LEG-GUARD

Abstract: A shock- and blow-absorbing leg-guard for use when practising sports is attachable to the leg (2) of the wearer by means of a stocking (3). The leg-guard (1) is individually thermoformable to a cup shape conforming to the shape of the leg (2) of the wearer, and it is further made in one piece which consists of an elastic, light and soft plastic material which does not chafe the leg (2).

Description: LEG-GUARD The present invention relates to a shock- and blow- absorbing leg-guard for use when practising sports. When practising for example team-sports such as soc¬ cer, floor ball and field hockey, the legs of the players are subjected to shocks and blows. In soccer, especially the shin-bones of the players are subjected to kicks in which the studs of the soccer shoes can cause severe in- juries. In field hockey, injuries can also be caused by hits of the stick or the comparatively hard ball. In recent years, several types of leg-guard have been developed for various sports, especially since in e.g. top-level soccer it is compulsory to use leg-guards. Most soccer leg-guards consist of a comparatively rigid front element protecting against studs etc., and a posteriorly disposed shock-absorbing layer made of e.g. foamed plastic which engages the leg and absorbs kicks and blows. Exam¬ ples of such leg-guards are disclosed in US-A-4,306,315 and DE-A-3,542,983. One disadvantage which is common to these prior art leg-guards is that owing to the rigid ele¬ ment they are often felt to be heavy and unwieldy and, if it comes to the worst, they may chafe the leg of the wearer. Moreover, they are comparatively expensive since they require specially designed stockings and/or special straps which are connected with the rigid element. As a further example of the prior art technique on which the present invention is based, US-A-3,906,943 should be mentioned, which discloses an orthopedic device used to support and immobilise injured portions of the body, e.g. legs and arms. However, this device is not in¬ tended for practising sports and probably has no signifi¬ cant shock- and blow-absorbing capacity. The object of the present invention is to provide a light, simple and inexpensive leg-guard which is indivi¬ dually formable and eliminates the above-mentioned draw- backs, but which still has at least the same protective effect as the prior art leg-guards of the above-mentioned type. To achieve this object, a shock- and blow-absorbing leg-guard is provided for use when practising sports, said guard being attachable to the leg of the wearer by means of a stocking and/or by means of bands, strips of adhesive tape or the like which are woundable about the leg. The leg-guard is characterised in that it is thermo- formable to a final cup shape conforming precisely to the shape of the leg of the wearer, and that it is made in one piece which consists of an elastic, low density foamed plastic material which is comparatively light and soft, thereby preventing the leg from being chafed. According to an embodiment which is presently pre¬ ferred, the leg-guard consists of a piece of foamed plas¬ tic, preferably LD polyethylene, which is about 10 mm thick and whose edges are bevelled. The leg-guard is adapted to be applied to the front part of the lower leg of the wearer for protecting the shin-bone and has on its outside bur fasteners adhering to the inside of the stock¬ ing. Further characteristic features of the invention are stated in the appended claims. Thus, the invention is based on the knowledge that a light and inexpensive leg-guard should consist of a single piece of material which is individually thermoformed after the front part of the leg of the wearer. The above-men¬ tioned foamed plastic material is extremely light but ne- vertheless it has quite a satisfactory shock- and blow- absorbing capacity. Since the leg-guard contains no hard and rigid element, it is much lighter than prior art leg- guards, and the risk of chafing is minimised. It will be easily appreciated that the manufacture thereof is very simple, since the guards can be cut out directly from a sheet of material and then be individually thermoformed. Practical tests have shown that the inventive leg- guard has a shock-absorbing capacity which is fully com¬ parable to that of prior art leg-guards having a rigid front element. The new leg-guard certainly is somewhat more sensitive to pure mechanical damage caused by e.g. studs, but since the manufacture thereof is extremely cheap, it can be frequently replaced. It should also be emphasised in this context that severe injuries, such as broken legs and fractures in the lower bones, can be prevented only on rare occasions or not at all. A leg is hardly ever broken by direct kicks or blows, but instead in unnatural and sudden twisted move¬ ments. The hard front element of prior art leg-guards thus does not prevent broken legs. One embodiment of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanyig drawing in which Fig. 1 illustrates a leg-guard according to the in¬ vention attached to the lower leg of the wearer by means of a stocking, Fig. 2 illustrates the leg-guard separately and on a larger scale, and Fig. 3 shows a piece of mate¬ rial prior to forming. Fig. 1 illustrates by dashed lines how a leg-guard 1 according to the invention is applied to the front part of the lower leg 2 of the wearer so as to protect first of all the shin-bone. In known manner, the leg-guard 1 is kept in position by means of a stocking 3. The leg-guard 1 has on its outside two bur fasteners 4 adhering to the in¬ side of the stocking 3. Fig. 2 illustrates the leg-guard 1 separately and clearly shows the cup-shape thereof and the bevelling of the edge portions 5, while Fig. 3 shows the leg-guard 1 in the flat state, i.e. prior to the thermoforming operation which will be described in detail below. The leg-guard 1 is made of an elastic, thermoformable plastic material, preferably a comparatively soft foamed plastic, such as cellular ethylene plastic (LD polyethy¬ lene) of low density or low bulk density, e.g. about 3 45 kg/m . The pieces of material (Fig. 3) which are to be used to manufacture such leg-guards are readily punched or cut out from large sheets of material having a thickness of about 5-15 mm, preferably about 10 mm. If desired, the edges of these pieces of material are cut or bevelled. During forming, the piece of material is heated to about 115°C for about 4-5 min, whereupon after a certain degree of cooling it is applied to the front part of the lower leg and attached by means of an elastic bandage or a tight-fitting stocking. Subsequently the piece of material is allowed to cool for about 5 min, thereby assuming its final permanent cup shape (Fig. 2) which thus conforms exactly to the leg shape of the wearer. The plastic mate¬ rial used has proved to have excellent dimensional stabi- lity. In connection with sport at top level, the leg-guards are advantageously supplied in the flat state and then formed quite individually for each player in the manner described above. Alternatively, the leg-guards are sup- plied to the shop in preshaped condition, whereupon the wearer himself can readily effect the final forming, thereby obtaining a perfect fit to his legs. Such final forming is done in that the guard is first attached to the leg by means of a stocking (cf. Fig. 1), whereupon hot air from e.g. an ordinary hair-drier is blown at the guard po¬ sitioned inside the stocking, the guard suitably being heated for about 2 min to be formed after the leg. Subse¬ quently the guard is allowed to cool for about 5 min under the stocking, thereby assuming a perfect fit. After this procedure, the guard is ready for use. Finally it should be emphasised that the invention is not at all restricted to the embodiments described above, but instead several modifications are feasible within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, also separate bands, strips of adhesive tape or the like (not shown) can be used to attach the leg-guard to the leg. Moreover, some other thermoformable foamed plastic material can of course be used, as long as it has a satisfactory shock- and blow- absorbing capacity and besides is so light and soft that it does not chafe the leg.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A shock- and blow-absorbing leg-guard for use when exercising sports, said guard (1) being attachable to the leg (2) of the wearer by means of a stocking (3) and/or by means of bands, strips of adhesive tape or the like which are windable about the leg (2), c h a r a c t e r i s ¬ e d in that said guard is thermoformable to a final cup shape conforming precisely to the shape of the leg (2) of the wearer, and that it is made in one piece which con¬ sists of an elastic, low density foamed plastic material which is comparatively light and soft, thereby preventing the leg (2) from being chafed. 2. The leg-guard as claimed in claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in that the foamed plastic material is cellular ethylene plastic. 3. The leg-guard as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in that it has a thickness in the range of about 5-15 mm, preferably about 10 mm, and that its edges (5) are bevelled. 4. The leg-guard as claimed in any one of the preced¬ ing claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that its out¬ side is provided with bur fasteners (4) adhering to the inside of the stocking (3). 5. The leg-guard as claimed in any one of the preced¬ ing claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that it is adapted to be applied to the front part of the lower leg (2) of the wearer for protecting the shin-bone.

Inventors: NAESLUND JAN ERIK, NAESLUND, JAN, ERIK
Applicants: NAESLUND JAN ERIK, NAESLUND, JAN, ERIK
Application year: 1990
Main classification: A63B71
IPC codes: A41B11, A63B71