Electrorheological fluid structure with attached conductor and method of fabrication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11925235-B2
Application number	US-202117154125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2021
Priority date	Nov 30, 2015
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

A method of forming an electrorheological fluid structure with attached conductor and method of fabrication. A polymeric housing may have a channel defined therein. A first conductive trace may at least partially coincide with the channel. A first wire may have a first conductor surrounded by a first insulating jacket. The first conductor may be in electrical communication with the first conductive trace. A jacket bonding region of the first jacket may be welded to a housing bonding region of the housing. The jacket bonding region and the housing bonding region may be formed from a common type of polymer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
placing a first conductor of a first wire into electrical communication with a first conductive trace, wherein
the first conductor is surrounded by a first insulating jacket,
the first conductive trace is located within a polymeric housing having a fluid transfer channel defined therein, the first conductive trace at least partially coinciding with the fluid transfer channel, and
a jacket bonding region of the first insulating jacket and a housing bonding region of the housing are formed from a polymer;
the polymeric housing comprises a first access passage containing the first wire;
the first conductive trace comprises a first electrode that follows a path of the fluid transfer channel and a first extension that branches away from the path of the fluid transfer channel through the first access passage,

attaching the first conductor to a portion of the first extension branching from the fluid transfer channel; and
welding the jacket bonding region and the housing bonding region.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the jacket bonding region and the housing bonding region are formed from a thermoplastic elastomer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the jacket bonding region and the housing bonding region are formed from thermoplastic polyurethane.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the welding, forming an opening in the housing having a shape corresponding to an outer shape of the first insulating jacket.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the welding, incorporating the housing into a sole structure for an article of footwear.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the welding, incorporating the housing into an article of footwear.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a first chamber in fluid communication with the fluid transfer channel.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising filling the first chamber and the fluid transfer channel with electrorheological fluid, and wherein the first chamber has a height that varies in response to transfer of the electrorheological fluid into and out of the first chamber.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the housing further comprises a second chamber in fluid communication with the fluid transfer channel, the method further comprising filling the second chamber with the electrorheological fluid, and wherein the second chamber has a height that varies in response to transfer of the electrorheological fluid into and out of the second chamber.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein
the housing comprises a first polymeric layer having a surface forming a side of the fluid transfer channel, the first conductive trace forming at least a portion of the first polymeric layer surface, and
the housing comprises a second polymeric layer having a first surface, wherein walls of the fluid transfer channel are defined in the second polymeric layer;
the method further comprising bonding at least a portion of the second polymeric layer first surface to the first polymeric layer surface.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the housing comprises a third polymeric layer having a surface forming a side of the fluid transfer channel;
the method further comprising bonding at least a portion of a second surface of the second polymeric layer to the third polymeric layer surface.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
placing a second conductor of a second wire into electrical communication with a second conductive trace, wherein
the second conductor is surrounded by a second insulating jacket,
the second conductive trace is located within the polymeric housing, the second conductive trace at least partially coinciding with the fluid transfer channel, and
a second jacket bonding region of the second insulating jacket and a second housing bonding region of the housing are formed from the polymer; and

welding the second jacket bonding region and the second housing bonding region.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:
the polymeric housing comprises a second access passage containing the second wire;
the second conductive trace comprises a second extension that branches away from the path of the fluid transfer channel through the second access passage,
the method further comprising attaching the second conductor to a portion of the second extension branching from the fluid transfer channel.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Walker Steven H
• Cheng Chin-Yuan

Classifications

• A43B3/34

  with electrical or electronic arrangements · CPC title

• A43B13/189 Primary

  filled with a non-compressible fluid, e.g. gel, water · CPC title

• A43B5/06

  Running shoes; Track shoes · CPC title

• A43B13/04

  Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre · CPC title

• A43B13/12

  Soles with several layers of different materials · CPC title