Sole assembly with thermoplastic polyurethane component thereon and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

An article of footwear has a sole assembly that includes a midsole. The midsole has a bottom with a bottom surface, and an outer wall with a side surface. At least one of a thermoplastic polyurethane outsole and a thermoplastic polyurethane toe bumper is secured to the midsole. Specifically, a thermoplastic polyurethane outsole can be secured to the bottom surface of the midsole and a thermoplastic polyurethane toe bumper can be secured to the side surface of the midsole. Moreover, at least one of a thermoplastic polyurethane outsole and a thermoplastic polyurethane toe bumper is at least partially transparent. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear includes securing such a thermoplastic polyurethane outsole and/or a thermoplastic polyurethane toe bumper to the midsole.

1 . A sole assembly for an article of footwear comprising:
 a midsole comprising a bladder element, wherein the bladder element defines a bottom surface;   an outsole securely bonded to the bottom surface of the bladder element;   wherein the outsole is discrete; and   wherein the outsole is at least partially transparent.   
     
     
         2 . The sole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bladder element includes an outer wall portion, the outer wall portion defines an outward-facing side surface, the outer wall portion has a medial side and a lateral side opposite the medial side, and the bladder element includes a plurality of chambers extending laterally between the medial side and the lateral side of the outer wall portion. 
     
     
         3 . The sole assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the bladder element includes an upper polymeric sheet and a lower polymeric sheet, the upper polymeric sheet and the lower polymeric sheet are attached to one another to define a sealed interior cavity, the sealed interior cavity retains a fluid, each of the lower polymeric sheet and the upper polymeric sheet defines an inner surface, the inner surface of the lower polymer sheet is joined to the inner surface of the upper polymeric sheet at a plurality of bonds, and each of the plurality of bonds extends laterally between the medial side and the lateral side of the outer wall portion. 
     
     
         4 . The sole assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of bonds divides the sealed interior cavity into the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
         5 . The sole assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the sole assembly includes a forefoot region, a heel region, and a midfoot region between the heel region and the forefoot region, the plurality of chambers includes a plurality of forefoot chambers, and each of the plurality of forefoot chambers is entirely located in the forefoot region. 
     
     
         6 . The sole assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of chambers includes a plurality of heel chambers, and each of the plurality of heel chambers is entirely located in the heel region of the sole assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The sole assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of chambers includes a plurality of midfoot chambers disposed between the heel chambers and the forefoot chambers, and each of the plurality of midfoot chambers is entirely located in the midfoot region of the sole assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The sole assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the lower polymeric sheet defines an outer surface opposite to the inner surface of the lower polymeric sheet, the plurality of bonds defines a plurality of undulations at the outer surface of the lower polymeric sheet, and the plurality of undulations divides the sealed interior cavity into the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
         9 . The sole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outsole has first outsole portion and a second outsole portion, the outsole is dyed a first color in the first outsole portion, and the outsole is dyed a second color in the second outsole portion. 
     
     
         10 . The sole assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the bladder element includes an upper polymeric sheet and a lower polymeric sheet, the upper polymeric sheet and the lower polymeric sheet are attached to one another to define a sealed interior cavity, the sealed interior cavity retains a fluid, each of the lower polymeric sheet and the upper polymeric sheet defines an inner surface, the inner surface of the lower polymer sheet is joined to the inner surface of the upper polymeric sheet at a plurality of bonds, the bladder element includes an outer wall portion, the outer wall portion defines an outward-facing side surface, the outer wall portion has a medial side and a lateral side opposite the medial side, the bladder element includes a plurality of chambers extending laterally between the medial side and the lateral side of the outer wall portion, each of the plurality of bonds extends laterally between the medial side and the lateral side of the outer wall portion, and each of the plurality of bonds is visible through the outsole. 
     
     
         11 . The sole assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the bladder element includes an outer wall portion, the outer wall portion has a medial side and a lateral side opposite the medial side, the bladder element includes a plurality of chambers extending laterally between the medial side and the lateral side of the outer wall portion, the bladder element includes an upper polymeric sheet and a lower polymeric sheet, the upper polymeric sheet and the lower polymeric sheet are attached to one another to define a sealed interior cavity, the sealed interior cavity retains a fluid, each of the lower polymeric sheet and the upper polymeric sheet defines an inner surface, the inner surface of the lower polymer sheet is joined to the inner surface of the upper polymeric sheet at a plurality of bonds, at least one of the plurality of bonds does not extend completely from the lateral side of the outer wall portion to the medial side of the outer wall portion. 
     
     
         12 . The sole assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the outer wall portion defines an outward-facing side surface, and the outward-facing side surface is orthogonal to the bottom surface of the bladder element. 
     
     
         13 . A sole assembly for an article of footwear comprising:
 a midsole including a bladder element;   a thermoplastic polyurethane outsole securely bonded to the midsole; and   wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane outsole is discrete.   
     
     
         14 . The sole assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane outsole is at least partially transparent. 
     
     
         15 . The sole assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane outsole has a first outsole portion and a second outsole portion, the first outsole portion is dyed a first color, and the the second outsole portion is dyed a second color. 
     
     
         16 . The sole assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the bladder element is at least partially transparent. 
     
     
         17 . The sole assembly of  claim 13 , the bladder element is a first color, and the thermoplastic polyurethane outsole is a second color. 
     
     
         18 . The sole assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the bladder element has a smooth texture, and the thermoplastic polyurethane outsole has a corrugated texture. 
     
     
         19 . The sole assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the bladder element has an outward-facing side surface, the bladder element has a bottom surface coupled to the outward-facing side surface, the outward-facing side surface is orthogonal to the bottom surface of the bladder element, and the thermoplastic polyurethane outsole is securely bonded to the bottom surface of the midsole. 
     
     
         20 . The sole assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the bladder element includes an outer wall portion, the outer wall portion defines an outward-facing side surface, the outer wall portion has a medial side and a lateral side opposite the medial side, the bladder element includes a plurality of chambers extending laterally between the medial side and the lateral side of the outer wall portion, the bladder element includes an upper polymeric sheet and a lower polymeric sheet, the upper polymeric sheet and the lower polymeric sheet are attached to one another to define a sealed interior cavity, the sealed interior cavity retains a fluid, each of the lower polymeric sheet and the upper polymeric sheet defines an inner surface, the inner surface of the lower polymer sheet is joined to the inner surface of the upper polymeric sheet at a plurality of bonds, each of the plurality of bonds extends laterally between the medial side and the lateral side of the outer wall portion, each of the upper polymeric sheet and the lower polymeric sheet is at least partially transparent, the thermoplastic polyurethane outsole includes a first material, the first material is thermoplastic polyurethane, the lower polymeric sheet includes a second material, the first material has a first hardness, the second material has a second hardness, and the first hardness is greater than the second hardness.