PROTECTIVE GARMENTS FOR HOCKEY AND OTHER ACTIVITIES

Abstract

Protective sports garments are provided that include integrated cut-resistant panels located adjacent to relatively vulnerable parts of a user's body. A shirt garment may include integrated cut-resistant panels around the end cuffs of each sleeve, and such integrated cut-resistant panels may help prevent cutting injuries from a hockey skate blade or other object. The location(s) of the integrated cut-resistant panels may be selected to provide additional protection that complements protection already provided by other protective equipment, such as elbow pads, arm pads, or other padding or armor that may be worn. Additionally, in some cases, described garments may provide a pad securement mechanism that may help to secure certain pads in place relative to the garment. In other examples, protective pants are provided that include one or more cut-resistant panels, such as cut-resistant panels in a lower back leg portion to provide protection to a player's Achilles tendon area.

Description

FIELD

The present invention is related to protective clothing, and more specifically to garments with integrated protective fabric.

BACKGROUND

Various sporting activities, hobbies, and occupations involve some amount risk of injury, and often specialized safety equipment is used in order to mitigate risks of injury. For example, participants in sporting activities may wear helmets, pads, masks, gloves, and the like, to protect portions of their bodies from injuries. However, even with such protective equipment, injuries may still occur. For example, ice hockey players may wear helmets and pads on certain portions of their bodies, but other portions of their bodies may be vulnerable. Similarly, players of numerous other sports wear protective equipment in certain areas that may leave other areas vulnerable. In just one example, soccer players may wear shin pads but other portions of their legs or arms may be vulnerable to injuries from collisions where another player's cleats may cause lacerations.

Likewise, numerous hobbies and occupations involve potentially hazardous equipment that may cause injuries to a person. For example, many construction-related occupations use equipment that can cause lacerations of a user or nearby worker. Similarly, many hobbies may involve equipment that can pierce or cut a person's clothing or skin. Wearing bulky protective equipment to reduce the likelihood of such injuries is often-times unlikely due to the time to put on such equipment, restriction of movement caused by such equipment, and relatively remote likelihood of injury.

Equipment and garments to help further reduce the risk of injuries and improve safety is a constant desire.

SUMMARY

Various aspects of the disclosure provide garments that help to further enhance safety of wearers of the garments, particularly in areas that are vulnerable to injury but difficult to protect due to flexing or other movement of underlying body parts. For example, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles may be vulnerable to injury from lacerations, and yet not amenable to protection due to pads or supports that may restrict motion to an extent that a person may elect not to protect that particular area in cases where the risk of injury is relatively remote. In some aspects of the present disclosure, garments are provided that include integrated protective panels that are tear and cut resistant. The integrated panels with cut-resistant materials may be located adjacent to relatively vulnerable areas of a user, such as around the neck, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, or any combinations thereof. Garments may include other materials outside of the integrated panels that provide one or more different types of fabric, such as performance fabric that provides breathability, insulation, compression, or any combinations thereof. In some cases, the garments may be relatively tight fitting to provide that the integrated panels with cut-resistant fabric remain located adjacent to the desired vulnerable areas of the user.

In one example, a hockey top is provided that includes integrated cut-resistant panels around the end cuffs of each sleeve. Such integrated cut-resistant panels may help prevent cutting injuries from a hockey skate blade in the event of a collision or accident that results a player's arm being impacted by another player's skate blade. In some cases, the location of the integrated cut-resistant panels may be selected to provide additional protection that complements protection already provided by other protective equipment worn by such players, such as elbow pads, arm pads, or other padding or armor that may be worn. Additionally, in some cases, described hockey tops may provide a pad securement mechanism that may help to secure certain pads in place relative to the garment. In other examples, hockey pants are provided that include one or more cut-resistant panels. In one example, cut-resistant panels are provided in a lower back portion to provide protection to a player's Achilles tendon area above the ankle.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of examples according to the disclosure in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages will be described hereinafter. The conception and specific examples disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. Such equivalent constructions do not depart from the scope of the appended claims. Characteristics of the concepts disclosed herein, both their organization and method of operation, together with associated advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. Each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description, and not as a definition of the limits of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of a sports garment and lower-arm portion thereof in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a view of the lower-arm portion of the sports garment with a pad securement mechanism in secured and unsecured positions in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a front view of sports pants in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a side view of sports pants in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 5 is a rear view of sports pants in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure provides garment construction and techniques that use integrated tear or cut-resistant panels. In various examples, the integrated tear or cut-resistant panels may be stitched into areas of other adjacent fabrics to provide a garment that has different desired properties in different areas (e.g., cut-resistance in certain areas, breathability in other areas, compression in other areas, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, garments may include one or more pad securement mechanisms to secure protective equipment in desired locations relative to the garment. In examples described herein, the garments may be hockey undergarments, although it will be understood that the techniques described herein may be applied to other garments as well.

In traditional undergarment hockey shirts and hockey pants, technical fabrics may be used to provide garments that are breathable and form fitting, to allow for freedom of motion and comfort of the wearer. Such garments, however, generally do not include protective components to protect the wearer. Instead, various other personal protective equipment (e.g., pads) is worn over the undergarments and below a jersey or outer pants. In some cases

As indicated above, various aspects of the disclosure provide garments that help to further enhance safety of wearers of the garments, particularly in areas that are vulnerable to injury but difficult to protect due to flexing or other movement of underlying body parts, while also allowing relatively large freedom of motion.

In one example, a hockey top is provided that includes integrated cut-resistant panels around the end cuffs of each sleeve. Such integrated cut-resistant panels may help prevent cutting injuries from a hockey skate blade in the event of a collision or accident that results a player's arm being impacted by another player's skate blade. In some cases, the location of the integrated cut-resistant panels may be selected to provide additional protection that complements protection already provided by other protective equipment worn by such players, such as elbow pads, arm pads, or other padding or armor that may be worn. Additionally, in some cases, described hockey tops may provide a pad securement mechanism that may help to secure certain pads in place relative to the garment. In other examples, hockey pants are provided that include one or more cut-resistant panels. In one example, cut-resistant panels are provided in a lower back portion to provide protection to a player's Achilles tendon area above the ankle.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an example of a hockey top 100 that includes a torso portion with a neck hole and sleeves 105. The torso and sleeves 105 in this example may include one or multiple fabric panels that include at least a first fabric 110 (e.g., a synthetic fabric such as a moisture wicking polyester double-know polyester, mesh polyester, polyester-cotton, nylon, spandex, wool, bamboo, etc., or blends of different materials). In this example, each sleeve 105 includes one or more integrated panels 140 with cut-resistant fabric. In this example, the hockey top 100 also includes a pad securement mechanism in the form of an outer sleeve portion 115 with a panel 250 formed of the first fabric or a different fabric and a band 130 that is foldable over an elbow pad 205 to secure the elbow pad 205 to in location relative to the garment. In this example, an inner sleeve 120 may include a cuff portion with an integrated panel 140 of cut-resistant fabric that provides additional protection against lacerations and potential tendon cuts or other injuries in the wrist area or forearm area in the event that a hockey skate blade or other object impacts the wearer in this area. While the example of FIGS. 1 and 2 show the integrated panel 140 that extends from a forearm area to a wrist area, such panels may be longer or shorter, or extend around an entire circumference or less than the entire circumference of the cuff area or cuff and forearm area of the sleeve 105.

Various different types of cut-resistant fabric are known, and the type of cut-resistant fabric to be incorporated into the integrated panels 140 may be selected based on various properties of the fabric, such as weight, flexibility, breathability, resistance to cutting/piercing, or any combinations thereof. In some cases, different cut-resistant fabrics may be selected for different areas of the garment (e.g., a first type of cut-resistant fabric for the wrist area and a second cut-resistant fabric for the neck area). In the example of FIGS. 1 through 2, the integrated panel 140 of cut-resistant fabric in the wrist area is made from Cutlon 3282 available from Orneule Ltd. of Orivesi, Finland. Such material has a content of 93% Dyneema and 7% Lycra, in a single weave with a weight of 230 g/m² (in some cases, a cut-resistant fabric may have at least 90% Dyneema and at least 5% Lycra, although other types and blends of materials are within the scope of the present disclosure). Other or different types of cut-resistant fabric may be used and are considered within the scope of the present disclosure. Further, in some cases one or more metallic or polymeric panels may be integrated into one or more portions of the garment 100, to provide additional protection against lacerations and potential cuts of a user's body.

Further, in the example of FIGS. 1 through 2, the hockey top 100 also includes a pad securement mechanism in the form of an outer sleeve 115 (e.g., a 10 inch outer sleeve) that is foldable over an elbow pad 205 of a wearer (such as shown in FIG. 2). In this example, the outer sleeve 115 may be secured at an upper part of the forearm portion of sleeve 105 such that the outer sleeve 115 is coaxial with the inner sleeve 120 (the inner sleeve 120 may be simply referred to as a sleeve along with portions of the sleeve 105 that are above the securement point of the outer sleeve 115). An elastic band 130 located at an end of the outer sleeve 115 may provide that, when the outer sleeve 115 is folded from a first position as illustrated in example sleeve 200-a to a second position as illustrated in example sleeve 200-b. As illustrated by arrow 215, the outer sleeve 115 and elastic band 130 may be folded up and over a portion of the elbow pad 205, with the elastic band 130 helping to secure or anchor the pad in a proper location. In this example, the sleeve also includes optional friction-enhancing pads 210, and the elastic band 130 may also include such optional friction-enhancing pads 135. Such friction-enhancing pads may include, for example, an applique formed in pad shapes or in any desired pattern, and may include silicone, thermoplastic rubber (santoprene), polyurethane (thermoplastic or thermoset), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or any combinations thereof, that act to help secure or anchor the pad 205 in a desired location of the wearer. The inner sleeve 120 in this example includes the integrated panel of cut-resistant fabric 140 that extends along the forearm and wrist area of the sleeve. In some cases, additionally or alternatively, the securement mechanism may include hook and loop material configured to engage with a complementary hook and loop material that is attached to the protective pad or on another area of the sleeve.

FIGS. 3 through 5 illustrate a pair of hockey base layer pants 300 that include integrated panels 415 of cut-resistant fabric in the Achilles area above the ankle. In this example, the hockey base layer pants 300 include a waist band 305, an upper thigh area 310 (e.g., made of a compression fabric such as spandex, polyester, etc.), an upper front area 315 (e.g., made of a mesh polyester), a lower front area (e.g., made of a polyester fabric), an inner thigh area 325 (e.g., made of a compression fabric such as spandex, polyester, etc.), a lower leg area 330 that extends to the bottom of each leg (e.g., made of a compression fabric such as spandex, polyester, etc.). In this example, a rear waist portion 405 and rear leg panels 410 may be made from the same or different fabrics as other portions of the pants 300. Optionally, a knee area may include friction-enhancing pads 335 that may help to anchor knee pads of the wearer in a similar manner as discussed above for the elbow pad. Further, the pants 300 may include a similar securement mechanism of an outer sleeve between a securement point 345 and a lower portion 340 (e.g., that may include an elastic band with optional friction-enhancing applique, optional hook-and-loop material that engages with complementary material on the leg or pad, or any combinations thereof) that may be folded over a knee pad for enhanced securement and anchoring of the knee pad. Alternatively, the securement mechanism may be left in a folded-down position to aid in the securement/anchoring of shin pads. In still further cases, separate securement mechanisms may be provided for knee, shin, and/or thigh pads (e.g., through the use of separate coaxial sleeves that can be folded over respective pads from points on the leg that are above or below the pads).

Garments which are constructed using such techniques may include sports garments, such as base layers or undergarments, such as illustrated in the examples of FIGS. 1 through 5. Other examples of garments may include garments for other sports, in which integrated panels of cut-resistant fabric are incorporated in strategic areas to help prevent lacerations that may occur in such sports (e.g., cut-resistant panel(s) in lower extremities of football or baseball base layers to prevent injuries due to cleat punctures). Such garments may have more protective panels located at selected high-vulnerability locations. Such designs may provide enhanced safety to wearers while also allowing sufficient air flow and sufficient elasticity to maintain a comfortable fit, through selection of lighter, less protective material in areas that experience significantly less likelihood of cuts or punctures but that contact a relatively large surface area of the user. Furthermore, such techniques may provide garments with high durability and enhanced safety, and that also provide comfortable fit and compression/elasticity such that the garment maintains a good fit overall over the lifetime of the garment.

As will be understood, the various examples of protective garments described herein are simply exemplary aspects of garments that may be constructed according to the present disclosure. Other types of garments are considered to be within the teachings of the present disclosure. The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A protective garment apparatus, comprising: a sleeve portion formed from at least a first fabric having a proximal end that is coupled with a torso portion of the garment;a cuff portion coupled with the sleeve portion at a distal end thereof; anda cut-resistant material integrated with the cuff portion, wherein the cut-resistant material is different than the first fabric and reduces a likelihood of a cutting injury of a wearer of the garment in the event of an object impacting the cuff portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the cut-resistant material extends through an entire circumference of the cuff portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the cut-resistant material extends through less than an entire circumference of the cuff portion and is located adjacent to a portion of a user's body that is vulnerable to a cutting injury.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the cut-resistant material is a flexible material that is resistant to cutting or puncturing by a hockey skate blade.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein: the cut-resistant material has a content of at least 90% Dyneema and 5% Lycra, in a single weave.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a securement mechanism coupled with the sleeve portion and adapted to anchor a protective pad to the sleeve portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the securement mechanism comprises: an outer sleeve coupled with the sleeve portion at a location between the distal end and the proximal end, the outer sleeve being outside of and coaxial with the sleeve portion for a first distance and foldable from a first position that is configured to allow a user to attach the protective pad to a second position that is adapted to anchor the protective pad with the sleeve portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the securement mechanism further comprises: a band on the outer sleeve at a location on the outer sleeve away from the location at which the outer sleeve is coupled with the sleeve portion, wherein the band includes elastic material that is adapted to secure the protective pad within a pocket that is formed between the outer sleeve and the sleeve portion when the outer sleeve is in the second position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the band includes a high friction applique that engages with an outer surface of the protective pad to reduce slippage of the band relative to the protective pad.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: an elbow area of the sleeve portion further includes the high friction applique that engages with an inner surface of the protective pad to reduce slippage of the protective pad relative to the elbow area.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein: the high friction applique comprises one or more of a thermoplastic rubber, a polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), silicone, or any combinations thereof.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the securement mechanism includes a hook and loop material configured to engage with a complementary hook and loop material that is attached to the protective pad.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the cut-resistant material includes one or more metallic or polymeric panels that are adhered to or integrated in the cuff portion.

14. A protective garment apparatus, comprising: an upper leg portion formed from at least a first fabric having a proximal end that is coupled with a waist portion of the garment;a lower leg portion coupled with the upper leg portion at a distal end thereof; anda cut-resistant material integrated with the lower leg portion, wherein the cut-resistant material is different than the first fabric and reduces a likelihood of a cutting injury of a wearer of the garment in the event of an object impacting the lower leg portion.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: the cut-resistant material extends through an entire circumference of the lower leg portion.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: the cut-resistant material extends through less than an entire circumference of the lower leg portion and is located adjacent to an Achilles tendon area of a user's body.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: the cut-resistant material is a flexible material that is resistant to cutting or puncturing by a hockey skate blade.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein: the cut-resistant material has a content of at least 90% Dyneema and 5% Lycra, in a single weave.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: the cut-resistant material includes one or more metallic or polymeric panels that are adhered to or integrated in the lower leg portion.