The invention relates to a ski boot with an element in shell form, which at least partially consists of a plastics compound material, wherein the compound material comprises a mixture of caprolactam polyamide and ionomers, and to a method for the production thereof, such that cations and anions of the ionomers form ion bonds, wherein elastic components of the compound material form a physical network that is soluble between 60° C. and 100° C., and so the element in shell form of the ski boot that at least partially consists of the compound material can undergo thermoforming below 100° C.

A performance footwear, apparel or medical accessory product for hot, cold, and all-weather conditions, the performance footwear, apparel or medical accessory product comprised of a series of material layers having: a first layer of a breathable, moisture transfer, antimicrobial inner lining, fabric or nonwoven material or a combination of fabric or nonwoven material; a second layer comprising a breathable, moisture transfer, absorbent, antimicrobial, mechanically bonded, antimicrobial, nonwoven material comprised of shaped, channeled, grooved and lobed synthetic polymer fibers, antimicrobial silver polymer fibers and natural and synthetic, thermal and cooling fibers wherein the fiber combinations naturally provide adjustable thermal regulation; and a third exterior layer comprised of a breathable, antimicrobial woven fabric, knitted fabric, spacer fabric, nonwoven material, leather material or a combination thereof.

A one-piece rubber boot shell is created by a process comprising the steps of disposing rubber pieces within a cavity of a molding machine, the molding machine having an upper mold, a lower mold, and a last suspended between the upper mold and the lower mold. The process includes closing the molding machine by moving at least one of the upper mold, the lower mold, and the last toward each other so that they are adjacent each other, heating the rubber pieces to flow within the cavity and around the last to form a one-piece rubber boot shell, and opening the molding machine by moving at least one of the upper mold, the lower mold, and the last away from each other so that they are spaced apart from each. The one-piece rubber boot shell is then removed from the last.

A process for welding porous membranes, the process containing i) providing first and second porous membranes; ii) at least partially superimposing the first and second porous membranes to obtain an at least partial superimposition region; iii) welding the first and second porous membranes at least in a portion of the at least one superimposition region at a temperature in the range from 100 to 300 C. to obtain an at least partially welded composite of the first and second porous membranes, wherein the first and second porous membranes are made of at least one thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane elastomer, a polyester elastomer, a polyetherester elastomer, a polyesterester elastomer, a polyamide elastomer, a polyetheramide elastomer, a polystyrene elastomer, and an ethylene-vinyl acetate elastomer, and wherein the first and second porous membranes have pores having an average pore diameter of less than 2000 nm.

The invention relates to the use of at least one impact modifier having a refractive index IR.sub.1 in a polyamide matrix consisting of a mixture of amorphous polyamide and semicrystalline polyamide, said matrix having a refractive index IR2, the difference in absolute value of IR.sub.1-IR.sub.2 not exceeding 0.006, to produce a transparent composition having a fatigue strength, under the fatigue test referred to as notched Ross-Flex, greater than 50 000 at 10 C.

The soft boot and liner include a moisture transfer system that includes an inner fabric layer carefully selected from technically advanced fabrics. A series of layers are provided outside the inner liner including foam material layers, spacer fabrics and breathable membranes, in various orders. Encapsulation technology and waterproofing are used as well. The outer fabric layer is also capable of working with the other layers to promote the transfer of moisture. Frothed foams and flocking with fibers are further characteristics of the present invention. The moisture transfer system is incorporated into a soft boot or skate or as a removable liner for a shell boot. Numerous other modifications and applications are disclosed.

Apparatus for the customization of footwear, in particular sports footwear, having an element made of thermoplastic material is provided. A method for the customization of footwear using the apparatus is also provided. The apparatus has a heating assembly, for heating the thermoplastic element above a predetermined threshold temperature, and a shaping assembly, for shaping the thermoplastic element while its temperature is above the threshold value, which assemblies are both carried by a common frame. Due to the fact that the heating assembly and the shaping assembly are carried by a single, common frame, it is possible to ensure proper heating and subsequent shaping of the element made of thermoplastic material.

Compositions may include a polymer composition prepared from an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, a rubber, and a plasticizer. Compositions may further comprise other components, such as a curing agent and a blowing agent. Articles may include a polymer composition prepared from an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, a rubber, and a plasticizer. Methods may include mixing an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, a rubber, and a plasticizer; and extruding the mixture thereof.

A skate (e.g., an ice skate) or other footwear for a user. The skate or other footwear comprises a skate boot or other foot-receiving structure for receiving a foot of the user and possibly one or more other components, such as a skating device (e.g., a blade 5 and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface (e.g., ice). In some cases, at least part of the skate boot or other foot-receiving structure and optionally at least part of one or more other components (e.g., the skating device) may be constructed from one or more materials (e.g., foams) molded by flowing in molding equipment during a molding process (e.g., injection molding or 0 casting). This may allow the skate or other footwear to have useful performance characteristics (e.g., reduced weight, proper fit and comfort, etc.) while being more cost-effectively manufactured.

A die-casting forming mold for vulcanized rubber boots, comprising: a combined shaft mold provided with an inner cavity corresponding to a shaft of a rubber boot; a last mold 21 provided with partition elements, comprising a body substantially corresponding to the shaft of the rubber boot in shape, and two or more partition elements disposed on the body, the last mold 21 being adapted to be mounted in the inner cavity of the shaft mold to form a die-casting forming cavity between the wall of the inner cavity of the shaft mold and the outer surface of the last mold 21, and the die-casting forming cavity being divided into two or more portions by the last mold 21 and the shaft mold, wherein the last mold 21 further comprises: a longitudinally extending rubber injection channel extending longitudinally downward from the upper surface of the last mold 21, and a transversely extending rubber injection channel extending transversely from the longitudinally extending rubber injection channel to a rubber outlet in the surface of the last mold 21; and a rubber injection plate 5 adapted to be mounted to the top of the shaft mold to guide the injection of an unvulcanized mixed rubber material, the rubber injection plate 5 being provided with: a rubber injection hole 11 adapted to be connected to an external injection head to inject the unvulcanized mixed rubber material, and a rubber injection channel for communicating the rubber injection hole 11 with the longitudinally extending rubber injection channel.