Abstract: A mountain bike shoe sole, including an outsole having a lower surface and a tread, and at least a recessed area including an inner surface and at least one ramp.

Abstract: A garment that is configured to attach to a bikini bottom is provided. The garment includes a band that is configured to be worn by a user. The band has a generally uniform circumference and includes a top portion, a bottom portion, and at least one attachment device that is configured to releasably attach the bottom portion to the top portion for securing the band to the bikini bottom when the bottom portion is received through at least one leg opening of the bikini bottom.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a fitting system with an upper member that is supported by the upper and a strand guide that is supported by the sole structure. The strand guide is flexible and flexes in concert with the sole structure. The strand guide has a guide surface. The fitting system further includes a tensioning system with a flexible strand that is configured to bias the upper member toward the strand guide. The flexible strand has a first section coupled to the upper member and a second section extending through the sole structure. The second section abuts the guide surface. The second section is configured to slide across the guide surface as a result of flexure of the strand guide. The first section and the upper member are configured to move relative to the sole structure as a result of sliding of the second section across the guide surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to footwear and portions thereof having structural features and decorative designs thereon, and related systems and methods for manufacturing same. An exemplary method for providing a feature on a surface of an object includes positioning a laser proximate the surface of the object, directing a laser beam from the laser to the surface of the object to mark or engrave at least a portion of the surface of the object, and moving at least one of the laser and the object to create a pattern on the surface of the object, the pattern providing at least one of an aesthetic and a structural feature on the surface of the object.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a braided filament including a plurality of strands each having at least one ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fiber and at least one polyester fiber wherein the quantity of certain types of fibers in a first strand is the same as the quantity of the same type of fibers in a second strand. In a variant, one additional strand of the braided filament is a monofilament strand. In another variant, each strand is homogeneous with respect to the other strands and is made exclusively from ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers and polyester fibers such that each strand has the same distribution and quantity of fiber types.

Abstract: A leg protection device to be used in conjunction with footwear and adapted to removably wrap around a user's leg near or on their ankle to protect the user from rubbing and irritations caused by the footwear when worn and in use. A flexible panel is provided incorporating a plurality of apertures adapted to allow a chosen amount of air flow to the covered portion of the leg when needed. The flexible panel further includes edge portions around a perimeter thereof and surrounding each of the apertures and made from a material adapted to increase comfort to the user while in use.

Abstract: A cushioning article includes a bladder enclosing an interior cavity and retaining a gas in the interior cavity. A tensile component is disposed in the interior cavity and includes tensile layers and a plurality of tethers connecting the tensile layers. The tensile layers are connected to an inner surface of the bladder such that the tethers span across the interior cavity. The bladder has an inwardly-protruding bond that joins an inner surface of the bladder to the tensile component, protrudes inward into the interior cavity, and partially traverses the plurality of tethers such that the bladder is narrowed at the inwardly protruding bond and the gas in the interior cavity fluidly communicates across the inwardly-protruding bond. A method of manufacturing a cushioning article is disclosed.

Abstract: A sole assembly for an article of footwear includes a midsole that is formed from at least a bladder and foam midsole component. The midsole has a ground facing surface and a sidewall, and the bladder meets the foam midsole at a component boundary on the sidewall. An etching extends into both the foam midsole and the bladder. The etched channel has a depth into the sidewall of between about 2 ?m and about 1000 ?m and continuously extends across the component boundary.

Abstract: A last for forming an upper of an article of footwear includes an exterior surface, where the exterior surface includes a plurality of three dimensional structural surface components disposed over at least 50% of the exterior surface of the last.

Abstract: An article of clothing, the article of clothing including a fabric. The fabric defines a waistband portion having an interior. The fabric also defines a base fabric panel. Additionally, the article of clothing includes an elastic layer. The interior of the waistband faces the elastic layer. Moreover, the interior of the waistband is defined by one or more folds forming a border between the base fabric panel and the waistband. The one or more folds include an initial bottom fold and a final bottom fold of the fabric. The one or more folds further include a top fold at a top edge of the waistband. The waistband is attached to the elastic layer through the initial bottom fold and the top fold. Additionally, an interior of the final bottom fold and the interior of the top fold are common to the interior of the waistband.

Abstract: A rapid-entry shoe having an elastic element to enlarge a foot opening of the rapid-entry shoe and also having a stabilizer to prevent a rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe from collapsing downward.

Abstract: Footwear articles for walking are provided. In one example, a footwear article may include a midsole with a lower surface of constant curvature extending from a heel of the midsole to a toe of the midsole, wherein the lower surface maintains the constant curvature throughout a stance phase of a walking gait. In this way, a smooth step-to-step transition and a smaller range of oscillation of the center of mass of the wearer is achieved, and energy expenditure during walking is reduced. In turn, a wearer of the footwear article may smoothly walk for extended periods of time with reduced fatigue.

Abstract: An article of footwear is provided and includes an upper and a sole attached to the upper, where the sole has a medial side and a lateral side, and a through-hole extending between the medial side and the lateral side. A support member is positioned in the through-hole of the sole, where the support member includes an upper support and a lower support and where the upper support is spaced from the lower support.

Abstract: A shoe basically includes an upper and a sole. The sole is attached to the upper. The sole includes an outsole and a first midsole. The first midsole has a fore part, a first heel part, a second heel part and a boundary part. The first heel part is at least partly disposed along a longitudinal centerline of the shoe and configured to support a center part of a heel. The second heel part is disposed laterally outward of the longitudinal centerline of the shoe and configured to support an outer part of the heel. The boundary part is provided between the first heel part and the second heel part such that the first heel part and the second heel part are movable relative to one another.

Abstract: A rapid-entry shoe having an elastic element to enlarge a foot opening of the rapid-entry shoe and also having a stabilizer to prevent a rear portion of the rapid-entry shoe from collapsing downward.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper that is attached to the sole structure. The upper includes a knitted component with a compression member that is configured to apply compression to the wearer. The knitted component also includes a selection element that is configured for selecting and changing the amount of compression applied by the compression member. The selection element is spaced away from the sole structure. The selection element includes a first area and a second area. The first area is configured to move relative to the second area between an unsecured position and a secured position to change the amount of compression applied by the compression member. The first area is spaced away from the second area in the unsecured position, and the first area is attached to the second area in the secured position.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper. The upper may include a first and a second section and partially define a foot-receiving cavity over the sole structure. The first section may be fixed to the sole structure and the second section may articulate between an access position and a use position. The foot-receiving cavity may be more exposed in the access position to allow easier foot entry. A strap may extend from one of the first and the second section. A looped handle may extend from the strap and may at least partially form a loop. The strap may extend across the second section of the upper when the second section is in the use position. The strap may have a distal portion configured to releasably secure to one of the first section or the second section with the looped handle exposed.

Abstract: Footwear and sole structures include structures and properties, e.g., to support urban dance and urban dance moves. Such dance styles include various dance moves and movements that require contact between side edges of the wearer's shoes and the dance floor surface (e.g., made from concrete, asphalt, wood, etc.). Such dance styles also require transition of the body's center of mass along the edge(s) of the foot. Footwear and sole structures in accordance with this technology provide structures and properties to support to support such dance styles and moves, including one or more of: selected materials and/or selected material properties in various areas to promote sliding or gliding along various surfaces and/or other desired interactions with various surfaces; selected sizing and/or dimensional features of components in various areas; various flexion promoting structures and/or characteristics; etc.

Abstract: There is provided a helmet engageable with a human head portion. The helmet includes an inner shell, an outer shell and a shock absorbing layer. The shock absorbing layer is located between the inner shell and the outer shell, include at least one 3D structure and is defined by a plurality of interconnected 5 surfaces with a plurality of openings defined inbetween. A designing process is provided, including steps of providing a virtual inner shell model and outer shell model of the virtual helmet model, positioning virtual curves on the virtual inner shell/outer shell model, and generating virtual minimal surfaces. A manufacturing process is 10 further provided, including steps of conceiving the virtual helmet model using at least some steps of the designing process and additive manufacturing at least a portion of the helmet.

Abstract: An article of footwear has a multi-layer upper, where the outermost layers of the upper are cut into a pattern. The cut portions of the upper are mounted on a contiguous substrate layer so that the edges of the cut portions are visible and perceptible to touch. The upper remains durable in terms of abrasion resistance, ply adhesion, tensile strength, and flex testing.