Foot Support Systems
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsPatrick R. Case, Risha Dupre, Matthew D. Nordstrom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Foot support systems include sole structures, portions of sole structures, drop-in midsole components, insertable sole components (e.g., midsoles or insoles), or the like. The foot support systems may include a foam base member (e.g., made from a relatively thick foam material) and at least one fluid-filled bladder. The fluid-filled bladder(s) may include one or more interior fluid chambers. When multiple interior fluid chambers are present, they may be at substantially the same or different pressures. Additional aspects of this technology relate to articles of footwear that include such foot support systems, such as slides, sandals, and/or other types of footwear.
Claims20
A foot support system, comprising:
- a foam base member including an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface located opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein the upper-facing surface includes a recess;
- and
- a fluid-filled bladder having a bottom surface at least partially received in the recess and a top surface located opposite the bottom surface, wherein the fluid-filled bladder includes a first interior fluid chamber and a second interior fluid chamber that is in fluid isolation from the first interior fluid chamber, wherein in a midfoot region of the foot support system, the first interior fluid chamber extends to an outermost lateral perimeter seam of the fluid-filled bladder at a lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder, and wherein an outermost lateral edge of the second interior fluid chamber is spaced from the lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder in the midfoot region such that a portion of the first interior fluid chamber is located between the outermost lateral edge of the second interior fluid chamber and the lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder in the midfoot region.
An article of footwear, comprising:
- a footwear upper;
- and
- a foot support system engaged with the footwear upper, the foot support system including:
- (A) a foam base member including an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface located opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein the upper-facing surface includes a recess, and (B) a fluid-filled bladder having a bottom surface at least partially received in the recess and a top surface located opposite the bottom surface, wherein the fluid-filled bladder includes a first interior fluid chamber and a second interior fluid chamber that is in fluid isolation from the first interior fluid chamber, wherein in a midfoot region of the foot support system, the first interior fluid chamber extends to an outermost lateral perimeter seam of the fluid-filled bladder at a lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder, and wherein an outermost lateral edge of the second interior fluid chamber is spaced from the lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder in the midfoot region such that a portion of the first interior fluid chamber is located between the outermost lateral edge of the second interior fluid chamber and the lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder in the midfoot region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.