Title: Shoulder pads with integral arm protectors
Abstract: The invention provides a protective upper body assembly comprising shoulder pads, a pair of arm protectors, and suspending means. The shoulder pads include a frontal padding element linked to a dorsal padding element by a pair of shoulder arches. Two rigid shells are connected to the shoulder arches and overlie the extremities of the shoulders. With respect to the arm protectors, the latter are capable of being integrally connected to the shoulder pads and each comprises an upper arm protector and a lower arm protector. An elbow shell bridges the lower arm protector and the upper arm protector.
Patent Number: 6,845,522 Issued on 01/25/2005 to Beland
| Inventors:
|
Beland; Jean-Fran.cedilla.ois (St-Laurent, CA)
|
| Assignee:
|
Bauer Nike Hockey Inc. (St-Jerome, CA)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
011721 |
| Filed:
|
December 11, 2001 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Current U.S. Class: |
2/461; 2/16 |
| Intern'l Class: |
A41D 013/00 |
| Field of Search: |
2/459,461,462,463,467,44,45,268,92,455,102,16,908
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
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| 3088115 | May., 1963 | Groot.
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| 3166760 | Jan., 1965 | Rasmussen.
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| 3431560 | Mar., 1969 | Austin.
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| 3509579 | May., 1970 | Morgan.
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| 3528106 | Sep., 1970 | Austin.
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| 3739397 | Jun., 1973 | Truelove.
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| 3867726 | Feb., 1975 | Owl et al.
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| 4295227 | Oct., 1981 | Mitchell | 2/462.
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| 4320537 | Mar., 1982 | Mitchell.
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| 4501023 | Feb., 1985 | Bilberry.
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| 4516273 | May., 1985 | Gregory et al.
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| 4590622 | May., 1986 | Wolfe et al.
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| 4610035 | Sep., 1986 | Mattila.
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| 4654893 | Apr., 1987 | Meyers et al.
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| 4675912 | Jun., 1987 | Kirkland.
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| 4697285 | Oct., 1987 | Sylvester.
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| 4698845 | Oct., 1987 | Cosby.
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| 4821339 | Apr., 1989 | Fair.
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| 4982447 | Jan., 1991 | Henson.
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| 4996720 | Mar., 1991 | Fair.
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| 5007108 | Apr., 1991 | Laberge et al.
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| 5065457 | Nov., 1991 | Henson.
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| 5107542 | Apr., 1992 | Zide et al.
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| 5159715 | Nov., 1992 | Jurga et al.
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| 5173964 | Dec., 1992 | Ball et al.
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| 5204993 | Apr., 1993 | Siemens.
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| 5390368 | Feb., 1995 | Chang.
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| 5398339 | Mar., 1995 | Wagner.
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| 5623728 | Apr., 1997 | Wagner.
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| 5987654 | Nov., 1999 | Chartrand.
| |
| 6247188 | Jun., 2001 | Beland.
| |
Primary Examiner: Patel; Tejash
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A protective upper body assembly for forward and defense positions in
hockey and similar sporting activities, said protective upper body
assembly comprising:
i) shoulder pads including:
(a) a frontal padding element;
(b) shoulder arches;
(c) a dorsal padding element, said dorsal padding element linked by said
shoulder arches to said frontal padding element; and
(d) two rigid shells overlying the extremities of the shoulders, said rigid
shells connected to said shoulder arches;
ii) arm protectors adapted for attachment to said shoulder pad, each said
arm protector comprising:
(a) an upper arm protector for protecting the upper arm of a wearer, said
upper arm protector at least partially covering the biceps of the wearer;
(b) a lower arm protector for protecting the lower arm of the wearer, said
lower arm protector at least partially surrounding the lower arm of the
wearer; and
(c) an elbow shell between said upper arm protector and said lower arm
protector for protecting the elbow of the wearer, said elbow shell at
least partially surrounding the elbow of the wearer; and
iii) suspending means for retaining said arm protectors to said shoulder
pads.
2. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said
suspending means are adapted to vary the distance between said arm
protectors and said shoulder pads.
3. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said
suspending means comprise straps and rings.
4. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said
straps comprise hooks and loops fasteners.
5. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said
strap is integrally connected to said arm protector and said ring is
integrally connected to said shoulder pads.
6. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said
frontal padding element comprises:
(a) a pair of chest padding elements;
(b) a sternum padding element, said sternum padding element positioned in
middle of said chest padding element;
(c) a pair of side padding elements; and
(d) an abdominal padding element, said abdominal padding element positioned
below said pair of chest padding elements and said sternum padding element
and adjacent to said pair of side padding elements.
7. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein said
frontal padding element is made of foam material covered by layers of
woven synthetic yarn.
8. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said
upper arm protector covers the entire biceps of the wearer.
9. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein said arm
protectors comprise means for adjusting the fit of said arm protectors.
10. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein said
means for adjusting the fit of said arm protectors are pull tabs.
11. A protective upper body assembly for forward and defense positions in
hockey and similar sporting activities, said protective upper body
assembly comprising:
i) shoulder pads including:
(a) a frontal padding element;
(b) shoulder arches; and
(c) a dorsal padding element, said dorsal padding element linked by said
shoulder arches to said frontal padding element;
ii) arm protectors adapted for attachment to said shoulder pad, each said
arm protector comprising:
(a) an upper arm protector for protecting the upper arm of a wearer, said
upper arm protector at least partially covering the biceps of the wearer;
(b) a lower arm protector for protecting the lower arm of the wearer, said
lower arm protector at least partially surrounding the lower arm of the
wearer; and
(c) an elbow shell between said upper arm protector and said lower arm
protector for protecting the elbow of the wearer, said elbow shell at
least partially surrounding the elbow of the wearer; and
iii) suspending means for retaining said arm protectors to said shoulder
pads.
12. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein said
suspending means are adapted to vary the distance between said arm
protectors and said shoulder pads.
13. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said
suspending means comprise straps and rings.
14. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein said
straps comprise hooks and loops fasteners.
15. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein said
strap is integrally connected to said arm protector and said ring is
integrally connected to said shoulder pads.
16. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein said
frontal padding element comprises:
(a) a pair of chest padding elements;
(b) a sternum padding element, said sternum padding element positioned in
middle of said chest padding element;
(c) a pair of side padding elements; and
(d) an abdominal padding element, said abdominal padding element positioned
below said pair of chest padding elements and said sternum padding element
and adjacent to said pair of side padding elements.
17. A protective upper body assembly for forward and defense positions in
hockey and similar sporting activities, said protective upper body
assembly comprising:
(a) shoulder pads for protecting the thoracic region of a wearer;
(b) upper arm protectors for protecting the upper arm of the wearer and
adapted for attachment to said shoulder pads;
(c) a first set of fasteners for adjustably connecting said upper arm
protectors to said shoulder pads;
(d) elbow pads at least partially surrounding the elbow of the wearer and
being adapted for attachment to said upper arm protectors; and
(e) a second set of fasteners for adjustably connecting said elbow pads to
said upper arm protectors.
18. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 17, wherein said
first set of fasteners includes a first strap comprising hooks and loops
fasteners.
19. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 18, wherein said
first strap is integrally connected to said upper arm protector, said
first strap being adapted for insertion into a ring that is fixedly
attached to said shoulder pads.
20. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 18, wherein said
second set of fasteners includes a second strap comprising hooks and loops
fasteners.
21. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 20, wherein said
second strap is integrally connected to said upper arm fastener, said
second strap being adapted for insertion into a ring that is fixedly
connected to said elbow pad.
22. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said
elbow shell integrally bridges said lower arm protector and said upper arm
protector.
23. A protective upper body assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein said
elbow shell integrally bridges said lower arm protector and said upper arm
protector.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to protective equipment for hockey and other
such sporting activities. More specifically, the invention relates to a
protective upper body assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, security has become an issue of ever-increasing importance
in professional and amateur sports. Sports such as hockey are rapidly
evolving and becoming more physically demanding, since players are
generally bigger and stronger than they ever were. Moreover, contemporary
players are also quicker due, in part, to improvements in skate
technology. Consequently, protective equipment such as shoulder pads and
elbow pads must also evolve to better suit the needs of today's players.
Conventional wisdom has to date dictated that elbow pads and shoulder pads
are two distinctive protective items that function independently when
worn. Thus, the shoulder pads, which typically feature upper arm
protectors, provide protection to the shoulder and upper arm regions of
the player while the elbow pads protect the sensitive area of the arm
where the cubitus bone is vulnerable at the elbow point. Moreover,
traditional elbow pads also protect the upper forearm and the lower biceps
areas; the latter being immediately adjacent the elbow joint.
A deficiency typically associated with the above-mentioned protective
equipment is the fact that the elbow pad, when in use, has a tendency to
slide down the arm of the wearer. Thus, this results in a situation that
is cumbersome to the player and which might also distract the latter.
Furthermore, the resulting situation also impedes the level of protection
since the elbow pad is no longer in its ideal position and portions of the
arm are left exposed to injuries. A method frequently used to overcome the
above-mentioned deficiency consists in wrapping tape around the elbow pad
and thereby securing it against motion. However, this solution often
affects the overall comfort of the wearer since an adequate level of
tightness is relatively hard to attain. Moreover, it is especially
cumbersome to remove after use.
Another deficiency that is common when using traditional elbow pads and
shoulder pads can be attributed to the growth of young players' limbs.
More specifically, the gap that exists between the elbow pad and the upper
arm protector of the shoulder pad tends to widen with age if no
replacement equipment is obtained. Moreover, this problem is compounded by
the fact that new equipment tends to be fairly costly and thus, young
players have a habit of trying to keep their equipment as long as
possible. This results in an increasing area of the upper arm that is not
protected and is therefore subject to injury.
There is therefore a need in the sports industry for shoulder and elbow
pads that can offer an enhanced level of protection as required by
contemporary athletes and that can also be adjusted to better accommodate
differently sized players and their equipment preferences.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a protective upper body
assembly having an enhanced level of protection which overcomes some of
the disadvantages of the prior art.
In accordance with a first broad aspect, the invention provides a
protective upper body assembly comprising shoulder pads, a pair of arm
protectors, and suspending means. More specifically, the shoulder pads
include a frontal padding element linked to a dorsal padding element by a
pair of shoulder arches. Two rigid shells are connected to the shoulder
arches and overlie the extremities of the shoulders. With respect to the
arm protectors, the latter are capable of being integrally connected to
the shoulder pads and each comprises an upper arm protector and a lower
arm protector. An elbow shell bridges the lower arm protector and the
upper arm protector.
Preferably, the protective upper body assembly's suspending means comprise
straps and rings for adjusting the distance between the arm protectors and
the shoulder pads. More specifically, the straps, which are integrally
connected to the arm protectors, feature hooks and loops fasteners that
are adapted to couple the arm protectors with the shoulder pads via the
rings, the latter being fixedly attached to the shoulder arches of the
shoulder pads.
Advantageously, the frontal padding element of the protective upper body
assembly comprises a chest padding element, a sternum padding element, a
pair of side padding elements, and an abdominal padding element. More
specifically, the sternum padding element is located in the center of the
chest padding element while the abdominal padding element, positioned in
the center of the pair of side padding elements, is below the chest
padding element and the sternum padding element.
An advantage of the protective upper body assembly is that the arm
protectors cover the entire biceps area of the wearer. As a consequence,
the latter is less subject to injury. Moreover, the position of the arm
protectors relative to that of the shoulder pads can be varied via the
suspending means. Thus, the protective upper body assembly is capable of
being adapted to satisfy the needs and requirements of individual players.
Under a second broad aspect, the invention provides a protective upper body
assembly comprising shoulder pads, left and right arm protectors, and
suspending means. More specifically, the shoulder pads include a frontal
padding element coupled to a dorsal padding element by means of shoulder
arches. Each arm protector, which is retained to the shoulder pads by
means of suspending means, comprises an upper arm protector, a lower arm
protector, and an elbow shell.
In a specific example of implementation of the invention, the suspending
means, which are adapted to vary the distance between the arm protectors
and the shoulder pads, comprise straps and rings as well as hooks and
loops fasteners. Moreover, frontal padding element includes, more
precisely, a pair of chest padding elements, a sternum padding element, a
pair of side padding elements, and an abdominal padding element.
Under another broad aspect, the invention provides a protective upper body
assembly comprising shoulder pads as well as left and right arm
protectors. Each of the latter includes an upper arm protector and a lower
arm protector. An elbow shell bridges the upper arm protector and the
lower arm protector.
In yet another broad aspect, the invention provides a protective upper body
assembly comprising shoulder pads, left and right upper arm protectors,
and left and right elbow pads. A first set of fasteners is included to
adjustably connect each upper arm protector to the shoulder pads. A second
set of fasteners is also included to adjustably connect each elbow pad to
its corresponding upper arm protector.
In a specific example of implementation of the invention, the first and
second set of fasteners each comprise a strap including hooks and loops
fasteners. Both straps are integrally connected to the upper arm
protectors.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to
those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following
description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with
the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention is
provided herein below, by way of example only, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a front view of a protective upper body assembly constructed in
accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the protective upper body assembly depicted in
FIG. 1, with the rigid shells of the shoulder pads shown in elevated
position;
FIG. 3 is a back view of the protective upper body assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a medial view of a right arm protector as used in the protective
upper body assembly depicted in FIG. 1, shown unfastened;
FIG. 5 is a lateral view of the right arm protector depicted in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a lateral view of the right arm protector depicted in FIG. 5,
when in a fastened position;
FIG. 7 is a front view of a protective upper body assembly constructed in
accordance with a variant;
FIG. 8 is a front view of the shoulder pads of the protective upper body
assembly depicted in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a rear view of the shoulder pads depicted in FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of an upper arm protector, the upper arm
protector being disassembled from the shoulder pads in order to show the
fasteners which enable the coupling of the elbow pads and the shoulder
pads;
FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the upper arm protector depicted in
FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a rear elevational view of an elbow pad of the protective upper
body assembly depicted in FIG. 7;
FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the elbow pad depicted in FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is a rear view of the elbow pad of FIG. 12 when coupled with the
upper arm protector of FIG. 10; and
FIG. 15 is a side view of the elbow pad of FIG. 12 when coupled with the
upper arm protector of FIG. 10, the stippled lines showing the elbow pad
in its most extended position relative to the shoulder pads.
In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by
way of examples. It is to be expressly understood that the description and
the drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and as an aid to
understanding. They are not intended to be a definition of the limits of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown a first non-limiting example of
implementation of the present inventive concept. FIG. 1 illustrates a
protective upper body assembly, designated by the reference numeral 100,
which is particularly suited for playing the game of ice hockey and other
similar sporting activities including roller and street hockey. Protective
upper body assembly 100 comprises shoulder pads 102 and integrated arm
protectors 104, 104a adjustably connected to shoulder pads 102.
More specifically, shoulder pads 102 comprise a pair of chest padding
elements 112, 112a as well as a sternum padding element 114; the latter
being located in the center of chest padding elements 112, 112a.
Positioned immediately below the pair of chest padding elements 112, 112a
and sternum padding element 114, and integrally connected to the above, is
an abdominal padding element 116. Side padding elements 119, 119a are
provided on both sides of abdominal padding element 116. Thus, complete
frontal protection is provided by the multiple frontal padding elements,
namely: the pair of chest padding elements 112, 112a, sternum padding
element 114, abdominal padding element 116, and side padding elements 119,
119a Shoulder arches 124, 124a connect the respective chest padding
element 112, 112a to a dorsal padding element 107 and, in doing so, define
an opening 135 through which the wearer inserts his or her head. Dorsal
padding element 107, which is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3, provides
protection to the upper and lower back areas of the wearer. The frontal
and dorsal padding elements can be made of any suitable material or
composition to provide the degree of cushioning and protection that is
desired. For example, they can be formed from a relatively thick foam
material covered by layers of woven synthetic yarn. More particularly,
they can comprise a closed cell foam of ethylene vinyl acetate covered by
mesh outer layers of a woven synthetic material such as polyester.
The shoulder pads 102 also comprise a pair of molded shoulder caps 110,
110a shaped in such a manner as to overlie the right and left shoulder
extremities respectively. The molded shoulder caps 110, 110a, which are
generally made from any rigid material commonly used in the art, are
integrally and pivotally connected to the shoulder pads 102 via shoulder
arch pads 124, 124a. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the molded shoulder
caps 110, 110a are capable of being moved up and down about their
respective attachment points such as to allow a complete range of motion
to the wearer of the protective upper body assembly 100. FIG. 2, more
specifically, shows the molded shoulder caps 110, 110a at their highest
position. Although not shown in the figures, the molded shoulder caps 110,
110a could additionally comprise an inner padding element being operative
to dampen the intensity of blows received in the general vicinity of the
shoulder caps.
FIGS. 4 and 5 depict the right arm protector 104 of FIGS. 1 to 3. It should
be understood that the right arm protector 104 is a mirror image of left
arm protector 104a and is otherwise of identical construction. FIGS. 4 and
5 show right arm protector 104 in its unfastened state prior to its
mounting to shoulder pads 102. More specifically, FIG. 4 is a medial view
of arm protector 104 while FIG. 5 is a lateral view of the latter. As
depicted, arm protector 104 includes a lower arm protector 308 and an
upper arm protector 306. A rigid elbow shell 304 covers and protect the
elbow point of the wearer and integrally bridges lower arm protector 308
and upper arm protector 306. Thus, lower arm protector 308, which
surrounds the lower arm area of the wearer, provides protection to the
upper part of the lower arm; the latter region requiring protection since
conventional hockey gloves only cover the lower extremity of the lower
arm. Moreover, the upper arm protector 306, featuring more padding on its
outer side than on its inner side, provides protection to the entire upper
arm. Elbow shell 304 surrounds a substantial portion of the elbow area and
thereby protects the sensitive area adjacent the elbow point.
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, arm protector 104 also comprises a strap 302
attached to the inner side of upper arm protector 306. As depicted in FIG.
5, the strap 302 also includes a hooks section 303 at its upper extremity.
Moreover, a loops section 305 is located at the upper and outer extremity
of upper arm protector 306. Strap 302 extends through a ring 118 that is
fixedly attached underneath molded shoulder caps 110, 110a; this feature
being shown in FIG. 2. More precisely, the rings 118, which can be made of
any suitable material such as plastic and the like, are pivotally
connected to the extremities of the shoulder arches 124, 124a of the
shoulder pads 102. It should be noted that the width of the aperture
defined by the ring 118 is lesser than that of strap 302 at its
extremities since strap 302 is shaped in the form of an hourglass. Thus,
strap 302 is retained within the ring 118 in a secure fashion. FIG. 6
shows the arm protector 104 in its fastened state when the hooks section
303 of strap 302 has been coupled with the loops section 305 of upper arm
protector 306. In such a position, strap 302 is folded upon itself and the
arm protector 104 is thereby attached to shoulder pads 102 and thus
defines protective upper body assembly 100. As a consequence, the arm
protectors 104, 104a, being secured to shoulder pads 102, are thereby
prevented from sliding up and down the arm of the wearer when the latter
is engaged in physical activity. Although FIGS. 4 to 6 depict that a strap
combined with hooks and loops fasteners enable the coupling of arm
protector 104 to shoulder pads 102, it should be expressly understood that
any other type of fastening means such as buckles and the like can also be
used and do not detract from the spirit of the invention.
As depicted in FIG. 4, a pull tab 312 is also attached to the upper arm
protector 306 and enables the wearer to position the latter by providing a
gripping means so that the wearer can easily pull on the arm protector 104
when the protective upper body assembly 100 is worn. A second pull tab
310, located at the upper end of lower arm protector 308, is provided to
enable the wearer to position the lower arm protector 308.
A further advantage of the protective upper body assembly 100 is that the
position of the arm protectors 104, 104a is adjustable relative to that of
the shoulder pads 102. More specifically, the hooks and loops section 303,
305 that respectively characterize the strap 302 and the upper arm
protector 306 define a relatively large surface area. This implies that
the areas of the hooks 303 and loops section 305 that are coupled together
do not have to correspond exactly. Consequently, the position of the arm
protectors 104, 104a can be adjusted relative to that of the shoulder pads
102. Thus, the protective upper body assembly 100 can be adapted to suit
differently shaped players as well as their personal equipment
preferences.
When worn, the user slides the protective upper body assembly 100 over his
or her head and then inserts his or her right and left arms into arm
protectors 104 and 104a respectively. The user then grips the pull tabs
312 associated with each arm protector and pulls it to position the upper
arm protectors 306 at a desired location. Pull tabs 310, 310a are then
pulled to position lower arm protectors 308, 308a in a snug fashion around
the lower arm. Subsequent equipment placement adjustments can be done at
any time via each set of pull tabs.
FIGS. 7 to 15 depict a variant of the invention. More specifically, FIG. 7
illustrates a protective upper body assembly, designated by the reference
numeral 700, which comprises shoulder pads 702 and integrated elbow pads
704, 704a. In this variant, one of the main differences resides in the
fact that the upper arm protectors 717, 717a are capable of being
adjustably connected to the elbow pads 704, 704a as well as to the
shoulder pads 702.
As depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9, shoulder pads 702 comprise a primary padding
element 714 and a secondary padding element 712 underlying the primary
padding element 714. Primary padding element 714 and secondary padding
element 712, as corroborated by the figures, provide complete frontal and
dorsal protection to the wearer's thoracic region. More specifically,
primary padding element 714, in the front, protects the user's sternum,
chest, and abdominal regions. From a dorsal perspective, primary padding
element 714, which is V-shaped, follows the spinal cord and thereby offers
enhanced protection to this very sensitive region of the human body.
Secondary padding element 712 provides protection to both side thoracic
regions as well as to the lower back. As shown in the figures, a pair of
adjustment straps 722, 722a are integrally connected, at one extremity, to
the lower sides of secondary padding element 712. At their opposite
extremities, adjustment straps 722, 722a feature hooks type fasteners 705,
705a (not shown but underlying the regions designated by the reference
numerals) that are adapted to engage the corresponding loops fasteners
(not shown) that characterize the lower front portions of secondary
padding element 712. Thus, unnecessary relative movement of the front and
dorsal components of shoulder pads 702 is minimized when protective upper
body assembly 700 is in use. Shoulder arches 724, 724a connect the frontal
and dorsal portions of secondary padding element 712.
The shoulder pads 702 also comprise a pair of molded shoulder caps 710,
710a that shaped in such a manner as to overlie the right and left
shoulder extremities respectively. The molded shoulder caps 710, 710a,
which are generally made from any rigid material commonly used in the art,
are integrally and pivotally connected to the shoulder pads 702 via
shoulder arch pads 724, 724a. As in the previous embodiment, molded
shoulder caps 710, 710a are capable of being moved up and down about their
attachment points such as to allow a complete range of motion to the
wearer of the protective upper body assembly 700. Although not shown, the
molded shoulder caps 710, 710a could additionally comprise an inner
padding element being operative to dampen the intensity of blows received
in the general vicinity of the shoulder caps. Right and left upper arm
protectors 717, 717a are capable of being integrally connected (as
described with reference to subsequent figures) to the inner portion of
each corresponding molded shoulder cap 710, 710a and thereby protect the
user's upper arm.
FIGS. 10 and 11 depict the right upper arm protector 717 of FIGS. 8 and 9.
It should be understood that right upper arm protector 717 is a mirror
image of left upper arm protector 717a and is otherwise of identical
construction. FIGS. 10 and 11 show right upper arm protector 717 in its
unfastened state prior to its mounting to shoulder pads 702. As depicted,
right upper arm protector 717, at its upper extremity, includes a strap
719 including hooks and loops fasteners 720 which enable its coupling to
shoulder pads 702. The latter feature will be described in greater detail
hereinafter. At its lower extremity, right upper arm protector 717
includes a second strap 725, that is similar to strap 719, and which also
includes hooks and loops fasteners 726; the latter being operative to
integrally connect upper arm protector 717 with elbow pad 704.
FIGS. 12 and 13 depict an elbow pad 704 that is adapted for use with
protective upper body assembly 700. As shown, elbow pad 704 comprises
first and second limb encircling bracelets 706, 708. A rigid elbow shell
709, shaped in such a manner as to overlie the elbow point, integrally
connects both limb encircling bracelets 706, 708 and thereby defines elbow
pad 704. Thus, elbow pad 704 provides protection to the elbow joint, as
well as to the upper and lower arm regions of the wearer. Both limb
encircling bracelets 706, 708 respectively comprise a strap with hooks and
loops fasteners 740, 742 (partially shown) that enable the user to adjust
the fit of elbow pad 704 according to his or her preferences. A ring 744
is also fixedly connected to the first limb encircling bracelet 706
immediately above rigid elbow shell 709. As illustrated in FIGS. 14 and
15, ring 744 defines an aperture through which strap 725 is inserted and
folded upon itself to connect the corresponding hooks and loops fasteners
726 together. Moreover, straps 719, 719a, which are located at the upper
extremity of each upper arm protector 717, 717a can also be inserted into
rings 746 that are fixedly connected to shoulder arches 724, 724a
underneath the molded shoulder caps 710, 710a, and subsequently folded
upon themselves to create a connection via hooks and loops fasteners 720.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, the coupling of these components results in
protective upper body assembly 700. FIG. 15 further shows, in stippled
lines, elbow pad at its most extracted position relative to upper arm
protector 717. The relatively large connection surface defined by the
hooks and loops fasteners situated on strap 725 yield a certain leeway
that permits such a displacement. Thus, the positioning of the upper arm
protectors 717, 717a relative to that of the shoulder pads 702 can be
adjusted as can the positioning of the elbow pads 704, 704a relative to
that of the upper arm protectors 717, 717a. Protective upper body assembly
700 can therefore be adjusted to conform to different player anatomies and
varying equipment preferences.
The above description of preferred embodiments should not be interpreted in
a limiting manner since other variations, modifications and refinements
are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The
scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their
equivalents.
*
