Patents by Inventor Nicholas Workman
Nicholas Workman 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: 11622596Abstract: A force absorbing device for a footwear appliance includes a shoe upper and a shoe sole having a planar sole surface, such that forces between the shoe upper and planar sole surface in ground contact are absorbed by force mitigation assemblies disposed in the shoe sole. A force mitigation assembly adapted for an athletic shoe includes a linkage to a wearer interface responsive to movement based on activity of the wearer. An attachment to a sole surface receives ground forces transmitted from frictional contact between the sole surface and a surface against which the sole is disposed, such as for running, turning, etc. A force mitigation assembly absorbs these forces received from the sole surface for directing the received force in a controlled manner. An elastic field in the force mitigation assembly is defined by a resilient material adapted to deform in response to the received force.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2019Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Christopher A. Brown, Winton Parker, James J. Muller, Abigale McAdams, Pedro D. Oporto, Josephine Bowen, Sarah Duquette, Eric Motler, Tristin J. Carlton, Nicholas Workman, Michael Doyle, Jessica Shelsky, Jessica K. Y. Cheu, Lorenzo M. Dube, Olivia G. Steen, Andrew R. Vickery
-
Patent number: 11445784Abstract: A force absorbing device for a footwear appliance includes a shoe upper and a shoe sole having a planar sole surface, such that forces between the shoe upper and planar sole surface in ground contact are absorbed by force mitigation structures disposed in the shoe sole. A footwear article includes a split-sole system that redefines a shoe sole as coplanar surfaces having a force mitigating interface for receiving sudden forces and effectively mitigating these forces by storing kinetic energy and releasing it over time. An elastic field in the force mitigation structure is defined by a resilient material adapted to deform in response to the received force. Frictional engagement between the upper and lower sole may also be augmented by surface characteristics such as dimples, voids and lubricants, in addition to interference engagement with an elastic field.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2019Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Christopher A. Brown, James J. Muller, Winton Parker, Allysa Grant, Tristin J. Carlton, Nicholas Workman, Michael Doyle, Jessica Shelsky, Jessica K. Y. Cheu, Lorenzo Dube, Pedro D. Oporto, Olivia G. Steen, Andrew R. Vickery
-
Patent number: 10888138Abstract: An impact absorbing footwear device employs opposed planar sole portions engaged by a selective resistance coupling that biases the opposed planar sole portions in a non-linear manner in response to forces exerted by the wearer against the sole portion in frictional contact with a floor surface. The planar sole portions are disposed in a footwear appliance that takes the form of an athletic shoe sole. The selective resistance coupling includes a plurality of resilient deformation members that engage the planar sole portions in an opposed circumferentially aligned manner, selectively deform in response to pressure exerted by the wearer for preventing ACL and other impact related injuries, and recover to an undeformed rest position without breakaway to allow the wearer uninterrupted usage while dampening forces that surpass an injury threshold from the resilient deformation that allows the planar sole portions to temporarily misalign.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2017Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Christopher A. Brown, Nicholas Workman, Michael Doyle, Jessica Shelsky, Jessica K. Y. Cheu, Lorenzo M. Dube, James J. Muller, Pedro D. Oporto, Olivia G. Steen, Andrew R. Vickery
-
Publication number: 20200100559Abstract: A force absorbing device for a footwear appliance includes a shoe upper and a shoe sole having a planar sole surface, such that forces between the shoe upper and planar sole surface in ground contact are absorbed by force mitigation assemblies disposed in the shoe sole. A force mitigation assembly adapted for an athletic shoe includes a linkage to a wearer interface responsive to movement based on activity of the wearer. An attachment to a sole surface receives ground forces transmitted from frictional contact between the sole surface and a surface against which the sole is disposed, such as for running, turning, etc. A force mitigation assembly absorbs these forces received from the sole surface for directing the received force in a controlled manner. An elastic field in the force mitigation assembly is defined by a resilient material adapted to deform in response to the received force.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2019Publication date: April 2, 2020Inventors: Christopher A. Brown, Winton Parker, James J. Muller, Abigale McAdams, Pedro D. Oporto, Josephine Bowen, Sarah Duquette, Eric Motler, Tristin J. Carlton, Nicholas Workman, Michael Doyle, Jessica Shelsky, Jessica K.Y. Chen, Lorenzo M. Dube, Olivia G. Steen, Andrew R. Vickery
-
Publication number: 20200100562Abstract: A force absorbing device for a footwear appliance includes a shoe upper and a shoe sole having a planar sole surface, such that forces between the shoe upper and planar sole surface in ground contact are absorbed by force mitigation structures disposed in the shoe sole. A footwear article includes a split-sole system that redefines a shoe sole as coplanar surfaces having a force mitigating interface for receiving sudden forces and effectively mitigating these forces by storing kinetic energy and releasing it over time. An elastic field in the force mitigation structure is defined by a resilient material adapted to deform in response to the received force. Frictional engagement between the upper and lower sole may also be augmented by surface characteristics such as dimples, voids and lubricants, in addition to interference engagement with an elastic field.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2019Publication date: April 2, 2020Inventors: Christopher A. Brown, James J. Muller, Winton Parker, Allysa Grant, Tristin J. Carlton, Nicholas Workman, Michael Doyle, Jessica Shelsky, Jessica K.Y. Cheu, Lorenzo Dube, Pedro D. Oporto, Olivia G. Steen, Andrew R. Vickery
-
Publication number: 20180035753Abstract: An impact absorbing footwear device employs opposed planar sole portions engaged by a selective resistance coupling that biases the opposed planar sole portions in a non-linear manner in response to forces exerted by the wearer against the sole portion in frictional contact with a floor surface. The planar sole portions are disposed in a footwear appliance that takes the form of an athletic shoe sole. The selective resistance coupling includes a plurality of resilient deformation members that engage the planar sole portions in an opposed circumferentially aligned manner, selectively deform in response to pressure exerted by the wearer for preventing ACL and other impact related injuries, and recover to an undeformed rest position without breakaway to allow the wearer uninterrupted usage while dampening forces that surpass an injury threshold from the resilient deformation that allows the planar sole portions to temporarily misalign.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2017Publication date: February 8, 2018Inventors: Christopher A. Brown, Nicholas Workman, Michael Doyle, Jessica Shelsky, Jessica K.Y. Cheu, Lorenzo M. Dube, James J. Muller, Pedro D. Oporto, Olivia G. Steen, Andrew R. Vickery
-
Patent number: 9730486Abstract: An impact absorbing footwear device employs opposed planar sole portions engaged by a selective resistance coupling that biases the opposed planar sole portions in a non-linear manner in response to forces exerted by the wearer against the sole portion in frictional contact with a floor surface. The planar sole portions are disposed in a footwear appliance that takes the form of an athletic shoe sole. The selective resistance coupling includes a plurality of resilient deformation members that engage the planar sole portions in an opposed circumferentially aligned manner, selectively deform in response to pressure exerted by the wearer for preventing ACL and other impact related injuries, and recover to an undeformed rest position without breakaway to allow the wearer uninterrupted usage while dampening forces that surpass an injury threshold from the resilient deformation that allows the planar sole portions to temporarily misalign.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2013Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Christopher Brown, Nicholas Workman, Michael Doyle, Jessica Shelsky
-
Publication number: 20130318832Abstract: An impact absorbing footwear device employs opposed planar sole portions engaged by a selective resistance coupling that biases the opposed planar sole portions in a non-linear manner in response to forces exerted by the wearer against the sole portion in frictional contact with a floor surface. The planar sole portions are disposed in a footwear appliance that takes the form of an athletic shoe sole. The selective resistance coupling includes a plurality of resilient deformation members that engage the planar sole portions in an opposed circumferentially aligned manner, selectively deform in response to pressure exerted by the wearer for preventing ACL and other impact related injuries, and recover to an undeformed rest position without breakaway to allow the wearer uninterrupted usage while dampening forces that surpass an injury threshold from the resilient deformation that allows the planar sole portions to temporarily misalign.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Inventors: Christopher Brown, Nicholas Workman, Michael Doyle, Jessica Shelsky