The invention comprises an elastomeric athletic or orthopedic brace, support for a joint complex and is a network of interlinking elastomeric bands that extend radially from a hub member to support a joint in tension but provide for controlled hinging about an axis defined through the hub member. In particular, the brace is provided for an ankle.

The present disclosure is directed to articles that include a cured coating that includes a matrix of crosslinked polymers and optionally a colorant (e.g., pigment particles or dye or both). The cured coating can include a matrix of crosslinked polymers. The cured coating is a product of crosslinking a coating composition comprising uncrosslinked polymers (e.g., a dispersion of uncrosslinked polymers in a carrier to form the matrix of crosslinked polymers), wherein the uncrosslinked polymers are crosslinked to form the matrix of crosslinked polymers. The matrix of crosslinked polymers can be elastomeric. The present disclosure is also directed to articles including these bladders, methods of forming these bladders, and methods of making articles including these bladders, where the bladders include the cured coating.

The invention comprises an elastomeric athletic or orthopedic brace, support for a joint complex and is a network of interlinking elastomeric bands that extend radially from a hub member to support a joint in tension but provide for controlled hinging about an axis defined through the hub member. In particular, the brace is provided for an ankle.

The present disclosure seeks to reduce the effects of rotational and linear acceleration experienced by the body of a user in response to an impact force. Modular disengaging systems of the present disclosure are generally suitable for coupling to protective equipment to provide a disengaging motion between various layers such that the effects of the impact force to the body of the user are reduced. Generally described, the modular disengaging systems of the present disclosure include layers configured to facilitate relative lateral motion therebetween upon an impact force.

The present invention provides a sports protection device (e.g. a shin pad) for protecting a portion of a wearer's body (e.g. their shin). The sports protection device comprises a lining layer for facing the wearer's body (shin) and an opposing composite layer superimposed on said lining layer. The composite layer comprises wood particles within a thermoplastic polymer matrix. The lining and composite layers are shaped to substantially match the contour of the portion of the wearer's body (shin). A moldable blank for forming a sports protection device is also provided.

Devices with internal flexibility sipes, such as slits, provide improved flexibility, improved cushioning to absorb shock and/or shear forces, and improved stability of support. Siped devices can be used in any existing product that provides or utilizes cushioning and stability. These products include human and other footwear, both soles and uppers, as well as orthotics; athletic, occupational and medical equipment and apparel; padding or cushioning, such as for equipment or tool handles, as well as furniture; balls; tires; and any other structural or support elements in a mechanical, architectural, or any other product.

A plate for an article of footwear includes a substrate, a first strand portion attached to the substrate via first stitching, and a second strand portion disposed on the first layer. The first strand portion includes first segments that each extend between two different locations along the substrate to form a first layer on the substrate. The second strand portion includes second segments that each extend between two different locations along the substrate to form a second layer on the first layer.

This disclosure relates to a drying rack for wet equipment constructed to support wet equipment having absorbent and non-absorbent sides. The drying rack supports the equipment such that absorbent sides of the wet equipment are generally oriented in a single windward direction relative to an external airflow source.

A soft armor panel is provided by work softening a panel formed of a ballistic material. The panel also includes slip planes between adjacent ply groups, the adjacent ply groups remaining unconnected or substantially unconnected at the slip plane. The soft, or conformable, body armor, is resistant to various projectile threats, in which the panel is made by work-softening an otherwise rigid panel. The soft armor panel includes a work softened lamination of a plurality of ply groups. Each ply group comprises one or more layers, each layer comprising a composite material of fibers embedded in a matrix material. A slip plane is disposed between at least one set of adjacent ply groups, such that the adjacent ply groups remain unconnected or substantially unconnected at the slip plane. The softened ballistic panel retains significant ballistic properties, is light weight and can be readily conformed to various torso configurations.

A description is given of a shin guard (1) having a shin element (2) which is based on a hard plastics material or metal and has a concave inner side (16) which is curved transversally to a longitudinal axis (41) of the shin guard and encloses an interior (18) for accommodating a user's shin region. The shin guard is characterized in that at the lower end of the shin element (2), said lower end being directed towards the user's foot, it has a separate sliding element (3), which is based on a hard plastics material or metal and has a concave inner side (17), winch is adapted to the lower region of the shin element (2) and is curved transversally to the longitudinal axis (41) of the shin guard, as well as a convex outer surface (11), and in that the sliding element (3) is mounted such that it can be displaced dynamically essentially along the longitudinal axis (41), within defined limits, counter to a spring force directed towards the foot.