Bladder and sole structure for article of footwear

Abstract

A bladder for an article of footwear includes a support chamber and an expansion chamber. The support chamber has a top wall, a bottom wall, and a peripheral wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall and defining a peripheral profile of the support chamber. The expansion chamber extends from the peripheral wall at a first end of the bladder. In some examples, the peripheral wall defines a first end of the support chamber having one or more lobes extending from the top wall to the bottom wall. The one or more lobes may include a first lobe disposed adjacent to a first side of the support chamber and a second lobe disposed adjacent to a second side of the support chamber. The expansion chamber may be disposed between the first lobe and the second lobe at the first end of the support chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sole structure comprising:
 a fluid-filled chamber including a first lobe and a second lobe located at an anterior end of the fluid-filled chamber and being separated by a first concave recess, a third lobe and a fourth lobe located at a posterior end of the fluid-filled chamber and being separated by a second concave recess, and an expansion chamber including a flat upper wall and a lower wall; and   a midsole including a first recess receiving the first lobe, a second recess receiving the second lobe, a third recess receiving the third lobe, a fourth recess receiving the fourth lobe, and a fifth recess defined by a first wall extending from the third recess and second wall extending from the fourth recess and receiving the lower wall of the expansion chamber, the first wall and the second wall converging toward one another in a direction extending toward a posterior end of the sole structure.   
     
     
         2 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first concave recess and the second concave recess extend in a direction toward one another along a longitudinal axis of the fluid-filled chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first concave recess and the second concave recess are aligned with one another along a longitudinal axis of the fluid-filled chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-filled chamber includes a peripheral wall having a planar medial side and a planar lateral side, each of the planar medial side and the planar lateral side extending continuously between the anterior end of the fluid-filled chamber and the posterior end of the fluid-filled chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The sole structure of  claim 4 , wherein the peripheral wall forms the first concave recess and the second concave recess. 
     
     
         6 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first lobe, the second lobe, the third lobe, and the fourth lobe each includes a distal end defining a convex surface. 
     
     
         7 . The sole structure of  claim 6 , wherein the first recess, the second recess, the third recess, and the fourth recess each include a concave wall opposing the convex surface of the respective first lobe, second lobe, third lobe, and fourth lobe. 
     
     
         8 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the fifth recess is further defined by a ramped surface extending between and connecting the first wall and the second wall. 
     
     
         9 . The sole structure of  claim 8 , wherein the ramped surface opposes a substantially planar surface of the lower wall. 
     
     
         10 . The sole structure of  claim 8 , wherein the ramped surface includes a substantially constant taper. 
     
     
         11 . A sole structure comprising:
 a fluid-filled chamber including a first lobe and a second lobe located at an anterior end of the fluid-filled chamber and being separated by a first concave recess, a third lobe and a fourth lobe located at a posterior end of the fluid-filled chamber and being separated by a second concave recess, and an expansion chamber including a flat upper wall and a lower wall; and   a midsole including a first recess receiving the first lobe, a second recess receiving the second lobe, a third recess receiving the third lobe, a fourth recess receiving the fourth lobe, and a fifth recess defined by a first wall extending from the third recess, a second wall extending from the fourth recess, and a ramped surface extending between and connecting the first wall and the second wall, the fifth recess receiving the expansion chamber with a substantially planar surface of the lower wall opposing the ramped surface.   
     
     
         12 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first concave recess and the second concave recess extend in a direction toward one another along a longitudinal axis of the fluid-filled chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first concave recess and the second concave recess are aligned with one another along a longitudinal axis of the fluid-filled chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid-filled chamber includes a peripheral wall having a planar medial side and a planar lateral side, each of the planar medial side and the planar lateral side extending continuously between the anterior end of the fluid-filled chamber and the posterior end of the fluid-filled chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The sole structure of  claim 14 , wherein the peripheral wall forms the first concave recess and the second concave recess. 
     
     
         16 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first lobe, the second lobe, the third lobe, and the fourth lobe each includes a distal end defining a convex surface. 
     
     
         17 . The sole structure of  claim 16 , wherein the first recess, the second recess, the third recess, and the fourth recess each include a concave wall opposing the convex surface of the respective first lobe, second lobe, third lobe, and fourth lobe. 
     
     
         18 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the ramped surface includes a substantially constant taper. 
     
     
         19 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first wall and the second wall converge toward one another in a direction extending toward a posterior end of the sole structure. 
     
     
         20 . An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of  claim 11 .