An installing hole forming mechanism includes at least one guiding sleeve and an inserting set. The at least one guiding sleeve includes a bore. The inserting set is detachably coupled to the at least one guiding sleeve and includes at least one spike configured to couple to the bore of the at least one guiding sleeve. The at least one spike includes a tip. When the at least one spike passes through the bore of the at least one guiding sleeve, the tip exposes from the guiding sleeve, and the at least one spike and the at least one guiding sleeve are forced to puncture a shoe such that at least one installing hole is formed on the shoe.

A method of manufacturing a color-changing fiber includes loading a polymeric material and a thermochromic pigment material into a fiber fabrication machine that comprises an extruder and a spinneret, operating the extruder to provide a molten mixture of the polymeric material and the thermochromic pigment material, providing a volume of the molten mixture to the spinneret, and operating the spinneret to coat an electrically conductive core with the molten mixture to form a coating layer around the electrically conductive core to produce the color-changing fiber. The polymeric material and the thermochromic pigment material are provided as (a) a first raw material comprising the polymeric material and a second raw material comprising the thermochromic pigment material or (b) a thermochromic pigment and polymer mixture.

The invention relates to a closure buckle for closing a ski boot, which buckle comprises a main lever (2) hinged to a base (1) and having a longitudinal notch (20) in which a tie rod (3) is mounted that is connected to a fastener hook and that has an end carrying an auxiliary lever (4), said buckle being characterized in that the main lever (2) is provided with a protective plate (21) laterally defining a housing (24) for receiving the auxiliary lever (4), and the invention also relates to a downhill ski boot equipped with such buckles.

Sports boot including: an inner boot; an exogenous shell, the dimensions of which allow the inner boot to be inserted into or extracted from it, the exogenous shell strengthening the inner boot and allowing it to be attached to a piece of sports equipment. The exogenous shell includes a sole, a forward part of an upper able to pivot with respect to the sole about a first articulation, and a rear part of an upper which is able to pivot with respect to the sole about a second articulation. The sole includes a continuous inner relief pattern having longitudinally-extending ribs separated by longitudinally-extending grooves extending continuously along an entire length of the sole. The inner boot includes a sole with a corresponding relief pattern, so as to position laterally and vertically the inner boot in the exogenous shell.

Operating device (5) for a sports shoe/boot (1), including: a tightening device (6) intended to tighten the sports shoe/boot around a foot or lower leg of a user; a first lever (14) able to move between a first position and a second position, the first lever being able to actuate the tightening device; and a second lever (15) distinct from the first lever (14), the second lever (15) being able to move between a first position and a second position, the second lever being intended to actuate at least one accessory (10) of the sports shoe/boot, the first lever and the second lever being configured to rest one upon the other.

A method of manufacturing a color-changing fiber includes loading a polymeric material and a thermochromic pigment material into a fiber fabrication machine that comprises an extruder and a spinneret, operating the extruder to provide a molten mixture of the polymeric material and the thermochromic pigment material, providing a volume of the molten mixture to the spinneret, and operating the spinneret to coat an electrically conductive core with the molten mixture to form a coating layer around the electrically conductive core to produce the color-changing fiber. The polymeric material and the thermochromic pigment material are provided as (a) a first raw material comprising the polymeric material and a second raw material comprising the thermochromic pigment material or (b) a thermochromic pigment and polymer mixture.

An installing hole forming mechanism includes at least one guiding sleeve and an inserting set. The at least one guiding sleeve includes a bore. The inserting set is detachably coupled to the at least one guiding sleeve and includes at least one spike configured to couple to the bore of the at least one guiding sleeve. The at least one spike includes a tip. When the at least one spike passes through the bore of the at least one guiding sleeve, the tip exposes from the guiding sleeve, and the at least one spike and the at least one guiding sleeve are forced to puncture a shoe such that at least one installing hole is formed on the shoe.