# US 10,766,202 B2 · System and method for welding a chamber > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,202 B2 - Document ID: US10766202B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/977,867 - Filed: 2018-05-11 - Published: 2018-11-22 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-18 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Heather D. Hender - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766202B2 ## CPC - B29C 65/08: using ultrasonic vibrations {(non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645)} - A43B 13/023: {Soles with several layers of the same material} - A43B 13/12: Soles with several layers of different materials - A43B 13/125: {characterised by the midsole or middle layer} - A43B 13/127: {the midsole being multilayer} - A43B 13/181: {Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole} - A43B 13/189: {filled with a non-compressible fluid, e.g. gel, water} - A43B 13/20: Pneumatic soles {filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas (inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407)} - A43B 13/206: {provided with tubes or pipes or tubular shaped cushioning members} - B29C 65/04: Dielectric heating, e.g. high-frequency welding {, i.e. radio frequency welding of plastic materials having dielectric properties, e.g. PVC} - B29C 65/48: using adhesives {, i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding} - B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)} - B29C 66/4326: {for making hollow articles or hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells} - B29C 66/8322: {Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis} - B29D 35/122: {Soles} - B29D 35/128: {Moulds or apparatus therefor} - B29D 35/142: {Soles} - B29C 66/133: {Fin-type joints, the parts to be joined being flexible (the parts to be joined being rigid B29C66/1312)} - 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)} - B29C 66/439: {Joining sheets for making inflated articles without using a mould} - B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)} - B29C 66/73921: {characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics} - B29L 2031/504: {Soles} - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A method of forming a fluid-filled chamber for an article of footwear is provided and includes positioning a first sheet of material and a second sheet of material in a pressure chamber, increasing a fluid pressure within the pressure chamber to a first value, and coupling the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material within the pressure chamber to define a fluid-filled chamber defined by the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material and having a fluid pressure equal to the first value. The method also includes decreasing the fluid pressure within the pressure chamber to a second value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming a fluid-filled chamber for an article of footwear, the method comprising: positioning a first sheet of material and a second sheet of material in a pressure chamber; increasing a fluid pressure within the pressure chamber to a first value; applying pressure at the first value to both sides of a least one of the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material within the pressure chamber; coupling the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material within the pressure chamber to define a fluid-filled chamber defined by the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material and having a fluid pressure equal to the first value; and decreasing the fluid pressure within the pressure chamber to a second value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coupling step occurs after the increasing step, and the decreasing step occurs after the coupling step. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material includes ultrasonically welding the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein decreasing the fluid pressure within the pressure chamber to a second value includes applying a vacuum to the pressure chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second value is less than a value of the fluid pressure of the atmosphere surrounding the pressure chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first value is between 2.0 atm and 5.0 atm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the second value is between 0.7 atm and 0.9 atm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein positioning a first sheet of material in the pressure chamber and positioning a second sheet of material in the pressure chamber includes positioning at least one sheet of material formed from a polymer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein supplying a first fluid to the pressure chamber includes supplying nitrogen. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising removing fluid from the pressure chamber with a first fluid source and directing the removed fluid to a bellows of the first fluid source. ### Claim 11 A method of forming a fluid-filled chamber for an article of footwear, the method comprising: positioning a first sheet of material in a pressure chamber; pressurizing the pressure chamber to a fluid pressure equal to a first value; applying pressure at the first value to both sides of the first sheet of material within the pressure chamber; forming a fluid-filled chamber from the first sheet of material, the fluid-filled chamber having a fluid pressure equal to the first value; and depressurizing the pressure chamber to reduce the fluid pressure within the pressure chamber to a second value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising positioning a second sheet of material in the pressure chamber, wherein forming the fluid-filled chamber from the first sheet of material includes coupling the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material, the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material collectively defining the fluid-filled chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein forming the fluid-filled chamber includes ultrasonically welding the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the forming step occurs after the pressurizing step, and the depressurizing step occurs after the forming step. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein forming the fluid-filled chamber includes ultrasonically welding a first portion of the first sheet of material to a second portion of the first sheet of material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first value is between 2.0 atm and 5.0 atm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the second value is between 0.7 atm and 0.9 atm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein positioning a first sheet of material in the pressure chamber includes positioning a sheet of material formed from a polymer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein supplying a first fluid to the pressure chamber includes supplying nitrogen. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising removing fluid from the pressure chamber with a first fluid source and directing the removed fluid to a bellows of the first fluid source.