Patent ID: 6966070

Claim:
A multi-section, one-piece garment for protecting against impact upon a human torso when worn by an athlete during sporting activities, the multi-section, one-piece garment comprising: a vest/jersey sized and shaped to be worn on a torso of an athlete, the vest/jersey comprising an anterior portion, a posterior portion, a pair of lateral portions and a shoulder portion, the vest/jersey having a multi-layered padding in the anterior portion and the shoulder portion and/or the lateral portions and/or the posterior portion of the vest/jersey to protect the torso of the athlete, the multi-layered padding having three layers, wherein the first, or outer layer and the third, or inner layer of the multi-layered padding sandwich, or are joined at a seam to provide a shell for, the second, or middle layer, the second layer being formed from a padding material for protecting against impact to the torso, the posterior portion and/or the lateral portions and/or the shoulder portions of the vest/jersey being comprised of material that provides for the cooling of the underlying torso, the vest/jersey having an offset opening or offset openings, the offset opening or offset openings being located off set from the medial line of a human torso to protect the heart against impact, the vest/jersey having a fastening device or devices, the fastening device or devices being fastened to secure the vest/jersey about the torso.