Article of Footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear may include a polymer foam shell. The shell may include a midsole zone and an upper zone. An interior region of the shell may be defined by interior surfaces of the midsole zone and by interior surfaces of the upper zone. The article may further include a polymer foam inner midsole that is separate from and contained within the shell.

1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a polymer foam shell having a midsole zone and an upper zone, the shell having an interior region defined by interior surfaces of the midsole zone and by interior surfaces of the upper zone; and   a polymer foam inner midsole separate from and contained within the shell.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the midsole zone and the upper zone are portions of a unitary polymer foam boot structure. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising an outsole located on at least a bottom of the midsole zone. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the upper zone includes a toe section extending across and in front of a forefoot region to form, in conjunction with a corresponding portion of the midsole zone, an enclosed toe box. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein
 the upper zone includes medial and lateral side sections,   the medial and lateral side sections extend rearward from the toe section and merge in a heel region,   the medial side section extends upward from medial side edges of the midsole zone to medial edges of an instep gap and of an ankle opening, and   the lateral side section extends upward from lateral side edges of the midsole zone to lateral edges of the instep gap and of the ankle opening.   
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of billows defined in exterior surfaces of the upper zone. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the billows include longitudinally oriented segments on the medial and lateral side sections and transversely oriented segments on the toe section. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the billows extend continuously around the upper zone. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a density of the shell polymer foam is at least 25% greater than a density of the inner midsole polymer foam. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a bootie located within the shell, wherein the inner midsole is located within the bootie. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein
 the inner midsole extends substantially the entire length and width of a bottom of an interior of the shell,   the inner midsole includes heel, midfoot and forefoot sections,   a thickness of the heel section is greater than a thickness of the forefoot section.   
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein a medial side of the inner midsole midfoot section includes a raised arch region support. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein
 the shell includes a single main opening, the single main opening having a rear portion forming an ankle opening and a front portion forming an instep gap,   the article further comprises comprising a tongue spanning the instep gap and forming at least a portion of a waterproof barrier in the instep gap, and   the shell lacks any openings in regions below the waterproof barrier.   
     
     
         14 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a polymer foam shell having a midsole zone and an upper zone, the shell having an interior region defined by interior surfaces of the midsole zone and by interior surfaces of the upper zone, and wherein
 the shell includes a single main opening, the single main opening having a rear portion forming an ankle opening and a front portion forming an instep gap, 
 the article further comprises comprising a tongue spanning the instep gap and forming at least a portion of a waterproof barrier in the instep gap, and 
 the shell lacks any openings in regions below the waterproof barrier. 
   
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein
 the upper zone includes a toe section, a medial side section and lateral side section,   the medial and lateral side sections extend rearward from the toe section and merge in a heel region,   the medial side section extends upward from medial side edges of the midsole zone to medial edges of the instep gap and of the ankle opening,   the lateral side section extends upward from lateral side edges of the midsole zone to lateral edges of the instep gap and of the ankle opening, and   the shell further comprises a plurality of billows defined in exterior surfaces of the upper zone.   
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the billows include longitudinally oriented segments on the medial and lateral side sections and transversely oriented segments on the toe section. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , further comprising an outsole located on at least a bottom of the midsole zone. 
     
     
         18 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a polymer foam shell having a midsole zone and an upper zone, the shell having an interior region defined by interior surfaces of the midsole zone and by interior surfaces of the upper zone, and wherein
 the midsole zone and the upper zone are portions of a unitary polymer foam boot structure, and 
 the upper zone includes a toe section extending across and in front of a forefoot region to form, in conjunction with a corresponding portion of the midsole zone, an enclosed toe box. 
   
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein
 the upper zone includes a medial side section and a lateral side section,   the medial and lateral side sections extend rearward from the toe section and merge in a heel region,   the medial side section extends upward from medial side edges of the midsole zone to medial edges of an instep gap and of an ankle opening,   the lateral side section extends upward from lateral side edges of the midsole zone to lateral edges of the instep gap and of the ankle opening, and   the shell further comprises a plurality of billows defined in exterior surfaces of the upper zone.   
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the billows include longitudinally oriented segments on the medial and lateral side sections and transversely oriented segments on the toe section. 
     
     
         21 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , further comprising an outsole located on at least a bottom of the midsole zone. 
     
     
         22 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a polymer foam shell having a midsole zone and an upper zone, the shell having an interior region defined by interior surfaces of the midsole zone and by interior surfaces of the upper zone, and wherein
 the upper zone includes a toe section, a medial side section and lateral side section, 
   the medial and lateral side sections extend rearward from the toe section and merge in a heel region,   the medial side section extends upward from medial side edges of the midsole zone to medial edges of an instep gap and of an ankle opening,   the lateral side section extends upward from lateral side edges of the midsole zone to lateral edges of the instep gap and of the ankle opening, and   the shell further comprises a plurality of billows defined in exterior surfaces of the upper zone.   
     
     
         23 . The article of footwear of  claim 22 , wherein the billows include longitudinally oriented segments on the medial and lateral side sections and transversely oriented segments on the toe section. 
     
     
         24 . The article of footwear of  claim 22 , wherein
 the midsole zone and the upper zone are portions of a unitary polymer foam boot structure, and   the toe section forms, in conjunction with a corresponding portion of the midsole zone, an enclosed toe box.   
     
     
         25 . The article of footwear of  claim 22 , wherein
 the shell includes a single main opening, the single main opening having a rear portion forming the ankle opening and a front portion forming the instep gap,   the article further comprises comprising a tongue spanning the instep gap and forming at least a portion of a waterproof barrier in the instep gap, and   the shell lacks any openings in regions below the waterproof barrier.