Stacked cushioning arrangement for sole structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11000093-B2
Application number	US-201815886571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2018
Priority date	Feb 1, 2017
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear is provided. The sole structure includes an outsole having a ground-engaging surface and an upper surface formed on an opposite side of the outsole than the ground-engaging surface. A first cushion is disposed proximate to a medial side of the sole structure and includes a first fluid-filled chamber attached to the upper surface of the outsole and a second fluid-filled chamber attached to the first fluid-filled chamber and disposed between the first fluid-filled chamber and the upper. A second cushion is disposed proximate to a lateral side of the sole structure and includes a third fluid-filled chamber attached to the upper surface of the outsole and a fourth fluid-filled chamber attached to the third fluid-filled chamber and disposed between the third fluid-filled chamber and the upper. The second cushion is fluidly isolated from the first cushion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper, the sole structure comprising:
an outsole having a ground-engaging surface and an upper surface formed on an opposite side of the outsole than the ground-engaging surface;
a midsole having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion attached to the outsole and including (i) a first segment extending from a forefoot region of the upper portion to a first sidewall in the forefoot region facing toward a heel region of the sole structure and (ii) a second segment extending from a heel region of the upper portion to a second sidewall in a mid-foot region facing toward a forefoot region of the sole structure, the second sidewall spaced apart from the first sidewall along a longitudinal axis of the midsole by a gap;
a first plate extending from the midsole into the gap adjacent to the upper portion of the midsole
a second plate extending into the gap from the lower portion and disposed between the first plate and the outsole; and
a cushioning arrangement disposed in the gap of the midsole and joined to the first plate and the second plate, the cushioning arrangement including (i) a first cushion disposed at a medial side of the sole structure and including a first bladder between the first plate and the second plate
and a second bladder between the second plate and the outsole and (ii) a second cushion disposed at a lateral side of the sole structure and including a third bladder between the first plate and the second plate and a fourth bladder between the second plate and the outsole, the third bladder and the fourth bladder of the second cushion being fluidly isolated from the first bladder and the second bladder of the first cushion.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein a first end of the first plate is joined to the first segment of the midsole, a second end of the first plate is joined to the second segment of the midsole, and an intermediate portion of the first plate extends through the gap from the first end to the second end and is joined to the cushioning arrangement.

3. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein the first end of the first plate is embedded within the first segment of the midsole and the second end of the first plate is embedded within the second segment of the midsole.

4. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein a first end of the first plate is disposed between the upper portion of the midsole and the first segment of the midsole, and a second end of the first plate is disposed between the upper portion of the midsole and the second segment of the midsole.

5. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein the intermediate portion of the first plate is disposed between the cushioning arrangement and the upper portion of the midsole.

6. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first plate and the second plate is formed of carbon fiber.

7. A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper, the sole structure comprising:
an outsole having a ground-engaging surface and an upper surface formed on an opposite side of the outsole than the ground-engaging surface;
a midsole having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion attached to the outsole and including (i) a first segment extending from a forefoot region of the upper portion to a first sidewall in the forefoot region facing toward a heel region of the sole structure and (ii) a second segment extending from a heel region of the upper portion to a second sidewall in a mid-foot region facing toward a forefoot region of the sole structure, the second sidewall spaced apart from the first sidewall along a longitudinal axis of the midsole by a gap;
a first plate joined to each of the first segment of the midsole and the second segment of the midsole;
a second plate joined to the first segment of the midsole and spaced apart from the first plate within the gap; and
a cushioning arrangement disposed in the gap of the midsole and including (i) a first cushion disposed proximate to a medial side of the sole structure and including a first bladder disposed between the first plate and the second plate and a second bladder disposed between the second plate and the outsole and (ii) a second cushion disposed proximate to a lateral side of the sole structure and including a third bladder disposed between the first plate and the second plate and a fourth bladder disposed between the second plate and the outsole, the third bladder being isolated from the first bladder and the fourth bladder being isolated from the second bladder.

8. The sole structure of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first bladder and the second bladder includes a tensile member disposed therein.

9. The sole structure of claim 7 , further comprising a third plate disposed between the cushioning arrangement and the outsole and joined to each of the first segment of the midsole and the cushioning arrangement.

10. The sole structure of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the second plate and the third plate includes a cutout formed between the first segment and the cushioning arrangement.

11. The sole structure of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the second plate and the third plate is formed of carbon fiber.

12. The sole structure of claim 7 , wherein the first cushion of the cushioning arrangement is aligned with the second cushion of the cushioning arrangement in a direction extending from the medial side to the lateral side.

13. The sole structure of claim 7 , wherein a first end of the second plate includes a first notch defining a first pair of tabs and a second end of the second plate includes a second notch defining a second pair of tabs, the first pair of tabs embedded in the first segment of the lower portion of the midsole and the second pair of tabs embedded in the second segment of the lower portion of the midsole.

14. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first bladder and at least one of the second bladder, the third bladder, and the fourth bladder have the same size and shape.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Connell Jeremy L
• Dimoff Karen S
• Farina Emily
• Greenspan Joel Ryp
• Guest Stefan E
• Haight Derek
• Henrichot Olivier
• Hutchinson Helene
• Luo Geng
• Yetman Krissy

Classifications

• A43B13/32

  by adhesives · CPC title

• A43B13/189

  filled with a non-compressible fluid, e.g. gel, water · CPC title

• A43B13/188

  Differential cushioning regions · CPC title

• A43B13/187

  Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials · CPC title

• A43B13/186 Primary

  Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot (resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32) · CPC title