Contoured fluid-filled chamber

• US 7,950,169 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Brandt, Christopher W L, Lindner, Troy C., Holt, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US11/746,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 36/29, 361/53, 36/35.B, 361/54, 36/88, 36/93
• US Class Current: 36/29
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/20 Pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/03 filled with a gas, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/28 Pneumatic heels filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/433 Casing-in, i.e. enclosing an element between two sheets by an outlined seam for bookbinding B42C11/06; for packaging B65B; by laminating B32B37/00; enclosing tubular articles between substantially flat elements B29C66/53261
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/438 Joining sheets for making hollow-walled, channelled structures or multi-tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/122 Soles
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/124 Heels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]

Abstract

A fluid-filled chamber may be incorporated into footwear and other products. The chamber is formed from a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located opposite the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of bonds are spaced inward from the sidewall surface and join the first surface and the second surface, and the bonds are distributed to form a regularly-spaced array, such as a hexagonal array. In some configurations, the first surface and the second surface may define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds. In addition, the bonds may be formed to have a slope that is an average of slopes of the first surface and the second surface in areas proximal the bonds.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure that includes a fluid-filled chamber, the chamber comprising:

a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located opposite the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface; and

a plurality of bonds spaced inward from the sidewall surface and joining the first surface and the second surface, the bonds being distributed to form a regularly-spaced array,

wherein the first surface and the second surface define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds, the elliptically-shaped structures being in fluid-communication with each other.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the array is hexagonal.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the chamber has a first thickness in a forefoot region and a second thickness in a heel region, the first thickness being less than the second thickness.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 3, wherein the elliptically-shaped structures have a first eccentricity in the forefoot region and a second eccentricity in the heel region, the first eccentricity being less than the second eccentricity.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 3, wherein the first surface is oriented to be above the second surface in the article of footwear, and an elevation of the first surface in the heel region is above an elevation of the first surface in the forefoot region.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, wherein an elevation of the second surface in the heel region is above an elevation of the second surface in the forefoot region.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein a majority of the elliptically-shaped structures have a width that is less than a length, the width being defined as a dimension extending between the bonds, and the length being defined as a dimension that is perpendicular to the width.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein a portion of the bonds are angled with respect to each other.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the bonds located adjacent a periphery of a heel region of the chamber are angled with respect to a horizontal direction, and the bonds located in a central area of the heel region are substantially parallel to the horizontal direction.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein a midfoot region of the chamber has a first thickness adjacent a medial side of the chamber and a second thickness adjacent a lateral side of the chamber, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness.

11. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure that includes a fluid-filled chamber, the chamber comprising:

a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located opposite the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface; and

a plurality of separate bonds spaced inward from the sidewall surface and joining the first surface and the second surface, the bonds being distributed to form a hexagonal array, and the bonds being located at a midpoint between the first surface and the second surface,

wherein the first surface and the second surface define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds, the elliptically-shaped structures having a first eccentricity in a forefoot region of the chamber and a second eccentricity in a heel region of the chamber, the first eccentricity being less than the second eccentricity.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the chamber has a first thickness in the forefoot region and a second thickness in the heel region, the first thickness being less than the second thickness.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the first surface is oriented to be above the second surface in the article of footwear, and an elevation of the first surface in the heel region is above an elevation of the first surface in the forefoot region.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 13, wherein an elevation of the second surface in the heel region is above an elevation of the second surface in the forefoot region.

15. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein a majority of the elliptically-shaped structures have a width that is less than a length, the width being defined as a dimension extending between the bonds, and the length being defined as a dimension that is perpendicular to the width.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein a portion of the bonds are angled with respect to each other.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the bonds located adjacent a periphery of a heel region of the chamber are angled with respect to a horizontal direction, and the bonds located in a central area of the heel region are substantially parallel to the horizontal direction.

18. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein a midfoot region of the chamber has a first thickness adjacent a medial side of the chamber and a second thickness adjacent a lateral side of the chamber, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness.

19. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the polymer material is a thermoplastic polymer material.

20. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure that includes a fluid-filled chamber, the chamber comprising a polymer material that defines

a first surface oriented to face the upper, an elevation of the first surface in a heel region of the footwear being above an elevation of the first surface in a forefoot region of the footwear;

a second surface located opposite the first surface, an elevation of the second surface in the heel region of the footwear being above an elevation of the second surface in the forefoot region of the footwear; and

a plurality of bonds that join the first surface and the second surface, the bonds being distributed to form a regularly-spaced hexagonal array.

21. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein the first surface defines a depression in the heel region.

22. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the second surface has a planar configuration in the heel region.

23. The article of footwear recited in claim 22, wherein the bonds located adjacent a periphery of the heel region are angled with respect to the bonds located in a central area of the heel region.

24. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein a midfoot region of the chamber has a first thickness adjacent a medial side of the chamber and a second thickness adjacent a lateral side of the chamber, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness.

25. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein the chamber has a first thickness in the forefoot region and a second thickness in the heel region, the first thickness being less than the second thickness.

26. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein the first surface and the second surface define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds.

27. The article of footwear recited in claim 26, wherein the elliptically-shaped structures have a first eccentricity in the forefoot region and a second eccentricity in the heel region, the first eccentricity being less than the second eccentricity.

28. The article of footwear recited in claim 26, wherein a majority of the elliptically-shaped structures have a width that is less than a length, the width being defined as a dimension extending between the bonds, and the length being defined as a dimension that is perpendicular to the width.

29. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure that includes a fluid-filled chamber, the chamber comprising:

a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located below the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface;

a plurality of bonds spaced inward from the sidewall surface and joining the first surface and the second surface, the bonds being distributed to form a hexagonal array; and

a fluid located within the chamber,

wherein the first surface has a first point that is centered between two of the bonds that are adjacent to each other, and the first surface has a second point that is centered between three of the bonds that are adjacent to each other, the first point being closer to the adjacent bonds than the second point, and the chamber having;

an unpressurized state wherein the fluid has a pressure substantially equal to an ambient pressure surrounding the chamber, the first point being at a greater elevation than the second point when the chamber is in the unpressurized configuration; and

an pressurized state wherein the fluid has a pressure greater than the ambient pressure, the first point being at an elevation of the second point when the chamber is in the pressurized configuration.

30. The article of footwear recited in claim 29, wherein the first surface and the second surface define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds.

31. The article of footwear recited in claim 30, wherein the elliptically-shaped structures have a first eccentricity in a forefoot region of the chamber and a second eccentricity in a heel region of the chamber, the first eccentricity being less than the second eccentricity.

32. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein the chamber has a first thickness in the forefoot region and a second thickness in the heel region, the first thickness being less than the second thickness.

33. The article of footwear recited in claim 30, wherein a majority of the elliptically-shaped structures have a width that is less than a length, the width being defined as a dimension extending between the bonds, and the length being defined as a dimension that is perpendicular to the width.