Abstract: A dispenser for fibers for use by a sportsman and adapted to be attached to an article of clothing or gear worn by the sportsman. The dispenser is a capsule with a body and a cap with apertures that can be aligned. When the apertures are aligned, fibers can be reached and pulled out of the dispenser in wisps for use by the sportsman.

Abstract: An insole includes a forefoot portion having a lower first recess; a cupped heel portion having a lower second recess; a mid-foot portion connecting together the forefoot portion and the heel portion, the mid-foot portion including a medial arch portion, and the forefoot, heel and mid-foot portions formed from a unitary resilient material; a plurality of protuberances in the second recess and having lower edges generally coplanar with a lower surface of the heel portion in surrounding relation to the second recess; a plurality of spaced apart spring walls formed from a viscoelastic gel in the first recess, the spring walls having lower edges generally coplanar with a lower surface of the forefoot portion which is in surrounding relation to the first recess; and a shell extending under the mid-foot portion and made of a resilient material that is stiffer than the unitary resilient material.

Abstract: A shoe or foot covering with slip-resistant properties is disclosed. In particular, the foot covering includes slip-resistant portions made from a polymeric material that are preferably applied to the bottom surface of the foot covering. The polymeric material contains a metallocene catalyzed branch copolymer which has rubber-like properties.

Abstract: A sterilization container system comprises a lid. The container system has a wall positionable on a tray. The lid has a large aperture and small attachment apertures. A support is formed with an interior central circular disk. An exterior circular ring is provided. Ribs connect the ring and the disk. The disk has a central aperture. Small attachment apertures are provided for coupling the upper surface of the ring to the lower surface of the wall. A thin plate has a central aperture and a periphery. Also provided is a spring positioned between the disk and the plate. The spring and plate are adapted to expand when heated. A space is created between the plate and the disk whereby medical instruments within the container system will be sterilized. The spring and plate are adapted to contract when cooled. Any space between the plate and the disk will be eliminated.

Abstract: A medicine caddy having a first caddy portion and a second caddy portion connectable to each other. The first and second caddy portions are movable with respect to one another between a first countertop configuration and a second carrying configuration. Moreover, the caddy portions each define a plurality of container holes for receipt of respective medicine containers. At least one of the caddy portions includes a handle by which the medicine caddy can be transported when in the carrying configuration.

Abstract: A vacuum receiving bag is formed by a bag body, a sealing edge installed at an opening of the bag body and an airtight valve at a selected position of the bag body. When the plug cover of the airtight valve is pressed by a hand, the airtight valve will conduct, so that air in the bag body will be absorbed and thus the bag will approach to a vacuum state. On the contrary, after the air absorbing tube is taken away, the airtight valve will close automatically. Next, the airtight valve can be used with an air tap, thereby, an operator may operate a pump manually to achieve the object of absorbing air. Moreover, the seal edge at the opening of the bag body is formed by two matched seal strips, and therefore, a preferred air seal effect is achieved.

Abstract: A bowling shoe construction having various options for adjustment with removable and replaceable slide parts to attach to the tread surface of a slide shoe. The slide parts can attach interchangeably using hook and pile loop fasteners. A kick shoe includes an interchangeable kick part covering the toe area. The kick part can be attached using adhesives or hook and pile loop fasteners.

Abstract: A wafer retainer is disclosed to be fastened to the inner surface of the door panel of a wafer carrier without making openings in the inner surface of the door panel, the wafer retainer having at least one frame bar, retaining portions and positioning elements respectively extended from the at least one frame bar for fastening to respective locating elements at the inner surface of the door panel and retaining portions at the lateral sidewall of a recessed area, and a plurality of spring arms respectively extended from the at least one frame bar at different elevations and adapted to hold a corresponding storage wafer in the wafer carrier, each spring arm having a smoothly arched top end adapted to contact one point of the corresponding storage wafer to minimize friction.

Abstract: An adapter that converts medical guidewire packaging into a reusable storage device. The adapter includes a conduit with first and second ends each having an opening and a passage there between. The adapter also includes an angled funnel with a duct and an enlarged end having an enlarged opening or port. The funnel is attached to the conduit between its ends and the duct of the funnel is in communication with the passage of the conduit. The first end of the conduit of the adapter is inserted into the opening of one end of a packaging tube while the other end of the packaging tube is inserted into the opening of the second end of the conduit of the adapter. Medical guidewires are inserted into the conduit of the adapter via the funnel and guided into the packaging tube by the funnel's duct and the adapter's conduit.

Abstract: A knife block to store and protect sharpened kitchen knives is suggested. The knife block includes a base and a pivotable tray connected together by a adjustable coupling system. The base includes a plurality of apertures therein that are to receive the blades of sharpened kitchen knives. The pivotable tray is configurable to change the geometry and functionality of the knife block from a folded configuration to a straight configuration. In the folded configuration, the knife block is easily deployed upon a counter top in an upright position. In the straight configuration, the knife block can be deployed upon a horizontal or vertical surface, for example upon a wall or within a drawer.

Abstract: A shoe includes a sole (2) that extends from a rear heel area (6) through a metatarsal area (7) to a front ball or toe area (8), the sole being composed of a sole body (10) and a sole covering (11) formed on the underside of the sole body (10) and a recess (13) extending approximately from metatarsal area (7) to heel area (6). The recess is provided between sole body (10) and sole covering (11), with the area of sole covering (11) associated with recess (13) forming a pivoting element (18) designed to pivot around a pivot axis (20) located in the end area of recess (13) facing metatarsal area (7). The end area of recess (13) facing metatarsal area (7) is defined by a tip (13a) of recess (13), and the pivot axis (20) is located in the area between a lengthwise center of shoe (1) and heel area (6), with heel area (6) extending over approximately one-third of the length of shoe (1).

Abstract: A boot that includes a sole made of at least two layered portions, i.e., a wear layer and a reinforcement, or nerve layer. The nerve layer is equipped with a flexible structure located inside a frame, the structure being formed by at least one transverse recess that defines, between its two ends, the contour of at least one strip centered in the nerve layer longitudinal direction. The sole of the invention offers reinforced longitudinal flexibility through the strip, while being capable of being transversely deformed in its central zone by attenuating ground surface roughness.

Abstract: A boot with a heel-back fastening mechanism has a split heel-back through which the foot of the user is inserted into the foot receiving cavity of the boot shell. The boot includes a boot shell having a heel cup secured to a sole assembly. The boot shell has a split heel-back that forms a boot shell left side and a boot shell right side. The heel-back fastening mechanism includes a flexible heel center member, a plurality of heel securing straps, and a plurality of heel securing grommets. The flexible heel center member extends away from the heel cup and is sealingly connected between the left and right sides of the boot shell. The plurality of heel securing straps each has an end secured to one of the boot shell sides. Each of the heel securing grommets is secured through a side of the boot shell opposite the point of attachment for each end of the plurality of heel straps. Each of the plurality of heel securing straps includes first and second companionate sections of hook and pile fastener material.

Abstract: An outsole for a golf shoe includes a sole member having a plurality of pyramid-shaped protrusions and a plurality of spikes extend outwardly from the outer surface of the sole member to improve traction with the ground surface. The outsole also includes a plurality of longitudinally extending wear bars. Each of the wear bars extends outwardly from the outer surface of the sole member to a pair of ground engagement surfaces which are separated by a notch. The positions of the spikes and wear bars and the orientation of the wear bars are in part determined by bio-mechanical factors determined by the path of the center of pressure and the forces generated during the golfer's swing.

Abstract: A system for dispensing presaturated wiper sheets for use in various industrial and manufacturing situations includes a reusable dispenser canister and at least one refill package of wiper sheets. The dispensing canister may include a receptacle base, and a lid threaded onto the base. A gasket, such as an annular disc of compressible foam material, may be interposed between the base and lid. The lid includes an integral cap unit which defines a storage well and a cap element. An aperture, through which a portion of the leading sheet extends, is defined in a bottom portion of the storage well. The well is preferably deep enough so that the wiper portion can be relatively long, without interfering with closing of the cap element. The cap unit is designed to provide a relatively tight seal when the cap element is closed. A lip protrudes up at an acute angle from a main cap portion of the cap element to facilitate opening of the cap element, even by a gloved worker.

Abstract: A carrier for transporting food and beverage containers, having a first container support wall for supporting an upper portion of a food and beverage container, a second container support wall spaced vertically from the first wall for supporting a lower portion of a food and beverage container, wherein a plurality of apertures are disposed in the first and second walls for receiving a food and beverage container. The carrier is structurally reinforced by providing a plurality of reinforcement panels which extend between the first and second walls of the carrier, at least two of these reinforcement panels having selectively re-useable reinforcement flaps along their edges. A detachable coupon-like portion can be optionally provided in at least one the reinforcement panels.

Abstract: A shock absorbing liner to be attached to the interior of a baseball shoe to help protect the toes and upper portion of wearer's foot from injury that can occur during baseball batting. The shock absorbing liner includes a plurality of rigid protective shell members constructed of a hard plastic material that possess sufficient shock absorbing capability to resist a wide range of dynamic impact forces that may be applied to the baseball shoe by a foul tipped ball striking the shoe. The rigid protective shell members are shaped and arranged to cover and protect essentially the entire upper foot region including the toes. The rigid protective shell members are joined by bendable elements so as to allow the shock absorbing liner freedom to flex with the baseball shoe while affording foot protection.

Abstract: An infant footwear leash for preventing the loss of footwear worn by infants is provided. The leash includes a string and a slidable element through which the ends of the strings are completely inserted to define a loop that rests around the infant's ankle, while the leash is in use. In an open position, the slidable element allows adjustment of the size of the loop as necessary. In a closed position, the slidable element prevents adjustment of the size of the loop to prevent the loop from enlarging and causing the leash to fall off the infant's foot. A clip is attached to one end of the string. The clip is clipped onto the infant footwear. Thus, if the footwear falls off the infant's foot, it is held by the clip and is kept dangling from the leash.

Abstract: There is provided a cassette case for holding a plurality of substrates therein, including a cassette case for holding a plurality of substrates therein, including (a) a three-dimensional, hollow frame, and (b) a pair of substrate support members spaced away from each other and carried at the frame with at least one substrate being supported therebetween in the frame. The substrate support members are fixedly carried at the frame at one of longitudinal ends thereof, and at the other of the longitudinal ends thereof so that so that the members are able to expand or contract in a length-wise direction thereof. The above mentioned cassette case ensures that even if the substrate support members thermally expand when the cassette case is thermally treated, there is nothing which obstructs thermal expansion of the substrate support members. Thus, it is possible to eliminate deformation of the substrate support members caused by obstruction to thermal expansion of the substrate support members.

Abstract: A storage container for holding and disinfecting invasive medical instruments, such as hypodermic needles and scalpels. The storage container is elongated and in a tubular configuration, having a closed lower end and an open upper end. The storage container is made of puncture resistant, gas autoclavable material. A plastic twist off lid is attached to the open upper end and including a string connected between the lid and container to attach the lid to the container. A port hole of entry connected thereto near the open upper end, said port hole of entry comprising a second container section of smaller cross section than the cross section of the storage container and connected thereto in sealed fashion to allow entry of solution or chemicals to the container without opening the lid on the container upper end. The storage container having a mouth rim to block and prevent a back splash of airborne microorganism from the container.