Abstract: The invention relates to parts having a foamed polymeric material attached to a fabric, and systems and methods for forming same. An example method of attaching foamed polymeric material to a fabric layer includes providing a mold having at least one cavity and at least one material injection channel in fluid communication with the cavity, disposing a fabric over the at least one cavity, closing the mold, injecting unfoamed polymeric material into the at least one cavity through the material injection channel, wherein the unfoamed polymeric material penetrates at least a portion of the fabric proximate the at least one cavity to attach the polymeric material to the fabric layer, and foaming the unfoamed polymeric material.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 13, 2013
Date of Patent:
January 16, 2018
Assignee:
New Balance Athletics, Inc.
Inventors:
Christopher J. Wawrousek, Sean B. Murphy, Matthew Dunbar, Patrick Y. Choe
Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for designing and manufacturing customized footwear, and components thereof. An example method includes a method of designing at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear customized for a user. The method includes the steps of determining at least one input parameter related to a user, analyzing the at least one input parameter to determine at least one performance metric of a foot of the user, and determining at least one customized structural characteristic of at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear for the user based on the performance metric.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 19, 2013
Date of Patent:
October 17, 2017
Assignee:
New Balance Athletics, Inc.
Inventors:
Chris Wawrousek, Jean-Francois Fullum, Sean B. Murphy, Pedro Rodrigues, Trampas Tenbroek
Abstract: The invention relates to shoes including sole elements having a cambered profile. An example sole element includes a midsole having a heel portion, a midfoot portion, and a forefoot portion, the midfoot portion including a longitudinal arch including a medial longitudinal arch portion and a lateral longitudinal arch portion, wherein the longitudinal arch is at least partially elevated above a ground surface in an unloaded condition and deforms towards a ground surface and elongates longitudinally in a loaded condition.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 14, 2014
Date of Patent:
September 5, 2017
Assignee:
New Balance Athletics, Inc.
Inventors:
Andrew A. Bjornson, Marya Lourdes Chan, Patrick Y. Choe, Bernard Jankowski, Sean B. Murphy
Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for creating a foamed part. An example method includes providing a polymer processing system, providing a mold having at least one expandable mold cavity in fluid communication with the polymer processing system, mixing polymeric material and blowing agent within the polymer processing system to produce a unfoamed mixture, injecting a volume of the mixture of polymeric material and blowing agent from the polymer processing system and into the expandable mold cavity, and expanding the mold cavity to expand the unfoamed mixture within the mold cavity and form the foamed part.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 27, 2012
Date of Patent:
July 18, 2017
Assignee:
New Balance Athletics, Inc.
Inventors:
Patrick Y. Choe, Sean B. Murphy, Levi A. Kishbaugh
Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for monitoring one or more athletic performance characteristic of a user. An example apparatus includes a sensing unit adapted to be attachable to a shoe of a user, the sensing unit including a first sensor adapted to monitor an movement of a foot of the user while the user is in motion, the first sensor comprising a gyroscopic sensor, processing means for determining a first performance characteristic of the user based upon an output from the first sensor, the first performance characteristic comprising a foot strike location of a foot of the user upon striking a ground surface, and transmitting means for transmitting a data package representative of the performance characteristic to a remote receiver.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 7, 2012
Date of Patent:
May 9, 2017
Assignee:
New Balance Athletics, Inc.
Inventors:
Ethan Pease, Klaus Renner, Gordon Row, Kim B. Blair, Christopher J. Wawrousek, Sean B. Murphy, Jean-Francois Fullum, Katherine Petrecca, Trampas Tenbroek
Abstract: The invention relates to pockets for a garment, and methods for manufacturing same. An example pocket includes an opening with a pocket bag extending from the opening within an inner portion of the garment, the pocket bag including an inner material portion and an outer material portion with connecting means fixedly connecting a first region of the inner material portion and a first region of the outer material portion to divide the pocket bag into a first compartment and a second compartment, the connecting means extending substantially upwards from a bottom portion of the pocket bag.