Abstract: An article of footwear includes a heel, a sole and an upper portion adapted to cover the foot. The upper portion includes a tongue and spaced-apart right and left side portions overlying the tongue. The right and left side portions each respectively define confronting right and left edges. A plurality of hooks are spaced along each of the right and left edges, each of the hooks including an open end facing outwardly from the adjacent confronting edge. A plurality of resilient loops extend from each of the right and left side portions. The resilient loops extending from the right side portion are positioned to engage the hooks spaced along the left edge and the resilient loops extending from the left side portion are positioned to engage the hooks spaced along the right edge.

Abstract: A needle protection safety package, instead of being enclosed in a pouch or other containment wrappings, has fitted thereto at respective ends thereof caps or sheaths so that both the needle and the end to which a syringe is adapted to mate remain enclosed and sterile. Such an arrangement enables easy transport of the safety needle package and provides convenience for the user at the same time. The safety package is further designed to prevent burring of the tip of the needle as the cap or sheath is removed from the needle portion of the package. A further embodiment of the safety package incorporates a locking mechanism which prevents contact between the needle and the housing as the housing is pivoted to envelop the needle after use.

Abstract: A boot having a shoe shaped shell member and a cuff member having a section overlapping the shell member. The cuff and shell members are pivotally connected together for pivoting movement in response to pivoting of the individual's leg relative to the individual's foot. An elastomeric material is disposed between said shell member to pivotally connect the two members together.

Abstract: A binding, which is particularly suitable for snowboarding, provides an easy to use kick-in boot engagement feature and a number of convenient ways to disengage the boot in a relatively small, light weight and economical structure. The binding has a pair of movable arms pivotally connected to a base. The base is securable to, for example, the top surface of a snowboard. The arms cooperate with a portion of the base to form pin receptacles adapted to receive pin ends extending from the user's boot. The arms are pivotal to selectively open and close the pin receptacles. A boot according to an embodiment of the invention includes a hollow hinge, with a hollow opening of sufficient diameter to accept the protrusions of the ankle bones. This larger hinge area distributes the stress in the boot material around the hinge. A device for selectively restricting the amount of allowed ankle movement is provided on the boot in the form of a telescoping cylinder damping structure mounted to the front of the boot.

Abstract: A sports shoe, in particular a ski boot, which is designed with a front instep, and the sole and the upper part of which are formed of plastic, and which has two pressure-distributing plates in the instep area, with each of these pressure-distributing plates extending from the toe area of the shoe over the instep area and, bent upwardly, along the front side of the shaft of the shoe. The pressure-distributing plates are supported for movement in a transverse direction of the shoe and for movement in a longitudinal direction of the shoe and with respect to the upper part in the fore-foot area of the upper part by means of flaps extending in transverse direction of the shoe. The two pressure-distributing plates overlap one another in the closed state of the shoe.

Abstract: A cup-like insole includes a body of elastic material having a bottom surface which has a shape to fit to a bottom member of a shoe. The insole has a flat portion and a concave side wall portion formed integrally therewith extending from the area corresponding to the inner arch portion of the foot to the area corresponding to the outer lateral side of the foot through the area corresponding to the heel portion of the foot. An impact cushioning material has bouncing putty and is disposed on the upper surface of the side wall. A sheet made of either woven fabrics, unwoven fabrics, or leather covering over the impact cushioning material secures the material to the body. The cup-like insole, according to the invention, provides improved fitness of the heel portion of a shoe to stabilize the heel of the wearer.

Abstract: The snowshoe having a tubular, elongated, open, main frame, a flexible sheet decking extending over the main frame and defining a peripheral edge section anchored to the main frame, and a telescopic cross-bar, extending transversely of the main frame intermediately thereof. The cross-bar releasably biases the elongated main frame in such a way as to vary its overall width, whereby the widthwise tensioning of the flexible sheet decking is concurrently varied. The sheet decking receives and supports a wearer's foot harness assembly, located directly above the cross-bar.

Abstract: A storage package for an article and a booklet includes a pair of panels secured together and movable between a closed storage orientation, wherein the panels are substantially overlying with at least an article and a booklet supported by the article disposed intermediate the pair of panels, and an open use orientation, wherein the panels are not substantially overlying and the article and booklet are accessible. A fixed base formed of plastic defines a cavity with a bottom face mounted on one of the panels and an open top face. A floating holder formed of rigid plastic is disposed within the cavity intermediate the faces for receiving and maintaining thereon the article and booklet, the holder being movable between a plurality of positions variably spaced above the cavity bottom face. A spring secured to one of the base and holder biases the holder above the cavity bottom face, thereby to accommodate booklets of varying thickness.

Abstract: A tool box includes a base, a plate and a cover which is pivotally engaged to the base, the base has four side walls and a bottom from which a plurality of studs extending therefrom, each stud having a hole defined in a top thereof, the base having two opposite side walls each having a groove defined in an inner side thereof, the plate having a plurality of recesses defined therein and having a plurality of pin elements extending downwardly from an under side thereof for engagement with the holes of the studs, the plate having an extending portion extending from a side corresponding to the groove of the base so as to be received in the corresponding groove.

Abstract: A ski boot having a rigid shell base including an overlying upper equipped with a front cuff and rear collar, both these elements pivoting with respect to the shell base, one in the front zone of the boot, the other in the zone of the malleoli, wherein the front cuff at least partially covers the front slitted upper portion of the shell base, from the tibial support zone of the boot by passing through the zone corresponding to the flexion fold to the zone of the foot corresponding to the metatarsus, where it is pivotably mounted with two journal hooks extending vertically from each side of the boot, each of the two journal hooks being connected to the walls of the shell base by a journal axis localized in a zone demarcated, on the one hand, longitudinally by two transverse vertical planes with respect to the plane of the sole of the shell, and on the other hand, by a plane parallel to the plane of the sole and separated from the latter by a distance approximately equal to the distance of the height of the ins

Abstract: A spring-loaded snap-type shoe including a compressible flexible sole having a bottom wall, a top wall, and a peripheral side wall extended therebetween to define a hollow interior, the sole additionally having a toe section, a heel section, and an intermediate section extended therebetween including a bendable ball portion and an arch portion; an elastic back plate disposed within the interior of the sole, the back plate having a rear end coupled to the side wall of the sole at the heel section thereof, a front end with a hook formed thereon positioned at a location adjacent with the ball portion of the sole, and a curved intermediate part extended therebetween and positioned in contact with the top wall of the sole; and an elongated front plate disposed within the interior of the sole, the front plate having a front end coupled to the side wall of the sole at the toe section, a back end with a hook formed thereon positioned at a location above the hook of the back plate, and an intermediate part extended th

Abstract: An athletic shoe (10) has a bottom sole (12) and a removable insole (16). The bottom sole (12) has two cavities (24) and (26) that are accessible from the interior (22) of the shoe. Respectively sized removably mounted cushioning cassettes (30) and (32) are removably mounted in the cavities (24) and (26). Each cassette is resiliently flexible and has spring elements (44) seated therein. Viscous fluid indicators (60) and (80) are also mounted on the shoe to determine the impact stresses and compression fit of the shoe on the foot.

Abstract: A clean air shoe having a shoe bottom adapted to the size of the foot, and with a peripheral seam edge whose upper end is sewn together with a legging by means of a seam. Below this seam there runs a second seam with which an upper is connected to the seam edge. In this manner a normal shoe, which is connected to a legging, is produced.

Abstract: A shoe comprising a sole portion having peripheral edges and at least one cushioning element comprising a chamber having flexible walls filled with a liquid composition, wherein the chamber includes a plurality of partitions for directing flow of liquid from one portion of the chamber to another portion of the chamber. Preferably, at least one partition is a gating means responsive to a differential in liquid-pressure for enabling the flow of liquid to the chamber portion of lower liquid pressure. The cushioning element overlays the sole portion. A portion of the cushioning element extends to a peripheral edge to provide cushioning support to a foot of a wearer at the peripheral edge. Preferably the extending portion of the element has substantially transparent walls, whereby the liquid composition can be viewed.