Cushioning parts for wearable items

Abstract

A footwear article comprises a sole structure having a cushioning component. The cushioning component includes a bladder forming an internal cavity between opposing inner surfaces of a first blocking sheet and a second blocking sheet, and blocking sheets sealed together along a peripheral joint. A core is disposed within the internal cavity and is completely spaced inward from the peripheral joint. The core comprises at least one polymer sheet that binds the blocking sheets together by being directly bonded to the opposing inner surfaces across the internal cavity between the opposing inner surfaces of the blocking sheets at a plurality of corrugated joints. The corrugated joints are arranged in a corrugation having crests and troughs extending in the front-rear direction, so as not to form a sealed chamber within the bladder in which the at least one polymer sheet does not fluidly communicate with the internal cavity.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 610,447 filed on December 15, 2023, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a cushioning component for a wearable article comprising, in general, a bladder and a core made of at least one polymer sheet disposed within the bladder. Background Technology

[0004] Wearable articles, such as footwear, often include cushioning components. Some cushioning components consist of a fluid-filled bladder that seals an internal cavity to retain gas within the cavity and provides cushioning when a load is applied. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0005] The drawings described in this specification are for illustrative purposes only and are of a schematic nature and are intended to be exemplary rather than limiting the scope of this disclosure. Figure 1 is a plan view of the bottom surface of a polymer sheet on which a weld-prevention material is placed. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the upper surface opposite to the polymer sheet of FIG. 1, on which a weld-preventing material is placed on it in a pattern different from that shown in FIG. 1. Figure 3 is a top view of another polymer sheet on which a weld-prevention material is placed on top and a weld-prevention material is not placed on the opposite second side. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a part of a core formed from the polymer sheets of FIG. 1 to 3, wherein the polymer sheets of FIG. 1 to 2 are shown as lower core sheets, and the bonding area on the upper surface of the polymer sheet of FIG. 2 is shown as a solid line, and the bonding area on the bottom surface of the polymer sheet of FIG. 2 is shown as a dotted line. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a part of a core formed from the polymer sheets of FIG. 1 to 3, wherein the polymer sheet of FIG. 3 is shown as the upper core sheet, the bonding area on the upper surface of the upper core sheet is shown as a solid line, and the bonding area on the bottom surface of the upper core sheet is shown as a dotted line. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a cushioning component including the core of FIG. 5, taken along the longitudinal axis at line 6-6 of FIG. 7, and includes a bladder having first and second blocking sheets, and the cushioning component is in a non-inflated state. Figure 7 is a plan view of the cushioning part of Figure 6 in a non-inflated state. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the cushioning parts of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 in an inflated state. FIG. 9 is an inner side view of a footwear article including the cushioning part of FIG. 8. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0006] The present disclosure relates to footwear articles comprising a sole structure generally equipped with a cushioning component. The cushioning component comprises a bladder and a core disposed within the bladder and bonded to the inner surface of a blocking sheet of the bladder, and functions as a tension component. Providing a tension component within the bladder may be useful for restraining the bladder to prevent it from assuming a ball shape upon expansion. A tension component, such as a core according to the present disclosure, realizes technical advantages in terms of both the performance of the cushioning component and ease of manufacture by forming a pattern of bonding portions that bond at least one polymer sheet of the core to the blocking sheet.

[0007] More specifically, the bladder comprises a first blocking sheet and a second blocking sheet. The first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet together form an internal cavity between the mutually opposing inner surfaces of the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet. The first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet are sealed together along a peripheral joint to seal the internal cavity and retain gas within the internal cavity. The core is disposed within the internal cavity and is completely spaced inward from the peripheral joint. The core comprises at least one polymer sheet that binds the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet together by being directly bonded to the opposing inner surfaces across the internal cavity between the opposing inner surfaces of the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet at a plurality of corrugated joints. The at least one polymer sheet of the core is spaced from the opposing inner surfaces by the gas in the non-bonded region of the at least one polymer sheet. The plurality of corrugated joints are arranged to have a corrugated shape in which the crests and ridges extend in the front-rear direction of the footwear article, and are arranged to fluidly communicate around at least one polymer sheet of the core without forming a sealed chamber within the bladder in which the gas within the internal cavity is not fluidly in communication with the internal cavity by the at least one polymer sheet. That is, the at least one polymer sheet does not divide the internal cavity into separate sealed chambers. By utilizing corrugated joints, the front-rear range of each joint is increased compared to a straight joint of the same width. This can improve the rigidity of the joints and their ability to withstand repetitive stresses, such as lateral forces, thereby reducing the possibility of interlayer separation.

[0008] In one example, each joint of the plurality of waveform joints extends continuously from the inner edge of the core to the outer edge.

[0009] In one embodiment, a weld-prevention material is placed on the core in the non-bonded area. By utilizing the weld-prevention material placed on at least one polymer sheet, the bonding pattern of the core with respect to the inner surface of the blocking sheet (and the bonding between adjacent polymer sheets in an embodiment where the core comprises one or more polymer sheets) is controlled to determine the final shape of a finished cushioning component, including height differences in different areas of the footwear article and toe springs.

[0010] Furthermore, the use of anti-welding materials facilitates manufacturing. For example, if the anti-welding material is a blocker ink, the pattern can be implemented digitally relatively easily compared to other tension parts that require specific molds or mold inserts to control the formation of the bonding joint where the blocking sheet is bonded to an internally placed polymer sheet. By applying the anti-welding material so that it extends from the inner surface of the blocking sheet to the outer perimeter of the core, and positioning the outer perimeter of the core completely inward from the surrounding joint of the blocking sheet, the bonding pattern of the core does not form a sealed chamber within the bladder that is not in fluid communication with the internal cavity. In this way, the core itself controls the final shape of the expanded cushioning part but does not affect the cushioning response of the cushioning part under dynamic loads. Additionally, by utilizing the anti-welding material, the cushioning part can be in a relatively flat state before expansion. In other words, when the internal cavity of the bladder is in a non-expanded state, the core can be placed flat within the bladder with the non-bonded region in contact with the opposing inner surface.

[0011] In one example, the thickness of each polymer sheet of at least one polymer sheet of the core is less than or equal to the thickness of the first blocking sheet (e.g., less than or equal to) and less than or equal to the thickness of the second blocking sheet.

[0012] In one embodiment, the plurality of corrugated joints includes a first joint group in the forefoot region and a second joint group in the heel region of the footwear article. The spacing between adjacent joints of the first joint group is smaller than the spacing between adjacent joints of the second joint group, so that opposing inner surfaces are kept closer to each other by the at least one polymer sheet in the forefoot region than in the heel region.

[0013] In one example, the outer perimeter of the at least one polymer sheet is spaced further inward from the surrounding joint in the heel area than in the forefoot area of ​​the footwear article.

[0014] In one example, the opposing inner surfaces of the bladder include a first inner surface of a first blocking sheet and a second inner surface of a second blocking sheet, the core is a multi-sheet core, and at least one polymer sheet of the core includes a first polymer sheet and a second polymer sheet. The first polymer sheet may be disposed between the first blocking sheet and the second polymer sheet, and the second polymer sheet may be disposed between the first polymer sheet and the second blocking sheet, so that the first surface of the first polymer sheet is opposed to the first inner surface of the first blocking sheet, the second surface of the first polymer sheet is opposed to the first surface of the second polymer sheet, and the second surface of the second polymer sheet is opposed to the second inner surface of the second blocking sheet. The first surface of the first polymer sheet can be directly bonded to the first inner surface of the first blocking sheet at the first set of bonding portions among a plurality of corrugated bonding portions, and the second surface of the second polymer sheet can be directly bonded to the second inner surface of the second blocking sheet at the second set of bonding portions among a plurality of corrugated bonding portions, and the second surface of the first polymer sheet can be directly bonded to the first surface of the second polymer sheet at the third set of bonding portions among a plurality of corrugated bonding portions, and the third set of bonding portions alternates with the first set of bonding portions along the longitudinal direction of the first polymer sheet, and the third set of bonding portions alternates with the second set of bonding portions along the longitudinal direction of the second polymer sheet.

[0015] In some embodiments, when the internal cavity of the bladder is in a non-inflated state, at least some of the joints of the second set may be aligned with at least some of the joints of the first set in the front-rear direction of the footwear article. For example, at least some of the joints of the second set may be wider in the front-rear direction of the footwear article than the joints of the first set to which at least some of the joints of the second set are aligned. The joints of the second set that are wider than the joints of the first set may be located in the forefoot area or the heel area of ​​the footwear article.

[0016] As used herein, when a vertical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a footwear article intersects the joints, the joints are considered to be aligned with each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the footwear article. Accordingly, for two joints to be considered aligned, only a portion of one joint needs to be stacked on top of another joint. As used herein, a wider part in the fore-and-aft direction of a footwear article may also be referred to as longer, and a narrower part in the fore-and-aft direction of a footwear article may also be referred to as shorter. As used herein, the fore-and-aft direction of a footwear article is also the fore-and-aft direction of a cushioning component, and the longitudinal axis of a footwear article is also the longitudinal axis of a cushioning component.

[0017] By providing a wider joint that is positioned closer to the ground when the cushioning component is incorporated into a footwear article, the surface having a narrower (e.g., shorter) joint upon inflation (e.g., the foot contact surface of the cushioning component) allows for more pillowing between the first set of joints than between the second set of joints upon inflation. The surface having more pillowing (the foot contact surface) contracts more along its entire length as the path of the blocking sheet material of the foot contact surface (e.g., the footbed surface) is distributed vertically and horizontally. Consequently, the foot contact surface having the narrower joint becomes more concave after inflation. By placing the first set of narrower joints on the footbed surface and the wider joints on the ground contact surface, the inflated cushioning component is made to have a shape that promotes toe springs.

[0018] In some embodiments, all of the joints of the second set are aligned with the joints of the first set in the front-rear direction, and each joint of the second set is wider than each joint of the first set to which the joint of the second set is aligned in the front-rear direction.

[0019] In some embodiments, the joints of the third set are offset from the joints of the second set and the joints of the first set in the front-rear direction, and each joint of the second set is wider than the adjacent joint of the third set in the front-rear direction. Additionally, each joint of the third set may not be narrower than the adjacent joint of the first set (e.g., may have a width greater than or equal to the width of the adjacent joint of the first set).

[0020] Footwear articles within the scope of the present disclosure include a sole structure having a cushioning component. The cushioning component includes a bladder and a core. The bladder includes a first blocking sheet having a first inner surface and a second blocking sheet having a second inner surface facing the first inner surface. The second blocking sheet is disposed on the distal side of the first blocking sheet, and the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet form an internal cavity between the first inner surface and the second inner surface, and the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet are sealed to each other along a peripheral joint to seal the internal cavity and retain gas within the internal cavity. The core is disposed within the internal cavity and is completely spaced inward from the peripheral joint. The core includes at least one polymer sheet that is directly bonded to the first inner surface at a first set of joints and to the second inner surface at a second set of joints, and that binds the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet together across the internal cavity. At least some of the joints of the second set are wider than at least some of the joints of the first set in the front-rear direction of the footwear article. At least one polymer sheet of the core is spaced apart from the first inner surface and the second inner surface of the gas-blocking sheet in the non-joining region of the at least one polymer sheet. The joints of the first set and the joints of the second set are arranged to fluidly communicate around at least one polymer sheet of the core, such that a sealed chamber is not formed within the bladder in which the gas in the internal cavity is not fluidly in communication with the internal cavity by the at least one polymer sheet.

[0021] In one example, each joint of the first set and each joint of the second set extend continuously from the inner edge of the core to the outer edge.

[0022] In some embodiments, at least some of the second set of joints, which are wider than at least some of the first set of joints in the front-rear direction of the footwear article, may be located in the forefoot area and / or heel area of ​​the footwear article.

[0023] In some embodiments, a second set of joints that is wider than at least some of the first set of joints in the front-rear direction of the footwear article may gradually decrease in width from the heel area to the forefoot area of ​​the footwear article.

[0024] In one example, at least some of the second set of joints, which are wider than at least some of the first set of joints in the front-rear direction, can be aligned with at least some of the first set of joints in the front-rear direction when the internal cavity of the bladder is in a non-expanded state.

[0025] The above features and benefits and other features and benefits of the present teaching are clearly understood from the following detailed description of the method for carrying out the present teaching in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that, even though embodiments are described separately in the drawings below, individual features may be combined into additional embodiments.

[0026] FIGS. 1 through 3 show polymer sheets (10, 11) used to form the core (12) shown in FIG. 6. The core (12) is included in the cushioning component (14) shown in FIGS. 6 through 9. More specifically, the cushioning component (14) is included in the sole structure (70) of the footwear article (72) as shown in FIG. 9. As further described herein, the cushioning component (14) includes a bladder (20), and the core (12) is placed within the bladder (20) and bonded to the inner surface (17, 19) of the blocking sheet (16, 18) of the bladder (20) to function as a tension component. Providing a tension component within the bladder may be useful for restraining the bladder to prevent the bladder from taking on a ball shape upon expansion. A tensile component such as a core (12) according to the present disclosure forms a pattern of bonding portions that bond polymer sheets (10, 11) to blocking sheets (16, 18), thereby realizing technical advantages in both the performance of the cushioning component (14) and the ease of manufacturing the cushioning component (14).

[0027] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the bottom surface of a polymer sheet (11) on which a weld-prevention material (24) is placed. The polymer sheet (11) is referred to herein as the second polymer sheet. The surface of the polymer sheet shown in FIG. 1 is the second surface (13), and is also referred to as the bottom surface or distal surface because it is positioned further away from the foot when the core (12) is incorporated into the sole structure (70) of the footwear article (72). The second surface (13) is in contact with and bonded to the inner surface (19) of the second blocking sheet (18), as shown in FIG. 6 and as discussed herein.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the opposing first surface (15) of a second polymer sheet (11) on which a weld-preventing material (24) is placed in a pattern different from the second surface (13) shown in FIG. 1. Since the first surface (15) is placed closer to the foot when the core (12) is incorporated into the sole structure (70) of the footwear article (72), it is also referred to as the upper surface or proximal surface of the second polymer sheet (11).

[0029] As best illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 9, the core (12), the cushioning component (14), and the footwear article (72) each include a forefoot region, a heel region, and a midfoot region. These regions are referred to as the forefoot region (50), the midfoot region (52), and the heel region (54) with respect to the cushioning component (14), the sole structure (70), and the footwear article (72). However, since the core (12) is shorter in length than the cushioning component (14), the sole structure (70), and the footwear article (72), the forefoot region, the midfoot region, and the heel region of the core (12) are referred to as 50A, 52A, and 54A, respectively. The forefoot region (50, 50A) generally includes parts of the footwear article (72) or the core (12) corresponding to the joints connecting the wearer's toes and metatarsals to the toe bones. The midfoot region (52, 52A) generally includes parts of the footwear article (72) or core (12) corresponding to the arch region of the foot, and the heel region (54, 54A) corresponds to the posterior part of the foot including the calcaneus bone. Each of the core (12), cushioning part (14), sole structure (70), and footwear article (72) includes an inner surface (80) and an outer surface (82), which extend across the entire forefoot region (50, 50A), midfoot region (52, 52A), and heel region (54, 54A) and are located opposite the longitudinal centerline (e.g., longitudinal axis LA) of the cushioning part (14) of FIG. 7. The forefoot area (50, 50A), midfoot area (52, 52A), heel area (54, 54A), medial side (80), and lateral side (82) are not intended to distinguish the exact areas of the footwear article (72), core (12), cushioning part (14), or sole structure (70), but are intended to indicate the general areas of the footwear article (72), core (12), cushioning part (14), and sole structure (70) to aid in the discussion below.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the first surface (22) of the first polymer sheet (10) on which the anti-welding material (24) is placed. The anti-welding material is not placed on the opposite second surface (26). The first polymer sheet (10) is laminated onto the second polymer sheet (11) when the core (12) is assembled, so that the second surface (26) is in contact with the first surface (15) of the second polymer sheet (11) and is bonded to the first surface (15), and the first surface (22) is in contact with the inner surface (17) of the first blocking sheet (16) and is bonded to the inner surface (17), as shown in FIG. 6 and as discussed herein.

[0031] The anti-welding material (24) is placed on the polymer sheet (10, 11) of the core (12) in the portion that will become a non-bonded area when the core (12) is heat-treated. By utilizing the anti-welding material (24) placed on the polymer sheet (10, 11), the bonding pattern of the core (12) to the inner surface (17, 19) of the blocking sheet (16, 18) (and the bonding of the second surface (26) of the first polymer sheet (10) to the first surface (15) of the second polymer sheet (11)) is controlled, thereby determining the final shape of the finished cushioning part (14), including height differences in different areas of the footwear article (72) (e.g., forefoot area (50) and heel area (54)), toe spring, etc. As illustrated in FIG. 6, parts of one or both of the inner surfaces (17, 19) located on the outer side of the outer circumference (34) of the core (12) and on the inner side of the location where the peripheral joint (38) is formed may also be pre-printed or otherwise prepared or otherwise treated with a weld-preventing material (24) so ​​that these parts of the inner surfaces (17, 19) do not bond to each other.

[0032] The anti-welding material (24) may be placed over the polymer sheets (10, 11) (and portions of the inner surface (17, 19) of the first blocking sheet (16) and / or the second blocking sheet (18) shown in FIG. 6) via a computer-controlled printer head (not shown) according to a stored algorithm representing a predetermined printing pattern. As used herein, the anti-welding material (24) may be a blocker ink and may also be referred to as anti-welding ink. For example, if the anti-welding material is a blocker ink, it may be printed with a different predetermined programmed pattern on the first surface (22) of the first polymer sheet (10), the first surface (15) of the second polymer sheet (11), and the second surface (13) of the second polymer sheet (11) at any selected location where bonding between the polymer sheets (10, 11) of the core (12) or to the blocking sheets (16, 18) is not required. When the sheets (10, 11) are trimmed to form an outer perimeter (34B, 34A) and bonded together by heat treatment or the like, the adjacent surfaces of the laminated flat polymer sheets (10, 11) and the blocking sheets (16, 18) are bonded together except for the portion where the anti-welding material (24) is placed. Accordingly, the pattern of the anti-welding material (24) determines the corresponding pattern of the bonded portion formed in the finished cushioning part (14).

[0033] In FIG. 1, a predetermined pattern of the anti-welding material (24) on the second surface (13) of the second polymer sheet (11) is referred to as the second predetermined pattern and forms a second set of bonding parts (46) discussed in relation to FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 through 9. In FIG. 2, a predetermined pattern of the anti-welding material (24) on the first surface (15) of the second polymer sheet (11) is referred to as the third predetermined pattern and forms a third set of bonding parts (47) discussed in relation to FIG. 4 through 9. A predetermined pattern of the anti-welding material (24) on the first surface (22) of the first polymer sheet (10) is referred to as the first predetermined pattern and forms a first set of bonding parts (44) discussed in relation to FIG. 5 through 9.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, the anti-welding material (24) is placed in spaced areas A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L in a second predetermined pattern on the second surface (13) of the second polymer sheet (11). The anti-welding material (24) is not present in the area of ​​the second surface (13) of the second polymer sheet (11) between two adjacent areas among the spaced areas A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L. More specifically, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 13A between adjacent areas A and B, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 13B between adjacent separation areas B and C, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 13C between adjacent separation areas C and D, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 13D between adjacent separation areas D and E, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 13E between adjacent separation areas E and F, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 13F between adjacent separation areas F and G, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 13G between adjacent separation areas G and H, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 13H between adjacent separation areas H and I, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 13I between adjacent separation areas I and J, and there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 13J between adjacent separation areas J and K. There is no material (24), and there is no weld-prevention material (24) in area 13K between adjacent separation areas K and L. Areas 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, 13E, 13F, 13G, 13H, 13I, 13J, and 13K will be the second set of joints (46) shown in FIG. 6, each corresponding to one of areas 13A through 13K. Areas 13A and 13K are shown in FIG. 6, and the remaining areas in the joints (46) are not numbered in FIG. 6 for clarity of the drawing, but correspond to areas 13B through 13J in the order of area 13A through area 13K.

[0035] Since each of regions 13A to 13K has a wavy shape, the joint (46) of the second set is a wavy joint further described in relation to FIG. 7. The second polymer sheet (11) is trimmed to the outer perimeter (34A) shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 after printing the anti-welding material (24), so that regions A to L of the anti-welding material (24) extend to the perimeter (34A), and regions 13A to 13K and the corresponding joint (46) also extend to the perimeter (34A) on both the inner side (80) and the outer side (82).

[0036] Referring to FIG. 2, the anti-welding material (24) is placed in spaced areas M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W, where the anti-welding material (24) is applied, in a third predetermined pattern on the first surface (15) of the second polymer sheet (11). There is no anti-welding material (24) in the area of ​​the first surface (15) of the second polymer sheet (11) between two adjacent areas among the spaced areas M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W. More specifically, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 15M between adjacent areas M and N, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 15N between adjacent separation areas N and O, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 15O between adjacent separation areas O and P, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 15P between adjacent separation areas P and Q, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 15Q between adjacent separation areas Q and R, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 15R between adjacent separation areas R and S, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 15S between adjacent separation areas S and T, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 15T between adjacent separation areas T and U, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 15U between adjacent separation areas U and V, and there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 15V between adjacent separation areas V and W. There is no material (24). Regions 15M, 15N, 15O, 15P, 15Q, 15R, 15S, 15T, 15U, and 15V will be the third set of junctions (47) shown in FIG. 6, each corresponding to one of regions 15M through 15V. Regions 15M and 15V are shown in FIG. 6, and the remaining regions in the junction (47) are not numbered in FIG. 6 for clarity of the drawing but correspond to regions 15N through 15U in the order of region 15M through region 15V.

[0037] Each of the regions 15M to 15V has a waveform shape, so the joint (47) of the third set is a waveform joint further described in relation to FIGS. 4 to 5 and FIGS. 7 to 8. The second polymer sheet (11) is trimmed to the outer perimeter (34A) shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, and after printing the anti-welding material (24), the regions M to W of the anti-welding material (24) are extended to the perimeter (34A), and the regions 15M to 15V and the corresponding joint (47) are also extended to the perimeter (34A).

[0038] Referring to FIG. 3, the anti-welding material (24) is placed in a first predetermined pattern on the first surface (22) of the first polymer sheet (10) in spaced-apart regions X, Y, Z, A1, B1, C1, D1, E1, F1, G1, and H1 where the anti-welding material (24) is applied. There is no anti-welding material (24) in the first surface (22) of the first polymer sheet (10) between two adjacent regions among the spaced-apart regions X, Y, Z, A1, B1, C1, D1, E1, F1, G1, and H1. More specifically, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 22A between adjacent areas X and Y, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 22B between adjacent separation areas Y and Z, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 22C between adjacent separation areas Z and A1, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 22D between adjacent separation areas A1 and B1, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 22E between adjacent separation areas B1 and C1, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 22F between adjacent separation areas C1 and D1, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 22G between adjacent separation areas D1 and E1, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 22H between adjacent separation areas E1 and F1, there is no weld prevention material (24) in area 22I between adjacent separation areas F1 and G1, and adjacent separation area G1 and There is no anti-welding material (24) in area 22J between H1. Areas 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, 22E, 22F, 22G, 22H, 22I, and 22J will be the first set of joints (44) shown in FIG. 6, each corresponding to one of areas X through H1. Areas 22A and 22J are shown in FIG. 6, and the remaining areas in the joints (44) are not numbered in FIG. 6 for clarity of the drawing, but correspond to areas 22B through 22I in the order of area 22A through area 22J.The area (77) shown on the polymer sheet (10) immediately above the applied anti-welding material (24) that will become part of the core (12) after the first polymer sheet (10) is trimmed in FIG. 3 (see outer perimeter (34B) after trimming shown as a dashed line at the top of the first predetermined pattern in FIG. 3) will become the foremost joint (77A) of the first polymer sheet (10) to the first blocking sheet (16) after trimming the polymer sheet (10) to the outer perimeter (34B) and heat-treating the cushioning part (14).

[0039] Since each of regions 22A to 22J has a wavy shape, the joint (44) of the first set is a wavy joint further described in relation to FIG. 7. The first polymer sheet (10) is trimmed to the outer perimeter (34B) shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, and after printing the anti-welding material (24), regions X to H1 of the anti-welding material (24) are extended to the outer perimeter (34B), and regions 22A to 22J and the corresponding joint (44) are also extended to the outer perimeter (34B).

[0040] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a part of the core (12) formed from the polymer sheets of FIG. 1 to 3, showing only the second polymer sheet (11), which is the lower core sheet when the core (12) is assembled, without showing the blocking sheets (16, 18) to which the first polymer sheet (10) and the core (12) are joined, and showing the relative positions of the third set of joining parts (47) and the second set of joining parts (46). The bonding area on the upper surface (first surface (15)) is a third set of bonding parts (47) where the first surface (15) of the second polymer sheet (11) of the core (12) is bonded to the bottom surface (second surface (26)) of the first polymer sheet (10) (not shown in FIG. 4), and is indicated by a solid line; the bonding area on the opposite bottom surface (13) (second surface) of the second polymer sheet (11) is indicated by a dotted line, and is a second set of bonding parts (46) where the second surface (13) of the second polymer sheet (11) is bonded to the inner surface (19) of the second blocking sheet (18). Areas 15M to 15V corresponding to each of the third set of bonding parts (47) and areas 13A to 13K corresponding to each of the second set of bonding parts (46) are also indicated by reference numbers. FIG. 4 shows that the third set of joints (47) is offset from the second set of joints (46) in the longitudinal direction of the core (12) (e.g., from the forefoot region (50A) of the core (12) to the heel region (54A)). In other words, each joint (47) of the third set of joints is positioned between two adjacent joints (46) of the second set of joints (46) without overlapping with the second set of joints (46). In this way, when the internal cavity (21) of the bladder (20) is expanded, the second polymer sheet (11) extends vertically between the adjacent joints (46, 47) as shown in FIG. 9, thereby binding the second blocking sheet (18) and the first polymer sheet (10) together.

[0041] FIG. 4 also indicates that the second set of joints (46) and the third set of joints (47) are wavy joints. In other words, each of the joints (46) and each of the joints (47) has a wavy shape with peaks (P1) and ridges (V1) extending in the front-rear direction when the core (12) is placed in the footwear article (72). For example, the joint (47) in area 15N is shown to have three peaks (P1) and two ridges (V1). The joint (46) in the adjacent area 13C also has three peaks (P1) and three ridges (V1). Some joints (46, 47) have partial peaks or partial ridges near the perimeter (34A). The peaks and ridges of other joints (46, 47) are not labeled for clarity of the drawing. The number of crests (P1) and crests (V1) of each joint (46) and each joint (47) depends on the width of the core (12) in the joint, as the spacing between the crests (P1) and crests (V1) of each joint (46, 47) is kept relatively equal. By utilizing a corrugated joint, the front-rear range of each joint (e.g., the longitudinal distance between the crests (P1) and crests (V1) of the joint) is increased compared to a straight joint of the same width. This can improve the rigidity of the joint and its ability to withstand repetitive stresses, such as lateral forces, thereby reducing the possibility of interlayer separation.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the core (12), showing only the polymer sheet (10) of FIG. 3 as the upper core sheet, and to indicate the relative positions of the third set of bonding parts (47) and the first set of bonding parts (44), the bonding area on the upper surface (22) of the polymer sheet (10) is shown as a solid line, and the bonding area on the bottom surface (26) of the polymer sheet (10) is shown as a dotted line. The bonding area on the upper surface (first surface (22)) is the first set of bonding parts (44) where the first surface (22) of the first polymer sheet (10) of the core (12) is bonded to the inner surface (17) of the first blocking sheet (16). The bonding area on the opposite bottom surface (26) (second surface) of the first polymer sheet (10) is indicated by a dotted line and is a third set of bonding parts (47) where the second surface (26) of the first polymer sheet (10) is bonded to the first surface (15) of the second polymer sheet (11). Regions 15M to 15V corresponding to each of the third set of bonding parts (47) and regions 22A to 22J corresponding to each of the first set of bonding parts (44) are also indicated by reference numbers. FIG. 5 shows that the third set of bonding parts (47) is offset from the first set of bonding parts (44) in the longitudinal direction of the core (12) (e.g., from the forefoot region (50A) to the heel region (54A) of the core (12). In other words, each joint (47) of the third set of joints is positioned between two adjacent joints (44) of the first set of joints (44) without overlapping with the joints (44) of the first set. In this way, when the internal cavity (21) of the bladder (20) expands, the first polymer sheet (10) extends vertically between adjacent joints (44, 47) as shown in FIG. 9, thereby binding the first blocking sheet (16) and the first polymer sheet (10) together and binding the second polymer sheet (11) and the first polymer sheet (10) together.

[0043] FIG. 5 also indicates that the joints of the first set of joints (44) and the joints of the third set of joints (47) are wavy joints. In other words, each of the joints (44) and each of the joints (47) have a wavy shape having peaks (P1) and ridges (V1) that extend in the front-rear direction when the core is placed in the footwear article (72). For example, the joint (44) in area 22B is shown to have three peaks (P1) and three ridges (V1). The adjacent joint (47) in area 150 also has three peaks (P1) and three ridges (V1). The peaks and ridges of the other joints (44, 47) are not labeled for clarity of the drawing. Some joints (44, 47) have partial peaks or partial ridges near the outer perimeter (34B). The number of peaks (P1) and valleys (V1) of each joint (44) and each joint (47) varies according to the width of the core (12) in the joint, as the spacing between the peaks (P1) and valleys (V1) of each joint (44, 47) is kept relatively equal.

[0044] Referring again to FIG. 6, the first polymer sheet (10) and the second polymer sheet (11) are trimmed so that their respective outer perimeters (34B, 34A) are formed, and the first polymer sheet (10) is laminated on the second polymer sheet (11), wherein the second surface (13) of the second polymer sheet (11) is adjacent to the inner surface (19) of the second blocking sheet (18), and the first surface (22) of the first polymer sheet (10) is adjacent to the inner surface (17) of the first blocking sheet (16). The aligned outer perimeters (34B, 34A) of the laminated polymer sheets (10, 11) form the outer perimeter (34) of the core (12) and can be referred to together as the outer perimeter (34). In this relative positional relationship, the blocking sheet (16, 18) and the polymer sheet (10, 11) are heat-treated to form the joint (38, 44, 46, 47) discussed herein. The first blocking sheet (16) and the second blocking sheet (18) together form an internal cavity (21) between the opposing inner surfaces (17, 19) of the first blocking sheet (16) and the second blocking sheet (18).

[0045] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the cushioning part (14) is relatively flat before expansion. In other words, when the internal cavity (21) of the bladder (20) is in a non-expanded state, the core (12) is placed flat within the bladder (20) with the non-bonded area in contact with the opposing inner surface (17, 19). The non-bonded area is as described in relation to FIG. 1 through 5 and is the location where the anti-welding material (24) is shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, for clarity of the drawing, only a portion of the area where the anti-welding material (24) is located is indicated by reference numbers.

[0046] A traditional tension component may include a first polymer sheet bonded only to the inner surface of a first blocking sheet, a second polymer sheet bonded only to the inner surface of a second blocking sheet, and a plurality of tethers extending from the first polymer sheet to the second polymer sheet. Due to this configuration, such a traditional tension component is not relatively flat or sheet-shaped before expanding the internal cavity of the bladder in which it is placed, and is not suitable for heat pressing to create a core composed of multiple polymer sheets or to bond a core composed of a single polymer sheet or multiple polymer sheets to the inner surface of the blocking sheet.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 6, each polymer sheet (10, 11) is shown to have the same thickness T1. Each blocking sheet (16, 18) is shown to have the same thickness T2. Thickness T1 is less than or equal to thickness T2. Maintaining the sheet thickness of each polymer sheet (10, 11) to be less than or equal to the thickness of each blocking sheet (16, 18) helps to ensure the flexibility of the core (12) so that the core (12) functions as a tether that easily returns to the relatively flat state of FIG. 6 under compressive load.

[0048] As illustrated in FIGS. 6 through 9, the first blocking sheet (16) and the second blocking sheet (18) are sealed together along the peripheral joint (38) to seal the internal cavity (21) and retain gas within the internal cavity. The blocking sheets (16, 18) of the bladder (20) may be formed from various materials including various polymers capable of elastically retaining a fluid such as air or other gases. The polymer sheets (10, 11) may be formed from the same material as the blocking sheets (16, 18) or a plurality of materials as described herein, or may be formed from a polymer material that does not necessarily need to retain fluid, because unlike the blocking sheets (16, 18), the polymer sheets (10, 11) function as tethers but do not seal the internal cavity as the blocking sheets (16, 18). Examples of polymer materials for the barrier sheets (16, 18) and polymer sheets (10, 11) include thermoplastic urethane, polyurethane, polyester, polyester polyurethane, and polyether polyurethane. Additionally, the barrier sheets (16, 18) and polymer sheets (10, 11) may be formed from layers of different materials. In one embodiment, the barrier sheets (16, 18) and / or polymer sheets (10, 11) are formed as thin films comprising one or more thermoplastic polyurethane layers having one or more ethylene and vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) barrier layers that are impermeable to a pressurized fluid contained therein, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,082,025, the whole of which is incorporated by reference. The blocking sheets (16, 18) and polymer sheets (10, 11) may also be formed from a material comprising alternating layers of thermoplastic polyurethane and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, as disclosed in U.S. Patents No. 5,713,141 and No. 5,952,065 of Mitchell et al., the whole of which is incorporated by reference.Alternatively, the layers may comprise an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, a thermoplastic polyurethane, and a regrind material of the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and the thermoplastic polyurethane. The barrier sheets (16, 18) and polymer sheets (10, 11) may also be flexible ultrathin membranes comprising alternating layers of gas barrier material and elastic material, as disclosed in U.S. Patents No. 6,082,025 and 6,127,026 of Bonk et al., incorporated by reference. Additional materials suitable for the barrier sheets (16, 18) and polymer sheets (10, 11) are disclosed in U.S. Patents No. 4,183,156 and 4,219,945 of Rudy, incorporated by reference. Additional materials suitable for the barrier sheets (16, 18) and polymer sheets (10, 11) may include thermoplastic films containing crystalline materials disclosed in Rudy’s U.S. Patents No. 4,936,029 and No. 5,042,176, which are incorporated by reference, and polyurethanes containing polyester polyols disclosed in Bonk et al.’s U.S. Patents No. 6,013,340, No. 6,203,868, and No. 6,321,465, which are incorporated by reference. When selecting materials for the barrier sheets (16, 18) and polymer sheets (10, 11), engineering properties such as tensile strength, elongation properties, fatigue properties, dynamic modulus of elasticity, and loss tangent may be considered. The thickness of the barrier sheets (16, 18) and polymer sheets (10, 11) may be selected to provide these properties.

[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 7, each joint (44, 46, 47) of a plurality of corrugated joints extends continuously from the inner edge (34C) of the core to the outer edge (34D). The inner edge (34C) is part of the circumference (34) on the inner side (80) of the longitudinal axis LA. The longitudinal axis LA is also referred to herein as the longitudinal centerline. The outer edge (34D) is part of the circumference (34) on the outer side (82) of the longitudinal axis LA. The inner side (80) and the outer side (82) represent the respective sides of the cushioning part (14), the footwear article (72), and other parts thereof. The anti-welding material (24) is applied so as to extend from the inner surface (17, 19) of the blocking sheets (16, 18) and between the polymer sheets (10, 11) (on the first surface (15) of the second polymer sheet (11)) to the outer circumference (34) of the core (12), and so as shown in FIG. 7, the outer circumference (34) of the core (12) is positioned completely inward from the peripheral joint (38) of the blocking sheets (16, 18), thereby ensuring that the resulting pattern of the joints (44, 46, 47) of the core (12) does not form a sealed chamber within the bladder (20) that is not in fluid communication with the internal cavity (21). In this way, the core (12) itself controls the final shape of the expanded cushioning part (14) but does not affect the cushioning response of the cushioning part (14) under dynamic load.

[0050] FIG. 7 illustrates the relative alignment of a set of joints (44, 46, 47) implemented by a precise predetermined pattern of anti-welding material (24) placed on the first surface (22) of the first polymer sheet (10), the second surface (13) of the second polymer sheet (11), and the first surface (15) of the second polymer sheet (11), respectively. In FIG. 7, the joints (44) of the first set are indicated by solid lines. The joints (46) of the second set are indicated by dotted lines. The joints (47) of the third set are indicated by a combination of dashed and dotted lines. From FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, it is clear that the joints (47) of the third set alternate with the joints (44) of the first set along the longitudinal direction of the core (12) (e.g., along the longitudinal direction of the first polymer sheet (10) of the core (12)) and thus along the longitudinal direction of the resulting cushioning part (14). Additionally, from FIGS. 4 and 7, it is clear that the third set of joints (47) alternates with the second set of joints (46) along the longitudinal direction of the core (12) (e.g., along the longitudinal direction of the second polymer sheet (11) of the core (12)) and thus along the longitudinal direction of the resulting cushioning part (14). By this configuration, as best illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9, at least some of the second set of joints (46) are aligned with at least some of the first set of joints (44). More specifically, the first set of joints (44) are positioned vertically above the second set of joints (46), and the third set of joints (47) are offset from the joints (44, 46) at a height between the joints (44, 46) of each vertically stacked set of joints (44, 46).

[0051] Additionally, as best illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9, at least some of the joints (46) of the second set are wider than the joints (44) of the first set to which at least some of the joints (46) of the second set are aligned in the front-rear direction of the core (12), cushioning part (14), and footwear article (72). In the illustrated example, all of the joints (46) of the second set are aligned with the joints (44) of the first set, and each joint (46) of the second set is wider than each joint (44) of the first set to which the corresponding joint (46) is aligned. The joints (46) of the second set that are wider than the joints (44) of the first set are therefore located in both the forefoot region (50) and the heel region (54) and the midfoot region (52) of the footwear article (72). In another example, the joint (46) of the second set may be wider than the joint (44) of the first set, for example, only in the forefoot area (50) or only in the heel area (54).

[0052] As illustrated in FIG. 9, by providing a wider joint (46) that is positioned closer to the ground (GS) when the cushioning component (14) is incorporated into the footwear article (72), the surface having a narrower (e.g., shorter) joint upon expansion (e.g., the second blocking sheet (18) at the foot contact surface of the cushioning component (14)) allows more bulging between the first set of joints (44) than between the second set of joints (46) upon expansion. The surface having more bulging (e.g., the first blocking sheet (16) at the foot contact surface) contracts more over its entire length as the path of the blocking sheet (16) material on the foot contact surface (e.g., the footbed surface) is distributed vertically and horizontally. Accordingly, the first blocking sheet (16) at the foot contact surface having a narrower joint (44) becomes more concave after expansion than the second blocking sheet (18) having a wider joint (46), and the overall shape of the cushioning part (14) can be curved upward at the ground contact surface (e.g., the second blocking sheet (18)) in the forefoot area (50) and the heel area (54). By placing the first set of narrower joints (44) on the footbed surface and the second set of wider joints (46) on the ground contact surface, the expanded cushioning part (14) is made to have a shape that promotes toe springs.

[0053] FIG. 9 shows that due to the tension generated in the bonded polymer sheets (10, 11) of the core (12) by the expansion of the inner cavity (21), portions of the first blocking sheet (16) located inside the outer perimeter (34) of the core (12) are pulled downward from the bonding portion (44), which is also indicated by the outer surface (39) where the contour of the first blocking sheet (16) is formed in FIG. 8. Since the outer perimeter (34) of the core (12) is located completely inside the peripheral bonding portion (38), the blocking sheets (16, 18) are not bound together at the peripheral portion (21A) of the inner cavity (21), which is outside the outer perimeter (34) of the core (12) and inside the peripheral bonding portion (38). Therefore, the distance between the inner surfaces (17, 19) and the resulting height of the cushioning part (14) can be greatest at the outer side of the core (12). The upper outer surface (39) is only partially shown, and in FIG. 9, the part where the first blocking sheet (16) is pulled downward by the first polymer sheet (10) at the joint (44) is shown as a hidden line.

[0054] Likewise, due to the tension generated in the bonded polymer sheets (10, 11) of the core (12) by the expansion of the inner cavity (21), portions of the second blocking sheet (18) located on the inner side of the outer circumference (34) of the core (12) are pulled upward from the bonding portion (46), which is indicated by the contoured outer surface (41) of the second blocking sheet (18) in FIG. 9. The pattern of the anti-welding material (24) placed on the polymer sheets (10, 11) and the pattern of the formed bonding portions (44, 46) where the polymer sheets (10, 11) of the core (12) are bonded to the blocking sheets (16, 18), respectively, can be selected to control the resulting contour of the outer surface (39, 41) of the blocking sheets (16, 18).

[0055] FIG. 9 shows that the sole structure (70) includes another midsole layer (71), such as a foam midsole layer, which is fixed over the cushioning part (14) (e.g., fixed to the first blocking sheet (16)). The sole structure (70) also includes an outsole (73) which is fixed to the bottom of the cushioning part (14) (e.g., the second blocking sheet (18)). A footwear upper (75) is fixed to the sole structure (70) to support the foot over the cushioning part (14). The sole structure (70) is a non-limiting example, and the cushioning part (14) may be used in a sole structure with a configuration different from that of FIG. 9.

[0056] Additionally, as best illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7, and 9, the joint (47) of the third set is offset from the joint (46) of the second set and the joint (44) of the first set, and each joint (46) of the second set is wider than the adjacent joint (47) of the third set. Also, in one example, each joint (47) of the third set is not narrower than the adjacent joint (44) of the first set.

[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 9, some or all of the second set of wavy joints (46) gradually decrease in width from the heel area (54) to the forefoot area (50) of the footwear article (72). For example, in FIG. 9, the joint (46) generally decreases in width from the joint (46A) in the heel area (54) to the joint (46B) in the forefoot area (50). In some embodiments, the joint (44) may also decrease in width from the heel area (54) to the forefoot area (50).

[0058] Additionally, the joints (44) are spaced closer together in the forefoot region (50) than in the heel region (54), and the joints (46) are spaced closer together in the forefoot region (50) than in the heel region (54). This may also be represented by a second set of joints (46) and a third set of joints (47). For example, a plurality of wave joints includes a first group of joints (e.g., adjacent joints (47C, 47D)) in the forefoot region (50) and a second group of joints (e.g., adjacent joints (47A, 47B)) in the heel region (54). The spacing between adjacent joints (47C, 47D) of the first joint group is smaller than the spacing between adjacent joints (47A, 47B) of the second joint group, so that the opposing inner surfaces (17, 19) of the blocking sheets (16, 18) are kept closer to each other in the forefoot region (50) than in the heel region (54). This configuration also forms a toe spring, which is a gradual increase in the height of the second blocking sheet (18) from the ground (GS) in the forward direction in the forefoot region (50) in a normal state position (e.g., unloaded state or at least without dynamic compressive load applied) as illustrated in FIG. 9. The pre-shaping of the toe spring of this cushioning part (14) through the joint arrangement promotes forward foot rolling and easy toe-off during the wearer's forward movement.

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 6 through 8, in addition to the arrangement of joints to facilitate the toe spring, the outer circumference (34) of the core (12) is spaced further inward from the peripheral joint (38) in the heel region (54) than in the forefoot region (50). This is best illustrated in FIG. 7, where the distance D1 from the outer circumference (34) of the core (12) to the peripheral joint (38) in the heel region (54) is greater than the distance D2 from the outer circumference (34) of the core (12) to the peripheral joint (38) in the forefoot region (50). This forms a larger and higher periphery of the internal cavity (21) around the core (12) in the heel area (54) than in the forefoot area (50), as best illustrated in FIG. 9, thereby causing the cushioning part (14) to wrap around the heel portion where the joint (44) on the first blocking sheet (16) pulls the blocking sheet (16) downward from the inner side of the periphery (21A) of the internal cavity (21) positioned on the outer side of the core (12). Alternatively, as best illustrated in FIG. 8, the first blocking sheet (16) may be slightly concave downward between the inner side (80) and the outer side (82) on the core (12) in the heel area (54), which helps to wrap the heel.

[0060] The following items provide an exemplary configuration of a footwear article having a cushioning component disclosed in this specification.

[0061] Item 1. As a footwear article: comprising a sole structure having a cushioning component, wherein the cushioning component is a bladder comprising: a first blocking sheet and a second blocking sheet, wherein the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet together form an internal cavity between the opposing inner surfaces of the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet, and the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet are sealed to each other along a peripheral joint to seal the internal cavity and retain gas within the internal cavity; A footwear article comprising a core disposed within the internal cavity and completely spaced inward from the peripheral joint, wherein the core comprises at least one polymer sheet that binds the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet together by being directly bonded to the opposing inner surface across the internal cavity between the opposing inner surfaces of the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet at a plurality of corrugated joints, wherein the at least one polymer sheet is spaced from the opposing inner surface by the gas in the non-bonded region of the at least one polymer sheet, and the plurality of corrugated joints are arranged in a corrugated shape having crests and troughs extending in the front-rear direction of the footwear article, and wherein the gas in the internal cavity is fluidly in communication around the at least one polymer sheet without forming a sealed chamber in the bladder in which the at least one polymer sheet is not fluidly in communication with the internal cavity.

[0062] Item 2. A footwear article of Item 1, wherein a weld-preventing material is placed on the core in the non-bonded area.

[0063] Item 3. A footwear article of any one of Items 1 to 2, wherein, when the internal cavity of the bladder is in a non-expanded state, the core is placed flatly within the bladder with the non-bonded area in contact with the opposing inner surface.

[0064] Item 4. A footwear article of any one of Items 1 to 2, wherein the thickness of each polymer sheet of at least one polymer sheet of the core is less than or equal to the thickness of the first blocking sheet and less than or equal to the thickness of the second blocking sheet.

[0065] Item 5. A footwear article of any one of Items 1 to 2, wherein the plurality of corrugated joints comprises a first joint group in the forefoot region and a second joint group in the heel region of the footwear article; and the spacing between adjacent joints of the first joint group is smaller than the spacing between adjacent joints of the second joint group, so that opposing inner surfaces are kept closer to each other by the at least one polymer sheet in the forefoot region than in the heel region.

[0066] Item 6. A cushioning part of any one of Items 1 to 2, wherein the outer perimeter of the at least one polymer sheet is spaced further inward from the peripheral joint in the heel area than in the forefoot area of ​​the footwear article.

[0067] Item 7. As a footwear article of any one of Items 1 to 2: the opposing inner surface of the bladder comprises a first inner surface of a first blocking sheet and a second inner surface of a second blocking sheet; at least one polymer sheet of the core comprises a first polymer sheet and a second polymer sheet, wherein the first polymer sheet is disposed between the first blocking sheet and the second polymer sheet, and the second polymer sheet is disposed between the first polymer sheet and the second blocking sheet, such that the first surface of the first polymer sheet is opposed to the first inner surface of the first blocking sheet, the second surface of the first polymer sheet is opposed to the first surface of the second polymer sheet, and the second surface of the second polymer sheet is opposed to the second inner surface of the second blocking sheet; A footwear article, wherein the first surface of the first polymer sheet is directly bonded to the first inner surface of the first blocking sheet at the first set of bonding portions among a plurality of corrugated bonding portions, the second surface of the second polymer sheet is directly bonded to the second inner surface of the second blocking sheet at the second set of bonding portions among a plurality of corrugated bonding portions, the second surface of the first polymer sheet is directly bonded to the first surface of the second polymer sheet at the third set of bonding portions among a plurality of corrugated bonding portions, the third set of bonding portions alternates with the first set of bonding portions along the longitudinal direction of the first polymer sheet, and the third set of bonding portions alternates with the second set of bonding portions along the longitudinal direction of the second polymer sheet.

[0068] Item 8. A footwear article of Item 7, wherein, when the internal cavity of the bladder is in a non-inflated state, at least a portion of the joints of the second set is aligned with at least a portion of the joints of the first set in the front-rear direction of the footwear article.

[0069] Item 9. An article of footwear according to Item 8, wherein at least a portion of the joints of the second set is wider in the front-rear direction than the joints of the first set to which at least a portion of the joints of the second set is aligned.

[0070] Item 10. An article of footwear according to Item 9, wherein at least a portion of the joints of the second set is located in the forefoot region of the article of footwear.

[0071] Item 11. An article of footwear according to Item 9, wherein at least a portion of the joint of the second set is located in the heel area of ​​the article of footwear.

[0072] Item 12. An article of footwear according to Item 9: all joints of the second set are aligned with the joints of the first set; and each joint of the second set is wider than each joint of the first set to which the joint is aligned.

[0073] Item 13. An article of footwear according to Item 9: a joint of the third set is offset from the joint of the second set and the joint of the first set in the front-rear direction; and each joint of the second set is wider in the front-rear direction than the joint of the adjacent third set.

[0074] Item 14. An article of footwear according to Item 13, wherein each joint of the third set has a width greater than or equal to the width of the joint of the adjacent first set.

[0075] Item 15. A footwear article of any one of Items 1 to 2, wherein each joint of a plurality of corrugated joints extends continuously from the inner edge of the core to the outer edge.

[0076] Item 16. Footwear articles comprising: a sole structure having a cushioning component, wherein the cushioning component comprises: a bladder having a first blocking sheet having a first inner surface and a second blocking sheet having a second inner surface facing the first inner surface; wherein the second blocking sheet is disposed on the distal side of the first blocking sheet, and the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet form an internal cavity between the first inner surface and the second inner surface, and the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet are sealed together along a peripheral joint to seal the internal cavity and retain gas within the internal cavity; and a core disposed within the internal cavity and completely spaced inward from the peripheral joint, wherein the core comprises at least one polymer sheet that is directly bonded to the first inner surface at a first set of joints and to the second inner surface at a second set of joints, crossing the internal cavity and binding the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet together. At least some of the joints of the second set are wider than at least some of the joints of the first set in the front-rear direction of the footwear article; the at least one polymer sheet is spaced apart from the first inner surface and the second inner surface by the gas in the non-joining area of ​​the at least one polymer sheet; the joints of the first set and the joints of the second set are arranged so that the gas in the inner cavity is fluidly in communication around the at least one polymer sheet, without forming a sealed chamber in the bladder in which the at least one polymer sheet is not fluidly in communication with the inner cavity.

[0077] Item 17. An article of footwear according to Item 16, wherein at least a portion of the joint of the second set is located in the forefoot area of ​​the article of footwear.

[0078] Item 18. An article of footwear according to Item 16, wherein at least a portion of the joint of the second set is located in the heel area of ​​the article of footwear.

[0079] Item 19. A footwear article of any one of items 16 to 18, wherein the joint of the second set gradually decreases in width from the heel region to the forefoot region of the footwear article.

[0080] Item 20. As a footwear article of any one of Items 16 to 18: at least one polymer sheet of the core comprises a first polymer sheet and a second polymer sheet, wherein the first polymer sheet is disposed between a first blocking sheet and a second polymer sheet, and the second polymer sheet is disposed between the first polymer sheet and a second blocking sheet, such that a first surface of the first polymer sheet faces a first inner surface of the first blocking sheet, a second surface of the first polymer sheet faces a first surface of the second polymer sheet, and a second surface of the second polymer sheet faces a second inner surface of the second blocking sheet; A footwear article, wherein the first surface of the first polymer sheet is directly bonded to the first inner surface of the first blocking sheet by a first set of bonding parts, the second surface of the second polymer sheet is directly bonded to the second inner surface of the second blocking sheet by a second set of bonding parts, the second surface of the first polymer sheet is directly bonded to the first surface of the second polymer sheet by a third set of bonding parts, the third set of bonding parts alternates with the first set of bonding parts along the longitudinal direction of the first polymer sheet, and the third set of bonding parts alternates with the second set of bonding parts along the longitudinal direction of the second polymer sheet.

[0081] Item 21. An article of footwear according to Item 20, wherein at least a portion of a second set of joints, which is wider than at least a portion of a first set of joints, is aligned with at least a portion of a first set of joints in the front-rear direction when the internal cavity of the bladder is in a non-inflated state.

[0082] Item 22. An article of footwear according to Item 21, wherein at least a portion of the joint of the second set is located in the forefoot area of ​​the article of footwear.

[0083] Item 23. An article of footwear according to Item 21, wherein at least a portion of the joint of the second set is located in the heel area of ​​the article of footwear.

[0084] Item 24. An article of footwear of Item 21, wherein all joints of the second set are aligned with the joints of the first set; and each joint of the second set is wider than each joint of the first set to which the joint is aligned.

[0085] Item 25. An article of footwear according to Item 21: a joint of the third set is offset from the joint of the second set and the joint of the first set in the front-rear direction; and each joint of the second set is wider in the front-rear direction than the adjacent joint of the third set, an article of footwear.

[0086] Item 26. An article of footwear according to Item 25, wherein each joint of the third set has a width greater than or equal to the width of the joint of the adjacent first set.

[0087] Item 27. A footwear article of any one of items 16 to 18, wherein each joint of the first set and each joint of the second set extend continuously from the inner edge of the core to the outer edge.

[0088] To assist in and clarify the description of various embodiments, various terms are defined herein. Unless otherwise specified, the following definitions apply throughout this specification (including the claims). Additionally, all references mentioned are incorporated herein in their entirety.

[0089] “Footwear articles,” “footwear manufacturing articles,” and “footwear” may be considered as both machines and manufactured products. Assembled ready-to-wear footwear articles (e.g., shoes, sandals, boots, etc.) and individual parts of footwear articles before final assembly into ready-to-wear footwear articles (e.g., midsoles, outsoles, upper parts, etc.) are considered in this specification as “footwear articles(s)” in the singular or plural and are alternatively referred to.

[0090] "A," "an," "the," "at least one," and "one or more" are used interchangeably to indicate the presence of at least one of the items. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, multiple items may exist. Unless otherwise explicitly stated or clearly indicated in the appended claims, all numerical values ​​of a parameter (e.g., quantity or condition) should be understood to be modified by the term "about" in all cases, regardless of whether the term "about" actually appears before the numerical value. "About" indicates that the specified numerical value allows for some inaccuracy (some degree of approximation to the value; approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). Unless the inaccuracy provided by "about" is otherwise understood in the art in this ordinary sense, "about" as used in this specification indicates at least the variation that may occur in the ordinary method of measuring and using such parameter. Additionally, the disclosure of a range should be understood to specifically disclose all values ​​within that range and additionally subdivided ranges.

[0091] The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are inclusive and thus specify the presence of the stated features, steps, actions, elements, or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, actions, elements, or parts. The order of steps, processes, and actions may be changed where possible, and additional or alternative steps may be employed. As used herein, the term “or” includes one and all combinations of the related listed items. The term “any of” is understood to include all possible combinations of the referenced items (including “any one of”) among the referenced items. The term “any of” is understood to include all possible combinations of the referenced claims of the appended claims (including “any one of”) among the referenced claims.

[0092] For consistency and convenience, adjectives indicating direction may be used throughout this detailed description in correspondence with the illustrated embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that terms such as “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., may be used descriptively with respect to the drawings without implying any limitation to the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0093] The term "longitudinal" specifically refers to a direction extending along the length of a part. For example, the longitudinal direction of a shoe extends between the forefoot and heel regions. The terms "forward" or "anterior" are used to specifically refer to the general direction from the heel region toward the forefoot region, while the terms "rearward" or "posterior" are used to specifically refer to the opposite direction, namely from the forefoot region toward the heel region. In some cases, a part may be identified by the longitudinal axis and the anterior and posterior longitudinal directions along that axis. The longitudinal direction or longitudinal axis may also be referred to as the anterior-posterior direction or anterior-posterior axis.

[0094] The term "transverse" specifically refers to a direction extending in the width direction of a part. For example, the transverse direction of a shoe extends between the outer and inner sides of the shoe. The transverse direction or transverse axis may also be referred to as the lateral direction or lateral axis, or the inner-outer direction or inner-outer axis.

[0095] The term "vertical" refers to a direction that is generally perpendicular to both the transverse and longitudinal directions. For example, when the sole lies flat on the ground, the vertical direction may extend upward from the ground. It will be understood that each of these directional adjectives can be applied to individual parts of the sole. The terms "upward" or "upwards" refer to a vertical direction directed specifically toward the upper part of the part and may include the instep, fastening area, and / or neck portion of the upper. The terms "downward" or "downwards" refer to a vertical direction directed specifically toward the opposite direction of the upward direction, that is, toward the lower part of the part and may generally face the lower part of the sole structure of the footwear article.

[0096] The "interior" of a footwear article, such as a shoe, refers specifically to the parts of the space occupied by the wearer's foot when the shoe is worn. The "inner side" of a part refers specifically to the face or surface of a part oriented (or to be oriented) toward the interior of the part or the footwear article, particularly in an assembled footwear article. The "outer side" or "exterior" of a part refers specifically to the face or surface of a part oriented (or to be oriented) away from the interior of the shoe, particularly in an assembled shoe. In some cases, other parts may be located between the inner side and the interior of a part in an assembled footwear article. Likewise, other parts may be located between the exterior space of an assembled footwear article and the outer side of a part. Furthermore, the terms "inward" and "inwardly" refer specifically to a direction toward the interior of a part such as a shoe or footwear article, while the terms "outward" and "outwardly" refer specifically to a direction toward the exterior of a part such as a shoe or footwear article. Additionally, the term "proximal" refers specifically to a direction closer to the center of a footwear part, or a direction closer to the foot when the user is wearing the footwear article with the foot inserted into it. Likewise, the term "distal" refers specifically to a relative position further away from the center of a footwear part, or a relative position further away from the foot when the user is wearing the footwear article with the foot inserted into it. Thus, the terms proximal and distal can be understood as providing generally opposing terms to describe relative spatial positions.

[0097] Although various embodiments have been described, such description is intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the embodiments. Unless specifically limited, any feature of any embodiment may be used in combination with or substituted for other features or elements of another embodiment. Accordingly, embodiments should be limited only in light of the appended claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

[0098] Although various methods for carrying out many aspects of this teaching have been described in detail, those familiar with the art related to this teaching will recognize various alternative aspects for carrying out this teaching within the scope of the appended claims. All content included in the description or depicted in the appended drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and descriptive for the entire range of alternative embodiments that a person of the art may recognize as implied, structurally and / or functionally equivalent, or otherwise obvious based on the included content, rather than being limited to the explicitly described and / or described embodiments.

Claims

Claim 1 As a footwear article: comprising a sole structure having a cushioning component, wherein the cushioning component is a bladder comprising a first blocking sheet and a second blocking sheet, wherein the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet together form an internal cavity between the opposing inner surfaces of the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet, and the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet are sealed to each other along a peripheral joint to seal the internal cavity and retain gas within the internal cavity; A footwear article comprising a core disposed within the internal cavity and completely spaced inward from the peripheral joint, wherein the core comprises at least one polymer sheet that binds the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet together by being directly bonded to the opposing inner surface across the internal cavity between the opposing inner surfaces of the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet at a plurality of corrugated joints, wherein the at least one polymer sheet is spaced from the opposing inner surface by the gas in the non-bonded region of the at least one polymer sheet, and the plurality of corrugated joints are arranged in a corrugated shape having crests and troughs extending in the front-rear direction of the footwear article, and wherein the gas in the internal cavity is fluidly in communication around the at least one polymer sheet without forming a sealed chamber in the bladder in which the at least one polymer sheet is fluidly in communication with the internal cavity. Claim 2 A footwear article of claim 1, wherein a weld-preventing material is placed on the core in the non-bonded area. Claim 3 A footwear article according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 2, wherein, when the internal cavity of the bladder is in a non-expanded state, the core is placed flatly within the bladder with the non-bonded area in contact with the opposing inner surface. Claim 4 A footwear article according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 2, wherein the thickness of each polymer sheet of at least one polymer sheet of the core is less than or equal to the thickness of the first blocking sheet and less than or equal to the thickness of the second blocking sheet. Claim 5 As footwear articles according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 2: The plurality of corrugated joints comprises a first joint group in the forefoot region of the footwear article and a second joint group in the heel region of the footwear article; and the spacing between adjacent joints of the first joint group is smaller than the spacing between adjacent joints of the second joint group, so that opposing inner surfaces are kept closer to each other by the at least one polymer sheet in the forefoot region than in the heel region, footwear article. Claim 6 A cushioning part according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the outer perimeter of the at least one polymer sheet is spaced further inward from the peripheral joint in the heel area of ​​the footwear article than in the forefoot area of ​​the footwear article. Claim 7 As footwear articles according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 2: The opposing inner surfaces of the bladder include a first inner surface of a first blocking sheet and a second inner surface of a second blocking sheet; at least one polymer sheet of the core includes a first polymer sheet and a second polymer sheet, wherein the first polymer sheet is disposed between the first blocking sheet and the second polymer sheet, and the second polymer sheet is disposed between the first polymer sheet and the second blocking sheet, such that the first surface of the first polymer sheet faces the first inner surface of the first blocking sheet, the second surface of the first polymer sheet faces the first surface of the second polymer sheet, and the second surface of the second polymer sheet faces the second inner surface of the second blocking sheet; A footwear article, wherein the first surface of the first polymer sheet is directly bonded to the first inner surface of the first blocking sheet at the first set of bonding portions among a plurality of corrugated bonding portions, the second surface of the second polymer sheet is directly bonded to the second inner surface of the second blocking sheet at the second set of bonding portions among a plurality of corrugated bonding portions, the second surface of the first polymer sheet is directly bonded to the first surface of the second polymer sheet at the third set of bonding portions among a plurality of corrugated bonding portions, the third set of bonding portions alternates with the first set of bonding portions along the longitudinal direction of the first polymer sheet, and the third set of bonding portions alternates with the second set of bonding portions along the longitudinal direction of the second polymer sheet. Claim 8 A footwear article of claim 7, wherein, when the internal cavity of the bladder is in a non-expanded state, at least a portion of the joints of the second set are aligned with at least a portion of the joints of the first set in the front-rear direction of the footwear article. Claim 9 A footwear article of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the joints of the second set is wider than the joints of the first set to which at least a portion of the joints of the second set is aligned in the front-rear direction. Claim 10 A footwear article of paragraph 9, wherein the joint of the third set is offset from the joint of the second set and the joint of the first set in the front-rear direction; and each joint of the second set is wider in the front-rear direction than the joint of the adjacent third set. Claim 11 A footwear article of paragraph 10, wherein each joint of the third set has a width greater than or equal to the width of the joint of the adjacent first set. Claim 12 A footwear article according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 2, wherein each joint of a plurality of corrugated joints extends continuously from the inner edge of the core to the outer edge. Claim 13 As a footwear article: comprising a sole structure having a cushioning component, wherein the cushioning component comprises: a bladder comprising a first blocking sheet having a first inner surface and a second blocking sheet having a second inner surface facing the first inner surface; wherein the second blocking sheet is disposed on the distal side of the first blocking sheet, and the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet form an internal cavity between the first inner surface and the second inner surface, and the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet are sealed to each other along a peripheral joint to seal the internal cavity and retain gas within the internal cavity; A core disposed within the internal cavity and completely spaced inward from the peripheral joint, wherein the core comprises at least one polymer sheet that binds the first blocking sheet and the second blocking sheet together by being directly joined to the first inner cavity at a first set of joints and to the second inner cavity at a second set of joints across the internal cavity between the first inner cavity and the second inner cavity; wherein at least a portion of the second set of joints is wider than at least a portion of the first set of joints in the front-rear direction of the footwear article; wherein the at least one polymer sheet is spaced from the first inner cavity and the second inner cavity by the gas in the non-joining region of the at least one polymer sheet; and wherein the first set of joints and the second set of joints are arranged such that the gas in the internal cavity is fluidly in communication around the at least one polymer sheet, without forming a sealed chamber within the bladder in which the at least one polymer sheet is not fluidly in communication with the internal cavity. Claim 14 A footwear article of paragraph 13, wherein the joint of the second set of footwear articles gradually decreases in width from the heel area to the forefoot area. Claim 15 As an article of footwear according to any one of claims 13 to 14: at least one polymer sheet of the core comprises a first polymer sheet and a second polymer sheet, wherein the first polymer sheet is disposed between a first blocking sheet and a second polymer sheet, and the second polymer sheet is disposed between the first polymer sheet and a second blocking sheet, such that a first surface of the first polymer sheet faces a first inner surface of the first blocking sheet, a second surface of the first polymer sheet faces a first surface of the second polymer sheet, and a second surface of the second polymer sheet faces a second inner surface of the second blocking sheet; A footwear article, wherein the first surface of the first polymer sheet is directly bonded to the first inner surface of the first blocking sheet by a first set of bonding parts, the second surface of the second polymer sheet is directly bonded to the second inner surface of the second blocking sheet by a second set of bonding parts, the second surface of the first polymer sheet is directly bonded to the first surface of the second polymer sheet by a third set of bonding parts, the third set of bonding parts alternates with the first set of bonding parts along the longitudinal direction of the first polymer sheet, and the third set of bonding parts alternates with the second set of bonding parts along the longitudinal direction of the second polymer sheet. Claim 16 A footwear article of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of a second set of joints, which is wider than at least a portion of a first set of joints, is aligned with at least a portion of a first set of joints in the front-rear direction when the internal cavity of the bladder is in a non-expanded state. Claim 17 A footwear article of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the joint of the second set is located in the forefoot area of ​​the footwear article. Claim 18 A footwear article of paragraph 16, wherein the joints of the third set are offset from the joints of the second set and the joints of the first set in the front-rear direction; and each joint of the second set is wider in the front-rear direction than the adjacent joint of the third set. Claim 19 A footwear article of paragraph 18, wherein each joint of the third set has a width greater than or equal to the width of the joint of the adjacent first set. Claim 20 A footwear article according to any one of paragraphs 13 through 19, wherein each joint of the first set and each joint of the second set extends continuously from the inner edge of the core to the outer edge.

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