Abstract: Tossing balls having a resilient skeletal body formed from a plurality of interconnected resilient ribs and defining an open internal volume and a plurality of passages between adjacent resilient ribs. The passages extend from an outwardly facing body portion of the body to the internal volume. The tossing balls may include an array of force-absorbing resilient fingers extending from the plurality of interconnected resilient ribs. The resilient fingers extend at least one of away from and toward the open internal volume. The tossing balls may have a nominal configuration in which the array of force-absorbing resilient fingers extends away from the open internal volume and is configured to cushion impact between the tossing ball and an external object. The tossing balls may include an everted configuration in which the resilient fingers that extended away from the open internal volume in the nominal configuration extend into the open internal volume.

Abstract: Tossing balls having a resilient skeletal body formed from a plurality of interconnected resilient ribs and defining an open internal volume and a plurality of passages between adjacent resilient ribs. The passages extend from an outwardly facing body portion of the body to the internal volume. The tossing balls may include an array of force-absorbing resilient fingers extending from the plurality of interconnected resilient ribs. The resilient fingers extend at least one of away from and toward the open internal volume. The tossing balls may have a nominal configuration in which the array of force-absorbing resilient fingers extends away from the open internal volume and is configured to cushion impact between the tossing ball and an external object. The tossing balls may include an everted configuration in which the resilient fingers that extended away from the open internal volume in the nominal configuration extend into the open internal volume.

Abstract: Multi-wheeled vehicles, such as scooters, may include a body, a rear wheel, and a steering assembly. The steering assembly may include a steering shaft, a wheel support chassis, a first front wheel, and a second front wheel. The wheel support chassis is pivotally coupled to the steering shaft for rotation about a chassis pivot axis. The first and second front wheels are rotatingly coupled to the wheel support chassis about respective rotational axes. The second front wheel is at least substantially inline with the first front wheel and located closer to the rear wheel than the first front wheel when the steering shaft is in a forward straight orientation.

Abstract: A valve system includes a fitment or a fluid container having a threaded spout, a valve assembly, and a cap. The threaded spout has external threads. The valve assembly includes a sleeve forming a barrel. The barrel includes internal threads and external threads. The internal threads accommodate the external threads of the spout at a first end of the barrel. The valve assembly further includes a valve located at a second end of the barrel. The valve is operable to open and close an internal fluid pathway of the valve assembly. The cap defines an interior region that includes internal threads that accommodate the external threads of the barrel. The cap accommodates the valve within the interior region when the internal threads of the cap are fully threaded onto the external threads of the barrel. The cap may contact the valve to provide an additional seal.

Abstract: An elastomeric valve includes a barrel having one or more walls defining an interior fluid pathway. The barrel is deformable between a non-deformed state and a deformed state. The elastomeric valve further includes a gate assembly of two or more gate elements forming a tapering volume projecting into the fluid pathway from the one or more walls of the barrel. In at least some examples, each gate element joins the barrel at a reduced cross-section that forms a hinge of that gate element. The two or more gate elements interface with each other along one or more gate boundaries to collectively block the fluid pathway in the non-deformed state and separate from each other along the one or more gate boundaries in the deformed state to permit fluid flow through the gate assembly.

Abstract: A valve system includes a fitment or a fluid container having a threaded spout, a valve assembly, and a cap. The threaded spout has external threads. The valve assembly includes a sleeve forming a barrel. The barrel includes internal threads and external threads. The internal threads accommodate the external threads of the spout at a first end of the barrel. The valve assembly further includes a valve located at a second end of the barrel. The valve is operable to open and close an internal fluid pathway of the valve assembly. The cap defines an interior region that includes internal threads that accommodate the external threads of the barrel. The cap accommodates the valve within the interior region when the internal threads of the cap are fully threaded onto the external threads of the barrel. The cap may contact the valve to provide an additional seal.

Abstract: Multi-wheeled vehicles, such as scooters, may include a body, a rear wheel, and a steering assembly. The steering assembly may include a steering shaft, a wheel support chassis, a first front wheel, and a second front wheel. The wheel support chassis is pivotally coupled to the steering shaft for rotation about a chassis pivot axis. The first and second front wheels are rotatingly coupled to the wheel support chassis about respective rotational axes. The second front wheel is at least substantially inline with the first front wheel and located closer to the rear wheel than the first front wheel when the steering shaft is in a forward straight orientation.

Abstract: Scooters including a body having a rider platform, a rear wheel, and a front wheel pivotally supported by the body about a steering axis. In some scooters, the axle of the front wheel is positioned rearward of the steering axis, and in some scooters the steering axis extends upwardly and divergently away from the rider platform. Some scooters include a steering stabilizer configured to bias the front wheel toward a neutral, or straight, steering configuration. Some scooters include a steering stabilizer that is configured to dampening the pivoting of the front wheel and/or limit an angle of pivot of the front wheel. Some scooters include a rear truck. Some scooters include a rider platform that extends beneath, or closer to a ground surface, than the tops of the scooters' front and/or rear wheels.

Abstract: Knee boards for riding in a kneeling position on a ground surface and methods of riding the same. Knee boards include a body with a knee support region, front and rear wheel assemblies, and a gripping member. The body defines an open kick region laterally adjacent to the knee support region. The open kick region permits a user to extend his/her foot to contact and kick the ground surface to propel the knee board and the user along the ground. Some knee boards include a left knee support region and a right knee support region laterally spaced from the left knee support region, and which collectively define the open kick region therebetween. Some knee boards include a central knee support region and a body that defines a left kick region and a right kick region to the left and right of the knee support region, respectively.

Abstract: Scooters including a body having a rider platform, a rear wheel, and a front wheel pivotally supported by the body about a steering axis. In some scooters, the axle of the front wheel is positioned rearward of the steering axis, and in some scooters the steering axis extends upwardly and divergently away from the rider platform. Some scooters include a steering stabilizer configured to bias the front wheel toward a neutral, or straight, steering configuration. Some scooters include a steering stabilizer that is configured to dampening the pivoting of the front wheel and/or limit an angle of pivot of the front wheel. Some scooters include a rear truck. Some scooters include a rider platform that extends beneath, or closer to a ground surface, than the tops of the scooters' front and/or rear wheels.

Abstract: Knee boards for riding in a kneeling position on a ground surface and methods of riding the same. Knee boards include a body with a knee support region, front and rear wheel assemblies, and a gripping member. The body defines an open kick region laterally adjacent to the knee support region. The open kick region permits a user to extend his/her foot to contact and kick the ground surface to propel the knee board and the user along the ground. Some knee boards include a left knee support region and a right knee support region laterally spaced from the left knee support region, and which collectively define the open kick region therebetween. Some knee boards include a central knee support region and a body that defines a left kick region and a right kick region to the left and right of the knee support region, respectively.

Abstract: Brake assemblies, and scooters and skateboards incorporating the same. The brake assemblies include an actuator that is positioned rearward of the body of the scooter or skateboard and includes a brake member that is selectively pivoted or otherwise moved into braking contact with a rear wheel assembly responsive to rider-applied braking inputs to the actuator. In some embodiments, the rear wheel assembly includes a truck with a chassis that is pivotally coupled to the body and to which the rear wheels are rotatably mounted. In some embodiments, the brake member is adapted to apply braking forces to a ground-contacting surface of at least one of the rear wheels responsive to braking inputs applied by a rider to the actuator. In some embodiments, the brake assembly is configured to maintain its orientation relative to the rear wheel regardless of the pivotal orientation of the body relative to the chassis.

Abstract: Brake assemblies, and scooters and skateboards incorporating the same. The brake assemblies include an actuator that is positioned rearward of the body of the scooter or skateboard and includes a brake member that is selectively pivoted or otherwise moved into braking contact with a rear wheel assembly responsive to rider-applied braking inputs to the actuator. In some embodiments, the rear wheel assembly includes a truck with a chassis that is pivotally coupled to the body and to which the rear wheels are rotatably mounted. In some embodiments, the brake member is adapted to apply braking forces to a ground-contacting surface of at least one of the rear wheels responsive to braking inputs applied by a rider to the actuator. In some embodiments, the brake assembly is configured to maintain its orientation relative to the rear wheel regardless of the pivotal orientation of the body relative to the chassis.

Abstract: Enhanced-grip foamed play balls, such as compressible, foamed play balls that are at least substantially formed from a foamed material and which include an exterior surface that is partially formed from the foamed material and partially formed from discrete regions of a different material that provides a grip-enhancing structure. In some embodiments, the grip-enhancing structure is formed from an elastomer. In some embodiments, the grip-enhancing structure has at least one of greater friction, greater density, greater weight, increased tackiness, decreased porosity, tread structure, projecting tread structure, and/or decreased compressibility than the foamed material. Methods for forming foamed play balls with grip-enhancing structures are also disclosed.

Abstract: A device for selectively applying tractive forces to a user's back. In some embodiments, the device is an isometric exercise device. In some embodiments, the device is a portable, collapsible device. In some embodiments, the device enables a user to selectively adjust and control the magnitude and/or application region of the tractive forces while the device is being used. In some embodiments, the user-exerted tractive force is applied to handle portions of the device and transmitted to a lower extremity engaging portion of the device. In some embodiments, the device is configured such that a user can connect and remove the user's lower extremities from the device without requiring the manual manipulation of the mounts used to selectively retain the user's lower extremities. In some embodiments, the device is adjustable for use by a wide variety of differently sized individuals.

Abstract: A device for selectively applying tractive forces to a user's back. In some embodiments, the device is an isometric exercise device. In some embodiments, the device is a portable, collapsible device. In some embodiments, the device enables a user to selectively adjust and control the magnitude and/or application region of the tractive forces while the device is being used. In some embodiments, the user-exerted tractive force is applied to handle portions of the device and transmitted to a lower extremity engaging portion of the device. In some embodiments, the device is configured such that a user can connect and remove the user's lower extremities from the device without requiring the manual manipulation of the mounts used to selectively retain the user's lower extremities. In some embodiments, the device is adjustable for use by a wide variety of differently sized individuals.

Abstract: Drink spout systems and drink containers that include a drink spout system. In some embodiments, the drink spout system includes an air return system to permit improved dispensing from the drink container. In some embodiments, the drink spout system is actuated by a user sucking on the system. In others, the system is actuated by a user depressing or bending at least a portion of the system. In still others, the system is actuated by other user-imparted forces to the system. In some embodiments, the drink spout system includes a biasing system adapted to preload the system's valve assembly to a closed configuration. In some embodiments, the drink spout system includes components formed from different materials via two-shot molding or a similar process, and in some embodiments, the materials used are selected to provide improved opening of the systems' valve assembly.

Abstract: Drink spout systems and drink containers that include a drink spout system. In some embodiments, the drink spout system includes an air return system to permit improved dispensing from the drink container. In some embodiments, the drink spout system is actuated by a user sucking on the system. In others, the system is actuated by a user depressing or bending at least a portion of the system. In still others, the system is actuated by other user-imparted forces to the system. In some embodiments, the drink spout system includes a biasing system adapted to preload the system's valve assembly to a closed configuration. In some embodiments, the drink spout system includes components formed from different materials via two-shot molding or a similar process, and in some embodiments, the materials used are selected to provide improved opening of the systems' valve assembly.

Abstract: Drink spout systems for use with drink containers. The drink spout systems are configured to easily pierce a drink container or a seal across an opening in the drink container to access the drink fluid contained within the drink container. The drink spout system may include a valve assembly to regulate the flow of the drink fluid through the drink spout. The drink spout system may additionally or alternatively include a valve assembly that is configured to prevent drink fluid from being unintentionally dispensed from the drink container, such as when the drink container is pierced by the drink spout system or when the drink container is tipped over or dropped. The drink spout system is particularly useful on aseptic drink pouches, aseptic drink boxes, drink bottles and other similar drink containers.