Contoured fluid-filled chamber

• US 8,911,577 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Holt, Scott C., Lindner, Troy C., Brandt, Christopher W. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goff, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): DODDS, SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US13/029,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20110131739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 156145-147, 156/156, 156/275.1, 156/308.2, 156/308.4, 156/309.6, 36/28, 36/29, 36/35.B, 361/53, 12 162- 164, 12/42.R, 12147 R-147 B
• US Class Current: 156/145
• 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. A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber of a sole structure for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

locating a first sheet and a second sheet of a polymer material between a pair of mold portions;

compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together between the pair of mold portions to form;

a peripheral bond that joins the first sheet and the second sheet around a periphery of the chamber; and

a plurality of interior point bonds that join the first sheet and the second sheet and are spaced inward from the peripheral bond, the plurality of interior point bonds being located in a regularly-spaced hexagonal array;

shaping the first sheet and the second sheet to form elliptically-shaped structures between the plurality of interior point bonds;

sealing the chamber to enclose a fluid within the chamber and between the first sheet and the second sheet; and

incorporating the fluid-filled chamber in the sole structure.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein shaping the first sheet and the second sheet includes forming a first region of the chamber to have a greater thickness than a second region of the chamber.

3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein shaping the first sheet and the second sheet further includes configuring the elliptically-shaped structures to have greater eccentricity in the first region than in the second region of the chamber.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein shaping the first sheet and the second sheet includes forming a majority of the elliptically-shaped structures to have a width that is less than a length, the width being defined as a dimension between the interior bonds, and the length being defined as a dimension that is perpendicular to the width.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together includes forming a portion of the plurality of interior bonds with bond orientations that are angled with respect to each other.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together includes forming a portion of the plurality of interior point bonds at a vertical location between a first surface of the chamber formed by the first sheet and an opposing second surface of the chamber formed by the second sheet.

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the vertical location is generally centered between the first surface and the second surface.

8. The method recited in claim 6, wherein compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together includes forming a portion of the plurality of interior point bonds with bond orientations that are angled with respect to at least one of a slope of the first surface and a slope of the second surface.

9. The method recited in claim 7, wherein compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together includes forming a portion of the plurality of point bonds with bond orientations that are an average of a slope of the first surface and a slope of the second surface.

10. A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber of a sole structure for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

locating a first sheet and a second sheet of a polymer material between a pair of mold portions;

compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together between the pair of mold portions to form;

a peripheral bond that joins the first sheet and the second sheet around a periphery of the chamber, the chamber including a first surface formed by the first sheet and an opposing second surface formed by the second sheet; and

a plurality of interior bonds that join the first sheet and the second sheet at respective locations that are spaced apart from one another and inward from the peripheral bond;

shaping the first sheet and the second sheet with the pair of mold portions to form a plurality of elliptically-shaped structures, at least a portion of the plurality of elliptically-shaped structures being located between the plurality of interior bonds, the plurality of elliptically-shaped structures having a greater eccentricity in a first region of the chamber than in a second region of the chamber;

sealing the chamber to enclose a fluid within the chamber and between the first sheet and the second sheet; and

incorporating the fluid-filled chamber in the sole structure.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein shaping the first sheet and the second sheet includes forming the first region of the chamber to have a greater thickness than the second region of the chamber.

12. The method recited in claim 10, wherein shaping the first sheet and the second sheet includes forming a majority of the elliptically-shaped structures to have a width that is less than a length, the width being defined as a dimension extending between the interior bonds, and the length being defined as a dimension perpendicular to the width.

13. The method recited in claim 10, wherein compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together includes locating the plurality of interior bonds in a regularly-spaced array.

14. The method recited in claim 10, wherein compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together includes forming the plurality of interior bonds at a vertical location between a first surface of the chamber formed by the first sheet and an opposing second surface of the chamber formed by the second sheet, and forming a portion of the plurality of interior bonds with bond orientations that are angled with respect to each other.

15. The method recited in claim 10, wherein compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together includes forming a portion of the plurality of interior bonds at a vertical location between a first surface of the chamber formed by the first sheet and an opposing second surface of the chamber formed by the second sheet.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the vertical location is generally centered between the first surface and the second surface.

17. The method recited in claim 15, wherein compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together includes forming a portion of the plurality of interior point bonds with bond orientations that are angled with respect to at least one of a slope of the first surface and a slope of the second sheet.

18. The method recited in claim 16, wherein compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together includes forming a portion of the plurality of point bonds with bond orientations that are an average of a slope of the first surface and a slope of the second surface.