Patents by Inventor Thomas G. Bell
Thomas G. Bell 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).
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Patent number: 11957208Abstract: Footwear and sole structures include structures and properties, e.g., to support urban dance and urban dance moves. Such dance styles include various dance moves and movements that require contact between side edges of the wearer's shoes and the dance floor surface (e.g., made from concrete, asphalt, wood, etc.). Such dance styles also require transition of the body's center of mass along the edge(s) of the foot. Footwear and sole structures in accordance with this technology provide structures and properties to support to support such dance styles and moves, including one or more of: selected materials and/or selected material properties in various areas to promote sliding or gliding along various surfaces and/or other desired interactions with various surfaces; selected sizing and/or dimensional features of components in various areas; various flexion promoting structures and/or characteristics; etc.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tinker L. Hatfield, Thomas G. Bell, Rory S. Blanche, Risha Dupre, Christopher Mellick, Kaigin Olafson, Andrew A. Owings, Jeffrey C. Spanks, Caitlin Vultaggio
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Patent number: 11839264Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper having an enclosure including an adjustment region extending from a first edge to a second edge formed on an opposite side of the adjustment region from the first edge. The upper further includes a cable tensioning guide attached to the enclosure adjacent to the first edge of the adjustment region. The cable tensioning guide includes a first conduit and a second conduit. A cable of the upper includes a tensioning element having a first tensioning segment extending across the adjustment region from the first conduit and a second tensioning segment extending across the adjustment region from the second conduit. The cable further includes a control element having a first control segment connected to the first tensioning segment at the first conduit, and a second control segment connected to the second tensioning segment at the second conduit.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2021Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Tobie D. Hatfield, Elizabeth A. Kilgore, Andrew A. Owings, Brandon J. Wilen
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Patent number: 11712088Abstract: A warp knit element for an article of footwear includes a plurality of cell structures that extend from a sole structure to a lacing region of an upper.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2021Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Scott C. Holt, Thomas J. Rushbrook, Sam Amis
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Patent number: 11707114Abstract: An article of footwear facilitates relatively easy donning and removal, and secure adjustment. The article of footwear comprises a sole structure, an upper secured to the sole structure, and a plurality of tensioning cables having proximal ends fixed to at least one of the upper or the sole structure and extending out of the upper. A strap has a proximal end connected to distal ends of the plurality of tensioning cables, and has a distal end releasably securable to the upper to tighten the tensioning cables. A webbed spacer is secured to the plurality of tensioning cables. The webbed spacer extends between adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables, and the adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables spaced apart from one another by the webbed spacer.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2020Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Jeffrey C. Spanks
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Publication number: 20230123618Abstract: Footwear and sole structures include structures and properties, e.g., to support urban dance and urban dance moves. Such dance styles include various dance moves and movements that require contact between side edges of the wearer’s shoes and the dance floor surface (e.g., made from concrete, asphalt, wood, etc.). Such dance styles also require transition of the body’s center of mass along the edge(s) of the foot. Footwear and sole structures in accordance with this technology provide structures and properties to support to support such dance styles and moves, including one or more of: selected materials and/or selected material properties in various areas to promote sliding or gliding along various surfaces and/or other desired interactions with various surfaces; selected sizing and/or dimensional features of components in various areas; various flexion promoting structures and/or characteristics; etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2022Publication date: April 20, 2023Inventors: Tinker L. Hatfield, Thomas G. Bell, Rory S. Blanche, Risha Dupre, Christopher Mellick, Kaigin Olafson, Andrew A. Owings, Jeffrey C. Spanks, Caitlin Vultaggio
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Publication number: 20230104760Abstract: Ground-engaging components for articles of footwear include an outer perimeter boundary rim that at least partially defines an outer perimeter of the ground-engaging component, wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim defines an upper-facing surface and an opposite ground-facing surface. The outer perimeter boundary rim defines an open space at least at a forefoot support area of the ground-engaging component. A matrix structure extends from the outer perimeter boundary rim (e.g., the ground-facing surface and/or the upper-facing surface) and across the open space at least at the forefoot support area to define an open cellular construction with plural open cells across the open space at least at the forefoot support area. The matrix structure defines one or more sets of adjacent open cells, the set(s) including at least three open cells that are substantially aligned in the forefoot support area along a line extending in a forward medial-to-rear lateral direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Inventors: Michael S. Amos, Thomas G. Bell, Lysandre Follet, Thomas Foxen, John Hurd, Shane S. Kohatsu, Troy C. Lindner, Geng Luo, Adam Thuss, Andrea Vinet
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Patent number: 11571041Abstract: Textile Components, such as upper members for articles of footwear, include: (a) a first portion having a first edge, wherein the first edge includes a first portion of material engaged with a first seam support material via a first thermoplastic material; (b) a second portion having a second edge, wherein the second edge includes a second portion of material engaged with a second seam support material via a second thermoplastic material; and (c) structure to engage the first and second edges in an abutting edge joint (such as a zig-zag stitch). The resulting textile components may be lightweight and breathable (e.g., due to use of lightweight upper fabric), having a comfortable fit (e.g., due to the abutting edge joint), while still providing a strong, stable, and durable construction (e.g., due to the presence of the seam support member(s)).Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: Thomas G. Bell
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Patent number: 11553758Abstract: Footwear and sole structures include structures and properties, e.g., to support urban dance and urban dance moves. Such dance styles include various dance moves and movements that require contact between side edges of the wearer's shoes and the dance floor surface (e.g., made from concrete, asphalt, wood, etc.). Such dance styles also require transition of the body's center of mass along the edge(s) of the foot. Footwear and sole structures in accordance with this technology provide structures and properties to support to support such dance styles and moves, including one or more of: selected materials and/or selected material properties in various areas to promote sliding or gliding along various surfaces and/or other desired interactions with various surfaces; selected sizing and/or dimensional features of components in various areas; various flexion promoting structures and/or characteristics; etc.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tinker L. Hatfield, Thomas G. Bell, Rory S. Blanche, Risha Dupre, Christopher Mellick, Kaigin Olafson, Andrew A. Owings, Jeffrey C. Spanks, Caitlin Vultaggio
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Publication number: 20230011412Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole, and an upper that has a medial side portion extending from the medial side of the sole with a first distal end remote from the medial side. The upper has a lateral side portion extending from the lateral side of the sole with a second distal end remote from the lateral side. The upper may include a support member extending at least partially across the foot-receiving surface with a first end remote from the medial side. The medial and lateral side portions wrap at least partially around a foot with the first distal end securable proximal to the lateral side, and the second distal end separately securable proximal to the medial side. An article of footwear has cables with proximal ends fixed to one side of the upper and that extend through looped cables on an opposite side of the upper.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2022Publication date: January 12, 2023Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Paul J. Francis, Claudio Innocente
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Patent number: 11533968Abstract: Ground-engaging components for articles of footwear include: (a) an outer perimeter boundary rim that at least partially defines an outer perimeter of the ground-engaging component, wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim defines an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein the outer perimeter boundary rim defines an open space at least at a forefoot support area of the ground-engaging component; and (b) a matrix structure extending from the outer perimeter boundary rim (e.g., the ground-facing surface and/or the upper-facing surface) and across the open space at least at the forefoot support area to define an open cellular construction with plural open cells across the open space at least at the forefoot support area, wherein a plurality (e.g., at least a majority) of the open cells have curved perimeters with no distinct corners.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Michael S. Amos, Thomas G. Bell, Lysandre Follet, Thomas Foxen, John Hurd, Shane S. Kohatsu, Troy C. Lindner, Geng Luo, Adam Thuss, Andrea Vinet
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Patent number: 11523660Abstract: An article of footwear facilitates relatively easy donning and removal, and secure adjustment. The article of footwear comprises a sole structure, an upper secured to the sole structure, and a plurality of tensioning cables having proximal ends fixed to at least one of the upper or the sole structure and extending out of the upper. A strap has a proximal end connected to distal ends of the plurality of tensioning cables, and has a distal end releasably securable to the upper to tighten the tensioning cables. A webbed spacer is secured to the plurality of tensioning cables. The webbed spacer extends between adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables, and the adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables spaced apart from one another by the webbed spacer.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2020Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Jeffrey C. Spanks
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Patent number: 11478044Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole, and an upper that has a medial side portion extending from the medial side of the sole with a first distal end remote from the medial side. The upper has a lateral side portion extending from the lateral side of the sole with a second distal end remote from the lateral side. The upper may include a support member extending at least partially across the foot-receiving surface with a first end remote from the medial side. The medial and lateral side portions wrap at least partially around a foot with the first distal end securable proximal to the lateral side, and the second distal end separately securable proximal to the medial side. An article of footwear has cables with proximal ends fixed to one side of the upper and that extend through looped cables on an opposite side of the upper.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Paul J. Francis, Claudio Innocente
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Publication number: 20220290340Abstract: Woven inflatable devices and methods for making woven inflatable devices are provided. The woven inflatable devices include a laminated sheet with inflatable regions that when inflated cause the laminated sheet to transform from a planar shape to a three-dimensional shape such as a chair, container, or kiteboard harness.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2022Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Natalie A. Candrian
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Patent number: 11412812Abstract: A pair of sole plates for a complementary pair of articles of footwear may generally include a first article with a first sole plate and a second article with a second sole plate, where the first sole plate is asymmetrical with respect to the second sole plate. The first sole plate includes a first groove that extends along a first lateral side of the first sole plate, and the second sole plate includes a second groove that extends along a second medial side of the second sole plate. The asymmetry of first sole plate with respect to second sole plate may improve performance, flexibility, and agility during running and in particular, during athletic events along a curved track.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Leslie Barnes, Thomas G. Bell, Dustin Hatfield, John Hurd, Troy C. Lindner, Geng Luo, Gordon A. Valiant, Jay T. Worobets
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Patent number: D949541Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2019Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tinker L. Hatfield, Thomas G. Bell
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Patent number: D949545Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2021Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tinker L. Hatfield, Thomas G. Bell
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Patent number: D953722Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Rory S. Blanche, Tinker L. Hatfield, Kaigin Olafson
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Patent number: D955721Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Rory S. Blanche, Tinker L. Hatfield, Kaigin Olafson
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Patent number: D981092Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Rory S. Blanche, Tinker L. Hatfield, Kaigin Olafson
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Patent number: D981093Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Rory S. Blanche, Tinker L. Hatfield, Kaigin Olafson