Bladder for an article of footwear

Abstract

A bladder for an article of footwear includes a first barrier layer, a second barrier layer coupled to the first barrier layer at a peripheral seam, a chamber defined between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer and defining an interior void, and a knit infill material disposed within the interior void of the chamber between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer and including a first material and a second material, the first material comprising a fusible yarn.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bladder for an article of footwear, the bladder comprising:
 a first barrier layer;   a second barrier layer coupled to the first barrier layer at a peripheral seam;   a chamber defined between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer and defining an interior void; and   a knit infill material disposed within the interior void of the chamber between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer and including a first material and a second material, the first material comprising a fusible yarn.   
     
     
         2 . The bladder of  claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises polyester yarn. 
     
     
         3 . The bladder of  claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises nylon. 
     
     
         4 . The bladder of  claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises a polyamide material. 
     
     
         5 . The bladder of  claim 1 , wherein the knit infill material includes a series of alternating peaks and valleys. 
     
     
         6 . The bladder of  claim 5 , wherein the knit infill material is moveable between an expanded state and a compressed state, apexes of adjacent peaks moving toward one another when the knit infill material is moved into the compressed state. 
     
     
         7 . The bladder of  claim 6 , wherein the knit infill material is moved into the compressed state in response to fluid being removed from the interior void. 
     
     
         8 . The bladder of  claim 6 , wherein the knit infill material is biased into the expanded state. 
     
     
         9 . The bladder of  claim 1 , wherein the knit infill material is attached to at least one of the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer. 
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear incorporating the bladder of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 coupling a first barrier layer to a second barrier layer at a peripheral seam to define a chamber between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer, the chamber including an interior void; and   positioning a knit infill material within the interior void of the chamber between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer, the knit infill material including a first material comprising a fusible yarn and a second material.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second material comprises polyester yarn. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first material comprises nylon. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first material comprises a polyamide material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing the knit infill material with a series of alternating peaks and valleys. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein positioning a knit infill material within the interior void of the chamber includes positioning a knit infill material that is moveable between an expanded state and a compressed state, apexes of adjacent peaks moving toward one another when the knit infill material is moved into the compressed state. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising removing fluid from the interior void to move the knit infill material into the compressed state. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising biasing the knit infill material into the expanded state. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising causing the first material to flow when forming the series of alternating peaks and valleys. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising cooling the first material after formation of the series of alternating peaks and valleys.