Article of footwear incorporating foam-filled elements and methods for manufacturing the foam-filled elements

An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising a first support element and a second support element, each of the support elements including:

• a shell that defines an interior void;
• and
• a polymer foam material having a shape of at least a portion of the void and located within the void,
• the first support element being located adjacent to and spaced from the second support element to define a flexion indentation extending upwardly into the sole structure, the polymer foam material of the first support element being less compressible than the polymer foam material of the second support element, and the first support element being located closer to a medial side of the footwear than the second support element.

An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising a plurality of support elements with an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, the support elements being separated by a plurality of flexion indentations that extend upward from the lower surface and into the sole structure, the flexion indentations including:

• a first flexion indentation that extends longitudinally through at least a portion of a length of the sole structure, the first flexion indentation being located in each of a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region of the sole structure;
• and
• at least two second flexion indentations that extend through substantially all of a width of the sole structure,
• the support elements including a shell that define an interior void and a polymer foam material located within the void.

An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising a plurality of support elements with an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, the support elements being separated by a plurality of flexion indentations that extend upward from the lower surface and into the sole structure, the flexion indentations including:

• a first flexion indentation that extends through substantially all of a length of the sole structure and has a curved configuration;
• a second flexion indentation that extends through a portion of a length of the sole structure and is located in at least a forefoot region of the sole structure;
• and
• at least two third flexion indentations that extend through substantially all of a width of the sole structure,
• each of the support elements including:
• a shell that define an interior void, the shell being formed from a polymer material that extends around substantially all of the void;
• and
• a core having a shape of the void and located within the void, at least a portion of the core being a polymer foam material,
• the polymer foam material of at least two of the support elements having different densities.