Abstract: The present invention relates to a device that stabilizes and/or protects the head and spine from injuries. An immobilization device includes one or more pillars with multiple segments that protect the head and spine of a user. The pillars typically run along the part of the head and spine and pelvis that the device protects. A cable or wire runs through these segments in the pillars. By design, when the pillars of the invented system are not activated and the system is in normal use, the pillars are designed to be as flexible as possible and allow full physiologic motion of the protected body part. Activation of the system confers rigidity to the system and prevents or lessens harmful, non-physiologic motion of the body part intended to be protected. The present invention also encompasses a immobilization device with cables used to guide the deployment of rigid tubes to stabilize and protect the head of the user.

Abstract: Shoe fastening apparatuses are used with shoes having hook-and-loop tying straps. The shoe fastening apparatuses comprise a hook-and-loop strap having a loop of material or a ring on a terminal end thereof. Systems of the present invention further comprise an engagement apparatus for manipulating the hook-and-loop strap and, more specifically, the loop of material or the ring thereof. Methods of using the shoe fastening apparatuses and the systems thereof are further provided herein.

Abstract: A method of making an article of footwear may include applying an environmental pressure differential across a sheet of upper material to conform the sheet of upper material to a portion of a footwear last, thereby forming at least a portion of an upper of the article of footwear. In addition, the method may include assembling the article of footwear including fixedly attaching the upper of the article of footwear to a sole structure.

Abstract: A method for knitting interchanged plating on a technical face for a flat bed knitting machine which includes at least one needle bed that has a plurality of latch needles, a plurality of sinkers and a carriage comprises the steps of: forming an indentation and a nose protrusion at each sinker; controlling the latch needle to move in a staged stitching displacement; feeding a first and a second coloration yarns to the flat bed knitting machine simultaneously; pushing the yarns via the nose protrusion of the sinker to knit a standard plating and continuing the knitting operation through the standard plating to form a technical face of the fabric; and controlling the latch needle to perform an interchanged stitching displacement, and ordering the sinker to pick up and release the yarns through the nose protrusion and the indentation to knit an interchanged plating.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present description, a shoe treatment device is provided having a shoe interior engagement form expandable from a latched, contracted state to an expanded state. A user operated slide actuator positioned exterior to the shoe may drive the engagement form to expand to the expanded state. The slide actuator may be actuated to contract the engagement form back to the contracted state. A latch may latch the engagement form in the selected contracted or expansion state to facilitate insertion and removal and treatment of the shoe. Other aspects are described.

Abstract: A shoe sole including an outsole 2 and a midsole 1, wherein: the midsole 1 includes a lower midsole 4 of a lower layer formed by a foamed body of a resin, and an upper midsole 3 of an upper layer formed by a foamed body of a resin and arranged on the lower midsole 4; a lateral roll-up portion 42 for supporting a lateral side of a foot from a side of the foot is formed integrally with the lower midsole 4; a hardness of a lateral portion 40 of the lower midsole 4 including the lateral roll-up portion 42 is a first hardness; a hardness of a medial portion 41 of the lower midsole 4 is a second hardness lower than the first hardness; a hardness of a lateral portion 30 of the upper midsole 3 is a third hardness lower than the first hardness; and a part or a whole of the high-hardness lateral roll-up portion 42 is protruding in an upward direction past the upper midsole 3 on a lateral side of the upper midsole 3 so that the lateral side of the foot is supported by the lateral roll-up portion 42 from the side of the

Abstract: Apparatus for protecting the head of a person from an external force includes an inner shell which fits over the head of the person and an outer shell which fits over the inner shell. A plurality of bags which contain a pressurized gas are disposed between the inner shell and the outer shell. When an external force is applied to the outer shell some of the bags distribute and partially absorb the external force thereby reducing the force experienced by the person.

Abstract: Disclosed is an Off-Road Rolling Film Vision System comprising a Controller Module (200), a Takeup Module (300), and a Rollout Module (400). The Controller Module (200) comprises a Command Input (205), a Controller Process Module (210), a Command Transmitter (215), and a Power Supply (220). The Controller Module (200) is configured to remotely control a Motor (325) in the Takeup Module (300). The Command Input (205) comprises at least one Button configured to accept a knuckle bump for controlling a Motor (325) in the Takeup Module (300) when the Controller Module (200) is attached to a handlebar of an off-road vehicle. The at least one Button configured to accept a knuckle bump may be configured to be adjacent to a user's metacarpophalangeal index finger joint. The at least one Button configured to accept a knuckle bump may be configured to be adjacent to a user's metacarpophalangeal thumb joint.

Abstract: Orthotics or other footwear inserts including a set of separate and incrementally different inserts sized and adapted for a right and/or left foot. One such insert in said set has a first corrective structure and at least another such insert has a second corrective structure. The second corrective structure including at least an incremental change in one or more of curvature, thickness and firmness of at least one sidemost portion of said insert in said set as compared to the first corrective structure and a corrective structure of each other said insert in said set. The inserts in the set have a progressive sequence based on the increase or decrease in one of the curvature, thickness and firmness, are adapted to be worn one at a time for a period of time sequentially based on the progressive sequence and also include at least one internal sipe.

Abstract: An article of footwear may include a sole structure comprising an outer member and a plurality of ground engaging members, including a first ground engaging member. The ground engaging members extend substantially downward from the outer surface of a sole structure. Ground engaging members, or cleats, may be auxetic structures that can increase their dimensions in a direction that is orthogonal to the direction of applied force or tension. The ground engaging members may comprise a series of faces joined along hinge portions that allow ground engaging members to flatten and expand significantly. The first ground engaging member may have a substantially three-pointed star-shaped pyramidal structure. The outer member may have a more elastic material than the material comprising the faces of ground engaging member. The outer member may have an inner surface with apertures that correspond with the ground engaging members of the outer surface.

Abstract: A shoe including: a sock-shaped base member forming at least a portion of an upper; a reinforcement member made of a thermoplastic resin welded to side surfaces of the base member on a medial side and a lateral side of a foot; and a mid sole made of a thermoplastic resin welded to a bottom surface of the base member.

Abstract: This fabric fastener tape for a slide fastener is provided with an element mounting section and a tape main body section. The tape main body section is provided with a mesh section. The mesh section has a mesh structure having a framework formed by sets of warp yarns and weft yarns, and the mesh structure has openings formed among the sets of warp yarns and weft yarns. In the mesh section, the weave density of the outermost warp yarn and the outermost weft yarn of each of the sets of warp yarns and weft yarns is higher than the weave density of the warp and weft yarns which are on the inner side of the outermost warp and weft yarns. In the mesh structure of this fastener tape, mesh displacement can be prevented without thermally bonding the crossover points between the warp and weft yarns.

Abstract: A shank for an article of footwear including a substantially planar base portion extending within a first plane in the longitudinal and lateral directions and a substantially planar ramp portion designed to absorb footwear loads in a vertical direction, the ramp portion extending, in an uncompressed state, within a second plane that is oblique to the first plane. The base portion and the ramp portion are arranged such that they do not overlap in the vertical direction. A sole assembly is also described and includes an outsole divided into a first portion located at a forefoot portion of the sole assembly and a second portion located at an arch portion of the sole assembly. The second portion is designed to contact the midsole in a compressed state and form a gap between when a load is removed. Related methods of manufacturing are also described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device that stabilizes and/or protects the head and spine from injuries. An immobilization device includes one or more pillars with multiple segments that protect the head and spine of a user. The pillars typically run along the part of the head and spine and pelvis that the device protects. A wire or cable runs through these segments in the pillars. By design, when the pillars of the invented system are not activated and the system is in normal use, the pillars are designed to be as flexible as possible and allow full physiologic motion of the protected body part. Activation of the system confers rigidity to the system and prevents or lessens harmful, non-physiologic motion of the body part intended to be protected.

Abstract: A shoe includes a sole, an actuator and a transducer. The actuator is mounted on one side of the sole. The transducer is mounted within the sole and includes a micro-motor, a link structure and a heater. The link structure is positioned between the micro-motor and the actuator and configured to move the micro-motor to generate electric energy. The heater is electrically coupled to the micro-motor and configured to convert the electric energy provided by the micro-motor to heat. When the actuator deforms or restores its deformation, the link structure moves thereby enabling the micro-motor to generate electric energy for the heater.

Abstract: A sole structure can include an outsole with flexure zones that allow relative movement between regions of the outsole bottom surface that are separated or defined by the flexure zones. Such relative movement, together with selected traction elements or combinations of traction elements within the regions, act to provide the needed traction and stability for a number of motions that normally accompany a given activity such as golf.

Abstract: A clothing system has removable leggings that have two legging portions. Each legging portion has an ankle end and a distal end; the distal end has at least one attachment mechanism and a seam of the distal end has elastic material there within. A shorts portion has a waistband and at least one mating attachment mechanism. A skirt portion is affixed to the shorts portion at the waistband. When worn, each of the legging portions is connected to the shorts portion by the attachment mechanisms and respective mating attachment mechanisms in the shorts portion and the shorts portion substantially covers and hides the distal end of each of the legging portions. When the skirt portion is deployed, the skirt portion substantially covers the shorts portion and, when the skirt portion is not deployed, the skirt portion is worn over the waistband to provide the appearance of a belt.

Abstract: Foot-supporting elements for articles of footwear or other products may include: (a) a first diagonally-oriented plate that extends from a lateral heel location of an article of footwear to a medial forefoot location of the article of footwear; and (b) a second diagonally-oriented plate that extends from a medial heel location of the article of footwear to a lateral forefoot location of the article of footwear. These foot-supporting elements may be utilized in foot-receiving devices that may include: (a) a foot-covering member (such as an upper); and (b) a foot-supporting element engaged with the foot-covering member.

Abstract: A sole structure may include multiple macrolayers. Each of those macrolayers may include a spring plate and a layer of damping material. Macrolayers may be bonded or otherwise fixed relative to one another and provide constrained layer damping in response to impact forces occurring as a result of activity of a wearer of an article of footwear incorporating the sole structure.

Abstract: A double-cylinder circular machine for producing tubular knitted manufactures, particularly for making hosiery items or the like, which comprises a supporting structure which is provided with a footing for resting on the ground which supports, so that it can rotate about its own vertically-oriented axis, a lower needle cylinder. The supporting structure comprises at least one column which is extended substantially vertically, protrudes upward from the footing and supports, so that it can rotate about its own axis, an upper needle cylinder, the upper needle cylinder is supported, so that it can rotate about its own axis, by an arm, which in turn is supported by the column, elements being provided for the rotation of the arm about the axis of the main shaft with respect to the column to provide the transition of the upper needle cylinder from an active position to an inactive position.