Patent ID: 9609914
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: A43B,Y10T

Claim:
1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, at least one of the upper and the sole structure incorporating a chamber comprising: an outer barrier formed from a polymer material that defines an interior cavity, the outer barrier including (a) a first barrier portion that forms a first outer surface of the chamber and (b) a second barrier portion that forms an opposite second outer surface of the chamber; and a tensile member located within the interior cavity of the outer barrier, the tensile member including (a) a first layer element secured to the first barrier portion of the outer barrier, (b) a second layer element secured to the second barrier portion of the outer barrier, and (c) a plurality of tether elements that extend between the first layer element and the second layer element; wherein the plurality of tether elements includes a first tether element and a second tether element, the first tether element having a greater length than the second tether element; wherein the chamber has (a) a first thickness defined as a distance between the first outer surface and the second outer surface of the chamber in an area of the first tether element and (b) a second thickness defined as a distance between the first outer surface and the second outer surface of the chamber in an area of the second tether element, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness; and wherein at least one of the plurality of tether elements is arranged to exhibit a diagonal configuration between the first layer element and the second layer element of the tensile member.