Sole assembly with bladder element having a peripheral outer wall portion and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A sole assembly for an article of footwear includes a bladder element having a first polymeric sheet attached to a second polymeric sheet. The first polymeric sheet has an outer surface defining a recess and that has a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region in the recess. The first polymeric sheet has a peripheral outer wall portion extending around the recess. The second polymeric sheet is attached to the first polymeric sheet at the outer wall portion such that the first and second polymeric sheets define an interior cavity. A method of manufacturing the article of footwear is provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sole assembly for an article of footwear comprising:
 a bladder element having:
 a first polymeric sheet having an outer surface defining a recess; wherein the outer surface has a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region in the recess; wherein the first polymeric sheet has a peripheral outer wall portion extending around the recess; and 
 a second polymeric sheet attached to the first polymeric sheet at the outer wall portion such that the first and second polymeric sheets define an interior cavity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The sole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric sheet defines a ridge between the recess and the outer wall portion; and wherein the outer wall portion is substantially perpendicular to a peripheral edge of the second polymeric sheet. 
     
     
         3 . The sole assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the recess, the ridge, and the outer wall portion define an inverted channel at an inner surface of the first polymeric sheet; and wherein the inverted channel is a peripheral portion of the interior cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The sole assembly of any of  claim 3 , wherein an inner surface of the first polymeric sheet is bonded to an inner surface of the second polymeric sheet at multiple bonds extending transversely and only partway across the interior cavity between a medial side of the outer wall portion and a lateral side of the outer wall portion. 
     
     
         5 . The sole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second polymeric sheets are at least partially thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). 
     
     
         6 . The sole assembly of  claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second polymeric sheets is a multi-layer sheet having at least a first layer including polyurethane and at least a second layer including a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         7 . The sole assembly of  claim 1  in combination with a footwear upper secured to the first polymeric sheet in the recess so that the outer wall portion surrounds a periphery of the footwear upper. 
     
     
         8 . The sole assembly and footwear upper of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second polymeric sheets are at least partially transparent so that a portion of the footwear upper in the recess is visible through the outer wall portion. 
     
     
         9 . The sole assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an outsole secured to an outer surface of the second polymeric sheet; wherein the outsole is substantially perpendicular to the outer wall portion.   
     
     
         10 . The sole assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the outsole is an at least partially transparent thermoplastic polyurethane material. 
     
     
         11 . The sole assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the outsole is at least partially dyed. 
     
     
         12 . The sole assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the outsole has an outer surface with an etched pattern. 
     
     
         13 . The sole assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a polymeric film with a graphic appearing thereon; wherein the polymeric film is attached to the outsole.   
     
     
         14 . The sole assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the outsole is rubber. 
     
     
         15 . The sole assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a toe bumper secured to an outer surface of the outer wall portion adjacent the forefoot region.   
     
     
         16 . The sole assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the toe bumper is an at least partially transparent thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         17 . The sole assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the toe bumper is at least partially dyed. 
     
     
         18 . The sole assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the toe bumper has an outer surface with an etched pattern. 
     
     
         19 . The sole assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a polymeric film with a graphic appearing thereon; wherein the polymeric film is attached to the toe bumper.   
     
     
         20 . The sole assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the toe bumper is rubber. 
     
     
         21 . The sole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sole assembly is configured without foam or rubber. 
     
     
         22 . A sole assembly comprising:
 a midsole formed from a bladder element having a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region;   wherein the bladder element has a first polymeric sheet forming a recess and a peripheral outer wall portion extending around the recess;   wherein the bladder element has a second polymeric sheet extending underneath the first polymeric sheet and below the recess; and wherein the second polymeric sheet is bonded to the first polymeric sheet to thereby define a fluid-tight cavity between the first polymeric sheet and the second polymeric sheet;   wherein the first polymeric sheet defines a ridge between the recess and the outer wall portion; and wherein the outer wall portion is substantially perpendicular to a peripheral edge of the second polymeric sheet; and   wherein an inner surface of the first polymeric sheet is bonded to an inner surface of the second polymeric sheet at multiple bonds extending transversely and only partway across the interior cavity between a medial side of the outer wall portion and a lateral side of the outer wall portion.   
     
     
         23 . The sole assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the recess, the ridge, and the outer wall portion define an inverted channel at an inner surface of the first polymeric sheet; and wherein the inverted channel is a peripheral portion of the interior cavity. 
     
     
         24 . The sole assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second polymeric sheets are at least partially thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). 
     
     
         25 . The sole assembly of  claim 24 , wherein each of the first and second polymeric sheets is a multi-layer sheet having at least a first layer including polyurethane and at least a second layer including a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         26 . The sole assembly of  claim 22  in combination with a footwear upper having a lower surface secured to the first polymeric sheet in the recess so that the outer wall portion surrounds a periphery of the footwear upper. 
     
     
         27 . The sole assembly and footwear upper of  claim 26 , wherein the first and second polymeric sheets are at least partially transparent so that a portion of the footwear upper in the recess is visible through the outer wall portion. 
     
     
         28 . The sole assembly of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 an outsole secured to an outer surface of the second polymeric sheet; wherein the outsole is substantially perpendicular to the outer wall portion; wherein the outsole is an at least partially transparent thermoplastic polyurethane material.   
     
     
         29 . The sole assembly of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 an outsole secured to an outer surface of the second polymeric sheet; wherein the outsole is substantially perpendicular to the outer wall portion; wherein the outsole is rubber.   
     
     
         30 . The sole assembly of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a toe bumper secured to an outer surface of the outer wall portion adjacent the forefoot region; wherein the toe bumper is an at least partially transparent thermoplastic material.   
     
     
         31 . The sole assembly of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a toe bumper secured to an outer surface of the outer wall portion adjacent the forefoot region; wherein the toe bumper is rubber.   
     
     
         32 . The sole assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the sole assembly is configured without foam or rubber. 
     
     
         33 . A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising:
 providing a bladder element formed from a first polymeric sheet and a second polymeric sheet;   wherein the first polymeric sheet has an outer surface defining a recess; wherein the outer surface has a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region in the recess; wherein the first polymeric sheet has a peripheral outer wall portion extending around the recess; and   wherein the second polymeric sheet is attached to the first polymeric sheet at the outer wall portion such that the first and second polymeric sheets define an interior cavity.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 thermoforming the first and second polymeric sheets in a mold assembly to thereby form the bladder element.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said thermoforming includes compressing peripheries of the first polymeric sheet and the second polymeric sheet together during said thermoforming to attach the first polymeric sheet to the second polymeric sheet. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 trimming the attached first polymeric sheet and second polymeric sheet at a peripheral flange.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said thermoforming includes vacuuming the first polymeric sheet to conform to the mold assembly. 
     
     
         38 . The method of any of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 attaching a footwear upper to the outer surface of the first polymeric sheet at the recess so that the footwear upper is visible through the outer wall portion.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 securing an outsole to an outer surface of the second polymeric sheet.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said securing is so that the outsole is substantially perpendicular to the outer wall portion. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 securing a toe bumper to an outer surface of the outer wall portion.