Patents by Inventor Dervin A. James
Dervin A. James 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: 10327506Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article includes forming a fluid-filled bladder element from polymeric material. The method further includes securing an overlay to the polymeric material. At least one portion of the overlay is substantially transparent, and an image on one of the fluid-filled bladder element and the overlay is aligned with and exposed to view through the at least one portion of the overlay that is substantially transparent. The fluid-filled bladder element is assembled in the article so that a first portion of the fluid-filled bladder element and the image are exposed to view, and a second portion of the fluid-filled bladder element is blocked from view by the article. An article includes the fluid-filled bladder element with the image, and with the overlay secured to the fluid-filled bladder element.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2016Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Taryn Hensley, Dervin A. James
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Patent number: 10314365Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear. The article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure may include at least one support member. In addition, the sole structure may include a tensile member associated with the at least one support member and a tensioning device configured to selectively alter one or more properties of the at least one support member, by tightening and loosening the tensile member.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2016Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dervin A. James, Fred G. Fagergren, Taryn M. Hensley
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Patent number: 10264848Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper with a heel region that extends posteriorly about the heel, a medial side, and a lateral side. The article of footwear also includes a sole structure. Moreover, the article includes a longitudinal strand that extends along at least one of the medial side and the lateral side. Also, the article includes an underfoot strand that is coupled to the longitudinal strand and that extends across the sole structure to extend between the lateral side and the medial side of the upper. Furthermore, the article includes a closure strand that is coupled to the longitudinal strand. The closure strand is configured to couple to the closure element such that tensioning of the closure element tensions the longitudinal strand, the underfoot strand, and the closure strand to selectively secure the article of footwear to the foot.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2015Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Zachary Elder, Dervin A. James, Elizabeth Kilgore
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Publication number: 20190110549Abstract: An article of footwear an upper and a sole structure that defines a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is disposed proximate the medial side of the footwear, and the second portion is disposed proximate the lateral side. The first portion and the second portion are configured to move relative to each other. The article of footwear also includes a flexible biasing member including a first end, a second end, and a middle portion. The middle portion extends across the first portion and the second portion. The first and second ends extend out from the outer surface of the footwear from either the medial or lateral side. The middle portion of the biasing member is configured to bias the first and second portions toward each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2018Publication date: April 18, 2019Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, John Hurd, Dervin A. James, Lee D. Peyton
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Patent number: 10172416Abstract: An article of footwear an upper and a sole structure that defines a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is disposed proximate the medial side of the footwear, and the second portion is disposed proximate the lateral side. The first portion and the second portion are configured to move relative to each other. The article of footwear also includes a flexible biasing member including a first end, a second end, and a middle portion. The middle portion extends across the first portion and the second portion. The first and second ends extend out from the outer surface of the footwear from either the medial or lateral side. The middle portion of the biasing member is configured to bias the first and second portions toward each other.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2017Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, John Hurd, Dervin A. James, Lee D. Peyton
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Patent number: 10172420Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper for securing the article of footwear to a wearer. The footwear also includes a sole assembly operatively coupled to the upper. The sole assembly includes a bladder that contains a fluid. The bladder has a posterior portion, an anterior portion, and a middle portion disposed between the posterior and anterior portions. The posterior portion has a heel recess that is approximately coincidental with a center of a heel of the wearer. The middle portion includes a neck chamber that extends between the posterior and anterior portions. The neck chamber is elongate and has a width that is less than both the posterior and anterior portions, and the anterior portion has a plurality of toe recesses that extend generally away from the neck chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: Dervin A. James
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Publication number: 20180343968Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a first plate and a second plate both extending longitudinally in a flexion region of the sole structure. The second plate is disposed above the first plate in the flexion region. The second plate has a fixed portion fixed to the first plate, and has a free portion. A coupler is operatively connected to one of the first plate and the free portion of the second plate. The coupler is selectably movable transversely relative to the first plate and the second plate between a first position and a second position. The coupler is spaced apart from the other one of the first plate and the free portion of the second plate in the first position, and operatively engages the other one of the first plate and the free portion of the second plate in the second position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dervin A. James, Austin Orand
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Publication number: 20180235315Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article comprises etching an etched feature on a surface of a first polymeric sheet, and forming a fluid-filled bladder element from the first polymeric sheet, with the fluid-filled bladder element having a sealable internal cavity that retains fluid. The method includes assembling the bladder element in the article so that a first portion of the bladder element having the etched feature is exposed to view, and a second portion of the bladder element is blocked from view by the article. An article includes the bladder element with the etched feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2018Publication date: August 23, 2018Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Taryn Hensley, Dervin A. James
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Patent number: 9974360Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article comprises etching an etched feature on a surface of a first polymeric sheet, and forming a fluid-filled bladder element from the first polymeric sheet, with the fluid-filled bladder element having a sealable internal cavity that retains fluid. The method includes assembling the bladder element in the article so that a first portion of the bladder element having the etched feature is exposed to view, and a second portion of the bladder element is blocked from view by the article. An article includes the bladder element with the etched feature.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2016Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Taryn Hensley, Dervin A. James
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Patent number: 9968159Abstract: A shoe may comprise an upper and a sole structure that includes a plurality of support elements located in a plantar region. Each of the support elements may be non-destructively removable from and replaceable into the sole structure. The shoe may comprise a plurality of sensors configured to measure force exerted in a footbed region of the article of footwear, as well as a processor communicatively coupled to the sensors. The processor may be configured to receive input indicative of forces measured by the sensors and to transmit data based on that input. Methods utilizing the article may include removing a support element and replacing the removed support element with a replacement support element.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2015Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Catherine F. Morrison, Scott C. Holt, Dervin A. James, Ty A. Ransom
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Publication number: 20180070676Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole assembly with a midsole and an outsole. The midsole includes a fluid-filled bladder element including a first polymeric sheet that has a surface with an impression. The fluid-filled bladder element has a sealable internal cavity that retains fluid. A first portion of the bladder element with the impression is exposed to view through one of the midsole, the outsole, or an upper. A second portion of the bladder element is blocked from view by said one of the midsole, the outsole, or the upper.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2017Publication date: March 15, 2018Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Taryn Hensley, Dervin A. James
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Publication number: 20180020778Abstract: An article of footwear includes a fitting system with an upper member that is supported by the upper and a strand guide that is supported by the sole structure. The strand guide is flexible and flexes in concert with the sole structure. The strand guide has a guide surface. The fitting system further includes a tensioning system with a flexible strand that is configured to bias the upper member toward the strand guide. The flexible strand has a first section coupled to the upper member and a second section extending through the sole structure. The second section abuts the guide surface. The second section is configured to slide across the guide surface as a result of flexure of the strand guide. The first section and the upper member are configured to move relative to the sole structure as a result of sliding of the second section across the guide surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2017Publication date: January 25, 2018Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Zachary M. Elder, Dervin A. James, Elizabeth A. Kilgore
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Patent number: 9854870Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article includes disposing polymeric material in a mold assembly that has a mold surface that has an etched area. The method further comprises forming a fluid-filled bladder element at least partially by conforming the polymeric material to the mold surface, thereby imparting an impression of the etched area on a surface of the bladder element. The method includes assembling the bladder element in the article so that a first portion of the bladder element with the impression of the etched area is exposed to view, and a second portion of the bladder element is blocked from view by the article. An article comprises the bladder element with the etched area.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2016Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Taryn Hensley, Dervin A. James
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Patent number: 9788609Abstract: An article of footwear includes a fitting system with an upper member that is supported by the upper and a strand guide that is supported by the sole structure. The strand guide is flexible and flexes in concert with the sole structure. The strand guide has a guide surface. The fitting system further includes a tensioning system with a flexible strand that is configured to bias the upper member toward the strand guide. The flexible strand has a first section coupled to the upper member and a second section extending through the sole structure. The second section abuts the guide surface. The second section is configured to slide across the guide surface as a result of flexure of the strand guide. The first section and the upper member are configured to move relative to the sole structure as a result of sliding of the second section across the guide surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2015Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dervin A. James, Zachary M. Elder, Elizabeth A. Kilgore
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Publication number: 20170273401Abstract: An article of footwear an upper and a sole structure that defines a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is disposed proximate the medial side of the footwear, and the second portion is disposed proximate the lateral side. The first portion and the second portion are configured to move relative to each other. The article of footwear also includes a flexible biasing member including a first end, a second end, and a middle portion. The middle portion extends across the first portion and the second portion. The first and second ends extend out from the outer surface of the footwear from either the medial or lateral side. The middle portion of the biasing member is configured to bias the first and second portions toward each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2017Publication date: September 28, 2017Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, John Hurd, Dervin A. James, Lee D. Peyton
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Publication number: 20170266938Abstract: A fluid-filled chamber is provided and includes a first barrier layer, a second barrier layer attached to the first barrier layer and cooperating with the first barrier layer to define an interior void, and a third layer attached to one of the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer including mineral mica that provides the one of the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer with an iridescent appearance caused by differential refraction of light waves.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2017Publication date: September 21, 2017Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Taryn M. Hensley, Dervin A. James
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Patent number: 9706809Abstract: An article of footwear an upper and a sole structure that defines a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is disposed proximate the medial side of the footwear, and the second portion is disposed proximate the lateral side. The first portion and the second portion are configured to move relative to each other. The article of footwear also includes a flexible biasing member including a first end, a second end, and a middle portion. The middle portion extends across the first portion and the second portion. The first and second ends extend out from the outer surface of the footwear from either the medial or lateral side. The middle portion of the biasing member is configured to bias the first and second portions toward each other.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2015Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dervin A. James, John Hurd, Lee D. Peyton, Tobie D. Hatfield
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Patent number: 9681700Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper, a footbed, an outsole, and a bladder that is disposed between the footbed and the outsole includes providing a plurality of layers. The layers include a top, outsole, first bladder, and second bladder layer. Also, the method includes molding the layers together substantially simultaneously to form the upper, the footbed, the outsole, and the bladder.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2014Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Zachary M. Elder, Taryn M. Hensley, Dervin A. James, Levi J. Patton
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Patent number: 9635901Abstract: A shoe may comprise an upper and a sole structure that includes a plurality of support elements located in a plantar region. Each of the support elements may be non-destructively removable from and replaceable into the sole structure. The shoe may comprise a plurality of sensors configured to measure force exerted in a footbed region of the article of footwear, as well as a processor communicatively coupled to the sensors. The processor may be configured to receive input indicative of forces measured by the sensors and to transmit data based on that input. Methods utilizing the article may include removing a support element and replacing the removed support element with a replacement support element.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2015Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Catherine F. Morrison, Scott C. Holt, Dervin A. James, Ty A. Ransom
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Publication number: 20170105476Abstract: A shoe may comprise an upper and a sole structure that includes a plurality of support elements located in a plantar region. Each of the support elements may be non-destructively removable from and replaceable into the sole structure. The shoe may comprise a plurality of sensors configured to measure force exerted in a footbed region of the article of footwear, as well as a processor communicatively coupled to the sensors. The processor may be configured to receive input indicative of forces measured by the sensors and to transmit data based on that input. Methods utilizing the article may include removing a support element and replacing the removed support element with a replacement support element.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2015Publication date: April 20, 2017Inventors: Catherine F. Morrison, Scott C. Holt, Dervin A. James, Ty A. Ransom