Abstract: An assembly for retaining a boot on a gliding board having a release block with at least one jaw for retaining a member for fastening the boot, the jaw being movable between a closed position in which it retains the fastening member and an open position in which it releases the fastening member, the jaw being maintained in the closed position by a movable latch. The movement of the latch is controlled by a source of pneumatic energy, with the exclusion of any other energy.

Abstract: An assembly for retaining a boot on a gliding board having a release block with at least one jaw for retaining a member for fastening the boot, the jaw being movable between a closed position in which it retains the fastening member and an open position in which it releases the fastening member, the jaw being maintained in the closed position by a movable latch. The movement of the latch is controlled by a source of pneumatic energy, with the exclusion of any other energy.

Abstract: Shock-absorbing support pad to be positioned between a boot and a snowboard, or between the boot and a snowboard binding, and a snowboard binding incorporating such support pad. The support pad has at least two layers of material having different hardnesses. A first layer has a support surface for contacting the boot and it has a bonding surface opposite to the support surface. A second layer is joined to the bonding surface of the first layer. The hardness of the second layer is less than the hardness of the first layer.

Abstract: A golf club head having a body that includes a striking wall, an upper wall, and an open cavity. A housing is positioned within the cavity and it is removably attached in such position to the body. The housing has an asymmetrical configuration and is located in the open cavity of the body in a predetermined selected position and is removably connected to the body in the predetermined position. At least one balancing weight is located with respect to the housing in a predetermined selected position, the weight being non-removably connected to the housing by adhesive or by being molded in place, for example. A plurality of identically shaped housings, with differently positioned weights, can be provided to enable one to select a desired one of the housings to be fitted to the body of the club head to appropriately modify the behavior of the thusly assembled club.

Abstract: A protective helmet that includes a cap, a protective padding, possibly a comfort padding, and a retaining system. According to the invention, the cap has a visual impact indicator whose state changes when the cap is subject to an impact exceeding a predetermined threshold. For example, the indicator is formed by a capillary tube sealed at both ends enclosing a drop of colored liquid trapped between two gas bubbles. The invention applies to any type of helmet, for the practice of a sport, for motorcycling, for professional use, or as a safety helmet.

Abstract: An assembly for retaining a boot on a gliding or walking apparatus including a boot and an interface device provided to receive the boot, and to be assembled to the gliding apparatus, the device having an elongated base defining a longitudinal direction provided to support the boot and having, in its upper portion, a device for retaining the boot, and in its lower portion, a device for assembly to the gliding apparatus. The retaining device of the assembly includes retaining members, located along a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the base, or set back with respect to the ends of the base along a longitudinal direction, which cooperate with complementary members for attaching the boot, and the assembly device including a non-releasable release mechanism with automatic return.

Abstract: Shock-absorbing wedge provided to be arranged between a boot and a board, or between the boot and a device for retaining the boot on the board, the board being adapted to snowboarding. The wedge is characterized in that it has at least two layers of materials of a different hardness. A first layer has a support surface provided to make contact with the boot and has a bonding surface opposite to the support surface. A second layer is joined to the bonding surface of the first layer. The hardness of the second layer is less than the hardness of the first layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a golf club head that includes a peripheral shell constituted by an assembly of walls obtained by injecting a plastic material forming an inner cavity enclosing at least one inner insert kept immobilized by a partial plastic material coating of the shell. Prior to the injection step of the shell, an assembly is placed and immobilized in the mold which is comprised of a meltable core made of a second material having a melting point that is lower than the melting point of the plastic material in the space left free between the walls of the mold and the assembly, so as to coat the meltable core and all or a part of the free portion of the insert. Finally, all or a portion of the meltable core is eliminated to enable an inner volume to be freed so as to form the inner cavity.

Abstract: A retention device for a boot for use on glide boards adapted to be used for snowboarding. At least one attaching device of the retention device is offset laterally with respect to the median longitudinal plane of the boot and is positioned in the vicinity of only one side of the boot, either the lateral side or the medial side of the boot.

Abstract: A device for retaining a boot on a gliding board and a gliding board equipped with such device. The device has a base and a rear support element articulated on the base along a substantially transverse journal axis of the device. The rear support element has two parts, an arch articulated on the base and a collar affixed to the arch, the collar having a greater rigidity than the arch, the arch cooperating with an arch/a bow of the base to limit a front-to-rear articulation movement of the rear support element with respect to the base.

Abstract: A device for connecting a sports boot intended to be attached to a glide board for snowboarding by at least one strap that includes a padding directed towards the boot, located in the instep zone. The padding of the strap includes an arrangement that distributes the tightening pressure exerted thereby on the instep, so as to obtain a central pressure corresponding to the zone of the big toe levator tendon, that is less than the lateral pressures exerted on either side thereof.

Abstract: A retention device for a boot on a glide board intended for snowboarding. The device includes at least one anchoring device and at least one retention member that receives the anchoring device in a housing of the retention member, a latching member cooperating with the retention member in order to maintain the anchoring device in the housing, a support member cooperating with the retention member in order to position the latching member with respect to the housing. The device is wherein a surface of the latching member cooperates, by contact, with a surface of the support member, the surfaces being oriented so as to, on the one hand, be displaced with respect to one another when the latching member is displaced in a latching direction, and on the other hand, retain a fixed position with respect to one another when the latching member is biased in an unlatching direction.

Abstract: A device for retaining a boot on a gliding board, the device including a base for receiving the boot, at least one tightening arrangement to bias the base toward the board. The device according to the invention includes at least one mechanism for positioning the base with respect to the board both translationally in any direction substantially parallel to the board, and rotationally along any angle with respect to an axis substantially perpendicular to the board.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tightening device including a strap portion provided with a serrated portion and with a tightening element, such as band or flap, on which is mounted a locking member including a base fixed on the tightening element; a ratchet connected to the base by a journal and having at least one complementary retaining serrated portion adapted to cooperate with the serrated portion of the strap portion; an elastic return device which maintains the serrated portions in contact with one another in the locking position; and a lever that can be actuated against the force exerted by the elastic return device for disengaging the serrated portions, wherein the strap portion engages through the locking member into a space provided between the journal and a complementary retaining serrated portion of the ratchet.

Abstract: The invention is related to a golf club head including an internal subassembly defining an inner space and including a combination of a rigid, hollow and open internal shell made of a low-density material, and an impact-resistant sealing element co-operating with the shell to close off the inner space and having an inner wall for supporting the striking surface of the head. The internal shell is covered by an outer plastic casing at least partially covering the internal subassembly and forming the outer wall of the striking surface.

Abstract: The invention is related to a golf club head including a hollow body made of a single molded thermoplastic piece, an opening facing forwardly and including an upper wall, a peripheral wall, and possibly a lower wall. Further included is an impact-resistant metallic sealing element including a front wall forming the impact surface of the club head, attached and cooperating with the body so as to define an inner space. Such a construction improves upon the sensation perceived by the golfer at impact while retaining direct transmission of information to him or her, and it increases the range of possible mass distribution and concentration so as to make the head more tolerant by increasing its moments of inertia.

Abstract: A golf club and methods of assembling and disassembling the shaft and head. The golf club includes a shaft and a head affixed to one another by having a male portion embedded in a female portion, or embedding hole, the two being made of a composite material or plastic, and a heat-conductive intermediate ring is located between the internal peripheral surface of the female portion and the external peripheral surface of the male portion and projecting outwardly from the embedding hole. The shaft is removed by heating outwardly projecting portion of the intermediate ring to soften the adhesive that had secured the shaft to the head.

Abstract: Alpine ski binding designed to hold the rear end of a boot in place on a ski. The binding comprises a body (3) connected to the ski, a device (2) for position-retention of the rear end of the boot, which is carried by the body, and a support plate for the boot (9), on which the rear end of the sole rests. The support plate is mobile in the median longitudinal and vertical plane, and a layer (15) of an elastically-compressible material is interposed between the support plate and the upper surface of the ski. In particular, the plate is interposed around an axis (25) carried by the stirrup piece which holds the rear part of the slide-rail (4) in position on the ski.

Abstract: A safety binding for skis designed to hold the front end of a boot and to release the front end of the ski boot from the ski under a predeterminate force. The binding includes a quantity of shock-absorbing material positioned below and mounted to the base of the binding and above the upper surface of the ski for filtering vibrations transmitted by the ski to the ski boot and for absorbing stresses between the ski boot and the ski. The binding also includes a compensating mechanism that includes an arrangement for reducing the predeterminate biasing force of the retention element of the binding in response to a downward force exerted by the ski boot.

Abstract: A ski binding adapted to hold an end of a boot upon a ski. The binding includes a jaw and a body, in whyich the body of the binding further includes a lower part adapted to be affixed to the ski and having an upwardly facing surface extending upwardly and toward an end of the body, and an upper part which supports the jaw and having a downwardly facing surface for being positioned adjacent the upwardly facing surface of the lower part, wherein the upwardly facing surface of the lower part and the downwardly facing surface of the upper part are complementarily arcuately shaped having a common center of curvature, when the upwardly facing surface of the lower part is positioned adjacent the downwardly facing surface of the upper part, for enabling a generally pivotal movement of the upper part with respect to the lower part about the center of curvature.