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  Bladder with improved constructionUSPTO Application #: 20070051018Title: Bladder with improved construction Abstract: The invention relates to a bladder and incorporation of a bladder in a shoe for cushioning a wearer's foot having an outsole, an upper, and a bladder adapted to receive the foot and being placed between the outsole and the upper. The bladder further has a first chamber and a second chamber, where the first chamber is in contact with the second chamber for providing continuous cushioning. The bladder is also removably placed between the upper and outsole. In other aspects of the invention, the bladder is integrally placed between the upper and outsole. (end of abstract) Agent: St. Onge Steward Johnston & Reens, Llc - Stamford, CT, US Inventor: James E. Issler USPTO Applicaton #: 20070051018 - Class: 036029000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Soles, Cushion, Pneumatic The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070051018. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to structures employed in shoes, protective equipment, and the like, for absorbing and dispersing energy. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Structures for absorbing and dispersing mechanical energy are usually incorporated into shoes, sporting goods, clothing, protective equipment, vehicles, and the like to provide user comfort and safety. Such structures typically absorb and distribute kinetic energy to prevent damage or discomfort resulting from impacts. These structures may include football helmets, crash helmets, ballistic vests, and the like to minimize damage from energetic impacts. [0003] Some energy absorbing and dispersing structures may be fabricated from polymeric foam materials of either the open or closed cell type. In other instances, such structures can be bodies of fibrous materials. Yet other instances may employ springs, pistons, and the like to be used as energy dispersing devices. [0004] Shoes that typically employ a foam material often have a higher degree of resiliency. This can be accomplished by utilizing a relatively stiff open cell foam structure, or by going to a closed cell foam, or other such structure which possibly includes sealed air pockets. In either instance, the stiffer sole may provide adequate cushioning for high shock levels but is often rigid under low shock conditions, which could compromise comfort. [0005] Some shoes known in the art may involve a variety of inflation devices disposed at different locations. For instance, previous shoe arrangements may have included soles that can be inflated at the arch to provide support. Other shoes typically have sealed inflated chambers disposed within the soles in order to increase vertical bounce. Such prior art shoes may not allow for selective adjustment of the pressure in the bladder chambers and may result in uneven air distribution in the sole of the shoe. [0006] Moreover, if an impact force applied to such a structure exceeds its operational range, the structure may bottom out. In some instances, the structure will undergo irreversible break down. Bottoming out often occurs when a structure can absorb no more energy and ceases to provide any protection. For example, soles of shoes often include energy absorbing structures fabricated from open cell foam materials. However, when high levels of force are applied to these materials, as for example when the wearer jumps, runs, or stumbles, the cellular structure of the material typically flattens, and the innersole may bottom out allowing a jarring shock to be transmitted to a wearer's foot. Hence, the inflation device may be acceptable under low shock conditions but unacceptable, due to the bottoming out, under high shock conditions. [0007] This bottoming out can be alleviated by providing a thicker body of foam material. However, such increases in thickness are generally unacceptable in footwear due to increase in bulk and instability. Furthermore, using a thicker body of foam in the sole of a shoe usually produces discomfort and fatigue. [0008] Pumps in some prior art shoes have typically been either externally connectable to the shoe's air chambers or positioned in low stress areas on the upper portion of the shoe, such as in the tongue or on the back of the heel. For externally connectable pumps, the pump must be retrieved whenever inflation is desired. Pumps positioned on the upper portion possibly add bulk to the shoe and could limit agility. Such pumps also tend to inhibit aesthetic choices in shoe design. [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,705 to Donzis appears to relate to an air filled chamber created by a top sheet and a bottom sheet sealed together around the entire periphery. The top and bottom sheets may be sealed together in select areas within the perimeter of the periphery to create a series of compartments that are in fluid connection with one another. Because the compartments may be in fluid communication with one another, a single type of fluid seems to be used to fill all compartments. [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,634 to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,781 to Pavisi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,142 to Demon, U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,873 to Buttigieg, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,573 to Doyle appear to relate to a shoe with one or more chambers where all chambers have a single type of fluid contained within the chambers. In some of these references that have more than one chamber, the chambers seem to be spaced apart from one another. [0011] What is desired, therefore, is a shoe with a cushioning device that has improved comfort and safety. Another desire is a shoe with a cushioning device that resists bottoming out. A further desire is a shoe with a cushioning device that permits adjustment to the cushioning device so that the shoe remains flexible during low shock conditions and is sufficiently rigid during high shock conditions. SUMMARY Of THE INVENTION [0012] It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a shoe that has an improved cushioning device. [0013] Another object is a cushioning device that allows its physical properties to be varied in accordance with the intended use of the shoe. [0014] A further object of the invention is to provide a cushioning device that includes separable internal chambers so that various fluids may be placed inside the chambers. [0015] Yet another object is a cushioning device that provides continuous cushioning during transition from one chamber to a next chamber. [0016] A still further object is a cushioning device that controls a fluid's movement during compression of the cushioning device so that the area of the cushioning device experiencing the compression resists complete decompression. [0017] These and other objects are achieved by a shoe for cushioning a wearer's foot having an outsole, an upper, and a bladder adapted to receive the foot and being placed between the outsole and the upper. The bladder further has a first chamber and a second chamber, where the first chamber is in contact with the second chamber for providing continuous cushioning. The bladder is also removably placed between the upper and outsole. In other aspects of the invention, the bladder is integrally placed between the upper and outsole. [0018] In some embodiments, the shoe has a first filler removably placed within the first chamber and the first filler includes a property selected from the group consisting of a user determined density, a user determined volume, a user determined weight, a user determined texture, a user determined consistency, and combinations thereof. [0019] In other embodiments, the shoe has a baffle placed within the first chamber. In further embodiments, a socklining is placed on top of the bladder for receiving a wearer's foot. [0020] In yet another embodiment, a distance between the first and second chambers is fixed. In some of these embodiments, the first chamber is adjacent to the second chamber. [0021] In some other embodiments, a plurality of chambers and a plurality of fillers are provided, each filler corresponding to a chamber. Continue reading... Full patent description for Bladder with improved construction Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Bladder with improved construction patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Bladder with improved construction or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Shoe with improved opanka construction Next Patent Application: Apparatus facilitating walking in ski boots. Industry Class: Boots, shoes, and leggings ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Bladder with improved construction patent info. 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