Nike, Inc.

Other

Patrick Case

Lee D Peyton

Zachary M Elder

Yoon Jeong Choi

James Molyneux

Bryan K Youngs

Colin M Runkle

Dervin A James

Roger Paul Murphy

Nathan Andrew Jacobsen

Robert H Grubbs

Tetsuya T Minami

Graeme McMillan

Julia A Kornfield

Geng Luo

Axel Brait

Shiao H Chang

John S MacGilbert

Colin Runkle

Footwear uppers include a footwear upper base formed from one or more component parts and including: (i) an instep region including at least one of a tongue base region or instep base region and (ii) a heel-containing region. A bladder is engaged with the footwear upper. The bladder includes: (i) at least a first instep chamber engaged with the instep region, (ii) at least a first heel and/or ankle support chamber engaged with the heel-containing region, and (iii) a first fluid line connecting the first instep chamber and the first heel and/or ankle support chamber and placing the first instep chamber in fluid communication with the first heel and/or ankle support chamber. Fluid moving from the first instep chamber to the first heel and/or ankle support chamber (e.g., under force applied by a footwear securing strap) provides further support for the wearer's heel and/or ankle.

Bladders, footwear uppers including bladders, and articles of footwear including bladders in the upper

Footwear upper components include a fabric element and a bladder component that defines a sealed interior chamber. The bladder component includes: (a) a first major surface engaged with the fabric element, wherein this first major surface defines at least part of a first perimeter seam surface and at least part of a first surface of the sealed interior chamber, (b) a second major surface opposite the first major surface, wherein this second major surface defines at least part of a second perimeter seam surface opposite the first perimeter seam surface and at least part of a second surface of the sealed interior chamber opposite the sealed interior chamber's first surface, and (c) and a fluid chamber between the first and second major surfaces. The first major surface (and optionally the second major surface) may include texturing, e.g., texturing corresponding to texture present on a surface of the fabric element.

Footwear uppers including bladders, articles of footwear including bladders in the upper, and methods of forming such uppers and/or articles of footwear

Bladders for footwear uppers, footwear components and articles of footwear including the bladders, and/or methods of making and using such bladders are described. The bladders may include first and second thermoplastic elastomer sheets joined together by an outer perimeter bond. An interior chamber is defined between the thermoplastic elastomer sheets and inside the outer perimeter bond. The outer perimeter bond may be shaped such that the interior chamber forms: (i) a foot support chamber portion for supporting at least a portion of a plantar surface of a wearer's foot, and at least one of items (ii) and (iii) below, in which: item (ii) comprises a first side chamber portion (e.g., forming at least part of a first securing strap or a first footwear upper component), and item (iii) comprises a second side chamber portion (e.g., forming at least part of a first strap-engaging member or a second footwear upper component).

Bladders and footwear incorporating bladders in the foot supports and uppers

Footwear uppers include a footwear upper base having an instep region; one or more lace-engaging components located at a first side of the instep region; and one or more lace-engaging components located at a second side of the instep region. A bladder at the instep region includes: (i) a tongue and/or instep chamber, (ii) a first sealed seam region extending along a first side edge of the bladder, and (iii) a second sealed seam region extending along a second side edge of the bladder. The tongue and/or instep chamber extends between the sealed seam regions. A lace may apply a force to the tongue and/or instep chamber of the bladder. This force may move fluid from the tongue and/or instep chamber to a heel and/or ankle support chamber of the bladder. The lace may extend through a lace-engaging opening provided in a seam of the bladder.

A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a midsole system with a plurality of cushioning units, each having multiple cushioning layers configured to work together as a system to absorb a compressive load, such as a dynamic compressive load due to impact with the ground, in stages of progressive cushioning according to the relative stiffness values of the layers. Various midsole systems disclosed include isolated cushioning units, linked cushioning units, sole layers having stanchions interfacing with the midsole system, midsole systems with sole layers having keyed and unkeyed portions overlying a bladder, and midsole systems with vertically-stacked cushioning units disposed in inverted relationship to one another.

Midsole system with graded response

Footwear uppers and articles of footwear including such uppers include: (a) a first lateral lace-engaging component; (b) a first medial lace-engaging component; and (c) a bladder. The bladder includes: (i) a tongue and/or instep chamber having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, (ii) a first heel and/or ankle support chamber, and (iii) a first fluid line placing the first heel and/or ankle support chamber in fluid communication with the tongue and/or instep chamber. A lace engages the first lateral lace-engaging component and the first medial lace-engaging component such that a first portion of the lace extends across the first surface. The lace may apply a force to the tongue and/or instep chamber, and this force may move fluid from the tongue and/or instep chamber to the first heel and/or ankle support chamber to provide additional support for the heel and/or ankle.

Bladders for footwear uppers, footwear uppers including the bladders, articles of footwear including the bladders, and/or methods of making and using such bladders are described. At least one bladder chamber is provided in the instep and/or tongue area of the upper/article of footwear. In some examples, force applied to the instep based bladder chamber(s) moves fluid to one or more additional bladder chambers located in the arch and/or midfoot areas of the upper/article of footwear, and/or other areas of the wearer's foot. This movement of fluid increases fluid pressure and/or volume in the arch, midfoot, and/or other areas of the wearer's foot to provide additional support.

Bladders, footwear uppers including bladders, and articles of footwear including bladders providing arch support or other foot support

A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes a heel region, a forefoot region, and a mid-foot region disposed between the heel region and the forefoot region. The sole structure also includes a fluid-filled chamber including a first barrier layer cooperating with a second barrier layer to define a fluid-filled segment extending along a medial side of the sole structure within the heel region, a second fluid-filled segment extending along a lateral side of the sole structure within the heel region, and a web area disposed between and connecting the first fluid-filled segment and the second fluid-filled segment. The first barrier layer is attached to the second barrier layer within the web area.

Sole structure for article of footwear

A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a midsole having four stacked polymeric sheets bonded to one another to define a first cushioning layer, a second cushioning layer, and a third cushioning layer. Each cushioning layer comprises a sealed chamber retaining gas in isolation from each other sealed chamber. Bonds between adjacent ones of the sheets are arranged such that the third cushioning layer is stacked directly above the first cushioning layer with the second cushioning layer bordering both the first cushioning layer and the third cushioning layer, and the sealed chamber of the second cushioning layer includes a plurality of elongated segments each extending lengthwise across a longitudinal midline of the midsole at a respective acute angle to the longitudinal midline.

Midsole with graded response

A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a midsole including a first cushioning layer, a second cushioning layer, and a third cushioning layer. The first cushioning layer has a central portion, and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion. The first cushioning layer, the second cushioning layer, and the third cushioning layer are stacked with the second cushioning layer directly overlying the peripheral portion of the first cushioning layer, and the third cushioning layer overlying the second cushioning layer and directly overlying the central portion of the first cushioning layer. The first cushioning layer has a domed lower surface extending away from the second cushioning layer and the third cushioning layer and substantially centered under the central portion.

Domed midsole with staged compressive stiffness

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a midsole with a bladder system having a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region. The bladder system defines a first sealed chamber retaining fluid as a first cushioning layer, the first sealed chamber extending over the forefoot region, the midfoot region, and the heel region. The bladder system further defines multiple discreet sealed chambers retaining fluid in isolation from one another, each of the multiple discreet chambers disposed at one side of the first sealed chamber, and fluidly isolated from the first sealed chamber.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Patrick Case