Article of footwear with a midsole assembly having a perimeter bladder element, a method of manufacturing and a mold assembly for same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016120262-A1
Application number	US-201514832356-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 21, 2015
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An article of footwear has a midsole assembly that includes a fluid-filled bladder element having a substantially arc-shaped heel portion and having a lateral arm portion and a medial arm portion spaced from the lateral arm portion. Each of the arm portions extend from the heel portion. The bladder element is configured to be positioned with the heel portion in the heel region of midsole assembly, and the arm portions extending from the heel region to a forefoot region along a peripheral region. A method of manufacturing and a mold assembly for such an article of footwear are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 - 52 . (canceled)

53 . A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising:
providing a bladder element formed from first and second polymeric sheets so that the bladder element has a substantially arc-shaped heel portion, a lateral arm portion, and a medial arm portion laterally-spaced from the lateral arm portion, and with the lateral arm portion and the medial arm portion each extending from the heel portion.

54 . The method of claim 53 , further comprising:
securing a sole layer to at least a portion of the bladder element; and positioning the sole layer so that at least one protrusion of the sole layer descends into a lateral space between the arm portions.

55 . The method of claim 54 , further comprising:
securing an additional sole layer to at least one of the bladder element and the at least one protrusion.

56 . The method of claim 54 , wherein the at least one protrusion includes multiple protrusions, and further comprising:
providing at least one groove between at least some of the multiple protrusions.

57 . The method of claim 53 , wherein the bladder element has ambient pods formed between the arm portions, and wherein the sole layer has apertures through which the ambient pods partially extend so that the sole layer cups the ambient pods.

58 . The method of claim 57 , further comprising:
securing outsole elements on portions of the ambient pods that extend through the apertures.

59 . The method of claim 53 , further comprising:
forming the bladder element.

60 . The method of claim 59 , wherein the first and second polymeric sheets extend between the arm portions to form a web, and wherein said forming the bladder element includes:
molding the polymeric sheets to form sealed fluid-filled pods in the web.

61 . The method of claim 59 , wherein said forming the bladder element further includes joining the polymeric sheets at an inner flange by a roll seam that progresses upward toward terminal ends of the arm portions.

62 . The method of claim 59 , wherein said forming the bladder element further includes joining the polymeric sheets at an outer seam at an outward-facing surface of the bladder element, and at an inner flange at an inward-facing surface of the bladder element;
wherein the inner flange and the outer flange are generally at an upper portion of the bladder element from the heel portion to terminal ends of the arm portions; and wherein the outer flange extends generally upward.

63 . The method of claim 62 , further comprising:
securing a footwear upper to the outer flange such that the outer flange is exposed on the article of footwear.

64 . The method of claim 53 , wherein the bladder element is supported substantially on a peripheral region of the sole layer; and further comprising:
supporting an overlaying component on the bladder element so that the overlaying component extends above the sole layer and so that an internal chamber at least partially defined by the sole layer is sealed between the sole layer, the overlaying component, and the bladder element.

65 . The method of claim 64 , further comprising:
co-molding a rim to the bladder element; and securing the overlaying component to the rim.

66 . The method of claim 64 , further comprising:
securing the overlaying component to the bladder element.

67 . The method of claim 64 , further comprising:
securing a footwear upper to the overlaying component.

68 . The method of claim 53 , wherein the bladder element is a first bladder element and the article of footwear is a first article of footwear; and further comprising:
simultaneously forming the first bladder element and a second bladder element for a second article of footwear in a single mold assembly; wherein the second bladder element has a substantially arc-shaped heel portion, a lateral arm portion, and a medial arm portion with the lateral arm portion and the medial arm portion each extending from the heel portion; and wherein the medial arm portion of the first bladder element is between the lateral and medial arm portions of the second bladder element during said forming.

69 . The method of claim 68 , wherein the first bladder element has one of a right foot orientation and a left foot orientation, and the second bladder element has the same said one of a right foot orientation and a left foot orientation as the first bladder element.

70 . The method of claim 68 , wherein said simultaneously forming in the single mold assembly further includes forming a third bladder element and a fourth bladder element;
wherein each of the third bladder element and the fourth bladder element has a substantially arc-shaped heel portion, a lateral arm portion, and a medial arm portion with the lateral arm portion and the medial arm portion each extending from the heel portion; and wherein the medial arm portion of the third bladder element is between the lateral and medial arm portions of the fourth bladder element during said forming.

71 . The method of claim 70 , wherein the first bladder element has one of a right foot orientation and a left foot orientation, and the second bladder element has the same said one of a right foot orientation and a left foot orientation as the first bladder element;
wherein the third bladder element and the fourth bladder element are both of the other of said right foot orientation and said left foot orientation; and wherein the lateral arm portion of the second bladder element is adjacent to the lateral arm portion of the third bladder element during said forming.

72 . The method of claim 70 , further comprising:
co-molding a respective rim to each of the first bladder element and the second bladder element in the single mold assembly.

73 . The method of claim 68 , wherein said forming is thermoforming first and second polymeric sheets, and further comprising:
trimming a bonded flange at a perimeter of each of the first bladder element and the second bladder element.

74 . A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising:
simultaneously forming a first bladder element for a first article of footwear and a second bladder element for a second article of footwear in a single mold assembly; wherein each of the first bladder element and the second bladder element has a substantially arc-shaped heel portion, a lateral arm portion, and a medial arm portion, with the lateral arm portion and the medial arm portion each extending from the heel portion; and wherein the medial arm portion of the first bladder element is between the lateral and medial arm portions of the second bladder element during said forming.

75 . The method of claim 74 , wherein the first bladder element has one of a right foot orientation and a left foot orientation, and the second bladder element has the same said one of a right foot orientation and a left foot orientation as the first bladder element.

76 . The method of claim 75 , wherein said simultaneously forming in the single mold assembly further includes forming a third bladder element and a fourth bladder element;
wherein each of the third bladder element and the fourth bladder element has a substantially arc-shaped heel portion, a lateral arm portion, and a medial arm portion with the lateral arm portion and the medial arm portion each extending from the heel portion; and wherein the medial arm portion of t

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Cortez Margarita L
• Elder Zachary M
• Peyton Lee D
• Quinonez Hector R

Classifications

• A43B13/206 Primary

  provided with tubes or pipes or tubular shaped cushioning members · CPC title

• B29D35/122

  Soles · CPC title

• A43B13/127

  the midsole being multilayer · CPC title

• A43B13/20 Primary

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

• A43B3/0063

  U-shaped · CPC title