Patent ID: 9060564
Filing Date: 2015-06-23
Classification: A43B

Abstract:
1. A bladder system for an article of footwear, comprising: a sole structure having a forefoot portion, a heel portion, and a midfoot portion in between the forefoot portion and the heel portion; an outer bladder including an interior cavity; wherein the outer bladder is disposed in the sole structure and extends from the forefoot portion of the sole structure to the heel portion of the sole structure; a valve member disposed inside the interior cavity, the valve member being used to inflate the interior cavity; wherein the valve member includes a first valve configured to receive fluid from an external pump; wherein the valve member extends from a lateral side of the outer bladder to a medial side of the outer bladder, and from a lower layer of the outer bladder to an upper layer of the outer bladder, such that the valve member occupies a full width of the interior cavity of the outer bladder; wherein outer surfaces of the valve member are in contact with the outer bladder in a substantially air-tight manner such that the valve member pneumatically divides the interior cavity into a first inflation chamber in the forefoot portion of the sole structure and a second inflation chamber in the heel portion of the sole structure; wherein the valve member includes a second valve in fluid communication with the first valve; wherein in a first position the second valve provides fluid communication between the first valve and the first inflation chamber and prevents fluid communication between the first valve and the second inflation chamber; wherein in a second position the second valve provides fluid communication between the first valve and the second inflation chamber and prevents fluid communication between the first valve and the first inflation chamber; and wherein the first inflation chamber and the second inflation chamber can be inflated to different pressures.