News you don't want to miss for May 8-10:

1. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf warned she may consider closing some city parks, including Lake Merritt, if social distancing rules are not followed, KTVU reports.…

A travel accessory designed to provide comfort to the user during a trip contains a neck-rest, a travel cape, and an attachment mechanism. The neck-rest is removably attached to the travel cape so that the user can utilize the neck-rest and the travel cape independently. The neck-rest has a stuffing which is concealed within a hollow body of the neck-rest. The stuffing is secured in position with a fastening mechanism such as a zipper. Additionally, the neck-rest also contains a first pocket and a second pocket which are used for storing items used during travelling. For user convenience, the travel cape is designed with a first-arm receiving hole and a second-arm receiving hole. In order to transport the neck-rest and the travel cape a carrying bag is also provided. A plurality of storage pockets on the carrying bag allow the user to store items that are essential when travelling.

A method includes embedding clothing with at least one sensor and at least one control unit; a power unit powering on the at least one sensor and the at least one control unit; the at least one sensor monitoring a sensed condition; the at least one control unit conducting a heat prediction based on the sensed condition; and the at least one control unit controlling threads within the clothing based on the heat prediction to actively adjust properties of the clothing.

A convertible swimsuit top may include a top portion, a mid-portion, and a slider. The top portion may include a lower edge and a row of protruding teeth along the lower edge of the top portion. The mid-portion may include an upper edge and a row of protruding teeth along the lower edge of the top portion. The row of protruding teeth along the lower edge of the top portion and the row of protruding teeth along the upper edge of the mid-portion may be configured to engage and disengage one another via the slider. The row of protruding teeth along the lower edge of the top portion and the row of teeth along the upper edge of the mid portion may extend for less than the entire length of the lower edge of the top portion.

A system and method for identifying areas of a processing plant in which a glove is damaged. The system includes utilizing color-coded sets of gloves in different areas or processing steps within the plant. All the gloves used in a particular plant are provided with a unique identifier. If a piece of a glove is located in the product within the plant, the color of that piece indicates the area or process of the plant in which the glove was used. If a piece of a damaged glove is located in the product at a remote destination, the unique identifier in that piece is matched with a registry to determine the plant in which the glove was used. The color of the piece then helps the plant to identify where the damaged glove was used. The system and method are particularly helpful in the food processing industry, especially meat processing.

A head guard is provided which has a fabric layer and a padding layer. The padding layer can be attached to the fabric layer. The head guard is stretchable between a relaxed configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanding configuration has a convex shape such that it can conform to a head of a wearer. The head guard can be worn by a wearer in combination with a helmet.

A helmet for rotational energy management can include an outer energy management layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The inner surface can comprise a first slidable finish comprising a first glaze comprising a thickness less than or equal to 2 millimeters (mm). An inner energy management layer can be disposed within the outer energy management layer and further comprise an outer surface oriented towards the outer energy management layer and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The outer surface can comprise a second slidable finish that directly contacts the first slidable finish. The second slidable finish can comprise a second glaze comprising a thickness less than or equal to 2 mm. A space between the first slidable finish and the second slidable finish can be devoid of a lubricant and devoid of any interstitial slip layer.

An integral helmet, in particular a so-called full-face helmet, that is preferably designed with a shell construction, comprising a helmet upper-shell unit with an integrated neck unit and a chin protection unit with a jaw clamp, wherein the chin protection unit is detachably connectable to the helmet upper-shell unit so as to form the integral helmet, wherein the chin protection unit is designed for connection to the neck unit as an open chin bar unit with end areas that are separated from one another at a distance so that, in the assembled state, the end areas form a completely closed unit together with the neck unit. Also, a method for connecting and/or disconnecting, without the use of tools, a chin protection unit having a jaw clamp to, or from, a helmet upper-shell unit having an integrated neck unit, so as to form an integral helmet, in particular an integral helmet.

A protective glove including a cable joined with a spool that is joined with the glove. At least one protective pad can be joined with the hand portion to protect the cable and a wearer's hand. The spool can include a rotatable dial to wind and/or unwind the cable onto or off from the spool to increase and/or decrease the tension applied to the cable. In turn, this adjusts at least one of a lateral dimension and a longitudinal dimension of the hand portion of the glove to custom fit the wearer's hand.

Provided is a shirt garment,—a short-sleeved, or long-sleeved, waist-length, hip-length, or tunic-length—shirt, which is made of material that is a relatively non-absorbent or hydrophobic substance able to wick perspiration off of the wearer's body, and which also contains an integrated section on the front of the shirt, and at the bottom one-third, to bottom one-half of the front of the shirt, but which may extend beyond this region, which is made of a relatively absorbent or hydrophilic substance, which, when grasped by the wearer, and lifted upward by the wearer and towards the wearer's face, is capable of wiping off the sweat from the wearer's face, eyes, eyebrows, and forehead, thereby absorbing sweat from this area, all the while the wearer continues to engage in his or her physical activity. In a second scenario, and using these same principles, the absorbent layer is detachable, and while detached, is used by the wearer to wipe sweat away from the wearer's face, brow and neck. It is then re-attached all the while the wearer continues to pursue the physical activity.

A combined collar stabilizer and button closure tool adds a utility that facilitates securing a button to an accessory that fits into the collar pocket of a shirt, and provides an aesthetically pleasing, straight, crisp, well-groomed appearance of the shirt collar. The combined collar stabilizer and button closure tool increases the efficiency and eases the process required to secure the button closure of a shirt for buttons with a range of diameters needed for buttons of various sizes. The combined tool is made of a substantial material without limiting pliability, is a single form, consists of two distinct ends, and is shaped to substantially fit within the collar stay pocket. One end of the tool is angular in shape and accommodates the angle of the collar pocket tip. The other end, proximate to the end of the collar pocket, is designed to facilitate the closure of a button closure system.

The disclosed herein is a personal rain protection device that serves as an umbrella combined and connected with a vest. The umbrella and vest combination can function in all types of rainstorms. The vest aspect is located at the torso of a wearer and extends from the users shoulders. The vest element also includes relatively light weights at the tail end of the vest to protect against succumbing to powerful wind gusts. The present invention, including the umbrella, is not handheld, but rather it is worn along with the vest to which the umbrella is attached to.

A swimsuit (1) has an outer shell (2) made of a flexible stretchable fabric and forms a tubular trunk portion (6) and two tubular thigh portions (7), the swimsuit (1) comprising two back stiffening lines (8) continuously connected to the outer shell (2) and extending each in a generally longitudinal direction of a one of the thigh portions (7) from a rear region (9) of the thigh portion (7) across a rear region of the trunk portion (6), in which said back stiffening lines (8) have a tensile stiffness greater than a tensile stiffness of said outer shell (2).

Clothing articles (e.g., aquatic “board” shorts) are generally comprised of at least one unitary woven fabric panel having multiple seamlessly adjacent different fabric weave sections. These seamlessly adjacent different fabric weave sections may be selected from plain fabric weaves, twill fabric weaves and/or Dobby fabric weaves. Aquatic activity shorts are provided which include a one piece rear fabric panel providing a seamless back rise.

Articles of apparel include: (a) a garment structure having one or more fabric elements structured and arranged to provide a close fit to at least one predetermined portion of a body (e.g., area(s) of the body for which enhanced position sensing and/or feedback are desired, such as the lower back, the arch of the foot, etc.); and (b) a body position feedback system engaged with or integrally formed as part of the garment structure. The body position feedback system may apply higher tensile or constricting forces to selected portions of the wearer's body, which can help stimulate or interact with nerves and deep tissue receptors located in various portions of the body. The increased forces at selected locations of the body give the wearer sensory feedback regarding the position or orientation of these parts of the body and can improve or accelerate development of “muscle memory.”

For computer game controller thumb protection, a sheath of resilient, breathable fabric is tailored to conform closely to the distal and proximal thumb phalanx profiles. Stitched to the sheath is a single, continuous strip of thin, elastomer permeated fabric as a taction pad. Taction pad stitching follows the pad edge perimeter. The taction pad covers the pad area of the distal phalanx with a dog-leg extension over the first interproximal joint and proximal phalanx. A hook and loop swatch at a loose distal end of the dog-leg secures the end of the extension to a corresponding swatch of hook and loop material secured to the sheath.

A garment worn on the upper body is disclosed having a right and left body portions that are joined at the front and rear by a corresponding fastening mechanism. This allows the right body portion and left body portion to separated from one another and interchanged with other body portions to vary the visual characteristics of the garment. The right and left body portions can have different visual characteristics.

A batting glove or sports glove includes a glove base configured to accommodate a users hand. In some embodiments, the glove base has an opening in a palmar region of the glove. Multiple palmar layers are attached to the glove base and positioned over the opening. In some embodiments, the palmar layers include a first layer of material positioned between a second layer of material and a third layer of material. The first layer of material has a lower coefficient of friction than one or both of the second and third layers of material such that the layers may slide relative to one another.

A glove with a sleeve is provided in which the bonding strength between the glove main body and the sleeve is great, allowing easy wearing and removal as well as easy overlapping of the glove main body and the sleeve upon bonding. The glove with a sleeve includes: a glove main body compromising rubber or a resin as a principal component; and a cylindrical sleeve comprising a thermoplastic resin as a principal component that is arranged to protrude from a cuff portion of the glove main body, in which the cuff portion of the glove main body is bonded to one end portion of the sleeve through a moisture-curing urethane-based hot melt adhesive. The moisture-curing urethane-based hot melt adhesive is preferably crosslinked. A post-curing thermal deformation temperature of the moisture-curing urethane-based hot melt adhesive is preferably no less than 80° C.

The present invention provides color-coded accessories such as wristbands, bibs, and other patient wearables, color-coded pillows and pillow cases, and a universal chart wherein the color code is associated with a specific medical diagnosis. These accessories alert healthcare providers to the medical diagnosis of the patient and enhance patient safety by reducing medical errors during administration of treatments and medicines to the patients. These accessories also provide protection to healthcare providers assisting them to identify diagnostic categories and alerting them to take proper precautions with patients, for example those with infectious diseases, thereby decreasing or preventing transmission of infectious diseases.

A sleeve gusset for securing an exterior shell layer of an apparel item and an inner liner layer of an apparel item to a sleeve of an apparel item and a method of manufacturing a sleeve gusset is provided. The sleeve gusset comprises an interior facing with a sleeve edge and a body edge and an exterior facing with a sleeve edge and a body edge. The sleeve edge of the exterior facing is coupled to the exterior shell layer of the apparel item while the sleeve edge of the interior facing is coupled to the sleeve. The body edge of the exterior facing is coupled to the body edge of the interior facing. The body edge of the interior facing is further coupled to the inner liner layer.

The invention relates to an absorbent garment inlay configured for attachment within an underarm portion of a shirt. The inlay includes an inner layer having a wicking material, configured to wick moisture therethrough, and an outer layer having an absorbent material. The outer layer is configured to absorb moisture wicked through the inner layer.

An article having a panel secured between two layers of a trim piece and having a pocket affixed to a zipper, where a first zipper tape is affixed to the panel, and a second zipper tape is secured between the two layers of the trim piece such that the pocket is in communication with an incised opening in the panel is provided. The panel may be secured between the two layers of the trim piece at a first edge, and the incised opening may be formed proximate to the first edge such that the article comprises a pocket presented proximate to the trim piece. The present invention further comprises a method of manufacturing the article including a pocket presented proximate to the trim piece.

A helmet comprises an outer shell, an impact absorbing liner (10) inside the outer shell to receive loads from the outer shell and an inner liner (12) disposed inside the impact absorbing liner (10), with the inner liner (12) configured to slide relative to the impact absorbing liner (10). The inner liner (12) defines a number of apertures (16) and a deflector (14) inside each aperture. Each deflector (14) comprises: a body (20) that is connectable to the impact absorbing liner (12); a peripheral border (18) that is connectable to the aperture (16) in which it is received; and a number of deformable spokes (22) extending between the body (20) and the border (18).

In one embodiment, a protective helmet for disaster situation includes a rigid outer shell and an electronic system integrated into the helmet that includes an electronic location system configured to transmit electromagnetic signals that can be used to locate the wearer of the helmet.

Embodiments are disclosed for headwear including a crown including a cap, a strap extending from the crown, the strap including two strap portions extending from different locations of the crown, and a clasp coupled to the strap at terminal ends of the two strap portions, the clasp having a top loop and a bottom loop, wherein the top loop is joined to the bottom loop via a hinge, a top surface of the bottom loop extending from the hinge having a substantially linear declination along at least a portion of the top surface.

A fabric having moisture management properties is disclosed. The fabric can also be made to be fire resistant. The fabric is particularly well suited for being used as an inner lining in protective garments. The fabric contains first yarns and second yarns. The first yarns extend in a first direction and the second yarns extend in the second direction. The yarns are woven together such that the first yarns form a pattern of shapes. The pattern of shapes concentrate the FR cellulose fibers and provide channels for carrying away moisture and improving the moisture management properties of the fabric.

A sports glove, such as a lacrosse glove or a hockey glove, for a player or other wearer. The sports glove comprises a palm portion for overlying a palm of the wearer's hand, a back portion for protecting a back of the wearer's hand, a plurality of finger portions for protecting fingers of the wearer's hand, and a thumb portion for protecting a thumb of the wearer's hand. The thumb portion further comprises a cavity to receive the wearer's thumb, a protective frame disposed within the cavity and comprising a plurality of sections pivotable relative to one another in response to the wearer's thumb flexing and a pivot between adjacent ones of the sections of the protective frame and unexposed to the wearer's thumb when the wearer's thumb is received in the cavity of the thumb portion.

A mobile protection device for shielding parts of a person's body from bullets and other attack objects, comprising a normal hat, having a top and a sidewall, and at least one bullet-blocking plate, shaped to fit inside the hat and attachable to the top. Preferably the device further comprises a blast-resistant layer, lining the inner surface of the top of the hat and its sidewall, and a reinforcing layer, attached to the inner surface of the sidewall and designed to absorb momentum of a hitting bullet. Generally there is a plurality of plates, pivotally joined to form a shield while the plates are coplanar and foldable to be reversibly attachable to the top, the shield being reversibly attachable to a brim of the hat.

The invention relates to a protective clothing unit, in particular a protective clothing unit having fragment protection, preferably having a protective function against fragments created and/or released by detonation and/or explosion, comprising outerwear and/or underwear and possibly comprising separate head and/or face protection, neck protection, shoulder protection, arm protection, hand protection, trunk protection, torso protection, genital and/or anal protection, and/or leg protection, wherein the protective clothing unit has fragment protection elements, preferably textile fragment protection elements, which are specific and different from each other and which are associated with different body regions when worn and/or cover different body regions when worn, preferably having a protective function against fragments created and/or released by detonation and/or explosion.

Socks, men's and womens, any and every type, with insoles, any and every type, manufactured as one piece allowing users to change shoes taking their insoles with them as “sock/insoles”, rather than buying separate insoles for every pair of shoes.

A bodily support assembly includes a vest that may be worn. A pair of pockets is provided and each of the pockets is coupled to the vest. A pair of panels is provided and each of the panels is removably insertable into an associated one of the pockets. Each of the panels is comprised of a resiliently bendable material. Thus, each of the panels may support the back when the user bends over thereby inhibiting the user from being injured when the user bends over.

An emergency anti-hypothermia system has a thermally insulating vest that is sufficiently portable to be carried for emergency use in a pocket, purse, backpack, compartment of a vehicle, ski pole or other location, with the vest providing thermal insulation by being made with thermally insulating air impervious material that also provides for its inflation. A multiplicity of interconnected inflated chambers situated about the vest, provides thermal insulation by anti-conduction, anti-radiation and anti-convection in a highly portable system. An outer surface having radar reflective properties further improves visibility of the vest.

An apparatus includes a bathrobe having a vertically-extending placket extending along a front section of the bathrobe, and the vertically-extending placket is configured to allow the bathrobe to be put on or removed by a user. An elongated towel assembly is fixedly coupled to the bathrobe. The elongated towel assembly vertically hangs from and extends along any one of (A) a left-side vertically extending portion, (B) a right-side vertically extending portion, and (C) the left-side vertically extending portion and the right-side vertically extending portion of the bathrobe in such a way that the vertically-extending placket is available for usage by the user.

Disclosed is a modified set of gloves, system, and method of glove removal and retention that is particularly well suited for, but not limited to, tactical situations (i.e. fast-roping) and action sports environments. In one embodiment, the glove(s) feature at least one catch between at least two fingers of the glove(s). Preferably, the catch defines a mechanism for rapidly removing and retaining the glove(s). Further disclosed is a system for removing the glove(s) featuring a garment with an attached anchor, such as a carabineer or a hook. In a preferred embodiment, the anchor is positioned in the sternum area of the vest and glove wearer. Operably, a user moves the gloved hand(s) down and over the anchor to place the catch on the anchor so that the continued movement of the user's hands rapidly removes and stores the glove(s) via the anchor.

The invention is a glove having a palmar side panel and a dorsal side panel and a thumb stall and a plurality of finger stalls for receiving a thumb and fingers of a human hand. The invention further includes a finger or thumb stall having a transverse expansion zone and/or a longitudinal expansion zone comprised of expandable material for accommodating fingers of varying sizes.

A wearable protection item having a redeemable member is disclosed. The wearable protection item may include a protective glove and a redeemable member. The protective glove may include a finger region, a thumb region, a palm region, a wrist region, and a separable region. The wrist region and the separable region may define an opening into the protective glove. The opening may include an edge. The separable region may be adjacent to the wrist region and the thumb region. The redeemable member may include an exterior surface and an interior surface, where at least one of the exterior surface or the interior surface has indicia thereon, and where the redeemable member is adhered to the separable region.

A mask coupling apparatus coupled to an outer surface of a helmet and couplings of a mask including an adjusting mechanism comprising a single elastic strap coupled to the mask at both ends via the couplings, where the ends of the elastic strap are free to adjust the length of the mask coupling apparatus.

A device to aid in the stabilization and preparation of food while protecting the user's fingers.

A batting pad comprising a body made from a cushioning material and having a ring portion adapted to fit over a batter's thumb and an appendage to cushion the palm area between a batter's thumb and index finger. The appendage has a thickness T at its thickest point located between the first end and the distant end, and the thickness T of the appendage is selected to optimize an angle of a bat in the batter's hand relative to a line parallel to the batter's forearm, the angle being determined by the thickness T of the appendage displacing the bat toward the tip of the batter's index finger and causing the bat to contact the palm of the batter's hand near the batter's little finger.

An article having an inner article layer and an outer article layer to be worn by a mammal comprising a thermally insulating layer of a reflective metalized polymeric insulation material having moisture vapour transference properties adjacent to at least one of the inner and outer article layers. An apparatus and method for producing a reflective metalized polymeric thermally insulating assembly having moisture vapour transference properties suitable for use in the article is also provided. The insulation material provides enhanced thermal retention.

This is a warning to everyone with a mortgage. The rates on new mortgage deals are getting more expensive, and there is a plausible chance of UK base rates increasing. If you have a mortgage, you should check urgently if you can slice the rate down – you may gain £1,000s right now.

Summer’s now over, and sadly there’s little you can do to repair a holiday ruined by flight delay or cancellation (eg from a strike like Ryanair’s) but many are entitled to up to £550 per person compensation. In fact this applies even for delays as far back as 2012.

“I am not a number. I am a free man!” I’m afraid not, you’re a number… when it comes to credit scoring anyway. The famous cry for help of the eponymous Prisoner from the cult 1960s TV show of the 1960, could have been written for today’s world of mass computer assessed finance.

This is a warning to every UK worker aged 22 or over. You’re about to get a pay rise, but it may cost you, and you may not even be told.

This April, whether we're in, out or, most likely, just shaken all about, one thing is certain... it’s the time of annual public service price rises. While you can't prevent the rises, there are often other ways to cut these bills. I want to show how you can steal a March (sorry) on April's hikes.

'Tax-Free Childcare' is a confusing and inaccurately named scheme that launched in April 2017. It can be worth thousands of pounds, but only 250,000 of the 1.5 million eligible families are collecting it.

A YOUNG driver caught with more than 15 times the legal amount of party drug ecstasy in his system has been banned from the roads.

The mood music for savers isn’t good. The world economic outlook is gloomy and there’s huge uncertainty here in the UK, so the City’s long-term interest rates have plummeted. And it’s these that many fixed savings rates are based on – so they’re dropping too. On top of that, the two top easy-access savings accounts cut their rates within days of each other.

Are you ripping yourself off? At least 11m people in the UK are overpaying on their energy bills, usually by £100s a year. Sorting it is one of the biggest and easiest savings you can make – yet the majority still don’t do it. More so, even if you’re scared of switching firm, right now you may be able to save £100s and stick with your existing provider. So as we’re in the core of winter, carpe diem (translation: get off your bum and try to give it a go).