Vacuum transform upper for article of footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12433370-B2
Application number	US-202217719861-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2022
Priority date	Apr 14, 2021
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

An adjustment element for an article of footwear includes a bladder having a barrier layer defining an interior void and a compressible component disposed within the interior void and including a lattice structure defining a plurality of reliefs formed in the lattice structure, the compressible component operable between an expanded state when the interior void includes a first pressure and a contracted state when the interior void includes a second pressure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustment element forming an upper of an article of footwear, the adjustment element comprising:
a bladder including a barrier layer defining an interior void; and
a compressible component disposed within the interior void and including a foam lattice structure defining a plurality of reliefs formed in the lattice structure, a first plurality of the reliefs operable to contract in a first direction in a forefoot region of the upper and a second plurality of the reliefs operable to contract in a second direction in a mid-foot region of the upper, wherein the compressible component operates between an expanded state when the interior void includes a first pressure and a contracted state when the interior void includes a second pressure less than ambient pressure.

2. The adjustment element of claim 1 , wherein reliefs of the plurality of reliefs are parallelogram-shaped and extend through a thickness of the compressible component.

3. The adjustment element of claim 1 , wherein the lattice structure defines a first adjustment zone including the first plurality of reliefs oriented in the first direction and a second adjustment zone including the second plurality of reliefs oriented in the second direction different from the first direction.

4. The adjustment element of claim 1 , further comprising a port connected to the barrier layer and providing fluid communication between the interior void and a variable pressure source.

5. The adjustment element of claim 1 , wherein the first pressure is equal to or greater than ambient pressure.

6. The adjustment element of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment element includes an interior seam separating the bladder into a first chamber and a second chamber.

7. An article of footwear comprising:
a bootie defining an interior void, and
an adjustment element attached to the bootie and including a bladder having a barrier layer defining an interior void and a compressible component disposed within the interior void, the compressible component including a foam lattice structure defining a plurality of reliefs formed in the lattice structure, a first adjustment zone including a first plurality of the reliefs oriented in a first direction and operable to contract in the first direction in a forefoot region, and a second adjustment zone including a second plurality of the reliefs oriented in a second direction different from the first direction and operable to contract in the second direction in a mid-foot region, wherein the compressible component operates between an expanded state when the interior void includes a first pressure and a contracted state when the interior void includes a second pressure less than ambient pressure.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein reliefs of the plurality of reliefs are parallelogram-shaped and extend through a thickness of the compressible component.

9. The article of footwear of claim 7 , further comprising a port connected to the barrier layer and providing fluid communication between the interior void and a variable pressure source.

10. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the first pressure is equal to or greater than ambient pressure.

11. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the adjustment element includes an interior seam separating the bladder into a first chamber and a second chamber.

12. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the bootie is exposed along a throat region of the article of footwear.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Bishop Jennifer L
• Hopkins Timothy P
• Labelle Viviane
• Long Nicholas R
• Miller Todd W
• Panian Nadia M
• Seid Aaron K

Classifications

• A43B1/0009

  made at least partially of alveolar or honeycomb material · CPC title

• A43B23/029 Primary

  Pneumatic upper, e.g. gas filled · 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

• A43C11/008

  Combined fastenings, e.g. to accelerate undoing or fastening · CPC title

• A43B23/0285 Primary

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