US 12,604,945 B2Granted

Bladder for an article of footwear

AssigneeNIKE, Inc.

InventorsJeremy L. Connell, Craig Fredrick, Jason R. Meeker, Chris Wilburn

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A bladder including a first barrier element having a first surface formed on a first side of the first barrier element and a second surface formed on an opposite side of the first barrier element than the first surface, a second barrier element having a third surface formed on a first side of the second barrier element and a fourth surface formed on an opposite side of the second barrier element than the third surface, and a peripheral seam joining the first barrier element and the second barrier element to define an interior void between the first surface and the third surface, the peripheral seam including a first segment extending along the bladder proximate to the second surface, a second segment extending along the bladder proximate to the fourth surface, and a third segment extending between and connecting the first segment and the second segment.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A bladder comprising:

a first barrier element;
a second barrier element opposing the first barrier element;
a peripheral seam joining the first barrier element and the second barrier element to define a first fluid-filled segment extending from a first side of the bladder to a second side of the bladder, a second fluid-filled segment extending from the first side of the bladder to the second side of the bladder, and a notch extending between and separating distal ends of the first fluid-filled segment and the second fluid-filled segment, the first fluid-filled segment extending along a first axis and the second fluid-filled segment extending along a second axis convergent with the first axis;
and
a chamber formed from the first barrier element and the second barrier element and bounded by the peripheral seam, the chamber including an interior portion in fluid communication with a border portion extending between the peripheral seam and the interior portion, the border portion having a first thickness along the notch and a second thickness along a remainder of the border portion that is greater than the first thickness.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/743,442Filed 14 Jun 2024 · us provisional application
Priority: 15 Jun 2023
Published: US 2024/0415229 A119 Dec 2024
Granted: 21 Apr 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

A43B 13/20
Resilient soles: pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas
A43B 13/125
Soles with several layers of different materials: characterised by the midsole or middle layer
A43B 13/141
Characterised by the constructive form: with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
A43B 13/186
Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole: differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot