Bladders, Footwear Uppers Including Bladders, and Articles of Footwear Including Bladders Providing Arch Support or Other Foot Support

Abstract

Bladders for footwear uppers, footwear uppers including the bladders, articles of footwear including the bladders, and/or methods of making and using such bladders are described. At least one bladder chamber is provided in the instep and/or tongue area of the upper/article of footwear. In some examples, force applied to the instep based bladder chamber(s) moves fluid to one or more additional bladder chambers located in the arch and/or midfoot areas of the upper/article of footwear, and/or other areas of the wearer's foot. This movement of fluid increases fluid pressure and/or volume in the arch, midfoot, and/or other areas of the wearer's foot to provide additional support.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A footwear upper, comprising:
 a footwear upper base formed from one or more component parts and including: (i) an instep region including at least one of a tongue base region or an instep base region, (ii) a lateral side region, and (iii) a medial side region; and   a foot supporting bladder system including: (i) a first instep chamber engaged with the instep region of the footwear upper base, (ii) a first lateral elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber down and/or along the lateral side region of the footwear upper base, wherein the first lateral elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, and (iii) a first medial elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber down and/or along the medial side region of the footwear upper base, wherein the first medial elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber.   
     
     
         2 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a footwear upper including: (a) a footwear upper base formed from one or more component parts and including: (i) an instep region including at least one of a tongue base region or an instep base region, (ii) a lateral side region, (iii) a medial side region, and (iv) a plantar support surface, and (b) a foot supporting bladder system including: (i) a first instep chamber engaged with the instep region of the footwear upper base, (ii) a first lateral elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber, down the lateral side region of the footwear upper base, and to the plantar support surface, wherein the first lateral elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, and (iii) a first medial elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber, down the medial side region of the footwear upper base, and to the plantar support surface, wherein the first medial elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber; and   a sole structure engaged with the footwear upper, wherein the sole structure includes a first lateral recess through which the first lateral elongated foot support chamber extends and a first medial recess through which the first medial elongated foot support chamber extends.   
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear according to  claim 2 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes: (a) a second lateral elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber, down the lateral side region of the footwear upper base, and to the plantar support surface, wherein the second lateral elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the second lateral elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the first lateral elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the second lateral elongated foot support chamber extends through the first lateral recess defined in the sole structure or through another lateral recess defined in the sole structure, and
 (b) a second medial elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber, down the medial side region of the footwear upper base, and to the plantar support surface, wherein the second medial elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the second medial elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the first medial elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the second medial elongated foot support chamber extends through the first medial recess defined in the sole structure or through another medial recess defined in the sole structure.   
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear according to  claim 3 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes: (a) a third lateral elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber, down the lateral side region of the footwear upper base, and to the plantar support surface, wherein the third lateral elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the third lateral elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the second lateral elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the third lateral elongated foot support chamber extends through the first lateral recess defined in the sole structure or through another lateral recess defined in the sole structure, and
 a third medial elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber, down the medial side region of the footwear upper base, and to the plantar support surface, wherein the third medial elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the third medial elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the second medial elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the third medial elongated foot support chamber extends through the first medial recess defined in the sole structure or through another medial recess defined in the sole structure.   
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear according to  claim 4 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes: (a) a fourth lateral elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber, down the lateral side region of the footwear upper base, and to the plantar support surface, wherein the fourth lateral elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the fourth lateral elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the third lateral elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the fourth lateral elongated foot support chamber extends through the first lateral recess defined in the sole structure or through another lateral recess defined in the sole structure, and
 (b) a fourth medial elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber, down the medial side region of the footwear upper base, and to the plantar support surface, wherein the fourth medial elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the fourth medial elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the third medial elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the fourth medial elongated foot support chamber extends through the first medial recess defined in the sole structure or through another medial recess defined in the sole structure.   
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear upper according to  claim 5 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes: (a) a fifth lateral elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber, down the lateral side region of the footwear upper base, and to the plantar support surface, wherein the fifth lateral elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the fifth lateral elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the fourth lateral elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the fifth lateral elongated foot support chamber extends through the first lateral recess defined in the sole structure or through another lateral recess defined in the sole structure, and
 (b) a fifth medial elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber, down the medial side region of the footwear upper base, and to the plantar support surface, wherein the fifth medial elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the fifth medial elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the fourth medial elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the fifth medial elongated foot support chamber extends through the first medial recess defined in the sole structure or through another medial recess defined in the sole structure.   
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear according to  claim 6 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes a sixth medial elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber and along the medial side region of the footwear upper base, wherein the sixth medial elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, and wherein the sixth medial elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the fifth medial elongated foot support chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear according to  claim 7 , wherein the sixth medial elongated foot support chamber extends to and is in fluid communication with a medial ankle support bladder region. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear according to  claim 8 , wherein the medial ankle support bladder region includes a medial base region that is in fluid communication with the sixth medial elongated foot support chamber, and wherein a medial fluid line connects the fifth medial elongated foot support chamber with at least one of the medial base region or the sixth medial elongated foot support chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear according to  claim 9 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes at least one elongated fluid line that extends from the medial base region and around a rear heel or ankle region of the footwear upper base. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear according to  claim 9 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes two elongated fluid lines that extend from the medial base region and around a rear heel or ankle region of the footwear upper base. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear according to  claim 2 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes a second medial elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber and along the medial side region of the footwear upper base, wherein the second medial elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the second medial elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the first medial elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the second medial elongated foot support chamber extends to and is in fluid communication with a medial ankle support bladder region. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear according to  claim 12 , wherein the medial ankle support bladder region includes a medial base region, and wherein a medial fluid line connects the first medial elongated foot support chamber to at least one of the medial base region or the second medial elongated foot support chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear according to  claim 13 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes at least one elongated fluid line that extends from the medial base region and around a rear heel or ankle region of the footwear upper base. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear according to  claim 13 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes two elongated fluid lines that extend from the medial base region and around a rear heel or ankle region of the footwear upper base. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear according to  claim 2 , wherein the foot supporting bladder system further includes:
 a second lateral elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber and along the lateral side region of the footwear upper base, wherein the second lateral elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the second lateral elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the first lateral elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the second lateral elongated foot support chamber extends to and is in fluid communication with a lateral ankle support bladder region;   a second medial elongated foot support chamber extending from the first instep chamber and along the medial side region of the footwear upper base, wherein the second medial elongated foot support chamber is in fluid communication with the first instep chamber, wherein the second medial elongated foot support chamber originates rearward of a corresponding origination location of the first medial elongated foot support chamber, and wherein the second medial elongated foot support chamber extends to and is in fluid communication with a medial ankle support bladder region; and   at least one elongated fluid line that extends from the lateral ankle support bladder region to the medial ankle support bladder region and around a rear heel or ankle region of the footwear upper base.   
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear according to  claim 2 , wherein the first instep chamber includes: (a) an inner bladder chamber portion, (b) an outer bladder chamber portion, (c) a first seam separating a first portion of the inner bladder chamber portion from a first portion of the outer bladder chamber portion, and (d) a second seam separating a second portion of the inner bladder chamber portion from a second portion of the outer bladder chamber portion, wherein a first space between the first seam and the second seam provides a first fluid path for fluid exchange between the inner bladder chamber portion and the outer bladder chamber portion. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear according to  claim 17 , wherein the first lateral elongated foot support chamber originates at the outer bladder chamber portion, and wherein the first medial elongated foot support chamber originates at the outer bladder chamber portion. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear according to  claim 18 , wherein a second space between the first seam and the second seam provides a second fluid path for fluid exchange between the inner bladder chamber portion and the outer bladder chamber portion. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear according to  claim 2 , wherein the first instep chamber includes: (a) an inner bladder chamber portion, and (b) an outer bladder chamber portion at least partially surrounding the inner bladder chamber portion, wherein the inner bladder chamber portion and the outer bladder chamber portion are in fluid communication with one another.