Patents by Inventor Jeffrey Grella

Jeffrey Grella 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).

  • Patent number: 7082701
    Abstract: Variable tension footwear lacing systems and methods permit and facilitate adjustment of selected zones by a user. In an embodiment, stop devices are used with a footwear lacing system to prevent opposing closure edges of a footwear article from advancing towards each other. The stop device includes a stop guide configured for fastening to a portion of the footwear article, and a stop element. In an implementation, the stop element includes a stop head and a releasable affixing member. The stop head is configured to be manipulated by a user to releasably secure the affixing member to a selected position across the length of the stop guide. The stop head is operable to contact a first closure edge of the footwear article. In an embodiment, during use first and second stop devices contact first and second opposing closure edges of the footwear article and prevent them from advancing towards each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Vans, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Dalgaard, Andrew Bjornson, Steven Richard Burke, Jacob Hall, Jared Bevens, Jeffrey Grella
  • Patent number: 6991240
    Abstract: A toe ramp system for use with a snowboard binding. The system includes a toe ramp for adjustable attachment to a front portion of a base plate of the snowboard binding and including a toe ramp interlocking structure associated with a toe ramp rear wall. Also included is a first spacer having a first interlocking structure associated with a first wall for removable attachment to the toe ramp interlocking structure and having a second interlocking structure associated with a second wall for removable attachment to a base plate wall. In an implementation, the system also includes at least a second spacer having a third interlocking structure associated with a front wall for removable attachment to the second interlocking structure of the first spacer, and having a fourth interlocking structure associated with a rear wall for removable attachment to the base plate wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Vans, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Grella, Martin Dalgaard
  • Publication number: 20050284003
    Abstract: Variable tension footwear lacing systems and methods permit and facilitate adjustment of selected zones by a user. In an embodiment, stop devices are used with a footwear lacing system to prevent opposing closure edges of a footwear article from advancing towards each other. The stop device includes a stop guide configured for fastening to a portion of the footwear article, and a stop element. In an implementation, the stop element includes a stop head and a releasable affixing member. The stop head is configured to be manipulated by a user to releasably secure the affixing member to a selected position across the length of the stop guide. The stop head is operable to contact a first closure edge of the footwear article. In an embodiment, during use first and second stop devices contact first and second opposing closure edges of the footwear article and prevent them from advancing towards each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Inventors: Martin Dalgaard, Andrew Bjornson, Steven Burke, Jacob Hall, Jared Bevens, Jeffrey Grella
  • Patent number: 6978558
    Abstract: A snowboard boot strap anchor is described. The strap anchor includes a raised portion having at least three mounting locations, and a thin base portion associated with the raised portion for attachment to an upper portion of the snowboard boot. Also described is a snowboard boot strap mounting system. The system includes a first strap anchor having a raised portion containing at least three mounting locations, the strap anchor including a base portion for attachment to the snowboard boot upper, an ankle strap arrangement having a first distal end for attachment to the first strap anchor, and a fastener device for connecting the first distal end of the ankle strap arrangement to the first strap anchor by mating with a selected mounting location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Vans, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Grella, Jake Rivas
  • Publication number: 20050160627
    Abstract: Variable tension footwear lacing systems and methods permit and facilitate adjustment of selected zones by a user. In an embodiment, stop devices are used with a footwear lacing system to prevent opposing closure edges of a footwear article from advancing towards each other. The stop device includes a stop guide configured for fastening to a portion of the footwear article, and a stop element. In an implementation, the stop element includes a stop head and a releasable affixing member. The stop head is configured to be manipulated by a user to releasably secure the affixing member to a selected position across the length of the stop guide. The stop head is operable to contact a first closure edge of the footwear article. In an embodiment, during use first and second stop devices contact first and second opposing closure edges of the footwear article and prevent them from advancing towards each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Inventors: Martin Dalgaard, Andrew Bjornson, Steven Burke, Jacob Hall, Jared Bevens, Jeffrey Grella
  • Publication number: 20040145156
    Abstract: A toe ramp system for use with a snowboard binding. The system includes a toe ramp for adjustable attachment to a front portion of a base plate of the snowboard binding and including a toe ramp interlocking structure associated with a toe ramp rear wall. Also included is a first spacer having a first interlocking structure associated with a first wall for removable attachment to the toe ramp interlocking structure and having a second interlocking structure associated with a second wall for removable attachment to a base plate wall. In an implementation, the system also includes at least a second spacer having a third interlocking structure associated with a front wall for removable attachment to the second interlocking structure of the first spacer, and having a fourth interlocking structure associated with a rear wall for removable attachment to the base plate wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Jeffrey Grella, Martin Dalgaard
  • Publication number: 20040143999
    Abstract: A snowboard boot strap anchor is described. The strap anchor includes a raised portion having at least three mounting locations, and a thin base portion associated with the raised portion for attachment to an upper portion of the snowboard boot. Also described is a snowboard boot strap mounting system. The system includes a first strap anchor having a raised portion containing at least three mounting locations, the strap anchor including a base portion for attachment to the snowboard boot upper, an ankle strap arrangement having a first distal end for attachment to the first strap anchor, and a fastener device for connecting the first distal end of the ankle strap arrangement to the first strap anchor by mating with a selected mounting location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Jeffrey Grella, Jake Rivas