Abstract: A heel cup (44) permits the user to custom fit each foot to various shaped footwear, using adjustable bottom wall and side wall cushions (76, 246), thereby providing optimum comfort and safety whether simply walking or during vigorous sports activity. The heel cup includes bottom, side and heel portions (72, 74), an attachment mechanism secured at least to one of the portions, and an insole (54, 78) secured to a hook and loop attachment mechanism for supporting the foot. A complete adjustable insole is together used with an adjustable sidewall cushioning because it is difficult to reach into the interiors of footwear to make adjustments, such as installing moving or removing a cushion to obtain necessary comfort. Attachments for the insole may comprise tabs (158, 172, 188) to which the insole can be secured. A heel grip bracket (420) with a cushion (422) may be mounted on the heel portion of the bracket and one or more cushions (438) may be coupled to cushion (422) on its sides.

Abstract: A portable hand-held vane anemometer is disclosed in which a modular vane assembly is removably mounted within the casing of the instrument. Within the modular vane assembly is a rotatably mounted impeller shaft. The impeller assembly preferably can be removed and inserted into a cavity of the anemometer. Consequently, if the impeller, bearings or other components of the impeller assembly should become damaged, the modular impeller assembly can be quickly and easily replaced. The vane anemometer of this invention may also measure temperature dependent environmental parameters and may also have the ability to measure these parameters relatively quickly and accurately when moving from one thermal mass to another thermal mass. These environmental parameters may include ambient temperature, wind chill, humidity and heat index. In order to determine these parameters, the vane anemometer may have a temperature probe and a humidity sensor that are disposed external to the casing.

Abstract: A shoe insert that can be customized by the user to control pronation of the foot and to relieve or reduce stress at painful areas of the foot comprising a sheet of a natural material such as leather or a synthetic resin such as high density polyethylene capable of being deformed to the shape of the foot by the weight of the user. The sheet includes fastening hook or loop material on at least one surface whereby detachable cushioning elements can be attached to the film. The fastening material attached to the sheet is preferably a layer of loop cloth that continuously covers one or both surfaces of the sheet. The cushioning pads also contain a sheet of loop or hook material on one or both surfaces. When the insert with attached, spaced pads is placed in a shoe, the sheet deforms around and between the compressible pads due to the weight of the user and retains the shape when the weight is removed.

Abstract: An orthotic which comprises an upper section and a lower section which can be hinged to each other by a hinge. The facing surfaces of the sections are covered with sheets of loop material. Compressible cushion pads designed to contour to the specific needs of a patient containing a layer of hook material on both surfaces are releasably secured to the sheets of loop fabric forming a three layer assembly.

Abstract: A vane anemometer is disclosed in which a modular vane assembly is removably mounted within the case of the instrument. Within the modular vane assembly is a rotatably mounted impeller shaft. The impeller assembly preferably can be removed and inserted into a cavity of the anemometer without the use of tools. Consequently, if the impeller, bearings or other components of the impeller assembly should become damaged, the modular impeller assembly can be quickly and easily replaced. The modular impeller assembly is preferably mechanically insulated from the anemometer casing. This minimizes the effect of dynamic forces on the bearings and other components of the impeller assembly. A method of and the structure for precisely and reproducibly adjusting the axial clearance between a shaft and a bearing assembly is also disclosed. The vane anemometer of this invention may also measure the temperature and the wind chill of the ambient air.

Abstract: A vane anemometer is disclosed in which a modular vane assembly is removably mounted within the case of the instrument. Within the modular vane assembly is a rotatably mounted impeller shaft. The impeller assembly preferably can be removed and inserted into a cavity of the anemometer without the use of tools. Consequently, if the impeller, bearings or other components of the impeller assembly should become damaged, the modular impeller assembly can be quickly and easily replaced. The modular impeller assembly is preferably mechanically insulated from the anemometer casing. This minimizes the effect of dynamic forces on the bearings and other components of the impeller assembly. A method of and the structure for precisely and reproducibly adjusting the axial clearance between a shaft and a bearing assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sound decoupling connecting element (1) for two parts (27, 28) with a gasket (29) inserted inbetween has a screw (2) with a head (4) and a shaft (8) with a threaded section (10, 11) and a radially extending support area (14) resting on a counter surface in the end-mounted position. The connecting element (1) has a sound decoupling sleeve-like formed body 3 made of an elastomer material. The formed body (3) has limited axial movement on the screw (2) in the mounted state of the connecting element (1), but is held in an unlosable fashion. The formed body (3) has such an axial length that it protrudes the first part (27) with a continuation (19) in the direction of the gasket (29) in the state of being inserted in the first part (27). The continuation (19) of the formed body (3) has a recess (20) for taking up in an unlosable fashion the gasket (29).

Abstract: An improved speed transducer is disclosed. The present invention provides an alternating current coil speed transducer which utilizes the Faraday Effect to generate a voltage. The present invention discloses an improved amplifying circuit that amplifies the low voltages generated by small boats such as rowing shells to permit them to register accurate speed data at low speeds, e.g. between about 0.5 and 10 m/sec although higher speeds can be measured. The present invention also provides an improved technique for connecting a speed transducer to a boat that permits the speed transducer to be mounted and dismounted and the electrical connection broken without requiring extensive reworking of the speed transducer. In this regard, the present invention generally provides an improved technique for mounting and dismounting protruding apparatus that have electrical or other connections that extend into an object.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining the effective force generated by an athlete acting upon a rowing apparatus are disclosed. A flexural member attached to the rowing apparatus and a footboard hingably attached to the flexural member at its upper end and slidably attached to the rowing apparatus at its lower end are provided. The flexural member is fitted with strain gauges which produce a signal indicative of the strain in the flexural member, this signal can then be converted to a measure of the effective force applied to the oars. Most preferably, apparatus of the present invention substantially eliminates the effects of residual torque friction, thermal deformation and the like by isolating the flexural member from which strain data is taken.