Abstract: The heel counter structure includes a sole plate provided at least at the heel region of the shoe and having a peripheral portion. The peripheral portion is upraised along the heel region of the shoe so as to enclose the lower portion of the heel portion of the foot of the wearer. The heel structure also includes a pair of heel counter portions provided on the medial and lateral sides of the heel region of the shoe so as to sandwich the heel portion of the foot sideways. The heel counter portions are coupled to the peripheral portion of the sole plate at the lower ends of the heel counter portions so that the heel counter portions can tilt inwardly and outwardly independently of the sole plate. The heel counter portions are separated from the peripheral portion of the sole plate except the lower ends of the heel counter portions.

Abstract: A calculating unit of a swing analyzer calculates, assuming that a golf club is in a uniform circular motion about a virtual center of rotation O during a swing, a virtual speed Vh at a central point R of a golf club head, based on a distance between first and second acceleration sensors, a distance between the first acceleration sensor and the central point R of a golf club head and outputs from the first and second acceleration sensors, and calculates the speed of central point R of a golf club head utilizing the virtual speed Vh.

Abstract: A measuring device includes a strain gauge, a processing unit calculating an expected bending point value corresponding to a bending point position, and a display unit capable of displaying an output value from the processing unit. The processing unit calculates the expected bending point value based on a measured value of strain gauge at a first time point during a swing of the user and a measured value of strain gauge at a second time point closer to an impact time point than the first time point. The processing unit stores in advance conversion data for converting the expected bending point value to recommended kick point output value indicating kick point, and the processing unit outputs the recommended kick point output value corresponding to the calculated expected bending point value to the display unit.

Abstract: There is provided a baseball including an inner core, and an outer core covering an outer circumferential surface of the inner core, the inner core being formed to have a dimension of 20% or more and 80% or less of an outer diameter of the inner core and the outer core of the baseball, and having a dynamic viscoelasticity loss coefficient (tan ?) of 0.3 or less, the outer core being formed to have a thickness of 10% or more and 40% or less of the outer diameter of the inner core and the outer core of the baseball, and having an elastic modulus of 1.5 MPa or less. As a result, there can be obtained a baseball that achieves a high level of safety when the baseball hits against a human body and achieves a hit distance equal to and longer than that of a ball for hardball.

Abstract: A baseball or softball bat and a method for manufacturing the bat are provided. The bat includes a batting portion formed of wood into a cylindrical shape, and a bat main body made of a fiber-reinforced plastic. A part of the bat main body is inserted in the batting portion from an open end of the batting portion, and the rest of the bat main body is exposed from the batting portion. The bat further includes a suppressing member arranged on an outer circumference of the bat main body. The suppressing member prevents change of orientation of fibers in the fiber-reinforced plastic. The suppressing member is positioned so as to contact a step formed between the outer circumference of the bat main body and an outer circumference of the batting portion at the open end of the batting portion.

Abstract: An iron golf club head includes: a head portion; and a badge portion adhered to the head portion. The head portion includes: a face surface; and a back surface located behind the face surface. The badge portion is adhered to at least one of a first largest amplitude region where an amplitude in a fourth-order vibration mode of the back surface is the largest and a second largest amplitude region where an amplitude in a fifth-order vibration mode of the back surface is the largest. As a result, there can be obtained an iron golf club head and an iron golf club, in which by suppressing decrease in resonant time of the hitting sound and reducing the sound pressure of the hitting sound, the hitting sound and the hitting feeling can be improved.

Abstract: A bat selection device includes: a parameter input unit which receives an input of a swing parameter value relevant to swing of a batter, for each of at least two or more bats having moments of inertia different from one another swung by the batter at an object, of a plurality of bats; an estimation unit which estimates the swing parameter value corresponding to each of the plurality of bats based on each received swing parameter value; and a selection unit which calculates an index parameter value indicative of an index for selecting a bat suitable for the batter from the plurality of bats, for each of the plurality of bats, based on the estimated swing parameter value corresponding to the bat, and selects the bat suitable for the batter based on the index parameter values.

Abstract: An iron golf club has a club length L measured in accordance with 60-degrees method of at least 36.5 inches, and it includes: a carbon shaft; a weight attached to said carbon shaft; a grip attached to one end of said carbon shaft; and a head attached to the other end of said carbon shaft. Sum total of mass of the carbon shaft, the weight, the grip and the head is at least 0.3996 kg and at most 0.4197 kg. A value r/L, where r represents a distance from an upper end of the grip to the center of gravity of the iron golf club, is at least 0.765 and at most 0.795. Thus, an iron golf club realizing improved easiness of swing can be provided.

Abstract: A baseball or softball bat improved in repulsiveness while maintaining sufficient durability is obtained. The bat is a baseball or softball bat including a hitting portion, a tapered portion and a grip portion, and the hitting portion offers a hitting portion core as a core, an elastic body and an outer shell member. The elastic body is arranged on the outer periphery of the hitting portion core. The outer shell member is arranged on the outer periphery of the elastic body. The outer shell member includes outer shell member portions which are a plurality of portions elastically deformable independently of each other.

Abstract: A golf club having a value of L not less than 45.5 inches, with L representing a club length measured with a 60-degree method, includes a shaft, a grip attached to one end of the shaft, and a head attached to the other end of the shaft. A value of r/L is equal to or not smaller than 0.658 and equal to or not greater than 0.732, where r represents a distance from an upper end of the grip to the center of gravity of the golf club. Thus, a long-length golf club achieving an increased head speed can be obtained.

Abstract: A midsole structure of a sole assembly for a shoe improves a ride feeling and stability of the midfoot portion of the sole assembly during running. The sole assembly 1? of the shoe includes an upper plate 3 formed of a hard elastic member disposed on an upper side of a midfoot region M, a lower midsole 15 formed of a soft elastic member disposed under the upper plate 3 at the midfoot region, wherein the lower midsole has a downwardly convexedly curved upper surface that forms a void S relative to the upper plate and contacts the upper plate at the front and rear ends of the midfoot portion, and an outsole. The outsole includes a midfoot outsole 6 with a ground contact surface arranged below the lower midsole at the midfoot region, a heel outsole 5 of a heel region H, and a forefoot outsole 7 of a forefoot region F, wherein these outsole members are all discrete and separate from one another in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A golf club includes: a shaft (4); an adapter (3) having a shaft inserting portion (9) disposed with a shaft inserting hole (13) at one end for fixing the shaft (4) and at the other end a fixing portion (7) which is integrally disposed with the shaft inserting portion (9) with a central axis thereof deviated from a central axis of the shaft inserting portion (9) and is disposed with a concave portion (12) at least at a part of a circumferential wall surface thereof; a club head (1) including a hosel portion (2) disposed with a hosel hole (5) for inserting the adapter (3) and a through hole (10) extending from a hosel outer wall to the hosel hole (5) and located at a position corresponding to the concave portion (12) of the fixing portion (7); and a retaining means (11) passing through the through hole (10) to press the concave portion (12) so as to prevent the shaft (4) from dropping out.

Abstract: An upper structure for a shoe includes an upper body and an outside upper member that overlaps the lateral side of the upper body to cover the foot's talus and that has a bottom edge portion fixedly attached to a bottom surface of the upper body. A rear end portion of the bottom edge portion is located rearwardly of the calcaneus load centerline. A rear edge portion of the outside upper member is separate from the upper body rearwardly of the talus. An instep edge portion of the outside upper member is connected to the shoelace. The upper structure includes a region that is expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction. A top end of the region extends to the opening of the upper body, and a bottom end of the region is disposed in front of the calcaneus load centerline and below 55% of the foot's lateral ankle height.

Abstract: An iron golf club has a club length L measured in accordance with 60-degrees method of at least 36.5 inches, and it includes: a carbon shaft; a weight attached to said carbon shaft; a grip attached to one end of said carbon shaft; and a head attached to the other end of said carbon shaft. Sum total of mass of the carbon shaft, the weight, the grip and the head is at least 0.3996 kg and at most 0.4197 kg. A value r/L, where r represents a distance from an upper end of the grip to the center of gravity of the iron golf club, is at least 0.765 and at most 0.795. Thus, an iron golf club realizing improved easiness of swing can be provided.

Abstract: A baseball or softball bat and a method for manufacturing the bat are provided. The bat includes a batting portion formed of wood into a cylindrical shape, and a bat main body made of a fiber-reinforced plastic. A part of the bat main body is inserted in the batting portion from an open end of the batting portion, and the rest of the bat main body is exposed from the batting portion. The bat further includes a suppressing member arranged on an outer circumference of the bat main body. The suppressing member prevents change of orientation of fibers in the fiber-reinforced plastic. The suppressing member is positioned so as to contact a step formed between the outer circumference of the bat main body and an outer circumference of the batting portion at the open end of the batting portion.

Abstract: The heel counter structure includes a sole plate provided at least at the heel region of the shoe and having a peripheral portion. The peripheral portion is upraised along the heel region of the shoe so as to enclose the lower portion of the heel portion of the foot of the wearer. The heel structure also includes a pair of heel counter portions provided on the medial and lateral sides of the heel region of the shoe so as to sandwich the heel portion of the foot sideways. The heel counter portions are coupled to the peripheral portion of the sole plate at the lower ends of the heel counter portions so that the heel counter portions can tilt inwardly and outwardly independently of the sole plate. The heel counter portions are separated from the peripheral portion of the sole plate except the lower ends of the heel counter portions.

Abstract: A shoe 1 of the present invention includes an upper 2 made of a stretchable fabric. The stretchable fabric is integrated with a sole 3 in a state of being stretched. Further, a method of manufacturing the shoe 1 of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a shoe using a stretchable fabric for the upper 2. The method includes steps of: producing an upper pattern using a last having a size smaller than that of the sole 3 as a base; producing the upper 2 with the stretchable fabric being stretched by stretching the upper pattern and fitting the upper pattern onto a last having a size that matches the sole 3; and integrating the upper 2 with the stretchable fabric being stretched with the sole 3.

Abstract: An inner sole structure for a sports shoe includes an upper sheet, a lower sheet below the upper sheet, and a wavy corrugated sheet interposed between the upper and lower sheets. The wavy corrugated sheet has at least two downwardly convex protrusions that form voids between the wavy corrugated sheet and the lower sheet, and that are in sliding contact with an upper surface of the lower sheet. The downwardly convex protrusions of the wavy corrugated sheet slide longitudinally along the lower sheet member when they are subjected to compressive deformation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mold having a parting line along dimples which allows manufacturing of golf balls free from burrs, and to golf balls manufactured using such a mold. The mold of the present invention is provided with a spherical cavity inside thereof; and an upper mold and a lower mold separable from each other, wherein a plurality of convex portions for forming dimples is provided in the inner surface of the cavity, at least one of the plurality of convex portions lies over the equator of the cavity, a parting line, which corresponds to the boundary between the upper mold and the lower mold, extends along the inner surface of the cavity, the parting line comprises first lines extending along the peripheries of the convex portions lying over the equator and second lines connecting the first lines, and the first line is disposed apart from the periphery by a distance of 0.1 to 0.5 mm.