Patents Examined by Katharine Gracz
  • Patent number: 10765169
    Abstract: High foot mobility footwear, including a sole and an upper that define separated front seats to hold respectively toes or groups of toes, where the sole includes a plurality of portions resting on the ground, substantially contiguous to each other along the plantar surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: VIBRAM S.P.A.
    Inventor: Marco Bramani
  • Patent number: 10765167
    Abstract: A shoe includes a concave body defining sidewalls and a sole of the shoe, and including a first layer received within a second layer. The first layer includes a portion of the sole and upwardly-projecting tabs constituting an inner circumferential wall defining an opening disposed entirely above the sole. The second layer includes a plurality of spaced U-shaped elements each of which includes two walls, forming a portion of an outer circumferential wall, and a bottom, forming a sole-shaped part of the second layer, connecting therebetween. The tabs are characterized by an elasticity that enables them to be pushed outwardly thereby expanding the opening to facilitate receipt of a foot therethrough, and are inwardly-biased thereby being configured to bear upon the foot when received within the cavity, thereby facilitating gripping of the received foot by the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Inventor: Yehuda Azoulay
  • Patent number: 10765175
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper with a forward covering portion and a rearward covering portion. The rearward covering portion can be adjusted between an open configuration for receiving a foot and a closed configuration for covering the foot. In the open configuration the rearward covering portion is approximately flat, while in the closed configuration the rearward covering portion has a three-dimensional shape. The rearward covering portion may be folded vertically between the open configuration and the closed configuration. A tensioning member can be used to control the configuration of the rearward covering portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Nadia M. Panian, Thomas J. Rushbrook
  • Patent number: 10757999
    Abstract: A ski boot comprising a lower part or shell, suitable for enclosing the user's foot and an upper part or cuff, suitable for enclosing the lower part of the skier's leg, wherein the cuff is hinged to the shell so as to rotate relative to the shell around hinges defining a rotation axis, forward, toward a tip of the boot, and backwards toward a heel of the boot, wherein the boot comprises fastening means suitable for selectively locking and/or unlocking the rotation of the cuff with respect to the shell depending on whether the user wants to switch from a skiing configuration to a walking configuration, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: OBER ALP S.P.A.
    Inventors: Nicola Viniero, Eric Hjorleifson
  • Patent number: 10750796
    Abstract: Aspects herein relates to a garment designed to provide an enhanced range of motion. This is accomplished by having a layered construction comprising different fabric/textile materials where the enhanced range of motion is desired. The garment in accordance with aspects herein particularly provides an enhanced range of motion for a wearer around the shoulders and arms. This enhanced range of motion may be especially beneficial when the wearer is engaged in a physically demanding activity or any activity benefitting from a wide range of movement by the wearer's arms and shoulders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel E. Farron, Scott K. Hutsenpiller, Lindsey V. J. Martin
  • Patent number: 10750797
    Abstract: The present invention is a deployable segmented sport equipment for reducing the impact force on sport equipment worn by a user by using deployable panels. The invention has a body defining a recess, and a panel movable within the recess. The panel includes a panel magnetic element capable of being acted upon by a magnetic force. An electromagnet is provided producing an attractive or repulsive magnetic force on the panel magnetic element. A proximity sensing device capable of sensing an object at a distance from the deployable segmented sport equipment is provided with the body. An electronic controller unit receives signals from the proximity sensing device and controls operation of the controllable magnetic element so as to deploy or retract the panel from or into the recess. The panel being deployed prior to impact with the object, with the repulsive force being controlled to absorb the impact force after impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Inventors: Sebastian Yoon, David A. Guerra
  • Patent number: 10736371
    Abstract: The present invention provides a protective headgear having a multi-layered shell to attenuate amplitude of mechanical waves of a blunt trauma to a human head by phase reversal of the mechanical waves at a boundary established between two adjacent layers of the multi-layered shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Inventor: Choon Kee Lee
  • Patent number: 10702002
    Abstract: Strap buckles for headgear can be independently adjusted by single-handed operation while the headgear is worn. To tighten the straps, the wearer pulls a strap buckle toward the chin. The adjustment preferably involves a 1:1 length-adjustment ratio, such that the strap is shortened substantially by the amount the wearer pulls on the buckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: David C. Rogers, Edward R. Hall
  • Patent number: 10681957
    Abstract: A shoe that simulates barefoot running having an outer sole having a forefoot portion, a heel portion, and a flexible bridge portion, wherein the flexible bridge portion is curved inwards to be narrower than a foot on both the lateral and medial sides, wherein the flexible bridge conforms to the foot's arch and is lifted off the ground when the shoe is tied onto the foot; a wrap overlay associated with the flexible bridge and having at least a first strap and at least a second strap, which are tied atop a metatarsal area of the foot, such that to suspend the flexible bridge therefrom and provide a 360 degrees wrap of the foot in the arch section of the foot, resulting in both, arch support and the shoe's anchoring to the foot; and, a roomy toe box providing toe splay and facilitating forefoot-striking
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Inventor: Daniel Thomas Duarte
  • Patent number: 10624419
    Abstract: A shoe sole comprises a first array of interconnected void cells that is oriented adjacent to a second opposing array of interconnected void cells, wherein the second opposing array of interconnected void cells is geometrically different from the first array of void cells and includes at least one void cell with an asymmetrical perimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: SKYDEX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jerod Dahl, Peter Foley, Collin Metzer, Trevor Kanous, Eric William Sugano
  • Patent number: 10595593
    Abstract: A spike is operable to be removably coupled to an article of footwear. The spike includes a first portion that is substantially rigid. The spike also includes a second portion that is resilient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10561193
    Abstract: A protective sports helmet that includes an energy attenuating faceguard connection system, which includes at least one connector that secures the faceguard to the helmet shell without a connection point in the shell's brow region. The lack of a brow region connection point results in a gap or clearance between the faceguard and the shell that has a functional interplay with the connector upon an impact to the faceguard. In general terms, when a substantially on-center impact to the faceguard occurs, the faceguard is displaced towards the shell and the connector bracket flexes outward relative to the helmet shell to help dissipate impact energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Withnall, Michael Wonnacott, Vittorio Bologna, Thad M. Ide, Ralph Infusino, Nelson Kraemer
  • Patent number: 10561181
    Abstract: A skeleton support has a concave shape configured to fit around a nose and mouth of a user. The support includes a skeletal structure that defines a plurality of connecting regions which form a first common connection interface. A cover includes a mounting mechanism with a plurality of fastening units which form a second common connection interface corresponding to the first common connection interface. Each fastening unit is configured to removably engage a corresponding connecting region of the skeleton support to hold the cover together with the skeleton support and form a mask. Different skeleton supports or covers with a different size, shape, color, pattern, flexibility, or material that also include the corresponding common connection interface can be swapped out to adjust the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: DANGERBOO, LLC
    Inventor: Ian Pearson
  • Patent number: 10561196
    Abstract: An article of footwear comprising a sole constructed for receiving a foot having a toe section and an ankle section with at least two loops fixedly attached to the toe section; an interchangeable upper, or several interchangeable uppers, having loops for securing the upper to the loops of the sole of the footwear; such uppers and soles attached by specialized clips adapted to facilitate a wide variety of advantages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Inventor: Viviana Schindler
  • Patent number: 10537151
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a customized cushioning sole system. A user's foot morphology and/or preferences may be used to design the sole member. The sole member can include a column of apertures that are formed along the outer surface of the sole member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Shane S. Kohatsu, Christopher S. Cook, Bret Schoolmeester
  • Patent number: 10531706
    Abstract: A shoe heel and heel cover system including a shoe post and a heel cover. The shoe post includes a polygonal main body, a ball, and a spring. The polygonal main body has a top and a bottom. The ball is located on the polygonal main body. The spring is positioned within the polygonal main body and behind the ball. The heel cover has an opening configured to matingly engage the ball and a polygonal void is formed through the heel cover. The heel cover slidably engages the shoe post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Shoenique Designs, Inc.
    Inventor: Melinda Alander
  • Patent number: 10531703
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a ski boot shell having a notch in the rear upper portion thereof, a rear bearing element movably connected relative to the shell, the rear bearing element has a first position in which it abuts against at least one surface of the shell to at least partially close the notch when skiing, and a second position withdrawn backward to allow the leg of a skier to be straightened when walking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: ROSSIGNOL LANGE S.R.L.
    Inventor: Remo Venturato
  • Patent number: 10524538
    Abstract: An article of footwear having a sole structure including a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid is described, along with a method of making the article. The chamber may include a tensile member extending between a first chamber barrier layer and a second chamber barrier layer. The tensile member may include a first tensile member layer bonded to the first chamber barrier layer, a second tensile member layer bonded to the second chamber barrier layer, and a plurality of tethers connecting the first tensile member layer to the second tensile member layer. The second tensile member layer may include a first section and a second section separate from the first section. In addition, a portion of the second chamber barrier layer may extend toward the first tensile member layer between the first section and the second section, the portion being joined to the first tensile member layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: John Hurd, Levi J. Patton
  • Patent number: 10517350
    Abstract: A sole plate includes slots spaced apart from each other and extending along a longitudinal axis to define at least one interior bridge portion disposed therebetween. A lateral bridge portion is disposed between a lateral side of the sole plate and a lateral most one of the slots, and a medial bridge portion is disposed between a medial side of the sole plate and a medial most one of the slots. A stiffness controlling device is interlaced between the lateral bridge portion, the interior bridge portions, and the medial bridge portion, and is moveable within the slots, between a first position and a second position, for changing between a first bending stiffness at a specific flex angle when the stiffness controlling device is in the first position, and a second bending stiffness at the specific flex angle when the stiffness controlling device is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Austin Orand, Aaron Weast
  • Patent number: 10506842
    Abstract: A rapid-entry and rebounding fit shoe having one or both of a rapid-entry heel element and a rapid-entry tongue element and both snap back for fit. The rapid-entry shoe directs a user's foot into or otherwise accommodates a user's foot with respect to, a shoe opening, and thereafter secures a rear portion of rapid-entry shoe about a user's heel as well as forefoot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: FAST IP, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Pratt, Steven Hermann, Seth Lytle, James Kuangcheng Tsen