Cleats, cleated sole structures, molds, and molding methods for in-molding articles

Abstract

Cleat structures, e.g., for golf shoes, may include a flat and flexible interior surface and/or a generally disk-shaped perimeter area that includes features to promote in-molding of the cleat to a footwear sole component (e.g., to permanently engage the cleat with an outsole member). Such cleats may provide a flexible and comfortable base, including a low profile, e.g., to enable formation relatively thin and/or flexible footwear sole components. Footwear sole components and articles of footwear that include one or more in-molded cleat structures of this type also are described. Molds used for in-molding procedures and methods of using the molds to make articles with in-molded components (e.g., for making footwear sole structures including one or more in-molded cleats) also are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mold for forming a sole element of an article of footwear, comprising:
 a first mold component including a first portion of a mold cavity, wherein the first portion of the mold cavity includes:
 a first area for forming a base footwear sole component, wherein the first area includes a first molding surface exposed in the mold cavity made from a first material having a first thermal conductivity, and 
 a second area including a cleat receptacle, wherein the cleat receptacle includes a second surface exposed in the mold cavity for engaging a cleat, wherein the second surface is made from a second material having a second thermal conductivity, and wherein the second thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity; and 
   a second mold component including a second portion of the mold cavity for at least partially covering the first portion of the mold cavity.   
     
     
         2 . A mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the mold cavity further includes a third area including a second cleat receptacle, wherein the second cleat receptacle includes a third surface exposed in the mold cavity for engaging a second cleat, wherein the third surface is made from a third material having a third thermal conductivity, wherein the third thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity, wherein the third material is the same as or different from the second material, and wherein the third thermal conductivity is the same as or different from the second thermal conductivity. 
     
     
         3 . A mold according to  claim 2 , wherein the first area completely surrounds the second area and completely surrounds the third area. 
     
     
         4 . A mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the mold cavity further includes:
 a third area including a second cleat receptacle, wherein the second cleat receptacle includes a third surface exposed in the mold cavity for engaging a second cleat, wherein the third surface is made from a third material having a third thermal conductivity, wherein the third thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity, wherein the third material is the same as or different from the second material, and wherein the third thermal conductivity is the same as or different from the second thermal conductivity; and   a fourth area including a third cleat receptacle, wherein the third cleat receptacle includes a fourth surface exposed in the mold cavity for engaging a third cleat, wherein the fourth surface is made from a fourth material having a fourth thermal conductivity, wherein the fourth thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity, wherein the fourth material is the same as or different from the second and third materials, and wherein the fourth thermal conductivity is the same as or different from the second and third thermal conductivities.   
     
     
         5 . A mold according to  claim 4 , wherein the first area completely surrounds the second area, the third area, and the fourth area. 
     
     
         6 . A mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the first molding surface includes a plurality of recesses, wherein the plurality of recesses have a perimeter smaller than a perimeter extending around the second area, and wherein the plurality of recesses are for forming fraction nub projections on the base footwear sole component. 
     
     
         7 . A mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the second mold component completely covers the first portion of the mold cavity and completely covers the cleat receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . A mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material is a metal or metal alloy material, and wherein the second material includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of: a ceramic material, a polymeric material, and a polymeric material including a ceramic, metal, or metal alloy powder dispersed therein. 
     
     
         9 . A mold, comprising:
 a first mold component including a first portion of a mold cavity, wherein the first portion of the mold cavity includes:
 a first area for forming a first portion of an article to be molded, wherein the first area includes a first molding surface exposed in the mold cavity made from a first material having a first thermal conductivity, and 
 a second area including a component receptacle for receiving a component to be in-molded into the article, wherein the component receptacle includes a second surface exposed in the mold cavity for engaging a component to be in-molded, wherein the second surface is made from a second material having a second thermal conductivity, and wherein the second thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity; and 
   a second mold component including a second portion of the mold cavity for at least partially covering the first portion of the mold cavity.   
     
     
         10 . A mold according to  claim 9 , wherein the first portion of the mold cavity further includes a third area including a second component receptacle for receiving a second component to be in-molded into the article, wherein the second component receptacle includes a third surface exposed in the mold cavity for engaging a second component to be in-molded, wherein the third surface is made from a third material having a third thermal conductivity, wherein the third thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity, wherein the third material is the same as or different from the second material, and wherein the third thermal conductivity is the same as or different from the second thermal conductivity. 
     
     
         11 . A mold according to  claim 10 , wherein the first area completely surrounds the second area and completely surrounds the third area. 
     
     
         12 . A mold according to  claim 9 , wherein the second mold component completely covers the first portion of the mold cavity and completely covers the component receptacle. 
     
     
         13 . A mold according to  claim 9 , wherein the first material is a metal or metal alloy material, and wherein the second material includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of: a ceramic material, a polymeric material, and a polymeric material including a ceramic, metal, or metal alloy powder dispersed therein. 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming a sole element for an article of footwear, comprising:
 introducing a moldable material into a mold cavity that includes:
 a first area for forming a base footwear sole component, wherein the first area includes a first molding surface exposed in the mold cavity made from a first material having a first thermal conductivity, and 
 a second area including a cleat receptacle, wherein the cleat receptacle includes a second surface exposed in the mold cavity for engaging a cleat, wherein the second surface is made from a second material having a second thermal conductivity, and wherein the second thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity; 
   thereafter engaging a cleat with the cleat receptacle, wherein the cleat includes a cleat engagement area; and   thereafter introducing additional moldable material into the mold cavity, wherein the additional moldable material flows around and/or through the cleat engagement area and engages or flows into contact with the moldable material introduced before the cleat was engaged with the cleat receptacle to thereby form a combined base footwear sole component and cleat.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 removing any moldable material from an exposed surface of the cleat receptacle in the mold cavity before engaging the cleat with the cleat receptacle.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 curing the moldable material and the additional moldable material after the step of introducing the additional moldable material into the mold cavity.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 engaging the combined base footwear sole component and cleat with a midsole component.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the step of engaging the combined base footwear sole component and cleat with the midsole component includes fixing the combined base footwear sole component and cleat with the midsole component via an adhesive or cement material. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 removing the combined base footwear sole component and cleat from the mold cavity; and   engaging the combined base footwear sole component and cleat with a midsole component.   
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a sole element for an article of footwear, comprising:
 placing a cleat in a mold cavity, wherein the cleat includes a cleat engagement area, and wherein the mold cavity includes:
 a first area for forming a base footwear sole component, wherein the first area includes a first molding surface exposed in the mold cavity made from a first material having a first thermal conductivity, and 
 a second area including a cleat receptacle, wherein the cleat receptacle includes a second surface exposed in the mold cavity for engaging the cleat, wherein the second surface is made from a second material having a second thermal conductivity, wherein the second thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity, and wherein the cleat is engaged with the cleat receptacle; and 
   thereafter introducing a moldable material into the mold cavity, wherein the moldable material flows around and/or through the cleat engagement area to engage the cleat with the moldable material and to thereby form a combined base footwear sole component and cleat.   
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 curing the moldable material after the step of introducing the moldable material into the mold cavity.   
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 engaging the combined base footwear sole component and cleat with a midsole component.   
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the step of engaging the combined base footwear sole component and cleat with the midsole component includes fixing the combined base footwear sole component and cleat with the midsole component via an adhesive or cement material. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 removing the combined base footwear sole component and cleat from the mold cavity; and   engaging the combined base footwear sole component and cleat with a midsole component.   
     
     
         25 . A method of making an article of footwear, further comprising:
 forming a sole element according to  claim 20 ; and   engaging the sole element with an upper component.   
     
     
         26 . A method of making an article of footwear, further comprising:
 forming a sole element according to  claim 14 ; and   engaging the sole element with an upper component.   
     
     
         27 . A method of forming a molded article including an in-molded component, comprising:
 introducing a moldable material into a mold cavity that includes:
 a first area that includes a first molding surface exposed in the mold cavity made from a first material having a first thermal conductivity, and 
 a second area including an in-molded component receptacle, wherein the in-molded component receptacle includes a second surface exposed in the mold cavity for engaging a component to be in-molded, wherein the second surface is made from a second material having a second thermal conductivity, and wherein the second thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity; 
   thereafter engaging the component to be in-molded with the in-molded component receptacle, wherein the component to be in-molded includes an in-molding engagement area; and   thereafter introducing additional moldable material into the mold cavity, wherein the additional moldable material flows around and/or through the in-molding engagement area and engages or flows into contact with the moldable material introduced before the component to be in-molded was engaged with the in-molded component receptacle.   
     
     
         28 . A method of forming a molded article including an in-molded component, comprising:
 placing a component to be in-molded in a mold cavity, wherein the component to be in-molded includes an in-molding engagement area, and wherein the mold cavity includes:
 a first area that includes a first molding surface exposed in the mold cavity made from a first material having a first thermal conductivity, and 
 a second area including an in-molded component receptacle, wherein the in-molded component receptacle includes a second surface exposed in the mold cavity for engaging the component to be in-molded, wherein the second surface is made from a second material having a second thermal conductivity, wherein the second thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity, and wherein the component to be in-molded is engaged with the in-molded component receptacle; and 
   thereafter introducing a moldable material into the mold cavity, wherein the moldable material flows around and/or through the in-molding engagement area to engage the component to be in-molded with the moldable material.