CA3092173A1

CA3092173A1 - Shin guard for ball hockey or the like

Info

Publication number: CA3092173A1
Application number: CA3092173A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Louis-Martin Beausejour; Jean-Francois Dilorio
Original assignee: Sugi Sports Inc
Current assignee: Sugi Sports Inc
Priority date: 2020-09-04
Filing date: 2020-09-04
Publication date: 2022-03-04

Abstract

The problem of the lack of flexibility of the traditional ball hockey shin guards is solved by disconnecting the knee protector from the shin protector. This is achieved by mounting both protectors to a sleeve, each protector including an independent padding between the respective protector and the sleeve, yielding free movements between the two protectors.

Description

TITLE
Shin Guard for Ball Hockey or the Like FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure concerns protective equipment for ball hockey. More specifically, the present disclosure is concerned with a shin guard for ball hockey.
BACKGROUND

[0002] Shin guards are well-known pieces of equipment worn on the front of a sports athlete's shin to protect it from injury. There are mainly two-types of shin guards: a stand-alone protector for the shin or a combined shin and knee protective device.

[0003] The stand-alone type includes a single protector hard shield and either straps for securing the shield to the athlete's leg or it is attached to a sleeve which is to be slid onto the leg.

[0004] The second category of shin guards is used for example in ice hockey or the like and typically includes a first protector shield for the shin and a second protector shield for the knee. Both protectors are assembled and relatively positioned on a padded support, which can be attached to a leg using straps.

[0005] Ball hockey, which is also called floor hockey, cosom hockey or dek hockey, is a derivative of the sport of ice hockey. As such, ball hockey is closely related to ice hockey, with a main difference that the game is played on foot on a non-ice surface. The player's equipment is also different, including a ball that is used instead of a hockey puck.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

[0006] Ball hockey being derivative from ice hockey, the shin pads used by the ball hockey players closely resemble those of ice hockey, as described hereinabove.

[0007] However, the range of movements of the legs of the ball hockey player being greater than those of ice hockey players, it has been found that traditional ball hockey shin pad construction results in a lack of flexibility and, as such, might feel uncomfortable and bulky to the player, while restricting its movements. This is mainly because their shin and knee protectors are integrated in a single piece of material.

[0008] A shin guard for ball hockey that is free of the above drawback is therefore desirable.
SUMMARY

[0009] The problem of the lack of flexibility of the traditional ice hockey shin guards when used in ball hockey is solved by disconnecting the knee protector from the shin protector. This is achieved by mounting both protectors to a sleeve, each protector including an independent padding, yielding free movements of the knee protector relative to the shin protector.

[0010] According to an illustrative embodiment, there is provided a shin guard for ball hockey or the like comprising:

[0011] a sleeve adapted to be worn on a person's leg;

[0012] a shin protector attached to the sleeve; and

[0013] a knee protector attached to the sleeve so as to be distanced from the shin protector.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

[0014] Other objects, advantages and features of embodiments of a shin guard for ball hockey will become more apparent upon reading the following non-restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In the appended drawings:

[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shin guard according to an illustrative embodiment; the shin guard being shown in an extended position;

[0017] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the shin guard from Figure 1; the shin guard being shown with the knee section partly bent relative to the shin section;

[0018] Figure 3 is a front elevation of the shin guard from Figure 1;
and

[0019] Figure 4 is a back elevation of the shin guard from Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In the following description, similar features in the drawings have been given similar reference numerals, and in order not to weigh down the figures, some elements are not referred to in some figures if they were already identified in a precedent figure.

[0021] The use of the word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction with the term "comprising" in the claims and/or the specification may mean "one", but it is also consistent with the meaning of "one or more", "at least one", and Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04 "one or more than one". Similarly, the word "another" may mean at least a second or more.

[0022] As used in this specification and claim(s), the words "comprising" (and any form of comprising, such as "comprise" and "comprises"), "having" (and any form of having, such as "have" and "has"), "including" (and any form of including, such as "include" and "includes") or "containing" (and any form of containing, such as "contain" and "contains"), are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, un-recited elements.

[0023] An illustrative embodiment of a shin guard 10 for ball hockey of the like is shown in Figures 1 to 4.

[0024] The shin guard 10 comprises a sleeve 12, having a shin section 14 and a knee section 16, a shin protector 18, attached to the sleeve 12 on the shin section 14 thereof, and a knee protector 20, attached to the sleeve 12 on the knee portion 16 thereof.

[0025] The sleeve 12 is a generally tubular body made of an elastic fabric, such as without limitations NylonTM, SpandexTM polyester, etc. or a combination thereof.

[0026] The sleeve 12 includes first and second elastic bands 22 and 24 mounted to the sleeve near the lower and upper ends 26 and 28 thereof.
The bands 22 and 24 are made of an elastic fabric similar to the main body of the sleeve 12 but having a lesser elasticity so as to result in a greater pressure on the user's leg (not shown) near the lower and upper ends 26 and 28 . The elastic bands 22 and 24 contribute to i) holding the sleeve 12 in place on the leg during movements thereof and ii) preserving the integrity of the sleeve 12.

[0027] According to another embodiment (not shown), the first and/or second elastic bands 22 and 24 are omitted. According to such another Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04 embodiment, the fabric of the sleeve 12 can be made tighter at anyone or both of its lower and upper ends.

[0028] The shin protector 18 includes i) a rigid outer layer 30 that is configured to cover, at least partially, and conform to the shape of a human shin (not shown), and ii) a soft padding layer 32, between the outer layer 30 and the sleeve 32.

[0029] The rigid and soft layers 30 and 32 are attached together and to the sleeve 12 by sewing. According to another embodiment (not shown), any one of the pairs of rigid and soft layers 30 and 32 and soft layer and sleeve is attached using an adhesive or fasteners.

[0030] The rigid layer 30 is made of polypropylene but is not limited to such material and can be made of another material, such as, without limitations another polymeric material.

[0031] The soft padding layer 32 is made of foam EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) but is not limited to such material and can be made of another resilient material, such as, without limitations another polymeric material, rubber, etc.

[0032] The rigid layer 32 is generally shaped to partially contour the shin portion of a person's leg and may include patterns thereon for aesthetic or marketing purposes.

[0033] According to the illustrated embodiment, the padding layer 32 extends from the rigid layer 32 from all sides, and this, mainly for comfort purposes. According to another embodiment, the padding layer 32 has a contour generally similar than the rigid layer 30 or smaller.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

[0034] According to still another embodiment, anyone or both of the rigid and padding layers 30 and 32 includes opening or grooves therein.

[0035] The knee protector 20 also includes a rigid outer layer 34 and a soft padding layer 36, but shaped and sized to generally conform to the shape of a person's knee (not shown).

[0036] Since the knee protector 20 is similar in construction to the shin protector 18, it will not be described herein in more detail for concision purposes.

[0037] The general shapes and sizes of the shin and knee protectors 18 and 20 may differ than illustrated.

[0038] According to another embodiment, anyone of the rigid and soft layers 30 and 32 is omitted.

[0039] The rigid layer 32 of the shin protector 18 further includes upper and lower elongated openings 38-40 and 42-44 on each lateral sides thereof, that receive respectively upper and lower adjustable straps 46 and 48.
According to another embodiment (not shown), a pair of eyelets or other straps-receiving elements are provided to receive the straps 46 and 48. According to still another embodiment, the straps-receiving elements are omitted and the straps are configured to be attached around the shin protector 18 and sleeve 12. According to a further embodiment, more or less than two straps are provided or the straps are omitted.

[0040] The shin guard 10 further includes a link 50 between the shin and knee protectors 18 and 20, in the form of a band of fabric that is attached to both the upper edge 52 of the rigid layer 32 of the shin 18 and to the lower edge 54 of the rigid layer 34 of the knee protector 20.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

[0041] Such as band 50 of flexible material is provided to limit the range of movement of the knee protector 20 relative to shin protector 18 and maintain their relative positioning within a predetermined distance defined by the height of the band 50. Indeed, since the shin and knee protectors 18 and 20 are not mounted on a same padded support as conventional two-parts shin guards, the band of fabric 50 allows maintaining a relative positioning of the protectors 18 and 20.

[0042] The lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the link 50 can be greater or lesser than illustrated. According to another embodiment, a plurality of link element is provided between the shin and knee protectors 18 and 20.

[0043] The dimensions of the sleeve 12, shin and knee protectors 18 and 20, and of the band 50 are generally adapted to the size of a user's leg.

[0044] In operation, the shin guards 10 is put on like a stocking and positioned on a person's leg until the knee protector 20 covers the knee of the person (not shown). The straps 46 and 48 are then attached as shown in Figure 4.

[0045] While the person's move, including while he or she bends its knee, the knee protector 20 is free to comfortably move in unison with the person's knee by the absence of a rigid or semi-rigid link between the shin and knee protectors 18 and 20, and this, while the shin protector 18 is firmly maintained in place on the person's shin.

[0046] Although a shin guard for ball hockey has been described hereinabove by way of illustrated embodiments thereof, it can be modified. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that the scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiment but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A shin guard for ball hockey comprising:
a sleeve adapted to be worn on a person's leg;
a shin protector attached to the sleeve; and a knee protector attached to the sleeve so as to be distanced from the shin protector.

2. The shin guard as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one flexible link element mounted to both the shin protector and the knee protector therebetween to limit the range of movements of the knee protector relative to the shin protector.

3. The shin guard as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least one flexible link includes at least one band of fabric.

4. The shin guard as recited in claim 1, wherein the sleeve includes a tubular body made of an elastic fabric.

5. The shin guard as recited in claim 4, wherein the elastic fabric includes at least one of NylonTM, SpandexTM and.

6. The shin guard as recited in claim 4, wherein the elastic fabric is made tighter near at least one of an upper and lower end of the sleeve.

7. The shin guard as recited in claim 1, wherein the sleeve includes an upper end and a lower end and at least one elastic band which is integrated to the sleeve near at least one of the upper and lower ends.

8. The shin guard as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the shin and knee protectors includes a rigid outer layer and a padding layer between the outer layer and the sleeve.

9. The shin guard as recited in claim 8, wherein the rigid outer layer and the padding layer are attached to the sleeve using at least one of sewing, adhesive and fasteners.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

10. The shin guard as recited in claim 8, wherein the rigid outer layer is made of a polymeric material.

11. The shin guard as recited in claim 8, wherein the padding layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of foam EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate), a polymeric material and rubber.

12. The shin guard as recited in claim 8, wherein the padding layer extends from the rigid outer layer from at least one side thereof.

13. The shin guard as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the shin and knee protectors includes at least one of a rigid outer layer and a padding layer between the outer layer and the sleeve.

14. The shin guard as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one straps that is configured to be attached to the shin protector.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04