Patent Description:
Conventional footwear includes a combination of two primary elements, namely an upper portion and a sole portion. The sole portion contains a sole with an outer surface intended to permit ground (external surface) engagement. The upper portion of the footwear provides a covering for the foot of the wearer of the footwear and positions the foot with respect to the associated sole portion. The sole portion is secured to a lower part of the upper portion of the footwear and, in practice, is intended to be positioned between the upper portion and external surface to which the sole is intended to permit contact. The sole portion provides traction through its outer surface upon engagement with an external surface and also aids in controlling foot balance and control for the footwear. Accordingly, the upper portion and associated sole portion secured to the upper portion operate in a cooperative combination to provide a footwear structure suitable for one or more ambulatory activities such as, for example, walking, running and sports related activities.

Shoes are sometimes desired which have high performance soles which promote traction and durability.

It is desired to provide shoe soles containing a relatively high Tg (high glass transition temperature property) solvent solution polymerization prepared styrene/butadiene rubber (SSBR) to promote wet traction for the rubber composition.

For such purpose, it is desired for the SSBR to have a Tg of at least -<NUM> and desirably in a range of from -<NUM> to +<NUM>. It is desired for the relatively high Tg SSBR to have a bound styrene content in a range of from <NUM> to <NUM>, alternately from <NUM> to <NUM>, percent. It is further desired for the relatively high Tg SSBR to have a vinyl <NUM>,<NUM>-content based on its polybutadiene portion of at least <NUM>, alternately in a range of from <NUM> to <NUM>, or alternatively in a range of from <NUM> to <NUM>, percent.

Reinforcing filler for such rubber composition is desired to comprise a combination of rubber reinforcing carbon black and silica, preferably precipitated silica (amorphous synthetic precipitated silica). The reinforcing filler is primarily composed of such silica, desirably at least <NUM> to <NUM>, alternately <NUM> to <NUM> weight percent of silica pr precipitated silica. Preferably, the reinforcing filler is to contain silica coupler (silica coupling agent) for silica or precipitated silica.

It is known that relatively high Tg SSBR's may be extended with petroleum based rubber processing oil at the SSBR manufacturing facility by blending the petroleum oil with an SSBR polymerizate (polymerization cement comprising the SSBR and solvent used for its preparation by polymerization of styrene and <NUM>,<NUM>-butadiene monomers) prior to recovery of the SSBR from its polymerizate and thereby prior to blending the SSBR with rubber compounding ingredients, although additional petroleum based rubber processing oil may thereafter be blended with the SSBR containing rubber composition which may sometimes be referred to as "free addition" of the petroleum based oil instead of such "extending" of the SSBR.

The term "extending", as above indicated, is used to refer to (to describe) pre-blending of the petroleum-based oil with the relatively high Tg SSBR (a relatively high viscosity, relatively high molecular weight SSBR) in a relatively low viscosity solvent-based cement form of the SSBR. A composite of the petroleum-based oil and SSBR is thereafter recovered from the solvent cement (by removing the solvent) as a petroleum-based oil "extended" SSBR. The oil extended relatively high Tg SSBR is provided in contrast to free addition of the petroleum-based oil to a significantly higher viscosity relatively high Tg SSBR or to the relatively high Tg SSBR containing rubber composition by addition of the petroleum oil to a rubber mixer.

For one aspect of this invention, it is desired to provide a rubber composition comprising cis <NUM>,<NUM>-polybutadiene rubber and the relatively high Tg SSBR to promote the shoe sole traction, yet it is also desired to reduce the Tg of the rubber composition to promote the traction at lower temperatures by thereby reducing its stiffness as may be evidenced by a reduction of its storage modulus (E').

For such reduction in Tg of the rubber composition, it desired to evaluate providing the relatively high Tg SSBR in a form of an extended SSBR with vegetable triglyceride oil in a sense of pre-blending the vegetable oil with the relatively high Tg SSBR before recovery from its polymerization cement, instead of the SSBR being extended with petroleum based oil, to thereby evaluate promoting a lower Tg for the rubber composition containing the relatively high Tg SSBR to thereby promote a reduction of its stiffness (e.g. lower storage modulus G' and higher tan delta values for the rubber composition).

It is known that a vegetable oil such as for example soybean oil, or soy oil, has been used for mixing with various rubber compositions by free oil addition to the rubber composition rather than soy oil extension of the elastomer by addition to its cement at its point of manufacture.

In the description of this invention, the terms "compounded" rubber compositions and "compounds"; where used refer to rubber compositions which have been compounded, or blended, with appropriate rubber compounding ingredients. The terms "rubber" and "elastomer" may be used interchangeably unless otherwise indicated. The amounts of materials are usually expressed in parts of material per <NUM> parts of rubber by weight (phr).

The invention relates to an outsole in accordance with claim <NUM> and to a shoe in accordance with claim <NUM>.

In a preferred aspect of the invention a shoe is disclosed comprising an outsole, the outsole intended to be ground-contacting, where the outsole comprises a rubber composition comprising, based on parts by weight per <NUM> parts by weight elastomer (phr):.

In this application, a reference to a cis-<NUM>,<NUM> polybutadiene or a cis <NUM>,<NUM>-polyisoprene means a <NUM>,<NUM> polybutadiene or a <NUM>,<NUM>-polyisoprene respectively having at least <NUM> percent cis <NUM>,<NUM>-content, preferably at least <NUM> percent cis <NUM>,<NUM>-content or at least <NUM> percent cis <NUM>,<NUM>-content.

In this application, a reference to glass transition temperature, or Tg, of an elastomer or elastomer composition, represents the glass transition temperature(s) of the respective elastomer or elastomer composition in its uncured state or possibly a cured state in a case of an elastomer composition. The Tg is determined as a peak midpoint by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) at a temperature rate of increase of 10ºC per minute according to ASTM D7426-<NUM> (<NUM>).

There is disclosed a shoe comprising an outsole, the outsole intended to be ground-contacting, where the outsole comprises a rubber composition comprising, based on parts by weight per <NUM> parts by weight elastomer (phr):.

In a preferred embodiment, the SSBR is extended with <NUM> to <NUM>, alternately <NUM> to <NUM>, parts by weight vegetable triglyceride oil per <NUM> parts by weight of said SSBR.

In a preferred embodiment, said SSBR has a vinyl <NUM>,<NUM>-content, based on its polybutadiene component, in a range of from <NUM> to <NUM>, alternately <NUM> to <NUM>, percent.

In a preferred embodiment, said rubber composition contains from zero to <NUM>, alternately up to <NUM> or up to <NUM>, phr of freely added petroleum-based oil (in contrast to containing petroleum-based oil extended SSBR).

In a preferred embodiment, said triglyceride vegetable oil is at least one of sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, canola oil, palm oil, and soybean oil, desirably comprising at least one of soybean oil and sunflower oil.

In a preferred embodiment, in particular when the additional diene elastomer includes an acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, the rubber composition includes from <NUM> to <NUM> phr of an epoxidized soybean oil.

In a preferred embodiment, said SSBR is an end functionalized SSBR with at least one functional group reactive with hydroxyl groups on said silica or precipitated silica where said functional groups comprise at least one of alkoxy, amine, siloxy and thiol groups.

In a preferred embodiment, said SSBR or end functionalized SSBR is tin or silicon coupled.

Various suitable solvent solution polymerization methods for preparing a SSBR by co-polymerizing styrene and <NUM>,<NUM>-butadiene monomers are known in the art, for example see <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; and <CIT>.

The silica or precipitated silica may, for example, be characterized by having a BET surface area, as measured using nitrogen gas, in the range of, for example, <NUM> to <NUM>, and more usually in a range of <NUM> to <NUM>, square meters per gram. The BET method of measuring surface area might be described, for example, in the <NPL>.

Various commercially available precipitated silicas may be used, such as silicas from PPG Industries under the Hi-Sil trademark with designations <NUM> and <NUM>; silicas from Solvey with, for example, designations of Zeosil 1165MP and Zeosil 165GR, silicas from Evonik with, for example, designations VN2 and VN3, and chemically treated precipitated silicas (e.g., composite of pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica) such as for example Agilon™ <NUM> from PPG Industries.

Representative examples of rubber reinforcing carbon blacks are, for example those with ASTM designations of N110, N121, N220, N231, N234, N242, N293, N299, S315, N326, N330, N332, N339, N343, N347, N351, N358, N375, N539, N550, N582, N630, N642, N650, N683, N754, N762, N765, N774, N787, N907, N908, N990 and N991. Such rubber reinforcing carbon blacks may have iodine absorptions ranging from, for example, <NUM> to <NUM>/kg and DBP numbers ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> cc/<NUM>.

The silica coupling agent(s) which may be provided with the silica or precipitated silica for the rubber composition, may comprise, for example,.

Representative of such bis(<NUM>-trialkoxysilylalkyl) polysulfide is bis(<NUM>-triethoxysilylpropyl) polysulfide.

Alternately, the silica or precipitated silica may be pre-treated (pre-hydrophobated) with at least one of such silica coupling agent to form a composite thereof prior to addition to the rubber composition.

In one embodiment, said hydrophobic precipitated silica is provided as a product of hydrophilic precipitated silica pre-treated with a silica coupling agent prior to introduction to the rubber composition, where said silica coupling agent has a moiety reactive with hydroxyl groups on a precipitated silica and another different moiety interactive with a diene-based elastomer contained in the rubber composition. Therefore, the hydrophobic precipitated silica is provided as a pre-treated hydrophilic precipitated silica with a silica coupler comprising, for example, at least one of bis(<NUM>-triethoxysilylpropyl) polysulfide and organomercaptoalkoxysilane which may also include an alkoxysilane. A hydrophilic precipitated silica is thereafter added to the rubber composition without a free addition of a silica coupler.

In another embodiment, said hydrophobated precipitated silica is provided as a hydrophilic precipitated silica treated in situ within the rubber composition with a silica coupling agent having a moiety reactive with hydroxyl groups on a precipitated silica and another different moiety interactive with a diene-based elastomer contained in the rubber composition. For such preparation, a hydrophilic precipitated silica is subsequently thereafter added to the rubber composition without additional coupling agent in a separate mixing step. The hydrophobic precipitated silica is thereby provided as a hydrophilic precipitated silica treated in situ within said rubber composition with a silica coupler comprising, for example, at least one of bis(<NUM>-triethoxysilylpropyl) polysulfide and organomercaptoalkoxysilane prior to a separate addition of additional hydrophilic precipitated silica which may optionally include an alkoxysilane.

In one embodiment, as indicated, said silica coupling agent for treatment (hydrophobation) of said hydrophilic precipitated silica comprises bis (<NUM>-triethoxysilylpropyl) polysulfide containing an average of from <NUM> to <NUM> connecting sulfur atoms in its polysulfidic bridge or an organoalkoxymercaptosilane.

In one embodiment, as indicted, an alkoxysilane may also optionally be used, together with said silica coupling agent to hydrophobate the precipitated silica.

In practice, representative of said alkoxysilane is, for example, an alkoxysilane of the general formula (I):.

wherein R is a saturated alkyl radical having from one to <NUM>, preferably from one to <NUM>, carbon atoms such as, for example, methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, n-butyl and octadecyl radicals, n is a value of from <NUM> to <NUM> and Z is an alkoxy radical represented as (R<NUM>O) -, wherein R<NUM> is a saturated alkyl radical having from one to <NUM> carbon atoms such as, for example, methyl, ethyl and isopropyl radicals, preferably at least one of methyl and ethyl radicals.

Representative examples of alkoxysilanes of Formula (I) are, for example, trimethoxy methyl silane, dimethoxy dimethyl silane, methoxy trimethyl silane, trimethoxy propyl silane, trimethoxy octyl silane, trimethoxy hexadecyl silane, dimethoxy dipropyl silane, triethoxy methyl silane, triethoxy propyl silane, triethoxy octyl silane, and diethoxy dimethyl silane.

Accordingly, said alkoxysilanes have an alkoxy group being reactive with the hydroxyl groups (e.g., silanol groups) contained on the surface of the precipitated silica aggregates.

The rubber composition preferably further comprises from <NUM> to <NUM>, alternatively <NUM> to <NUM>, phr of corncob granules comprising granules of the woody ring of corncobs. Preferably, at least <NUM> percent of said corncob granules have an average diameter in a range of from <NUM> to <NUM>, alternately from <NUM> to <NUM>, microns.

When including such corncob granules, the sole may have corncob micro-protrusions and micro-cavities thereon formed by a release of a portion of said corncob granule protrusions from the footwear sole surface (for example by release, or ejection, of the corncob granule protrusions from the footwear sole surface resulting from a wearing, or abrading, away of the sole surface as it is being used). The combination of corncob granule micro-protrusions and of corncob granule promoted micro-cavities, are seen herein to provide a relatively rough texture to the footwear sole surface to thereby promote mechanical traction of the footwear sole over a substrate (e.g., ground) surface.

The solid footwear rubber sole containing corncob dispersion within the sole rubber composition may provide corncob micro-protrusions and micro-cavities on the rubber sole surface intended for substrate engagement and is readily differentiated from and exclusive of a footwear sole comprising closed cellular rubber.

In one embodiment, the rubber sole contains colored corncob granules having a color contrasting with the rubber sole. For such colored corncob granules, which may have singular or a plurality of colors in contrast to the color of the sole rubber composition to enhance their visibility, particularly the visibility of the corncob micro-protrusions, on a contrastingly colored sole surface background. Such colorant for the corncob granules may be, for example, a suitable dye or stain.

The corncob granules are conventionally manufactured by drying the woody ring portion, or fraction, of the corncob followed by grinding to produce the granules which are air cleaned and separated into various sizes by mesh screening. Such corncob granules may be provided, for example, by The Andersons, Inc. , and sold as Grit-O Cobs®. For further corncob granule discussion, see <NPL>.

In one embodiment, the rubber composition includes zinc rosinate where the zinc rosinate is the product formed in situ within the rubber composition of zinc oxide and freely added rosin acid.

In one embodiment, the rubber composition includes, based upon parts by weight per <NUM> parts by weight rubber (phr), <NUM> to <NUM>, alternately <NUM> to <NUM>, phr of zinc soap comprised of: (<NUM>) zinc rosinate as the product of zinc oxide and freely added rosin acid formed in situ within the rubber composition, or (<NUM>) a combination of zinc soaps comprising: (a) <NUM> to <NUM>, alternately <NUM> to <NUM> weight percent of said zinc rosinate, and (b) <NUM> to <NUM>, alternately <NUM> to <NUM> weight percent of zinc salt as the product of zinc oxide and fatty acid formed in situ within the rubber composition, where said fatty acid contains, and desirably comprises primarily a combination of, at least one of stearic, palmitic and oleic acids.

In one embodiment, the rosin acids include at least one of gum rosin acid, wood rosin acid and tall oil rosin acid, and hydrogenated and disproportionate forms thereof, which are well known to those skilled in such art. For example, see "<NPL>.

In one embodiment, said footwear rubber sole contains said zinc rosinate based zinc soap within its rubber composition and on its outer surface (to which a portion thereof has autogenously migrated) intended for ground contacting, particularly when contacting wet surface.

It is readily understood by those having skill in the art that the vulcanizable rubber composition would be compounded by methods generally known in the rubber compounding art, such as, for example, mixing various additional sulfur-vulcanizable elastomers with said SSBR composite and various commonly used additive materials such as, for example, sulfur and sulfur donor curatives, sulfur vulcanization curing aids, such as activators and retarders and processing additives, resins including tackifying resins and plasticizers, petroleum based or derived process oils as well as vegetable triglyceride oil in addition to said triglyceride oil extended SSBR, fillers such as rubber reinforcing fillers, pigments, fatty acid, zinc oxide, waxes, antioxidants and antiozonants and peptizing agents. As known to those skilled in the art, depending on the intended use of the sulfur vulcanizable and sulfur-vulcanized material (rubbers), the additives mentioned above are selected and commonly used in conventional amounts. Representative examples of sulfur donors include elemental sulfur (free sulfur), an amine disulfide, polymeric polysulfide and sulfur olefin adducts. Usually, it is desired that the sulfur-vulcanizing agent is elemental sulfur. The sulfur-vulcanizing agent may be used in an amount ranging, for example, from <NUM> to <NUM> phr, with a range of from <NUM> to <NUM> phr being often preferred. Typical amounts of processing aids comprise <NUM> to <NUM> phr. Additional process oils, if desired, may be added during compounding in the vulcanizable rubber composition in addition to the extending soybean oil contained in the soybean oil extended SSBR. Typical amounts of antioxidants may comprise, for example, <NUM> to <NUM> phr. Representative antioxidants may be, for example, diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine and others, such as, for example, those disclosed in<NPL>. Typical amounts of antiozonants may comprise, for example, <NUM> to <NUM> phr. Typical amounts of fatty acids, if used, which can include stearic acid comprise <NUM> to <NUM> phr. Typical amounts of zinc oxide may comprise, for example, <NUM> to <NUM> phr. Typical amounts of waxes comprise <NUM> to <NUM> phr. Often microcrystalline waxes are used. Typical amounts of peptizers, when used, may be used in amounts of, for example, <NUM> to <NUM> phr. Typical peptizers may be, for example, pentachlorothiophenol and dibenzamidodiphenyl disulfide.

Sulfur vulcanization accelerators are used to control the time and/or temperature required for vulcanization and to improve the properties of the vulcanizate. In one embodiment, a single accelerator system may be used, i.e., primary accelerator. The primary accelerator(s) may be used in total amounts ranging, for example, from <NUM> to <NUM>, sometimes desirably <NUM> to <NUM>, phr. In another embodiment, combinations of a primary and a secondary accelerator might be used with the secondary accelerator being used in smaller amounts, such as, for example, from <NUM> to <NUM> phr, in order to activate and to improve the properties of the vulcanizate. Combinations of these accelerators might be expected to produce a synergistic effect on the final properties and are somewhat better than those produced by use of either accelerator alone. In addition, delayed action accelerators may be used which are not affected by normal processing temperatures but produce a satisfactory cure at ordinary vulcanization temperatures. Vulcanization retarders might also be used. Suitable types of accelerators that may be used in the present invention are amines, disulfides, guanidines, thioureas, thiazoles, thiurams, sulfenamides, dithiocarbamates and xanthates. Often desirably the primary accelerator is a sulfenamide. If a second accelerator is used, the secondary accelerator is often desirably a guanidine such as for example a diphenylguanidine, a dithiocarbamate or a thiuram compound.

The mixing of the vulcanizable rubber composition can be accomplished by methods known to those having skill in the rubber mixing art. For example, the ingredients are typically mixed in at least two stages, namely at least one non-productive stage followed by a productive mix stage. The final curatives, including sulfur-vulcanizing agents, are typically mixed in the final stage which is conventionally called the "productive" mix stage in which the mixing typically occurs at a temperature, or ultimate temperature, lower than the mix temperature(s) than the preceding non-productive mix stage(s). The rubber composition may be subjected to a thermomechanical mixing step. The thermomechanical mixing step generally comprises a mechanical working in a mixer or extruder for a period of time suitable in order to produce a rubber temperature between <NUM> and <NUM>. The appropriate duration of the thermomechanical working varies as a function of the operating conditions and the volume and nature of the components. For example, the thermomechanical working may be from <NUM> to <NUM> minutes.

Claim 1:
An outsole for a shoe, wherein the outsole is intended to be ground-contacting and comprises a rubber composition comprising, based on parts by weight per <NUM> parts by weight elastomer (phr):
(A) conjugated diene-based elastomer comprising:
(<NUM>) from <NUM> to <NUM> phr of solvent solution polymerization prepared styrene/butadiene elastomer (SSBR) extended with vegetable triglyceride oil, wherein said solvent solution polymerization prepared styrene/butadiene elastomer (SSBR) has a glass transition temperature (Tg) in a range of from -<NUM> to +<NUM>, a bound styrene content in a range of from <NUM> to <NUM> percent and a vinyl <NUM>,<NUM>-content in a range of from <NUM> to <NUM> percent based on butadiene content;
(<NUM>) from <NUM> to <NUM> phr of at least one additional conjugated diene-based elastomer comprising at least one of polybutadiene, polyisoprene rubber, cis <NUM>,<NUM>-polyisoprene rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and combinations thereof; and
(B) from <NUM> to <NUM> phr of a reinforcing filler comprising a combination of a rubber reinforcing carbon black and silica, preferably precipitated silica, where the reinforcing filler comprises from <NUM> to <NUM> weight percent of said silica, preferably precipitated silica.