Fluid system having an expandable pump chamber
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsK. Pieter Hazenberg, Frederick J. Dojan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid system for an article of footwear or other products is disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, the fluid system includes a pump chamber and a pressure chamber. The pump chamber is formed to exhibit a four layer structure to imparts an expandable configuration. The four layers are bonded to each other such that the sidewall has a zigzag-shaped configuration. In another aspect of the invention, the fluid system includes two pump chambers and a pressure chamber in order to increase the resulting pressure in the pressure chamber. In yet another aspect of the invention, at least one of the two pump chambers has an expandable configuration.
Claims36
A fluid system having a pump chamber and a pressure chamber that are in fluid communication, the pump chamber comprising:
- a first pair of layers forming opposite surfaces of the pump chamber;
- and
- a second pair of layers positioned between the first pair of layers and extending at least partially around the pump chamber, the second pair of layers defining apertures,
- wherein the first pair of layers are secured to the second pair of layers to define at least two first bonds, and the second pair of layers are secured to each other to define a second bond that is offset from the first bonds, the layers and bonds forming a zigzag-shaped structure in the pump chamber.
A fluid system comprising:
- a first pair of layers defining at least a portion of a pump chamber and a pressure chamber that are in fluid communication;
- and
- a second pair of layers positioned between the first pair of layers and extending at least partially around the pump chamber to form at least a portion of an exterior surface of the pump chamber, the second pair of layers defining apertures,
- wherein the first pair of layers are secured to the second pair of layers to define at least two first bonds that are spaced from the apertures and aligned through a thickness of the pump chamber, and the second pair of layers are secured to each other to define a second bond that is adjacent to the apertures, the layers and bonds forming a W-shaped structure in the pump chamber.
A fluid system comprising:
- a pump chamber having a pair of opposite surfaces and a sidewall extending between the opposite surfaces, the pump chamber including a first pair of layers and a second pair of layers, the first pair of layers forming the opposite surfaces of the pump chamber, and the second pair of layers forming the sidewall, the second pair of layers being positioned between the first pair of layers and extending at least partially around the pump chamber, the second pair of layers defining apertures, the first pair of layers being secured to the second pair of layers to define at least two first bonds, and the second pair of layers being secured to each other to define a second bond that is offset from at least one of the first bonds;
- a pressure chamber;
- a first fluid path extending between the pump chamber and the pressure chamber to place the pump chamber and the pressure chamber in fluid communication;
- a first valve positioned within the first fluid path to permit fluid flow from the pump chamber to the pressure chamber and to limit fluid flow from the pressure chamber to the pump chamber;
- a second fluid path extending from an exterior of the fluid system to the pump chamber to place the pump chamber in fluid communication with the exterior of the fluid system;
- and
- a second valve positioned within the second fluid path to permit fluid flow from the exterior to the pump chamber and to limit fluid flow from the pump chamber to the exterior.
A method of manufacturing a chamber for a fluid system, the method comprising steps of:
- providing a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer formed from a polymer material;
- defining an aperture in each of the second layer and the third layer;
- positioning the second layer and the third layer between the first layer and the fourth layer;
- and
- bonding the first layer to the second layer, bonding the second layer to the third layer, and bonding the third layer to the fourth layer to form an expandable sidewall of the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.