Protective glove elements with flexible materials in the joints

A conformable shielding for protective equipment including multiple shielding elements constructed from rigid, impact resistant material and a flexible material overlaying the elements. The material can include a connecting element joining the shielding elements. The connecting element can enable adjacent shielding elements to flex about a plurality of axes, relative to one another, and to extend outwardly from one another, and to retract toward one another. The connecting element can include an accordion structure positioned between adjacent shielding elements, and can be aligned with a joint of the appendage of the wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to protective equipment, and more particularly, to protective equipment having shielding components moveable relative to one another.

In contact and high impact sports, such as hockey, lacrosse, football, and motocross, participants are routinely subject to high impact forces generated by body blows, checks, falls, and/or hits with sticks or helmets. The participant's fingers, hands, elbows, knees and shoulders are especially vulnerable to injury when being forcibly impacted. Accordingly, participants typically wear padded equipment, such as gloves, elbow pads, knee pads and shoulder pads to protect the respective parts of their body.

Even while wearing the protective equipment, certain areas of a player's body can be susceptible to injury. Those areas usually correspond to locations where the protective equipment bends to enable flexing of an underlying joint, such as the wrist, knuckles, elbows, knees or shoulders. During such bending, the joint can be exposed if the protective equipment retracts from the underlying joint, leaving the joint susceptible to injury during flexion by impact forces.

Certain protective equipment includes individual segments of protective plates connected to one another at fixed, pivot joints to allow relative pivotal movement between the adjacent segments along a fixed, single axis of rotation. Although conventional pivot joints generally allow movement of the user's underlying joint, they also artificially constrain that movement because human joints do not generally pivot about a single, fixed axis of rotation.

Another issue with fixed pivot points corresponding to joints in protective equipment is that such constructions can be complicated and relatively costly. For example, pivoting parts of equipment attached at pivot points usually require pins or rivets installed through aligned holes in the pivoting parts. An example of this is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 381,687, which shows a baseball glove including multiple finger plates pivotally joined at pivot points with pins. The component and assembly costs of such pivoting constructions can be prohibitive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Protective equipment can be provided with shielding elements including multiple relatively rigid, impact resistant segments joined with one another by a flexible material, such as an elastomeric material. The material can enable the joined shielding elements to move, flex, twist, extend and/or retract relative to one another on or along fixed, non-fixed, single, multiple or compound axes.

In one embodiment, the material can include a connecting element extending between adjacent shielding elements. The connecting element can enable those shielding elements to flex about one or more axes, relative to one another, and to extend away from one another, and to retract toward one another. Optionally, the connecting element can be aligned with a joint of an appendage of the wearer of the protective equipment.

In another embodiment, portions of the joined shielding elements can overlap one another through the natural range of movement of the underlying joint. As such, the underlying joint can be protected against impact forces along the length of the joined shielding elements.

In yet another embodiment, a method of manufacturing conformable shielding for protective equipment is provided. The method can include providing one or more relatively rigid, hard, impact resistant shielding elements, and disposing the elements in a predetermined location within a mold cavity. The individual elements can be joined with one another by overmolding a material at least partially over the elements to form a unitary shielding structure. The structure can be removed from the mold cavity and joined with a selected portion of protective equipment.

In a further embodiment, the method of manufacture can include forming one or more openings in selected areas of the shielding elements before molding. The material can be molded at least partially over the shielding elements and at least partially within the openings to mechanically interlock the material to the shielding elements.

In yet a further embodiment, the flexible shielding can be incorporated into protective gloves, elbow pads, knee pads or shoulder pads, as used in various sports, such as hockey, lacrosse, football, motocross or other contact sports or activities where forceful blows or falls are common.

The embodiments described herein provide a simple and efficient protective shielding system for use with protective equipment such as protective sports equipment. Where the shielding elements are joined with material that allows them to move relative to one another on varying axes, a user's underlying joint(s) both can be protected by the shielding and can maintain an uninhibited, full range of natural movement of the user's joint and related appendage, such as a finger, wrist, knee, shoulder, elbow, hip, neck or the like. Where the shielding elements are joined with interconnecting elastomeric material, the resulting protection afforded can be generally uninterrupted along the length of the appendage protected, while the weight of the protective element is significantly reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

A current embodiment of the conformable shielding is illustrated inFIGS. 1-8and generally designated10. The conformable shielding10can be incorporated in various types of protective equipment, including: protective gloves, elbow pads, knee pads, or shoulder pads, such as those used in various sports like hockey, lacrosse, football, motocross, or any other activity, such as law enforcement or military operations where impact, falls or blows may be encountered. As described herein, the shielding is included in a protective glove for use in sporting activities, such as lacrosse or hockey.

The shielding10generally includes multiple relatively rigid, hard, impact resistant segments or shielding elements12,14,16joined with one another by a material18. Although only three elements are shown, more or fewer (a pair) of elements can be joined with one another, depending on the type of equipment being constructed. The material18, in addition to forming connecting elements20to connect the individual shielding elements12,14,16to one another, can enable the joined elements12,14,16to move or flex, twist, extend and retract relative to one another along non-fixed, single, multiple or compound axes. Accordingly, a user's joint under shielding10maintains an uninhibited, full range of natural motion, while still receiving the full benefit of being protected.

The individual shielding elements12,14,16can be constructed from any suitable material, optionally rigid, impact resistant materials, that is, materials that retain their shape without substantial external support and are adapted to withstand instant or rapid loading caused by impacts without fracturing. Suitable materials which are hard and/or rigid, and impact resistant, include, but are not limited to, polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), actrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), PC/ABS compounds, styrene and/or high impact styrene (HIPS), nylon 6 and/or 6,6 (PA6, PA66), polyethylene (PE), copolyester, propionate, and acetal (POM). Other suitable materials include metals, such as stainless steel or aluminum alloys, composites, and laminates of varying materials which are generally hard and impact resistant.

The shielding elements12,14,16can be constructed having any suitable size and shape, depending on the age and size of the wearer and the type of sporting equipment being constructed. Optionally, one or more of the shielding elements can include a curved or contoured cross section to conform to an appendage of a wearer of the protective sporting equipment. Indeed, the shielding elements can be form-fitted to a particular wearer's appendage or other body structure as desired.

As best shown inFIG. 4, each of the shielding elements12,14,16have opposite sides22,23establishing a width extending between opposite first and second ends24,25establishing a length. The opposite sides can transition to an upper portion161of the shielding element. Between ends24,25of adjacent shielding elements, a gap31can be defined. Generally, the gap31can be defined by the shape and configuration of the borders of the ends24,25adjacent it. The gap can be of varying dimension, but generally separates the adjacent shielding elements by about 1 mm to about 50 mm, optionally about 5 mm to about 20 mm, or any other distance as desired. The gap can further be aligned with and correspond to an underlying joint of a wearer of the shielding. Optionally, the shielding elements can also include an interior surface21adapted to face an appendage of the wearer, and an exterior surface29opposite the interior surface.

In the embodiment illustrated, the shielding elements can be configured to protect joints of an appendage, for example, a digit, of a wearer of protective equipment including the shielding10. Optionally, the first shielding element16can be adapted to overlay and protect a distal phalanx116of a wearer's digit, the second shielding element14can be adapted to overlay and protect a middle phalanx114of a wearer's digit, and a third shielding element12can be adapted to overlay and protect a proximal phalanx112of a wearer's digit.

The shielding elements can be joined with one another via a material18, which optionally can be flexible and elastomeric. Examples of suitable materials can be any flexible material(s), such as elastomers, optionally a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), natural rubber, butyl rubber, synthetic polyisoprene, polybutadiene, nitrile rubber, neoprene, silicone rubber, silicone, polyether block amides, ethylene-vinyl acetate, thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic olefins, or other elastomers as desired. The material18, as shown inFIG. 7, can be of varying thicknesses T1and T2depending on where it is located relative to the shielding elements. For example, where the material is near an end24or25, or in an area adjacent a gap and a connecting element20, the material can be of a greater thickness T2, which can vary from about 1 mm to about 10 mm, optionally about 3 mm to about 8 mm, or other thicknesses as desired. Optionally, this added thickness sometimes can withstand the stretching and flexing of the connecting element20. In areas where insignificant stress or force is exerted on the material, for example, on the upper portions of the shielding elements, the thickness T1can be less than thickness T1. The thickness T1can vary from about 1 mm to about 5 mm, optionally about 2 mm to about 4 mm. Of course, thicknesses T1and T2can vary depending on the application.

The shielding elements can also define a plurality of apertures26to enable the elastomeric material18to mechanically interlock the material to the respective shielding elements. This mechanical interlock can provide an enhanced physical attachment of the material18to the segments12,14,16. As used herein, the term aperture can refer to an opening that extends partially or entirely through the shielding element, a recess, a slot, a hole, a surface aberration that creates raised ribs or bumps, and/or the like. As desired, instead of apertures, the surface of the shielding can include minute hairs created by sanding the shielding surface, or other surface projections that increase the surface area and enhance connection of the material to the shielding.

Referring toFIG. 7, the material18can mechanically interlock with the applicable shielding element12,14,16in a variety of manners. For example, the material18can overlay an exterior29of the shielding element, and can project partially into the apertures as shown at18a. Optionally, the material18can overlay the exterior29, project entirely through the aperture26, and form a flange or portion18bthat extends beyond the boundary of the aperture26. Of course, the material can project into the aperture26any depth as desired. Further optionally, the material18can be joined with the respective shielding elements12,14,16without extending substantially beyond the elements. For example, where the shielding elements are joined with a glove finger portion162(FIG. 8), the material18need not extend onto or over the finger portion162. As a further example, the material18optionally does not circumferentiate a wearer's appendage.

As shown inFIG. 4, the shielding element12is represented as a proximal portion of a finger or thumb segment for protecting an area near the knuckles of a hand, with the shielding element14being a mid-portion, and the shielding element16being a distal portion for protecting the tips of the fingers or thumbs. The apertures26of the proximal segment12are shown as being located generally adjacent the sides22,23and along the end24. These additional apertures can provide additional points of attachment and further mechanical interlock in the region of the knuckles where the shielding element might encounter increased abrasion and impacts due to contact of the knuckles with other objects.

The apertures26of the mid-shielding element14can be defined adjacent the sides22,23, and the apertures of the distal segment16can be positioned along the sides22,23and about the tip or end25. Again, an increased number and concentration of apertures can be located at the tip25along the lower rim thereof so as to enhance the mechanical interlock of the material to the shielding element16in areas of increased abrasion and impact with other objects to prevent it from separating from the shielding element.

The apertures26can also be configured in pairs near the ends24,25of adjacent shielding elements. For example, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, the apertures can include one or more connecting element aperture pairs including a first aperture37defined by a first shielding element12and a second aperture38defined by a second shielding element14adjacent the first shielding element. The first and second apertures can be distanced from one another so that they do not overlay one another, and in general, are not aligned.

As explained in further detail below, the connecting element20can include a first end42and a second end44. The first end42can include a portion that extends into the first aperture37, and the second end44can include another portion that extends into the second aperture38. Of course, different apertures of different sizes can be formed in other areas, depending on where the elastomeric material18is joined with the respective shielding elements12,14,16, and/or the relative degree of mechanical interlocking desired.

To maintain protective coverage of the underlying joint at least one of the shielding elements12,14,16can include projections28extending lengthwise from an the ends24of the respective shielding elements. The projections28as shown can be arcuate and extend outwardly from the ends24generally between the sides22,23. As shown inFIG. 3, the projections28protrude outward over the gaps31so that each gap remains at least partially, if not entirely, covered by the projection when the appendage of the wearer is in a flexed state. More generally, the projections28can be configured to overlap the adjacent ends25of the respective shielding elements12,14. And again as shown inFIGS. 3-4, the projections28optionally can extend lengthwise sufficiently to overlap the adjacent shielding elements12,14even when the shielding10is in a fully flexed state (FIG. 3).

Between the respective ends24,25of adjacent shielding elements, the material18can include the connecting elements20extending between adjacent ones of the shielding elements to join those shielding elements to one another. The connecting elements20can be formed along the sides22,23of the shielding elements and can optionally terminate short of the upper portion of the shielding element so that the gap31there is generally uncovered by the connecting elements. Alternatively, the connecting elements can extend from one side22to the other23, but can be of decreased thickness across the upper portion of the shielding element so as not to substantially impair the flexion of the underlying joint.

The connecting elements20can be formed to enable the shielding elements12,14,16to bend or flex relative to one another along axes corresponding to the axes of movement of the underlying joint. As an example of structure that can further enable this natural flexing, bending and/or twisting movement, the connecting elements can include an undulating, zig-zag, multi-ridged, or multi-valleyed structure, all referred to as an accordion structure, which is shown inFIG. 6. With the optional accordion or comparable structure, the connecting elements20can elongate and/or extend, during flexing or bending of the joint, and contract to follow the true motion of the joint as shown by arrows52inFIGS. 3 and 6. Optionally, this extension and retraction can be accomplished by varying the thickness or cross section or amount of material of the connecting element rather than including the accordion structure.

Accordingly, the connecting elements20can provide more than just a “pivoting” motion about a fixed single axis for the underlying joint with which the connecting element is generally aligned. For example, the connecting elements can enable the segments12,14,16to extend axially away from one another, thereby allowing the overall length established between the end24of segment12and the end25of segment16to increase, while also allowing the shielding elements12,14,16to twist slightly relative to one another about an axis31extending along their length (FIG. 1).

The connecting elements20can also enable the shielding elements to flex or articulate about a single or multiple axes, relative to one another. For example, as shown inFIG. 8, the connecting elements20can enable flexing of shielding element14relative to shielding element12about an infinite number of axes, such as axes131,132,133,134in horizontal plane P1. Likewise, connecting elements20can enable flexing of shielding element16relative to shielding element14about an infinite number of axes, such as,141,142,143,144in vertical plane P2. Of course, the shielding elements12,14and16can flex relative to one another about axes similar to any of the aforementioned axes due to the flexible nature of the connecting element. Moreover, the axes shown are only illustrative.

The connecting elements can flex and move about other axes in virtually any other plane between the horizontal and vertical planes P1and P2shown. Optionally, the connecting elements can also flex and move about axes above and below, or forward and rearward of the planes P2and P1. Indeed, the compound axes of the connecting elements about which the shielding elements can rotate, move or otherwise flex can optionally be infinite. Due to their optional immense number of movement axes, the connecting elements can be virtually void of permanently defined, single pivot points, which are prevalent in conventional shielding.

In addition to the apertures26that can mechanically interlock the material18to the shielding elements, the shielding elements12,14, and/or16can define vent openings30formed in predetermined locations. The vent openings30can allow air-flow through the respective segments, shown here as segments12and16. This can reduce heat retention by the shielding10and thus, reduce perspiration originating in the underlying appendage of the wearer.

III. Method of Manufacture

The material18can be joined with the shielding elements using a variety of techniques. In one embodiment, the material18can be molded to the elements12,14,16, such as in an overmolding process, using injection molding or optionally pour molding. Other molding processes can be used as desired. In the molding process, the shielding elements12,14,16can be provided as separate individual elements and positioned in predetermined positions within a mold cavity. When in their predetermined positions, the projections28(if included) can be in their overlapping relation, as discussed above. The material18can be injected in an overmolding process, sometimes referred to as “in-mold assembly,” into the mold cavity about the desired areas of the individual shielding elements12,14,16, and in desired amounts and thicknesses, depending on the mold cavity and element positioning. Where included, the material18can flow at least partially into the openings26.

During molding, the material can form the desired connecting elements20, which extend between adjacent shielding elements to join those shielding elements. The resulting joined material18and shielding elements12,14and16can form a unitary shielding structure, for example, the shielding10. The unitary shielding structure can then be removed from the mold, trimmed, polished or subjected to further operations. The shielding10can them be joined with a portion of protective equipment so that the connecting element is aligned with a portion of the protective equipment that is adapted to flex with the joint of a wearer of the protective equipment.