US D768969

Summary of US Patent D768,969

Title: Footwear outsole
Assignee: Deckers Outdoor Corporation (based on related patent information where D768,969 is cited)
Inventors: Nicholas Boys
Filing Date: The filing date is not explicitly stated in the provided search snippets for D768,969, but related documents show a "Date of Patent: October 10, 2016".
Issue Date: October 11, 2016

Abstract: The ornamental design for a footwear outsole, as shown and described.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claim:
For design patents, typically only one claim exists, which refers to the ornamental design as depicted in the drawings. In the case of D768,969, the claim is for: "The ornamental design for a footwear outsole, as shown and described." This means the patent protects the unique visual appearance of the footwear outsole as presented in the patent's figures. The broken lines in the figures represent portions of the footwear that are not part of the claimed design, defining the boundaries of what is being protected.

Uncertainty:
Information regarding the filing date of D768,969 was not directly available in the provided snippets. The assignee, Deckers Outdoor Corporation, is inferred from related patent citations where Nicholas Boys is also an inventor and Deckers Outdoor Corporation is the assignee for a related footwear design patent.

Litigation Status:
As of November 2025, US Patent D768,969 is involved in an Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceeding, specifically IPR2025-01395, before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). The Petitioners in this case are TOP GLORY TRADING GROUP INC. and DP DREAM PAIRS INC., and the Patent Owner is COLE HAAN LLC. The proceedings include motions to seal confidential information.

A search of the CAFC 2026 dockets for D768,969 did not return any scheduled cases for May, June, or July 2026. Therefore, there is no identified active litigation at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for this patent as of April 26, 2026.