Abstract: A take-off arm is provided for a bale opener for taking off fiber flocks from fiber bales. The take-off arm includes a housing, and a take-off unit having an axial length within the housing. A pressing element is connected to the housing via only load cells such that a contact force (F) of the take-off arm on the fiber bales is continuously measured by an evaluation of the load cells situated between the pressing element and the housing.

Abstract: An item of footwear such as a boot (10) includes a stiff lower part (12) that extends around part of a wearer's foot, a stiff upper part (16) that extends around the wearer's lower leg, and one or more limit elements (66,72,80,88) that extend between the lower part (12) and the upper part (16). The lower part (12) and upper part (16) are movable relative to each other when the ankle moves and the relative movement is inhibited selectively by the limit elements (66,72,80,88). The limit elements (66,72,80,88) are displaceable between a free condition in which the lower part (12) and the upper part (16) are movable relative to each other, and lock condition in which the relative movement between the lower part (12) and the upper part (16) is inhibited.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine includes a needle-holding cylinder having plurality of longitudinal grooves arranged around central axis, and plurality of needles, each being housed in longitudinal groove. Drive chain for each needle is inserted into each groove and operatively placed between needle and actuating cams. Drive chain includes sub-needle slidingly arranged in groove and having a butt. Butt is radially movable between operating position, extracted to engage with respective first paths and cause activation of needle and stitch formation, and non-operating position, retracted so as not to engage with first paths. A selector is arranged under sub-needle, and punch is arranged between sub-needle and selector. An activating element is slidingly arranged in groove between sub-needle and selector, can be longitudinally moved with respect to punch and sub-needle, and can be operatively engaged with sub-needle to switch butt of sub-needle into and retain it in operating position.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine includes a needle-holding cylinder having plurality of longitudinal grooves housing plurality of needles, at least one yarn feed operatively associated to needles, actuating cams arranged around and movable relative to cylinder, drive chain for each needle operatively placed between needle and actuating cams. Drive chain includes: sub-needle, selector having butt which can be engaged with selector paths, selecting device acting, punch equipped with butt which can be engaged with punch paths. Punch paths include a tuck stitch ascent and drop stitch ascent for each yarn feed. Inlet of drop stitch ascent circumferentially precedes inlet of tuck stitch ascent. Selector paths include a single track defining first and second ascents placed in succession for each yarn feed. First ascent circumferentially precedes second and is operatively associated to drop stitch ascent and second ascent is operatively associated to tuck stitch ascent.

Abstract: A knit fabric is created using on a flatbed knitting machine to create a whole garment having an inner surface and an outer surface. The knit fabric includes a support matrix comprised of base yarns with reflective yarns supported on the support matrix. The knit fabric comprises a jacquard knit structure formed from the base yarns and the reflective yarns, wherein elongate loops of the reflective yarns are outwardly exposed from the outer surface of the knit fabric. The inner surface of the knit fabric includes outwardly exposed floats of the reflective yarns.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprises a sole structure, and an upper including a front section and a rear section. The front section is fixed to a forefoot region of the sole structure and partially defines a foot-receiving cavity. The rear section is operatively secured to the sole structure at least partially rearward of the front section, and includes medial and lateral wings. A medial set of magnets includes at least one front medial magnet secured to a medial side of the front section and at least one rear medial magnet secured to the medial wing. A lateral set of magnets includes at least one front lateral magnet secured to a lateral side of the front section and at least one rear lateral magnet secured to the lateral wing. The rear section is movable relative to the front section between an access position and a use position.

Abstract: A protective face mask for maintaining a protective covering over a wearer's nose and mouth that allows for safe intake of food and/or drink includes a mask body, and upper and lower straps connected to the mask body that allow the protective face mask to be secured to the wearer's head. The mask body includes a flap portion that is connected to the mask body by left and right bellows portions. A tether is connected to the flap portion that may be grasped and force applied to draw the flap portion away from the face of the wearer, expanding the left and right bellows portions and creating an opening under a bottom edge of the flap portion at the bottom of the mask body to allow access to the wearer's mouth until the force applied is removed.

Abstract: An EVA sole having an upper face and a bottom, comprising an inscribed channel and a plurality of recesses positioned on the upper face, a TPU material disposed of within the inscribed channel, and a nylon stabilizer, which is bonded to the upper face inside of the inscribed channel.

Abstract: An automatic lacing mechanism automatically laces between two shoe pieces, and includes a clamping module, a positioning module, a shoelace-running module, and a shoelace-arranging module. The clamping module is adapted to fixedly clamp shoe pieces. The positioning module is adapted to position the shoe pieces prior to the shoe pieces are fixedly clamped, so that the clamping module could firmly clamp the shoe pieces. The shoelace-running module is adapted to run the shoelace through the lace eyelets on the shoe pieces. The shoelace-arranging module is adapted to change the direction of the shoelace during lacing. The positioning module has two positioning pins, wherein a distance therebetween is adjustable, and therefore the positioning module is suitable for the positioning of footwear having different distances between its lace eyelets, which could make the automatic lacing process smoother.

Abstract: A swimsuit garment having a shoulder securing means connected to a torso-covering section extending from a bustline to a hemline. The torso-covering section will have an opening mechanism extending from a terminus point on the bustline in a diagonal direction to a starting point on the hemline. The starting point on the hemline is situated on an opposite side of the terminus on the bustline. Further, the torso-covering section is connected to a back-covering section. The opening mechanism may be situated diagonally, with a starting point situated on a wearer's leg cuff on one side of the wearer's body to an ending point on the wearer's bustline on the side of the body opposite to the leg cuff, for example the starting point is on the left leg cuff and the ending point or terminus is on the bustline on the wearer's right-side.

Abstract: A gripping apparatus is disclosed. A gripping glove comprises a wrist band which can be secured with hook and loop fastener patches, and a palm strip with finger loops. The palm strip may be divided into three different strips and allows a comfortable grip during sport activities.

Abstract: A turning device for knitted tubular articles, particularly for turning inside-out tubular articles with pockets that protrude from the lateral surface thereof. The turning device in question comprises a main supporting structure which supports a tubular body arranged with its axis substantially vertical. The tubular body has its upper axial end beveled along a plane that is inclined with respect to its axis. The turning device comprises first actuation means which can be activated to perform a translation of the tubular body along its axis with respect to the main supporting structure. The tubular body is insertable, with its upper axial end, through an axial end of a tubular article in order to turn it inside out. The turning device comprises second actuation means which can be activated to rotate the tubular body about its own axis, through an angle of preset breadth, with respect to the main supporting structure.

Abstract: A card wire has consecutive teeth spaced apart in the longitudinal direction by a pitch. The teeth are bounded in the longitudinal direction by a tooth face on a first side and by a tooth back on a second side. Looking downwards in the height direction of the card wire, the tooth face and the tooth back of consecutive teeth merge in a tooth base and, looking upwards in the height direction, form a tooth tip. The tooth depth is defined by the greatest distance, in the height direction of the card wire, from the tooth tip to the tooth base. The ratio of pitch to tooth depth is less than 1.1. An interspace, measured at right angles to a tangent to an inflection point between tooth back and tooth base, between this inflection point and the opposite tooth face is greater than a quarter of the pitch.

Abstract: A shoe includes a sole and an upper secured to the sole. The sole has an outsole, a molded chassis, a forefoot cushion, and a heel cushion. The medial midfoot region of the outsole is devoid of the outsole such that the chassis member is visible as viewed in a bottom plan view. The molded chassis has a forefoot opening and a heel opening, with both the forefoot opening and the heel opening being through openings extending through the molded chassis. The forefoot opening is in one or more of the toe region and the ball region of the sole, and the heel opening is in the heel region of the sole. The forefoot cushion is in the forefoot opening, and the heel cushion is in the heel opening. The molded chassis is coupled to the outsole and coupled to the upper.

Abstract: A headband comprising an adornment support portion comprising a plurality of slots and at least one adornment or adornment fastener strap configured to be received in at least one of the adornment support portion slots. An elastic nape section may connect to opposite ends of the adornment support portion at connection seams to dispose the headband in a closed loop configuration. The adornment fastener strap may have fastener components disposed on opposite surfaces of opposite ends of the strap operable to secure the fastener strap in a loop configuration.

Abstract: A wearable blanket includes a body and removable lower pocket coupled to a rear surface of the body along vertical edges of the pocket. Legs of a user are received between the rear surface of the body and the pocket for securing the wearable blanket to the user. An removable upper pocket can be attached to the body and positioned adjacent a chest of a user after the lower pocket is secured to the user. A liner made of warming fabric can be added to or removed from the both the upper and/or lower pocket to regulate comfort.

Abstract: Provided is an elastic circular-knitted fabric that can be used for clothing such as underclothes, sportswear, or casual wear, and that is stretchable and has a pleasant feel. This elastic circular-knitted fabric contains knitted loops (c1) composed of non-elastic fibers, and knitted loops (c2) composed of non-elastic fibers and elastic fibers. The knitted loops (c2) composed of the non-elastic fibers and elastic fibers exist in the elastic circular-knitted fabric at a ratio of one course for every two courses. In a slope of the elongation stress curve in the warp direction and weft direction of the elastic circular-knitted fabric, a ratio (a2/a1) of a slope (a1) at 0-40% elongation to a slope (a2) at 40-80% elongation is no more than 1.0 in the respective directions, and the standard deviation of unevenness between the loops on the rear surface of the elastic circular-knitted fabric is 0.5 or below.

Abstract: A knitting method is for forming a weft knitted fabric having a thick portion. The knitting method includes a thick portion knitting step of forming at least two complete thick portion textures in one course of the weft knitted fabric by continuously repeating a thick portion knitting substep while alternating horizontal yarn feeding directions, the thick portion knitting substep including feeding a knitting yarn once to a needle row of five successive knitting needles in one horizontal direction.

Abstract: Provided is a waist belt in which: a left inner tightening belt, with a right end portion thereof attached to the right end portion of the left body belt, is passed through the left fold ring and folded back leftward, and a left connecting ring is provided at a left end portion thereof that has passed through the right fold ring; a right inner tightening belt, with a left end portion thereof attached to the left end portion of the right body belt, is passed through the right fold ring and folded back rightward, and a right connecting ring is provided at a right end portion thereof.

Abstract: The diving mask includes a rigid frame, one or two lenses, and a face mask made of soft and elastically yielding material, the face mask having a front hollow projection for housing the nose of the diver and a rear perimeter profile applicable in an airtight way to the face of the diver so as to delimit an internal space between the mask and the face of the diver, the internal surface of said face mask being equipped with obstructing means obstructing a direct flow towards lenses of the air released from the diver nose.