Patents by Inventor Tobie D. Hatfield

Tobie D. Hatfield 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20250031803
    Abstract: Footwear components apply heat, cooling, and/or pressure to a wearer's foot/leg/ankle. Such footwear includes one or more of: (a) an interior upper layer formed from one or more interior upper component parts; (b) an exterior upper layer formed from one or more exterior upper component parts and engaged with the interior upper layer, wherein the interior and exterior upper layers define an ankle-receiving chamber of the footwear upper; (c) a fluid-filled bladder system including a first fluid chamber located between the interior and exterior upper layers; (d) a heating and/or cooling system having at least a portion engaged with the first fluid chamber; (e) a fluid source component (e.g., pump, compressor, etc.) in fluid communication with the first fluid chamber and configured to supply fluid to the first fluid chamber; (f) a power source; and/or (g) a securing system for releasably securing the footwear upper to a wearer's foot/leg/ankle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2024
    Publication date: January 30, 2025
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Andrew A. Owings
  • 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: 11910856
    Abstract: Aspects herein are directed to an upper-body garment that facilitates upright sleeping. The garment includes an inner hood with a mesh elastic panel that is adapted to be positioned across the wearer's forehead helping to anchor the inner hood on to the wearer's head. The inner hood includes a low stretch or no stretch center panel. The center panel extends from the mesh elastic panel, down the center back of the inner hood, and further extends on to a back aspect of a torso portion of the garment where it forms a center portion of the back of the upper-body garment. Because the center panel has low stretch or no stretch, the wearer's head and neck are held in an upright or generally upright position when the inner hood is donned. The upper-body garment further includes a large volume outer hood positioned external to the inner hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Dickson, Tobie D. Hatfield, Hee Ji, Daniel A. Judelson, Peter P. Williams, II
  • Patent number: 11839264
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Tobie D. Hatfield, Elizabeth A. Kilgore, Andrew A. Owings, Brandon J. Wilen
  • Patent number: 11832682
    Abstract: An upper component for an article of footwear allows easy entry of the foot into the article of footwear. The upper component includes a heel body, which includes a first portion partially defining an ankle opening. The heel body further includes a second portion coupled to the first portion. The second portion is foldable and partially defines the ankle opening. The second portion is movable relative to the first portion between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration. The upper component includes at least one tension member coupled to the second portion. The tension member is movable relative to the first portion to move the second portion from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration. The ankle opening is larger when the second portion is in the unfolded configuration than when the second portion is in the folded configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Ami Davis, John T. Dimoff, Nadia M. Panian, Thomas J. Rushbrook
  • Patent number: 11786003
    Abstract: An article of footwear may include a sole structure and an upper. The upper may include a first section and a second section and may define a foot-receiving cavity over the sole structure. The first section may be fixed to the sole structure, and the second section may articulate relative to the first section between an access position and a use position, the foot-receiving cavity being more exposed when the second section is in the access position. A magnetic coupling includes a first coupling member that may be operatively secured to the second section of the upper and a second coupling member may be operatively secured to the sole structure and positioned so that the first coupling member couples with the second coupling member by magnetic force when the second section is in the access position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Koosha Aslani, Jeffrey C. Spanks
  • Publication number: 20230292881
    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: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Katelyn Ricciardi, George A. Xanthos
  • Patent number: 11647812
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure. The article of footwear further includes a first member that extends away from the sole structure. The first member at least partially defines a medial side and a lateral side of the article of footwear. Moreover, the second member has a body, a first support arm, and a second support arm. The body is attached to the first member such that the first member and the body cooperate to define a void that is configured to receive a foot. The body is also attached to the sole structure. The first support arm is attached to the first member on the medial side, and the second support arm is attached to the first member on the lateral side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan N. Farris, Tobie D. Hatfield, Eric P. Avar
  • Publication number: 20230029743
    Abstract: An article of footwear may include a sole structure and an upper. The upper may include a first section and a second section and may define a foot-receiving cavity over the sole structure. The first section may be fixed to the sole structure, and the second section may articulate relative to the first section between an access position and a use position, the foot-receiving cavity being more exposed when the second section is in the access position. A magnetic coupling includes a first coupling member that may be operatively secured to the second section of the upper and a second coupling member may be operatively secured to the sole structure and positioned so that the first coupling member couples with the second coupling member by magnetic force when the second section is in the access position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Koosha Aslani, Jeffrey C. Spanks
  • Patent number: 11553760
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper. The upper may include a first and a second section and partially define a foot-receiving cavity over the sole structure. The first section may be fixed to the sole structure and the second section may articulate between an access position and a use position. The foot-receiving cavity may be more exposed in the access position to allow easier foot entry. A strap may extend from one of the first and the second section. A looped handle may extend from the strap and may at least partially form a loop. The strap may extend across the second section of the upper when the second section is in the use position. The strap may have a distal portion configured to releasably secure to one of the first section or the second section with the looped handle exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Eric P. Avar, Ross Klein, Jeffrey C. Spanks
  • Publication number: 20220378587
    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: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: 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: 11490690
    Abstract: An article of footwear may include a sole structure and an upper. The upper may include a first section and a second section and may define a foot-receiving cavity over the sole structure. The first section may be fixed to the sole structure, and the second section may articulate relative to the first section between an access position and a use position, the foot-receiving cavity being more exposed when the second section is in the access position. A magnetic coupling includes a first coupling member that may be operatively secured to the second section of the upper and a second coupling member may be operatively secured to the sole structure and positioned so that the first coupling member couples with the second coupling member by magnetic force when the second section is in the access position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Koosha Aslani, Jeffrey C. Spanks
  • Patent number: 11446165
    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: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    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: 11439201
    Abstract: A pair of shoes may be asymmetric between one another in various respects. For example, the left shoe may include a left-shoe wrapping panel non-releasably coupled to a left-shoe medial side and extending towards a left-shoe lateral side while the right shoe may include a wrapping panel non-releasably coupled to a right-shoe lateral side and extending towards a right-shoe medial side. The left-shoe wrapping panel may releasably couple to the left-shoe lateral side and the right-shoe wrapping panel may releasably couple to the right-shoe medial side. The left shoe and the right shoe may respectively include a left-shoe heel strap and a right-shoe heel strap. The left-shoe heel strap and a right-shoe heel strap each respectively wrap around, at least in part, a heel region of the left shoe and the right shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Tobie D. Hatfield
  • Publication number: 20220132979
    Abstract: An upper component for an article of footwear allows easy entry of the foot into the article of footwear. The upper component includes a heel body, which includes a first portion partially defining an ankle opening. The heel body further includes a second portion coupled to the first portion. The second portion is foldable and partially defines the ankle opening. The second portion is movable relative to the first portion between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration. The upper component includes at least one tension member coupled to the second portion. The tension member is movable relative to the first portion to move the second portion from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration. The ankle opening is larger when the second portion is in the unfolded configuration than when the second portion is in the folded configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Ami Davis, John T. Dimoff, Nadia M. Panian, Thomas J. Rushbrook
  • Patent number: 11253023
    Abstract: An upper component for an article of footwear allows easy entry of the foot into the article of footwear. The upper component includes a heel body, which includes a first portion partially defining an ankle opening. The heel body further includes a second portion coupled to the first portion. The second portion is foldable and partially defines the ankle opening. The second portion is movable relative to the first portion between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration. The upper component includes at least one tension member coupled to the second portion. The tension member is movable relative to the first portion to move the second portion from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration. The ankle opening is larger when the second portion is in the unfolded configuration than when the second portion is in the folded configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie D. Hatfield, Ami Davis, John T. Dimoff, Nadia M. Panian, Thomas J. Rushbrook
  • Publication number: 20220015465
    Abstract: Aspects herein are directed to an upper-body garment that facilitates upright sleeping. The garment includes an inner hood with a mesh elastic panel that is adapted to be positioned across the wearer's forehead helping to anchor the inner hood on to the wearer's head. The inner hood includes a low stretch or no stretch center panel. The center panel extends from the mesh elastic panel, down the center back of the inner hood, and further extends on to a back aspect of a torso portion of the garment where it forms a center portion of the back of the upper-body garment. Because the center panel has low stretch or no stretch, the wearer's head and neck are held in an upright or generally upright position when the inner hood is donned. The upper-body garment further includes a large volume outer hood positioned external to the inner hood.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Gregory Dickson, Tobie D. Hatfield, Hee Ji, Daniel A. Judelson, Peter P. Williams, II
  • Publication number: 20210368945
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Tobie D. Hatfield, Elizabeth A. Kilgore, Andrew A. Owings, Brandon J. Wilen
  • Publication number: 20210307935
    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: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: 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