EP0275727A1 - Protective device for participants in sport activities - Google Patents

Abstract

Flexible and single-piece protective device for participants in sport activities having, in extension, the shape of the part of the body to be protected, which is produced from two elastomeric compositions of different moduli, one, of high modulus, forming the outer skin (14) which provides protection against bad weather and impacts, the other, of lower modulus, forming the inner lining (15) in contact with the skin of the protected part of the body, the device comprising at least one attachment strap (3) located on one of the edges of the central protection zone (2), at least one projection (8) on the outer face of the device, for fitting at least one rigid closure buckle (5), and, in the central part of the inner face of the device, an impact-damping element (10) produced from an elastomeric composition with a hardness at least equal to 60 units IRHD. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to the field of protection against impact of participants - humans or animals - in sports activities. In many sports, in fact, the physical commitment of the participants or the risks presented by the means used require protection of different parts of the body, which are more fragile or more directly exposed. Many accidents particularly strike members of football, rugby or ice hockey players or those of racehorses, trots or polo shirts. The invention therefore relates, more particularly, to the protection of the members of participants in sports activities.

Various solutions have been proposed for making protections of this type. For example, patent GB 1,503,483 to BATHWELL describes an assembly, consisting of a garment and a helmet, in which shock absorption is achieved by a fluid contained in deformable and communicating chambers. Such a device, in addition to the difficulty of its production, has the drawback of becoming ineffective when one of the chambers is pierced under the effect of an impact since the fluid is no longer confined in an enclosure. CANO patent US 4,580,296 proposes a device, particularly intended for the protection of boxers, which comprises a rigid part provided with a shock absorber. This device has the drawback, due to its rigidity, of not leaving much flexibility and maneuverability in the part of the body thus protected. In patent EP 134,727 of VERREAULT, the protection of the sportsmen is ensured by a system, foldable and put in place by fastening tabs, which includes pockets containing the protective elements. If this system is flexible, since it can be folded, it has a certain manufacturing difficulty due to the need to make the pockets and to install the fastening tabs. To protect the legs of cross-country skiers, DIEGELMAN, in US patent 4,461,098, suggests the use of gaiters, but if they are intended to wrap around the skier's leg, they do not include any shock-absorbing element .

It has also been described, in US Pat. No. 4,377,872 to DANIELL, protective devices for athletes' legs, made of plastic and which close on themselves thanks to a system of slots and teeth on the edges. These devices have the advantage of simple manufacture, since the piece is in one piece, but the relative rigidity of the materials used (polyethylene or polypropylene) does not provide perfect flexibility guaranteeing the freedom of movement of the leg. In addition, the closure system is poorly resistant to muscular effort and may open, leaving the leg unprotected.

With regard to the protection of animals - and more particularly horses - various devices have been proposed. Patent GB 2,166,655, of STURGIS, writes a protection intended to absorb the shocks, flexible and coming to be fixed on the leg of the horse by bracelets. This protection is not very easy to achieve and only partially protects the leg. Likewise, the invention proposed in GB 2,164,538 to MITSUKOA, which converges the protection of the horse's legs and combines a belt of resilient material, a polyurethane sealing element and fastening systems, such as that described in patent EP 29,739 of PELLEW which comprises, at the same time, a fabric coated with PVC, a shock absorber in cellular material and an internal lining in fur, are of a difficult and therefore expensive construction.

The analysis of the prior art clearly shows that devices for protecting participants - human or animal - in sports activities liable to cause injuries, in particular to the limbs, having the characteristics of
- effective impact protection,
- flexibility so as not to hinder movement,
- soft contact with the skin,
- safety of attachment to the part of the body to be protected,
- ease of installation,
- longevity,
while being of an easy realization, therefore of low cost, are not known.

The objective of the invention is therefore to develop a protective device, intended in particular for members of athletes and animals - particularly horses - engaged in sports activities presenting risk of injury, which is economical and fulfills the functions required for the application without having the drawbacks of known solutions.

To do this, the protection device which is the subject of the invention is characterized by all of the following elements:
- It is in one piece and has, in developed form, the general shape of the part of the body to be protected, that is to say that it has the reliefs and hollows which allow it to perfectly fit said part of the body;
- it is flexible, thanks to a composite production from two elastomeric compositions of different modules,
- one, of high modulus, constituting the outer skin which provides protection against shocks, the other, of lower modulus, constituting the internal lining, in contact with the skin of the protected body part.

The elastomeric nature of the materials used gives the protection device great flexibility, essential for its installation and avoids any injury to the parts of the body in contact with said device;
- it is provided with at least one hooking strap, located on one of the edges of the central zone of the protection device, which will be inserted in the corresponding, rigid closing loop, located on the opposite edge, in such a way that it leaves a covering tab free which prevents contact of the closure loops with the skin of the protected body part;
- It comprises, on the external face and in the vicinity of the edge opposite to that of the (or) strap (s) for attachment, one (or more) boss (s) intended (s) for the mechanical mounting of the (or des) closing loop (s);
- It is equipped, on the internal face, in the central part, with a protector, produced in a flexible elastomeric composition, which plays the role of shock absorber and prevents the transmission of these shocks to the protected part of the body.

The protective device which is the subject of the invention also has great ease of production since it can be molded in a single operation and in one piece - according to a conventional process in the rubber processing industry. - and only requires a finishing operation for mounting the closure loops.

In the following, the invention will be described in its application to the protection of the leg of a horse, but it is obvious that - apart from the shape - the characteristics of the invention are applicable to any other type of protection of a part of the human or animal body; it would be very easily adaptable to the protection of the legs of football or polo players, as that of the members of trotters.

• - la figure 1 illustre le développé des faces externe et interne du protecteur;
• - la figure 2 est une vue partielle, par la face interne, du protecteur détaillant la disposition relative des éléments constitutifs;
• - la figure 3 montre, en coupe transversale développée, le protecteur au niveau de la partie la plus large de la zone médiane de protection;
• - la figure 4 présente, en coupe longitudinale, c'est-à-dire le long d'une génératrice, le protecteur au niveau de l'amortisseur interne;
• - la figure 5 illustre une construction particulière d'une sangle d'accrochage;
• - la figure 6 réprésente le détail d'une réalisation parti­culière d'un bossage, qui est creux;
• - la figure 7 détaille une construction particulière d'une boucle de fermeture, qui est autoperçante;
• - la figure 8 présente une variante du système d'accrochage utilisant une sangle d'accrochage crantée et une boucle de fermeture sans ardillon.

To facilitate understanding of the description, the following definitions will be used:
We will designate by - "protector", the protective device as a whole,
- "shock absorber", the internal element of shock absorption,
- "attachment strap", the straps, integral parts of the protector, intended for fixing said protector around the part of the body to be protected,
- "bosses", the reliefs located on the external face of the protector and intended for mounting of the closing loops for tightening the protector around the part of the body to be protected.
The features and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description of the drawings, presented by way of non-limiting example for application to the protection of a horse's leg, and in which:

• - Figure 1 illustrates the development of the outer and inner faces of the protector;
• - Figure 2 is a partial view, from the internal face, of the protector detailing the relative arrangement of the constituent elements;
• - Figure 3 shows, in developed cross-section, the protector at the widest part of the middle protection zone;
• - Figure 4 shows, in longitudinal section, that is to say along a generator, the protector at the level of the internal damper;
• - Figure 5 illustrates a particular construction of a fastening strap;
• - Figure 6 shows the detail of a particular embodiment of a boss, which is hollow;
• - Figure 7 details a particular construction of a closure loop, which is self-piercing;
• - Figure 8 shows a variant of the attachment system using a notched attachment strap and a barb-free closure loop.

Figure 1 illustrates a flexible protector for a horse's leg, a single piece, made of two elastomeric compositions, one of which - constituting the protective skin external against shocks and bad weather - has a high modulus, corresponding to a hardness DIDC at least equal to 60 units, the other elastomeric composition - constituting the internal lining, in contact with the skin of the horse's leg - presenting a modulus lower which corresponds to a DIDC hardness at most equal to 50 units.

The protector is intended to guarantee against knocks the metacarpus or the metatarsus by coming to wrap around the barrel, the closure being located on the hock.

The upper zone (1) is intended to protect the knee.

The middle zone (2), which protects the barrel, comprises, on one of its edges, hooking straps (3), most often pre-drilled with holes (4) intended to receive the barb of the loops closure (5) later reported on the opposite edge and in which said attachment straps are inserted thereby allowing the protector to take the tubular shape necessary for the protection of the horse's leg.

The lower zone (6) is intended for the protection of the pastern.

The view shows the external face of the protector in which a domed area (7) is formed to project to protect the ball. This view highlights the bosses (8) in which will be fixed, by tightening, the closure loops (5), only one of which has been shown.

View 1b of the internal face of the protector shows the slots (9) corresponding to the through part of the bosses (8) (when they are hollow), the ball protection area (7) being hollow to adapt to the 'articulation and shock absorber (10), intended to absorb shocks and prevent them from being transmitted to the protected member.

Figure 2 is a partial view, from below, that is to say by the internal face, of the protector, which details the relative arrangement, in the median protection zone of the barrel (2), of the constituent elements.

Said central barrel protection zone (2) has rounded corners (A1) and (A2) in its upper part, (A3) and (A4) in its lower part, so as not to injure the protected member by contact. .

The number of the attachment straps (3), intended for tightening the protector, is at least equal to one and, preferably, three, as illustrated. The attachment straps (3) are arranged at equal distance (d) on one of the edges of the barrel's protective media area (2) to ensure good distribution of the clamping and to prevent the protector from sliding along of the barrel, without hindering the movements of the knee or the ball which are protected but free from any attachment. The attachment straps (3) form with the edge of the central barrel protection zone (2), of which they are an integral part, an angle provided with a rounding (A5) of 90 °.

On the opposite edge of the median protection zone of the barrel (2) and on the external face, are arranged bosses (8) - here shown hollow - in a number equal to that of the fastening straps (3), the opening part on the internal face is in the form of slots (9), said bosses being intended for mounting the closure loops (5).

The bosses (8) are placed at a distance from the edge of the barrel protection zone (2) barely greater than the half-length of the closure loop (5) so as to provide along said edge a covering tab , free of any element, (11) which, during the tubular shaping of the protector around the barrel, will slide under the zone (12) constituting the base of the attachment straps (3). This provision is intended to protect the skin of the horse's leg from contact with the closure loops which could irritate it.

In its central part, on the internal face, the median protection zone of the barrel (2) comprises, arranged longitudinally, a damping element (10), most often made in the same elastomeric composition, of lower modulus, than that which constitutes the internal lining of the protector.

The damper (10), which can be compact, advantageously consists, as illustrated, of a parallelepiped assembly of at least two - and preferably four - elements in relief, arranged parallel to the major axis of the protector and whose height is between 1, 5 and 2 times the thickness of the protector in the median protection zone of the barrel (2) not including the damper (10).

Said shock absorber (10) is placed in the median protection zone of the barrel (2) so that its small lower base (b) is located at the level of the lower hooking strap (3c). The length (L) of the shock absorber (10) is 1, 2 to 1, 6 times the distance (D) which separates the lower edge of the lower hooking strap (3c) from the upper edge of the strap. upper hooking (3a). This arrangement of the shock absorber (10), in the central part of the median protection zone of the barrel (2), is intended to prevent shocks from being transmitted to the metacarpus or to the metatarsus.

Figure 3 shows, in developed cross-section, the protector at the widest part of the central barrel protection zone (2), according to AA in Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the area protection center of the barrel (2), at the level of the shock absorber (10), along BB of FIG. 2.

The outer skin for protection against shocks and bad weather (14), made of an elastomeric composition of high modulus, that is to say of which the hardness DIDC is at least equal to 60 units, present in the protection zone of the ball (7), a thickness equal to 1, 1 to 1, 3 times the thickness (e) of the median protection zone of the barrel, in order to increase the protection, against shocks, of the joint.

The internal lining (15), made of an elastomeric composition of lower modulus, that is to say of hardness DIDC at most equal to 50 units, has a thickness of between 0.15 and 0.50 times the thickness ( e) of the central barrel protection zone (2), outside of the shock absorber zone (10).

As previously illustrated in FIG. 2, the shock absorber is here represented consisting of four raised elements (13), separated by grooves (16), the depth of which is between 0.4 and 0.8 times the height of said elements in relief (13).

FIG. 5 illustrates a particular construction of a strap for attaching the protector, intended for the tubular shaping of said protector and for clamping around the barrel, said strap for attachment being produced in the elastomeric composition of higher modulus which constitutes the skin of the protector ensuring protection against bad weather and impact since the attachment straps are never placed in contact with the skin of the protected member.

The attachment strap (3) is advantageously made inelastic so that the tightening around the protected member keeps a constant value despite the movements of the leg and the forces exerted by the muscles. It must also resist the tensile forces which are applied when the guard is put in place and tightened.

It is advantageous to carry out a pre-drilling, during manufacturing, of the holes (4) of the hooking strap (3), holes intended to receive the barb of the corresponding closing loop. Said holes must not be able to widen or tear under the effect of pulls and stresses during use.

To meet these three imperatives of inelasticity and mechanical resistance of the fastening strap (3) and non-deformability of the holes (4), while retaining the advantage of a one-piece embodiment of the protector, a textile insert (17), of the canvas type, is placed in the hooking strap.

Of the open mesh type, it allows rubber bridges to be created through said meshes, thus guaranteeing the attachment strap (3) against any possibility of delamination or take-off without requiring adhesion of the textile insert ( 17) prior to its installation in the attachment strap.

Similarly, thanks to its open stitches, the textile insert (17) will easily lend itself to drilling holes (4) during the manufacturing operation and will avoid, during use, any propagation of tears from said holes (4) which constitute, in themselves, incipient tears.

The textile insert (17) is generally placed, in the fastening strap (3), in the vicinity of half the thickness of said fastening strap, for reasons of ease of production but, its only function being reinforcement of this area, its position in the thickness of the hooking strap (3) is unimportant.

The textile insert (17) can advantageously include a heel (18) which extends it into the zone (12) constituting the base of the attachment straps (3) and thus increases its reinforcement and non-extensibility efficiency.

Figure 6 shows, in section, the detail of a particular embodiment of a boss for fixing the closure loops. It has proved to be interesting, in fact, for reasons of ease of mounting the closure loops, to produce hollow bosses, with thin side walls, easily pierced by closure loops, the ends of the jumpers of which are pointed .

The bosses (8) are arranged on the external face of the protector, in the vicinity of the edge of the barrel protection zone (2) opposite to that comprising the attachment straps, their number being equal to that of said attachment straps.

View 6a shows that the hollow part (20) of the boss (8) has a parallelepiped shape with a rounded top.

View 6b, which is a transverse section of the boss (8), highlights the width (f) of the hollow part (20) of said boss (8) which is of the order of 0.10 to 0.20 times the diameter of the boss (8) and its height (h) which is at least equal to 1.1 times the thickness (e) of the median protection zone of the barrel (2) outside the zone of the shock absorber, in order to allow the thinned side wall (19) to be pierced by the self-piercing closure loop.

View 6c, longitudinal section of the hollow boss (8), shows the length (F) of the hollow part (20) of said boss which is between 0.80 and 0.95 times the width at the base (G) of said boss .

Figure 7 details a particular constitution of a closure loop, which is self-piercing to easily mount in the hollow bosses and then ensure the tubular shaping and tightening of the protector, on the barrel, via the hooking straps.

The closing loop (5), rigid, generally metallic, comprises a frame (21), of generally rectangular shape, and a central bar (22) serving as an axis for mounting the barb (23) and the rider (24).

In order to facilitate its mounting in the hollow bosses, the closing loop (5) has the particularity of having the ends (25) of the jumper (24) pointed so as to be able, under the clamping effect exerted during mounting by a single pliers, perforate the thinned side walls of the hollow boss and force the rider (24) to come into contact with the rounded top of the internal hollow part at boss over the entire length of the arms (26) of said rider (24), realigned by deformation during assembly, in order to ensure a better distribution of the stresses.

In the event of significant stress or impact, the high modulus elastomeric composition constituting the boss will deform, its modulus being less than that of the material constituting the closure loop (5), thus preventing any opening of the arms (26) of the rider. (24) which would have led to the separation of the closure loop (5) and the boss (8).

The self-piercing closure loop may, in addition, as illustrated, comprise, in the vicinity of its center, two guide pins (27) intended to limit the movement of the barb (23), while maintaining it in the central position, to facilitate its insertion into the holes of the corresponding hooking strap.

FIG. 8 illustrates a variant of the attachment system in which the flat attachment straps, previously described, are replaced by notched attachment straps (28), coming to bear on thickeners (29) arranged on the opposite edge of the central barrel protection zone (2), extra thicknesses playing the role of the bosses of the attachment system described above and which, like the said bosses, may include a cavity (not shown) to facilitate the mounting of the closure loops (30) which, in the variant using the notched hooking straps, do not have a barb.

The ends (31) of the barbed closure loops (30) will advantageously be pointed in order to make said closure loops self-piercing to facilitate their introduction into the thinned walls of the extra thicknesses (29), which are hollow.

The tubular shaping and tightening of the protector around the barrel will be done by pulling on the ends (32) of the notched hooking straps (28), the notches (33) preventing, by mechanical locking against the barbed closure loops (30), the loosening of said notched hooking straps (28), however can be released by hand by passing the barbless closure loops (30) over the notches (33).

The notched hooking straps (28) can be reinforced and made inextensible by a textile insert of the same type as that used for the flat hooking straps.

The protective device, particularly intended for the members of participants - humans or animals - in sports activities presenting risks of injury, object of the invention, is produced by shaping and vulcanization, in a mold, in press, according to a process commonly used in the rubber processing industry.

In a mold having the appropriate shape and dimensions, the elastomeric compositions and the textile inserts are placed - in the appropriate zones -. The pressurization followed by a heat treatment cause the vulcanization of the rubber and lead to the final and irreversible shaping of the protector, while ensuring the intimate bond of the two elastomeric compositions together and of the elastomeric composition of higher modulus with the textile insert, in the area of the hanging strap (s).

Due to the design of the mold and the arrangement of the components, the elastomeric composition of higher modulus constitutes the outer skin of the protector, - intended for protection against shocks and bad weather -, the strap (s) of attachment which allows (tent) tightening around the part of the body to be protected and the (or) boss (es) or (or) overthickness (s) on which (s) which (s) will come (or will come) , subsequently, during the finishing operation, install the closing loop (s) in which (or which) engage (s) the hooking strap (s).

The elastomeric composition of lower modulus constitutes the lining of the internal face of the protector, which is in contact with the skin of the protected part of the body, and, generally, the damping element intended to avoid the transmission of shocks to the part. of the protected body.

After demoulding and cooling of the protector, a finishing operation allows the installation of closing loops, with or without barbs, on the bosses or extra thicknesses provided for this purpose.

The finishing operation is greatly facilitated, in the variant of the invention which includes hollow bosses or extra thicknesses and uses self-piercing closure loops, since a simple pressure on the arms of said closure loops, using 'forceps, causes the perforation of the thinned walls of said bosses or extra thicknesses and the tightening of the arms of the closure loops.

The protection device, object of the invention, offers, compared to previously known solutions, the following advantages:
- It is a very economical embodiment since, constituting a single piece, it is produced in a single molding operation followed by a finish, which can be very simplified, consisting in the mounting of the closure loops;
- It perfectly matches the shapes of the part of the body to be protected, since the production by molding allows the use of imprints having the appropriate shape and dimensions;
- It is flexible since it is made from elastomeric compositions and therefore does not in any way hinder the movements of the protected body part;
- it provides effective protection against bad weather and, above all, against impact, thanks to its external skin made of high modulus elastomeric composition;
- it cannot injure or irritate the skin of the protected part of the body since it has an internal lining made of an elastomeric composition with low modulus and, at the level of the attachment straps, a covering tab which avoids any contact of the closing loops, rigid, with the skin of the body part protected;
- It guarantees the skeleton of the part of the body protected from impacts, by the absorption, thanks to a damping element made of flexible elastomeric composition, of shocks coming from the outside;
- it is easy to put on the part of the body to be protected thanks to its flexibility which allows it to adopt, without effort, the adequate shape and to the tightening system made up of strap (s) for hooking and loop ( s) closing;
- it cannot slide since it has a shape which conforms to the protrusions of the protected body part, that its (or its) strap (s) for attachment may (or may) be made (s) inextensible (s) and that the passage holes of the barb (or barbs) of the closing loop (s) cannot be enlarged during use;
- It is easy to store, by stacking, since it takes its form of use only at the time of its implementation.

The invention illustrated in the preceding figures relates to the protection of the rear legs of a horse and is commonly designated by the term "boot". Obviously, the invention can be transposed to protections of another shape for the front legs, protections usually called "knee" and "tendon".

The present invention is equally applicable to the protection of the legs or the joints of animals and, in particular horses which, during races, trotting training or polo matches receive frequent injuries to the limbs, as well as the protection of different parts of the body - and especially of the limbs - of athletes who practice disciplines where the risk of injury is high.
Those skilled in the art can, of course, make various modifications to the protection device and its variants, described by way of non-limiting examples, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (14)

1 ^o ) Protective device for participants in sporting activities, flexible and monobloc, characterized in that it has, developed, the shape of the part of the body to be protected, in that it is made from two compositions elastomers of different modules, - one, of high modulus, constituting the outer skin (14), which provides protection against bad weather and shocks, the other, of lower modulus, constituting the internal lining (15), in contact with the skin of the protected body part -, in that it comprises at least one hooking strap (3) located on one of the edges of the central protection zone (2), at least one boss (8), on the external face of the device, for mounting at least one rigid closing loop (5) and, in the central part of the internal face of the device, a shock absorbing element (10) produced in a elastomeric composition of hardness at most equal to 60 DIDC units. 2 ^o ) protective device according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastomeric composition of higher modulus, constituting the outer skin (14), the (or) strap (s) of attachment (3) and the (or the) boss (s) (8) has a hardness at least equal to 60 DIDC units, while the elastomeric composition of lower modulus, constituting the internal lining (15) has a DIDC hardness at most equal to 50 units. 3 ^o ) protective device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the damping element (10), located in the central part of the internal face of the device, is made in the same elastomeric composition as that which constitutes the internal lining (15) of the protection device. 4 ^o ) protective device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the shock absorbing element (10) consists of at least two reliefs (13), arranged longitudinally and whose height is between 1.5 and two times the thickness of the protection device in the area not comprising said damper (10). 5 ^o ) protective device according to claim 1, characterized in that the (or) strap (s) of attachment (3) is (or are) made (s) inelastic (s) by the insertion of a textile reinforcement material (17). 6 ^o ) protective device according to claim 5, characterized in that the textile insert (17) of each of the attachment straps (3) extends into the body of the protective device by a heel (18) 7 ^o ) protective device according to one of claims 1 5 or 6, characterized in that each of the attachment angles is pre-drilled, during molding, holes (4) for receiving the barb (23 ) of the closing loop (5). 8 ^o ) protective device according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the bosses (8) disposed on the edge of the outer face opposite to that comprising each of the attachment straps (3) is hollow to facilitate mounting of the corresponding closing loop (5). 9 ^o ) protective device according to one of claims 1 or 8, characterized in that each of the bosses (8) is disposed at a distance from the edge greater than the half length of the closure loop (5) mounted, in order to leave a cover tab (11) free to prevent contact of the protected body part with the closing loop (s) (5). 10 ^o ) protective device according to claim 8, characterized in that each closure loop (5) comprises a jumper (24), for mounting in the boss (8), the ends (25) of the arms (26) are pointed to enter, by self-drilling, in the thinned side walls (19) of said boss (8). 11 ^o ) protective device according to claim 1, characterized in that the hooking elements consist of at least one notched strap (28), coming to bear on the corresponding extra thickness (29) placed on the edge opposite to that hooking strap (s) and closing loop (s) (30) having no barb. 12 ^o ) protective device according to claim 11, characterized in that each of the notched hooking straps (28) is made inextensible by the insertion of a textile insert. 13 ^o ) protective device according to claim 11, characterized in that each of the extra thicknesses (29) disposed on the outer face of the protective device is hollow, to facilitate mounting of the closure loop without corresponding barb (30). 14 ^o ) protective device according to claim 13, characterized in that the ends of the barbless closure loop (30) are pointed to penetrate by self-drilling into the thinned walls of each of the extra thicknesses (29).

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