Patent ID: 9345286
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: A43B,B29C,B29D,G06F

Claim Text:
1. A method comprising: determining a desired shape for an inflated fluid-filled chamber formed from a first barrier layer and a second barrier layer, the inflated fluid-filled chamber having an upper surface and a lower surface, a plurality of bonds that bond the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer together, and spaced regions disposed adjacent to the plurality of bonds where the first barrier layer is spaced apart from the second barrier layer; determining a position of the plurality of bonds that bond the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer; determining a first slope of the upper surface at the spaced regions, the first slope corresponding to the slope of the upper surface of the fluid-filled chamber once formed into the desired shape; determining a second slope of the lower surface at the spaced regions, the second slope corresponding to the slope of the lower surface of the fluid-filled chamber once formed into the desired shape; calculating an average of the first slope and the second slope at each location of the spaced regions to determine a bond slope at each location of the plurality of bonds where the bond slope is the slope of the first and second barrier layers at each bond of the plurality of bonds; bonding the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer together at each location of the plurality of bonds and sealing the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer together to form the fluid-filled chamber; wherein bonding the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer at each location of the plurality of bonds includes forming the plurality of bonds at the bond slope; and wherein forming the plurality of bonds at the bond slope includes forming at least two of the plurality of bonds at a different slope.