With Adjustment Mechanism Patents (Class 36/117.7)
  • Patent number: 12137771
    Abstract: An article of footwear with a dynamic support system that controls arrays of tiles in the upper of the footwear to adjust the level of support provided in different regions of the upper. Sensors in the sole of the footwear, in the upper of the footwear and/or in an article worn by the wearer of the footwear measure the level of stress or other characteristics and provide input to one or more microprocessors that control motors located in the sole or in the upper of the footwear. When the motors are activated, they may compress or loosen arrays of tiles to adjust the stiffness of the upper in one or more regions of the upper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Rushbrook, Tiffany A. Beers, Nathan T. Gilbreath
  • Patent number: 12116238
    Abstract: A novel lacing device and an anti-reverse mechanism thereof are provided. The lacing device uses a novel swing arm-stop piece-gap mechanism as the anti-reverse mechanism, and the anti-reverse mechanism has double self-locking functions and a reverse deviation limiting function. Three effects are integrated, such that the lacing device using the novel anti-reverse mechanism not only has excellent hand feeling when the lace is tensioned, but also can effectively avoid the accidental loosening of the lace, and has excellent use reliability and durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: SHENZHEN ICOMWELL INTELLIGENT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wei Huang
  • Patent number: 12053045
    Abstract: A ratchet dial mechanism used on ballistic protective personal equipment and ballistic protective personal helmets, which enables the chin straps to be adjusted by tightening and loosening so that the helmet fits snugly on the user's head with precision and decreases the manufacturing cost and time due to fewer parts needed for assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Inventors: Çetin Dogukaya, Selami Soylu, Orhan Yesilgül, Jale Selin Sarifakioglu
  • Patent number: 12053056
    Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole and an upper that includes a heel end, a toe end, a medial side, and a lateral side. The upper defines a throat opening between the medial and lateral sides, and the sole and the upper jointly defining a foot cavity. The article of footwear further includes a support member extending from a first side of the article of footwear to a second side of the article of footwear, and an actuator fixedly attached to the support member at the first side of the article of footwear. A securing strap extends across the throat opening and has a first end operably connected to the actuator and a second end fixedly connected to the second side of the article of footwear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Under Armour, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Fallon, Kort Neumann, Antonio Zea
  • Patent number: 11974637
    Abstract: Boots with fit adjustment systems that are configured to selectively adjust a fit of the boot on the wearer's foot by engaging the foot with more force and/or across a greater surface area relative to a pull-on boot that lacks the fit adjustment system. The fit adjustment system may adjust the fit of the boot without adjusting the external dimensions of the boot. The fit adjustment system includes an instep pad that is positioned interior of the external surface of the upper within an instep region of the boot, a lace that is coupled to the instep pad, and a lace adjustment mechanism. The lace adjustment mechanism includes a lace lock that selectively defines an adjustment length of the lace. Actuating the lace adjustment mechanism to reduce the adjustment length exerts a tightening force on the instep pad and draws the instep pad toward a heel region of the boot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Ariat International, Inc.
    Inventors: Lars Erik MacLeod, Jake Lawrence Rivas
  • 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: 11206892
    Abstract: An article of footwear with a dynamic support system that controls arrays of tiles in the upper of the footwear to adjust the level of support provided in different regions of the upper. Sensors in the sole of the footwear, in the upper of the footwear and/or in an article worn by the wearer of the footwear measure the level of stress or other characteristics and provide input to one or more microprocessors that control motors located in the sole or in the upper of the footwear. When the motors are activated, they may compress or loosen arrays of tiles to adjust the stiffness of the upper in one or more regions of the upper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Rushbrook, Tiffany A. Beers, Nathan T Gilbreath
  • Patent number: 10986888
    Abstract: An article of footwear with a dynamic support system that controls arrays of tiles in the upper of the footwear to adjust the level of support provided in different regions of the upper. Sensors in the sole of the footwear, in the upper of the footwear and/or in an article worn by the wearer of the footwear measure the level of stress or other characteristics and provide input to one or more microprocessors that control motors located in the sole or in the upper of the footwear. When the motors are activated, they may compress or loosen arrays of tiles to adjust the stiffness of the upper in one or more regions of the upper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Rushbrook, Tiffany A. Beers, Nathan T Gilbreath
  • Patent number: 10751602
    Abstract: A sport helmet for protecting a head of a wearer, such as a hockey, lacrosse or football player. The sport helmet includes an outer shell with an internal side and an external side and an inner pad mounted to the internal side of the outer shell for absorbing shocks when the sport helmet is impacted. The inner pad includes a core of polymeric cellular material with a body of expanded polymeric microspheres and a molded covering being molded onto the core of polymeric cellular material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: BAUER HOCKEY, LLC
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Laperriere, Thierry Krick, Robert Lavoie, Chin-Te Su, Lin-Yu Lee
  • Patent number: 9656721
    Abstract: An adjustable pedal for use with a clipless pedal includes a pedal body that includes a passage formed therein, a driving member that is mounted in the pedal body, a first cleat and a second cleat that are coupled to the driving member and are located in the passage for being engageable with and attachable to a clipless pedal. When the driving member is operated in a first state, the first cleat and the second cleat are driven in such a way that the first cleat and the second cleat are moved toward each other in the passage; and when the driving member is operated in a second state, the first cleat and the second cleat are driven in such a way that the first cleat and the second cleat are moved away from each other in the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Inventor: Zernyu Chou
  • Patent number: 8893407
    Abstract: Footwear, such as a sports boot, including a shell or a shell element made of a rigid plastic base material whose softening point is greater than 170° C. and a method of manufacturing such footwear. At least in one local portion of the shell or shell element, the base material of the shell includes an additive having a melting temperature lower than 100° C., in a proportion of between 3% and 45% in a first embodiment and between 10% and 25% in a second embodiment. A heating machine includes a base provided to receive at least one boot along a longitudinal direction defined by the sole and a hot air blower. The heating machine includes at least two air blowing channels facing one another and located on each side of the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Salomon S.A.S.
    Inventor: Christian Challande
  • Patent number: 8850720
    Abstract: A sports boot including an upper extending above the ankle joint and at least one rigid collar extending around the wearer's lower leg, the boot including a device for adjusting the volume of the collar to better accommodate the shape of the user's calf. The adjustment device includes a wedge, or collar extension, positioned inside the collar, the wedge being fixed to the collar by means of at least one pivot and by means of a fastening mechanism enabling the relative displacement of the wedge with respect to the collar as well as a deformation of the wedge. The fastening mechanism includes a plate equipped with a cylindrical body having an axis A1 and received in a first circular opening provided in the collar and a rivet received in a second circular opening provided in the wedge and received in a third circular opening having an axis A2 provided in the body, the axis A2 and the axis A1 being non-coaxial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Salomon S.A.S.
    Inventor: Pierre Alexis Marechal
  • Patent number: 7963049
    Abstract: In a snowboard boot having a soft inner shoe and a soft outer shoe, a tension member connected to the sole of the outer shoe is provided which is guided on the inner side of the outer shoe from one side over the inner shoe to a turning point connected to the sole on the other side on the inner side of the outer shoe. For operation, the tension means extends out of the outer shoe, whereby it is fixable in the tightened state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Head Germany GmbH
    Inventor: Karl Messmer
  • Patent number: 7887081
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combination of ski boots of various sizes and skis with a fitted binding, comprising a toe jaw and a heel jaw, the relative separation of which may be altered and fixed relative to the ski by means of a guide device arranged on the ski. The ski boots belong to at least two ski boot types (1, 1?, 1?), which differ in the length of the sole (a, b, c), each of which are suitable for the fitting of inner boots (3a to 3d, 3?a to 3?d, 3?a to 3?d) in at least two boot sizes. The skis comprise binding jaws, arranged to be adjustable such that the relative separation thereof may be matched to the differing lengths of sole, whereby markings on the types of ski boot and markings on the guide device of the binding permit an unambiguous matching of the sole length to the corresponding jaw separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Tyrolia Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Brandt
  • Patent number: 7314222
    Abstract: A skate having a base adapted to support a user's boot, a frame equipped with a plurality of wheels and having a transverse arch in its central portion, at least one rear quarter capable of sliding on the base and adapted to surround the heel zone and the lower leg of the boot. The base has two edges that project upwardly and surround the lower portion of the rear quarter, each of the vertical edges having a longitudinal groove capable of receiving a platform provided on the outer sides of the rear quarter, and attaching mechanism allowing the attachment of the rear quarter to the base in various positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Inventors: René Borel, Thierry Miralles
  • Patent number: 6993859
    Abstract: A boot (200), such as a snowboard boot, having a harness assembly (240) disposed in an outer shell (210). The harness defines a vamp gap and includes a plurality of cord keepers (268) disposed on either side of the gap. A cord—for example, a stainless steel cable (266)—slidably engages the cord keepers, for tightening the harness about the user's ankle. A tensioning mechanism (190) having a knob (192) is attached to the harness assembly and engages the cable, whereby the user can releasably tension the cable. An aperture (126) in the outer shell is adapted to receive the knob, whereby the user can tighten or loosen the harness without removing the boot. The cable may slidably engage the tongue (215) of the boot, such that tensioning the cable will bias the tongue inwardly, towards the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: K-2 Corporation
    Inventors: John Dietrich Martin, Bobby Meeks
  • Patent number: 6877256
    Abstract: A boot (100), such as a sports boot, having a removable liner (160) that is adapted to be inserted into an outer shell (110). The liner includes a vamp gap (170) with a plurality of cable keepers (168) disposed on either side of the gap, and a cable (166) that slidably engages the cable keepers, for tightening the liner about the user's foot. A tightening mechanism (190) having a knob (192) is attached to the liner and engages the cable, whereby the user can releasably tension the cable. An aperture (126) including a grommet portion (130) in the outer shell is adapted to receive the knob whereby the user can tighten the liner without removing the boot outer shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: K-2 Corporation
    Inventors: John Dietrich Martin, Bobby Meeks
  • Patent number: 6746027
    Abstract: An adjustable skate includes a boot, a liner, and a bladder. The boot includes an upper and a sole, the upper having a toe cap and a heel portion. The liner is mounted in the boot and includes a bottom plate slidably mounted on the sole and a toe box on a front end of the bottom plate. A chamber for receiving a foot of a wearer's foot is defined between the toe box of the liner and the heel portion of the boot. The bladder is mounted between the toe box of the liner and the toe cap of the boot. The bladder has a volume that is adjustable through inflation of air into the bladder or discharge of air out of the bladder, thereby moving the liner along a lengthwise direction of the boot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Inventor: Mike Soo
  • Publication number: 20010005948
    Abstract: An innerboot for sports shoes, particularly for ski boots or skates constituted by a support for in-line wheels, with which a shell or a heel unit for the containment of the innerboot is associated. The innerboot is constituted by a first element and one separate second element which are interconnected by a third elastically deformable element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Publication date: July 5, 2001
    Applicant: BENETTON GROUP S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alfred Pellegrini, Stefano Bresolin
  • Patent number: 6178665
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a forefoot/midfoot compression member for a footwear device. The compression member comprises an instep counter and an arm mechanism for rigidly supporting the instep counter. The arm mechanism is disposed along only one of the medial or lateral aspects of the footwear device. The arm mechanism is adjustable to move the instep counter to a desired position and a retention mechanism is provided to retain the arm mechanism in the desired position. In another aspect, the invention relates to a retention member for a liner for a footwear device. The retention member includes a plate that mounts to the liner. A post extends from the plate through a bore defined in a wall for the footwear device where it is secured with a fastener. In another aspect, the invention relates to a retention member for an article of footwear within a footwear device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Macpod Enterprises Ltd.
    Inventors: David M. MacPhail, Blaine Hoshizaki, Steve Podborski