Article of footwear having a fluid-filled bladder with a reinforcing structure
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A sole component for an article of footwear, the sole component comprising:
- a bladder formed of a barrier material that encloses a pressurized fluid, the bladder having a first surface, an apposite 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,a second portion spaced from the first portion and positioned at an interface of the second surface and the sidewall, anda plurality of connecting portions extending adjacent to the sidewall and between the first portion and the second portion, the connecting portions being recessed into sidewall,wherein the sidewall has a first area that is covered by the connecting portions and a second area that is exposed to an exterior of the sole component, the first area. being less than the second area.
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.
315 Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A sole component for an article of footwear, the sole component comprising:
-
a bladder formed of a barrier material that encloses a pressurized fluid, the bladder having a first surface, an apposite 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, a second portion spaced from the first portion and positioned at an interface of the second surface and the sidewall, and a plurality of connecting portions extending adjacent to the sidewall and between the first portion and the second portion, the connecting portions being recessed into sidewall, wherein the sidewall has a first area that is covered by the connecting portions and a second area that is exposed to an exterior of the sole component, the first area. being less than the second area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A sole component for an article of footwear, the sole component comprising:
-
a bladder formed of a barrier material that encloses a fluid; and a reinforcing structure at least partially recessed into the barrier material and bonded to the barrier material, wherein an exposed surface of the bladder is exposed to an exterior of the sole component, and an exposed surface of the reinforcing stmcture is exposed to the exterior of the sole component, the exposed surface of the bladder being substantially co-planar with the exposed surface of the reinforcing structure at an interface between the exposed surface of the bladder and the exposed surface of the reinforcing structure. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
Specification