Nike, Inc.

Christopher Simon Cook

Shane S Kohatsu

Bret Schoolmeester

Daniel T Rowe

Steven Francis Smith

Bryan N Farris

Jeffrey L Johnson

Paul VanDomelen

Bruce J Kilgore

James C Meschter

Kevin W Hoffer

John Hurd

David J Roulo

Pamela Susan Greene

Matthew R Pauk

John T Dimoff

Ernest E Kim

Lee Gibson

Thomas Berend

Oliver McLachlan

Scott C Holt

Anthony Carl Dean

Gerald Edwin Crowley

Gregory Ross Leedy

Steven S Smith

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can include a set of apertures that is formed along various surfaces of the sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a customized cushioning sole system, forming generally circular patterns throughout the sole member. A user's foot morphology and/or preferences may be used to design the sole member.

Article of footwear comprising a sole member with geometric patterns

Footwear that includes a closure system that enables a wearer to quickly and easily fasten the closure system is disclosed. The closure system may include a primary strap and a secondary strap arranged on opposite sides of the footwear where the secondary strap releasably attaches at one end to the primary strap and the primary strap releasably attaches at one end to the upper. The closure system allows for the secondary strap to be selectively attached to the primary strap prior to a wearer inserting a foot into the article of footwear such that the article of footwear is configured to be secured to the foot by simultaneously securing the primary strap and the secondary strap when releasable attachment region of the primary strap is attached to a releasable attachment region of located on the upper.

Article of footwear with closure system

The disclosed systems provide ways to manufacture a style of an article of footwear in bulk, while providing customization for heel stability for individual customers. Moreover, the disclosed systems provide ways to customize articles of footwear for a customer on an ongoing basis, such that the heel stability of the articles of footwear is refined until a tailored fit is achieved for the same customer. Generally, the process may include providing a user/customer with an article of footwear, getting evaluation information about the stability of the article of footwear from a survey (e.g., asking the user to rate the stability of the article of footwear in a smartphone app), modifying the next article of footwear provided to the user/customer according to the evaluation information, and iterating through this process to give the user an article optimized for stability.

Systems for producing articles of footwear having customized stability

Methods of manufacturing articles of footwear include providing articles to a customer, receiving evaluations of one or more structural characteristics of the articles, and making new customized articles for the customer based on the evaluations of one or more structural characteristics. The method can be conducted as a cycle that is repeated each time the customer buys a new pair of footwear. Systems for manufacturing customized articles of footwear include: a computing system that receives input including a customer-selected evaluation of one or more structural characteristics of an article of footwear, wherein the article of footwear includes a first sole member with a first structural characteristic having a first value; and a second sole member for a second article of footwear, wherein a surface of the second sole member is modified to include a first pattern of apertures and/or incisions based on the customer-selected evaluation of the first structural characteristic.

System for customizing articles of footwear

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a system that modifies the forefoot cushioning of the sole member over a series of footwear purchases. The modifications can be configured to correspond to a customer's evaluation of the forefoot cushioning previously purchased. The sole member can include a set of apertures or incisions that are formed along various surfaces of the sole member to adjust the cushioning characteristics of the sole member.

Systems and methods for customizing forefoot cushioning in articles of footwear

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a system that modifies the heel cushioning of the sole member over a series of footwear purchases. The modifications can be configured to correspond to a customer's evaluation of the heel cushioning previously purchased. The sole member can include a set of apertures that are formed along various surfaces of the sole member to adjust the cushioning characteristics of the sole member.

System for customizing heel cushioning in articles of footwear

An upper for an article of footwear may include a first knit layer, a second knit layer, and a third layer located between the first knit layer and the second knit layer, the third layer including a material with a melting point of 150&#xb0; C. or less, where the first knit layer and the second knit layer are secured via the material of the third layer. A first zone may be included, where the first knit layer, the second knit layer, and the third layer are coextensive in the first zone. A second zone may be included, where the first knit layer, the second knit layer, and the third layer are coextensive in the second zone. The first zone may have a first stretch resistance and the second zone may have a second stretch resistance, where the first stretch resistance is greater than the second stretch resistance.

Article with at least two layers

Method of customizing forefoot cushioning in articles of footwear

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a customized cushioning sole system. A user's foot morphology and/or preferences may be used to design the sole member. The sole member can include a column of apertures that are formed along the outer surface of the sole member.

Methods for customizing cushioning sole systems for articles of footwear

The disclosed method provides a way to manufacture a style of an article of footwear in bulk, while providing customization for heel stability for individual customers. Moreover, the disclosed method provides a way to customize articles of footwear for a customer on an ongoing basis, such that the heel stability of the articles of footwear is refined until a tailored fit is achieved for the same customer. Generally, the method may include providing a user/customer with an article of footwear, getting evaluation information about the stability of the article of footwear from a survey (e.g., asking the user to rate the stability of the article of footwear in a smartphone app), modifying the next article of footwear provided to the user/customer according to the evaluation information, and iterating through this process to give the user an article optimized for stability.

Method of customizing stability in articles of footwear

A sole structure can include provisions for improving the cushioning characteristics and stability of an article of footwear. The sole structure may include multiple layers with specialized structural properties designed to integrate regions of stiffness with cushioning layers. In some cases, the sole structure can include at least two independent stability layers that differ in stiffness.

Layered sole structure for an article of footwear

A method of manufacturing articles of footwear that includes steps of providing articles to a customer, receiving evaluations of one or more structural characteristics of the articles and making new customized articles for the customer based on the evaluations of one or more structural characteristics. The method can be conducted as a cycle that is repeated each time the customer buys a new pair of footwear.

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

Christopher Simon Cook