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, (ii) a heel-containing region, and (iii) a foot-receiving opening; and   a bladder including: (i) a first instep chamber engaged with the instep region of the footwear upper base, the first instep chamber including a first major surface located at the instep region, (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, wherein the first fluid line extends along and proximate to a first side 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. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear upper according to  claim 2 , 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 1 , wherein the bladder further includes a second instep chamber engaged with the instep region of the footwear upper base, and wherein the second instep chamber includes a second major surface located at the instep region and 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 4 , wherein the bladder further includes a second heel and/or ankle support chamber and a second fluid line connecting the second instep chamber and the second heel and/or ankle support chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear upper according to  claim 5 , wherein the first fluid line extends along a lateral side of the footwear upper and the second fluid line extends along a medial side of the footwear upper. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear upper according to  claim 4 , wherein a portion of the first instep chamber is separated from a portion of the second instep chamber by an exposed portion of at least one of the one or more component parts of the footwear upper base. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more component parts of the footwear upper base includes a first knit component, and wherein at least a first portion of the bladder is engaged with the first knit component. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear upper according to  claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the bladder is engaged with the first knit component in an adhesive-free manner. 
     
     
         10 . 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; 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 extending from the first instep chamber to 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 is the only fluid line that places the first instep chamber in fluid communication with the first heel and/or ankle support chamber, and wherein the first fluid line has a transverse cross sectional area of less than 160 mm 2  over at least a 20 mm length of the first fluid line.   
     
     
         11 . The footwear upper according to  claim 10 , 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. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear upper according to  claim 11 , wherein the second fluid line extends around a rear heel and/or ankle portion of the footwear upper base and has a transverse cross-sectional area of less than 160 mm 2  over at least a 20 mm length. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear upper according to  claim 12 , wherein the transverse cross sectional area of the first fluid line is less than 100 mm 2  over at least a 40 mm length, and wherein the transverse cross sectional area of the second fluid line is less than 100 mm 2  over at least a 20 mm length. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear upper according to  claim 11 , wherein the first fluid line extends proximate to a medial side edge of a foot-receiving opening of the footwear upper base, wherein the second fluid line extends around a rear heel and/or ankle portion of the footwear upper base, and wherein the second heel and/or ankle support chamber is located at a lateral heel and/or lateral ankle side of the footwear upper base. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear upper according to  claim 11 , wherein the first fluid line extends proximate to a lateral side edge of a foot-receiving opening of the footwear upper base, wherein the second fluid line extends around a rear heel and/or ankle portion of the footwear upper base, and wherein the second heel and/or ankle support chamber is located at a medial heel and/or medial ankle side of the footwear upper base. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear upper according to  claim 10 , wherein the bladder further includes a second instep chamber engaged with the instep region of the footwear upper base, and wherein the second instep chamber is in fluid communication with at least one of the first fluid line and the first instep chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear upper according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more component parts of the footwear upper base includes a first knit component, and wherein at least a first portion of the bladder is engaged with the first knit component. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear upper according to  claim 17 , wherein the first portion of the bladder is engaged with the first knit component in an adhesive-free manner. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear upper according to  claim 10 , wherein the transverse cross sectional area of the first fluid line is less than 100 mm 2  over at least a 40 mm length. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear upper according to  claim 10 , wherein the footwear upper base further includes a foot-receiving opening, and wherein the first fluid line extends along and proximate to a first side edge of the foot-receiving opening.