Abstract: The present invention relates to a sole with at least one receptacle and at least one stud, which can be releasably mounted within the receptacle by inserting a fastening projection of the stud into the receptacle. The fastening projection includes a first locking member, and the receptacle includes a flexible wall having a second locking member. The flexible wall is deflected when the fastening projection is inserted into the receptacle until the first and the second locking members engage.

Abstract: An article of footwear including a sole with a stability element constructed of a material and configured for controlling, in a preselected manner, the rotation of the forefoot portion of the article of footwear around the longitudinal axis with respect to the rearfoot portion.

Abstract: This invention relates to a full body swimsuit for enhancing a swimmer's performance in the water. Swimming performance is enhanced by optimizing swimming efficiency, which include influencing the swimmer's physiological responses, improving the accuracy of the swimmer's movements, and optimizing the direction of the resultant propellant forces by modifying the propellant areas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ball, in a particular a football. The ball according to the invention has, in its outer skin, a syntactic material that consists of a matrix material into which essentially dimensionally stable, elastic blow-molded parts are mixed. Furthermore, a new method of producing a ball with a verre églomiséprint is also disclosed.

Abstract: A spike for an athletic shoe having a ground engaging portion which is generally z-shaped in cross-section A spike according to the invention includes a first elongate portion having second and third elongate portions extending angularly therefrom. The second and third portions are parallel in one embodiment. In other embodiment, the respective angles of the second and third portions with respect to the central portion may vary slightly. The invention is also embodied in a shoe having one or more spikes as described above and arranged in a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: An athletic shoe including a upper, a support member or “chassis” attached to the underside of the upper, and sole elements attached to the bottom of the support member. The support member provides support for the foot, and thereby permits use of spaced apart sole elements rather than a full midsole and a full outsole. In addition, the support member can be tailored to provide the optimum stiffness for a particular activity or user.

Abstract: The present invention relates to athletic shoes used in sports that require asymmetric movement of the feet, such as fencing. The asymmetric shoes of the present invention include a trailing shoe and a leading shoe that are each specially adapted to the particular asymmetric movement of the trailing and leading foot, respectively, allowing each foot to perform optimally. The leading and trailing shoes each include an upper and a sole. The trailing shoe sole includes front, rear, lateral, and medial portions, the lateral sole portion having a greater thickness than the medial portion.

Abstract: An article of footwear, in particular a sports shoe or walking boot, that has an outersole and at least one stud which is releasably connected thereto and interacts with the ground. According to the invention, the at least one stud comprises a stud-fastening mechanism, and the outersole has at least one locking recess. Furthermore, the stud-fastening mechanism can be moved into a position in which it engages behind the locking recess in order to produce the releasable connection between stud and sole. Preferably, the fastening mechanism comprises at least one locking arm which is arranged in an essentially pivotable or displaceable manner in a cavity in the interior of the stud.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ball, in particular a football and a new method of producing a ball with a verre églomiséprint. The ball according to the invention has, in its outer skin (11), a syntactic material (50) which consists of a matrix material (52) into which essentially dimensionally stable, elastic blow-moulded parts (54) are mixed.

Abstract: An article of footwear, in particular a sports shoe or walking boot, that has an outersole and at least one stud which is releasably connected thereto and interacts with the ground. According to the invention, the at least one stud comprises a stud-fastening mechanism, and the outersole has at least one locking recess. Furthermore, the stud-fastening mechanism can be moved into a position in which it engages behind the locking recess in order to produce the releasable connection between stud and sole. Preferably, the fastening mechanism comprises at least one locking arm which is arranged in an essentially pivotable or displaceable manner in a cavity in the interior of the stud.

Abstract: A ball for a ball game includes a bladder made of a spherical elastic air-impermeable material in a hollow spherical shape and filled with air; a spherical flexible shape-maintaining frame body containing the bladder and having openings; and skin panels in a surface skin layer and having edges contacting one another on the frame body, wherein at least the edges of the skin panels are adhered to the frame body.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a ground-contacting system including 3D deformation elements having interiors filled with either a compressible fluid, such as a gas, or filled with other materials such as liquids, foams, viscous materials and/or viscoelastic materials. The 3D elements are designed to deform distort,l or deflect in three mutually orthogonal directions simultaneously and are associated directly with the surfaces that routinely come in direct contact with a ground surface such as the underside of the sole and side portions of the shoe upper near the sole. The 3D elements are also designed to decrease the amount of force transferred to the wearers feet, legs, back, and joints due to their ability to distort three dimensionally and to dissipate the energy of foot fall into thermal energy.

Abstract: An article of footwear including a sole with a stability element constructed of a material and configured for controlling, in a pre-selected manner, the rotation of the forefoot portion of the article of footwear around the longitudinal axis with respect to the rearfoot portion.

Abstract: An athletic shoe, such as a soccer shoe, has an upper defining a toe region, an insole connected to the upper, and an outsole secured to the insole. A vamp in the toe region is joined to the insole. The vamp is a full-grain leather composed of a grain layer and a leather fiber layer joined to the grain layer. An elastomeric coating is disposed on and partway penetrates into the leather fiber layer in a region where the fiber layer is joined to the insole. The coating has a thickness above the surface of the leather fiber layer of at least 0.1 mm. The coating may also be disposed in a region adjoining the region where the fiber layer is joined to said insole. The coating may also be reinforced with an embedded reinforcement.

Abstract: An athletic shoe including a upper, a support member or "chassis" attached to the underside of the upper, and sole elements attached to the bottom of the support member. The support member provides support for the foot, and thereby permits use of spaced apart sole elements rather than a full midsole and a full outsole. In addition, the support member can be tailored to provide the optimum stiffness for a particular activity or user.