Footwear having a bladder with support members
First Claim
1. A fluid filled cushioning member for a shoe sole comprising a fluid containing outer wall having a deformable indentation forming an indented wall portion in said outer wall and opening to an outer surface of said outer wall, said indentation having longitudinal and lateral axes defined generally along said outer surface and an orthogonal axis perpendicular to said longitudinal and lateral axes, said indented wall portion of said indentation being asymmetrical about at least one of said longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An article of footwear having a fluid filled cushioning bladder. The bladder comprises indentations and mating inserts in the top and bottom surfaces of the bladder. The inwardly directed indentations abut one another, are attached to one another, and have an ovoid shape. The construction of the indentations provide lateral stability and improved shear compliance by providing an increased contact surface area at the abutment point. The contact area preferably corresponds to the shape of the indentation. Each indentation receives an insert having a corresponding shape. The insert is designed to collapse in response to a compressive load and then recover its shape. The profile of each insert and indentation pair is configured for preferential collapse. That is, the two ends of the ovoid have different stiffnesses, so that one end collapses in response to a smaller compressive load than the other end.
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Citations
66 Claims
- 1. A fluid filled cushioning member for a shoe sole comprising a fluid containing outer wall having a deformable indentation forming an indented wall portion in said outer wall and opening to an outer surface of said outer wall, said indentation having longitudinal and lateral axes defined generally along said outer surface and an orthogonal axis perpendicular to said longitudinal and lateral axes, said indented wall portion of said indentation being asymmetrical about at least one of said longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes.
- 23. A resilient support member for insertion in a fluid filled cushioning member of a shoe sole, said support member being formed of a resilient material and being deformable under compressive loading and recovering to substantially its original shape after the compressive loading is removed, said support member being formed as an indentation from an outer surface of said resilient material, said indentation having longitudinal and lateral axes defined generally along said outer surface and an orthogonal axis perpendicular to such longitudinal and lateral axes, a surface of said indentation being asymmetrical about at least one of said longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes.
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31. A component for a sole of an article of footwear comprising:
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a fluid filled cushioning member formed of a fluid containing outer wall having an indentation in an outer surface of said outer wall; and
a resilient support member having a shape corresponding to said indentation, said support member adapted to be matingly received in said indentation, the mated indentation and support member defining a mated shape having longitudinal and lateral axes generally along a surface of said cushioning member and an orthogonal axis perpendicular to said longitudinal and lateral axes, said mated shape being asymmetrical about at least one of said longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A component for a sole of an article of footwear comprising:
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a fluid filled cushioning member formed of a fluid containing outer wall having a plurality of paired ovoid indentations in said outer wall opening to opposed surfaces of said member, said paired indentations abutting one another and attached to one another in a contact area; and
a plurality of correspondingly shaped inserts matingly disposed in said indentations, said indentations and inserts deformable upon compressive loading and recovering to substantially their original shape in an unloaded state. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. An article of footwear comprising:
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an upper for covering at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s foot;
a sole attached to said upper, said sole comprising;
a fluid filled cushioning member formed of a fluid containing outer wall having a plurality of paired ovoid indentations in said outer wall opening to opposed surfaces of said member, said paired indentations abutting one another and attached to one another in an ovoid contact area; and
a plurality of correspondingly shaped inserts matingly disposed in said indentations, said indentations and inserts deformable upon compressive loading and recovering to substantially their original shape in an unloaded state. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
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60. A fluid filled cushioning member for a shoe sole comprising a fluid containing outer wall having a deformable indentation formed in said outer wall and opening to an outer surface of said outer wall, said indentation having longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes defined at said outer surface and being asymmetrical about at least one of said longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes;
wherein said indentation defines an ovoid shape at the outer surface with first and second ends, said first end deformable at a lower compressive load than said second end, and said indentation has a deeper draw at said second end than at said first end resulting in a more vertical surface at said second end to provide a stiffer response to a compressive load.
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61. A fluid filled cushioning member for a shoe sole comprising a fluid containing outer wall having a deformable indentation formed in said outer wall and opening to an outer surface of said outer wall, said indentation having longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes defined at said outer surface and being asymmetrical about at least one of said longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes;
wherein said indentation defines a ovoid shape at the outer surface with first and second ends, and said indentation has a deeper draw at said second end than at said first end resulting in a more vertical surface at said second end.
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62. A resilient support member for insertion in a fluid filled cushioning member of a shoe sole, said support member being formed of a resilient material and being deformable under compressive loading and recovering to substantially its original shape after the compressive loading is removed, said support member having longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes and being asymmetrical about at least one of said longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes;
wherein said support member defines an ovoid shape with first and second ends, said first end deformable at a lower compressive load than said second end, and said support member has a deeper draw at said second end than at said first end resulting in a more vertical surface at said second end to provide a stiffer response to a compressive load.
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63. A component for a sole of an article of footwear comprising:
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a fluid filled cushioning member formed of a fluid containing outer wall having an indentation in an outer surface of said outer wall; and
a resilient support member having a shape corresponding to said indentation, said support member adapted to be matingly received in said indentation, the mated indentation and support member defining a mated shape having longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes at a surface of said cushioning member, said mating shape being asymmetrical about at least one of said longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes;
wherein said indentation defines an ovoid shape at said outer surface with first and second ends, said first end deformable at a lower compressive load than said second end, and said indentation has a deeper draw at said second end than at said first end resulting in a more vertical surface at said second end to provide a stiffer response to a compressive load.
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64. A component for a sole of an article of footwear comprising:
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a fluid filled cushioning member formed of a fluid containing outer wall having a plurality of paired ovoid indentations in said outer wall opening to opposed surfaces of said member, said paired indentations abutting one another and attached to one another in a contact area; and
a plurality of correspondingly shaped inserts matingly disposed in said indentations, said indentations and inserts deformable upon compressive loading and recovering to substantially their original shape in an unloaded state;
wherein said ovoid indentations each comprise a first end and a second end, said first end being deformable at a lower compressive load than said second end, and said ovoid indentations have a deeper draw at said second end than at said first end resulting in a stiffer response to deformation at said second end.
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65. An article of footwear comprising:
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an upper for covering at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s foot;
a sole attached to said upper, said sole comprising;
a fluid filled cushioning member formed of a fluid containing outer wall having a plurality of paired ovoid indentations in said outer wall opening to opposed surfaces of said member, said paired indentations abutting one another and attached to one another in an ovoid contact area; and
a plurality of correspondingly shaped inserts matingly disposed in said indentations, said indentations and inserts deformable upon compressive loading and recovering to substantially their original shape in an unloaded state;
wherein said ovoid indentations each comprise a first end and a second end, said first end being deformable at a lower compressive load than said second end, and wherein said ovoid indentations have a deeper draw at said second end than at said first end resulting in a stiffer response to deformation at said second end.
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66. An article of footwear comprising:
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an upper for covering at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s foot;
a sole attached to said upper, said sole comprising;
a fluid filled cushioning member formed of a fluid containing outer wall having at least one deformable indentation in said outer wall and opening to an outer surface of said wall, said at least one indentation having longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes defined at said outer surface and being asymmetrical about at least one of said longitudinal, lateral and orthogonal axes;
wherein said at least one indentation defines and ovoid shape with first and second ends, said first end being deformable at a lower compressive load than said second end, and wherein said at least one indentation has a deeper draw at said second end than at said first end resulting in a stiffer response to deformation at said second end.
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Specification