Patent ID: 7647651

Claim:
Shoulder pads for protecting a sports player having a thorax with left and right front regions and left and right rear regions, said shoulder pads comprising first and second left front separate protective panels and first and second right front separate protective panels for covering at least partially the respective left and right front regions of the thorax, said first left front panel at least partially overlapping said second left front panel and said first right front panel at least partially overlapping said second right front panel, said first and second left and right front panels being connected together by a front elastic band allowing movement of said first left and right front panels relative to said respective second left and right front panels between an extended position and a retracted position; wherein, in said extended position, there is a first left front overlapping between said respective first and second left front panels and a first right front overlapping between said respective first and second right front panels; wherein, in said retracted position, there is a second left front overlapping between said respective first and second left front panels and a second right front overlapping between said respective first and second right front panels; wherein said second left front overlapping is larger than said first left front overlapping; wherein said second right front overlapping is larger than said first right front overlapping; and wherein said shoulder pads have a central front separate protective panel for covering at least partially the left and right front regions of the thorax and wherein said front elastic band connects said central front panel to said first left and right front panels.