Last system for articles with braided components

• Main Authors: Bruce Robert M, Lee Eun Kyung, Sills Craig K
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.06.2017
• 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 OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; BRAID; BRAIDING; BRAIDING MACHINES; BRAIDING OR MANUFACTURE OF LACE, INCLUDING BOBBIN-NET ORCARBONISED LACE; CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; FOOTWEAR; HUMAN NECESSITIES; KNITTING; LACE; LACE-MAKING; MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT OR METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING ORREPAIRING FOOTWEAR; NON-WOVEN FABRICS; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TEXTILES; TRANSPORTING; TRIMMINGS; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A last system and a method of making the last system are disclosed. The last system includes a last member and an exterior layer. The exterior layer becomes deformable when heated above a characteristic temperature. The method can include forming a braided footwear component on the last system. The exterior layer may be joined with the braided footwear component by heating the last system above the characteristic temperature.