Patents by Inventor Julia A. Dunn

Julia A. Dunn 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).

  • Downwards absorbing and upwards accommodating footwear heel
    Patent number: 11864631
    Abstract: A force dissipating device in a footwear appliance includes an actuator responsive to a displacement force from a shoe sole surface, and an elastic field of resilient, compressible material. The elastic field is elongated in a direction aligned with the displacement force, and an inclined surface is attached to the actuator and disposed against the elastic field. The actuator is adapted for movement parallel to the elastic field, while the inclined surface is oriented to compress the elastic field in a direction defined by the inclined surface. The inclined surface is oriented at an angle to compress the elastic field in a direction substantially perpendicular to vertical actuator displacement, thus providing a constant region of opposed, compressive force that is generally constant, rather than increasing with displacement distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
    Inventors: Christopher A. Brown, James J. Muller, Julia A. Dunn, Alexander R. Alvarez, Kyle R. Mudge, Rachael Naoum
  • DOWNWARDS ABSORBING AND UPWARDS ACCOMMODATING FOOTWEAR HEEL
    Publication number: 20200077736
    Abstract: A force dissipating device in a footwear appliance includes an actuator responsive to a displacement force from a shoe sole surface, and an elastic field of resilient, compressible material. The elastic field is elongated in a direction aligned with the displacement force, and an inclined surface is attached to the actuator and disposed against the elastic field. The actuator is adapted for movement parallel to the elastic field, while the inclined surface is oriented to compress the elastic field in a direction defined by the inclined surface. The inclined surface is oriented at an angle to compress the elastic field in a direction substantially perpendicular to vertical actuator displacement, thus providing a constant region of opposed, compressive force that is generally constant, rather than increasing with displacement distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher A. Brown, James J. Muller, Julia A. Dunn, Alexander R. Alvarez, Kyle R. Mudge, Rachael Naoum