Footwear bladder with controlled flex tensile member
First Claim
1. A sealed gas-filled bladder for a footwear sole comprising:
- a top barrier layer having a top major surface and a perimeter;
a bottom layer having a bottom major surface and a perimeter;
said respective perimeters of said top and bottom layers being joined to one another to form a sealed chamber, said sealed chamber containing a gas;
a top columnar-shaped indentation extending into said sealed chamber from said top major surface, said top columnar-shaped indentation having a linear sidewall portion;
a bottom columnar-shaped indentation extending into said sealed chamber from said bottom member;
said top and bottom columnar-shaped indentations having closed ends joined to one another at a juncture within said sealed chamber;
said top and bottom columnar-shaped indentations having a structure extending from said joined closed ends forming a flex point at said respective junctures that tends to buckle said columnar-shaped indentations at said juncture in response to a compressive load moving said top and bottom major surfaces toward one another, said structure defining a notch extending underneath said linear sidewall portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A bladder for a sole assembly of a shoe with three dimensional controlled flex connecting/tensile members extending between the top and bottom outer layers of bladder. The connecting/tensile members are formed during molding of the bladder and comprise top and bottom portions that come together at a juncture. Since the outer perimeter and the internal connecting/tensile members are formed at the same time and of the same material, bonding problems between layers is eliminated and manufacturing is simplified. The connecting/tensile members are formed with a predetermined flex point in at least a portion of each member to reduce random fatigue stress concentrations. Broadly, there are two configurations: one in which the tensile member is constructed to collapse upon compressive loading, and one in which the tensile member is constructed to bend or fold upon compressive loading in a predetermined location. The shape, relative size, length and barrier material thickness are manipulated to assist in finely tuning the cushioning properties of the final bladder.
350 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A sealed gas-filled bladder for a footwear sole comprising:
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a top barrier layer having a top major surface and a perimeter;
a bottom layer having a bottom major surface and a perimeter;
said respective perimeters of said top and bottom layers being joined to one another to form a sealed chamber, said sealed chamber containing a gas;
a top columnar-shaped indentation extending into said sealed chamber from said top major surface, said top columnar-shaped indentation having a linear sidewall portion;
a bottom columnar-shaped indentation extending into said sealed chamber from said bottom member;
said top and bottom columnar-shaped indentations having closed ends joined to one another at a juncture within said sealed chamber;
said top and bottom columnar-shaped indentations having a structure extending from said joined closed ends forming a flex point at said respective junctures that tends to buckle said columnar-shaped indentations at said juncture in response to a compressive load moving said top and bottom major surfaces toward one another, said structure defining a notch extending underneath said linear sidewall portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A sealed gas-filled bladder for a footwear sole comprising:
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a top barrier layer having a top major surface and a perimeter;
a bottom layer having a bottom major surface and a perimeter;
said respective perimeters of said top and bottom layers being joined to one another to form a sealed chamber, said sealed chamber containing a gas;
a plurality of top columnar-shaped indentations extending into said sealed chamber from said top major surface, said columnar-shaped indentations having linear sidewall portions;
a plurality of bottom columnar-shaped indentations extending into said sealed chamber from said bottom member, said columnar-shaped indentations having linear sidewall portions;
said top and bottom columnar-shaped indentations having closed ends joined to one another at a juncture within said sealed chamber;
said top and bottom columnar-shaped indentations having a structure extending from said joined closed ends forming a flex point at said respective junctures that tends to buckle said columnar-shaped indentations at said juncture in response to a compressive load moving said top and bottom major surfaces toward one another, said structure forming a notch extending inward of said top and bottom linear sidewall portions of joined indentations. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification