Abstract: A shock absorber for a vehicle includes a fluid-filled cylinder having a closed end, a shaft extending partially into the cylinder, a valve attached to the first end of the shaft, and a power supply. The valve includes a valve piston and a bender. The valve piston includes at least one orifice extending therethrough. The bender is seated adjacent the orifice in the piston. The bender includes a piezoelectric material embedded therein. The piezoelectric material includes sides with conductive material disposed thereon. The power supply is attached to the conductive material across the piezoelectric material in the bender to apply a voltage across the piezoelectric material to change the stiffness of the bender. A sensor is also included for monitoring the displacement and velocity of the piston within the fluid-filled cylinder. The biasing force on the bender is changed on sensor readings according to predetermined logic sequence.

Abstract: A pack for holding articles and providing fluid hydration is provided. The pack includes a bladder compartment having an opening for securing a fluid bladder therein for hydration with a hose attached thereto. The bladder has a front side adapted to be positioned against the user's back and a back side opposite the front side. The pack bag is sewn onto the back of the bladder compartment and is larger than the bladder compartment. The bladder compartment provides a cushion between the pack bag and the user and contours the back of the user. Shoulder straps are attached from the top of the bladder compartment to the bottom of the pack bag. A hip belt also extends from the bottom of the pack bag around the hips of the user. The top of the bladder compartment is at least partially separated from the top of the pack bag to allow the contouring of the bladder compartment along the upper portion of the back of the user. A lift strap extends between the top of the shoulder pad and the top of the pack bag.

Abstract: A snowboard binding for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard that includes a rigid baseplate, a strap, and an isolation member. The rigid baseplate includes sidewalls and a heel loop extending upwardly therefrom. The baseplate is adapted for attachment to the snowboard and includes a plurality of isolation apertures extending therethrough. A disk aperture is also provided for receiving an attachment disk for fastening the baseplate to the snowboard. The strap is connected to the sidewalls of the baseplate for releasably securing the boot to the binding. The isolation member is formed from a unitary substantially elastic, rubbery material. The isolation member extends beneath the baseplate to substantially isolate the baseplate from the snowboard. The isolation member has a plurality of upward projections extending through the isolation apertures in the baseplate. The upward projections have T-shaped cross sections with head and neck portions.

Abstract: An external frame backpack (10) includes a frame (14), a hip belt (32), two flexible stays (50, 52), a back panel (38), and a lower panel (40). The frame is external and substantially rigid. It includes upper, middle, and lower frame members (22, 24, 26) secured between frame siderails (18, 20). The hip belt is attached to the frame adjacent the lower frame member. The flexible stays are elongate with upper and lower ends. The upper ends attach to the upper frame member. The lower ends attach to the sides of the hip belt. The stays are flexible to allow movement of the hip belt as the stays bend while transmitting at least a portion of the weight held on the frame to the lower end of the stays. The back panel is vertically and horizontally tensioned and secured to the frame. The lower panel is secured between the siderails of the frame. The lower panel includes a support sheet (66) to maintain the shape thereof when tensioned between the siderails.

Abstract: A snowboard having a forward end with a shovel and rearward end with a heel. The forward shovel and rearward heel include forward and rearward contact areas on both the right and left sides. The snowboard includes a base sheet, a core, a top sheet, forward and rearward binding fastening regions, and a first reinforcement member. The core is disposed above the base sheet. The top sheet is disposed above the core. The forward and rearward binding fastening regions are disposed between the shovel and heel. The first reinforcement member is disposed between the core and the top sheet and extends from adjacent one of the forward and rearward binding fastening regions to adjacent both contact areas on one end of the snowboard. The first reinforcement member includes a right leaf spring member and a left leaf spring member. The right leaf spring member extends generally from the binding fastening region toward the right contact area.