Inflatable Structure and Method of Manufacture

• US 20070069419A1
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Kemery, Michael, Rapaport, Zvi, Guild, Tobin
• Granted Patent: US 8,673,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/241
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/62 Inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 26/003 for improving balance or equilibrium balance beams A63B4/00; apparatus for rope dancing A63B7/08; balancing drums, balancing boards or the like A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/009 after shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/20 Opening, closing or clamping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/0691 using sheet like material, e.g. sheet blow-moulding from joined sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/12 of articles having inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/267 Two sheets being thermoformed in separate mould parts and joined together while still in the mould B29C49/0691 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/14 using wave energy , i.e. electromagnetic radiation, or particle radiation using mechanical waves B29C65/06; using ultrasonic waves B29C65/08; pressing means transparent to electromagnetic radiation B29C66/81267
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1142 Single butt to butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/24221 being circular B29C66/51 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/53246 said single elements being spouts, e.g. joining spouts to containers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/712 the composition of one of the parts to be joined being different from the composition of the other part
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/083 EVA, i.e. ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2022/02 Inflatable articles balls B29L2031/54 ; inner tyres B29L2023/245
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2022/025 : Bladders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/907 : Stretching

Abstract

A method of thermoforming an inflatable structure of dissimilar materials includes the steps of providing a first sheet formed of a first material and a second sheet formed of a second material different than the first material, the second sheet being spaced from the first sheet, and a valve being positioned between the first and second sheets; heating the first and second sheets to a temperature above their glass transition temperature and below their melting point; bonding the first and second sheets together in a mold having an opposed pair of cavities to form an inflatable structure having a seal around a periphery thereof, the valve extending through the seal and being in fluid communication with an interior and exterior of the inflatable structure; and trimming excess material from the periphery of the inflatable structure.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A method of thermoforming an inflatable structure of dissimilar materials comprising the following steps, in combination:

providing a first sheet formed of a first material and a second sheet formed of a second material different than the first material, the second sheet being spaced from the first sheet, and a valve being positioned between the first and second sheets;

heating the first and second sheets to a temperature above their glass transition temperature and below their melting point;

bonding the first and second sheets together in a mold having an opposed pair of cavities to form an inflatable structure having a seal around a periphery thereof, the valve extending through the seal and being in fluid communication with an interior and exterior of the inflatable structure; and

trimming excess material from the periphery of the inflatable structure.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of providing the first and second sheets includes the step of:

providing a frame for supporting the first and second sheets, the first and second sheets being spaced from one another and the valve being positioned between the first and second sheets.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

transporting the frame between steps of the thermoforming process with a shuttle mechanism.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the frame comprises a first portion and a second portion secured to the first portion by a hinge.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising a spacer positioned within the frame between the first and second sheets.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of heating is performed in an oven.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of injecting pressurized air between the first and second sheets during the heating and bonding steps.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the pressurized air is injected through the valve.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein one of the first material and the second material is a rigid thermoplastic and the other is a flexible plastic elastomer.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the first material is a mixture of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polyurethane.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the second material is polyurethane.

25. A method of thermoforming an inflatable structure of dissimilar materials comprising the following steps, in combination:

providing a frame for supporting a first sheet of material formed of a first material and a second sheet of material formed of a second material different than the first material, the second sheet being spaced from the first sheet, and a valve being positioned between the first and second sheets;

transporting the frame into an oven;

heating the first and second sheets of material in the oven to a temperature above their glass transition temperature and below their melting point;

transporting the frame from the oven and into position between a first portion of a mold having a first cavity formed therein and a second portion of the mold having a second cavity formed therein;

thermoforming the first and second sheets together by compressing the first and second portions of the mold together to form an inflatable structure having a seal around a periphery thereof, the valve extending through the seal and being in fluid communication with an interior and exterior of the inflatable structure;

removing the frame from the mold and the inflatable structure from the frame; and

trimming excess material from the periphery of the inflatable structure.

26. A method of using an inflatable structure as a balancing device comprising the following steps:

providing an inflatable structure having a first side formed of a first material, a second side formed of a second material different from the first material, and a sidewall connecting the first side to the second side, a first portion of the sidewall being formed of the first material and a second portion of the sidewall being formed of the second material, the first and second portions secured to one another by thermoforming, and an inflation valve positioned in the sidewall;

inflating the inflatable structure through the inflation valve to an initial pressure;

standing on the inflatable structure; and

maintaining one'"'"'s balance while standing on the inflatable structure.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of inflating the inflatable structure to a pressure higher than the initial pressure.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of

standing on the inflatable structure;

and

maintaining one'"'"'s balance while standing on the inflatable structure.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of deflating the inflatable structure to a pressure lower than the initial pressure.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the steps of

standing on the inflatable structure;

and

maintaining one'"'"'s balance while standing on the inflatable structure.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of standing on the inflatable structure is performed by standing on the first side.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of standing on the inflatable structure is performed by standing on the second side.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein one of the first material and the second material is a rigid thermoplastic and the other is a flexible plastic elastomer.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the first surface is a textured surface.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the textured first surface includes a plurality of projections.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein the second surface is a textured surface.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the textured second surface includes a plurality of projections.

38. A method of using an inflatable structure of dissimilar materials molded together by thermoforming comprising the following steps, in combination:

providing a first sheet formed of a first material and a second sheet formed of a second material different than the first material, the second sheet being spaced from the first sheet, and a valve being positioned between the first and second sheets;

heating the first and second sheets to a temperature above their glass transition temperature and below their melting point;

bonding the first and second sheets together in a mold having an opposed pair of cavities to form an inflatable structure having a seal around a periphery thereof, the valve extending through the seal and being in fluid communication with an interior and exterior of the inflatable structure;

trimming excess material from the periphery of the inflatable structure;

inflating the inflatable structure through the valve to an initial pressure;

standing on the inflatable structure; and

maintaining one'"'"'s balance while standing on the inflatable structure.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of inflating the inflatable structure through the valve to a pressure higher than the desired pressure.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising the steps of

standing on the inflatable structure;

and

maintaining one'"'"'s balance while standing on the inflatable structure.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of deflating the inflatable structure to a pressure lower than the initial pressure.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the steps of

standing on the inflatable structure;

and

maintaining one'"'"'s balance while standing on the inflatable structure.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of standing on the inflatable structure is performed by standing on the first side.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of standing on the inflatable structure is performed by standing on the second side.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein one of the first material and the second material is a rigid thermoplastic and the other is a flexible plastic elastomer.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein the first surface is a textured surface.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the textured first surface includes a plurality of projections.

48. The method of claim 38, wherein the second surface is a textured surface.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the textured second surface includes a plurality of projections.

50. A method using an inflatable structure formed of dissimilar materials thermoforded together comprising the following steps, in combination:

providing a frame for supporting a first sheet of material formed of a first material and a second sheet of material formed of a second material different than the first material, the second sheet being spaced from the first sheet, and a valve being positioned between the first and second sheets;

transporting the frame into an oven;

heating the first and second sheets of material in the oven to a temperature above their glass transition temperature and below their melting point;

transporting the frame from the oven and into position between a first portion of a mold having a first cavity formed therein and a second portion of the mold having a second cavity formed therein;

thermoforming the first and second sheets together by compressing the first and second portions of the mold together to form an inflatable structure having a seal around a periphery thereof, the valve extending through the seal and being in fluid communication with an interior and exterior of the inflatable structure;

removing the frame from the mold and the inflatable structure from the frame;

trimming excess material from the periphery of the inflatable structure;

inflating the inflatable structure through the valve to an initial pressure;

standing on the inflatable structure; and

maintaining one'"'"'s balance while standing on the inflatable structure.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising the step of inflating the inflatable structure through the valve to a pressure higher than the initial pressure.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising the steps of

standing on the inflatable structure;

and

maintaining one'"'"'s balance while standing on the inflatable structure.

53. The method of claim 50, further comprising the step of deflating the inflatable structure through the valve to a pressure lower than the initial pressure.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising the steps of

standing on the inflatable structure;

and

maintaining one'"'"'s balance while standing on the inflatable structure.

55. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of standing on the inflatable structure is performed by standing on the first side.

56. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of standing on the inflatable structure is performed by standing on the second side.

57. The method of claim 50, wherein one of the first material and the second material is a rigid thermoplastic and the other is a flexible plastic elastomer.

58. The method of claim 50, wherein the first surface is a textured surface.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the textured first surface includes a plurality of projections.

60. The method of claim 50, wherein the second surface is a textured surface.

61. The method of claim 50, wherein the textured second surface includes a plurality of projections.