Patents by Inventor Yoon Jeong Choi

Yoon Jeong Choi 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: 12383023
    Abstract: A sole structure of an article of footwear is provided and includes a first midsole portion including a first sidewall and a second midsole portion including a second sidewall. The sole structure also includes a first sheet disposed between the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion and including a first surface and a second surface formed on an opposite side of the first sheet than the first surface. The first sheet includes one or more apertures extending through the first sheet from the first surface to the second surface. The first midsole portion and the second midsole portion are operably connected through the one or more apertures of the first sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoon Jeong Choi, Tory M. Cross, Christian Alexander Steinbeck, James Zormeir
  • Patent number: 12317957
    Abstract: Bladders for footwear uppers, footwear components and articles of footwear including the bladders, and/or methods of making and using such bladders are described. The bladders may include first and second thermoplastic elastomer sheets joined together by an outer perimeter bond. An interior chamber is defined between the thermoplastic elastomer sheets and inside the outer perimeter bond. The outer perimeter bond may be shaped such that the interior chamber forms: (i) a foot support chamber portion for supporting at least a portion of a plantar surface of a wearer's foot, and at least one of items (ii) and (iii) below, in which: item (ii) comprises a first side chamber portion (e.g., forming at least part of a first securing strap or a first footwear upper component), and item (iii) comprises a second side chamber portion (e.g., forming at least part of a first strap-engaging member or a second footwear upper component).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Case, Yoon Jeong Choi, Dervin A. James
  • Publication number: 20250151852
    Abstract: Footwear uppers and articles of footwear including such uppers include: (a) a first lateral lace-engaging component; (b) a first medial lace-engaging component; and (c) a bladder. The bladder includes: (i) a tongue and/or instep chamber having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, (ii) a first heel and/or ankle support chamber, and (iii) a first fluid line placing the first heel and/or ankle support chamber in fluid communication with the tongue and/or instep chamber. A lace engages the first lateral lace-engaging component and the first medial lace-engaging component such that a first portion of the lace extends across the first surface. The lace may apply a force to the tongue and/or instep chamber, and this force may move fluid from the tongue and/or instep chamber to the first heel and/or ankle support chamber to provide additional support for the heel and/or ankle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2025
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Inventors: Patrick R. Case, Yoon Jeong Choi, James Molyneux, Colin Runkle, Bryan K. Youngs
  • Patent number: 12295457
    Abstract: Footwear uppers include a footwear upper base having an instep region; one or more lace-engaging components located at a first side of the instep region; and one or more lace-engaging components located at a second side of the instep region. A bladder at the instep region includes: (i) a tongue and/or instep chamber, (ii) a first sealed seam region extending along a first side edge of the bladder, and (iii) a second sealed seam region extending along a second side edge of the bladder. The tongue and/or instep chamber extends between the sealed seam regions. A lace may apply a force to the tongue and/or instep chamber of the bladder. This force may move fluid from the tongue and/or instep chamber to a heel and/or ankle support chamber of the bladder. The lace may extend through a lace-engaging opening provided in a seam of the bladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Case, Yoon Jeong Choi, James Molyneux, Colin Runkle, Bryan K. Youngs
  • Publication number: 20250072563
    Abstract: Bladders for footwear uppers, footwear uppers including the bladders, articles of footwear including the bladders, and/or methods of making and using such bladders are described. At least one bladder chamber is provided in the instep and/or tongue area of the upper/article of footwear. In some examples, force applied to the instep based bladder chamber(s) moves fluid to one or more additional bladder chambers located in the arch and/or midfoot areas of the upper/article of footwear, and/or other areas of the wearer's foot. This movement of fluid increases fluid pressure and/or volume in the arch, midfoot, and/or other areas of the wearer's foot to provide additional support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Patrick R. Case, Yoon Jeong Choi, James Molyneux, Colin Runkle, Bryan K. Youngs
  • Patent number: 12232566
    Abstract: Footwear uppers and articles of footwear including such uppers include: (a) a first lateral lace-engaging component; (b) a first medial lace-engaging component; and (c) a bladder. The bladder includes: (i) a tongue and/or instep chamber having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, (ii) a first heel and/or ankle support chamber, and (iii) a first fluid line placing the first heel and/or ankle support chamber in fluid communication with the tongue and/or instep chamber. A lace engages the first lateral lace-engaging component and the first medial lace-engaging component such that a first portion of the lace extends across the first surface. The lace may apply a force to the tongue and/or instep chamber, and this force may move fluid from the tongue and/or instep chamber to the first heel and/or ankle support chamber to provide additional support for the heel and/or ankle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Case, Yoon Jeong Choi, James Molyneux, Colin Runkle, Bryan K. Youngs
  • Patent number: 12178287
    Abstract: Bladders for footwear uppers, footwear uppers including the bladders, articles of footwear including the bladders, and/or methods of making and using such bladders are described. At least one bladder chamber is provided in the instep and/or tongue area of the upper/article of footwear. In some examples, force applied to the instep based bladder chamber(s) moves fluid to one or more additional bladder chambers located in the arch and/or midfoot areas of the upper/article of footwear, and/or other areas of the wearer's foot. This movement of fluid increases fluid pressure and/or volume in the arch, midfoot, and/or other areas of the wearer's foot to provide additional support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Case, Yoon Jeong Choi, James Molyneux, Colin Runkle, Bryan K. Youngs
  • Publication number: 20240381976
    Abstract: Footwear uppers include: (a) a first upper member (formed from one or more component parts) including: one or more lace-engaging openings formed as elongated through hole openings with a length dimension extending in a top-to-bottom direction of the upper and a width dimension extending in a heel-to-toe direction of the upper, and wherein the length dimension is at least two times larger than the width dimension; (b) one or more midfoot supporting gussets located inside the first upper member, the midfoot supporting gusset(s) including one or more lace-engaging through holes (configured to pair up with the corresponding one or more lace-engaging openings of the first upper member); and (c) a lace extending through the lace-engaging opening(s) and the lace-engaging through hole(s). When the lace is tightened, the lace-engaging through hole(s) will at least partially align with a portion of its corresponding lace-engaging opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2024
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Inventors: Yoon Jeong Choi, Carl L. Madore, Matthew J. Plumb
  • Publication number: 20240358119
    Abstract: Footwear uppers include a footwear upper base formed from one or more component parts and including: (i) an instep region including at least one of a tongue base region or instep base region and (ii) a heel-containing region. A bladder is engaged with the footwear upper. The bladder includes: (i) at least a first instep chamber engaged with the instep region, (ii) at least a first heel and/or ankle support chamber engaged with the heel-containing region, and (iii) a first fluid line connecting the first instep chamber and the first heel and/or ankle support chamber and placing the first instep chamber in fluid communication with the first heel and/or ankle support chamber. Fluid moving from the first instep chamber to the first heel and/or ankle support chamber (e.g., under force applied by a footwear securing strap) provides further support for the wearer's heel and/or ankle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2024
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Patrick R. Case, Yoon Jeong Choi, James Molyneux, Colin Runkle, Bryan K. Youngs
  • Patent number: 12123114
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to a dynamic woven material that is capable of undergoing a dimensional change in response to an external stimulus. The dynamic woven material comprises a plurality of discrete woven cells, where each woven cell comprises a reactive region and a non-reactive region. The reactive region changes from a first physical state to a second physical state when the woven material is exposed to the external stimulus. The woven material may be formed with zonal stretch properties by varying the areas occupied by the reactive region and the non-reactive region in each woven cell. For example, the bigger the area occupied by the reactive region in the woven cells in a particular zone of the dynamic woven material, the higher the level of stretch in the particular zone may be. Exemplary products manufactured from the dynamic woven material include, for example, articles of footwear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Bell, Robert M. Bruce, Yuchung Kevin Chen, Yoon Jeong Choi, Adam R. Farmer, Megan Foley, Oliver McLachian, James Y. Yoo
  • Patent number: 12053053
    Abstract: Footwear uppers include a footwear upper base formed from one or more component parts and including: (i) an instep region including at least one of a tongue base region or instep base region and (ii) a heel-containing region. A bladder is engaged with the footwear upper. The bladder includes: (i) at least a first instep chamber engaged with the instep region, (ii) at least a first heel and/or ankle support chamber engaged with the heel-containing region, and (iii) a first fluid line connecting the first instep chamber and the first heel and/or ankle support chamber and placing the first instep chamber in fluid communication with the first heel and/or ankle support chamber. Fluid moving from the first instep chamber to the first heel and/or ankle support chamber (e.g., under force applied by a footwear securing strap) provides further support for the wearer's heel and/or ankle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Case, Yoon Jeong Choi, James Molyneux, Colin Runkle, Bryan K. Youngs
  • Publication number: 20240251909
    Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear is described. In one example, the sole structure includes first and second foam components and one or more mesh components, e.g., a mesh textile component. The first foam component includes first and second opposing sides, and the second foam component includes first and second opposing sides. The first and second foam components form a stack in the sole structure. The mesh components, e.g., a mesh textile component, are positioned in the stack between and bonded to the second side of the first foam component and the first side of the second foam component. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2024
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoon Jeong Choi, Tory M. Cross, Christian Alexander Steinbeck
  • Publication number: 20240164476
    Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear is provided. The sole structure includes a first midsole portion, a second midsole portion, and a sheet. The first midsole portion includes a first sidewall. The second midsole portion includes a second sidewall. The sheet is disposed between the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion and extends from the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The sheet extends at least partially over the second sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2024
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoon Jeong Choi, Tory M. Cross, Christian Alexander Steinbeck, James Zormeir
  • Patent number: 11937664
    Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear is provided. The sole structure includes a first midsole portion, a second midsole portion, and a sheet. The first midsole portion includes a first sidewall. The second midsole portion includes a second sidewall. The sheet is disposed between the first midsole portion and the second midsole portion and extends from the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The sheet extends at least partially over the second sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoon Jeong Choi, Tory M. Cross, Christian Alexander Steinbeck, James Zormeir
  • Patent number: 11930882
    Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear is described. In one example, the sole structure includes first and second foam components and one or more mesh components, e.g., a mesh textile component. The first foam component includes first and second opposing sides, and the second foam component includes first and second opposing sides. The first and second foam components form a stack in the sole structure. The mesh components, e.g., a mesh textile component, are positioned in the stack between and bonded to the second side of the first foam component and the first side of the second foam component. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoon Jeong Choi, Tory M. Cross, Christian Alexander Steinbeck
  • Patent number: D1059749
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoon Jeong Choi
  • Patent number: D1059750
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoon Jeong Choi
  • Patent number: D1085678
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoon Jeong Choi
  • Patent number: D1086672
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoon Jeong Choi
  • Patent number: D1086683
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoon Jeong Choi