Abstract:
The invention provides a protective upper body assembly comprising shoulder pads, a pair of arm protectors, and suspending means. The shoulder pads include a frontal padding element linked to a dorsal padding element by a pair of shoulder arches. Two rigid shells are connected to the shoulder arches and overlie the extremities of the shoulders. With respect to the arm protectors, the latter are capable of being integrally connected to the shoulder pads and each comprises an upper arm protector and a lower arm protector. An elbow shell bridges the lower arm protector and the upper arm protector.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to protective equipment for hockey and other such sporting activities. More specifically, the invention relates to a protective upper body assembly. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In recent years, security has become an issue of ever-increasing importance in professional and amateur sports. Sports such as hockey are rapidly evolving and becoming more physically demanding, since players are generally bigger and stronger than they ever were. Moreover, contemporary players are also quicker due, in part, to improvements in skate technology. Consequently, protective equipment such as shoulder pads and elbow pads must also evolve to better suit the needs of today&#39;s players. 
     Conventional wisdom has to date dictated that elbow pads and shoulder pads are two distinctive protective items that function independently when worn. Thus, the shoulder pads, which typically feature upper arm protectors, provide protection to the shoulder and upper arm regions of the player while the elbow pads protect the sensitive area of the arm where the cubitus bone is vulnerable at the elbow point. Moreover, traditional elbow pads also protect the upper forearm and the lower biceps areas; the latter being immediately adjacent the elbow joint. 
     A deficiency typically associated with the above-mentioned protective equipment is the fact that the elbow pad, when in use, has a tendency to slide down the arm of the wearer. Thus, this results in a situation that is cumbersome to the player and which might also distract the latter. Furthermore, the resulting situation also impedes the level of protection since the elbow pad is no longer in its ideal position and portions of the arm are left exposed to injuries. A method frequently used to overcome the above-mentioned deficiency consists in wrapping tape around the elbow pad and thereby securing it against motion. However, this solution often affects the overall comfort of the wearer since an adequate level of tightness is relatively hard to attain. Moreover, it is especially cumbersome to remove after use. 
     Another deficiency that is common when using traditional elbow pads and shoulder pads can be attributed to the growth of young players&#39; limbs. More specifically, the gap that exists between the elbow pad and the upper arm protector of the shoulder pad tends to widen with age if no replacement equipment is obtained. Moreover, this problem is compounded by the fact that new equipment tends to be fairly costly and thus, young players have a habit of trying to keep their equipment as long as possible. This results in an increasing area of the upper arm that is not protected and is therefore subject to injury. 
     There is therefore a need in the sports industry for shoulder and elbow pads that can offer an enhanced level of protection as required by contemporary athletes and that can also be adjusted to better accommodate differently sized players and their equipment preferences. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a protective upper body assembly having an enhanced level of protection which overcomes some of the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     In accordance with a first broad aspect, the invention provides a protective upper body assembly comprising shoulder pads, a pair of arm protectors, and suspending means. More specifically, the shoulder pads include a frontal padding element linked to a dorsal padding element by a pair of shoulder arches. Two rigid shells are connected to the shoulder arches and overlie the extremities of the shoulders. With respect to the arm protectors, the latter are capable of being integrally connected to the shoulder pads and each comprises an upper arm protector and a lower arm protector. An elbow shell bridges the lower arm protector and the upper arm protector. 
     Preferably, the protective upper body assembly&#39;s suspending means comprise straps and rings for adjusting the distance between the arm protectors and the shoulder pads. More specifically, the straps, which are integrally connected to the arm protectors, feature hooks and loops fasteners that are adapted to couple the arm protectors with the shoulder pads via the rings, the latter being fixedly attached to the shoulder arches of the shoulder pads. 
     Advantageously, the frontal padding element of the protective upper body assembly comprises a chest padding element, a sternum padding element, a pair of side padding elements, and an abdominal padding element. More specifically, the sternum padding element is located in the center of the chest padding element while the abdominal padding element, positioned in the center of the pair of side padding elements, is below the chest padding element and the sternum padding element. 
     An advantage of the protective upper body assembly is that the arm protectors cover the entire biceps area of the wearer. As a consequence, the latter is less subject to injury. Moreover, the position of the arm protectors relative to that of the shoulder pads can be varied via the suspending means. Thus, the protective upper body assembly is capable of being adapted to satisfy the needs and requirements of individual players. 
     Under a second broad aspect, the invention provides a protective upper body assembly comprising shoulder pads, left and right arm protectors, and suspending means. More specifically, the shoulder pads include a frontal padding element coupled to a dorsal padding element by means of shoulder arches. Each arm protector, which is retained to the shoulder pads by means of suspending means, comprises an upper arm protector, a lower arm protector, and an elbow shell. 
     In a specific example of implementation of the invention, the suspending means, which are adapted to vary the distance between the arm protectors and the shoulder pads, comprise straps and rings as well as hooks and loops fasteners. Moreover, frontal padding element includes, more precisely, a pair of chest padding elements, a sternum padding element, a pair of side padding elements, and an abdominal padding element. 
     Under another broad aspect, the invention provides a protective upper body assembly comprising shoulder pads as well as left and right arm protectors. Each of the latter includes an upper arm protector and a lower arm protector. An elbow shell bridges the upper arm protector and the lower arm protector. 
     In yet another broad aspect, the invention provides a protective upper body assembly comprising shoulder pads, left and right upper arm protectors, and left and right elbow pads. A first set of fasteners is included to adjustably connect each upper arm protector to the shoulder pads. A second set of fasteners is also included to adjustably connect each elbow pad to its corresponding upper arm protector. 
     In a specific example of implementation of the invention, the first and second set of fasteners each comprise a strap including hooks and loops fasteners. Both straps are integrally connected to the upper arm protectors. 
     Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention is provided herein below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a protective upper body assembly constructed in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the protective upper body assembly depicted in  FIG. 1 , with the rigid shells of the shoulder pads shown in elevated position; 
         FIG. 3  is a back view of the protective upper body assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a medial view of a right arm protector as used in the protective upper body assembly depicted in  FIG. 1 , shown unfastened; 
         FIG. 5  is a lateral view of the right arm protector depicted in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a lateral view of the right arm protector depicted in  FIG. 5 , when in a fastened position; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of a protective upper body assembly constructed in accordance with a variant; 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of the shoulder pads of the protective upper body assembly depicted in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a rear view of the shoulder pads depicted in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevational view of an upper arm protector, the upper arm protector being disassembled from the shoulder pads in order to show the fasteners which enable the coupling of the elbow pads and the shoulder pads; 
         FIG. 11  is a front elevational view of the upper arm protector depicted in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a rear elevational view of an elbow pad of the protective upper body assembly depicted in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevational view of the elbow pad depicted in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a rear view of the elbow pad of  FIG. 12  when coupled with the upper arm protector of  FIG. 10 ; and 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of the elbow pad of  FIG. 12  when coupled with the upper arm protector of  FIG. 10 , the stippled lines showing the elbow pad in its most extended position relative to the shoulder pads. 
     
    
    
     In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of examples. It is to be expressly understood that the description and the drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and as an aid to understanding. They are not intended to be a definition of the limits of the invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a first non-limiting example of implementation of the present inventive concept.  FIG. 1  illustrates a protective upper body assembly, designated by the reference numeral  100 , which is particularly suited for playing the game of ice hockey and other similar sporting activities including roller and street hockey. Protective upper body assembly  100  comprises shoulder pads  102  and integrated arm protectors  104 ,  104   a  adjustably connected to shoulder pads  102 . 
     More specifically, shoulder pads  102  comprise a pair of chest padding elements  112 ,  112   a  as well as a sternum padding element  114 ; the latter being located in the center of chest padding elements  112 ,  112   a . Positioned immediately below the pair of chest padding elements  112 ,  112   a  and sternum padding element  114 , and integrally connected to the above, is an abdominal padding element  116 . Side padding elements  119 ,  119   a  are provided on both sides of abdominal padding element  116 . Thus, complete frontal protection is provided by the multiple frontal padding elements, namely: the pair of chest padding elements  112 ,  112   a , sternum padding element  114 , abdominal padding element  116 , and side padding elements  119 ,  119   a  Shoulder arches  124 ,  124   a  connect the respective chest padding element  112 ,  112   a  to a dorsal padding element  107  and, in doing so, define an opening  135  through which the wearer inserts his or her head. Dorsal padding element  107 , which is shown in greater detail in  FIG. 3 , provides protection to the upper and lower back areas of the wearer. The frontal and dorsal padding elements can be made of any suitable material or composition to provide the degree of cushioning and protection that is desired. For example, they can be formed from a relatively thick foam material covered by layers of woven synthetic yarn. More particularly, they can comprise a closed cell foam of ethylene vinyl acetate covered by mesh outer layers of a woven synthetic material such as polyester. 
     The shoulder pads  102  also comprise a pair of molded shoulder caps  110 ,  110   a  shaped in such a manner as to overlie the right and left shoulder extremities respectively. The molded shoulder caps  110 ,  110   a , which are generally made from any rigid material commonly used in the art, are integrally and pivotally connected to the shoulder pads  102  via shoulder arch pads  124 ,  124   a . Thus, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the molded shoulder caps  110 ,  110   a  are capable of being moved up and down about their respective attachment points such as to allow a complete range of motion to the wearer of the protective upper body assembly  100 .  FIG. 2 , more specifically, shows the molded shoulder caps  110 ,  110   a  at their highest position. Although not shown in the figures, the molded shoulder caps  110 ,  110   a  could additionally comprise an inner padding element being operative to dampen the intensity of blows received in the general vicinity of the shoulder caps. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  depict the right arm protector  104  of  FIGS. 1  to  3 . It should be understood that the right arm protector  104  is a mirror image of left arm protector  104   a  and is otherwise of identical construction.  FIGS. 4 and 5  show right arm protector  104  in its unfastened state prior to its mounting to shoulder pads  102 . More specifically,  FIG. 4  is a medial view of arm protector  104  while  FIG. 5  is a lateral view of the latter. As depicted, arm protector  104  includes a lower arm protector  308  and an upper arm protector  306 . A rigid elbow shell  304  covers and protect the elbow point of the wearer and integrally bridges lower arm protector  308  and upper arm protector  306 . Thus, lower arm protector  308 , which surrounds the lower arm area of the wearer, provides protection to the upper part of the lower arm; the latter region requiring protection since conventional hockey gloves only cover the lower extremity of the lower arm. Moreover, the upper arm protector  306 , featuring more padding on its outer side than on its inner side, provides protection to the entire upper arm. Elbow shell  304  surrounds a substantial portion of the elbow area and thereby protects the sensitive area adjacent the elbow point. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4  to  6 , arm protector  104  also comprises a strap  302  attached to the inner side of upper arm protector  306 . As depicted in  FIG. 5 , the strap  302  also includes a hooks section  303  at its upper extremity. Moreover, a loops section  305  is located at the upper and outer extremity of upper arm protector  306 . Strap  302  extends through a ring  118  that is fixedly attached underneath molded shoulder caps  110 ,  110   a ; this feature being shown in FIG.  2 . More precisely, the rings  118 , which can be made of any suitable material such as plastic and the like, are pivotally connected to the extremities of the shoulder arches  124 ,  124   a  of the shoulder pads  102 . It should be noted that the width of the aperture defined by the ring  118  is lesser than that of strap  302  at its extremities since strap  302  is shaped in the form of an hourglass. Thus, strap  302  is retained within the ring  118  in a secure fashion.  FIG. 6  shows the arm protector  104  in its fastened state when the hooks section  303  of strap  302  has been coupled with the loops section  305  of upper arm protector  306 . In such a position, strap  302  is folded upon itself and the arm protector  104  is thereby attached to shoulder pads  102  and thus defines protective upper body assembly  100 . As a consequence, the arm protectors  104 ,  104   a , being secured to shoulder pads  102 , are thereby prevented from sliding up and down the arm of the wearer when the latter is engaged in physical activity. Although  FIGS. 4  to  6  depict that a strap combined with hooks and loops fasteners enable the coupling of arm protector  104  to shoulder pads  102 , it should be expressly understood that any other type of fastening means such as buckles and the like can also be used and do not detract from the spirit of the invention. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 4 , a pull tab  312  is also attached to the upper arm protector  306  and enables the wearer to position the latter by providing a gripping means so that the wearer can easily pull on the arm protector  104  when the protective upper body assembly  100  is worn. A second pull tab  310 , located at the upper end of lower arm protector  308 , is provided to enable the wearer to position the lower arm protector  308 . 
     A further advantage of the protective upper body assembly  100  is that the position of the arm protectors  104 ,  104   a  is adjustable relative to that of the shoulder pads  102 . More specifically, the hooks and loops section  303 ,  305  that respectively characterize the strap  302  and the upper arm protector  306  define a relatively large surface area. This implies that the areas of the hooks  303  and loops section  305  that are coupled together do not have to correspond exactly. Consequently, the position of the arm protectors  104 ,  104   a  can be adjusted relative to that of the shoulder pads  102 . Thus, the protective upper body assembly  100  can be adapted to suit differently shaped players as well as their personal equipment preferences. 
     When worn, the user slides the protective upper body assembly  100  over his or her head and then inserts his or her right and left arms into arm protectors  104  and  104   a  respectively. The user then grips the pull tabs  312  associated with each arm protector and pulls it to position the upper arm protectors  306  at a desired location. Pull tabs  310 ,  310   a  are then pulled to position lower arm protectors  308 ,  308   a  in a snug fashion around the lower arm. Subsequent equipment placement adjustments can be done at any time via each set of pull tabs. 
       FIGS. 7  to  15  depict a variant of the invention. More specifically,  FIG. 7  illustrates a protective upper body assembly, designated by the reference numeral  700 , which comprises shoulder pads  702  and integrated elbow pads  704 ,  704   a . In this variant, one of the main differences resides in the fact that the upper arm protectors  717 ,  717   a  are capable of being adjustably connected to the elbow pads  704 ,  704   a  as well as to the shoulder pads  702 . 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , shoulder pads  702  comprise a primary padding element  714  and a secondary padding element  712  underlying the primary padding element  714 . Primary padding element  714  and secondary padding element  712 , as corroborated by the figures, provide complete frontal and dorsal protection to the wearer&#39;s thoracic region. More specifically, primary padding element  714 , in the front, protects the user&#39;s sternum, chest, and abdominal regions. From a dorsal perspective, primary padding element  714 , which is V-shaped, follows the spinal cord and thereby offers enhanced protection to this very sensitive region of the human body. Secondary padding element  712  provides protection to both side thoracic regions as well as to the lower back. As shown in the figures, a pair of adjustment straps  722 ,  722   a  are integrally connected, at one extremity, to the lower sides of secondary padding element  712 . At their opposite extremities, adjustment straps  722 ,  722   a  feature hooks type fasteners  705 ,  705   a  (not shown but underlying the regions designated by the reference numerals) that are adapted to engage the corresponding loops fasteners (not shown) that characterize the lower front portions of secondary padding element  712 . Thus, unnecessary relative movement of the front and dorsal components of shoulder pads  702  is minimized when protective upper body assembly  700  is in use. Shoulder arches  724 ,  724   a  connect the frontal and dorsal portions of secondary padding element  712 . 
     The shoulder pads  702  also comprise a pair of molded shoulder caps  710 ,  710   a  that shaped in such a manner as to overlie the right and left shoulder extremities respectively. The molded shoulder caps  710 ,  710   a , which are generally made from any rigid material commonly used in the art, are integrally and pivotally connected to the shoulder pads  702  via shoulder arch pads  724 ,  724   a . As in the previous embodiment, molded shoulder caps  710 ,  710   a  are capable of being moved up and down about their attachment points such as to allow a complete range of motion to the wearer of the protective upper body assembly  700 . Although not shown, the molded shoulder caps  710 ,  710   a  could additionally comprise an inner padding element being operative to dampen the intensity of blows received in the general vicinity of the shoulder caps. Right and left upper arm protectors  717 ,  717   a  are capable of being integrally connected (as described with reference to subsequent figures) to the inner portion of each corresponding molded shoulder cap  710 ,  710   a  and thereby protect the user&#39;s upper arm. 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  depict the right upper arm protector  717  of  FIGS. 8 and 9 . It should be understood that right upper arm protector  717  is a mirror image of left upper arm protector  717   a  and is otherwise of identical construction.  FIGS. 10 and 11  show right upper arm protector  717  in its unfastened state prior to its mounting to shoulder pads  702 . As depicted, right upper arm protector  717 , at its upper extremity, includes a strap  719  including hooks and loops fasteners  720  which enable its coupling to shoulder pads  702 . The latter feature will be described in greater detail hereinafter. At its lower extremity, right upper arm protector  717  includes a second strap  725 , that is similar to strap  719 , and which also includes hooks and loops fasteners  726 ; the latter being operative to integrally connect upper arm protector  717  with elbow pad  704 . 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  depict an elbow pad  704  that is adapted for use with protective upper body assembly  700 . As shown, elbow pad  704  comprises first and second limb encircling bracelets  706 ,  708 . A rigid elbow shell  709 , shaped in such a manner as to overlie the elbow point, integrally connects both limb encircling bracelets  706 ,  708  and thereby defines elbow pad  704 . Thus, elbow pad  704  provides protection to the elbow joint, as well as to the upper and lower arm regions of the wearer. Both limb encircling bracelets  706 ,  708  respectively comprise a strap with hooks and loops fasteners  740 ,  742  (partially shown) that enable the user to adjust the fit of elbow pad  704  according to his or her preferences. A ring  744  is also fixedly connected to the first limb encircling bracelet  706  immediately above rigid elbow shell  709 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , ring  744  defines an aperture through which strap  725  is inserted and folded upon itself to connect the corresponding hooks and loops fasteners  726  together. Moreover, straps  719 ,  719   a , which are located at the upper extremity of each upper arm protector  717 ,  717   a  can also be inserted into rings  746  that are fixedly connected to shoulder arches  724 ,  724   a  underneath the molded shoulder caps  710 ,  710   a , and subsequently folded upon themselves to create a connection via hooks and loops fasteners  720 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the coupling of these components results in protective upper body assembly  700 .  FIG. 15  further shows, in stippled lines, elbow pad at its most extracted position relative to upper arm protector  717 . The relatively large connection surface defined by the hooks and loops fasteners situated on strap  725  yield a certain leeway that permits such a displacement. Thus, the positioning of the upper arm protectors  717 ,  717   a  relative to that of the shoulder pads  702  can be adjusted as can the positioning of the elbow pads  704 ,  704   a  relative to that of the upper arm protectors  717 ,  717   a . Protective upper body assembly  700  can therefore be adjusted to conform to different player anatomies and varying equipment preferences. 
     The above description of preferred embodiments should not be interpreted in a limiting manner since other variations, modifications and refinements are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.