Patent ID: 9642402
Date: 2017-05-09
CPC Classifications: A41D

Claim:
1. An article constructed for protecting a participant in an athletic activity against injury to at least the coccyx of the participant, the article comprising: a core member constructed of an elastic composite that establishes a resistive load under deformation, the core member having a protective contour configuration including a central portion having an upper lobe and a lower lobe extending longitudinally along a curved path, the core member further having an outer face, an inner face and a predetermined thickness between the outer face and the inner face; and an outer shell integrated with the outer face of the core member, the outer shell having a contour configuration complementary to the protective contour configuration of the core member, and a thickness less than the predetermined thickness of the core member, wherein the core member and the outer shell have an arched configuration at rest from which the core member and the outer shell can flex during athletic activity, the outer shell being constructed with a degree of stiffness for biasing the elastic composite of the core member toward the protective contour configuration of the core member during conduct of the athletic activity, while enabling flexing of the article to accommodate the athletic activity, such that upon fitting the article over the coccyx of the participant, the core member will protect against an impact, while the outer shell will resist damage to the core member; and wherein the core member includes a pair of winged portions extending laterally in opposite corresponding directions from the lower lobe, each winged portion continuing the protective contour configuration for stabilizing the location of the central portion in juxtaposition with the coccyx of the participant, while extending the core member into juxtaposition with the buttocks of the participant during conduct of the athletic activity.