Abstract: The disclosure relates to articles and components thereof, including outsoles, which can be used in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil. In particular, the articles have substrate body, a tie layer secured to the substrate body, and a material including a hydrogel secured to the tie layer. The material can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil during use. The presence of the tie layer can minimize or prevent delamination of the hydrogel containing material during normal use.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to articles of footwear (100) and components thereof, including outsoles (112), which can be used in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles (112). In particular, the disclosure relates to articles of footwear (100) and components thereof including an outsole (112) with a material (116) including a polymeric network formed of a plurality of polymer chains, where the material (116) defines external ground-facing surface or side of the outsole (112). The outsoles (112) can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil on the footwear (100) during wear on unpaved surfaces such as sporting fields.

Abstract: An article of footwear (100), apparel (500, 600), and/or sporting equipment (300, 400), and methods of manufacturing thereof, having a hydrogel present on at least a portion of an externally-facing side of the article. The hydrogel is effective in reducing soil accumulation on the article, and/or for reducing soil adhesion to the article.

Abstract: Disclosed is a molded foamed article, such as a midsole or outsole for footwear, made by a method in which a desired amount of thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads are placed in a compression mold in the shape of the article and the mold is brought to a peak temperature of from about 130° C. to about 180° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds, then cooled to from about 5° C. to about 80° C. over a period of from about 300 to about 1500 seconds within about 30 seconds after the peak temperature is reached. The foamed article made by the method has a density of from about 0.1 to about 0.45 g/cm3.

Abstract: A method of making an article of footwear may include providing a last shaped to resemble a human foot. The method may also include forming at least one footwear component at least in part from a susceptor material that is thermally reactive to an electromagnetic field. The method may further include covering at least a portion of the last with two or more footwear components, wherein the two or more footwear components includes the at least one footwear component formed at least in part from a susceptor material. In addition, the method may include applying an electromagnetic field to the susceptor material, causing induction heating of the susceptor material and joining the two or more footwear components by melding the two or more components with the induction heating.

Abstract: An article of footwear has a sole structure with frusto-conical structures. The sole structure includes a sole plate and outer sole assembly. The outer sole assembly is placed on the outer surface of the sole plate. The outer sole assembly provides frusto-conical structures that protrude towards the outer surface of the sole plate. The frusto-conical structures have recesses facing the ground surface.

Abstract: An article of footwear with self-cleaning cleats and a method of making an article of footwear are disclosed. The article of footwear may include a sole plate having cleats associated with resilient members. The resilient members may be disposed on the cleats. The resilient members may prevent mud from accumulating on the cleats and/or a bottom surface of the sole plate by compressing against a surface of the ground and then springing back, preventing mud from sticking to the resilient member.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole having a lower surface, a web that covers a portion of the lower surface of the sole, the web having an exposed surface, and a spring element disposed between the lower surface of the sole and the web. The spring element is configured to transition the exposed surface of the web between a first state and a second state in response to a compression force applied to the spring element by an external ground surface in a user activity, to prevent accumulation of ground surface material, such as mud, dirt, clay, sand, slush, etc., compacting on the sole of the article of footwear in the user activity.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof, including outsoles, which can be used in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles. In particular, the disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof including an outsole with an external thermoplastic hydrogel film that compositionally includes polyurethane copolymer chains. The outsoles can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil on the footwear during wear on unpaved surfaces such as sporting fields. When the outsoles are wetted with water, the outsoles can become more compliant and/or can rapidly uptake and/or expel water, which can prevent soil from adhering to the outsole and/or can assist in shedding soil present on the outsole.

Abstract: An article of footwear having a self-cleaning surface and a method of making an article of footwear are disclosed. The article of footwear may generally include a sole plate having cleats associated with resilient members. The resilient members may be disposed on a bottom surface of the sole plate in an area near the cleats. For example, a resilient member may be disposed in on the bottom surface of the sole plate in the peripheral area of a cleat. The resilient members may prevent mud from accumulating on the cleats and/or a bottom surface of the sole plate by compressing against a surface of the ground and then springing back, preventing mud from sticking to the resilient member.

Abstract: A method of insert molding comprises placing in a first mold a curable rubber composition comprising a reactive species; placing on a surface of the rubber composition a first thermoplastic material in a film or layer comprising a group reactive with the reactive species of the rubber composition; curing the rubber composition in the mold to form a first molded article of cured rubber having a first thermoplastic material layer covalently bonded through reactive of the reactive species and the group; placing the first molded article as an insert into a second mold, the cured rubber contacting an inside surface of the second mold and the thermoplastic layer facing into the second mold cavity; closing the second mold and injecting into the second mold a second thermoplastic material that to form a second molded article comprising the first molded article thermally welded and/or covalently bonded to the second thermoplastic material.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof, including outsoles, which can be used in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles. In particular, the disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof including an outsole with an external thermoplastic hydrogel film that compositionally includes polyamide block copolymer chains. The outsoles can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil on the footwear during wear on unpaved surfaces such as sporting fields. When the outsoles are wetted with water, the outsoles can become more compliant and/or can rapidly uptake and/or expel water, which can prevent soil from adhering to the outsole and/or can assist in shedding soil present on the outsole.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof, including outsoles, which can be used in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles. In particular, the disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof including an outsole with an external thermoplastic hydrogel film that compositionally includes polyurethane copolymer chains. The outsoles can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil on the footwear during wear on unpaved surfaces such as sporting fields. When the outsoles are wetted with water, the outsoles can become more compliant and/or can rapidly uptake and/or expel water, which can prevent soil from adhering to the outsole and/or can assist in shedding soil present on the outsole.

Abstract: A method of insert molding comprises placing in a first mold a curable rubber composition comprising a reactive species; placing on a surface of the rubber composition a first thermoplastic material in a film or layer comprising a group reactive with the reactive species of the rubber composition; curing the rubber composition in the mold to form a first molded article of cured rubber having a first thermoplastic material layer covalently bonded through reactive of the reactive species and the group; placing the first molded article as an insert into a second mold, the cured rubber contacting an inside surface of the second mold and the thermoplastic layer facing into the second mold cavity; closing the second mold and injecting into the second mold a second thermoplastic material that to form a second molded article comprising the first molded article thermally welded and/or covalently bonded to the second thermoplastic material.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof, including outsoles, which can be used in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles. In particular, the disclosure relates to articles of footwear and components thereof including an outsole with an external hydrogel film that compositionally includes a crosslinked polymeric network having a plurality of copolymer chains with one or more hard segments physically crosslinked to other hard segments of the copolymer chains, and one or more hydrophilic soft segments covalently bonded to the hard segments. The outsoles can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil on the footwear during wear on unpaved surfaces such as sporting fields. When the outsoles are wetted with water, the outsoles can become more compliant and/or can rapidly uptake and/or expel water, which can prevent soil from adhering to the outsole and/or can assist in shedding soil present on the outsole.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are articles of manufacture, methods of manufacturing articles, and methods of using articles of manufacture, having an open-cell foam material and a mesh component present on at least parts of an external surface of the article. The open-cell foam material and the mesh component can cooperate to effectively reduce soil accumulation on the external surface of the article when the external surface of the article comes into direct contact with wet soil.

Abstract: A method of insert molding comprises placing in a first mold a curable rubber composition comprising a reactive species; placing on a surface of the rubber composition a first thermoplastic material in a film or layer comprising a group reactive with the reactive species of the rubber composition; curing the rubber composition in the mold to form a first molded article of cured rubber having a first thermoplastic material layer covalently bonded through reactive of the reactive species and the group; placing the first molded article as an insert into a second mold, the cured rubber contacting an inside surface of the second mold and the thermoplastic layer facing into the second mold cavity; closing the second mold and injecting into the second mold a second thermoplastic material that to form a second molded article comprising the first molded article thermally welded and/or covalently bonded to the second thermoplastic material.

Abstract: A method of insert molding comprises placing in a first mold a curable rubber composition comprising a reactive species; placing on a surface of the rubber composition a first thermoplastic material in a film or layer comprising a group reactive with the reactive species of the rubber composition; curing the rubber composition in the mold to form a first molded article of cured rubber having a first thermoplastic material layer covalently bonded through reactive of the reactive species and the group; placing the first molded article as an insert into a second mold, the cured rubber contacting an inside surface of the second mold and the thermoplastic layer facing into the second mold cavity; closing the second mold and injecting into the second mold a second thermoplastic material that to form a second molded article comprising the first molded article thermally welded and/or covalently bonded to the second thermoplastic material.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of using articles of footwear and components thereof, including outsoles, in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles. In particular, the disclosure relates to a method of using an article of footwear having an outsole that includes a film on its ground facing surface. When the outsoles are wetted with water, the outsoles can become more compliant and/or can rapidly uptake and/or expel water, which can prevent soil from adhering to the outsole and/or can assist in shedding soil present on the outsole. Thus, the methods provided herein can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil on the footwear during wear on unpaved surfaces such as sporting fields.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of using articles of footwear and components thereof, including outsoles, in conditions normally conducive to the accumulation of soil on the outsoles. In particular, the disclosure relates to a method of using an article of footwear having an outsole that includes a dispersion on its ground facing surface. When the outsoles are wetted with water, the outsoles can become more compliant and/or can rapidly uptake and/or expel water, which can prevent soil from adhering to the outsole and/or can assist in shedding soil present on the outsole. Thus, the methods provided herein can prevent or reduce the accumulation of soil on the footwear during wear on unpaved surfaces such as sporting fields.