Protective Body Pad

Abstract

A protective pad made up of lamination-shaped sheets of cushioning material, each sheet having adjacent trapped air pockets with the lamination being enclosed in a moisture impervious envelope of latex or closely woven polyester fiber.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to protective pads suitable for use by athletes in contact sports, or in other sports where protection of body members against impact or abrasion injuries is desirable.

The object of this invention is to provide a novel construction for a protective pad which produces pads which are extremely lightweight, which have low-moisture absorption characteristics, which have high impact absorption, which are readily fabricated into desired shapes and configurations, and which retain their effectiveness for a long period of time.

These objects are achieved in a pad which is made up of a lamination of sheets, including a plurality of flexible cushioning sheets each of which defines relatively closely spaced side by side closed air pockets. The cushioning sheets may be bonded together defining a unitary assembly. A relatively rigid sheet may be included in the lamination to define a relatively inflexible pad. The lamination is enclosed in an envelope or cover defining a smooth outer surface for the pad.

Protective pads fabricated according to the invention are much lighter in weight than those presently used for this purpose and which are of comparable size. Pads fabricated according to the invention have a much higher impact absorption than protective pads of comparable size which are presently used. In the fabrication of pads according to the invention, the pads are readily formed to any desired size, shape or configuration for any desired use such as arm pads, kidney pads, shoulder pads and other.

DRAWINGS

The novel features of the invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will be understood more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a face view of a generally oval-shaped pad, such as an arm pad;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the pad of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the surface of a sheet of cushion material employed in the fabrication of the pad;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the cushioning sheet, as viewed along the Line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial transverse section view of a pad as viewed along the Line 5--5 of FIG. 1, illustrating one form of pad lamination;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 5, showing another form of pad lamination; and

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating another form of envelope for a pad.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings illustrate, in outline form, a protective pad 10 such as might be applied to the forearm for example, the pad being generally oval shaped when viewed from one face having straight side edges and curved ends. Viewed from one end as in FIG. 2, the pad 10 may have a preset curvature which is built into the pad during fabrication as will be described.

As will be described more fully, the pad 10 is built up of a plurality of sheets or layers making up a lamination, and the lamination is enclosed in an envelope or cover having properties to be described. With the structure to be described, the protective pads may be conveniently made to any shape or outline and also conform to any desired curvature or configuration.

The principal components of the protective pads according to the invention are a plurality of cushioning sheets 15, one of which is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The cushioning sheets are made up of two adjoining sheets of plastic film such as polyethylene film. One sheet 16 is relatively flat or planar defining a base for the cushioning sheet; while the other sheet 17 is formed with a plurality of closely spaced domes or bosses 18 protruding from one side which define recesses 19 extending from the opposite side. As viewed in cross section in FIG. 4, the domes 18 are generally cylindrical with flatted tops; however, domes of other shapes may also be employed. In FIG. 3, the cushioning sheet is viewed from the dome side; and it will be seen that the domes are closely spaced relative to each other being disposed in an array of adjacent rows angled 45.degree. from the horizontal as viewed in FIG. 3. Accordingly, there is provided an array of side by side, closely spaced recesses 19. The contiguous portions of the sheets 16 and 17, as viewed in FIG. 4, are sealed to each other so that the recesses 19 define, with the base sheet 16, discrete chambers or cells which are filled with air and which function as individual pneumatic cushions.

One form of internal construction of a pad is illustrated in FIG. 5, which is a partial transverse sectional view of the pad 10 viewed along the Line 5--5 of FIG. 1. In this form, the pad is made up of a plurality of cushioning sheets of a type illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, three such sheets 21, 22 and 23 being shown by way of example. In the fabrication of the pad 10, the three sheets would be precut to the desired shape, and the pad would be built up to the desired thickness by laying the precut sheets one on the other in the desired laminar arrangement. In the assembly of the several sheets, the lower sheet 21, as indicated in FIG. 5, is oriented so that its base film 16 defines one outward facing surface of the lamination and the upper sheet 23 is inverted relative to the sheet 21 so that its base film 16 also defines an outer face of the lamination. This arrangement is preferred so that the relatively smooth base sheets 16 are presented as the outer surfaces of the lamination rather than the domed sheets 17.

To complete the fabrication of the pad 10, the assembled sheets 21 to 23 are held together in any suitable manner while the assembly is coated with a layer of latex, which defines an enclosing and sealing envelope for the lamination of cushioning sheets. The latex coating may be applied in any suitable manner such as by a brushing operation or by a dipping operation. When the latex has set, the pad is provided with a flexible, tough and moisture impervious cover which is particularly well suited for use as an athletic protective pad.

With this construction, it is particularly desirable that the base sheets 16 of the outer sheets 21 and 23 present the outer surfaces of the lamination, so that the latex material does not fill the spaces between the adjacent domes 18 in the film 17 to impair the cushioning effect of the corresponding cells 19.

If it is desired to fabricate a pad 10 with a built-in curvature as illustrated in FIG. 2 for example, the pad may be built up by stacking the several cushioning sheets 21 to 23 on an appropriately curved form and providing a suitable adhesive cement on the contiguous surfaces of the sheets to produce a bonded lamination. After the adhesive has set, the lamination of sheets will retain its predetermined shape during the application of the latex envelope 24, or other suitable envelope or cover for the pad. Preferably, the adhesive material is a type that remains pliable after the setting to enhance the cushioning effect of the assembled pad.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating an alternative form of pad construction wherein a relatively rigid member is included to provide a relatively inflexible pad. In this fabrication of this pad the lower portion of the pad section, as viewed in FIG. 6, includes three cushioning sheets 31, 32 and 33 of the type illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. These sheets may be stacked with the base films 16 on the under side of the respective sheets. A rigid plate 34, which may be fabricated of a high-impact plastic such as polystyrene for example, is included as a sheet overlying the cushioning sheet 33; and a cushioning sheet 35 overlies the rigid sheet 34. The cushioning sheet 35, being the only sheet on the upper side of the rigid sheet 34, is arranged so that its base film 16 defines the upper outer surface of the lamination.

As with the pad of FIG. 5, all of the cushioning sheets as well as the rigid sheet 34 are preferably precut to the desired size. Assembled sheets 32 through 35 are again held in an assembled relation, either through a permanent adhesive bonding or by any suitable temporary means while a latex envelope 36 is applied to enclose and seal the lamination.

Where a curved pad is desired, the rigid plate 34 will preferably have a preformed curvature which will then define the curvature for the assembled pad.

In the use of a pad of the type shown in FIG. 6 as a relatively inflexible curved thigh pad for football equipment for example, the concave face of the pad 30 would preferably be the face 37 thereby providing a greater number of cushioning sheets 31, 32 and 33 between the rigid sheet 34 and the leg of the athlete. The face 38 then would be the outer convex face of the pad; there being fewer cushioning sheets, only one sheet 35 being shown, between the outer face of the rigid sheet 34 and the pad covering 36.

FIG. 7 of the drawing is a view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating a pad similar in construction to that of FIG. 5 including three cushioning sheets 41, 42 and 43 of the type shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Only three cushioning sheets are shown for this pad, by way of example, with the sheets 41 and 43 being the outer sheets for this assembly. As with the construction of FIG. 5, the sheets 41 and 43 preferably have their base films 16 defining the outer faces of the lamination to present relatively smooth surfaces to the envelope or cover.

The envelope for the pad 40 is a fabric cover preferably made of a closely woven fabric of polyester fiber. As viewed in FIG. 7, the cover includes upper and lower portions 44 and 45 covering the opposite faces of the pad 40, with the portions 44 and 45 being joined at a sewn seam 46 extending around the periphery of the pad. A fabric of closely woven polyester or polyamide fiber, such as Nylon, presents a cover which is rugged and which is relatively impervious to moisture.

Desirable features of the envelope or cover for protective pad of the type described are that the cover material does not react in any way to adhesive tape which is frequently used to secure the pad to the body or clothing of the athlete, and that the cover be sufficiently rugged to permit the repeated application of and removal of the adhesive tape for repeated use of the pad. Pads with envelopes or covers above described have these desired characteristics.

A particular feature and advantage of pads according to the invention is that they are much lighter in weight than presently used athletic protection pads. A related advantage is that these pads have a very low rate of moisture absorption so that the weight of the pads does not increase for this reason.

Another particular feature and advantage of the pads constructed according to the invention is that they have a very high impact absorption, due to the structure which provides a multiplicity of discrete pneumatic cushion cells which provide a high capacity for shock absorption. Another advantage of the structure according to the invention is that pads retain their capacity to absorb impacts for a much longer period than do pads of other construction used for this purpose.

Another advantage of the invention is that the pads may be fabricated of any desired thickness, shape or contour. Particularly, since the cushioning sheets are very flexible they are easily shaped to the desired contour and configuration and are readily cut to the desired size.

With the lightweight construction according to the present invention, pads of the same size as existing pads will have better impact absorption and therefore provide better protection for the users. Alternatively, pads may be constructed with less weight and bulk while providing the same degree of protection.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A lightweight impact-absorbing pad for protecting a portion of the human body comprising:

a. a plurality of flexible cushioning sheets laminated together to form a pad generally conforming to the external shape of the portion of the body to be protected, each of said sheets comprising a first layer of flexible plastic material and a second layer of plastic material bonded to said first layer and defining a plurality of sealed air pockets therebetween;

b. a relatively rigid member of predetermined shape disposed between two of said flexible cushioning sheets; and

c. a substantially moisture impervious envelope enclosing said plurality of flexible cushioning sheets.

2. A pad as set forth in claim 1 wherein said envelope is closely woven nylon.

3. A lightweight impact-absorbing pad for protecting a portion of the human body comprising:

a. a plurality of flexible cushioning sheets laminated together to form a pad generally conforming to the external shape of the portion of the body to be protected, each of said cushioning sheets comprising first and second layers of flexible plastic material, said second layer bonded to said first layer and defining a plurality of sealed air pockets adjacent one side of said first layer, said pad comprising a first cushioning sheet, at least one additional cushioning sheet laminated thereto, the first layer of the first additional sheet being laminated to the second layer of the adjacent first sheet, and at least a second additional cushioning sheet, the second layer of said second additional cushioning sheet being laminated to the second layer of the adjacent additional cushioning sheet; and

b. an envelope enclosing said plurality of flexible cushioning sheets, said envelope being comprised of a material which is substantially moisture impervious and which does not react with adhesive tape.

4. A pad as set forth in claim 3

wherein said cushioning sheets are bonded together to define a unitary lamination.

5. A pad as set forth in claim 3 wherein said envelope is closely woven nylon.