Electrorheological fluid structure having strain relief element and method of fabrication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10813407-B2
Application number	US-201615363426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2016
Priority date	Nov 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

An article may include a first polymeric material layer having a surface. A first conductive trace may form at least a portion of the first layer surface. The article may further include a second polymeric material layer. The second layer may have a first surface, a portion of the second layer first surface being bonded to a portion of the first layer surface. The second layer may have a portion of a channel defined therein, the channel at least partially coinciding with a portion of the first conductive trace. The article may also include a first patch interposed between the first layer surface and the second layer first surface. The first patch may span the channel and cover a portion of the first conductive trace.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article comprising:
a sole structure incorporating a second article, wherein the second article comprises:
a first polymeric material layer having a surface;
a first conductive trace, forming at least a portion of the first layer surface, and comprising a first electrode;
a second polymeric material layer having a first surface, a portion of the second layer first surface being bonded to a portion of the first layer surface, the second layer having a portion of a channel defined therein, the channel at least partially coinciding with a portion of the first conductive trace;
a first patch interposed between the first layer surface and the second layer first surface, the first patch spanning the channel and covering a portion of the first conductive trace;
a third layer of polymeric material having a surface;
a second conductive trace forming at least a portion of the third layer surface and at least partially coinciding with the channel, wherein a portion of the third layer surface is bonded to a portion of a second surface of the second layer, and wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer define a first chamber in fluid communication with the channel; and
a second patch interposed between the second layer second surface and the third layer surface, the second patch spanning the channel and covering a portion of the second conductive trace,
wherein the second conductive trace comprises a second electrode that follows a path of the channel and an extension that branches away from the path of the channel and passes across the second layer second surface, and wherein the second patch covers a portion of the second electrode and a portion of the extension joined to the second electrode.

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber and the channel are filled with electrorheological fluid, and wherein the first chamber is configured so that a height of the first chamber varies in response to transfer of the electrorheological fluid into and out of the first chamber.

3. The article of claim 2 , wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer define a second chamber in fluid communication with the channel, wherein the second chamber is filled with the electrorheological fluid, and wherein the second chamber is configured so that a height of the second chamber varies in response to transfer of the electrorheological fluid into and out of the second chamber.

4. The article of claim 1 , wherein each of the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

5. The article of claim 4 , wherein the first patch comprises a polymeric material.

6. The article of claim 5 , wherein the first patch comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

7. The article of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode follows the path of the channel, wherein the first conductive trace comprises a first extension that branches away from the path of the channel and passes across the second layer first surface, and wherein the first patch covers a portion of the first extension and a portion of the first electrode joined to the first extension.

8. An article comprising:
an article of footwear incorporating a second article, wherein the second article comprises:
a first polymeric material layer having a surface;
a first conductive trace, forming at least a portion of the first layer surface, and comprising a first electrode;
a second polymeric material layer having a first surface, a portion of the second layer first surface being bonded to a portion of the first layer surface, the second layer having a portion of a channel defined therein, the channel at least partially coinciding with a portion of the first conductive trace;
a first patch interposed between the first layer surface and the second layer first surface, the first patch spanning the channel and covering a portion of the first conductive trace;
a third layer of polymeric material having a surface;
a second conductive trace forming at least a portion of the third layer surface and at least partially coinciding with the channel, wherein a portion of the third layer surface is bonded to a portion of a second surface of the second layer, and wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer define a first chamber in fluid communication with the channel; and
a second patch interposed between the second layer second surface and the third layer surface, the second patch spanning the channel and covering a portion of the second conductive trace,
wherein the second conductive trace comprises a second electrode that follows a path of the channel and an extension that branches away from the path of the channel and passes across the second layer second surface, and wherein the second patch covers a portion of the second electrode and a portion of the extension joined to the second electrode.

9. The article of claim 8 , wherein the first chamber and the channel are filled with electrorheological fluid, and wherein the first chamber is configured so that a height of the first chamber varies in response to transfer of the electrorheological fluid into and out of the first chamber.

10. The article of claim 9 , wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer define a second chamber in fluid communication with the channel, wherein the second chamber is filled with the electrorheological fluid, and wherein the second chamber is configured so that a height of the second chamber varies in response to transfer of the electrorheological fluid into and out of the second chamber.

11. The article of claim 8 , wherein each of the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

12. The article of claim 11 , wherein the first patch comprises a polymeric material.

13. The article of claim 12 , wherein the first patch comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

14. The article of claim 8 , wherein the first electrode follows the path of the channel, wherein the first conductive trace comprises a first extension that branches away from the path of the channel and passes across the second layer first surface, and wherein the first patch covers a portion of the first extension and a portion of the first electrode joined to the first extension.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Walker Steven H
• Cheng Chin-Yuan

Classifications

• A43B3/34

  with electrical or electronic arrangements · CPC title

• B32B37/182

  one or more of the layers being plastic · CPC title

• B29D35/00

  Producing footwear · CPC title

• B29C65/04

  Dielectric heating, e.g. high-frequency welding {, i.e. radio frequency welding of plastic materials having dielectric properties, e.g. PVC} · CPC title

• B32B2310/0868

  using radio frequency · CPC title