Industry Sector

Footwear — US PTAB Patent Cases

41 decisions indexed

Page 1 of 2 · 41 total

patent · Sep 9, 2025

TOP GLORY TRADING GROUP INC. et al. v.Cole Haan LLC et al.

· IPR2025-01395

Top Glory and DP Dream have petitioned the PTAB to invalidate Cole Haan’s shoe‑midsole design patent (D768,969), arguing it is anticipated and obvious over several publicly available shoe designs.

patent terminated or settled · Mar 9, 2025

TOP GLORY TRADING GROUP INC. et al. v.Cole Haan LLC et al.

· IPR2025-01392

Exhibit 2002 is the settlement agreement in IPR2025-01392 between Top Glory Trading Group, DP Dream Pairs and Cole Haan, ending the challenge to U.S. Patent 10,327,511 covering footwear design.

patent terminated or settled · Mar 9, 2025

TOP GLORY TRADING GROUP INC. et al. v.Cole Haan LLC et al.

· IPR2025-01394

Exhibit 2002 documents the settlement agreement between Top Glory Trading Group, DP Dream Pairs, and Cole Haan, concluding IPR2025-01394.

patent · Mar 9, 2025

TOP GLORY TRADING GROUP INC. et al. v.Cole Haan LLC et al.

· IPR2025-01392

Top Glory and DP Dream have filed an IPR petition seeking to invalidate Cole Haan’s 10,327,511 shoe patent, arguing that its ornamental knit‑upper features are obvious over Dua and several prior‑art references.

patent · Mar 9, 2025

TOP GLORY TRADING GROUP INC. et al. v.Cole Haan LLC et al.

· IPR2025-01394

Top Glory and DP Dream have filed an IPR petition challenging Cole Haan’s U.S. Patent 11,041,262 covering knitted shoe uppers. They assert that the claims are obvious over prior‑art references Dua, ’762, ’288, Flusser and Litke, and that ornamental features lack patentable weight.

patent · Mar 9, 2025

TOP GLORY TRADING GROUP INC. et al. v.Cole Haan LLC et al.

· IPR2025-01393

Top Glory and DP Dream have filed an IPR petition seeking to invalidate Cole Haan's 10,443,163 patent covering knitted shoe uppers, arguing the claims are obvious over multiple prior‑art references.

patent instituted · Dec 1, 2024

lululemon usa inc. et al. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2024-00460

lululemon successfully petitioned to challenge Nike's patent (8266749) before the PTAB. The Board found a reasonable likelihood of success regarding anticipation and obviousness grounds, leading to institution of the IPR.

patent terminated or settled · Jul 17, 2024

Nike, Inc. v.SherryWear, LLC

· IPR2024-01124

Nike and SherryWear reached a confidential settlement, prompting the PTAB to terminate eight related IPRs without deciding the merits.

patent · Jul 17, 2024

Nike, Inc. v.SherryWear, LLC

· IPR2024-01124

Nike and SherryWear have settled all disputes over patent 9,723,878 and jointly moved to terminate the pending IPR. The Board is asked to end the review under 35 U.S.C. § 317(a) and keep the settlement confidential.

patent · Jun 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00144

Skechers has filed an IPR petition seeking to invalidate all 20 claims of Nike’s 9,918,511 footwear patent, arguing they are obvious over decades‑old knitting references. The petition also notes that discretionary denial factors do not apply.

patent · Jun 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00143

Skechers has filed an IPR petition seeking to invalidate Nike’s 9,986,781 patent covering knitted footwear uppers. The petition asserts that all 20 claims are obvious over multiple prior‑art references and that discretionary factors do not support denial of institution.

patent denied · Jun 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00144

Skechers' IPR challenge against Nike regarding knit textile footwear was denied by the PTAB. The Board found no reasonable likelihood of prevailing on obviousness grounds, despite adopting the patent owner's claim construction for 'article of footwear.'

patent denied · Jun 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00143

The PTAB denied institution of an IPR petition filed by Skechers against Nike, finding the claims lacked reasonable likelihood of prevailing based on obviousness grounds (103). The Board adopted the Patent Owner's narrow construction of 'article of footwear,' which was critical to the denial.

patent · May 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00151

Skechers has filed an IPR petition seeking to invalidate Nike’s 9,510,636 footwear patent, asserting anticipation and obviousness over several prior‑art knit‑shoe references.

patent · May 11, 2024

New Balance Athletics, Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00020

New Balance seeks to invalidate Nike’s 2014 footwear patent covering a knitted upper with a thermally bonded skin layer, arguing the claims are obvious in view of prior art such as Becker, Dojan, Wildeman and Farys, and requesting the Board to institute the IPR.

patent denied · May 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00150

Skechers U.S.A., Inc.'s IPR challenge against Nike, Inc.'s footwear patent was denied by the PTAB due to failure to meet the reasonable likelihood of prevailing standard. The Board rejected key claim constructions and found that prior art references did not adequately disclose the claimed integral knit tongue feature.

patent denied · May 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00151

Skechers U.S.A., Inc.'s IPR challenge against Nike, Inc.'s footwear patent was denied by the PTAB. The Board found that Petitioner failed to meet the threshold burden of showing a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on any unpatentability challenge.

patent denied · May 11, 2024

New Balance Athletics, Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00020

New Balance Athletics, Inc.'s IPR petition against Nike's footwear patent was denied by the PTAB. The Board found that Petitioner failed to demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of prevailing in its obviousness challenges over multiple prior art references.

patent denied · Apr 29, 2024

New Balance Athletics, Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2024-00778

New Balance Athletics' IPR challenge against Nike's footwear patent was denied by the PTAB. The Board rejected arguments of anticipation and obviousness, particularly regarding claim scope limitations like 'article of footwear.'

patent · Apr 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00141

Skechers petitions the PTAB to invalidate Nike's 8,266,749 footwear knitting patent, asserting obviousness over multiple prior‑art knitting references. The petition seeks cancellation of 19 claims.

patent denied · Apr 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00141

Nike successfully defended its footwear patent against Skechers’ request for Director Review of a denied IPR institution. The Board affirmed the denial under §325(d), finding Skechers’ arguments unpersuasive.

patent instituted · Apr 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00141

The PTAB institution of IPR2025-00141, filed by Skechers against Nike, moves forward to challenge the patent's validity on grounds of anticipation (102) and obviousness (103). The Board found that Petitioner demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of prevailing after vacating an initial discretionary denial.

patent instituted · Apr 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00142

The PTAB granted institution of Inter Partes Review for Skechers against Nike regarding a footwear patent (9730484). The Board determined that Skechers met the threshold by showing a reasonable likelihood of unpatentability over prior art references like Dua and Hong.

patent denied · Apr 11, 2024

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. v.Nike, Inc.

· IPR2025-00141

The PTAB denied Skechers' petition for IPR against Nike, finding that the petitioner failed to demonstrate material error regarding prior art already considered by the Examiner. This decision reinforces the strict application of the Advanced Bionics standard in discretionary denial proceedings.

patent instituted · Apr 3, 2024

Under Armour, Inc. v.Athalonz, LLC

· IPR2024-00640

Under Armour challenged Athalonz's athletic shoe sole patent via IPR, asserting obviousness based on combinations of prior art references like Won and Norton. The Board decided to institute the proceeding, finding that factors weighed against discretionary denial despite the complexity of the technical arguments.

patent instituted · Apr 3, 2024

Under Armour, Inc. v.Athalonz, LLC

· IPR2024-00639

Under Armour filed an IPR challenging the validity of Athalonz's athletic shoe patent (11375768). The petition asserts that various claimed features, including a gradient compression forefoot platform and uniform heel height, are obvious based on combinations of prior art.

patent instituted · Apr 3, 2024

Under Armour, Inc. v.Athalonz, LLC

· IPR2024-00638

Under Armour challenges Athalonz's athletic footwear patent (11064760) in an IPR petition, asserting that all 11 claims are obvious over multiple prior art references. The petitioner argues the claimed features were conventional knowledge in the field of athletic positioning footwear.

patent instituted · Apr 3, 2024

Under Armour, Inc. v.Athalonz, LLC

· IPR2024-00636

Under Armour challenged Athalonz's '786 patent for athletic/golf footwear sole design via an IPR petition. The petitioner argued that all eight claimed features were obvious based on prior art references including Kim, Dufour, and Rubin. The Board subsequently instituted the proceeding.

patent instituted · Apr 3, 2024

Under Armour, Inc. v.Athalonz, LLC

· IPR2024-00637

Under Armour challenged Athalonz's athletic footwear patent (US 11013291) in an IPR, arguing the claims are obvious over prior art including Kim, Dufour, and Rubin. The PTAB has instituted the proceeding, finding merit in the challenger's arguments against discretionary denial.

patent instituted · Apr 3, 2024

Under Armour, Inc. v.Athalonz, LLC

· IPR2024-00639

Under Armour successfully petitioned the PTAB to institute IPR on claims related to athletic footwear sole technology, arguing they are obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103. The Board granted institution, adopting key claim constructions and recognizing the validity of multiple prior art combinations cited by the Petitioner.

Arctic Invent — IP Strategy

Dealing with a patent challenge?

Whether it's a Section 3(d) rejection, a post-grant opposition, or a FRAND dispute, Arctic's patent litigation team has handled it. Get a strategy call.

Talk to our patent team →