Sole Structures and Articles of Footwear Having Plate Moderated Fluid-Filled Bladders and/or Foam Type Impact Force Attenuation Members

Abstract

Sole structures for articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include: (a) an outsole component; (b) a midsole component engaged with the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes at least one opening or receptacle; (c) at least one fluid-filled bladder system or foam system provided in the opening or receptacle; and/or (d) a rigid plate system including one or more rigid plates overlaying the fluid-filled bladder or foam system(s). The rigid plate(s) may be fixed directly to the midsole component or the rigid plate(s) may rest on the fluid-filled bladder(s) or foam somewhat above the surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition. Articles of footwear and methods of making sole structures and articles of footwear including such sole structures also are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
 an outsole component including an exterior major surface and an interior major surface;   a midsole component engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes a forefoot receptacle, a forefoot base surface at least partially surrounding the forefoot receptacle, a rearfoot receptacle, and a rearfoot base surface at least partially surrounding the rearfoot receptacle;   a forefoot fluid-filled bladder system received in the forefoot receptacle, wherein an upper surface of the forefoot fluid-filled bladder system extends above the forefoot base surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition;   a rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system received in the rearfoot receptacle, wherein an upper surface of the rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system extends above the rearfoot base surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition;   a forefoot rigid plate component having a major surface overlying the upper surface of the forefoot fluid-filled bladder system, wherein the major surface of the forefoot rigid plate does not contact the forefoot base surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition; and   a rearfoot rigid plate component having a major surface overlying the upper surface of the rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system, wherein the major surface of the rearfoot rigid plate does not contact the rearfoot base surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition.   
     
     
         2 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
 an outsole component including an exterior major surface and an interior major surface;   a midsole component engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes a forefoot receptacle and a forefoot base surface at least partially surrounding the forefoot receptacle;   a forefoot fluid-filled bladder system received in the forefoot receptacle, wherein an upper surface of the forefoot fluid-filled bladder system extends above the forefoot base surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition; and   a forefoot rigid plate component having a major surface overlying the upper surface of the forefoot fluid-filled bladder system, wherein the major surface of the forefoot rigid plate does not contact the forefoot base surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition.   
     
     
         3 . A sole structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the forefoot receptacle includes a first opening extending completely through the midsole component, and wherein the forefoot fluid-filled bladder system is mounted on the interior major surface of the outsole component and in the first opening. 
     
     
         4 . A sole structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the forefoot rigid plate component is fixed to the upper surface of the forefoot fluid-filled bladder system. 
     
     
         5 . A sole structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the forefoot rigid plate component is not fixed to the midsole component. 
     
     
         6 . A sole structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the interior major surface of the outsole component includes a forefoot recessed area, and wherein the forefoot receptacle includes a forefoot opening that at least partially surrounds the forefoot recessed area of the outsole component. 
     
     
         7 . A sole structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the exterior major surface of the outsole component includes a forefoot projection area, wherein the forefoot projection area is at least partially surrounded by and projects beyond a first main outsole surface area, wherein the forefoot projection area is connected to the first main outsole surface area by a first flexible web member, and wherein the forefoot fluid-filled bladder system is engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component in the forefoot projection area. 
     
     
         8 . A sole structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the forefoot rigid plate component includes perimeter edges that extend over the forefoot base surface. 
     
     
         9 . A sole structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the forefoot rigid plate component includes a groove that separates a first metatarsal support region from a fifth metatarsal support region. 
     
     
         10 . A sole structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the forefoot fluid-filled bladder system supports a first metatarsal head region of a wearer's foot and a fifth metatarsal head region of the wearer's foot, and wherein the forefoot rigid plate component includes a groove that separates a first metatarsal support region from a fifth metatarsal support region. 
     
     
         11 . A sole structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the forefoot base surface completely surrounds the forefoot receptacle. 
     
     
         12 . A sole structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the forefoot base surface includes a recessed surface that engages at least a portion of a perimeter of the forefoot rigid plate component when a forefoot area of the sole structure is compressed. 
     
     
         13 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
 an outsole component including an exterior major surface and an interior major surface;   a midsole component engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes a rearfoot receptacle and a rearfoot base surface at least partially surrounding the rearfoot receptacle;   a rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system received in the rearfoot receptacle, wherein an upper surface of the rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system extends above the rearfoot base surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition; and   a rearfoot rigid plate component having a major surface overlying the upper surface of the rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system, wherein the major surface of the rearfoot rigid plate does not contact the rearfoot base surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition.   
     
     
         14 . A sole structure according to  claim 13 , wherein the rearfoot receptacle includes a first opening extending completely through the midsole component, and wherein the rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system is mounted on the interior major surface of the outsole component and in the first opening. 
     
     
         15 . A sole structure according to  claim 13 , wherein the rearfoot rigid plate component is fixed to the upper surface of the rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system. 
     
     
         16 . A sole structure according to  claim 13 , wherein the rearfoot rigid plate component is not fixed to the midsole component. 
     
     
         17 . A sole structure according to  claim 13 , wherein the interior major surface of the outsole component includes a rearfoot recessed area, and wherein the rearfoot receptacle includes a rearfoot opening that at least partially surrounds the rearfoot recessed area of the outsole component. 
     
     
         18 . A sole structure according to  claim 13 , wherein the exterior major surface of the outsole component includes a rearfoot projection area, wherein the rearfoot projection area is at least partially surrounded by and projects beyond a first main outsole surface area, wherein the rearfoot projection area is connected to the first main outsole surface area by a first flexible web member, and wherein the rearfoot fluid-filled bladder system is engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component in the rearfoot projection area. 
     
     
         19 . A sole structure according to  claim 13 , wherein the rearfoot rigid plate component includes perimeter edges that extend over the rearfoot base surface. 
     
     
         20 . A sole structure according to  claim 13 , wherein the rearfoot base surface completely surrounds the rearfoot receptacle. 
     
     
         21 . A sole structure according to  claim 13 , wherein the rearfoot base surface includes a recessed surface that engages at least a portion of a perimeter of the rearfoot rigid plate component when a rearfoot area of the sole structure is compressed. 
     
     
         22 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, comprising:
 an outsole component including an exterior major surface and an interior major surface;   a midsole component engaged with the interior major surface of the outsole component, wherein the midsole component includes a receptacle area and a base surface at least partially surrounding the receptacle area;   a fluid-filled bladder system received in the receptacle area, wherein an upper surface of the fluid-filled bladder system extends above the base surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition; and   a rigid plate component having a major surface overlying the upper surface of the fluid-filled bladder system, wherein the major surface of the rigid plate does not contact the base surface of the midsole component when the sole structure is in an uncompressed condition.