ADJUSTABLE FOOTWEAR SOLE WITH BLADDER
An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole secured thereto. The sole includes a midsole with a receptacle, within which a flexible fluid-filled bladder may be fitted. The bladder is adjustable with respect to the midsole between at least first and second orientations. The bladder provides the sole with a first characteristic when in the first orientation and a second characteristic, different from the first characteristic, when in the second orientation. Accordingly, the sole is readily adjustable between the first characteristic and the second characteristic by movement of the bladder with respect to the midsole.
1 . An article of footwear comprising:
an upper; and
a sole secured to the upper, the sole including a midsole having a receptacle and a flexible fluid-filled bladder fitted within the receptacle, the bladder being adjustable with respect to the midsole between at least first and second orientations, the bladder providing the sole with a first characteristic when in the first orientation, the bladder providing the sole with a second characteristic different from the first characteristic when in the second orientation, whereby the sole is readily adjustable between the first characteristic and the second characteristic by movement of the bladder with respect to the midsole.
2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the bladder defines at least two discrete fluid chambers.
3 . The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the bladder includes a high pressure chamber and a low pressure chamber.
4 . The article of footwear of claim 3 , wherein the bladder further comprises a center chamber.
5 . The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the bladder is generally disc shaped and includes a substantially vertical axis, the bladder being movable between the first orientation and the second orientation by rotation about the axis.
6 . The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein the receptacle includes an interface surface and the bladder includes an interface surface, wherein at least one of the receptacle interface surface and the bladder interface surface has projections extending therefrom for engaging the other of the receptacle interface surface and the bladder interface surface, wherein variations in the projections provide the sole with difference characteristics.
7 . The article of footwear of claim 6 , wherein the bladder interface surface has projections matingly engaging the projections on the receptacle interface surface.
8 . The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the projections on the bladder and on the receptacle are selected from the group consisting of undulations, ridges, and lobes.
9 . The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the chambers are filled with one of a gas, liquid, and a viscous gel.
10 . A sole for an article of footwear comprising:
a midsole including a receptacle; and
a fluid-filled bladder received within the receptacle,
wherein the bladder is adapted to be rotatably received within the receptacle in a plurality of orientations to provide a wearer's heel with a corresponding plurality of pressure distributions, whereby adjustment of a pressure distribution may be achieved by selectively fitting the bladder into the receptacle in a desired one of the plurality of orientations.
11 . The sole of claim 10 wherein at least one of the plurality of pressure distributions is asymmetrical with respect to a midsole longitudinal centerline to correct one of pronation and supination in the wearer's step.
12 . The sole of claim 10 , wherein the fluid-filled bladder includes a center chamber and first and second peripheral chambers.
13 . The sole of claim 12 , wherein the first peripheral chamber includes a fluid at a first pressure and wherein the second peripheral chamber includes a fluid at second pressure different from the first pressure.
14 . The sole of claim 12 , wherein the center chamber is fluidly communicable with only one of the first and second peripheral chambers.
15 . The sole of claim 10 , wherein the receptacle includes an interface surface and wherein the bladder includes an interface surface, wherein at least one of the receptacle interface surface and the bladder interface surface includes projections extending therefrom for engaging the other of the receptacle interface surface and the bladder interface surface.
16 . The sole of claim 10 , wherein the receptacle further includes alignment indicator for aligning the bladder within the receptacle in one of the plurality of orientations.
17 . An article of footwear comprising:
an upper; and
a sole secured to the upper, the sole including a midsole and a flexible fluid-filled bladder fitted within the midsole, the bladder having a substantially vertical axis and being adjustable with respect to the midsole between at least first and second orientations, the bladder providing the sole with first characteristics when in the first orientation and second characteristics, different from the first characteristics, when in the second orientation;
wherein the midsole includes a receptacle for engagement with the bladder, the receptacle includes an interface surface with a plurality of projections, and the bladder includes an interface surface with a plurality of projections matingly engaged with the plurality of projections on the receptacle interface surface;
wherein the bladder defines at least two discrete fluid chambers, and the bladder is movable with respect to the receptacle between at least a supination orientation to address problems associated with supination, a pronation orientation to address problems associated with pronation, a regular orientation, and a firm orientation.
18 . The article of footwear of claim 17 , wherein the bladder includes a first chamber containing fluid at a first pressure and a second chamber containing fluid at a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure.
19 . The article of footwear of claim 18 , wherein the bladder further comprises a center chamber.
20 . The article of footwear of claim 19 , wherein the center chamber is fluidly communicable with the second chamber.
21 . A fluid-filled bladder for use with a footwear component comprising:
a disc-shaped member being rotatable with respect to the footwear component, the disc-shaped member including first and second fluid-filled chambers, the first and second fluid-filled chambers being isolated from each other to define a first fluid pressure and a second fluid pressure, respectively, wherein the first fluid pressure is different from the second fluid pressure to provide a pressure distribution that varies with rotation of the disc-shaped member relative to the footwear component.
22 . The fluid-filled bladder of claim 21 further including a central chamber interposed between the first and second chambers.
23 . The fluid-filled bladder of claim 22 wherein the first and second chambers are semi-circular and are positioned radially outward of the central chamber.
24 . The fluid-filled bladder of claim 22 wherein the central chamber is in fluid communication with the first chamber and isolated from the second chamber.
25 . The fluid-filled bladder of claim 21 wherein the first and second chambers define a plurality of projections extending therefrom.
26 . The fluid-filled bladder of claim 21 wherein the footwear component includes one of an insole, a midsole, and an outsole.
27 . A footwear construction comprising:
a footwear component; and
a fluid-filled bladder adapted to interfit with the footwear component, the fluid-filled bladder including first and second fluid-filled chambers, wherein the fluid-filled bladder is rotatable with respect to the footwear component between a first orientation and a second orientation to provide a first pressure distribution and a second pressure distribution, respectively.
28 . The footwear construction of claim 29 wherein the footwear component includes one of an insole, a midsole, and an outsole.
29 . The footwear construction of claim 27 wherein the fluid-filled bladder is generally disc shaped and includes a plurality of projections.
30 . The footwear construction of claim 27 , wherein the first and second fluid-filled chambers are filled with one of a gas, a liquid, and a viscous gel.