Article of footwear having a reflectively symmetrical fluid cushioning system

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole coupled to the upper. The sole includes an upper sole and a plurality of fluid filled bladder modules coupled to a bottom surface of the upper sole. The plurality of fluid-filled bladder modules include a first bladder module disposed in a first region of the sole and a second bladder module disposed in the first region of the sole, where the second bladder module is spatially separated in a transverse direction from the first bladder module and the first and second bladder modules do not extend into a second region of the sole. The first and second bladder modules are each fluidly isolated from remaining bladder modules. The first and second bladder modules are each asymmetrical. The first bladder module is reflectively symmetrical with respect to the second bladder module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
 an upper sole;   a plurality of fluid-filled bladder modules coupled to a bottom surface of the upper sole, the plurality of fluid-filled bladder modules comprising:
 a first bladder module disposed in a first region of the sole, the first bladder module being fluidly isolated from remaining bladder modules and not extending into a second region of the sole; 
 a second bladder module disposed in the first region of the sole and spatially separated in a transverse direction from the first bladder module, the second bladder module being fluidly isolated from remaining bladder modules and not extending into the second region of the sole; 
   wherein the first bladder module is reflectively symmetrical with respect to the second bladder module, and   wherein the first region of the sole is one of a forefoot region or a heel region of the sole, and wherein the second region of the sole is the other of the forefoot region or the heel region of the sole.   
     
     
         2 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second bladder modules each comprise:
 a first pod extending below the upper sole and defining a first end of the bladder module,   a second pod extending below the upper sole and defining a second end of the bladder module, and   a passage extending from the first pod to the second pod such that the first pod is fluidly connected to the second pod.   
     
     
         3 . The sole of  claim 2 , wherein in each of the first and second bladder modules, the first pod is separated from the second pod in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         4 . The sole of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second pods each comprise:
 an upper pod surface engaging the bottom surface of the upper sole,   a bottom pod surface, and   a pod sidewall extending from the bottom pod surface to the upper pod surface,   wherein the pod sidewall and the pod bottom surface collectively define a convex-shaped wall protruding outward from the bottom surface of the upper sole.   
     
     
         5 . The sole of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first outsole member disposed below the first and second bladder modules, the first outsole member including a plurality of recessed surfaces engaging the bottom surface of a respective pod of the first and second bladder modules.   
     
     
         6 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fluid-filled bladder modules comprises:
 a third bladder module disposed in the second region of the sole, the third bladder module being fluidly isolated from remaining bladder modules and not extending into the first region of the sole;   a fourth bladder module disposed in the second region of the sole and spatially separated in a transverse direction from the third bladder module, the fourth bladder module being fluidly isolated from remaining bladder modules and not extending into the first region of the sole,   wherein the first region is the heel region of the sole, and the second region is the forefoot region of the sole.   
     
     
         7 . The sole of  claim 6 , wherein the third bladder module is reflectively symmetrical with respect to the fourth bladder module. 
     
     
         8 . The sole of  claim 7 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth bladder modules each comprise:
 a first pod extending below the upper sole and defining a first end of the bladder module,   a second pod extending below the upper sole and defining a second end of the bladder module,   a passage extending from the first pod to the second pod such that the first pod is fluidly connected to the second pod.   
     
     
         9 . The sole of  claim 8 , wherein in each of the first, second, third, and fourth bladder modules, the first pod is separated from the second pod in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         10 . The sole of  claim 7 , wherein the first bladder module is laterally aligned with respect to the second bladder module. 
     
     
         11 . The sole of  claim 7 , wherein the third bladder module is laterally offset with respect to the fourth bladder module. 
     
     
         12 . The sole of  claim 7 , wherein the first bladder module and the third bladder module are disposed along a lateral side of the sole and the second bladder module and the fourth bladder module are disposed along a medial side of the sole. 
     
     
         13 . The sole of  claim 12 , wherein the first and third bladder modules define a lateral sidewall of the sole, and the second and fourth bladder modules define a medial sidewall of the sole. 
     
     
         14 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fluid-filled bladder modules is formed of a blow-molded thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         15 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the upper sole is formed of a foam-based material. 
     
     
         16 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second bladder modules are each laterally asymmetrical. 
     
     
         17 . A pair of footwear, comprising:
 a right article of footwear; and   a left article of footwear,   wherein the right and left articles of footwear each comprise an upper and a sole coupled to the upper, each of the soles comprising:
 an upper sole, and 
 a plurality of fluid-filled bladder modules coupled to a bottom surface of the upper sole, the plurality of fluid-filled bladder modules comprising:
 a medial bladder module disposed along a medial side of the sole, 
 a lateral bladder module disposed along a lateral side of the sole, the lateral heel bladder module being spatially separated from the medial bladder in a transverse direction, 
 
 wherein the medial bladder module is reflectively symmetrical with respect to the lateral bladder module such that the medial bladder module of the right article of footwear is identical to the lateral bladder module of the left article of footwear, and the lateral bladder module of the right article of footwear is identical to the medial bladder module of the left article of footwear, and 
 wherein the medial and lateral bladder modules are each laterally asymmetrical. 
   
     
     
         18 . The pair of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the medial and lateral bladder modules each comprise:
 a first pod extending below the upper sole and defining a first end of the bladder module;   a second pod extending below the upper sole and defining a second end of the bladder module; and   a passage extending from the first pod to the second pod such that the first pod is fluidly connected to the second pod.   
     
     
         19 . The pair of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein in each of the medial and lateral bladder modules, the first pod is separated from the second pod in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         20 . The pair of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the medial bladder modules are medial heel bladder modules, each disposed in a heel region of its respective sole,
 wherein the lateral bladder modules are lateral heel bladder modules, each disposed in the heel region of its respective sole,   wherein the plurality of fluid-filled bladder modules of each sole further comprises:
 a medial forefoot bladder module disposed in a forefoot region of the sole and along the medial side of the sole; and 
   a lateral forefoot bladder module disposed in the forefoot region of the sole and along the lateral side of the sole, the lateral forefoot bladder module being spatially separated from the medial forefoot bladder module in a transverse direction,   wherein the medial forefoot bladder module is reflectively symmetrical with respect to the lateral forefoot bladder module such that the medial forefoot bladder module of the right article of footwear is identical to the lateral forefoot bladder module of left article of footwear, and the lateral forefoot bladder module of the right article of footwear is identical to the medial forefoot bladder module of the left article of footwear,   wherein the medial and lateral forefoot bladder modules are each laterally asymmetrical.