Patent Application
20160287447
This application generally relates to a pad for use in athletic equipment and is more particularly related to a medicated pad for use in a chinstrap associated with a protective helmet.
Acne is a skin condition that causes breakouts, skin irritations, pimples, blemishes, and/or greasy skin. Acne mechanica is a specific type of acne caused by heat, friction, rubbing, and constant pressure of skin against material. Acne mechanica is particularly a problem for adolescents involved in sports. Organized sports, such as football, hockey, lacrosse, and field hockey, require participants to wear protective headgear that includes a chinstrap. Other activities, such as motorcycle or bicycle riding, skate boarding, and motor cross, also require prolonged helmet usage. The helmet's chinstrap constantly rubs and applies pressure to a user's chin. This causes the user's chin to experience severe irritation, resulting in breakouts and blemishes. Known solutions for addressing this problem include providing a semi-ventilated holder for a user's chin. Such solutions do not provide a fully encapsulating chin pad, resulting in inadequate padding and protection of a user's chin. Another solution for alleviating acne mechanica includes treating the user's skin before and after prolonged pressure and irritation of the user's skin. One such treatment includes wiping a user's skin with medicated pads, such as OXY® daily defense pads. These known pads include a relatively highly concentrated solution of acne medication which is intended for limited contact with a user's skin.
A chinstrap insert that can have prolonged contact with a user's chin that alleviates the conditions causing acne mechanica and dermatological or bacterial infections, and provides full protection is desired.
A medicated pad configured for use in a chinstrap is provided. The medicated pad has a non-abrasive user side that includes the medication and a self-adhering side that is opposite the user side. The medication is provided in a lower concentration than known acne medication wipes, in order to prevent further aggravating a user's skin due to prolonged contact with a highly concentrated medication. The medicated pad includes a plurality of reliefs that enable it to complement the shape of a chin support in the chinstrap and so it can be adhered to the chin support which generally is concave.
The following detailed description of the invention will be best understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. In the drawings:
With reference to
In another embodiment, the non-abrasive user side 2 is a wicking surface for directing perspiration away from a user's chin. In this embodiment, the non-abrasive user side 2 is hydrophilic and attracts perspiration away from a user's chin.
The self-adhering side 6 is opposite the user side 2. A plurality of reliefs or notches 8 in the medicated pad 1 enable the medicated pad to be shaped to complement the chin support holder 10 and for the self-adhering side 6 to adhere to the holder 10. The plurality of reliefs 8 are positioned around the medicated pad's periphery 12 preferably have a generally triangular shape. The plurality of reliefs 8 extend inwardly from the medicated pad's periphery 12. The plurality of reliefs 8 preferably includes corner reliefs 14 and longitudinal side reliefs 16. In a preferred embodiment, there are four corner reliefs 14 and four side reliefs 16 provided. The number and configuration of reliefs can be varied to accommodate a predetermined, specific chinstrap. The corner reliefs 14 are preferably deeper inwardly than the longitudinal side reliefs 16. As shown in
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the medication 4 has a concentration of 0.5-2.0% of salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, or a combination of them. In another preferred embodiment, the medication 4 has a concentration of 0.5-2.0% of erythromycin. These concentrations are lower than the concentration typically found in acne medicated wipes in order to prevent irritation of a user's skin caused by the medication. In another preferred embodiment, the medication 4 has a coating that dissolves or is activated based on quantity of the user's perspiration.
The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore to be embraced therein.
