CN116847751A

CN116847751A - Sole structure for an article of footwear

Info

Publication number: CN116847751A
Application number: CN202280013793.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 利奥·S·张; 法布里西奥·达科斯塔佩雷拉马查多
Original assignee: Nike Innovate CV USA
Current assignee: Nike Innovate CV USA
Priority date: 2021-02-08
Filing date: 2022-02-08
Publication date: 2023-10-03

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising: an upper cushion extending from a first end to a second end; a lower cushion having a first section attached to the upper cushion adjacent the first end and including a tray extending toward the second end of the upper cushion; and at least one bladder disposed between the tray of the lower cushion and the upper cushion.

Description

Sole structure for an article of footwear

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present PCT international application claims priority from U.S. patent application serial No. 17/666,337 filed on 7, 2, 2022, which claims priority from U.S. c.. 119 (e) to U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 63/146,953 filed on 8, 2, 2021, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to an article of footwear, and more particularly to a sole structure for an article of footwear.

Background

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.

Articles of footwear conventionally include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may be formed from any suitable material to receive, secure, and support the foot on the sole structure. The upper may cooperate with laces, straps, or other fasteners to adjust the fit of the upper around the foot. A bottom portion of the upper located proximate to a bottom surface of the foot is attached to the sole structure.

The sole structure generally includes a layered arrangement that extends between a ground surface and an upper. For example, the sole structure may include a midsole and an outsole. The midsole is typically disposed between the outsole and the upper and provides cushioning for the foot. The midsole may include a pressurized fluid-filled chamber that resiliently compresses under an applied load to cushion the foot by attenuating ground reaction forces. The outsole provides both wear resistance and traction with the ground surface and may be formed of rubber or other materials that impart durability and wear resistance and enhance traction with the ground surface.

Drawings

The drawings described herein are for illustration of selected configurations only, and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a lateral side elevational view of an article of footwear including an example of a sole structure according to the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a medial elevational view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded top, lateral perspective view of the sole structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded bottom medial perspective view of the sole structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the sole structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the sole structure of FIG. 1, taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the sole structure of FIG. 1, taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the sole structure of FIG. 1, taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the sole structure of FIG. 1, taken along line 9-9 in FIG. 5; and

fig. 10 is a top plan view of a cushioning element of the sole structure of fig. 1.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Detailed Description

Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Specific details are set forth, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the example configuration may be embodied in many different forms without the use of specific details and should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example configurations only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," and "including" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein should not be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to," "connected to," "attached to" or "coupled to" another element or layer, it can be directly on, engaged, connected, attached or coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," "directly attached to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar fashion (e.g., "between … …" versus "directly between … …", "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent", etc.). As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

The terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections. These elements, components, regions, layers, and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example configurations.

In one configuration, a sole structure for an article of footwear is provided, the sole structure comprising: an upper cushion extending from a first end to a second end; a lower cushion having a first section attached to the upper cushion adjacent the first end and including a tray extending toward the second end of the upper cushion; and at least one bladder disposed between the tray of the lower cushion and the upper cushion.

Embodiments of this aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. The plate may be disposed between the at least one bladder and the upper cushion. A first side of the at least one bladder may be attached to the tray and an opposite second side of the at least one bladder may be attached to the plate.

In one configuration, the lower cushion may include a support portion attached to the upper cushion. In this configuration, the tray may be cantilevered from the support portion.

The at least one bladder may include a first bladder disposed at a medial side of the sole structure and a second bladder disposed at a lateral side of the sole structure. The tray may include a first socket that receives the first bladder and a second socket that receives the second bladder. Additionally or alternatively, at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion may include a perimeter side having a plurality of dimples. The pits are arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

The outsole may be disposed on a side of the lower cushion opposite the at least one bladder. Additionally or alternatively, the tray of the lower cushion may comprise a foam material.

In another configuration, a sole structure for an article of footwear is provided that includes a cushion device that includes: (i) an upper cushion comprising a top surface and a lower surface formed on opposite sides of the top surface, (ii) a lower cushion comprising a bottom surface and an upper surface formed on opposite sides of the bottom surface and facing the lower surface of the lower cushion, and (iii) a socket formed between the lower surface of the upper cushion and the upper surface of the lower cushion. At least one bladder is disposed within a socket between the upper cushion and the lower cushion.

Embodiments of this aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. The plate may be disposed between the at least one bladder and the upper cushion. A first side of the at least one bladder may be attached to the lower cushion and an opposite second side of the at least one bladder may be attached to the plate.

In one configuration, the lower cushion may include a support portion attached to the upper cushion and a tray cantilevered from the support portion. The tray may define a lower portion of the socket.

The at least one bladder may include a first bladder disposed at a medial side of the sole structure and a second bladder disposed at a lateral side of the sole structure. The upper surface of the lower cushion may include a first socket that receives the first bladder and a second socket that receives the second bladder. Additionally or alternatively, at least one of the upper cushion pad and the lower cushion pad may include a peripheral surface having a plurality of dimples. The pits of the plurality of pits may be arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

The outsole may be disposed adjacent to a bottom surface of the lower cushion. Additionally or alternatively, at least one of the upper cushion pad and the lower cushion pad may comprise a foam material.

The details of one or more embodiments of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.

Referring to fig. 1, article of footwear 10 includes a sole structure 100 and an upper 200 attached to sole structure 100. Footwear 10 may also include a front end 12 associated with a forward-most point of footwear 10 and a rear end 14 corresponding with a rearward-most point of footwear 10. As shown in FIG. 5, longitudinal axis A of footwear 10 ₁₀ Extends along the length of footwear 10 from front end 12 parallel to the ground surface to rear end 14 and generally divides footwear 10 into medial side 16 and lateral side 18. Accordingly, medial side 16 and lateral side 18 correspond to opposite sides of footwear 10 and extend from front end 12 to rear end 14, respectively. As used herein, the longitudinal direction refers to a direction extending from the front end 12 to the rear end 14, while the lateral direction refers to a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction and extending from the inner side 16 to the outer side 18.

The article of footwear 10 may be divided into one or more zones. These areas may include a forefoot region 20, a midfoot region 22, and a heel region 24. The forefoot region 20 may be subdivided into toe portions 20 corresponding to the phalanges _T And ball portion 20 associated with the metatarsal bones of the foot _B . MidfootRegion 22 may correspond to the arch region of the foot and heel region 24 may correspond to the rear portion of the foot, including the calcaneus bone.

Sole structure 100 includes a midsole 102 configured to provide cushioning and support and an outsole 104 defining a ground-engaging surface of sole structure 100 (i.e., contacting the ground during the stance phase of a gait cycle). Unlike conventional sole structures that include an integral midsole and outsole, sole structure 100 of the present disclosure is configured as a composite structure that includes multiple components that are joined together. For example, midsole 102 includes a resilient cushioning element or device 106, one or more bladders 108, and a plate 110. Outsole 104 may also include a plurality of outsole segments attached to midsole 102 to provide zonal traction and wear resistance.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, cushioning element 106 of midsole 102 extends from a first end 112 at front end 12 of footwear 10 to a second end 114 at rear end 14 of the footwear. Here, second end 114 may define a protrusion 116 that extends beyond upper 200 at rear end 14. Cushioning element 106 also includes a top side 118 that faces upper 200 and defines the contour of the footbed of sole structure 100, a bottom side 120 that is formed on a side of cushioning element 106 opposite top side 118 and defines the contour of the ground-contacting surface of sole structure 100, and a perimeter side 122 that extends from top side 118 to bottom side 120 and defines the outer perimeter contour of sole structure 100.

Optionally, peripheral side 122 of cushioning element 106 may include a plurality of dimples 124 disposed along heel region 24 and between top side 118 and bottom side 120. In the illustrated example, the dimples 124 are arranged as an array of dimples 124 comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. When included, the dimples 124 improve the aerodynamics of the sole structure by creating turbulence in the air flow along the peripheral side 122 to minimize drag as the article of footwear 10 moves through the swing phase of the gait cycle.

As described in more detail below, cushioning element 106 includes a receptacle 126 formed within cushioning element 106 in forefoot region 20 between top side 118 and bottom side 120. Receptacle 126 is configured to receive and support one or more bladders 108 within cushioning element 106. In other words, cushioning element 106 extends above bladder 108 (i.e., between bladder 108 and upper 200) and below bladder 108 (i.e., between bladder 108 and outsole 104).

While cushioning element 106 may be formed as a unitary structure comprising a homogeneous elastomeric material, cushioning element 106 of the present example may be defined in terms of multiple portions or sub-components. For example, cushioning element 106 includes an upper cushioning member or cushion 130 disposed adjacent upper 200 and a lower cushioning member or cushion 132 disposed adjacent outsole 104. The upper cushioning member 130 extends continuously from the first end 112 of the cushioning element 106 to the second end 114 of the cushioning element 106. Conversely, the lower cushioning member 132 may be segmented and include a forward section 134 disposed at the first end 112 of the cushioning element 106 and a rearward section 136 disposed at the second end 114 of the cushioning element 106. As discussed in more detail below, the anterior segment 134 may be spaced from the posterior segment by a void 138 extending from the medial side 16 to the lateral side 18 in the midfoot region 22.

Referring now to fig. 3-9, upper cushioning member 130 extends continuously from first end 112 of cushioning element 106 to second end 114 of cushioning element 106. The upper cushioning member 130 includes a top side 118 of the cushioning element 106 and a lower side 140 formed on a side of the upper cushioning member 130 opposite the top side 118. An upper portion of peripheral side 122 connects top side 118 to underside 140. As shown in fig. 3, top side 118 of upper cushioning member 130 defines a footbed 142 of sole structure 100. As shown in fig. 4, the lower surface of upper cushioning member 130 includes an upper pocket 144, which upper pocket 144 is configured to receive an upper portion of plate 110 when sole structure 100 is assembled.

The upper cushioning member 130 also defines an upper portion 116a of the rear projection 116. As shown, upper portion 116a is formed at a location where top side 118 and peripheral side 122 extend beyond footbed 142 at second end 114. Here, the distance from a portion of peripheral side 122 on medial side 16 and a portion of peripheral side 122 on lateral side 18 defines a width of protrusion 116 that tapers in a direction from footbed 142 to second end 114. Likewise, top side 118 and bottom side 140 of upper cushioning member 130 converge toward one another to provide a tapered thickness to tab 116 in a direction from footbed 142 to second end 114.

Still referring to fig. 3-9, the lower cushioning member 132 and its various segments 134, 136 may be described as including the bottom side 120 of the cushioning element 106. Additionally, the segments 134, 136 may cooperate to define an upper side 150 of the lower cushioning member 132, the upper side 150 being formed on a side of the lower cushioning member 132 opposite the bottom side 120. A lower portion of peripheral side 122 connects bottom side 120 and upper side 150 along each of the respective segments 134, 136. When sole structure 100 is assembled, upper side 150 of lower cushioning member 132 is attached to lower side 140 of upper cushioning member 130 to form cushioning element 106.

The upper side 150 of the lower cushioning member 132 includes a lower pocket 152, which lower pocket 152 is configured to receive a lower portion of the plate 110 when the sole structure 100 is assembled. Because the lower cushioning member 132 may be formed as a segmented structure comprising a front section 134 and a rear section 136 that are spaced apart from one another by a void 138, a first portion of the lower pocket 152 may be formed in the upper surface 150 of the front section 134 and a second portion of the lower pocket 152 may be formed in the upper surface of the rear section 136.

The front section 134 of the lower cushioning member 132 is disposed adjacent the first end 112 of the cushioning element 106. The anterior segment 134 extends from the first end 112 and through the forefoot region 20 to a distal end 154 adjacent to and facing the midfoot region 22. The anterior segment 134 includes a toe portion 20 extending from the first end 112 and through the toe portion _T And extends from the support portion 156 through the ball portion 20 _B To the tray 158 at the end 154. Generally, the thickness of the support portion 156 extends from the upper side 150 to the bottom side 120 such that the support portion 156 passes through the toe portion 20 _T Providing cushioning and support. Instead, the tray 158 is formed by a portion of the front section 134 having a reduced thickness relative to the support portion 156. A tray 158 extends from the rear wall of the support portion 156 to the free hanging distal end 154 of the front section 134. Thus, the tray 158 may be described as cantilevered from the rear wall of the support portion 156.

Tray 158 includes one or more recessed sockets 160 formed in upper side 150 of cushioning element 106. Each of the one or more sockets 160 is configured to receive a corresponding one of the one or more bladders 108 within the forward section 134. Thus, as previously discussed, the socket 160 cooperates with the plate 110 and/or the upper cushioning member 130 to limitThe receptacle 126 of the cushioning element 106 is defined. In the illustrated example, the tray 158 includes a pair of sockets 160 recessed from the upper side 150 such that when the sole structure 100 is assembled, the bladder 108 is flush with the upper side 150 of the lower cushioning member 132. Here, the first of the sockets 160 is at the ball portion 20 _B Is disposed adjacent medial side 16 of sole structure 100, and a second one of sockets 160 is in ball portion 20 _B Is disposed adjacent to lateral side 18 of sole structure 100. As shown, sockets 160 are exposed along lateral and medial peripheral sides 122 and at distal end 154 such that bladder 108 is shown and unconstrained along distal end 154 and sides 16, 18 when sole structure 100 is assembled.

Alternatively, the socket 160 may extend at least partially into the rear sidewall of the support portion 156, defining a peninsula region 162 in the rear sidewall of the support portion 156, the peninsula region 162 extending at least partially between the medial socket 160 and the lateral socket 160. Here, peninsula region 162 may include an opening 164 extending from upper side 150 through the thickness of front section 134 to bottom side 120. The tip 154 may also include a tapered recess 166 opposite the peninsula region 162, the recess 166 extending across the tray 158 and between the sockets 160. Here, the recess 166 and the hollow peninsula region 162 cooperate to allow the sockets 160 of the tray 158 to move relative to one another when a torsional load is applied to the tray 158 (i.e., during rotational or jerking motion).

With continued reference to fig. 3-9, the rear section 136 of the lower cushioning member 130 extends from the second end 114 of the cushioning element 106 through the heel region 24 to a distal end 168 in the midfoot region 22 that faces the front section 134. A portion of the upper side 150 of the lower cushioning member 132, formed by the rear section 136, defines a portion of the lower pocket 152 in the midfoot region 22 and the heel region 24. The bottom side 120 of the rear section 136 forms a convex surface having a continuous curvature from the second end 114 to the tip 168. Accordingly, the posterior segment 136 is configured to provide rolling and continuous contact during the heel strike phase of the gait cycle. Here, the rear section 136 forms a lower portion 116b of the protrusion 116 at the second end 114 of the cushioning element 106. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the curved bottom side 120 of the lower cushioning member 132 converges with the sloped top side 118 of the upper cushioning member 130 to follow from the footbed 142 to the first The direction of the ends 114 provides a tapered thickness T ₁₁₆ Is provided, the projection 116 of (a).

The rear section 136 includes an elongated channel 170 formed in the bottom side 120 and extending from a distal end 168 of the rear section 136 into the heel region 24. The groove 170 has a tapered or triangular cross-section extending from the bottom side 120 to an apex between the bottom side 120 and the upper surface 150. A groove 170 is formed through the end 168 of the rear section 136 such that the groove 170 defines a recess 172 extending from the upper surface 150 through the end 168 to the bottom surface. The groove 170 and recess 172 cooperate to form hingeable inner and outer lobes 174 extending along the length of the rear section 136.

As described above, the components 132, 134, 136 of cushioning element 106 are formed of an elastic polymer material, such as foam or rubber, to impart cushioning, responsiveness, and energy distribution characteristics to the wearer's foot. In the illustrated example, the upper cushioning member 130 comprises a first foam material, the front section 134 of the lower cushioning member 132 comprises a second foam material, and the rear section 136 of the lower cushioning member 132 comprises a third foam material. For example, upper cushioning member 130 and forward section 134 may include a first foam material that provides greater cushioning and impact distribution, while rearward section 136 includes a foam material having greater stiffness to provide increased stability to heel region 24 of sole structure 100.

Example elastic polymer materials for cushioning element 106 may include those based on foamed or molded one or more polymers, such as one or more elastomers (e.g., thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs)). The one or more polymers may include aliphatic polymers, aromatic polymers, or a mixture of both; and may comprise homopolymers, copolymers (including terpolymers), or a mixture of both.

In some aspects, the one or more polymers may include olefin homopolymers, olefin copolymers, or blends thereof. Examples of olefin polymers include polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof. In other aspects, the one or more polymers may include one or more ethylene copolymers, such as ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, EVOH copolymers, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymers, ethylene-unsaturated fatty acid copolymers, and combinations thereof.

In further aspects, the one or more polymers may include one or more polyacrylates such as polyacrylic acid, esters of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylonitrile, polyacetoacetate, polymethyl acrylate, polyethyl acrylate, polybutyl acrylate, polymethyl methacrylate, and polyvinyl acetate; including derivatives thereof, copolymers thereof, and any combination thereof.

In yet further aspects, the one or more polymers may include one or more ionomer polymers. In these aspects, the ionomer polymer may include polymers having carboxylic acid functionality, sulfonic acid functionality, salts thereof (e.g., sodium, magnesium, potassium, etc.), and/or anhydrides thereof. For example, the ionomer polymer may include one or more fatty acid modified ionomer polymers, polystyrene sulfonate, ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer, and combinations thereof.

In further aspects, the one or more polymers may include one or more styrenic block copolymers, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene block copolymers, styrene acrylonitrile block copolymers, styrene ethylene butylene styrene block copolymers, styrene ethylene butadiene styrene block copolymers, styrene ethylene propylene styrene block copolymers, styrene butadiene styrene block copolymers, and combinations thereof.

In further aspects, the one or more polymers may include one or more polyamide copolymers (e.g., polyamide-polyether copolymers) and/or one or more polyurethanes (e.g., crosslinked polyurethanes and/or thermoplastic polyurethanes). Alternatively, the one or more polymers may include one or more natural and/or synthetic rubbers, such as butadiene and isoprene.

When the elastic polymer material is a foamed polymer material, the foamed material may be foamed using a physical foaming agent that changes phase to a gas based on a change in temperature and/or pressure, or a chemical foaming agent that forms a gas when heated above its activation temperature. For example, the chemical blowing agent may be an azo compound, such as azodicarbonamide, sodium bicarbonate, and/or isocyanate.

In some embodiments, the foamed polymeric material may be a crosslinked foamed material. In these embodiments, peroxide-based crosslinking agents, such as dicumyl peroxide, may be used. In addition, the foamed polymeric material may include one or more fillers such as pigments, modified or natural clays, modified or unmodified synthetic clays, talc glass fibers, powdered glass, modified or natural silica, calcium carbonate, mica, paper, wood chips, and the like.

The elastomeric polymer material may be formed using a molding process. In one example, when the elastomeric polymeric material is a molded elastomer, the uncured elastomer (e.g., rubber) may be mixed in a Banbury (Banbury) mixer with optional fillers and curing packages, such as sulfur-based or peroxide-based curing packages, calendered, shaped, placed in a mold, and vulcanized.

In another example, when the elastic polymeric material is a foamed material, the material may be foamed during a molding process (such as an injection molding process). The thermoplastic polymer material may be melted in a barrel of an injection molding system and combined with a physical or chemical blowing agent and an optional crosslinking agent, and then injected into a mold under conditions that activate the blowing agent to form a molded foam.

Alternatively, when the elastic polymer material is a foaming material, the foaming material may be a compression molded foam. Compression molding may be used to alter the physical properties of the foam (e.g., density, stiffness, and/or hardness), or to alter the physical appearance of the foam (e.g., fusing two or more pieces of foam, shaping the foam, etc.), or both.

The compression molding process desirably begins by forming one or more foam preforms, such as by injection molding and foaming a polymeric material, by forming foamed particles or beads, by cutting a foamed sheet, and the like. Compression molded foam may then be made by placing one or more preforms formed of a foamed polymeric material into a compression mold and applying sufficient pressure to the one or more preforms to compress the one or more preforms in a closed mold. Once the mold is closed, sufficient heat and/or pressure is applied to one or more preforms in the closed mold for a sufficient duration to alter the preforms by forming a skin on the outer surface of the compression molded foam, fuse individual foam particles to one another, permanently increase the density of the foam, or any combination thereof. After heating and/or applying pressure, the mold is opened and the molded foam article is removed from the mold.

With continued reference to fig. 3 and 4, the plate 110 extends from the toe portion 20 _T Extending to a second end 178 in the heel region 24. The plate 110 includes a top side 180 and a bottom side 182 formed on an opposite side of the top side 180. The distance from the top side 180 to the bottom side 182 defines the thickness of the plate 110. The outer perimeter extends between top side 180 and bottom side 182 and defines a perimeter profile of plate 110 that corresponds to the perimeter profiles of upper pocket 144 and lower pocket 152. Plate 110 may be embedded between upper cushioning members 130 and/or lower cushioning members 132 such that top side 180 of plate 110 is received in upper pocket 144 and bottom side 182 of plate 110 is received in lower pocket 152. Here, the first end 176 of the plate 110 is received within a portion of the lower pocket 152 defined by the front section 134, and the second end 178 of the plate 110 is received within a portion of the lower pocket 152 defined by the rear section 136. Thus, the bottom side 182 of the plate 110 is exposed (i.e., visible) to the ground surface through the opening 164 in the front section 134 and the void 138 formed between the front section 134 and the rear section 136.

The plate 110 includes a material that provides relatively high strength and rigidity, such as a polymeric material and/or a composite material. In some examples, the board 110 is a composite material fabricated using a fibrous sheet or textile, including a pre-impregnated (i.e., a "prepreg") fibrous sheet or textile. Alternatively or additionally, the plate 110 may be manufactured by strands formed from a plurality of filaments of one or more types of fibers (e.g., fiber tows) by attaching the fiber tows to a substrate or to each other to create a plate having fiber strands arranged primarily at a predetermined angle or at a predetermined location. When fiber strands are used, the types of fibers included in the strands may include synthetic polymer fibers that may be melted and resolidified to consolidate other fibers and optionally other components present in the strands, such as sutures or substrates, or both. Alternatively or additionally, the fibers of the strands and optionally other components such as the stitch lines or the substrate or both may be consolidated by applying a resin after attaching the fiber strands to the substrate and/or each other.

In some embodiments, plate 110 comprises a substantially uniform thickness. In some examples, the thickness of the plate 110 is in the range from about 0.6 millimeters (mm) to about 3.0 mm. In one example, the thickness of the plate 110 is substantially equal to 1.0mm. In other embodiments, the thickness of plate 110 is non-uniform such that plate 110 may have a greater thickness in one region 20, 22, 24 of sole structure 200 than in the other regions 20, 22, 24.

Referring specifically to fig. 1-4 and 8, one or more bladders 108 are shown to include inboard bladder 108 and outboard bladder 108 that are received within receptacle 126 of cushioning element 106 between upper cushioning member 130 and lower cushioning member 132. More specifically, the bladder 108 is received in each respective one of the sockets 160. Accordingly, medial bladder 108 is disposed in a first socket 160 located proximate medial side 16 of sole structure 100, and lateral bladder 108 is disposed in a second socket 160 located proximate lateral side 16 of sole structure 100.

Each of bladders 108 may include a pair of barrier layers 184a, 184b that are formed along a peripheral seam and bonded together to define a chamber 186 within bladder 108. Here, upper barrier layer 184a defines a top side of bladder 108, and lower barrier layer 184b defines a bottom side of bladder 108. When sole structure 100 is assembled, lower barrier layer 184b is received within one of sockets 160 of tray 158 such that bladder 108 is supported on the foam material of forward section 134. The top side of upper barrier layer 184a is flush with upper side 150 of cushioning element 106 and is attached to bottom side 182 of plate 110 within void 138.

As used herein, the term "barrier layer" (e.g., barrier layers 184a, 184 b) encompasses both monolayer films and multilayer films. In some embodiments, one or both of the barrier layers 184a, 184b are each produced (e.g., thermoformed or blow molded) from a single layer film (monolayer). In other embodiments, one or both of the barrier layers 184a, 184b are each produced (e.g., thermoformed or blow molded) from a multilayer film (multiple sublayers). In either aspect, each layer or sub-layer may have a film thickness in the range from about 0.2 microns to about 1 millimeter. In further embodiments, the film thickness of each layer or sub-layer may range from about 0.5 microns to about 500 microns. In yet further embodiments, the film thickness of each layer or sub-layer may range from about 1 micron to about 100 microns.

One or both of the barrier layers 184a, 184b may independently be transparent, translucent, and/or opaque. As used herein, the term "transparent" for a barrier layer and/or fluid-filled chamber refers to light passing in a substantially straight line through the barrier layer and being viewable by a viewer through the barrier layer. In contrast, for an opaque barrier layer, light does not pass through the barrier layer and one cannot clearly see through the barrier layer at all. A translucent barrier layer is interposed between a transparent barrier layer and an opaque barrier layer because light passes through the translucent layer, but some of the light is scattered so that it is not clearly viewable by an observer through the layer.

The barrier layers 184a, 184b may each be created from an elastomeric material that includes one or more thermoplastic polymers and/or one or more crosslinkable polymers. In one aspect, the elastomeric material may include one or more thermoplastic elastomeric materials, such as one or more Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) copolymers, one or more ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymers, and the like.

As used herein, "polyurethane" refers to a copolymer (including oligomer) comprising urethane groups (-N (c=o) O-). In addition to urethane groups, these polyurethanes may contain additional groups such as esters, ethers, ureas, allophanates, biurets, carbodiimides, oxazolidines, isocyanurates, uretdiones, carbonates, and the like. In one aspect, one or more of the polyurethanes can be produced by polymerizing one or more isocyanates with one or more polyols to produce copolymer chains having (-N (c=o) O-) linkages.

Examples of suitable isocyanates for producing polyurethane copolymer chains include diisocyanates such as aromatic diisocyanates, aliphatic diisocyanates, and combinations thereof. Examples of suitable aromatic diisocyanates include Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI), adducts of TDI with Trimethylolpropane (TMP), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), xylene Diisocyanate (XDI), tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate (TMXDI), hydrogenated Xylene Diisocyanate (HXDI), naphthalene 1, 5-diisocyanate (NDI), 1, 5-tetrahydronaphthalene diisocyanate, p-phenylene diisocyanate (PPDI), 3' -dimethyldiphenyl-4, 4' -diisocyanate (DDDI), 4' -dibenzyl diisocyanate (DBDI), 4-chloro-1, 3-phenylene diisocyanate, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the copolymer chains are substantially free of aromatic groups.

In a particular aspect, the polyurethane polymer chains are generated from diisocyanates including HMDI, TDI, MDI, H aliphatic compounds and combinations thereof. In one aspect, the thermoplastic TPU may include a polyester-based TPU, a polyether-based TPU, a polycaprolactone-based TPU, a polycarbonate-based TPU, a polysiloxane-based TPU, or a combination thereof.

In another aspect, the polymer layer may be formed from one or more of the following: EVOH copolymers, poly (vinyl chloride), polyvinylidene polymers and copolymers (e.g., polyvinylidene chloride), polyamides (e.g., amorphous polyamides), amide-based copolymers, acrylonitrile polymers (e.g., acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymers), polyethylene terephthalates, polyetherimides, polyacrylic imides, and other polymeric materials known to have relatively low gas permeability. Blends of these materials, as well as blends with the TPU copolymers described herein (and optionally including combinations of polyimides and crystalline polymers) are also suitable.

The barrier layers 184a, 184b may include two or more sublayers (multilayer films) such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,141 to Mitchell et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,065 to Mitchell et al, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In embodiments where the barrier layers 184a, 184b comprise two or more sublayers, examples of suitable multilayer films include microlayer films, such as those disclosed in U.S. patent No. 6,582,786 to Bonk et al, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In further embodiments, the barrier layers 184a, 184b may each independently comprise alternating sublayers of one or more TPU copolymer materials and one or more EVOH copolymer materials, wherein the total number of sublayers in each of the barrier layers 184a, 184b comprises at least four (4) sublayers, at least ten (10) sublayers, at least twenty (20) sublayers, at least forty (40) sublayers, and/or at least sixty (60) sublayers.

The fluid-filled chamber 186 may be created from the barrier layers 184a, 184b using any suitable technique, such as thermoforming (e.g., vacuum thermoforming), blow molding, extrusion, injection molding, vacuum molding, rotational molding, transfer molding, pressure forming, heat sealing, casting, low pressure casting, rotational casting, reactive injection molding, radio Frequency (RF) welding, and the like. In one aspect, the barrier layers 184a, 184b may be produced by coextrusion followed by vacuum thermoforming to produce the inflatable chamber 186, and the inflatable chamber 186 may optionally include one or more valves (e.g., one-way valves) that allow the chamber 186 to be filled with a fluid (e.g., gas).

Chamber 186 may be provided in a fluid-filled state (e.g., as provided in footwear 10) or an unfilled state. The chamber 186 may be filled to include any suitable fluid, such as a gas or a liquid. In one aspect, the gas may include air, nitrogen (N ₂ ) Or any other suitable gas. In other aspects, the chamber 186 may alternatively include other media such as pellets, beads, ground recycled material, and the like (e.g., expanded beads and/or rubber beads). Fluid provided to chamber 186 may cause chamber 186 to be pressurized. Alternatively, the fluid provided to the chamber 186 may be at atmospheric pressure such that the chamber 186 is not pressurized, but simply contains a volume of fluid at atmospheric pressure.

The fluid-filled chamber 186 desirably has a low gas permeability to maintain the gas pressure it holds. In some embodiments, the fluid-filled chamber 186 has a gas permeability to nitrogen that is greater than the nitrogen permeability of a substantially same size butyl rubber layerThe overrate is at least about ten (10) times lower. In one aspect, the fluid-filled chamber 186 has a thickness of 15 cubic centimeters per square meter, atmosphere, day (cm) for an average film thickness of 500 microns (by thickness of the barrier layers 184a, 184 b) ³ /m ² Atmospheric day) or less. In a further aspect, the transmittance is 10cm ³ /m ² Atmospheric day or less, 5cm ³ /m ² Atmospheric day or less, or 1cm ³ /m ² Atmospheric day or less.

Chamber 186 of each of bladders 108 may receive tensile element 188 therein (fig. 8). Each tensile element 188 may include a series of tensile strands 190 extending between an upper tensile sheet 192 and a lower tensile sheet 192. Upper tensile sheet 192 may be attached to first one 184a of the barrier layers, and lower tensile sheet 192 may be attached to second one 184b of the barrier layers. Thus, when chamber 186 contains pressurized fluid, tensile strands 190 of tensile element 188 are in tension. Because upper tensile sheet 192 is attached to upper barrier layer 184a and lower tensile sheet 192 is attached to lower barrier layer 184b, tensile strands 190 maintain the desired shape of bladder 108 when pressurized fluid is injected into chamber 186.

Outsole 104 is formed of a resilient polymer material and is attached to bottom side 120 of lower cushioning member 132. In the illustrated example, the outsole 104 includes a forefoot segment 194 attached to the bottom side 120 of the forefoot segment 134 and a pair of heel segments 196 respectively attached to the bottom side 120 of each of the leaves 174. Optionally, the forefoot section 194 of the outsole 104 includes an aperture 198 formed therethrough, the aperture 198 corresponding to the opening 164 formed through the forefoot section 134 of the lower cushioning member 132. Thus, the bottom side 182 of the plate 110 is exposed through the outsole opening 198 and the cushioning element opening 164.

Upper 200 forms a shell having a plurality of elements that cooperate to define an interior void 202 and an ankle opening 204, and interior void 202 and ankle opening 204 cooperate to receive and secure a foot for support on sole structure 200. Upper 200 may be formed from one or more materials that are stitched or bonded together to define interior void 202. Suitable materials for upper 200 may include, but are not limited to, textiles, foam, leather, and synthetic leather. Example upper 200 may be formed from a combination of one or more substantially inelastic or non-stretchable materials and one or more substantially elastic or stretchable materials disposed in different areas of upper 200 to facilitate movement of article of footwear 10 between a taut state and a relaxed state. The one or more elastic materials may include any combination of one or more elastic fabrics such as, but not limited to, spandex, elastane, rubber, or neoprene. The one or more inelastic materials may include any combination of one or more of thermoplastic polyurethane, nylon, leather, vinyl, or another material/fabric that does not impart elastic properties.

The following clauses provide example configurations for the articles of footwear and sole structures described above.

Clause 1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising: an upper cushion pad extending from a first end to a second end; a lower cushion having a first section attached to the upper cushion adjacent the first end and including a tray extending toward the second end of the upper cushion; and at least one bladder disposed between the tray of the lower cushion and the upper cushion.

Clause 2. The sole structure of clause 1, further comprising a plate disposed between the at least one bladder and the upper cushion.

Clause 3 the sole structure of clause 2, wherein a first side of the at least one bladder is attached to the tray and an opposite second side of the at least one bladder is attached to the plate.

Clause 4 the sole structure of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the lower cushion pad includes a support portion attached to the upper cushion pad, the tray being cantilevered from the support portion.

Clause 5 the sole structure of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the at least one bladder includes a first bladder disposed at a medial side of the sole structure and a second bladder disposed at a lateral side of the sole structure.

Clause 6. The sole structure of clause 5, wherein the tray includes a first socket that receives the first bladder and a second socket that receives the second bladder.

Clause 7 the sole structure of any of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one of the upper cushion pad and the lower cushion pad includes a perimeter side having a plurality of dimples.

Clause 8. The sole structure of clause 7, wherein the dimples are arranged in multiple rows and columns.

Clause 9 the sole structure of any of the preceding clauses, further comprising an outsole disposed on a side of the lower cushion opposite the at least one bladder.

Clause 10 the sole structure of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the tray of the lower cushion comprises a foam material.

Clause 11. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure including a cushion device, the cushion device comprising: (i) an upper cushion comprising a top surface and a lower surface formed on opposite sides of the top surface, (ii) a lower cushion comprising a bottom surface and an upper surface formed on opposite sides of the bottom surface and facing the lower surface of the upper cushion, and (iii) a socket formed between the lower surface of the upper cushion and the upper surface of the lower cushion; at least one bladder is disposed within the socket between the upper cushion and the lower cushion.

Clause 12 the sole structure of clause 11, further comprising a plate disposed between the at least one bladder and the upper cushion.

Clause 13 the sole structure of clause 12, wherein a first side of the at least one bladder is attached to the lower cushion and an opposite second side of the at least one bladder is attached to the plate.

The sole structure of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the lower cushion pad includes a support portion attached to the upper cushion pad and a tray cantilevered from the support portion and defining a lower portion of the socket.

The sole structure of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the at least one bladder includes a first bladder disposed at a medial side of the sole structure and a second bladder disposed at a lateral side of the sole structure.

Clause 16 the sole structure of clause 15, wherein the upper surface of the lower cushion includes a first socket that receives the first bladder and a second socket that receives the second bladder.

The sole structure of any of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one of the upper cushion pad and the lower cushion pad comprises a perimeter surface having a plurality of dimples.

Clause 18 the sole structure of clause 17, wherein the dimples of the plurality of dimples are arranged in rows and columns.

Clause 19 the sole structure of any of the preceding clauses, further comprising an outsole disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the lower cushion pad.

The sole structure of any of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one of the upper cushion pad and the lower cushion pad comprises a foam material.

The foregoing description has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but, where applicable, may be interchanged and used in selected configurations, even if not specifically shown or described. The individual elements or features of a particular configuration may also be varied in a number of ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:

an upper cushion pad extending from a first end to a second end;

a lower cushion having a first section attached to the upper cushion adjacent the first end and including a tray extending toward the second end of the upper cushion; and

At least one bladder disposed between the tray of the lower cushion and the upper cushion.

2. The sole structure of claim 1, further comprising a plate disposed between the at least one bladder and the upper cushion.

3. The sole structure of claim 2, wherein a first side of the at least one bladder is attached to the tray and an opposite second side of the at least one bladder is attached to the plate.

4. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the lower cushion includes a support portion attached to the upper cushion, the tray being cantilevered from the support portion.

5. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the at least one bladder includes a first bladder disposed at a medial side of the sole structure and a second bladder disposed at a lateral side of the sole structure.

6. The sole structure of claim 5, wherein the tray includes a first socket that receives the first bladder and a second socket that receives the second bladder.

7. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion includes a perimeter side having a plurality of dimples.

8. The sole structure of claim 7, wherein the dimples are arranged in rows and columns.

9. The sole structure of claim 1, further comprising an outsole disposed on a side of the lower cushion opposite the at least one bladder.

10. The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the tray of the lower cushion comprises a foam material.

11. A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:

a cushion apparatus, the cushion apparatus comprising:

i. an upper cushion comprising a top surface and a lower surface formed on opposite sides of the top surface,

a lower cushion pad including a bottom surface and an upper surface formed on an opposite side of the bottom surface and facing the lower surface of the upper cushion pad, and

a socket formed between the lower surface of the upper cushion and the upper surface of the lower cushion; and

at least one bladder disposed within the socket between the upper cushion and the lower cushion.

12. The sole structure of claim 11, further comprising a plate disposed between the at least one bladder and the upper cushion.

13. The sole structure of claim 12, wherein a first side of the at least one bladder is attached to the lower cushion and an opposite second side of the at least one bladder is attached to the plate.

14. The sole structure of claim 11, wherein the lower cushion includes a support portion attached to the upper cushion and a tray cantilevered from the support portion and defining a lower portion of the socket.

15. The sole structure of claim 11, wherein the at least one bladder includes a first bladder disposed at a medial side of the sole structure and a second bladder disposed at a lateral side of the sole structure.

16. The sole structure of claim 15, wherein the upper surface of the lower cushion includes a first socket that receives the first bladder and a second socket that receives the second bladder.

17. The sole structure of claim 11, wherein at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion includes a peripheral surface having a plurality of dimples.

18. The sole structure of claim 17, wherein the dimples of the plurality of dimples are arranged in rows and columns.

19. The sole structure of claim 11, further comprising an outsole disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the lower cushion.

20. The sole structure of claim 11, wherein at least one of the upper cushion pad and the lower cushion pad comprises a foam material.