Patents Examined by Jameson Collier
  • Patent number: 10244822
    Abstract: A lace routing pattern for a lacing system for an article of footwear is described. The lacing system is moved between opened and closed positions by applying tension to segments of a lace connected to a tensioning assembly of a tensioning system. Each of the lace segments are arranged to extend between opposite sides of a lacing area according to a different lace routing pattern. The lace routing patterns have equal total closure distances for each of the lace segments so that tension applied by the tensioning system will be uniformly distributed through the lacing system and the article of footwear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiffany A. Beers, Andrew A. Owings
  • Patent number: 10238168
    Abstract: An improved article of footwear of the invention includes an upper, an adjustable closure system affixed to the upper, the closure system having a guide member having a first groove portion and a second groove portion, a fastening member positioned opposite the guide member and having at least two tensioning members, and removable cable assembly connecting the guide member and the fastening member, wherein the cable assembly extends sequentially through the first groove portion of the guide member, a first tensioning member of the fastening member, the second groove portion of the guide member, and a second tensioning member of the fastening member, a bottom secured to the upper, a stabilizing member positioned between the upper and the bottom, wherein the stabilizing member has a base portion and at least one of a lateral support portion and a medial support portion extending upwardly from opposing sides of the base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Inventor: Laurence James
  • Patent number: 10219581
    Abstract: An apparatus that assists foot movement includes a normally twisted plate configured to interact with the foot. The foot has a pronation axis, and the normally twisted plate is biased and configured to twist about a plate axis that substantially approximates the pronation axis in response to a load received from the foot during foot pronation. As the foot pronates, the plate twists to apply a non-linear force substantially about the plate axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Trustees of Boston University
    Inventor: Kenneth G. Holt
  • Patent number: 10212989
    Abstract: A flexible member includes a reinforced area reinforced by first and second reinforcement portions, wherein: the area is defined by the posterior edge of a first reinforcement portion and the anterior edge of a second reinforcement portion; the first and second reinforcement portions are smoothly continuous with each other without gaps; the perimeter of the area is completely surrounded by the first and second reinforcement portions; the virtual first center line of the area extends obliquely forward and upward; and the angle formed between the first center line and the tread surface of the sole is about 40° to 55°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: ASICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Inomata, Kenta Moriyasu, Kentaro Yamashita, Yousuke Atarashi
  • Patent number: 10206458
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes an outsole and an upper positioned above the outsole and including an opening having opposed edges thereof. A plurality of eyelets extends along the opposed edges of the opening, and a tongue extends from the upper into the opening. A plurality of rows of loops is found on an upper surface of the tongue, with each row containing a plurality of loops, and each row being positioned between a pair of opposed eyelets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: CONVERSE INC.
    Inventors: Brodrick Foster, Aristides A. Membreño
  • Patent number: 10194713
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes a mesh structure. The mesh structure can be formed from a plurality of cords that are arranged in a mesh pattern or can be formed using a knitting process. The mesh structure can be disposed over the upper and the sole structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Dimoff, Thomas J. Rushbrook
  • Patent number: 10194714
    Abstract: An upper for an article of footwear, the upper including a base layer defining a least a portion of the upper and polymer threads stitched to the base layer. The polymer threads may include a core composed of a first material and a coating composed of a second material, where the melting point of the first material is higher than the melting point of the second material. The polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer by the coating of the polymer threads. The polymer threads may include one or more polymer thread sets stitched in pattern(s) on area(s) of an outer surface of the base layer to provide targeted characteristics to area(s) on the upper. In some embodiments, the polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer with heat and/or pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: adidas AG
    Inventors: Jason Daniel McGinnity, Janette P. Atkins, Elise Marie Hall, Carl Arnese
  • Patent number: 10182613
    Abstract: A shoe sole includes a sole contact portion 42, a ground contact portion 44, a plurality of fluid casings 12 configured to include a pair of fluid casings arranged in the front and rear direction and a pair of fluid casings arranged in the left and right direction between the sole contact portion and the ground contact portion and made of an elastic material, and plurality of valve units 20 and 30 configured to connect the pair of fluid casings in the front and rear direction and the pair of fluid casings in the left and right direction and to permit a flow of a fluid only from fluid casings at a high position to fluid casings at a low position when the sole of the shoe is inclined in the front and rear direction and/or in the left and right direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Inventor: Yong Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 10182602
    Abstract: A pocket may be attached to a front surface of a hunting vest. The pocket may have a pocket flap that, when released by a zipper, rotates about a lower edge of the pocket flap attached to the front surface of the hunting vest. The pocket flap may rotate between a substantially vertical position when the pocket is closed and a substantially horizontal position when the pocket is open. When the pocket is open and the pocket flap is in the horizontal position, one or more game calls stored in a corresponding one or more game call pouches may be accessed by the hunter with a single hand. Each game call pouch may have a first aperture for inserting and removing the game call and a second different aperture allowing the hunter to pull a striker against the game call to produce a desired sound. A sound passing aperture, opposite the game call pouch, may allow sound from the game call to exit the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: CABELA'S LLC
    Inventors: Tyson Ray Andersen, Kurt Alan Grove, Andy Hoban, Curtis McCormick, Matthew Richards, Jordan Roche
  • Patent number: 10182609
    Abstract: A bicycle cleat/cover assembly and a cover device. The bicycle cleat cover device is configured to be releasably secured to a bicycle cleat, wherein the bicycle cleat has an aperture sized and configured to receive a clipless pedal. The removable bicycle cleat cover device serves to inhibit debris from entering the central opening of the bicycle cleat when the bicycle cleat is disengaged from a pedal and the user is walking about on the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Speedplay, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard M. Bryne
  • Patent number: 10178891
    Abstract: A sole for an article of footwear includes: an upper sole portion; and a pod assembly having a plurality of pods fluidly connected in series disposed below the upper sole portion, wherein the pod assembly extends from a lateral heel portion of the sole to a medial forefoot portion of the sole such that the plurality of pods compress substantially in sequence through a gait cycle of a wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: REEBOK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Brian Christensen, William Marvin, Paul E. Litchfield
  • Patent number: 10172399
    Abstract: The glove with track and rail for securing a smart phone thereto includes a fingerless glove that has a track integrated onto an outer surface. The track enables a rail member to attach thereon, and slide along the track. The rail member includes a fastening member that is adapted to secure an object thereon such that the object is able to slide along the track while said fingerless glove is being worn. The object is ideally a smart phone. The track extends linearly across the palm and portions of a back of hand of the fingerless glove such that the object is adapted to be positioned at any locale along the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Inventor: Myron Rivers
  • Patent number: 10159294
    Abstract: Headgear as provided herein includes a light source for providing light away therefrom, a rechargeable battery for providing power to the light source, and a solar panel for recharging the rechargeable battery mounted thereto. The headgear can include a housing configured to at least partially receive the light source, the solar panel, and the rechargeable battery therein. The housing is configured to mount to the hat and orient the electronic components in desired configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Waters
  • Patent number: 10149511
    Abstract: Protective headgear systems are disclosed. One protective headgear system includes an impact-resistant pad and a helmet. The impact-resistant pad includes a top portion configured to be positioned covering a top of a user's head, and first and second side portions extending downward from the top portion. The helmet is unconnected to the impact-resistant pad. The helmet is configured to be positioned overtop of the impact-resistant pad when the impact-resistant pad is positioned on the user's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Matscitechno Licensing Company
    Inventor: Robert A. Vito
  • Patent number: 10143268
    Abstract: An Achilles heel wedge has a front part, a back part, and a longitudinal axis extending in a longitudinal direction between the front part and the back part. A first wedge section defines a bottom surface and a top surface. The top surface of the first wedge section forms a convex portion curving along the longitudinal axis and extending between side portions of the first wedge section. The convex portion is positionable under the longitudinal arch of a user's foot during use. A second wedge section is removably attachable to the bottom surface of the first wedge section. The second wedge section defines substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces and a ramped edge at or near a front of the second wedge section. The ramped edge extends downwardly and forwardly relative to the first wedge section and the top surface of the second wedge section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: OSSUR HF
    Inventors: Harry Duane Romo, Jonathan Walborn, Larus Gunnsteinsson
  • Patent number: 10136684
    Abstract: Watersports accessories, including but not limited to handwear and footwear, where a substantial portion of the accessory is molded in a three-dimensional mold with a soft, pliable, and durable material such as EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) or PU (Polyurethane) or similar foam blends that aid in the flexibility, durability, and comfort of the accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: SOLITE INNOVATIONS LLC
    Inventor: James Alexander Meiselman
  • Patent number: 10130142
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper that is attached to the sole structure. The upper includes a forefoot region that is configured to receive a plurality of toes of a foot. The upper includes a first zone having a first elasticity, a second zone having a second elasticity, and a third zone having a third elasticity. The third zone is disposed between the first zone and the second zone. The third elasticity is greater than the first elasticity and the second elasticity. The third zone is configured to bias the first zone and the second zone toward each other. The third zone is biased generally toward the sole structure and configured to be received in a space located between two of the plurality of toes of the foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Adrian Meir
  • Patent number: 10130138
    Abstract: A walking boot and a boot frame. The boot frame can be formed to receive the walking boot. The walking boot can be secured within the boot frame via one or more buckles. The walking boot can have an externally mounted tongue that can be tensioned via the use of one or more laces and associated tensioning mechanisms. The tongue can be molded to conform to a user's foot and leg while the tensioning mechanisms secure the user's foot and leg within the walking boot. In some embodiments, the boot frame has an open heel to capture the walking boot. In some other embodiments, the boot frame has a rotatable heel configured to pivot away from the toe and receive a heel of the walking boot for easy coupling of the walking boot to the boot frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: APEX SPORTS GROUP, LLC
    Inventor: Roger Thompson Neiley
  • Patent number: 10123740
    Abstract: The wearable action-aware device includes a clothing body, a signal receiving and computing element, and a conductive line made of conductive fabric. Two ends of the conductive line are electrically connected to the signal receiving and computing element, respectively, to form a circuit, and both the signal receiving and computing element and the conductive line are disposed on the clothing body. An exposed side of the conductive line has electrical conductivity, and the circuit is disposed on a part of the clothing body corresponding to a part of a body that needs to be measured. Action information of a user can be measured when the user wears the present invention wearable action-aware device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Far Eastern New Century Corporation
    Inventors: Min-Si Yan, Wei-Che Hung, Yueh-Hsien Lin, Chih-Ting Li
  • Patent number: 10117477
    Abstract: A sports boot having a rigid shell base designed to hold the foot of a user, the shell base including a sole and two lateral sides extending from the sole and defining an upper recess therebetween. The boot includes a mechanism for tightening the shell base around the foot of the user, the tightening mechanism including a filiform element for tightening the sides towards one another, the filiform element being tightened by pivoting a lever of the mechanism. The lever is provided to be pivoted in a notch of a rack designed to cover the two sides of the shell base in the tightened configuration and to bend the sides towards the sole under the pivoting action of the lever. The rack extends across the upper recess E2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SALOMON S.A.S.
    Inventor: Jerome Chaigne