BLADDERS, FOOTWEAR UPPERS INCLUDING BLADDERS, AND ARTICLES OF FOOTWEAR INCLUDING BLADDERS IN THE UPPER

A footwear upper includes a footwear upper base (102) formed from one or more component parts and includes an instep region (102T) defining an instep opening (102IO). This instep opening (102IO) includes: (a) a first side edge (102L) having a plurality of first side lace-engaging openings (102O) defined therethrough and (b) a second side edge (102M) having a plurality of second side lace-engaging openings (102O) defined therethrough. A bladder (200) extends across the instep opening (102IO) from the first side edge (102L) to the second side edge (102M). This bladder (200) includes: (i) a first tongue and/or instep chamber (200T), (ii) a first sealed seam region (200L) located at the first side edge (102L), and (iii) a second sealed seam region (200M) located at the second side edge (102M). The first tongue and/or instep chamber (200T) extends between the first sealed seam region (200L) and the second sealed seam region (200M). The first sealed seam region (200L) includes a first lace-engaging opening (202O). This first sealed seam region (200L) overlaps with the first side edge (102L) of the footwear upper base (102) such that at least a portion of the first lace-engaging opening (202O) aligns in an axial direction with at least a portion of one of the openings (102O) of the plurality of first side lace-engaging openings (102O). A lace (108) may extend through axially aligned portions of the first lace-engaging opening (202O) and its corresponding opening (102O) of the plurality of first side lace-engaging openings (102O). La présente invention concerne une tige d'article chaussant comprenant une base supérieure d'article chaussant (102) formée à partir d'une ou de plusieurs parties de composant et comprenant une région de cou-de-pied (102T) définissant une ouverture de cou-de-pied (102 IO). Cette ouverture de cou-de-pied (102 IO) comprend : (a) un premier bord latéral (102L) ayant une pluralité de premières ouvertures de mise en prise de lacet latérales (102O) définies à travers celui-ci et (b) un second bord latéral (102M) ayant une pluralité de secondes ouvertures de mise en prise de lacet latérales (102O) définies à travers celui-ci. Une vessie (200) s'étend à travers l'ouverture de cou-de-pied (102 IO) depuis le premier bord latéral (102L) jusqu'au second bord latéral (102M). Cette vessie (200) comprend : (i) une première languette et/ou chambre de cou-de-pied (200T), (ii) une première région de couture scellée (200L) située au niveau du premier bord