Recycling of waste yarns

Abstract

To provide a method of manufacturing a component at least partially from waste yarns.SOLUTION: In some embodiments, the waste yarns may be distributed on a surface and bonded to each other on the surface. The component may be at least a part of an upper for an article of footwear, an article of apparel, or a sports equipment article.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing parts at least partially from waste yarns and corresponding parts.

Background Art

[0002] Various products are at least partially composed of fiber elements. For example, sportswear, and even clothing products such as shirts, pants, jackets, footwear or others, are often composed of various fiber elements. During the process of manufacturing fiber elements, scraps are usually generated, including the edges or cut portions of the finished fiber elements or intermediate fiber elements or the cut ends of the weaving yarns. Fiber manufacturers generally optimize the above process to reduce the generation of scraps, but at least until now, the generation of scraps cannot be completely avoided. Therefore, in the fiber industry, the recycling of scraps plays an important role.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] However, the recycling processes well-known in the art generally require energy-intensive processes to convert scrap materials, in many cases, into raw materials for other products of reduced quality. Therefore, there is a continuing need for innovation in the recycling of scraps generated during the manufacture of fiber elements.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing parts at least partially from waste yarns. The method may comprise the steps of recovering waste yarns from a previous manufacturing process and recycling them by joining the waste yarns together. The waste yarns may be recovered, sorted, and dispersed on a predetermined surface for joining. In some cases, the surface may comprise the surface of a fiber element to which the waste yarns are joined.

[0005] The first embodiment (I) of the present disclosure is directed to a method of manufacturing parts (360, 500, 501, 600, 700, 701, 702) at least partially from waste yarns (110, 120, 210, 220, 310, 320, 410, 520, 620, 810), the method comprising (a) a step (910) of providing the waste yarns, (b) a step (920) of dispersing the waste yarns on a first surface (230, 330, 530, 630, 830), and (c) a step (930) of joining at least a part of the dispersed waste yarns to each other.

[0006] In the second embodiment (II), the waste yarns according to the first embodiment (I) comprise at least a thermoplastic polymer material.

[0007] In the third embodiment (III), 70% or more, preferably 80% or more, more preferably 90% or more, and most preferably more than 95% of the waste yarns according to the first embodiment (I) or the second embodiment (II) consist of non-solidified waste yarns.

[0008] In the fourth embodiment (IV), the waste yarns according to any one of embodiments (I) to (III) include solidified waste yarns.

[0009] In the fifth embodiment (V), the step of joining according to any one of embodiments (I) to (IV) comprises a step of applying heat and pressure to the dispersed waste yarns.

[0010] In the sixth embodiment (VI), the waste yarns according to any one of embodiments (I) to (V) include residual yarns.

[0011] In the seventh embodiment (VII), the method according to any one of embodiments (I) to (VI) further comprises a step of separating the waste yarns from the fiber elements before the step of providing the waste yarns.

[0012] In the eighth embodiment (VIII), the fiber elements according to the seventh embodiment (VII) are manufactured by winding a thread or a yarn around a plurality of anchor points.

[0013] In the ninth embodiment (IX), the method according to any one of the first to eighth embodiments further includes a step of mechanically sorting waste yarns by length, denier, or density and / or a step of shortening the length of the waste yarns before the step of dispersing the waste yarns on the first surface.

[0014] In the tenth embodiment (X), the method according to any one of the first to ninth embodiments further includes a step of disposing waste yarns on a movable second surface (350, 430, 450, 850) having a plurality of openings (433, 833), and the step of dispersing includes further moving the movable surface above the first surface so that the waste yarns pass through the openings onto the first surface.

[0015] In the eleventh embodiment (XI), the second surface according to the tenth embodiment (X) is attached to a device (890), and the method further includes a step of controlling the movement pattern of the device by at least one actuator.

[0016] In the twelfth embodiment (XII), the step of dispersing according to any one of the first to eleventh embodiments includes a step of uniformly dispersing the waste yarns on the first surface.

[0017] In the thirteenth embodiment (XIII), the step of dispersing according to any one of the first to eleventh embodiments includes dispersing the waste yarns in a first region of the first surface such that a first density of the dispersed waste yarns is generated in the first region, and dispersing the waste yarns in a second region of the first surface such that a second density of the dispersed waste yarns is generated in the second region, and the second density is lower than the first density.

[0018] In the fourteenth embodiment (XIV), the step of bonding according to any one of the first to thirteenth embodiments includes a step of producing a sheet material (221, 321).

[0019] In the 15th embodiment (XV), the method according to the 14th embodiment (XIV) further comprises the step of cutting at least a part of the sheet material into the shape of a part.

[0020] In the 16th embodiment (XVI), the part according to the 15th embodiment (XV) is at least a part of one of the upper (360, 560) of a footwear product, an apparel product or a sports goods product.

[0021] In the 17th embodiment (XVII), the first surface according to any one of embodiments (I) to (XVI) comprises a first fiber element (530, 630).

[0022] In the 18th embodiment (XVIII), the first fiber element according to the 17th embodiment (XVII) comprises at least one layer of woven yarns arranged in a pattern.

[0023] In the 19th embodiment (XIX), the method according to the 17th embodiment (XVII) or the 18th embodiment (XVIII) further comprises the step of arranging at least a second fiber element (534, 634) on the waste yarns before the step of joining.

[0024] In the 20th embodiment (XX), the second fiber element according to the 19th embodiment (XIX) comprises at least one layer of woven yarns arranged in a pattern.

[0025] In the 21st embodiment (XXI), the first surface according to any one of embodiments (I) to (IX) is a part of a mold.

[0026] In the 22nd embodiment (XXII), the step of joining according to the 21st embodiment (XXI) comprises the step of forming the waste yarns in the mold to form a part.

[0027] In the 23rd embodiment (XXIII), the component according to any one of embodiments (I) to (XV) or (XVII) to (XXII) is at least a part of a footwear product, in particular, a heel counter, an insole board, a stiffening element (700, 701, 702), a midfoot component or an outsole component.

[0028] In the 24th embodiment (XXIV), the component according to any one of embodiments (I) to (XXIII) is composed of 50% by weight or more, preferably 70% by weight or more, more preferably 90% by weight or more, and most preferably the whole of waste yarn.

[0029] The 25th embodiment (XXV) of the present disclosure is directed to components (360, 500, 501, 600, 700, 701, 702) manufactured by one of the methods of embodiments (I) to (XXIV).

[0030] Possible embodiments of the present disclosure will be further described in the following detailed description with reference to the following drawings. Together with the detailed description, the drawings explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments and are further useful for those skilled in the art to manufacture and use them. These drawings are for illustrative purposes and not limiting. It should be understood that the disclosure is generally described in the context of these embodiments, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these specific embodiments. In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031]

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[0032] The indefinite articles "a", "an", and "the" include plural references unless there is an obvious contradiction or the context specifies otherwise.

[0033] The terms "comprising", "consisting of", and "including" are open-ended transitional phrases. The listing of elements following the transitional phrase "comprising", "consisting of", or "including" is a non-exclusive listing such that elements in addition to those specifically recited in the listing may exist. The phrase "substantially consisting of" limits the components / composition of a part to those that do not substantially affect the specific materials and the basic and novel characteristics of that part. The phrase "consisting of" limits the components / composition of a part to specific materials and excludes any materials not specified.

[0034] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail herein with reference to the embodiments as shown in the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals are used to indicate identical or functionally similar elements. References to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "some embodiments", "in certain embodiments", etc. indicate that the described embodiments may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not all embodiments necessarily include that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, such language does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Also, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, whether explicitly described or not, it can be said to affect that feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments within the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0035] The method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is designed to improve a well-known recycling method of scrap to provide a fiber part including scrap so that at least part of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art are overcome. These problems or disadvantages can be solved by the method described herein and in particular by the subject matter of the independent claims. Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. At least some of the exemplary embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0036] The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing parts from at least partially waste yarns. The method may comprise the steps of providing waste yarns, dispersing the waste yarns on a first surface, and joining at least a portion of the dispersed waste yarns to each other.

[0037] In this aspect and as described herein, the present disclosure provides a method by which waste yarns are incorporated into new parts without requiring the labor-intensive and costly steps of preparing the waste yarns for further use.

[0038] The waste yarn may comprise at least a thermoplastic polymer material. As is generally known, a thermoplastic polymer material becomes flexible or moldable at a material-specific temperature known as the glass transition temperature and solidifies when cooled. This process can be repeated. Thus, the shape of the thermoplastic polymer material can be adapted. The thermoplastic polymer material is different from a thermosetting polymer material that forms irreversible chemical bonds, which also occur at a material-specific temperature during the curing process. Once cured, the thermosetting polymer material does not become flexible when reheated.

[0039] In addition to the waste yarn comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer material, the waste yarn may further comprise up to 40 wt% of a thermosetting polymer material. In some preferred embodiments, the waste yarn may comprise up to 25 wt% of a thermosetting polymer material. In some preferred embodiments, the waste yarn may comprise up to 10 wt% of a thermosetting polymer material. When both the waste yarn comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer material and the waste yarn consisting of a thermosetting polymer material are combined, the thermoplastic polymer material of the waste yarn comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer material can be used to bond not only themselves but also the waste yarn consisting of a thermosetting polymer material to each other. Such embodiments enable the recycling of materials such as, for example, aramid.

[0040] In some embodiments, more than 70% of the waste yarn can consist of unsolidified waste yarn. In some preferred embodiments, more than 80% of the waste yarn can consist of unsolidified waste yarn. In some preferred embodiments, more than 90% of the waste yarn can consist of unsolidified waste yarn. In some preferred embodiments, more than 95% of the waste yarn can consist of unsolidified waste yarn. In some preferred embodiments, 100% of the waste yarn can be unsolidified waste yarn. As used herein, the term "unsolidified" generally refers to loose waste yarn that is not mechanically connected and / or bonded to each other. For example, the cut ends of woven yarns removed from a bobbin or fabric can consist of unsolidified waste yarn. A high proportion of unsolidified waste yarn results in more accurate or generally improved dispersion of the waste yarn compared to waste yarns with a lower proportion of unsolidified waste yarn.

[0041] Additionally or alternatively, the waste yarn may include solidified waste yarn. As used herein, the term "solidified" generally refers to not being in a filamentous state joined and / or loosened from each other. For example, the solidified waste yarn may comprise mechanically connected fiber pieces and / or bonded fiber pieces that may have occurred during a pre-manufacturing process of the fiber elements. In particular, solidified defective parts can be utilized in the same manner as pattern cut waste materials. The mechanically connected fiber pieces may comprise, for example, knitted or woven fiber pieces. The bonded piece may consist of a fiber piece in a state where the weaving yarns are bonded to each other. The fiber piece may correspond to an area cut or separated from the fiber element. Additionally, the fiber piece may correspond to the entire fiber element that may not be sold or used. According to the present disclosure, the fiber pieces may be cut or shredded into smaller fiber pieces before dispersing them on the first surface.

[0042] The step of joining may comprise the step of applying heat and pressure to the dispersed waste yarn. By heating the waste yarn, the material may be softened or partially melted so that the weaving yarns can be joined to each other through the application of pressure. Thus, additional adhesives, resins or adhesive substances for joining the waste yarns to each other may not be required. In these embodiments, the first surface may be the surface of a heat press or a non-stick foil adapted to be placed inside the heat press. Accordingly, the waste yarn may be placed directly on the surface adapted to be placed inside the heat press.

[0043] The waste yarn may include remnant yarn. As used herein, remnant yarn is a portion of the yarn that is too short to be used in the manufacture of new fiber elements. The remnant yarn may correspond, for example, to the remaining portion of the weaving yarn remaining on the bobbin after manufacturing the fiber element, or to the weaving yarn of a new bobbin that is not expected to be used. When the fiber element is manufactured by winding the twisted or weaving yarn around a plurality of anchor points, the remnant yarn may be the cut twisted yarn of that process, in particular, the waste product resulting from separating the fiber element and the frame on which the anchor points are arranged. Additionally, the waste yarn may be generated by cutting the pattern-conforming shape of the finished fiber element.

[0044] The method may further comprise separating the waste yarn from the fiber element before the step of providing the waste yarn. The fiber element may be manufactured by winding a twisted yarn or a woven yarn around a plurality of anchor points. Additionally or alternatively to the remaining yarn, the waste yarn may include cut ends or edge regions cut from the fiber element. For example, in recent years, in the fiber industry, new techniques have been developed in which fiber elements are manufactured by winding one or more twisted yarns or woven yarns around predetermined anchor points. After winding the desired pattern, the central portion of the winding pattern is generally solidified, but the unsolidified woven yarns in the edge region remain wound around the anchor points. These unsolidified woven yarns can be separated from the solidified pattern, for example, cut. The separated portions of the woven yarn can be waste yarns according to the present disclosure.

[0045] A fiber element manufactured by winding a twisted yarn or a woven yarn around a plurality of anchor points can be manufactured by any of the methods described in U.S. Patent No. 10,874,172 or U.S. Patent No. 11,602,196, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0046] The method may further comprise mechanically sorting the waste yarn by length, denier or density and / or shortening the length of the waste yarn, both steps being able to be performed before the step of dispersing the waste yarn on the first surface. The shortening step may include, for example, mechanical cutting of the fiber element from which the waste yarn is generated. This ensures a constant length of waste yarn. Thereby, uniform dispersion, high quality and production effectiveness can be achieved. Since the waste yarn can consist of woven yarns of various lengths, deniers and densities, each of the sorting and shortening of the waste yarn results in a waste yarn with a more homogeneous length, denier or density distribution. Thereby, the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure can provide high-quality and / or reproducible quality parts. Also, each of the yarn length, denier or density can further affect at least one physical property of the parts according to the present disclosure. Examples of physical properties can be stretchability, drapability, durability, abrasion resistance and others.

[0047] The method may further comprise the step of disposing waste yarn on a movable second surface having a plurality of openings. Additionally, the step of dispersing may further comprise the step of moving the movable surface above the first surface such that the waste yarn passes through the openings up to the first surface. Thus, the shape of the second surface and / or the plurality of openings can be specifically optimized for the types of waste yarn available. The types of waste yarn can consist of one or more of the thickness of the waste yarn, the length of the waste yarn, the hardness of the waste yarn, the material composition of the waste yarn, the bending characteristics of the waste yarn, etc. The shape of the plurality of openings can be cut to be the second surface by laser, CNC milling, waterjet cutting, plasma cutting, 3D printing, or can be generated by other well-known techniques. This can provide a high-precision shape of the plurality of openings. However, alternative cutting means such as a knife or scissors are also applicable. The second surface may be a part of a box on which the waste yarn can be disposed. The step of moving may further comprise the step of vibrating the box.

[0048] The step of moving the movable surface so that the waste yarn passes through the openings can be utilized as one embodiment of mechanically sorting the waste yarn. For example, depending on the shape of the openings, only waste yarn up to a specific diameter may be allowed to pass through. Thus, the openings can define the upper limit diameter of the waste yarn after the sorting process. Additionally or alternatively, sorting based on the density of the waste yarns may be performed by disposing the waste yarns in a liquid. Waste yarns having a higher density than the liquid will sink. Waste yarns having a lower density than the liquid will float. Note that various sorting processes may be combined to obtain a more homogeneous sorted waste yarn as a result.

[0049] The second surface may be attached to the device, and the method may further comprise the step of controlling the movement pattern of the device and / or the second surface by at least one actuator. By the actuator, advantageously, a precisely programmable movement pattern can be obtained as a result. For example, the device may comprise a robotic arm and / or a computer numerical control (CNC) device.

[0050] The step of dispersing may include a step of uniformly dispersing the waste yarn on the first surface. By the uniform dispersion of the waste yarn, a sheet having a substantially constant thickness can be obtained as a result. The term "substantially" is here understood to include small deviations according to the manufacturing inaccuracies from a constant thickness. These small deviations can be on the order of up to 5%.

[0051] Alternatively, the step of dispersing may include a step of dispersing the waste yarn on a first region of the first surface such that a first density of the dispersed waste yarn can be generated in the first region, and a step of dispersing the waste yarn on a second region of the first surface such that a second density of the dispersed waste yarn can be generated in the second region, and the second density may be lower than the first density. Thus, a map of densities varying across the first surface can be generated across the first surface with the first and second densities or with more than two independent densities. The second density may be zero. Thereby, a region where the waste yarn is not dispersed can be generated. The dispersion of the waste yarn at various densities of the dispersed waste yarn can be controlled by the movement pattern of a device to which the second surface can be attached. For example, it can be controlled by a robotic arm, a CNC device, or an actuator.

[0052] The step of joining may include a step of producing a sheet material. The sheet material can provide a raw material for new parts. When the volume of the waste yarn is large enough, the process of manufacturing the sheet material can be a continuous process. In a continuous process, the sheet material can be wound on a roll, stored, or directly processed into parts. In these embodiments, the method may further include a step of cutting at least a portion of the sheet material into the shape of a part. The part can be at least a part of one of an upper of a footwear product, an apparel product, or a sports goods product. Thus, the waste yarn can be reused as parts of new products without requiring a labor-intensive and energy-intensive pre-recycling process.

[0053] The first surface may comprise a first fiber element. Thereby, the waste yarn can be directly attached to the first fiber element after the bonding step. For example, the waste yarn can be arranged in a specific area of the first fiber element to provide a reinforcing and / or cushioning element. For example, if the first fiber element corresponds to the upper of a footwear product, the specific area can consist of the toe area or the heel counter area of the final footwear product. However, other areas of the fabric well-known in the art as including reinforcing and / or cushioning characteristics, such as the elbow area of an apparel item, are also applicable.

[0054] The first fiber element may comprise at least one layer of woven yarn arranged in a pattern. The layer arranged in a pattern may comprise a knit layer, a woven layer, or a layer produced by winding one or more twisted or woven yarns around predetermined anchor points. Thereby, any waste yarn generated by manufacturing the fiber element during knitting, weaving, or winding may be combined with the same fiber element or other fiber elements and reused. Thus, by these embodiments of the present disclosure, fiber components that do not generate waste yarn during their production are obtained as a result.

[0055] The method may further comprise the step of placing at least a second fiber element on the dispersed waste yarn before the step of joining. The first and second fiber elements may impart a frame or sandwich structure to the waste yarn. Thereby, both the first and second fiber elements will be adhered to each other after the step of joining by the waste yarn disposed between the two layers. Also, the waste yarn may be dispersed on the opposing surface of the first fiber element. Thereby, the first fiber will be sandwiched by the waste yarn. In this embodiment, the second fiber element need not achieve a three-layer configuration with a specific high content of waste yarn. Additionally, the waste yarn may be disposed on the surface of the first fiber element. This surface may be the outer or inner surface of a footwear or apparel product. In other words, the sandwich structure may be inverted such that the fiber elements are disposed between two layers of dispersed waste yarn. For this purpose, the waste yarn of the first layer may be dispersed on a first surface which may be a surface adapted to be disposed within a heat press, for example. Thereafter, the fiber element may be placed on the first layer of dispersed waste yarn. Thereafter, the waste yarn of the second layer may be dispersed on the fiber element.

[0056] The second fiber element may comprise at least one layer of woven yarn arranged in a pattern. By disposing waste yarn between two fiber elements comprising woven yarn arranged in a pattern, the thickness of the resulting part can be effectively increased. In particular, the step of winding the twisted or woven yarn around the anchor points in a pattern may require multiple repetitions to result in a sufficient thickness of the resulting fiber element. Thus, disposing waste yarn between two fiber elements each comprising at least one layer of woven yarn wound around anchor points can be particularly advantageous for obtaining a sufficient thickness with high time efficiency.

[0057] The first surface may be part of a mold. Thus, instead of placing the waste yarn on the surface of a heat press or on the fiber element, the waste yarn may be placed directly inside the mold.

[0058] The combining step may comprise the step of forming a part by shaping waste yarn within a mold. Thereby, structural elements can be efficiently manufactured from waste yarn. Depending on the mold, flat parts having a substantially constant thickness or structural parts with varying thicknesses can be provided.

[0059] The part can be at least a part of a footwear product. In an embodiment, the part can be an inner heel counter. The inner heel counter can provide support for the wearer's heel without being visible in the final product. Thus, the inner heel counter provides a sustainable solution for reducing waste yarn regardless of the color components of the available waste yarn. In other embodiments, the part can be an outer heel counter or an outsole part. In other embodiments, the part can be an insole board. The insole board can provide advantageous pressure distribution, which can be particularly relevant for footwear products with cretes. In a further embodiment, the part can be a stiffening element for a midsole or a midfoot part. Embodiments of these parts can provide a beneficial increase in bending stiffness. In yet a further embodiment, the waste yarn can serve as a cushioning element. In particular, the waste yarn can be sandwiched between an outer fabric (e.g., the upper fabric exposed on the outside of a footwear product) and an inner fabric (e.g., the lining of the upper).

[0060] The part can consist of 50 wt% or more of waste yarn. In some preferred embodiments, the part can consist of 70 wt% or more of waste yarn. In some preferred embodiments, the part can consist of 90 wt% or more of waste yarn. In some preferred embodiments, the part can be entirely composed of waste yarn. Thereby, the present disclosure provides an environmentally friendly method for manufacturing parts. First, the part can be entirely composed of, or at least largely in terms of weight, waste generated during the manufacture of different products, i.e., waste yarn. Second, at least when the part is entirely composed of waste yarn, no additional adhesives, adhesive substances, or resins are required to manufacture the part according to the present disclosure.

[0061] In a further aspect, the present disclosure provides a component manufactured by one of the above methods.

[0062] The various advantageous effects, embodiments and functions of the present disclosure as described above with respect to the method of manufacturing a component are equally applicable to the embodiments of the component and are not repeated here for the sake of simplicity.

[0063] In the following, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to a method of manufacturing a component at least partially from waste yarn. Combinations of specific features will be described below with respect to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, but it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to such embodiments. In particular, not all features need to be present in order to implement the present disclosure, and embodiments may be modified by combining features of one embodiment with one or more features of other embodiments.

[0064] FIG. 1A shows an embodiment 100 of waste yarn 110. Waste yarn 110 can occur during the process of manufacturing fiber elements. For example, waste yarn 110 can correspond to a previous edge region or a cut-off region from a fiber element. Waste yarn 110 can consist of residual yarn that can correspond to the woven yarn remaining on the bobbin after manufacturing a fabric. Residual yarn is generally too short to be used for further fabric manufacturing and is usually discarded in a landfill or recycled in an energy-intensive process.

[0065] Waste yarn 110 comprises an un-solidified thermoplastic polymer material that can form at least part of the sheath of waste yarn 110. Thus, at least the sheath portion of waste yarn 110 can be softened or melted when exposed to heat. When the heated waste yarn 110 is further subjected to pressure, the waste yarns 110 are joined together after being cooled to ambient temperature. The result of that joining process is shown in FIG. 1B, which shows joined waste yarn 120. The waste yarn 110 of FIG. 1A corresponds to the joined waste yarn 120 after the heat-pressure process.

[0066] Figures 2A - 2D illustrate embodiments of a process for manufacturing a component according to the present disclosure. Figure 2A shows step 200, which depicts waste yarn 210 collected in a container, which may have been generated during the manufacture of the fiber elements. These waste yarns 210 are then dispersed on a first surface 230 in step 201 shown in Figure 2B. The first surface 230 may be a non - adhesive foil adapted to be placed within a heat press. In step 202 shown in Figure 2C, the first surface 230 is placed between a first heating plate 231 and a second heating plate 232 of a heat press 235. After application of heat and pressure in the heat press 235, the waste yarns 210 up to this point are joined together here to form a sheet 221 of joined waste yarn 220 shown as step 203 in Figure 2D. Thereafter, the sheet 221 of joined waste yarn 220 can be further processed into any desired component by cutting each shape from the sheet 221. The cutting can be carried out by any well - known cutting means 240 such as scissors, a knife, a laser, a cutting die, other automated cutting machines, etc.

[0067] Figures 3A - 3E show other embodiments of the process for manufacturing a component according to the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the component is the upper 360 of a footwear product. The upper 360 comprises joined waste yarns 320 (substantially entirely composed of joined waste yarns 320 in some preferred embodiments). Figure 3A shows step 300, which depicts waste yarns 310 collected in a container 350. The waste yarns 310 can be those generated during the manufacture of fiber elements. Further, to obtain a more uniform yarn dispersion and thus a higher quality manufactured component as a result, the waste yarns 310 are shortened to a predetermined length before being placed in the container 350. This causes the plurality of waste yarns to all have substantially the same length. A length difference of 10% is considered to have substantially the same length. Thereafter, the shortened waste yarns 310 are dispersed on a first surface 330 in step 301 shown in Figure 3B. The dispersion can be performed by moving a container 350 having a plurality of openings on its bottom surface above the first surface 330. The movement can be performed manually or by a computer - controlled device such as a robotic arm or a CNC device. The first surface 330 can be a non - sticky foil adapted to be placed within a heat press. The container 350 can consist of a box as described herein.

[0068] Figure 3C shows, in step 302, the result of a flat sheet 321 of joined waste yarns 320 after applying heat and pressure to the dispersed waste yarns 310. Note that by the process described herein, the flat sheet of joined yarns is not generated as individual sheets in a heat press, but may be generated in a continuous rolling process on a conveyor belt, whereby a long band of joined waste yarns results.

[0069] Thereafter, the flat sheet 321 of the combined waste yarn 320 is cut into a shape for manufacturing the upper 360 and can be connected to the insole 361. The insole 361 can also be cut from the flat sheet 321. Thus, the upper 360 including the insole 361 shown in step S303 in FIG. 3D includes the combined waste yarn 320 (in some embodiments, is substantially entirely composed of the combined waste yarn 320). Finally, the upper 360 is placed on and attached to the sole 370. This is shown in step 304 in FIG. 3E. By this method, the waste yarn 310, which was conventionally discarded in a landfill, is used to manufacture new parts in the form of the upper of a footwear product.

[0070] Figs. 4A - 4E show various embodiments of a box 450 adapted to evenly disperse waste yarn 410 on a first surface. All embodiments 400 - 404 are shown as polyhedral nets, which become the box 450 after the assembly process. Each of the boxes 450 includes a bottom surface 430 having a plurality of openings 433. The openings 433 may be cut to form the bottom surface 430 by any suitable cutting means. In some preferred embodiments, a laser may be used to cut the openings 433. The pattern of the openings can be adapted according to the required level of even dispersion of the waste yarn 410 on the first surface. Smaller openings may provide a more even dispersion than larger openings. On the other hand, larger openings can shorten the time required to disperse a desired amount of waste yarn 410 on the first surface. Further, depending on the diameter of the available waste yarn 410, larger or smaller openings may be suitable. Similarly, depending on whether the waste yarn 410 is at least partially mechanically interconnected, for example, knitted or woven, larger openings may be required than for substantially individual waste yarn 410 for which smaller openings may be advantageous. The pattern can generally be adapted to prevent a large number of twisted waste yarns 410 from being dispersed on the first surface.

[0071] The opening 433 of the embodiment 400 of the box 450 shown in FIG. 4A comprises a pattern of multiple rows of thin rectangular openings. For example, in some embodiments, the opening 433 of the embodiment 400 of the box 450 shown in FIG. 4A comprises a pattern of 17 thin rectangular openings in each of 3 rows. The opening 433 of the embodiment 401 of the box 450 shown in FIG. 4B comprises a pattern of alternating odd and even numbers of thin rectangular openings in partially overlapping rows. For example, in some embodiments, the opening 433 of the embodiment 401 of the box 450 shown in FIG. 4B comprises a pattern of 11 and 12 thin rectangular openings in each of 6 partially overlapping and alternating rows. The opening 433 of the embodiment 402 of the box 450 shown in FIG. 4C comprises a pattern of alternating odd and even numbers of cross-shaped openings in partially overlapping rows. For example, in some embodiments, the opening 433 of the embodiment 402 of the box 450 shown in FIG. 4C comprises a pattern of 6 and 5 cross-shaped openings in each of 9 partially overlapping and alternating rows. The opening 433 of the embodiment 403 of the box 450 shown in FIG. 4D comprises a pattern of multiple rows of square openings. For example, in some embodiments, the opening 433 of the embodiment 403 of the box 450 shown in FIG. 4D comprises a pattern of 12 square openings in each of 17 rows. The opening 433 of the embodiment 404 of the box 450 shown in FIG. 4E comprises a pattern of multiple rows of circular openings. For example, in some embodiments, the opening 433 of the embodiment 404 of the box 450 shown in FIG. 4E comprises a pattern of 21 circular openings in each of 28 rows.

[0072] FIG. 4F shows the embodiment 403 of the box 450 in an assembled state. Thus, the box 450 comprises a bottom surface 430 having an opening (e.g., square opening 433) as described above. Further, the unfixed waste yarn 410 is disposed within the box 450 such that individual or small bundles of the waste yarn 410 will pass through the opening 433 by movement or vibration of the box 450. Before disposing the waste yarn 410 within the box 450, the waste yarn may be mechanically sorted to comprise only waste yarn up to a specified denier limit. Further, the waste yarn may be sorted such that there is no waste yarn 410 having a length greater than an upper length limit, e.g., greater than 20 cm.

[0073] It should be understood that the box 450 is only one embodiment of the second surface, and other embodiments such as plates may also be in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0074] Each of FIGS. 5A and 5B shows an embodiment of parts 500, 501 in which waste yarn is disposed on the fiber element 530. Thus, in these embodiments, the first surface comprises a fiber element or at least one layer of fiber layer.

[0075] FIG. 5A shows an embodiment of part 500 having a shape of a fiber element 530 adapted to be processed into an upper for a footwear product. The fiber element 530 can be divided into a toe cap region 561, a midfoot region 562 and a heel region 563. In embodiment 500, the waste yarn is disposed in the toe region 561 and the heel region 563. After applying heat and pressure to the dispersed waste yarn and the fiber element 530, the bonded waste yarn 520 is adhered to the fiber element 530. Thereby, reinforcement of these regions in the assembled upper is provided to the wearer of the footwear product with the upper according to the bonded waste yarn 520. Further, the bonding of the waste yarn, which is usually discarded in landfills, provides an environmentally friendly process for recycling waste materials.

[0076] FIG. 5B shows an embodiment of part 501 according to the present disclosure, in which waste yarn is dispersed between the first fiber element 530 and the second fiber element 534. The fiber elements 530 and 534 correspond to fiber layers in the form of a net. After applying heat and pressure, the bonded waste yarn 520 is adhered to the first fiber element 530 and the second fiber element 534. In this case, the advantageous effects as described for embodiment 500 with a single fiber layer also apply. Further, the sandwiched configuration provides various reinforcing fibers, which can be adhered or disposed in each region of apparel products, footwear products or sports goods that require additional support or stiffening. Alternatively, the sandwiched structure may be reversed. Thereby, one layer of fiber elements 530, 534 can be disposed between two layers of waste yarn.

[0077] Figure 6A shows an embodiment of a component 600 according to the present disclosure. The component 600 is adapted to be processed into an upper 660 for a footwear product. Thus, the component 600 can be divided into a toe cap region 661, a midfoot region 662, and a heel region 663. The component 600 includes a first fiber layer 630 manufactured by winding a plurality of continuous twisted yarns around anchor points 681 of a frame 680. Thereby, the first fiber layer 630 has a pattern of continuous twisted yarns that are neither knitted nor woven. At the upper part of the first fiber layer 630, waste yarn 610 is at least partially dispersed in the toe cap region 661 and the heel region 663. As shown in Figure 6A, the density of the dispersed waste yarn 610 is higher in the heel region 663 than in the toe cap region 661, and the density of the dispersed waste yarn 610 is minimal or substantially zero in the midfoot region 662. Further, a second fiber layer 634 is disposed on top of the dispersed waste yarn to fix the dispersed waste yarn 610 before the bonding process. The second fiber layer 634 is also manufactured by winding at least one continuous twisted yarn around the anchor points 681 of the frame 680. Thereby, the waste yarn 610 is sandwiched between the first fiber layer 630 and the second fiber layer 634. This is also shown in Figure 6B, which is an enlarged view of region 601 in Figure 6A. The sandwiched configuration of the first fiber layer 630, the waste yarn 610, and the second fiber layer 634 can be further processed in a heat press, cut from the frame 680, and assembled into an upper of a footwear product having a reinforced toe box and a heel counter. This demonstrates other beneficial embodiments of reusing waste yarn according to the present disclosure.

[0078] Note that other dispersion modes of the waste yarn 610 are also possible. For example, the waste yarn can be uniformly dispersed throughout the first fiber layer 630 to efficiently increase the thickness of the first fiber layer. Thereby, the time required to wind the twisted yarn around the anchor points 681 to obtain the component 600 of the desired thickness or height can be significantly shortened by disposing the waste yarn 610 between two layers of wound fiber layers.

[0079] Note that the present application is not limited to a sandwich structure having only three layers. Therefore, sandwich structures having four or more layers, such as four, five, six or more layers, are also applicable according to the present disclosure. In these embodiments, an alternating configuration of fiber layers and layers of dispersed waste yarns may be advantageous. For example, the component 501 of FIG. 5 and / or the component 600 shown in FIG. 6A may include an additional layer of dispersed waste yarns disposed on top of the second fiber layers 534, 634.

[0080] FIG. 6C shows an embodiment 602 of a frame 680 similar to the frame shown in FIG. 6A, which is adapted for manufacturing an upper for a footwear product. The frame 680 includes a plurality of anchor points 681 around which continuous twisted yarns may be wound to form a pattern of fiber elements. Generally, the wound pattern must be separated from the frame 680, which may be done after solidifying or heat - pressing the inner portion 683 of the wound pattern. After solidification, the inner portion 683 is cut or punched out from the frame 680, leaving it separate from the outer portion 682 in the form of non - solidified waste yarn, which may be processed by the methods described herein.

[0081] FIG. 6D shows a footwear product 603 comprising a component according to the present disclosure. The footwear 603 includes a sole 670 and an upper 660. The upper 660 includes a fiber layer 630 manufactured by winding twisted yarns around anchor points as described above. Further, to reinforce the collar region at the edge of the upper 660, waste yarn is disposed on the fiber layer 630 in the edge collar region and is bonded to the upper 660. Thus, the upper 660 includes bonded waste yarn 620 in the form of a reinforcing upper layer within the edge collar region.

[0082] In some embodiments, the waste yarn can be placed in the seam region of the desired edge using a jig placed on top of the fiber layer 630 during placement / distribution of the waste yarn. Such a jig covers an area outside the seam region of the edge so that the waste yarn is not dispersed into the covered area. The jig also exposes the seam region of the edge so that the waste yarn can be exclusively dispersed in the seam region of the edge. FIG. 6E shows an example of a jig 690 laid on other fiber elements 691 intended to form part of the upper of a footwear product. The fiber elements 691 are manufactured by winding the twisted yarn around the anchor points as described above. The jig 690 covers a first region 692 of the fiber element 691. The jig 690 includes an opening 694 that exposes a second region 693 of the fiber element 691. As can be seen from FIG. 6F, the waste yarn 695 is inserted into the opening 694 of the jig 690. In the illustrated example, the opening 694 is completely filled with the waste yarn 695. As a result, the resulting fiber element 691 is covered by the waste yarn 695 within the shape of the opening 694 of the jig. Subsequently, the waste yarn 695 can be solidified.

[0083] Generally, an exemplary method of manufacturing a fiber element, e.g., the above-described component 600, may comprise the following steps. First, the method may comprise defining a plurality of peripheral anchor points. The method may further comprise winding a continuous twisted yarn around the plurality of peripheral anchor points to form a twisted yarn pattern. The continuous twisted yarn may comprise a plurality of twisted yarn lines such that each twisted yarn line extends between two respective peripheral anchor points. The method may further comprise joining the continuous twisted yarn at intersections between the twisted yarn lines. The joining step may be restricted to a central region or the joining step may exclude an edge region of the twisted yarn pattern. The method may further comprise separating the joined twisted yarn pattern from the peripheral anchor points. The separating step may generate waste yarn. The waste yarn may originate from a joined or unjoined region of the twisted yarn pattern. The method may further comprise dispersing the waste yarn onto the joined twisted yarn pattern. Thus, the waste yarn may be disposed on the same twisted yarn pattern from which they are separated. The method may further comprise joining at least a portion of the dispersed waste yarn to each other and / or to the joined twisted yarn pattern. In other words, the method of manufacturing the components described herein may be combined with well-known processes of winding twisted or woven yarns around anchor points. As a result, a fiber element having the advantageous effects of the components described herein is obtained, and furthermore, no waste yarn is generated during the manufacture of the fiber element.

[0084] Figures 7A - 7C show embodiments of components 700, 701, and 702 according to the present disclosure. To manufacture components 700, 701, and 702, the waste yarn is placed inside the mold, particularly on the bottom surface of the mold. Similar to the heating - pressing described above, the mold also applies heat and pressure to the dispersed waste yarn to press the waste yarn into the desired shape.

[0085] For example, the component 700 shown in FIG. 7A includes a bonded waste yarn 720 (in some embodiments, it is entirely composed of the bonded waste yarn 720), and it is formed into a flat reinforcement component 700. The component 700 can be utilized to reinforce each part of the upper. The component 700 includes four eyelets 734 and two openings 733 for improving the ventilation of the corresponding upper that includes the component 700.

[0086] The component 701 shown in FIG. 7B shows an embodiment in which a similar component 700 includes a bonded waste yarn 720 (in some embodiments, it consists entirely of the bonded waste yarn 720). The component 701 further includes a surface structure 733. Thus, when the component 701 is solidified, the surface structure is pressed to form the component 701. These surface structures should be understood as merely demonstrating embodiments of the molded parts having the structural surfaces according to the present disclosure. Generally speaking, any shape and form can be manufactured by molding the waste yarn 720 in a mold. The local thickness change introduced by the surface structure can be utilized to modify the rigidity and bending characteristics of the component.

[0087] FIG. 7C shows another embodiment of the component 702 according to the present disclosure. The component 702 includes surface structures 733a and 733b and includes a bonded waste yarn 720 (in some embodiments, it consists entirely of the bonded waste yarn 720). The component 702 further has the shape of a sole for a footwear product. In particular, the component 702 can be particularly advantageous for a cleated footwear product. Therefore, the component 702 includes various surface structures 733a that are at least partially disposed at the position where the cleat is attached in the finished footwear. Thus, the surface structures 733a impart additional rigidity to those regions, and when they are worn by the user, they receive an increased pressure according to the attached cleat. Further, the component 702 further includes additional surface structures 733b that are adapted to impart an increase in the bending rigidity to the sole that includes the component 702.

[0088] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment 800 of a method of manufacturing a component according to the present disclosure by using a robotic arm 890. A plate 850 is attached to the end of the robotic arm 890. The plate 850 includes a plurality of openings 833 that may correspond to one of the openings described above with respect to FIGS. 4A-4F. Shortened or cut waste yarns 810 are disposed on the bottom surface of the plate 850. Further, a first surface 830 is disposed below the plate 850, which may be a surface adapted to be placed inside a heat press or a tray of the heat press. The robotic arm 890 further includes a plurality of joints 891, which may be configured to move the plate 850 in a predetermined pattern. The operation may be adjusted so that small bundles of the waste yarns 810 or preferably even individual waste yarns 810 are evenly distributed on the first surface 830. By using the robotic arm 890 or another computer-controlled device such as a CNC device, an even distribution of the waste yarns 810 on the first surface 830 is provided, thereby making it possible to obtain as a result a flat sheet of bonded waste yarns having a substantially constant thickness and yarn density after the solidification process.

[0089] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a method 900 of manufacturing a component according to the present disclosure. The method includes a step 910 of providing waste yarns as described above. The method further includes a step 920 of dispersing the waste yarns on a first surface as described above. The method further includes a step 930 of bonding at least a portion of the dispersed waste yarns to each other as described above.

[0090] Although various embodiments have been described herein, they are presented by way of example and not limitation. It should be apparent that adaptation examples and modifications will be within the equivalent meaning and scope of the disclosed embodiments based on the teachings and guidance presented herein. Thus, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be made to the embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the elements of the embodiments presented herein are not necessarily mutually exclusive and can be substituted for one another to satisfy various situations.

[0091] Each example is for the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure and is not a limitation of the present disclosure. Other suitable variations and adaptations of the various conditions and parameters that are commonly encountered in this technical field and that are obvious to those skilled in the art are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0092] It should be understood that the language or terms used herein are for illustrative purposes and not for limiting purposes. The breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing parts from at least partially waste yarns, comprising: (a) providing the waste yarns; (b) dispersing the waste yarns on a first surface; and (c) joining at least a part of the dispersed waste yarns to each other. A method comprising the above steps.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste yarns comprise at least a thermoplastic polymer material.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein 70% or more of the waste yarns consist of non-solidified waste yarns.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste yarns include solidified waste yarns.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the joining step comprises applying heat and pressure to the dispersed waste yarns.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste yarns include leftover yarns.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising separating the waste yarns from a fiber element before the step of providing the waste yarns.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the fiber element is manufactured by winding a twisted yarn or a woven yarn around a plurality of anchor points.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising mechanically sorting the waste yarns by length, denier or density and / or shortening the length of the waste yarns before the step of dispersing the waste yarns on the first surface.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising placing the waste yarns on a movable second surface having a plurality of openings, and the dispersing step further comprises moving the movable second surface above the first surface so that the waste yarns pass through the plurality of openings onto the first surface.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the movable second surface is attached to a device, and the method further comprises controlling a movement pattern of the device by at least one actuator.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dispersing step comprises uniformly dispersing the waste yarns on the first surface.

13. The step of dispersing comprises dispersing the waste yarn in the first region of the first surface such that a first density of the dispersed waste yarn is produced in the first region, and dispersing the waste yarn in the second region of the first surface such that a second density of the dispersed waste yarn is produced in the second region, the second density being lower than the first density, the method according to claim 1.

14. The step of bonding comprises the step of producing a sheet material, the method according to claim 1.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of cutting at least a portion of the sheet material into the shape of the component.

16. The component is at least a part of one of an upper of a footwear product, an apparel product or a sports goods product, the method according to claim 15.

17. The first surface comprises a first fiber element, the method according to claim 1.

18. The first fiber element comprises at least one layer of woven yarn arranged in a pattern, the method according to claim 17.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising, prior to the step of bonding, the step of arranging at least a second fiber element on the dispersed waste yarn.

20. The second fiber element comprises at least one layer of woven yarn arranged in a pattern, the method according to claim 19.

21. The first surface is part of a mold, the method according to claim 1.

22. The step of bonding comprises the step of molding the waste yarn in the mold to form the component, the method according to claim 21.

23. The component is at least a part of a heel counter, an insole board, a stiffening element, a midfoot component or an outsole component, the method according to claim 1.

24. The component consists of 50% by weight or more of the waste yarn, the method according to claim 1.

25. A component manufactured by the method according to claim 1.

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