Fluid-filled structure
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsChristopher W. Brandt, Jonathan A. Eckart, Danielle L. Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid-filled chamber may include a pair of polymer layers that define a plurality of subchambers and a web area. The subchambers are protruding portions of the polymer layers that enclose a fluid, and the web area is portions of the polymer layers that are located between the subchambers and lay adjacent to each other. The subchambers may have greater thickness than the web area. A perimeter bond joining the polymer layers and extends around a periphery of the chamber. In addition, a plurality of interior bonds join the polymer layers and extending around the subchambers, which may seal the fluid within the subchambers.
Claims19
A method for manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber comprising:
- molding a first polymer sheet and a second polymer sheet to form molded regions respectively defining a plurality of protrusions and unmolded regions that are substantially parallel to one another;
- forming a first bond between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet, the first bond extending around a periphery of the chamber;
- injecting, after the step of forming the first bond, a fluid between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet, the fluid entering the protrusions in the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet;
- and
- forming, after the step of injecting, a plurality of second bonds between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet in the unmolded regions to form a web area located between the protrusions, the second bonds extending around each of the protrusions to seal and pressurized the fluid within the protrusions in a single step, wherein the first and second sheets remain unbonded to each other in portions of the unmolded regions between the protrusions after formation of the second bonds.
A method for manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber comprising:
- shaping a pair of polymer sheets to form molded regions respectively defining a plurality of subchambers and an unmolded web area between the subchambers having first substantially flat portions of the first polymer sheet opposing second substantially flat portions of the second polymer sheet;
- a first bonding of the polymer sheets together to define a periphery of the fluid-filled chamber;
- pressurizing the subchambers with a fluid after the first bonding;
- and
- a second bonding, after the pressurizing of the subchambers with the fluid of the polymer sheets together around at least a portion of the subchambers in an area of the unmolded web area to seal the fluid within the subchambers, wherein the first and second sheet remain unbonded to each other in portions of the unmolded web area between the subchambers after the second bonding.
A method for manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber comprising:
- molding a first polymer sheet and a second polymer sheet to form molded regions respectively defining a plurality of hemispherical protrusions and an unmolded region defining a web area between the protrusions;
- forming a first bond between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet, the first bond extending around a periphery of the chamber, with the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet remaining unbonded around at least one of the protrusions;
- injecting a fluid, after the forming of the first bond, between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet, the fluid entering the protrusions in the first polymer sheet, the protrusions in the second polymer sheet, and the web area between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet;
- and
- forming a plurality of second bonds in the web area, after the injecting of the fluid, between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet, the second bonds extending around each of the protrusions to seal and pressurize the fluid within the protrusions in a single step, wherein in portions of the web area between the second bonds the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet remain unbonded after formation of the second bonds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.