Footwear strobel with bladder and lasting component and method of manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12201184-B2
Application number	US-202318535087-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2023
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a strobel that has a polymeric bladder defining an interior cavity and configured to retain a fluid in the interior cavity. The polymeric bladder has a peripheral flange extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of the interior cavity. A tensile component is disposed in the interior cavity and is secured to opposing inner surfaces of the polymeric bladder. The peripheral flange defines a groove extending along the peripheral flange. The strobel also includes a lasting component configured to extend along the peripheral flange around the at least a portion of the perimeter of the interior cavity. The lasting component is secured to the peripheral flange. A method of manufacturing footwear that includes the strobel is disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper; and
a strobel including:
a polymeric bladder defining an interior cavity and configured to retain a fluid in the interior cavity, the polymeric bladder having a peripheral flange extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of the interior cavity;
a tensile component disposed in the interior cavity and secured to opposing inner surfaces of the polymeric bladder; wherein the peripheral flange defines a groove extending along the peripheral flange; and
a lasting component configured to extend along the peripheral flange around the at least a portion of the perimeter of the interior cavity;

wherein:
the lasting component is secured to the peripheral flange at the groove by a first series of stitches extending through the lasting component and through the peripheral flange in the groove;
the lasting component is secured to the upper at a second series of stitches that extends through the lasting component and the upper;
the lasting component has an aperture, the polymeric bladder extends partially through the aperture, and the peripheral flange abuts the lasting component around the aperture; and
the polymeric bladder and the lasting component are each disposed in at least one different one of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the lasting component extends across the polymeric bladder between a medial side of the polymeric bladder and a lateral side of the polymeric bladder.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the lasting component overlays the polymeric bladder.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the peripheral flange has a first weld and a second weld spaced apart from the first weld;
the first weld and the second weld extend lengthwise along the peripheral flange, and the groove extends lengthwise along the peripheral flange between the first weld and the second weld;
the first weld is inward of the groove; and
the second weld is outward of the groove.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein:
the peripheral flange includes a first ridge protruding at an outer surface of the peripheral flange between the first weld and the groove; and
the peripheral flange includes a second ridge protruding at the outer surface of the peripheral flange between the second weld and the groove.

6. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein:
the groove, the first weld, and the second weld are on a distal surface of the peripheral flange;
the peripheral flange defines an additional groove extending along a proximal surface of the peripheral flange;
the peripheral flange has an additional first weld and an additional second weld spaced apart from the additional first weld on the proximal surface of the peripheral flange;
the additional first weld and the additional second weld extend lengthwise along the peripheral flange, and the additional groove extends lengthwise along the peripheral flange between the additional first weld and the additional second weld;
the additional first weld is inward of the additional groove; and
the additional second weld is outward of the additional groove.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the strobel has a locating feature that is at least one of a notch in an outer edge of the peripheral flange or in an outer edge of the lasting component, an aperture in the polymeric bladder or in the lasting component, a pattern of inwardly-protruding bonds of the polymeric bladder, a printed pattern on the polymeric bladder, or a marking on the polymeric bladder or on the lasting component.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the lasting component extends in the forefoot region, the heel region, and the midfoot region; and
the aperture and the polymeric bladder extend only in one of the forefoot region and the heel region or only in two contiguous ones of the forefoot region, the midfoot region, and the heel region.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the second series of stitches extends only through the upper and the lasting component.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the second series of stitches further extends through the peripheral flange in the groove.

11. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the polymeric bladder includes a first polymeric sheet and a second polymeric sheet; the first polymeric sheet is bonded to the second polymeric sheet at the peripheral flange; the tensile component includes a first tensile layer, a second tensile layer, and a plurality of tethers spanning the interior cavity from the first tensile layer to the second tensile layer and connecting the first tensile layer to the second tensile layer; and
the first polymeric sheet is joined to the first tensile layer at a plurality of inwardly-protruding bonds that protrude inward from the first polymeric sheet only partially across the plurality of tethers toward the second polymeric sheet, and the polymeric bladder is narrowed at the inwardly-protruding bonds.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein each of the inwardly-protruding bonds extends generally straight along an outer surface of the first polymeric sheet, and the inwardly-protruding bonds are arranged parallel or orthogonal relative to one another at the outer surface of the first polymeric sheet.

13. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the lasting component is one of a woven or non-woven textile, an elastomer or foam backed with a textile layer.

14. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a midsole secured to at least one of the upper, the lasting component, or the polymeric bladder.

15. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a protective cover layer overlying a proximal surface of the polymeric bladder and secured to the polymeric bladder at the peripheral flange.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Auyang Arick
• Houng Derek
• Meeker Jason R
• Schmalzer Eric A
• To Jeffrey S
• Weston Geoffrey A

Classifications

• A43D3/022

  comprising means, e.g. hooks, for holding, fixing or centering shoe parts on the last · CPC title

• A43B9/02

  Footwear stitched or nailed through · CPC title

• A43B13/39

  with upset sewing ribs · CPC title

• B29D35/142

  Soles · CPC title

• A43B23/0205

  characterised by the material (material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08) · CPC title