Abstract: An insulation displacement contact (1) has a generally semi-circular configuration. A longitudinal slot (2) and a lateral slot (22) extending from the base of the longitudinal slot define a pair of tines (24). The free ends of the tines (AA,BB) are parallel to one another to assist location in an insulation displacement connector housing (12).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an article of footwear including an upper, a sole and a pumping chamber for producing a continuous supply of fluid. The sole includes a midsole and an outsole. The pumping chamber is formed between the bottom surface of the midsole and the upper surface of the outsole and includes at least one inlet and at least one outlet. Movement of the wearer's foot causes fluid to be drawn into and expelled from the pumping chamber. The fluid produced by the pumping chamber may be used to inflate an expandable bladder or to provide ventilation to the wearer's foot.

Abstract: A support and cushioning system for an article of footwear. The system includes a resilient insert disposed between a midsole and an outsole of a shoe. The resilient insert includes several chambers disposed in a heel portion of the resilient insert. These chambers are fluidly interconnected to each other via periphery passages. The resilient insert also includes several chambers disposed in a forefoot portion of the resilient insert. These chambers are also fluidly interconnected to each other. A connecting passage connects the chambers in the heel portion and the chambers in the forefoot portion of the resilient insert. A bladder having a fluidly interconnected heel chamber and forefoot chamber is also inserted above the midsole to provided added cushioning to the wearer. In one embodiment, the resilient insert contains air at ambient pressure and the bladder contains air at slightly above ambient pressure.

Abstract: A telecommunications connector with break/test facility includes a housing (10) which receives a plurality of pairs of contacts (42,44). The housing has a series of first chambers (40) and a series of adjacent second chambers (56). The first contact of each pair has and insulation displacement portion (102,104) received in the first chamber and a spring tail (114) which is received an anchored in the second chamber. The second contact has a conductor termination portion (80) which may be an insulation displacement contact also arranged in the first chamber beneath the first contact, and a spring contact portion (94) arranged in the second chamber to form a spring contact switch with the spring tail of the first contact. A tester (100) may be inserted into the spring contact switch to test the circuits.

Abstract: An insert for a shoe sole includes a heel lever which absorbs energy from the foot during heel strike and returns the energy to the foot during heel lift-off.

Abstract: The present invention utilizes an upper and a midsole which is disposed in a conventional manner below the upper. The midsole includes an elastomeric material and has a number of spaced-apart horizontal tubes extending the width of the midsole which are encapsulated in the elastomeric material. The tubes are hollow and lay side by side in a direction either perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shoe, parallel to the axis, or in any other direction functional for foot and shoe mechanics. The elastomeric material has a hardness less than the tubes and fills the space between the tubes. To visualize the midsole, a transparent window may be utilized.