Gas-filled cushioning device

• US 7,851,036 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BASF Coatings GmbH (BASF SE)
• Original Assignee: BASF Coatings GmbH (BASF SE)
• Inventors: Goldwasser, David, Bonk, Henry W
• Primary Examiner(s): Dye; Rena L
• Assistant Examiner(s): AUGHENBAUGH, WALTER
• Application Number:
  US10/784,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20040166268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,489 Days
• Field of Search: 428/34.1, 428/35.2, 428/35.4, 428/35.7, 428 366- 368
• US Class Current: 428/35.7
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0017 combined with blow-moulding or thermoforming
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0019 combined with shaping by flattening, folding or bending
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/10 flexible, e.g. blown foils
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/21 the layers being joined at their surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/307 specially adapted for bringing together components, e.g. melts within the die
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/0005 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/04 Extrusion blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/22 using multilayered preforms or parisons
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/504 Soles
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/52 Sports equipment ; Games; Articles for amusement; Toys B29L2031/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2375/00 Polyureas; Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/02 Gloves, shoes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/306 comprising vinyl acetate or vinyl alcohol (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/40 comprising polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1379 Contains vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1383 Vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit is sandwiched between layers [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1386 : Natural or synthetic rubber or rubber-like compound containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1393 : Multilayer [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 : Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31554 : Next to second layer of polyamidoester

Abstract

A shoe is fabricated from an upper structure and a sole structure wherein the sole structure contains a gas-filled cushioning device composed of a multi-layer film formed into a gas-filled membrane having an interior compartment enclosing at least one capture gas. The multi-layer film comprises an outer layer of an elastomeric thermoplastic material such as a polyurethane, an inner layer of an elastomeric thermoplastic material such as a polyurethane and a barrier layer interposed therebetween which is derived from a combination of at least one ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and up to about 50 wt. % of an aliphatic thermoplastic urethane.

Claims

1. A gas-filled cushioning device, comprising:

a multi-layer film formed into a gas-filled membrane having an interior compartment containing at least one capture gas constituent,

said multi-layer film including a first layer comprising a blend of at least one aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane, at least one aromatic thermoplastic polyurethane, and at least one copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, wherein the first layer includes up to about 50 wt. % of the at least one aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane and wherein the at least one aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane is formed as the reaction product of (a) at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyester and polyether diols, (b) at least one difunctional extender, and (c) at least one aliphatic diisocyanate; and

a second, outer layer comprising a flexible resilient elastomeric thermoplastic material,

said multi-layer film being capable of selectively resisting an outward diffusion of said capture gas constituent and permitting an inward diffusion pumping of at least one mobile gas constituent,

wherein hydrogen bonding occurs along a segment of the film between the first layer and the second layer.

2. The gas-filled cushioning device according to claim 1, wherein said first layer includes between about 1 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of the at least one aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane.

3. The gas-filled cushioning device according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material of said second layer comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyether, polycaprolactone, polyoxypropylene and polycarbonate macroglycol based materials and mixtures thereof.

4. The gas-filled cushioning device according to claim 1, wherein the first layer including a blend of at least one aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane and at least one copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol has an average thickness of about 0.5 mils to about 10 mils and said second layer of thermoplastic material has an average thickness of about 5 mils to about 100 mils.

5. The gas-filled cushioning device according to claim 1, wherein said capture gas constituent is nitrogen.

6. The gas-filled cushioning device according to claim 2, wherein said first layer includes about 5 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of the at least one aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane.

7. The gas-filled cushioning device according to claim 1, wherein said copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol is selected from the group consisting of copolymers including an ethylene content of about 25 mol. % to about 48 mol. %.

8. The gas-filled cushioning device according to claim 1, wherein said first layer includes:

(a) 50 wt. % to about 97 wt. % of the at least one copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol;

(b) 3 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of the at least one aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane; and

(c) up to about 3 wt. % of one or more aromatic thermoplastic polyurethanes;

wherein the total constituency of said first layer is equal to 100 wt. %.

9. The gas-filled cushioning device according to claim 1, further comprising a third layer including a thermoplastic polyurethane selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyether, polycaprolactone, polyoxypropylene and polycarbonate macroglycol based materials and mixtures thereof;

said third layer and said second layer being disposed so as to sandwich the first layer.