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US 10,441,029 B2Granted
Article of footwear having a sole structure including a fluid-filled chamber and an outsole, the sole structure, and methods for manufacturing
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsFidencio Campos, II, Benjamin J. Monfils, Lee D. Peyton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure is directed to an article of footwear including an upper and the sole structure, to the sole structure, and to a method for manufacturing the sole structure and a method for manufacturing the article of footwear. The sole structure includes a fluid-filled chamber and an outsole that at least partially surrounds the chamber.
Claims18
A method of manufacturing a sole structure for an article of footwear, the method comprising:
- forming a fluid-filled chamber having a plurality of fluid-filled segments each having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an edge extending between the upper surface and the lower surface;
- forming an outsole having a plurality of compartments that each correspond to a fluid-filled segment of the plurality of fluid-filled segments and each include a ground-engaging surface and a segment-engaging surface formed on an opposite side of the outsole than the ground-engaging surface, at least one of the segment-engaging surfaces including a series of lands and grooves;
- and
- bonding the lands of the at least one of the segment-engaging surfaces to the lower surface of a respective one of the plurality of fluid-filled segments to space the grooves apart from the lower surface of the respective one of the plurality of fluid-filled segments,
- wherein forming the fluid-filled chamber having a plurality of fluid-filled segments includes forming a first one of the plurality of fluid-filled segments to include a first portion extending along one of a medial side of the sole structure and a lateral side of the sole structure, a second portion extending from the first portion toward the other of the medial side and the lateral side and having a distal end that terminates between the lateral side and the medial side, and a third portion extending from the first portion toward the other of the medial side and the lateral side and having a distal end that terminates between the lateral side and the medial side.
2 more elements
A method of manufacturing a sole structure for an article of footwear, the method comprising:
- forming a fluid-filled chamber having a plurality of fluid-filled segments each having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an edge extending between the upper surface and the lower surface;
- forming an outsole having a plurality of compartments that each correspond to a fluid-filled segment of the plurality of fluid-filled segments and each include a ground-engaging surface and a segment-engaging surface formed on an opposite side of the outsole than the ground-engaging surface, at least one of the segment-engaging surfaces including a series of projections defining a series of recesses;
- and
- bonding the projections of the at least one of the segment-engaging surfaces to the lower surface of a respective one of the plurality of fluid-filled segments to space the recesses apart from the lower surface of the respective one of the plurality of fluid-filled segments,
- wherein forming the fluid-filled chamber having a plurality of fluid-filled segments includes forming a first one of the plurality of fluid-filled segments to include a first portion extending along one of a medial side of the sole structure and a lateral side of the sole structure, a second portion extending from the first portion toward the other of the medial side and the lateral side and having a distal end that terminates between the lateral side and the medial side, and a third portion extending from the first portion toward the other of the medial side and the lateral side and having a distal end that terminates between the lateral side and the medial side.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.