ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR WITH A MIDSOLE ASSEMBLY HAVING A PERIMETER BLADDER ELEMENT, A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND A MOLD ASSEMBLY FOR SAME

• US 20190082786A1
• Filed: 11/20/2018
• Published: 03/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Cortez, Margarita L., Elder, Zachary M., Peyton, Lee D., Quinonez, Hector R.
• Granted Patent: US 11,096,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/127 the midsole being multilayer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/20 Pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/206 provided with tubes or pipes or tubular shaped cushioning members
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0063 U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/122 Soles

Abstract

An article of footwear has a midsole assembly that includes a fluid-filled bladder element having a substantially arc-shaped heel portion and having a lateral arm portion and a medial arm portion spaced from the lateral arm portion. Each of the arm portions extend from the heel portion. The bladder element is configured to be positioned with the heel portion in the heel region of midsole assembly, and the arm portions extending from the heel region to a forefoot region along a peripheral region. A method of manufacturing and a mold assembly for such an article of footwear are provided.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising:

co-molding a rim to a bladder element;

wherein the bladder element has a substantially arc-shaped heel portion, a lateral arm portion extending forward from the heel portion along a lateral side of the first bladder element, and a medial arm portion laterally-spaced from the lateral arm portion and extending forward from the heel portion along a medial side of the first bladder element; and

wherein the rim extends along an upper extent of the heel portion, along an upper extent of the lateral arm portion, and along an upper extent of the medial arm portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein co-molding the rim to the bladder element includes:

filling a rim portion of a mold cavity of a thermoforming mold with thermoplastic polyurethane material; and

placing a first polymeric sheet and a second polymeric sheet in the thermoforming mold.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

thermoforming the bladder element from the first polymeric sheet and the second polymeric sheet in the thermoforming mold, with the rim portion molded integrally with the bladder element.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

supporting the bladder element at a periphery of a resilient midsole layer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein supporting the bladder element at a periphery of the resilient midsole layer includes:

placing the medial arm portion and the lateral arm portion of the bladder element in side recesses of the resilient midsole layer; and

placing the heel portion of the bladder element at a heel region of the resilient midsole layer.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

securing the bladder element to the resilient midsole layer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein securing the bladder element to the resilient midsole layer is by adhesion or heat fusing.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

attaching a footwear upper to the rim, with an internal chamber defined between the upper and the resilient midsole layer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein attaching the footwear upper to the rim is at an interior surface of the rim, inward of an upwardly-extending flange of the rim, the rim separating the footwear upper and the bladder element and an exterior surface of the flange exposed and extending upward along the upper.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein attaching the footwear upper to the rim is by adhering the footwear upper to the rim.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the bladder element is a first bladder element, the article of footwear is a first article of footwear, and the rim is a first rim, and the method further comprising:

simultaneously forming the first bladder element for the first article of footwear and a second bladder element for a second article of footwear in a single mold assembly; and

simultaneously co-molding a second rim to the second bladder element in the single mold assembly;

wherein the second bladder element has a substantially arc-shaped heel portion, a lateral arm portion extending forward from the heel portion of the second bladder element along a lateral side of the second bladder element, and a medial arm portion laterally-spaced from the lateral arm portion of the second bladder element and extending forward from the heel portion of the second bladder element along a medial side of the second bladder element;

wherein the medial arm portion of the first bladder element is between the lateral arm portion of the second bladder element and the medial arm portion of the second bladder element during said simultaneously forming; and

wherein the second rim extends along an upper extent of the heel portion of the second bladder element, along an upper extent of the lateral arm portion of the second bladder element, and along an upper extent of the medial arm portion of the second bladder element.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein both the first bladder element and the second bladder element are configured for a right foot of a wearer or both the first bladder element and the second bladder element are configured for a left foot of a wearer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said simultaneously forming the first bladder element for the first article of footwear and the second bladder element for the second article of footwear in a single mold assembly further includes:

forming a third bladder element for a third article of footwear and a fourth bladder element for a fourth article of footwear simultaneously with the first bladder element and the second bladder element in the single mold assembly;

wherein the third bladder element has a substantially arc-shaped heel portion, a lateral arm portion extending forward from the heel portion of the third bladder element along a lateral side of the third bladder element, and a medial arm portion laterally-spaced from the lateral arm portion of the third bladder element and extending forward from the heel portion of the third bladder element along a medial side of the third bladder element;

wherein the fourth bladder element has a substantially arc-shaped heel portion, a lateral arm portion extending forward from the heel portion of the fourth bladder element along a lateral side of the fourth bladder element, and a medial arm portion laterally-spaced from the lateral arm portion of the fourth bladder element and extending forward from the heel portion of the fourth bladder element along a medial side of the fourth bladder element;

wherein the medial arm portion of the third bladder element is between the lateral arm portion and the medial arm portion of the fourth bladder element during said simultaneously forming;

simultaneously co-molding a third rim to the third bladder element in the single mold assembly, wherein the third rim extends along an upper extent of the heel portion of the third bladder element, along an upper extent of the lateral arm portion of the third bladder element, and along an upper extent of the medial arm portion of the third bladder element; and

simultaneously co-molding a fourth rim to the fourth bladder element in the single mold assembly;

wherein the fourth rim extends along an upper extent of the heel portion of the fourth bladder element, along an upper extent of the lateral arm portion of the fourth bladder element, and along an upper extent of the medial arm portion of the fourth bladder element.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein both the first bladder element and the second bladder element are configured for a right foot of a wearer or both the first bladder element and the second bladder element are configured for a left foot of a wearer;

wherein the third bladder element and the fourth bladder element are both configured for a different one of said right foot of a wearer or said left foot of a wearer than the first bladder element and the second bladder element; and

wherein the lateral arm portion of the second bladder element is adjacent to the lateral arm portion of the third bladder element during said simultaneously forming.