Patent ID: 6871421

Claim:
An article of footwear comprising: an upper for receiving a foot of a wearer, the upper having a medial side and an opposite lateral side; a sole assembly secured to the upper; and a bladder formed from a barrier material that encloses a substantially fluid interior volume, the bladder having an L-shaped structure formed from: a sole portion at least partially embedded within the sole assembly and extending in a horizontal direction, the sole portion having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface of the sole portion facing in an upward direction, and the second surface of the sole portion facing in a downward direction, and a foot portion in fluid communication with the sole portion and extending in a vertical direction along at least one of the medial side and the lateral side of the upper, the foot portion having a first surface extending from the first surface of the sole portion and facing the upper, and the foot portion having a second surface extending from the second surface of the sole portion and facing outward from the footwear, wherein at least one elongate indentation extends through at least a portion of each of the first surface of the sole portion and the first surface of the foot portion, at least a portion of the indentation being unconnected to the second surface of the sole portion and the second surface of the foot portion.