Abstract: The invention relates to a method for optimizing a spinning process, through which a fiber material fed in the form of raw fibers and output in the form of yarn passes, with respect to foreign materials. At a first position in the spinning process, a first foreign material information relating to the foreign materials is determined. At a second position in the spinning process, which is downstream with respect to the first position, a second foreign material information relating to the foreign materials is determined. The first foreign material information and the second foreign material information are associated with each other such that they relate to substantially the same sample of the fiber material. Based on the first foreign material information and the second foreign material information assigned thereto, a change is made to the spinning process to optimize the spinning process.

Abstract: Resin compositions composed of a polyolefin copolymer, a polymeric resin modifier, and a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) are provided herein. A variety of sole structures for footwear, including plates, are provided including the polyolefin-based resin compositions described herein. Articles of footwear formed therefrom are also provided. Methods of making the polyolefin-based resin compositions, plates, sole structures, and articles of footwear and sporting equipment are also provided.

Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes an outsole having a ground engaging surface and a midsole member disposed between the outsole and the upper. The midsole member has a pocket extending from a heel region to a forefoot region and a sole plate disposed within the pocket. The sole plate extends from the heel region into the forefoot region. In the heel region, the sole structure is shaped to define an entry region that is configured to increase contact at the ground engaging surface during a heel strike. The entry region defines an angled portion that is angled at an entry angle relative to a flat ground surface. The midsole member is a supercritical foam.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to a protective helmet comprising: a protective shell having a substantially dome-shaped configuration, the protective shell comprising: an outer shell surface; an inner shell surface; and at least one groove extending along at least a portion of the inner shell surface, wherein the at least one groove is embodied as a material recess within a wall thickness; wherein a ratio of the shell thickness at a first shell location adjacent the at least one groove to the groove depth of the at least one groove is at least a predetermined threshold value. In various embodiments, a protective helmet may further comprise an impact cap and/or an inner ring, one or both of which may comprise a respective groove configuration. In various embodiments, the one or more groove configurations may be configured to reduce the helmet weight of the invention by at least 15%.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing flexible material handling for decorticated agricultural biomass. The method including: receiving decorticated components of the decorticated agricultural biomass, the decorticated components including bast fibre and hurd; analyzing one or more mechanical characteristics of the bast fibre; determining if the bast fibre is above a predetermined quality threshold based on the analyzed mechanical characteristics; where the bast fibre is above the predetermined threshold, directing the bast fibre for cutting, and cutting the bast fibre into one or more lengths; and where the bast fibre is below the predetermined threshold, directing the bast fibre for blending, and blending the bast fibre and hurd in determined proportions.

Abstract: A helmet for protection during an impact, wherein an inner liner may slidably couple to the outer liner through at least one return spring. The outer liner includes an interior surface with a shelf extending inward. The shelf includes an arresting surface. The inner liner has an exterior surface, an interior surface and an edge connecting the exterior surface to the interior surface. The edge faces the arresting surface of the shelf. The inner liner is slidably movable relative to the outer liner between a first position in which the edge of the inner liner is separated from the arresting surface of the shelf by a first gap, and an arrested position in which a portion of the edge of the inner liner is in contact with a portion of the arresting surface of the shelf.

Abstract: A facility for forming a fibre batt, in particular nonwoven, provides a device for producing at least one fibre web, and a crosslapper which provides the fibre batt. The production device provides a carding drum and at least one doffer roller collecting the fibres on the drum and supplying the at least one web to at least one outfeed belt. The crosslapper provides an infeed belt for the introduction of the web in the crosslapper, which supplies the fibre batt formed of a stack of layers of the at least one web, and first control means of the profile of the thickness and/or of the area bulk density and/or of the bulk density of the web or of each web. A drafting means is arranged downstream of the outfeed belt of the production device and upstream of the infeed belt. Second control means may be provided to control drafting means.

Abstract: An upper structure of an article of footwear includes an upper, a cuff member, and a strobel. The upper includes an exterior upper member and an interior upper member. The cuff member includes a first end coupled to the exterior upper member and a second end coupled to the interior upper member. The cuff member is folded over on itself at a fold to define an ankle opening. The strobel is coupled to the upper and cooperates with the upper to at least partially define a foot-receiving void.

Abstract: Sheath-run artificial muscles (or SRAMs) are described in which the dimensional changes and/or modulus changes of a sheath on the surface of a twisted or coiled host yarn or fiber drives torsional and tensile actuation. The sheath-core artificial muscle includes a sheath on a coiled core yarn or fiber that has inserted twist, in which the sheath does not include a yarn, the coiled core yarn or fiber includes a core yarn or fiber, the sheath can change volume, modulus, or a combination thereof when actuated by an influence source to drive actuation, and the influence source is selected from a group consisting of absorption processes, desorption processes, changes in temperature, changes in external pressure, changes in a magnetic field, changes in an electric field, exposures to actinic radiation, electrochemical charge and discharge, chemical reactions, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a midsole component and a seamless braided upper having a bottom peripheral portion connected to the midsole component. The seamless braided upper extends from a forefoot region to a heel region and from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear. The bottom peripheral portion defines a bottom opening in the seamless braided upper, wherein the bottom peripheral portion extends along the forefoot region, the lateral side, the heel region, and the medial side of the article of footwear.

Abstract: A compact steel cord is provided. The cord includes a core-filament I steel wire with a diameter of d0, and four middle-layer M steel wires with a diameter of d1 and eight outer-layer O steel wires with a diameter of d2 that are twisted around the core-filament I steel wire in the same lay direction and the same lay length. Gaps L are reserved between the outer-layer O steel wires, an average width of the gaps L is not smaller than 0.02 mm, and the total size of the gaps L is larger than d0 and smaller than d1. The steel cord of a stable structure can be obtained by controlling the proportion of the sizes of all layers of monofilaments, the rubber coating performance of a tire cord can also be improved, the corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, impact resistance and adhesion retention of a tire are improved.

Abstract: A method for coupling a non-trimmed sole and an upper for making a shoe, which includes the steps of providing a non-trimmed sole having a flat and/or sheet-like shape and provided with a first surface, adapted during use to face towards the upper, wherein the non-trimmed sole includes a central part or impression and an edge portion which is extended outward starting from a peripheral portion of the impression, positioning the sole in a position below the upper, moving the non-trimmed sole so to enclose at least part of the upper, constraining the non-trimmed sole and at least part of the upper so as to obtain the shoe; shoe obtainable by means of such method.

Abstract: An article of footwear including an upper, a sole attached to the upper, where the sole has a medial side and a lateral side, and a through-hole extending between the medial side and the lateral side, and a plurality of support members in the through-hole, where at least two of support members are a different size.

Abstract: A helmet assembly includes a face shield and a single, center top mounting arrangement that operatively connects a center top location of the face shield to a center front mount on the helmet. The face shield can be raised and lowered about a pivot axis provided in the mounting arrangement between a tilted up, non-use position and a lowered, deployed position. The mounting arrangement can include a detent and two recesses, wherein the detent engages a first recess at a slightly forwardly displaced position to allow ventilation between the helmet and mandible and the face shield and a second recess at the tilted up, non-use position. The recess and detent engagement can be overcome by easy manual force acting on the face shield to reposition the face shield.

Abstract: A golf shoe with a sole assembly having a sidewall reinforcement structure is provided. The reinforcement structure may be formed from a carbon composite or other reinforcing material. The reinforcement structure is molded into the sole assembly for reinforcing softer midsole sidewalls, and for providing increased stability and maintaining forefoot flexibility. The structure is generally U-shaped with a medial and lateral side wing and a bridge connecting the wings. The medial wing may be angled rearward to support the rearfoot, and the lateral wing may be angled forward to support the midfoot. Thus, the reinforcement structure may hold and support the medial and lateral sides of the golfer's foot as they shift their weight while making a golf shot. At the same time, the shoe has good flexibility so the golfer is able to walk and play the course and engage in other golf activities comfortably.

Abstract: A garment comprising a plurality of panels connected to one another at respective seams. The plurality of panels includes a front panel and a center back section opposite from the front panel. The center back section defines a center panel axis that is co-axial with a center axis of the garment. A shoulder panel extends between the front panel and the center back section, wherein the shoulder panel is configured and adapted to support and pull back a wearer's shoulders.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for horizontally splitting a mineral wool web includes a conveyor having a first direction of travel adapted for receiving and advancing a cured mineral wool web in said first direction. At least one dividing device is provided for longitudinally dividing the cured mineral wool web into at least two sub-webs as said cured mineral wool web is advanced passed said at least one dividing device. At least one lifting mechanism is provided downstream of the dividing device so that a section of the conveyor is adapted for lifting a sub-web. At least one horizontal cutting device is provided for horizontally cutting the sub-web whilst lifted in said conveyor section.

Abstract: Boots with fit adjustment systems that are configured to selectively adjust a fit of the boot on the wearer's foot by engaging the foot with more force and/or across a greater surface area relative to a pull-on boot that lacks the fit adjustment system. The fit adjustment system may adjust the fit of the boot without adjusting the external dimensions of the boot. The fit adjustment system includes an instep pad that is positioned interior of the external surface of the upper within an instep region of the boot, a lace that is coupled to the instep pad, and a lace adjustment mechanism. The lace adjustment mechanism includes a lace lock that selectively defines an adjustment length of the lace. Actuating the lace adjustment mechanism to reduce the adjustment length exerts a tightening force on the instep pad and draws the instep pad toward a heel region of the boot.

Abstract: A slip-resistant footwear tread including wide dispersion channels is disclosed. Namely, a slip-resistant footwear tread is provided that is formed of any arrangement of repeating tread patterns that may include wide dispersion channels amongst an arrangement of tread elements and/or features, wherein the wide dispersion channels are of suitable width and depth to reduce, or substantially eliminate, the accumulation, sticking, and/or gumming of materials therein.

Abstract: A flexible electroluminescent fiber for embroidery sequentially includes: metal core wires, a light-emitting layer, a transparent conductive layer, a filament, and a protective paint, wherein a quantity of the metal core wires is an even number, and the metal core wires are pasted together before being wrapped by the light-emitting layer; the light-emitting layer is coated with the transparent conductive layer; the protective paint and the filament are exterior to the transparent conductive layer; the metal core wires emit light through energizing; a diameter of the electroluminescent fiber is 0.1-0.3 mm, and a 20-36V safe voltage is applied for emitting light. The flexible electroluminescent fiber of the present invention has sufficient tensile force, and smooth and soft surface. Appearance and hand feeling of the present invention are the same as those of clothing textile fibers.