Athletic gear or other devices comprising post-molded expandable components

• Main Authors: Laperrière, Jean-François, Labonté, Ivan, Beauregard, Marco, Ladouceur, Martin, Asselin, François, Krick, Thierry
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.02.2024
• Subjects: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY; ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OFTHREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVEAGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING,STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F,C08G; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; AMUSEMENTS; APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING,CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; GAMES; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; HATS; HEAD COVERINGS; HEADWEAR; HUMAN NECESSITIES; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULARARTICLES; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS; MANUFACTURING OR TRIMMING HATS OR OTHER HEAD COVERINGS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SPORTS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; TRAINING EQUIPMENT; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL; WORKING-UP

A device (e.g., an article of athletic gear) comprising a post-molded expandable component, which is a part of the device that is configured to be expanded or has been expanded after being molded. This may allow the post-molded expandable component to have enhanced characteristics (e.g., be more shock-absorbent, lighter, etc.), to be cost-effectively manufactured (e.g., by using less material and/or making it in various sizes), and/or to be customized for a user (e.g., by custom-fitting it to the user).