Bladders, Footwear Uppers Including Bladders, and Articles of Footwear Including Bladders in the Upper

Abstract

Footwear uppers include 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 instep base region and (ii) a heel-containing region. A bladder is engaged with the footwear upper. The bladder includes: (i) at least a first instep chamber engaged with the instep region, (ii) at least a first heel and/or ankle support chamber engaged with the heel-containing region, and (iii) a first fluid line connecting the first instep chamber and the first heel and/or ankle support chamber and placing the first instep chamber in fluid communication with the first heel and/or ankle support chamber. Fluid moving from the first instep chamber to the first heel and/or ankle support chamber (e.g., under force applied by a footwear securing strap) provides further support for the wearer's heel and/or ankle.

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 and (ii) a heel-containing region, wherein the footwear upper base defines a foot-receiving opening of the footwear upper; and   a bladder including: (i) a first instep chamber engaged with the instep region of the footwear upper base, (ii) a first heel and/or ankle support chamber engaged with the heel-containing region of the footwear upper base, and (iii) a first fluid line connecting the first instep chamber and the first heel and/or ankle support chamber and placing the first instep chamber in fluid communication with the first heel and/or ankle support chamber, wherein the first fluid line extends above the foot-receiving opening over at least a portion of a length of the first fluid line such that an enclosed area defining an opening is provided between the first fluid line and a top edge of the foot-receiving opening.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the bladder further includes a second heel and/or ankle support chamber and a second fluid line connecting the first heel and/or ankle support chamber and the second heel and/or ankle support chamber and placing the first heel and/or ankle support chamber in fluid communication with the second heel and/or ankle support chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear upper according to  claim 2 , wherein the first fluid line extends proximate to a first side edge of a foot-receiving opening of the footwear upper base, and wherein the second fluid line extends around a rear heel and/or ankle portion of the footwear upper base. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear upper according to  claim 2 , wherein the bladder further includes a second instep chamber engaged with the instep region of the footwear upper base, wherein the second instep chamber is in fluid communication with at least one of the first fluid line and the first instep chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the portion of the length of the first fluid line that extends above the foot-receiving opening consists of only bladder material. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the length of the first fluid line that extends above the foot-receiving opening has a continuous length of at least 20 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more component parts includes a first upper component part, and wherein the first upper component part comprises a knitted upper part. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear upper according to  claim 7 , wherein the bladder is attached to the first upper component part by an adhesive-free bond. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more component parts includes a first upper component part, and wherein the bladder is attached to the first upper component part by an adhesive-free bond. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid line has a transverse cross sectional area of less than 160 mm 2  over at least a 20 mm length. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear upper according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more component parts includes a first upper component part, and wherein the first upper component part comprises a knitted upper part. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear upper according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more component parts includes a first upper component part, and wherein the bladder is attached to the first upper component part by an adhesive-free bond. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid line has a transverse cross sectional area of less than 100 mm 2  over at least a 20 mm length. 
     
     
         14 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a footwear upper 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 and (ii) a heel-containing region, wherein the footwear upper defines a foot-receiving opening;   a bladder including: (i) a first instep chamber engaged with the instep region of the footwear upper, (ii) a first heel and/or ankle support chamber engaged with the heel-containing region of the footwear upper, and (iii) a first fluid line connecting the first instep chamber and the first heel and/or ankle support chamber and placing the first instep chamber in fluid communication with the first heel and/or ankle support chamber, wherein the first fluid line extends above the foot-receiving opening over at least a portion of a length of the first fluid line such that an enclosed area defining an opening is provided between the first fluid line and a top edge of the foot-receiving opening; and   a sole structure engaged with the footwear upper.   
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the bladder further includes a second heel and/or ankle support chamber and a second fluid line connecting the first heel and/or ankle support chamber and the second heel and/or ankle support chamber and placing the first heel and/or ankle support chamber in fluid communication with the second heel and/or ankle support chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear according to  claim 15 , wherein the second fluid line extends around a rear heel and/or ankle portion of the footwear upper. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the portion of the length of the first fluid line that extends above the foot-receiving opening has a continuous length of at least 20 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the one or more component parts includes a first upper component part, and wherein the first upper component part comprises a knitted upper part. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the one or more component parts includes a first upper component part, and wherein the bladder is attached to the first upper component part by an adhesive-free bond. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear according to  claim 14 , wherein the first fluid line has a transverse cross sectional area of less than 160 mm 2  over at least a 20 mm length.