film may be an extruded film, or a multilayer film may be a co-extruded multilayer film or a laminated multilayer film. In other instances, one or more polymer coatings may be applied to the synthetic leather textile layer in liquid form. Specific methods of providing the liquid polymer coating may be any suitable method of applying a liquid polymer composition to a substrate, including but not limited to spreading or spraying onto a polymer coating that has been pre-applied to the textile layer.

[0123] It should be understood that the method for manufacturing the disclosed synthetic leather material may also include a step of texturing the synthetic leather material. The texturing may be applied during coating formation, during the bonding of the coating and the textile layer to each other, or after the textile layer and the coating are attached to each other. The texturing may be applied using rollers (e.g., heated metal rollers) or using textured release paper.

[0124] In various instances, the disclosed synthetic leather materials use a composition comprising the disclosed polyolefin resin (e.g., a polyolefin copolymer) and a polymer resin modifier, optionally having a clarifying agent as a coating of the synthetic leather material, or as a transparent or colored protective or decorative coating applied to the outer surface of the polymer layer, or both.

[0125] In various instances, the disclosed synthetic leather material uses fibers comprising the disclosed polyolefin resin (e.g., a polyolefin copolymer) and a polymer resin modifier in a textile layer, optionally with a clarifying agent, optionally with a polyolefin-based coating or a protective / decorative coating, or both.

[0126] A polyolefin-based coating or protective / decorative layer can be formed by extruding the disclosed polyolefin resin composition into one or more films, which can be attached to a textile layer.

[0127] In one example, a dispersion of a polyolefin resin composition (e.g., an aqueous dispersion) can be sprayed onto a textile layer, impregnating the textile layer and forming a synthetic leather material.

[0128] As described above, one advantage of using the disclosed polyolefin resin composition to form the outer surface of the disclosed synthetic leather material (i.e., the polymer coating or protective / decorative layer on the "top" or "front" side of the synthetic leather material) is considered to be that it provides an outer layer of the synthetic leather material that is more easily bonded to other polyolefin-based polymers. For example, synthetic leather materials having a solid resin component based on polyolefins (e.g., polypropylene-based sheets) have improved bonding scores compared to PU-based or PVC-based synthetic leather materials.

[0129] In various other instances, the advantage of using at least a portion of the fibers present in the synthetic leather textile layer (the “bottom” or “back” side of the synthetic leather material) to form synthetic leather using the disclosed polyolefin resin composition is considered to be that it produces an outer layer of the synthetic leather material that is more easily bonded to other polyolefin-based polymers. For example, the bonding score of solid resin components based on polyolefins (such as polypropylene-based sheets) is improved compared to PU-based or PVC-based synthetic leather materials.

[0130] Additionally or alternatively, when the synthetic leather material has a synthetic leather polymer coating and / or a synthetic leather protective / decorative layer comprising the disclosed polyolefin resin composition, the fibers present in the textile layer of the synthetic leather material (the “bottom” or “back” side of the synthetic leather material) may be formed from other polymers, such as TPU, polyester, or nylon, and may be substantially free of polyolefin-based fibers. In this case, the “front” side of the synthetic leather material can be more easily bonded to other polyolefin-based polymers, while the “back” side of the synthetic leather material can be more easily bonded to other polyester or nylon-based materials.

[0131] In some instances, the synthetic leather textile layer comprises thermoplastic fibers or yarns with lower melting points (e.g., having a melting or softening temperature below about 150°C, or a melting or softening temperature at least 20°C lower than the softening temperature of the polymer coating and (if present) protective / decorative layer). In this case, the advantage of using lower melting point thermoplastic fibers or yarns in the synthetic leather textile layer is considered to be that it provides a synthetic leather material in which the “back” textile layer can be thermally bonded to another component without affecting the appearance of the “front” of the synthetic leather material.

[0132] It has been previously observed that conventional materials include polyolefin resins, and coloring polyolefins can be more difficult than with other polymers. For example, unlike many synthetic, natural, and recycled fibers, it can be difficult to package dyed polyolefin fibers. However, such problems can be avoided in this disclosure by using a combination of packaged dyed fibers that are substantially free of polyolefins with a transparent or nearly transparent polyolefin-based coating in the textile layer.

[0133] polymer materials

[0134] In various instances, this document discloses compositions and materials, such as textiles, polymer coatings, and protective or decorative layers, comprising one or more polymeric materials, such as thermoplastic polymeric materials. The polymers used to prepare the disclosed compositions and materials may comprise polymers of the same or different types of monomers (e.g., homopolymers and copolymers, including terpolymers). In some instances, the polymer may comprise different monomers randomly distributed throughout the polymer (e.g., random copolymers). The term "polymer" refers to a polymeric molecule having one or more monomer species that may be the same or different. When the monomer species are the same, the polymer may be referred to as a homopolymer; when the monomers are different, the polymer may be referred to as a copolymer. The term "copolymer" is a polymer having two or more types of monomer species and includes terpolymers (i.e., copolymers having three monomer species). In instances, "monomer" may include different functional groups or segments, but for simplicity, it is generally referred to as a monomer.

[0135] For example, a polymer can be a polymer of relatively hard, repeating polymer units (hard segments) and relatively soft, repeating polymer segments (soft segments) having the same chemical structure (segment). In various instances, the polymer has repeating hard and soft segments. Physical crosslinking can exist within or between segments, or both within and between segments. Specific examples of hard segments include isocyanate segments. Specific examples of soft segments include alkoxy groups, such as polyether segments and polyester segments. As used herein, a polymer segment can be referred to as a specific type of polymer segment, such as, for example, isocyanate segments (e.g., diisocyanate segments), alkoxy polyamide segments (e.g., polyether segments, polyester segments), etc. It should be understood that the chemical structure of the segment is derived from the described chemical structure. For example, an isocyanate segment is a polymeric unit that includes an isocyanate functional group. When referring to a polymer segment with a specific chemical structure, the polymer may contain up to 10 mol% of segments with other chemical structures. For example, as used herein, polyether segments should be understood to include up to 10 mol% of non-polyether segments.

[0136] In some instances, the polymer may be polyurethane or thermoplastic polyurethane (also known as “TPU”). The polyurethane polymer may include hard segments and soft segments. In examples, the hard segments may include isocyanate segments (e.g., diisocyanate segments) or be composed of isocyanate segments. In similar or alternative examples, the soft segments may include alkoxy segments (e.g., polyether segments, or polyester segments, or a combination of polyether and polyester segments) or be composed of alkoxy segments. In specific examples, the thermoplastic material may include or be substantially composed of an elastomeric thermoplastic polyurethane having repeating hard segments and repeating soft segments.

[0137] polyamide

[0138] In various instances, the polymer may include a polyamide, including thermoplastic polyamides. The polyamide may be a polyamide homopolymer having repeating polyamide segments having the same chemical structure. Alternatively, the polyamide may include a number of polyamide segments with different polyamide chemical structures (e.g., polyamide 6 segments, polyamide 11 segments, polyamide 12 segments, polyamide 66 segments, etc.). The polyamide segments with different chemical structures may be arranged randomly or as repeating blocks.

[0139] The polyamide can be a copolyamide (i.e., a copolymer comprising polyamide segments and non-polyamide segments). The polyamide segments of the copolyamide can include polyamide 6 segments, polyamide 11 segments, polyamide 12 segments, polyamide 66 segments, or any combination thereof, or consist of polyamide 6 segments, polyamide 11 segments, polyamide 12 segments, polyamide 66 segments, or any combination thereof. The polyamide segments of the copolyamide can be randomly arranged or can be arranged as repeating segments. In specific examples, the polyamide segments can include polyamide 6 segments, or polyamide 12 segments, or both polyamide 6 segments and polyamide 12 segments, or consist of polyamide 6 segments, or polyamide 12 segments, or both polyamide 6 segments and polyamide 12 segments. In examples where the polyamide segments of the copolyamide include polyamide 6 segments and polyamide 12 segments, these segments can be randomly arranged. The non-polyamide segments of the copolyamide may include polyether segments, polyester segments, or both polyether and polyester segments, or may consist of polyether segments, polyester segments, or both polyether and polyester segments. The copolyamide may be a copolyamide or a random copolyamide. Thermoplastic copolyamides may be formed by polycondensation of a polyamide oligomer or prepolymer with a second oligomer prepolymer to form a copolyamide (i.e., a copolymer comprising polyamide segments). Optionally, the second prepolymer may be a hydrophilic prepolymer.

[0140] In this example, the polyamide may be a block copolyamide. For instance, a block copolyamide may have repeating hard segments and repeating soft segments. The hard segments may include polyamide segments, and the soft segments may include non-polyamide segments. The polymer may be an elastomeric copolyamide comprising or composed of block copolyamides having repeating hard segments and repeating soft segments. In block copolymers (including block copolymers having repeating hard segments and soft segments), physical crosslinking may be present within segments or between segments, or both. In one example, the polyamide may be a poly(ether block amide) polymer.

[0141] Exemplary commercially available polyamide copolymers include, but are not limited to, those available under the trade names “VESTAMID” (Evonik Industries); “PLATAMID” (Arkema), such as product code H2694; “PEBAX” (Arkema), such as product codes “PEBAX MH1657” and “PEBAX MV1074”; “PEBAXRNEW” (Arkema); “GRILAMID” (EMS-Chemie AG), or other similar materials produced by various other suppliers.

[0142] Polyester

[0143] In examples, the polymer may include polyesters, including thermoplastic polyesters. Polyesters can be formed by reacting one or more carboxylic acids or their esterified derivatives with one or more divalent or polyvalent aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic, or arylaliphatic alcohols or bisphenols. The polyester may be a polyester homopolymer of repeating polyester segments having the same chemical structure. Alternatively, the polyester may include a number of polyester segments with different polyester chemical structures (e.g., polyglycolic acid segments, polylactic acid segments, polycaprolactone segments, polyhydroxyalkanoate segments, polyhydroxybutyrate segments, etc.). Polyester segments with different chemical structures may be arranged randomly or as repeating blocks.

[0144] In some instances, the polyester is polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polypropylene terephthalate, polyhexyl terephthalate, poly-1,4-dimethylcyclohexane terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene isophthalate (PEI), polyarylate (PAR), polybutylene naphthalate (PBN), liquid crystal polyester, or blends or mixtures of two or more of the foregoing.

[0145] The polyester can be a copolyester (i.e., a copolymer comprising polyester segments and non-polyester segments). The copolyester can be an aliphatic copolyester (i.e., a copolyester in which both polyester and non-polyester segments are aliphatic). Alternatively, the copolyester can include aromatic segments. The polyester segments of the copolyester can include polyglycolic acid segments, polylactic acid segments, polycaprolactone segments, polyhydroxyalkanoate segments, polyhydroxybutyrate segments, or any combination thereof, or consist of polyglycolic acid segments, polylactic acid segments, polycaprolactone segments, polyhydroxyalkanoate segments, polyhydroxybutyrate segments, or any combination thereof. The polyester segments of the copolyester can be randomly arranged or arranged as repeating blocks.

[0146] For example, the polyester can be a block copolyester, which has repeating blocks of relatively hard polymer units (hard segments) and repeating blocks of relatively soft polymer segments (soft segments) with the same chemical structure (segments). In block copolyesters (including block copolyesters with repeating hard and soft segments), physical crosslinking can exist within or between blocks, or both. In one example, the material may comprise or substantially consist of an elastomeric thermoplastic copolyester having repeating blocks of hard and soft segments.

[0147] The non-polyester segments of a copolyester may include polyether segments, polyamide segments, or both polyether and polyamide segments, or may consist of polyether segments, polyamide segments, or both polyether and polyamide segments. The copolyester may be a block copolyester or a random copolyester. Thermoplastic copolyesters may be formed by the condensation polymerization of a polyester oligomer or prepolymer with a second oligomer prepolymer to form a block copolyester. Optionally, the second prepolymer may be a hydrophilic prepolymer. For example, the copolyester may be formed by the condensation polymerization of terephthalic acid or naphthalene with ethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, or 1,3-propanediol. Examples of copolyesters include polyethylene adipate, polybutylene succinate, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polypropylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, and combinations thereof. In specific examples, the copolyamide may include or be composed of polyethylene terephthalate.

[0148] In some instances, the polyester is a block copolymer comprising one or more segments of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polypropylene terephthalate, polyhexyl terephthalate, poly-1,4-dimethylcyclohexane terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene isophthalate (PEI), polyarylates (PAR), polybutylene naphthalate (PBN), and liquid crystal polyesters. For example, suitable thermoplastic polyesters as block copolymers may be PET / PEI copolymers, polybutylene terephthalate / tetraethylene glycol copolymers, polyoxyethylene diacid / polybutylene terephthalate copolymers, or blends or mixtures of any of the foregoing substances.

[0149] Polyolefins

[0150] In some instances, the polymer may include or be substantially composed of polyolefins, including thermoplastic polyolefins. Exemplary polyolefins include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene, and thermoplastic olefin elastomers (e.g., metallocene-catalyzed block copolymers of ethylene and α-olefins having 4 to 8 carbon atoms). In other instances, the polyolefin is a polymer that includes polyethylene, ethylene-α-olefin copolymers, ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM), polybutene, polyisobutylene, poly-4-methylpent-1-ene, polyisoprene, polybutene, ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymers, and olefin elastomers (such as dynamically crosslinked polymers obtained from polypropylene (PP) and ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM), as well as blends or mixtures of the foregoing. Further exemplary polyolefins include polymers of cyclic olefins (such as cyclopentene or norbornene).

[0151] It should be understood that optionally crosslinkable polyethylene includes various polyethylenes, including but not limited to low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), (VLDPE) and (ULDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), high-density and high-molecular-weight polyethylene (HDPE-HMW), high-density and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (HDPE-UHMW), and blends or mixtures of any of the aforementioned polyethylenes. Polyethylene can also be a polyethylene copolymer derived from monomers of monoolefins and dienes copolymerized with vinyl, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, ethyl acrylate, vinyl alcohol, and / or vinyl acetate. Polyolefin copolymers including vinyl acetate-derived units can be copolymers with high vinyl acetate content, such as a vinyl acetate-derived composition of more than about 50% by weight.

[0152] In some instances, polyolefins can be formed via free radical, cationic, and / or anionic polymerization using methods known to those skilled in the art (e.g., using peroxide initiators, heat, and / or light). In other instances, the disclosed thermoplastic polyolefins can be prepared via free radical polymerization under high pressure and high temperature. Alternatively, polyolefins can be prepared by catalytic polymerization using a catalyst typically containing one or more metals from Group IVb, Vb, VIb, or VIII. This catalyst typically has one or more ligands, usually oxides, halides, alcohols, esters, ethers, amines, alkyl, alkenyl, and / or aryl groups, which can be para- or sulfur-coordinated complexed with Group IVb, Vb, VIb, or VIII metals. In various instances, the metal complex can be in free form or immobilized on a substrate, typically on activated magnesium chloride, titanium(III) chloride, alumina, or silica. It should be understood that the metal catalyst may or may not be soluble in the polymerization medium. The catalyst can be used alone in the polymerization, or another activator can be used, typically a Group Ia, IIa and / or IIIa metal alkylate, metal hydride, metal alkyl halide, metal alkyl oxide or metal alkyloxane. The activator can be readily modified with additional ester, ether, amine or silyl ether groups.

[0153] Suitable polyolefins can be prepared by polymerization of monomers of monoolefins and dienes as described herein. Exemplary monomers that can be used to prepare the disclosed thermoplastic polyolefins include, but are not limited to, ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, 2-methyl-1-propene, 3-methyl-1-pentene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 5-methyl-1-hexene, and mixtures thereof.

[0154] Suitable ethylene-α-olefin copolymers can be obtained by copolymerizing ethylene with α-olefins having 3 to 12 carbon atoms (such as propylene, butene-1, hexene-1, octene-1, 4-methyl-1-pentene, etc.).

[0155] Suitable dynamic crosslinked polymers can be obtained by using kneaders (such as Banbury mixers and biaxial extruders) to crosslink the rubber component as a soft segment while physically dispersing the hard segment (such as PP) and the soft segment (such as EPDM).

[0156] In some instances, the polyolefin can be a mixture of polyolefins, such as a mixture of two or more polyolefins disclosed above. For example, a suitable polyolefin mixture can be a mixture of polypropylene and polyisobutylene, a mixture of polypropylene and polyethylene (e.g., PP / HDPE, PP / LDPE), or a mixture of different types of polyethylene (e.g., LDPE / HDPE).

[0157] In some instances, the polyolefin can be a copolymer of a suitable monoolefin monomer or a copolymer of a suitable monoolefin monomer and a vinyl monomer. Exemplary polyolefin copolymers include, but are not limited to, ethylene / propylene copolymers, linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and mixtures thereof with low-density polyethylene (LDPE), propylene / butene copolymers, propylene / isobutene copolymers, ethylene / butene copolymers, ethylene / hexene copolymers, ethylene / methylpentene copolymers, ethylene / heptene copolymers, ethylene / octene copolymers, propylene / butadiene copolymers, isobutene / isoprene copolymers, ethylene / alkyl acrylate copolymers, ethylene / alkyl methacrylate copolymers, ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymers, and copolymers thereof with carbon monoxide. ethylene or ethylene / acrylic acid copolymers and their salts (ionomers) and terpolymers of ethylene with propylene and dienes (such as hexadiene, dicyclopentadiene or ethylene-norbornene); and mixtures of such copolymers with each other and with polymers mentioned in 1) above, such as polypropylene / ethylene-propylene copolymers, LDPE / ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA), LDPE / ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers (EAA), LLDPE / EVA, LLDPE / EAA and alternating or random polyalkylene / carbon monoxide copolymers and mixtures of them with other polymers (e.g., polyamides).

[0158] In some instances, the polyolefin may be a polypropylene homopolymer, a polypropylene copolymer, a polypropylene random copolymer, a polypropylene block copolymer, a polyethylene homopolymer, a polyethylene random copolymer, a polyethylene block copolymer, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), medium-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), or a blend or mixture of one or more of the aforementioned polymers.

[0159] In some instances, the polyolefin is polypropylene. As used herein, the term "polypropylene" is intended to cover any polymer composition comprising propylene monomers, either alone or in the form of mixtures or copolymers with other randomly selected and oriented polyolefins, dienes, or other monomers such as ethylene, butene, etc. Such a term also covers any different configurations and arrangements of the constituent monomers (such as atactic, syndiotactic, isotactic, etc.). Thus, the term applied to fibers is intended to cover actual long strands, strips, threads, etc., of the drawn polymer. Polypropylene can have any standard melt flow (by testing); however, standard fiber-grade polypropylene resin has a melt flow index ranging from about 1 to 1000.

[0160] In some instances, the polyolefin is polyethylene. As used herein, the term "polyethylene" is intended to cover any polymer composition comprising ethylene monomers, either alone or in the form of mixtures or copolymers with other randomly selected and oriented polyolefins, dienes, or other monomers such as propylene, butene, etc. Such a term also covers any different configurations and arrangements of the constituent monomers (such as atactic, syndiotactic, isotactic, etc.). Thus, the term applied to fibers is intended to cover actual long strands, strips, threads, etc., of the stretched polymer. Polyethylene can have any standard melt flow (by testing); however, standard fiber-grade polyethylene resin has a melt flow index ranging from about 1 to 1000.

[0161] Method for manufacturing resin compositions

[0162] In various instances, this disclosure describes a variety of polymer compositions, including polyolefin resin compositions, synthetic leather polymer coating compositions, and fiber / yarn polymer compositions. The polymer compositions can be manufactured by dry blending or by melt blending of the various components. Methods for blending polymers can include film blending in a press, blending in a mixer (e.g., a mixer commercially available under the trade name "HAAKE" from Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA), solution blending, hot melt blending, and extruder blending. In some instances, the polymer resin modifier and the polyolefin copolymer are miscible, allowing them to be easily mixed during injection molding via a screw in the injection barrel, for example, without requiring a separate blending step.

[0163] The method may also include extruding a polymer composition to form an extruded polymer composition. The method of extruding a polymer composition may include manufacturing an elongated material (rod, sheet, tube, film, wire insulation coating) having a relatively constant cross-section. The method of extruding a polymer composition may include conveying a softened polymer composition through a die with an opening. The polymer composition may be conveyed forward by a feed screw and forced through the die. A heating element placed on the barrel may soften and melt the polymer composition. The temperature of the polymer composition may be controlled by a thermocouple. The polymer composition exiting the die may be cooled by blowing in air or in a water bath to form an extruded polymer composition. Alternatively, the polymer composition exiting the die may be granulated with minimal cooling as described below.

[0164] The method may also include injection molding the polymer composition to form an article. Injection molding may include using a non-rotating cold plunger to force the polymer composition through a heated cylinder, in which the polymer composition is heated by heat conducted from the cylinder wall to the polymer composition. Injection molding may include using a rotating screw coaxially arranged with the heated cylinder for delivering the polymer composition to a first end of the screw and heating the polymer composition by heat conducted from the heated cylinder to the polymer composition. As the polymer composition is delivered to the first end via the screw mechanism, the screw translates toward a second end to create a storage space at the first end. When sufficient molten polymer composition has been collected in the storage space, the screw mechanism can be pushed toward the first end to inject the polymer composition into a selected mold.

[0165] Now that the examples of this disclosure have been described in general terms, additional discussions about the examples will be described in more detail.

[0166] Before describing this disclosure in more detail, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific examples described, and therefore variations are certainly possible. Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of resin compositions and articles and their components will be apparent or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon studying the following figures and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages are intended to be included in this specification, within the scope of this disclosure, and protected by the appended claims. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific examples only and is not intended to be limiting. Those skilled in the art will recognize many variations and modifications of the examples described herein. These variations and modifications are intended to be included in the teachings of this disclosure and are covered by the claims herein.

[0167] Methods for manufacturing parts and products

[0168] This disclosure provides several methods for manufacturing the parts and articles described herein. The method includes attaching a synthetic leather material to a second element to form a part or article. The second element may include textiles or multilayer films. For example, the second element may include a shoe upper. The second element may include one or both of polyolefin fibers and polyolefin yarns. The second element may include an injection-molded element. The method may also include injection molding a polymer composition (including a polyolefin resin composition) as described herein to form the injection-molded second element. This disclosure provides methods for manufacturing parts for footwear articles, clothing, or sporting equipment.

[0169] In some instances, the polyolefin resin composition defines one side or outer layer of the second element, and the method includes attaching both sides or both outer layers together, each side or each outer layer being defined by the polyolefin resin composition. The second element may include yarn, textile, film, or some other element. Attaching the component to the second element may include injecting a polymer composition, such as a polyolefin resin composition, directly onto the second element. Attaching the component to the second element may include forming a mechanical bond between the polymer composition and the second element. The mechanical bond may include textiles bonded at the interface between the component and the second element. Attaching the component to the second element may include: (i) raising the temperature of the polymer composition to a first temperature above the melting or softening temperature of the polymer composition (e.g., the Vicat softening temperature), (ii) contacting the polymer composition and the second element while the polymer composition is at the first temperature, and (iii) maintaining the polymer composition and the second element in contact with each other while lowering the temperature of the polymer composition to a second temperature below the melting or softening temperature of the polymer composition, thereby forming a thermal bond between the polymer composition and the second element.

[0170] The second element may include a thermoplastic second polymer composition (e.g., a second thermoplastic composition), and attaching the component to the second element may include: (i) raising the temperature of the second thermoplastic composition to a first temperature above the melting or softening temperature of the second thermoplastic composition, (ii) contacting the polymer composition and the second element with each other while the second thermoplastic composition is at the first temperature, and (iii) maintaining the polymer composition and the second element in contact with each other while lowering the temperature of the second thermoplastic composition to a second temperature below the melting or softening temperature of the second thermoplastic composition, thereby forming a thermal bond between the polymer composition and the second element.

[0171] The polymer composition may be a first thermoplastic composition, and the second element may include a second thermoplastic composition. Attaching the component to the second element may include: (i) raising the temperature of both the first thermoplastic composition and the second thermoplastic composition to a first temperature higher than both the melting or softening temperature of the first thermoplastic composition and the melting or softening temperature of the second thermoplastic composition; (ii) bringing the first thermoplastic composition and the second thermoplastic composition into contact with each other while both are at the first temperature; and (iii) keeping the first thermoplastic composition and the second thermoplastic composition in contact with each other while lowering the temperature of the first thermoplastic composition and the second thermoplastic composition to a second temperature lower than the melting or softening temperature of the first thermoplastic composition and the melting or softening temperature of the second thermoplastic composition, thereby forming a thermal bond between the first thermoplastic composition and the second thermoplastic composition, wherein the polymer chains of the first thermoplastic composition and the second thermoplastic composition are mixed with each other.

[0172] In some instances, the article is a footwear article, and the method involves injection molding a plate directly onto the shoe upper.

[0173] Characterization and feature analysis procedures

[0174] Low-temperature Ross flexure test protocol

[0175] The low-temperature Ross flexure test was performed according to the following test method. The purpose of this test is to evaluate the crack resistance of a sample under repeated flexures up to 60 degrees Celsius in a cold environment. The dimensions of the thermoformed sheet of the material used for testing were set to fit inside the flexure tester. Each material was tested as five separate samples. The flexure tester was capable of flexing the sample to 60 degrees Celsius at a rate of 100 ± 5 cycles per minute. The mandrel diameter of the machine was 10 mm. Suitable machines for this test were the Emerson AR-6, Satra STM141F, Gotech GT-7006, and Shin II Scientific SI-LTCO (DaeSung Scientific). The sample was inserted into the machine according to the specific parameters of the flexure machine used. The machine was placed in a freezer set to -6 degrees Celsius for testing. The motor was turned on to begin flexure, and the flexure cycles were counted until the sample broke. Sample breakage means that the surface of the material was physically fractured. Visible creases that do not actually penetrate the surface are not cracks. Measure the sample up to the point where it has cracked but has not yet broken into two halves.

[0176] Wear loss test protocol ASTM D 5963-97a

[0177] Wear loss was tested on cylindrical test specimens with a diameter of 16 ± 0.2 mm and a minimum thickness of 6 mm, cut from a sheet using an ASTM standard drilling machine. Wear loss was measured using ASTM D 5963-97a Method B on a High-Speed ​​Rail Corporation GT-7012-D wear testing machine. The test was performed at 22 degrees Celsius over a 40-meter wear path. The standard rubber #1 used in the test had a strength of 1.336 g / cm³. 3 The density of the material. The smaller the wear loss, the better the wear resistance.

[0178] Crystallinity testing scheme

[0179] To determine the percentage of crystallinity in a resin composition comprising a copolymer or a homopolymer (e.g., polypropylene homopolymer) of a copolymer and its major component, including a pure resin, samples were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) over a temperature range of -80°C to 250°C. A heating rate of 10°C per minute was used. The endothermic heat of melting was measured for each sample during heating. Universal Analysis software (TA Instruments, New Castle, DE, USA) was used to calculate the percentage of crystallinity (crystallinity %) based on the endothermic heat of melting of the homopolymer (e.g., 207 joules / gram for 100% crystalline polypropylene material). Specifically, the percentage of crystallinity (crystallinity %) was calculated by dividing the endothermic heat of melting measured for the copolymer or resin composition by the endothermic heat of melting for 100% crystalline homopolymer.

[0180] Methods for determining the Vicat softening temperature test scheme

[0181] According to ASTM T m The test method detailed in D1525-09, "Standard Test Method for Vicat Softening Temperature of Plastics," preferably uses load A and rate A to determine the Vicat softening temperature. In short, the Vicat softening temperature is the temperature at which a flat-ended needle penetrates a sample to a depth of 1 mm under a specific load. This temperature reflects the expected softening point of the material when used in high-temperature applications. This temperature is considered to be the temperature at which the sample is penetrated to a depth of 1 mm by a flat-ended needle with a circular or square cross-section of 1 square millimeter. For the Vicat A test, a load of 10 Newtons (N) is used, while for the Vicat B test, the load is 50 Newtons. The test involves placing the test sample in the test apparatus such that the penetrating needle rests on its surface at least 1 mm from the edge. A load is applied to the sample according to the requirements of the Vicat A or Vicat B test. The sample is then placed in an oil bath at 23°C. The bath is increased at a rate of 50°C or 120°C per hour until the needle penetrates 1 mm. The thickness of the test sample must be between 3 and 6.5 mm, and the width and length must be at least 10 mm. No more than three layers can be stacked to achieve the minimum thickness.

[0182] Melting temperature and glass transition temperature test scheme

[0183] Melting temperature and glass transition temperature are determined using a commercially available differential scanning calorimeter (“DSC”) according to ASTM D3418-97. In short, a 10- to 15-gram sample is placed in an aluminum DSC pan, and the lid is sealed using a coil press. The DSC is configured to scan from -100°C to 225°C at a heating rate of 20°C / min, hold at 225°C for 2 minutes, and then cool to 25°C at a rate of -10°C / min. The DSC curves generated by this scan are then analyzed using standard techniques to determine the glass transition temperature and melting temperature.

[0184] Melt flow index test protocol.

[0185] The melt flow index is determined using Procedure A, as detailed in ASTM D1238-13, "Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer." In short, the melt flow index measures the extrusion rate of a thermoplastic material through an orifice at a specified temperature and load. In this test method, approximately 7 grams of material are loaded into the barrel of a melt flow apparatus, which has been heated to a temperature specified for the material. A specified weight of material is applied to the plunger, forcing the molten material through the die. The extrudate is collected over a time and weighed. The melt flow rate value is calculated in grams per 10 minutes. Alternatively, the melt flow index can be determined using the international standard ISO 1133 "Determination of the Melt Mass-Flow Rate (MFR) and Melt Volume-Flow Rate (MVR) of Thermoplastics" at 190 degrees Celsius and a load of 2.16 kg using procedure A described therein.

[0186] Hardness tester hardness testing scheme

[0187] The hardness of a material can be determined using the Shore A scale according to the test method detailed in ASTM D-2240 "Durometer Hardness".

[0188] Flexural modulus testing scheme

[0189] The flexural modulus (elastic modulus) of a material is determined according to the test method detailed in ASTM D790. The modulus is calculated by taking the slope of stress (MPa) relative to strain in the steepest initial straight portion of the load-deflection curve.

[0190] Modulus testing procedure (for boards).

[0191] The tensile modulus of the thermoformed material sheet was determined according to the test method detailed in ASTM D412-98, "Standard Test Methods for Vulcanized Rubber and Thermoplastic Rubbers and Thermoplastic Elastomers - Tension," with the following modifications: The sample size was ASTM D412-98 die C, and the sample thickness used was 2.0 mm ± 0.5 mm. The type of clamp used was a pneumatic clamp with metal toothed clamping surfaces. The clamping distance used was 75 mm. The loading rate used was 500 mm / min. The modulus (initial) was calculated by taking the slope of stress in megapascals (MPa) relative to strain in the initial linear region.

[0192] (Yarn) Modulus testing procedure.

[0193] The modulus of the yarn was determined according to the test method detailed in EN ISO 2062 (Textiles—Crates of yarn)—Determination of Single-End Breaking Force and Elongation at Break Using Constant Rate of Extension (CRE) Tester, with the following modifications. The sample length used was 600 mm. The equipment used was an Instron and High Speed ​​Rail clamp. The clamping distance used was 250 mm. The preload was set to 5 grams, and the loading rate used was 250 mm / min. The first meter of yarn was discarded to avoid using damaged yarn. The modulus (initial) was calculated by taking the slope of stress in megapascals (MPa) relative to strain in the initial linear region.

[0194] Toughness and elongation testing procedures.

[0195] The toughness and elongation of the yarn can be determined according to the test method detailed in EN ISO 2062, which describes the determination of breaking strength and elongation at break of a single yarn using a constant rate of elongation tester, with the preload set to 5 grams.

[0196] Malone burst test protocol

[0197] The bursting strength of a mesh of material (such as textile or synthetic leather) can be determined according to the test method detailed in ASTM D3786, "Standard Test Method for Bursting Strength of Textile Fabrics".

[0198] Sampling procedure

[0199] Using the above testing scheme, various properties of the materials disclosed herein and the components and other articles formed therefrom can be characterized using samples prepared with the following sampling procedure:

[0200] Pure material sampling procedure

[0201] Material sampling procedures can be used to obtain pure samples of polymers or polymer compositions. The material is provided in the form of a medium, such as flakes, granules, powders, or pellets. If the source of the polymer or polymer composition is not available in pure form, a sample can be cut from a film, plate, or other component containing the polymer composition, thereby isolating the material sample.

[0202] Plate sampling procedure

[0203] Samples of polymers or polymer compositions are prepared. A portion of the polymer or polymer composition is then molded into a film or plate with dimensions set to fit within the testing equipment. For example, when using a Ross flexure tester, the film or plate is sized to fit within the Ross flexure tester by thermoforming the polymer or polymer composition in a mold, or by extruding the polymer or polymer composition into a film and cutting the film to the appropriate size. The plate has dimensions of approximately 15 cm × 2.5 cm and a thickness of approximately 1 mm to approximately 4 mm. Plate samples are prepared by mixing the components of the polymer or polymer composition together, melting the components, pouring or injecting the molten polymer or polymer composition into a mold cavity, cooling the molten polymer or composition to solidify it within the mold cavity to form a plate, and then removing the solid plate from the mold cavity.

[0204] Component sampling procedure

[0205] This procedure can be used to obtain a sample of a polymer or polymer composition from an article or part of an article (such as footwear, clothing, or sporting equipment). A blade is used to cut a sample from the article or part, including the polymer or polymer composition in a non-wet state (e.g., at 25 degrees Celsius and 20% relative humidity). If the polymer or polymer composition is bonded to one or more additional materials, the procedure may include separating the additional materials from the polymer or polymer composition to be tested. For example, to test a polymer or polymer composition on the bottom surface of a shoe sole structure (such as an outsole), the top surface may be abraded, rubbed, scratched, or otherwise cleaned to remove any adhesives, yarns, fibers, foams, etc., attached to the polymer or polymer material to be tested. The resulting sample includes the polymer or polymer composition and may include any additional materials bonded thereto.

[0206] definition

[0207] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It should be further understood that terms as defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having the same meaning as they have in the context of this specification and the relevant field, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein.

[0208] All publications, patents, and patent applications cited in this specification disclose and describe methods and / or materials associated with the cited publications. All such publications, patents, and patent applications are incorporated herein by reference as if each individual publication or patent were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Such incorporation by reference is expressly limited to the methods and / or materials described in the cited publications, patents, and patent applications and does not extend to any dictionary definitions derived from the cited publications, patents, and patent applications. Any dictionary definitions in the cited publications, patents, and patent applications not expressly repeated in this specification should not be construed as such and should not be interpreted as defining any terms appearing in the appended claims.

[0209] While any methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of this disclosure, preferred methods and materials are described hereafter. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail. Unless otherwise stated, examples of this disclosure will employ techniques such as nanotechnology, organic chemistry, materials science, and engineering, which are within the scope of this art. Such techniques are well explained in the literature.

[0210] It should be noted that ratios, concentrations, amounts, and other numerical data may be expressed in range format herein. When a range includes one or two boundaries, the range excluding any one or both of those included boundaries is also included in this disclosure; for example, the phrase “x to y” includes the range from 'x' to 'y' as well as the range greater than 'x' and less than 'y'. The range may also be expressed as an upper limit, such as “about x, y, z or less”, and should be interpreted as including the specific ranges of 'about x', 'about y', and 'about z' as well as the ranges of 'less than x', 'less than y', and 'less than z'. Similarly, the phrase “about x, y, z or greater” should be interpreted as including the specific ranges of 'about x', 'about y', and 'about z' as well as the ranges of 'greater than x', 'greater than y', and 'greater than z'. Furthermore, the phrase “about 'x' to 'y'” (where 'x' and 'y' are numerical values) includes “about 'x' to about 'y'”. It should be understood that this range format is used for convenience and brevity, and therefore should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the values ​​explicitly listed as range boundaries, but also all individual values ​​or subranges covered within that range, as if each value and subrange were explicitly listed. For example, the range of values ​​“about 0.1% to 5%” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly listed values ​​of about 0.1% to about 5%, but also individual values ​​(e.g., 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) and subranges (e.g., 0.5%, 1.1%, 2.4%, 3.2%, and 4.4%) within the indicated range.

[0211] As used herein and cited in the claims, the term “provided” is not intended to require any particular communication or receipt of the provided terms. Rather, for clarity and readability purposes, the term “provided” is used only to enumerate items that will be referred to in subsequent elements of the claims.

[0212] Terms and phrases used herein to refer to sampling procedures and testing schemes, such as “pure material sampling procedure,” “plate sampling procedure,” “low-temperature Ross flexure test,” “ASTM D 5963-97a,” “crystallinity test,” etc., refer to the corresponding sampling procedures and testing methods described in the Characterization and Properties section. These sampling procedures and testing methods characterize the properties of the materials, films, articles, and components, etc., and do not need to be performed as active steps in the claims.

[0213] When applied to any feature in the examples of this disclosure described in the specification and claims, the articles “a” and “an” as used herein mean one or more features. The use of “a” and “an” does not limit the meaning to a single feature unless such limitation is specifically stated. The article “the” preceding a singular or plural noun or noun phrase indicates one or more specifically designated features and may have a singular or plural meaning depending on the context in which it is used.

[0214] PP9054 is a random copolymer of propylene and approximately 2.2 wt% ethylene, commercially available under the trade name "PP9054" from ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Houston, TX. It has an MFR (ASTM-1238D, 2.16 kg, 230°C) of approximately 12 g / 10 min and a molecular weight ratio (g / cm³) of approximately 0.90 g / cm³. 3 The density of ).

[0215] PP9074 is a random copolymer of propylene and approximately 2.8 wt% ethylene, and is commercially available from ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Houston, Texas, under the trade name "PP9074". It has an MFR (ASTM-1238D, 2.16 kg, 230°C) of approximately 24 g / 10 min and a molecular weight ratio (g / cm³) of 0.90 g / cm³. 3 The density of ).

[0216] PP1024E4 is a propylene homopolymer commercially available from ExxonMobil Chemical Company in Houston, Texas, under the trade name "PP1024E4". It has an MFR of approximately 13 g / 10 min (ASTM-1238D, 2.16 kg, 230°C) and a g / cm³ content of 0.90 g / cm³. 3 The density of ).

[0217] "VISTAMAXX 6202" is a copolymer primarily composed of isotactic propylene repeating units, with approximately 15 weight percent (wt%) of ethylene repeating units randomly distributed along the copolymer. It is a metallocene-catalyzed copolymer available from ExxonMobil Chemicals, Houston, Texas, with an MFR (ASTM-1238D, 2.16 kg, 230°C) of approximately 20 g / 10 min and a density of 0.862 g / cm³. 3 The hardness of the hardness tester is approximately 64 (Shore A).

[0218] "VISTAMAXX 3000" is a copolymer primarily composed of isotactic propylene repeating units, with approximately 11 weight percent (wt%) of ethylene repeating units randomly distributed along the copolymer. It is a metallocene-catalyzed copolymer available from ExxonMobil Chemicals, and has an MFR (ASTM-1238D, 2.16 kg, 230°C) of approximately 8 g / 10 min and a density of 0.873 g / cm³. 3 The hardness of the hardness tester is approximately 27 (Shore D).

[0219] "VISTAMAXX 6502" is a copolymer primarily composed of isotactic propylene repeating units, with approximately 13% by weight of ethylene repeating units randomly distributed along the copolymer. It is a metallocene-catalyzed copolymer available from ExxonMobil Chemicals, and has an MFR (ASTM-1238D, 2.16 kg, 230°C) of approximately 45 g / 10 min and a density of 0.865 g / cm³. 3 The hardness of the hardness tester is approximately 71 (Shore A).

[0220] Example

[0221] Having described examples of this disclosure, the following examples illustrate some additional examples of this disclosure. While examples of this disclosure have been described in conjunction with the following examples and the corresponding text and figures, it is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure to these examples. Rather, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that fall within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0222] Material

[0223] For the following examples, the following base resins are used.

[0224] Table 1: Base Resins

[0225]

[0226] The following polymer resin modifiers are used in the examples.

[0227] Table 2: Polymer Resin Modifiers

[0228]

[0229] Polyolefin resin composition

[0230] Polyolefin resin compositions comprising a polyolefin polymer (i.e., the base resin) and varying amounts of polymer resin modifiers were prepared and tested to determine wear loss according to the wear loss test described herein using a pure material sampling procedure; and flexural tests were performed according to a low-temperature Ross flexural test using a plate sampling procedure. The results are presented in Table 3. The percentage of crystallinity (%) of the sample resin compositions was measured according to a crystallinity test using a pure material sampling procedure. The results are reported in Table 4.

[0231] Table 3: Overview of density, DIN wear loss, and low-temperature Ross flexural strength of resin compositions with different amounts of polymer resin modifiers

[0232]

[0233] Undetermined

[0234] Table 4: Crystallization percentage of representative resin compositions

[0235]

[0236] Terms and Conditions

[0237] Clause 1. A footwear article comprising: a sole structure including a first thermoplastic composition; a footwear upper including an outwardly facing surface; the outwardly facing surface including a first region and a second region; the first region of the outwardly facing surface overlapping the sole structure and including a second thermoplastic composition, wherein the first region is thermally bonded to the sole structure; and the second region of the outwardly facing surface including the outermost surface of the upper and including one or more properties different from the first region.

[0238] Clause 2. Footwear article according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the properties include a composition.

[0239] Clause 3. Footwear article according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one or more of the properties include a cleaning solution composition.

[0240] Clause 4. Footwear articles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein one or more of the characteristics include a state with a higher degree of oxidation.

[0241] Clause 5. Footwear articles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein one or more of the properties include a base coat composition.

[0242] Clause 6. Footwear articles according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein one or more of the properties include an ink composition.

[0243] Clause 7. Footwear articles according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein one or more of the characteristics include surface texture.

[0244] Clause 8. Footwear article of claim 7, wherein the surface texture, compared to the second surface texture associated with the first region, includes a deeper embossing extending further away from the upper material.

[0245] Clause 9. Footwear article according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first region comprises a smaller amount of at least one of the cleaning solution composition, the primer composition, and the ink composition compared to the second region.

[0246] Clause 10. Footwear article of claim 9, wherein a smaller quantity includes an undetectable quantity.

[0247] Clause 11. Footwear articles according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising interlocking seams.

[0248] Clause 12. Footwear article of claim 11, wherein the first region extends to the bite line; the outward-facing surface includes a transition region positioned between the first region and the second region and including the outermost surface of the upper; and with respect to the one or more characteristics, the transition region is more similar to the first region than the second region.

[0249] Clause 13. Footwear article of claim 12, wherein the transition region, compared to the second region, comprises a smaller amount of at least one of the cleaning solution composition, the primer composition, and the ink composition.

[0250] Clause 14. Footwear article of claim 13, wherein a smaller quantity includes an undetectable quantity.

[0251] Clause 15. Footwear article according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the transition region includes a width extending from the bite line to the second region, and wherein the width is in the range of about 3 mm to about 7 mm.

[0252] Clause 16. Footwear article of claim 15, wherein the width is about 5 mm.

[0253] Clause 17. The footwear article according to any one of claims 15 or 16, wherein the width includes a first width at a first location surrounding the periphery of the footwear article, wherein the transition region includes a second width extending from the bite line to the second region and at a second location surrounding the periphery of the footwear article, and wherein the second width is different from the first width.

[0254] Clause 18. The footwear article of claim 17, wherein the first position is in the forefoot region of the footwear article, and the second position is in the midfoot region of the footwear article.

[0255] Clause 19. Footwear article of claim 18, wherein the first width is less than the second width.

[0256] Clause 20. Footwear article according to any one of claims 11 to 19, wherein: the footwear upper includes a connecting skirt that overlaps with the sole structure and includes the first region of the outward-facing surface; and the connecting skirt includes an inward-facing surface facing the foot receiving cavity of the footwear article.

[0257] Clause 21. Footwear article of claim 20, wherein the inward-facing surface is coupled to Ströbel.

[0258] Clause 22. The footwear article of claim 21, wherein the footwear upper includes an end edge attached to the Ströbel.

[0259] Clause 23. Footwear article of claim 22, wherein the end edge is joined to the Ströbel by one or more of stitching and adhesive.

[0260] Clause 24. Footwear article of claim 23, wherein the end edge is bonded to the Ströbel by an adhesive, and the Ströbel is bonded to the inward-facing surface of the combined skirt by an adhesive.

[0261] Clause 25. Footwear article of claim 24, wherein the adhesive comprises a hot melt adhesive.

[0262] Clause 26. Footwear article of claim 25, wherein the hot melt adhesive comprises a thermoplastic polymer.

[0263] Clause 27. Footwear article of claim 26, wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a third thermoplastic composition different from the first thermoplastic composition of the sole structure.

[0264] Clause 28. Footwear article of claim 27, wherein the third thermoplastic composition comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane composition.

[0265] Clause 29. Footwear article according to claim 27 or claim 28, wherein the sole structure is substantially free of the third thermoplastic composition.

[0266] Clause 30. Footwear article according to any one of claims 24 to 29, further comprising a bonding interface between the strobel and the inward-facing surface of the upper, wherein the bonding interface comprises at least a portion of the strobel, a portion of the adhesive, and a portion of the inward-facing surface.

[0267] Clause 31. The footwear article of claim 30, wherein the bonding interface extends to the end edge of the footwear upper.

[0268] Clause 32. Footwear article of claim 31, wherein the bonding interface is substantially free of the first thermoplastic composition.

[0269] Clause 33. Footwear article according to any one of claims 21 to 32, wherein the inward-facing surface and the Ströbel comprise nonwoven textiles.

[0270] Clause 34. Footwear article according to any one of claims 22 to 33, wherein the combined skirt includes a width extending from the interlocking line to the end edge.

[0271] Clause 35. The footwear article of claim 34, wherein the width includes a first width at a first location surrounding the periphery of the footwear article, wherein the connecting skirt includes a second width extending from the interlocking line to the end edge and at a second location surrounding the periphery of the footwear article, and wherein the second width is different from the first width.

[0272] Clause 36. The footwear article of claim 35, wherein the first position is oriented toward the toe relative to the second position.

[0273] Clause 37. Footwear article of claim 36, wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

[0274] Clause 38. The footwear article of claim 37, wherein the first position is in the forefoot area of ​​the footwear article, and the second position is in the midfoot area or the heel area.

[0275] Clause 39. Footwear article according to any one of claims 1 to 38, wherein: the first thermoplastic composition comprises a first thermoplastic polyolefin composition; and the first region of the outward-facing surface comprises a resin, the resin comprising the second thermoplastic composition; and the second thermoplastic composition comprises a second thermoplastic polyolefin composition.

[0276] Clause 40. Footwear article of claim 39, wherein the footwear upper comprises the second thermoplastic polyolefin composition having one or more surface modifications in the second region.

[0277] Clause 41. Footwear article of claim 40, wherein the one or more surface modifications comprise one or more of the cleaning solution composition, the more oxidized state, the primer composition, the ink composition, and the surface texture.

[0278] Clause 42. A footwear article comprising: a sole structure including a first thermoplastic composition; an upper including a first region and a second region; the first region overlapping and thermally bonded to the sole structure; the second region including a first portion of the outermost surface of the footwear article; and the first portion of the outermost surface including a surface chemical composition different from the first thermoplastic composition.

[0279] Clause 43. Footwear articles according to Clause 42, wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises a polyolefin resin composition.

[0280] Clause 44. Footwear articles according to Clause 43, wherein the surface chemical composition comprises less than 5% of the polyolefin resin composition.

[0281] Clause 45. Footwear articles according to any one of Clauses 42 to 44, wherein the surface chemical composition comprises a polyurethane composition.

[0282] Clause 46. Footwear articles according to Clause 45, wherein the first portion of the outermost surface comprises polyurethane ink.

[0283] Clause 47. Footwear articles pursuant to any one of Clauses 42 to 46 may also include interlocking seams.

[0284] Clause 48. Footwear article according to Clause 47, wherein the upper includes a transition region located between the bite line and the second region and includes a second portion of the outermost surface of the footwear article.

[0285] Clause 49. Footwear article according to Clause 48, wherein the second portion of the outermost surface of the footwear article comprises a second thermoplastic composition.

[0286] Clause 50. Footwear articles according to Clause 49, wherein the first thermoplastic composition and the second thermoplastic composition comprise a polyolefin resin composition.

[0287] Clause 51. Footwear articles according to Clause 50, wherein the transition region includes a width extending from the bite line to the second region, and wherein the width is in the range of about 3 mm to about 7 mm.

[0288] Clause 52. Footwear article according to Clause 50 or Clause 51, wherein the width includes a first width at a first location surrounding the periphery of the footwear article, wherein the transition region includes a second width extending from the bite line to the second region and at a second location surrounding the periphery of the footwear article, and wherein the second width is different from the first width.

[0289] Clause 53. Footwear article according to Clause 52, wherein the first position is in the forefoot area of ​​the footwear article and the second position is in the midfoot area of ​​the footwear article.

[0290] Clause 54. Footwear articles according to Clause 53, wherein the first width is less than the second width.

[0291] Clause 55. Footwear article according to any one of Clauses 48 to 54, wherein the first portion of the outermost surface includes a surface texture, the surface texture including a greater relief depth compared to the second portion of the outermost surface.

[0292] Clause 56. A footwear article comprising: a sole structure including a first thermoplastic composition; an upper including a bonding skirt overlapping and thermally bonded to the sole structure; the bonding skirt including an inwardly facing surface facing a foot receiving cavity of the footwear article; and a strobel bonded to the inwardly facing surface by a hot melt adhesive.

[0293] Clause 57. Footwear articles according to Clause 56, wherein the hot melt adhesive comprises a second thermoplastic composition, the second thermoplastic composition being different from the first thermoplastic composition.

[0294] Clause 58. Footwear articles according to Clause 57, wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises a polyolefin resin composition.

[0295] Clause 59. Footwear articles according to Clause 58, wherein the second thermoplastic composition comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane composition.

[0296] Clause 60. Footwear articles according to Clause 57, wherein the sole structure is substantially free of the second thermoplastic composition.

[0297] Clause 61. Footwear article according to Clause 56, wherein the inward-facing surface comprises a first nonwoven textile comprising a first fiber, and the Ströbel comprises a second nonwoven textile comprising a second fiber, and wherein a portion of the hot melt adhesive at least partially encapsulates the first fiber and the second fiber.

[0298] Clause 62. A footwear article comprising: a sole structure; an upper including a first region, a second region, and a transition region between the first region and the second region; the first region overlapping the sole structure at a mitral line and being thermally bonded to the sole structure; the transition region extending from the mitral line to the second region; the transition region including a first portion of the outermost surface of the footwear article, wherein the transition region includes a first surface texture including a first relief depth; and the second region including a second portion of the outermost surface of the footwear article, wherein the second region includes a second surface texture including a second relief depth greater than the first relief depth.

[0299] Clause 63. Footwear articles according to Clause 62, wherein the transition region includes one or more widths extending from the bite line to the second region.

[0300] Clause 64. Footwear articles according to Clause 63, wherein the width of one or more of them is in the range of about 3 mm to about 7 mm.

[0301] Clause 65. Footwear article according to Clause 63 or Clause 64, wherein the one or more widths include a first width at a first location surrounding the periphery of the footwear article and a second width at a second location surrounding the periphery of the footwear article, and wherein the second width is different from the first width.

[0302] Clause 66. Footwear article according to Clause 65, wherein the first position is in the forefoot area of ​​the footwear article and the second position is in the midfoot area of ​​the footwear article.

[0303] Clause 67. Footwear articles according to Clause 66, wherein the first width is less than the second width.

[0304] Clause 68. Footwear article according to Clause 62, wherein the sole structure comprises a first thermoplastic composition, and wherein in the second region, the second portion of the outermost surface comprises a surface chemical composition different from the first thermoplastic composition.

[0305] Clause 69. Footwear articles according to Clause 68, wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises a polyolefin resin composition.

[0306] Clause 70. Footwear articles according to Clause 69, wherein the surface chemical composition comprises a polyurethane composition.

[0307] Clause 71. Footwear article according to any one of Clauses 68 to 70, wherein in the first region, the first portion of the outermost surface comprises the surface chemical composition, the surface chemical composition comprising a polyolefin resin composition.

[0308] As used herein, the phrase “and / or” relating to two or more elements should be interpreted as meaning only one element or a combination of elements. For example, “element A, element B, and / or element C” could include only element A, only element B, only element C, element A and element B, element A and element C, element B and element C, or element A, B, and C. Additionally, “at least one of element A or element B” could include at least one of element A, at least one of element B, or at least one of element A and at least one of element B. Furthermore, “at least one of element A and element B” could include at least one of element A, at least one of element B, or at least one of element A and at least one of element B.

[0309] This detailed description is provided to satisfy legal requirements. However, this description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention described herein. Rather, the claimed subject matter may be embodied in different ways and in combination with other current or future techniques to include different steps, different combinations of steps, different elements, and / or different combinations of elements that are similar to or equivalent to those described in this disclosure. The examples herein are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. In this sense, alternative examples or implementations may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this subject matter pertains without departing from the scope of the subject matter.

Claims

1. A footwear product, comprising: A sole structure comprising a first thermoplastic composition; The shoe upper includes a first region and a second region; The first region overlaps with and is thermally bonded to the sole structure; The second region includes a first portion of the outermost surface of the footwear; and The first portion of the outermost surface comprises a surface chemical composition different from that of the first thermoplastic composition.

2. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises a polyolefin resin composition.

3. The footwear article according to claim 2, wherein the surface chemical composition comprises less than 5% of the polyolefin resin composition.

4. The footwear article according to claim 3, wherein the surface chemical composition comprises a polyurethane composition.

5. The footwear article of claim 4, wherein the first portion of the outermost surface comprises polyurethane ink.

6. The footwear article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising interlocking stitching.

7. The footwear article of claim 6, wherein the upper includes a transition region positioned between the bite line and the second region and including a second portion of the outermost surface of the footwear article.

8. The footwear article of claim 7, wherein the second portion of the outermost surface of the footwear article comprises a second thermoplastic composition.

9. The footwear article of claim 8, wherein the first thermoplastic composition and the second thermoplastic composition comprise a polyolefin resin composition.

10. The footwear article of claim 9, wherein the transition region includes a width extending from the bite line to the second region, and wherein the width is in the range of about 3 mm to about 7 mm.

11. The footwear article of claim 10, wherein the width includes a first width at a first location surrounding the periphery of the footwear article, wherein the transition region includes a second width extending from the bite line to the second region and at a second location surrounding the periphery of the footwear article, and wherein the second width is different from the first width.

12. The footwear article of claim 11, wherein the first position is in the forefoot region of the footwear article, and the second position is in the midfoot region of the footwear article.

13. The footwear article according to claim 12, wherein the first width is smaller than the second width.

14. The footwear article according to any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein the first portion of the outermost surface includes a surface texture, the surface texture having a greater relief depth compared to the second portion of the outermost surface.

15. A footwear product, comprising: A sole structure comprising a first thermoplastic composition; The upper includes a connecting skirt that overlaps with and is thermally bonded to the sole structure; The combined skirt includes an inward-facing surface that faces the foot receiving cavity of the footwear. as well as Ströbel, which is bonded to the inward-facing surface by hot melt adhesive.

16. The footwear article of claim 15, wherein the hot melt adhesive comprises a second thermoplastic composition, the second thermoplastic composition being different from the first thermoplastic composition.

17. The footwear article of claim 16, wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises a polyolefin resin composition.

18. The footwear article of claim 17, wherein the second thermoplastic composition comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane composition.

19. The footwear article according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the sole structure is substantially free of the second thermoplastic composition.

20. The footwear article of claim 15, wherein the inward-facing surface comprises a first nonwoven textile comprising a first fiber, and the Ströbel comprises a second nonwoven textile comprising a second fiber, and wherein a portion of the hot melt adhesive at least partially encapsulates the first fiber and the second fiber.

21. A footwear product, comprising: Sole structure; The shoe upper includes a first region, a second region, and a transition region between the first region and the second region; The first region overlaps with the sole structure at the interlocking line and is thermally bonded to the sole structure; The transition region extends from the occlusal line to the second region; The transition region includes a first portion of the outermost surface of the footwear, wherein the transition region includes a first surface texture, the first surface texture including a first embossing depth; and The second region includes a second portion of the outermost surface of the footwear article, wherein the second region includes a second surface texture, the second surface texture including a second relief depth, the second relief depth being greater than the first relief depth.

22. The footwear article of claim 21, wherein the transition region includes one or more widths extending from the bite line to the second region.

23. The footwear article of claim 22, wherein the width of one or more is in the range of about 3 mm to about 7 mm.

24. The footwear article of claim 22 or claim 23, wherein the one or more widths include a first width at a first position around the periphery of the footwear article and a second width at a second position around the periphery of the footwear article, and wherein the second width is different from the first width.

25. The footwear article of claim 24, wherein the first position is in the forefoot region of the footwear article, and the second position is in the midfoot region of the footwear article.

26. The footwear article of claim 25, wherein the first width is smaller than the second width.

27. The footwear article according to any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the sole structure comprises a first thermoplastic composition, and wherein in the second region, the second portion of the outermost surface comprises a surface chemical composition different from the first thermoplastic composition.

28. The footwear article of claim 27, wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises a polyolefin resin composition.

29. The footwear article of claim 28, wherein the surface chemical composition comprises a polyurethane composition.

30. The footwear article according to any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein in the first region, the first portion of the outermost surface comprises the surface chemical composition, the surface chemical composition comprising a polyolefin resin composition.

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