U.S. patent application number 11/413827 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-01 for leg protector with adjustable foot and toe guard.
This patent application is currently assigned to Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robin J. Brown, Steven L. Johnson, Jason Lee.
Application Number | 20070250977 11/413827 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38646884 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070250977 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brown; Robin J. ; et
al. |
November 1, 2007 |
Leg protector with adjustable foot and toe guard
Abstract
A catcher's leg protector having an adjustable foot and toe
guard includes a shin guard for covering a wearer's shin, a foot
and toe guard for covering a portion of a wearer's foot, and an
adjustment mechanism for moving the foot and toe guard relative to
the shin guard and locking the foot and toe guard in a fixed
position. Various embodiments of the leg protector and associated
method are provided.
Inventors: |
Brown; Robin J.; (Labadie,
MO) ; Lee; Jason; (Guangzhou, CN) ; Johnson;
Steven L.; (O'Fallon, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STINSON MORRISON HECKER LLP;ATTN: PATENT GROUP
1201 WALNUT STREET, SUITE 2800
KANSAS CITY
MO
64106-2150
US
|
Assignee: |
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company,
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
38646884 |
Appl. No.: |
11/413827 |
Filed: |
April 28, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/22 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 13/0543 20130101;
A63B 2071/1241 20130101; A63B 2071/1266 20130101; A63B 2071/125
20130101; A63B 2071/1258 20130101; A63B 71/1225 20130101; A63B
2071/1283 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/022 |
International
Class: |
A41D 13/06 20060101
A41D013/06 |
Claims
1. A catcher's leg protector, comprising: a shin guard configured
to cover at least a portion of a wearer's shin; a semi-rigid
adjustment strap attached to said shin guard and extending from a
lower edge of said shin guard; and a foot guard configured to cover
at least a portion of a wearer's foot attached to said adjustment
strap.
2. The leg protector of claim 1, wherein said adjustment strap is
linearly movable with respect to said shin guard such that said
foot guard may be moved relative to said shin guard.
3. The leg protector of claim 2, wherein said shin guard comprises
an adjustment mechanism configured to receive and secure said
adjustment strap.
4. The leg protector of claim 3, wherein said adjustment mechanism
comprises a lever mechanism.
5. The leg protector of claim 4, wherein said adjustment strap
comprises protrusions configured to engage with said lever
mechanism.
6. The leg protector of claim 2, wherein said adjustment strap is
affixed to said foot guard.
7. The leg protector of claim 1, further comprising a knee guard
flexibly coupled to said shin guard.
8. The leg protector of claim 1, wherein said shin guard comprises
a rigid shell.
9. The leg protector of claim 8, wherein said shin guard further
comprises a resilient pad affixed to said rigid shell.
10. A catcher's leg protector, comprising: a shin guard configured
to cover at least a portion of a wearer's shin; an adjustment strap
attached to said shin guard and extending from a lower edge of said
shin guard; a foot guard configured to cover at least a portion of
a wearer's foot attached to said adjustment strap; and means for
adjusting a position of said foot guard relative to said shin
guard.
11. The leg protector of claim 10, further comprising a thigh
protector attached to an upper portion of said shin guard.
12. The leg protector of claim 10, wherein said shin guard
comprises a rigid shell attached to a resilient pad.
13. The leg protector of claim 10, wherein said means for adjusting
comprises a locking mechanism operable to secure said adjustment
strap in a fixed position.
14. A catcher's leg protector, comprising: a shin guard configured
to cover at least a portion of a wearer's shin; a foot guard
configured to cover at least a portion of a wearer's foot; and an
adjustment strap coupled between said shin guard and said foot
guard such that said foot guard is movable with respect to said
shin guard.
15. The leg protector of claim 14, wherein said strap is a
semi-rigid adjustment strap coupled between said shin guard and
said foot guard.
16. A catcher's leg protector, comprising: a shin guard configured
to cover at least a portion of a wearer's shin; an adjustment
mechanism affixed to said shin guard, said mechanism comprising a
lever; a semi-rigid adjustment strap coupled to said adjustment
mechanism, said strap having protrusions configured to engage with
said lever; and a foot guard configured to cover at least a portion
of a wearer's foot attached to said adjustment strap wherein said
adjustment strap is movable within said adjustment mechanism such
that said foot guard is movable relative to said shin guard.
17. The leg protector of claim 16, wherein sad adjustment mechanism
is operable to lock said engagement strap such that said foot guard
is fixed in position relative to said shin guard.
18. The leg protector of claim 17, wherein said adjustment
mechanism comprises a biasing element operable to retain said
adjustment mechanism in a locked position.
19. The leg protector of claim 18, wherein said adjustment strap
comprises protruding serrations configured to engage with said
adjustment mechanism.
20. A method of sizing a leg protector having a shin guard and a
foot guard, the method comprising: providing a leg protector having
a shin guard and a foot guard attached via an adjustment strap,
said shin guard comprising an adjustment mechanism adapted to
receive said adjustment strap; releasing said adjustment mechanism
to allow movement of said adjustment strap along said adjustment
mechanism; and moving said adjustment strap linearly along said
shin guard such that a linear distance between said foot guard and
said shin guard varies.
21. The method of claim 21, further comprising: securing said
adjustment mechanism to affix said adjustment strap within said
adjustment mechanism.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein said securing step comprises
providing a spring bias within said adjustment mechanism.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates to protective sports
equipment, and more particularly to catcher's leg protectors used
in baseball and softball. Specifically, the present invention
relates to catcher's leg protectors having attached foot and toe
guards.
[0005] 2. Description of Related Art
[0006] In the games of baseball and softball, the catcher typically
wears articles of protective equipment, including a chest protector
and leg protectors. Leg protectors usually include padded guard
units for protecting the catcher's thighs, knees, shins, calves,
and feet and toes. Each individual guard unit typically comprises a
rigid shell portion to provide protection against strikes from
stray balls, with the rigid shell portion attached to a resilient
padding backing to absorb the impact from any such strikes.
[0007] The individual guard pieces may be combined into a single
unit, for instance a shin protector, knee protector, and calf
protectors may be combined into a single protective unit, or they
may be separate pieces, as is typical with foot or toe protectors.
The individual pieces are integrated into a single leg protector by
adjoining the various individual pieces together using padding,
straps, or other means. The leg protector is secured to the
catcher's leg using straps or bands attached around various
portions of the leg. The integrated leg protector thus provides
protection to the areas of the catcher's legs that would otherwise
be exposed to stray balls.
[0008] In such conventional leg protectors, the foot or toe guard
portion is often just an extension off of the lower portion of the
shin guard portion. A length of padding simply extends from the
lower edge of the shin guard and to the foot of the wearer, where a
rigid shell forms the foot and toe guard of the leg protector.
Other configurations of leg protectors have the foot and toe guard
attached to the shin guard portion via a flexible strap, which
allows the foot and toe guard to lie loosely on top of the
catcher's foot. In either of these configurations, the spacing or
distance between the foot and toe guard and the shin guard is
fixed, and cannot be adjusted by the user.
[0009] Hence, a particular leg protector will be configured to
conform to a hypothetical average-sized catcher, with the foot and
toe guard located at a distance from the shin guard such that the
foot and toe guard covers a pre-defined area of that average-sized
catcher's foot. Catchers of different sizes, or average-sized
catchers who want the distance between the foot and toe guard and
the shin guard changed, are unable to vary the spacing in this
fixed configuration. This fixed configuration is particularly
undesirable in cases where a player needs to protect a specific
area of his or her foot that has been injured, or otherwise needs
extra protection.
[0010] Thus, it can be seen that there remains a need in the art
for a leg protector having a shin guard and toe guard configuration
that is adaptable to a particular wearer.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention is directed to a leg protector having
an adjustable foot and toe guard. The foot and toe guard portion of
the leg protector is movable with respect to the shin guard portion
so that a linear distance between the foot and toe guard and the
shin guard may be varied by the wearer. The adjustability of the
spacing between the foot and toe guard and the shin guard allows a
wearer to locate the foot and toe guard over any desired portion of
their foot.
[0012] For example, a shorter-than-average catcher may adjust the
foot and toe guard to be closer to the shin guard so that the foot
and toe guard is located over the mid-portion of their foot rather
than being located over their toes, as occurs when using
conventional, fixed configuration leg protectors. Or, a
taller-than-average catcher may adjust the foot and toe guard to be
farther away from the shin guard so that the foot and toe guard is
located over the mid-portion of their foot rather than being
located high up on their foot, near their ankle, as would occur
with a conventional, fixed-configuration leg protector. Similarly,
a catcher who has injured a toe may choose to adjust the foot and
toe guard so that it is farther away from the shin guard such that
it covers and protects his or her toes.
[0013] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the leg
protector comprises a resilient pad backing configured to cover and
conform to the shin and lower knee of the wearer's leg. Attached to
the resilient pad are rigid shell shin guard, rigid shell left and
right side shin guards, and rigid shell left and right ankle joint
guards to protect those areas of a wearer's leg. A knee guard and
thigh guard, each comprising a rigid shell with a resilient pad
backing, are attached to the upper portion of the lower leg
protector, with a shield piece covering the gap between the knee
guard and the thigh guard. Four attachment straps secure the knee
guard, thigh guard, and shin guard portions to the leg of the
wearer.
[0014] A semi-rigid adjustment strap extends from a lower edge of
the shin guard portion to a foot and toe guard, the foot and toe
guard also comprising a rigid shell with a resilient pad backing.
The adjustment strap extends upwardly on the back side of the shin
guard and into an adjustment mechanism mounted along the back side
of the shin guard. Raised protrusions on a surface of the
adjustment strap engage with a spring-biased lever on the
adjustment mechanism. When engaged with the adjustment strap, the
lever secures the adjustment strap in place, thus holding the foot
and toe guard in a fixed position. Using the lever, the wearer can
disengage the lever from the adjustment strap and move the
adjustment strap linearly along the shin guard. Moving the
adjustment strap in turn moves the attached foot and toe guard
towards or away from the shin guard, allowing the wearer to
position the foot and toe guard anywhere along his or her foot.
[0015] Thus, the adjustment mechanism allows a wearer to position
the foot and toe guard anywhere along the foot as desired, and
allows as single leg protector to be quickly and easily adjusted to
different wearers, or to the preference of a single wearer.
[0016] Additional aspects of the invention, together with the
advantages and novel features appurtenant thereto, will be set
forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the
following, or may be learned from the practice of the invention.
The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and
attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations
particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The present invention will be described in greater detail in
the following detailed description of the invention with reference
to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, in which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a leg protector with
adjustable foot and toe guard in accordance with an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, showing the foot and toe guard
positioned away from the shin guard portion of the leg
protector.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the leg protector of FIG. 1,
showing the foot and toe guard positioned near the shin guard
portion of the leg protector.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the foot and toe guard and
semi rigid adjustment strap of the leg protector of FIG. 1.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a partial rear elevational view of the leg
protector of FIG. 2.
[0022] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the foot and toe guard
of FIG. 3, and the adjustment mechanism on the shin guard.
[0023] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the adjustment mechanism of
FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0024] A leg protector with an adjustable foot and toe guard in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is
depicted in FIGS. 1 through 6. While the invention will be
described in detail herein below with reference to this exemplary
embodiment, it should be understood that the invention is not
limited to the specific configuration shown in these embodiments.
Rather, one skilled in the art will appreciate that a variety of
configurations may be implemented in accordance with the present
invention.
[0025] Looking to FIG. 1, a leg protector with an adjustable foot
and toe guard in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention is depicted generally by the numeral 10. Leg
protector 10 includes an upper leg portion 12, a lower leg portion
14, and a foot portion 16. As described herein below, foot portion
16 is movable with respect to lower leg portion 14 to allow the
foot portion to be moved closer to, or further from, the lower leg
portion to position the foot portion as desired along a wearer's
foot.
Lower Leg Portion
[0026] Looking still to FIG. 1, lower leg portion 14 comprises a
resilient pad backing 18 configured to cover and conform to the
shin and lower knee of a wearer's leg. Resilient pad 18 extends and
wraps rearwardly, from a front shin portion 22, to side shin
portions 24a, 24b on opposite sides of the wearers leg to the
wearer's calf. Resilient pad 18 further extends downwardly and
slightly rearwardly, from a lower shin portion 28, to side ankle
portions 30a, 30b on opposite sides of the wearer's leg, covering
the wearer's ankle joint on each side.
[0027] Resilient pad 18 is preferably a lightweight, durable,
shock-absorbing material, such as polyethylene or polyurethane
foam. Most preferably, resilient pad 18 is enclosed within a cover
material such as cloth, nylon, polyester, leather, or the like,
with the cover material being stitched to resilient pad 18. Other
materials and variations on the configuration and materials of
resilient pad 18 will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and
are within the scope of the present invention. For example, other
padding materials, such as layered felt or rubber may be used
without deviating from the present invention. Likewise, a cover
material need not be stitched to the resilient pad, but may be
glued, stapled, riveted, or attached using any means known in the
art.
[0028] Looking still to FIG. 1, lower leg portion 14 further
comprises a rigid shell shin guard 32, rigid shell left and right
side shin guards 34a, 34b, and rigid shell left and right ankle
guards 36a, 36b, all affixed to the outer (away from the wearer's
leg) surface of resilient pad 18. Rigid shell shin guard 32 is
affixed to the front shin portion 22 of resilient pad 18, to cover
and protect the front shin of the wearer. Rigid shell left and
right side shin guards 34a, 34b are affixed to the left and right
side shin portions 24a, 24b, respectively, of resilient pad 18, to
cover and protect the left and right sides of the shin of the
wearer, forward of the wearer's calf. Rigid shell left and right
ankle guards 36a, 36b, are affixed to the left and right side ankle
portions 30a, 30b, respectively, of resilient pad 18, to cover and
protect the left and right ankle joints of the wearer.
[0029] Rigid shell shin guard 32, left and right side shin guards
34a, 34b, and left and right ankle guards 36a, 36b are preferably
manufactured from a rigid, impact-resistant material, such as
polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride (PVC),
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and co-polymers, composites
or blends thereof. Most preferably, the rigid shells are made from
a high-density polyethylene plastic material. The rigid shells may
be made using any manufacturing technique known in the art, such as
injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, thermoforming,
rotational molding, compression molding, or casting. Preferably,
the rigid shells are manufactured using an injection molding
process. The rigid shells may include molded or formed apertures to
make the pieces lighter weight and allow air to flow under the
shells. Molded or formed patterns, apertures, or logos may also be
included to identify the pieces or to improve their aesthetic
appearance.
[0030] The rigid shell shin guard 32, left and right side shin
guards 34a, 34b, and left and right ankle guards 36a, 36b are
affixed to resilient pad 18 with stitching material secured through
small apertures formed in the outer perimeters of the rigid shells.
Of course, the rigid shells may also be affixed to resilient pad 18
using other attachment means and methods known in the art, such as
gluing or riveting. Other variations of the rigid shells and their
attachment to resilient pad 18 will be apparent to those skilled in
the art, and fall within the scope of the present invention. For
example, the rigid shells may be made of a lightweight metal or
alloy, and may be affixed to resilient pad 18 with rivets, without
deviating from the scope of the present invention.
[0031] Attachment straps 38a, 38b extend from resilient pad 18,
near the top and bottom, respectively, of left side shin guard 34a,
across the back of resilient pad 18, to the corresponding top and
bottom of right side shin guard 34b. The attachment straps 38a, 38b
are affixed to resilient pad 18 with stitching extending through
the straps and pad. Attachment clips 40a, 40b are a receptacle and
pin type snap connector, allowing the attachment straps to be
opened for placement on a wearer's leg and then closed to secure
the leg protector to the leg. A buckle mechanism on the attachment
strap allows the straps to be tightened to snugly fit the leg
protector to the wearer's leg, with the elasticity of the
attachment straps further ensuring a snug fit. Other types and
configurations of attachment straps and clips will be apparent to
those skilled in the art, and are within the scope of the present
invention.
Upper Leg Portion
[0032] Looking still to FIG. 1, upper leg portion 12 comprises a
knee guard 42, a thigh guard 44, and a shield 46. Knee guard 42
comprises a rigid shell 48 affixed to a resilient backing pad 50,
positioned to protect the knee area of the wearer. The knee guard
42 is slightly arced, and configured to wrap partially around the
sides of a wearer's knee to protect the wearer's knee cap. Thigh
guard 44 comprises a rigid shell 52 affixed to a resilient backing
pad 54, and is positioned above knee guard 42, in the area of the
wearer's front, lower thigh. Thigh guard 44 is slightly arced to
conform to the shape of the wearer's thigh. Shield 46 comprises a
rigid shell 56 affixed to a resilient backing pad 58, and is
positioned to cover the gap 59 between knee guard 42 and thigh
guard 44. Shield 46 is positioned so that it overlays the upper
portion of knee guard 42 and the lower portion of thigh guard 44.
Shield 48 thus does not directly contact the wearer's leg in normal
use.
[0033] Knee guard 42 is attached to the upper portion of resilient
pad 18 of lower leg portion 14 via two woven, non-elastic straps
(not shown) extending from the lower edge of the knee guard. The
woven straps are affixed to resilient pad 18 and resilient backing
pad 50 with rivets, thus securing the lower leg portion 14 of the
leg protector 10 to the upper leg portion 12. The woven straps form
a flexible and secure joint between the two portions of the leg
guard.
[0034] In a similar manner, thigh guard 44 is attached to knee
guard 42 via two woven, non-elastic straps (not shown) extending
from the upper edge of the knee guard 42 to the lower edge of the
thigh guard 44. The woven straps are affixed to resilient backing
pad 50 of knee guard 42 and resilient backing pad 54 of thigh guard
44 with rivets extending through the straps and backing pads.
Shield 46 is secured with rivets to the two woven straps extending
between knee guard 42 and thigh guard 44. Shield 46 slightly
overlays the upper portion of knee guard 42 and the lower portion
of thigh guard 44, covering the gap 59 between the two.
[0035] Similar to the attachment straps previously described,
attachment straps 38c, 38d attach knee guard 42 and thigh guard 44,
respectively, to the leg of the wearer. Attachment clips 40c, 40d
allow the attachment straps to be opened for placement on a
wearer's knee and thigh, then closed to secure the leg protector
the leg. A buckle mechanism on the attachment strap allows the
straps to be tightened to snugly fit the leg protector to the
wearer's leg, with the elasticity of the attachment straps further
ensuring a snug fit. Other types and configurations of attachment
straps and clips will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and
are within the scope of the present invention.
[0036] The materials, manufacturing methods, and attachment means
previously described with respect to the rigid shells and resilient
backing of lower leg portion 14 are equally applicable to the knee
guard 42, thigh guard 44, and shield 46 just described. Other
variations and configurations will, of course, be apparent to those
skilled in the art. For example, while the woven straps are
described as being riveted to the resilient pads, other methods of
securing the straps, such as stitching, gluing, or stapling may be
employed. Likewise, variations on the woven straps used to attach
adjoining guards are contemplated by the present invention. For
example, the guards may be attached using a single woven strap,
more than two straps, or other than woven straps. Or, the guards
may be attached via extensions of the resilient pads on the pieces,
in lieu of separate straps. These and other variations will be
apparent to those skilled in the art, and are within the scope of
the present invention.
Foot Portion
[0037] Looking still to FIG. 1, foot portion 16 comprises a foot
and toe guard 60 affixed to a first end 62 of an adjustment strap
64. Foot and toe guard 60 comprises a rigid shell 66 affixed to a
resilient backing pad 68, positioned to protect a portion of a
wearer's upper foot. The materials and manufacturing methods
previously described with respect to the rigid shells and resilient
backing of lower leg portion 14 and upper leg portion 12 are
equally applicable to the foot and toe guard 60 just described.
[0038] First end 62 of adjustment strap 64 is secured to the upper
portion of foot and toe guard 60 with rivet 61 extending through
rigid shell 66 and adjustment strap 64. The adjustment strap 64 is
sandwiched between rigid shell 66 and resilient backing pad 68 so
that first end 62 is between the two. Of course, other means and
methods known in the art may be used to attach adjustment strap 64
to foot and toe guard 60, such as stitching or gluing.
[0039] Looking now to FIGS. 1-4, a second end 70 of semi-rigid,
flexible, and resilient adjustment strap 64 extends from behind the
lower edge of resilient pad 18 of lower leg portion 14, where it
engages with an adjustment mechanism 72 affixed to the rear of shin
guard 32 as described in more detail herein below. As best seen in
FIG. 3, adjustment strap 64 comprises a generally smooth front
surface 74, with a rear surface 76 comprising a series of saw tooth
shaped ratchet protrusions or serrations 78 extending across the
width of rear surface 76 over the entire length of adjustment strap
64. Each saw tooth shaped serration 78 includes a ramp portion 79a
and a flat portion 79b extending perpendicular the strap 64. As
shown in FIG. 4, a rear view of a portion of lower leg portion 14
and foot portion 16, the serrations 78 of adjustment strap 64 are
configured to engage with adjustment mechanism 72 on the rear of
shin guard 32 to hold the adjustment strap 64 (and thus foot and
toe guard 60) in a desired position similar to a ratchet
mechanism.
[0040] Adjustment strap 64 may be any semi-rigid, flexible,
resilient material, such as a plastic or plastic composite.
Adjustment strap 64 may be made using any manufacturing technique
known in the art, such as injection molding, extrusion, blow
molding, thermoforming, rotational molding, compression molding, or
casting.
Adjustment Mechanism
[0041] Looking to FIG. 6, adjustment mechanism 72 comprises a lever
80 pivotably attached to a base 82 such that lever 80 pivots on
base 82 about axis x. Lever 80 extends from a first end 88 to a
second end 90, with second end 90 curving slightly from the plane
of the body of the lever and terminating in an engagement edge 92.
Spring 86 is affixed to base 82, and is positioned between lever 80
and base 82 so that lever 80 is normally biased in a closed or
locked position, with first end 88 pushed outwardly from base 82
and engagement edge 92 thus pushed downwardly, towards base 82.
Base 82 and lever 80 may be manufactured from any strong,
lightweight material. Preferably, base 82 is made from metal and is
riveted to the shin guard 32, and lever 80 is made from plastic.
Other variations and configurations will be apparent to those
skilled in the art, and are contemplated by, and within the scope
of, the present invention. For example, other materials may be used
for base 82 and lever 80, and biasing means other than spring 86
may be used without varying from the present invention. Likewise,
while base 82 is preferably riveted to shin guard 32, other
attachment methods and means, such as screws, bolts, glue, or
welding may also be used.
[0042] Turning now to FIG. 5, with adjustment strap 64 inserted
through adjustment mechanism 72, engagement edge 92 of lever 80
engages against serrations 78 on rear surface 76 of adjustment
strap 64. Biasing spring 86 keeps engagement edge 92 locked against
the serrations 78. With adjustment strap 64 thus engaged with
adjustment mechanism 72, adjustment strap 64 (and thus attached
foot and toe guard 60) is secured in a desired position.
[0043] Looking still to FIG. 5, it will be apparent that a wearer
may press first end 88 of lever 80 to overcome the bias of spring
86 and disengage engagement edge 92 from serrations 78 of
adjustment strap 64. With the adjustment mechanism thus disengaged,
a wearer can freely move adjustment strap 64 into and out of
engagement mechanism 72, as depicted by line y in the figure, so
that foot and toe guard 60 can be moved closer to, or farther away
from, the adjustment mechanism 72. With the foot and toe guard in a
desired position, the wearer can release lever 80 so that spring 86
biases engagement end 92 of lever 80 against the serrations 78 of
adjustment strap 64, thus locking the adjustment strap in the
desired position.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 5, the configuration of serrations 78 and
adjustment mechanism 72 allows an inward adjustment (that is,
allows foot and toe guard 60 to be moved towards adjustment
mechanism 72) without requiring a user to disengage lever 80 from
adjustment strap 64. The arrangement of saw tooth shape serrations
78, with the flat portion 79b of each saw tooth facing towards the
foot and toe guard 60, allow a wearer to apply inward force
(towards adjustment mechanism 72, along line y) to foot and toe
guard 60 or adjustment strap 64. The force applied by the wearer
overcomes the bias of spring 86, allowing engagement edge 92 to
ride up the ramped portion 79a of a saw tooth shaped serration 78.
Upon passing the apex of the saw tooth serration, bias spring 86
snaps engagement edge 92 back down to the next serration, where the
same action may be repeated. Thus, using this ratcheting ability of
the mechanism, a user may push adjustment strap 64 into adjustment
mechanism 72 as desired without having to separately disengage
lever 80.
[0045] This saw tooth serration configuration also prevents
adjustment strap 64 from being moved outwardly (that is, foot and
toe guard 60 moved away from adjustment mechanism 72) without
separate disengagement of lever 80 by the wearer. With engagement
edge 92 engaged against a saw tooth shaped serration 78, any
outward movement is prevented by the engagement or abutment of
engagement edge 92 against the flat portion 79b of the serration
78. Thus, unlike the inward adjustment previously described, flat
portion 79b of serration 78 withstands the applied force and holds
the adjustment strap in place, as there is no ramped surface in
this direction for the engagement edge to ride up. Thus a wearer
may not adjust foot and toe guard 60 outwardly without also
separately disengaging lever 80 by pressing first end 88 of the
lever 80.
[0046] Of course, other arrangements and configurations of the
adjustment mechanism and strap will be apparent to those skilled in
the art. For example, instead of saw teeth, the strap may include
triangular shaped serrations, with ramps on both sides. This
configuration would allow the adjustment strap to be moved inwardly
or outwardly to a desired position, without a wearer having to
separately disengage lever 80. Or, the saw teeth could be oriented
opposite the direction shown, so that a user could move the
adjustment strap outwardly, but not inwardly, without separately
disengaging lever 80. In addition, other adjustment mechanisms and
arrangements that would enable the strap to be moved and preferably
locked in place will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and
are within the scope of the present invention.
[0047] Turning back to FIG. 1, with adjustment strap 64 inserted
in, and engaged with, the adjustment mechanism as just described,
adjustment strap 64 extends downwardly from behind lower leg
portion 14 to foot and toe guard 60. Foot and toe guard 60 is thus
positioned below the lower edge of lower leg portion 14, in the
area of a wearer's foot.
[0048] Leg protector 10 thus comprises an upper leg portion 12, a
lower leg portion 14, and a foot portion 16, configured as just
described. The portions are connected together as described in a
complete leg protector, with the foot and toe guard portion being
adjustable to lie along any portion of the wearer's foot. The leg
protector may be manufactured in any particular size, or may be
manufactured to an intermediate or one-size-fits-all configuration.
In any configuration, the leg protector may be fitted with various
sizes of removable pads attached to the inner side of any of the
described guards as desired by the wearer.
[0049] With the structure of leg protector thus set forth, the use
and operation of the protector will now be described.
Operation
[0050] Looking to FIGS. 1 and 2, in use, leg protector 10 is
attached to a wearer's leg 94. Upper leg portion 12 is secured to
the leg with attachment straps 36c, 36d, to position knee guard 42,
thigh guard 44, and shield 46 to protect the wearer's upper leg.
Lower leg portion 14 is secured to the leg with attachment straps
36a, 36b, to position resilient pad 18, shin guard 32, left and
right shin guards 34a, 34b, and left and right ankle guards 36a,
36b to protect the wearer's lower leg. Foot portion 16 is attached
to lower leg portion 14 with adjustment strap 64 as previously
described so that foot and toe guard 60 lies on top of, and
protects, the wearer's foot 96.
[0051] With the leg guard thus attached, shin guard 32 lies
substantially parallel with the shin portion of the wearer's leg,
with a linear axis z defined along shin guard 32 running
substantially vertically, with the wearer in a standing position.
With foot and toe guard 60 positioned over the toes of the wearer,
as shown in FIG. 1, adjustable strap 64 extends along the top of
the wearer's foot, behind shin guard 32, and to the adjustment
mechanism located on the back of shin guard 32. To move the foot
and toe guard 60 to a position over the wearer's upper foot, as
shown in FIG. 2, the wearer simply pushes upward on the foot and
toe guard 60, moving adjustment strap 64 through the adjustment
mechanism as previously described, so that the strap moves linearly
along axis z of shin guard 32.
[0052] The wearer may likewise move foot and toe guard 60 back to
the position over the toes, as shown in FIG. 1, by pressing the
first end of the lever of the adjustment mechanism to disengage the
engagement edge from the serrations on the adjustment strap, as
previously described, thus allowing the wearer to pull adjustment
strap 64 linearly outwardly, along axis z, from the adjustment
mechanism.
[0053] Thus, a wearer may adjust foot and toe guard 60 to any
position over the foot, from an over-the-toes position as shown in
FIG. 1, to an over-the-ankle position as shown in FIG. 2, or to any
position in between. In a desired position, the adjustment
mechanism locks the adjustment strap in place to prevent further
movement of the foot and toe guard. The leg protector may thus be
adjusted to adapt to wearer's of various sizes, or to be adjusted
to a particular wearer's preference.
[0054] As can be seen, the invention described herein provides a
catcher's leg protector that allows a wearer to adjust the
positioning of the foot and toe guard portion to the wearer's
preference, while simultaneously providing the protective benefits
of a conventional leg protector. Of course, other embodiments or
configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and
are contemplated by and within the scope of the present
invention.
[0055] The term "substantially" or "approximately" as used herein
may be applied to modify any quantitative representation which
could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic
function to which it is related. For example, the shin guard is
described as lying substantially parallel with the shin of a
wearer, but may permissibly vary from parallel if the variance does
not materially alter the capability of the invention.
[0056] While the present invention has been described and
illustrated hereinabove with reference to various exemplary
embodiments, it should be understood that various modifications
could be made to these embodiments without departing from the scope
of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to
the exemplary embodiments described and illustrated hereinabove,
except insofar as such limitations are included in the following
claims.
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