OUTSOLE AND METHOD OF MAKING AN OUTSOLE
FIG5C is a flowchart describing a method of forming an article or a component of an article comprising an uncured composition or an elastomeric material
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method 103 for forming an article or a component of an article 135 for use in a finished article, such as an article of apparel or sporting equipment is provided. Referring now to FIG5C, this method 103 comprises the steps of providing or receiving 129 an uncured composition or an elastomeric material. When desirable, the uncured composition or the elastomeric material may be prepared according to the previously described methods 101 and 102. The article or component of the article is then formed 132, such that the uncured composition or the elastomeric material defines at least a portion of a surface that is configured to be externally-facing when the component or the article is present in a finished article. The uncured composition is at least partially cured to form the elastomeric material and/or the elastomeric material is partially or fully cured 137, such that it exhibits a water uptake rate of 10 g/m2/√min to 120 g/m2/√min as measured in the Water Uptake Rate Test over a soaking time of 9 minutes using the Component Sampling Procedure.
flowchart
103
method
141
article
129
elastomeric material receiving
104
method
145
may further comprise exposing elastomeric material. Fully curing
137
cured
132
formed
65
from
143
coupling
135
about
['4. The outsole (15) of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first elastomeric material (110; 204): - has a water cycling weight loss of less than 15 weight percent based on a total weight of the first elastomeric material (110; 204) present in the outsole (15); - has a water uptake capacity of at least 80 percent by weight based on the total weight of the first elastomeric material (110; 204) present in the first portion; and/or - includes from 30 weight percent to 70 weight percent of the first polymeric hydrogel based on a total weight of the first elastomeric material (110; 204) present in the first portion.', '7. The outsole (15) of claim 6, wherein the second material (206): includes a second cured rubber and is substantially free of one or more polymeric hydrogels; and/or forms one or more integrally formed traction elements (95; 138) on the externally-facing side (10) of the outsole (15).', '10. A method of forming an outsole (15) according to any one of claims 1-9, the method comprising: shaping (132) a first composition to form a first portion of an externally-facing side (10) of an outsole (15), wherein the first composition includes a mixture of a first uncured or partially cured rubber (126) and a first polymeric hydrogel (127) at a first concentration, wherein the first polymeric hydrogel (127) is distributed throughout the first uncured or partially cured rubber (126); and curing (119; 137; 145) the first portion to form a first elastomeric material (129; 135), thereby curing the first uncured or partially cured rubber (126) into a first fully cured rubber, and forming a first polymeric network including the first fully cured rubber in the first elastomeric material (129; 135), wherein the first polymeric hydrogel (127) is distributed throughout and entrapped by the first polymeric network.']