Bladder and method of making the same

Details Bladder and method of making the same Bladder and method of making the same

1998-11-05

2001-07-10

Dye, Rena L. (Department: 1772)

Stock material or miscellaneous articles

Hollow or container type article

Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag

C428S035700, C428S036800, C428S178000, C428S179000, C036S028000, C036S029000, C036S043000, C036S044000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06258421

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a bladder, having particular usefulness in the sole of a shoe, and a method for making the same.
Bladders have long been used in shoes as a cushion to increase shoe comfort, enhance foot support, reduce the risk of injury and other deleterious effects, and decrease fatigue. In general, the bladders are comprised of elastomeric materials which are shaped to define at least one pressurized pocket or chamber. Typically, a bladder will actually define many chambers arranged in a pattern designed to achieve one or more of the above-stated objectives. The chambers may be pressurized with a number of different mediums, such as air, various gases, water, or other liquids.
Many different chamber configurations have been developed in an effort to achieve the desired results. For instance, bladders have been constructed with a single chamber that extends over the entire area of the sole. One example of this type of bladder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,080,469 to Gilbert, entitled “Pneumatic Foot Support.” Alternatively, bladders have included a number of chambers fluidly interconnected with one another. Examples of these types of bladders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,156 to Rudy, entitled “Insole Construction For Articles of Footwear,” and U.S. Pat. No. 900,867 to Miller, entitled “Cushion for Footwear.” However, these type of bladder constructions have been known to flatten and “bottom out” when they receive high impact pressures, such as experienced in athletic activities. Such failures negate the intended benefits of providing the bladder.
In an effort to overcome this problem, bladders have been developed wherein the chambers are fluidly connected by restricted openings. Examples of these bladders are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,705 to Donzis, entitled “Self-contained Fluid Pressure Foot Support Device,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,951 to Petrosky, entitled “Air Cushion Shoe Base.” and U.S. Pat. No. 1,304,915 to Spinney, entitled “Pneumatic Insole.” These bladders, however, have tended to either be ineffective in overcoming the deficiencies of the non-restricted bladders or have been too expensive to manufacture.
Additionally, artisans have developed shoe bladders which include a number of separate chambers that are independent of one another. In other words, the chambers are not fluidly connected. Hence, the fluid contained in any one chamber is precluded from passing into another chamber. One example of this construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,677,906 to Reed, entitled “Cushioned Inner Sole For Shoes and Method of Making the Same.” Although this design obviates “bottoming out” of the bladder, it also requires each chamber to be individually pressurized. Thus, the cost of production has been exceedingly high.
Another shoe bladder manufactured by Etonic also includes a plurality of discrete chambers which lack fluid interconnection. The chambers are, however, all formed at ambient pressure. This construction obviates the need to individually pressurize each chamber and thus results in less manufacturing costs. However, the use of chambers pressurized above ambient pressure is not possible. As a result, the versatility and potential gain from using the bladder is reduced.
Attempts have further been made to design the bladders to suit specific needs. For example, the support and cushion needed for jogging would be different than that needed for aerobics. In bladders having either restricted connections between chambers or independent chambers, artisans have sought to differentiate the pressures in the various chambers depending on the part of the plantar surface to be supported and the activity to be engaged. Examples of this practice include U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,283 to Meyers, entitled “Footwear Sole Member,” the '705 patent to Donzis, the '906 patent to Reed, the '951 patent to Petrosky, and the '915 patent to Spinney. These approaches, however, have not been entirely successful. With respect to the restricted flow bladders, the results have had only limited success in actually providing the desired differences in pressure. Although the independent bladders effectively provide different pressures at various points across the sole, the cost to manufacture the bladders has been prohibitively high. As illustrated in
FIGS. 3 and 7
in the '906 patent to Reed, each independent chamber must be individually pressurized. As can be readily appreciated, this process is not suitable for mass production, particularly in bladders having a significant number of chambers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aforementioned problems are overcome in the present invention, wherein a bladder having a unique independent chamber construction can be manufactured without the heretofore high attendant costs.
More specifically, a bladder in accordance with the present invention is particularly useful in the sole of a shoe. The bladder includes a plurality of chambers which are strategically arranged under specific areas of the plantar surface. The chambers are pressurized to a certain internal pressure. Nevertheless, because the chambers define differing volumes of pressurized fluid, each of the chambers are capable of providing a unique resistance. This capacity enables the bladders to provide the desired support and cushion to any particular portion of the foot. Thus, the bladder may be specially adapted to accommodate a particular activity.
In addition, by practicing the method of the present invention, a bladder with these characteristics, can be fabricated quickly, easily, and at a low cost. The method involves selectively forming a number of chambers with an elastomeric material, such that each chamber is in fluid communication with the others. Thereafter, the interior of the product is supplied with an amount of fluid, so that the chambers are all pressurized at the same desired level. The fluid communication is then sealed so that each of the chambers is separated from the other chambers.
As another aspect of the invention, certain portions of the bladder can be pressurized to different levels. In this process, a first set of chambers are formed in fluid communication with each other; and a separate second set of chambers are formed in fluid communication with each other. The first set is not in fluid communication with the second set. These two discrete portions are then each supplied with a quantity of fluid so that each set of chambers is pressurized at a different level. Thereafter, the fluid communications are sealed so that each chamber is separated from the other chambers.
As can be readily appreciated, the practice of either aspect of the inventive process facilitates the manufacture of a bladder having the above-described desirable characteristics in a manner which eliminates the difficulties experienced in the past. Specifically, a bladder having independent chambers that each provide a unique resistance, can be made without having to individually pressurize each chamber. Further, the process is quick, easy, and economical.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the specification and appended drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 900867 (1908-10-01), Miller
patent: 1069001 (1913-07-01), Guy
patent: 1304915 (1919-05-01), Spinney
patent: 1514468 (1924-11-01), Schopf
patent: 1625582 (1927-04-01), Anderson
patent: 1869257 (1932-07-01), Hitzler
patent: 2080469 (1937-05-01), Gilbert
patent: 2488382 (1949-11-01), Davis
patent: 2645865 (1953-07-01), Town
patent: 2677906 (1954-05-01), Reed
patent: 2715231 (1955-08-01), Marston
patent: 3030640 (1962-04-01), Gosman
patent: 3589037 (1971-06-01), Gallagher
patent: 3758964 (1973-09-01), Nishimura
patent: 4017931 (1977-04-01), Golden
patent: 4115934 (1978-09-01), Hall
patent: 4129951 (1978-12-01), Petrosky
patent: 4183156 (1980-01-01), Rudy
patent: 4217705 (1980-08-01), Donzis
patent: 4297797 (1981-11-01), Meyers
patent: 4305212 (1981-12-01), Coomer
patent: 4445283 (1

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