Footwear with external reinforcing fluid-filled bladder

Abstract

A cushioning structure includes an outer reinforced bladder having a first polymeric sheet and a second polymeric sheet, where each polymeric sheet includes an inner surface and an opposing outer surface. The first reinforcement layer is in contact with an outer surface of the first polymeric sheet, wherein the first reinforcement layer has a greater modulus than the first polymeric sheet. The second reinforcement layer is in contact with an outer surface of the second polymeric sheet, wherein the second reinforcement layer has a greater modulus than the second polymeric sheet. The bladder includes an interior volume and a peripheral flange surrounding the interior volume, and the reinforcement layer is secured to the polymeric sheet only at the peripheral flange.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 340,744 filed on May 11, 2022 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 488,755 filed on March 6, 2023, the entire contents of both applications and all of their disclosures are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to cushioning structures including external reinforcement bladders, including cushioning structures for articles of footwear, apparel, or athletic equipment. Background Art

[0004] Cushioning structures are commonly used to provide cushioning in a variety of consumer products, including in footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment. Footwear typically includes a sole structure that is configured to be positioned under a wearer's foot to separate the foot from the ground. The sole structure in athletic footwear is typically configured to provide cushioning, motion control, and / or resilience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only, are schematic in nature, and are intended to be exemplary rather than limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0006] Figure 1 is a schematic side view of an article of footwear having a sole structure with a fluid-filled cushioning component extending through a portion of a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region.

[0007] Figure 2A is a schematic perspective view of an external reinforcement fluid-filled bladder.

[0008] Figure 2B It is taken along line AA Figure 2A Schematic cross-sectional view of an external reinforcement fluid-filled bladder.

[0009] Figure 3 is a schematic top view of an external reinforcement fluid-filled bladder.

[0010] Figure 4 is a schematic, partially exploded view of a stack assembly for using a weld-resistant material to selectively inhibit fusion of layers together to form an external reinforcement fluid-filled bladder.

[0011] Figure 5A is a schematic rear perspective view of an article of footwear including a sole structure having a plurality of discrete fiber-reinforced bladders.

[0012] Figure 5B yes Figure 5ASchematic exploded view of a footwear article. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The present disclosure generally relates to a kind of footwear article, this footwear article has a sole structure, and this sole structure has at least one external reinforcement cushioning structure, such as unfilled bladder or fluid-filled bladder.As will be discussed below, this design utilizes external reinforcement layer to restrain and provide structure to the polymer sheet that is more located inside that can be operated to accommodate pressurized fluid.The external reinforcement layer can include a plurality of silk threads or yarn strands, and these silk threads or yarn strands extend through the surface of cushioning structure, and can be operated to resist the elastic strain of fluid-induced polymer sheet.This external reinforcement layer can more directly and directionally control how cushioning structure expands when inflated with fluid or when placed under load.Equally, compared with the structure without reinforcement layer, using external reinforcement can make cushioning structure realize greater internal working pressure under lower comparable weight.This can then cause greater kinetic energy to return to the wearer.

[0014] In general, the present external reinforcement design can be used with a cushioning structure that includes two or more stacked polymer sheets that are selectively bonded together to define an interior volume that can then be inflated and sealed to form a fluid-filled bladder. The polymer sheets can be bonded together, for example, by increasing the temperature of one or both polymer sheets to or above their softening temperature (such as by applying heat, ultrasonic energy, radio frequency energy, infrared energy, or any combination thereof, alone or in combination with pressure, to one or both substantially planar sheets). For example, the heat or energy applied to one or both of the substantially planar sheets can be sufficient to soften one or both of the polymer sheets, creating a thermal bond between the sheets (and between the sheets and any material located between the sheets) once the softened polymer sheets have resolidified. Similarly, the heat or energy applied to one or both of the substantially planar sheets can be sufficient to melt at least a portion of one or both of the polymer sheets to melt, thereby producing a particularly strong thermal bond when resolidified, wherein adjacent polymer materials are at least partially fused to each other, and their polymer chains are entangled at the fused interface. In some embodiments, the thermal bonding process can be performed via a mold of a specific configuration that contacts the polymer sheet only where thermal bonding is required. In other embodiments, the heat press can contact the entire sheet or substantially the entire sheet, and the internal bladder volume can be formed by regionally inhibiting or blocking the thermal bonding of the sheet where the internal volume is required. In some embodiments, thermal bonding can be prevented or greatly inhibited by printing or otherwise laminating anti-welding materials, such as "blocking inks", between adjacent surfaces of adjacent sheets. In this way, applying heat, energy or pressure to the sheet can thermally bond the sheet only in areas where anti-welding materials are not present. By including anti-welding materials only in the internal areas of the sheet (i.e., not extending to the outer periphery of the sheet), the unbonded areas / gap spaces can be completely enclosed so that they can be inflated via the introduction of pressurized fluids. This inflation may cause lateral separation of the sheets by elastic expansion of the polymer sheets.It will be appreciated that other means of bladder configuration, such as thermoforming / vacuum forming, may similarly be used.

[0015] In general, the final geometry of the cushioning structure may be a function of the material properties of the polymeric sheets, the presence and location of any external reinforcement layers, and the location of the inflatable volume across the sheets (e.g., as may be caused by the placement / location of weld-resistant materials between stacked sheets). More specifically, the final location and shape of the bonded areas will define the outer contour of the cushioning structure, including the number and presence of any internal chambers, and whether such chambers are in fluid communication with each other.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present cushioning structure configuration, one or more external reinforcement layers may be added to or otherwise incorporated on the outer surface of one or more polymer sheets (or selected portions thereof). In such embodiments, the external reinforcement layer may generally be used as a cage that supports and / or constrains adjacent polymer sheets when the internal pressure of the volume portion increases and when the sheet elastically deforms. During use, the external reinforcement may have the effect of changing the final geometry and / or maximum inflation pressure of the cushioning structure while also reducing the need for the polymer sheet to have an inherent structure required to withstand pressure. By changing the material, orientation, position, and density of the filaments or yarn strands within the reinforcement layer, the expansion / deformation of the sheet during inflation may be controlled and / or changed to be different from a simple unreinforced structure.

[0017] In some embodiments, one or more external reinforcement layers may be integrally attached / joined to the polymeric sheet only in bonding areas where the sheets are thermally bonded together. In more central areas, such as areas forming an interior cavity, the external reinforcement layers may be unattached (e.g., via direct bonding) and may float and / or may be held in place only via more peripheral bonding areas and contact pressure between the reinforcement layers.

[0018] Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 A fluid-filled bladder 10 is shown included in a sole structure 12 of an article of footwear 14. Article of footwear 14 may include a forefoot region 16, a midfoot region 18, and a heel region 20, wherein midfoot region 18 is located between heel region 20 and forefoot region 16. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, forefoot region 16 is generally located under the toes and metatarsal-phalangeal joints covering the foot, midfoot region 18 is generally located under the arch region of the foot, and heel region 20 is generally located under the calcaneus. Article of footwear 14 has a medial side 22 and a lateral side 24, medial side 22 being generally shaped to follow the inside of a wearer's foot, and lateral side 24 being generally shaped to follow the outside of a wearer's foot (note that the medial side 22 is generally shaped to follow the outside of a wearer's foot). Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present invention, the inner side 22 is on the side of the article 14 opposite the visible side - ie, the outer side 24).

[0019] In one configuration, a fluid-filled bladder 10 of the type described herein can be assembled as a midsole or component of a midsole in a sole structure 12. For example, in one configuration, the bladder 10 can be a full-length bladder extending through each of the forefoot region 16, the midfoot region 18, and the heel region 20. In some configurations, such a full-length bladder can be used as the entire midsole. In other embodiments, the bladder 10 can be a more discrete cushioning component and / or can include multiple bladders 10 and can be integrated with one or more foam components to form a midsole. In some instances, such discrete bladders can be located in the forefoot region 16 and / or the heel region 20, but can be omitted from the midfoot region 18.

[0020] Sole structure 12 is coupled to a footwear upper 26 that defines an interior foot-receiving cavity 28. Furthermore, sole structure 12 may include an outsole 30 or outsole surface that is intended to contact the ground or ground surface 32 when article 14 is worn by an individual during a normal stride (i.e., while walking or running).

[0021] Figure 2A and Figure 2B One embodiment of an externally reinforced fluid-filled bladder 10 that may be used with the present disclosure is schematically depicted. As shown, the bladder 10 may include or be formed between two or more polymer sheets (e.g., a first polymer sheet 40 and a second polymer sheet 42) that are fused together at a peripheral flange 44 or bonding area to define an interior volume 46 therebetween (such as a Figure 2B 48 as shown in the cross section provided therein).

[0022] For ease of reference, each sheet 40, 42 may have an inner surface 50 that will be referred to as directly defining / adjoining the interior volume 46 and an opposing outer surface 52 having a surface normal extending away from the interior volume 46. The peripheral flange 44 may surround what will be referred to as an "inflatable portion 54" of each respective polymer sheet 40, 42. As used herein, the inflatable portion 54 is the portion of the respective polymer sheet that is surrounded by the peripheral flange 44 and is separated from the opposing sheet by a certain distance to define the interior volume 46. If / when the interior volume 46 is pressurized via a fluid introduced within the interior volume 46, the inflatable portion 54 elastically deforms. In some embodiments, multiple interior volumes 46 may be formed between a single pair of polymer sheets. In such embodiments, each inflatable portion 54 / interior volume 46 will still be surrounded by the peripheral flange 44 because the joining flange will still be at the periphery of the volume - even if not at the periphery of the polymer sheet.

[0023] As further illustrated, the bladder 10 may include one or more external reinforcement layers 60 in contact with the outer surface 52 of one or both of the first polymer sheet 40 and the second polymer sheet 42. The external reinforcement layer 60 may include a plurality of constituent reinforcement yarns or yarn strands 62 that are arranged in a unidirectional, multi-directional, woven, non-woven, knitted, and / or randomized manner and extend through some or all of the respective polymer sheets.

[0024] As used herein, the term "silk thread" is understood to refer to a long or substantially continuous strand with a length several orders of magnitude greater than its diameter, and is understood to include fibers. Silk thread can be made of naturally occurring materials, or made of artificial materials, such as synthetic or regenerated materials. The term "yarn" is understood to refer to a long or substantially continuous strand of fiber or silk thread, and its form is suitable for knitting, weaving, crocheting, braiding or otherwise interlacing with other yarns or identical yarn segments, or for sewing including embroidery. The type of yarn includes continuous silk yarn, and its example includes monofilament yarn (consisting of a single continuous silk thread) and multifilament yarn (consisting of a plurality of flat or deformed silk threads, which are usually twisted or air entangled with each other). Staple yarn is another type of yarn, which is composed of a plurality of short fibers (such as cotton or wool fibers) or cut fibers or silk threads, and they are entangled with each other during spinning. Composite yarn is another type of yarn, which can be composed of a string or cable, or it can be composed of two or more single yarn strands combined into a plied yarn. Natural fibers or threads can be used, including naturally occurring cellulose fibers such as cotton or flax, naturally occurring protein-based fibers or threads such as wool or silk, and naturally occurring mineral-based materials such as asbestos. Artificial fibers or threads can be used, including artificial fibers or threads made of inorganic materials such as glass or metal; and fibers or threads made of natural polymers including cellulose-based polymers and protein-based polymers; artificial carbon fibers or threads; and artificial fibers or threads made of synthetic polymers, i.e., threads or yarn strands include polymer materials comprising one or more synthetic polymers. In many cases, synthetic polymers are thermoplastics (i.e., threads or yarn strands are thermoplastic), including thermoplastic elastomers (i.e., threads or yarns are thermoplastic and elastomeric), although thermosetting materials such as elastic fibers (in this case threads or yarns are thermosetting) can also be used. A variety of synthetic polymers are generally used to make fibers or threads. The polymer material of the thread or yarn may include a polymer selected from the following: polyesters (such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET)), polyamides (such as nylon-6, nylon 6,6, and nylon-11), polyolefins (such as propylene homopolymers and copolymers, and ethylene homopolymers and copolymers) and polyacetates (such as cellulose acetate fibers) and any combination thereof. Polyurethanes such as thermoplastic polyurethanes and including thermoplastic elastomeric polyurethanes may also be used in the polymer material. The thread or yarn strand may include or consist of a thread or yarn comprising a natural material, an artificial or regenerated natural material, or a combination of natural and artificial or regenerated materials, such as a spun yarn comprising a blend of cotton and polyester fibers, or a mixture of threads comprising cotton fibers and polyester threads. The thread or yarn strand may include or consist of a multifilament yarn comprising a polyester or polyamide thread, such as commercially available embroidery thread.The filaments or yarn strands may comprise or consist of bicomponent filaments or yarns, such as a thermoplastic polyurethane sheath covering a polyester or polyamide core.

[0025] In many cases, reinforcing wire or yarn strand 62 can include one or more polymer materials, and this one or more polymer materials have modulus greater than the corresponding modulus of the polymer sheet to which it is attached.Although in some embodiments, high modulus wire or yarn strand 62 can be used for effectively locking or preventing any elastic strain in a given direction, in many embodiments, the modulus of wire or yarn strand 62 can be selected to only reduce the amount of elastic strain allowed under typical working pressure (without completely eliminating it).For example, in some embodiments, the modulus of wire or yarn strand 62 can be between 1 and 50 times of the modulus of independent polymer sheet.In other embodiments, the modulus of wire or yarn strand 62 can be between 1 and 25x of the modulus of independent polymer sheet, or between 1 and 20x, or between 1 and 10x, or between 1 and 5x.Wire or yarn strand 62 should also be flexible enough to allow repeated lateral bending without breaking.This flexibility is important for allowing the initial inflation of bag and receiving repeated compression during use. In some embodiments, each respective filament or yarn strand 62 may have an aspect ratio of length to diameter of at least 50, or at least 100, or at least 500, or even at least 1000. In other words, the filaments or yarn strands 62 may be continuous strands that may each extend through a portion of the final sheet and are not merely fibrous fillers that are mixed into the polymer resin prior to forming a layer.

[0026] In one configuration, the outer reinforcement layer 60 may include textiles. The textile may be a nonwoven textile including a thread or yarn strand 62 or composed of a thread or yarn strand 62. The textile may be a nonwoven textile composed of thermoplastic threads, such as spunlace nonwoven textiles, spunbond nonwoven textiles, thermal bonding nonwoven textiles, meltblown nonwoven textiles, needle entanglement or hydraulic entanglement nonwoven textiles, etc. The textile may be a textile including interwoven threads or yarn strands, or a textile composed of interwoven threads or yarn strands, such as knitting, weaving, crocheting or braiding textiles. In one aspect, the textile is a ripstop woven fabric. Ripstop fabrics are generally woven fabrics formed by a plurality of yarn strands generally including a polymer material, and the polymer material includes polyamides such as polyamide (PA6). Ripstop fabrics generally include stronger and generally thicker reinforcing yarns interwoven at regular intervals throughout the fabric. In some configurations, the outer reinforcement layer 60 may include one or more subsets (i.e., whether woven) of unidirectional threads or yarn strands 62. As used herein, a subset of threads or yarn strands 62 is unidirectional if each of the constituent threads or yarn strands 62 has a substantially parallel orientation (i.e., wherein the orientation of the threads or yarn strands 62 is defined by their longitudinal center axes—typically when viewed in plan view and / or prior to inflation of the bladder 10). Figure 3 As shown, in one configuration, a plurality of filaments or yarn strands 62 may include a first subset 64a of unidirectional filaments or yarn strands extending along a first common direction 66a and a second subset 64b of unidirectional filaments or yarn strands 62 extending along a second common direction 66b. The first common direction 66a may be oriented at an angle between about 5 degrees and about 90 degrees relative to the second common direction 66b. In one configuration, these directions 66a, 66b may be approximately orthogonal to the direction in which the cushioning structure expands when inflated.

[0027] although Figure 3 Only two groups of unidirectional threads or yarn strands 62 extending in two directions are schematically depicted, but it should be understood that the strand arrangement is somewhat design-driven, and the cushioning structure can have 3 or 4 or 5 or even more groups of unidirectional threads or yarn strands 62, each group having a unique orientation. In addition, in some embodiments, the threads or yarn strands 62 or multiple groups of unidirectional threads or yarn strands 62 can be laid, interwoven, tangled, woven, wound, knitted, crocheted or braided in a predetermined pattern.

[0028] When assembling, a plurality of threads or yarn strands 62 can extend through the outer surface 52 of the inflatable part 54 of polymer sheet 40,42 and contact with it.In certain embodiments, a plurality of threads or yarn strands 62 contacted with corresponding polymer sheet 40,42 can be fixed to this sheet only at peripheral flange 44 / binding area.In other words, although threads or yarn strands 62 can directly contact with the outer surface 52 of the inflatable part 54 of polymer sheet 40,42 in this area, they can not be physically attached to the sheet, so that the relative motion between yarn strands 62 and the sheet is possible.On the contrary, at peripheral flange 44, a plurality of threads or yarn strands can be combined, adhered, welded and / or physically captured by polymer sheet, for example, by thermal bonding, thereby suppressing or preventing relative motion.In certain embodiments, this combination can be carried out via the same process for combining polymer sheet 40,42 together, such as by hot pressing or ultrasonic welding.

[0029] In one embodiment, the cushioning structure of the present disclosure can be formed by one or more thermoforming and / or vacuum forming processes, whereby one or two polymer sheets 40, 42 are pulled into a mold via the application of positive pressure and / or vacuum pressure. Thereafter, the opposing molds can force the polymer sheets into contact with each other while applying energy to thermally bond the sheets together. Prior to thermoforming, or immediately prior to thermal bonding, the reinforcing layer is introduced into the mold so that when the thermal bonding process occurs, the mold also thermally bonds the threads or yarns of the reinforcing layer to the polymer sheet while creating a bonded peripheral flange.

[0030] In another embodiment, such as in Figure 4, the cushioning structure 10 can be formed in a substantially flat manner, whereby all bonds are formed before the cushioning structure is inflated by filling the cushioning structure with a fluid. For example, in one configuration, the polymer sheets 40, 42 used to form the cushioning structure 10 can be layered into a stacked assembly 202, wherein the anti-welding material 204 is applied to or printed on the abutting surfaces between adjacent sheets 40, 42. In the presence of the anti-welding material (e.g., in the case where the anti-welding material has been printed on the adjacent inner sides of one or both of the polymer sheets), the anti-welding material may locally interfere with the ability of the adjacent sheets to be thermally bonded together, thereby creating an internal groove in which the polymer sheets are not thermally bonded to each other, and the internal groove can then be filled / pressurized with a working fluid. The anti-welding material 204 can include a material (such as a fluid or a flowable or printable material, such as a barrier ink) that can be selectively deposited on the polymer sheets 40, 42, for example, via an inkjet printer. Alternatively, the anti-welding material can include a solid that can be selectively deposited on the polymer sheets 40, 42 using a deposition process such as a vapor deposition process or an electrostatic deposition process. In such an example, a computer-controlled print head can selectively deposit / print the anti-weld material onto the inner surface 50 of the second polymer sheet 42 according to a programmed pattern (e.g., a bitmap or along a vector-based path), where bonding between adjacent sheets is not required. When the bladder 10 is ultimately inflated, the specific printed pattern 206 of the anti-weld material 204 can create the geometry of the interior chamber.

[0031] like Figure 4 As further illustrated in FIG. 2 , a reinforcement layer 60 comprising a plurality of threads or yarn strands 62 may be positioned on one or both sides of the polymer sheets 40, 42 within the stacked assembly 202. In some embodiments, a weld resistant material 204 may also be disposed in a pattern 208 on the outer surface 52 of the polymer sheets 40, 42 to prevent the reinforcement layer 60 from bonding to the polymer sheets if a uniform heat bonding process is utilized. This process may be particularly desirable if the threads or yarn strands 62 comprise thermoplastic material and a uniform heat pressing process is performed. In this embodiment, the printed outer surface pattern 208 may coincide with the printed inner surface pattern 206 when assembled. This will prevent the reinforcement layer 60 from bonding to the polymer sheets within the inflatable portion 54 of the bladder 10.

[0032] Once the entire stack of alternating sheets and anti-welding material is prepared and assembled, the stack assembly 202 can then be selectively and / or uniformly heat pressed to heat bond adjacent surfaces without anti-welding material together. As described above, in this process, the anti-welding material 204 interferes with the ability of the sheets to heat bond anywhere the anti-welding material is placed. According to this method, no specialized thermoforming molds or radio frequency welding are required to form the bladder 10. Likewise, if the stack assembly 202 is uniformly heat pressed together (e.g., such as via a heated iron or flat press), there may be no need to re-equip or reconfigure the workstation to generate different cushioning structure configurations. All that needs to happen is to apply different patterns of anti-welding material.

[0033] Once joined, the stack assembly 202 remains flat and is only filled when the inner volume 60 formed of a solder resistant material is filled via an optional fill port 220 (ie, at Figure 4 When inflated with a fluid (e.g., inflation gas) introduced into the cushioning structure 10 (shown in the figure as an area where the anti-weld material 204 is applied), the stack assembly 202 assumes the contour shape of the cushioning structure 10. Once the internal chamber is sufficiently inflated / pressurized, the fill port 220 can then be sealed to trap the fluid within the internal volume portion, thereby maintaining the inflated bladder shape. If the inflation gas is removed without sealing the fill port 220, and assuming that other components are not disposed in any sealed chamber, and the polymer sheet 200 has not been bonded to other components such as an outsole, other midsole layer, or upper, the polymer sheets 200 will likely return to their initial flat state (assuming no creep or plastic strain caused by inflation).

[0034] In some aspects, the first polymer sheet, the second polymer sheet, or both the first and second polymer sheets include a gas barrier material, meaning that the sheet includes a material with low permeability to gas molecules with low molecular weight such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide gas, etc. The polymer sheet including the gas barrier material may include one or more layers of gas barrier material. In this design, the polymer sheets 40, 42 may be mainly used for the purpose of gas barrier films to accommodate internal working gas / fluid, and the reinforcement layer may provide a structure for these barrier films. In this design, the polymer sheet may be composed of a barrier material, or may be composed of a barrier material layer alternating with a thermoplastic elastomer layer, without significantly increasing the strength, rigidity and durability of the polymer sheet. More elastic material layers. This design may be contrasted with existing buffer structure configurations, wherein the polymer sheet needs to be formed to have sufficient volume and / or material strength to provide its own structure (e.g., by including a thick structural layer formed by a material more elastic than the gas barrier material), while also resisting fluid diffusion. In other words, in existing designs, the polymer sheet needs to provide a barrier structure and a structure that provides strength, rigidity and durability to the sheet. In the present design, the strength, rigidity and durability functions are primarily provided and performed by the reinforcement layers and threads or yarn strands 62 extending through the inflatable portion, so in some aspects the polymer sheet need only act as a gas barrier.

[0035] In the present design, the polymer sheets 40, 42 may include or consist of a polymer material of various polymers. The polymer material of the polymer sheets 40, 42 may be a thermoplastic material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer material. The polymer sheets 40, 42 may include a gas barrier material. The polymer sheets 40, 42 may include a thermoplastic elastomer material and a gas barrier material, and the two materials may be structured in the polymer sheet, for example in the form of alternating layers, to form a barrier film so that the polymer sheet can elastically retain a fluid, such as air or another gas. In one aspect, the polymer sheets 40, 42 used to form the airbags or bladders disclosed herein include or consist of a barrier film 240, such as Figure 2B As used herein, a barrier film is understood to be a film having a relatively low fluid transmittance. When used alone or in combination with other materials in an airbag or airbag, the barrier film elastically retains the fluid. Depending on the structure and use of the buffer structure, the barrier film can maintain the fluid at a pressure above, at or below atmospheric pressure. In some aspects, the fluid is a liquid or a gas. Examples of gases include air, oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N2) and inert gases. In one aspect, the barrier material of the barrier film is a nitrogen barrier material.

[0036] When measured at 23 degrees Celsius and 0 percent relative humidity, for a film having a thickness of about 72 microns to about 320 microns, the gas permeability of the barrier film can be less than 4, or less than 3, or less than 2 cubic centimeters per square meter per atmosphere per day per day. In another example, when measured at 23 degrees Celsius and 0 percent relative humidity, for a film having a thickness of about 72 microns to about 320 microns, the gas permeability of the barrier film is from about 0.1 to about 3, or from about 0.5 to about 3, or from about 0.5 to about 3 cubic centimeters per square meter per atmosphere per day per day. Gas permeability, such as oxygen or nitrogen permeability, can be measured using ASTM D1434.

[0037] In one aspect, the barrier film can include a multilayer film comprising a plurality of layers including one or more barrier layers including a barrier material including one or more gas barrier compounds or consisting essentially of one or more gas barrier compounds. The multilayer film includes at least 5 layers or at least 10 layers. Optionally, the multilayer film includes from about 5 to about 200 layers, from about 10 to about 100 layers, from about 20 to about 80 layers, from about 20 to about 50 layers, or from about 40 to about 90 layers.

[0038] In one aspect, the barrier material includes one or more inorganic gas barrier compounds or consists essentially of one or more inorganic gas barrier compounds. The one or more inorganic gas barrier compounds may take the form of fibers, particles, platelets, or a combination thereof. The fibers, particles, platelets may include nano-scale fibers, particles, platelets, or a combination thereof or consist essentially of nano-scale fibers, particles, platelets, or a combination thereof. Examples of inorganic barrier compounds include, for example, carbon fibers, glass fibers, glass flakes, silica, silicates, calcium carbonate, clays, mica, talc, carbon black, particulate graphite, metal flakes, and combinations thereof. The inorganic gas barrier component may include one or more clays or consist essentially of one or more clays. Examples of suitable clays include bentonite, montmorillonite, kaolinite, and mixtures thereof. In one example, the inorganic gas barrier component consists of clay. Optionally, the barrier material may also include one or more additional ingredients, such as polymers, processing aids, colorants, or any combination thereof. In the aspect that the barrier material includes one or more inorganic barrier compounds or consists essentially of one or more inorganic barrier compounds, the barrier material may be described as including an inorganic gas barrier component consisting of all inorganic barrier compounds present in the barrier material. When one or more inorganic gas barrier compounds are included in the barrier material, the total concentration of inorganic gas barrier components present in the barrier material can be less than 60% by weight, or less than 40% by weight, or less than 20% by weight of the total composition. Alternatively, in other examples, the barrier material consists essentially of one or more inorganic gas barrier materials.

[0039] In one aspect, the gas barrier compound includes one or more gas barrier polymers or is substantially composed of one or more gas barrier polymers. One or more gas barrier polymers may include thermoplastic polymers. In one example, the barrier material may include one or more thermoplastic polymers or be substantially composed of one or more thermoplastic polymers, which means that the barrier material includes a variety of thermoplastic polymers or is substantially composed of a variety of thermoplastic polymers, and the multiple thermoplastic polymers include thermoplastic polymers that are not gas barrier polymers. In another example, the barrier material includes one or more thermoplastic gas barrier polymers or is substantially composed of one or more thermoplastic gas barrier polymers, which means that all polymers present in the barrier material are thermoplastic gas barrier polymers. The barrier material can be described as including a polymer component consisting of all polymers present in the barrier material. For example, the polymer component of the barrier material can be composed of a single category of gas barrier polymers, such as, for example, one or more polyolefins, or can be composed of a single type of gas barrier polymer, such as one or more ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers. Optionally, the barrier material can also include one or more non-polymer additives, such as one or more fillers, processing aids, colorants or combinations thereof.

[0040] Many gas barrier polymers are known in the art. Examples of gas barrier polymers include vinyl polymers such as vinylidene chloride polymers, acrylic polymers such as acrylonitrile polymers, polyamides, epoxy polymers, amine polymers, polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, copolymers thereof such as ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and mixtures thereof. Examples of thermoplastic gas barrier polymers include thermoplastic vinyl homopolymers and copolymers, thermoplastic acrylic homopolymers and copolymers, thermoplastic amine homopolymers and copolymers, thermoplastic polyolefin homopolymers and copolymers, and mixtures thereof. In one example, one or more gas barrier polymers include one or more thermoplastic polyethylene copolymers or are substantially composed of one or more thermoplastic polyethylene copolymers, such as, for example, one or more thermoplastic ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers. One or more ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers may include an ethylene content of from about 28 mol % to about 44 mol %, or an ethylene content of from about 32 mol % to about 44 mol %. In another example, one or more gas barrier polymers may include one or more polyethylene imines, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene oxide, polyacrylamide, polyamidoamine, or any combination thereof or are substantially composed thereof.

[0041] The polymer sheet of the present disclosure is elastomeric. In some aspects, the polymer sheet is composed of one or more elastomeric materials, wherein the elastomeric material individually includes a polymer component, which includes one or more elastomeric polymers or is composed of one or more elastomeric polymers, such as one or more thermoplastic elastomers. In other words, in some aspects, the polymer sheet includes one or more layers of elastomeric materials and does not contain the gas barrier material described herein. In other aspects, the polymer sheet is a multilayer film including a gas barrier material layer alternating with an elastomeric material layer, wherein the elastomeric material includes a polymer component, which includes at least one elastomer or is essentially composed of at least one elastomer. Many gas barrier compounds are brittle and / or relatively hard, and therefore when subjected to repeated, excessive stress loads, such as stress loads that may be generated during the flexure and release of the multilayer film, one or more barrier layers may be prone to cracking. Compared with a film without an elastomer second layer, a multilayer film including one or more barrier layers alternating with a second layer of an elastomeric material produces a multilayer film that can better withstand repeated flexing and release while maintaining its gas barrier properties.

[0042] Elastomeric material comprises polymer component or is made up of polymer component, and wherein polymer component comprises one or more elastomers or is basically made up of one or more elastomers.In one aspect, the polymer component of elastomeric material comprises one or more thermoplastic elastomers or is basically made up of one or more thermoplastic elastomers.Elastomeric material can be described as comprising the polymer component that is made up of all polymers present in elastomeric material.In an example, the polymer component of elastomeric material is made up of one or more elastomers.Alternatively, elastomeric material can also comprise one or more non-polymer additives, such as filler, processing aid and / or coloring agent.

[0043] Many polymers suitable for elastomeric materials are known in the art. The exemplary polymers that can be included in the elastomeric material include polyolefins, polyamides, polycarbonates, polyimines, polyesters, polyacrylates, polyesters, polyethers, polystyrenes, polyureas and polyurethanes, including their homopolymers and copolymers (for example, polyolefin homopolymers, polyolefin copolymers, etc.), and combinations thereof. In an example, the elastomeric material includes one or more polymers or is substantially composed of one or more polymers, which are selected from polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polystyrenes and polyurethanes, including their homopolymers and copolymers, and combinations thereof. In another example, the polymer component of the elastomeric material is composed of one or more thermoplastic polymers or one or more elastomers or one or more thermoplastic elastomers, including thermoplastic vulcanizates. Alternatively, the one or more polymers of the elastomeric material can include one or more thermosetting or thermosetting elastomers, such as for example natural rubber and synthetic rubber, including butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, silicone rubber, etc.

[0044] Polyolefins are a class of polymers including monomeric units derived from simple olefins such as ethylene, propylene and butene. The polymer component of the elastomeric material may include or consist of one or more polyolefin elastomers, including one or more thermoplastic polyolefin elastomers. Examples of thermoplastic polyolefins include polyethylene homopolymers, polypropylene homopolymers, polypropylene copolymers (including polyethylene-polypropylene copolymers), polybutene, ethylene-octene copolymers, olefin block copolymers; propylene-butane copolymers and combinations thereof, including blends of polyethylene homopolymers and polypropylene homopolymers. Examples of polyolefin elastomers include polyisobutylene elastomers, poly(α-olefin) elastomers, ethylene propylene elastomers, ethylene propylene diene monomer elastomers and combinations thereof.

[0045] Polyamide is a class of polymers comprising monomeric units connected by amide bonds. Naturally occurring polyamides include proteins such as wool and silk, and synthetic amides such as nylon and aramid. One or more polymer components of elastomeric materials can include thermoplastic polyamides, such as nylon 6, nylon 6-6, nylon-11, and thermoplastic polyamide copolymers. Polyamide can be a polyamide elastomer, such as a thermoplastic polyamide elastomer.

[0046] Polyesters are a class of polymers that include monomer units derived from ester functional groups and are typically prepared by condensing dibasic acids such as, for example, terephthalic acid with one or more polyols. In one example, the second material may include or consist essentially of one or more thermoplastic polyester elastomers. Examples of polyester polymers include homopolymers such as polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyterephthalic acid-1,4-cyclohexylene-dimethylene ester, and copolymers such as polyester polyurethanes. The polymer component of the elastomeric material may include or consist of a polyester elastomer, such as a thermoplastic polyester elastomer.

[0047] Styrene polymers are polymers of a class including monomeric units derived from styrene. One or more second polymers can include styrene homopolymers, styrene random copolymers, styrene block copolymers or combinations thereof, or are substantially composed of them. Examples of styrene polymers include styrene 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 butadiene styrene block copolymers, styrene ethylene propylene styrene block copolymers, styrene butadiene styrene block copolymers, and combinations thereof. The polymer component of the elastomeric material can include styrene elastomers or be composed of styrene elastomers, such as thermoplastic styrene elastomers.

[0048] Polyurethane is a class of polymers including monomer units linked by urethane bonds. Polyurethane is most commonly formed by reacting polyisocyanates (e.g., diisocyanates or triisocyanates) with polyols (e.g., diols or triols) optionally in the presence of a chain extender. The monomer units derived from polyisocyanates are commonly referred to as the hard segments of polyurethanes, while the monomer units derived from polyols are commonly referred to as the soft segments of polyurethanes. The hard segments can be derived from aliphatic polyisocyanates, or organic isocyanates, or a mixture of the two. The soft segments can be derived from saturated polyols, or unsaturated polyols such as polydiene polyols, or a mixture of the two. When a multilayer film is bonded to natural or synthetic rubber, including a soft segment derived from one or more polydiene polyols, when rubber and film are cross-linked in contact with each other, such as in a vulcanization process, the combination between rubber and film can be promoted. The polymer component of the elastomeric material can include a polyurethane elastomer or be composed of a polyurethane elastomer, such as a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer.

[0049] Barrier film, including barrier film of multilayer film, has the total thickness from about 40 microns to about 500 microns, or about 50 microns to about 400 microns, or about 60 microns to about 350 microns. In one aspect, each individual layer in the multiple layers of multilayer film has the thickness from about 0.001 micron to about 10 microns. For example, the thickness range of the individual barrier layer can be from about 0.001 micron to about 3 microns thick, or from about 0.5 micron to about 2 microns thick, or from about 0.5 micron to about 1 micron thick. The thickness range of the individual second layer can be from about 2 microns to about 8 microns thick, or from about 2 microns to about 4 microns thick. The thickness of the film and / or their individual layers can be measured by any method known in the art, such as for example ASTM E252, ASTM D6988, ASTMD8136 or using an optical microscope or an electron microscope.

[0050] The polymer sheet including the multilayer film has a Shore hardness of from about 35 A to about 95 A, alternatively from about 55 A to about 90 A. Hardness may be measured using the Shore A scale using ASTM D2240.

[0051] When a coextrusion process is used to form a polymeric sheet, such as when a barrier film is formed from a plurality of alternating barrier and second layers, the barrier material can have a melt flow index of from about 5 to about 7 grams per 10 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius when a 2.16 kilogram weight is used. When used alone or in combination with a barrier material, the elastomeric material can have a melt flow index of from about 20 to about 30 grams per 10 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius when a 2.16 kilogram weight is used. In further aspects, when a layered film including a barrier material is used, the melt flow index of the barrier material can be from about 80% to about 120% of the melt flow index of the elastomeric material per 10 minutes when a 2.16 kilogram weight is used when measured at 190 degrees Celsius. In these aspects, the melt flow index can be measured using ASTM D1238. Alternatively or additionally, the barrier material or the elastomeric material or both have a melting temperature from about 165 degrees Celsius to about 183 degrees Celsius, or from about 155 degrees Celsius to about 165 degrees Celsius. The barrier material may have a melting temperature from about 165 degrees Celsius to about 183 degrees Celsius. The elastomeric material may have a melting temperature from about 155 degrees Celsius to about 165 degrees Celsius. The melting temperature may be measured using ASTM D3418.

[0052] In some embodiments, reinforcing threads or yarn strands 62 may be formed of a polymer material comprising a polymer selected from polyamides, polyesters, polyurethanes, polyolefins, and combinations thereof. In other embodiments, threads or yarn strands 62 may comprise carbon fibers, spunglass fibers, etc. Threads or yarn strands 62 may be selected to meet certain minimum durability requirements for a given intended use.

[0053] Although each constituent wire or yarn strand 62 can be laid individually, manufacturing efficiency and production cycle time can be improved if the wire or yarn strand 62 is positioned collectively through the polymer sheet. Co-positioning can be achieved by using unidirectional plies, laminates formed by multiple unidirectional plies (i.e., each having a different common orientation), textiles including non-woven textiles, woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, crocheted fabrics, etc. In some embodiments, to facilitate bonding with the polymer sheets 40, 42, the wire or yarn strand 62 of the reinforcement layer can be coated or impregnated with a thermoplastic material before thermal bonding to the polymer sheet.

[0054] In some embodiments, the filaments or yarn strands 62 can exhibit a nonlinear stretch profile such that the effective modulus of the filaments or yarn strands 62 increases significantly after a certain amount of strain. These filaments or yarn strands 62 can include filaments or yarn strands 62, or configurations of filaments or yarn strands 62 that have nonlinear elasticity, filaments or yarns with very low or no elongation, coiled filaments or yarns, loosely woven or knitted yarns, etc. With a nonlinear stretch profile, the cushioning structure 10 can inflate more easily during the initial introduction of the pressurized fluid, but once a threshold inflation is reached, the properties of the filaments or yarn strands 62 or the properties of the configuration of the filaments or yarn strands 62 can engage or stiffen and help the cushioning structure resist further inflation.

[0055] In some embodiments, in addition to structurally reinforcing the cushioning structure, the reinforcing layer can be used to help secure the cushioning structure to an adjacent component. For example, in one configuration, the thread or yarn strand 62, or a textile including the thread or yarn strand 62, can be used to secure the cushioning structure to an adjacent component. For example, the thread or yarn strand 62, or a textile including the thread or yarn strand 62, can be used to thermally bond or knit, weave, or sew the cushioning structure to another component, such as an adjacent textile.

[0056] When inflated, the cushioning structure can expand based at least in part on the material elasticity of the polymer sheet. If the outer reinforcement layer 60 is oriented to provide a sheet with a substantially isotropic in-plane elastic modulus, then the dimensional expansion of the cushioning structure should be approximately uniform and symmetrical, such as Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown. In such an embodiment, the final geometry of the bladder 10 can be similar to a bladder in which the wire or yarn strands 62 are omitted, however, the internal fluid pressure required to achieve equal or similar lateral deformations will also increase as the modulus of the polymer material increases. For example, in a non-reinforced design, the maximum operating pressure of the cushioning structure can be approximately 15 to 20 psi, while in a reinforced configuration, the operating pressure to achieve a similar shape can be approximately 40 to 50 psi. At higher operating pressures, the cushioning structure can more effectively return energy to the wearer of the footwear article including the cushioning structure during actions such as running, jumping, or cutting, where dynamic impact loads are applied to the bladder 10.

[0057] While the ability to achieve increased working pressures is one benefit of external reinforcements, in other embodiments, the spacing, arrangement, and / or elasticity of the constituent yarn strands 62 can be used to alter the inflation dynamics and / or final geometry of the bladder. More specifically, by applying reinforcement layers only to selected areas of the polymer sheet, the elastic modulus in these areas can be increased, which can result in greater localized working pressures or relatively smaller inflation displacements than areas lacking reinforcement layers. In addition, by controlling the orientation of the filaments or yarn strands 62, anisotropic inflation / stretching dynamics can be introduced.

[0058] Figure 5A and Figure 5B A footwear article 300 is schematically depicted having a sole structure 12 with a plurality of discrete reinforcement bladders 302. In the illustrated embodiment, three pods of fluidly connected chambers are provided. A first bladder pod 304 having six discrete chambers 306 is provided in the heel region 20 of the sole structure 12, a second bladder pod 308 having three chambers 306 is provided in the forefoot region 16 on the medial side 22 of the sole structure 12, and a third bladder pod 310 having three chambers 306 is provided in the forefoot region 16 on the lateral side 24 of the sole structure 12. In this design, each chamber 306 may be externally reinforced on the outside of an upper surface / uppermost polymer sheet 312 and a lower surface / lowermost polymer sheet 314.

[0059] As best illustrated in the schematic exploded view 320 provided in FIG. 16B , each of the three capsule pods 304, 308, 310 can be disposed between an upper plate 322 and a lower plate 324. These plates 322, 324 are sufficiently rigid so as to cause compression of the corresponding capsule chamber when a dynamic compression / impact load is applied via the wearer's foot. In this embodiment, each pod can maintain a static pressure between about 30psi and about 60psi. In some embodiments, in order to focus the compression load more on each chamber 306, each chamber 306 can be mounted between relative posts 326. Each post 326 can have a diameter (or more generally, a perimeter) that is less than the corresponding diameter (or perimeter) of the chamber 306. In some embodiments, the diameter or perimeter of the post 326 can be less than about 70% of the diameter or perimeter of the chamber 306. In other embodiments, the diameter or perimeter of the post 326 can be less than about 50% of the diameter or perimeter of the chamber 306. While posts are not strictly required to utilize these designs, as the internal pressure of the bladder increases, the load concentration / pressure increase feature may be desired to increase the amount of compressive deformation during impact.

[0060] exist Figure 5A and Figure 5BIn the design provided in , the sole structure 12 may also include one or both of an upper midsole cushioning component 330 between the upper plate 322 and the upper 26 and a lower midsole cushioning component 332 between the lower plate 324 and the outsole 30. These midsole cushioning components 330, 332 may be formed of a foamed polymer material selected to dampen impact forces while ideally returning energy to the wearer's foot upon rebounding from an impact. Referring again to Figure 5A In some embodiments, the lower and / or upper posts 326 may be at least partially hidden from view by recessing the respective plates 322, 324 into the upper / lower midsole cushioning components 330, 332. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower plate 324 is recessed into the lower midsole cushioning component 332 to a point where the bladder's bonding flange 44 is approximately flush with the top of the lower midsole cushioning component 332.

[0061] While prior disclosures generally focus on integrating multiple reinforcing fibers into a polymer sheet forming a bladder, in some embodiments, additional films or sheets having linear or nonlinear stiffness may be provided locally or regionally in a similar manner to vary dimensional stiffness in a polymer sheet.

[0062] In order to assist and clarify the description of various embodiments, various terms are defined herein. Unless otherwise indicated, the following definitions apply to the entire specification (including claims). In addition, all references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0063] "Articles of footwear," "articles of footwear manufacturing," and "footwear" may be considered to be machines and manufactures. Assembled ready-to-wear articles of footwear (e.g., shoes, sandals, boots, etc.) and discrete components of articles of footwear (e.g., midsoles, outsoles, upper components, etc.) prior to final assembly into ready-to-wear articles of footwear are considered herein and are alternatively referred to in the singular or plural as "articles of footwear."

[0064] "A", "an", "the", "at least one" and "one or more" are used interchangeably to indicate that there is at least one item. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, there may be multiple such items. Unless the context, including the appended claims, clearly or explicitly indicates otherwise, all numerical values ​​of parameters (such as amounts or conditions) in this specification should be understood to be modified by the term "about" in all cases, regardless of whether "about" actually appears before the numerical value. "Approximately" indicates that the stated numerical value allows some slight imprecision (close to exact in value; close to or quite close to the value; almost). If the imprecision provided by "about" is not understood in the art with this ordinary meaning, "about" as used herein at least indicates the variation that can be caused by the ordinary methods of measuring and using such parameters. In addition, the disclosure of a range should be understood to specifically disclose all values ​​within the range and further divided ranges.

[0065] The terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements or components. When possible, the order of steps, processes and operations may be changed, and additional or alternative steps may be adopted. As used in this specification, the term "or" includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items. The term "any of..." should be understood to include any possible combination of the referenced items, including "any of" the referenced items. The term "any of..." should be understood to include any possible combination of the referenced claims of the appended claims, including "any of" the referenced claims.

[0066] For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives may be employed throughout the detailed description corresponding to the illustrated embodiments. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as "above," "below," "upwardly," "downwardly," "top," "bottom," etc. may be used descriptively with respect to the drawings without implying a limitation on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0067] The term "longitudinal" refers to a direction extending along the length of a component. For example, the longitudinal direction of a shoe extends between the forefoot region and the heel region of the shoe. The terms "forward" or "front" are used to refer to the general direction from the heel region toward the forefoot region, while the terms "rearward" or "back" are used to refer to the opposite direction, that is, the direction from the forefoot region toward the heel region. In some cases, a component may be identified as having a longitudinal axis and a front-to-back longitudinal direction along the axis. The longitudinal direction or axis may also be referred to as the front-to-back direction or axis.

[0068] The term "lateral" refers to a direction extending along the width of a component. For example, the lateral direction of a shoe extends between the lateral side and the medial side of the shoe. The lateral direction or axis may also be referred to as the lateral direction or axis or the mediolateral direction or axis.

[0069] The term "vertical" refers to a direction that is generally perpendicular to the lateral and longitudinal directions. For example, in the case where the sole is lying flat on the ground surface, the vertical direction may extend upward from the ground surface. It should be understood that each of these directional adjectives may be applied to individual components of the sole. The term "upward" or "upwardly" refers to a vertical direction pointing toward the top of the component, which may include the instep, the fastening area, and / or the throat of the upper. The term "downward" or "downwardly" refers to a vertical direction pointing toward the bottom of the component opposite to the upward direction, and may generally be directed toward the bottom of the sole structure of a footwear article.

[0070] The "inside" of a footwear article, such as a shoe, refers to the portion of the space occupied by the wearer's foot when the shoe is worn. The "inside" of a component refers to the side or surface of the component that is oriented toward (or will be oriented toward) the inside of the component or footwear article in the assembled footwear article. The "outside" or "outside" of a component refers to the side or surface of the component that is oriented away from (or will be away from) the inside of the shoe in the assembled shoe. In some cases, other components may be between the inside of the component and the inside of the assembled footwear article. Similarly, other components may be between the outside of the component and the space outside the assembled footwear article. In addition, the terms "inward" and "inwardly" refer to the direction toward the inside of a component or footwear article such as a shoe, and the terms "outward" and "outwardly" refer to the direction toward the outside of a component or footwear article such as a shoe. In addition, the term "proximal" refers to the direction closer to the center of a footwear component, or the direction closer to the foot when the footwear article is worn by a user and the foot is inserted into the footwear article. Likewise, the term "distal" refers to a relative position further away from the center of a footwear component, or further away from the foot when the footwear is worn by a user and the foot is inserted into the footwear. Therefore, the terms proximal and distal can be understood as providing generally relative terms to describe relative spatial positions.

[0071] Although various embodiments have been described, the description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other embodiments and implementations within the scope of the embodiments are possible. Unless explicitly limited, any feature of any embodiment may be used in combination with any other feature or element in any other embodiment or replace any other feature or element in any other embodiment. Therefore, these embodiments are not limited except in accordance with the appended claims and their equivalents. Moreover, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

[0072] Although several modes for implementing aspects of the present teachings have been described in detail, those skilled in the art to which these teachings relate will recognize various alternative aspects for practicing the present teachings within the scope of the appended claims. It is intended that all content contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and exemplary of the entire range of alternative embodiments that will be recognized by those skilled in the art, which are implied by the included content, structurally and / or functionally equivalent, or otherwise presented as obvious based on the included content, and are not limited to only those embodiments explicitly depicted and / or described.

[0073] The following clauses present various embodiments of the present technology and are intended to be read in light of the foregoing disclosure and the accompanying drawings.

[0074] Item 1. A cushioning structure comprising: an external reinforced bladder, the external reinforced bladder comprising: a first polymer sheet and a second polymer sheet, each polymer sheet comprising an inner surface and an opposite outer surface; a first reinforcement layer in contact with the outer surface of the first polymer sheet, the first reinforcement layer having a greater modulus than the first polymer sheet; and a second reinforcement layer in contact with the outer surface of the second polymer sheet, the second reinforcement layer having a greater modulus than the second polymer sheet; and wherein the bladder comprises: one or more chambers, at which the inner surface of the first polymer sheet is spaced apart from the inner surface of the second polymer sheet to define an internal volume portion between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet; one or more bonding areas in a peripheral area surrounding the internal volume portion, at which the inner surface of the first polymer sheet contacts and is bonded to the inner surface of the second polymer sheet, the peripheral area forming a peripheral flange; wherein in the bladder, the first reinforcement layer is bonded to the first polymer sheet only at the peripheral flange; and the second reinforcement layer is bonded to the second polymer sheet only at the peripheral flange.

[0075] Clause 2. The cushioning structure according to clause 1, further comprising: an anti-welding material disposed between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet in a central region of the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet, the anti-welding material being operable to inhibit thermal fusion of the first polymer sheet with the second polymer sheet at any place where the anti-welding material is present;

[0076] Clause 3. The cushioning structure of Clause 1, further comprising a fluid provided within the interior volume, and wherein the fluid is pressurized to a relative pressure of from about 20 psi to about 60 psi.

[0077] Item 4. A cushioning structure according to Item 1, wherein the first polymer sheet includes a first inflatable portion and the second polymer sheet includes a second inflatable portion, wherein the internal volume portion is formed between the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion, and wherein the peripheral flange surrounds both the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion; wherein the first reinforcement layer contacts the first inflatable portion but is not directly bonded to the first inflatable portion; and wherein the second reinforcement layer contacts the second inflatable portion but is not directly bonded to the second inflatable portion.

[0078] Clause 5. The cushioning structure of Clause 1, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer each comprise a plurality of filaments or yarn strands, and wherein each filament or yarn strand is bonded to the peripheral flange.

[0079] Clause 6. The cushioning structure of Clause 5, wherein the plurality of filaments or yarn strands comprises a first group of unidirectional filaments or yarn strands each extending in a first direction and a second group of unidirectional filaments or yarn strands each extending in a second direction different from the first direction.

[0080] Clause 7. The cushioning structure of Clause 6, wherein the first reinforcement layer comprises a woven textile comprising a first set of unidirectional yarn strands woven with a second set of unidirectional yarn strands.

[0081] Clause 8. The cushioning structure of Clause 1, wherein each of the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet comprises a thermoplastic material comprising one or more thermoplastic polymers.

[0082] Item 9. A buffer structure according to Item 8, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer each include a plurality of filaments or yarn strands; wherein each individual filament or yarn strand of the plurality of filaments or yarn strands is bonded to the peripheral flange; and wherein each individual filament or yarn strand of the plurality of filaments or yarn strands includes a thermoplastic material.

[0083] Clause 10. The cushioning structure of Clause 9, wherein each of the individual filaments or yarn strands in the plurality of yarn strands is thermoplastic, or thermoplastic and elastomeric.

[0084] Item 11. The cushioning structure of Item 1 further comprises a non-foamed polymer upper plate disposed on a first side of the bladder and a non-foamed polymer lower plate disposed on an opposite second side of the bladder; wherein each of the upper plate and the lower plate is in contact with the bladder and is operable to apply a compressive load to the bladder.

[0085] Item 12. A buffer structure according to Item 11, wherein the upper plate includes an upper plate portion and a first boost protrusion, wherein the first boost protrusion extends from the upper plate portion toward the lower plate and contacts the central area of ​​the first polymer sheet; and wherein the lower plate includes a lower plate portion and a second boost protrusion, wherein the second boost protrusion extends from the lower plate portion toward the upper plate and contacts the central area of ​​the second polymer sheet; and wherein when a compressive load is applied between the upper plate and the lower plate, the first boost protrusion and the second boost protrusion are capable of operating to impact the bladder.

[0086] Clause 13. The cushioning structure of Clause 12, further comprising a polymer foam cushioning element in contact with the upper plate on a side of the plate opposite the bladder.

[0087] Clause 14. The cushioning structure of Clause 1, further comprising a weld-resistant material between an outer surface of the first polymer sheet and the first reinforcement layer and between an outer surface of the second polymer sheet and the second reinforcement layer.

[0088] Clause 15. The cushioning structure of Clause 1, wherein the cushioning structure is a cushioning structure for an article of apparel or athletic equipment.

[0089] Clause 16. The cushioning structure of Clause 1, wherein the cushioning structure is a sole structure for an article of footwear, or is a component of a sole structure for an article of footwear.

[0090] Clause 17. An article of footwear, apparel or sports equipment comprising a cushioning structure according to any one of Clauses 1 to 17.

[0091] Clause 18. A method of manufacturing a cushioning structure, the method comprising: forming an external reinforcement bladder by assembling a stack comprising a first polymer sheet, a second polymer sheet, a first reinforcement layer, and a second reinforcement layer, wherein in the assembled stack, each polymer sheet comprises an inner surface and an opposing outer surface; the first reinforcement layer is in contact with the outer surface of the first polymer sheet, the first reinforcement layer having a greater modulus than the first polymer sheet; the second reinforcement layer is in contact with the outer surface of the second polymer sheet, the second reinforcement layer having a greater modulus than the second polymer sheet; and bonding the layers of the assembled stack together into the external reinforcement bladder, wherein the external reinforcement bladder comprises one or more chambers, wherein The inner surface of the first polymer sheet at the one or more chambers is spaced apart from the inner surface of the second polymer sheet to define an internal volume portion between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet; at one or more bonding areas in the peripheral area surrounding the internal volume portion, the inner surface of the first polymer sheet contacts and is bonded to the inner surface of the second polymer sheet at the one or more bonding areas, and the peripheral area forms a peripheral flange; wherein in the external reinforcement bladder, the first reinforcement layer is bonded to the first polymer sheet only at the peripheral flange; and the second reinforcement layer is bonded to the second polymer sheet only at the peripheral flange.

[0092] Clause 19. The method of Clause 18, wherein the bonding step comprises thermal bonding by softening or melting the first polymer sheet, the second polymer sheet, or both the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet.

[0093] Clause 20. The method of Clause 18, wherein the cushioning structure is a cushioning structure for an article of footwear, apparel, or athletic equipment.

Claims

1. A buffer structure, comprising: An externally reinforced bladder, the bladder comprising: a first polymer sheet and a second polymer sheet, each polymer sheet comprising an inner surface and an opposing outer surface; a first reinforcement layer in contact with an outer surface of the first polymer sheet, the first reinforcement layer having a greater modulus than the first polymer sheet; and a second reinforcement layer in contact with an outer surface of the second polymer sheet, the second reinforcement layer having a greater modulus than the second polymer sheet; and wherein the capsule comprises: one or more interior volumes at which an interior surface of the first polymer sheet is spaced apart from an interior surface of the second polymer sheet to define the interior volume between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet; one or more peripheral flanges where the inner surface of the first polymer sheet contacts and is bonded to the inner surface of the second polymer sheet, and wherein each of the one or more peripheral flanges surrounds a respective one of the one or more interior volumes; wherein in said bladder, said first reinforcement layer is bonded to said first polymer sheet only at said peripheral flange; The second reinforcement layer is bonded to the second polymer sheet only at the peripheral flange.

2. The buffer structure according to claim 1, further comprising: an anti-welding material disposed between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet within a central region of the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet, wherein the central region of the first polymer sheet is aligned with the central region of the second polymer sheet to define the interior volume therebetween, and wherein the anti-welding material is operable to inhibit thermal fusing of the first polymer sheet to the second polymer sheet wherever the anti-welding material is present.

3. The cushioning structure of claim 1, further comprising a fluid disposed within the interior volume, and wherein the fluid is pressurized to a relative pressure of from about 20 psi to about 60 psi.

4. The cushioning structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet includes a respective central region, wherein the interior volume is formed between the central region of the first polymer sheet and the central region of the second polymer sheet, and wherein the peripheral flange surrounds both the central region of the first polymer sheet and the central region of the second polymer sheet; wherein the first reinforcement layer contacts the central region of the first polymer sheet but is not directly bonded to the central region of the first polymer sheet; Wherein the second reinforcement layer contacts the central region of the second polymer sheet but is not directly bonded to the central region of the second polymer sheet.

5. The cushioning structure of claim 1, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer each comprise a plurality of filaments or yarn strands, and wherein each filament or yarn strand is bonded to the peripheral flange.

6. A buffering structure according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of threads or yarn strands include a first group of unidirectional threads or yarn strands and a second group of unidirectional threads or yarn strands, each of the first group of unidirectional threads or yarn strands extending along a first direction, and each of the second group of unidirectional threads or yarn strands extending along a second direction different from the first direction.

7. The cushioning structure of claim 6, wherein the first reinforcement layer comprises a woven textile comprising a first set of unidirectional yarn strands woven with a second set of unidirectional yarn strands.

8. The cushioning structure of claim 1 , wherein the first polymer sheet comprises a first thermoplastic material and the second polymer sheet comprises a second polymer material; Wherein the first thermoplastic material is the same as the second thermoplastic material, or wherein the first thermoplastic material is different from the second thermoplastic material.

9. The cushioning structure of claim 8, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer each comprise a plurality of filaments or yarn strands; wherein each individual thread or yarn strand of said plurality of threads or yarn strands is bonded to said peripheral flange; and Wherein each individual filament or yarn strand of the plurality of yarn strands comprises a thermoplastic material.

10. The cushioning structure of claim 9, wherein each individual filament or yarn strand of the plurality of yarn strands is thermoplastic, or thermoplastic and elastomeric.

11. The cushioning structure of claim 1 , further comprising an upper polymer plate disposed on a first side of the bladder and a lower non-foamed polymer plate disposed on an opposing second side of the bladder; Each of the upper plate and the lower plate is in contact with the bladder and is operable to apply a compressive load to the bladder.

12. The cushioning structure according to claim 11, wherein the upper plate comprises an upper plate portion and a first pressurizing protrusion, wherein the first pressurizing protrusion extends from the upper plate portion toward the lower plate and contacts the central area of ​​the first polymer sheet; wherein the lower plate comprises a lower plate portion and a second pressurizing protrusion, wherein the second pressurizing protrusion extends from the lower plate portion toward the upper plate and contacts a central area of ​​the second polymer sheet; Wherein the first and second pressurizing projections are operable to impact the bladder when a compressive load is applied between the upper plate and the lower plate.

13. The cushioning structure of claim 12 further comprising a polymer foam cushioning element in contact with the upper plate on a side of the upper plate opposite the bladder.

14. The cushioning structure of claim 1, further comprising a weld-resistant material between an outer surface of the first polymer sheet and the first reinforcement layer and between an outer surface of the second polymer sheet and the second reinforcement layer.

15. The cushioning structure of claim 1, wherein the cushioning structure is a cushioning structure for an article of clothing or athletic equipment.

16. The cushioning structure of claim 1, wherein the cushioning structure is a sole structure for an article of footwear, or is a component of a sole structure for an article of footwear.

17. A method for manufacturing a buffer structure, the method comprising: The externally reinforced bladder is formed by the following steps: assembling a stack comprising a first polymer sheet, a second polymer sheet, a first reinforcement layer, and a second reinforcement layer, wherein in the assembled stack, each polymer sheet comprises an inner surface and an opposing outer surface; The first reinforcement layer is in contact with the outer surface of the first polymer sheet, the first reinforcement layer having a greater modulus than the first polymer sheet; The second reinforcement layer is in contact with the outer surface of the second polymer sheet, the second reinforcement layer having a greater modulus than the second polymer sheet; as well as The assembled stacked layers are bonded together into the externally reinforced bladder, wherein the externally reinforced bladder comprises one or more interior volumes at which an interior surface of the first polymer sheet is spaced apart from an interior surface of the second polymer sheet to define the interior volume between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet; one or more peripheral flanges where the inner surface of the first polymer sheet contacts and is bonded to the inner surface of the second polymer sheet, and wherein each of the one or more peripheral flanges surrounds a respective one of the one or more interior volumes; wherein in said externally reinforced bladder, said first reinforcement layer is bonded to said first polymer sheet only at said peripheral flange; The second reinforcement layer is bonded to the second polymer sheet only at the peripheral flange.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the bonding step comprises thermal bonding by softening or melting the first polymer sheet, the second polymer sheet, or both the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the cushioning structure is a cushioning structure for an article of footwear, apparel, or athletic equipment.

20. A footwear article comprising: an upper adapted to be secured about a wearer's foot; as well as A sole structure connected to the upper, the sole structure comprising a cushioning structure, the cushioning structure comprising: An externally reinforced bladder, the externally reinforced bladder comprising: a first polymer sheet and a second polymer sheet, each polymer sheet comprising an inner surface and an opposing outer surface; a first reinforcement layer in contact with an outer surface of the first polymer sheet, the first reinforcement layer having a greater modulus than the first polymer sheet; and a second reinforcement layer in contact with an outer surface of the second polymer sheet, the second reinforcement layer having a greater modulus than the second polymer sheet; and wherein the capsule comprises: one or more interior volumes at which an interior surface of the first polymer sheet is spaced apart from an interior surface of the second polymer sheet to define the one or more interior volumes between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet; one or more peripheral flanges where the inner surface of the first polymer sheet contacts and is bonded to the inner surface of the second polymer sheet, and wherein each of the one or more peripheral flanges surrounds a respective one of the one or more interior volumes; wherein in said bladder, said first reinforcement layer is bonded to said first polymer sheet only at said peripheral flange; and The second reinforcement layer is bonded to the second polymer sheet only at the peripheral flange.

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