Patents by Inventor Jeff Darland

Jeff Darland 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).

  • Patent number: 10702011
    Abstract: The manufacturing of articles relies on the bonding of two or more components to form some forms of the articles, such as a shoe sole bonded with a shoe upper. The bonding may be achieved with an adhesive particulate that is applied to a surface of a substrate. The adhesive particulate is selectively fused to the substrate with a controlled energy source, such as a laser. The selective application of laser energy allows for specific geometric structures of adhesive particulate to be formed on the substrate. The substrate having the fused adhesive particulate is mated with another component allowing the fused adhesive particulate to bond the first substrate and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: NIKE, INC.
    Inventor: Jeff Darland
  • Publication number: 20180213885
    Abstract: The manufacturing of articles relies on the bonding of two or more components to form some forms of the articles, such as a shoe sole bonded with a shoe upper. The bonding may be achieved with an adhesive particulate that is applied to a surface of a substrate. The adhesive particulate is selectively fused to the substrate with a controlled energy source, such as a laser. The selective application of laser energy allows for specific geometric structures of adhesive particulate to be formed on the substrate. The substrate having the fused adhesive particulate is mated with another component allowing the fused adhesive particulate to bond the first substrate and the second component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventor: Jeff Darland
  • Patent number: 10004292
    Abstract: The manufacturing of articles relies on the bonding of two or more components to form some forms of the articles, such as a shoe sole bonded with a shoe upper. The bonding may be achieved with an adhesive particulate that is applied to a surface of a substrate. The adhesive particulate is selectively fused to the substrate with a controlled energy source, such as a laser. The selective application of laser energy allows for specific geometric structures of adhesive particulate to be formed on the substrate. The substrate having the fused adhesive particulate is mated with another component allowing the fused adhesive particulate to bond the first substrate and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, INC.
    Inventor: Jeff Darland
  • Publication number: 20150290877
    Abstract: The manufacturing of articles relies on the bonding of two or more components to form some forms of the articles, such as a shoe sole bonded with a shoe upper. The bonding may be achieved with an adhesive particulate that is applied to a surface of a substrate. The adhesive particulate is selectively fused to the substrate with a controlled energy source, such as a laser. The selective application of laser energy allows for specific geometric structures of adhesive particulate to be formed on the substrate. The substrate having the fused adhesive particulate is mated with another component allowing the fused adhesive particulate to bond the first substrate and the second component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventor: Jeff Darland
  • Publication number: 20150290893
    Abstract: The manufacturing of articles relies on the bonding of two or more components to form some forms of the articles, such as a shoe sole bonded with a shoe upper. The bonding may be achieved with an adhesive particulate that is applied to a surface of a substrate. The adhesive particulate is selectively fused to the substrate with a controlled energy source having multiple energy emitters individually controllable, such as a laser array. The selective application of laser energy allows for specific geometric structures of adhesive particulate to be formed on the substrate. The substrate having the fused adhesive particulate is mated with another component allowing the fused adhesive particulate to bond the first substrate and the second component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventor: Jeff Darland
  • Patent number: 8959690
    Abstract: A method of making an article of footwear may include providing a last shaped to resemble a human foot. The method may also include forming at least one footwear component at least in part from a susceptor material that is thermally reactive to an electromagnetic field. The method may further include covering at least a portion of the last with two or more footwear components, wherein the two or more footwear components includes the at least one footwear component formed at least in part from a susceptor material. In addition, the method may include applying an electromagnetic field to the susceptor material, causing induction heating of the susceptor material and joining the two or more footwear components by melding the two or more components with the induction heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric A. Boardman, Jeff Darland, Jerry Hauth, Denis Schiller
  • Publication number: 20140000044
    Abstract: A method of making an article of footwear may include providing a last shaped to resemble a human foot. The method may also include forming at least one footwear component at least in part from a susceptor material that is thermally reactive to an electromagnetic field. The method may further include covering at least a portion of the last with two or more footwear components, wherein the two or more footwear components includes the at least one footwear component formed at least in part from a susceptor material. In addition, the method may include applying an electromagnetic field to the susceptor material, causing induction heating of the susceptor material and joining the two or more footwear components by melding the two or more components with the induction heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Eric A. Boardman, Jeff Darland, Jerry Hauth, Denis Schiller