Multi-layered films for use in airbags and footwear

Abstract

Airsoles or bladders for articles of footwear comprising multi-layered films are provided herein. In one aspect, the airsoles or bladders comprise a first sheet and a second sheet, wherein a first side of the first sheet faces a second side of the second sheet, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are bonded together to form an internal cavity in a space between the first side of the first sheet and the second side of the second sheet, forming a bladder capable of retaining a gas in the internal cavity at a pressure above atmospheric pressure, at atmospheric pressure, or below atmospheric pressure; and wherein each of the first sheet and the second sheet comprise a multi-layered film comprising: a core region comprising at least 20 gas-barrier layers and a plurality of elastomeric layers, wherein the gas-barrier layers alternate with the elastomeric layers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear having a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region along a longitudinal axis of the article of footwear, the article of footwear comprising:
 an upper; and   a sole structure including a bladder, wherein the bladder includes a bulbous portion, optionally, wherein the bulbous portion has a first height in an uncompressed state and a second height in a compressed state, the second height being less than 86 percent of the first height, and wherein the bladder comprises at least a first multi-layered film having a plurality of gas-barrier layers and a plurality of elastomeric layers, wherein the gas-barrier layers alternate with the elastomeric layers.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the bulbous portion of the bladder is a bulbous heel portion, and is in a heel region of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the bladder comprises a second multi-layered film, optionally wherein a structure of the second multi-layered film differs from a structure of the first multi-layered film in number of gas-barrier layers and elastomeric layers, or differs in thickness of gas-barrier layers and elastomeric layers, or differs in both number and thickness of gas-barrier layers and elastomeric layers. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gas-barrier layers of the first multi-layered film comprises at least 20 gas-barrier layers. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein, in the first multi-layered film, an average total thickness of the plurality of gas-barrier layers and the plurality of elastomeric layers is less than 200 micrometers. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first height of the bulbous portion of the bladder ranges from about 10 millimeters to about 24 millimeters. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second height of the bulbous portion of the bladder ranges from about 8.6 millimeters to about 13.6 millimeters. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gas-barrier layers of the first multi-layered film compositionally comprise one or more thermoplastic vinylidene chloride polymers, one or more thermoplastic acrylonitrile polymers or copolymers, one or more thermoplastic polyamides, one or more thermoplastic epoxy resins, one or more thermoplastic amine polymers or copolymers, one or more thermoplastic polyolefin homopolymers or copolymers, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gas-barrier layers of the first multi-layered film compositionally comprise ethylene vinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elastomeric layers of the first multi-layered film compositionally comprise one or more thermoplastic elastomeric polymers. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elastomeric layers of the first multi-layered film compositionally comprise a polyolefin copolymer, a polyester, a thermoplastic polyurethane, a styrenic block copolymer, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the bulbous portion extends a first distance beyond a biteline of the article of footwear in the uncompressed state and a second distance beyond the biteline in the compressed state, and wherein a difference between the first distance and the second distance ranges from about 1.0 millimeters to about 3.0 millimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the difference between the first distance and the second distance ranges from about 1.1 millimeters to about 1.9 millimeters, or ranges from about 1.1 millimeters to about 1.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a midsole chassis disposed between the upper and the bladder. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising an outsole disposed on an exterior surface of the bladder. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the bulbous portion is a bulbous heel portion, a geometry of the bulbous heel portion in the uncompressed state defines a first vector extending from a rearward-most point of the uncompressed bulbous heel portion to a rearward-most point of the midsole chassis, and a second vector extending from the rearward-most point of the uncompressed bulbous heel portion to a rearward-most point of the outsole, and wherein the first vector and the second vector extends from each other at an angle ranging from about 115.0 degrees to about 137.5 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein a geometry of the bulbous heel portion in the compressed state defines a third vector extending from a rearward-most point of the compressed bulbous heel portion to the rearward-most point of the midsole chassis, and a fourth vector extending from the rearward-most point of the compressed bulbous heel portion to the rearward-most point of the outsole, and wherein the third vector and the fourth vector extends from each other at an angle ranging from about 38 degrees to about 107 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid retained within the bladder. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the bladder has an initial inflation pressure ranging from about 20 pounds per square inch (137.9 kilopascals) to about 22 pounds per square inch (151.7 kilopascals). 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the bulbous portion of the bladder does not exhibit visually-observable crazing after at least 350,000 KIM cycles, or at least 400,000 KIM cycles.