Abstract:
Hinged padding for protective gear comprises a first and a second pad member. A dual-layer membrane sandwiches the first pad member and the second pad member, between a first of the layers and a second of the layers. The first and the second pad member are separated from one another in such a way that the two layers of the dual-layer membrane are coplanar between the sandwiched pad members. The dual-layer membrane consists of a generally non-rigid material such that the first pad member and the second pad member are at least pivotable with respect to another, whereby the hinged padding is adapted to be shaped to be accommodated in a shell of protective gear. A process for assembling the hinged padding is also described.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/759,065, filed on Jan. 17, 2006, by the present applicant. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to protective gear, such as helmets, shin/knee protection, used in physical activities such as sports, and more particularly to padding used in the protective gear. 
     2. Background Art 
     Protective gear, especially of the type used in sports, has evolved over the years. The athletes have become stronger and faster, and the equipment and the play have evolved in such a way that the protective gear must constantly be improved to protect the players adequately. 
     For instance, in hockey, numerous head injuries have been recorded in the past decades. Helmets have therefore been modified to improve their shock absorption capacity. Accordingly, helmet padding has gone from being constituted of a few humidity-absorbing polyurethane-foam cushions glued directly to the rigid outer shell, to individual padding members each made of a shock-absorbing expanded polymer pad (e.g., expanded polypropylene) supporting a softer impermeable comfort pad interfaced between the head of the wearer and the polymer pad. 
     One of the issues associated with such padding members is that they require a non-negligible amount of adhesive to be connected to the rigid outer shell. Moreover, the constituting members of such padding members, i.e., the polymer pad and the impermeable comfort pad, are also glued together. This is not an optimal connection, as some padding members can get inadvertently detached. Also, the assembly of such helmets is labor-intensive. Finally, the finish of expanded padding shows traces of foam beads, and is also not optimal. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide padding for protective gear that addresses issues associated with the prior art. 
     It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a process for producing hinged padding for protective gear. 
     Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided hinged padding for protective gear, comprising: a first pad member; a second pad member; a dual-layer membrane sandwiching the first pad member and the second pad member, between a first of the layers and a second of the layers, the first pad member and the second pad member being separated from one another in such a way that the two layers of the dual-layer membrane are coplanar between the sandwiched pad members, the dual-layer membrane consisting of a generally non-rigid material such that the first pad member and the second pad member are at least pivotable with respect to another; whereby the hinged padding is adapted to be shaped to be accommodated in a shell of protective gear. 
     Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a process for assembling hinged padding, comprising the steps of: i) positioning at least two pad members on a first membrane; ii) placing a second membrane on the at least two pad members; iii) placing a die on the second membrane such that a portion of the die is between the at least two pad members; iv) temperature treating the die such as to fuse the first membrane to the second membrane to form a hinge between the at least two pad members; whereby a hinged padding is formed upon removal of the die. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hinged padding constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the hinged padding of  FIG. 1 , shaped so as to be inserted into a shell of protective gear; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembly view of components of the hinged padding with respect to prior to being assembled with a die and alignment jig in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembly view of a membrane being positioned on a mold for a vacuum-forming step of a process in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the membrane of  FIG. 4  being vacuum-formed; 
         FIG. 6  is an assembly view of pad members being inserted into the vacuum-formed membrane of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the pad members as inserted into the vacuum-formed membrane of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an assembly view of an additional membrane being positioned on the pad members/vacuum-formed membrane assembly of  FIG. 7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an assembly after the step illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , hinged padding for protective gear in accordance with a preferred embodiment, is generally shown at  10 . 
     The hinged padding  10  has a central lower forehead pad  11  and an upper forehead pad  12  hinged to the central lower forehead pad  11 . Lateral lower forehead pads  13 A and  13 B are hinged to the central lower forehead pad  11 . The pads  13 A and  13 B are each provided with an air vent. 
     Lateral upper forehead pads  14 A and  14 B are respectively hinged to the lateral lower forehead pads  13 A and  13 B. Temple pads  15 A and  15 B are respectively hinged to the lateral lower forehead pads  13 A and  13 B. 
     As is shown in  FIG. 2 , the hinged padding  10  is shaped with a view to being fitted in the front part of a helmet. The hinge relation between the various pads enables the padding to be shaped in accordance with the front portion of the inner cavity of the helmet. It is pointed out that although the hinged padding  10  is described as being part of a helmet, hinged padding as described herein can be used with other types of protective gear. A few other applications are described hereinafter. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , components of the hinged padding are illustrated in an assembly view with respect to a die  20  having cavities  21  as well as an alignment jig  22  with pins  23 . More specifically, the components include a layer of membrane  30 , pad members  31  to  35 B, a layer  36  of adhesive, and a layer of membrane  40 . 
     The membrane  30  is typically made of a fabric, made of natural materials, polymers or rubbers, having a suitable level of elasticity. For instance, the membrane  30  is made of a polyester. As is shown in  FIG. 3 , the membrane  30  may have color patterns thereon, such as colors  30 A and  30 B, with color  30 B printed on the fabric having color A using known techniques. 
     Referring concurrently to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the pad members are as follows: the pad member  31  will be part of the central lower forehead pad  11 , the pad member  32  will be part of the upper forehead pad  12 , the pad members  33 A and  33 B will respectively be part of the lateral lower forehead pads  13 A and  13 B, the pad members  34 A and  34 B will respectively be part of the lateral upper forehead pads  14 A and  14 B, and the pad members  35 A and  35 B will respectively be part of the temple pads  15 A and  15 B. 
     The material and the density of the pad members  31  to  35 B will be selected as a function of the contemplated use of the hinged padding  10 . Therefore, the hinged padding  10  may advantageously be constituted of different types of pads, each specifically suited for a bodily region to be protected. The pads are either molded or cut. 
     As an example, in view of the configuration of the hinged padding  10 , the pad members  31  and  32  are typically made of a low-density expanded polyethylene (EPE). Similarly, the pad members  33 A,  33 B,  34 A and  34 B are typically made of a medium-density expanded polypropylene (EPP). The pad members  35 A and  35 B are typically made of a high-density EPE. 
     The adhesive  36  preferably comes in the form of a sheet as is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The adhesive  36  is a thermo-reactive adhesive that will react to heat applied by a press in which the whole assembly illustrated in  FIG. 3  will be inserted. 
     The membrane  40  is a membrane made of a polymeric or rubber material, preferably having a level of elasticity lower than that of the membrane  30 . 
     When the various components of the hinged padding are placed atop one another so as to be laminated into the hinged padding  10 , the various pad members  31  to  35 B are placed into respective cavities  21  of the die  20 . 
     The die  20  is made of a rigid material that is well suited to transferring heat, such as a metal (e.g., aluminum). The die  20  is machined or cast as a function of the peripheral shape of the hinged padding  10 . 
     The alignment jig  22  is optionally provided so as to facilitate the alignment between the various components of the hinged padding and the die  20 . It is seen from  FIG. 3  that the die  20 , the membrane  30 , the sheet of adhesive  36 , as well as the membrane  40  all have alignment holes that will accommodate the alignment pins  23 . The alignment is of particular importance in the case of a dual-tone membrane  30  (such as the one illustrated in  FIG. 3 ), to ensure that the hinged padding  10  has the desired color pattern. 
     Once the various components of the hinged padding  10  are layered with the die  20  and the alignment jig  22 , this assembly is heat-pressed. Suitable heat-pressing depends on the type of adhesive  36  used, as well as the thicknesses of the membranes  30  and  40 . For instance, a pressing time of 85 seconds at 300° F. is suitable to perform the fusing. 
     A seam is therefore formed between the membranes  30  and  40  in the shape of the die  20 , as the adhesive  36  melts and fuses the membranes  30  and  40  to one another. It is pointed out that the adhesive  36  is optional as the membranes  30  and  40  may naturally fuse together, depending on the material chosen for these membranes. The membrane  30  stretches to conform to the shape of the pads  31  to  35 B, whereas the membrane  40  remains generally flat. Therefore, the pads  31  to  35 B are encapsulated between the membranes  30  and  40 . It is observed that, in the hinged padding  10  formed from using the assembly illustrated in  FIG. 3 , there is no adhesive between the pads  31  to  35 B and the membrane  30  this facilitates the stretching of the membrane  30 , and enhances moisture evaporation through the membrane  30 . 
     In the process associated with the assembly of  FIG. 3 , a cooling step is optionally performed by placing the assembly with or without the alignment jig  22  between cooling presses. The die  20  is then removed, at which point the outer periphery of the hinged padding  10  is defined using a die, or any other suitable cutting process whether manual or automated, so as to define the hinged padding  10  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The cutting is however optional as the membranes  30  and  40  may already define a suitable peripheral shape for the hinged padding. 
     It is observed in  FIG. 3  that there is a cut-out in the pads  33 A and  33 B. In order to have these cut-outs as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , insert dies (not shown) are positioned in the cut-outs at the same layer as the die  20 , so as to have the membranes  30  and  40  fuse to one another. Alternatively, the membrane  30  may cover the cut-out without being fused to the membrane  40 , thereby defining an air gap between the membranes  30  and  40  in the regions of the cut-outs. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 to 9 , an alternative process for producing the hinged padding  10  is described. In  FIG. 4 , a mold is illustrated at  120 . The mold  120  is typically made of a material adapted to sustain temperature changes. For instance, the mold  120  is typically made of aluminum. Cavities  121  are provided in an upper surface  122  of the mold  120 . The cavities  121  are essentially shaped to accommodate the various pads that will be making up the hinged padding  10 . The upper surface  122  is preferably provided with vacuum holes for a vacuum-forming process to be described hereinafter. 
     The membrane  30  is positioned on the upper surface  122  of the mold  120 . 
     By way of a vacuum-forming process, the membrane  30  takes the shape of the upper surface  122  of the mold  120 . To initiate the vacuum-forming process, the membrane  30  is heated, and vacuuming is actuated for the vacuum holes in the upper surface  122  of the mold. The combination of heat and suction results in the membrane  30  taking the shape of the upper surface  122  of the mold  120 . 
     Thereafter, pad members are inserted into the cavities  121  of the mold  120 , upon which still lies the vacuum-formed membrane  30 . Referring concurrently to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  6  and  7 . It is considered to add an adhesive on the vacuum-formed membrane  30 , in the cavities  121 , to secure the pad members  31 - 35 B to the membrane  30 . There is illustrated in  FIG. 7  the vacuum-formed membrane  30  accommodating the pad members  31 - 35 B. It is considered to have components molded into the pad members. For instance, tapped-bore inserts may be encapsulated in the pad members. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a membrane  40  is positioned on top of the combination of the membrane  30 /pad members  31 - 35 B. The membrane  40  will be fused to the membrane  30 , by being pressed against the membrane  30  (by a heated press plate not shown in  FIG. 8 ). 
     In a preferred embodiment, the materials of the membranes  30  and  40  are compatible so as to be fused to one another. Alternatively, an adhesive, such as a glue, may be used to secure the membranes  30  and  40  together. 
     As is seen in  FIG. 8 , the membrane  40  may be provided with connection components  41 , such as Velcro™ strips. There is also illustrated in  FIG. 8  holes  42  in the membrane  40 , which holes  42  are in register with inserts in the pad member  31 . 
     Once the membranes  30  and  40  are bonded together with the pad members  31  to  35 B encapsulated therein to form assembly  50 , the assembly  50  is removed from the mold  120 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . The assembly  50  is then trimmed or die-cut into the hinged padding  10 . As understood from the process, the pad members forming the pads of the hinged padding  10  are hinged by the material of the membranes  30  and  40  interrelating the pad members. This enables the relative movement between the pads  11  to  15 B of the hinged padding  10 , to enable the hinged padding  10  into the geometry illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     Applications for the hinged padding  10  includes non-exclusively padding for the limbs and for the torso for any contact sport. As an example, hockey goaltender equipment such as a torso guard may be constructed using some of the hinged padding  10 , as the hinging action between the pads allows the hinged padding to conform to the body shape of the user person.