Nike patents shoe sole with fluid-filled bulbs for cushioning

1. An article of footwear comprising: an upper comprised of a first material; a sole formed of a second material different from the first material; a cushioning element formed as a fluid-filled bladder and comprised of a third material different from the first material and the second material, the cushioning element including a first surface facing the upper and a second, ground-facing surface, the cushioning element comprising: a plurality of bulbs extending from an anterior end of the article of footwear to a posterior end of the article of footwear and extending from a medial side of the article of footwear to a lateral side of the article of footwear, the plurality of bulbs include a first set of bulbs having a substantially bulbous shape with an ovate central portion forming a round pointed top surface of each bulb of the first set of bulbs and a round pointed bottom surface of each bulb of the first set of bulbs, and an outsole directly attached to the cushioning element, the outsole including a plurality of lugs disposed on a ground-engaging surface of the outsole, wherein the plurality of lugs are positioned on the outsole directly opposite to the respective ovate central portions of the first set of bulbs such that the plurality of lugs are configured to engage the respective round pointed bottom surfaces of each of the respective bulbs of the first set of bulbs, wherein the plurality of lugs extend past the ground-engaging surface of the outsole such that the plurality of lugs contact a ground surface before other portions of the ground-engaging surface of the outsole, wherein the sole is directly attached to the cushioning element at discrete locations such that the respective round pointed top surfaces of each respective bulb of the first set of bulbs is directly engaged by the sole.