Patents by Inventor Richard C. MacDonald

Richard C. MacDonald 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: 20140230122
    Abstract: An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Wright, Kenneth T. Craig, Richard C. MacDonald, Leonard W. Brownlie
  • Patent number: 8745769
    Abstract: An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Wright, Kenneth T. Craig, Richard C. MacDonald, Leonard W. Brownlie
  • Patent number: 8347413
    Abstract: An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Wright, Kenneth T. Craig, Richard C. MacDonald, Leonard W. Brownlie
  • Publication number: 20120192334
    Abstract: An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Nike Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Wright, Kenneth T. Craig, Richard C. MacDonald, Leonard W. Brownlie
  • Patent number: 8185971
    Abstract: An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Wright, Kenneth T. Craig, Richard C. MacDonald, Leonard W. Brownlie
  • Publication number: 20110162122
    Abstract: An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Wright, Kenneth T. Craig, Richard C. MacDonald, Leonard W. Brownlie
  • Patent number: 7941869
    Abstract: An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Wright, Kenneth T. Craig, Richard C. MacDonald, Leonard W. Brownlie
  • Patent number: 7856668
    Abstract: The apparel is an athletic garment formed from textiles for use as a resistance training tool that works by increasing the fluid resistance such as aerodynamic drag or hydrodynamic drag on an athlete in a predetermined event. The athletic garment has a first fabric for covering at least a portion of a first body segment, and a second fabric, different from said first fabric, for covering at least a portion of a second body segment; wherein the second fabric is a turbulence-generating fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Demarest, Richard C. MacDonald, Jorge Emilio Carbo, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20080189825
    Abstract: An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Wright, Kenneth T. Craig, Richard C. MacDonald, Leonard W. Brownlie
  • Publication number: 20080078008
    Abstract: The apparel is an athletic garment formed from textiles for use as a resistance training tool that works by increasing the fluid resistance such as aerodynamic drag or hydrodynamic drag on an athlete in a predetermined event. The athletic garment has a first fabric for covering at least a portion of a first body segment, and a second fabric, different from said first fabric, for covering at least a portion of a second body segment; wherein the second fabric is a turbulence-generating fabric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Demarest, Richard C. MacDonald, Jorge Emilio Carbo
  • Patent number: 7028342
    Abstract: A garment system includes a torso covering member and an upper back and shoulder covering member secured to the torso covering member by a fastener. The garment may include a plurality of torso covering members, each having a configuration different from each of the others, and a plurality of upper back and shoulder covering members, each having a configuration different from each of the others. In certain embodiments, the fastener has a first portion secured to the torso covering member and a second portion secured to the upper back and shoulder covering member. The fastener may be a magnetic fastener, and at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the fastener may have a surface discontinuity configured to mate with the other of the first portion and second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew D. Nordstrom, Richard C. MacDonald, Jordan J. Wand
  • Patent number: 6438755
    Abstract: An aerodynamic suit for improved athletic performance, and a method of manufacturing the suit. Each body segment is assigned a Reynolds number based upon the velocity and size of the body segment. Each body segment has an appropriate textile assigned to it. The texture of the textile is appropriate to the Reynolds number. As a result, each body segment should go through transition simultaneously during the athletic event. The limbs of the suit are preferably cut so that the seams between the limbs and the rest of the suit are at angles parallel to the direction of movement when at estimated maximum velocity to thereby reduce creases and aerodynamic drag resulting therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. MacDonald, Edward L. Harber