Article of footwear incorporating a fluid system

• US 20060272179A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Swigart, John, Hazenberg, Peter K., Dojan, Fred, Passke, Joel L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/3.B
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/203 provided with a pump or valve
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/206 provided with tubes or pipes or tubular shaped cushioning members
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/081 the air being forced from outside
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/125 provided with a vapour permeable member, e.g. a membrane A43B23/022 takes precedence

Abstract

An article of athletic footwear having an air-filled bladder disposed in a sole structure is disclosed. The air-filled bladder is in fluid communication with ambient air through a filter that permits ambient air to enter the bladder but restricts liquids and particulates from entering the bladder. In operation, the filter and bladder may be portions of a bladder system that absorb shock when the footwear contacts a playing surface. Alternatively, the filter and bladder may be portions of a bladder system that ventilates the interior of the footwear. The filter may be formed of a material such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene that is attached to a carrier.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a first sheet of elastomeric film and a second sheet of elastomeric film, wherein said first sheet is welded to said second sheet to form an inflation mechanism and an inflatable bladder, wherein said inflation mechanism is monolithic with said inflatable bladder; and

a one-way valve, wherein said inflation mechanism is fluidly connected to said inflatable bladder through said one-way valve;

wherein said inflation mechanism is positioned so as to be operated by the downward pressure of a wearer'"'"'s foot.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein said first sheet and said second sheet are welded along a peripheral edge.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein a portion of said inflatable bladder is disposed under the wearer'"'"'s foot.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein said inflation mechanism is positioned so as to be operated by the downward pressure of a wearer'"'"'s forefoot.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1 wherein said inflation mechanism is positioned so as to be operated by the downward pressure of a wearer'"'"'s heel.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a check valve.

7. An article of footwear, comprising:

a first sheet of thermoplastic elastomeric film and a second sheet of thermoplastic elastomeric film, wherein said first sheet is welded to said second sheet to form an inflation mechanism and an inflatable bladder, wherein both said inflation mechanism and said inflatable bladder are formed by both said first sheet and said second sheet;

an air inlet fluidly connected to said inflation mechanism for introducing ambient air outside of said inflatable bladder to said inflation mechanism; and

a valve, wherein said inflation mechanism is fluidly connected to said inflatable bladder through said valve, wherein said valve permits air flow from said inflation mechanism to said inflatable bladder, and wherein said valve limits air flow from said inflatable bladder to said inflation mechanism;

wherein said inflation mechanism is positioned so as to be operated by the downward pressure of a wearer'"'"'s foot.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7, further comprising a sole, wherein at least a portion of said inflation mechanism is disposed in said sole and at least a portion of said inflatable bladder is disposed in said sole.

9. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein said sole comprises a foam midsole and wherein at least a portion of said inflation mechanism is disposed in said foam midsole and at least a portion of said inflatable bladder is disposed in said foam midsole.

10. The article of footwear of claim 7, further comprising:

a second valve, wherein said air inlet is fluidly connected to said inflation mechanism through said second valve, wherein said second valve permits air flow from said air inlet to said inflation mechanism, and wherein said second valve limits air flow from said inflation mechanism to said air inlet.

11. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein said air inlet comprises a tube in fluid communication with ambient air outside of said article of footwear and wherein said second valve is fluidly connected to said tube.

12. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein said inflation mechanism is monolithic with said inflatable bladder.

13. An article of footwear, comprising:

a first sheet of elastomeric film and a second sheet of elastomeric film, wherein said first sheet is sealed to said second sheet to form an inflation mechanism and an inflatable bladder, wherein said inflation mechanism is monolithic with said inflatable bladder; and

a one-way valve, wherein said inflation mechanism is fluidly connected to said inflatable bladder through said one-way valve,

wherein said inflation mechanism is positioned so as to be operated by the downward pressure of a wearer'"'"'s foot.

14. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein said first sheet is welded to said second sheet.

15. An article of footwear, comprising:

a first sheet of elastomeric film and a second sheet of elastomeric film, wherein the first sheet is welded to the second sheet to form a pump and an inflatable bladder, wherein the pump is formed integral with the inflatable bladder; and

a one-way valve, wherein the pump is fluidly connected to the inflatable bladder through the one-way valve;

wherein the pump is positioned so as to be operated by the downward pressure of a wearer'"'"'s foot.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are welded along a peripheral edge.

17. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein a portion of the inflatable bladder is disposed under the wearer'"'"'s foot.

18. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the pump is positioned so as to be operated by the downward pressure of a wearer'"'"'s forefoot.

19. The article of footwear of claim 15 wherein the pump is positioned so as to be operated by the downward pressure of a wearer'"'"'s heel.

20. The article of footwear of claim 15, further comprising a check valve.

21. An article of footwear, comprising:

a first sheet of thermoplastic elastomeric film and a second sheet of thermoplastic elastomeric film, wherein the first sheet is welded to the second sheet to form a pump and an inflatable bladder, wherein both the pump and the inflatable bladder are formed by both the first sheet and the second sheet;

an air inlet fluidly connected to the pump for introducing ambient air outside of the inflatable bladder to the pump; and

a valve, wherein the pump is fluidly connected to the inflatable bladder through the valve, wherein the valve permits air flow from the pump to the inflatable bladder, and wherein the valve limits air flow from the inflatable bladder to the pump;

wherein the pump is positioned so as to be operated by the downward pressure of a wearer'"'"'s foot.

22. The article of footwear of claim 21, further comprising a sole, wherein at least a portion of the pump is disposed in the sole and at least a portion of the inflatable bladder is disposed in the sole.

23. The article of footwear of claim 22, wherein the sole comprises a foam midsole and wherein at least a portion of the pump is disposed in the foam midsole and at least a portion of the inflatable bladder is disposed in the foam midsole.

24. The article of footwear of claim 21, further comprising a second valve, wherein the air inlet is fluidly connected to the pump through the second valve, wherein the second valve permits air flow from the air inlet to the pump, and wherein the second valve limits air flow from the pump to the air inlet.

25. The article of footwear of claim 24, wherein the air inlet comprises a tube in fluid communication with ambient air outside of the article of footwear and wherein the second valve is fluidly connected to the tube.

26. The article of footwear of claim 21, wherein the pump is formed integral with the inflatable bladder.

27. An article of footwear, comprising:

a first sheet of elastomeric film and a second sheet of elastomeric film, wherein the first sheet is sealed to the second sheet to form a pump and an inflatable bladder, wherein the pump is formed integral with the inflatable bladder; and

a one-way valve, wherein the pump is fluidly connected to the inflatable bladder through the one-way valve,

wherein the pump is positioned so as to be operated by the downward pressure of a wearer'"'"'s foot.

28. The article of footwear of claim 27, wherein the first sheet is welded to the second sheet.