Article of footwear including a sole structure

Abstract

An article of footwear with an upper; and a sole structure. The sole structure has a midsole, wherein the midsole has at least one partially enclosed cavity; a first cushioning element disposed within the at least one partially enclosed cavity, wherein the cushioning element comprises a first barrier film and a second barrier film enclosing an internal volume, the first barrier film and the second barrier adjoining to form a peripheral seam; a second cushioning element disposed within the at least one partially enclosed cavity, wherein the second cushioning element includes a third barrier film and a fourth barrier film enclosing an internal volume; and an outsole, wherein the outsole has a ground-engaging surface.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper; and   a sole structure, wherein the sole structure comprises:
 a midsole, wherein the midsole comprises at least one partially enclosed cavity; 
 a first cushioning element disposed within the at least one partially enclosed cavity, wherein the cushioning element comprises a first barrier film and a second barrier film enclosing an internal volume, the first barrier film and the second barrier adjoining to form a peripheral seam; 
 a second cushioning element disposed within the at least one partially enclosed cavity, wherein the second cushioning element includes a third barrier film and a fourth barrier film enclosing an internal volume; and 
 an outsole, wherein the outsole comprises a ground-engaging surface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the midsole further comprises a first window extending along a medial side of the sole structure, a second window extending along the medial side of the sole structure, a third window extending along a lateral side of the sole structure, and a fourth window extending along the lateral side of the sole structure;
 wherein the medial side of the sole structure is positioned opposite of the lateral side of the sole structure.   
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the midsole further comprises a first foam component and a second foam component, wherein the at least one cavity is defined by the first foam component, the second foam component, the first window, the second window, the third window, and the fourth window. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the first foam contacts a first portion of an outer surface of the cushioning element, and the second foam contacts a second portion of the outer surface of the cushioning element than the first foam. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the first cushioning element includes:
 a first pod extending from a first anterior medial end of the first pod to a second posterior medial end of the first pod, the first pod is disposed adjacent to the first window;   a second pod extending from a first anterior medial end of the second pod to a second posterior medial end of the second pod, the second pod is disposed adjacent to the second window;   a third pod extending from a first anterior lateral end of the third pod to a second posterior lateral end of the third pod, the third pod is disposed adjacent to the third window;   a fourth pod extending from a first anterior lateral end of the fourth pod to a second posterior lateral end of the fourth pod, the fourth pod is disposed adjacent to the fourth window;   one or more central tubes disposed between each of the first pod, the second pod, the third pod, and the fourth pod, and the one or more central tubes extend in a medial direction and a lateral direction; and   a web area disposed between each of the first pod, the second pod, the third pod, the fourth pod, and the one or more central tubes.   
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein each of the first cushioning element and the second cushioning element is configured to receive a fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein each of the first pod, the second pod, the third pod, the fourth pod, and the one or more central tubes are in fluid communication with one another. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the first barrier film and the second barrier film are coupled to one another at the peripheral seam disposed around an entirety of the cushioning element. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the peripheral seam is positioned such that the peripheral seam is visible from the exterior of the article of footwear through a lateral window of the article of footwear or a medial window of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the first barrier film and the second barrier film are coupled to one another at the web area disposed between each of the first pod, the second pod, the third pod, the fourth pod, and the one or more central tubes, wherein the web area is positioned in a first plane that coincides with a second plane in which the peripheral seam is positioned. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the web area is configured such that only co-planar portions of the web area are visible from an exterior of the article of footwear through at least one of the first window, the second window, the third window, or the fourth window. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first window, the second window, the third window, and the fourth window include a transparent material. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more central tubes comprises six central tubes. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein a hollow interior of each of the one or more central tubes is visible from an exterior of the article of footwear through each of the first window, the second window, the third window, and the fourth window. 
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a forefoot region, a mid-foot region, a heel region opposite of the forefoot region, a medial side, and a lateral side opposite the medial side;   a posterior end and an anterior end opposite the posterior end;   an upper extending from the posterior end to the anterior end; and   a sole structure extending from the posterior end to the anterior end, wherein the sole structure comprises:
 a midsole, wherein the midsole comprises a first partially enclosed cavity and a second partially enclosed cavity; 
 a first thermoformed cushioning element disposed within the first partially enclosed cavity, wherein the first cushioning element comprises a first barrier film and a second barrier film enclosing an internal volume, and wherein the first barrier film and the second barrier film are coupled to one another at a center peripheral seam that extends along an outer surface of the cushioning element; 
 a second cushioning element disposed within the second partially enclosed cavity, wherein the second cushioning element includes a third barrier film and a fourth barrier film enclosing an internal volume, wherein the third barrier film and the fourth barrier film are coupled to one another at a peripheral seam that extends along an outer surface of the cushioning element; 
 one or more windows extending along an outer surface of the midsole; and 
 an outsole, wherein the outsole forms a ground-engaging surface of the article of footwear. 
   
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more windows comprise a first window, a second window, a third window, a fourth window, a fifth window, a sixth window, and a seventh window. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the first window is disposed substantially in the forefoot region on the medial side, the second window is disposed substantially in the forefoot region on the lateral side, the third window is disposed substantially in the mid-foot region on the medial side, the fourth window is disposed substantially in the mid-foot region on the lateral side, the fifth window is disposed substantially in the heel region on the medial side, the sixth window is disposed substantially in the heel region on the lateral side, and the seventh window is disposed at the posterior end of the article of footwear in the heel region. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the peripheral seam of the first cushioning element is positioned centrally within the fifth window, the sixth window, and the seventh window. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the fifth window, the sixth window, and the seventh window have a height of 20 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the first barrier film and the second barrier film each includes a multi-layer film.