Patents Examined by Bao-Thieu L Nguyen
  • False-twisted low-fused polyester yarn and multilayer-structure woven or knitted fabric
    Patent number: 9957647
    Abstract: A false-twisted low-fused polyester yarn has a non-untwisted part having a twist in a false-twist direction, an over-untwisted part having a twist in a direction opposite to the false-twist direction, and a non-twisted crimped part having no twist, alternately disposed along the longitudinal direction of the yarn, the average length of the non-untwisted part being no more than 7 mm, the average length of the over-untwisted part being at least 7 mm, and the degree of fusion-bonding in the yarn longitudinal direction being no more than 50%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Date, Naoki Oda, Tomoko Ito, Kouji Nishiya
  • Steel cord for rubber reinforcement
    Patent number: 9951469
    Abstract: A steel cord with two or more filaments possibly including a wrapping filament, at least one but not all of the two or more filaments including the possible wrapping filament is coated with a ternary or quaternary alloy coating of copper-M-zinc. The steel cord with lower cost and good adhesion performance is for reinforcing rubber product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: NV BEKAERT SA
    Inventors: Geert Seynhaeve, Stijn Himpe, Guy Buytaert
  • Protective headgear
    Patent number: 9943129
    Abstract: Aspects herein relate to protective headgear for sports and to methods of using such headgear. In one aspect, the headgear has an external head-protecting shell that is soft to reduce the risk of injuring other players. In another aspect, the headgear has a rear closure arrangement that includes a bridge component for ease of putting on the headgear and for added protection at the closure area of the rear closure arrangement. In another aspect, fit pads of different sizes are removeably attachable to an cheekbone extension member of the headgear to provide a proper fit to the wearer's cheekbone. A face mask is integrated with the headgear in some embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Cascade Maverik Lacrosse, LLC
    Inventors: Jesse Newman, Nicholas Colville, David Winthrop Fream, Stephen Moore
  • Yarn manufacturing apparatus
    Patent number: 9945053
    Abstract: A yarn producing apparatus includes front rollers movable while carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers are running and aggregates the CNT fibers. Each of the front rollers includes a groove provided on an outer circumference thereof to aggregate the CNT fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Fumiaki Yano, Shuichi Fukuhara, Hiroki Takashima
  • Braiding machine with multiple rings of spools
    Patent number: 9920462
    Abstract: A braiding machine including several rings for passing spools. The braiding machine may include an inner ring and an outer ring which may be comprised of rotor metals, and an intermediate ring that may be comprised of horn gears. Spools may pass along the inner and outer rings, and the horn gears in the intermediate ring may allow spools to be passed back and forth between the inner ring and the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Eun Kyung Lee
  • Cross-lapper
    Patent number: 9909236
    Abstract: A cross-lapper (1) includes an upper carriage (2), a laying carriage (3), and two endless laying belts, which are each guided on the main carriages (2, 3) by deflecting rollers (15 to 21). The one laying belt (6) is designed as a feeding belt, which carries a fibrous web (9) and feeds the fibrous web to the upper carriage (2). The other laying belt (7) is designed as a counter belt. The upper carriage (2) has a belt deflection device (12) for both laying belts (6, 7). At the belt deflection device (12), the laying belt (6) is deflected by approximately 180 degrees from a feeding direction (11) thereof to the opposite direction by means of three of more deflection points (15, 16, 17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: HI TECH TEXTILE HOLDING GMBH
    Inventors: Rudolf Kuhn, Steffen Hartung, Andreas Meier, Joachim Binnig, Eberhard Häberle
  • Device for creating smoke that emanates from an external foot covering
    Patent number: 9877546
    Abstract: A device worn on a foot of an individual for creating smoke that emanates about the device as the individual walks or runs, the device having a tube with two end portions wherein one end portion is closed and the other end portion is open, an exhaust pipe having two end portions, one end portion is open and the other end portion is substantially closed and permits smoke to escape therefrom, the open end portion of the exhaust pipe connects to the open end portion of the tube, the exhaust pipe having an air chamber positioned at the open end portion of the exhaust pipe, an atomizer, a liquid cartridge and a battery, and an external foot covering that houses the tube and the exhaust pipe wherein the end portion of the exhaust pipe, which permits smoke to escape therefrom, protrudes outward from the exterior side of the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Matthew Rehkemper
  • Shoe insole
    Patent number: 9877544
    Abstract: A shoe insole is provided which has a balance adjustability and a shock absorbability, can maintain a balance with a standard foot shape without discomfort, and improves fit and comfort by fitting to a user's foot. The insole is used by insertion into an inner bottom part of a shoe and includes a part that supports an arch of the foot, a part that recovers the balance of the foot to standard values, and a part that supports a heel of an underside of the foot, which improves stability and fit feel. A shock absorbing member is attached by pressure at least to a back side of the part that supports the heel of the underside of the foot. The body part is made of a hard material, and the shock absorbing member is made of a soft material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: PRESS CONTROL Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuji Yamamoto
  • Sweat management pad for protective helmets
    Patent number: 9872532
    Abstract: A protective helmet may include an energy management material inside an outer surface, a rim positioned on an outwardly facing surface between an inner surface and the outer surface, a sweat management pad assembly with an absorbent forehead pad positioned in a front portion of the helmet proximate the rim, the assembly including at least one absorbent extension tab extending from the absorbent forehead pad and across a portion of a surface of the rim outward of the inner surface of the energy management material, wherein the absorbent extension tab extends at least half a distance across the rim between the inner surface and the outer surface, and a fastener positioned between the absorbent extension tab and the rim and coupling the absorbent extension tab to the rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Bell Sports, Inc.
    Inventor: Hilgard N. Muller
  • Components for articles of footwear including lightweight, selectively supported textile components
    Patent number: 9872537
    Abstract: Footwear components are made from lightweight textile structures (e.g., including circular knitted structures made from natural or synthetic fibers, such as socks or sock-type structures). The textile structures are selectively supported at various areas to provide desired local characteristics. Additional aspects relate to methods of making such components, precursors to such components, and articles of footwear containing such components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Meschter, Bruce Kilgore
  • Pants assembly
    Patent number: 9861146
    Abstract: The invention relates generally to a pants assembly comprising an outer shell, inner pants, and a retaining system with first and second retainers mounted to the inner pants and outer shell and a belt at least partially encircling the inner pants and being at least partially on an outer side of the outer shell for allowing fit adjustment of the inner pants and outer shell around the wearer's waist. The inner pants and outer shell are coupled together by the belt while the outer shell is movable relative to the inner pants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: BAUER HOCKEY, LLC
    Inventors: Pascal Martel, Christian Gervais, Marc Gagnon
  • Components for articles of footwear including lightweight, selectively supported textile components
    Patent number: 9861161
    Abstract: Footwear components are made from lightweight textile structures (e.g., including circular knitted structures made from natural or synthetic fibers, such as socks or sock-type structures). The textile structures are selectively supported at various areas to provide desired local characteristics. Methods are provided for making such components, precursors to such components, and articles of footwear containing such components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: James C. Meschter, Bruce J. Kilgore
  • Cap having striker surface
    Patent number: 9848663
    Abstract: A hat assembly and method of use is provided including a striking surface for igniting a flammable instrument. The hat assembly may also provide a receptacle for storing flammable instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: MUNCHKIN, INC.
    Inventors: Steven Bryan Dunn, Brittany Beaudette Dunn, Steven Winston Dunn
  • Vacuum formed knit sole system for an article of footwear incorporating a knitted component
    Patent number: 9848673
    Abstract: A vacuum formed knit sole system for an article of footwear incorporating a knitted component is described. The article of footwear includes a knitted component including a lower portion forming the knit sole system and an upper portion forming a portion of the upper of the article of footwear. A method of vacuum forming the knitted component using an insert member to form the knit sole system is also described. The insert member can be used to form the shape of the knit outsole, including the shape of cleat members, as well as remain within the interior of the upper to reinforce the knit sole system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Tory M. Cross
  • Balloon tying aid
    Patent number: 9833721
    Abstract: A device and technique for knotting an inflated balloon or forming a knot in another material is provided. One approach includes: holding a knot tying aid by a handle portion, the handle portion being positioned opposite a distal portion, the distal portion including several prongs (in one nonlimiting example at least three) extending away from the handle and being spaced apart from one another in correspondence to vertices of a triangle; winding a tag end portion of the inflated balloon about the prongs to form a loop; and passing part of the tag end portion through the loop to form a knot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Inventor: Marque Plouffe
  • Twine knotter
    Patent number: 9832932
    Abstract: A twine knotter has a knotter frame (2). An intermediate shaft (3) is rotatably supported on the knotter frame (2) around a longitudinal axis L. A shaft input (4) connects the intermediate shaft (3) to an output element (61) of a knotter drive shaft (54). At least one knotter hook shaft (9, 10) is rotatably supported around a knotter hook axis (K1, K2) on the knotter frame (2). The at least one knotter hook shaft (9, 10) is drive-wise connected to the intermediate shaft (3). The at least one knotter hook shaft carries a knotter hook (11, 12) to form a knot. The twine knotter (1) is formed as an independent assembly. The twine knotter (1) is drive-wise detachably connectable, via the shaft input (4) of the intermediate shaft (3), to the knotter drive shaft (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Rasspe Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Friedrich-Wilhelm Schumacher, Heinrich Gunter Schumacher, Michael Flanhardt, Andreas Acimas
  • Headwear support device
    Patent number: 9826792
    Abstract: Devices that facilitate offsetting of weight of heard borne equipment such as helmets and other devices associated with helmets are provided. Through the use of pivots and an arm assembly that distributes weight from a person's head to his or her torso, additional and heavier objects can be carried on a person's head without causing undesirable levels of discomfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Creative Engineering, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Dowd, Philippe M. Putzeys
  • Glove game and method of use
    Patent number: 9820518
    Abstract: First and second gloves for playing games are provided, as is a method of using the gloves to play games. The gloves include four respective surfaces that each in turn include a partial image. A first and third partial image together form a first full image when the first and second gloves are arranged in a first position. A second and fourth partial image together form a second full image when the first and second gloves are arranged in a second position. The first and third images are on surfaces corresponding to backs of the gloves, while the second and fourth partial images are on surfaces corresponding to fronts of the gloves. The first and second full images may be used to play various games according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Inventor: Adam Daniels
  • Heel dampening systems and footwear including the same
    Patent number: 9814280
    Abstract: Heel dampening systems and footwear including the same. Articles of footwear include an upper and a sole assembly. The sole assembly includes at least an outsole and a heel assembly. The heel assembly includes a heel dampening system, an upper heel layer that includes a cushion aperture, and a lower heel layer. The heel dampening system includes a heel dampening layer configured to at least partially absorb an impact force and a cushioning projection that extends from the heel dampening layer and at least partially through the cushion aperture in the upper heel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Ariat International, Inc.
    Inventors: Calvin Myron Buck, IV, Marco Aurelio Grott
  • Knot-tying tool
    Patent number: 9801364
    Abstract: The knot-tying tool is a device that is used to assist in tying knots. The knot-tying tool is adapted for use with monofilament line. The knot-tying tool is further adapted for use with fishing hooks. The knot-tying tool includes a hook holder and a knotting post. The hook holder holds a fishing hook or a swivel such that a fishing line can be threaded through the fishing hook or swivel. The knotting post is a shaft around which the fishing line can be looped so as to assist in tying the knot attaching the fishing line to the fishing hook or swivel. The knot-tying tool includes a handle, a hook holder, a sleeve, and a knotting post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Inventors: Herman Miller, Sandra Miller