US 11,026,475 B2Granted

Flexible fluid-filled chamber with tensile member

AssigneeNIKE, Inc.

InventorsJohn Hurd, Levi J. Patton

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Abstract

A method of making an article of footwear. The method may include forming a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid, including a first chamber barrier layer, a second chamber barrier layer, and a tensile member extending between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer. The tensile member may include a first tensile member layer, a second tensile member layer, and a plurality of tethers connecting the first tensile member layer to the second tensile member layer. The method may also include extending a portion of the second chamber barrier layer toward the first tensile member layer between a first section of the second tensile member layer and a second section of the second tensile member layer, and joining the portion of the second chamber barrier layer to the first tensile member layer between the first section and the second section of the second tensile member layer.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method of making an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the method comprising:

forming a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid by:
assembling a stacked arrangement of chamber components including:
a first chamber barrier layer;
a second chamber barrier layer;
and
a tensile member extending between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer, the tensile member including a first tensile member layer, a second tensile member layer, and a plurality of tethers connecting the first tensile member layer to the second tensile member layer, wherein the second tensile member layer includes a first section and a second section separate from the first section;
bonding the first chamber barrier layer to the second chamber barrier layer to form peripheral portions of the chamber and to define an interior void between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer;
and
extending a portion of the second chamber barrier layer toward the first tensile member layer between the first section of the second tensile member layer and the second section of the second tensile member layer, pressing the portion of the second chamber barrier layer against the first tensile member layer;
and
joining the portion of the second chamber barrier layer to the first tensile member layer between the first section of the second tensile member layer and the second section of the second tensile member layer;
bonding the first tensile member layer to the first chamber barrier layer;
bonding the second tensile member layer to the second chamber barrier layer;
inflating the chamber with a pressurized fluid;
incorporating the chamber into the sole structure;
and
attaching the sole structure to the upper.

14 more elements

A method of making a sole structure for an article of footwear, including forming a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid, comprising:

assembling a stacked arrangement of chamber components including:
a first chamber barrier layer;
a second chamber barrier layer;
and
a tensile member extending between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer, the tensile member including a first tensile member layer, a second tensile member layer, and a plurality of tethers connecting the first tensile member layer to the second tensile member layer, wherein the second tensile member layer is discontinuous such that a first section of the second tensile member layer is separated from a second section of the second tensile member layer by a gap;
bonding the first chamber barrier layer to the second chamber barrier layer to form peripheral portions of the chamber and to define an interior void between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer;
and
extending a portion of the second chamber barrier layer toward the first tensile member layer in the gap between the first section of the second tensile member layer and the second section of the second tensile member layer, pressing the portion of the second chamber barrier layer against the first tensile member layer;
and
joining the portion of the second chamber barrier layer to the first tensile member layer between the first section of the second tensile member layer and the second section of the second tensile member layer;
bonding the first tensile member layer to the first chamber barrier layer;
bonding the second tensile member layer to the second chamber barrier layer;
and
inflating the chamber with a pressurized fluid.

11 more elements

A method of making a sole structure for an article of footwear, including forming a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid, comprising:

assembling a stacked arrangement of chamber components including:
a first chamber barrier layer;
a second chamber barrier layer;
and
a tensile member extending between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer, the tensile member including a first tensile member layer, a second tensile member layer, and a plurality of tethers connecting the first tensile member layer to the second tensile member layer, wherein the second tensile member layer is discontinuous such that a first section of the second tensile member layer is separated from a second section of the second tensile member layer by a gap;
bonding the first chamber barrier layer to the second chamber barrier layer to form peripheral portions of the chamber and to define an interior void between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer;
and
extending a portion of the second chamber barrier layer toward the first tensile member layer in the gap between the first section of the second tensile member layer and the second section of the second tensile member layer, pressing the portion of the second chamber barrier layer against the first tensile member layer;
and
joining the portion of the second chamber barrier layer to the first tensile member layer;
and
inflating the chamber with a pressurized fluid.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/259,849Filed 8 Sep 2016
Published: US 2018/0064208 A18 Mar 2018
Granted: 8 Jun 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

A43B 13/20
Resilient soles: pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas
A43B 13/04
Characterised by the material: plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
A43B 13/125
Soles with several layers of different materials: characterised by the midsole or middle layer
A43B 13/141
Characterised by the constructive form: with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion

Family

US 2018/0064208 A1Pre-grant publication · published 8 Mar 2018
US 11,026,475 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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