Patents Examined by Danny Worrell
  • Segmented needle bar tufting on variable gauge tufting apparatus
    Patent number: 11618985
    Abstract: A backing feed is utilized with a tufting machine having reciprocating needles and gauge parts for seizing yarns wherein the needles are configured in consecutive gauge positions in alternate segments in front and rear transverse rows of needles, and the position of the needles is shiftable transversely with respect to the backing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Tuftco Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Daniel Detty, Steven L. Frost
  • Lightweight quad mount tufting machine shiftable needle bar assembly
    Patent number: 11613836
    Abstract: A lightweight needlebar drive is provided that vertically reciprocates a needlebar by driven feet mounted to the lower ends of pushrods, where the feet are laterally positionable by virtue of a plurality of stub shafts passing through and received in bearings on adjacent brackets connected to the needlebar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Tuftco Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Beatty
  • Automated heart valve manufacturing devices and methods
    Patent number: 11613834
    Abstract: An automated system that can be used for prosthetic heart valve manufacturing or suturing procedures. The system can include a first automated fixture that includes an articulating arm and a target device holder. The system can also include one or more additional automated fixtures, which can be configured as one or more suturing arms that include another articulating arm and a needle holder. The first automated fixture can be configured to rotate a target device held by the holder to allow the one or more additional automated fixtures to perform operations such as form sutures on the target device without intervention of a human operator. The system can include a targeting system configured to provide positioning feedback to the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James R. Cody, III, Ping-Yang Shih, Tiffany Diemtrinh Tran
  • Open toe sock with toe anchor
    Patent number: 11613832
    Abstract: Aspects herein are directed to a sock and methods for forming the sock on a circular knitting machine. The sock in accordance with aspects herein having a plurality of toe-anchor knit courses that form a toe anchor that divides a toe-end opening of the sock into a first toe-end opening and a second toe-end opening by extending across the toe-end opening from a dorsal portion of the toe-end opening to a plantar portion of the toe-end opening. The toe-anchor knit courses are integrally knit with the sock body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Allison K. Giorgi, Trina Z. Murrietta, Ronen Yehuda
  • Knit sock with targeted compression zone
    Patent number: 11608576
    Abstract: A knit sock includes a foot portion having an upper instep area and a lower sole area integrally knit of a body yarn in circumferential courses and axial wales. The lower sole area defines inner and outer arch regions. The inner arch region incorporates a targeted compression zone adapted to reside generally adjacent an inner arch of a wearer's foot. The compression zone includes axially extending compression ridges of variable length spaced apart from a top of the compression zone to a bottom of the compression zone. When the sock is worn, a compression force applied by the foot portion within the targeted compression zone is greater than the compression force in directly adjacent areas of said foot portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Flagship Brands, LLC
    Inventor: Hugh Gaither
  • Knitted shoe upper with integral eyelets
    Patent number: 11608575
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a shoe upper including a knitted component having a plurality of integrally knitted lines of loops including a set of consecutive lines, wherein each line in the set of consecutive lines includes a plurality of consecutive loops which are interlooped with adjacent loops of the respective line and not interlooped with loops of a line which is not contained in the set, and wherein the set of consecutive lines forms at least a portion of an eyelet which is configured to receive a lace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: adidas AG
    Inventors: Florian Pogl, Marco Fischhold, Ping Li, Goran Duz, Florian Godenberg, Matthias Linz, Stefan Mohr, Sergius Merker
  • Sewing machine
    Patent number: 11591732
    Abstract: In a sewing machine, an arm includes, on one side thereof in a first direction, a head. A needle bar is disposed at the head to reciprocally move in a second direction. A feed mechanism feeds a workpiece from one side toward the other side of the head in a third direction. The projection unit disposed at the head projects a projection image toward a bed. The projection unit includes an emitter for projecting image light of the projection image. The photographing unit disposed at the head captures a photographing target. The photographing unit includes an incident portion on which light reflected by the photographing target is incident. The emitter and the incident portion are disposed further toward the one side of the arm in the first direction than the needle bar, and further toward the one side of the head in the third direction than the needle bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidenori Oka, Mitsuhiro Iida
  • Spacer textile having tie yarns of one or more lengths
    Patent number: 11591726
    Abstract: Aspects herein are directed to a spacer textile comprising a first layer, a second layer, and a plurality of tie yarns that interconnect the first layer and the second layer. The spacer textile further comprises one or more discrete areas from which the first layer is absent along with a portion of the length of the tie yarns in those areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Hasan Boylu, Richa Maheshwari, Payton Rose, Heidi A. Vaughan
  • Yarn blocking and storage device
    Patent number: 11585024
    Abstract: A yarn blocking and storage device is provided. The device includes an upper platform having a first plurality of apertures therethrough and a lower platform having a second plurality of apertures therein. A plurality of support spacers is securable between the upper and lower platforms to maintain the upper and lower platforms in a spaced configuration. A plurality of blocking staves is removably securable through the first plurality of apertures and within the second pluralities of apertures, wherein the plurality of blocking staves can be selectively positioned along the upper and lower platforms to support a motif thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventor: Cynthia Groff
  • Knitting machine parts and method for production thereof
    Patent number: 11578436
    Abstract: A knitting machine part comprises a plurality of tool guides, each for one knitting tool. Each tool guide has a hardened region. The majority of the hardened regions are formed to be integral without seams or joints which transition integrally into adjacent, non-hardened regions. At least one hardened region of the knitting machine part is formed by a non-integral region, in that a hardened, separate component is arranged there, which forms the non-integral hardened region. The component can be designed as an insert part and inserted in a receptacle recess. The integral regions are preferably formed by induction hardening of a knitting machine part which is not yet hardened, wherein a separate hardened component can be arranged in each insufficiently hardened region in order to provide a hardened, non-integral region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: GROZ-BECKERT KG
    Inventors: Rainer Krauss, Markus Settegast
  • Stent grafts, mandrels, and methods of using same
    Patent number: 11578442
    Abstract: Described are stent grafts with at least on branch and mandrels used to form the stent grafts. Methods of making and using them are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
    Inventors: Rodney White, George Kopchok, Carlos Donayre
  • Upper for an article of footwear having two yarn types
    Patent number: 11572642
    Abstract: An upper for an article of footwear may include a first area and a second area. The first area may be located on at least one of a lateral and a medial side of the upper, where the first area includes a plurality of first knit courses, and at least a majority of the first knit courses are at least partially formed by a first yarn. The second area may be located adjacent to the first area, where the second area extends through at least one of a lateral side and a medial side of a throat area of the upper. The second area may include a plurality of second knit courses and at least a majority of the second knit courses are formed by a second yarn. The second yarn may have a tenacity of at least 5 g/D. The first yarn may have a tenacity of less than 5 g/D, in some embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashleigh S. Line, Nicolino Matteo, Juan L. Aceves Tinajero
  • Knit component with differing visual effects
    Patent number: 11566353
    Abstract: Aspects herein provide for a knit component having a tubular rib knit structure that extends away from a base portion of the knit component. The tubular rib knit structure includes at least a first portion extending along a longitudinal side of the tubular rib knit structure, where the first portion exhibits a first visual effect at a first area of the knit component and exhibits a second visual effect at a second area of the knit component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Payton Rose, Joseph Zack, Yang Chung-Chun, Yung Huang Pan
  • Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component with a tongue
    Patent number: 11566354
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an upper for an article of footwear. The upper may include a knit element defining a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper. The interior surface may define a void. A tongue and the knit element may have a common yarn, and the tongue may extend through a throat area of the upper. The tongue may comprise a lateral edge, a medial edge, and a forward portion. At least one of the lateral edge and the medial edge of the tongue may be unsecured to the knit element. The tongue and the knit element may comprise a common yarn at least at the forward portion of the tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhupesh Dua, Daniel A. Podhajny, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Daren P. Tatler, Bruce Huffa
  • Knitted component having at least one thermoplastic polymer element
    Patent number: 11560652
    Abstract: A knitted component may include a molded thermoplastic polymer element surrounded by a knit element, where the knit element includes a first layer forming a first side and a second layer forming a second side facing opposite the first side, the first layer and the second layer being coextensive and secured via interlooped knit loops that form at least a portion of the molded thermoplastic polymer element. The first side may include the molded thermoplastic polymer element, where the second layer is coextensive with the thermoplastic polymer element, and where the second side faces opposite the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. McFarland, II, Leah Resneck
  • Upper-torso garment with tubular-jacquard knit structure
    Patent number: 11560654
    Abstract: An upper-torso garment includes a tubular-jacquard knit structure within a chest-covering portion. The tubular-jacquard knit structure includes interlocked courses formed by each front-stitch course intermittently interlocking with a back-stitch course. The tubular-jacquard knit structure is divided into a plurality of zones across the chest-covering portion that may vary based on how front-stitch courses interlock with back-stitch courses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Josue Diaz, Virginia Meckley, Paul R. Montgomery, Nicole Rendone, Andrea J. Staub
  • Method for manufacturing footwear articles
    Patent number: 11560653
    Abstract: Systems and methods for manufacturing knitted shoe uppers. An article of fully finished three-dimensionally weft knitted footwear is manufactured through a knitting process which can be performed by an automated V-bed flat knitting machine. The knitting process includes manipulating one or more double-knit stitch types and joining the stitches exclusively in the knitting process to create a seamless upper to fit a foot. A resulting upper advantageously has no sewn seams and requires no manual post process to cut or sew the upper to create the dimensional shape. The process creates a seamless, full gauge, dimensionally stable footwear upper, as a unitary textile construction with an integrated anatomically appropriate heel. The entire upper, including the closure element of the upper, may be completed exclusively by the knitting machine, ready for the following shoe making process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Fabdesigns, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Huffa, Concetta Maria Huffa
  • Two-sides gripping knit
    Patent number: 11555262
    Abstract: The invention relates to a knit having barbs protruding outwards from both faces obtained by knitting yarns of biocompatible material in guide-bars B2, B3 and B4 of a knitting machine, wherein the knitting patterns followed by guide-bars B2 and B3 involve at least two needles and produce an arrangement of yarns defining two faces of the knit, the knitting pattern followed by guide-bar B4 making stitches generating loops protruding outwards from each of the faces of the knit, guide-bar B4 being threaded with a hot-melt monofilament yarn, heat-setting the knit, forming barbs by cutting the loops via melting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: SOFRADIM PRODUCTION
    Inventors: Xavier Couderc, Anthony Mira, Francoise Varone, Yves Bayon
  • Textile component with embroidered emblem
    Patent number: 11549206
    Abstract: A textile component may include a knitted component with a first knit layer, a second knit layer, and a pocket, where the pocket is located between the first knit layer and the second knit layer. A spacing element may be included, where the spacing element is located within the pocket. An embroidered element on an exterior surface of the first knit layer may be included, where the embroidered element extends through the first knit layer but does not extend through the second knit layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Dalton T. Durrell, Chaokun Huangfu
  • Knitted article
    Patent number: 11542641
    Abstract: A knitted article, having a basic knitted fabric which is knitted from at least one basic knitted fabric thread, and at least two plush threads which are plated on the basic knitted fabric thread and which configure first and second plush loops, wherein the first and the second plush loops have dissimilar heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: MEDI GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Jan Atmanspacher