IP Library Granted Patent US 12,042,008
Granted Patent B2
US 12,042,008 · App. 17/531,169 · Granted Jul 23, 2024

Laser etched article of footwear and related method

Inventors: Charles R. Edwards (Portland, OR); Jeremy Gantz (Lake Oswego, OR); Dervin A. James (Hillsboro, OR); Honam Ko (Geumjeong-gu, KR); Adam Kohn (Beaverton, OR); Harry Lam Pham (Beaverton, OR); Eric S. Schindler (Beaverton, OR); Yuanmin Wang (Portland, OR)
Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
A43B13/20A43D8/16B23K26/352B29C66/0346B29C2043/3649B29D35/122
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,042,008
App. No.
17/531,169
Granted
Jul 23, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A bladder includes a first polymeric film, a second polymeric film attached to the first polymeric film to form a chamber, and one or more grooves formed in an exterior surface of the chamber. In one configuration, the grooves are formed in the exterior surface of the chamber by subjecting the chamber to a laser-etching process.

Claims (13)

1. A bladder comprising:

a first polymeric film including a first coating;

a second polymeric film attached to the first polymeric film to form a chamber; and

one or more depressions formed in an exterior surface of the bladder at one or more locations on at least one of the first polymeric film and the second polymeric film, the one or more depressions including i) a first depression having a first depth greater than a thickness of the first coating and ii) a second depression having a second depth less than the thickness of the first coating.

2. The bladder of claim 1 , wherein the chamber of the bladder is at least partially filled with a compressible material.

3. The bladder of claim 2 , wherein the compressible material comprises a compressible gas.

4. The bladder of claim 2 , wherein the chamber is pressurized.

5. The bladder of claim 1 , wherein the one or more depressions has a depth ranging from approximately 5% to 35% of an entire thickness of the at least one of the first polymeric film and the second polymeric film.

6. The bladder of claim 1 , further comprising a second coating disposed between the first coating and the first polymeric layer, the first depression extending at least partially into the second coating.

7. The bladder of claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the chamber includes a colorant having a colorant thickness.

8. The bladder of claim 7 , wherein a portion of the colorant is removed at the one or more depressions.

9. The bladder of claim 7 , wherein the one or more depressions includes a depth that is greater than the colorant thickness.

10. An article of footwear incorporating the bladder of claim 1 .

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2022
From: EDWARDS, CHARLES R.; GANTZ, JEREMY; JAMES, DERVIN A.; KOHN, ADAM; PHAM, HARRY LAM; SCHINDLER, ERIC S.; WANG, YUANMIN
To: NIKE, INC.
Reel/Frame 061660/0614 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2022
From: KO, HONAM
To: NIKE 360 HOLDING B.V.
Reel/Frame 061660/0731 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2022
From: NIKE 360 HOLDING B.V.
To: NIKE, INC.
Reel/Frame 061660/0849 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63116448 · Nov 20, 2020
Related Publication 20220160076A1 · May 26, 2022