Nike, Inc.

Converse Inc.

Adams Mfg. Corp.

New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.

Nike International Ltd.

Nike Innovate C.v.

Sean Michael McDowell

Julia Roether

Tim Cunningham

Bryan Paul Cioffi

Matthew Beale

Steven Francis Smith

Christopher Stygar

William E Adams

Tom Luedecke

D'Wayne Edwards

Kurt Joseph Stockbridge

Chinmoy Raval

Peter Savage

Shih-Chang Huang

Sung Yuan Lee

Eric P Avar

Tate E Kuerbis

Susan Diane Cessor

Robert W Dolan

Ciro Fusco

Jean-Francois Fullum

Gerald Edwin Crowley

Christopher J Edington

David J Schenone

Thomas J Gray

Andrew Estey

Stephen N Bruno

Maria J Kozo

Edith Michele Harmon-Weiss

Douglas C Stainbrook

James Frances Clancy

Brandon Avery

Christopher L Edington

Tien-Yuan Huang

Sol Sallos

Dave Powers

Steve Horn

Tien Yuan Huang

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a thermoplastic polyurethane ('TPU') infused mesh material that is molded to form at least a portion of a shoe. The TPU infused mesh may be formed as an upper, a portion of sole or other components of a shoe. The TPU infused mesh is formed, in an exemplary embodiment, through the application of liquid TPU to a surface of a spacer mesh. The liquid TPU infused spacer mesh is then cured, cut to a pattern, and heat molded to form a desired portion of the shoe. The heat molded TPU mesh is coupled to other portions of the shoe (e.g., sole) to form an article footwear in an exemplary embodiment.

Thermoplastic polyurethane infused mesh

A shoe with a three-dimensional (3-D) surface texture created using rapid manufacturing techniques is provided. A plurality of 3-D surface texture options is presented on a user interface; each of the options is associated with one of a plurality of 3-D surface textures to be applied to a portion of a shoe. A selection of a 3-D surface texture is received and is used in part to generate a design file. The design file is used to instruct a rapid manufacturing device to manufacture the portion of the shoe comprised of the 3-D surface texture using a rapid manufacturing technique.

Customized shoe textures and shoe portions

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a shoe construction that includes an upper that has an interior surface and a corrugated exterior surface of rapid manufactured material. The upper interior surface and corrugated exterior surface form a lattice-interlace surface. The lattice-interlace surface includes the interior surface that has a plurality of horizontal laths, the corrugated exterior that has a plurality of vertical laths, and a plurality of lattice apertures that extend from an interior of the shoe to an exterior of the shoe. The shoe construction further includes an interior sole portion of sintered material. The interior sole portion forms a tessellated framework. The tessellated framework includes a lattice of hollow cubes; each hollow cube has a top surface opening and a bottom surface opening, the openings extending from an interior of the shoe to an exterior of the shoe.

Sintered drainable shoe

The present invention is directed to a sandal with a sole. The sole has an upper surface and an opposite lower surface. The upper surface is formed from objects, such as hemispheres and/or spheres that each has a curved surface forming at least a portion of the upper surface. The lower surface is also formed from objects, which may be the same as those that form the upper surface. Additionally, the sole is formed with voids extending from the upper surface to the lower surface. The voids are defined, in part, by the objects near the upper surface and the objects near the lower surface.

Ball slide sandal

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a footwear sole including a midsole and an outsole. The midsole includes of a plurality of protrusions extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the midsole toward the outsole. The outsole may include a plurality of recesses positioned to mate with a corresponding protrusion from the midsole. The outsole may also include one or more protrusion extending downwardly from the bottom of the outsole. The outsole protrusions may correspond with an associated recess of the outsole top surface. The protrusions may be hemispherical in shape at their distal ends so that a portion of the distal end may be received by the corresponding recess of the outsole top surface.

Footwear sole with midsole protrusions

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an article of footwear having a unitary upper and midsole referred to as a midsole-upper. The midsole-upper includes both a midsole portion and an upper portion. An outsole may be coupled to the midsole portion to provide a ground contacting surface. Additionally, a bootie may be coupled to the interior of the midsole-upper. A reinforcement may be utilized in conjunction with the midsole-upper and/or the bootie to resist lasting deformation of apertures formed into the midsole-upper for a lacing structure. The reinforcement may be coupled to the bootie, the midsole-upper, or other portions of the shoe. In an embodiment, the reinforcements are constructed from a material different from that which the midsole-upper is formed. Consequently, a traditional crisscross lacing pattern may be utilized while still realizing benefits of having a unitary upper and midsole.

Unitary upper and midsole

Methods for making footwear products include: (a) applying cement to a surface of an upper and/or midsole; (b) cooling the upper and/or midsole so that these parts will move relative to one another despite the cement's presence; and (c) placing the midsole in the upper. Additional methods include: (a) providing an upper having an interior chamber; (b) placing a prelast member including a midsole allowance part into the chamber; (c) removing the prelast member; and (d) placing a midsole in the chamber. The upper and/or midsole may have cement applied thereto and may be cooled before the insertion step, as described above. When sufficiently cooled, the cement will not immediately bind the parts contacting it, but it will allow relative movement of these parts. After the midsole is positioned in the upper, the assembly may be heated to activate the cement and fix the parts together.

Footwear products, methods for making footwear products, and structures used in making footwear products

The stability and balance offered by an article of footwear is improved by including a rigid layer in an outsole assembly of the article of footwear. The rigid layer may include a material of at least a predefined rigidity. For example, an outsole may be fitted with a carbon fiber plate that maintains the shape and a flatness of the outsole assembly. The rigid layer may be attached to one or more other layers that may be configured for impact force attenuation and comfort. In one or more arrangements, the rigid layer may be sandwiched between two other layers. Alternatively, the rigid layer may be insertable into a layer of the outsole. A channel may cut into a layer of the outsole to distribute weight to an outside portion of the outsole. This distribution of weight to the outside portion of the outsole may improve stability and balance.

Article of footwear with improved stability and balance

An article of footwear for riding is disclosed. The article includes a second portion of an upper having a second coefficient of friction that is greater than a first coefficient of friction associated with a first portion of an upper. The article further includes a detachable spur member configured to attach to a heel counter of the article.

Article of footwear for riding

Customized articles of footwear are produced by providing options and graphics that are selected by a customer when submitting a custom order at a retail facility. The graphics are selected from a catalog while the options, such as a shoe model or a shoe size, are selected at an order interface rendered at a computing device. The computing device processes the order by uploading printing instructions associated with the customer-selected graphic or by converting specifications of the order into the printing instructions. The printing instructions are passed to a printer that is configured to move inkjet nozzles in a pattern and, concurrently, control a timed release of coloring agent from the inkjet nozzles based on the printing instructions. Releasing the coloring agent over the article of footwear physically applies a design thereto, which substantially resembles the customer-selected graphic. An oven typically cures the design via infrared heat over a timeframe.

Utilizing a printer to customize apparel in a retail facility

An article of footwear for use in weight lifting is disclosed. The article of footwear includes a non-deforming midsole. Also, the article of footwear includes a raised heel and a substantially flat bottom surface. Additionally, the article of footwear includes holes formed along the bottom of the midsole in order to reduce the weight of the article of footwear.

Article of footwear for weight lifting

An article of footwear for water sports disclosed. The article includes straps that fasten an upper into place. The straps are configured to maintain a fastened position when water is splashed from below the article. The article further includes padded members to protect the instep and the front ankle of the foot.

Article of footwear for water sports

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

Sean Michael McDowell