Adjustable bladder system with external valve for an article of footwear

摘要

An adjustable bladder system for an article of footwear is disclosed. The bladder system includes an outer bladder that may be inflated using an external pump. A valve member may be disposed externally to the outer bladder. In addition, one or more tensile members may be disposed within the outer bladder to control deformation of the outer bladder during compression.

主权项

1. A bladder system for an article of footwear, comprising:
an outer bladder bounding an interior cavity; the outer bladder having a forward first portion, a rearward second portion, a medial side, and a lateral side; the outer bladder including an upper layer and a lower layer, the lower layer including an outer surface facing outwardly from the interior cavity; a valve member including a housing, a valve, an outlet port and a fluid passage extending between the valve and the outlet port; the housing having a truncated prism-like shape with a forward substantially-vertical wall, a medial substantially-vertical wall, a contoured wall extending between the forward substantially-vertical wall and the medial substantially-vertical wall, and a substantially-flat upper surface, wherein the forward substantially-vertical wall, the medial substantially-vertical wall, and the contoured wall join at the substantially-flat upper surface; the outer surface of the lower layer being attached to the contoured wall and the substantially-flat upper surface of the housing of the valve member; and wherein a hole in the lower layer is aligned with the outlet port of the valve member.