This disclosure relates generally to athletic protection, and more particularly to athletic padding arrangements.
Participants of various sports use elbow guards and other protective gear for preventing potential injuries characteristic of the sport. For instance, baseball players often wear an elbow guard on the elbow that faces toward the pitcher while the player is batting. The elbow guard is designed to protect the elbow joint, particularly the bones at the elbow joint, which are not protected by muscle, from injuries resulting from being struck by the baseball.
One conventional elbow guard includes a padding element sewn or otherwise affixed to one or more elastic straps, hook and loop fastened straps, or other desired straps. These elastic straps are typically intended to stretch against the user's upper arm and forearm for the purpose of securing the elbow pad to the participant's arm. Similarly, the hook and loop straps wrap around the participant's arm so as to secure the elbow pad to the arm. The straps wrapped around a player's arm, however, may be uncomfortable for some players.
In other known elbow guards, the padding element is permanently integrated into a garment that the player wears. For example, the padding element may be sewn into a shirt or a compression sleeve.
While an elbow pad is desirable while the player is batting, the elbow guard may be cumbersome when the player is running, throwing, or fielding. During a baseball game, however, there is limited time for a player to remove the straps or garments to which the padding element is attached. Thus, the player may be forced to play an entire game with the elbow guard to receive protection for the limited instances in which the player is batting.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an elbow guard that may be quickly and easily attached and removed from a player, and which may be comfortably worn by the player.
According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a guard arrangement comprises a sleeve and a pad element. The sleeve includes a pocket defining an adjustable opening that has a nominal width, and the pad element has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the pad element is configured to be removably positioned inside the pocket. The first portion has a width at a widest part of the first portion that is greater than the nominal width of the opening.
In another embodiment, a method of protecting a lead elbow of a baseball or softball batter includes inserting a first portion of a pad element into an adjustable opening defined at a distal end of a pocket of a sleeve, the first portion having a width at a widest part of the first portion that is greater than the nominal width of the opening. The method further includes engaging an intermediate portion of the pad element with the pocket so as to retain the pad element in the pocket, the intermediate portion being located between the first portion and a second portion of the pad element, the second portion extending from the opening of the pocket after the first portion is inserted.
In a further embodiment, a guard arrangement includes an elastic sleeve comprising an elongated sleeve body and a pocket formed by an elastic panel attached to an exterior of the elongated sleeve body. The pocket has a first side and a second side and defines an opening at a distal end of the pocket. The first side defines a first recess and the second side defines a second recess, and a nominal width between the first and second recesses is greater than the nominal width of the opening. The guard arrangement further includes a pad element with a relatively inelastic shell. The pad element has a first portion inserted in the pocket, a second portion extending outside the pocket, and an intermediate portion between the first and second portions engaging the opening.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying figures which form a part hereof wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, embodiments that may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Aspects of the disclosure are disclosed in the accompanying description. Alternate embodiments of the present disclosure and their equivalents may be devised without parting from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. It should be noted that any discussion herein regarding “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an exemplary embodiment”, and the like indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, and that such particular feature, structure, or characteristic may not necessarily be included in every embodiment. In addition, references to the foregoing do not necessarily comprise a reference to the same embodiment. Finally, irrespective of whether it is explicitly described, one of ordinary skill in the art would readily appreciate that each of the particular features, structures, or characteristics of the given embodiments may be utilized in connection or combination with those of any other embodiment discussed herein.
Various operations may be described as multiple discrete actions or operations in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the claimed subject matter. However, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations may not be per-formed in the order of presentation.
Operations described may be performed in a different order than the described embodiment. Various additional operations may be performed and/or described operations may be omitted in additional embodiments.
For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “A and/or B” means (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “A, B, and/or C” means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C).
The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodiments of the present disclosure, are synonymous.
As used herein to refer to lengths, the term “approximately” includes lengths that are included within the wider range of ±20% or ±0.5 cm of the reference value. When used herein to refer to angles, the term “approximately” includes angles that are within ±20° of the reference angle.
The pocket 112 is formed by a fabric panel 114 attached to the outside of an elongated sleeve body 115 of the sleeve 104 by, for example, being stitched, fused, or adhesively bonded to the sleeve. The pocket 112 has a generally trapezoidal shape, and includes a first side 116 and a second side 128 that are attached to the sleeve. An opening 140 into the pocket 112 is defined at the distal end of the pocket 112 between the end of the first side 116 and the end of the second side 128. The opening 140 is defined along a lip at an edge of the pocket 112 that extends between the first side 116 and the second side 128 but is not connected to the sleeve body 115. In the illustrated embodiment, the opening 140 provides a mouth of the pocket that is open in a direction toward the distal end of a user's arm (see
Referring back to
Likewise, the second side 128 of the pocket 112 includes an end leg 130, an outwardly extending leg 132, which extends from the end leg 130 longitudinally towards the opening 140 and outwardly away from the first side 116, and an inwardly extending leg 134, which extends inwardly toward the first side 116 from the end of the outwardly extending leg 132 to the opening 140. A second recess 136 is formed in the pocket 112 at the intersection between the outwardly and inwardly extending legs 132, 134. In the disclosed embodiment, the second recess 136 defines an interior vertex that forms an interior angle (i.e., the angle formed between the outwardly and inwardly extending legs 132, 134) that is less than 180°. In one embodiment, the interior angle is between 130° and 170°, and in another embodiment, the interior angle is between 145° and 155°. The first and second sides 116, 128 of the pocket are symmetrical about a longitudinal axis extending centrally through the pocket 112 from the distal end to the proximal end of the pocket 112 and, as a result, the first and second recesses 124, 136 are directly opposite one another on the pocket. The distance between the recesses 124, 136 defines a width W2.
The pocket 112 is described herein as being generally trapezoidal, though the shape may also be technically considered as an irregular hexagonal shape. The two end legs 118, 130 jointly define the first side of the irregular hexagon, and each of the outwardly extending legs 120 and 132 and the inwardly extending legs 122 and 134 define a side of the irregularly shaped hexagon. The final side of the irregular hexagon is formed by the opening 140 of the pocket 112.
The pocket 112 is configured such that the nominal width W1 (i.e. the width in the unexpanded or natural state of the pocket) of the pocket 112 at the opening 140 is less than the nominal width W2 of the pocket 112 between the recesses 124, 136. The nominal width W3 of the pocket 112 at the end legs 118, 130 is less than both the nominal width W1 of the opening 140 and the nominal width W2 between the recesses 124, 136.
In one particular embodiment, the nominal interior width W1 at the opening 140 is approximately 7 cm, the nominal interior width W2 between the recesses 124, 136 is approximately 8.5 cm, and the nominal interior width W3 at the end legs 118, 130 is approximately 2.5 cm. Additionally, in this particular embodiment, the nominal length L1 of the pocket 112 between the opening 140 and the recesses 124, 136 is approximately 1.5 cm, while the nominal length L2 of the pocket between the recesses 124, 136 and the end legs 118, 130 is approximately 10 cm. In other embodiments, however, other suitable dimensions are used for the pocket 112.
The sleeve 104 is formed of an elastic material and/or compression material, for example, spandex, elastane, or Lycra®, to enable the sleeve 104 and the pocket 112, to be stretched. The elastic and/or compression material may be provided by a resilient textile possessing stretch and recovery properties. That is, the resilient textile possesses the ability to expand from its original shape/dimensions (stretch), as well as to contract, returning to its original shape/dimensions (recover). Accordingly, the resilient textile expands when a tension is placed on the textile (e.g., along the machine direction and/or along the non-machine direction). The stretch of the textile may be directional. For example, the textile may possess four-way or two-way stretch capabilities. A textile with “four way” stretch capabilities stretches in a first direction and a second, directly-opposing direction, as well as in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and a fourth direction that is directly opposite the third direction. In other words, a sheet of four-way stretch material stretches in both crosswise and lengthwise.
In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve 104 is a standalone compression sleeve. In another embodiment depicted in
With reference to
The first portion 152 is generally shaped as a trapezoid when viewed from above as in
The pad element 108 defines a notch 162, 164 on each side of the pad element 108 at an intermediate portion 160 between the first portion 152 and the second portion 154. Each notch 162, 164 is defined by a vertex that forms an interior angle (i.e., the angle formed between the two segments meeting at the vertex) that is less than 180°. In one embodiment, the interior angle of the notches 162, 164 is between 70° and 110°.
The second portion 154 of the pad element 108 has a narrow end having a width W4, expands to the widest portion 158 having width W5 adjacent the notches 162, 164, and narrows to the width W6 measured at the vertices of the notches 162, 164. The first portion 152 of the pad element 108 expands from the width W6 at the vertices of the notches 162, 164 to the width W7 at the widest portion 156 of the first portion 152, and then narrows to the narrowest width W8 of the first portion 152. Accordingly, it will be recognized that the width W6 of the pad element 108 between the notches 162, 164 is significantly different from the width W5 and W7 of the pad element at locations immediately adjacent to the notches 162, 164. Additionally, the widest portion 158 of the second portion 154 is configured to have a greater width W5 than the width W7 at the widest portion 156 of the first portion 152. The width W5 widest portion 158 of the second portion 154 is sufficiently great to prevent or at least make it difficult for user to insert the second portion 154 of the pad element 108 into the pocket 112. Additionally, when the pad element 108 is inserted into the pocket, engagement of the proximal end of the pad element 108 with the end legs 118, 130 prevent further insertion of the pad element 108 in to the pocket 112.
In one particular embodiment, the narrow end (which may also be referred to as the distal end) of the second portion 154 has a width W4 of approximately 4 cm, and the span of the second portion 154 at a location immediately adjacent to the notches 162, 164 has a width W5 of approximately 9 cm. In this embodiment, the length L3 between the distal end 155 and the widest portion 158 is approximately 5 cm. The width W6 extending between the vertices of the notches 162, 164 is approximately 6.5 cm, while the length L4 between the widest portion 158 of the second portion 154 and portion between the vertices of the notches 162, 164 (at W6) is approximately 1.5 cm. In this particular embodiment, the width W7 of the widest section of the first portion 152 is approximately 8 cm, and the length L5 between the narrowest distance between the notches 162, 164 and the widest portion of the first portion 152 is approximately 1.5 cm. The proximal end of the first portion 152 has a width W8 of approximately 4 cm, and is spaced from the widest part 156 of the first portion 152 by a length L6 of approximately 9.5 cm. In this described embodiment, the widths W4-W7 are measured in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pad element 108. The curvature of the pad element 108 about the longitudinal axis may result in the arc length of the pad element 108 along the various widths W4-W7 being greater than the widths W4-W7 in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pad element 108. The reader should appreciate that in other embodiments, the dimensions of the pad element are different depending on the desired use of the pad element.
In the illustrated embodiment, the pad element 108 is formed of a relatively inelastic hard plastic shell 172 and a resilient foam portion 176 (
In various embodiments, the hard plastic shell 172 is formed of at least one of polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”), polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (“ABS”), polycarbonate, or another suitable polymer having high impact resistance. In some embodiments, the hard plastic shell 172 is configured with a smooth, glossed, and/or low-friction surface to enable the relatively inelastic hard plastic shell 172, including the lip 178, to slide into the pocket 112 with ease.
The resilient foam portion 176 is provided on the inside of the hard plastic shell 172 and substantially fills the recess 180. The resilient foam portion 176 is configured to cushion the effects of the impacts on the user of the guard arrangement 100. In various embodiments, the resilient foam portion is formed of one or more of polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethane (“TPU”), expanded TPU, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) or another suitable shock-absorbing foam.
While the embodiment is described with a hard plastic shell and a resilient foam portion, the reader should appreciate that, in other embodiments, the outer portion is formed of another suitable structural material, for example a composite fiber, and/or the inner portion is formed of another suitable shock-absorbing or impact-absorbing material. In still further embodiments, the pad element 108 is formed of a single material that provides both the structural support and the cushioning for the pad element.
The hard plastic shell 172 is described as being relatively inelastic, by which is meant the elasticity of the hard plastic shell 172 is less than the elasticity of the material from which the sleeve 104 is formed. In one particular embodiment, the hard plastic shell 172 may be considered as being inelastic or rigid. The relative inelasticity of the hard plastic shell 172 relative to the sleeve 104 means that application of a relatively small force, which is sufficient to cause the elastic fabric forming the sleeve 104 to deform, does not cause deformation of the hard plastic shell 172. As discussed in detail below, the relative inelasticity of the hard plastic shell 172 relative to the sleeve 104 enables the user to insert the hard plastic shell 172 into the opening 140 to deform the fabric around the opening 140 to enlarge the opening 140 and enable the first portion 152 of the pad element 108 to be inserted into the pocket 112.
To use the guard arrangement 100, the user dons the sleeve 104, which, in the illustrated embodiment, is a compression sleeve pulled over the user's arm. In particular, for use by a batter in baseball, the sleeve is worn with the opening 140 facing the distal end of the batter's arm (see, e.g.,
The user then aligns the end of the first portion 152 of the pad element 108 with the opening 140 of the pocket 112, as depicted in
Since the sleeve 104 is formed of an elastic material and the pad element 108 has a relatively inelastic hard plastic shell 172, the size and shape of the opening 140 are adjustable. The sleeve 104 stretches elastically from the force exerted by the user pressing the pad element 108 into the opening 140 to expand the opening 140 and enable the widest section of the first portion 152 of the pad element 108 to pass between the inwardly extending legs 122, 134 and through the opening 140 at the mouth of the pocket 112 to the installed position, shown in
The widest section of the first portion 152, at W7, is configured to fit complementarily in the recesses 124, 136 of the pocket 112, while the inwardly extending legs 122, 136 fit complementarily in the notches 162, 164 of the pad element 108. The intermediate portion 160 is partially enclosed in the pocket 112, and partially extending outside the opening 140 of the pocket 112. The pad element 108 is locked or generally secured in the pocket 112 by the interaction between the first and intermediate portions 152, 160 of the relatively inelastic hard plastic shell 172 of the pad element 108 and the elastic compression of the sleeve 104 such that the pad element 108 is prevented from falling out of the pocket 112 without external force being applied to the pad element 108. Since the pad element 108 is secured in the pocket 112, the user can bend his or her elbow, for example to hold a baseball bat in a hitting stance (
Moreover, as illustrated in
Once the user is done batting, or otherwise desires to remove the pad element 108, the user manipulates the second portion 154, which extends out from the pocket 112, to pull the pad element 108 out from the pocket 112.
In the illustrated embodiment, the guard arrangement 100 is designed to be worn by a batter on the elbow region of his or her arm that is facing toward the pitcher. In the embodiment illustrated in
While the described embodiment illustrates an elbow guard, the reader should appreciate that the sleeve and pad arrangement could be used for other sports and/or at other positions on the user's body. For example, the notch arrangement of the pocket and pad element is useful to retain a soccer player's shin guard in position while playing, but enable the pad to be inserted and removed easily. Other examples where the disclosed pad arrangement is useful are lacrosse pads, hockey pads, certain football pads, for example knee pads, baseball catchers' pads, volleyball knee or elbow pads, pads for motorcycle riders, and any other desired padding arrangement.
It will be appreciated that variants of the above-described and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems, applications or methods. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art that are also intended to be encompassed by the foregoing disclosure.
This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/478,995 entitled “Removable Pad Arrangement,” filed Apr. 4, 2017, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/318,934 entitled “Removable Pad Arrangement,” filed Apr. 6, 2016, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20190388768 A1 | Dec 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62318934 | Apr 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15478995 | Apr 2017 | US |
Child | 16455293 | US |