Sole structure for article of footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11666117-B2
Application number	US-202016950791-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2020
Priority date	Nov 19, 2019
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

Abstract

A bladder for an article of footwear includes a first chamber having a first segment extending along a first side of the bladder and a second segment formed on an opposite side of the bladder from the first segment. The bladder further includes a second chamber at least partially surrounded by the first chamber and disposed between the first segment and the second segment. A manifold is in direct fluid communication with each of the first segment of the first chamber, the second segment of the first chamber, and the second chamber. A web area connects each of the first chamber, the second chamber, and the manifold. The bladder may include a first series of ports formed in the first segment of the first chamber and a second series of ports formed in the second segment of the first chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sealed bladder for an article of footwear, the bladder comprising:
a first chamber including a first segment extending from a first terminal end along a first side of the bladder and a second segment extending from a second terminal end spaced apart from the first terminal end, the second segment formed on an opposite side of the bladder from the first segment;
a second chamber at least partially surrounded by the first chamber and disposed between the first segment and the second segment;
a manifold in direct fluid communication with each of the first segment of the first chamber, the second segment of the first chamber, and the second chamber;
a web area extending continuously from the manifold at a medial side of the second chamber, around a posterior end of the second chamber, to the manifold at a lateral side of the second chamber, and connecting each of the first chamber, the second chamber, and the manifold; and
a first series of ports each formed as a rounded semi-spherical protrusion and extending between the first chamber and the web area.

2. The bladder of claim 1 , further comprising a second series of ports extending between the first chamber and the web area, the first series of ports formed in the first segment of the first chamber and the second series of ports formed in the second segment of the first chamber.

3. The bladder of claim 2 , wherein each of the first series of ports and the second series of ports is rounded.

4. The bladder of claim 1 , wherein the bladder includes a first barrier layer and a second barrier layer joined together at discrete locations to define each of the first chamber, the second chamber, the manifold, and the web area.

5. The bladder of claim 4 , wherein the manifold is formed entirely within the second barrier layer.

6. The bladder of claim 4 , wherein a portion of the first barrier layer opposing the manifold is planar.

7. The bladder of claim 1 , wherein the second chamber has an anterior end having a first width and the posterior end has a second width that is greater than the first width.

8. The bladder of claim 1 , wherein the second chamber is ellipsoidal.

9. The bladder of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber further includes a third segment connecting the first segment to the second segment at a posterior end of the bladder.

10. The bladder of claim 9 , wherein each of the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment extends along a respective arcuate path around the second chamber.

11. A sealed bladder for an article of footwear, the bladder comprising:
a first chamber disposed in an interior portion of the bladder and extending from a first end to a second end, a width of the first chamber tapering in a direction extending from the first end to the second end;
a second chamber extending from a first terminal end to a second terminal end spaced apart from the first terminal end, at least partially surrounding the first chamber, and having a polygonal cross-sectional shape;
a web area extending between the first chamber and the second chamber and continuously from the second end of the first chamber at a medial side of the first chamber, around the first end of the first chamber, to the second end of the first chamber at a lateral side of the first chamber; and
a series of rounded ports each formed as a rounded semi-spherical protrusion and extending between the second chamber and the web area.

12. The bladder of claim 11 , wherein the first chamber includes opposing, substantially parallel surfaces disposed between portions of the second chamber.

13. The bladder of claim 11 , wherein the second chamber has a plurality of sidewalls arranged in a quadrilateral shape.

14. The bladder of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls includes a pair of upper sidewalls converging with each other to form an upper edge of the bladder and a pair of lower sidewalls converging with each other to form a lower edge of the bladder.

15. The bladder of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls includes an inner-upper sidewall and an inner-lower sidewall converging with each other at the web area of the bladder.

16. The bladder of claim 15 , wherein the series of rounded ports are formed between at least one of the inner-upper sidewall or the inner-lower sidewall and the web area.

17. The bladder of claim 11 , wherein each of the first terminal end and the second terminal end includes a planar upper face and a planar lower face.

18. The bladder of claim 11 , further comprising a manifold having a first conduit in fluid communication with the first chamber and a second conduit in fluid communication with the second chamber.

19. The bladder of claim 18 , wherein the web area separates the first chamber from the second chamber.

20. A sole structure for an article footwear, the sole structure including the bladder of claim 11 .

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Campos Ii Fidencio
• Gerig Kristina

Classifications

• 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

• A43B1/0072

  made at least partially of transparent or translucent materials · CPC title

• A43B23/029

  Pneumatic upper, e.g. gas filled · CPC title

• A43B13/125

  characterised by the midsole or middle layer · CPC title

• A43B13/20 Primary

  Pneumatic soles {filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas (inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407)} · CPC title