Footwear and other products incorporating cultured leather
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorPamela S. Greene
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variety of products may incorporate cultured leather, which is produced in vitro. Examples of products that may incorporate cultured leather include footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, furniture, handbags or any other consumer or industrial product that commonly incorporates conventional leather or synthetic leather.
Claims18
A product incorporating cultured leather comprising a reinforcing structure incorporated into the structure of the cultured leather so that the reinforcing structure is embedded within and completely surrounded by the cultured leather such that the reinforcing structure is in a fixed position relative to the cultured leather, wherein the reinforcing structure adds stiffness to the cultured leather,
- wherein the cultured leather comprises a first stratum and a second stratum having different properties from the first stratum, wherein the first stratum is in direct contact with the second stratum, and wherein the reinforcing structure extends into both the first stratum and the second stratum, and
- wherein the reinforcing structure has (a) a first portion embedded entirely within the second stratum such that the first portion of the reinforcing structure is parallel to both a first surface and a second surface of the second stratum, (b) a second portion that is perpendicular to the first portion of the reinforcing structure, wherein the second portion of the reinforcing structure is continuous with and extends from the first portion through both the first stratum and the second stratum, and (c) a third portion that is perpendicular to the first portion of the reinforcing structure, wherein the third portion is continuous with and extends from the first portion through both the first stratum and the second stratum.
A method for manufacturing a product, the method comprising:
- forming leather through an in vitro process;
- and
- incorporating the leather into the product;
- wherein the product comprises a reinforcing structure incorporated into the structure of the cultured leather so that the reinforcing structure is embedded within and completely surrounded by the cultured leather such that the reinforcing structure is in a fixed position relative to the cultured leather, wherein the reinforcing structure adds stiffness to the cultured leather;
- wherein the cultured leather comprises a first stratum and a second stratum having different properties from the first stratum, wherein the first stratum is in direct contact with the second stratum, and wherein the reinforcing structure extends into both the first stratum and the second stratum;
- and
- wherein the reinforcing structure has (a) a first portion embedded entirely within the second stratum such that the first portion of the reinforcing structure is parallel to both a first surface and a second surface of the second stratum, (b) a second portion that is perpendicular to the first portion of the reinforcing structure, wherein the second portion of the reinforcing structure is continuous with and extends from the first portion through both the first stratum and the second stratum, and (c) a third portion that is perpendicular to the first portion of the reinforcing structure, wherein the third portion is continuous with and extends from the first portion through both the first stratum and the second stratum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.