Article of footwear having a fluid-filled chamber with flexion zones

• US 20070169379A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Swigart, John, Hazenberg, K., Hatfield, Tobi
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/102
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/125 characterised by the midsole or middle layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/16 Pieced soles with several layers of different material A43B13/12
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/20 Pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407

Abstract

An article of footwear is disclosed that includes a fluid-filled chamber with one or more flexion zones. The flexion zones may be areas of the chamber where a tensile element, for example, is absent, or the flexion zones may be areas of the chamber where opposite surfaces of the chamber are bonded together. The footwear may also include a sole structure with a flexion zone, and the flexion zone of the chamber may be aligned with the flexion zone of the sole structure.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:

a midsole element defining a first midsole portion and a second midsole portion separated by a midsole flexion zone, the first midsole portion being rotatable with respect to the second midsole portion at the midsole flexion zone, the midsole flexion zone being an indentation in the midsole that extends through at least one-half of a distance between a lower surface and an upper surface of the midsole element; and

a fluid-filled chamber having a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion separated by a chamber flexion zone, the first chamber portion being rotatable with respect to the second chamber portion at the chamber flexion zone,

wherein the first chamber portion is coupled to the first midsole portion, the second chamber portion is coupled to the second midsole portion, and the chamber flexion zone is aligned with the midsole flexion zone.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the midsole flexion zone is a sipe that extends upward into the midsole element and extends between the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein a tensile member is positioned in each of the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 3, wherein the tensile member is at least partially absent in the chamber flexion zone.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 3, wherein opposite sides of the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion are bonded to each other in the chamber flexion zone.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 3, wherein the tensile member is a textile material.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 3, wherein separate elements of the tensile member are positioned in each of the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein links extend between the separate elements.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the chamber flexion zone and the midsole flexion zone are oriented to extend in one of a longitudinal direction of the footwear and a direction between a medial side and a lateral side of the footwear.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein a first portion of the chamber flexion zone is oriented to extend in a longitudinal direction of the footwear, and a second portion of the chamber flexion zone is oriented to extend in a direction between a medial side and a lateral side of the footwear.

11. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure including a chamber comprising:

an outer barrier having a first surface and an opposite second surface bonded together around a periphery of the chamber to define a peripheral bond and seal a fluid within the chamber; and

a tensile member located within the outer barrier, the tensile member being bonded to the first surface and the second surface to restrain outward movement of the first surface and the second surface due to a pressure of the fluid, the tensile member having at least four portions separated by at least three substantially parallel flexion zones, at least a part of the tensile member being absent in the flexion zones,

the first surface and the second surface being at least partially bonded together in the flexion zones.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the four portions of the tensile member are separate from each other.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein a link extends between at least two of the four portions of the tensile member.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the tensile member is at least partially absent in the flexion zone.

15. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the tensile member is a textile material.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the sole structure includes a midsole element defining a first midsole portion and a second midsole portion separated by a midsole flexion zone.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 16, wherein the chamber is at least partially located in each of the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion.

18. The article of footwear recited in claim 17, wherein the flexion zone of the chamber is aligned with the midsole flexion zone.

19. The article of footwear recited in claim 16, wherein the midsole flexion zone is a sipe that extends upward into the midsole element and extends between the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion.

20. The article of footwear recited in claim 19, wherein the flexion zone of the chamber and the sipe are oriented to extend in one of a longitudinal direction of the footwear and a direction between a medial side and a lateral side of the footwear.

21. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:

a midsole element at least partially formed from a polymer foam material, the midsole element including a plurality of sipes that extend upward into the polymer foam material and form midsole flexion lines in the midsole element, the sipes defining a plurality of discrete sole elements that are separated by the sipes; and

a chamber having an outer barrier with a first surface and an opposite second surface that are bonded together around a periphery of the chamber to define a peripheral bond and seal a fluid within the chamber, the chamber including a plurality of interior bonds wherein the first surface is bonded to the second surface, at least a portion of the interior bonds corresponding in location with at least a portion of the sipes.

22. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the sipes include:

a first sipe oriented in a longitudinal direction with respect to the footwear, the first sipe extending through at least a portion of a length of the sole structure; and

a second sipe that extends laterally from a medial side to a lateral side of the sole structure.

23. The article of footwear recited in claim 22, wherein the interior bonds include:

a first bond oriented in the longitudinal direction and positioned above the first sipe, and

a second bond that extends laterally and is positioned above the second sipe.

24. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the chamber is positioned within an indentation in an upper surface of the midsole element.

25. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the chamber includes a plurality of tensile member elements located above the sole elements.

26. The article of footwear recited in claim 25, wherein the tensile member elements are at least partially absent from an area of the chamber including the interior bonds.

27. The article of footwear recited in claim 25, wherein links extend between the tensile member elements.

28. The article of footwear recited in claim 25, wherein the tensile member elements are formed from a textile material.

29. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of the interior bonds restricts the fluid from passing between a first area of the chamber and a second area of the chamber.

30. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of the interior bonds places a first area of the chamber in fluid communication with a second area of the chamber.

31. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:

a midsole element having a plurality of sole elements and a connecting portion, the sole elements extending downward from the connecting portion, and the sole elements being separated by a plurality of sipes that extend upward into the sole structure,

the plurality of sipes including;

a first sipe oriented in a longitudinal direction with respect to the footwear, the first sipe extending through at least a portion of a length of the sole structure, and

a plurality of second sipes that extend laterally from a medial side to a lateral side of the sole structure; and

a sealed and fluid-filled chamber having an outer barrier with a first surface and an opposite second surface, the chamber including;

a first bond oriented in the longitudinal direction and positioned above the first sipe, and

a plurality of second bonds that extend laterally and are positioned above the plurality of second sipes.

32. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein the chamber is positioned within an indentation in an upper surface of the midsole element.

33. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein the chamber includes a plurality of tensile member elements located above the sole elements.

34. The article of footwear recited in claim 33, wherein links extend between the tensile member elements.

35. The article of footwear recited in claim 33, wherein the tensile member elements are formed from a textile material.

36. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein at least one of the bonds restricts the fluid from passing between a first area of the chamber and a second area of the chamber.

37. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein at least one of the bonds places a first area of the chamber in fluid communication with a second area of the chamber.

38. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:

a midsole element defining a first midsole portion and a second midsole portion separated by a midsole flexion zone; and

a fluid-filled chamber including at least three layers of barrier material, at least two of the layers being bonded to each other to define a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion separated by a chamber flexion zone,

wherein the first chamber portion is coupled to the first midsole portion, the second chamber portion is coupled to the second midsole portion, and the chamber flexion zone is aligned with the midsole flexion zone.

39. The article of footwear recited in claim 38, wherein the midsole flexion zone is a sipe that extends upward into the midsole element and extends between the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion.

40. The article of footwear recited in claim 39, wherein the sipe extends through at least one-half of a distance between a lower surface and an upper surface of the midsole element.

41. The article of footwear recited in claim 38, wherein the chamber flexion zone and the midsole flexion zone are oriented to extend in one of a longitudinal direction of the footwear and a direction between a medial side and a lateral side of the footwear.

42. The article of footwear recited in claim 38, wherein a first portion of the chamber flexion zone is oriented to extend in a longitudinal direction of the footwear, and a second portion of the chamber flexion zone is oriented to extend in a direction between a medial side and a lateral side of the footwear.