Article of footwear with fluid-filled chamber lacking an inflation channel and method for making the same

摘要

An article of footwear is provided having a pressurized fluid-filled chamber in the sole structure having a continuous perimeter weld and lacking an inflation channel. The chamber may be formed from opposing polymer sheets, a continuous perimeter weld lacking a weld channel bonding the sheets and forming an interior void between the sheets, and a fluid disposed within the interior void exerting outward pressure on the sheets. A method for making the chamber can include placing a pair of polymer sheets in an opposing arrangement, pressing opposing perimeter weld portions of the sheets against each other to form an airtight seal along a perimeter region of an interior void, supplying a flow of pressurized air between the opposing sheets into the interior void, and, while maintaining a desired fluid pressure, welding the perimeter weld portions of the sheets to each other. A high-frequency welder for forming chamber is also provided.

主权项

1. A method for making a pressurized fluid-filled chamber, the method comprising: placing a pair of polymer sheets in an opposing arrangement;
pressing opposing perimeter weld portions of the polymer sheets against each other to form an airtight seal along a perimeter region of an interior void of the fluid-filled chamber; providing a flow of pressurized air between the opposing sheets to an inflation region of the perimeter weld portions; unsealing the inflation region of the perimeter weld portions to permit the flow of pressurized air through an inflation gap in the inflation region formed between the opposing sheets into the interior void to a provide a fluid pressure in the interior void; and while maintaining the fluid pressure in the interior void, welding the perimeter weld portions of the sheets to each other including the inflation region to form an uninterrupted perimeter weld around the fluid-filled chamber without having an inflation channel formed in the perimeter weld; wherein unsealing the inflation region comprises unpressing the inflation region of the sealed perimeter weld portions to permit a gap to form between the opposed polymer sheets at the inflation region and encouraging pressurized airflow through the gap formed at the unsealed inflation region and into an interior void of the fluid-filled chamber disposed between the polymer sheets and within the perimeter weld portions.