Article of footwear having a fluid-filled bladder with a reinforcing structure
First Claim
1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a bladder formed of a barrier material, the bladder enclosing a fluid capable of exerting an outward force upon the barrier material; and
a reinforcing structure at least partially recessed into the barrier material and bonded to the barrier material, at least a portion of the reinforcing structure being placed in tension by the outward force upon the barrier material,wherein each of the bladder and reinforcing structure form a portion of an exterior surface of the footwear, and the bladder and the reinforcing structure are substantially co-planar at an interface on the exterior surface between the bladder and the reinforcing structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sole component and a method of manufacturing the sole component are disclosed. In general, the sole component includes a fluid-filled bladder and a reinforcing structure extending around the bladder. The reinforcing structure is bonded to the exterior of the bladder, and may be recessed into the bladder. In some embodiments, the reinforcing structure extends along the side surfaces of the bladder and between upper and lower surfaces of bladder. In manufacturing the sole component, the reinforcing structure may be located within a mold, and the polymer material forming the bladder may be bonded to the reinforcing structure during the molding process.
337 Citations
67 Claims
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1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
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a bladder formed of a barrier material, the bladder enclosing a fluid capable of exerting an outward force upon the barrier material; and a reinforcing structure at least partially recessed into the barrier material and bonded to the barrier material, at least a portion of the reinforcing structure being placed in tension by the outward force upon the barrier material, wherein each of the bladder and reinforcing structure form a portion of an exterior surface of the footwear, and the bladder and the reinforcing structure are substantially co-planar at an interface on the exterior surface between the bladder and the reinforcing structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
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a bladder extending from a lateral side to a medial side of the sole structure and through a substantial portion of a longitudinal length of the sole structure, the bladder being formed of a barrier material and having a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface, and the bladder enclosing a fluid that exerts an outward force upon the barrier material; and a reinforcing structure having a first portion, a second portion, and a plurality of connecting portions, the first portion being secured to the bladder at an interface between the first surface and the sidewall, the second portion being secured to the bladder at an interface between the second surface and the sidewall, and the connecting portions extending between the first portion and the second portion, the connecting portions being at least partially recessed into the sidewall and bonded to the sidewall, at least one of the connecting portions being placed in tension by the outward force upon the barrier material, wherein each of the sidewall and connecting portions form a portion of an exterior surface of the footwear, and the sidewall and the connecting portions are substantially co-planar at an interface between the sidewall and the connecting portions on the exterior surface. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
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a bladder extending from a lateral side to a medial side of the sole structure and through a substantial portion of a longitudinal length of the sole structure, the bladder being formed of a barrier material and having a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface, and the bladder enclosing a pressurized fluid that exerts an outward force upon the barrier material, the barrier material having a first modulus of elasticity; and a reinforcing structure having a first portion, a second portion, and a plurality of connecting portions, the first portion being secured to the bladder at an interface between the first surface and the sidewall, the second portion being secured to the bladder at an interface between the second surface and the sidewall, and the connecting portions extending between the first portion and the second portion, the connecting portions being at least partially recessed into the sidewall and bonded to the sidewall, the reinforcing structure being formed of a second material having a second modulus of elasticity, the first modulus of elasticity being less than the second modulus of elasticity. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
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a bladder formed of a barrier material that encloses a pressurized fluid, the bladder having a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface; and a reinforcing structure bonded to the bladder, the reinforcing structure including; a first portion positioned at an interface of the first surface and the sidewall, the first portion extending along a lateral side of the bladder, around a heel region of the bladder, and along a medial side of the bladder, a second portion spaced from the first portion and positioned at an interface of the second surface and the sidewall, the second portion extending along the lateral side, around the heel region, and along a medial side of the bladder, and a plurality of connecting portions extending along the sidewall and between the first portion and the second portion, the connecting portions being recessed into sidewall, the reinforcing structure being formed of a material with a greater modulus of elasticity than the barrier material, and at least one of the connecting portions being in tension when the sole component is in an uncompressed state to restrict distension of the sidewall due to an outward force induced by the pressurized fluid. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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Specification