# US 11,439,200 B2 · Stacked cushioning arrangement for sole structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,200 B2 - Document ID: US11439200B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/879,279 - Filed: 2020-05-20 - Published: 2020-09-03 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-01 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Jeremy L. Connell; Karen S. Dimoff; Emily Farina; Joël Ryp Greenspan; Stefan E. Guest; Derek Haight; Olivier Henrichot; Helene Hutchinson; Geng Luo; Krissy Yetman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439200B2 ## CPC - A43B 13/186: {Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot (resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32)} - A43B 13/026: {Composites, e.g. carbon fibre or aramid fibre; the sole, one or more sole layers or sole part being made of a composite} - A43B 13/12: Soles with several layers of different materials - A43B 13/125: {characterised by the midsole or middle layer} - A43B 13/127: {the midsole being multilayer} - A43B 13/141: {with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion} - A43B 13/148: {Wedged end portions} - A43B 13/183: {Leaf springs} - A43B 13/184: {the structure protruding from the outsole} - A43B 13/187: {Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials} - A43B 13/188: {Differential cushioning regions} - A43B 13/189: {filled with a non-compressible fluid, e.g. gel, water} - A43B 13/32: by adhesives - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract A sole structure for an article of footwear is provided. The sole structure includes an outsole having a ground-engaging surface and an upper surface formed on an opposite side of the outsole than the ground-engaging surface. A first cushion is disposed proximate to a medial side of the sole structure and includes a first fluid-filled chamber attached to the upper surface of the outsole and a second fluid-filled chamber attached to the first fluid-filled chamber and disposed between the first fluid-filled chamber and the upper. A second cushion is disposed proximate to a lateral side of the sole structure and includes a third fluid-filled chamber attached to the upper surface of the outsole and a fourth fluid-filled chamber attached to the third fluid-filled chamber and disposed between the third fluid-filled chamber and the upper. The second cushion is fluidly isolated from the first cushion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising: a midsole upper portion; a plate including a first plate surface attached to the midsole upper portion, and a second plate surface disposed on an opposite side of the plate than the first plate surface; a first cushion including a first cushion surface attached to the second plate surface and a second cushion surface disposed on an opposite side of the first cushion than the first cushion surface; and a midsole lower portion comprising a polymer foam disposed between the first cushion and a posterior end of the sole structure wherein a first end of the midsole lower portion includes a sidewall facing and spaced apart from the first cushion by a first gap in a midfoot region, the sidewall extending from a ground-engaging surface of the midsole lower portion to the second plate surface at an oblique angle relative to a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sole structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the second plate surface is exposed at a location between the midsole lower portion and the first cushion surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, wherein the first cushion comprises a fluid-filled chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sole structure of claim 3, wherein the fluid-filled chamber is pressurized. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, further comprising a second cushion disposed laterally adjacent to the first cushion across a width of the sole structure between a medial side of the sole structure and a lateral side of the sole structure, wherein the midsole lower portion is also disposed between the second cushion and the posterior end of the sole structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The sole structure of claim 5, wherein the first cushion and the second cushion have different cushioning characteristics than the midsole lower portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The sole structure of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first cushion and the second cushion comprises a fluid-filled chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The sole structure of claim 5, wherein the first cushion is laterally spaced apart from the second cushion by a gap. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The sole structure of claim 8, wherein the first cushion includes a first arcuate perimeter surface and the second cushion includes a second arcuate perimeter surface, and wherein the first arcuate perimeter surface opposes the second arcuate perimeter surface at the gap. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sole structure of claim 1, further comprising an outsole including a first outsole surface attached to the second cushion surface and a second outsole surface defining a ground-contacting surface and disposed on an opposite side of the outsole than the first outsole surface. ### Claim 11 A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising: a midsole upper portion; a plate including a first plate surface attached to the midsole upper portion and a second plate surface disposed on an opposite side of the plate than the first plate surface; a first cushion including a first cushion surface attached to the second plate surface; and a midsole lower portion disposed between the first cushion and a posterior end of the sole structure, wherein the midsole lower portion includes a first end disposed at the posterior end of the sole structure and a second end disposed at an opposite end of the midsole lower portion than the first end, the second end being attached to the second plate surface and including a sidewall facing and spaced apart from the first cushion by a first gap in a midfoot region, the sidewall extending from a ground-engaging surface of the midsole lower portion to the second plate surface at an oblique angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the sole structure extending from a heel region of the sole structure to a forefoot region of the sole structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The sole structure of claim 11, wherein the second plate surface is exposed between the second end and a junction of the second plate surface and the first cushion surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The sole structure of claim 11, wherein the first cushion comprises a fluid-filled chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The sole structure of claim 13, wherein the fluid-filled chamber is pressurized. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The sole structure of claim 11, further comprising a second cushion disposed laterally adjacent to the first cushion across a width of the sole structure between a medial side of the sole structure and a lateral side of the sole structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The sole structure of claim 15, wherein the first cushion and the second cushion have different cushioning characteristics than the midsole lower portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The sole structure of claim 15, wherein the first cushion and the second cushion each comprise a fluid-filled chamber, and wherein the midsole lower portion comprises a polymer foam. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The sole structure of claim 15, wherein the first cushion is spaced apart from the second cushion by a second gap. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The sole structure of claim 18, wherein the first cushion includes a first arcuate perimeter surface and the second cushion includes a second arcuate perimeter surface, and wherein the first arcuate perimeter surface opposes the second arcuate perimeter surface at the second gap.