Foot Support Systems

Abstract

Foot support systems include sole structures, portions of sole structures, drop-in midsole components, insertable sole components (e.g., midsoles or insoles), or the like. The foot support systems may include a foam base member (e.g., made from a relatively thick foam material) and at least one fluid-filled bladder. The fluid-filled bladder(s) may include one or more interior fluid chambers. When multiple interior fluid chambers are present, they may be at substantially the same or different pressures. Additional aspects of this technology relate to articles of footwear that include such foot support systems, such as slides, sandals, and/or other types of footwear.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foot support system, comprising:
 a foam base member including an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface located opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein the upper-facing surface includes a recess; and   a fluid-filled bladder having a bottom surface at least partially received in the recess and a top surface located opposite the bottom surface, wherein the fluid-filled bladder includes a first interior fluid chamber and a second interior fluid chamber that is in fluid isolation from the first interior fluid chamber, wherein in a midfoot region of the foot support system, the first interior fluid chamber extends to an outermost lateral perimeter seam of the fluid-filled bladder at a lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder, and wherein an outermost lateral edge of the second interior fluid chamber is spaced from the lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder in the midfoot region such that a portion of the first interior fluid chamber is located between the outermost lateral edge of the second interior fluid chamber and the lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder in the midfoot region.   
     
     
         2 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fabric element at least partially covering the top surface of the fluid-filled bladder. 
     
     
         3 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a foot-retaining element engaged with at least one of the foam base member or the fluid-filled bladder. 
     
     
         4 . The foot support system according to  claim 3 , wherein the foot-retaining element comprises a footwear upper. 
     
     
         5 . The foot support system according to  claim 3 , wherein the foot-retaining element extends across the top surface of the fluid-filled bladder at an instep region of the foot support system from a lateral side edge of the foot support system to a medial side edge of the foot support system. 
     
     
         6 . The foot support system according to  claim 5 , wherein the foot-retaining element comprises a strap, wherein a foot-receiving region is defined between the top surface of the fluid-filled bladder and the strap at the instep region of the foot support system. 
     
     
         7 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first interior fluid chamber is at a different pressure from the second interior fluid chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second interior fluid chamber overlays at least a portion of the first interior fluid chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , wherein the foot support system includes a longitudinal length L measured from a rearmost heel location of the foot support system to a forwardmost toe location of the foot support system, and wherein a forwardmost extent of the second interior fluid chamber is located rearward of a vertical plane located at 0.75L measured forward from the rearmost heel location. 
     
     
         10 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second interior fluid chamber forms a toroidal shape. 
     
     
         11 . The foot support system according to  claim 10 , wherein at least 75% of the second interior fluid chamber forming the toroidal shape is located in a heel region of the foot support system. 
     
     
         12 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second interior fluid chamber includes a heel support chamber portion and a medial arch support chamber portion connected by a fluid passageway, wherein a seam separates a forward edge of the heel support chamber portion from a rearward edge of the medial arch support chamber portion. 
     
     
         13 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first interior fluid chamber and the second interior fluid chamber are at substantially the same pressure. 
     
     
         14 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , wherein a greatest thickness of the foam base member from the upper-facing surface to the ground-facing surface is greater than a greatest thickness of the fluid-filled bladder from the top surface to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         15 . The foot support system according to  claim 14 , wherein the greatest thickness of the foam base member is at least 1.25 times greater than the greatest thickness of the fluid-filled bladder. 
     
     
         16 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-filled bladder has a thickest portion located in a midfoot region of the foot support system. 
     
     
         17 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-filled bladder has a thickest portion located in a medial midfoot region of the foot support system. 
     
     
         18 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , formed as a midsole component configured to be removably inserted into a foot-receiving chamber of an article of footwear. 
     
     
         19 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a footwear upper; and   a foot support system engaged with the footwear upper, the foot support system including: (A) a foam base member including an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface located opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein the upper-facing surface includes a recess, and (B) a fluid-filled bladder having a bottom surface at least partially received in the recess and a top surface located opposite the bottom surface, wherein the fluid-filled bladder includes a first interior fluid chamber and a second interior fluid chamber that is in fluid isolation from the first interior fluid chamber, wherein in a midfoot region of the foot support system, the first interior fluid chamber extends to an outermost lateral perimeter seam of the fluid-filled bladder at a lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder, and wherein an outermost lateral edge of the second interior fluid chamber is spaced from the lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder in the midfoot region such that a portion of the first interior fluid chamber is located between the outermost lateral edge of the second interior fluid chamber and the lateral perimeter edge of the fluid-filled bladder in the midfoot region.   
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear according to  claim 19 , formed as a slide or a sandal.