Bladders and footwear incorporating bladders in the foot supports and uppers

Abstract

Bladders for footwear uppers, footwear components and articles of footwear including the bladders, and/or methods of making and using such bladders are described. The bladders may include first and second thermoplastic elastomer sheets joined together by an outer perimeter bond. An interior chamber is defined between the thermoplastic elastomer sheets and inside the outer perimeter bond. The outer perimeter bond may be shaped such that the interior chamber forms: (i) a foot support chamber portion for supporting at least a portion of a plantar surface of a wearer's foot, and at least one of items (ii) and (iii) below, in which: item (ii) comprises a first side chamber portion (e.g., forming at least part of a first securing strap or a first footwear upper component), and item (iii) comprises a second side chamber portion (e.g., forming at least part of a first strap-engaging member or a second footwear upper component).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bladder component for an article of footwear, comprising:
 a first thermoplastic elastomer sheet; and   a second thermoplastic elastomer sheet joined to the first thermoplastic elastomer sheet by an outer perimeter bond, wherein an interior chamber is defined between the first thermoplastic elastomer sheet and the second thermoplastic elastomer sheet and inside of the outer perimeter bond, and wherein the outer perimeter bond is shaped such that the interior chamber forms:
 (i) a foot support chamber portion for supporting at least a portion of a plantar surface of a wearer's foot, wherein the foot support chamber portion includes a first side and a second side located opposite the first side, and 
 (ii) a first side chamber portion forming at least part of a first footwear upper component, wherein the first side chamber portion extends outward from the first side of the foot support chamber portion and is in fluid communication with the foot support chamber portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The bladder component according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer perimeter bond further is shaped such that the interior chamber forms a second side chamber portion forming at least part of the first footwear upper component and/or a second footwear upper component, wherein the second side chamber portion extends outward from the second side of the foot support chamber portion and is in fluid communication with the foot support chamber portion. 
     
     
         3 . The bladder component according to  claim 2 , wherein the first side chamber portion and the second side chamber portion are releasably secured to one another in a hardware free manner. 
     
     
         4 . The bladder component according to  claim 3 , wherein the first side chamber portion and the second side chamber portion are releasably secured to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The bladder component according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fabric layer engaged with the first thermoplastic elastomer sheet. 
     
     
         6 . A bladder component for an article of footwear, comprising:
 a first thermoplastic elastomer sheet; and   a second thermoplastic elastomer sheet joined to the first thermoplastic elastomer sheet by an outer perimeter bond, wherein an interior chamber is defined between the first thermoplastic elastomer sheet and the second thermoplastic elastomer sheet and inside of the outer perimeter bond, and wherein the outer perimeter bond is shaped such that the interior chamber forms:
 (i) a foot support chamber portion for supporting at least a portion of a plantar surface of a wearer's foot, 
 (ii) a first side chamber portion forming at least part of a first securing strap, wherein the first side chamber portion extends outward from a first side of the foot support chamber portion and is in fluid communication with the foot support chamber portion, and 
 (iii) a second side chamber portion forming at least part of a first strap-engaging member, wherein the second side chamber portion extends outward from a second side of the foot support chamber portion and is in fluid communication with the foot support chamber portion, wherein the second side of the foot support chamber portion is opposite the first side of the foot support chamber portion, and wherein the first strap-engaging member is configured to releasably hold the first securing strap. 
   
     
     
         7 . The bladder component according to  claim 6 , wherein the outer perimeter bond includes a second bond segment separating the foot support chamber portion and the second side chamber portion at the second side of the foot support chamber portion. 
     
     
         8 . The bladder component according to  claim 6 , wherein the outer perimeter bond further defines an inflation port. 
     
     
         9 . The bladder component  according to 8 , wherein the inflation port opens into the foot support chamber portion. 
     
     
         10 . The bladder component according to  claim 6 , further comprising a fabric layer engaged with the first thermoplastic elastomer sheet. 
     
     
         11 . The bladder component according to  claim 6 , wherein the foot support chamber portion includes an outer sealed edge as part of the outer perimeter bond, wherein the outer sealed edge includes a first side passageway providing fluid communication with the first side chamber portion and a second side passageway providing fluid communication with the second side chamber portion, and wherein the outer sealed edge extends around at least 90% of an outer periphery of foot support chamber portion. 
     
     
         12 . A bladder component for an article of footwear, comprising:
 a first thermoplastic elastomer sheet; and   a second thermoplastic elastomer sheet joined to the first thermoplastic elastomer sheet by an outer perimeter bond, wherein an interior chamber is defined between the first thermoplastic elastomer sheet and the second thermoplastic elastomer sheet and inside of the outer perimeter bond, and wherein the outer perimeter bond is shaped such that the interior chamber forms:
 (i) a foot support chamber portion for supporting at least a portion of a plantar surface of a wearer's foot, and 
 (ii) a first side chamber portion forming at least part of a first securing strap, wherein the first side chamber portion extends outward from a first side of the foot support chamber portion and is in fluid communication with the foot support chamber portion. 
   
     
     
         13 . The bladder component according to  claim 12 , wherein the first side chamber portion includes a first connecting portion located adjacent the first side of the foot support chamber portion, wherein the first securing strap extends from the first connecting portion to a first strap free end, and wherein the second securing strap extends from the first connecting portion to a second strap free end. 
     
     
         14 . The bladder component according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 at the first strap free end, the outer perimeter bond includes a first inwardly extending bond segment, wherein a first opening extends through the outer perimeter bond at the first inwardly extending bond segment; and   at the second strap free end, the outer perimeter bond includes a second inwardly extending bond segment, wherein a second opening extends through the outer perimeter bond at the second inwardly extending bond segment.   
     
     
         15 . The bladder component according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 at the first strap free end, the outer perimeter bond includes: (a) a first inwardly extending bond segment, (b) a first opening extending through the outer perimeter bond at the first inwardly extending bond segment, (c) a second inwardly extending bond segment, and (d) a second opening extending through the outer perimeter bond at the second inwardly extending bond segment, wherein the first inwardly extending bond segment and the first opening extend toward the second inwardly extending bond segment and the second opening, and wherein a first fluid passage is defined within the first securing strap between the first inwardly extending bond segment and the second inwardly extending bond segment; and   at the second strap free end, the outer perimeter bond includes: (a) a third inwardly extending bond segment, (b) a third opening extending through the outer perimeter bond at the third inwardly extending bond segment, (c) a fourth inwardly extending bond segment, and (d) a fourth opening extending through the outer perimeter bond at the fourth inwardly extending bond segment, wherein the third inwardly extending bond segment and the third opening extend toward the fourth inwardly extending bond segment and the fourth opening, and wherein a second fluid passage is defined within the second securing strap between the third inwardly extending bond segment and the fourth inwardly extending bond segment.   
     
     
         16 . The bladder component according to  claim 12 , wherein the outer perimeter bond includes a first strap defining segment and a second strap defining segment, wherein an opening separates the first strap defining segment from the second strap defining segment and separates the first securing strap from the second securing strap. 
     
     
         17 . The bladder component according to  claim 12 , wherein the first side chamber portion includes a first connecting portion located adjacent the first side of the foot support chamber portion, wherein the first securing strap extends from the first connecting portion to a first strap free end. 
     
     
         18 . The bladder component according to  claim 17 , wherein at the first strap free end, the outer perimeter bond includes a first inwardly extending bond segment, wherein a first opening extends through the outer perimeter bond at the first inwardly extending bond segment. 
     
     
         19 . The bladder component according to  claim 17 , wherein at the first strap free end, the outer perimeter bond includes: (a) a first inwardly extending bond segment, (b) a first opening extending through the outer perimeter bond at the first inwardly extending bond segment, (c) a second inwardly extending bond segment, and (d) a second opening extending through the outer perimeter bond at the second inwardly extending bond segment, wherein the first inwardly extending bond segment and the first opening extend toward the second inwardly extending bond segment and the second opening, and wherein a first fluid passage is defined within the first securing strap between the first inwardly extending bond segment and the second inwardly extending bond segment. 
     
     
         20 . The bladder component according to  claim 12 , wherein the outer perimeter bond includes: (i) a first bond segment separating the foot support chamber portion and the first side chamber portion at the first side of the foot support chamber portion, and (ii) a second bond segment separating the foot support chamber portion and the first side chamber portion at the first side of the foot support chamber portion, wherein a first side fluid passageway extends between the first bond segment and the second bond segment to place the first side chamber portion in fluid communication with the foot support chamber portion.