Abstract:
A pad including a member provided by a substantially rigid sheet material having a crease formed therein to define first and second member portions that are yieldably positionable relative to one another about the crease and within a defined range of motion, a cushion secured adjacent the first member portion opposite the second member portion, and a covering substantially encasing the yieldable member and the cushion.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to pads. More particularly, this invention relates to a jaw pad for use with a helmet. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Football helmets typically include pads positioned adjacent the jaw area of a user. These pads are generally foam encased in a plastic covering material. There remains a need in the art for an improved construction for pads in general and, in particular, pads for placement adjacent the jaw area of a user. 
     Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pad. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pad for use with a helmet. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a pad of the character described that is suitable for protecting the jaw area of a user. 
     A still farther object of the invention is to provide a pad of the character described that is economical to produce and uncomplicated in configuration. 
     With regard to the foregoing and other objects, the present invention is directed to a pad. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the pad includes a member provided by a substantially rigid sheet material having a crease formed therein to define first and second member portions that are yieldably positionable relative to one another about the crease and within a defined range of motion, a cushion secured adjacent the first member portion opposite the second member portion, and a covering substantially encasing the yieldable member and the cushion. 
     In another aspect, the invention relates to a helmet having such a pad. 
     In still another aspect, the invention relates to a method for making a pad. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the method includes the steps of providing a yieldable member provided by a donut-shaped portion of a substantially rigid, bendable sheet material, forming a crease yieldable member to substantially bisect the yieldable member and defme a pair of member portions that are yieldably positionable relative to one another about the crease; securing a cushion to an outward facing portion of one of the member portions and encasing the thus formed combination of the yieldable member and cushion within a covering material. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the detailed description of preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale, wherein like reference numbers, indicate like elements through the several views, and wherein, 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a jaw pad in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the pad of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional end view of the pad of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a disk component of the pad of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a side plan view of a padding component of the pad of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a side plan view of an attachment component of the pad of FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 are plan views of covering components of the pad of FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 9 a - 9   d  show preferred steps in the manufacture of the pad of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a helmet and jaw pads in accordance with the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to FIGS. 1-3, the invention relates to a pad  10  that is particularly suitable for use with a sporting helmet, such as a football helmet. The pad includes as its components a disk  12  (FIG. 4) of a polymeric material, a cushion  14  (FIG.  5 ), attachment member  16  (FIG. 6) and covering portions  18  (FIG. 7) and  20  (FIG.  8 ). 
     The disk  12  is preferably a donut-shaped portion of a substantially rigid plastic material, preferably having a thickness of from about {fraction (1/32)} to about {fraction (3/32)} of an inch, most preferably about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch. The disk  12  is preferably elliptical (egg-shaped) or circular (as shown in FIG.  4 ). For an elliptical disk, it is preferred that the major diameter is from about 4 to about 6 inches, most preferably about 5 inches, and the minor diameter is from about 4 to about 4½ inches, most preferably about 4¼ inches. For a circular disk  12 , the disk  12  preferably has a diameter of from about  4  to about 6 inches, most preferably about 5 inches. 
     The disk  12  further includes a central cutout portion  22  that is preferably either elliptical or circular, with its diameter dimensions ranging from about 2 to about 4 inches, most preferably about 2½ inches for a circular cutout portion. An elliptical cutout portion preferably has a major diameter of about 2½ inches and a minor diameter of about 2 inches. 
     The cushion  14  is preferably a half-circle of a foam material having a thickness of from about ⅛ to about ½ inch, most preferably about ¼ inch. The cushion  14  is sized to overlie approximately one-half of the disk  12  and includes opposite face surfaces  24  and  25 , one of which is preferably securable, as by adhesive, to the disk  12 . 
     The attachment member  16  is preferably provided by a U-shaped strip of a flexible sheet material, such as a plastic material  26 , onto which is secured a plurality of snap members  28  configured to matingly engage corresponding snap members affixed to an inner surface of a helmet with which the pad is to be used. For example, the snap members  28  may be female snap members for engaging male snap members on the helmet. The plastic material  26  has opposite sides  30  and  31 . The snap members  28  have two portions, one of which is positioned on either side of the plastic material, and press-fit together to secure the snap members  28  to the plastic material  26 . The attachment member  16  is secured to the pad  10  by securing the side  31  to a portion of the covering  18 . 
     The covering portions  18  and  20  are provided by portions of a flexible sheet material, such as vinyl. The portion  18  is preferably circular or elliptical in shape and the portion  20  is generally diamond-shaped. 
     The portion  18  further includes a central cutout portion  32  that is preferably either elliptical or circular. 
     With reference to FIGS. 9 a - 9   d , the pad  10  is preferably assembled by folding the disk  12  (with the cushion  14  secured thereto) about its center-line to impart a crease  34  at the center-line of the disk  12 . The crease  34  remains, with the disk relaxing in the absence of pressure so that free edges  36  and  38  of the disk  12  are spaced a distance D of from about 1½ to about 2½ inches. Accordingly, imparting the crease  34  renders the disk  12  bent to provide sides  40  and  42  which are yieldably positionable relative to one another. 
     The thus assembled pad  10  is then enclosed within a covering provided by the covering portions  18  and  20 . With the disk  12  squeezed together so that the distance D is slightly less than its fully relaxed dimension, the covering portions  18  and are positioned around the disk  12  and sewn as by stitching  44  or otherwise joined together so that the disk  12  is fully encased. In this regard, the portion  18  is preferably positioned so that the cutout  32  overlies the cutout  22  of the disk. As will be appreciated, the portion  18  substantially overlies the flat surfaces of the disk  12 . The portion  20  is positioned to that it extends around the remaining exposed portion of the disk  12 . The meeting edges of the covering portions  18  and  20  are then secured together, as by stitches, and the cutout  32  closed as by stitching the edges thereof together. The attachment member  16  is then secured to a portion of the covering portion  18  opposite the cushion  14 , as by adhesively securing the side  31  to the covering. 
     Turning to FIG. 10, the assembled pad  10  may then be installed on a helmet  50 . The helmet  50  preferably includes attachment members  52  secured to an inner surface of the helmet adjacent portions of the helmet interior so that they will be adjacent jaw areas of a user wearing the helmet. The female snap members  28  frictionally engage the male members  52  to enable the pad  10  to be retained in position on the helmet. 
     As will be appreciated, the sides  40  and  42  of the assembled pad  10  are yieldably positionable relative to one another within a range of motion defined by the relative positions of the edges  36  and  38 . That is, in the absence of pressure upon the pad, the distance D between the edges  36  and  38  will be their relaxed distance, or slightly less, if the covering is installed in a manner which slightly urges or squeezes the edges toward one another. This distance is preferably from about 1½ to about  2  ½ inches for a jaw pad for use with an adult-sized football helmet. 
     As will be appreciated, the crease will tend to maintain the edges  36  and  38  at their maximum spacing. When a force is exerted upon the pad, as by a user receiving force applied to the jaw area of the helmet, this force will tend to urge the sides  36  and  38  toward one another. Thus, force is transferred to overcome the bias of the crease  22  and urge the sides  40  and  42  toward one another. In the presence of sufficient force, the sides  40  and  42  will contact one another so that the relative spacing between the edges  36  and  38  is zero. At this point, in the presence of sufficient force to overcome the compressive resistance of the cushion, the cushion may compress further absorbing force and reducing force applied to the jaw of the user. 
     The foregoing description of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been provided for purposes of illustration only, and it is understood that numerous modifications or alterations may be made in and to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.