Abstract: A system, device and method to facilitate tying a knot are provided. In the context of a device, the device includes a fixture defining an internal passage therethrough. The fixture defines a circumferential groove opening through an interior surface of the fixture and into the internal passage. The groove includes first and second groove portions that cross one another. Opposite ends of the groove are coincident and open through an exterior surface of the fixture. With relation to a system, the system includes a fixture and a lead member supply mechanism configured to alternately feed a lead member through the groove and to withdraw the lead member from the groove once the tie member is connected thereto.

Abstract: A medical protective garment including a pair of front fabric pieces, a pair of rear fabric pieces, a headgear fabric piece and a weldable zipper is provided. Each of the front fabric pieces includes an integral front body part, an integral front trouser and an integral front sleeve that are connected to each other. Each of the pair of rear fabric pieces includes an integral rear body part, an integral rear trouser and an integral rear sleeve that are connected to each other. Heat welding lines are formed on joints of the headgear fabric piece, the front fabric pieces and the rear fabric pieces. The weldable zipper includes a pair of zipper strips, and a material of the pair of zipper strips can be heat welded to any one of the pair of front fabric pieces, the pair of rear fabric pieces or the headgear fabric piece.

Abstract: A knot stretcher for use in tightening splice knots that connect twine balls on an agricultural baler. The knot stretcher includes a pair of pulling bars connected at pulling bar pivot at one end of each of the pulling bars, and a pair of levers, where one of the pair of levers is attached in a middle section of its respective pulling bar. Each lever has a handle portion at one end and an arm portion extending from an elbow formed in the lever. Each lever attaches to its respective pulling bar with a fixed pivot located near the elbow and distal ends of the arm portions of the two levers are attached at a moving pivot. The knot stretcher has clamping jaws positioned on the pulling bars to securely clamp a respective one of the twine tails of the splice knot that is to be tightened.

Abstract: A twine disk for a mechanical knotter of a hay bailer has four vee shaped V-notches each formed with a hook portion and two substantially straight edge portions to enable tying twine knots with either two strands or with four stands using the same knotter.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper with an outer layer, an elastic layer, and a lacing system. The outer layer extends through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear and covers, at least partially, a medial side and a lateral side of the article of footwear. The elastic layer extends through the midfoot region and the heel region of the article of footwear and covers, at least partially, an instep region of the article of footwear. The lacing system extends, at least partially, across the instep region, and the outer layer includes a first elasticity and the elastic layer includes a second elasticity at least three times greater than the first elasticity.

Abstract: The sports jacket comprises at least one a closable vent (2) in the forearm region (1) of each sleeve on that side which is determined to lie adjacent to the inner side of the forearm. The vents (2) are each equipped with a zipper. Inside the vents an opening is provided in the lining (7) of the sleeve covered with an air-permeable textile fabric (4). The opening may be framed by a spring-loaded ring profile, which keeps the opening open in its relaxed state and forces it into a slit by way of closing the zipper. Alternatively, said opening is framed by a straight, spring-loaded profile which keeps the opening closed in its relaxed state. By means of twisting a turn-lock fastener (5) with pulling cables, the top ends of said profile are being brought closer together to its bottom ends against the spring force, thus spanning the enframed opening.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure including a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid, the chamber having a top portion, a bottom portion, and side portions around a periphery of the chamber. The sole structure also includes a central structure located in a central portion of the chamber between opposing side portions of the chamber, such that the chamber is devoid of additional structures in a surrounding region around the central structure and extending from the central structure to the side portions of the chamber. On all sides of the central structure, a dimension of the surrounding region between the central structure and the nearest side portion is one third or more of a span across the chamber between opposing side portions.

Abstract: A utility garment has a front garment portion adapted for positioning at a wearer's chest, a rear garment portion adapted for positioning at a wearer's back, the front portion and rear portion being removably detachable at a plurality of attachment facilities, each attachment facility including a front facility portion connected to the front garment portion and a rear facility portion connected to the rear garment portion, at least a first one of the front facility portion and the rear facility portion comprising first and second bodies, the first body defining a first cable passage and the second body defining a second cable passage, the first cable passage and the second cable passage being registered with each other and adapted to receive a single cable, and the first body and second body being spaced apart from each other to define a latch receptacle space.

Abstract: A tensioning system for articles of footwear (100) and articles of apparel is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a tensioning member that is tightened or loosened using a motorized tensioning device for winding and unwinding the tensioning member on a spool. The motorized tensioning device includes a torque transmitting system that allows for incremental tightening, incremental loosening and full loosening of the tensioning member.

Abstract: A swaddling device is described. The swaddling device is Y-shaped pod shaped and configured to substantially enclose a baby. The device includes sleeves having at their ends foldover mitten cuffs or similar selectively openable fasteners. The cuffs allow a caregiver to expose the hand or hands of the baby so as to provide skin-to-skin contact. Alternatively, the caregiver can close the cuffs if scratching is a concern. The device is shaped to provide support and snugness for the baby in its mid-section, while also providing sufficient space for hips and knees to flex. The design of the Swaddle Sack with swaddle snugness provides support and partial suppression of the Moro Reflex without arm restraints and allowing sufficient range of motion for baby's upper section which will reduce risk of suffocation for baby in the event that baby rolls over to prone position, because baby will be able to use his or her arms to reposition his or her head to get access to air.

Abstract: A football helmet assembly includes a football helmet that is wearable on a user's head. An air bladder is positioned inside of the football helmet and the air bladder is inflatable with air to cushion the user's head against impact energy. An air pump is integrated into the football helmet to inflate the air bladder when the air pump is manipulated. A plurality of biasing units is each coupled between the football helmet and the air bladder to bias the air bladder away from the football helmet. A visor is movably integrated into the football helmet. The visor is positionable in stored position or a deployed position to cover the user's eyes. Furthermore, the visor is tinted to reduce intensity of light passing through the visor.

Abstract: A tear-off capture system includes an eye protector with a base lens. The eye protector has a retention mechanism mounted on one side, and a support mechanism that supports the eye protector on the head of a wearer. A two-tabbed stack of laminated tear-off lenses mounts to the eye protector via an adhesive. The stack mounts so that the first tab of the stack aligns with the first side of the eye protector and the second tab engages with the retention mechanism. Via the second tab and the retention mechanism, released tear-off layers are directed toward the second side of the eye protector away from the base lens. A capturer helps hold the initially released tear-off layer to the eye protector. An exposed tacky surface on each released tear-off helps hold the subsequently removed tear-off layers.

Abstract: A medicinal pair of underwear is configured to reduce pressure exerted against a women's body to reduce or remove pain caused by underwear due to nerve pain in the abdomen, thigh, genital area, or hip crease. The underwear includes a front waistband that is connected to a front portion of the underwear via stitching, and a rear waistband that is connected to the rear waistband via stitching. The stitching for the front and rear waistbands do not engage, that is, there is a gap present between the stitching for the rear waistband and the front waistband to reduce the amount of pressure exerted while the medicinal underwear is worn. The collective structural features provide a loose-fitting medicinal pair of underwear that, when worn, stays in place and can be utilized by women who are experiencing nerve pain around the genital and thigh areas.

Abstract: A machine for forming an annular textile preform includes: a horizontal sheet-forming turntable for forming a helical fiber; a horizontal intermediate turntable positioned under the sheet-forming turntable; a horizontal intermediate unwinder positioned on the intermediate; a final horizontal unwinder positioned under the intermediate unwinder; and a horizontal preform-forming turntable positioned under the final unwinder.

Abstract: An article of footwear with a knitted component including an upper and an integral knit ankle cuff is provided. The upper and the ankle cuff are formed as a one-piece knit element. The knit element forms a portion of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper, with the interior surface forming a void for receiving a foot. The ankle cuff is formed of unitary knit construction with the upper as a one-piece knit element and extends above a throat area of the upper. The ankle cuff includes malleolus zones on medial and lateral sides to correspond with the ankle bones of a wearer. The knit component further incorporates features to assist with providing entry for a foot of a wear, providing comfort to a wearer, and to assist with orientation of the upper of the article of footwear when being worn.

Abstract: A Goggle is provided which enables an improvement in skiing skills and techniques. A goggle 1 of the present invention comprises a lens body 11, a lens body supporting part 12 configured to support the lens body 11, a face plate part 13 positioned on a peripheral edge part behind the lens body supporting part 12, having flexibility and capable of coming into contact with a face of a wearer, and a gaze correcting part 14 provided in a center of the face plate part, having a rectangular column shape and enabling correction of a gaze of the wearer, the gaze correcting part 14 having mutually different colors on a facing surface 14a facing the wearer, a right side surface 14b located to the right of the facing surface 14a and a left side surface 14c located to the left of the facing surface 14a and dividing a field of view of the wearer into a right field of view and a left field of view.

Abstract: An iron-steamer appliance includes: a housing including an internal water reservoir; a sole plate attached under the housing, the sole plate including first vents; first and second steam chambers in fluid communication with the water reservoir, wherein the first steam chamber is in fluid communication with the first vents; and a steamer nozzle in fluid communication with the second steam chamber, the steamer nozzle including second vents. The steamer nozzle is movable between retracted and extended positions, wherein in the retracted position, the nozzle is located directly above a peripheral footprint defined by the sole plate, and in the extended position, the nozzle is located at least partially forwardly of the sole plate peripheral footprint, and wherein in moving from the retracted position to the extended position, the steamer nozzle moves substantially parallel to the sole plate.

Abstract: Methods for stabilizing insulation and constructing garments from the insulation are disclosed. Methods include arranging the fibers into a plurality of bundle structures. The fibers may be synthetic fibers. The method may include receiving the bundle structures into bundle channels. The bundle channels are formed by tacks. The bundle channels enable the uniform distribution of the bundle structures prior to stitching quilting stitch lines. Multiple quilting stitch lines are stitched after the bundle structures are uniformly distributed. The quilting stitch lines are orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the bundle structures. The quilting stitch lines provide lateral as well as longitudinal stabilization of the uniform density of the bundle structures. The distance between the quilting stitch lines may be based on the loft of the fibers and/or a required durability of the garment. The quilting stitch lines are generally horizontal, while the longitudinal axis of the bundle structures are vertical.

Abstract: A grip assist apparatus for weightlifting that includes a gripping portion with spine insert that is sufficiently pliable to be bent to allow a user to reach the end with their fingers and wrap the gripping portion around an axle bar but sufficiently resilient to substantially return to its starting position after the gripping portion is released.

Abstract: An article of footwear has a tubular structure. The tubular structure may include tab portions that extend away from a tunnel portion of the tubular structure. The tab portions may engage parts of the article of footwear. The tab portions may engage an upper or sole structure along a bite line. The tab portions may be attached to a heel counter, eyestay, or other structure on the article of footwear.