Bladder for an article of footwear

Abstract

A bladder including a first barrier element having a first surface formed on a first side of the first barrier element and a second surface formed on an opposite side of the first barrier element than the first surface, a second barrier element having a third surface formed on a first side of the second barrier element and a fourth surface formed on an opposite side of the second barrier element than the third surface, and a peripheral seam joining the first barrier element and the second barrier element to define an interior void between the first surface and the third surface, the peripheral seam including a first segment extending along the bladder proximate to the second surface, a second segment extending along the bladder proximate to the fourth surface, and a third segment extending between and connecting the first segment and the second segment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
 a midsole including a medial side and a lateral side disposed on an opposite side of the midsole than the medial side; and   a bladder disposed within the midsole and including a first barrier element defining a first surface of the bladder, a second barrier element defining a second surface of the bladder and disposed on an opposite side of the bladder than the first surface, and a peripheral seam joining the first barrier element and the second barrier element to define an interior void between the first surface and the second surface, the peripheral seam including a first segment extending along one of the medial side and the lateral side adjacent to the first surface of the bladder and a second segment extending along the other of the medial side and the lateral side adjacent to the second surface of the bladder.   
     
     
         2 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral seam includes a third segment extending between and connecting the first segment and the second segment. 
     
     
         3 . The sole structure of  claim 2 , wherein the peripheral seam includes a fourth segment extending between and connecting the first segment and the second segment, the fourth segment disposed on an opposite side of the bladder than the third segment. 
     
     
         4 . The sole structure of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the third segment and the fourth segment includes a substantially constant slope between the first segment and the second segment. 
     
     
         5 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the midsole includes a first opening exposing the bladder at the medial side and a second opening exposing the bladder at the lateral side. 
     
     
         6 . The sole structure of  claim 5 , wherein midsole includes a third opening exposing the bladder at the lateral side, the third opening being spaced apart and separated from the second opening by a portion of the midsole. 
     
     
         7 . The sole structure of  claim 1 , wherein the bladder includes a notch extending into the bladder, the notch separating the bladder into a first portion and a second portion. 
     
     
         8 . The sole structure of  claim 7 , wherein distal ends of the first portion of the bladder and the second portion of the bladder are exposed at the lateral side through respective apertures of the midsole. 
     
     
         9 . The sole structure of  claim 7 , wherein the notch extends into the bladder in a direction from the lateral side of the midsole toward the medial side of the midsole. 
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A sole structure for an article of footwear, the sole structure comprising:
 a midsole including a medial side and a lateral side disposed on an opposite side of the midsole than the medial side; and   a bladder disposed within the midsole and including (i) a first barrier element defining a first surface of the bladder, (ii) a second barrier element defining a second surface of the bladder disposed on an opposite side of the bladder than the first surface, the second surface disposed closer to a ground-engaging surface of the sole structure than the first surface, and (iii) a peripheral seam joining the first barrier element and the second barrier element to define an interior void between the first surface and the second surface, the peripheral seam including a first segment extending along one of the medial side and the lateral side and a second segment extending along the other of the medial side and the lateral side and disposed closer to the ground-engaging surface than the first surface.   
     
     
         12 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the peripheral seam includes a third segment extending between and connecting the first segment and the second segment. 
     
     
         13 . The sole structure of  claim 12 , wherein the peripheral seam includes a fourth segment extending between and connecting the first segment and the second segment, the fourth segment disposed on an opposite side of the bladder than the third segment. 
     
     
         14 . The sole structure of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the third segment and the fourth segment includes a substantially constant slope between the first segment and the second segment. 
     
     
         15 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the midsole includes a first opening exposing the bladder at the medial side and a second opening exposing the bladder at the lateral side. 
     
     
         16 . The sole structure of  claim 15 , wherein midsole includes a third opening exposing the bladder at the lateral side, the third opening being spaced apart and separated from the second opening by a portion of the midsole. 
     
     
         17 . The sole structure of  claim 11 , wherein the bladder includes a notch extending into the bladder, the notch separating the bladder into a first portion and a second portion. 
     
     
         18 . The sole structure of  claim 17 , wherein distal ends of the first portion of the bladder and the second portion of the bladder are exposed at the lateral side through respective apertures of the midsole. 
     
     
         19 . The sole structure of  claim 17 , wherein the notch extends into the bladder in a direction from the lateral side of the midsole toward the medial side of the midsole. 
     
     
         20 . An article of footwear incorporating the sole structure of  claim 11 .