Patent ID: 11877621
Assignee: NIKE, INC.
Field: Other consumer goods (Other fields)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 0:
1. A method of manufacturing footwear comprising:
providing a strobel formed by:
placing a tensile component on a first polymeric sheet;
placing a second polymeric sheet on the tensile component; and
welding the first and second polymeric sheets to one another to define a polymeric bladder having:
an interior cavity, the polymeric bladder configured to retain a fluid in the interior cavity; and
a peripheral flange extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of the interior cavity and at which the first and second polymeric sheets are welded;

wherein the tensile component is disposed in the interior cavity and is secured to opposing inner surfaces of the polymeric bladder;
wherein the peripheral flange defines a groove extending along the peripheral flange; and
wherein welding the first and second polymeric sheets to one another includes welding a first weld and a second weld that are spaced apart from one another and that extend lengthwise along the peripheral flange, with the groove extending lengthwise along the peripheral flange between the first weld and the second weld.