Patents Examined by Sharon M Prange
  • Particulate foam with partial restriction
    Patent number: 11304475
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper, an outsole, and a midsole disposed between the upper and the outsole. The outsole is attached to the upper and has a ground-engaging surface. The midsole has a series of walls that define a series of channels extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the midsole and along an entire length of the midsole. The series of channels are isolated from one another and each channel receives a quantity of particulate matter therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin W. Hoffer, Scott C. Holt, Jeffrey L. Johnson, Cassidy R. Levy, Nicholas R. Long, Matthew C. Palmer
  • Waterproof boot with internal convection system
    Patent number: 11297893
    Abstract: Disclosed is a waterproof shoe with an improved ventilation mechanism, designed to circulate air from the outside environment through the shoe in order to provide convective cooling to a wearer's foot. In a desired embodiment, the shoe may incorporate a pump-ventilation mechanism which, coupled with airflow channels incorporated in the upper, acts to establish continuous substantially one-way airflow through the shoe in a heel-to-toe direction while a user walks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: TBL Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Dulude, Brian Lee Strother, James McLain, Stephen Douglas Ammon, Thomas Yeh, Emily V. Miller
  • Article of footwear with fluid-filled element
    Patent number: 11298901
    Abstract: Articles of footwear include an upper and a sole structure having a fluid-filled element in the heel region. The fluid-filled element includes: (a) an upper surface, (b) a lower surface, and (c) an outer peripheral surface extending between the upper surface and lower surface. The fluid-filled element also includes a pair of spaced apart, substantially U-shaped voids that extend through a central region of the fluid-filled element. A first void of the pair of voids is located closer to a forward end of the fluid-filled element than a second void of the pair. Both the first void and the second void have an open portion of its U-shape oriented toward the forward end of the fluid-filled element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Jared S. Baggen
  • Trail boot with molded liner and adjustable metatarsal and metacarpal pad
    Patent number: 11297800
    Abstract: A canine trail boot has a molded sole with raised lugs that divide the sole into individual pad cups that each receive a single pad from a dog foot. Independent movement between adjacent pad cups better replicates a dog's pad movement. The molded sole may include a toe having unidirectional treads, a tail having a combination of treads that also receive and retain straps, and a cushioning pad that protrudes into and engages with an indentation on a dog's paw to retain a boot securely. The sole interior may be layered with insoles that provide puncture resistance, heat isolation or reflection, and other custom interior features, or a liner may be provided that may also further incorporate the raised cushioning pad. The cushioning pad may be longitudinally adjustable within the boot interior, to tailor the cushioning pad to the ideal position to engage with a dog's metatarsal or metacarpal pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: COSMIC PET BRANDS LLC
    Inventors: Stephen E. Paxton, Lisa M. Lugo-Paxton
  • Flat weft-knitted upper for sports shoes
    Patent number: 11272754
    Abstract: Described are uppers for a sports shoe with flat weft-knitted knitwear. The flat weft-knitted knitwear forms a top portion and a bottom portion of the upper. The top portion is formed as tube weft-knitted knitwear such that it is configured to surround a part of a shank of a wearer of the sports shoe when worn. The bottom portion is configured to cover at least a part of a foot of the wearer of the sports shoe when worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: adidas AG
    Inventor: Stefan Tamm
  • Shoe sole comprising injected bars
    Patent number: 11259591
    Abstract: A shoe sole (1) comprising an outsole (3), an insole (2) and a midsole (5) which extends between the insole (2) and the outsole (3), the midsole (5) being composed of a plurality of bars (6) which are substantially transversal and are aligned substantially longitudinally over the length of the sole, the insole (2) and the bars are composed of an elastomeric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Philippe Souyri, Bozena Voge, Bertrand Barre, Francis Lepage
  • Adjustable heel support member for article of footwear
    Patent number: 11253027
    Abstract: An adjustable heel support member includes a base portion and an extended portion. The extended portion comprises a lateral portion, a medial portion and a rearward portion. The heel support member further includes a fastening member that can be used to adjust the lateral portion, the medial portion and the rearward portion to resize the heel support member. In some cases, the fastening member may be an elastic ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Sergio Cavaliere
  • Footwear strobel with bladder and lasting component and method of manufacturing
    Patent number: 11253026
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes a strobel that has a polymeric bladder defining an interior cavity and configured to retain a fluid in the interior cavity. The polymeric bladder has a peripheral flange extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of the interior cavity. A tensile component is disposed in the interior cavity and is secured to opposing inner surfaces of the polymeric bladder. The peripheral flange defines a groove extending along the peripheral flange. The strobel also includes a lasting component configured to extend along the peripheral flange around the at least a portion of the perimeter of the interior cavity. The lasting component is secured to the peripheral flange. A method of manufacturing footwear that includes the strobel is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Arick Auyang, Derek Houng, Jason R. Meeker, Eric A. Schmalzer, Jeffrey S. To, Geoffrey A. Weston
  • Sole with projections and article of footwear
    Patent number: 11246375
    Abstract: A sole for an article of footwear includes a base having an outer edge defining a perimeter, the base having a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion and a heel portion; and a plurality of resilient projections extending from the base, wherein the plurality of projections includes a plurality of projections extending non-orthogonally from the base about the perimeter of the base and a plurality of projections extending substantially orthogonally from the base within the non-orthogonal projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Reebok International Limited
    Inventors: William Marvin, Matthew Montross, Ricardo Vestuti, Henry Hardigan
  • Footwear strobel with bladder having grooved flange and method of manufacturing
    Patent number: 11241063
    Abstract: A strobel for an article of footwear comprises a polymeric bladder that defines an interior cavity. The polymeric bladder is configured to retain a fluid in the interior cavity. The polymeric bladder has a peripheral flange extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of the interior cavity. The peripheral flange defines a groove extending along the peripheral flange. The polymeric bladder may include a first polymeric sheet bonded to a second polymeric sheet at the peripheral flange and joined to the second polymeric sheet at a plurality of interior welds. Methods of manufacturing a strobel and manufacturing footwear are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Arick Auyang, Derek Houng, Eric A. Schmalzer, Matthew Temple, Jeffrey S. To, Geoffrey A. Weston
  • Methods for and footwear assemblies with releasable attachment of soles
    Patent number: 11229257
    Abstract: A footwear assembly has releasably attachable sock and oversock arranged to cover the user's toes and heels. A user puts the sock on a first foot, puts the sock-covered toes into a water-resistant oversock's toe cap, stretches the oversock sole along its length by pressing a second foot down on a protrusion extending outward from the heel of the oversock sole, and releases the stretched sole to bring the oversock heel toward the sock-covered heel. An attachment fastener has a single sock attachment site, located on the rear of the sock at a heel rear portion, and a single oversock attachment site, located on a rear section of the oversock. The sock releasably attaches to the oversock at only the single sock attachment site; and the oversock releasably attaches to the sock at only the single oversock attachment site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Winnies Socks Company LLC
    Inventor: Kara A. Brunetta
  • Particulate foam in coated carrier
    Patent number: 11229260
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper, an outsole attached to the upper, and a midsole. The outsole is attached to the upper and includes a ground-engaging surface and an inner surface disposed on an opposite side of the outsole than the ground-engaging surface. The midsole includes a footbed and a bottom surface disposed on an opposite side of the midsole than the footbed and opposing the inner surface of the outsole to define a cavity therebetween. The article of footwear also includes a casing received within the casing and defining an interior void. The interior void contains a first quantity of particulate matter movable relative to the casing and a second quantity of particulate matter attached to the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Cassidy R. Levy
  • Footwear strobel with bladder and tensile component and method of manufacturing
    Patent number: 11219271
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes a strobel that has a polymeric bladder defining an interior cavity and configured to retain a fluid in the interior cavity. The polymeric bladder has a peripheral flange extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of the interior cavity. A tensile component is disposed in the interior cavity. The tensile component is secured to opposing inner surfaces of the polymeric bladder. The peripheral flange defines a groove extending along the peripheral flange. The groove serves as a guide path for an operator or for a machine to follow when stitching or otherwise securing the strobel to the upper. A method of manufacturing footwear is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Arick Auyang, Derek Houng, Jason R. Meeker, Eric A. Schmalzer, Jeffrey S. To, Geoffrey A. Weston
  • Knit shoes with elastic region
    Patent number: 11206899
    Abstract: A shoe may include an upper portion constructed from a continuous textile (e.g., a knit textile) that includes an elastic region and a structural region. The elastic region may be positioned about a perimeter of an opening into a cavity configured to receive a wearer's foot, and the elastic region may be configured to secure the shoe to a wearer's foot. The elastic region may have a first elasticity that is greater than a second elasticity of the structural region. In an unworn configuration, the elastic region may cause a tread surface of a sole of the shoe to have a continuous curvature. In a worn configuration, substantially all of an intermediate section of the tread surface may contact a surface on which the shoe is placed. The elastic region may improve the performance of the shoe, including the comfort and durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: ALLBIRDS, INC.
    Inventors: Jamie McLellan, Thomas Jad Finck, Lisa Halbower-Fenton, James Romero, Timothy Brown, Dennice Quijano Barerra, Talia Rapier, April Gourdie
  • Article of footwear with lacing system
    Patent number: 11206898
    Abstract: An article of footwear including a sole, an upper joined with the sole, and a lacing system. The lacing system is configured to secure the footwear to the wearer's foot and includes a primary lace support, a secondary lace support, and a lace. The primary lace support has a plurality of primary loops disposed on an exterior surface of the upper. Portions of the secondary lace support are inserted through the primary loops to form a plurality of secondary loops. A lace extends through the plurality of secondary loops. The lace is slidably adjustable within the secondary loops and the secondary loops are slidably adjustable within the primary loops to adjust the fit of the article of footwear on a wearer's foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Wolverine Outdoors, Inc.
    Inventor: Ian M. Cobb
  • Article of footwear having an automatic lacing system
    Patent number: 11185130
    Abstract: A footwear assembly includes at least one article of footwear having an upper and a housing disposed along the upper. A first lace extends along portions of the upper and into the housing through a first lateral aperture or a first medial aperture. The housing defines a swipe panel, a sole structure coupled with the upper, and a control PCB comprising a wireless communication module. The footwear assembly further includes an electronic device wirelessly coupled with the wireless communication module. The first lace can be incrementally tightened or loosened by swiping the swipe panel or via an input on a display screen of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: PUMA SE
    Inventors: Markus Bock, Randolph Maussner
  • Device for tightening a sports boot
    Patent number: 11178932
    Abstract: Sports boot including a shell and a liner, the shell extending upward so as to at least partially surround the lower leg of a user and including at least one tightening device configured to tighten the lower leg of the user. The tightening device includes the following: a first strap portion attached to the shell using a first anchoring mechanism; a second strap portion; mechanism configured to pair the first strap portion with the second strap portion; adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the length of the first strap portion or the length of the second strap portion; and a second anchoring mechanism configured to optionally connect the second strap portion to the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: SALOMON S.A.S.
    Inventor: Jean-Bruno Danezin
  • Article of footwear with base plate having structure and studs
    Patent number: 11172730
    Abstract: An article of footwear with a base plate having a structure and studs is disclosed. The structure may moderate stud pressure and enhance support during the first step of sprinting, quick directional changes, and backward movement. The structure may include a medial forefoot pad, a lateral forefoot pad connected to the medial forefoot pad, a medial heel pad, a first lateral heel pad connected to the medial heel pad, a first diagonal rib extending from the medial forefoot pad to the first lateral heel pad, a second diagonal rib extending from the lateral forefoot pad to the medial heel pad, a medial midfoot bar substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and disposed proximate the medial edge, and a lateral midfoot bar substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and disposed proximate the lateral edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Perry W. Auger, Sergio Cavaliere
  • Automated tensioning system for an article of footwear
    Patent number: 11160328
    Abstract: An article of footwear can include provisions for improving the operation and use of various systems associated with the article. An automated tensioning system can be configured to provide and perform a variety of functions associated with the fastening of the article of footwear. The automated tensioning system may tighten and loosen the article of footwear through the operation of a motor. The automated tensioning system may also be able to store and recall a preset tension level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Holli Pheil, Tiffany A. Beers, Andrew A. Owings, Ryan Frederick, Austin Palmer, Michael Ciuffo, Steven H. Walker
  • Sole structures with regionally applied auxetic openings and siping
    Patent number: 11147341
    Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear can include auxetic openings and sipes. The auxetic openings and sipes may be applied in a regional manner to achieve different characteristics for the sole structure in the different regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Deborah L. Lawless