Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
iFOUANTA.001U
AIRBAG PAD FOR SPORTS CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
11] The following includes information that may be useful in understanding
the present
disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein
is prior art nor
material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any
publication or document
that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
TECHNICAL FIELD
121 The present invention relates generally to the field of apparel of
existing art and more
specifically relates to apparel, including side impact torso protector, body
cover, and guard or
protector.
RELATED ART
131 Many individuals play sports. High impact-sports such as football,
basketball, soccer,
hockey and rugby can cause significant injuries to the body. Sports injuries
result from acute
trauma associated with athletic activities, which can affect bones or soft
tissue and ligaments,
muscles and tendons. Both children and adults are susceptible to significant
injuries. When
participating in a high-impact sport the equipment provided may not adequately
protect or cushion
the body from external force. Further, sudden external force may cause the
equipment to shift, or
fail completely, resulting in tissue, bone or organ damage. Additionally,
serious injury to the body
could prevent the athlete from participating in future sports-related
activites. A suitable solution
is desired.
[4] U.S. Pat. No. 7,150,048 to Robert F. Buckman relates to a method and
apparatus for
body impact protection. The described method and apparatus for body impact
protection includes
active protective garments which are inconspicuously worn by an individual and
which activate
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upon certain conditions being met. Activation causes inflation of regions of
the active protective
garment to provide padding and impact cushioning for the wearer. The invention
is an active
protective garment such as pair of shorts or pants, a jacket, a vest,
underwear, and the like. The
garments comprise multiple layers of material that constrain pockets or
regions that are inflatable
by a source of compressed gas or foam. The garments also comprise sensors to
detect ballistic
parameters such as acceleration, distance, relative acceleration, and
rotation. The sensor
information is used to determine whether activation is required. Detection and
activation are
accomplished in a very short time period in order to offer maximal protection
for the individual
wearing the garment. The system comprises a computer or logic controller that
monitors the sensor
data in real time and coordinates the information from all sensors. The system
calculates velocity,
distance, and rotational velocity. A rule-based system is used to detect a
complex fall in progress
and discriminate said fall in progress from the events of everyday life. The
pockets or inflatable
regions of the garment provide one-time use protection for the individual
against falls and other
impacts that may cause bone fracture or organ damage.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[51 In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known apparel
art, the present
disclosure provides a novel airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment. The
general purpose of
the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater
detail, is to provide an
airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment to disperse force outwardly from
a point of impact.
[6] A airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment system is disclosed
herein comprising:
an airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment assembly including: an airbag
pad having a front-
surface; a back-surface; and an inner-volume air compression pocket. The
airbag pad for sports
clothing and equipment system comprises in integral functional combination an
airbag pad, being
defined by a front-surface and a back-surface. The airbag pad wherein defined
by a front-surface
and a back-surface contains an inner volume air compression pocket of the
airbag pad suitable for
use in injury prevention. The airbag is reusable through multiple activities
and after impact.
[71 A method of manufacture for the airbag pad for sports clothing and
equipment system
is also disclosed herein; the method comprising the steps of: providing the
airbag pad for sports
clothing and equipment assembly as described herein; donning the airbag pad
for use in a sporting
competition (or practice); adjusting as needing during the course of the
event; and removing when
the event has ended.
181 For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects,
advantages, and novel
features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood
that not necessarily all
such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular
embodiment of the
invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that
achieves or
optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without
necessarily achieving
other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the
invention which are
believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in
the concluding portion
of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
present invention will
become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed
description.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
191 The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification
illustrate
embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, an airbag pad for
sports clothing and
equipment system, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the
present disclosure.
[10] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the airbag pad for sports clothing and
equipment system during an 'in-use' condition, according to an embodiment of
the disclosure.
[11] FIG. 2 is a side view of the airbag pad for sports clothing and
equipment system of
FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[12] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the airbag pad for sports clothing and
equipment system
of FIG 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[13] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the airbag pad for sports clothing and
equipment system
of FIG 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[14] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of use for an airbag
pad wherein defined
by a front-surface and a back-surface contains an inner volume air compression
pocket of the
airbag pad suitable for use in injury prevention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[15] As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to
apparel, including
side impact torso protector, body cover, and guard or protector and more
particularly to an airbag
pad for sports clothing and equipment containing an inner volume air
compression pocket for use
in injury prevention.
[16] Generally, the airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment is
characterized as clothing
or equipment with integrated airbags to absorb external forces such as balls,
pucks, or player hits
or the like. The safety system is comprised of high pressure air captured
within the fabric for the
sole use of absorbing external shock, as to protect the body, legs or head.
The air pockets are
permanently filled and sealed during manufacture, and are at around 90%
capacity to provide a
deflection effect (as opposed to absorption) while still having some
flexibility for movement. The
exterior layer is somewhat plasticized, to be harder than just fabric, with
the degree depending on
the body part covered and the sport (football/hockey would be harder,
soccer/rugby softer, for
example).
[17] Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of
reference, there is
shown in FIGS. 1-5, various views of airbag pad for sports clothing and
equipment system 100.
[18] FIG. 1 shows the airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment system
100 during an
'in-use' condition 150, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Here, the airbag pad
for sports clothing and equipment system 100 may be beneficial for use by a
user to prevent injury.
As illustrated, the airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment system 100
may comprise an airbag
pad for sports clothing and equipment assembly 104 including: an airbag pad
110 having a front-
surface 112; a back-surface 114; and an inner-volume air compression pocket
116. The airbag pad
for sports clothing and equipment comprises in integral function combination
an airbag pad 110,
being defined by said front-surface 112 and said back-surface 114. The airbag
pad 110 defined by
the front-surface 112 and the back-surface 114 contains the inner volume air
compression pocket
116 of the airbag pad 110 suitable for use in injury prevention. Specific
protective equipment
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incorporating the airbag pad 100 may include jockstraps 140 and knee pads 142.
Depending on
the sport/activity, other protective equipment (e.g. shin guards, wrist
guards) may incorporate the
airbag pad 100 as well.
1191 Referring now to FIGS. 2-4 showing various views of the airbag pad
for sports clothing
and equipment system 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure. The
airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment system 100 preferably comprises a
plastic-type
material covering of the front-surface 112 of the airbag pad 110, and the
airbag pad 110 comprises
a synthetic-type covering of the back-surface 112. Additionally, the airbag
pad 110 comprises a
synthetic-type second layer 118 against the front-surface 112. Other materials
may be used. The
airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment system 100 comprises high
pressure air 'captured'
(enveloped) within fabric of the airbag pad 110 and sealed therearound. The
inner-volume air
compression pocket 116 of the airbag pad 110 is configured to absorb external
forces. Further, the
airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment system 100 comprises a sensory
system 120 within
the inner-volume air compression pocket 116 of the airbag pad 110. Various
sensing means may
be used. The inner-volume air compression pocket 116 of the airbag pad 110
provides impact
cushioning for the wearer of the airbag pad sports clothing and equipment
system 100.
1201 The airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment system 100 comprises
an airbag pad
110 that is sufficiently flexible to contour to match that of a helmet 130.
The airbag pad for sports
clothing and equipment system 100 comprises a flexible airbag pad 110 that is
able to contour to
match that of sports clothing 132. Additionally, the airbag pad for sports
clothing and equipment
system 100 comprises a flexible airbag pad 110 able to contour to match that
of equipment 134.
The inner-volume air compression pocket 116 of the airbag pad for sports
clothing and equipment
system 100 envelopes and contains high pressure air 136. The high pressure air
136 of the airbag
pad for sports clothing and equipment system 100 is able to absorb in-coming
shock and disperse
force. Additionally, the high pressure air 136 is able to disperse the force
outwardly from a point
of impact such that it is dissipated rather than injury being caused.
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[21] According to one embodiment, the airbag pad for sports clothing and
equipment system
100 may be arranged as a set or as a kit. In particular, the airbag pad for
sports clothing and
equipment system 100 may further include a set of instructions. The
instructions may detail
functional relationships in relation to the structure of the airbag pad for
sports clothing and
equipment system 100 such that the airbag pad for sports clothing and
equipment system 100 can
be used, maintained, or the like, in a preferred manner. Various shaped air
bags may be included
for different body appendages and for different pieces of equipment.
[22] Referring now to FIG. 5 showing a flow diagram illustrating a method
of use 500 for
airbag pad for sports clothing and equipment system 100 suitable for use in
injury prevention,
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, the
method of use 500 may
include one or more components or features of the airbag pad for sports
clothing and equipment
system 100 as described above. As illustrated, the method of use 500 may
include the steps of:
step one 501, providing an airbag pad clothing and equipment assembly: an
airbag pad having; a
front-surface; a back-surface; and an inner volume air compression pocket; and
step two 502,
donning the airbag pad for use in a sporting competition (or practice); and
step three 503, adjusting
as needing during the course of the event; and step four 504 removing the
present invention from
the person or equipment when the event has ended.
[23] The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and
numerous
modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to
achieve substantially
equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit
and scope of the
invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the
U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist,
engineers and practitioners
in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to
determine quickly from
a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the
application.
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