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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to protective devices used in sports, and, more particularly, to protective devices for joint protection and the securing of the device thereon, and, in greater particularity, relates to devices for securing elbow pads.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Participants in certain sports risk injury to joints from a variety of causes. Protective gear such as elbow pads and knee pads are commonly worn. One of the most violent sports is ice hockey where the player may be hurt by collisions with other players, intentional or not, collisions with arena equipment such as walls, ice, and goals and being hit by sticks and pucks. Another sport having a high probability of the player being hurt is lacrosse. The types and amounts of protective gear are balanced by the need to remain agile. Thus one of the most common types of protective gear are elbow pads.
Almost all elbow pads are held to the elbow joint location by straps or elastic bands or a combination of these. The elastic band may be sewn at both ends onto the pad, or one end of the strap is sewn onto the pad and the other end has Velcro™ means for attachment. Additionally, the straps may be adjustable through the use of Velcro™ means, and/or through adjustable buckles. Such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,611,080; 6,070,273; and 6,076,185 (interior joint protection), for example.
During use, movement of the arms causes the elbow pad to move downward which is caused by moisture between the arm and pad, the upper arm being larger than the lower arm, and gravity. Over tightening of the straps may prevent movement, but also interferes with the player's movements.
In order to restrict the movement of the elbow pads when in use, and when a shirt is worn under the elbow pads, the shirt may have high-friction areas to prevent the slipping of the pads as shown by U.S. Pat. No. 7,748,056 and also U.S. Patent Application 2010/0319104.
The pads also may have additional means therein to increase the friction to the arms. U.S Patent Application 2004/0003456 shows two frictional elements on the inside of the upper arm section and the lower arm section of the pads. See continuation U.S. Patent Application 2008/0040829.
External straps/harnesses may be used to hold the pads such as shown by U.S. Patent Application 2007/0011798, also as U.S. Pat. No. 7,353,546, where a harness like device is placed over the head of the user. Straps on the harness can be connected to the elbow pads to hold them up. The attachment devices may be detachable so that prior pads may be used. See also U.S. Patent Application 2010/0083414 by the same inventor also showing a strapped harness.
Even with all the contraptions as shown above to address the problem of migrating elbow pads, an additional means was arrived at by the players wherein they turned up the lower sleeves of the long sleeve shirts, FIG. 3, worn under the elbow pad. This is shown in
Accordingly, there is an established need for a means for securing joint pads, and especially elbow pads, from moving during play.
The present invention is directed at a device and method for securing the position of joint pads in sports.
The present invention although primarily directed at the elbow joint pads, other joints may be similarly protected. One embodiment of the present invention utilizes a shirt modified for the foundation garment. A separate tubular sleeve made of elastic material has one end sewn about the standard sleeve approximately two thirds of the distance from the wrist to the elbow preferably, but it may be attached below, at, above or near the elbow. The other end, the free end, of the tubular sleeve may then extend beyond the end of the standard sleeve. One then inserts the arm into the modified sleeve in use. After this, the elbow pad is attached about the elbow joint over the modified sleeve and the tubular sleeve. Then, one pulls the free end of the tubular sleeve over the elbow pad, and attaches the free end of the tubular sleeve having several Velcro™ means on straps. These straps are connected to Velcro™ pads attached to the modified sleeve about the upper arm area approximately between the mid-biceps to the lower shoulder. The pads are sufficiently long to allow for adjustment of the straps. In effect, the tubular sleeve forms a partial pouch about the elbow pad with the modified sleeve being the other part thereof.
An object of the present invention is to provide a means for securing a joint pad for use in sports.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a means for securing an elbow pad.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means for securing an elbow pad that is easily attached about the elbow pad.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a means for securing an elbow pad that is adaptable to any brand of professional elbow pads.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a means for securing an elbow pad that is operable in high impact sports such as hockey.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.
The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements, and in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The present invention is directed at a device and method for securing the position of joint pads in sports such as hockey.
As a further embodiment, the present invention is directed at the securement of an elbow pad.
Turning to the drawings, wherein like components are designated by like reference numerals throughout the various figures, attention is initially directed to
As best shown in
As noted above, there are numerous elbow pads available on which the present invention may be applied. An example of one elbow pad is one made by Bauer called the Vapor™. See
One attempt at a possible solution to the migrating elbow pad 10 is shown in
Referring to
The elbow pad 10 is attached over the elbow joint, not shown, and over the modified sleeve 42, and over the first end 46 of the tubular sleeve 44 fixedly attached to the modified sleeve 44. The second end 48 of the tubular sleeve 44 is initially located below the wrist, but then is pulled over the elbow pad 10 to the position shown in
Although a long sleeve shirt is shown above, a short sleeve shirt 60 can also be used in another embodiment as seen in
Clearly, one shirt whether long sleeve or short sleeve does not fit all. The modified shirts for the present invention will come in a variety of sizes such as small, medium, large, and extra large wherein the first end of the tubular sleeve is appropriately attached whether for a long sleeve or short sleeve. A custom fitted modified shirt may be required in cases as needed. The first end may be fixedly attached to the sleeve below said joint by sewing, by glue, by hook and loop material, by buttons, and by snaps. Also, the second end may be removably attached to the upper sleeve above the joint by means such as hook and loop material, by buttons, and by snaps. Also, the second end may be removably attached to the modified sleeve by means such as a hook and loop material where straps are attached to the tubular sleeve and pads are attached upon the sleeve. The pads may be fixedly attached to an area approximately located between a lower shoulder and mid-Biceps. Whether the
Further, the present invention encompasses a method for preventing the movement of a joint pad during sports activity wherein a player wears a modified shirt having a sleeve with a tubular sleeve attached thereon; the player then attaches an elbow pad upon the modified shirt sleeve. The player then pulls the second end of the tubular sleeve upwards to enclose the elbow pad within the tubular sleeve and securing the tubular sleeve to the modified shirt sleeve to prevent movement of the elbow pad. The tubular sleeve may be made of an elastic material as conventionally known so that the elastic tubular sleeve firmly encloses and presses the elbow pad upon the arm.
Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
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Entry |
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Unk, hockeymonkey, Internet, http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/hockeymonkey—2169—83596873, Aug. 10, 2011, CA. |
Unk, shockdoctor. Internet, http://www.shockdoctor.com/product/shockskin-hockey-impact-shirt.aspx, Aug. 10, 2011, US. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20130055481 A1 | Mar 2013 | US |