Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a midsole having a medial edge and a lateral edge. The sole structure also include a first lower rib extending from the medial edge to the lateral edge of the midsole. The first lower rib includes a portion spaced from the midsole between the medial edge and the lateral edge. The sole structure further includes a medial flex member disposed between the midsole and the first lower rib near the medial edge and a lateral flex member disposed between the midsole and the first lower rib near the lateral edge. The medial flex member and the lateral flex member are configured to flex the first lower rib relative to the midsole in response to a force of a predetermined magnitude.

Abstract: A composite structural component including a braided material embedded in a resin matrix, the braided material with multiple braided components formed of continuous tows and connected by one or more intersections are described. Each of the multiple braided components is formed by sets of tows. Each set of tows includes a respective plurality of tows, which are substantially adjacent and parallel to each other at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the braided material. Each set of tows is further composed of multiple subsets of tows. The subsets of tows separate at the intersections and combine with different subsets of tows in adjacent components of the multiple braided components.

Abstract: An article of footwear is configured to enclose and comfortably engage a forefoot of a user. The article includes a sole having a forefoot portion and a rearfoot portion, a closed-toe, open-heel upper configured to substantially prevent lateral and forward movement of the forefoot with respect to the forefoot portion, the upper with a lower perimeter attached to a forefoot perimeter of the forefoot portion and defining an interior configured to receive the forefoot of the user, and a stanchion extending upwardly through the interior, the stanchion with a bottom attached to the forefoot portion of the sole and a top attached to the upper, wherein the stanchion is configured to extend between and engage adjacent toes of the user to substantially prevent movement of the forefoot with respect to the forefoot portion of the sole. A method of using the footwear with toe bar is also disclosed.

Abstract: A compressed growing medium or mulch fiber opener comprising at least one set of adjacent rotating members, the rotating members having a surface and including at least one wire wound around at least a portion of the surface, wherein the wire includes a plurality of projections engaging compressed or partially opened growing medium or mulch fiber, and wherein a distance between the adjacent rotating members is sufficiently small to create at least one pinch point between the adjacent rotating members, the adjacent rotating members separating the fibers as the fibers pass through the at least one pinch point so that the density of the fiber is lowered by at least 50-95%.

Abstract: A sole system for an article of footwear may include one or more of the following: a knitted component including an underfoot portion having a plurality of knitted cleat members; and an outsole cover assembly having a plurality of recesses corresponding to the plurality of knitted cleat members of the knitted component. The outsole cover assembly may substantially cover the underfoot portion of the knitted component.

Abstract: A mechanism for radially inserting a yarn into a 3D braided preform, including a first bracket, an upper linear actuator, a support mechanism, an upper yarn insertion device, a yarn carrying device, an upper gear ring, a lower yarn insertion device, a lower linear actuator, a second bracket, a lower gear ring, a lower gear, a lower motor, a lower circular track, an upper circular track, a base, an upper gear, a pneumatic transmission and control device and an upper motor.

Abstract: An anti-slip member for a wearable equipment or sports equipment, the anti-slip member includes an elastic body including an elastomer and a hydrogel, and at least part of the hydrogel dispersed on a surface of the elastic body.

Abstract: A helmet is disclosed for protection during an impact. 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 method is for filling a fillable portion of a garment to be padded to obtain a padded garment, such as a garment or blanket. A cashmere fiber mass is fed towards a carding station. The cashmere fiber mass is mechanically opened and blended in the carding station by a carding machine to obtain a staple cashmere fiber. The staple cashmere fiber exiting from the carding station is fed towards a beating station. The staple cashmere fiber is cleaned in the beating station by cleaning air flow adapted to cross and inflate the staple cashmere fiber to remove residual impurities and dust from the staple cashmere fiber. The staple cashmere fiber exiting from the beating station is fed towards an injecting station and injected into the fillable portion by a pusher for introducing the staple cashmere fiber into the fillable portion to obtain the padded garment.

Abstract: A safety glove having a protective member or insert extending around the fingertip of the safety glove is provided. The protective member may be positioned along the outer surface or the inner surface of the glove. Alternatively, the protective member may be integrally formed between two layers of glove material. The protective member terminates distally from an interphalangeal joint line to enable finger flexion in order to grasp an item, such as a slab of meat to be deskinned in a skinning machine. The glove may include a rough outer surface formed from thrice dipping the glove and allowing the glove to cure. Additionally, the glove may have a width near the wrist that is wider than the width near the palm to enable the glove to be rapidly removed (i.e., doffed) in an emergency event of the glove getting caught in a rotating blade on the skinning machine.

Abstract: Provided herein are shoe protectors, comprising: a first portion that is coupled to a second portion along a line that conforms to a topline of a medial collar of a shoe; wherein the first portion is configured to extend from the topline into an inside of the shoe; wherein the second portion is configured to extend from the topline to cover at least part of an outside of the shoe extending horizontally from a proximal phalanx region to a heel region; wherein the second portion comprises a plurality of eyelets in an eyestay region and an adhesive at a lower region of the second portion.

Abstract: A helmet which includes a helmet shell, a protective shield, and at least first and second fastener arrangement which respectively secure the protective shield to opposed sides of the helmet shell, and wherein each fastener arrangement includes a shock absorbing element which is engaged with and secured to a respective section of the protective shield.

Abstract: Sports shoe including an outer sole assembly that includes a damping layer extending over substantially the entire length of the outer sole assembly, as well as an upper fixed to the outer sole assembly. The upper includes an envelope configured to surround a portion of a wearer's foot, as well as a non-extensible flexible panel fixed to the envelope in the area of a portion of the lateral junction between the upper and the outer sole. The sports shoe further includes a reinforcement that is comprised of a rigid plastic material having a hardness greater than 40 shore D, the reinforcement including a lateral wing fixed to a portion of a lateral side of the damping layer and to an outer surface of the flexible panel.

Abstract: An article of footwear may include an upper configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the upper including one or more elastic portions and one or more substantially inelastic portions. The footwear may further include a plurality of lace receiving members fixedly attached to an outer surface of the upper on the inelastic portions of the upper. Also, the footwear may include a sole structure fixedly attached to the upper. In addition, the footwear may include a motorized tensioning system including a motorized tightening device and a tensile member extending through the plurality of lace receiving members, the tightening device being configured to apply tension in the tensile member to adjust the size of an internal void defined by the article of footwear by drawing two or more of the plurality of lace receiving members closer to one another.

Abstract: A mountain bike shoe sole, including an outsole having a lower surface and a tread, and at least a recessed area including an inner surface and at least one ramp.

Abstract: A garment that is configured to attach to a bikini bottom is provided. The garment includes a band that is configured to be worn by a user. The band has a generally uniform circumference and includes a top portion, a bottom portion, and at least one attachment device that is configured to releasably attach the bottom portion to the top portion for securing the band to the bikini bottom when the bottom portion is received through at least one leg opening of the bikini bottom.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a fitting system with an upper member that is supported by the upper and a strand guide that is supported by the sole structure. The strand guide is flexible and flexes in concert with the sole structure. The strand guide has a guide surface. The fitting system further includes a tensioning system with a flexible strand that is configured to bias the upper member toward the strand guide. The flexible strand has a first section coupled to the upper member and a second section extending through the sole structure. The second section abuts the guide surface. The second section is configured to slide across the guide surface as a result of flexure of the strand guide. The first section and the upper member are configured to move relative to the sole structure as a result of sliding of the second section across the guide surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to footwear and portions thereof having structural features and decorative designs thereon, and related systems and methods for manufacturing same. An exemplary method for providing a feature on a surface of an object includes positioning a laser proximate the surface of the object, directing a laser beam from the laser to the surface of the object to mark or engrave at least a portion of the surface of the object, and moving at least one of the laser and the object to create a pattern on the surface of the object, the pattern providing at least one of an aesthetic and a structural feature on the surface of the object.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a braided filament including a plurality of strands each having at least one ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fiber and at least one polyester fiber wherein the quantity of certain types of fibers in a first strand is the same as the quantity of the same type of fibers in a second strand. In a variant, one additional strand of the braided filament is a monofilament strand. In another variant, each strand is homogeneous with respect to the other strands and is made exclusively from ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers and polyester fibers such that each strand has the same distribution and quantity of fiber types.

Abstract: A leg protection device to be used in conjunction with footwear and adapted to removably wrap around a user's leg near or on their ankle to protect the user from rubbing and irritations caused by the footwear when worn and in use. A flexible panel is provided incorporating a plurality of apertures adapted to allow a chosen amount of air flow to the covered portion of the leg when needed. The flexible panel further includes edge portions around a perimeter thereof and surrounding each of the apertures and made from a material adapted to increase comfort to the user while in use.