Patents by Inventor Steven Francis Smith

Steven Francis Smith 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: 10609987
    Abstract: Articles of footwear with a sock-like upper and methods for constructing thereof are provided. In one embodiment, an upper comprises a first layer including a first interior and a first exterior, a second layer including a second interior and a second exterior, where the first layer and the second layer comprise a same material and are physically coupled at one end of each layer, and a plurality of sub-structural components positioned between the first exterior and the second interior. In this way, manufacturing articles of footwear with a sock-like upper may be simplified, while the comfort and fit of the articles of footwear may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Fuerst Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Francis Smith
  • Patent number: 10441028
    Abstract: Variable-density soles for articles of footwear and methods for constructing said soles are provided herein. In one embodiment, a variable-density sole for a footwear article comprises a first layer comprising a first density coupled to a bottom surface of an upper of the article of footwear; and a second layer comprising a second density greater than the density of the first layer, wherein the first layer is physically coupled to the second layer forming an interface between the layers. In this way, comfort of the article of footwear may be increased while decreasing the weight of the article of footwear. Further, forming the variable-density sole includes directly molding the first layer to a strobel board, stitching the strobel board to an upper, and injecting the second layer to the upper with the strobel board and the first layer. In this way, the production of a footwear article is simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Fuerst Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Francis Smith, Rory Fuerst, Jr., Jeremy Androschuk
  • Publication number: 20170360153
    Abstract: Variable-density soles for articles of footwear and methods for constructing said soles are provided herein. In one embodiment, a variable-density sole for a footwear article comprises a first layer comprising a first density coupled to a bottom surface of an upper of the article of footwear; and a second layer comprising a second density greater than the density of the first layer, wherein the first layer is physically coupled to the second layer forming an interface between the layers. In this way, comfort of the article of footwear may be increased while decreasing the weight of the article of footwear. Further, forming the variable-density sole includes directly molding the first layer to a strobel board, stitching the strobel board to an upper, and injecting the second layer to the upper with the strobel board and the first layer. In this way, the production of a footwear article is simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Steven Francis Smith, Rory W. Fuerst, JR., Jeremy Androschuk
  • Publication number: 20160302524
    Abstract: Articles of footwear with a sock-like upper and methods for constructing thereof are provided. In one embodiment, an upper comprises a first layer including a first interior and a first exterior, a second layer including a second interior and a second exterior, where the first layer and the second layer comprise a same material and are physically coupled at one end of each layer, and a plurality of sub-structural components positioned between the first exterior and the second interior. In this way, manufacturing articles of footwear with a sock-like upper may be simplified, while the comfort and fit of the articles of footwear may be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventor: Steven Francis Smith