NIKE, Inc.
MANUFACTURING SYSTEM FOR A CUSHIONING FOOTWEAR

Abstract:

A conforming cushion pod contains a plurality of independent and discrete foamed beads. The filling of the cushion pod includes a system comprised of a bead source, a weighing station, a metering station, and a filling station. To further increase efficiency the system may comprise one or more valves that control a direction of bead conveyance allowing for a plurality of filling stations to leverage a common set of stations. The system conveys the beads through the couplings using a fluid introduced by a fluid insertion nozzle. The fluid is effective increase a throughput of the bead conveyance.