Textured Footwear Upper Bladders With Adhesive-Free Bonding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional footwear uppers lack efficient methods for integrating bladders without the use of adhesives, while also failing to incorporate texturing that enhances comfort and fit.

Innovation Solution

The integration of bladders with footwear uppers is achieved through adhesive-free bonding techniques such as melt bonding and welding, and the incorporation of texturing on bladder surfaces to enhance fit and comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If adhesive bonding is used to attach bladders to footwear uppers, then the bladder can be securely attached, but the process becomes more complex and less comfortable for the wearer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebladder attachment securityVSAvoidbonding process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces adhesive bonding (chemical/mechanical system) with heat bonding/thermal welding (thermal system). The bladder and upper are heated to melt bonding materials or fuse thermoplastic layers, creating a strong bond without adhesives. This substitution eliminates adhesive application steps, reduces complexity, and avoids adhesive residue that could cause discomfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes phase transitions of materials (solid-to-liquid melting and freezing) to create bonds. Heating melts bonding materials or thermoplastic layers, allowing the materials to flow and bond, then cooling freezes the bond. This phase transition mechanism provides strong, reliable attachment without requiring adhesive chemicals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

2Ease of operation

If texturing is added to the bladder surface, then comfort and fit are improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewearability comfortVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the texturing process with the heat bonding process. The textured surface is formed on the bladder while it is being heat-bonded to the upper, combining two operations into one step. This integration creates the textured surface without requiring separate manufacturing steps, thus not increasing overall process complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The bladder is pre-textured or pre-shaped before being heat-bonded to the upper. The texturing is prepared in advance on the bladder surface, allowing the final assembled upper to have the desired comfort features without adding complexity to the assembly process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If adhesive-free bonding is used, then the process is simpler and more comfortable, but the bonding strength must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding process simplicityVSAvoidbladder-upper bond strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces adhesive bonding with heat bonding, which uses thermal energy to melt and fuse materials. This substitution maintains or improves bond strength while simplifying the process, as heat bonding creates molecular-level fusion rather than relying on adhesive chemistry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite material structures where thermoplastic layers or bonding materials are integrated into the bladder and upper. These composite structures are designed to bond together through heat, creating strong, durable bonds that are as strong as or stronger than adhesive bonds, but without the complexity and discomfort of adhesive application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method allows for seamless integration of bladders with footwear uppers, providing improved comfort and fit without the use of adhesives, while also allowing for controlled bladder expansion and shape manipulation.

Implementation Method 1

Heat and pressure are applied to: (a) form a seam to engage the first sheet or layer of thermoplastic polymer material with the second sheet or layer of thermoplastic polymer material and/or to engage at least a portion of the first sheet or layer of thermoplastic polymer material with the fabric component

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

The first sheet or layer of thermoplastic polymer material and the second sheet or layer of thermoplastic polymer material will be engaged together, and at least a portion of the first sheet or layer of thermoplastic polymer material will be engaged with the fabric component in an adhesive free manner

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 3

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS12471676B2Footwear uppers including bladders, articles of footwear including bladders in the upper, and methods of forming such uppers and/or articles of footwear

Publication Date: 2025.11.18 NIKE INC

AI summary

Footwear upper components include a fabric element and a bladder component that defines a sealed interior chamber. The bladder component includes: (a) a first major surface engaged with the fabric element, wherein this first major surface defines at least part of a first perimeter seam surface and at least part of a first surface of the sealed interior chamber, (b) a second major surface opposite the first major surface, wherein this second major surface defines at least part of a second perimeter seam surface opposite the first perimeter seam surface and at least part of a second surface of the sealed interior chamber opposite the sealed interior chamber's first surface, and (c) and a fluid chamber between the first and second major surfaces. The first major surface (and optionally the second major surface) may include texturing, e.g., texturing corresponding to texture present on a surface of the fabric element.