Patent Publication Number: US-7900283-B1

Title: Chest protector for baseball game

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a chest protector for baseball game and more particularly, to such a chest protector that effectively absorbs shocks when hit by a ball and enables the user (catcher) to catch the ball on the first bound. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional chest protector for baseball game generally has a plurality of cushions  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94 ,  95 ,  96 ,  97 ,  98  mounted on a base  9  to absorb shocks when hit by the ball. However, when the ball hit the abdomen cushions of the chest protector, the ball may bounce from the check protector to an unexpected place. The user (catcher) may waste a lot of time to catch the ball. Further, when the ball bounces from the chest protector, it may hit the user (catcher), the hitter or the umpire accidentally. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,775,851 discloses an improved design of chest protector entitled “Structure of chest protector” and issued to the present inventor. This design of chest protector gives a comfortable wearing. However, when the ball hit the abdomen cushions of the chest protector, the ball may bounce in any unexpected direction, causing the user (catcher) unable to catch the ball on the first bounce. Further, when the ball bounces from the chest protector, it may hit the user (catcher), the hitter or the umpire accidentally. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a chest protector that eliminates the aforesaid problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished to provide a chest protector, which effectively absorb shocks when hit by the ball and, which guides the ball to bound from the chest protector to the ground in front of the user (catcher) so that the user (catcher) can catch the ball quickly and the bounce of the ball will not hit the user, the hitter or the umpire accidentally, assuring a high level of safety. 
     To achieve this and other objects of the preset invention, the chest protector is formed of a base, upper and lower shoulder straps, a neck pad, neck cushions, shoulder cushions, chest cushions, upper and lower abdomen cushions, lateral cushions, bottom cushions and breathing cloths. Each upper abdomen cushion is formed of an inner low bounce foam, an outer low bounce foam and an intermediate hard plastic board sandwiched in between the inner low bounce foam and outer low bounce foam. Each lower abdomen cushion is formed of an inner low bounce foam and an outer low bounce foam. The inner low bounce foam of each abdomen cushion is shorter and relatively softer than the associating outer low bounce form. When the breathing cloths are stitched to the base, the outer low bounce foams of the abdomen cushions are respectively held in a sloping status with a respective buffer space defined therein below the respective inner low bounce foams. Therefore, when the ball hit the abdomen cushions, the buffer spaces enhance the shock-absorbing and buffering effects of the chest protector, and the sloping angle of the outer low bounce foams of the abdomen cushions guides the ball to bound from the chest protector to the ground in front of the user (catcher) so that the user (catcher) can catch the ball quickly and the bounce of the ball will not hit the user (catcher), the hitter or the umpire accidentally, assuring a high level of safety. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a chest protector according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a chest protector according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a part of the present invention, showing the structure of the abdomen cushions of the chest protector. 
         FIG. 4  is an assembly view of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of the chest protector according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing the chest protector fastened to the user&#39;s back. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-6 , a chest protector is shown comprising: 
     a base  1  made of ethylene vinyl acetate foam material not heat pressed, having a suitable thickness and a plurality of air vents  10  (see  FIGS. 3 and 5 ); 
     a set of shoulder straps  2  (see  FIG. 6 ), which includes two upper shoulder straps  21 ; 22  and two lower shoulder straps  23 ; 24  wherein the upper shoulder straps  21 ; 22  each are provided with a strap frame  210 ; 220 , having a top end respectively connected to the shoulder portions  11  of the base  1 ; the lower shoulder straps  23 ; 24  each are provided with a strap frame  230 ; 240 , having one end respectively connected to the two opposite lateral flank portions  12  of the base  1 ; 
     a neck pad  3  fastened to the top side of the base  1  corresponding to the user&#39;s neck; 
     neck cushions  41  respectively fastened to the top side of the base  1  corresponding to two opposite lateral sides of the user&#39;s neck; 
     shoulder cushions  42  and  43  respectively fastened to the front side of the base  1  corresponding to the user&#39;s shoulders; 
     chest cushions  44 ,  45 ,  46  and  47  respectively fastened to the front side of the base  1  corresponding to the area around the user&#39;s chest; 
     abdomen cushions  51  and  52  respectively fastened to the front side of the base  1  corresponding to the user&#39;s abdomen wherein the two upper abdomen cushions  51  each comprise an inner low bounce foam  511 , an outer low bounce foam  512 , and an intermediate hard plastic board  510 , for example, hard polyethylene board  510  sandwiched in between the inner low bounce foam  511  and the outer low bounce foam  512 ; the four lower abdomen cushions  52  each comprise an inner low bounce foam  521  and an outer low bounce foam  522 ; 
     lateral cushions  60 ,  61 ,  62 ,  63 ,  64 ,  65  and  66  respectively fastened to the front side of the base  1  corresponding to the two opposite lateral sides of the user&#39;s abdomen; 
     bottom cushions  67 ,  68  and  69  respectively fastened to the front side of the base  1  corresponding to the lower part of the user&#39;s abdomen; and 
     breathing cloths  7  stitched to the base  1  and covered on the neck pad  3 , the neck cushions  41 , the shoulder cushions  42  and  43 , the chest cushions  44 ,  45 ,  46 , the abdomen cushions  51  and  52 , the lateral cushions  60 ,  61 ,  62 ,  63 ,  64 ,  65  and  66  and the bottom cushions  67 ,  68  and  69 . 
     The main features of the present invention are outlined hereinafter with reference to  FIGS. 3-5 . The inner low bounce foams  511  and  521  of the abdomen cushions  51  and  52  are relatively shorter than the outer low bounce foams  512  and  522  of the respective abdomen cushions  51  and  52  so that buffer spaces  50  are provided between the respective outer low bounce foams  512  and  522  and the base  1  below the respective inner low bounce foams  511  and  521  (see  FIG. 3 ). Further, the inner low bounce foams  511  and  521  are relatively softer than the respective outer low bounce foams  512  and  522  so that when the breathing cloths  7  are stitched to the base  1 , the outer low bounce foams  512  and  522  of the abdomen cushions  51  and  52  are respectively held in a sloping status with a respective buffer space  501  defined therein below the respective inner low bounce foams  511  and  521  (see  FIG. 5 ). When the ball hit the abdomen cushions  51  and  52 , the buffer spaces  50  enhance the shock-absorbing and buffering effects of the chest protector, and the sloping angle of the outer low bounce foams  512  and  522  of the abdomen cushions  51  and  52  guides the ball to bound from the chest protector to the ground in front of the user (catcher) so that the user (catcher) can catch the ball on the first bound and the bounce of the ball will not hit the hitter or the umpire accidentally, assuring a high level of safety. 
     As indicated, the chest protector of the present invention provides the following advantages. 
     1. When the ball hit the abdomen cushions  51  and  52 , the abdomen cushions  51  and  52  absorb shocks and guide the ball to bound from the chest protector to the ground in front of the user (catcher) so that the user (catcher) can catch the ball on the first bound and the bounce of the ball will not hit the hitter or the umpire accidentally, assuring a high level of safety. 
     2. The base made of ethylene vinyl acetate has lightweight and thin thickness (about 3 mm) characteristics for a comfortable wearing. When the ball hit the chest protector, the distance of bounce of the ball is minimized. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.