Patents by Inventor Bruce J. Kilgore

Bruce J. Kilgore 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).

  • Publication number: 20220117360
    Abstract: An article of footwear flat pattern upper having an upper portion and a footbed portion is provided. The upper portion and the footbed portion are integrally continuous, such that the upper portion lateral side converges with the footbed lateral side. The flat pattern includes nested same-sided article of footwear with a reduced surplus portion there between. The articles of footwear includes the following continuous portions: the first medial side with a toe end, the toe end with a lateral side, the lateral side with a heel end, and the heel end with the second medial side. The first medial side and the second medial side are joined to form dimensional article of footwear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventor: Bruce J. Kilgore
  • Patent number: 11284673
    Abstract: An article of footwear flat pattern upper (126, 300, 302) portion (216) is provided. The upper portion (302) has a midline reference line (415, 416) extending between the toe end apex (316) and a midpoint on the heel end (314). The upper portion (302) also is comprised of an origin (344) aperture that is located within 10 millimeters of the midline reference line (415, 416) between the toe end (306) and the heel end (314) of the upper portion (302). The upper portion (302) is also formed with an overlay (500) that is coupled with the upper portion (302) between the toe end (306) and the heel end (314) and between the medial side (315) and the lateral side (317). The overlay (500) has an alignment aperture (345) that is aligned with the origin (344) aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce J. Kilgore
  • Patent number: 11285692
    Abstract: A method of forming a fiber-bound engineered material utilizing carrier screens is provided that imparts an intended characteristic at an intended relative location. Also provided are articles formed of fiber-bound engineered materials manufactured utilizing carrier screens. A fiber layer is placed adjacent at least one carrier screen and entangled with additional fibers in a manner to create a non-uniform engineered material. The lack of uniformity of a fiber-bound engineered material may be accomplished through manipulation of the fibers and/or through fiber binding a scrim. The fiber layer binds with additional fibers through entanglement such that a mechanical connection between the entangled fibers is provided. This entanglement allows the fibers to bind without supplemental adhesives, interlacing, or connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhupesh Dua, Pamela S. Greene, Bruce J. Kilgore, Thomas J. Rushbrook
  • Patent number: 11234492
    Abstract: An article of footwear flat pattern upper having an upper portion and a footbed portion is provided. The upper portion and the footbed portion are integrally continuous, such that the upper portion lateral side converges with the footbed lateral side. The flat pattern includes nested same-sided article of footwear with a reduced surplus portion there between. The articles of footwear include the following continuous portions: the first medial side with a toe end, the toe end with a lateral side, the lateral side with a heel end, and the heel end with the second medial side. The first medial side and the second medial side are joined to form a dimensional article of footwear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce J. Kilgore
  • Publication number: 20210339494
    Abstract: A molding assembly having a top mold member and a base mold member. The top mold member can include a first top mold portion and a second top mold portion that shift between a top mold open configuration and a top mold closed configuration by rotating about a top mold hinge axis. The molding assembly can shift between a molding assembly open configuration and a molding assembly closed configuration by rotating at least the top mold member about a molding assembly hinge axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventor: Bruce J. Kilgore
  • Patent number: 11134751
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article of footwear from a flat pattern is provided. The method includes cutting a first cut in a first material through the top surface and the bottom surface of the first material. The method continues with coupling an overlay on the first material top surface such that the overlay extends over the first cut and obscures the first material top surface. The method continues with forming the flat pattern having the first material with the first cut and the overlay into a dimensional article of footwear configured to receive a foot. The first material bottom surface is more interior to the dimensional article of footwear than the top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce J. Kilgore
  • Publication number: 20210195999
    Abstract: An article of footwear having an upper portion and a footbed portion that may be aligned with apertures proximate specified edges or locations. The footbed portion includes a concave edge extending between the footbed toe end and the footbed heel end along the footbed medial side and a plurality of forming apertures along the medial side. The upper portion also includes a plurality of forming apertures extending along the medial side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventor: Bruce J. Kilgore
  • Publication number: 20210112921
    Abstract: A fiber bound engineered material is provided that imparts an intended characteristic at an intended relative location. A fiber layer is entangled with additional fibers in a manner to create a non-uniform engineered material. The lack of uniformity of a fiber bound engineered material may be accomplished through manipulation of the fibers and/or through fiber binding a scrim. The fiber layer binds with additional fibers through entanglement such that a mechanical connection between the entangled fibers is provided. This entanglement allows the fibers to bind without supplemental adhesives, interlacing, or connections. Variations in the fibers and/or inclusion of scrim materials prior to entanglement allows for an intended characteristic (e.g., a functional characteristic) at an intended relative location (e.g., a position determined by an article to be formed therefrom).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Bhupesh Dua, Pamela S. Greene, Bruce J. Kilgore, Thomas J. Rushbrook
  • Patent number: 10952501
    Abstract: An article of footwear flat pattern upper (126, 300, 302) having an upper portion (302) and a footbed portion (304) is provided. The upper portion (302) and the footbed portion (304) are integrally coextensive, such that the upper portion (302) lateral side (317) converges with the footbed lateral side (317). The footbed portion (304) includes a concave edge (319) extending between the footbed toe end (312) and the footbed heel end (314) along the footbed medial side (315) and a plurality of forming apertures along the medial side (315). The upper portion (302) also includes a plurality of forming apertures extending along the medial side (315).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce J. Kilgore
  • Patent number: 10952502
    Abstract: An article of footwear flat pattern with an integrated collar liner is provided. The flat pattern has a flat upper with a top surface forming an exterior of a dimensionally formed article of footwear and a bottom surface facing an internal cavity of the dimensionally formed article of footwear. The flat pattern also includes a collar liner that is coupled with the flat upper at an ankle opening. The collar liner has an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface. The exterior surface forms an exposed surface of the internal cavity of the dimensionally formed article and the interior surface faces the flat upper bottom surface within the internal cavity of the dimensionally formed article. However, the collar liner external surface faces the flat upper top surface at an ankle opening coupling location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce J. Kilgore
  • Publication number: 20210015211
    Abstract: An article of footwear formed from a flat pattern to include a side seam and/or utilizing aperture alignment of multiple flat pattern pieces is disclosed. In aspects, an article of footwear, such as an upper, is formed from a flat pattern and modified into a dimensional article of footwear that includes a side closing. The side closing may comprise adjoined side edges of the flat pattern upper that are secured to each other with a securing element to maintain the dimensional article of footwear in its shape. Alignment of the parts may be provided through at least partial alignment of apertures in the flat pattern upper and apertures in a securing element and/or other flat pattern pieces, including using multi-purpose apertures, allowing streamlined processing and manufacturing of footwear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Bruce J. Kilgore, Douglas A. Beye, Daniel B. DeHaven, Kassio Figur, Jessica Anne Junkins, Sara Kilgore
  • Patent number: 10820659
    Abstract: An article of footwear formed from a flat pattern to include a side seam and/or utilizing aperture alignment of multiple flat pattern pieces is disclosed. In aspects, an article of footwear, such as an upper, is formed from a flat pattern and modified into a dimensional article of footwear that includes a side closing. The side closing may comprise adjoined side edges of the flat pattern upper that are secured to each other with a securing element to maintain the dimensional article of footwear in its shape. Alignment of the parts may be provided through at least partial alignment of apertures in the flat pattern upper and apertures in a securing element and/or other flat pattern pieces, including using multi-purpose apertures, allowing streamlined processing and manufacturing of footwear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce J. Kilgore, Douglas A. Beye, Daniel B. DeHaven, Kassio Figur, Jessica Anne Junkins, Sara Kilgore
  • Publication number: 20200281302
    Abstract: A knitted component may form at least a portion of an article of footwear. For example, a first knit layer may be located on an inner side of an article of footwear such that the first layer is adjacent to a void, and a second layer may at least partially surround the first layer and form an outer surface of the article of footwear. An interstitial space may be formed between the first layer and the second layer. At least one pocket may be located within the interstitial space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Hipp, Fanny Y. Ho, Bruce J. Kilgore, Thomas J. Rushbrook
  • Patent number: D925199
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Kassio Figur, Fanny Yung Ho, Bruce J. Kilgore, Matthew Kilgore, Sara Kilgore
  • Patent number: D927168
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Kassio Figur, Fanny Yung Ho, Bruce J. Kilgore, Matthew Kilgore, Sara Kilgore
  • Patent number: D932155
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Kassio Figur, Fanny Yung Ho, Bruce J. Kilgore, Matthew Kilgore, Sara Kilgore
  • Patent number: D932160
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Kassio Figur, Fanny Yung Ho, Bruce J. Kilgore, Matthew Kilgore, Sara Kilgore
  • Patent number: D932161
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Kassio Figur, Fanny Yung Ho, Bruce J. Kilgore, Matthew Kilgore, Sara Kilgore
  • Patent number: D932171
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Kassio Figur, Fanny Yung Ho, Bruce J. Kilgore, Matthew Kilgore, Sara Kilgore
  • Patent number: D932172
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Kassio Figur, Fanny Yung Ho, Bruce J. Kilgore, Matthew Kilgore, Sara Kilgore