Patents Examined by Patrick J. Lynch
  • Patent number: 12686562
    Abstract: A whole-process automatic loading-and-unloading and logistics system is disclosed. The system includes an outer yarn preparation area, an inner yarn preparation area, a weaving area and an in-air conveying rail; the outer yarn preparation area is configured to have a carrier assembly, which delivers an outer yarn winding package to an outer yarn branch rail of a twisting machine in a twisting area via the out yarn main rail of the in-air conveying rail; in the inner yarn preparation area, the carrier assembly delivers an inner yarn winding package to an inner yarn branch rail of the twisting machine in the twisting area via the inner yarn main rail of the in-air conveying rail; in the twisting area, the carrier assembly delivers a yarn product to a yarn product donning rail in the weaving area via the yarn product main rail of the in-air conveying rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: YICHANG JINGWEI TEXTILE MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jian Nie, Pihua Zhang, Ming Zhang, Yanwei Zhang, Lei Wu, Yuchao Yan, Yongming Li, Longfei Zhang, Qingqing Lv, Huanian Yang
  • Patent number: 12677906
    Abstract: A shoe may comprise an upper (5) and a comfort sole (9) attached to an outsole (7), the comfort sole having a radius of curvature at any point of a line from a heel (C) to a toe (D) and interfacing with outsole (7), wherein the lowest point of comfort sole (9) and outsole (7), called the center of mass or balance point of the sole or natural balance point of the shoe, when placed on a substantially horizontal reference plane (H) defines a transition zone (Z1) of the roll of the foot having the highest radius of the comfort sole and the outsole, and in that the center of mass is behind point (B) of the metatarsals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: The North Face Apparel Corp.
    Inventors: Benoit Geis, Wu Shengching
  • Patent number: 12672688
    Abstract: A fit adjustment system for a helmet is described. An example fit adjustment system includes a first flexible layer and a second flexible layer joined to the first flexible layer to form a two-layer structure. A lower portion extends below a bottom edge of the helmet when the helmet is worn, and the two-layer structure is sufficiently flexible for repeated folding into the helmet's cavity when not worn. A dial housing is fixed between the first and second flexible layers and includes a dial seat which is exposed through a dial opening in the first flexible layer. A lace-tightening system operatively associated with the dial housing and includes a dial and at least one lace engaged with the dial. The lace is routed through left and right lace guides protruding through the first flexible layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2026
    Assignee: Smith Sport Optics, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Robbins, Eric Thorsell, Aaron Barker
  • Patent number: 12668905
    Abstract: A sewing machine assembly includes a sewing machine frame, a needle bar, a drive shaft, and a vibration dampener system. The needle bar configured to linearly reciprocate relative to the sewing machine frame along a needle bar axis. The drive shaft is coupled to the needle bar and configured to rotate about a drive axis to drive linear reciprocation of the needle bar along the needle bar axis. The vibration dampener system is coupled to the drive shaft to reduce vibration of the sewing machine assembly caused by linear reciprocation of the needle bar during use of the sewing machine assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2026
    Assignee: GRACEWOOD MANAGEMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Cody Wayment, Michael Campbell
  • Patent number: 12661860
    Abstract: Injection-molded footwear made by an injection molding method. The method can comprise: providing an upper; providing a mold and opening the mold; inserting the upper into the open mold; closing the mold; and injecting a pressurized molten resin, wherein, after the injecting, there is a gap filled with the resin between a side wall of the mold and an outer surface of at least a first portion of the upper, wherein the gap is essentially zero at a contacting point, wherein the gap increases gradually from the contacting point in at least a first region of the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2026
    Assignee: adidas AG
    Inventors: Marco Fischhold, Eric Jeandin, Harald Geyer, Ulisse Tanzini, Goussev Stanislav, Andrew Leslie, Matthias Linz, Sergius Merker
  • Patent number: 12660883
    Abstract: An article of footwear with a heel region including a posterior end of the article of footwear, a mid-foot region, and a forefoot region including an anterior end of the article of footwear; a lateral side, and a medial side opposite the lateral side; an upper; and a sole structure coupled to the upper. The sole structure has a midsole with a first cushioning element extending from the posterior end to the anterior end; a second cushioning element extending from the mid-foot region to the posterior end, the second cushioning element being formed of a different material than the first cushioning element; and a shell with a plurality of circumferentially-spaced apart protrusions, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is directly coupled to the second cushioning element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2026
    Assignee: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Richard August Benzien, Stephan Hausmann, Evan W. Jones, Christopher J. Lyke, Gowoon Park, Dylan Petrenka, DePaul Williams, Minuk You
  • Patent number: 12661268
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for welding-type headwear with enhanced movement and soft close. An example welding-type headwear has a moveable face cover configured for moving between a first position and an second position, and a movement mechanism configured for facilitating and controlling movement of the moveable face cover. The movement mechanism has a track component, a movement pin, and one or more springs. A movement assisting spring of the one or more springs is configured to assist in the moving of the moveable face cover towards to the second position. The track component has one or more tracks, and at least a portion of the movement pin is configured to move within the one or more tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2026
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Guse, Kathryn Kleman, Lindsey Oldencamp, Jordan Kopac, III
  • Patent number: 12655555
    Abstract: The sewing machine includes a sewing machine motor, a needle plate, a feed dog, a presser bar, a presser bar holder, an adjustment portion, a presser spring, a restriction portion, and a change member having a first member and a second member. In a first period in which a feed dog upper end is above a plate upper surface and the adjustment portion is spaced apart from the restriction portion, the adjustment portion contacts with the presser bar holder to cause the urging force of the presser spring to be transmitted to the presser bar. In a second period in which the feed dog upper end is beneath the plate upper surface and the adjustment portion contacts with the restriction portion, the adjustment portion is spaced apart from the presser bar holder to prevent the urging force of the presser spring from being transmitted to the presser bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 12653274
    Abstract: Article of footwear include an upper and an insole that can be easily attach and detached from the upper. An article of footwear includes an upper, an insole, an outsole, and outsole retention fasteners. The upper includes flexible attachment straps. The insole is configured for removable coupling with the upper via the flexible attachment straps. The outsole is configured for removable coupling with the insole via the outsole retention fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Inventors: Michael Horton, Valencia Burton
  • Patent number: 12642330
    Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure provides a structure for an article of footwear. The sole structure includes a cushioning element having a first material. The sole structure further includes a cradle including a second material, attached to the cushioning element, and including a plate disposed against the cushioning element and a pair of supports extending from opposite ends of the plate. The sole structure also includes a bladder disposed within the cradle between the supports. An upper barrier layer of the bladder contacts the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Can Eldem, Lai Wa C. Ho, Emily Simmons
  • Patent number: 12635754
    Abstract: A coupling assembly for safety headwear is provided. The coupling assembly includes one or more apertures within safety headwear, such as a hard hat, and a coupling structure that couples to the one or more apertures. The coupling structure includes one or more surfaces that interface with the safety headwear. The coupling structure includes a protrusion that defines one or more widths, and the protrusion extends through the one or more apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Caleb C. Adams, Patrick W. McCarthy
  • Patent number: 12628906
    Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes a cushion member and a chassis. The cushion member includes a first series of lobes alternating with a first series of recesses along a length of the cushion member. The first series of lobes and the first series of recesses extend along one of a medial side of the sole structure and a lateral side of the sole structure. The chassis is disposed between the cushion member and the upper and includes a series of first supports alternating with a second series of recesses. The supports of the series of first supports are aligned and in contact with respective lobes of the first series of lobes and the second series of recesses are aligned with the first series of recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan M. Brooks, Cassidy R. Levy, Philip Woodman
  • Patent number: 12622491
    Abstract: A fastening system for an object (e.g., a wearable such as footwear) is disclosed that includes a buckle assembly and a strap for adjusting tension. The buckle assembly includes a base and a slider engaged with the base. The strap includes an array of teeth to engage with a pawl formed on the base. The fastening system is configurable between an engaged condition and a released condition based on the positioning of the slider relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2025
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: Zipzon, LLC
    Inventor: Mark S. Soderberg
  • Patent number: 12616266
    Abstract: A headband ratchet mechanism for tightening/loosening the headband of a safety helmet is operated by a knob that rotates in tightening and loosening directions to tighten or loosen the headband about the head of a wearer of the safety helmet. A ratchet mechanism resists loosening of the headband during normal use of the safety helmet. A quick-release mechanism actuatable by the wearer enables headband tension to be relieved without rotating the knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2025
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Inventor: Joseph Anthony Milot, III
  • Patent number: 12605242
    Abstract: Methods of forming implants suitable for hernia or prolapse repair are provided, the implants including an implantable web including a combination of laid yarns and threading yarns and optionally a substrate. The methods include at least laying one or more laid yarns and threading one or more thread yarns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2026
    Assignee: SOFRADIM PRODUCTION
    Inventors: Damien Simons, Gaetan Guerin, Nizar Bechir
  • Patent number: 12601091
    Abstract: Provided is leather fibers for use in yarn. The leather fibers forming the yarn are obtained from cowhide and a thickness index (M) of the leather fibers satisfies Equation 1: M=D1/D2?60??[Equation 1] where D1: average thickness of the 10 fibers having the highest thickness in 1 mg of leather fibers, and D2: average thickness of the 10 fibers having the lowest thickness in 1 mg of leather fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2026
    Assignee: ATKO PLANNING INC.
    Inventors: Ji Eon Kim, Bong Jin Choi
  • Patent number: 12593882
    Abstract: Multipurpose bibs including multipurpose bibs including a body and a recess mounting point. The body includes an expanse of material adapted to overlie a torso of a person. The recess mounting point secures to the body. The recess mounting point defines a recess and includes flaps extending over the recess. The flaps are configured to retain a portion of a disposable bib selectively pressed into the recess. In some examples, the multipurpose bib includes rings affixed to the body, a tether coupled to the rings, and/or a hand accessory selectively coupled to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2025
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Inventor: Jason Christopher Wilson
  • Patent number: 12589266
    Abstract: Afforded is a ventilating/exhausting fan-mount equipped asbestos-removal protective work suit that reduces the risk of heat stroke yet does not create impediments to harsh asbestos removal projects. The protective suit is furnished with: air feed/exhaust sections provided on either side of a front trunk section of the suit, and ventilating/exhausting fan mounts, located on the inner side of the air feed/exhaust sections, for freely detachable/reattachable ventilating/exhausting fans, wherein the air feed/exhaust sections feature a filter component composed of a laminate intermediate of 150 to 250 g/m2 grammage containing polyacrylonitrile fibers and polyolefin fibers, an outer layer, and an inner layer of 15 to 35 g/m2 grammage containing polypropylene fibers. Except for the air feed/exhaust sections and the fan mounts, the main body of the protective suit is required to be composed of fabric material having a plastic film layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2025
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2026
    Assignee: Saferun Safety Supplies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bin Xiong
  • Patent number: 12582890
    Abstract: Garment (10) for playing sport, typically being a ball sport, such as rugby football. The garment (10) includes a pair of side tags (12) releasably attachable to a pair of attachment portions (18) arranged to be spaced from each other at opposed sides of the garment (10), a rear tag (14) releasably attachable to a further attachment portion (18) arranged at a rear of the garment (10), and at least one strap (16) connected between the garment (10) and at least one of the tags (12, 14) to allow the, or each, connected tag (12, 14) to be detached from the at least one associated attachment portion (18) and be suspended from the garment (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2026
    Inventor: Mark Gasnier
  • Patent number: 12564244
    Abstract: A sole for a running shoe having an elastic midsole, the midsole having a plurality of channels extending in the transverse direction of the midsole and arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the midsole, at least some of the channels each including an opening on the lateral side and/or on the medial side in the midsole; a front boundary and a rear boundary in the cross section along a cross sectional plane in the longitudinal direction of the midsole and perpendicularly to the transverse direction of the midsole, as well as a main longitudinal axis, along which the channels in each case extend in a slot-like manner from their respective rear boundary to their respective front boundary in such a way that the lateral-side and/or medial-side opening of the channels narrows along the main longitudinal axis from the rear boundary to the front boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2026
    Assignee: ON CLOUDS GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Rüegg, Nils Altrogge, Johannes Voelchert