Footwear Sole Structure Incorporating A Plurality Of Chambers
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsBenjamin A. Shaffer, Denis Dekovic, Bradley S. Long, Brian E. Santa Maria, Danielle L. Taylor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plurality of fluid-filled chambers may be incorporated into sole structures of articles of footwear. The chambers may be configured to be substantially diamond-shaped. The chambers may lie within cavities formed by a lower surface of the midsole and may extend into apertures in the outsole. The apertures in the outsole may be aligned with the cavities of the midsole. The chambers may be bounded by bounding regions between and at the perimeter of the chambers. The bounding regions may be formed of a polymer foam material of the midsole. The chambers may additionally be connected.
Claims25
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a midsole having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface positioned adjacent to the upper, and the lower surface defining a plurality of cavities;
- and
- a plurality of fluid-filled chambers at least partially located within the cavities, at least some of the chambers having a diamond shape.
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a midsole having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface positioned adjacent to the upper, and the lower surface defining an array of cavities;
- an outsole secured to the midsole, the outsole forming at least part of a ground-contacting surface of the footwear;
- and
- an array of fluid-filled chambers at least partially located within the cavities, the chambers protruding outward from the cavities and forming at least part of a ground-contacting surface of the footwear.
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising:
- a midsole having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface positioned adjacent to the upper, and the midsole defining a plurality of cavities;
- an outsole secured to the lower surface of the midsole, the outsole forming at least part of a ground-contacting surface of the footwear;
- a plurality of first bounding regions and a plurality of second bounding regions, each intersection of the first bounding regions and the second bounding regions including at least one of an obtuse angle and an acute angle;
- and
- a plurality of fluid-filled chambers at least partially located within the cavities, the chambers being at least partially bounded by the first bounding regions, and the chambers being at least partially bounded by the second bounding regions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.