Patents by Inventor Brian D. Baker
Brian D. Baker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8840530Abstract: An article of athletic equipment for a wearer with a foot and a leg including a knee joint includes an article of footwear operable to secure to the foot. The equipment also includes a knee coupling member that is operable to secure to the leg about the knee joint. The knee coupling member is operable to extend superiorly and inferiorly about the knee joint. Moreover, the equipment includes a biasing member that is coupled to the article of footwear and the knee coupling member. The biasing member biases the article of footwear relative to the knee coupling member to bias the foot toward plantarflexion relative to the leg to increase proprioception of the foot relative to the leg.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2011Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Martine I. V. Mientjes, Erez Morag, Nicola J. Reynolds
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Patent number: 8819965Abstract: An article of footwear with a suspended stud assembly attached to a sole is disclosed. The suspended stud assembly includes a base portion attached to the sole of a shoe. A set of suspension arms connect a plurality of studs to the base portion. This arrangement allows the studs to move independently of the sole and of each other to provide greater traction capabilities to the article of footwear.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2012Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Alexandre Baudouin, Erez Morag
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Patent number: 8789296Abstract: Articles of footwear may include self-adjusting studs that adjust to various types of conditions, environmental changes, and applied forces. The self-adjusting studs may have a first portion and a second portion of different levels of compressibilities and/or retractabilities that compress and extend based on the type of surface on which the wearer is walking or running. This footwear with self-adjusting studs may easily transition between surfaces of varying hardness without causing damage to the surface, but also providing the wearer with the necessary amount of traction on each type of surface. Wearers will enjoy the benefit of being able to move on various surfaces without the need to change their footwear multiple times to accommodate the wearer's varying traction needs on different surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2013Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: Brian D. Baker
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Patent number: 8782928Abstract: An article of footwear that includes an upper that secures the article of footwear to a wearer. The footwear also includes a sole assembly that is operably coupled to the upper. The sole assembly includes an outsole having a plurality of cleats and a groove. The groove includes a first internal surface and a second internal surface. The first and second internal surfaces move away from each other as the sole assembly flexes in a first direction, and the first and second internal surfaces abut each other to limit movement of the sole assembly in a second direction opposite the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2010Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Michael S. Amos, Brian D. Baker, Alexandre Baudouin, Kevin P. Fallon
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Publication number: 20140174967Abstract: A footwear customization kit includes a stand for supporting an article of footwear that has a customizable portion that can be deformed when heated, and a steaming bag. The stand may include first and second members that can be assembled to support the article of footwear in the steaming bag over a steam environment by engaging an outer periphery of a steaming vessel. The first member may include a first center projection, a first lower central surface, and engaging slots formed in the first lower central surface. The second member may include a second center projection, a second lower central surface, a pair of second shoulders, third and fourth arms disposed above the second lower central surface, and receiving slots formed in upper surfaces of the second shoulders. The first and second members may be attached by interlocking engagement of the engaging slots and the receiving slots.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2013Publication date: June 26, 2014Applicant: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Alexandre Baudouin, William M. Dieter, James Molyneux
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Publication number: 20140169704Abstract: A footwear customization kit is disclosed. The kit comprises a container including an article of footwear, a stand, a steaming bag and a set of instructions. The article of footwear includes a customizable portion that can be deformed when heated. The stand and the steaming bag can be used to heat the article of footwear in a steam environment. The steaming bag includes a central portion and a peripheral portion. The central portion of the steaming bag defines an interior cavity for receiving the article of footwear. The peripheral portion can include grasping holes for grabbing the steaming bag in the steam environment. The steaming bag can expand from a flattened configuration when filled with the article of footwear in the steam environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2014Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: William M. Dieter, Alexandre Baudouin, Brian D. Baker
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Patent number: 8720835Abstract: A footwear customization kit is disclosed. The kit comprises a container including an article of footwear, a stand, a steaming bag and a set of instructions. The article of footwear includes a customizable portion that can be deformed when heated. The stand and the steaming bag can be used to heat the article of footwear in a steam environment. The stand includes a base portion and a footwear engaging portion. The stand can also include a detachable portion configured to engage the base portion in one position and the footwear engaging portion in another position.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2013Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: William M. Dieter, Alexandre Baudouin, Brian D. Baker
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Publication number: 20140082862Abstract: A method and apparatus for custom fitting an article of footwear is disclosed. A container holding the article of footwear includes a predetermined removable area forming a hole that allows a customer to subject the article of footwear to steam using the container. The method can include cooling the article of footwear on the customer's foot to custom fit the article of footwear.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2013Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Alexandre Baudouin, William M. Dieter
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Publication number: 20140082861Abstract: A footwear customization kit is disclosed. The kit comprises a container including an article of footwear, a stand, a steaming bag and a set of instructions. The article of footwear includes a customizable portion that can be deformed when heated. The stand and the steaming bag can be used to heat the article of footwear in a steam environment. The stand includes a base portion and a footwear engaging portion. The stand can also include a detachable portion configured to engage the base portion in one position and the footwear engaging portion in another position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2013Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: Nike, Inc.Inventors: William M. Dieter, Alexandre Baudouin, Brian D. Baker
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Patent number: 8627528Abstract: A stand, for a footwear customization kit including an article of footwear having a customizable portion that can be deformed when heated, includes first and second members that can be assembled to hold the article of footwear in a steam environment by engaging an outer periphery of a vessel. The first member includes a first center projection, a first lower central surface, a pair of first shoulders, first and second arms disposed above the first lower central surface, and engaging slots formed in the first lower central surface. The second member includes a second center projection, a second lower central surface, a pair of second shoulders, third and fourth arms disposed above the second lower central surface, and receiving slots formed in upper surfaces of the second shoulders. The first and second members are attached by interlocking engagement of the engaging slots and the receiving slots.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2009Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Akexandre Baudouin, William M. Dieter, James Molyneux
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Publication number: 20130340288Abstract: Embodiments provide an insole having a multilayered construction with openings and ribs sized, shaped, and positioned to provide desired areas of stiffness and flexibility. The multi-layered construction may include a chassis defining a support member opening and a support member covering the opening and positioned between the chassis and a cushioning layer. The chassis may define a plurality of apertures in the forefoot portion, which, in a direction from the forefoot end to the heel end, progressively increase in size to a point at which maximum flexibility is desired in the forefoot portion. The bottom of the support member may include protruding ribs that extend generally in a longitudinal direction from the midfoot to the heel, and include a straight middle rib, a medial side rib convex with respect to the middle rib, and a lateral side rib convex with respect to the middle rib.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2013Publication date: December 26, 2013Applicant: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Daniel W. Peter
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Publication number: 20130322859Abstract: A method and apparatus for custom fitting an article of footwear is disclosed. A container holding the article of footwear includes a steaming assembly that allows a customer to subject the article of footwear to steam. The method can include cooling the article of footwear on the customer's foot to custom fit the article of footwear.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: Nike,Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Alexandre Baudouin, William M. Dieter
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Patent number: 8595877Abstract: A method and apparatus for custom fitting an article of footwear is disclosed. A container holding the article of footwear includes a steaming assembly that allows a customer to subject the article of footwear to steam. The method can include cooling the article of footwear on the customer's foot to custom fit the article of footwear.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2011Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Alexandre Baudouin, William M. Dieter
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Publication number: 20130305571Abstract: Articles of footwear may include self-adjusting studs that adjust to various types of conditions, environmental changes, and applied forces. The self-adjusting studs may have a first portion and a second portion of different levels of compressibilities and/or retractabilities that compress and extend based on the type of surface on which the wearer is walking or running. This footwear with self-adjusting studs may easily transition between surfaces of varying hardness without causing damage to the surface, but also providing the wearer with the necessary amount of traction on each type of surface. Wearers will enjoy the benefit of being able to move on various surfaces without the need to change their footwear multiple times to accommodate the wearer's varying traction needs on different surfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2013Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: Brian D. Baker
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Patent number: 8579241Abstract: A footwear customization kit is disclosed. The kit comprises a container including an article of footwear, a stand, a steaming bag and a set of instructions. The article of footwear includes a customizable portion that can be deformed when heated. The stand and the steaming bag can be used to heat the article of footwear in a steam environment.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2012Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Alexandre Baudouin, William M. Dieter
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Publication number: 20130239437Abstract: Articles of footwear may include selectively engageable traction elements that engage with a surface or the ground during certain activities and do not engage with the surface or the ground during other activities. The selectively engageable traction elements are caused to engage with the ground or surface when a portion of the footwear is flexed. When the footwear is in its unflexed position, the selectively engageable traction elements may not engage with the ground or surface. Selectively engageable fraction elements may be desired or may be useful during particular, targeted movements such as sharp turns, pivoting, sudden or abrupt starting and stopping motions, and the like and in changing environmental conditions, such as on various surfaces having different characteristics. Wearers of such footwear may benefit from the extra traction provided by the selectively engageable traction elements when performing the targeted movements and/or when wearing the footwear on surfaces with varying conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2013Publication date: September 19, 2013Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: Brian D. Baker
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Patent number: 8533979Abstract: Articles of footwear may include self-adjusting studs that adjust to various types of conditions, environmental changes, and applied forces. The self-adjusting studs may have a first portion and a second portion of different levels of compressibilities and/or retractabilities that compress and extend based on the type of surface on which the wearer is walking or running. This footwear with self-adjusting studs may easily transition between surfaces of varying hardness without causing damage to the surface, but also providing the wearer with the necessary amount of traction on each type of surface. Wearers will enjoy the benefit of being able to move on various surfaces without the need to change their footwear multiple times to accommodate the wearer's varying traction needs on different surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2010Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: Brian D. Baker
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Patent number: 8484865Abstract: An article of footwear can receive an insert having ball control elements. The ball control elements protrude through a tongue of the upper to engage other surfaces. The inserts may be purchased separately from the article of footwear and interchanged to be used in a variety of conditions.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2011Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Alexandre Baudouin, John Droege, Erez Morag, Morgan Stauffer
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Patent number: 8479414Abstract: Embodiments provide an insole having a multilayered construction with openings and ribs sized, shaped, and positioned to provide desired areas of stiffness and flexibility. The multi-layered construction may include a chassis defining a support member opening and a support member covering the opening and positioned between the chassis and a cushioning layer. The chassis may define a plurality of apertures in the forefoot portion, which, in a direction from the forefoot end to the heel end, progressively increase in size to a point at which maximum flexibility is desired in the forefoot portion. The bottom of the support member may include protruding ribs that extend generally in a longitudinal direction from the midfoot to the heel, and include a straight middle rib, a medial side rib convex with respect to the middle rib, and a lateral side rib convex with respect to the middle rib.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2010Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Baker, Daniel W. Peter
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Patent number: 8453349Abstract: Traction elements for an article of footwear can include stabilizer elements. An extendable traction element for an article of footwear can include an elongatable extender attached to another portion of a sole structure. An actuator can rest within the extender and cause elongation of the extender in response to a force from the foot of a wearer.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2010Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Perry W. Auger, Brian D. Baker, Andrew Caine, Sergio Cavaliere, Daniel W. Peter, Timothy J. Smith