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.

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.

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.