Abstract: Embodiments herein relate generally to the field of footwear, and more particularly to components of performance footwear, such as midsoles, and in particular related to a high performance composite foam for a midsole, the composite foam comprising: a pelletized expanded thermoplastic elastomer; and a polyurethane (PU) matrix, wherein the pelletized expanded thermoplastic elastomer is mixed within the PU matrix. Midsoles made from a high performance composite foam and footwear including such midsoles. A method of making a high performance midsole is also provided.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 16, 2019
Date of Patent:
January 2, 2024
Assignee:
COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Inventors:
Yi Jiang Wei, Haskell Beckham, Gary John Banik
Abstract: Disclosed are insulating materials, and in particular materials that offer improved insulation properties without compromising breathability. The insulating materials may include a base material having a moisture vapor transfer rate (MVTR) of at least 2000 g/m2/24 h (JIS 1099 A1); a plurality of heat-reflecting elements coupled to a first side of the base material, each heat-reflecting element having a heat-reflecting surface and being positioned to reflect heat towards an underlying surface; and a plurality of spacer elements coupled to the first side of the base material, each spacer element sized and shaped to reduce contact of the heat-reflecting elements with the underlying surface.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 16, 2018
Date of Patent:
March 28, 2023
Assignee:
COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Inventors:
Michael “Woody” Blackford, Jeffrey Thomas Mergy
Abstract: Embodiments relate to an article of clothing that includes a base material with a moisture vapor transfer rate (MVTR) of at least 2000 g/m2/24 h (JIS 1099 A1). The article of clothing may further include a foam-based spacer material coupled to the first side of the base material. The foam-based spacer material may be positioned between the base material and a wearer of the article of clothing when the article of clothing is worn. The foam-based spacer material may be an array of discrete elements coupled with the base material. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
Type:
Application
Filed:
October 15, 2021
Publication date:
February 3, 2022
Applicant:
Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc.
Inventors:
Michael Woody Blackford, Jeffrey Thomas Mergy, Rebecca A. Durr, Haskell W. Beckham
Abstract: Embodiments herein provide a thermally insulated garment having a shell, a lining that is secured to the shell at a plurality of points to form a plurality of compartments, a thermally insulating filling contained within each of the plurality of compartments, and an outer layer disposed adjacent to the shell, wherein the outer layer overlays the plurality of points and the plurality of compartments while being detached from the plurality of points and the plurality of compartments.
Type:
Application
Filed:
August 2, 2021
Publication date:
February 3, 2022
Applicant:
Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc.
Inventors:
Becca Johnson, Joseph P. Boyle, Debra Criss
Abstract: A heat-management material that includes a base fabric having an externally facing surface and an internally facing surface; and a plurality of multilayered multifunctional heat-management elements coupled to the externally facing surface of the base material wherein the heat-management material has weighted average thermal emittance of less than 0.8 (or 80%). The multilayered multifunctional heat-management elements include a low thermal emittance layer and a high solar absorptance layer.
Type:
Application
Filed:
October 13, 2020
Publication date:
April 22, 2021
Applicant:
Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc.
Inventors:
Haskell Beckham, Rebecca Lynn Johnson, David Milton Anderson
Abstract: Embodiments herein relate generally to the field of footwear, and more particularly to components of performance footwear, such as midsoles, and in particular related to a high performance composite foam for a midsole, the composite foam comprising: a pelletized expanded thermoplastic elastomer; and a polyurethane (PU) matrix, wherein the pelletized expanded thermoplastic elastomer is mixed within the PU matrix. Midsoles made from a high performance composite foam and footwear including such midsoles. A method of making a high performance midsole is also provided.
Type:
Application
Filed:
April 16, 2019
Publication date:
April 1, 2021
Applicant:
Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc.
Inventors:
Yi Jiang Wei, Haskell Beckham, Gary John Banik
Abstract: Disclosed are cooling materials for clothing and other body gear that may use a discontinuous pattern of highly absorbent polymers coupled to a base fabric that has a low resistance to moisture spread (e.g., a high wicking rate) and lower absorption properties compared to the highly absorbent polymer elements, to manage moisture (e.g., sweat) and body heat. The absorbance of the highly absorbent polymers is greater than that of the base fabric, such as at least two times greater, and the highly absorbent polymer elements may be non-endothermic.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 2, 2015
Date of Patent:
December 29, 2020
Assignee:
Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc.
Inventors:
Michael E. “Woody” Blackford, Wayne Alan Skankey, Jeffrey Thomas Mergy, Craig Gates
Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to a base fabric for body gear and other goods having designed performance characteristics, and in particular to technical gear, such as garments, that utilize multispectral cooling elements coupled to the exterior facing surface of a base fabric.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 20, 2018
Date of Patent:
July 14, 2020
Assignee:
Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc.
Inventors:
Michael E. “Woody” Blackford, Jeffrey Thomas Mergy, Haskell Beckham
Abstract: Disclosed are insulating materials, and in particular materials that offer improved insulation properties without compromising breathability.
Type:
Application
Filed:
October 16, 2018
Publication date:
April 18, 2019
Applicant:
Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc.
Inventors:
Michael "Woody" Blackford, Jeffrey Thomas Mergy
Abstract: Provided herein are ecologically friendly waterproof fabrics that include a base fabric having a body-facing surface and an outward-facing surface, and a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier disposed on the outward-facing surface of the base fabric. The base fabric may be a wicking fabric or may be treated with a compound that enhances wicking, and the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier may include a plastic polymer, polyurethane, polyethylene, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene. The waterproof fabrics also may include an abrasion-resistant coating and/or a PFC-free durable water repellant (DWR) agent disposed on an outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier, and one or both of the abrasion-resistant coating and/or PFC-free DWR agent may be discontinuous. Also provided are methods of making a waterproof fabric.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 17, 2017
Date of Patent:
January 29, 2019
Assignee:
Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc.
Inventors:
Michael E. “Woody” Blackford, Jeffrey Thomas Mergy, Craig M. Gates, Wayne Alan Skankey