Foot support systems for articles of footwear or other foot-receiving devices include a compressor or other gas source used to control gas pressure provided in one or more pressure adjustable fluid-filled bladders used to support a wearer's foot. Additional features relate to fluid flow control systems and methods that include a plurality of valves to control an inflation configuration for supplying gas to the one or more adjustable fluid filled bladders or a deflation configuration for releasing gas from the one or more adjustable fluid filled bladders.

An article of footwear has a sole structure that includes a bladder having stacked polymeric sheet secured to one another at a peripheral bond and defining a first sealed chamber between the first and second polymeric sheets, a second sealed chamber between the second and third polymeric sheets, and a third sealed chamber between the third and fourth polymeric sheets, each of the first, second, and third sealed chambers retaining fluid in isolation from one another. Different patterns of bonds secure adjacent ones of the polymeric sheets to one another, resulting in different geometries of the sealed chambers. The sealed chambers are configured (e.g., by pressure, shape, position, and/or size) to elastically deform to provide a desirable cushioning experience.

Foot support systems include a fluid flow control system that facilitates movement of fluid into, out of, and/or within a sole structure and/or article of footwear, e.g., to change and/or control pressure in fluid filled bladder(s). Aspects of this technology may relate to one or more of: (a) footwear structures in which such systems are incorporated; (b) valve stem based fluid flow transfer systems; (c) solenoid based fluid flow transfer systems; (d) user input button features; (e) air filter features; (f) fluid tube to fluid distributor connection features; (g) fluid distributor to footwear connection features; (h) valve position sensor features; (i) valve transmission features; (j) pressure control algorithm features; (k) electronic communication features; (l) system sealing features; and/or (m) pressure sensor mounting features.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure having a chassis and a bladder. The chassis includes a cavity and a plurality of pillars extending into the cavity. The bladder is disposed within the cavity and includes one or more chambers. Each of one or more chambers is supported by at least one of the pillars. The chassis may include a first plurality of the pillars extending from a first side of the cavity and a second plurality of the pillars extending towards the first plurality of the pillars from a second side of the cavity, whereby the bladder is supported between the first plurality of the pillars and the second plurality of the pillars. The one or more chambers of the bladder includes an interior chamber and a peripheral chamber at least partially surrounding the interior chamber and the peripheral chamber has a different pressure than the interior chamber.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a bladder defining a peripheral chamber and a heel chamber fluidly isolated from the peripheral chamber. The peripheral chamber is configured as an elongated tube, and has a heel portion establishing a rear periphery of the bladder, a lateral arm portion extending from the heel portion and establishing a lateral periphery of the bladder, and a medial arm portion extending from the heel portion and establishing a medial periphery of the bladder. The bladder includes webbing connecting the heel chamber to the peripheral chamber, with the heel chamber disposed between the medial arm portion and the lateral arm portion and forward of the peripheral chamber in a heel region of the bladder. The bladder may include additional forefoot and midfoot chambers having specific shapes.

Footwear sole (1) comprising a first layer (2) defining a leaning surface (3) configured to face, in use, a walking surface and a second layer (4) comprising in turn a plurality of chambers (5) and coupled to said first layer (2). Moreover, the sole (1) comprises an actuation system (6) including a fluid source (7) comprising a feeding fluid and connected to said plurality of chambers (5). The actuation system (6) is configured to control the supply of a fluid to said plurality of chambers (5) between a rest condition and an active condition, and vice versa. In particular, in said rest condition the chambers (5) have a first volume (v1) and are apt to determine a first configuration of the first layer (2), while in said active condition the chambers (5) have a second volume (v2), greater than said first volume (v1), and are apt to determine a second configuration of the first layer (2) wherein the leaning surface (3) has or forms a plurality of bumps at each of said plurality of chambers (5). The present description also relates to a method which can be realized by this sole, as well as to a footwear comprising this sole.

Footwear is provided which comprises: an outsole comprising multiple interlocking outsole portions; and means for urging at least a first one of the multiple outsole portions away from at least a second one of the multiple outsole portions, thereby expanding the outsole. The multiple interlocking outsole portions might include interlocking teeth. The means for urging might include at least one of an expandable footbed and an expansion screw.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a plate having a top surface facing the upper and a bottom surface formed on an opposite side than the top surface, the plate extending from a first end in a forefoot region to a second end in a heel region. A first cushioning element is attached to the bottom surface of the plate in the forefoot region and a second cushioning element is attached to the bottom surface of the plate in the heel region, the second cushioning element being separated from the first cushioning element by a first gap formed in a mid-foot region. One or more fluid-filled bladders are each at least partially surrounded by the first cushioning element in the forefoot region and have a top surface attached to the bottom surface of the plate.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a bladder and at least one foam insert. The bladder includes an upper surface having a first portion defining a chamber and a second portion defining at least one recess adjacent to the chamber. The at least one foam insert is disposed within the at least one recess and has a top surface that is substantially flush with the first portion of the upper surface of the bladder. The first portion of the upper surface is exposed to the at least one foam insert.

A footwear sole structure includes a midsole having a ground-facing surface with a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region. The midsole defines downwardly-extending protrusions at the ground-facing surface distributed over the midfoot region and the heel region, each of the downwardly-extending protrusions having a convex outer surface. A height of the midsole is greatest at the midfoot region. The sole structure may also include an outsole covering at least a portion of the ground-facing surface of the midsole, and a height of the sole structure may be greatest at the midfoot region.