A sole structure for an article of footwear 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. 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.

A method of manufacturing a cushioning article comprises wrapping a polymeric sheet around a support so that the polymeric sheet surrounds a perimeter of the support. A first portion of the polymeric sheet adjacent a first side edge of the polymeric sheet overlaps and is stacked on a second portion of the polymeric sheet adjacent a second side edge of the polymeric sheet. The first portion is welded to the second portion at a first weld disposed between the first side edge and the second side edge while the polymeric sheet is wrapped around the support so that the polymeric sheet forms an open-ended sheath with a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second side wall with the first weld disposed at only one of the top wall and the bottom wall. A cushioning article manufactured according to the method is disclosed.

A sole assembly for footwear includes a base plate and at least two sole pods disposed adjacent one another but spaced apart by a gap. The sole pods define respective apertures that form an integral truss in each. The apertures can be aligned and parallel with one another and/or a longitudinal axis of the base plate and sole assembly. The truss system of the respective pods can independently deform to provide underfoot cushioning, but also can conform around and absorb underfoot terrain features. A method of manufacturing the sole assembly can include forming the sole pods adjacent one another in a planar configuration, rotating each of the sole pods to an upright configuration and joining those sole pods to one another but separating them from one another with a gap.

Articles of wear having one or more textiles that include a low processing temperature polymeric composition and a high processing temperature polymeric composition, and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The low processing temperature polymeric composition and the high processing temperature polymeric composition can be selectively incorporated into a textile to provide one or more structural properties and/or other advantageous properties to the article. The textile can be thermoformed to impart such structural and/or other advantageous properties to the article of wear. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A strobel for an article of footwear comprises a polymeric bladder that defines an interior cavity. The polymeric bladder is configured to retain a fluid in the interior cavity. The polymeric bladder has a peripheral flange extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of the interior cavity. The peripheral flange defines a groove extending along the peripheral flange. The polymeric bladder may include a first polymeric sheet bonded to a second polymeric sheet at the peripheral flange and joined to the second polymeric sheet at a plurality of interior welds. Methods of manufacturing a strobel and manufacturing footwear are included.

A fluid-filled chamber is provided and includes a first barrier layer, a second barrier layer, a foam structure, and a tensile member. The second barrier layer is secured to the first barrier layer to define an interior void between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer. The interior void contains a predetermined volume of fluid. The foam structure and the tensile member are disposed within the interior void, whereby the tensile member includes a plurality of fibers extending in a first direction between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer.

Aspects hereof relate to a multi-part mold assembly for use in manufacturing articles. The mold assembly provides for contouring, shaping and cutting materials to form articles via a continuous single processing operation. The mold assembly includes an upper mold portion with a three-dimensional contouring/shaping portion and a first cutting edge, a lower mold portion with a three-dimensional contouring/shaping portion and a second cutting edge, and a base portion into which the lower mold portion may retract during use. Upon application of a first force, the upper and lower mold portions cooperate to contour/shape a material from which an article is to be formed. Upon application of a second force greater than the first, the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge interact to shear the material that extends beyond the respective cutting edges. The result is an article that is contoured, shaped and cut/trimmed utilizing a single processing operation.

An article of footwear includes an upper coupled to a sole structure. The upper has a ground facing surface, and opposing medial and lateral sidewalls disposed on and extending from opposite medial and lateral sides of the ground facing surface. The sole structure is formed from a plurality of non-coextensive, thermoplastic foam layers, where each layer extends across a portion of the ground facing surface of the upper. These layers include at least a first foam layer and a second foam layer. The first foam layer has a different hardness and/or density than the second foam layer. Each of the first foam layer and the second foam layer extends into direct contact with, and is directly adhered to the lateral sidewall and the medial sidewall of the upper, and the first foam layer is secured to the second foam layer via an adhesive or a thermal weld.

A method of forming a sole structure for an article of footwear. The method includes depositing a first outsole material including a first uncured polymeric material upon a mold surface of a mold cavity. The method also includes disposing a midsole element adjacent to the first outsole material within the mold cavity and subjecting the first outsole material and the midsole element to a molding process to form the sole structure having an outsole and a midsole.

A method includes positioning a first polymer sheet on a substantially first flat surface of a tool, positioning a second polymer sheet on the first polymer sheet, and moving a second substantially flat surface of the tool into contact with the second polymer sheet. The method also includes maintaining a gap between the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet at a predetermined area and heating one of the two substantially flat surfaces of the tool to heat one of the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet. The method further includes joining the first polymer sheet and the second polymer sheet together at locations outside of the predetermined area to define a peripheral bond of the chamber.