Patent ID: 9352210
Filing Date: 2016-05-31
CPC Classification: A41D,A63B

Claim Text:
1. Shoulder pads for use in a contact sport, comprising: a left shoulder pad portion and a right shoulder pad portion, each with anterior, superior and posterior portions; wherein the anterior portions depend from an anterior face of the superior portions and the posterior portions depend from a posterior face of the superior portions; wherein the right and left shoulder pad portions are in communication at the anterior, superior, and posterior portions; wherein the shoulder pads are sufficiently rigid when assembled to dissipate the energy created by an impact to a portion of the pads across substantially the entire shoulder pad; and a release mechanism enabling removal of the shoulder pads while the wearer is substantially in the supine position; wherein a first portion of the release mechanism is disposed on the posterior portions of the pads and wherein a second portion of the release mechanism is disposed on the superior portion of one of the left and right shoulder pad portions; and wherein the release mechanism is operable to laterally separate the posterior portion of the left shoulder pad portion from the posterior portion of the right shoulder pad portion from underneath the wearer while the wearer remains substantially in the supine position.