Patent Publication Number: US-11653715-B2

Title: Contoured fluid-filled chamber

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/530,120, filed Aug. 2, 2019, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/670,954, filed Aug. 7, 2017, which is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/940,738, filed Jul. 12, 2013, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates generally to fluid-filled chambers for use in the sole structure of an article of footwear. 
     Conventional articles of athletic footwear include two primary elements, an upper and a sole structure. The upper provides a covering for the foot that comfortably receives and securely positions the foot with respect to the sole structure. The sole structure is secured to a lower portion of the upper and is generally positioned between the foot and the ground. In addition to attenuating ground reaction forces (that is, providing cushioning) during walking, running, and other ambulatory activities, the sole structure may influence foot motions (for example, by resisting pronation), impart stability, and provide traction, for example. Accordingly, the upper and the sole structure operate cooperatively to provide a comfortable structure that is suited for a wide variety of athletic activities. 
     The upper is often formed from a plurality of material elements (for example, textiles, polymer sheets, foam layers, leather, synthetic leather) that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to define a void on the interior of the footwear for comfortably and securely receiving a foot. More particularly, the upper forms a structure that extends over instep and toe areas of the foot, along medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of the foot. The upper may also incorporate a lacing system to adjust fit of the footwear, as well as permit entry and removal of the foot from the void within the upper. In addition, the upper may include a tongue that extends under the lacing system to enhance adjustability and comfort of the footwear, and the upper may incorporate a heel counter. 
     The sole structure generally incorporates multiple layers: a sockliner, a midsole, and a ground-engaging outer member. The sockliner is a thin, compressible member located within the upper and adjacent to a plantar (that is, lower) surface of the foot to enhance footwear comfort. The midsole is secured to a lower surface of the upper and forms a middle layer of the sole structure. Many midsole configurations are primarily formed from a resilient polymer foam material, such as polyurethane (PU) or ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), that extends throughout the length and width of the footwear. The midsole may also incorporate plates, moderators, and/or other elements that further attenuate forces, influence the motions of the foot, and/or impart stability, for example. The ground-engaging outer member may be fashioned from a durable and wear-resistant material (for example, rubber) that includes texturing to improve traction. 
     Further, the sole structure may include fluid-filled chambers to provide cushioning and stability. Upon inflation, such chambers experience pressure that is evenly distributed to all portions of the inner surface of the bladder material from which the chamber is formed. Accordingly, the tendency is for chambers, when inflated, to take on an outwardly rounded shape. For use as cushioning members in footwear, however, it is desirable to provide the chambers with a relatively flat form, to serve as a platform for receiving the sole of a foot of a wearer. Thus, to limit the expansion of the top and bottom portions of the chamber upon inflation, sole structures have been developed with chambers having one or more tensile structures that link the top portion of the chamber to the bottom portion of the chamber in order to maintain the chambers in a substantially planar configuration. However, it may be desirable to provide tensile member-equipped fluid-filled chambers with contoured configurations. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is generally directed to fluid-filled chamber configurations having tensile members including a top sheet bonded to a top barrier layer of the chamber, a bottom sheet bonded to a bottom barrier layer of the chamber, and a plurality of tethers extending between the top sheet and the bottom sheet. In order to provide contours to the chamber, a bond inhibiting material may be incorporated between the top tensile member sheet and the top barrier layer and/or between the bottom tensile member sheet and the bottom barrier layer in select locations. The bond inhibiting material prevents the tensile member from bonding to the chamber barrier layer in select locations, enabling the chamber to bulge outward in those locations. Accordingly, a contoured chamber may be achieved using a tensile member having a substantially consistent thickness. In some embodiments, the chamber may be anatomically contoured. For example, various portions of the chamber may be contoured to have a concave configuration, in order to receive convex portions of the foot, such as a heel region, ball of the foot, or toes. Further, portions of the chamber may be contoured to have a convex configuration, in order to support concave portions of the foot, such as an arch region or the areas between toes. 
     In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure may include a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid, the chamber having a first chamber barrier layer and a second chamber barrier layer bonded to the first chamber barrier layer about peripheral portions of the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer to define an interior void between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer. The sole structure may also include a tensile member bonded to, and extending between, the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer. In addition, the sole structure may include a bond inhibiting material located between the tensile member and the first chamber barrier layer, the tensile member and the first chamber barrier layer being unbonded in an unbonded area in which the bond inhibiting material is disposed. The chamber may include an outwardly extending bulge in the unbonded area. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper The sole structure may include a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid, the chamber having a first chamber barrier layer and a second chamber barrier layer bonded to the first chamber barrier layer about peripheral portions of the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer to define an interior void between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer. The sole structure may also include a tensile member bonded to, and extending between, the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer. A first portion of the first chamber barrier layer and a second portion of the tensile member adjacent to the first portion of the first chamber barrier layer may be unbonded in an unbonded area, and the chamber may include an outwardly extending bulge in the unbonded area. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method of forming a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid. The method may include arranging a plurality of chamber components in a stacked arrangement, the chamber components including a first chamber barrier layer, a second chamber barrier layer, and a tensile member, wherein arranging the chamber components in a stacked arrangement involves locating the tensile member between the first chamber barrier layer and the second chamber barrier layer. The method may also include placing the stacked arrangement of chamber components into a mold, the mold including a first mold component and a second mold component. Further, the method may include joining the chamber components to one another by applying pressure to the stacked arrangement of chamber components. Joining the chamber components to one another may include bonding select portions of the first chamber barrier layer to the tensile member, thereby forming a bonded area and an unbonded area of the first chamber barrier layer and the tensile member. In addition, the method may include inflating the chamber with a pressurized fluid, the pressurized fluid expanding the unbonded area of the first chamber barrier layer, thereby forming a bulge in an outer surface of the chamber. 
     Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the current embodiments will be, or will become, apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description and this summary, be within the scope of the current embodiments, and be protected by the following claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The figures are schematic representations of components of the disclosed invention. Accordingly, the components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
         FIG.  1    shows an article of footwear according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    shows an exploded view of an exemplary sole structure for an article of footwear. 
         FIG.  3    shows a perspective view of the fluid-filled chamber of the sole structure shown in  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional view of a heel region of an exemplary sole structure chamber taken at section line  4 - 4  in  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional view of a midfoot region of an exemplary sole structure chamber taken at section line  5 - 5  in  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  6    is a cross-sectional view of a heel region of an exemplary sole structure chamber taken at section line  6 - 6  in  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  7    shows an exploded view of chamber components and a mold for joining the chamber components. 
         FIG.  8    shows the mold and chamber components shown in  FIG.  7    in a compressed condition. 
         FIG.  9    shows a second mold joining the peripheral portions of the chamber components to one another. 
         FIG.  10    shows an assembled, cross-sectional view of an exemplary fluid-filled chamber. 
         FIG.  11    shows a heel region of another exemplary fluid-filled chamber. 
         FIG.  12    shows a cross-sectional view of a sole structure including the chamber shown in  FIG.  11    taken at section line  12 - 12  in  FIG.  11   . 
         FIG.  13    shows an assembled, cross-sectional view of another exemplary fluid-filled chamber. 
         FIG.  14    shows a top view of a chamber having anatomical contour features. 
         FIG.  15    illustrates a sheet of adhesive material including bond inhibiting material applied to select portions of the sheet. 
         FIG.  16    is a perspective view of a portion of a sheet of adhesive material with a strip of bond inhibiting material being applied to the sheet. 
         FIG.  17    illustrates bond inhibiting material strips on a transfer sheet, configured for transfer onto a sheet of adhesive material. 
         FIG.  18    illustrates a process of applying the bond inhibiting materials strips from the transfer sheet of  FIG.  17    onto the sheet of adhesive material. 
         FIG.  19    illustrates a process of spraying bond inhibiting material, in liquid form, onto a portion of a sheet of adhesive material using a stencil. 
         FIG.  20    illustrates a process of cutting an opening in a sheet of adhesive material. 
         FIG.  21    shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary fluid-filled chamber formed using a sheet of adhesive material having an opening. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose a sole structure for an article of footwear. Concepts associated with the footwear disclosed herein may be applied to a variety of athletic footwear types, including running shoes, basketball shoes, cross-training shoes, cricket shoes, golf shoes, soccer shoes, baseball shoes, cycling shoes, football shoes, golf shoes, tennis shoes, and walking shoes, for example. Accordingly, the concepts disclosed herein apply to a wide variety of footwear types. 
     For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives are employed throughout this detailed description corresponding to the illustrated embodiments. The term “longitudinal,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a direction extending a length of a sole structure, i.e., extending from a forefoot portion to a heel portion of the sole. The term “forward” is used to refer to the general direction in which the toes of a foot point, and the term “rearward” is used to refer to the opposite direction, i.e., the direction in which the heel of the foot is facing. 
     The term “lateral direction,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a side-to-side direction extending a width of a sole. In other words, the lateral direction may extend between a medial side and a lateral side of an article of footwear, with the lateral side of the article of footwear being the surface that faces away from the other foot, and the medial side being the surface that faces toward the other foot. 
     The term “lateral axis,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to an axis oriented in a lateral direction. 
     The term “horizontal,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to any direction substantially parallel with the ground, including the longitudinal direction, the lateral direction, and all directions in between. Similarly, the term “side,” as used in this specification and in the claims, refers to any portion of a component facing generally in a lateral, medial, forward, and/or rearward direction, as opposed to an upward or downward direction. 
     The term “vertical,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a direction generally perpendicular to both the lateral and longitudinal directions. For example, in cases where a sole is planted flat on a ground surface, the vertical direction may extend from the ground surface upward. It will be understood that each of these directional adjectives may be applied to individual components of a sole. The term “upward” refers to the vertical direction heading away from a ground surface, while the term “downward” refers to the vertical direction heading towards the ground surface. Similarly, the terms “top,” “upper,” and other similar terms refer to the portion of an object substantially furthest from the ground in a vertical direction, and the terms “bottom,” “lower,” and other similar terms refer to the portion of an object substantially closest to the ground in a vertical direction. 
     For purposes of this disclosure, the foregoing directional terms, when used in reference to an article of footwear, shall refer to the article of footwear in an upright position, with the sole facing groundward as it would be positioned when worn by a wearer standing on a substantially level surface. 
     In addition, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “fixedly attached” shall refer to two components joined in a manner such that the components may not be readily separated (for example, without destroying one or both of the components). Exemplary modalities of fixed attachment may include joining with permanent adhesive, rivets, stitches, nails, staples, welding or other thermal bonding, chemical or molecular bonding, and/or other joining techniques. In addition, two components may be “fixedly attached” by virtue of being integrally formed, for example, in a molding process. 
       FIG.  1    depicts an embodiment of an article of footwear  100 , which may include a sole structure  105  and an upper  110  secured to sole structure  105 . As shown in  FIG.  1    for reference purposes, footwear  100  may be divided into three general regions, including a forefoot region  130 , a midfoot region  135 , and a heel region  140 . Forefoot region  130  generally includes portions of footwear  100  corresponding with the toes and the joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. Midfoot region  135  generally includes portions of footwear  100  corresponding with an arch area of the foot. Heel region  140  generally corresponds with rear portions of the foot, including the calcaneus bone. Forefoot region  130 , midfoot region  135 , and heel region  140  are not intended to demarcate precise areas of footwear  100 . Rather, forefoot region  130 , midfoot region  135 , and heel region  140  are intended to represent general relative areas of footwear  100  to aid in the following discussion. 
     Since sole structure  105  and upper  110  both span substantially the entire length of footwear  100 , the terms forefoot region  130 , midfoot region  135 , and heel region  140  apply not only to footwear  100  in general, but also to sole structure  105  and upper  110 , as well as the individual elements of sole structure  105  and upper  110 . Footwear  100  may be formed of any suitable materials. In some configurations, the disclosed footwear  10  may employ one or more materials disclosed in Lyden et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,954, issued Jan. 20, 1998, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     Upper  110  may include one or more material elements (for example, textiles, foam, leather, and synthetic leather), which may be stitched, adhesively bonded, molded, or otherwise formed to define an interior void configured to receive a foot. The material elements may be selected and arranged to selectively impart properties such as durability, air-permeability, wear-resistance, flexibility, and comfort. Upper  110  may alternatively implement any of a variety of other configurations, materials, and/or closure mechanisms. 
     Sole structure  105  may have a configuration that extends between upper  110  and the ground and may be secured to upper  110  in any suitable manner. For example, sole structure  105  may be secured to upper  110  by adhesive attachment, stitching, welding, or any other suitable method. Sole structure  105  may include provisions for attenuating ground reaction forces (that is, cushioning and stabilizing the foot during vertical and horizontal loading). In addition, sole structure  105  may be configured to provide traction, impart stability, and/or limit various foot motions, such as pronation, supination, and/or other motions. 
     The configuration of sole structure  105  may vary significantly according to one or more types of ground surfaces on which sole structure  105  may be used. For example, the disclosed concepts may be applicable to footwear configured for use on indoor surfaces and/or outdoor surfaces. The configuration of sole structure  105  may vary based on the properties and conditions of the surfaces on which footwear  100  is anticipated to be used. For example, sole structure  105  may vary depending on whether the surface is harder or softer. In addition, sole structure  105  may be tailored for use in wet or dry conditions, for example by varying the tread pattern and traction elements. 
     Sole structure  105  may include multiple components, which may individually and/or collectively provide footwear  100  with a number of attributes, such as support, rigidity, flexibility, stability, cushioning, comfort, reduced weight, traction, and/or other attributes. As shown in  FIG.  1   , sole structure  105  may include a ground-contacting outer member  120 . In addition, in some embodiments, sole structure  105  may also include a midsole  115  disposed between outer member  120  and upper  110 . 
     Outer member  120  may include an outer surface  125  exposed to the ground. Outer member  120  may include various features configured to provide traction. For example, in some embodiments, outer surface  125  may include a patterned tread, as shown in  FIG.  1   . In some embodiments, outer member  120  may include one or more ground-engaging cleat members extending from outer surface  125 . 
     Outer member  120  may be formed of suitable materials for achieving the desired performance attributes. For example, outer member  120  may be formed of any suitable polymer, composite, and/or metal alloy materials. Exemplary such materials may include thermoplastic and thermoset polyurethane, polyester, nylon, polyether block amide, alloys of polyurethane and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, carbon fiber, poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide (para-aramid fibers, e.g., Kevlar®), titanium alloys, and/or aluminum alloys. In some embodiments, outer member  120  may be fashioned from a durable and wear-resistant material (for example, rubber). Other suitable materials, including future-developed materials, will be recognized by those having skill in the art. Materials and configurations for outer member  120  may be selected according to the type of activity for which footwear  100  is configured. 
     Midsole  115  may have any suitable configuration and may provide cushioning and stability. For example, in some embodiments, midsole  115  may be formed of a compressible material, such as a resilient polymer foam material, examples of which may include polyurethane (PU) or ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA). In some embodiments, midsole  115  may extend throughout the length and width of footwear  100 . In some embodiments, midsole  115  may also incorporate incompressible plates, moderators, and/or other elements that further attenuate forces, influence the motions of the foot, and/or impart stability, for example. 
     In some embodiments, the sole structure may include one or more additional components that provide cushioning. For example, in some embodiments, the sole structure may include a chamber filled with pressurized fluid, such as one or more gases. The fluid-filled chamber may be compressible, and thus, may attenuate ground reaction forces. 
       FIG.  2    is an exploded view of sole structure  105 .  FIG.  2    shows midsole  115  and outer member  120  in an assembled configuration. As illustrated in  FIG.  2   , in some embodiments, midsole  115  may include a recess  145  configured to contain a cushioning element. For example, as shown in  FIG.  2   , in some embodiments, sole structure  105  may include a chamber  150  for receiving a pressurized fluid. Chamber  150  may be received within recess  145  in midsole  115 . 
     In some embodiments, sole structure  105  may omit the midsole layer between chamber  150  and outer member  120 . That is, chamber  150  may be secured directly to outer member  120  of sole structure  105 . In some cases, such a configuration may provide sole structure  105  with a lower profile, that is, a reduced height. In some embodiments, midsole  115  may be located above chamber  150 . That is, in some cases, chamber  150  may be disposed between midsole  115  and outer member  120 . 
     In some embodiments, sole structure  105  may include an additional component on top of chamber  150 . For example, sole structure  105  may include a footbed member  185 . Footbed member  185  may form a covering over top of chamber  150 , to conceal chamber  150  from an inner portion of the article of footwear. In addition, footbed member  185  may provide a surface or footbed configured to support the foot of a wearer directly. 
     In some embodiments, footbed member  185  may be removable. For example, in some embodiments, footbed member  185  may be a removable insole/sockliner. In other embodiments, footbed member  185  may be fixedly attached to one or more portions of the article of footwear. In some embodiments, footbed member  185  may be fixedly attached to midsole  115  about the periphery of recess  145 , thereby enclosing chamber  150 . In some embodiments, footbed member  185  may be a strobel. For example, footbed member may be fixedly attached to an upper of the article of footwear. In such a strobel embodiment, footbed member  185 , when combined with the upper, may substantially completely enclose the foot of a wearer and isolate the wearer&#39;s foot from chamber  150 . In some embodiments, footbed member  185  may include more than one component. For example, in some cases, a footbed member may include both an enclosing upper midsole portion and a strobe element attached to the upper. 
     Footbed member  185  may have any suitable configuration and any suitable material. For example, in some embodiments, footbed member  185  may be substantially incompressible. In such embodiments, footbed member  185  may be formed of rigid or semi-rigid materials such as hard plastics, carbon fiber, or other composite materials. In other embodiments, a substantially incompressible footbed member  185  may be formed of a relatively flexible material, such as a textile, leather, or synthetic leather. In some footwear embodiments that implement a substantially incompressible footbed member  185 , an additional cushioning member, such as an insole/sockliner may be utilized on top of footbed member  185 . 
     In some embodiments, footbed member  185  may be formed, at least in part, by a compressible material. For example, in some embodiments, footbed member  185  may be formed of a compressible foam material. Such a compressible foam material may enable footbed member  185  to conform to the features of a wearer&#39;s foot. In some embodiments, a compressible footbed member  185  may permanently deform to the shape of the wearer&#39;s foot. In other embodiments, the footbed member  185  may be resilient and return to its original shape after the footwear is removed from the wearer&#39;s foot. 
       FIG.  3    is a more detailed illustration of chamber  150 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , in some embodiments, chamber  150  may include a first chamber barrier layer  155  and a second chamber barrier layer  160 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , in some embodiments, first chamber barrier layer  155  may be a top barrier layer and second chamber barrier layer  160  may be a bottom barrier layer. Second chamber barrier layer  160  may be bonded to first chamber barrier layer  155  about peripheral portions of first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160  to define an interior void between first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160 . 
     Chamber  150  may be formed from a polymer or other bladder material that provides a sealed barrier for enclosing a fluid. As noted above, the bladder material may be transparent. A wide range of polymer materials may be utilized for chamber  150 . In selecting materials for chamber  150 , engineering properties of the material (e.g., tensile strength, stretch properties, fatigue characteristics, dynamic modulus, and loss tangent) as well as the ability of the material to prevent the diffusion of the fluid contained by chamber  150  may be considered. When formed of thermoplastic urethane, for example, the outer barrier of chamber  150  may have a thickness of approximately 1.0 millimeter, but the thickness may range from 0.25 to 2.0 millimeters or more, for example. 
     In addition to thermoplastic urethane, examples of polymer materials that may be suitable for chamber  150  include polyurethane, polyester, polyester polyurethane, and polyether polyurethane. Chamber  150  may also be formed from a material that includes alternating layers of thermoplastic polyurethane and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,713,141 and 5,952,065 to Mitchell, et al. A variation upon this material may also be utilized, wherein a center layer is formed of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, layers adjacent to the center layer are formed of thermoplastic polyurethane, and outer layers are formed of a regrind material of thermoplastic polyurethane and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer. Another suitable material for chamber  150  is a flexible microlayer membrane that includes alternating layers of a gas barrier material and an elastomeric material, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,082,025 and 6,127,026 to Bonk, et al. Additional suitable materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,183,156 and 4,219,945 to Rudy. Further suitable materials include thermoplastic films containing a crystalline material, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,936,029 and 5,042,176 to Rudy, and polyurethane including a polyester polyol, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,013,340; 6,203,868; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,465 to Bonk, et al. The patents listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     The fluid within chamber  150  may range in pressure from zero to three-hundred-fifty kilopascals (i.e., approximately fifty-one pounds per square inch) or more. In some configurations of sole structure  105 , a suitable pressure for the fluid may be a substantially ambient pressure. That is, the pressure of the fluid may be within five kilopascals of the ambient pressure of the atmospheric air surrounding footwear  100 . The pressure of fluid within chamber  150  may be selected to provide desirable performance attributes. For example, higher pressures may provide a more responsive cushioning element, whereas lower pressures may provide more ground force attenuation (a softer cushion). The pressure of fluid within chamber  150  may be selected to work in concert with other cushioning elements of footwear  100 , such as midsole  115  and footbed member  185 . 
     In some configurations, chamber  150  may be inflated with substantially pure nitrogen. Such an inflation gas promotes maintenance of the pressure within chamber  150  through diffusion pumping, whereby the deficiency of other gases (besides nitrogen), such as oxygen, within chamber  150  biases the system for inward diffusion of such gasses into chamber  150 . Further, bladder materials, such as those discussed above, may be substantially impermeable to nitrogen, thus preventing the escape of the nitrogen from chamber  150 . 
     In some configurations, relatively small amounts of other gases, such as oxygen or a mixture of gasses, such as air, may be added to the nitrogen occupying most of the volume within chamber  150 . In addition to air and nitrogen, the fluid contained by chamber  150  may include octafluorapropane or be any of the gasses disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,626 to Rudy, such as hexafluoroethane and sulfur hexafluoride, for example. In some configurations, chamber  150  may incorporate a valve that permits the individual to adjust the pressure of the fluid. In other configurations, chamber  150  may be incorporated into a fluid system, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,249 to Passke, et al., as a pump chamber or a pressure chamber. In order to pressurize chamber  150  or portions of chamber  150 , the general inflation methods disclosed in Hensley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,241,450, issued Aug. 14, 2012, and entitled “Method For Inflating A Fluid-Filled Chamber,” and Schindler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,863,408, issued Oct. 21, 2014, and entitled “Article Of Footwear Having A Sole Structure With A Fluid-Filled Chamber,” (now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2009/0151196, published Jun. 18, 2009), may be utilized. The patents and published patent applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     In some embodiments, the chamber may include one or more features that limit the expansion of the top and bottom portions of the chamber upon inflation. For example, in some embodiments, the chamber may include one or more tensile structures that link the top portion of the chamber to the bottom portion of the chamber. Such tensile structures may be substantially inelastic (or may have a limited elasticity) such that, when the chamber is inflated causing the top and bottom portions of the chamber to be biased apart from one another, the tensile structures limit the distance by which the top and bottom portions may be separated during inflation. Accordingly, the tensile structures may enable the bladder to retain its intended, substantially planar shape. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , a tensile structure, such as a tensile member  165  may extend between first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160 . Tensile member  165  may be bonded to first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160 . For example, in some embodiments, a thermoplastic (hot melt) adhesive may be used to bond tensile member  165  to first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160 . Tensile member  165  may have a limited elasticity and, therefore, may limit the extent to which first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160  may be expanded away from one another upon inflation of chamber  150 . 
     In order to provide contours to chamber  150 , one or more areas of first chamber barrier layer  155  and/or second chamber barrier layer  160  may include bulges formed by the prevention of bonding between tensile member  165  and first chamber barrier layer  155  and/or second chamber barrier layer  160 . That is, a first portion of first chamber barrier layer  155  and a second portion of tensile member  165  adjacent to the first portion of first chamber barrier layer  155  may be unbonded in an unbonded area. Chamber  150  may include an outwardly extending bulge in the unbonded area. Such a bulge may extend outwardly (e.g., upwardly) from adjacent portions of first chamber barrier layer  155 . 
     In some embodiments, chamber  150  may include anatomical contours. That is, bulges in chamber  150  may correspond with the anatomical contours of corresponding portions of the foot of a wearer. For example, chamber  155  may include an anatomical contour formed, at least in part, by the bulges, wherein the anatomical contour is configured to receive a portion of a foot of a wearer. In some embodiments, such contours may have a standardized size and shape for a given shoe size. In other embodiments, such contours may be customized to suit a particular wearer&#39;s foot. In still other embodiments, the contours may be semi-customized. For example, a wearer may have an option to select a high arch support or a low arch support. Thus, the wearer may customize their footwear by selecting from a plurality of contours of various predetermined shapes and/or sizes. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , anatomical contours may include, for example, a peripheral bulge  170 , which may extend around an outer periphery of first chamber barrier layer  155  of chamber  150  and may bulge upward from adjacent portions of first chamber barrier layer  155 . Also, in some embodiments, a toe contour  175  may be incorporated in the forefoot region of chamber  150 . Toe contour  175  may extend in a general direction from proximate a medial side  190  of chamber  150  toward a lateral side  195  of chamber  150 . In addition, toe contour  175  may be configured to accommodate one or more toes of a wearer of the article of footwear. For example, as shown in  FIG.  3   , toe contour  175  may have one or more toe-separating contours  176  configured to be disposed at least partially between toes of a wearer. Further, in some embodiments, an arch support bulge  180  may be provided on medial side  190  of first chamber barrier layer  155 , in a midfoot region of chamber  150 . 
       FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional view of chamber  150  taken at section line  4 - 4  in  FIG.  3   , through a heel region of chamber  150 . As shown in  FIG.  4   , tensile member  165  may include a first tensile member layer  200  bonded to first chamber barrier layer  155 . For example, an upper surface  215  of first tensile member layer  200  may be bonded to a lower surface  220  of first chamber barrier layer  155 . In addition, tensile member  165  may also include a second tensile member layer  205  bonded to second chamber barrier layer  160 . A lower surface  225  of second tensile member layer  205  may be bonded to an upper surface  230  of second chamber barrier layer  160 . Tensile member  165  may further include a plurality of tethers  210  connecting first tensile member layer  200  to second tensile member layer  205 . The outward force of pressurized fluid within chamber  150  places tethers  210  in tension and restrains further outward movement of first tensile member layer  200  and first chamber barrier layer  155  away from second tensile member layer  205  and second chamber barrier layer  160 . 
     Tensile member  165  may have any configuration suitable for limiting the distance between first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160  of chamber  150  when inflated. For example, tensile member  165  may have any of the configurations disclosed in Dua, U.S. Pat. No. 8,151,486, issued Apr. 10, 2012, and entitled “Fluid-Filled Chamber with a Textile Tensile Member;” Peyton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,479,412, issued Jul. 9, 2013, and entitled “Tethered Fluid-Filled Chambers;” and Hazenberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,375,049, issued Jun. 28, 2016, and entitled “Spacer Textile Materials and Methods for Manufacturing the Spacer Textile Materials,” (now U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/443,421, filed Apr. 10, 2012) the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     In some configurations, tethers  270  may include a plurality of substantially planar slats. In some configurations, such slats may be arranged in a substantially vertical orientation. In other embodiments, such slats may be angled with respect to first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160 . Further, such slats may be oriented in any suitable direction. For example, in some embodiments, the slats may be oriented in a substantially lateral direction. In other embodiments, the slats may be oriented in a substantially longitudinal direction. Other orientations are also possible. Tethers  210  may have any of the planar configurations disclosed in Dua, U.S. Pat. No. 8,151,486, issued Apr. 10, 2012, and entitled “Fluid-Filled Chamber with a Textile Tensile Member.” 
     In some configurations, tethers  210  may include a plurality of strand-like members having a substantially one-dimensional configuration. For example, tethers  210  may each have a length between first tensile member layer  260  and second tensile member  265 . This length may be substantially greater than the width or thickness of the one-dimensional tethers. Tethers  210  may have any of the one-dimensional configurations disclosed in Peyton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,479,412, issued Jul. 9, 2013, and entitled “Tethered Fluid-Filled Chambers.” 
     Tethers  210  may be formed of any suitable material. For example in some embodiments, tethers  210  may be formed of a polymer material. In some embodiments, tensile member  165  may be formed of a three-dimensional fabric (3-D fabric). Tensile member  165  may be formed as a unitary (i.e., one-piece) textile element having the configuration of a spacer-knit textile. A variety of knitting techniques may be utilized to form tensile member  165  and impart a specific configuration (e.g., taper, contour, length, width, thickness) to tensile member  165 . In general, knitting involves forming courses and wales of intermeshed loops of a yarn or multiple yarns. In production, knitting machines may be programmed to mechanically-manipulate yarns into the configuration of tensile member  165 . That is, tensile member  165  may be formed by mechanically-manipulating yarns to form a one-piece textile element that has a particular configuration. The two major categories of knitting techniques are weft-knitting and warp-knitting. Whereas a weft-knit fabric utilizes a single yarn within each course, a warp-knit fabric utilizes a different yarn for every stitch in a course. In some embodiments, tensile member  165  may be formed using double needle bar Raschel knitting. In some embodiments, tensile member  165  may be formed using configurations disclosed in Hazenberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,375,049, issued Jun. 28, 2016, and entitled “Spacer Textile Materials and Methods for Manufacturing the Spacer Textile Materials,” (now U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/443,421, filed Apr. 10, 2012). 
     In some embodiments, all of tethers  210  may have substantially the same length, thus providing tensile member  165  with a substantially constant thickness. In other embodiments, tethers  210  may have different lengths. In some embodiments, first tensile member layer  200  and second tensile member layer  205  may each have a generally continuous and planar configuration. In some embodiments, first tensile member layer  200  and second tensile member layer  205  may be substantially parallel to one another. In other embodiments, tensile member  165  may have a tapered configuration. For example, in some embodiments, tensile member  165  may have a tapered configuration between heel region  140  and forefoot region  130 . In order to impart the tapered configuration, the lengths of tethers  210  may decrease between the heel region and forefoot region of chamber  150 . Exemplary tapered chamber configurations are disclosed in Dua, U.S. Pat. No. 8,151,486, issued Apr. 10, 2012, and entitled “Fluid-Filled Chamber with a Textile Tensile Member.” 
     In some embodiments, one or both of first tensile member layer  200  and second tensile member layer  205  may have a contoured configuration. For example, in some embodiments, first tensile member layer  205  may have a concave configuration to conform to the anatomical shapes of the foot. A depression in heel region  140  may cradle the heel of a wearer and more evenly distribute contact forces between chamber  150  and the foot of the wearer. Exemplary contoured chamber configurations are disclosed in Dua, U.S. Pat. No. 8,151,486, issued Apr. 10, 2012, and entitled “Fluid-Filled Chamber with a Textile Tensile Member;” and Peyton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,479,412, issued Jul. 9, 2013, and entitled “Tethered Fluid-Filled Chambers.” 
     In some embodiments, a bond inhibiting material may be located between the tensile member and at least one of the chamber barrier layers, thus providing an unbonded area in which the tensile member and the chamber barrier layer may be unbonded. The bond inhibiting material may be a material that does not bond with either or both of the tensile member and the chamber barrier layer. For example in some embodiments, a thermoplastic adhesive material may be used to bond the tensile member and the chamber barrier layer together. Such a thermoplastic adhesive (hot melt) may be activated by heat to bond these components together. The bond inhibiting material may be a material that does not melt or otherwise bond with at least one of the adjacent components during the heating process that activates the thermoplastic adhesive. Accordingly, following the heating process, any portions of the chamber barrier layer that were masked from the thermoplastic adhesive material by a bond inhibiting material will remain unbonded to the tensile member. 
     Exemplary bond inhibiting materials may include any suitable materials that prevent bonding between chamber barrier layers and a tensile member. The type of bond inhibiting material used may vary according to the type of chamber barrier layer and tensile member used. In some embodiments, the bond inhibiting material may be a material that does not significantly melt during heating performed to activate adhesive used to bond the chamber barrier layers to the tensile member. For example, in some embodiments, the bond inhibiting material may be a high temperature polymer. 
     In some embodiments, heating of the chamber components to bond the chamber barrier layers to the tensile member may be performed using radio frequency (RF) heating. Accordingly, exemplary bond inhibiting materials may be RF resistant materials. Examples of such RF resistant materials that may be used as bond inhibiting materials include fiberglass, polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon, cellophane tape, and thermal printing label materials. 
     In some embodiments, bond inhibiting strips may include an adhesive material on one side. For example, bond inhibiting strips may include an adhesive on one side in order to secure the bond inhibiting strips to the chamber barrier layer or to the tensile member. Adhesive may be omitted from the opposite side of the bond inhibiting strips in order to prevent the opposite side from being secured to the other component. For example, in some embodiments, an adhesive may be used to attach a bond inhibiting strip to the hot melt adhesive material sheet used to bond the chamber barrier layer to the tensile member. The opposite side of the bond inhibiting strip may be free of adhesive, and further may be formed of a material that does not bond to the chamber barrier layer during heating and/or application of pressure. 
     In some embodiments, the bond inhibiting material may be transient. That is, the bond inhibiting material may be blended into the adjacent components during the assembly process. For example, in some embodiments, the bond inhibiting material may mix with the adhesive material of the hot melt adhesive sheet and the resulting mixture may soak into the fabric of a tensile member. Accordingly, the final chamber structure may not have a discrete bond inhibiting layer or hot melt adhesive layer. In some embodiments, the bond inhibiting material may be a liquid material that functions similar to a non-stick cooking spray. By spraying such a bond inhibiting material onto one or more of the chamber layers, bonding may be prevented between such layers. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , peripheral bulge  170  may extend on both medial side  190  and lateral side  195  of chamber  150 , thereby forming a medial bulge  240  and a lateral bulge  255 . Medial bulge  240  and lateral bulge  255  may extend upward from adjacent portions of first chamber barrier layer  155 . Accordingly, medial bulge  240  and lateral bulge  255 , when combined with first chamber barrier layer  155  between medial bulge  240  and lateral bulge  255 , may form a concavity configured to receive a heel of a wearer. That is, chamber  155  may include a depression, or heel cup, in the heel region of chamber  155 . Accordingly, in some embodiments, medial bulge  240  and/or lateral bulge  255  may form a convexity that, when combined with an outer surface of chamber  150 , forms a concavity. In some embodiments, the concavity formed may be larger (e.g., have a larger general radius of curvature) than the convexity of the bulge. 
     A medial bond inhibiting material  235  may be located between first tensile member layer  200  and first chamber barrier layer  155 . Consequently, tensile member  165  and first chamber barrier layer  155  may be unbonded in an unbonded area corresponding with the location in which medial bond inhibiting material  235  is disposed. As shown in  FIG.  4   , in the unbonded area, a medial void  245  may be formed between tensile member  165  and first chamber barrier layer  155  within medial bulge  240 . As shown in  FIG.  4   , tensile member  165  may be continuous across the unbonded area. 
     In some embodiments, first chamber barrier layer  155  may have a substantially planar configuration in the bonded area in which first chamber barrier layer  155  is bonded to tensile member  165 . As shown in  FIG.  4   , the unbonded area of first chamber barrier layer  155  may bulge outward beyond the plane in which the bonded area of first chamber barrier layer  155  lies. The bulged area of chamber  150  may have an increased thickness. For example, as shown in  FIG.  4   , bonded areas of chamber  150  may have a first thickness  270 , whereas unbonded areas of chamber  150  may have a second thickness  265  that is greater than the first thickness  270 . 
     In some embodiments, the voids within the bulges may be isolated from the remainder of chamber  150 . In such embodiments, the voids may be inflated separately from the rest of chamber  150 . Alternatively, the voids may be inflated along with the rest of chamber  150  and then sealed off to isolate the voids. 
     In some embodiments, the voids within the bulges may be in fluid communication with the remainder of chamber  150 . Accordingly, pressurized fluid within chamber  150  may fill and pressurize medial void  245 . In some embodiments, for example, a porous tensile member may be used. For example, a fabric tensile member may permit pressurized fluid from chamber  150  to enter into the voids within the bulges formed in the unbonded areas. 
     In some embodiments, first chamber barrier layer  155  may be substantially inelastic. Accordingly, increasing pressure of the fluid within voids formed by bulges in the chamber barrier layers may not substantially increase the volume, width, or height of medial void  245 . Differences in the pressure of the fluid within such voids may vary the compressibility of the bulges. For example, higher pressure within the bulges may decrease the compressibility of the bulges. 
     Lateral bulge  255  may be formed by a lateral bond inhibiting material  250 . Lateral bond inhibiting material  250  may prevent bonding between first chamber barrier layer  155  and tensile member  165  in an unbonded area. When pressurized, lateral bulge  255  may define a lateral void  260  between first chamber barrier layer  155  and tensile member  165 . 
       FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional view of the midfoot region of chamber  150  taken at section line  5 - 5  in  FIG.  3   . As shown in  FIG.  5   , arch support bulge  180  may be disposed on medial side  190  of chamber  150 . Arch support bulge  180  may be formed by an unbonded area of first chamber barrier layer  155  in which an arch area bond inhibiting strip  275  is disposed between first chamber barrier layer  155  and tensile member  165 . Arch support bulge  180  may define an arch support bulge void  280 . 
     As also shown in  FIG.  5   , lateral bulge  255  may extend into the midfoot region of chamber  150 . As shown in  FIG.  5   , lateral bulge  255  may extend away from adjacent portions of first chamber barrier layer  155  by a first distance  285 . Arch support bulge  180  may extend away from adjacent portions of first chamber barrier layer  155  by a second distance  290 . In some embodiments, the thickness of arch support bulge  180  may be greater than lateral bulge  255 , and thus, second distance  290  may be greater than first distance  285 . 
       FIG.  6    is a cross-sectional view of the heel region of chamber  150  taken at section line  6 - 6  in  FIG.  3   . As shown in  FIG.  6   , in some embodiments, medial bulge  240  may have a substantially similar cross-sectional size and/or shape as lateral bulge  255 . Accordingly, lateral bulge  255  may extend from adjacent portions of first chamber barrier layer  155  by a first distance  310  and medial bulge  240  may extend from adjacent portions of first chamber barrier layer  155  by a second distance  315  that is substantially the same as first distance  310 . 
       FIG.  7    shows an exploded view of components of chamber  150  and a mold for joining the chamber components. Further,  FIG.  7    illustrates aspects of a method of forming chamber  150 . For purposes of illustration,  FIG.  7    shows a portion of chamber  150 . The method of assembling the chamber components may include applying pressure by compressing a stacked arrangement of the components of chamber  150  between a first mold component  335  and a second mold component  340 . Accordingly, arranging the plurality of chamber components in a stacked arrangement may involve locating tensile member  165  between first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160 . The method may include placing the stacked arrangement of chamber components into the first mold. The method may further include applying pressure to the stacked arrangement of chamber components to join the chamber components to one another. This compression may be accomplished by applying force with first mold component  335  in a direction indicated by a first arrow  345  and/or by applying an opposite force with second mold component  340  in an opposite direction indicated by a second arrow  350 . 
       FIG.  7    also shows a first adhesive layer  325  between first chamber barrier layer  155  and first tensile member layer  200  and a second adhesive layer  320  between second chamber barrier layer  160  and second tensile member layer  205 . First adhesive layer  325  and second adhesive layer  320  may be any suitable adhesive for joining the barrier layers to the tensile member layers. For example, in some embodiments, first adhesive layer  325  and second adhesive layer  320  may include a hot melt adhesive, such as a thermoplastic material. First adhesive layer  325  and second adhesive layer  320  are omitted from other drawings of the application for purposes of clarity. 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , the method of assembling the chamber components may include placing a bond inhibiting material  330  between first chamber barrier layer  155  and first adhesive layer  325 . Alternatively, in some embodiments, bond inhibiting material  330  may be located between first adhesive layer  325  and first tensile member layer  200  of tensile member  165 . This alternative configuration may also prevent bonding of first chamber barrier layer  155  to tensile member  165 . 
     In some embodiments, bond inhibiting material  330  may be attached, on one side, to a layer of chamber  150 . For example, in some embodiments, bond inhibiting material  330  may include an adhesive material on one side. This may enable bond inhibiting material  330  to be attached to one layer of chamber  150  to preventing undesired shifting of bond inhibiting material  330  during assembly. For example, in some embodiments in which bond inhibiting material  330  is disposed between first chamber barrier layer  155  and first adhesive layer  325  as shown in  FIG.  7   , bond inhibiting material  330  may be adhesively attached to a top side of first adhesive layer  325 . In such embodiments, bond inhibiting material  330  may inhibit bonding with first chamber barrier layer  155 . Alternatively, bond inhibiting material  330  may be adhesively attached to first chamber barrier layer  155 , and may prevent bonding to first adhesive layer  325 . In such embodiments, bond inhibiting material  330  may be a material that does not bond to first adhesive material  325  when first adhesive material  325  is activated (heated). 
     In some embodiments in which bond inhibiting material  330  is disposed between first adhesive layer  325  and first tensile member layer  200 , bond inhibiting material  330  may be adhesively attached to a bottom side of first adhesive layer  325 , and may inhibit bonding with first tensile member layer  200 . Alternatively, bond inhibiting material may be adhesively attached to first tensile member layer  200  and may inhibit bonding with first adhesive layer  325 . 
     It will be noted that  FIG.  7    illustrates a schematic representation of the process of assembling chamber  150 . In some embodiments, all layers may be attached in a single compression of the chamber components. In other embodiments, select components may be attached to one another in a first process to form one or more sub-assemblies, and the sub-assemblies may be joined together in a separate, second process. For example, in some embodiments, first adhesive layer  325  may be attached to first tensile member layer  200 , and second adhesive layer  320  may be attached to second tensile member layer  205  in a preliminary bonding process to form a sub-assembly. The sub assembly may then be joined to bond inhibiting material  330 , first chamber barrier layer  155 , and second chamber barrier layer  160  using heat and compression, for example as shown in  FIG.  8   . In some embodiments, an intermediate step may involve the attachment of bond inhibiting material  330  to a chamber component, such as first adhesive layer  325 , prior to executing the bonding process illustrated in  FIG.  8   . Exemplary methods of attaching bond inhibiting material to chamber components are discussed in greater detail below with respect to  FIGS.  16 - 19   . 
       FIG.  8    shows the mold and chamber components shown in  FIG.  7    in a compressed condition. First mold component  335  has been moved closer to second mold component  340 , pressing the chamber components against each other. When the chamber components are compressed, tethers  210  may be in a slack condition, that is, untensioned, as illustrated by the wavy appearance of tethers  210  in  FIG.  8   . In some embodiments, heat may be applied to the chamber components while under compression, in order to facilitate the bonding of the chamber barrier layers to the tensile member. Thus, joining the chamber components to one another may be performed by applying pressure to the stacked arrangement of chamber components, as described above. In some embodiments, joining the chamber components to one another may include bonding select portions of first chamber barrier layer  155  to tensile member  165 , thereby forming a bonded area and an unbonded area of first chamber barrier layer  155  and tensile member  165 . 
     In some embodiments, after the first mold is used to join the chamber barrier layers to the tensile member, a second mold may be used to seal the peripheral portions of the chamber barrier layers. In some embodiments, once the peripheral portions are sealed with the second mold, the chamber may be inflated with a pressurized fluid. In some embodiments, the inflation may be performed while the chamber resides in the second mold. 
       FIG.  9    shows a second mold joining the peripheral portions of the chamber components to one another. The second mold may include a third mold component  355  and a fourth mold component  360 . Third mold component  355  may include a first peripheral mold projection  365  extending toward fourth mold component  360 . Fourth mold component  360  may include a second peripheral mold projection  370  extending toward third mold component  355 . As shown in  FIG.  9   , when third mold component  355  and fourth mold component  360  are compressed together, a first peripheral barrier layer portion  375  of first chamber barrier layer  155  may be compressed against and joined to a second peripheral barrier layer portion  370  of second chamber barrier layer  160  between first peripheral mold projection  365  and second peripheral mold projection  370 . 
     As also shown in  FIG.  9   , in some embodiments, chamber  150  may be inflated with a pressurized fluid  385 . In some embodiments, the injection of pressurized fluid  385  may be performed while chamber  150  is compressed within the second mold. Upon pressurization, the top and bottom sides of chamber  150  may be extended up and down, respectively, as indicated by an arrow  390 . This inflation of chamber  150  may extend tethers  210  and place tethers  210  in tension. This tension is illustrated in  FIG.  9    by the substantially straight configuration of tethers  210 . 
       FIG.  10    shows an assembled, cross-sectional view of a portion of chamber  150 . As shown in  FIG.  10   , first peripheral barrier layer portion  375  of first chamber barrier layer  155  is joined to second peripheral barrier layer portion  380  of second chamber barrier layer  160 . In some embodiments, the joinder of these portions of chamber  150  may form a flange, which may be trimmed after or during the sealing of first peripheral barrier layer portion  375  to second peripheral barrier layer portion  380 . 
     Tethers  210  of tensile member  165  may extend across the interior void within chamber  150  and are placed in tension by the outward force of the pressurized fluid upon first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160 . Thus, tensile member  165 , may prevent chamber  150  from expanding outward, thereby ensuring that the intended shape of chamber  150  is retained. Whereas the peripheral bond of first peripheral barrier layer portion  375  to second peripheral barrier layer portion  380  joins the polymer sheets to form a seal that prevents the fluid from escaping, tensile member  165  prevents chamber  150  from expanding outward or otherwise distending due to the pressure of the fluid. That is, tensile member  165  effectively limits the expansion of chamber  150  to retain an intended shape of surfaces of first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer  160 . 
     Due to the inclusion of bond inhibiting material  330 , a portion of first chamber barrier layer  155  is prevented from bonding with first tensile member layer  200  of tensile member  165 . Accordingly, upon pressurization of chamber  150  with a fluid, the unbonded portion of first chamber barrier layer  155  may expand outward, thus forming a first bulge  395  in the outer surface of chamber  150 . The pressurized fluid may fill a void  400  within first bulge  395 . 
     In some embodiments, pressurization of chamber  150  may expand a portion of chamber  150  disposed on an opposite side of chamber  150  than bulge  395 . For example, pressurization may expand a second bulge  401  away from adjacent portions of second chamber barrier layer  160  on the opposite side of chamber  150  from first bulge  395 . 
     A pressurized fluid will apply even pressure on all interior surfaces of the chamber. This will cause portions of the chamber barrier layers that are not anchored to the opposite side of the chamber to expand outward. In bonded areas, the distance between first chamber barrier layer  155  and second chamber barrier layer may be limited by the thickness of tensile member  165 , which is bonded to the two barrier layers. In the unbonded areas, in which at least one of the chamber barrier layers is not bonded to tensile member  165 , there is no structure tying first chamber barrier layer  155  to second chamber barrier layer  160 . Therefore, when first chamber barrier layer  155  extends outward to form first bulge  395 , the corresponding portion of second chamber barrier layer  160  opposite first bulge  395  may tend to extend away from adjacent portions of second chamber barrier layer  160 , thus forming second bulge  401 . Although the area of second chamber barrier layer forming first bulge  401  may be bonded to tensile member  165 , that portion of tensile member  165  is not bonded to first chamber barrier layer  155 . Accordingly, tensile member  165  is not anchored at the ends of tethers  210  opposite second bulge  401 , thus allowing tensile member  165  to deflect with the extension of second chamber barrier layer  160  at second bulge  401 . 
     In some embodiments, the size and shape of first bulge  395  may be substantially the same. In other embodiments, the size and/or shape of first bulge  395  may be at least slightly different from the size and/or shape of second bulge  401 . As shown in  FIG.  10   , first bulge  395  may have a first width  415  and a first height  405 . Second bulge  401  may have a second width  420  and a second height  410 . As shown in  FIG.  10   , first width  415  of first bulge  395  may be the same or substantially the same as second width  420  of second bulge  401 . In some embodiments, however, first width  415  may be different than second width  420 . For example, in some embodiments, second width  420  may be smaller than first width  415 . In such embodiments, since tensile member  165  is bonded to first chamber barrier layer  160 , the structure of tensile member  165  proximate to second bulge  401  may restrict the amount to which second chamber barrier layer  160  may bulge outward to form second bulge  401 . 
     In addition, in some embodiments, first height  405  of first bulge  395  may be the same or substantially the same as second height  410  of second bulge  401 . In other embodiments, however, first height  405  may be different than second height  410 . For example, as shown in  FIG.  10   , second height  410  may be smaller than first height  405 . In some embodiments, the smaller second height  410  may be due to the attachment of tensile member  165  to second chamber barrier layer  160 , as described above. 
       FIG.  11    shows a heel region of another exemplary fluid-filled chamber.  FIG.  11    shows a chamber  1100  including a first chamber barrier layer  1105  and a second chamber barrier layer  1110 . Chamber  1100  may also include a tensile member  1115 . The characteristics of these components may be the same or similar to corresponding components of other embodiments discussed herein. 
     In some embodiments, chamber  1100  may include an anatomical contour formed by two bulges proximate one another. For example, as shown in  FIG.  11   , chamber  1100  may include a first elongate bulge  1120  and a second elongate bulge  1125 . First elongate bulge  1120  and second elongate bulge  1125  may form two arced bulges arranged substantially concentrically about a center portion  1127  of a heel region of chamber  1100 . That is, first elongate bulge  1120  and second elongate bulge  1125  may be parallel to one another about the periphery of the heel region. 
     In order to provide a more curved contour, elongate bulges having different widths may be disposed proximate to one another. For example, a chamber may have a first bulged portion corresponding with a first portion of bond inhibiting material, the first portion of bond inhibiting material having a first width. In addition, the chamber may include a second bulged portion corresponding with a second portion of bond inhibiting material, the second portion of bond inhibiting material having a second width. In some embodiments, the first width may be greater than the second width. 
     As shown in  FIG.  11   , first elongate bulge  1120  may have a first width  1130  and second elongate bulge  1120  may have a second width  1135 . In some embodiments, first width  1130  may be greater than second width  1135 , as shown in  FIG.  11   . 
       FIG.  12    shows a cross-sectional view of a sole structure including the chamber shown in  FIG.  11    taken at section line  12 - 12  in  FIG.  11   .  FIG.  12    also shows a lower portion of a foot  1200 . As illustrated in  FIG.  12   , the sole structure may include a footbed member  1185  disposed on first chamber barrier portion  1105  of chamber  1100 . An upper surface  1215  of footbed member  1185  may be configured to receive a lower surface  1220  of foot  1200 . It will be noted that, in some embodiments, additional layers, such as insoles (sockliners), strobels, sole plates, inner sole boards, and/or midsole layers may be provided above and/or below footbed member  1185 . 
     As further shown in  FIG.  12   , tensile member  1115  may include a first tensile member layer  1140 , a second tensile member layer  1145 , and a plurality of tethers  1150  arranged substantially similarly to other embodiments disclosed herein. Chamber  1100  may also include a first bond inhibiting strip  1155  and a second bond inhibiting strip  1165 , which may prevent portions of first chamber barrier layer  1105  from bonding with tensile member  1115 , thus forming a first void  1160  and a second void  1170 , respectively within first elongate bulge  1120  and second elongate bulge  1125 . 
       FIG.  12    again shows the difference between first width  1130  of first elongate bulge  1120  and second width  1135  of second elongate bulge  1120 . This difference between first width  1130  of first elongate bulge  1120  and second width  1135  of second elongate bulge  1120  may correspond with a similar difference in width between first bond inhibiting strip  1155  and second bond inhibiting strip  1165 . 
     The amount to which a bulged portion of a chamber barrier layer extends away from adjacent portions of the chamber barrier layer may correspond with a width of span of the bulged portion. For example, a bulged portion may have a length and a width extending in directions that are substantially parallel to a plane substantially containing substantially planar portions of the chamber barrier layer. In addition, the bulged portion may have a height by which the bulged portion extends away from adjacent portions of the chamber barrier layer. The height of the bulged portion may be limited by the shorter of the length and the width of the bulged portion. That is, whichever of the length and the width is shortest will have the most limiting effect on the height of the bulged portion. 
     As shown in  FIG.  12   , first elongate bulge  1120  may extend from adjacent portions of first chamber barrier layer  1105  by a first distance  1175 . Similarly, second elongate bulge  1125  may extend from adjacent portions of first chamber barrier layer  1105  by a second distance  1180 . In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG.  12   , first distance  1175  may be greater than second distance  1180 . Since first elongate bulge  1120  has a length that is significantly greater than width  1130 , the height (first distance  1175 ) of first elongate bulge  1120  may be determined by first width  1130 . Similarly, the height (second distance  1180 ) of second elongate bulge  1125  may be determined by second width  1135 . Since first width  1130  is larger than second width  1135 , the height (first distance  1175 ) of first elongate bulge  1120  may be greater than the height (second distance  1180 ) of second elongate bulge  1125 . As further illustrated in  FIG.  12   , by including first elongate bulge  1120  second elongate bulge  1125  having differing heights proximate to one another chamber  1100  may be provided with a tapering overall thickness. 
     As shown in  FIG.  12   , convex aspects of bulges can be compensated for by footbed member  1185 . For example, as shown in  FIG.  12   , footbed member  1185  may have a first peripheral thickness  1190  proximate to a peripheral portion of chamber  1100 , and footbed member  1185  may have a second central thickness  1195  proximate to a central portion of chamber  1100 . As shown in  FIG.  12   , in some embodiments, first peripheral thickness  1190  may be greater than second central thickness  1195 . Accordingly, footbed member  1185  may taper from first peripheral thickness  1190  to second central thickness  1195 . Further, footbed member  1185  may be configured to accommodate first elongate bulge  1120  and second elongate bulge  1125 . In some embodiments, an underside of footbed member  1185  may have one or more pre-formed recesses configured to receive first elongate bulge  1120  and second elongate bulge  1125 . In some embodiments, footbed member  1185  may be formed of a compressible material. In such embodiments, footbed member  1185  may compress to receive first elongate bulge  1120  and second elongate bulge  1125  or any other bulges in chamber  1100 , to thereby at least partially conform to the contours of chamber  1100 . It will be noted that, the compressibility, flexibility, hardness, and other properties of footbed member  1185  may differ from those of chamber  1100 . For example, in some embodiments, footbed member  1185  may be more or less compressible than chamber  1100 . In particular, footbed member  1185  may be more or less compressible than first elongate bulge  1120  and second elongate bulge  1125 . In such embodiments, the less compressible component may provide more control, stability, and support, whereas the more compressible component may provide more cushioning and comfort. The combination of components may be configured to provide desired levels of these properties according to activities for which the article of footwear is configured. 
     As shown in  FIG.  12   , the tapered thickness of chamber  1100  provided by the difference in height of first elongate bulge  1120  and second elongate bulge  1125  may provide a concavity configured to receive the foot of a wearer. For example, as shown in  FIG.  12   , a first portion  1205  of first elongate bulge  1120  and a second portion  1210  of second elongate bulge  1125  may form a concavity, which, in a cross-section, has an arc  1225 . In some embodiments, arc  1225  may be substantially parallel a curvature of upper surface  1215  of footbed member  1185 . Further, arc  1225  and upper surface  1215  may have a curvature that is substantially similar to lower surface  1220  of foot  1200 . 
       FIG.  13    shows an assembled, cross-sectional view of another exemplary fluid-filed chamber embodiment. As shown in  FIG.  13   , a chamber  1300  may include a first chamber barrier layer  1305  and a second chamber barrier layer  1310 . Chamber  1300  may also include a tensile member  1315 , which may include a first tensile member layer  1320  and a second tensile member layer  1325 . A plurality of tethers  1330  may extend between first tensile member layer  1320  and second tensile member layer  1325 . The characteristics of these components may be the same or similar to corresponding components of other embodiments discussed above. 
     In some embodiments, chamber  1300  may include bond inhibiting material on opposing sides of chamber  1300 . By including bond inhibiting material on opposing sides of the chamber, bulges may be provided on both sides. This may enable chamber  1300  to be formed with a greater amount of contouring. For example, as shown in  FIG.  13   , a first bond inhibiting material  1335  may be provided to prevent bonding between first chamber barrier layer  1305  and tensile member  1315 . Accordingly, first bond inhibiting material  1335  may form a first bulge  1340 . First bulge  1340  may define a first void  1345  filled with the pressurized fluid within chamber  1300 . Chamber  1300  may also include a second bond inhibiting material  1355  preventing bonding between second chamber barrier layer  1310  and tensile member  1315 . Second bond inhibiting material  1355  may form a second bulge  1360 , defining a second void  1365 . In some embodiments, first bond inhibiting material  1335  may be the same material as second bond inhibiting material  1355 . In other embodiments, first bond inhibiting material  1335  may be a different material than second bond inhibiting material  1355 . 
     In some embodiments, second bulge  1360  may be disposed opposite first bulge  1340 . In addition, in some embodiments, first bond inhibiting material  1335  may have substantially the same size and shape as second bond inhibiting material  1355 . In such embodiments, first bulge  1340  and second bulge  1360  may have substantially the same size and shape. Accordingly, in some embodiments, chamber  1300  may have top and bottom sides with substantial mirror images. 
     As shown in  FIG.  13   , first bulge  1340  may have a first height  1350  and a first width  1375 . Second bulge  1360  may have a second height  1370  and a second width  1380 . In some embodiments, first height  1350  may be substantially the same as second height  1370 . In other embodiments, first height  1350  may be different than second height  1370 . In some embodiments, first width  1375  may be substantially the same as second width  1380 . In other embodiments, first width  1375  may be different than second width  1380 . 
       FIG.  14    shows a top view of a chamber having anatomical contour features. As shown in  FIG.  14   , a chamber  1400  may include bulges forming anatomical contours. Such bulges may be formed using any of the bond prevention techniques disclosed herein.  FIG.  14    illustrates a foot of a wearer using dashed lines indicating approximate outlines of portions of the foot. As shown in  FIG.  14   , chamber  1400  may include a forefoot area bulge  1405  configured to receive forefoot portions of the wearer&#39;s foot. For example, forefoot area bulge  1405  may substantially encircle a first area  1420  configured to receive the ball of the foot  1485 . In addition, bulge  1405  may define a separate area for receiving the toes of the foot. For example, bulge  1405  may include a hallux region  1410  configured to receive a hallux  1460  (first toe) of the foot. In addition, bulge  1405  may also define a secondary toe region  1415  configured to receive a second toe  1465 , a third toe  1470 , a fourth toe  1475 , and a fifth toe  1480 . Although not shown in  FIG.  14   , in some embodiments, chamber  1400  may include contouring configured to receive portions of a midfoot  1490  of the wearer&#39;s foot. 
     In the heel region of chamber  1400 , a substantially U-shaped bulge  1440  may be configured to partially encircle a depression or heel cup area  1455 . In some embodiments, the heel region may further include a medial support bulge  1430  and a lateral support bulge  1435 . Medial support bulge  1430  and lateral support bulge  1435  may provide additional contouring to accommodate a heel  1495  of a foot. In order to provide this additional contouring, medial support bulge  1430  and/or lateral support bulge  1435  may extend further from adjacent portions of chamber  1400  than U-shaped bulge  1440 . As shown in  FIG.  14   , medial bulge  1430  may have a first width  1445  and U-shaped bulge  1440  may have a second width  1450 . In some embodiments, first width  1445  may be greater than second width  1450 , thereby providing medial bulge  1430  with a taller profile than U-shaped bulge. In cross-section, the heel region of the  FIG.  14    configuration may be similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG.  12   . 
     In some embodiments, multiple chambers may be formed simultaneously. For example, the various layers of the chamber may be formed from sheets of the respective layer materials. In some cases, multiple chambers may be formed from the same sheets of materials. For example, in some embodiments, four chambers may be formed from a single stacked arrangement of chamber layers. 
       FIG.  15    illustrates an adhesive material sheet  1500 . Adhesive material sheet  1500  may be a hot melt layer (e.g., thermoplastic), such as first adhesive layer  325  and second adhesive layer  320 , as shown in  FIG.  7    and discussed above. As shown in  FIG.  15   , adhesive material sheet  1500  may be configured to be used to form multiple chambers. For example, dashed lines indicate approximate outlines illustrating the boundaries of foot-shaped chambers that may be formed from adhesive material sheet  1500 .  FIG.  15    shows a first chamber outline  1505 , a second chamber outline  1510 , a third chamber outline  1515 , and a fourth chamber outline  1520 . It will be noted that the number of chambers formed from adhesive material sheet  1500  may vary, and any suitable number of chambers may be formed from a single stacked arrangement of chamber layers. 
     In some embodiments, bond inhibiting material may be applied to select portions of adhesive material sheet  1500 . The application of bond inhibiting material may be performed before or after the bonding of adhesive material sheet  1500  to other chamber layers, such as a tensile member. As shown in  FIG.  15   , bond inhibiting materials may be selectively placed on adhesive material sheet  1500  in a predetermined arrangement corresponding with portions of adhesive material sheet that will be used in forming the chambers. For example, as shown in  FIG.  15   , a first bond inhibiting material  1525  may be disposed in an area corresponding with first chamber outline  1505 . Similarly, a second bond inhibiting material  1530  may be disposed in an area corresponding with second chamber outline  1510 . A third bond inhibiting material  1535  may be disposed in an area corresponding with third chamber outline  1515 . A fourth bond inhibiting material  1540  may be disposed in an area corresponding with fourth chamber outline  1520 . In some embodiments, two or more of the bond inhibiting materials applied to adhesive material sheet  1500  may be different may be the same. In some embodiments, the bond inhibiting materials applied to adhesive material sheet  1500  may be different. 
     Bond inhibiting material may be applied to adhesive material sheet  1500  (or other chamber layers, such as chamber barrier layers) using any suitable method. In some embodiments, bond inhibiting materials may be pre-formed strips that are applied to adhesive material sheet. For example,  FIG.  16    is a perspective view of a portion of adhesive material sheet  1500 .  FIG.  16    illustrates fourth bond inhibiting material  1540  being applied as a pre-formed strip to adhesive material sheet  1500 . An arrow  1545  illustrates fourth bond inhibiting material  1540  being applied in a similar manner to a piece of tape. 
     In some embodiments, bond inhibiting material may be applied to adhesive material sheets (or other chamber layers) using a transfer method. For example, applying the bond inhibiting material to the layer of adhesive material may include aligning a transfer sheet including one or more selectively placed strips of bond inhibiting material with a sheet of adhesive material. The method may further include pressing the transfer sheet against the sheet of adhesive material, thereby transferring the strip of bond inhibiting material from the transfer sheet to the sheet of adhesive material. 
       FIG.  17    illustrates an adhesive material sheet  1700  and a transfer sheet  1705 . Chamber outlines are shown on adhesive material sheet  1700  in phantom by dashed lines. For example,  FIG.  17    shows a first chamber outline  1701 , a second chamber outline  1702 , a third chamber outline  1703 , and a fourth chamber outline  1704 . Adhesive material may be pre-applied to transfer sheet  1705  in select locations. For example, as shown in  FIG.  17   , a first bond material  1711 , a second bond inhibiting material  1712 , a third bond inhibiting material  1713 , and a fourth bond inhibiting material  1714  may be pre-applied to transfer sheet  1705  in locations that correspond with the chamber outlines of adhesive material sheet  1700 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  18   , transfer sheet  1705  may be pressed against adhesive material sheet  1700 . Pressure may transfer the bond inhibiting material onto adhesive material sheet  1700 . In some embodiments, the transfer may also be effectuated not only by pressure, but also by the application of heat, water, or other techniques for releasing the bond inhibiting material from transfer sheet  1705 .  FIG.  18    shows a first corner portion  1715  of transfer sheet  1705  being peeled away from a second corner portion  1720  of adhesive material sheet  1700 . In the peeled back portion,  FIG.  18    illustrates third adhesive material  1713  transferred onto adhesive material sheet  1700 .  FIG.  18    also shows a phantom outline  1725  indicating where third adhesive material  1713  had been located on transfer sheet  1705 . 
     In some embodiments, applying the bond inhibiting material to the layer of adhesive material may include spraying bond inhibiting material, in liquid form, onto the layer of adhesive material. As shown in  FIG.  19   , an application device  1555  may be used to apply bond inhibiting material to adhesive material sheet  1500 . For example,  FIG.  19    shows fourth bond inhibiting material  1540  being sprayed onto adhesive material sheet  1500 . As shown in  FIG.  19   , a stencil  1550  may be used to ensure application of bond inhibiting material only to desired locations of adhesive material sheet  1500 . In some embodiments, however, bond inhibiting material may be applied by spray application without using a stencil. 
     In some embodiments, bonding between chamber barrier layers and a tensile member may be prevented by selectively omitting adhesive material between the barrier layers and the tensile member.  FIG.  20    illustrates a process of cutting an opening  1825  in an adhesive material sheet  1800 . Opening  1825  may be cut within an area designated for use in forming a chamber. For example, a chamber outline  1805  is shown in phantom by a dashed line. 
     Opening  1825  may be formed using any suitable method. For example, as shown in  FIG.  20   , in some embodiments, opening  1825  may be cut out of adhesive material sheet  1800 . Cutting of opening  1825  may be performed using any suitable method. For example, as shown in  FIG.  20   , a die cutting process may be used to remove a section  1820  of adhesive material layer  1800  to form opening  1825 . A die  1810  may include a cutting element  1815 , which may be formed in the shape of the desired opening to be formed in adhesive material sheet  1800 . Upon die stamping adhesive material sheet  1800  using die  1810 , section  1820  of adhesive material sheet  1800  may be cut out, as shown in  FIG.  20   . 
       FIG.  21    shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary fluid-filled chamber having a bulge formed by omitting adhesive material in a select location between the chamber barrier layer and the tensile member. For example, adhesive material sheet  1800 , formed for example using the method shown in  FIG.  20   , may be used to form a chamber  1830 . Chamber  1830  may include a first chamber barrier layer  1835  and a second chamber barrier layer  1840 . A tensile member  1845  may extend between first chamber barrier layer  1835  and second chamber barrier layer  1840 . Tensile member  1845  may include a first tensile member layer  1850 , a second tensile member layer  1855 , and a plurality of tethers  1860 . Tensile member  1845  may be configured similarly to other tensile members shown and discussed in other embodiments disclosed herein. 
     As shown in  FIG.  21   , adhesive material sheet  1800  may bond portions of first chamber barrier layer  1835  to tensile member  1845 . In addition, a second adhesive material sheet  1865  may bond second chamber barrier layer  1840  to tensile member  1845 . Opening  1825  in adhesive material sheet  1800  may form an unbonded area by preventing bonding of first chamber barrier layer  1835  to tensile member  1845  in the area of opening  1825 . Chamber  1830  may include an outwardly extending first bulge  1870  in the unbonded area corresponding with the location of opening  1825  in adhesive material sheet  1800 . It will be noted that bulges formed in unbonded areas corresponding with openings in adhesive material layers may have any suitable configuration. For example, the anatomical contours shown in other embodiments disclosed herein may be formed in this manner (as opposed to using bond inhibiting material). 
     As shown in  FIG.  21   , first bulge  1870  may extend from adjacent portions of first chamber barrier layer  1835  by a first distance  1880 , thus forming a void  1875  upon pressurization of chamber  1830 . In a similar fashion to that discussed above with regard to the embodiment shown in  FIG.  10   , a second bulge  1885  may be formed opposite first bulge  1870  due to the lack of anchoring of tensile member  1845  opposite second bulge  1885 . As shown in  FIG.  21   , second bulge  1885  may extend from adjacent portions of second chamber barrier layer  1840  by a second distance  1890 . In some embodiments, first distance  1880  may be greater than second distance  1890 . 
     It will be noted that, although exemplary chambers disclosed herein are shown with bulges on an upper side, in some embodiments, the bulges may be provided on the lower side of the chamber. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the lower barrier layer may extend downward creating contours on a lower surface of the chamber. That is, the chambers may be configured with arrangements that are essentially upside down from that shown in the accompanying figures. This may facilitate nesting of the chamber with a contoured midsole and/or outsole. 
     It will be noted that the disclosed chamber configurations and tensile member arrangements may be implemented in articles other than footwear. For example, such chambers may be used for other articles such as garments and sporting equipment. In some cases, such chambers may be used to provide padding for sports garments, and the disclosed bulges in the chamber may provide contouring that enables the padding to conform to the curvatures of various parts of the body. In other cases, such chambers may be used to provide padding in sports equipment, such as baseball gloves, catchers padding, lacrosse and football pads, and other such equipment. 
     While various embodiments of the invention have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the invention. Although many possible combinations of features are shown in the accompanying figures and discussed in this detailed description, many other combinations of the disclosed features are possible. Therefore, it will be understood that any of the features shown and/or discussed in the present disclosure may be implemented together in any suitable combination and that features of one embodiment may be implemented in other disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the attached claims.