Abstract:
An athletic garment for protecting genitals of a user includes shorts having a pair of leg receiving portions and a flap defining a pocket centered in a groin region. The pocket extends in front of a portion of each of the leg receiving portions. A protective shield is disposed within the pocket and includes an arch portion and left and right wings extending laterally outward from opposing sides of the arch portion. The left wing extends over a portion of one of the leg receiving portions and the right wing extends over a portion of the other of the leg receiving portions.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/914,508 filed Dec. 11, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This invention relates to protective shields for athletic competition that are intended to protect the groin area of a participant from injury. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In a wide variety of athletic competitions there is a risk of injury to a participant&#39;s groin area that may be caused by contact with another competitor, a flying projectile, or a fixed object. In sports such as hockey, baseball, lacrosse, and the like, a puck or ball potentially travelling at speeds greater than 100 miles per hour may be driven into contact with a participant. If the puck or ball is driven into the groin area of the participant a painful and debilitating injury may be suffered. 
         [0004]    Athletic cups placed within a supporter are the conventional form of protection from such injuries. Cups are uncomfortable and may impede leg movement while running or skating and may limit the participant&#39;s speed and effectiveness. Referring to  FIG. 1  a cup as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,156 is illustrated by way of example. If an object contacts the cup above the widest part of the cup, the force of the impact is applied to the pubic bone and the tendons and ligaments sides of the groin an may result in a painful injury. If an object contacts the cup below the widest part of the cup, the force of the impact may drive the cup into the participant&#39;s genitalia and may result in a more painful injury. 
         [0005]    A newer design of a cup sold under the trademark “The NuttyBuddy®” as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,921 is shown in  FIG. 2  to include a rigid shield that is contoured around the testicles and includes curved portions that extend above and below the part of the shield that protects sensitive areas near the testicles. This device, especially if not well fitted, may also impede leg movement while running or skating. This approach provides greater protection for the testicles but forces applied to the upper portion of the device must be absorbed by the abdominal muscle wall. Forces applied to the device to the lower portion of the device are directed to the tendons and ligaments on the sides of the groin area or the genitalia and may also result in a painful injury. 
         [0006]    The groin area shield disclosed in the attached drawings and the following description is directed to solving the above problems and other problems. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a prior art protective cup. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of a prior art contoured shield type of protective cup. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a groin area protective shield made according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a groin area protective shield made according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a groin area protective shield made according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY 
       [0014]    According to one aspect of this disclosure an athletic garment for protecting genitals of a user includes shorts having a pair of leg receiving portions and a flap defining a pocket centered in a groin region. The pocket extends in front of a portion of each of the leg receiving portions. A protective shield is disposed within the pocket and includes an arch portion and left and right wings extending laterally outward from opposing sides of the arch portion. The left wing extends over a portion of one of the leg receiving portions, and the right wing extends over a portion of the other of the leg receiving portions. Each of the wings may include an arcuate portion contoured to match the shape of a user&#39;s thigh. 
         [0015]    The athletic garment may also include raised ribs extending between the arch portion and each of the left and right wings to increase stiffness of the shield. Each of the left and right wings may also include at least one corner portion connected to each of the left and right wings by a living hinge. 
         [0016]    According to another aspect of this disclosure an athletic protection device includes a protective shield for protecting male genitals. The shield includes an arch portion shaped to protect the genitals, and a pair of wings extending from opposing sides of the arch portion to engage a thigh a user. 
         [0017]    The athletic protection device may also include raised ribs extending between the arch portion and each of the wings to increase stiffness of the shield. The athletic protection device may be secured to the user with compression shorts. The compression shorts may include a pair of leg receiving portions and a flap defining a pocket centered in a groin region and extending in front of a portion of each of the leg receiving portions. The protective shield may be disposed within the pocket with each of the wings extending in front of a portion of one of the leg receiving portions. 
         [0018]    The athletic protection device may also be attached to the compression shorts with hook and loop fasteners rather than a pocket. Here, the arch portion is centered over the groin region and each of the wings extends partly across one of the leg receiving portions. Each of the wings may be secured to the compression shorts with hook and loop fasteners. 
         [0019]    According to yet another aspect of this disclosure a protective shield for male genitals includes an arch portion shaped to shield the genitals, and left and right wings extending from opposing lateral sides of the arch portion. The left wing is shape to be held against the left thigh of a user and the right wing in shape to be held against the right thigh of the user. When in use, an impact to the arch portion is transferred to the first impact flow path extending between the arch portion and the right-wing, and into a second impact flow path extending between the arch portion and the left wing. The impact force applied to the arch portion is transferred along the first flow path into the right thigh, and is transferred along the second flow path into the left thigh. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    The illustrated embodiments are disclosed with reference to the drawings. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are intended to be merely examples that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. The specific structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as limiting, but as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to practice the disclosed concepts. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a groin area protective shield  10  made according to one aspect of this invention disclosure is illustrated. The groin area protective shield  10  includes a groin area arch  12  that is flanked on right and left sides by a right thigh support wing  16  and a left thigh support wing  18 . The groin area protection shield  10  is made from rigid polyethylene polymer filled with approximately 20% talc. Alternatively, the shield can be made from acrylic, polystyrene or polyurethane polymers that are filled or fiber reinforced to obtain the desired level of strength and stiffness. The groin area shield is either molded to shape or formed into shape from a flat blank of the desired polymer. The groin area shield  10  is intended to be used in place of a conventional cup. 
         [0022]    The top of the shield is defined by a top edge  20  and the bottom of the shield is defined by a bottom edge  22 . The top edge  20  includes an arch portion upper side  21 , a left wing upper side  23  and a right wing upper side  25 . The arch portion upper side  21  defines the upper most point of the top edge  22 . The upper sides  23 ,  25  are lower than the arch portion upper side  21 . (i.e. when worn, the upper sides  23 ,  25  are at a lower height than the arch portion upper side  21 .) 
         [0023]    The groin area arch  12  is of greater depth near the top edge  20  to conform to the shape of a person&#39;s lower abdomen just above the groin area. The depth of the groin area arch  12  is reduced in the lower portion of the groin area shield and is approximately co-extensive with the right thigh support wing  16  and the left thigh support wing  18  in the forward direction when worn by a person. Each of the wing  16 ,  18  includes an arcuate portion  24  sized and shaped to match a user&#39;s thigh for increased comfort and better fit. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , an alternative embodiment of a groin area protection shield  30  is illustrated that includes a plurality of bridging ribs  32  that provide additional reinforcement. The groin area protection shield  30  includes a groin area arch  36  that is flanked on right and left sides by a right thigh support wing  38  and a left thigh support wing  40 . The bridging ribs  32  extend from the groin area arch  36  to the right thigh support wing  38  and a left thigh support wing  40 . The bridging ribs  32  resist compression, or rearward deflection, of the groin area arch  36 . The bridging ribs  38  and  40  also function to maintain the shape of the groin area protection shield  30  across the width of the shield  30  and provide added impact strength. 
         [0025]    The top of the shield is defined by a top edge  42  and the bottom of the shield is defined by a bottom edge  44 . The top edge  42  includes an arch portion upper side  41 , a left wing upper side  43  and a right wing upper side  45 . The upper sides  43 ,  45  are lower than the arch portion upper side  41 . (i.e. when worn, the upper sides  43 ,  45  at a lower height than the arch portion upper side  41 .) 
         [0026]    As with the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the groin area arch  36  is of greater depth near the top edge  42  to conform to the shape of a person&#39;s lower abdomen just above the groin area. The depth of the groin area arch  36  is reduced in the lower portion of the groin area shield and is approximately co-extensive with the right thigh support wing  38  and the left thigh support wing  40  in the forward direction. The perimeter of the groin area protection shield  30  is shown with a rounded thickened edge  48  that adds to the structural rigidity of the shield  30  and also prevents chaffing or irritation of the skin by the shield. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 , the groin area protection shield  10  shown in  FIG. 3  is shown in a vertical cross-sectional view as worn by a person  50  over their genitalia  52  in a pair of compression shorts  56 . The right thigh support wing  16  and left thigh support wing  18  are held firmly against the top portion of the person&#39;s thighs by the compression shorts  56 . The compression shorts  56  may have a pair of leg receiving portions  64 , and a flap  62  that defines a pocket  58  for receiving the groin area protection shield  10  therein. The pocket  58  is centered over the genitalia or groin region  52  and extends in front of a portion of each of the leg receiving portions  64 . The left wing  18  extends over portion of one of the leg receiving portions and the right wing  16  extends over a portion of the other of the leg receiving portions. 
         [0028]    Alternatively, a strip of Velcro® hook and loop fastening material (not shown) may be provided on the groin area protection shield  10  and compression shorts  56  to hold the shield in place in front of the genitalia  52  in lieu of the pocket  58 . 
         [0029]    The arrow “A” shown in  FIG. 5  indicates the desired spacing between the groin area arch  12  and the person&#39;s genitalia  52 . The spacing “A” permits limited deflection of the shield  10  while preventing contact by the shield against the genitalia  52 . The groin area arch  12  of the groin area protection shield  10  extends from well above to a point below the person&#39;s genitalia  52 . The compression shorts  56  envelop the genitalia  52  from below restricting movement to a limited extent without impeding leg movement. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the groin area protection shield  10  shown in  FIG. 3  is shown from below in a horizontal cross-sectional view as worn by a person  50  over their genitalia  52  in a pair of compression shorts  56 . The arrow “A” again indicates the spacing between the groin area arch  12  and the genitalia  52 . Arrow “I” indicates an impact force applied to the groin area arch  12  in an athletic competition such as an impact from a hockey puck, a lacrosse ball, baseball, or the like. The impact force “I” is transferred by the groin area arch  12  to the right thigh wing  16  and the left thigh wing  18 . Force arrows “R” &amp; “L” indicate the forces that are, in turn, applied to the upper portion of the thighs  60 . The upper portions of the thighs  60  are protected by substantial muscle mass and resistant to injury unlike the sensitive genitalia or the tendons and ligaments on the sides of the person&#39;s groin area. 
         [0031]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , a similar transfer of the impact force occurs but the bridging ribs  38  and  40  increase the level of force that may be transferred from the groin area arch  12  to the right thigh wing  16  and the left thigh wing  18 . The bridging ribs also increase the resistance to compression of the groin area arch  12 . 
         [0032]    The left and right wings  16 ,  18  are held firmly against the user&#39;s thigh. In some embodiments the left and right wings  16 ,  18  are shaped to extend across the anterior portion  66  of the user&#39;s thigh muscle. The left and right wings  16 ,  18  may also be shaped to extend across at least a portion of the sartorius muscle  68  of the user&#39;s thigh. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , an alternative embodiment of a groin area protection shield  70  includes a groin area arch  72  that is flanked on right and left sides by a right thigh support wing  74  and a left side support wing  76 . Each of the wings  74 ,  76  includes an arcuate portion  78 . A plurality of ribs  80  extend between the arch portion  72  and each of the wings  74 ,  76 . Each of the wings  74 ,  76  includes at least one corner portion  82  flexibly attached to the wing with a living hinge  84 . 
         [0034]    In the illustrated embodiment, two living hinges  84  are diagonally oriented relative to an intermediate portion  96 . Two corner portions  82  are flexibly attached to the intermediate portion  96  by the living hinges  84 . The living hinges  84  are thinner than the corner portions  82  and the intermediate portions  96 . The living hinge  84  provides flexibility in the corner areas where the corner portions contact  82  the thighs while the intermediate portion provides stiffness that facilitates the transfer of the force of an impact applied to the groin area arch  72  to the thighs. 
         [0035]    A first flap  86  is attached to an outer edge of the right wing  74  with a pair of rivets  88 , and a second flap  90  is attached to an outer edge of the left-wing  76  with a pair of rivets  92 . Each of the flaps  86 ,  90  includes an attachment side  94  having hook and loop fasteners (i.e. Velcro®). Alternatively, the flaps may be omitted and the shield  70  may be received within a pocket on a pair of compression shorts. 
         [0036]    While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the disclosed apparatus and method. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as claimed. The features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosed concepts.