Sole structure of footwear products

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes an upper cushion extending from a first end to a second end, a lower cushion including a tray having a first segment attached to the upper cushion adjacent the first end and 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

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This PCT international application claims priority under Title 35, U.S. Code, Section 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 146,953, filed February 8, 2021, which claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 666,337, filed February 7, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates generally to articles of footwear, and specifically to sole structures for articles of footwear. [Background technology]

[0003] This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.

[0004] Traditionally, an article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure. The upper may be formed from any suitable material(s) to accommodate, 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. The bottom of the upper, proximal to the bottom of the foot, is attached to the sole structure.

[0005] The sole structure generally includes a layered arrangement extending between the ground and the upper. For example, the sole structure may include a midsole and an outsole. The midsole is generally disposed between the outsole and the upper and provides cushioning for the foot. The midsole may include a pressurized, fluid-filled chamber that elastically compresses under an applied load to cushion the foot by attenuating ground reaction forces. The outsole provides abrasion resistance and traction with the ground and may be formed of rubber or other materials that not only impart durability and abrasion resistance but also improve traction with the ground. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a side view of an article of footwear including an example sole structure according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a medial side view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the upper side of the sole structure of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the bottom medial side of the sole structure of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the sole structure of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view of the sole structure of FIG. 1 taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view of the sole structure of FIG. 1 taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5. [Figure 8] 8 is a cross-sectional view of the sole structure of FIG. 1 taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 5. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view of the sole structure of FIG. 1 taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 5. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a top view of the cushioning element of the sole structure of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The exemplary configurations will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The exemplary 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, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, will be described to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed configurations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that specific details need not be employed, that the exemplary configurations can be embodied in many different forms, and that the specific details and exemplary configurations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention.

[0008] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example configurations only and is not limiting. As used herein, the singular articles "a," "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The terms "comprise," "including," "comprising," and "having" are inclusive and thus specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude 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 them to be performed in the particular order described or illustrated, unless explicitly identified as an order of execution. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0009] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on" or "engaged," "coupled," "applied," or "bonded" to another element or layer, it can be directly on, engaged, coupled, attached, or bonded to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged," "directly coupled," "directly attached," or "directly bonded" to another element or layer, there may not be intervening elements or layers. Other words used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted similarly (i.e., "between" vs. "directly between," "adjacent" vs. "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0010] Terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used 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 used only to distinguish an 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 context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or section described below could be referred to as a second component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of the example configurations.

[0011] In one configuration, a sole structure for an article of footwear is provided, including an upper cushion extending from a first end to a second end, a lower cushion including a tray having a first segment attached to the upper cushion adjacent the first end and 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.

[0012] Embodiments of this aspect of the present disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features: A 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.

[0013] In one configuration, the lower cushion may include a support portion attached to the upper cushion, in which case the tray may be cantilevered from the support portion.

[0014] The at least one bladder may include a first bladder disposed inside the sole structure and a second bladder disposed outside the sole structure. The tray may include a first socket for accommodating the first bladder and a second socket for accommodating the second bladder. Additionally or alternatively, at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion may include an outer periphery having a plurality of dimples. The dimples may be arranged in a plurality of rows and columns.

[0015] The outsole can be positioned opposite the at least one bladder of the lower cushion. Additionally or alternatively, the tray of the lower cushion can include a foam material.

[0016] In another configuration, a sole structure for an article of footwear is provided and includes a cushion arrangement including: (i) an upper cushion including a top surface and a lower surface formed opposite the top surface, (ii) a lower cushion including a bottom surface and an upper surface formed opposite 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, wherein at least one bladder is disposed in the socket between the upper cushion and the lower cushion.

[0017] Embodiments of this aspect of the present 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.

[0018] In one configuration, the lower cushion may include a support portion attached to the upper cushion and a tray cantilevered from the support portion, and the tray may define a lower portion of the socket.

[0019] The at least one bladder may include a first bladder disposed inside the sole structure and a second bladder disposed outside the sole structure. An upper surface of the lower cushion may include a first socket for accommodating the first bladder and a second socket for accommodating the second bladder. Additionally or alternatively, at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion may include a peripheral surface having a plurality of dimples. The dimples of the plurality of dimples may be arranged in a plurality of rows and columns.

[0020] The outsole may be disposed adjacent a bottom surface of the lower cushion. Additionally or alternatively, at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion may include a foam material.

[0021] 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 become apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, article of footwear 10 includes a sole structure 100 and an upper 200 attached to sole structure 100. Footwear 10 may further include a front end 12 associated with the forward-most point of footwear 10 and a rear end 14 corresponding to the rear-most point of footwear 10. As shown in Figure 5, a longitudinal axis A of footwear 10 10 1. The longitudinal axis extends parallel to the ground along the length of footwear 10 from front end 12 to rear end 14 and generally divides footwear 10 into medial 16 and lateral 18. Thus, medial 16 and lateral 18 each correspond to opposite sides of footwear 10 and extend from front end 12 to rear end 14. As used herein, longitudinal refers to the direction extending from front end 12 to rear end 14, while lateral refers to the opposite direction from longitudinal, extending from medial 16 to lateral 18.

[0023] The article of footwear 10 may be divided into one or more regions. These regions may include a forefoot region 20, a midfoot region 22, and a heel region 24. The forefoot region 20 includes a toe area 20 corresponding to the phalanges. T and the ball of the foot, which corresponds to the metatarsal bones. BThe midfoot region 22 may correspond to the arch region of the foot, and the heel region 24 may correspond to the rear of the foot, including the calcaneus.

[0024] The sole structure 100 includes a midsole 102 configured to provide cushioning and support and an outsole 104 that defines the ground-engaging surface of the sole structure 100 (i.e., that contacts the ground during the stance phase of the gait cycle). Unlike conventional sole structures that include a one-piece midsole and outsole, the sole structure 100 of the present disclosure is configured as a composite structure that includes multiple components joined together. For example, the midsole 102 includes a resilient cushioning element or cushioning configuration 106, one or more bladders 108, and a plate 110. The outsole 104 may also include multiple outsole fragments attached to the midsole 102 to provide zonal traction and abrasion resistance.

[0025] 1 and 2 , cushioning element 106 of midsole 102 extends from a first end 112 at the forward end 12 of footwear 10 to a second end 114 at the rear end 14 of footwear 10, where second end 114 may define a protrusion 116 that extends beyond upper 200 at the rear end 14. Cushioning element 106 further includes a top side 118 that faces upper 200 and defines the outline of the footbed of sole structure 100, a bottom side 120 formed on the side of cushioning element 106 opposite top side 118 and that defines the outline of the ground contact surface of sole structure 100, and a perimeter side 122 that extends from top side 118 to bottom side 120 and defines the perimeter outline of sole structure 100.

[0026] Optionally, the perimeter side 122 of the cushioning element 106 may include a plurality of dimples 124 disposed along the heel region 24 between the top side 118 and the bottom side 120. In the illustrated example, the dimples 124 are arranged in an array including a plurality of rows and columns of dimples 124. When included, the dimples 124 improve the aerodynamics of the sole structure by disrupting airflow along the perimeter side 122 to minimize drag as the article of footwear 10 moves through the swing phase of the gait cycle.

[0027] As will be described in more detail below, the cushioning element 106 includes a receptacle 126 formed within the cushioning element 106 between the top side 118 and the bottom side 120 of the forefoot region 20. The receptacle 126 is configured to receive and support one or more bladders 108 within the cushioning element 106. In other words, the cushioning element 106 extends above the bladders 108 (i.e., between the bladders 108 and the upper 200) and below the bladders 108 (i.e., between the bladders 108 and the outsole 104).

[0028] While the cushioning element 106 may be formed as a unitary structure comprising a homogenous elastomeric material, the cushioning element 106 of this example may be defined in terms of multiple portions or subcomponents. For example, the cushioning element 106 includes an upper cushioning member or cushion 130 disposed adjacent the upper 200 and a lower cushioning member or cushion 132 disposed adjacent the 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 front segment 134 disposed at the first end 112 of the cushioning element 106 and a rear segment 136 disposed at the second end 114 of the cushioning element 106. As described in more detail below, the front segment 134 may be separated from the rear segment by a gap 138 extending from the medial side 16 to the lateral side 18 in the midfoot region 22.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 3-9 , the upper cushion member 130 extends continuously from the first end 112 of the cushion element 106 to the second end 114 of the cushion element 106. The upper cushion member 130 includes a top side 118 of the cushion element 106 and a bottom side 140 formed on the side of the upper cushion member 130 opposite the top side 118. An upper portion of the perimeter side 122 connects the top side 118 to the bottom side 140. As shown in FIG. 3 , the top side 118 of the upper cushion member 130 defines a footbed 142 of the sole structure 100. As shown in FIG. 4 , the bottom surface of the upper cushion member 130 includes an upper pocket 144 configured to receive an upper portion of the plate 110 when the sole structure 100 is assembled.

[0030] The upper cushion member 130 also defines an upper portion 116a of the rear projection 116. As shown, the upper portion 116a is formed where the top side 118 and the perimeter side 122 extend beyond the footbed 142 at the second end 114. Here, the distance between the portion of the perimeter side 122 on the medial side 16 and the portion of the perimeter side 122 on the lateral side 18 defines a width of the projection 116 that tapers along a direction from the footbed 142 to the second end 114. Similarly, the top side 118 and the lower side 140 of the upper cushion member 130 converge toward one another, providing the projection 116 with a tapered thickness along a direction from the footbed 142 to the second end 114.

[0031] 3-9 , the lower cushion member 132 and its segments 134, 136 may be described as comprising the bottom side 120 of the cushioning element 106. Furthermore, the segments 134, 136 may cooperate to define an upper side 150 of the lower cushion member 132 formed opposite the bottom side 120 of the lower cushion member 132. A lower portion of the perimeter side 122 connects the bottom side 120 and the upper side 150 along each of the segments 134, 136. When the sole structure 100 is assembled, the upper side 150 of the lower cushion member 132 is attached to the lower side 140 of the upper cushion member 130 to form the cushioning element 106.

[0032] An upper side 150 of lower cushion member 132 includes a lower pocket 152 configured to receive a lower portion of plate 110 when sole structure 100 is assembled. Lower cushion member 132 may be formed as a piecewise structure including a front segment 134 and a rear segment 136 separated from one another by a gap 138, such that a first portion of lower pocket 152 may be formed in the upper surface 150 of front segment 134 and a second portion of lower pocket 152 may be formed in the upper surface of rear segment 136.

[0033] The front segment 134 of the lower cushioning member 132 is disposed adjacent the first end 112 of the cushioning element 106. The front segment 134 extends from the first end 112 through the forefoot region 20 to a terminal end 154 adjacent to and facing the midfoot region 22. The front segment 134 extends from the first end 112 through the forefoot region 20 to a terminal end 154 facing the midfoot region 22. T a support portion 156 extending through the ball of the foot 20 B and a tray 158 extending from the support portion 156 to the end 154 through the toe portion 20. Generally, the thickness of the support portion 156 is such that the support portion 156 is T The tray 158 extends from the top side 150 to the bottom side 120 to provide cushioning and support through the support portion 156. Conversely, the tray 158 is formed by a portion of the front segment 134 that has a reduced thickness relative to the support portion 156. The tray 158 extends from the rear wall of the support portion 156 to the freely-hanging distal end 154 of the front segment 134. Thus, the tray 158 may be described as cantilevered from the rear wall of the support portion 156.

[0034] The tray 158 includes one or more recessed sockets 160 formed in the upper side 150 of the 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 in the front segment 134. The sockets 160 therefore cooperate with the plate 110 and / or the upper cushion member 130 to define the receptacles 126 for the cushioning element 106, as previously described. In the illustrated example, the tray 158 includes a pair of sockets 160 recessed from the upper side 150 such that the bladders 108 lie flush with the upper side 150 of the lower cushion member 132 when the sole structure 100 is assembled. Here, the first socket 160 is recessed from the ball of the foot 20. B The second socket 160 is disposed adjacent the medial side 16 of the sole structure 100 within the ball of the foot 20. B The socket 160 is positioned adjacent the lateral side 18 of the inner sole structure 100. As shown, the socket 160 is exposed at the end 154 along the outer and inner circumferential sides 122, such that when the sole structure 100 is assembled, the bladder 108 is visible along the end 154 and the medial and lateral sides 16, 18 and does not deflate.

[0035] Optionally, the sockets 160 may extend at least partially into the rear sidewall of the support portion 156 to define a peninsula-like region 162 in the rear sidewall of the support portion 156 extending at least partially between the inner and outer sockets 160, where the peninsula region 162 may include an opening 164 extending through the thickness of the front segment 134 from the top side 150 to the bottom side 120. The end 154 may also include a tapered notch 166 opposite the peninsula region 162 across the tray 158 and extending between the sockets 160, where the notch 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 a rotation or cutting operation).

[0036] Continuing to refer to FIGS. 3-9 , the rear segment 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 terminal end 168 facing the front segment 134 in the midfoot region 22. A portion of the upper side 150 of the lower cushioning member 132 formed by the rear segment 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 segment 136 forms a convex surface with a continuous curvature from the second end 114 to the terminal end 168. Thus, the rear segment 136 is configured to rotate and make continuous contact during the strike phase of the gait cycle. Here, the rear segment 136 forms the lower portion 116b of the protrusion 116 at the second end 114 of the cushioning element 106. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the curved bottom side 120 of the lower cushion member 132 converges toward the sloped top side 118 of the upper cushion member 130 and tapers to a thickness T along a direction from the footbed 142 to the second end 114. 116 A protrusion 116 having a

[0037] The rear segment 136 includes an elongated channel 170 formed in the bottom side 120 and extending from a terminal end 168 of the rear segment 136 into the heel region 24. The channel 170 has a tapered or triangular cross-section that extends from the bottom side 120 to an apex between the bottom side 120 and the top surface 150. The channel 170 is formed through the terminal end 168 of the rear segment 136 to define a notch 172 that extends through the terminal end 168 from the top surface 150 to the bottom surface. The channel 170 and the notch 172 cooperate to form articulatable medial and lateral lobes 174 that extend along the length of the rear segment 136.

[0038] As described above, the components 132, 134, 136 of the cushioning element 106 are formed of a resilient polymeric material, such as foam or rubber, to provide cushioning, responsiveness, and energy dispersion properties to the wearer's foot. In the illustrated example, the upper cushioning member 130 includes a first foam material, the front segment 134 of the lower cushioning member 132 includes a second foam material, and the rear segment 136 of the lower cushioning member 132 includes a third foam material. For example, the upper cushioning member 130 and the front segment 134 may include a first foam material that provides greater cushioning and impact dispersion, while the rear segment 136 includes a foam material with greater stiffness to increase stability in the heel region 24 of the sole structure 100.

[0039] Examples of resilient polymeric materials for cushioning element 106 include those based on foaming or molding of 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 mixtures of both, and may include homopolymers, copolymers (including terpolymers), or mixtures of both.

[0040] In some embodiments, the one or more polymers may comprise an olefin-based homopolymer, an olefin-based copolymer, or a blend thereof. Examples of olefin-based polymers include polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof. In other embodiments, the one or more polymers may comprise one or more ethylene copolymers, such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, EVOH copolymers, ethylene ethyl acrylate copolymers, ethylene-monounsaturated fatty acid copolymers, and combinations thereof.

[0041] In a further aspect, the one or more polymers may include one or more polyacrylates such as polyacrylic acid, esters of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylonitrile, polyacrylic acetate, polymethyl acrylate, polyethyl acrylate, polybutyl acrylate, polymethyl methacrylate, and polyvinyl acetate; derivatives thereof, copolymers thereof, and any combination thereof.

[0042] In still further aspects, the one or more polymers can include one or more ionomeric polymers. In these aspects, the ionomeric polymers can include polymers having carboxylic acid functional groups, sulfonic acid functional groups, salts thereof (e.g., sodium, magnesium, potassium, etc.), and / or anhydrides thereof. For example, the ionomeric polymer(s) can include one or more fatty acid-modified ionomeric polymers, polystyrene sulfonic acid, ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymers, and combinations thereof.

[0043] In a further aspect, the one or more polymers can include one or more 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 propylene styrene block copolymers, styrene butadiene styrene block copolymers, and combinations thereof.

[0044] In further embodiments, 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.

[0045] When the elastic polymeric material is a foamed polymeric material, the foamed material can be foamed using a physical foaming agent that undergoes a phase transition to a gas based on a change in temperature and / or pressure, or a chemical foaming agent that forms a gas when heated above an activation temperature. For example, the chemical foaming agent can be an azo compound such as azodicarbonamide, sodium bicarbonate, and / or an isocyanate.

[0046] In some embodiments, the foamed polymer material may be a crosslinked foamed material. In these embodiments, a peroxide-based crosslinking agent, such as dicumyl peroxide, may be used. Additionally, the foamed polymer material may include one or more fillers, such as pigments, modified or natural clays, modified or unmodified synthetic clays, talc, glass fiber, powdered glass, modified or natural silica, calcium carbonate, mica, paper, wood chips, and the like.

[0047] The elastomeric polymeric material may be formed using a molding process. In one example, where the elastomeric polymeric material is a molded elastomer, the uncured elastomer (e.g., rubber) may be mixed in a Banbury mixer with optional fillers and a cure package, such as a sulfur-based or peroxide-based cure package, calendared, molded, placed in a mold, and vulcanized.

[0048] In another example, if the elastic polymeric material is a foam material, the material can be foamed during a molding process, such as an injection molding process, where the thermoplastic polymeric material is melted in the barrel of an injection molding system, mixed with a physical or chemical blowing agent and optionally a crosslinking agent, and then injected into a mold under conditions that activate the blowing agent to form a molded foam.

[0049] Optionally, when the elastic polymeric material is a foam material, the foam material may be a compression molded foam. Compression molding may be used to modify the physical properties of the foam (density, stiffness, durometer, etc.), to modify the physical appearance of the foam (e.g., to fuse two or more foams together, to mold the foam, etc.), or both.

[0050] The compression molding process desirably begins with forming one or more foam preforms, such as by injection molding and foaming a polymeric material, forming foam particles or beads, cutting foam sheet stock, etc. The compression-molded foam may then be made by placing one or more preforms formed from the foamed polymeric material(s) into a compression mold and applying sufficient pressure to the one or more preforms to compress the one or more preforms within the closed mold. Once the mold is closed, sufficient heat and / or pressure is applied to the one or more preforms within the closed mold for a time sufficient to modify the preform(s) by forming a skin on the exterior of the compression-molded foam, fuse the individual foam particles to one another, permanently increase the density of the foam(s), or a combination thereof. Following application of heat and / or pressure, the mold is opened and the molded foam product is removed from the mold.

[0051] Continuing to refer to FIGS. 3-4, the plate 110 is positioned in the toe section 20 T1. The plate 110 extends from a first end 176 in the heel region 24 to a second end 178 in the heel region 24. The plate 110 includes a top side 180 and a bottom side 182 formed opposite the top side 180. The distance from the top side 180 to the bottom side 182 defines a thickness of the plate 110. An outer periphery extends between the top side 180 and the bottom side 182 and defines a peripheral contour of the plate 110, which corresponds to the peripheral contours of the upper and lower pockets 144, 152. The plate 110 may be embedded between the upper cushion member 130 and / or the lower cushion member 132, such that the top side 180 of the plate 110 is received in the upper pocket 144 and the bottom side 182 of the plate 110 is received in the lower pocket 152. Here, first end 176 of plate 110 is received within a portion of lower pocket 152 defined by front segment 134, and second end 178 of plate 110 is received within a portion of lower pocket 152 defined by rear segment 136. Accordingly, bottom side 182 of plate 110 is exposed to the ground (i.e., visible) through opening 164 in front segment 134 and gap 138 formed between front segment 134 and rear segment 136.

[0052] The plate 110 comprises a material that provides relatively high strength and stiffness, such as a polymeric material and / or a composite material. In some examples, the plate 110 is a composite material manufactured using a fiber sheet or fabric, including a pre-impregnated (i.e., "prepreg") fiber sheet or fabric. Alternatively or additionally, the plate 110 may be manufactured with strands formed from multiple filaments of one or more types of fiber (e.g., fiber tows) by fastening the fiber tows to a substrate or to each other to produce a plate having primarily fiber strands arranged at predetermined angles or positions. When fiber strands are used, the fiber types included in the strands include synthetic polymer fibers that can melt and resolidify to consolidate other fibers present in the strand and, optionally, other components, such as sewing threads or the substrate or both. Alternatively or additionally, after the fiber strands are fastened to the substrate and / or to each other, a resin can be applied to consolidate the fibers of the strands and, optionally, other components, such as sewing threads or the substrate or both.

[0053] In some embodiments, plate 110 has a substantially uniform thickness. In some examples, the thickness of plate 110 ranges from about 0.6 millimeters (mm) to about 3.0 mm. In one example, the thickness of plate 110 is substantially equal to 1.0 mm. In other embodiments, plate 110 has a non-uniform thickness, such that plate 110 is thicker in one region 20, 22, 24 of sole structure 200 than in another region 20, 22, 24.

[0054] 1-4 and 8 , the one or more bladders 108 are shown to include an inner bladder 108 and an outer bladder 108 that are received in the receptacles 126 of the cushioning element 106 between the upper cushion member 130 and the lower cushion member 132. More specifically, the bladders 108 are received in each of the sockets 160. Thus, the inner bladder 108 is disposed in a first socket 160 adjacent the medial side 16 of the sole structure 100, while the outer bladder 108 is disposed in a second socket 160 adjacent the lateral side 16 of the sole structure 100.

[0055] Each of the bladders 108 may include a pair of barrier layers 184 a, 184 b formed and joined along a peripheral seam to define a chamber 186 within the bladder 108, where the upper barrier layer 184 a defines the top side of the bladder 108 and the lower barrier layer 184 b defines the bottom side of the bladder 108. When the sole structure 100 is assembled, the lower barrier layer 184 b is received in one of the sockets 160 of the tray 158 such that the bladder 108 is supported on the foam material of the front segment 134. The top side of the upper barrier layer 184 a is flush with the upper side 150 of the cushioning element 106 and is attached to the bottom side 182 of the plate 110 within the gap 138.

[0056] As used herein, the term "barrier layer" (e.g., barrier layers 184a, 184b) encompasses both monolayer and multilayer films. In some embodiments, one or both of barrier layers 184a, 184b are each fabricated (e.g., thermoformed or blow molded) from a monolayer film (single layer). In other embodiments, one or both of barrier layers 184a, 184b are each fabricated (e.g., thermoformed or blow molded) from a multilayer film (multiple sublayers). In either aspect, each layer or sublayer can have a thickness ranging from about 0.2 micrometers to about 1 millimeter. In further embodiments, the thickness of each layer or sublayer can range from about 0.5 micrometers to about 500 micrometers. In yet other embodiments, the thickness of each layer or sublayer can range from about 1 micrometer to about 100 micrometers.

[0057] One or both of the barrier layers 184a, 184b can be independently transparent, translucent, and / or opaque. As used herein, the term "transparent" of a barrier layer and / or fluid-filled chamber means that light passes through the barrier layer in a substantially straight line, allowing an observer to see through the barrier layer. In comparison, with an opaque barrier layer, light does not pass through the barrier layer, and an observer cannot clearly see through the barrier layer. A translucent barrier layer is located between the transparent and opaque barrier layers, and light passes through the translucent layer, but some of the light is scattered, preventing an observer from clearly seeing through the layer.

[0058] Each of the barrier layers 184a, 184b is fabricated from an elastomeric material including one or more thermoplastic polymers and / or one or more cross-linkable polymers. In one embodiment, the elastomeric material can include one or more thermoplastic elastomeric materials, such as one or more thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) copolymers, one or more ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymers, etc.

[0059] As used herein, "polyurethane" refers to copolymers (including oligomers) containing urethane groups (-N(C=O)O-). These polyurethanes can contain additional groups in addition to the urethane groups, such as ester, ether, urea, allophanate, biuret, carbodiimide, oxazolidinyl, isocyanurate, uretdione, carbonate, and the like. In one aspect, one or more polyurethanes are produced by polymerizing one or more isocyanates with one or more polyols to produce copolymer chains having (-N(C=O)O-) linkages.

[0060] Alternatively or additionally, examples of suitable isocyanates for preparing the polyurethane copolymer chains include diisocyanates such as aromatic diisocyanates, aliphatic diisocyanates, and combinations thereof. Examples of suitable aromatic diisocyanates include toluene diisocyanate (TDI), TDI adduct with trimethylolpropane (TMP), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), xylene diisocyanate (XDI), tetramethyl xylylene diisocyanate (TMXDI), hydrogenated xylene diisocyanate (HXDI), naphthalene 1,5-diisocyanate (NDI), 1,5-tetrahydronaphthalene diisocyanate, para-phenylene diisocyanate (PPDI), 3,3'-dimethyldiphenyl 1-4,4'-diisocyanate (DDDI), 4,4'-dibenzyl diisocyanate (DBDI), 4-chloro-1,3-phenylene diisocyanate, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the copolymer chain is substantially free of aromatic groups.

[0061] In certain embodiments, the polyurethane polymer chains are formed from diisocyanates including HMDI, TDI, MDI, H12 aliphatic, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the thermoplastic TPU can include polyester-based TPU, polyether-based TPU, polycaprolactone-based TPU, polycarbonate-based TPU, polysiloxane-based TPU, or combinations thereof.

[0062] In another aspect, the polymer layer can be formed from one or more of 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 terephthalate, polyetherimides, polyacrylate imides, and other polymeric materials known to have relatively low gas permeation rates. 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.

[0063] The barrier layers 184a, 184b may include two or more sublayers (multilayer films) such as those shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,713,141 to Mitchell et al. and U.S. Patent No. 5,952,065 to Mitchell et al., the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. In embodiments in which the barrier layers 184a, 184b include 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., the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. In further embodiments, the barrier layers 184a, 184b may each independently include alternating sublayers of one or more TPU copolymer materials and one or more EVOH copolymer materials, with the total number of sublayers in each barrier layer 184a, 184b including at least four sublayers, at least 10 sublayers, at least 20 sublayers, at least 40 sublayers, and / or at least 60 sublayers.

[0064] The fluid-filled chamber 186 can be fabricated from the barrier layers 184a, 184b using any suitable technique, such as thermoforming (e.g., vacuum thermoforming), blow molding, extrusion molding, injection molding, vacuum forming, rotational molding, transfer molding, pressure molding, heat sealing, casting, low-pressure casting, spin casting, reaction injection molding, radio frequency (RF) welding, etc. In one embodiment, the barrier layers 184a, 184b can be fabricated by co-extrusion followed by vacuum thermoforming to produce the expandable chamber 186, which can optionally include one or more valves (e.g., one-way valves) that allow the chamber 186 to be filled with a fluid (e.g., a gas).

[0065] Chamber 186 may be provided in a fluid-filled state (e.g., as provided in footwear 10) or in an unfilled state. Chamber 186 may be filled to contain any suitable fluid, such as a gas or a liquid. In one embodiment, the gas may include air, nitrogen (N), or any other suitable gas. In other embodiments, chamber 186 may instead contain other media, such as pellets, beads, regrind, and the like (e.g., foam beads and / or rubber beads). When fluid is provided to chamber 186, chamber 186 may become pressurized. Alternatively, the fluid provided to chamber 186 may be at atmospheric pressure such that chamber 186 is not pressurized but simply contains a volume of fluid at atmospheric pressure.

[0066] Fluid-filled chamber 186 desirably has a low gas permeation rate to maintain a maintained gas pressure. In some embodiments, fluid-filled chamber 186 has a nitrogen gas permeation rate that is at least about 10 times lower than the nitrogen gas permeation rate of a butyl rubber layer of substantially the same dimensions. In one aspect, fluid-filled chamber 186 has a nitrogen gas permeation rate of 15 cubic centimeters per square meter atmosphere day (cm) for an average membrane thickness of 500 micrometers (based on the thickness of barrier layers 184a, 184b). 3 / m 2 In a further aspect, the permeation rate is 10 cm 3 / m2 ·atm·days or less, 5cm 3 / m 2 ·atm·days or less, or 1cm 3 / m 2 ·atm·days or less.

[0067] The chamber 186 of each bladder 108 may house a tension element 188 (FIG. 8) therein. Each tension element 188 may include a series of tension strands 190 extending between an upper tension sheet 192 and a lower tension sheet 192. The upper tension sheet 192 may be attached to the first barrier layer 184a, and the lower tensile sheet 192 may be attached to the second barrier layer 184b. In this manner, when the chamber 186 contains pressurized fluid, the tension strands 190 of the tensile element 188 are in tension. Because the upper tensile sheet 192 is attached to the upper barrier layer 184a and the lower tensile sheet 192 is attached to the lower barrier layer 184b, the tension strands 190 maintain the desired shape of the bladder 108 when pressurized fluid is injected into the chamber 186.

[0068] The outsole 104 is formed of a resilient polymer material and is attached to the bottom side 120 of the lower cushioning member 132. In the illustrated example, the outsole 104 includes a forefoot segment 194 attached to the bottom side 120 of the front segment 134 and a pair of heel segments 196 attached to the bottom side 120 of each of the leaves 174. Optionally, the forefoot segment 194 of the outsole 104 includes an opening 198 formed therethrough, which corresponds to the opening 164 formed through the front segment 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.

[0069] Upper 200 forms an enclosure having multiple components that cooperate to define an interior void 202 and an ankle opening 204, which cooperate to supportively contain and secure the foot on sole structure 200. Upper 200 may be formed from one or more materials that are stitched or engaged together to define interior void 202. Suitable materials for upper 200 include, but are not limited to, textile, foam, leather, and synthetic leather. An exemplary 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 located in different regions of upper 200 to facilitate movement of the article of footwear 10 between a tight 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 non-elastic materials may include any combination of one or more of thermoplastic polyurethane, nylon, leather, vinyl, or other materials / fabrics that do not impart elastic properties.

[0070] The following clauses provide exemplary configurations of the above-described articles of footwear and sole structures.

[0071] Clause 1 A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising: an upper cushion extending from a first end to a second end; a lower cushion having a first segment 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.

[0072] Clause 2 10. The sole structure of claim 1, further comprising a plate disposed between the at least one bladder and the upper cushion.

[0073] Clause 3 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.

[0074] Clause 4 10. The sole structure of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the lower cushion includes a support portion attached to the upper cushion, the tray being cantilevered from the support portion.

[0075] Clause 5 10. The sole structure of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the at least one bladder includes a first bladder disposed on an interior side of the sole structure and a second bladder disposed on an exterior side of the sole structure.

[0076] Clause 6 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.

[0077] Clause 7 10. The sole structure of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion includes a perimeter side having a plurality of dimples.

[0078] Article 8 8. The sole structure of clause 7, wherein the dimples are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns.

[0079] Article 9 10. The sole structure of any one of the preceding clauses, further comprising an outsole positioned on an opposite side of the lower cushion from the at least one bladder.

[0080] Article 10 10. The sole structure of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the tray of the lower cushion comprises a foam material.

[0081] Article 11 A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising: (i) an upper cushion including a top surface and a lower surface formed opposite the top surface, (ii) a lower cushion including a bottom surface and an upper surface formed opposite 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, wherein at least one bladder is disposed in the socket between the upper cushion and the lower cushion.

[0082] Article 12 12. The sole structure of clause 11, further comprising a plate disposed between the at least one bladder and the upper cushion.

[0083] Article 13 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.

[0084] Article 14 10. The sole structure of any preceding clause, 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.

[0085] Article 15 10. The sole structure of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the at least one bladder includes a first bladder disposed on an interior side of the sole structure and a second bladder disposed on an exterior side of the sole structure.

[0086] Article 16 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.

[0087] Article 17 10. The sole structure of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion includes a perimeter surface having a plurality of dimples.

[0088] Article 18 18. The sole structure of clause 17, wherein dimples of the plurality of dimples are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns.

[0089] Article 19 10. The sole structure of any one of the preceding clauses, further comprising an outsole positioned adjacent the bottom surface of the lower cushion.

[0090] Article 20 10. The sole structure of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion comprises a foam material.

[0091] The above description has been provided for 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 interchangeable and may be used in selected configurations even if not specifically shown or described. The same may vary in many forms. Such variations should not be considered departures from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. 1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising: an upper cushion extending from a first end to a second end; a lower cushion including a tray having a first segment attached to the upper cushion adjacent the first end and extending toward the second end of the upper cushion, the lower cushion including a support portion attached to the upper cushion, the tray extending from a rear wall of the support portion to a terminal end and supported in a cantilevered manner; at least one bladder having a front end and a rear end, the bladder being supported by the tray between the lower cushion and the upper cushion, wherein a terminal end of the tray extends beyond the rear end of the at least one bladder.

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 at least one bladder includes a first bladder disposed on an interior side of the sole structure and a second bladder disposed on an exterior side of the sole structure.

5. The sole structure of claim 4 , wherein the tray includes a first socket that receives the first bladder and a second socket that receives the second bladder.

6. 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.

7. The sole structure of claim 6 , wherein the dimples are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns.

8. The sole structure of claim 1 , further comprising an outsole positioned on an opposite side of the lower cushion from the at least one bladder.

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

10. 1. A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising: i. an upper cushion including a top surface and a lower surface formed opposite the top surface; ii. a lower cushion including a bottom surface and an upper surface formed opposite the bottom surface and facing the lower surface of the upper cushion; iii. a cushion arrangement including a socket formed between the lower surface of the upper cushion and the upper surface of the lower cushion, the lower cushion including a support portion attached to the upper cushion and a tray extending from a rear wall of the support portion to a terminal end and cantilevered to define a lower portion of the socket; a sole structure including at least one bladder having a front end and a rear end, the bladder supported by the lower cushion in the socket between the upper cushion and the lower cushion, the tray terminating in a terminal end that extends beyond the rear end of the at least one bladder.

11. The sole structure of claim 10 , further comprising a plate disposed between the at least one bladder and the upper cushion.

12. The sole structure of claim 11 , 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 claim 11.

13. The sole structure of claim 10 , wherein the at least one bladder includes a first bladder disposed on an interior side of the sole structure and a second bladder disposed on an exterior side of the sole structure.

14. The sole structure of claim 13 , 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.

15. The sole structure of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion includes a perimeter side having a plurality of dimples.

16. The sole structure of claim 15 , wherein the dimples of the plurality of dimples are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns.

17. The sole structure of claim 10 , further comprising an outsole positioned adjacent the bottom surface of the lower cushion.

18. The sole structure of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the upper cushion and the lower cushion comprises a foam material.

Images