Sole structure for article of footwear and related method of assembly

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a midsole including a cavity having a first projection extending from a first surface within the cavity in a first direction and a second projection extending from a second surface within the cavity in a second direction toward the first projection and a cushion including a first recess provided on a first side of the cushion and a second recess provided on an opposite, second side of the cushion, the first recess receiving the first projection and the second recess receiving the second projection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
 a midsole including a cavity having a first projection extending from a first surface within the cavity in a first direction and a second projection extending from a second surface within the cavity in a second direction toward the first projection; and   a cushion including a first recess provided on a first side of the cushion and a second recess provided on an opposite, second side of the cushion, the first recess receiving the first projection and the second recess receiving the second projection.   
     
     
         2 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first projection is aligned with the second projection. 
     
     
         3 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the first projection opposes and is aligned with a distal end of the second projection. 
     
     
         4 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first projection and the second projection is elongate and extends between a first end and a second end along a longitudinal axis of the at least one of the first projection and the second projection, at least one of the first end and the second end including a bevel. 
     
     
         5 . The sole structure of  claim 4 , wherein the first projection substantially fills the first recess and the second projection substantially fills the second recess. 
     
     
         6 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the cushion is a bladder. 
     
     
         7 . The sole structure of  claim 6 , wherein the bladder includes a first barrier layer joined to a second barrier layer to define a chamber, the chamber having a plurality of segments defined by a web area of the bladder. 
     
     
         8 . The sole structure of  claim 7 , wherein a portion of the web area is disposed between a distal end of the first projection and a distal end of the second projection. 
     
     
         9 . The sole structure of  claim 6 , wherein the bladder is pressurized. 
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 forming a midsole including a cavity and a first projection extending in a first direction from a first surface of the midsole within the cavity;   forming a cushion including a first recess disposed on a first side of the cushion;   inserting the cushion into the cavity of the midsole; and   rotating the cushion within the cavity until the first projection is received by the first recess.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein forming the midsole includes forming a second projection extending in a second direction from a second surface of the midsole within the cavity toward the first projection. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising aligning the second projection with the first projection. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein aligning the second projection with the first projection includes opposing a distal end of the second projection with a distal end of the first projection. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein forming a midsole having a first projection includes forming the midsole with an elongate projection. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising substantially filling the first recess with the first projection when the first projection is received by the first recess. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein forming a cushion includes forming a bladder. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein forming a bladder includes joining a first barrier layer to a second barrier layer to define a chamber having a plurality of segments defined by a web area of the bladder, the web area of the bladder defining the first recess. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising pressurizing the bladder. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising incorporating the midsole and the cushion into an article of footwear.