Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02772503 2012-03-26
PROTECTIVE SPORTS EQUIPMENT AND METHODS OF MAKING
SAME
BACKGROUND
Field of the Disclosure
[0001] The disclosure relates to protective equipment, and more particularly
to
protective athletic equipment having padding to protect persons from impact or
other
forces involved in contact sports or other activities with a high risk of
impact to parts of
the body, as well as methods of making such protective equipment. In
particular, the
disclosure relates to protective pads, such as shin guards, that may be used
in a variety of
sports such as ice hockey, roller hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, or
other sports or
activities in which it may be desirable to protect the shin or other body part
from blows or
projectiles.
Technical Background
[0002] Protective gear, such as shin guards, knee guards, elbow guards, and
other
protective gear for body joints, is commonly used in sports where a
participant risks injury
from moving objects, or accidental collisions with the ground, obstacles, or
other
participants. Protective guards also are used in a variety of sports, such as
motorcycle
racing, motocross, go-kart racing, snowmobiling, and other motor sports;
skiing and
snowboarding; skateboarding; street luge; mountain biking, BMX racing, and
other
bicycle competitive sports; hockey, baseball, and other sports where some
participants
(e.g., hockey players and catchers) risk being hit by high-speed projectiles;
and rock
climbing, whitewater kayaking, mountain climbing, and other outdoor sports.
[0003] When athletes and other participants in these contact sports such as
soccer,
hockey, rugby, football, baseball, etc. desire protection for their exposed
limbs, they
utilize some of the available devices such as padded socks, shin guards, and
the like.
These devices are meant to protect the shins and sometimes calf areas of the
limb by
providing a rigid outer shell, and in some cases, a soft material adhered to
the rigid body
wherein the soft side contacts the user's limb. Conventional protective pads
typically
include a relatively hard outer shell of a material such as plastic, as well
as an inner layer
of softer padding material. The hard outer layer is provided to receive the
applied force or
shock of an impact, and to distribute the force over a large area. The soft
padding material,
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in addition to acting as a cushion for providing comfort to the wearer,
usually acts to
absorb and dampen the aforementioned forces in order to protect the wearer
from the
shock of an impact.
[0004] However, despite the padding material, hard shell protective pads do
not prevent
all injuries or pain from the force of contact. For example, in hockey, the
puck may travel
at extremely high speeds, up to a hundred (100) miles per hour, and being
struck in the
shin or other portion of the body, often causes pain and injury even when the
puck hits the
shin .guard. A drawback of using a rigid hard shell cover is its limited
ability to absorb and
displace energy and its lack of flexibility to the user. Existing body
protective equipment
may also utilize a relatively significant amount of foam padding for absorbing
the energy
of blows delivered to the body. Moreover, the rigid hard shell cover typically
made of hard
plastic, usually overlays the foam padding so as to distribute the force of
the blow across a
larger area of the foam padding. As is known in the art, distributing the
force in this
manner permits the foam padding to absorb only a portion of the energy
associated with
the blow. Depending upon the manner and degree to which the padding conforms
to the
user's body and the energy dissipating characteristics of the conformal
padding material,
the force from a sudden impact, which may be vibrational, may not be
distributed over the
area of the padding. For example, if the padding contacts a bone, such as the
shinbone, all
of the force of impact may be transmitted to that bone, or the energy from a
sudden impact
may not be distributed over the area of the padding but concentrated in a
smaller area,
causing pain or injury.
[0005] Thus, the typical shin guard offers some protection for the shin area,
although it
is now known that the effectiveness of such protection is not optimal.
Typical shin guards are effective in absorbing only a percentage of the impact
energy and
have less than optimal material to absorb large quantities of energy, which
might explain
the increasing number of fractures and other injuries, even when the user is
wearing a shin
guard.
[0006] Many people enjoy participating in activities that puts their lower
legs at risk of
injury, including a fracture. For instance, in ice hockey, players are
constantly jockeying
for the puck with their hockey sticks, and hockey sticks may and do strike
other hockey
players' lower legs. In addition, ice hockey players may take slap shots up to
100 miles per
hour to the lower legs, thus opening up the potential for injury or even a
fracture to the
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CA 02772503 2012-03-26
lower leg bones. Similar situations occur in field hockey, except with a ball
instead of a
puck. And there are many occasions where soccer players risk injuring their
lower legs,
for instance when two players try to kick the soccer ball at the same time, a
soccer player
collides with the goalkeeper, and one player slide tackles another. Likewise,
in baseball, a
catcher must squat and catch pitches travelling potentially around 100 miles
per hour and
if they miss the baseball the potential of the baseball hitting the catcher's
lower legs and
injuring the lower leg is great. In addition, the umpire who stands behind the
catcher is at
risk of injuring their lower legs as well if the catcher fails to catch a
pitch.
[0007] In particular, hockey pucks can cause shin, foot and ankle injuries
even through
modem hard-shelled plastic shin guards, in part because the fit of modem
hockey shin
guards is intentionally tight. The problem is worsened by the use of composite-
material
hockey sticks, which throw the puck faster than wooden sticks, at speeds up to
100 miles
per hour. The unsportsmanlike "slashing" of another player's feet with a
hockey stick can
also cause leg injuries.
[0008] With the increasing popularity of soccer and participation in baseball
and
hockey, and other such sports, especially by youth, preventable injuries
should be
minimized as much as possible. Thus, there is a need for improved protective
sports
equipment, particularly shin guards.
SUMMARY
[0009] Embodiments disclosed in the detailed description include protective
pads for
protecting a body part of a person, and methods of making the same. In one
embodiment,
the protective pad is a shin guard for protecting the shin from impacts during
sporting
activities. The protective pad comprises an outer shell and a padding layer
connected to
the outer shell. The protective pad further comprises at least one padding
element located
in an interior portion of a lower portion of the protective pad. The at least
one padding
element is configured to provide a space between the body part of the person
and at least
one of the outer shell and the padding layer.
[0010] In this manner, the space provided between the body part and at least
one of the
outer shell and the padding layer allows the outer shell and the padding layer
to absorb and
dissipate more of a force resulting from an impact to the protective pad away
from the
body part, such as the shin. The padding element results in the outer shell of
the protective
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pad not being in contact with the body part of the person wearing the
protective pad.
Thus, when the outer shell of the protective pad receives an impact, such as a
hockey puck
traveling at a high speed, the force of the impact will not be felt on the
body part, or at
least the force felt at the body part will be greatly reduced. By spacing the
outer shell
away from the body part, the outer shell and the padding layer can absorb and
dissipate
more of the force of the impact away from the body part, resulting in less
pain and injury
to the wearer of the protective pad.
[0011] A method of assembling a protective pad for protecting a body part of a
person
is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing an outer shell
and
connecting a padding layer to the outer shell. The method further comprises
positioning at
least one padding element in an interior portion of a lower portion of the
protective pad
such that the at least one padding element is configured to provide a space
between the
body part of the person and at least one of the outer shell and the padding
layer.
[0012] Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the detailed
description
which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the
art from that
description or recognized by practicing the embodiments as described herein,
including
the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended
drawings.
[0013] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and
the
following detailed description are merely exemplary, and are intended to
provide an
overview or framework to understanding the nature and character of the claims.
The
accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are
incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings
illustrate one or
more embodiment(s), and together with the description serve to explain
principles and
operation of the various embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Figure 1A illustrates a front view of an exterior of a prior art shin
guard;
[0015] Figure 1B illustrates a front view of an interior of a protective pad
according to
one embodiment;
[0016] Figure 2 illustrates a padding element located in or at a lower portion
of an
interior of a protective pad according to one embodiment;
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[0017] Figure 3A is a cross sectional view of a lower portion of a protective
pad having
a padding element according to one embodiment;
[0018] Figure 3B is a cross sectional view of a lower portion of a protective
pad having
a padding element according to another embodiment;
[0019] Figure 4 is a side view of a protective pad having a padding element
positioned
on a leg of a person such that the padding element is configured to provide a
space
between the leg of the person and a shell of the protective pad according to
one
embodiment;
[0020] Figure 5 is a closer up side view from a lower perspective of the
protective pad
of Figure 4;
[0021] Figure 6A is a front view of a padding element being positioned in a
pocket
located in a lower portion of an interior of a protective pad according to one
embodiment;
and
[0022] Figure 6B is a front view of a padding element being positioned in a
pocket
located in a lower portion of an interior of a protective pad according to
another
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred
embodiment(s), an
examples of which is/are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever
possible,
the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to
the same or
like parts.
[0024] Embodiments disclosed in the detailed description include protective
pads for
protecting a body part of a person, and methods of making the same. In one
embodiment,
the protective pad is a shin guard for protecting the shin from impacts during
sporting
activities. The protective pad comprises an outer shell and a padding layer
connected to
the outer shell. The protective pad further comprises at least one padding
element located
in an interior portion of a lower portion of the protective pad. The at least
one padding
element is configured to provide a space between the body part of the person
and at least
one of the outer shell and the padding layer.
[0025] Referring to Figure 1A, a typical prior art shin guard is shown. Figure
IA
illustrates a front view of an exterior of a prior art shin guard. Referring
to FIG. 1A, a
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CA 02772503 2012-03-26
protective pad 10 is shown here as a combined shin and knee protective pad,
such as of the
type worn to play ice-hockey. The protective pad comprises an outer shell 12
which
includes a knee shell 14 and a shin shell 16 connected to one another. The
connection
between the knee shell 14 and the shin shell 16 may occur in a variety of
ways. For
example, the connection may be pinned, i.e. with one or two pins, or may be
through a
hinge, or in any other manner. In one embodiment, the knell shell 14 and the
shin shell 14
may be a unitary piece, and such is considered to be connected for purposes of
this
application. The knee shell 14 may be shaped (e.g. cup-shaped) in such a way
to
effectively protect a knee. The outer shell 12 is substantially rigid, and can
be made for
example of an impact resistant plastic. The shin shell 16 may optionally
includes a series
of vertically spaced ribs 18 so as to reinforce the rigidity of the shin shell
16.
[00261 Referring to FIG. IA, the protective pad 10 further includes at least
one
attachment means, such as one or more adjustable straps 17A and 17B to secure
the
protective pad 10 to the body of the wearer. The protective pad 10 may
comprise three
portions, a top or knee portion 20, a middle portion 24, and a lower, or
bottom, portion 26.
The top, middle, and lower portions 20, 24, and 26 may be separate pieces, or
may be a
unitary piece. The protective pad 10 also comprises a shock absorbing padding
layer
(hereinafter "padding layer") 22. The padding layer 22 may be formed of a
shock
absorbing foam material in one embodiment. The padding layer 22 may, in one
embodiment, be connected to both the shin shell 16 and the knee shell 14 of
the outer shell
12, such as to provide a pivot connection therebetween. Alternatively, the
padding layer
22 may comprise two portions, i.e. an upper portion, connected to the knee
shell 14 and a
lower portion connected to the shin shell 16. The padding layer 22 extends
between the
outer shell 12 and the body portion of the wearer, and may be connected to the
shin shell
16 in two or more spaced apart locations. There may be additional padding
layers or
padding layer portions 28 and 30 disposed on respective sides of the middle
portion 24 of
the protective pad 10. The additional padding layer portions 28 and 30 may be
connected
to or part of padding layer 22, or they may be physically separate from
padding layer 22.
A further alternative connecting means can also be used to connect the padding
layer 22
and/or the additional padding layer portions 28 and 30 to the shin shell 16,
such as, for
example, rivets or an adhesive.
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CA 02772503 2012-03-26
[0027] Referring to FIG. 113, the padding layer 22 is connected to the knee
shell 14
along a plurality of spaced apart locations. Although not shown, a free space
or cavity is
defined between the padding layer 22 and the knee shell 14. Padding layer
portions 32
and 34 are the rear (interior) portions of the padding layer portions 28 and
30 in Figure
1A. Padding layer portions 32 and 34 extend between the outer shell 12 and the
body
portion of the wearer, and may be connected to the shin shell 16 in two spaced
apart
locations, shown here as seam lines 36. The knee shell 14 has a concave
interior section
38. Padding layer 39 may provide additional padding around the knee of the
wearer and
may be configured in such a way around the concave interior section 38 that a
space 37 is
created between the knee of the wearer and the concave interior section 38 of
the knee
shell 14. Additional padding layers or padding layer portions 40, 41, 42, and
43 may be
provided on the respective sides of the protective pad 10. On the interior
side of the
protective pad 10 shown in Figure 1B, the middle portion 24 and the lower
portion 26 may
have a concave interior portion. In particular, the lower portion 26 may have
concave
interior portion 44 and the middle portion 44 may have concave interior
portion 45.
[00281 The outer shell 12 of the knee shell 14 and the shin shell 16 is
provided to
receive the applied force or shock of an impact, and to distribute the force
over a large
area. The soft padding material, in addition to acting as a cushion for
providing comfort to
the wearer, usually acts to absorb and dampen the aforementioned forces in
order to
protect the wearer from the shock of an impact. However, as mentioned above,
despite the
padding material, hard shell protective pads such as outer shell 12 of the
knee shell 14 and
the shin shell 16 do not prevent all injuries or pain from the force of
contact due to its
limited ability to absorb and displace energy. Likewise, padding such as
padding layers
22, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 40-43 absorb some of the energy of impacts to the
body. However,
the outer shell 12 of the knee shell 14 and the shin shell 16 overlays the
padding layers so
as to distribute the force of the blow across a larger area of the padding
layers. As is
known in the art, distributing the force in this manner permits the padding
layers to absorb
only a portion of the energy associated with the blow. For example, the
padding layers 28,
30, 32, and 34 contacts the shinbone, and all or a significant amount of the
force of impact
may be transmitted to that bone, causing pain or injury.
[00291 To address this, additional protective padding may be located in or at
a lower
portion of an interior of a protective pad, such as a shin guard, as
illustrated in Figure 2.
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As shown in Figure 2, padding element 46 may be positioned in the concave
interior
portion 44 of the lower portion 26 of the protective pad 10. In one
embodiment, the
concave interior portion is configured to receive the at least one padding
element.
[00301 In one embodiment, the padding element 46 may have a length 47L. The
length 47L of the padding element 46 may be any length necessary to provide
appropriate
protection to the shin portion of the wearer of the protective pad 10. In one
embodiment,
the length 47L is at least approximately two (2) inches and may be up to
approximately
three (3) to five (5) inches, although lengths smaller and greater than this
may also be
used. The padding element 46 may also have a width 47W. The width 47W of the
padding element 46 may also be any width necessary to provide appropriate
protection to
the shin portion of the wearer of the protective pad 10. In one embodiment,
the width
47W is at least approximately two (2) inches and may be up to approximately
three (3) to
five (5) inches, although width smaller and greater than this may also be
used. The length
47L and width 47W of padding element 46 may be selected based on the size and
shape of
the protective pad 10, or on the size and shape of lower section 24 or the
concave interior
portion 44 of the lower portion 26 of the protective pad 10. In one
embodiment, the size
and shape of the padding element 46 is configured to contour the size and
shape of the
protective pad 10, or on the size and shape of lower section 24 or the concave
interior
portion 44 of the lower portion 26 of the protective pad 10.
[00311 The exact location of where the padding element 46 is positioned is not
critical
and may vary, depending on the size and shape of the protective pad, or on the
personal
preference of the wearer of the protective pad 10. Although the padding
element 46 in
Figure 2 does not extend to the bottom of lower portion 26, it may do so in
some
embodiments. In any event, the location of the padding element 46 should be
chosen to
provide a space or gap between the protective pad 10 and the shin of the
wearer, as shown
in Figures 4 and 5, and discussed more fully below.
[00321 Further, although only a single padding element 46 is shown in the
embodiment
of Figure 2, a plurality of padding elements 46 can be used. In this manner,
it is possible
to dynamically adjust the size and shape (i.e., length and thickness) of the
padding
element(s) 46 by adding the appropriate numbers and sizes and shapes of
padding
element(s) 46.
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CA 02772503 2012-03-26
[00331 Further, the padding element 46 may be positioned outside the padding
layers or
between the padding layers and the outer shell of the protective pad, as seen
in Figures 3A
and 3B. Figure 3A is a cross sectional view of a lower portion of a protective
pad having
a protective padding element according to one embodiment. The protective pad
in Figure
3A could be of the type of protective pad shown in Figures IA, 1B, or 2. In
particular, the
protective pad may have padding layer 48 attached to outer shell 52, which may
be made
of hard plastic. The padding layer 48 may be of a shock absorbing foam
material in one
embodiment. In one embodiment, a backing layer 50 may be disposed between the
padding layer 48 and the outer shell 52. The backing layer 50 may be an
EVA/molded
foam layer in one embodiment. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3A, the
padding
element 46 is positioned outside the padding layer 48.
[0034] In the embodiment shown in Figure 3B, the padding element 46 is
positioned
between the padding layer 48 and the backing layer 50.
[0035] The padding element 46 has a thickness 49. The thickness 49 may be
chosen to
provide appropriate protection to the shin portion of the wearer of the
protective pad 10.
In one embodiment, the thickness 49 is at least approximately one (1) inches
and may be
up to approximately two (2) to four (4) inches, although thicknesses smaller
and greater
than this may also be used. The thickness 49 may be dependent on the type of
material
used to make the padding element 49. In any event, the thickness 49 should be
chosen to
provide a space or gap between the protective pad 10 and the shin of the
wearer, as shown
in Figures 4 and 5.
[0036] Figure 4 is a side view of a protective pad having a protective padding
element
positioned on a leg of a person such that the protective padding element is
configured to
provide a space between the leg of the person and a shell of the protective
pad according
to one embodiment. Figure 5 is a closer up side view from a lower perspective
of the
protective pad of Figure 4. Although Figures 4 and 5 illustrate one embodiment
showing a
protective pad for the leg and shin, in other embodiments, other body parts
may be
protected by the protective pad.
[00371 In Figures 4 and 5, a protective pad 10 is attached to a leg 54 of a
person. In
one embodiment, the protective pad 10 is attached via straps 17A and 17B.
Referring
back to Figure 2, the protective pad 10 includes padding element 46 located in
the concave
interior portion 44 of the lower portion 26 of the protective pad 10. In
Figures 4 and 5, the
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CA 02772503 2012-03-26
padding element 46 is located in the concave interior portion 44 of the lower
portion 26 of
the protective pad 10 such that when the protective pad 10 is attached to the
leg 54 of the
wearer, the outer shell 12 and the padding layer 30 are separated from a shin
portion 56 of
the leg 54 by a distance 58. A space 60 will exist between the shin portion 56
of the leg
54 and at least one of the outer shell 12 and the padding layer 30 of the
protective pad 10.
The distance 58 will correspond to the thickness 49 of the padding element 46,
depending
on the compressibility of the material of the padding element 46. The padding
element 46
results in at least the outer shell 12 of the protective pad 10 not being in
contact with the
shin portion 56 of the wearer. Thus, when the outer shell 12 of the protective
pad 10
receives an impact, such as a hockey puck traveling at a high speed, the force
of the
impact will not be felt on the shin portion 56, or at least the force felt at
the shin portion 56
will be greatly reduced. By spacing the outer shell 12 away from the shin
portion 56, the
outer shell 12 and/or the padding layer 30 can absorb and dissipate more of
the force of the
impact away from the shin portion 56, resulting in less pain and injury to the
wearer of the
protective pad 10.
[0038] The padding element 46 is located in the concave interior portion 44 of
the
lower portion 26 of the protective pad 10 in Figures 2, 4, and 5 above. The
padding
element 46 may be attached to the concave interior portion 44 of the lower
portion 26 of
the protective pad 10 in any manner possible. In one embodiment, the padding
element 46
is formed as an integral piece of the lower portion 26 of the protective pad
10, either
during the manufacturing process or after. In this embodiment, "integral"
includes, but is
not limited to, the padding element and the lower portion 26 of the protective
pad 10 being
a unitary piece. In other embodiments, the padding element 46 may be removably
attached to lower portion 26 of the protective pad 10, such as by being sewn,
glued, taped,
or attached via Velcro or other fastening means.
In other embodiments, the padding element 46 may be located in a pocket
disposed in the
protective pad 10 or portion thereof, as seen in Figures 6A and 6B. Figure 6A
is a front
view of padding element 46 being positioned in a pocket 62 disposed in a
padding layer
64, which is part of a protective pad. In one embodiment, the pocket 62 is
configured to
receive the padding element 46. In one embodiment, the pocket 62 is configured
to be of
dimensions that correspond to the length 47L, the width 47W, and the thickness
49 of the
padding element 46.
CA 02772503 2012-03-26
[0039] Figure 6B is a front view of a padding element 46 being positioned in a
pocket
62 disposed in the backing layer 50 of the protective pad. In one embodiment,
the pocket
62 is configured to receive the padding element 46.
[0040] In addition, a padding element 46 integral to the protective pad may be
combined with an additional padding element 46 positioned in a pocket 62 of
the type
shown in Figures 6A and 6B. For example, a padding element 46 of a certain
thickness
may be formed integral to the protective pad. The padding layer 64 or the
backing layer
50 of the protective pad may also include a pocket 62 that is configured to
receive an
additional padding element 46. In this manner, a user of a protective pad that
does not
have enough padding for that user may add further padding to customize the
protective
pad for the particular user.
[0041] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and
variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the
invention. The
various elements described herein are not limited to the embodiments discussed
in
particular Figures. For example, the outer shell 12, knee shell 14, and shin
shell 16 of the
protective pad 10 may be of any suitable material. By way of example, the
shell 106 can
be constructed from a variety of thermoplastic polymer materials, including
rigid and
semi-ridged material, such as polyurethanes, polyesters, nylon, thermoplastic
olefins,
thermoplastic elastomers such as styrenic block co-polymers, polycarbonates,
polypropylenes, ethylene polymeric materials and the like. In one embodiment,
the outer
shell 12, knee shell 14, and shin shell 16 of the protective pad 10 may be
molded or
formed in one piece from a known plastic material using known molding or
forming
processes. One possible material for the outer shell 12, knee shell 14, and
shin shell 16 of
the protective pad 10 is a relatively hard plastic such as polycarbonate, but
other moldable
or formable plastic materials known to those skilled in the art can be used;
at least some of
the plastic materials commonly used for the shell portions of modem plastic
protective
equipment should also be suitable. Other materials that may be used include,
but are not
limited to Sorbathane, Impact Modified Polymethylmetracrylate (IM PMMA), High
Molecular Weight High Density Polyethylene (HMW HDPE), Neoprene, latex,
KEVLAR, 3D braided composites, fiberglass, carbon, and the like. The hardness
of the
material in a given shell thickness should be sufficient to withstand the
forces to which the
protective pad is likely to be subjected, For example, if used as a shin guard
in hockey,
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CA 02772503 2012-03-26
the protective pad should be able to withstand impacts from hockey pucks and
hockey
sticks without deforming, or cracking. In one embodiment, the thickness of the
outer shell
12, knee shell 14, and shin shell 16 may be on the order of one-eighth of an
inch (0.125"),
although thinner and thicker shells can be used depending on the desired
degree of
protection and the material used.
[00421 Likewise, the padding layers discussed herein, as well as the padding
element
46, may be made from a known protective padding material such as, but not
limited to,
closed cell foam or cushioning gel material, closed cell foam of ethylene
vinyl acetate, and
many of the known types used in protective sports equipment padding should be
suitable
provided they can be cut or formed with a suitable thickness. The padding
layers and the
padding element 46 can be made of any suitable material or composition or
materials that
provide the degree of cushioning and protection that is desired. The padding
layers and
the padding element 46 attenuate impact forces to provide cushioning or
protection. By
selecting thicknesses, materials, and densities for each of the various
padding layers and
the padding element 46, the degree of impact force attenuation may be varied
to impart a
desired degree of cushioning or protection. Other materials that may be used
include
molded dual density foam, polyurethane, neoprene, and EPE, EPP, or EVA foams.
Foam
alternatives may also be used and include, but are not limited to SKYDEX
padding, which
is commercially provided by Skydex; as set forth in the website
www.skydex.com, or
SPACENET, which is commercially provided by Spacenet, as listed in the website
www.spacenetmaterials.com. The padding element 46 should be of suitable
thickness to
space the outer shell and padding layer of the protective pad away from the
shin portion of
the wearer, such that there is a gap or space above and around the shin of the
wearer.
[00431 The shapes of the padding layers and the padding element 46 may vary
significantly. The padding layers and the padding element 46 may exhibit a
common or
equal thickness, or they may have different thicknesses. As a related matter,
the padding
layers and the padding element 46 may be a plurality of separate elements, or
they may be
interconnected, may be a single element, or may have a variety of other
conventional or
non-conventional configurations.
[00441 Although some of the embodiments disclosed herein were discussed with
respect to a hockey shin guard, the invention is not limited to such. The
principles
disclosed hereby would also be applicable to any protective equipment
typically
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CA 02772503 2012-03-26
comprised of padding with an outer shell, including but not limited to
helmets, shoulder
pads, kneepads, elbow pads, and hip pads.
[00451 Many modifications and other embodiments of the embodiments set forth
herein
will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the embodiments pertain
having the
benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the
associated
drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the description and claims
are not to be
limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other
embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended
claims. It is
intended that the embodiments cover the modifications and variations of the
embodiments
provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their
equivalents.
Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and
descriptive
sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
13
