Nike, Inc.

The Upjohn Co.

Other

The Dow Chemical Company

Basf Coatings Gmbh

Tetra Plastics, Inc.

Nike International Ltd.

Henry W Bonk

David J Goldwasser

Paul H Mitchell

Benjamin S Ehrlich

James C Sell, Jr

Augustin T Chen

Richard W Oertel

Joseph Pleckaitis

Hanno R Van Der Wal

Robert G Nelb, Ii

John Penfold

Tilak M Shah

A shoe is fabricated from an upper structure and a sole structure wherein the sole structure contains a gas-filled cushioning device composed of a multi-layer film formed into a gas-filled membrane having an interior compartment enclosing at least one capture gas. The multi-layer film comprises an outer layer of an elastomeric thermoplastic material such as a polyurethane, an inner layer of an elastomeric thermoplastic material such as a polyurethane and a barrier layer interposed therebetween which is derived from a combination of at least one ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and up to about 50 wt. % of an aliphatic thermoplastic urethane.

Gas-filled cushioning device

The present invention relates to membranes including an urethane including a polyester polyol, wherein the membrane has a gas transmission rate of 15.0 or less for nitrogen gas wherein the membrane has an average thickness of approximately 20.0 mils. Under certain embodiments, the membranes include blends of one or more polyester polyol based thermoplastic urethanes and one or more barrier materials. The membranes can be employed in a variety of applications and can be used as either monolayers or multi-layered laminates.

Membranes of polyurethane based materials including polyester polyols

Described is a membrane comprising a microlayer polymeric composite having at least about 10 microlayers. The microlayers are each individually up to about 100 microns thick and alternate between at least one gas barrier material and at least one elastomeric material. The membrane can be formed into a pressurized bladder or cushioning device for many applications, including footwear and hydropneumatic accumulators.

Flexible membranes

A shoe is fabricated from an upper structure and a sole structure wherein the sole structure contains a gas-filled cushioning device composed of a multi-layer film formed into a gas-filled membrane having an interior compartment enclosing at least one capture gas. The multi-layer film comprises an outer layer of an elastomeric thermoplastic material such as a polyurethane, an inner layer of an elastomeric thermoplastic material such as a polyurethane, and a barrier layer interposed therebetween which is derived from a combination of at least one ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and up to about 50 wt. % of an aliphatic thermoplastic urethane.

Shoe sole of gas-filled film with barrier layer of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and aliphatic polyurethane

The present invention relates to membranes including a barrier layer which includes a blend of one or more aliphatic thermoplastic urethanes and one or more polar and partially crystalline materials. Under multi-layered embodiments, the barrier layer is laminated to at least one other layer formed from thermoplastic urethane, wherein the membranes are characterized in that hydrogen bonds are formed between the first layer of thermoplastic urethane and the second layer from the blend of aliphatic thermoplastic urethane and a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol.

Barrier membranes including a barrier layer employing aliphatic thermoplastic urethanes

Described is a membrane comprising a microlayer polymeric composite having at least about 10 microlayers. The microlayers are each individually up to about 100 microns thick and alternate between at least one fluid barrier material and at least one elastomeric material. The membrane can be formed into a pressurized bladder or cushioning device for many applications, including footwear and hydropneumatic accumulators.

Products in the form of cushioning devices made from flexible membranes employing at least one layer including thermoplastic urethane and at least one layer of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol are inflatable to a relatively high pressure. The cushioning devices maintain the internal inflatant pressure for extended periods of time by employing a phenomenon referred to in the industry as diffusion pumping. Ideally, the cushioning devices of the present invention can be permanently inflated with gases such as nitrogen or air.

Cushioning device with improved flexible barrier membrane

The invention provides amembrane that includes as a gas-barrier component a polyester polyol-modified polyurethane, the polyester polyol portion having repeating units in which the total number of carbon atoms is about eight or less. The membrane has a gas transmission rate of 15.0 or less for nitrogen gas.

Fluid barrier membranes

The present invention relates to barrier membranes including a barrier layer which includes one or more thermoplastic urethane formed from polyester polyols. More particularly, the membranes include a barrier layer including blends of one or more polyester polyol based thermoplastic urethanes and one or more copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol. The barrier membranes can be employed in a variety of applications and can be used as either monolayers or multi-layered laminates.

Growing community of inventors

Wallingford, CT, United States of America

Henry W Bonk