KNEE PAD

Abstract: A knee pad (16) for cushioning a knee of a person (18) wearing a pair of pants (20), when the person (18) is in a kneeling position. The knee pad (16) comprises a cushion member (22) being a flexible semi-cylindrical body section (24) having a flat outer surface contact area (26) with tapered sides (28) and an integral flexible quadrispherical cut back top section (30). A facility (32) is for attaching the cushion member (22) in a removable manner to a pants leg (34) of the pair of pants (20) at a knee area. When the person (18) goes into the kneeling position on a floor/ground (36), the cushion member (22) will better conform to the knee of the person (18). The flat outer surface contact area (26) will distribute weight more evenly over a wider surface area on the floor/ground (36).

Description: KNEE PAD Description Technical Field The instant invention relates generally to protective cushions and more specifically it relates to a knee pad. Disclosure of the Invention A primary object of the present invention is to provide a knee pad that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices. Another object is to provide a knee pad having a wide flat contact surface for a more even weight distribution to increase protection to a knee of a person, when kneeling on the floor or ground. An additional object is to provide a knee pad with stick on and VELCRO (hereinafter "hook and loop type fastener) attachments, so as to better cling to a knee area on a pair of pants more quickly. A further object is to provide a knee pad that is simple and easy to use. A still further object is to provide a knee pad that is economical in cost to manufacture. Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds. Brief Description of the Drawing Figures Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view with parts broken away, of a person standing on a floor wearing the instant invention on a pair of pants at the knees. FIGURE 2 is a front perspective view similar to Figure 1, but with the person kneeling on the floor. FIGURE 3 is a rear perspective view of the instant invention per se taken in the direction of arrow 3 in Figure 1. FIGURE 4 is a front perspective view taken in the direction of arrow 4 in Figure 3. FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view taken in the direction of arrow 5 in Figure 4. FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view taken in the direction of arrow 6 in Figure 5. FIGURE 7 is a top view taken in the direction of arrow 7 in Figure 5. FIGURE 8 is a bottom view taken in the direction of arrow 8 in Figure 5. FIGURE 9 is a cross sectional view taken along line 9-9 in Figure 5. FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view taken along line 10-10 in Figure 2, showing weight distribution when kneeling. FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view taken along line 11-11 in Figure 2. FIGURE 12 is a top view of the instant invention being a stick-on style type. FIGURE 12a is a rear view taken in the direction of arrow 12a in Figure 12. FIGURE 13 is a top view of the instant invention being a slap-on style type. FIGURE 13a is a rear view taken in the direction of arrow 13a in Figure 13. FIGURE 14 is a top view of the instant invention being a flap-on style type. FIGURE 14a is a side view taken in the direction of arrow 14a in Figure 14. FIGURE 15 is an elevational view showing a mounting template on a knee area of a pant leg for the slap-on style type. The reference numbers utilized in the drawing figures are defined as follows. 16 knee pad 18 person 20 pair of pants 22 cushion member of 16 24 flexible semi-cylindrical body section of 22 26 flat outer surface contact area on 24 28 tapered side of 24 30 flexible quadrispherical cut back top section of 22 32 attaching facility of 16 pants leg of 20 floor /ground Ethyl Vinyl Acetate base cross-linking copolymers stick-on style type for 32 replaceable double sided soft adhesive patch for 40 slap-on style type for 32 first hook and loop type fastener strip of 44 first securing substance of 44 second hook and loop type fastener strip of 44 second securing substance of 44 permanent adhesive for 48 and 52 template top central pin locator on 56 side cutout edge on 56 62 flap-on style type of 32 64 first hook and loop type fastener strip of 62 66 first securing material of 62 68 distal end of 28 70 second hook and loop type fastener strip of 62 72 second securing material of 62 74 hook and loop type fastener flap of 62 76 third securing material of 62 78 permanent adhesive for 66 and 72 80 thread for 76 Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, Figures 1 through 14a illustrate a knee pad 16 for cushioning a knee of a person 18 wearing a pair of pants 20, when the person 18 is in a kneeling position. The knee pad 16 comprises a cushion member 22 being a flexible semi-cylindrical body section 24 having a flat outer surface contact area 26 with tapered sides 28 and an integral flexible quadrispherical cut back top section 30. A facility 32 is for attaching the cushion member 22 in a removable manner to a pants leg 34 of the pair of pants 20 at a knee area. When the person 18 goes into the kneeling position on a floor /ground 36, the cushion member 22 will better conform to the knee of the person 18. The flat outer surface contact area 26 will distribute weight more evenly over a wider surface area on the floor/ground 36 (see Figures 2, 10 and 11). The cushion member 22 is made from an injection of expanded ethyl vinyl acetate based cross-linking copolymers 38, which is extremely lightweight, has a terrific shock absorption capacity, is elastic rebound with shape retention, has an anti-allergic quality and a tough exterior being non-permeable to dirt, water and oil, that does not depend on specific weight, while it's micro-cellular closed-cell structure contains no chlorofluorocarbons (see Figures 9, 10 and 11). The attaching facility 32, as shown in Figures 3, 12 and 12a, is a stick-on style type 40, which is a replaceable double sided soft adhesive patch 42 applied between an inner surface of the flexible semi-cylindrical body section 24 of the cushion member 22 and the outer surface of the pant leg 34 at the knee area. The attaching facility 32, as shown in Figures 13 and 13a, is a slap-on style type 44, which consists of a first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips 46. A substance 48 is for securing each first hook and loop type fastener strip 46 vertically along an inner surface of one tapered side 28 of the flexible semi- cylindrical body section 24 of the cushion member 22. A second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips 50 are provided. A substance 52 is for securing each second hook and loop type fastener strip 50 vertically along an outer surface of the pant leg 34 at the knee area, so that the first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips 46 can mate with the second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips 50. The first securing substance 48 is a permanent adhesive 54, applied between each first hook and loop type fastener strip 46 and the inner surface of one tapered side 28 of the flexible semi-cylindrical body section 24 of the cushion member 22. The second securing substance 52 is the permanent adhesive 54, applied between each second hook and loop type fastener strip 50 and the outer surface of the pant leg 34 at the knee area. A template 56 being of a size approximate to the size of the cushion member 22, is shown in Figure 15, and has a top central pin locator 58 to temporally affix the template 56 to the outer surface of the pant leg 34 at the knee area by a pin. The template 56 further has a pair of side cutout edges 60. Each side cutout edge 60 is approximate the size of one of the second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips 50, so that the permanent adhesive 54 can be applied correctly to the outer surface of the pant leg 34 at the knee area. The attaching facility 32, as shown in Figures 14 and 14a, is a flap-on style type 62 containing a first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips 64. A material 66 is for securing each first hook and loop type fastener strip 64 vertically around an inner surface and an outer surface at a distal end 68 of one tapered side 28 of the flexible semi-cylindrical body section 24 of the cushion member 22. A second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips 70 are provided. A material 72 is for securing each second hook and loop type fastener strip 70 vertically along an outer surface of the pant leg 34 at the knee area, so that an inner portion of the first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips 64 can mate with the second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips 70. A pair of hook and loop type fastener flaps 74 are also provided. A material 76 is for securing each hook and loop type fastener flap 74 vertically along the outer surface of the pant leg 34 at the knee area, so that an outer portion of the first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips 64 can mate with the pair of hook and loop type fastener flaps 74. The first securing material 66 is a permanent adhesive 78 applied between each first hook and loop type fastener strip 64 and the inner surface and the outer surface at the distal end 68 of one tapered side 28 of the flexible semi-cylindrical body section 24 of the cushion member 22. The second securing material 72 is the permanent adhesive 78 applied between each second hook and loop type fastener strip 70 and the outer surface of the pant leg 34 at the knee area. The third securing material 76 is a thread 80, sewn through each hook and loop type fastener flap 74 and into the outer surface of the pant leg 34 at the knee area. To set each knee pad 16 in the right place, the flexible quadrispherical cut back top section 30 is aligned directly through the center of the person's knee cap. This insures that, as the knee starts to bend, the roundness of the person's own knee cap will align the knee pad 16, so that when the knee is fully bent the knee pad 16 is in exactly the right place. The flexible quadrispherical cut back top section 30 is the key of how the knee pad 16 works. As soon as the knee is bent, as the clothing stretches against and wraps around the knee, the flexible quadrispherical cut back top section 30 aligns the knee pad 16 to exactly the right spot. Each knee pad 16 set itself in just the right place under the knee, even to the point of twisting the material to get such alignment.

Claims: KNEE PAD laims 1. A knee pad for cushioning a knee of a person wearing a pair of pants, when the person is in a kneeling position, said knee pad comprising: a) a cushion member being a flexible semicylindrical body section having a flat outer surface contact area with tapered sides and an integral flexible quadrispherical cut back top section; and b) means for attaching said cusion member in a removable manner to a pants leg of the pair of pants at a knee area, so that when the person goes into the kneeling position on a floor /ground said cusion member will better conform to the knee of the person, while said flat outer surface contact area will distribute weight more evenly over a wider surface area on the floor/ground, said attaching means including: i) a first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips; ii) means for securing each said first hook and loop type fastener strip vertically around an inner surface and an outer surface at a distal end of one said tapered side of said flexible semi-cylindrical body section of said cushion member; iii) a second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips; iv) means for securing each said second hook and loop type fastener strip vertically along an outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area, so that an inner portion of said first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips can mate with said second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips; v) a pair of hook and loop type fastener flaps; and vi) means for securing each said hook and loop type fastener flap vertically along the outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area, so that an outer portion of said first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips can mate with said pair of hook and loop type fastener flaps. 2. A knee pad as recited in Claim 1, wherein said cushion member is made from an injection of expanded ethyl vinyl acetate based cross-linking copolymers. 3. A knee pad as recited in Claim 1, wherein said attaching means is a stick- on style type including a replaceable double sided soft adhesive patch applied between an inner surface of said flexible semi-cylindrical body section of said cushion member and the outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area. 4. A knee pad as recited in Claim 1, wherein said attaching means is a slap- on style type including: a) a first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips; b) means for securing each said first hook and loop type fastener strip vertically along an inner surface of one said tapered side of said flexible semi-cylindrical body section of said cushion member; c) a second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips; and d) means for securing each said second hook and loop type fastener strip vertically along an outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area, so that said first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips can mate with said second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips. 5. A knee pad as recited in Claim 4, wherein said first securing means is a permanent adhesive applied between each said first hook and loop type fastener strip and the inner surface of one said tapered side of said flexible semi-cylindrical body section of said cushion member. 6. A knee pad as recited in Claim 4, wherein said second securing means is a permanent adhesive applied between each said second hook and loop type fastener strip and the outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area. 7. A knee pad for cushioning a knee of a person wearing a pair of pants, when the person is in a kneeling position, said knee pad comprising: a) a cushion member being a flexible semicylindrical body section having a flat outer surface contact area with tapered sides and an integral flexible quadrispherical cut back top section; b) means for attaching said cusion member in a removable manner to a pants leg of the pair of pants at a knee area, so that when the person kneels, said cusion member will better conform to the knee of the person, while said flat outer surface contact area will distribute weight more evenly over a wider surface area on the floor/ground, wherein said attaching means is a slap-on style type including: i) a first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips; ii) means for securing each said first hook and loop type fastener strip vertically along an inner surface of one said tapered side of said flexible semi-cylindrical body section of said cushion member; iii) a second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips; and iv) means for securing each said second hook and loop type fastener strip vertically along an outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area, so that said first pair of hook and loop type fastener strips can mate with said second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips, said second securing means being a permanent adhesive applied between each said second hook and loop type fastener strip and the outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area; and c) a template being of a size approximately the size of said cushion member and having a top central pin locator to temporally affix said template to the outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area by a pin, wherein said template further has a pair of side cutout edges with each said side cutout edge being approximately the size of one of said second pair of hook and loop type fastener strips, so that said permanent adhesive can be applied correctly to the outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area. 8. A knee pad as recited in Claim 1, wherein said first securing means is a permanent adhesive applied between each said first hook and loop type fastener strip and the inner surface and the outer surface at the distal end of one said tapered side of said flexible semi-cylindrical body section of said cushion member. 9. A knee pad as recited in Claim 1, wherein said second securing means is a permanent adhesive applied between each said second hook and loop type fastener strip and the outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area. 10. A knee pad as recited in Claim 1, wherein said third securing means is a thread sewn through each said hook and loop type fastener flap and into the outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area. 11. A knee pad as recited in Claim 7, wherein said first securing means is a permanent adhesive applied between each said first hook and loop type fastener strip and the inner surface of one said tapered side of said flexible semi-cylindrical body section of said cushion member. 12. A knee pad as recited in Claim 2, wherein said first securing means is a permanent adhesive applied between each said first hook and loop type fastener strip and the inner surface and the outer surface at the distal end of one said tapered side of said flexible semi-cylindrical body section of said cushion member. 13. A knee pad as recited in Claim 12, wherein said second securing means is a permanent adhesive applied between each said second hook and loop type fastener strip and the outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area. 14. A knee pad as recited in Claim 13, wherein said third securing means is a thread sewn through each said hook and loop type fastener flap and into the outer surface of the pant leg at the knee area.

Inventors: HOLDEN KEVIN D, HOLDEN, KEVIN, D.
Applicants: HOLDEN KEVIN D, KROLL MICHAEL I, HOLDEN, KEVIN, D., KROLL, MICHAEL, I.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A41D13
IPC codes: A41D13