Article of footwear with a sole structure having fluid-filled support elements

• US 8,302,328 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Goodwin, David A., Crowley, Gerald Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Patterson, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/825,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20100263229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 36/28, 36/29, 36/35.R, 36/35.B, 36/37
• US Class Current: 36/29
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/206 provided with tubes or pipes or tubular shaped cushioning members
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0052 X-shaped or cross-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/148 Moulds or apparatus therefor

Abstract

An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure incorporates a support element that includes a fluid-filled chamber, a first insert, and a second insert. The chamber defines a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface. The first insert is secured to the first surface and at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber, and the second insert is secured to the second surface. In addition, the chamber may be pressurized to deform the first insert or the second insert.

Claims

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

a sealed fluid-filled chamber formed of a polymer material and defining a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface;

a first insert, the first insert having opposite surfaces and a surrounding sidewall, one of the first insert opposite surfaces secured to the chamber first surface, the first insert sidewall at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber; and

a second insert secured to the chamber second surface.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the sole structure defines a void and the support element is located within the void and extends between upper and lower surfaces of the void.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the sole structure defines a void positioned in a heel region of the article of footwear, and the support element and three additional support elements are located within the void and extend between upper and lower surfaces of the void.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 3, wherein conduits place the support element and the three additional support elements in fluid communication.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the second insert has opposite surfaces and a surrounding sidewall, one of the second insert opposite surfaces is secured to the chamber second surface, and the second insert sidewall is at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5, wherein the surrounding sidewall of the second insert joins the opposite surfaces of the second insert.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the chamber is devoid of internal connections that join the first surface and the second surface.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the chamber has a cylindrical configuration.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the chamber is pressurized.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the chamber is pressurized to deform at least one of the first insert and the second insert.

11. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the chamber is pressurized to place an outward force upon the first surface and deform the first insert to decrease a curvature of the first insert.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the first insert has a configuration of a plate.

13. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the surrounding sidewall of the first insert joins the opposite surfaces of the first insert.

14. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the chamber sidewall extends between the first and second surfaces around an entire periphery of the first surface and around an entire periphery of the second surface.

15. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper; and

a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure incorporating a support element, the support element further comprising;

a chamber formed of a polymer material and defining a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface, the chamber being devoid of internal connections that join the first surface and the second surface; and

a first insert and a second insert, the first insert having a circular configuration being secured to the first surface, and the second insert being secured to the second surface,

wherein the chamber encloses a pressurized fluid that places an outward force upon the first surface to deform the first insert and decrease a curvature of the first insert.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the first insert has a configuration of a plate.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the sole structure defines a void and the support element is located within the void and extends between upper and lower surfaces of the void.

18. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the first insert is at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber.

19. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein each of the first insert and the second insert are at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber.

20. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the chamber has a cylindrical configuration.

21. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein a diameter of the first insert is in a range of 90% to 110% of a diameter of the first surface.

22. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the first insert has opposite surfaces joined by a surrounding sidewall, one of the first insert opposite surfaces is secured to the chamber first surface, and the first insert sidewall is at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber.

23. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the chamber sidewall extends between the first and second surfaces around an entire periphery of the first surface and around an entire periphery of the second surface.

24. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure incorporating a support element comprising:

a sealed fluid-filled chamber formed of a polymer material and defining a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface, the chamber having a cylindrical configuration;

a first insert secured to the first surface;

a second insert secured to the second surface.

25. The article of footwear recited in claim 24, wherein the first insert is at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber.

26. The article of footwear recited in claim 24, wherein the sole structure defines a void and the support element is located within the void and extends between upper and lower surfaces of the void.

27. The article of footwear recited in claim 24, wherein the sole structure defines a void positioned in a heel region of the article of footwear, and the support element and three additional support elements are located within the void and extend between upper and lower surfaces of the void.

28. The article of footwear recited in claim 24, wherein the chamber is devoid of internal connections that join the first surface and the second surface.

29. The article of footwear recited in claim 24, wherein the chamber is pressurized to place an outward force upon the first surface and deform the first insert to decrease a curvature of the first insert.

30. The article of footwear of claim 24, wherein the first insert has opposite surfaces joined by a surrounding sidewall, one of the first insert opposite surfaces is secured to the chamber first surface, and the first insert sidewall is at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber.

31. The article of footwear of claim 24, wherein the chamber sidewall extends between the first and second surfaces around an entire periphery of the first surface and around an entire periphery of the second surface.

32. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure incorporating a support element comprising:

a sealed fluid-filled chamber formed of a polymer material and defining a first surface having an interior side in contact with the fluid within the chamber and an exterior side not contacting the fluid within the chamber, an opposite second surface having an interior side in contact with the fluid within the chamber and an exterior side not contacting the fluid within the chamber, and a sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface;

a substantially planar first insert secured to the exterior side of the first surface and at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber; and

a second insert secured to the exterior side of the second surface.

33. The article of footwear recited in claim 32, wherein the sole structure defines a void and the support element is located within the void and extends between upper and lower surfaces of the void.

34. The article of footwear recited in claim 32, wherein the second insert is at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber.

35. The article of footwear recited in claim 32, wherein the chamber is devoid of internal connections that join the first surface and the second surface.

36. The article of footwear recited in claim 32, wherein the chamber has a cylindrical configuration.

37. The article of footwear recited in claim 32, wherein the chamber is pressurized and sealed.

38. The article of footwear recited in claim 32, wherein the chamber is pressurized to deform at least one of the first insert and the second insert.

39. The article of footwear recited in claim 32, wherein the chamber is pressurized to place an outward force upon the first surface and deform the first insert to decrease a curvature of the first insert so as to make the first insert substantially planar.

40. The article of footwear recited in claim 32, wherein the first insert has a configuration of a plate.

41. The article of footwear of claim 32, wherein the first insert has opposite surfaces joined by a surrounding sidewall, one of the first insert opposite surfaces is secured to the chamber first surface, and the first insert sidewall is at least partially recessed into the polymer material of the chamber.

42. The article of footwear of claim 32, wherein the chamber sidewall extends between the first and second surfaces around an entire periphery of the first surface and around an entire periphery of the second surface.