Abstract:
An article of footwear (10) is provided and includes an upper (12), a fluid-filled chamber (32) including a first portion in contact with the upper in a first region, and a midsole (26) including a first portion disposed between the fluid-filled chamber and the upper in a second region.
Abstract:
Bei einer Laufsohle umfassend mindestens ein Element mit zwei unter den beim Laufen auf sie einwirkenden Kräften zur gegenseitigen horizontalen Verschiebung sowie zur gegenseitigen flächigen Berührung ausgebildeten Lagen (2, 3), wobei eine horizontale Verschiebung der beiden Lagen (2, 3) relativ zueinander gegenüber einer Ruheposition eine elastische Deformation des Elements bewirkt, wobei mindestens eine der beiden Lagen aus einem elastomeren Material besteht oder an der Berührungsfläche mit einem solchen versehen ist, und wobei eine horizontale Verschiebung der beiden Lagen (2, 3) relativ zueinander in gegenseitiger Berührung beim Abstossen durch Reibschluss verhindert ist, wird erfindungsgemäss vorgeschlagen, dass eine horizontale Verschiebung der beiden Lagen (2, 3) relativ zueinander in gegenseitiger Berührung beim Auftreten durch eine unebene Strukturierung wenigstens einer der beiden Lagen (2, 3) an der Berührungsfläche zur Erzielung eines bei niedriger Normalkraft ausreichend kleinen, mit zunehmender Normalkraft grösser werdenden Reibungskoeffizienten ermöglicht ist.
Abstract:
Disclosed are systems, methods, procedures and devices incorporating a variety of impact absorbing structures (IAS) and/or buckling structure arrays into shoes, sneakers and/or other footwear, which can greatly enhance wearer comfort, improve shoe durability, improve athletic performance, reduce cost of manufacture and/or minimize impact forces to the foot, legs and/or lower body. Included herein are various types of footwear, foot coverings, lower extremity garments and related orthopedic sleeves and/or orthotics.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a sole (10) for an item of footwear, and an item of footwear comprising the sole (10). Preferred embodiments of the item of footwear can provide comfort for the wearer. An item of footwear comprising: a sole (10) having a layer (11) of material defining a frontal/toe region (4), a mid-foot region (5) and a heel region (6), wherein the layer (11) has a first major surface (12) for facing the foot of a wearer and a second major surface (14) opposite the first; and a securing means (3) for securing the item of footwear to a foot of a wearer such that a first surface of the sole contacts the foot, wherein: the material has the same composition in each of the frontal/toe region (4), the mid-foot region (5) and the heel region (6); the frontal/toe region (4) has formed therein a plurality of cavities such that the average density of the frontal/toe region (4) is less than the heel region (6); and the mid-foot region (5) has formed therein a plurality of cavities such that the average density of the mid-foot region (5) is less than the heel region (6).
Abstract:
An article of footwear includes an upper, and multiple cushioning components that are attached to a ground-facing surface of the upper. The cushioning components are spaced apart from one another so that the ground-facing surface of the upper is exposed between the cushioning components and the cushioning components at least partially form a ground contact surface. At least one of the cushioning components includes a bladder element with a fluid-filled cavity. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprises attaching cushioning components to a ground-facing surface of an upper so that the cushioning components are spaced apart from one another, the ground-facing surface of the upper is exposed between the cushioning components, and the cushioning components at least partially form a ground contact surface, wherein at least one of the cushioning components includes a bladder element with a fluid-filled cavity.
Abstract:
An article of footwear (10A, 10B, I0C, 10) is provided and includes an upper (100), an outsole (210A, 210B, 210C, 210), and a midsole (220A, 220B, 220). The outsole (210A, 210B, 210C, 210) includes a ground-engaging surface and an inner surface (214A, 214B, 214C, 214, 407). The midsole (220A, 220B, 220) has a footbed (1224, 224A, 224B, 224, 22A), a bottom surface (1222, 222A, 222B, 222), and a series (310) of channels (400A, 400B, 400, 410, 420B, 420, 430A, 430B, 430) extending therethrough. The bottom surface (1222, 222A, 222B, 222) opposes the inner surface (214A, 214B, 214C, 214, 407) to define a cavity (240A, 240B, 240C, 240) therebetween. The article of footwear (10A, 10B, I0C, 10) also includes a series (310) of pins (10B, 300A, 300B, 300, 310A, 310B, 310, 320A, 320B, 320, 330A, 330B, 330) each having a post (313) extending through corresponding ones of the series (310) of channels (400A, 400B, 400, 410, 420B, 420, 430A, 430B, 430) between a first end (311, 321, 331B, 331) and a second end (312, 322, 332B, 332). The first end (311, 321, 331B, 331) extends into the cavity (240A, 240B, 240C, 240) outward from the bottom surface (1222, 222A, 222B, 222) of the midsole (220A, 220B, 220) and the second end (312, 322, 332B, 332) extends into the interior void (102, 1252) outward from the footbed (1224, 224A, 224B, 224, 22A) of the midsole (220A, 220B, 220). The article of footwear (10A, 10B, I0C, 10) also includes a resilient member (250A, 250) that engages the first end (311, 321, 331B, 331) of each of the series (310) of pins (10B, 300A, 300B, 300, 310A, 310B, 310, 320A, 320B, 320, 330A, 330B, 330) and biases the series (310) of pins (10B, 300A, 300B, 300, 310A, 310B, 310, 320A, 320B, 320, 330A, 330B, 330) toward the interior void (102, 1252).
Abstract:
A method for inflating a chamber in an article composed at least partially of polymer layers, such as thermoplastic layers, is provided. The methods can allow for forming an aperture in a polymer layer, inflating a chamber or volume in fluid communication with the aperture, and then sealing the chamber so that the inflation fluid is substantially retained in the chamber and/or does not escape via the aperture. The formation of the aperture, inflation of the chamber, and sealing of the chamber or aperture may be performed by a single tool and/or based on a single registration of the thermoplastic article with a tool. In some aspects, formation of the aperture is enabled in part by using a punch with a cupped surface that allows the top layer of a thermoplastic article to be breached without forming a hole in at least one lower layer.
Abstract:
A sole structure may include a damping pad. The damping pad may include a chamber, a foam element located within the chamber, particles located within the chamber and at least partially filling cavities in the foam element, and a set of electrodes positioned to create, in response to a voltage across the electrodes, an electrical field in at least a portion of the particles.
Abstract:
The disclosure is directed to a method for co-molding. A first element (1060, 1260, 560, 760) has a top surface (1041, 1061, 741, 761), an edge (1043, 1062, 1162, 1243, 1262, 1362, 143, 743, 762, 862), and a protuberance (1035, 1235, 735) with a base (1037, 737) extending down from the top surface (1041, 1061, 741, 761). A second element (1065, 765) has an edge (1043, 1062, 1162, 1243, 1262, 1362, 143, 743, 762, 862), an upper surface (1041, 741), and a lower surface (1064, 764).The mold (1100, 1300, 300, 600, 700) includes a first mold portion (1010, 1110, 1310, 310, 610, 710) defining a co-molding upper surface (1041, 741), and a second mold portion (1020, 1120, 1320, 320, 620, 720) defining a co-molding mold (1100, 1300, 300, 600, 700) cavity. The first element (1060, 1260, 560, 760) is placed into the second mold portion (1020, 1120, 1320, 320, 620, 720) with the protuberance (1035, 1235, 735) base (1037, 737) in contact with the second mold portion (1020, 1120, 1320, 320, 620, 720). The second element (1065, 765) is placed on top (210) of the first element (1060, 1260, 560, 760). The mold (1100, 1300, 300, 600, 700) is closed, thereby producing the second element (1065, 765) as a chamber. Fluid under pressure introduced into the chamber forces the second element (1065, 765) to conform to the shape (1150, 750) of the mold (1100, 1300, 300, 600, 700), thereby to affix the first element (1060, 1260, 560, 760) to the second element (1065, 765). Energy is applied to the mold (1100, 1300, 300, 600, 700) to co-mold (1100, 1300, 300, 600, 700) the elements together.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing an article includes applying a colored medium (46) on a first polymeric sheet (20) to establish an image (12A, 12B, 12C) on the first polymeric sheet (20). The method further comprises forming a fluid-filled bladder element (10) at least partially from the first polymeric sheet (20), and assembling the fluid-filled bladder element (10) in the article so that a first portion (80, 82) of the fluid-filled bladder element (10) having the image (12A, 12B, 12C) is exposed to view, and a second portion (80, 82) of the fluid-filled bladder element (10) is blocked from view by the article. An article comprises a fluid- filled bladder element (10) at least partially formed from a first polymeric sheet (20), and a colored medium (46) establishing an image (12A, 12B, 12C) on the first polymeric sheet (20). A first portion (80, 82) of the fluid-filled bladder element (10) having the image (12A, 12B, 12C) is exposed to view, and a second portion (80, 82) of the fluid-filled bladder element (10) is blocked from view by the article.