Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper. The upper may include a first and a second section and partially define a foot-receiving cavity over the sole structure. The first section may be fixed to the sole structure and the second section may articulate between an access position and a use position. The foot-receiving cavity may be more exposed in the access position to allow easier foot entry. A strap may extend from one of the first and the second section. A looped handle may extend from the strap and may at least partially form a loop. The strap may extend across the second section of the upper when the second section is in the use position. The strap may have a distal portion configured to releasably secure to one of the first section or the second section with the looped handle exposed.

Abstract: Footwear and sole structures include structures and properties, e.g., to support urban dance and urban dance moves. Such dance styles include various dance moves and movements that require contact between side edges of the wearer's shoes and the dance floor surface (e.g., made from concrete, asphalt, wood, etc.). Such dance styles also require transition of the body's center of mass along the edge(s) of the foot. Footwear and sole structures in accordance with this technology provide structures and properties to support to support such dance styles and moves, including one or more of: selected materials and/or selected material properties in various areas to promote sliding or gliding along various surfaces and/or other desired interactions with various surfaces; selected sizing and/or dimensional features of components in various areas; various flexion promoting structures and/or characteristics; etc.

Abstract: There is provided a helmet engageable with a human head portion. The helmet includes an inner shell, an outer shell and a shock absorbing layer. The shock absorbing layer is located between the inner shell and the outer shell, include at least one 3D structure and is defined by a plurality of interconnected 5 surfaces with a plurality of openings defined inbetween. A designing process is provided, including steps of providing a virtual inner shell model and outer shell model of the virtual helmet model, positioning virtual curves on the virtual inner shell/outer shell model, and generating virtual minimal surfaces. A manufacturing process is 10 further provided, including steps of conceiving the virtual helmet model using at least some steps of the designing process and additive manufacturing at least a portion of the helmet.

Abstract: An article of footwear has a multi-layer upper, where the outermost layers of the upper are cut into a pattern. The cut portions of the upper are mounted on a contiguous substrate layer so that the edges of the cut portions are visible and perceptible to touch. The upper remains durable in terms of abrasion resistance, ply adhesion, tensile strength, and flex testing.

Abstract: Sports shoe with a pattern facilitating ball handling, wherein the surface of the upper of the sports shoe is divided into a plurality of shooting zones, and at least one of said shooting zones comprises a plurality of parts that extend out from the basic surface (21) of the upper and having elevated outer surfaces (22) that have increased grip to the ball, and these parts are spaced from each other and designed as directing isles (20) that have elongated shapes resembling to a rhombus or an almond shape and each has a longitudinal central axis (27) at the end of which respective apexes (25, 26) are formed that have angles smaller than 45°, each directing isle (20) has a transverse axis (28) extending where the isle has the highest width, and said apexes (25, 26) are connected with the ends of the transverse axis (28) by respective sides (a1, a2 and b1, b2) of the directing isle (20), the oppositely located sides (a1, a2 and b1, b2) are either straight or being slightly curved but their main directions are ei

Abstract: A sole for article of footwear includes a midsole component having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface. A plurality of blind holes each extends from the outer surface toward the inner surface. The plurality of blind holes are arranged in an auxetic configuration in the outer surface. Each hole in the plurality of holes extends towards the inner surface. The plurality of blind holes is arranged in a pattern that provides a tunable performance characteristic. The patterns of blind holes vary between different regions of the midsole component to provide different types of responses in the different regions.

Abstract: A method of making an article of footwear with a braided upper is disclosed. The method includes overbraiding a last to form a braided upper and cutting a bottom opening in the braided upper to remove the last. The bottom opening is cut so as to leave a bottom peripheral portion on the bottom side of the braided upper. A midsole is attached directly to the bottom peripheral portion using a bonding agent.

Abstract: A method of customizing the sole structure of an article of footwear includes providing a sole structure with a sole component having an inner surface and an opposite-facing outer surface. The sole component includes a plurality of inner recesses extending from the inner surface and a plurality of outer recesses extending from the outer surface, the plurality of inner recesses include a blind-hole inner recess, the plurality of outer recesses include a blind-hole outer recess, and the blind-hole inner recess is generally aligned with the blind hole outer recess along a vertical direction. The method further includes adjusting the flexibility of the sole component by selectively cutting or removing material from one or both of the blind-hole inner recess and the blind-hole outer recess.

Abstract: A rubber-reinforcing cord (10) includes a first fiber strand (11) and a plurality of second fiber strands (12) disposed around the first fiber strand (11). The second fiber strand (12) has a tensile elastic modulus higher by 20 GPa or more than that of the first fiber strand (11).

Abstract: A helmet having a cheek pad is provided. The helmet for use with the cheek air pad includes an outer shell having an inside surface, an inner liner surrounding the head of the user and operatively mounted to the helmet outer shell, a chin bar disposed below the face visor, the chin bar having an inside surface facing toward the person when wearing the helmet and a breath guard. The inner liner generally has an inner face and a transparent face visor is attached to the helmet outer shell. The cheek pad is preferably embodied as a deformable element extending upwardly and/or inwardly from the helmet inner liner on the right and/or left inner side of the face visor or goggles. The deformable element is configured to be in contact with the face of the user and the inner edge of the breath guard and the inner liner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for filling in a tension member in particular for conveyor belts, in particular a tension member which is configured as a steel cable. The method is intended to allow the full penetration of the tension member structure.

Abstract: Goggles and eyewear with various features may be described herein. Such goggles and eyewear may include lenses that allow for the installation of larger roll-off films, adjustable nose sections to increase comfort of a wearer, sweat management systems that include a permeable gasket and a gutter, lens attachment systems, and co-molded frames of multiple different materials.

Abstract: A braided component for an article of apparel or footwear may be formed by application of a method that utilizes a braiding machine to braid a plurality of braiding yarns to form a tubular structure with a plurality of axial yarns incorporated into the tubular structure during braiding. At least two different types of axial yarn may be incorporated into the braided component, for example, to provide different properties to different parts of the tubular structure.

Abstract: A system for an anatomical joint includes a first fastener, a second fastener, a prosthetic ligament member, and a biasing member associated with at least one of the first and second fasteners. The first fastener is operable to be connected to a first bone portion. The second fastener is operable to be connected to a second bone portion. The prosthetic ligament member is flexible and is directly coupled to both the first and second fasteners to support the first bone portion and the second bone portion for relative movement. A portion of the prosthetic ligament member extends from the first fastener to the second fastener and has an adjustable length. The biasing member is operable to bias the prosthetic ligament member to thereby maintain tension in the prosthetic ligament member.

Abstract: The athletic shoe having integral ankle support is an item of footwear. The athletic shoe having integral ankle support is adapted for use with a foot. The athletic shoe having integral ankle prevents the ankle of the foot causing the foot to form a cant in the athletic shoe having integral ankle. The athletic shoe having integral ankle support comprises a base footwear, an ankle structure, and a sleeve structure. The ankle structure and the sleeve structure attach to the base footwear. The ankle structure forms the support structure that stabilizes the ankle. The sleeve structure is a tubular textile that forms a protective shell that protects the foot from injury by the ankle support structure.

Abstract: An orthotic device for footwear. In one embodiment the orthotic device comprises a substantially planar body having a resiliently deformable outer peripheral portion, a cell frame, and an inner array of detachably coupleable cells, wherein each cell comprises one or more protuberances and/or recesses which permit the cells to detachably couple with the cell frame.

Abstract: A ski boot, including an outer boot (200) and an inner boot (100); the outer boot (100) comprise a sole (110) and a vamp (120), the sole (110) being integral; the vamp (120) includes a right side portion (122) of the vamp and a left side portion (123) of the vamp, the right side portion (122) of the vamp and the left side portion (123) of the vamp being hinged on the sole (110) such that the same may rotate relative to the sole (110) between an open state and a closed state; the outer boot (100) further includes a locking device (130) and a locking wire (140); the locking wire (140) surrounds the vamp (120) at a plurality of locations on the vamp (120), may be buried in the locking device (130) so as to keep the right side portion (122) of the vamp and the left side portion (123) of the vamp in the closed state, and may be released from the locking device (130) to allow the right side portion of the vamp (122) and the left side portion of the vamp (123) rotate to the open state.

Abstract: A pocket structure for a waistband of a garment, comprising: an outer pocket panel attached to an inner pocket panel along respective first side edges, second side edges, and bottom edges thereof forming a pocket therebetween and a back portion of the waistband; wherein respective unattached top edges of the outer and inner pocket panels are narrower than the respective bottom edges thereof. And, a waistband for a garment, comprising: an outer pocket panel attached to an inner pocket panel along respective first side edges, second side edges, and bottom edges thereof forming a pocket therebetween and a back portion of the waistband; and, a front portion of the waistband attached to the back portion of the waistband along respective first side edges and second side edges thereof; wherein respective unattached top edges of the outer and inner pocket panels are narrower than the respective bottom edges thereof.

Abstract: A tunable rigidity insole with interchangeable stiffeners includes an arch pad main body and three rigid stiffeners. The arch pad main body includes a set of first to third engaging holes, and at least one or two of these three rigid stiffeners will be selected to assemble into the engaging holes on the arch pad main body. The three rigid stiffeners provide supports to lateral longitudinal, central and medial longitudinal arch portions respectively. The first, second and third rigid stiffeners have at least two engagement members for each stiffener, and the engagement members have engagement extensions with a partial length component toward another engagement extensions at the end of stiffeners thereof respectively. The engagement members engage with the arch pad main body corresponding to the engaging holes respectively.

Abstract: A protective helmet to be worn by a player engaged in a sport comprises a flexible outer shell and a multi-layer liner assembly disposed within the outer shell. The multi-layer liner assembly includes an inner-layer, a middle-layer and an outer-layer, and permits relative rotational movement between said layers when the helmet is worn by the player and receives an impact. The inner-layer is made from a first material with a first density and is mechanically coupled to the outer-layer without adhesive. The outer-layer is made from a second material with a second density that is greater than the first density of the inner-layer. The middle-layer is made from a third material that has a third density that is greater than the first density. The outer-layer also has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the inner-layer and varies between a front region of the outer-layer and a crown region of the outer-layer.