U.S. patent number 3,735,419 [Application Number 05/138,931] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-29 for shin guard.
This patent grant is currently assigned to SVT, Inc.. Invention is credited to Roy Thomas Byrd.
United States Patent |
3,735,419 |
Byrd |
May 29, 1973 |
SHIN GUARD
Abstract
A shin guard for use in ice hockey and the like which includes a
generally rigid intermediate protector member overlying the open
area between the conventional shin and knee cap protector members.
The intermediate protector member is secured to the lower shin
protector member and partially overlies the knee cap protector
member such that a force striking the intermediate protector member
is distributed over the full length of the shin guard.
Inventors: |
Byrd; Roy Thomas (Wilmette,
IL) |
Assignee: |
SVT, Inc. (Buffalo,
NY)
|
Family
ID: |
22484311 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/138,931 |
Filed: |
April 30, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/22 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
71/1225 (20130101); A63B 2071/125 (20130101); A63B
2071/1258 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
71/08 (20060101); A63B 71/12 (20060101); A41d
013/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;2/22,23,24,2,16 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Boler; James R.
Claims
I claim:
1. A shin guard for protecting one's shin and kneecap comprising a
generally flexible backing member adapted to at least partially
encircle a portion of one's leg, generally rigid shin protector
means secured to said backing member in a position to protect one's
shin, a rigid kneecap protector member secured to said backing
member in a position spaced above said shin protector member and
generally overlying one's kneecap, and a generally rigid
intermediate protector member secured to said shin protector member
and substantially overlying the area of said backing member
intermediate said shin protector member and said kneecap protector
member, the upper portion of said intermediate protector member
being flared laterally outwardly as considered from the upper end
of the shin protector member, the upper portion of said
intermediate protector member further being disposed in overlying
relation to at least a portion of said kneecap protector
member.
2. A shin guard comprising a generally flexible backing member
adapted to at least partially encircle a wearer's leg including the
shin and knee, a generally rigid kneecap protector affixed to the
forward side of the backing member in a position generally over the
wearer's kneecap, a generally rigid shin protector affixed to
forward side of the backing member in a position generally over the
wearer's shin and spaced from the kneecap protector leaving an
intermediate area of the backing member therebetween free to flex,
the shin protector including a generally rigid intermediate
protector which extends over said intermediate area of the backing
member and at least partially overlies the kneecap protector, said
intermediate protector being free of the intermediate area of the
backing member and the kneecap protector whereby affording
protection to said intermediate area of the backing member while
allowing it freedom to flex with bending of the wearer's leg at the
knee.
3. A shin guard as claimed in claim 2 wherein the intermediate
protector comprises a member separate from the shin protector which
is curved concave about its vertical axis and has its lower end
affixed to the upper edge portion of the shin protector.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to shin guards, and more particularly
to a shin guard for use in ice hockey and the like which employs
novel means for protecting the portion of ones leg between
conventional shin protector and knee cap protector members.
It is conventional in the sport of ice hockey and similar sports
for the participants to wear shin guards which protect their shin
bones and knee cap areas. Traditionally, shin guards have employed
flexible pads for direct engagement with the wearers leg and on
which are supported generally rigid shin protector members and knee
cap protector members, the knee cap protector members being spaced
above the shin protector members. The portion of the shin guard
between the lower shin protector member and the knee cap protector
member is generally open or uncovered to provide flexibility for
free movement of the leg during skating. Attempts have been made to
provide protection means for this open area of the shin guard, such
means conventionally being extra padding or one or more
horizontally disposed protector strips secured to the support pad
intermediate the rigid shin and knee cap protector portions. While
the known means for protecting the leg area between the shin and
knee cap has afforded some protection, they have not satisfactorily
protected the leg from concentrated impact forces, and also have
hindered the desirable degree of flexibility between the upper and
lower shin guard portions for substantially free articulation of
the leg. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages in the
known shin guards through providing improved protection means for
the area between ones shin and knee cap and which affords greater
flexibility between the rigid shin and knee cap protector portions
of the shin guard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of my invention, I
provide a shin guard having a generally flexible support pad which
has a rigid shin protector member secured to the lower portion of
the pad and a knee cap protector member secured to the upper
portion thereof spaced above the shin protector member. I provide a
generally rigid intermediate protector member which is secured to
the lower shin protector member and substantially overlies the area
of the pad between the shin protector member and the knee cap
protector member. The upper portion of the intermediate protector
member freely overlies the lower portion of the knee cap protector
member such that a force applied against the intermediate protector
member or the lower portion of the knee cap protector is
distributed over the full length of the shin guard. The knee cap
protector member remains free to move rearwardly relative to the
intermediate protector member such that the degree of flexibility
between the knee cap protector member and the lower shin protector
member is substantially increased over the prior art shin
guards.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to
provide a shin guard having novel protection means for protecting
the area of ones leg intermediate spaced shin protector and knee
cap protector members.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shin guard
as described wherein the intermediate protection means comprises a
generally rigid member secured to the shin protector member and at
least partially overlying the knee cap protector member.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shin
guard having a generally flexible support pad upon which are
secured rigid shin and knee cap protector members, and wherein the
intermediate protector member substantially overlies and protects
the full area of the support pad between the shin protector and
knee cap protector members.
Further objects and advantages of my invention, together with the
organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent
from the below detailed description of one embodiment of my
invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing
wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the
several views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a shin guard in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of my invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the shin guard of FIG. 1;
and
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the shin guard of FIGS. 1
and 2.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing, a shin guard constructed in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of my invention is indicated
generally at 10. The shin guard 10 includes a support pad 12 made
of a relatively flexible material such as high density foam rubber,
compacted felt, or other suitable material. The flexible support
pad 12 has a configuration which is adapted to at least partially
encircle ones lower leg and knee area in generally contoured
relation thereagainst as is known. The shin guard 10 includes a
shin protector member 14 made of a relatively rigid lightweight
material such as a suitable molded plastic, molded fiber board or
the like. The shin protector member 14 is molded or curved in
generally concave relation so as to partially encircle the shin
portion of the wearer's leg generally between the ankle and just
below the knee cap. The shin protector member 14 is affixed to and
supported by the support pad 12 as through heavy stitching at 16,
or other suitable means. It will be understood that the flexible
support pad 12 is positioned to extend inwardly within the concave
shin protector member 14 but is spaced rearwardly from the inner
surface of the shin protector member except at the stitching lines
16 so as to effect force distribution over the area of the support
pad engaging the wearers leg when the shin protector member is
subjected to an impact force from a hockey puck or the like. The
shin protector member 14 may have a plurality of vertically spaced
horizontal reinforcing ribs 18 formed therein which provide
increased rigidity and strength for the lightweight shin protector
member as is known.
The shin guard 10 further includes a knee cap protector member 20
which is secured to and supported by the support pad 12 generally
adjacent the upper end thereof. The knee cap protector member 20 is
preferably oval shaped, considered as in FIG. 1, and is generally
concave relative to the knee cap so as to overlie and substantially
encircle ones knee cap during use. The knee cap protector member 20
may also be suitably secured to the support pad 12 through a heavy
duty stitching 22 and is spaced above the shin protector member 14
to allow ready flexing or natural movement of the user's lower leg.
The knee cap protector member 20 is also preferably provided with a
generally horizontally disposed reinforcing rib 24 to provide
increased strength and rigidity therefor.
The shin guard 10 thus far described is of generally conventional
design and provides protection of ones shins and knee caps from
blows or impact forces resulting from being hit with a hockey puck
or the like. In such prior art shin guard devices, however, the
area of ones leg between the lower shin protector member and the
upper knee cap protector member is vulnerable. Some prior shin
guards include padding or horizontally disposed strips of rigid
material, such as plastic or bamboo, which are secured to the
backing pad between the shin and knee protector members to offer at
least some protection to this area. A major drawback of this type
of shin guard construction is that a force applied against the
padding or horizontally disposed strip protector is imparted
directly to the wearers leg, being only dissipated over the area of
the extra padding or strip and the support pad therebehind. My
invention provides protector means between the lower shin and upper
knee cap protector members which effects distribution of the impact
forces thereagainst over the full length of the shin guard and
improves flexibility of the upper knee protecting portion relative
to the lower shin protecting portion of the shin guard. To this
end, I provide an intermediate protector member 26 which is secured
to and supported by the shin protector member 14 to substantially
overlie the open portion of the support pad 12 between the shin
protector member 14 and the knee cap protector member 12. The
intermediate protector member 26 is also made of a relatively rigid
material such as molded plastic and has a lower portion 28
providing means for attaching the intermediate protector member to
the shin protector member 14 generally adjacent the upper end
thereof. For this purpose, the lower portion 28 of the intermediate
protector member 26 includes a pair of laterally spaced openings 30
therethrough which are adapted for alignment with similarly equally
spaced openings 32 in the shin protector member 14 to allow
suitable means such as rivets 34 to be inserted through the aligned
openings and swaged to maintain the shin and intermediate protector
members in fixed supporting relation.
The upper portion of the intermediate protector member 26 is
generally fan shaped, when considered as in FIG. 1, and is curved
concave about its vertical axis so as to conform generally to the
wearers leg adjacent the area between the knee cap and shin. The
intermediate protector member 26 also preferably has a reinforcing
rib 36 formed therein to provide added rigidity and strength. The
vertical height of the intermediate protector member 26 is such
that when the lower portion 28 thereof is fixedly secured to the
shin protector member 14, which in turn is fixedly mounted on the
support pad 12, the upper portion of the intermediate protector
member will overlie the lower approximately one-third to one-half
portion of the knee cap protector member 20, as illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2. Preferably, a wear resistant sheet-like material 38
is adhesively secured to the support pad member 12 so as to
underlie the upper portion of the shin protector member 14, at
least a portion of the knee cap protector member 20, and the
intermediate protector member 26.
With a shin guard 10 as aforedescribed, it has been found that the
relatively rigid intermediate protector member 26 supported to
overlie the area of the shin guard intermediate the spaced shin
protector member 14 and knee cap protector member 20 distributes
any impact forces applied thereagainst along the full length of the
shin guard; that is, such impact forces are distributed over the
area of the wearers leg underlying the knee cap portion 20, the
intermediate protector member 26 and the shin protector member 14.
Moreover, it has been found that with the intermediate protector
member 26 secured to the shin protector member 14 adjacent the
upper end thereof, greater flexibility is afforded for movement of
the support pad 12 and knee cap protector member 20 rearwardly from
the intermediate protector member, as considered in FIG. 2.
While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it
will be understood to those skilled in the art that changes and
modifications may be made therein without departing from the
invention in its broader aspects. For example, the particular
configuration of the intermediate protector member 26 may be varied
in accordance with the extent to which it is desired to encircle
the portion of the wearers leg intermediate the knee cap and shin
thereof. Also, the manner of attaching or securing the intermediate
protector member 26 to the lower shin protector member 14 may be
varied, it being understood that the particular connection
described allows limited rearward movement or bending of the upper
portion of the intermediate protector member from the curved plane
of the shin protector member at the juncture of the reduced width
lower portion 28 with the upper fan shaped area of the intermediate
protector area while transmitting impact forces through both the
shin and knee cap protector members.
* * * * *