Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
`
2~2017~
JOINT GUARD : .
I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
,.
I S This invention pertains to protective wear for
i use during sporting activities. More particularly, this
invention pertains to a guard for protecting a wearer~s
joint such as a knee or elbow.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Joint guards for protection of a wearer's --
', joints during sporting activities are well known.
Examples of such appear in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,484,361
and 3,945,047.
In recent years, rollerskating and in-line
; skating have become extremely popular. Participants in
these sports have desired knee proteckion in the event
of fall. ~ommonly, rollerskaters and in-line skaters
I skate on hard surfaces such as asphalt, concrete or the
J 20 like. Joint protection is desired to protect against
l; impact injury as well as abrasion. Also, such
i protection must permit easy flection of the joint during
.i normal skating as well as provide comfort for the
! wearer. It is an object of the present invention to
25 provide such a joint guard.
il . ,
II. SUMNARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention, a joint guard is provided to protect
30 a wearer's knee. The joint guard includes a flexihle
pad of cushioning material. The pad has a central
portion and first and second outer portions extending
from opposite sides-of the central portion. The pad is
~, sized for the central portion to be positioned in ~-
35 overlying relation to the front of the joint with the
inner and outer portions extending beyond the front of
;~ the joint and opposing inner and outer sides of tlle
~oint when the pad is secured to the joint. First and
second impact resistant shells are secured to the pad.
2120~.7~
\
~, The first shell is positioned in alignment with the a
;~, boney protrusion of the joint and the second shell is
~3 positioned beneath the first shell. The first and
second shells are pivotal relative to one another about
a pivot axis generally parallel to a bending axis of the
~, joint.
.
~l, III. sRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
l Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of the joint
`', 10 guard of the present invention shown in a preferred
embodiment as a knee guard;
Fig. 2 is an inside elevation view of the knee
guard of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an outside elevation view of the knee
guard;
Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the knee guard of
Fig. l;
Fig. S is a bottom plan view o the knee guard
of Fig. l;
Fig. 6 is a rear elevation view of the knee
guard of Fig. l;
3, Fig. 7 is an outside elevation view of the knee
~i~ guard of the present invention shown at~ached to a
3 wearer's leg;
, 25 Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the knee guard
of the present invention shown attached to a wearer's
leg;
Fig. 9 is a rear side elevation view of a foam
~i pad for use with the knee guard of the present
`1 30 invention;
Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a first rigid
I shell with use with the present invention;
~, Fig. 11 is a front elevation view of the shell
3 of Fig. 10;
`~ 35 Fig. 12 is a side elevation view of the shell
of Fig. 10;
-.
: , .. :. ,
2~20176
. . .
Fig. 13 is a top plan view of a second rigid
shell for use with the present invention;
Fig. 14 is a front elevation view of the shell
of Fig. 13;
Fig. 15 is a side elevation view of the shell -
of Fig. 13;
Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along
lines 16-16 of Fig. 4;
Fig. 17 is a perspective view oiE a human knee
showing regions of the knee protected by the knee guard
of the present invention. -
, 7 ' : , .
IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT ~ : :
! Referring now to the several drawing figures in -
i 15 which identical el0ments are numbered identically
``~ throughout, a description of the preferred embodiment to
`j the present invention will now be provided. In the
preferred embodiment, the invention will be described
with reference to a knee guard for protecting a wearer's
knee. Those skilled in the art will recognize the
present invention is also applicable to guards for
protecting other joints (e.q., an elbow).
With initial reference to Figs. 1-3, a knee
'`~ guard 10 is shown for protection of a wearer's knee 12.
The knee guard 10 is secured to the upper and lower legs
- 14,16 (Figs. 7, 8).
The knee guard includes a flexible pad 18, a
cloth carrier 20, first and second fastening members
22,24, a first rigid shell 26 and a second rigid shell
28, all of which will be more further descrihed.
With reference to Fig. 9, the pad 18 is ;~
~ preferably formed of a foam material which is resilient
`! and flexible as well as cushioning. The pad 18 has an
inner surface 30 and an outer surface 32 (Fig. 4). In a
preferred embodiment, inner surface 30 will be laminated
with a fabric 31 (Fig. 16) of wicking material to draw
:'.
' ~
',
2120~76
moisture away from the knee for reasons that will become
apparent.
With best reference to Fig. 9, the pad 18
includes a central portion 34, an inner side portion 36
5 and an outer side portion 38. Longitudinal grooves 40
Z are provided on the inner surface 30 separating portions
~Z 36,38 from central portion 34. Central portion 34 is
iZ sized to be positioned oppoqing and covering the front
Z of a wearer's knee. As a result of grooves 40, side
~ 10 portions 36,38 are readily bendable backwards to
y surround and oppose the inner and outer QZides,
respectively, of the knee. The pads portions 36,38 are
sized to cover the bony protrusions on the sides of the
knees of a wearer.
The central portion 34 has a concave recess 42
sized to receive a patellae 200 (commonly "kneecap")
Zl which protrudes from the ront of the wearer's knee 12.
; Also, central portion 34 includes a lower recess 44
sized and positioned to receive a tibial tuberosity 201
protruding from the lower leg 16 of the wearer. For
I~Z further protection, the outer portion 38 of pad 18
;~, includes an extending flap 46 sized to extend over and
j cover the area of the outer side of a user's knee in
;Z which the peroneal nerve 202 and radial head is located.
~, 25 In addition to longitudinal grooves 40, the
inner surface 30 of the pad 18 includes a plurality of
transverse grooves 48,50, and radial grooves 52 as well ;
as a longitudinal groove 54 separating the area of flap
46 from outer portion 38. All of the grooves
30 40,48,50,52,54 are in air flow communication with one
- another. Further, the grooves 40,48,50,52,54 are sized
such that when the pad 18 is flexed in position covering
the wearer's knee and abutting the sides of the knee,
the grooves 40,48,50,52,54 remain at least partially ~ -
open to provide air flow communication between all of
. the grooves 40,48,50,52 and 54. A plurality of vent
holes 56,57 are formed through the pad 18 permitting air
:
' - '' ' ' ~
2120176
flow communication from the inner surface 30 to the
outer surface 32. The vents 56,57 are positioned to be
in air flow communication with the grooves 40,48,50,52
and 54. Also, recesses 58 are formed on the inner
surface 30 on sides 36,38. Recesses 58 include bores
60,61 extending through the pad 18 and sized and
i positioned to receive rivets as will be Imore fully
described.
Shown in Figs. 10-12 , the first ri~id shell 26
., lO is preferably formed of abrasion and impact resistant
injection molded plastic. The first shell 26 is arcuate
¦ to surround the knee 12 of the wearer. Further, the
first shell 26 has a centrally positioned cup 62 sized
to receive the patellae protrusion. Vents 64,65 are
formed as holes through the shell 26 with the vents
64,65 sized and positioned to align with the vents
56,57, respectively, formed in pad 18 when the knee
guard 10 is assembled.
-' The reader will note that the shell 26 is
~i 20 assymmetrical about its central axis X -X'. Namely, the
shell 26 has an outer side 68 longer than the inner side
` 66. The outer side 68 extends further around the outer
side of the knee 12 of the wearer during use. The
, purpose for the added length of the outer side 68 is
c, 25 that when a skater falls, it is the outer side of the
~, knee 12 which is most exposed to abrasion and which
requires greater protection. The lower edge 70 of the
first shell 26 is provided with a central downward
protrusion 72 to ensure full covering of the patellae.
30 The shell 26 includes rivet hole locations 74 which ~- ~
align with holes 60. Rivets 76 ~Figs. 1 and 2) pass ~ -
through holes 74,60 to secure the shell 26 as well as
pad 18 to the cloth carrier 20. When the pad 18 and
' shell 26 are so secured, the vent holes 74 of the shell
,~ 35 26 align with the vent holes 56 of the pad 18.
. , .
,` ~
.- ~ ,
: ~.
` ` 6 21 2 ~1 76
With reference now to lower shell 28 shown best
in Figs. 13-15, the second or lower shell 28 is arcuate
about its axis Y-Y to cover the tibial tuberosity area
201 of the upper leg 16 as well as surround the sides of
the upper leg 16 in the region of the knee. Like first
shell 26, shell 28 is assymmetrical about axis Y-Y such
~3, that its outer side 80 is longer than its inner side 82
- to provide enhanced abrasion protection on the outer
, side of the knee 12.
The upper edge 84 of shell 28 is provided with
a centrally position downward recess 86 sized to receive
the downward protrusion 72 of first rigid shell 26. -
Also, the lower edge 88 is provided with a downward
protrusion 90 to provide extended coverage for impact
protection of the tibia. The lower shell 28 includes
I holes 75 si~ed and positioned to align with holes 61
l ormed in flexible pad 18. Rivets 77 (Figs. 1 and 2)
secure both the pad 18 and the shell 28 to the carxier
20. So secured, due to the flexible nature of the cloth
carrier 20, the upper and lower shells 26,28 are pivotal
relative to one another about a pivot axis X-X (Fig. 1)
generally parallel to the bending axis of the knee. The
upper and lower edges of the shells 28,26, respectively,
are spaced apart to accommodate relative pivotal
movement. Further, the lower edge of the upper shell 26
~, may ride on top of the upper surface of lower shell 28
, .
~, during such pivotal movement.
With reference now to the cloth carrier 20, the
material of the cLoth carrier 20 is preferably a foam
fabric laminant having a moisture wicking material on
its inner surface. The cloth material has upper and
, .
~ lower side inside extensions 100,102, respectively in
.j~, .. ..
general alignment with upper and lower rigid shells
`~ 26,28 as best shown in Fig. 2. Outside extensions -
i~ 35 100a,102a are provided on the opposite side of the ~ I
carrier 20. The extensions 100,100a and 102,102a are
sized such that the extensions may be wrapped around in
. ~
.~ .. ... ., ,, . .,,, . ~.. . .. . .
2120176
overlying relation on the upper and lower legs 14,16 of
the wearer such that the cloth material completely
surrounds and opposes the le~s of the user. Upper and
lower fastening straps 22,24 are secured by stitching
through the upper and lower extensions 100,102,
respectively. The fastening members 22,24 include free
ends 104,106 which are passed through rings 110 secured
to extensions lOOa,102a. As a result, the straps 22,24
~may be passed through rings 108,110 and folded over onto
¦10 themselves to tighten the cloth carrier to the upper and
lower legs 14,16. In a preferred embodiment, the straps ;
22,24 will include Velcro fasteners such that the
straps, when folded onto themselves may be locked in a
secured position.
With the structure thus described, the anatomy
j of the knee is protected. The foam pad 18 provides
impact protecti.on that includes recesses 42,44 necessary
to accommodate the natural protrusions of the knee such
~, as the patellae and the tibial tuberosity. The pad 18 - ~-
is asymmetrical to protect the sides of the knees as
well as provide impact protection for the sensitive
peroneal nerve 202. For added protection, the rigid
shells 26,28 cover the area of the patellae and the
tibial tuberosity for enhanced impact protection.
`1 25 Further, the rigid shells 26,28 provide abrasion
~` resistance for these areas as well as abrasion
resistance on the outsides of the knee. The articulated m
~' shells 26,28 (due to their relative pivotal movement)
`' provide free movement of the knee in its bending motions
during skating functions. The transverse groove 48 of
~, the pad also permits easy flection of the knee.
The formation of vent holes through the shell
26 in the pad 18 as well as the air passage grooves -~
formed in the pad 18 permit air to be freely circulated
^~t35 and dispersed throughout the inner surface of the pad 18
`jfor both cooling and moisture and heat venting.
~,Further, due to the extensions 100,102 of the cloth ~ -
. ' ... ..
!
` 212~76
-
` carrier/ the fastening straps 22,24 are never in direct
contact with the wearer to provide enhanced comfort
during use.
The foregoing description of the present
invention has described the invention with reference to
a knee guard. The invention would also apply to other
joints (e.q., an elbow). For an elbow guard, recess 42
9 would be positioned and sized to cover and receive the
olecranon of the elbow (the boney point of the elbow).
From the foregoing detailed description of the
present inv~ntion, it has been shown how the objects of
the invention have been attained in a preferred manner.
However, modifications and equivalents of the disclosed
concepts, such as those which readily occur to one
skilled in the art, are intended to be included within
the scope of the claims which are appended hereto.
, . ,
~; ,
- :''
,~ : .
~t
~,
. ,; .
}~
1 -: ~.''
,, , , , , .,, ,,,, ,,, , ~ . .. . .
