Abstract:
Safety or protective devices for use in preventing or limiting injury to players impacting against sports equipment use compression coil springs, gas springs, foam or combinations thereof to absorb force during the impact. Particular embodiments are configured for use at the edge of a glass viewing and shielding panel disposed atop the boards of a hockey rink, for example such edges typically found at the team bench of a conventional hockey rink. A shock absorbing system of the device is positioned so as not to reach beyond the plane of the glass into the area of play.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 13/412,030, filed Mar. 5, 2012, which claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/452,242, filed Mar. 14, 2011, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/543,024, filed Oct. 4, 2011, each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    This invention relates to a protective device for use on sports equipment in a situation where a sports player may impact the equipment during play such as the glass of a hockey rink. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]    It is known in hockey that the edge of the glass at the opening in the glass for the player&#39;s bench and the penalty box is a dangerous position for players in that they can be driven into this edge during a game. However, to the Applicant&#39;s knowledge, no solution to protecting the players from impact with this edge was previously available or even considered prior to Applicant&#39;s invention. This is one example of a situation where a sports player may impact a stationary object; but the arrangement herein can be used with other examples, such as a football post or a basketball stanchion. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]    According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a protective device for use on a stationary sports equipment comprising: 
         [0005]    a bracket for mounting on the equipment; 
         [0006]    an upstanding elongate padded engagement member generally parallel to the equipment so as to be supported at a position spaced from the equipment; 
         [0007]    and at least one shock absorbing spring allowing movement of the engagement member in a direction toward the equipment. 
         [0008]    In one particular end use there is provided a protective device for use on the glass of a hockey rink comprising: 
         [0009]    a bracket for mounting on the edge of a sheet of glass of the hockey rink; 
         [0010]    an upstanding elongate engagement member generally parallel to the bracket of a height the same of similar to that of the height of the glass so as to be supported at a position spaced from the edge of the sheet of glass; 
         [0011]    and a shock absorbing system located between the bracket and the engagement member allowing movement of the engagement member in a direction toward the edge of the glass. 
         [0012]    Preferably the shock absorbing system includes a plurality of springs. Many different types of springs can be used to absorb the impact and to compress to a small length to allow the distance between the engagement member and the glass to be used to gradually take up the impact forces from a player impacting the engagement member. 
         [0013]    Preferably the engagement member is rigid so that it remains straight when impacted and simply moves to one side under the impact toward the glass edge. 
         [0014]    Preferably the shock absorbing system is arranged to return the engagement member to the original position after absorbing the impact to allow the game to continue without pause. 
         [0015]    Thus there is preferably provide a guide system for guiding movement of the engagement member in a horizontal direction parallel to the glass. In this way the engagement member is maintained in the plane of the glass and is prevented from hinging inwardly under an impact. 
         [0016]    Preferably the guide system comprises a track extending along the top sill of the boards extending outwardly from the bottom edge of the glass. 
         [0017]    Preferably the guide system includes a guide member along the top edge of the glass. However other mechanical devices can be used to locate the engagement member. 
         [0018]    Preferably there is provided a band of padding between the engagement member and the edge of the glass on the inside of the glass facing the players. And preferably the band of padding slides in front of the glass when the engagement member is impacted to compress the shock absorbing system. The band of padding therefore closes off the space between the edge and the engagement member and hides the shock absorbing system. 
         [0019]    However the space between the engagement member and the edge of the glass on the outside of the glass facing away from the players can be open or it can be covered by a simple cover to hide the shock absorber, bearing in mind that there is no requirement for padding in this area. 
         [0020]    In one preferred arrangement, the shock absorbing system includes at least one gas spring. 
         [0021]    These can be individual gas springs of a cylindrical shape forming a plurality of gas springs in a row or array. 
         [0022]    Preferably the gas spring or springs are embedded in a resilient material such as a foam. 
         [0023]    Preferably the gas spring or springs are received in cylindrical holes located in the resilient material. 
         [0024]    Preferably the gas spring or springs are arranged to compress parallel to the direction of impact. 
         [0025]    Preferably the gas spring or springs compress by allowing air to escape through a discharge valve and re-expand by resilience in a wall of the spring acting to re-inflate the spring and return the expelled air. 
         [0026]    In the arrangement described above the edge of the glass lies in a flat plane containing the glass. 
         [0027]    However in another arrangement, the edge of the glass is curved out of the flat plane of the glass and the bracket is mounted on the convex side of the curved edge. 
         [0028]    Preferably there is provided a row of gas springs along the edge of the glass. However as an alternative there is provided one or more elongate gas springs extending along the member. 
         [0029]    Where visibility is required there can be provided a cover over the device which is transparent and the springs are formed from a transparent material. 
         [0030]    In some cases the foam is omitted so that there is provided a row of gas springs which are independent of foam material so that the resilience of the spring is provided solely by the compression of the gas springs. 
         [0031]    According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a protective device for an edge of a panel carried on boards of a hockey rink, the device comprising: 
         [0032]    a bracket for mounting at or on the edge of the panel; 
         [0033]    an upstanding engagement member of a height the same or similar to that of the panel to be supported at a position spaced from the edge of the panel; 
         [0034]    and a shock absorbing system located between the bracket and the engagement member and allowing movement of the engagement member relative to the edge of the panel. 
         [0035]    According to another aspect of the invention, in combination with an upright panel mounted atop boards of a hockey rink that delimit a playing area thereof, there is provided a protective device for an edge of said panel, the device comprising: 
         [0036]    a bracket mounted at or on the edge of the panel; 
         [0037]    an upstanding engagement member equal or similar in height to the panel, the engagement member being supported in a position placing an outer face of the engagement member in an orientation facing away from said edge of the panel at a distance spaced therefrom in a lengthwise direction of the boards; 
         [0038]    and a shock absorbing system located between the bracket and the outer face of the engagement member and being compressible in a longitudinal impact direction that is parallel to a flat upright plane of the panel and parallel to the lengthwise direction of the boards, whereby the shock absorbing system is arranged to absorb against the outer face of the engagement member in the longitudinal impact direction; 
         [0039]    wherein the shock absorbing system is free of any component or portion that extends beyond the flat upright plane of the panel into the playing area of the hockey rink. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0040]    Embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0041]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of boards of a hockey rink, showing an edge of the glass at an opening therein and a safety or protective device of a first embodiment the present invention mounted at the glass edge to absorb player impact using compression coil springs. 
           [0042]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view as taken along the lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0043]      FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view like that of  FIG. 2 , but of a first variant of the first embodiment safety or protective device. 
           [0044]      FIG. 2B  is a cross-sectional view like that of  FIG. 2 , but of a second variant of the first embodiment safety or protective device. 
           [0045]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second embodiment safety or protective device employing gas springs embedded in a foam body. 
           [0046]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view like that of  FIG. 3 , but of a first variant of the second embodiment that uses gas springs of elongated cross-section and features a zipper-openable cover over the foam body. 
           [0047]      FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional view of the device of  FIG. 4  at the vertical plane of the glass. 
           [0048]      FIG. 6  is an overhead plan view of a second variant of the second embodiment employing a single gas spring of elongated cross-section mounted on a glass panel having a curved edge portion, the top end of the cover being cut away for illustrative purposes. 
           [0049]      FIG. 7  is a rear elevational view of the glass and safety or protective device of  FIG. 7  with a side of the cover cut away for illustrative purposes. 
           [0050]      FIG. 8  illustrates a third embodiment safety or protective device for use on upright post structures of various sports equipment so similarly use gas springs to absorb force during impact by a player. 
           [0051]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating placement of the second embodiment device of  FIG. 3  such that no portion of the springs extends beyond the upright plane of the glass. 
           [0052]      FIG. 10  is a partial overhead plan view of the device of  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
       [0053]    In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0054]    In  FIG. 1  is shown a part of a hockey rink including a layer of ice  10 , the boards  11  at the ice edge including a top rail  12  and the glass on top of the rails indicated at  13  formed in separate panels and carried in vertical brackets  14  supporting the edges of the panels. 
         [0055]    The present invention provides a protective device for use on the glass of a hockey rink. This includes a bracket  15  for mounting on the exposed edge  16  of a sheet of glass of the hockey rink where there is an opening  17  in the span of glass around the playing surface, for example at the penalty box or team bench. 
         [0056]    An upstanding elongate engagement member  18 , which may for example by a flat plate of metal or other substantially rigid material, has a height that lies generally parallel to the bracket  15  and is the same or similar to the height of the glass so as to be supported at a position spaced from the edge of the sheet of glass. 
         [0057]    A shock absorbing system  19  is located between the bracket  15  and the engagement member  18  allowing movement of the engagement member in a direction toward the edge of the glass. 
         [0058]    The shock absorbing system includes a plurality of springs  19 A at spaced positions along the height of the engagement member. The springs absorb the impact and compress to a smaller length to allow the distance between the engagement member and the glass to be used to gradually take up the impact forces from a player impacting the engagement member. This movement may typically of the order of 3 to 6 inches, but may be more in the order of 1 to 3 inches, and preferably 1 to 2 inches, in order to keep the overall size and bulk of the device to a minimum. 
         [0059]    The engagement member  18  is rigid so that it remains straight when impacted and simply moves to one side toward the glass under the impact toward the glass edge. 
         [0060]    The springs of the shock absorbing system act to return the engagement member to the original position after absorbing the impact to allow the game to continue without pause. 
         [0061]    There is provided a guide a track  20  extending along the top rail  12  of the boards extending outwardly from the bottom edge of the glass or bottom end of the bracket  15  and a guide member  21  along the top edge of the glass for guiding movement of the engagement member in the horizontal direction parallel to the vertical plane of the glass. In this way the engagement member is maintained in the plane of the glass and is prevented from hinging inwardly under an impact. 
         [0062]    The engagement member is covered by a layer of padding  22  on its face away from the glass edge and a band  24  of padding is located between the engagement member and the edge of the glass and extends onto the inside of the glass facing the players on the ice. The band of padding slides in front of the glass when the engagement member is impacted to compress the shock absorbing system. The band of padding therefore closes off the space between the glass edge and the engagement member and hides the shock absorbing system. 
         [0063]    Between the engagement member and the edge of the glass on the outside of the glass facing away from the players is partly covered by a lip  23  of the padding  22 . 
         [0064]    As also shown in  FIG. 2 , a guide rod, bar or pipe  19 B having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the spring&#39;s coils is received within the spring so that the coils thereof wind around the guide  19 B. One end of the guide  19 B is fixed to the engagement member  18 , and the guide  19 B passes through a hole in a portion  15 A of the bracket that lies in a vertical plane perpendicular to the plane of the glass  13  at the edge  16  of the glass  13 . This hole in the bracket  15  is located on an outer side of the plane of the glass  13 . When the spring  19 A is compressed during travel of the engagement member  18  toward the bracket  15 , the free end of the guide  19 B thus travels along the glass on the outside thereof. The guide  19 B prevents the spring  19 A from deflecting significantly from its horizontal longitudinal axis parallel to the plane of the glass  13 . 
         [0065]      FIG. 2A  shows a first variant of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  where no guides are present inside the springs  19 A, and accordingly the springs need not be offset from the plane of the glass  13 . However, the springs may be more subject to deflection from a horizontal spring axis parallel to the plane of the glass  13 . 
         [0066]      FIG. 2B  shows a further variant of the first embodiment, where instead of using a guide rod/bar/pipe  19 B to maintain the orientation of the spring axis parallel to the plane of the glass, the bracket  15  defines a channel  15 B that opens toward the engagement member  18 , much like the channel on the other side of the bracket that embraces the edge  16  of the glass  13 , and the extends into this channel  15 B to make the connection to the portion  15 A of the bracket lying perpendicular to the glass  13  at the vertical edge  16  thereof. Space is left between the open end of the channel  15 B and the normal spring-biased position of the engagement member to leave room for the displacement thereof under impact by a player, while the vertical side walls of the channel  15 B act to block or limit horizontal deflection of the spring, at least over the portion thereof received between the side walls of the channel. 
         [0067]    In  FIG. 3  is shown a second embodiment in which the shock absorbing system includes gas springs  30  embedded in a block of foam  32  with cylindrical holes  34  cut in the foam to receive the individual spaced-apart springs in a row along the edge of the glass  13 . The springs are embedded in the block of resilient foam or other similar resilient material, which has an elongated vertical dimension matching or closely following the height of the glass. Each gas spring is arranged to compress between its ends by collapse of a corrugated peripheral wall  36  along an axis of the spring parallel to the direction of impact. This is controlled by allowing air to escape through an adjustable discharge valve  40  and re-expand by resilience in the peripheral wall of the spring acting to re-inflate the spring and return the expelled air. Although the drawings illustrate gas springs with empty interiors, whereby the re-expansion of the spring is provided entirely by the resilience of the corrugated peripheral wall, other embodiments may employ a soft coil spring disposed inside the gas spring body to contribute to a faster return of the gas spring to its normal extended state. 
         [0068]    In this arrangement the player impacts an outer edge of the foam body, which lies opposite and faces away from the edge of the glass, and the base of the gas springs at or near this outer edge of the foam body so that there is no need for an additional padded engagement member which moves toward the edge of the glass, as the whole construction can compress in the direction of impact. The gas springs enhance or increase the resistance of the foam to compression. 
         [0069]    The  FIG. 3  device has the foam body mounted directly to the edge of the edge of the glass or a bracket or support located at the glass edge. The foam block may feature a vertical slot running along the height of the block in the edge or side thereof facing the edge of the glass to allow receipt of the glass, bracket or support within the slot so that the foam embraces opposite sides of the glass, bracket or support. Options for securing the foam block in place include adhesive, Velcro™ hook and loop fasteners, or string, rope, straps or belts tied around the block and through suitable openings cut or otherwise formed in the glass, bracket or support. 
         [0070]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show a variant of the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , wherein a cover  42  of flexible material or fabric is added to enclose and protect the rectangular foam block  32 . The illustrated cover  42  defines a generally rectangular interior volume to closely fit the foam block  32 , and features a folding rectangular flap  44  to selectively open and close the cover  42  at the outer side or edge of the foam block  32  for access to the block and the gas springs inside the container for inspection, repair or replacement. A suitable fastening mechanism is provided to allow the closure flap  44  of the cover to be secured in a closed position ( FIG. 5 ) over the foam block when the device is in use. In the illustrated embodiment, a zipper  46  is used for closing the cover  24  through engagement of mating zipper teeth on three matching sides of the closure flap  44  and the cover opening to be closed thereby, as can be seen in  FIG. 4  where the closure flap  44  is in the open position. 
         [0071]    The  FIG. 4  variant also differs from  FIG. 3  in that the holes  34 ′ in the foam block  32  and the gas springs  30 ′ received in the holes are not of circular cross-section, instead each having an oblong or other vertically-elongated cross-section to span a larger portion of the overall height of the device along the vertical edge of the glass  13 , and so fewer holes and springs are required. This demonstrates the number, size and shape of the gas springs may be varied while still providing the same overall functionality.  FIG. 5  shows that the device may incorporate a rigid base plate  48  lying between the foam block  32  and the bracket  15  for use in fastening the device to the bracket  15  at the edge of the glass  13 , for example using threaded fasteners engaged through the two. The base plate  48  is shown inside the cover  42 , but alternatively may be located on the exterior thereof. 
         [0072]    The illustrated foam-embedded gas springs have the outer faces thereof (i.e. the ends of the spring opposite the edge of the glass) situated at positions slightly recessed into the foam block from the outer face thereof so that the compression of the gas spring only comes into play under sufficient impact to drive the outer face of the foam far enough inward to reach the outer ends of the springs. Other embodiments may have the spring ends flush with the outer face of the foam block, or have the springs project outward from the foam block to form part or all of the initial impact area. The valves of the gas springs may be situated at either end of the respective holes in the foam block, and may communicate only with the hollow space inside the foam, or suitable airflow passages or conduits may pass through the foam to communicate the gas springs with the ambient environment outside the foam body. The holes in the foam body may be through-holes passing entirely therethrough, or blind-holes passing only partly through the body from one side thereof, whether from the inner edge or side of the foam body nearest the glass or the opposing outer edge or side. 
         [0073]    In the arrangements described above, the edge of the glass lies in a flat plane containing the glass. 
         [0074]    However in another arrangement shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the edge of the glass is curved out of the flat plane of the glass and the bracket is mounted on the convex side of the curved edge. 
         [0075]    In the arrangements of  FIGS. 3 to 5 , there is provided a row of gas springs embedded in a foam body along the edge of the glass, whether each spring is circular or of vertically elongated cross section to extend along the bracket at the edge of the glass. The variant of  FIGS. 6 and 7  differ in that there is provided only a single gas spring  30 ″, which is mounted without any surrounding foam material and which has an elongated cross-sectional shape that is sufficiently long in the vertical direction to span the full, or substantially full, height of the glass  13 ′. 
         [0076]    The device features a mounting bracket  15 ′ with a flat outer face against which an end of the gas spring  30 ″ is abutted, and an opposing face with a curvature suitable to sit flush against the curved edge portion of the glass  13 ′. The device may be secured to the glass in any suitable manner, for example by adhesive bonding of the bracket  15 ′ to the glass  13 ′, or bolting of the bracket to the glass through alignable holes in the bracket and the glass. Alternatively, another embodiment may forgo the mounting bracket  15 ′ an have an inner end of the spring directly fixed or fastened to the glass. 
         [0077]      FIGS. 6 and 7  also illustrate an alternate cover design, where the cover  42 ′ does not fully enclose all sides of the device, instead lacking any closure on the side of the device that is mounted up against the glass  13 . 
         [0078]    While  FIGS. 6 and 7  show the device mounted to position the spring axis parallel to the plane of the flat portion of the glass at a short distance outward therefrom, it may alternatively be configured to place the spring nearer to this primary flat plane of the glass, but still parallel thereto, or to angle the spring axis to extend obliquely toward the primary plane of the glass, but preferably without projecting inward therepast toward the playing area bound by the boards. With reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  9  and  10 , all embodiments of the present invention may be similarly placed so that no portions of the spring or springs projects past the upright plane of the glass into the playing area of the hockey rink bound by the glass. With reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10  specifically, the foam body  32  may be positioned to reach and occupy the upright plane of the glass  13  without reaching therepast so as to prevent interference with shooting of the puck along the glass. 
         [0079]    Where visibility is required, the cover may be transparent and the springs likewise formed from a transparent material. While  FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrated a particular arrangement in which foam is omitted and a single gas spring provides all the resilience of the shock absorbing system, other arrangements may similarly omit foam material while using a row of multiple gas springs which are independent of foam material so that the resilience of the shock absorbing system is provided solely by the compression of one or more of the gas springs. 
         [0080]    Although the term glass is used in the forgoing description to refer to the transparent shielding/viewing panels through which spectators and other observers can view the playing area bound by the boards while being protected from a puck that is raised above the height of the opaque boards during play, it will be appreciated that use of other transparent or substantially transparent materials will not detriment the functionality of the present invention. For example, it has become known to use acrylic panels instead of glass for these panels, and the present invention may likewise be used to protect players from the edge, corner, bracket or stanchion at the end of a panel regardless of its particular material composition. 
         [0081]    The drawings of the preceding embodiments of based on prototypes of the invention produced from off the shelf components, which resulted in overall structures which may be considered bulky and somewhat obstructive to visibility of the playing area. However, it will be understood the smaller components (e.g. shorter springs) projecting shorter distances along and across the lengthwise direction of the boards at the edge of the glass may be used to provide an impact absorbing function with reduced detriment to spectator sight lines. 
         [0082]    In  FIG. 8  is shown another arrangement for use for example with a post of a sporting equipment structure which is located at a position which might be impacted by the player. Examples of such applications include football posts, basketball stanchions, soccer goal posts, etc. 
         [0083]    At multiple heights along it, the device features a hollow cylindrical sleeve of foam material  50  having radial bores  52  extending into the cylindrical hollow interior thereof from spaced locations around the outer circumference of the sleeve. Each radial bore  52  receives a respective gas spring  30 , so that the sleeve provides a radial array of the gas springs  30  located wholly or partly around a post  54  about which the sleeve is fitted. The sleeve length is selected to extend along the post to a required height so that up to the whole periphery of the post may be protected from an impact in any direction. 
         [0084]    In other embodiments, for example where protection in all directions is not required, the foam padding may not necessarily form a fully closed sleeve around the post, and for example may be an arcuate span of foam having one or more radial bores at one or more levels along the height of the body. 
         [0085]    Again, gas springs of various cross-sectional shapes, and accordingly shaped holes in the foam, may be employed, in which case vertically elongated springs may be used to reduce the number of springs required to span a particular height of the foam body. 
         [0086]    Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.