Nike patents shoe upper with a sealed, wavy air pocket
Nike has filed a patent for a shoe design that features a sealed pocket, or bladder, attached to the outside of the shoe's upper. This pocket is made of two layers with matching wavy patterns that are stitched together at the edges to trap air or space inside.
In the filing’s own words
A bladder for an article of footwear includes a first barrier having a first series of peaks and a first series of valleys, a second barrier having a second series of peaks and a second series of valleys, peaks of the second series of peaks being aligned with peaks of the first series of peaks and valleys of the second series of valleys being aligned with valleys of the first series of valleys, and a peripheral seam joining the first barrier and the second barrier to define an interior void.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An article of footwear comprising: an upper; and a bladder extending along an outer surface of the upper and including: a first barrier including a first series of peaks and a first series of valleys; a second barrier including a second series of peaks and a second series of valleys, peaks of the second series of peaks being aligned with peaks of the first series of peaks and valleys of the second series of valleys being aligned with valleys of the first series of valleys; and a peripheral seam joining the first barrier and the second barrier to define an interior void.
Facts
- Company
- Nike (NIKE, Inc.)
- Official title
- BLADDER FOR ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR OR APPAREL
- Publication number
- US20260324802A1
- Application number
- 19724170
- Filed
- Jun 29, 2026
- Published
- Oct 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
A43B 13/20 Human necessitiesMore from Nike in Clothing & sport
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.