Patents Assigned to Nike, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20110277346
    Abstract: A framework-chamber arrangement for an article of footwear, and an article of footwear having a sole structure including a framework-chamber arrangement, is provided that can cooperate to provide various advantageous features, such as multiple-stage cushioning and specialized attenuation of and reaction to ground contact forces. The framework-chamber arrangement can include a fluid-filled chamber forming laterally extending arms and a framework having corresponding recesses formed therein and receiving a lower portion of the chamber. The fluid-filled chamber can be retained within the framework without a bond being formed between lower regions of the chamber arms and the framework. Peripheral portions of some of the chamber arms can be spaced apart from adjacent portions of corresponding channels while in a relaxed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: LEE D. PEYTON, ANDREW C. RICHARDS
  • Patent number: 8056173
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to the use of soluble thread in the preparation of footwear, in particular athletic footwear. After preparing aspects of the footwear, the soluble thread is dissolved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Hu RongBo
  • Patent number: 8056267
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper. The sole assembly includes a sole plate having a lower surface, and a plurality of cleats extending downwardly from the lower surface. Each cleat has a central recess formed therein, a core formed of a first material, and an outer layer on the core and formed of a second material that is softer than the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Perry W. Auger, Daniel W. Peter, Sergio Cavaliere
  • Patent number: 8058837
    Abstract: An article of footwear and a footwear housing is disclosed. The footwear housing includes a charging station that can be used to charge a battery in the footwear housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiffany A. Beers, Michael R. Friton, Tinker L. Hatfield
  • Patent number: 8056263
    Abstract: An article of footwear including an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper and including a support assembly having an upper member and a lower member spaced from the upper member. A first layer is positioned beneath and in contact with the upper member and has a wave shaped profile with a plurality of first wave crests and first wave troughs. A second layer is positioned above the lower member and has a wave shaped profile with a plurality of second wave crests and second wave troughs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric S. Schindler, Fred G. Fagergren
  • Patent number: 8056269
    Abstract: An article of footwear with a lighting system is disclosed. The lighting system includes three lighting devices disposed on the article of footwear. The lighting system is also associated with an automatic fastening system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiffany A. Beers, Michael R. Friton, Tinker L. Hatfield
  • Publication number: 20110275454
    Abstract: Golf clubs, club heads, and club weighting systems may include: (a) a club head body member; and (b) one or more weight members movably engaged with the club head body member so as to move between a first position and a second position to change an overall exterior shape of the club head. This shape change may result in changes to the overall center of gravity, weighting, and/or moment of inertia characteristics of the club head. Alternatively or additionally, the weight member(s) may be removed from the club head body member, reoriented, and/or replaced with a different weight member, e.g., to change the overall exterior shape, center of gravity, weighting, and/or moment of inertia characteristics of the club head. Methods of making and using these clubs, club heads, and weighting systems also are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: John Thomas STITES, Robert BOYD, David N. FRANKLIN
  • Publication number: 20110272085
    Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure includes a midsole element, an upper sheet, and a lower sheet. The midsole element has an upper surface and an opposite lower surface. In addition, the midsole element defines a plurality of bores extending from the upper surface to the lower surface. The upper sheet is secured to the upper surface and extends over at least a portion of the bores. The lower sheet is secured to the lower surface, and the lower sheet is positioned to correspond in location with the upper sheet and extend under the portion of the bores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin W. Hoffer, John Hurd
  • Publication number: 20110271813
    Abstract: A cutting die for cutting a plurality of parts of an article of footwear from a bulk material. The cutting die includes a first cutting member that cuts a first part of the article of footwear from the bulk material. The cutting die also includes a second cutting member that cuts a second part of the article of footwear from the bulk material. The second cutting member is fixed to the first cutting member to cut the first and second parts together with a single stroke of the cutting die relative to the bulk material. The first and second parts are separate and distinct from each other and have different shapes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Luanne E. Jarman-Miller, N. Scott Hull, Hsueh-Fang Chen
  • Publication number: 20110272443
    Abstract: A strap has an extension element and a support element. The extension element joins with an article, such as a bag, backpack, or purse. The support element is secured to the extension element and has a plurality of sipes that enhance the flexibility of the strap. In another configuration, the support element has a central area formed from a foam that is more compressible than a foam forming end areas. In yet another configuration, the support element has a wedge-shaped cross-section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Paul J. Fidrych, Chris Helmsworth
  • Publication number: 20110275446
    Abstract: Wood-type golf clubs as described herein may include: (a) a hosel to receive a golf club shaft; (b) a club head; and (c) a ball striking face. The club head include may include: a plurality of weights, a plurality of tubes, and an exterior cover structure (e.g., an exterior skin) that covers at least a portion of the plurality of weights and at least a portion of the plurality of tubes, and wherein the exterior cover structure defines the shape of the club head. Additionally, the ball striking face may be engaged with at least two of the plurality of weights and/or at least two of the tubes. The plurality of weights may include a first weight, a second weight, a third weight, and a fourth weight that are all engaged with the striking face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald S. Rahrig, Robert Boyd, James S. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20110275452
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as an iron-type golf club, includes a head that has a face having a ball striking surface defined thereon and an arched top edge, an iron-type golf club body connected to the face, and a hosel connected to the body. The arched top edge of the face includes a crest portion, a first upwardly sloping portion extending from a toe edge of the face to the crest portion, and a second upwardly sloping portion extending from the hosel to the crest portion, such that the distance from the bottom edge of the face to the top edge of the face is greatest at the crest portion. The hosel has a first end connected to the body and a second end located below the crest portion of the face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael E. Finn
  • Publication number: 20110271555
    Abstract: An article of footwear which includes a midsole and foot stabilizer. The foot stabilizer includes a longitudinally extending spine portion and a plurality of ribs extending laterally therefrom from opposing lateral and medial sides. The plurality of ribs being positioned to at least partially underlie a foot of a user. The spine portion is disposed above and affixed to the midsole and the ribs are contoured to partially enclose the foot of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventor: Alexandre BAUDOUIN
  • Publication number: 20110275453
    Abstract: Golf club heads include: (a) a body member constructed, at least in part, from cellular structure material; (b) a ball striking face engaged or integrally formed with the body member; and/or (c) a shaft member engaged with the body member. Weight savings realized through the use of lightweight cellular structure materials allows additional weight to be placed at other desired locations in the club head structure. By adjusting and selectively placing weight in the club head structure, the club head's moment of inertia, center of gravity, and/or stability characteristics may be favorably affected and/or the resulting ball flight may be influenced and/or customized to a specific individual golfer, to provide a more controlled, consistent, and/or straight ball flight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, David N. Franklin, Abhishek Gupta, David S. Lee, John T. Stites
  • Publication number: 20110275940
    Abstract: Athletic activity may be monitored using heart rate in addition to or instead of other types of metrics. Accordingly, multiple different activity types may be compared based on heart rate information. Additionally, the heart rate information may be visualized by displaying the heart rate data over time or relative to pace or distance. Additionally, the system may allow a user to analyze his or her heart rate performance by identifying one or more portions of the athletic activity in which a user exhibited a specified range of heart rates. Athletic activity sessions may further be tagged with various indicators including weather, terrain, difficulty and intensity. According to one or more aspects, data for different types of activity metrics may be polled and/or transmitted to a system at different rates or based on different schedules. Moreover, users may specify whether sensed data may be uploaded, recorded and/or visualized prior to or during an activity session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Jason Nims, Matt Capozzi, Michael Benjamin Hailey, Kwamina Crankson
  • Publication number: 20110271552
    Abstract: A chamber may have an outer barrier and a tensile member. The barrier is formed from a polymer material that defines an interior cavity. The tensile member is located within the interior cavity and includes (a) a first layer element secured to the barrier, (b) a second layer element secured to an opposite portion of the barrier, and (c) a plurality of I-shaped tether elements that extend through the first layer element and the second layer element. In some configurations, the tether elements may include (a) a first end member located between the barrier and the first layer element, (b) a second end member located between the barrier and the second layer element, and (c) a central member extending through the first layer element and the second layer element and secured to the first end member and the second end member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventor: LEE D. PEYTON
  • Publication number: 20110271423
    Abstract: Articles of apparel include: (a) a garment structure having one or more fabric elements structured and arranged to provide a close fit to at least one predetermined portion of a body (e.g., area(s) of the body for which enhanced position sensing and/or feedback are desired, such as the lower back, the arch of the foot, etc.); and (b) a body position feedback system engaged with or integrally formed as part of the garment structure. The body position feedback system may apply higher tensile or constricting forces to selected portions of the wearer's body, which can help stimulate or interact with nerves and deep tissue receptors located in various portions of the body. The increased forces at selected locations of the body give the wearer sensory feedback regarding the position or orientation of these parts of the body and can improve or accelerate development of “muscle memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. WRIGHT, Kenneth Todd CRAIG
  • Patent number: D648514
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric P. Avar
  • Patent number: D648518
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Leo S. Chang
  • Patent number: D648519
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Leo S. Chang