Abstract:
A protective limb guard device for use in athletic or sporting activities is provided wherein the device comprises layers of conformable impact absorbing material that are formed to meet the shape of the user&#39;s limbs without the need for custom fitting. The limb guard of the present invention may include an inflatable tube instead of a layer of impact absorbing material.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/173,033, filed Mar. 19, 2007, titled “Conforming Protective Leg Guard Device” which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    When athletes and other participants in contact sport such as soccer, hockey, rugby, football, baseball, etc. desire protection for their exposed limbs, they utilize some of the available devices such as padded socks, shin guards, and the like. These devices are meant to protect the shins and sometimes calf areas of the limb by providing a rigid outer shell, and in some cases, a soft material adhered to the rigid body wherein the soft side contacts the user&#39;s limb. Soccer is notable as most of the impact and injuries from the sports occur in the player&#39;s shins and calves. With the increasing popularity of soccer and participation in baseball and hockey, especially by the youth, preventable injuries should be minimized as much as possible. 
         [0003]    It is very common that a soccer player is impacted in the calf area as well as along the shin, and given the soft tissue in the calf area, with the force of such impacts causing many fractures. The typical shin guard offers some protection for the shin area, although it is now known that the effectiveness of such protection is not optimal. 
         [0004]    Typical shin guards are effective in absorbing about 70% of the impact energy and have less than optimal material to absorb large quantities of energy, which might explain the increasing number of fracture injuries, even when the user is wearing a shin guard. Further, shin guards are typically worn to protect the shin leaving the other spheres of the limb exposed to impact-type injuries. Due to the rigid materials that are used for shin guards, the product is typically preformed to sizes and users have to fit and use the available sizes, without regard to the uniqueness of the limb. In particular, there have not been any known manufactured limb guard for arms. 
         [0005]    It is therefore recognized that an athlete may be wearing a protective device such as a shin guard but does not gain the full protection that she needs for a contact sport. The need to offer increased protection for the exposed limbs in athletic activities is known. This invention discloses a full body protection for the limb area that is conformable to fit the shape of the limb and offers increased absorption for impact-type injuries. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present invention provides a conformable protective device for exposed limbs such as arm and leg parts from impact-type injuries, especially for athletic and sports activities. The present invention provides a conformable protective device that substantially protects the whole exposed limb and not only a side, as with the typical shin guard. The conformable protective device of the present invention preferably comprises an outer soft layer that substantially covers the conforming component of the protective device. The conforming component of the present invention is substantially flexible to form a fit in the manner of the shape of the user&#39;s limb to protect the whole—front, side and rear of the limb. 
         [0007]    The present invention also provides a multilayer device that provides for impact absorption, impact dissipation and residual absorption. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a protective device that can be sufficiently flexible to form around the user&#39;s limb and provide more than adequate protection against impact-type injuries. The flexibility of the device of the present invention provides an advantage over typical shin guards and calf guards as the protective device is preferably made from a single or even multiple devices for use to protect legs from injury. 
         [0008]    The present invention further provides a multilayer impact absorption material that may include a layer of gel, inflatable bulb or other solutions that may serve the impact modification purpose as well as being usable in a thin form as a protective device for athletes. 
         [0009]    These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the disclosures together with the included drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of a conformable protective device for limbs according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of a conformable protective device for limbs according to the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a conformable protective device for limbs showing the fit in a limb according to the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a conformable protective device for limbs showing the fit on an arm according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an expanded view of a conformable protective device for limbs according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is another expanded view of a conformable protective device for limbs according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an expanded and spread view of a 3-layer conformable protective device for limbs according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is an expanded and spread view of a 4-layer conformable protective device for limbs according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]      FIGS. 1-8  illustrate embodiments of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention depict in general, the invention and are not intended to be limiting. In this disclosure, terms such as conformable limb guard, protective device for limbs and conformable device are used interchangeably to represent the present invention of a device usable to protect limbs from impact-type injury associated with activities such as sports. The present invention provides a substantially conformable protective device usable to prevent impact-type injury in athletic events such as soccer, rugby, cricket, football, baseball, etc. wherein the shin, calf, arm or other limbs are exposed. The present invention provides a conformable material that forms to fit the limb of a user. Generally, the present invention provides a conformable protective device having layers wherein a first (an outermost) layer, even without a covering, serves to absorb an impact, at least a second layer serves to support the outermost and impact absorbing layer while reacting to the diminished impact force, and preferably a tertiary layer that absorbs any residual force. In each of these embodiments, the innermost layer may contact the skin of the user and is preferably suitable for such contact without any undue damage to the skin of the user. 
         [0019]    In particular,  FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in the form of a conformable limb guard  10  having a conformable shell  100  that covers at least three (3) layers of impact absorbing material. In some instances, a single layer serves as the conformable shell and the outermost impact absorbing layer  120 . In the illustrated embodiment, the outermost layer  120  is adhered or operably attached to the shell  100 . There is preferably an intermediate layer  130  and yet another layer of energy absorbing material  140 . While the conventional shin guard or other protective devices provide a hard and commonly pre-molded element as the outermost layer and inner layers of foam or other dampening material; the present invention provides at least three (3) layers of energy absorbing material formed to allow for a fit that is not pre-molded as described below. The outer conforming shell  100  of the present invention preferably is of the length that sufficiently covers the area of a limb that the user intends to protect from impact-based injury. In some instances, the conforming shell  100  covering may be decorative or have some insignia that displays form, language, advertisement, branding or a combination of such displays. The conforming shell  100  may be made of fabric or garment type material. This fabric or garment serves to cover the outer impact absorbing layer of the present invention. 
         [0020]    The outermost impact absorption layer  120  of the present invention is preferably made from material that is conformable and provides impact absorption. Such materials include Sorbathane, Impact Modified Polymethylmetracrylate (IM PMMA), High Molecular Weight High Density Polyethylene (HMW HDPE), Neoprene, latex, polypropylene, KEVLAR, 3D braided composites, and the like. The inventor recognizes the use of different materials for impact absorption and the advances yet to be made in such materials. This disclosure intends to utilize such advances as within the scope of this invention. The materials usable in the present invention are preferably effective in thin configurations to provide effectiveness without the unneeded bulkiness to make the product cumbersome to use. Each layer of the present invention is preferably made to absorb impact and dissipate the impact energy. Preferably, the outermost layer  120  is sufficiently conformable or malleable to be formed into the full limb protective device of the present invention as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the protective device of the present invention may be wrapped around the limb needing protection and may form a seam  110  as illustrated.  FIG. 2  is an embodiment of the present invention as it is fully formed about the limb of a user. 
         [0021]    In each instance according to the present invention, the layers, whether the innermost or the outermost impact absorption layers are preferable made from material that serve to absorb and dissipate the impact associated with the sports activities. Conventional shin guards provide an outermost rigid casing with a softer inner layer, in contrast to the present invention which provides conformable impact absorbing layers with each layer suitable to absorb the impact energy and prevent the injuries that are commonplace in such sport activities. Another benefit of the present invention is the ease in protecting the whole limb, not only the front or occasionally the back of the limb. The present invention provides coverage due to the conformability to all the limbs, thus providing an increased protection to the user. It is an added advantage that the user needs not be concerned about the shape of his or her limb, given the flexibility provided by the conformability of the device. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is an embodiment of the present invention illustrating the conformable protective device  30  as described in  FIG. 1  having an extended fabric portion  150 . Such fabric or garment portion according to the present invention may be an extension of the outer conforming shell  100  or a designed band to further secure the conformable device of the present invention when in use. 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is an embodiment of the present invention illustrating the conformable protective device for limbs  40  used on a front part of an arm. The conformable limb guard device of the present invention for an arm  400  is usable protect all sides of an arm and similar to the device as illustrated for the leg in  FIGS. 1-3 . It should be noted that the device of the present invention may be used to protect the upper arm (not shown). 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is an unwrapped embodiment  50  of the present invention displaying the ends  510  and  520  that are usable to attach one end to another end to form the conformable limb guard of the present invention. The ends  510  and  520  may be made from any combination of materials usable to operably attach or adhere two ends of the conformable material of the present invention. Such combinations may include zippers, Hook and Loop, Velcro® locking systems, repositionable adhesives, or other systems usable individually or in combination to operably attach or adhere the ends of the conformable limb guard. Where the closing or attachment systems include the use of an adhesive, such adhesives should be repositionable to facilitate multiple and repeated usage of the conformable limb guard. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , illustrating an embodiment of the present invention in a more rectangular pattern. While not wishing to be restricted to the illustrated embodiment, the recloseable portion of the protective device  610  and  620  is preferably broader to accommodate the variations in body contours and provide effective seal. As discussed in other embodiments, the ends of the layers of the present invention may comprise at least a means to close join or operably attach the ends to form the conformable protective device for limbs. In some cases, such closure means may be an adhesive, zipper or mechanical closing process or product such as Velcro® hook and loop systems. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are expanded and schematic illustrations of the 3- and 4-layer compositions according to the present invention. These illustrations show the layers of impact absorbing material that are usable in the present invention. 
         [0027]    A layer of the present invention, preferably not the outermost ones, may be an inflatable bulb instead of an impact absorbing material. The purpose of such inflatable layer would be to provide impact absorption in the inflated space. It is also recognized that a gel-filled layer suitable to absorb impact-type energies can be usable according to the present invention. If gels, inflatable bulbs, or other solution based impact absorption material is used in lieu of traditional impact absorption material, efforts to prevent the leakage or otherwise damage to the effectiveness of such layers should be incorporated. 
         [0028]    It is noteworthy that some of the structures described in the present invention in single terms, such as layer, seal, and the like, are for illustration only. More of these structures may be needed to effectively carry out this invention as disclosed. 
         [0029]    Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the present invention, those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that the teachings found herein may be applied to yet other embodiments.