Footwear with fluid-filled bladder and a reinforcing structure

• US 7,562,469 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Dojan, Frederick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US11/251,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20060137221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 36/29, 36/35.B, 361/53
• US Class Current: 36/29
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/146 Concave end portions, e.g. with a cavity or cut-out portion
• 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 13/223 Profiled soles
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 15/00 Welts for footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/28 Pneumatic heels filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/122 Soles

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.

Claims

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

a bladder formed from at least a first sheet and a second sheet of a barrier material that enclose a pressurized fluid, the bladder having at least a first surface and an opposite second surface;

a reinforcing structure secured to an exterior of the bladder and at least partially recessed into the barrier material;

a supplemental layer bonded to the second surface, the supplemental layer being formed from a third sheet of the barrier material; and

an outsole secured to at least one of the second surface and the supplemental layer,

wherein the second surface defines various indentations extending into an interior area of the bladder, and the supplemental layer extends across the indentations and is absent from the interior area.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the first surface is positioned proximal the upper and the second surface faces away from the upper.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the bladder includes a sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 3, wherein the reinforcing structure is recessed into the sidewall and extends at least partially between the first surface and the second surface.

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

a bladder formed from a barrier material that encloses a pressurized fluid, the bladder having at least an upper surface, an opposite lower surface, and a sidewall surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, and the bladder including a plurality of interior bonds spaced inward from the sidewall surface and joining portions of the barrier material forming the upper surface and the lower surface, each of the upper surface and the lower surface defining a plurality of indentations in areas corresponding with the interior bonds;

a reinforcing structure secured to an exterior of the bladder and at least partially recessed into the sidewall surface;

a supplemental layer bonded to the lower surface and having a configuration of a sheet of polymer material, the supplemental layer extending across the indentations in the lower surface so as to be absent from an area within the indentations; and

an outsole secured to at least one of the lower surface and the supplemental layer.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, wherein the supplemental layer is formed from the barrier material.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, wherein the upper surface is positioned proximal the upper and the lower surface faces away from the upper.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, wherein the reinforcing structure extends at least partially between the first surface and the second surface.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, further including an outsole secured to at least one of the lower surface and the supplemental layer.