Method of manufacturing fluid-filled chambers
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsTimothy P. Hopkins, Matthew W. Thornton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method includes positioning a first polymer sheet on a substantially first flat surface of a tool, positioning a second polymer sheet on the first polymer sheet, and moving a second substantially flat surface of the tool into contact with the second polymer sheet. The method also includes maintaining a gap between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet at a predetermined area and heating one of the two substantially flat surfaces of the tool to heat one of the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet. The method further includes joining the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet together at locations outside of the predetermined area to define a peripheral bond of the chamber.
Claims20
A method of forming a fluid-filled chamber, the method comprising:
- positioning a jig defining an interior void in a first position on a first surface of a tool;
- positioning a first polymer sheet on the jig;
- positioning a second polymer sheet on the first polymer sheet;
- fixing a relative position of outer edges of the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet;
- moving a second surface of the tool into contact with the second polymer sheet only at portions of the second polymer sheet outside of the interior void;
- joining the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet together to define a peripheral bond of the fluid-filled chamber;
- and
- after joining the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet together, injecting a fluid between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet to move the second polymer sheet away from the first polymer sheet to define a void between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet.
A method of forming a fluid-filled chamber, the method comprising:
- positioning a jig defining an interior void in a first position on a first surface of a tool;
- positioning a first polymer sheet on the jig, the first polymer sheet conforming to a shape of the interior void;
- positioning a second polymer sheet on the first polymer sheet, the second polymer sheet conforming to a shape of the interior void;
- fixing a relative position of outer edges of the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet;
- moving a second surface of the tool into contact with the second polymer sheet only at portions of the second polymer sheet outside of the interior void;
- joining the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet together to define a peripheral bond of the fluid-filled chamber;
- and
- after joining the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet together, moving the second polymer sheet away from the first polymer sheet to define a void between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.