Patents by Inventor Todd A. Waatti
Todd A. Waatti 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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Publication number: 20110309551Abstract: Mold assemblies for compression molding of footwear components include molds, heating elements, conductor plates, insulating layers and carrier trays. An upper mold assembly is placed into a fixture attached to an upper press platen. A lower mold assembly slides into and out of a fixture attached to a lower press platen. Heating elements within the mold assemblies connect to electrical contacts in the fixtures when the mold assemblies are installed in the fixtures, thereby providing electrical power to the heating elements and heating the molds. A conveyor is positioned to receive a mold assembly from (or transfer a mold assembly to) the lower press platen fixture when the lower platen is in a lowered position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2011Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: NIKE, INC.Inventor: Todd A. Waatti
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Publication number: 20110277352Abstract: An image displaying device includes a background layer that is substantially opaque. The device also includes a display layer that is semi-transparent. The display layer includes an inner surface facing the background layer, and the inner surface is substantially smooth. The display layer further includes an outer surface facing away from the background layer, and the outer surface includes a plurality of raised areas and a plurality of recessed areas. The display layer has increased light transmissivity through the recessed areas and decreased light transmissivity through the raised areas such that a contrast of light transmissivity between the raised and recessed areas generates an image.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2010Publication date: November 17, 2011Inventors: JAMES E. DIEPENBROCK, CONNIE A. SARKINEN, TODD A. WAATTI
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Patent number: 8029721Abstract: Mold assemblies for compression molding of footwear components include molds, heating elements, conductor plates, insulating layers and carrier trays. An upper mold assembly is placed into a fixture attached to an upper press platen. A lower mold assembly slides into and out of a fixture attached to a lower press platen. Heating elements within the mold assemblies connect to electrical contacts in the fixtures when the mold assemblies are installed in the fixtures, thereby providing electrical power to the heating elements and heating the molds. A conveyor is positioned to receive a mold assembly from (or transfer a mold assembly to) the lower press platen fixture when the lower platen is in a lowered position.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2009Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: Todd A. Waatti
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Patent number: 8005558Abstract: Systems and methods for generating three-dimensional design lasts for footwear include: (a) generating a three-dimensional last structure on the computer display (e.g., having the appearance of a conventional footwear last structure); (b) receiving user input indicating offset values for various zones of the last structure, wherein the user input indicates offset values for one or more of: a toe region, a heel region, an ankle region, a forefoot region, and/or an instep region; and (c) generating a three-dimensional design last for the footwear on the computer based on the three-dimensional last structure and the user input indicating the desired offset values. The three-dimensional design last may constitute a modified version of the three-dimensional last structure that has an increased thickness to simulate a desired thickness of an upper material placed on the last structure and/or to more closely simulate an appearance of an actual footwear upper.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2007Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Todd A. Waatti, David T. Brack
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Publication number: 20090250843Abstract: Mold assemblies for compression molding of footwear components include molds, heating elements, conductor plates, insulating layers and carrier trays. An upper mold assembly is placed into a fixture attached to an upper press platen. A lower mold assembly slides into and out of a fixture attached to a lower press platen. Heating elements within the mold assemblies connect to electrical contacts in the fixtures when the mold assemblies are installed in the fixtures, thereby providing electrical power to the heating elements and heating the molds. A conveyor is positioned to receive a mold assembly from (or transfer a mold assembly to) the lower press platen fixture when the lower platen is in a lowered position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2009Publication date: October 8, 2009Applicant: NIKE, INC.Inventor: Todd A. Waatti
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Patent number: 7556492Abstract: Mold assemblies for compression molding of footwear components include molds, heating elements, conductor plates, insulating layers and carrier trays. An upper mold assembly is placed into a fixture attached to an upper press platen. A lower mold assembly slides into and out of a fixture attached to a lower press platen. Heating elements within the mold assemblies connect to electrical contacts in the fixtures when the mold assemblies are installed in the fixtures, thereby providing electrical power to the heating elements and heating the molds. A conveyor is positioned to receive a mold assembly from (or transfer a mold assembly to) the lower press platen fixture when the lower platen is in a lowered position.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2005Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: Todd A. Waatti
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Patent number: 7510484Abstract: Ball striking devices, such as golf club heads (including putter heads), include devices within and/or otherwise engaged with the ball striking head that allow users to selectively change the sound and/or other aspects of the “feel” associated with using the ball striking device to strike a ball. In this manner, a user, a club fitter, or the like can freely customize and adjust the sound and/or other aspects of the ball striking device's feel to correspond to a particular user's preferences.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2008Date of Patent: March 31, 2009Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, Todd A. Waatti, Carl L. Madore
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Publication number: 20090073162Abstract: Systems and methods for generating three-dimensional design lasts for footwear include: (a) generating a three-dimensional last structure on the computer display (e.g., having the appearance of a conventional footwear last structure); (b) receiving user input indicating offset values for various zones of the last structure, wherein the user input indicates offset values for one or more of: a toe region, a heel region, an ankle region, a forefoot region, and/or an instep region; and (c) generating a three-dimensional design last for the footwear on the computer based on the three-dimensional last structure and the user input indicating the desired offset values. The three-dimensional design last may constitute a modified version of the three-dimensional last structure that has an increased thickness to simulate a desired thickness of an upper material placed on the last structure and/or to more closely simulate an appearance of an actual footwear upper.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2007Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Todd A. Waatti, David T. Brack
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Publication number: 20080139335Abstract: Ball striking devices, such as golf club heads (including putter heads), include devices within and/or otherwise engaged with the ball striking head that allow users to selectively change the sound and/or other aspects of the “feel” associated with using the ball striking device to strike a ball. In this manner, a user, a club fitter, or the like can freely customize and adjust the sound and/or other aspects of the ball striking device's feel to correspond to a particular user's preferences.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2008Publication date: June 12, 2008Applicant: NIKE, INC.Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, Todd A. Waatti, Carl L. Madore
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Patent number: 7354355Abstract: Ball striking devices, such as golf club heads (including putter heads), include devices within and/or otherwise engaged with the ball striking head that allow users to selectively change the sound and/or other aspects of the “feel” associated with using the ball striking device to strike a ball. In this manner, a user, a club fitter, or the like can freely customize and adjust the sound and/or other aspects of the ball striking device's feel to correspond to a particular user's preferences.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2004Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, Todd A. Waatti, Carl L. Madore
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Publication number: 20070102843Abstract: Mold assemblies for compression molding of footwear components include molds, heating elements, conductor plates, insulating layers and carrier trays. An upper mold assembly is placed into a fixture attached to an upper press platen. A lower mold assembly slides into and out of a fixture attached to a lower press platen. Heating elements within the mold assemblies connect to electrical contacts in the fixtures when the mold assemblies are installed in the fixtures, thereby providing electrical power to the heating elements and heating the molds. A conveyor is positioned to receive a mold assembly from (or transfer a mold assembly to) the lower press platen fixture when the lower platen is in a lowered position.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2005Publication date: May 10, 2007Applicant: Nike, Inc.Inventor: Todd Waatti
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Publication number: 20070094896Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed that includes at least one of a stretchable upper and an articulated sole structure. The upper may include an exterior layer and an interior layer. The exterior layer forms at least a portion of an exterior of the upper, and the exterior layer includes a plurality of incisions that extend through the exterior layer. The interior layer is located adjacent an inner surface of the exterior layer, and the interior layer is exposed through the incisions. The sole structure may include a connecting portion and a plurality of discrete sole elements. The connecting portion is positioned adjacent the upper and may extend along a longitudinal length of the upper. The sole elements extend from the connecting portion, and the sole elements are separated by a plurality of sipes that extend upward into the sole structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2006Publication date: May 3, 2007Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tobie Hatfield, Eric Avar, Jeffrey Pisciotta, James Meschter, Kevin Hoffer, Stann Shepard, Todd Waatti
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Publication number: 20060073908Abstract: Ball striking devices, such as golf club heads (including putter heads), include devices within and/or otherwise engaged with the ball striking head that allow users to selectively change the sound and/or other aspects of the “feel” associated with using the ball striking device to strike a ball. In this manner, a user, a club fitter, or the like can freely customize and adjust the sound and/or other aspects of the ball striking device's feel to correspond to a particular user's preferences.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2004Publication date: April 6, 2006Applicant: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Gary Tavares, Todd Waatti, Carl Madore
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Publication number: 20060061012Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed that includes at least one of a stretchable upper and an articulated sole structure. The upper may include an exterior layer and an interior layer. The exterior layer forms at least a portion of an exterior of the upper, and the exterior layer includes a plurality of incisions that extend through the exterior layer. The interior layer is located adjacent an inner surface of the exterior layer, and the interior layer is exposed through the incisions. The sole structure may include a connecting portion and a plurality of discrete sole elements. The connecting portion is positioned adjacent the upper and may extend along a longitudinal length of the upper. The sole elements extend from the connecting portion, and the sole elements are separated by a plurality of sipes that extend upward into the sole structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2005Publication date: March 23, 2006Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tobie Hatfield, Eric Avar, Jeffrey Pisciotta, James Meschter, Kevin Hoffer, Stann Sheperd, Todd Waatti
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Publication number: 20060059721Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed that includes at least one of a stretchable upper and an articulated sole structure. The upper may include an exterior layer and an interior layer. The exterior layer forms at least a portion of an exterior of the upper, and the exterior layer includes a plurality of incisions that extend through the exterior layer. The interior layer is located adjacent an inner surface of the exterior layer, and the interior layer is exposed through the incisions. The sole structure may include a connecting portion and a plurality of discrete sole elements. The connecting portion is positioned adjacent the upper and may extend along a longitudinal length of the upper. The sole elements extend from the connecting portion, and the sole elements are separated by a plurality of sipes that extend upward into the sole structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2005Publication date: March 23, 2006Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tobie Hatfield, Eric Avar, Jeffrey Pisciotta, James Meschter, Kevin Hoffer, Stann Shepard, Todd Waatti
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Publication number: 20050076536Abstract: An article of footwear is disclosed that includes at least one of a stretchable upper and an articulated sole structure. The upper may include an exterior layer and an interior layer. The exterior layer forms at least a portion of an exterior of the upper, and the exterior layer includes a plurality of incisions that extend through the exterior layer. The interior layer is located adjacent an inner surface of the exterior layer, and the interior layer is exposed through the incisions. The sole structure may include a connecting portion and a plurality of discrete sole elements. The connecting portion is positioned adjacent the upper and may extend along a longitudinal length of the upper. The sole elements extend from the connecting portion, and the sole elements are separated by a plurality of sipes that extend upward into the sole structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2003Publication date: April 14, 2005Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Tobie Hatfield, Eric Avar, Jeffrey Pisciotta, James Meschter, Kevin Hoffer, Stann Shepard, Todd Waatti