Abstract:
An improved work pants construction in which padding is provided to protect both the knees and shins of the worker. In one form of the invention, the knee protective padding and the shin protective padding comprise separate components which are independently receivable within specially configured pockets provided in the work pants. More particularly, the knee protective padding is receivable within a top opening pocket in the work pants while the shin protective padding is receivable within a bottom opening pocket provided in the work pants.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to padded work pants. More particularly, the invention concerns work pants having removable padding for protecting the knees and shins of the user. 
     2. Discussion of the Invention 
     Padded knee protectors have long been used by workers to cushion and protect their knees. For example, carpenters, roofers, floor tilers and gardeners spend considerable time in a kneeling position and, for purposes of comfort and safety require protection for the knees. 
     A number of garment designs embodying knee protectors have been suggested. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,666 issued to Denman describes a garment that is especially adapted for protecting the knees while gardening. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,124 issued to Thompson discloses a knee protector for insertion in a pocket in the legs of work pants wherein the knee protector is of a V-shaped cross section. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,577 issued to Sharf, a pair of work pants is described which comprises two legs joined together at a crotch area and a protective layer secured to the front of each leg having an upper edge no lower than the crotch area and a lower edge below the knee area. Each protective layer is secured to the underlying material in a manner to define a pocket in which a padding member can be removably inserted. In a somewhat similar vein, U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,083 issued to Mitchell discloses work pants which are so constructed that removable knee pads can be quickly installed and removed. 
     In addition to the prior art constructions described in the preceding paragraph, a number of knee pad constructions have been suggested which can be strapped or otherwise affixed over the work pants themselves to protect the worker&#39;s knees. Exemplary of these types of devices are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,123 issued to Hull and U.S. Pat. No. 3,346,877 issued to Zirves. 
     While the prior art knee pad structures generally perform in a satisfactory manner, many of the constructions are bulky, uncomfortable and inconvenient to use, and substantially detract from the appearance of the work garments. Further, while the prior art patents provide a number of constructions adapted to protect the user&#39;s knees, applicant is unaware of any prior art structure that protects both the knee and shin of a worker. In a great number of different occupations, it is desirable to protect both the knees and the shins of the worker. For example, steel workers, riggers, miners and luggage handlers are exemplary of but a few such occupations. 
     The work pants of the present invention uniquely overcome the drawbacks of prior art work pants construction by providing for the first time a work pant construction wherein pads are provided to protect both the knees and shins of the user. In one embodiment of the invention, the knee pads and shin protectors comprise separate elements which can be used simultaneously or, alternatively, can be used one at a time. In this latter form of the invention, the knee pads are insertable within a top opening pocket formed in the knee area of the work pants while the shin protector is receivable into a bottom opening pocket provided in the work garment. Due to the novel construction of both the knee pads and shin pads, the appearance of the work garment is substantially improved by avoiding the substantial distortion in the shape of the work pants as is caused by the prior art protective padding. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide improved work pants which are particularly useful in a number of different occupations wherein both the knees and shins of the worker require protection against injury. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide work pants of the aforementioned character in which the knee and shin padding is uniquely shaped so as to not detract from the appearance of the garment. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide work pants of the character described in the preceding paragraphs in which the knee protective padding and the shin protective padding is removably received within uniquely shaped pockets formed in the work pants. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide work pants of the character described in which the knee pad and the shin pad comprise separate components which are independently received within specially configured pockets provided in the work pants. More particularly, in one form of the invention, the knee protective padding is receivable within a top opening pocket in the work pants while the shin protective padding is receivable within a bottom opening pocket provided in the work pants. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a protective garment of the class described which is easy to use, is durable in use and yet can be inexpensively manufactured. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of one form of the work pants construction of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view partly in cross section taken along lines 2--2 to FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 4 is a generally diagrammatic view illustrating the configuration of the knee pad protector of the invention when the worker is in a kneeling position. 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of another embodiment of the work pants construction of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged view taken along lines 6--6 of FIG. 5 and is partly broken away to show internal construction of the pocket portions. 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged front view of the padded area of the work pants shown in FIG. 5 partly broken away to show internal construction. 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along lines 8--8 of FIG. 7. 
     FIG. 9 is a generally perspective view of the padding component of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 10 is a front view of yet another embodiment of the work pants of the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarged view taken along lines 11--11 of FIG. 10 and is partly broken away to show internal construction of the pocket portions. 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front elevational view partly broken away to show the internal construction of the padded portion of the work pants shown in FIG. 10. 
     FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along lines 13--13 of FIG. 12. 
     FIG. 14 is a generally perspective view of the padding components of the work pants construction illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11, and 12. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 4, one form of the work pants construction of the present invention is there illustrated. The work pants here comprise a pair of interconnected leg portions 12 and 14 each of which includes a front panel 12a and 14a respectively. As best seen in FIG. 4, each front panel includes a knee covering portion 16 and a shin covering portion 18. 
     A protective layer 20 is connected to the front panel of each leg and includes an upper edge 20a located above knee covering portion 16 and a lower edge 20b located below the shin covering portion 18 of the front panel. Protective coating 20 is interconnected with the front panel of each leg portion by any suitable means such as sewing to form a pocket having an interior space 22. As best seen by referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the pockets define an interior space 22 that extends slightly above the knee portion and slightly below the shin portion of the wearer. 
     Contained within each interior space or compartment 22 of the pockets is a padding generally designated in FIGS. 1 through 5 by the numeral 24. Padding 24 includes a knee covering portion 24a and shin covering portion 24b. Knee covering portion 24a is of a first width and has an upper edge portion 24c disposed proximate the upper edge 20a of protective layer 20. Shin covering portion 24b is of a second lesser width and has a lower edge portion 24c disposed proximate the lower edge 20b of protective layer 20. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 5 through 9, an alternate form of the work pants construction of the present invention is there illustrated. This form of the invention is similar in many respects to that shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 and like numerals have been used to identify like components. 
     As before, the work pants comprise a pair of interconnected leg portions 12 and 14 each of which includes a front panel 12a and 14a respectively. Each front panel includes a knee covering portion 16 and a shin covering portion 18. 
     A protective layer 30 is connected to the front panel of each leg and includes an upper edge 30a located above knee covering portion 16 and a lower edge 30b located below the shin covering portion 18 of the front panel. Protective covering 30 also includes opposite edge portions 30c. Edge portions 30c as well as lower edge portion 30b are interconnected with the front panel of each leg portion by any suitable means such as sewing to form a pocket having an interior space 32 and an upper opening 31 (FIG. 6). As best seen by referring to FIG. 7, the pocket on each leg portion comprises a first or knee compartment 34 which overlays the knee portion and a second or shin compartment 36 which overlays the shin portion of the wearer. Opening 31 provides access to both compartments. 
     Contained within compartments 34 and 36 is a generally keyhole shaped padding assemblage designated by the numeral 38. Padding assemblage 38 includes a knee covering portion 38a and shin covering portion 38b. Knee covering portion 38a is generally circular in shape having a diameter and an upper edge portion 38c disposed proximate the upper edge 30a of protective layer 30. Shin covering portion 38b comprises an elongated segment of lesser width than the diameter of portion 38a. The lower edge portion 38d of the assemblage is disposed proximate the lower edge 30b of protective layer 30. 
     As best seen by referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, closure means are provided for releasably closing upper openings 31. This closure means here comprises for each pocket of the work pants first and second lengths of fabric 40 and 42 respectively. First length 40 has first and second end portions 40a and 40b, with first end portion 40a being attached proximate the upper edge 30a of protective layer 30 (FIG. 6) as by sewing or other suitable means. Second length of fabric 42 extends transversely of the leg portions and is connected to the front panels of the work pants as by sewing (FIG. 5). Provided proximate edge portion 40b of length of fabric 40 are a multiplicity of small hooks 44 which are adapted to releasably interconnect with a multiplicity of small loops 46 provided on second length of fabric 42. 
     With the construction described in the preceding paragraphs, and by alternately lifting and then pressing downwardly on the free end of fabric lengths 40, openings 31 can be conveniently opened and closed to permit insertion and removal of padding assemblage 38. Various hook and loop type materials can be used as the closure means, but a material sold under the name and style of VELCRO performs satisfactorily. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 12 through 14, still another form of the work pants construction of the present invention is there illustrated. This form of the invention is also similar in many respects to that shown in FIGS. 1 through 9 and, once again, like numerals have been used to identify like components. The major difference between this latest embodiment of the invention and that shown in FIGS. 6 through 14 resides in the fact that the padding assemblage here comprises two separate components. Additionally, in this latest embodiment, the knee pad component of the assemblage is removably receivable within an upper top opening pocket while the shin pad component of the assemblage is removably receivable within a lower bottom opening pocket. 
     As was the case in the previously described embodiment, the work pants comprise a pair of interconnected leg portions 12 and 14 each of which includes a front panel 12a and 14a respectively. Each front panel includes a knee covering portion 16 and a shin covering portion 18. 
     A protective layer 50 is connected to the front panel of each leg and includes an upper edge 50a located above knee covering portion 16 and a lower edge 50b located below the shin covering portion 18 of the front panel. Protective covering 50 also includes opposite edge portions 50c. Edge portions 50c are interconnected with the front panel of each leg portion by any suitable means such as by sewing to form a pocket having an interior space 52 and upper and lower openings 57 and 59 (FIG. 11). As best seen by referring to FIG. 11, the pocket on each leg portion comprises a first or knee compartment 54 which overlays the knee portion and a second or shin compartment 56 which overlays the shin portion of the wearer. Opening 57 provides access to compartments 54, while opening 59 provides access to compartment 56. 
     Contained within compartment 54 is a generally dome shaped knee padding member designated by the numeral 58. Contained within compartment 56 is an elongated shin padding member designated by the numeral 60. Knee padding member is generally circular in shape having a diameter and including an upper edge portion 58a disposed proximate the upper edge 50a of protective layer 50. As best seen in FIG. 14, shin padding member 60 comprises an elongated segment of lesser width than the diameter of member 58. The lower edge 60b of member 60 includes a semicircular cut-out 60b which is disposed proximate the lower edge 50b of protective layer 50. Cut-out 60b conveniently fits over the top of the user&#39;s foot in the manner shown in FIG. 11. With this construction, member 60 fully protects the entire shin area of the worker, but will not interfere with the normal drapping of the pants over the worker&#39;s shoes. The upper edge 60c of member 60 is disposed in close proximity with knee padding member 58 when both padding members are being used in the manner shown in the drawings. 
     As best seen by referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, closure means are provided for releasably closing upper and lower openings 57 and 59. The closure means here comprises for each pocket of the work pants first, second, third, and fourth lengths of fabric 63, 64, 65, and 66 respectively. First and third lengths 63 and 65 have first end portions 63a and 65a respectively. First end portion 63a of length 63 is attached proximate the upper edge 50a of protective layer 50 (FIG. 6) as by sewing or other suitable means. Similarly, first end portion 65a of length 65 is attached proximate lower edge 50b of protective layer 50 as by sewing or other suitable means. Second lengths of fabric 64 and 66 are connected to and extend transversely of the front panels of the work pants as by sewing in the manner shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Provided proximate second end portions 63b and 65b of lengths of fabric 63 and 65 are a multiplicity of small hooks 68 which are adapted to releasably interconnect with a multiplicity of small loops 70 provided on second lengths of fabric 64 and 66. 
     With this construction, by manipulating the free ends of fabric lengths 63 and 65, openings 57 and 59 can be conveniently opened and closed to permit insertion and removal of padding components 58 and 60. Depending upon the work being performed, the worker can chose to use either or both of the padding elements as desired. 
     As was the case in the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 through 9 and in FIGS. 10 through 14, the closure means can here comprise a number of commercially available lengths of connector fabric having interconnecting hooks and loops including connector fabric sold under the name and style of VELCRO 
     Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.