US 12,757,979 B2Granted

Bladder systems and footwear incorporating bladder systems for ankle and/or heel support

AssigneeNIKE, Inc.

InventorsYoon Jeong Choi, Scott C. Holt, James Molyneux, Colin Runkle, Bryan K. Youngs

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Abstract

Bladder systems for footwear uppers, footwear components (e.g., uppers), and articles of footwear including the bladder systems, and/or methods of making and using such bladder systems are described. The bladder systems may include two or more bladder pods engaged together by one or more elastic connectors. The elastic connector(s) may enable the bladder system to fit snugly around the wearer's ankle and/or heel area while still allowing some relative movement between the bladder pods, e.g., as a wearer moves in an article of footwear. In this manner, the bladder systems provide support and a snug fit and return to its/their original size, shape, and/or location once the force from the wearer's movement is removed or sufficiently relaxed. Additionally or alternatively, the bladder systems may provide impact force attenuation properties, e.g., to protect the wearer's ankle and/or heel.

Claims7

Dependent claims

An upper for an article of footwear, comprising:

an upper base component including one or more upper component parts;
and
a bladder system engaged with the upper base component, wherein the bladder system is located at an ankle covering portion and/or a heel covering portion of the upper base component and includes:
a first bladder pod including a first seam that defines a first interior bladder chamber,
a second bladder pod including a second seam that defines a second interior bladder chamber,
a first elastic connector engaging the first seam of the first bladder pod and the second seam of the second bladder pod;
and
a third bladder pod including a third seam that defines a third interior bladder chamber;
wherein:
(i) the first seam completely surrounds and seals the first interior bladder chamber, (ii) the second seam completely surrounds and seals the second interior bladder chamber, and (iii) the first interior bladder chamber is not in fluid communication with the second interior bladder chamber;
wherein the first elastic connector is configured to generally fit over a wearer's medial malleolus;
wherein the third bladder pod includes a first pod chamber, a second pod chamber, and a fluid passage connecting the first pod chamber of the third bladder pod to the second pod chamber of the third bladder pod;
wherein the third bladder pod is configured to wrap around a rear heel area of the upper base component such that the first pod chamber is located on a medial side of the article of footwear, the second pod chamber is located on a lateral side of the article of footwear, and the fluid passage is located on a rear of the article of footwear;
wherein each of the first pod chamber of the third bladder pod and the second pod chamber of the third bladder pod are wider in a vertical direction than the fluid passage of the third bladder pod;
wherein the third bladder pod has a butterfly shape;
and
wherein a portion of the first pod chamber and a portion of the second pod chamber each extend above the fluid passage in a vertical direction, and wherein a portion of the first pod chamber and a portion of the second pod chamber each extend below the fluid passage in a vertical direction.

14 more elements

An upper for an article of footwear, comprising:

an upper base component including one or more upper component parts;
and
a bladder system engaged with the upper base component, wherein the bladder system is located at an ankle covering portion and/or a heel covering portion of the upper base component and includes:
a first bladder pod including a first seam that defines a first interior bladder chamber,
a second bladder pod including a second seam that defines a second interior bladder chamber,
a third bladder pod including a third seam that defines a third interior bladder chamber,
a first elastic connector engaging the first seam of the first bladder pod, the second seam of the second bladder pod, and the third seam of the third bladder pod;
wherein the third bladder pod is configured to support a heel region of a wearer's foot;
wherein the third bladder pod includes a first pod chamber, a second pod chamber, and a fluid passage connecting the first pod chamber of the third bladder pod to the second pod chamber of the third bladder pod;
wherein the third bladder pod is configured to wrap around a rear heel area of the upper base component such that the first pod chamber is located on a medial side of the article of footwear, the second pod chamber is located on a lateral side of the article of footwear, and the fluid passage is located on a rear of the article of footwear;
wherein each of the first pod chamber of the third bladder pod and the second pod chamber of the third bladder pod are wider in a vertical direction than the fluid passage of the third bladder pod;
wherein the first elastic connector is configured to generally fit over the wearer's medial malleolus;
wherein the third bladder pod has a butterfly shape;
and
wherein a portion of the first pod chamber and a portion of the second pod chamber each extend above the fluid passage in a vertical direction, and wherein a portion of the first pod chamber and a portion of the second pod chamber each extend below the fluid passage in a vertical direction.

12 more elements

An upper for an article of footwear, comprising:

an upper base component including one or more upper component parts;
and
a bladder system engaged with the upper base component, wherein the bladder system is located at an ankle covering portion and/or a heel covering portion of the upper base component and includes:
a first bladder pod including a first seam that defines a first interior bladder chamber,
a second bladder pod including a second seam that defines a second interior bladder chamber,
a third bladder pod including a third seam that defines a third interior bladder chamber,
a first elastic connector engaging the first seam of the first bladder pod, the second seam of the second bladder pod, and the third seam of the third bladder pod;
wherein the third bladder pod is configured to support a heel region of a wearer's foot;
wherein the third bladder pod includes a first pod chamber, a second pod chamber, and a fluid passage connecting the first pod chamber of the third bladder pod to the second pod chamber of the third bladder pod;
wherein the third bladder pod is configured to wrap around a rear heel area of the upper base component such that the first pod chamber is located on a medial side of the article of footwear, the second pod chamber is located on a lateral side of the article of footwear, and the fluid passage is located on a rear of the article of footwear;
wherein each of the first pod chamber of the third bladder pod and the second pod chamber of the third bladder pod are wider in a vertical direction than the fluid passage of the third bladder pod;
wherein the first elastic connector is configured to generally fit over the wearer's lateral malleolus;
wherein the third bladder pod has a butterfly shape;
and
wherein a portion of the first pod chamber and a portion of the second pod chamber each extend above the fluid passage in a vertical direction, and wherein a portion of the first pod chamber and a portion of the second pod chamber each extend below the fluid passage in a vertical direction.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/213,569Filed 23 Jun 2023 · us provisional application
Priority: 27 Jun 2022
Published: US 2023/0413948 A128 Dec 2023
Granted: 13 Oct 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

A43B 23/0285
Resilient uppers, e.g. shock absorbing: filled with a non-compressible fluid, e.g. gel or water
A43B 23/029
Resilient uppers, e.g. shock absorbing: pneumatic upper, e.g. gas filled
A43B
Characteristic features of footwear

Family

Application63/355,759Us provisional application · filed 27 Jun 2022
US 2023/0413948 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Dec 2023
US 12,757,979 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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