NIKE, Inc.
Cutting assembly for manufacturing footwear having sipes

Abstract:

An apparatus for manufacturing footwear, the apparatus including a jig and a cutting die. The jig including a base member and a plurality of pins, the jig having an outline conforming to an entire outline of a conventional midsole of an article of footwear and having an upwardly facing top surface configured to engage a foam midsole member, and the plurality of pins positioned about a periphery of the base member and projecting upwardly. The cutting die having a plurality of blades configured to form sipes in the lower surface of the foam midsole member, the cutting die being movable toward the top surface of the base member to bring the blades into contact with the foam midsole member disposed between the cutting die and the base member.