Patents by Inventor George A. Xanthos

George A. Xanthos has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250194746
    Abstract: A device configured to surround a portion of a foot-receiving cavity at a heel region of an article of footwear comprises a control bar having a center segment, a first side arm extending from the center segment, and a second side arm spaced from the first side arm and extending from the center segment. The control bar may include a series of slats. A base supports the control bar and is connected to the first side arm and the second side arm. The control bar is biased to an unstressed position with the center segment a first distance from the base, and elastically bends under an applied force to a loaded position with the center segment a second distance from the base less than the first distance. The device stores potential energy that returns the control bar to the unloaded position upon removal of the applied load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2025
    Publication date: June 19, 2025
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiffany A. Beers, John T. Dimoff, Wade Flanagan, Austin Orand, George A. Xanthos
  • Publication number: 20250151847
    Abstract: Articles of footwear include upper components and/or sole components. In some examples, the articles of footwear and/or sole structures may include features making them well suited for obstacle course type athletic events (e.g., by providing enhanced traction for various obstacle course events, such as wall climb events, rope climb events, etc.). As some more specific examples, articles of footwear and/or components thereof may include one or more of: (a) a ground-contacting surface having a plurality of large grooves, a plurality of small grooves, and relatively flat and/or smoothly curved base surfaces between the grooves; (b) a medial sidewall having a concave exterior surface, e.g., in the midfoot area; (c) a medial sidewall having enhanced traction features, e.g., in the midfoot area; and/or (d) a medial instep component (e.g., medial eye stay reinforcing component) having enhanced traction features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2025
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Katelyn Ricciardi, George A. Xanthos
  • Publication number: 20250091308
    Abstract: A method of forming an article of footwear can include flowing a material into an inlet port of a last and through a plurality of interconnected channels extending through an interior of the last that are fluidly connected to the inlet port. The method can further include flowing the material from each channel, out a respective outlet port of the channel that is disposed on an outer surface of the last, and directly onto the outer surface of the last. The method can further include solidifying the material on the outer surface of the last to form at least a portion of the article of footwear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: 12250993
    Abstract: A device configured to surround a portion of a foot-receiving cavity at a heel region of an article of footwear comprises a control bar having a center segment, a first side arm extending from the center segment, and a second side arm spaced from the first side arm and extending from the center segment. The control bar may include a series of slats. A base supports the control bar and is connected to the first side arm and the second side arm. The control bar is biased to an unstressed position with the center segment a first distance from the base, and elastically bends under an applied force to a loaded position with the center segment a second distance from the base less than the first distance. The device stores potential energy that returns the control bar to the unloaded position upon removal of the applied load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiffany A. Beers, John T. Dimoff, Wade Flanagan, Austin Orand, George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: 12232561
    Abstract: Articles of footwear include upper components and/or sole components. In some examples, the articles of footwear and/or sole structures may include features making them well suited for obstacle course type athletic events (e.g., by providing enhanced traction for various obstacle course events, such as wall climb events, rope climb events, etc.). As some more specific examples, articles of footwear and/or components thereof may include one or more of: (a) a ground-contacting surface having a plurality of large grooves, a plurality of small grooves, and relatively flat and/or smoothly curved base surfaces between the grooves; (b) a medial sidewall having a concave exterior surface, e.g., in the midfoot area; (c) a medial sidewall having enhanced traction features, e.g., in the midfoot area; and/or (d) a medial instep component (e.g., medial eye stay reinforcing component) having enhanced traction features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Katelyn Ricciardi, George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: 12121103
    Abstract: A device configured to surround a portion of a foot-receiving cavity at a heel region of an article of footwear comprises a control bar having a center segment, a first side arm extending from the center segment, and a second side arm spaced from the first side arm and extending from the center segment. The control bar may include a series of slats. A base supports the control bar and is connected to the first side arm and the second side arm. The control bar is biased to an unstressed position with the center segment a first distance from the base, and elastically bends under an applied force to a loaded position with the center segment a second distance from the base less than the first distance. The device stores potential energy that returns the control bar to the unloaded position upon removal of the applied load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiffany A. Beers, John T. Dimoff, Wade Flanagan, Austin Orand, George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: 12121104
    Abstract: A device configured to surround a portion of a foot-receiving cavity at a heel region of an article of footwear comprises a control bar having a center segment, a first side arm extending from the center segment, and a second side arm spaced from the first side arm and extending from the center segment. The control bar may include a series of slats. A base supports the control bar and is connected to the first side arm and the second side arm. The control bar is biased to an unstressed position with the center segment a first distance from the base, and elastically bends under an applied force to a loaded position with the center segment a second distance from the base less than the first distance. The device stores potential energy that returns the control bar to the unloaded position upon removal of the applied load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiffany A. Beers, John T. Dimoff, Wade Flanagan, Austin Orand, George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: 12053050
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes a footwear upper defining at least a portion of an ankle opening and including a flexible covering, a sole structure secured to and underlying the footwear upper, and a device including a control bar and a base. The control bar includes a center segment rearward of the ankle opening, a first side arm extending downwardly and forwardly from the center segment at a medial side of the footwear upper, and a second side arm extending downwardly and forwardly from the center segment at a lateral side of the footwear upper. The base is connected to both of the first side arm and the second side arm such that the center segment, the first side arm, the second side arm, and the base define a void therebetween. The flexible covering extends across the void.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiffany A. Beers, John T. Dimoff, Wade Flanagan, Austin Orand, George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: 12029663
    Abstract: A traction system for an ambulatory support such as a prosthetic foot blade or a crutch includes a sole plate, a latch assembly, and a strap. The sole plate is couplable to a distal end of the ambulatory support to extend under a bottom side of the ambulatory support and a latch assembly. The latch assembly includes a front catch and a rear catch both fixable at a top side of the ambulatory support with the front catch nearer to the distal end of the ambulatory support than the rear catch, and a lever having a front end and a rear end, the front end releasably latchable to the front catch and the rear end releasably latchable to the rear catch when the lever is pivoted about the latched front end. The strap is secured to the lever and to the sole plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Austin J. Orand, George A. Xanthos, Aron Kristbjorn Albertsson, Bjarni Andresson, Arinbjorn Viggo Clausen, Christophe Guy Lecomte, Sindri Pall Sigurdsson, Maria Gudrun Sveinbjornsdottir
  • Patent number: D1023542
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: D1023543
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: D1024530
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: D1024535
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: D1029484
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: D1030290
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: D1031236
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: D1033012
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: D1033013
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: D1040497
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: D1041845
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Xanthos