Cushioned upper for an article of footwear
An upper for an article of footwear includes an inner boot having an ankle opening and an instep region formed between the ankle opening and an anterior end of the upper and a cushioning member disposed over the instep region of the inner boot and including a first side fixed to a medial side of the upper and a second side tethered to a lateral side of the upper.
1 . An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure;
an inner boot attached to the sole structure along a bite line and including an ankle opening and an instep region formed between the ankle opening and an anterior end of the inner boot; and
a cushioning member disposed over the instep region of the inner boot and including a first side fixed to a medial side of the inner boot and a second side attached by a tether to one or more anchors extending from the bite line along a lateral side of the inner boot, the cushioning member including at least two compressible pads between the medial side and the lateral side of the inner boot and joined together by a longitudinal flexion of a web along a longitudinal axis to define an X-shape divided by the longitudinal axis, the longitudinal flexion extending from proximate to the ankle opening to proximate to a toe cap of the inner boot, the at least two compressible pads being spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis, the web configured to allow the at least two compressible pads to bend about the longitudinal flexion, each of the at least two compressible pads including legs that converge at a central point to define the X-shape and a tensile element disposed between a first film layer and a second film layer.
2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein each of the compressible pads includes a chamber having a compressible material disposed therein.
3 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the at least two compressible pads includes a central pad and a pair of secondary pads disposed at opposite ends of the central pad.
4 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the inner boot includes a knitted mesh material.
5 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising a shroud attached to the inner boot and at least partially covering the cushioning member.
6 . The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein the shroud includes a plurality of perforations through which the cushioning member is exposed.
7 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the second side of the cushioning member is detached from the inner boot.
8 . The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the tether includes a plurality of independently formed connecting strands.
9 . An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure;
an inner boot attached to the sole structure along a bite line and including an ankle opening and an instep region formed between the ankle opening and an anterior end of the inner boot; and
a cushioning member disposed over the instep region of the inner boot and including (i) an interior portion detached from the inner boot and (ii) a peripheral portion attached by a tether to one or more anchors extending from the bite line between the sole structure and at least one of a medial side and a lateral side of the inner boot, the cushioning member including at least two compressible pads between the medial side and the lateral side of the inner boot and joined together by a longitudinal flexion of a web along a longitudinal axis to define an X-shape divided by the longitudinal axis, the at least two compressible pads being spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis, the web configured to allow the at least two compressible pads to bend about the longitudinal flexion, each of the at least two compressible pads including legs that converge at a central point to define the X-shape and a tensile element disposed between a first film layer and a second film layer.
10 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein each of the compressible pads includes a chamber having a compressible material disposed therein.
11 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the at least two compressible pads includes a central pad and a pair of secondary pads disposed at opposite ends of the central pad.
12 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the inner boot includes a knitted mesh material.
13 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , further comprising a shroud attached to the inner boot and at least partially covering the cushioning member.
14 . The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the shroud includes a plurality of perforations through which the cushioning member is exposed.
15 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein a first portion of the peripheral portion is detached from the inner boot.
16 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the tether includes a plurality of independently formed connecting strands.
17 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two compressible pads includes a fluid-filled chamber and the tensile element disposed in the fluid-filled chamber.
18 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the at least two compressible pads includes a fluid-filled chamber and the tensile element disposed in the fluid-filled chamber.
19 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the at least two compressible pads include a plurality of notches defined by the legs at an outer periphery of the at least two compressible pads, the plurality of notches configured to allow each of the legs to move independently of each other.
20 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the at least two compressible pads include a plurality of notches defined by the legs at an outer periphery of the at least two compressible pads, the plurality of notches configured to allow each of the legs to move independently of each other.