Air passage device for inflatable shoe bladders

An inflatable bladder for use in an article of footwear comprising:

• a first sheet of a fluid-impervious material having an interior surface;
• a second sheet of a fluid-impervious material having an interior surface, wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of said first sheet is in contact with at least a portion of the interior surface of said second sheet, wherein said first sheet and said second sheet are sealed;
• and
• at least one narrow channel between said first and second sheets, wherein at least a portion of an interior surface of said first sheet along said narrow channel is embossed to limit said interior surface contact between said first and second sheets,
• wherein a substrate is laminated to a portion of an interior surface of at least said first sheet, and wherein said first sheet includes an embossed thermoplastic film, and wherein said first sheet is a laminate of a thermoplastic film and substrate.

A method of increasing localized air flow through a narrow channel of an inflatable bladder for use in an article of footwear, comprising:

• providing a first fluid-impervious sheet having an interior surface and a second fluid-impervious sheet having an interior surface, wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of said first sheet is in contact with at least a portion of the interior surface of said second sheet;
• embossing at least a portion of an interior surface of one of said first or second sheets to limit said interior surface contact between said first and second sheets;
• sealing said first sheet and said second sheet to form an inflatable bladder having at least one narrow channel,
• wherein said embossed material is a substrate laminated to a portion of an interior surface of at least said first sheet.