Catching Up

This week I will focus on issued patents.  Below is a summary of selected patents that have been recently issued in textile related classification codes:

Protective fabric with weave architecture:  A fiber architecture that advances soft fabric armor.  Specifically, it is a method for crimping a yarn for combined ballistic and penetration protection effectiveness in a resultant soft armor form.  The method crimps the yarn by pulling the yarn through a solution that coats the yarn. The removable coating has a thickness that ensures a proper amount of crimp in the yarn. Once the crimp is applied, families of the crimped yarns are utilized as a layer or layered to produce a soft armor form.  Patent:  8689414.  Inventor:  Cavallaro.  Assignee:  The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy. 

Magnetically-supported article of footwear:  A magnetically-supported shoe that supports a wearer's weight by repulsive magnetic forces from magnets arranged in and around the article's sole. Patent:  8689464.  Inventors:  Rodman and Haber.  Not Assigned. 

Impact-attenuation members with lateral and shear force stability and products containing such members:  An impact-attenuation member (the bud on the sole of athletic shoes) that includes a shear resistant member having a continuous wall that bulges outward on opposing sides when in an uncompressed base orientation. The shear resistant members is built and arranged to allow bending or compression against impact forces in one direction but that remains stable against shear or lateral forces from a different direction.  Patent:  8689465.  Inventor:  Aveni, et.al.  Assignee:  Nike, Inc.

Impact-attenuation members with lateral and shear force stability and products containing such members:  It’s a different bud and different shoe, but the invention is the same as 8689466.  Patent:  8689466.  Inventor:  Aveni, et.al.  Assignee:  Nike, Inc.

Sole structure with visual effects:  A multi-colored effect for a sole for an article of shoe. . Patent:  8689467.  Inventor:  Miner.  Assignee:  Nike, Inc.

Footwear cleat:  A golf cleat with a series of dynamic structures that hold the cleat in place during the stresses of a golf swing.  Patent:  8689468.  Inventor:  Curley.  Not Assigned.

Removable spat for a shoe:  A removable spat to protect a shoe from the mud an muck of outdoor wear.  The spat includes a boot portion having a back opening and a front end, and a sleeve connected to the boot portion. Patent:  8689469.  Inventor:  Foxen, et.al.  Assignee:  Nike, Inc.

Composite material, composite part and methods for making such:  A composite material comprising a plurality of fiber tape strips woven or braided together. Each of the of fiber tape strips is made of a single layer of unidirectional fibers at least partially embedded in a thermoplastic matrix. A tubular composite is made from the composite material and an internal film. Manufacturing the composite material entails weaving or braiding the fiber tape strips into the tube and pressurizing the film inside the tube while heating the assembly the forming temperature to bond the film to the woven fiber tape strips.  Patent:  8689670.  Inventor:  Levesque.  Assignee:  Hutchinson Aerospace & Industry Limited

Internal support structure for an athletic support bra, and associated method of fabrication:  A support structure for a bra includes a two-ply structural support layer having an m-shaped ply of compression fabric.  When joined with straps of a sports bra or top, the two-ply structural support layer provides sling-type support of the breasts. Compressive fabric of the bra or top compresses the breasts to a wearer's chest; thus, a bra or top incorporating the support structure provides three-way support via encapsulation, suspension and compression.  Patent:  8690634.  Inventors:  Heath and Krueger.  Assignee:  Sturdy Girl Sports, LLC

Flexible body armor with semi-rigid and flexible component:  Multilayer ballistic resistant articles formed from a combination of flexible and semi-rigid panel components. The flexible and semi-rigid panels may include woven fibrous layers, non-woven fibrous layers or both. The articles provide suitable protection against high energy ballistic threats, while remaining suitable for flexible vest applications.  Patent: 8695112.  Inventors:  Bhatnagar, et.al.  Assignee:  Honeywell International Inc.

Protective garment:  A protective garment that combines the features of a napkin and a bib. Patent:  8695113.  Inventor Stout.  Not Assigned

Adjustable bathing suit:  A bathing suit with an adjustable waist band.  Waist band adjustment is discretely placed underneath the fastener mechanism.  Patent:  8695114.  Inventor Weisman.  Not Assigned.

Figure moulding and weight loss aid systems and methods:  An insulative and perspiration impermeable panel with a supportive cover connected to the panel for retaining the panel in contact to the areas that need additional support and control.  Patent:  8695115.  Inventor:  Leyva.  Not Assigned.

Skydiving garment with enhanced aerodynamic control:  A skydiving garment provides a wearer with enhanced control, maneuverability, and extended gliding range during free-fall. The garment includes ram-air structures that form under the sleeves, between the legs and around other selected parts of the wearer's body respectively. There are ram air pocket entries to these ram-air structures, improved zippers and zipper release mechanisms, all to provide increased safety during launch, glide, parachute opening and landing.  Patent:  8695117.  Inventor:  Machuca.  Not assigned.

Glove:  Waterproof glove for outdoor/sportswear use that does not require a waterproof lining.  Patent:  8695120.  Inventors Green and Moriarty.  Assignee:  Arc' Teryx Equipment Inc.

Azopyridone disperse dyes, their preparation and use:  An azo based dyestuff that links a dispersed dye compound to a pyridine type molecule through a double bond nitrogen chain.  The difference to pyridine is the replacement of the (other) nitrogen double bond in the ring with an alkene chain.  Patent:  8696766.  Inventors:  Nuebauer.  Assignee:  Dystar Colours Deutschland Gmbh.

Drawing frame having a guide table for a guide apron:  An apparatus for drafting fiber strands and slubbing that operate with improved evenness and effectiveness.  Patent:  8695169.  Inventor:  Schaeffler and Bauer.  Assignee:  Maschinenfabrik Rieter Ag.

Method for making a fibrous absorbent material:  An absorbent material including a fibrous material having a plurality of individual fibers forming a fiber matrix, a plurality of absorbent fibers, wherein the plurality of absorbent fibers are impregnated within the fiber matrix by means of a needlepunch process.  Patent 8695185.  Inventor:  Fung.  Assignee:  Mcneil-Ppc, Inc.

Cold weather boot:  A boot for sealing out environmental elements. The boot includes a drawstring seal between the boot and a leg of wearer and will limit the intrusion of environmental elements to the interior of the boot.  Patent:  8695233.  Inventor:  Youngs.  Assignee:  Keen, Inc.

Jim Carson is a principal of RB Consulting, Inc. and a registered patent agent.  He has over 30 years of experience across multiple industries including the biotechnology, textile, computer, telecommunications, and energy sectors.  RB Consulting, Inc. specializes in providing management, prototyping, and regulatory services to small and start-up businesses.  He can be reached via email at James.Carson.Jr@gmail.com or by phone at (803) 792-2183.