Patent US5042176A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5042176A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Load carrying cushioning device with improved barrier material for control of diffusion pumping
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1989-12-28
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Granted: 1991-08-27
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Expires: 2009-12-28
Abstract
Abstract A product in the form of a cushioning device made from thermoplastic film containing crystalline material inflated to a relatively high pressure and sealed at the time of manufacture. The product maintains the internal inflatant pressure for long periods of time by employing a form of the diffusion pumping phenomenom of self-inflation in which the mobile gas is the gas components of air other than nitrogen. Improved and novel cushioning devices use new material, for the film of the enclosure nevelope which can selectively control the rate of diffusion pumping, thereby permitting a wider latitude flexibility and greater accuracy in the design of such new cushioning device, thus improving the performance and reducing cost of such devices while elminating some of the disadvantages of the earlier products. It is possible to permanently inflate certain types of new devices using readily available gases such as nitrogen, or air in which case nitrogen forms the captive gas.
Inventors
- 👤 Marion F. Rudy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:59
CPC Classifications
A; A43; A43B; A43B17/00; A43B17/02; A43B17/03; F; F16; F16F; F16F9/00; F16F9/02; F16F9/04; F16F9/0418; A43B13/00; A43B13/14; A43B13/18; A43B13/20; A43B13/203; A43B13/206; F16F1/00; F16F1/36; F16F1/3615
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 58
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A load carrying gas pressurized cushioning device comprising: a sealed envelope having at least one chamber formed by at least spaced wall portions of a film like material; said film like material being plastic and polar and elastomeric and having gas diffusion properties of a partially crystalline film material; said envelope being initially pressurized to a predetermined pressure by at least a captive gas with respect to which said film like material acts as a barrier to retard diffusion of the captive gas therethrough; said film material being characterized by the ability to retain said captive gas to maintain said device at least partially pressurized and to permit diffusion therethrough of a mobile gas; and the internal pressure of said envelope being the sum of the partial pressures of the mobile and captive gases.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A load carrying gas pressurized cushioning device comprising: a sealed envelope having at least one chamber formed by at least spaced wall portions of a film like material; said film like material being plastic and polar and elastomeric and having gas diffusion properties of a partially crystalline film material; said envelope being initially pressurized to a predetermined pressure by at least a captive gas with respect to which said film like material acts as a barrier to retard diffusion of the captive gas therethrough; said film material being characterized by the ability to retain said captive gas to maintain said device at least partially pressurized and to permit diffusion therethrough of a mobile gas; and the internal pressure of said envelope being the sum of the partial pressures of the mobile and captive gases.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said captive gas is nitrogen gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said captive gas includes at least one supergas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said crystalline properties are provided by a crystalline material contained within said film like material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said crystalline material is a highly crystalline scrim.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said crystalline material is lock stitched material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said crystalline material is a crystalline polymeric material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said crystalline material is a fibrous material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said crystalline material is a crystalline platelet material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said film like material is an elastomeric polyurethane polymer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cushioning device is a component of footwear.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said cushioning device is a heel ped.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said cushioning device is a full length sole component.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said cushioning device is of a length less than the length of the footwear.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said cushioning device is at least partly foam encapsulated.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sealed envelope is formed of at least two sheets of film material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said crystalline material is a metal or metal alloy in a form selected from the group consisting of filaments, powder, platelets, cloth, beads and micro-spheres.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sealed envelope is composed of a plurality of separately sealed chambers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sealed envelope is composed of at least two interconnected chambers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the internal pressure of said envelope is above atmospheric pressure.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said envelope includes at least one peripheral seam.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said crystalline properties are provided by a crystalline material joined to at least one surface of said film material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 21 in which said crystalline material is a thin metal layer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said film like material is a mixture of polymeric materials at least one of which is a crystalline material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said crystalline properties are provided by a polyethyleneterephthalate polymeric material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the film like material is composed at least in part of a thermoplastic elastomer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said film like material is composed at least in part of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the captive gas includes air or nitrogen or supergas and the mobile gas includes oxygen.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
A load carrying pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the captive gas is nitrogen and the mobile gas includes oxygen.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
172 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device comprising the steps of: providing an envelope having at least one chamber formed by at least spaced wall portions of a film like material; said film like material being plastic and elastomeric and having gas diffusion properties of a partially crystalline material; initially pressurizing said envelope to a predetermined pressure by at least a one gas with respect to which said film like material acts as a barrier to retard diffusion of the said one gas therethrough; said film material being characterized by the ability to retain said one gas to maintain said device at least partially pressurized and to permit diffusion therethrough of a mobile gas; sealing said envelope to contain said one gas; and exposing said sealed envelope to ambient air whereby a mobile gas in said ambient air diffuses into said sealed envelope such that the internal pressure of said envelope is the sum of the partial pressures of said one gas and the mobile gas.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
172 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device comprising the steps of: providing an envelope having at least one chamber formed by at least spaced wall portions of a film like material; said film like material being plastic and elastomeric and having gas diffusion properties of a partially crystalline material; initially pressurizing said envelope to a predetermined pressure by at least a one gas with respect to which said film like material acts as a barrier to retard diffusion of the said one gas therethrough; said film material being characterized by the ability to retain said one gas to maintain said device at least partially pressurized and to permit diffusion therethrough of a mobile gas; sealing said envelope to contain said one gas; and exposing said sealed envelope to ambient air whereby a mobile gas in said ambient air diffuses into said sealed envelope such that the internal pressure of said envelope is the sum of the partial pressures of said one gas and the mobile gas.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said one gas is nitrogen gas.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said one gas is a supergas.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said envelope is provided from flat sheet like material.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said envelope is formed by any one or a combination of blow-molding, injection molding, slush casting, vacuum forming, roto molding, transfer molding and pressure forming.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said envelope is formed of a thermoplastic material.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said envelope is formed of a thermoset material.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said envelope is formed by welding at least a portion of the walls thereof together, and wherein the inner surfaces of the walls are treated with a priming agent prior to said welding.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said cushioning device is assembled to an article of footwear.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said one gas is a captive gas which includes air or nitrogen or supergas or mixtures thereof and wherein said mobile gas is oxygen.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein the step of initially pressurizing includes pressurizing to an internal pressure above atmospheric pressure.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said gas diffusion properties of a partly crystalline material are provided by a crystalline material contained within said film like material.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 41 wherein said crystalline material is a fibrous material.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 42 wherein said fibrous material is a locked stitch material.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 41 wherein said crystallin material is a crystalline platelet material.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 41 wherein said crystalline material is a highly crystalline scrim.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 41 wherein said crystalline material is a metal or metal alloy in a form selected from the group consisting of filaments, powder, platelets, cloth, beads and micro-spheres.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said step of providing an envelope includes formation of a plurality of separate chambers in said envelope; and pressurizing each of said chambers and therafter sealing the same.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said crystalline properties are provided by a crystalline material joined to at least one surface of the film material.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 48 in which said crystalline material is a thin metal layer.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 48 wherein said crystalline material is a crystalline polymeric material.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said film like material is a mixture of polymeric materials at least one of which is a crystalline material.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said crystalline properties are provided by a polyethyleneterephthalate polymeric material.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method for producing a load carrying gas pressurized and resilient cushioning device as set forth in claim 30 wherein said film like material is a polyurethane material.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
152 words
A load carrying gas pressurized cushioning device comprising: a sealed envelope having at least one chamber formed by at least spaced wall portions of a film like material; said film like material being a composite crystallographic-amorphous-elastomeric barrier material; said envelope being initially pressurized to a predetermined pressure by at least one gas with respect to which said film like material acts as a barrier to retard diffusion of a captive gas therethrough; said film material being characterized by having hard crystalline segments or elements within said elastomeric material so as to enhance the activated diffusion barrier characteristics of said barrier material by the ability to retain said at least one gas and to maintain said device at least partially pressurized and to permit diffusion therethrough of a mobile gas; and the internal pressure of said envelope being the sum of the partial pressures of said at least one and said captive gases.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
152 words
A load carrying gas pressurized cushioning device comprising: a sealed envelope having at least one chamber formed by at least spaced wall portions of a film like material; said film like material being a composite crystallographic-amorphous-elastomeric barrier material; said envelope being initially pressurized to a predetermined pressure by at least one gas with respect to which said film like material acts as a barrier to retard diffusion of a captive gas therethrough; said film material being characterized by having hard crystalline segments or elements within said elastomeric material so as to enhance the activated diffusion barrier characteristics of said barrier material by the ability to retain said at least one gas and to maintain said device at least partially pressurized and to permit diffusion therethrough of a mobile gas; and the internal pressure of said envelope being the sum of the partial pressures of said at least one and said captive gases.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
35 words
A load carrying gas pressurized cushioning device as set forth in claim 54 wherein said hard crystalline segments or elements are distorted so as to enhance the activated diffusion barrier characteristics of said barrier material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-08-26 | 1995-02-25 | 1995-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-08-26 | 1999-02-25 | 1999-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-08-26 | 2003-02-25 | 2003-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |