Protective vest

Abstract: A sailor's vest is provided with externally exposed padding 14 formed by an open sieve like mattress. This padding serves to reduce or absorb impacts experienced if the sailor falls into water at high speed, for example. The vest has pockets 15, 16 and 17 for slidingly receiving and holding respective body support modules 18, 19 and 20.

Description: The invention relates to a protective vest. The invention relates more particularly to a protective vest that has a particular use by yachtsmen and sail board sailors. Such vests are known and often contain in-built rigid reinforcing members, padding and straps to support an upper body region of the sailor. The vest may formed as or be attached to a harness in use. US-A- 5 090 053 discloses a vest in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. Broadly stated, presently used protective vests are designed to lessen or absorb some of the forces applied to a sailor's body as he carries out tasks associated with sailing, especially in inclement weather. Thus far, vests that effectively or significantly reduce or absorb impacts caused by waves of water striking the sailor or experienced by the sailor falling into the water at high speed are not available. It is an object of the invention to overcome or at least reduce this problem. According to the invention, there is provided a protective vest as set forth in claim 1. The mattress may be generally planar and comprise inner and outer woven honeycombed layers joined together by a plurality of strands extending laterally between the layers. Apertures of the honeycombed layers preferably have effective diameters equal to a lateral separation between the inner and outer layer. Pockets may be formed in the vest for slidingly receiving the impact modules. Three modules may be provided respectively for left and right side lumbar regions of a user's body and a central spine region of the vest. A single belt may be provided for holding the three modules in position in respective pockets of the vest. A protective sailor's vest according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is an isometric front view of the vest; Figure 2 is an isometric rear view of the vest; Figure 3 is an isometric partial rear view of the vest illustrating the insertion and placement of impact modules; Figure 4 shows a small piece of mattress used as exposed padding of the vest. Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to the drawings, in Figures 1 and 2 the sailor's vest 10 is of generally conventional shape having a closure zipper 11, and belt buckles 12 and 13. Padding 14 is externally exposed over significant regions of the overall vest outer surface. The padding 14 comprises an open mesh mattress, as shown in Figure 4, with two woven strand honeycombed layers 22 and 23 supported and normally held apart by a plurality of strands. The strands are made of resilient plastics material that is water-resistant. The effective diameters of the honeycombs are approximately equal to the thickness of the mattress. Such mattresses are generally well-known and make take various similar forms. Hitherto such mattresses have been used in 'protective' clothing, such as for example 'flak jackets' worn by soldiers or policemen. In all known applications the mattress is lined or otherwise enclosed and, in any event does not form an exposed outer layer of clothing. This contrasts with embodiments of the present invention. The main effect of the 3-D mesh padding is that the open structure on the surface of the vest breaks up the hard surface of the water during the impact. Impact modules (thin plastic boards, see below) plus the padding itself divide the forces over a wide surface. Through that the forces get split up and reduce the forces which directly effect the body of the user. Thus, the padding 14 reduces or absorbs impacts between the sailors body and waves or the surface of water when struck by a wave or falling into or against the water, respectively. The open structure of the padding disperses blocks of water striking against the sailor's body somewhat laterally i.e. along the open mesh mattress. This significantly reduces impact forces otherwise experienced directly towards the sailor's body. As it is common, particularly for a board sailor, to fall from time to time into the water at high speed or in some manoeuvres to possibly fall into the water from a significant height, reducing the effective impact on his body provides considerable advantages, and/or makes sailing much safer. The vest is formed with three pockets 15, 16 and 17 as shown in Figure 3 for slidingly receiving respective rigid plastic impact modules 18, 19 and 20. The modules 18 and 19 provide lumbar supports and the module 20 is a central spinal support. The modules can be used when required by the sailor and are held in position, in use, by a single belt 21, in the pockets under the padding 14. Embodiments of the invention thus comprise vests 10, which could each form a major part of a jacket, that have padding 14 for effectively reducing the force of impacts between the sailor and 'blocks' of water. The vest further provides protective support, as required, by insertion of impact modules 18, 19 and 20 into the respective pockets 15, 16 and 17. The padding 14 also inherently protects the sailor, to some extent, against impacts by small projectiles, flapping sails or ropes, and so forth. The mattress, being formed as an open mesh structure of water resistant strands, also quickly drains of water after being submersed in water for example and so does not become or remain heavy in normal use. Whereas the described vests have been developed for use for sailing in particular, such vests may be used for other activities. For example by fireman to reduce body impacts if accidentally sprayed from the high pressure hose, or workmen in an environment where there is a risk of falling 4 or more metres into a body of water. As such, the claims refer to a "protective vest" being more indicative of the functional characteristic of vests according to the invention, rather than any particular use to which the vest may advantageously be put.

Claims: A protective vest including significant regions of padding comprising an open mesh mattress (14) formed of resilient water-resistant strands, the open mesh mattress being externally exposed, characterised by removable rigid impact modules (18-20) for reinforcing the vest underneath the externally exposed regions. A protective vest according to claim 1, in which the mattress (14) is generally planar and comprises inner and outer woven honeycombed layers (22,23) joined together by a plurality of strands extending laterally between the layers (22,23). A protective vest according to claim 2, in which apertures of the honeycombed layers (22,23) have effective diameters equal to a lateral separation between the inner and outer layer. A protective vest according to any preceding claim, including pockets (15-17) formed in the vest for slidingly receiving the impact modules (18-20). A protective vest according to any preceding claim, including three modules (18-20) respectively for left and right side lumbar regions of a user's body and a central spine region of the vest. A protective vest according to claim 5, including a single belt (21) for holding the three modules (18-20) in position in respective pockets (15-17) of the vest.

Inventors: VEH PETER KARL, VEH, PETER KARL
Applicants: PRYDE NEIL LTD, NEIL PRYDE LIMITED
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A41D13
IPC codes: A41D13