US 8,911,577 B2 · Contoured fluid-filled chamber

Abstract

A fluid-filled chamber may be incorporated into footwear and other products. The chamber is formed from a polymer material that defines a first surface, a second surface located opposite the first surface, and a sidewall surface extending around a periphery of the chamber and between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of bonds are spaced inward from the sidewall surface and join the first surface and the second surface, and the bonds are distributed to form a regularly-spaced array, such as a hexagonal array. In some configurations, the first surface and the second surface may define elliptically-shaped structures between the bonds. In addition, the bonds may be formed to have a slope that is an average of slopes of the first surface and the second surface in areas proximal the bonds.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber of a sole structure for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

locating a first sheet and a second sheet of a polymer material between a pair of mold portions;
compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together between the pair of mold portions to form:
a peripheral bond that joins the first sheet and the second sheet around a periphery of the chamber;
and
a plurality of interior point bonds that join the first sheet and the second sheet and are spaced inward from the peripheral bond, the plurality of interior point bonds being located in a regularly-spaced hexagonal array;
shaping the first sheet and the second sheet to form elliptically-shaped structures between the plurality of interior point bonds;
sealing the chamber to enclose a fluid within the chamber and between the first sheet and the second sheet;
and
incorporating the fluid-filled chamber in the sole structure.

6 more elements

A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber of a sole structure for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

locating a first sheet and a second sheet of a polymer material between a pair of mold portions;
compressing the first sheet and the second sheet together between the pair of mold portions to form:
a peripheral bond that joins the first sheet and the second sheet around a periphery of the chamber, the chamber including a first surface formed by the first sheet and an opposing second surface formed by the second sheet;
and
a plurality of interior bonds that join the first sheet and the second sheet at respective locations that are spaced apart from one another and inward from the peripheral bond;
shaping the first sheet and the second sheet with the pair of mold portions to form a plurality of elliptically-shaped structures, at least a portion of the plurality of elliptically-shaped structures being located between the plurality of interior bonds, the plurality of elliptically-shaped structures having a greater eccentricity in a first region of the chamber than in a second region of the chamber;
sealing the chamber to enclose a fluid within the chamber and between the first sheet and the second sheet;
and
incorporating the fluid-filled chamber in the sole structure.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Contoured fluid-filled chamber

Life of this patent

Contoured fluid-filled chamber

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18