GB2068710A - Ankle guard - Google Patents

Abstract

An ankle protector consists of a padded band 11 to encircle the ankle of the wearer and held in place by a unfastenable strap 14 attached to the ends of the band. An elasticated strap 15 passes under the arch of the wearer's foot to retain the fastened band at ankle level. The band comprises 'wing' portion 16 united by a central neck portion 17, the 'wing' portions being formed as pockets into which are inserted 'wing' portions of a band of padding material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ankle guard This invention provides an ankle guard or protector, especially for sportsmen.

In certain sports, such as association football, players undergo considerable risk of sustaining ankle injuries. It is an object of the present invention to alleviate this problem.

According to the invention, there is provided an ankle protector comprising a wide padded band long enough to encircle the ankle, quickly unfastenable means for fastening the two ends of the band to one another, and an elasticated strap on the band to pass under the arch of the foot and retain the fastened band at ankle level.

One form of ankle protector in accordance with the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the ankle protector with its ends fastened as it would be in use, Figure 2 shows the outside of the flat unfastened band, and Figure 3 shows the inside of the flat unfastened band.

The protector shown consists of a wide padded band 11 in the form of two 'wings' 12 and long enough to encircle the ankle substantially entirely with a 'wing' on each side. On the outside of each 'wing' 12 of the band, extending almost to the extreme end of the 'wing' and located near the top edge of the band, there is a horizontal rectangular area of 'Velcro' (RTM) 13. When the band has been placed in position around a wearer's ankle the ends of it are fastened together by means of a separate strap 14 which is faced with 'Velcro' (RTM) on its inside and which can be pressed on to and thus attached quickly to the areas 13 on the 'wings' of the band. The strap 14 can also be quickly detached simply by peeling it off.An elasticated strap 15, secured to the band 11 at the central portion thereof between the two 'wings', passes under the foot arch of the wearer to hold the band down around the wearer's ankle.

The band 11 is made of two spaced pockets 16 of reinforced synthetic plastics material forming the 'wings' of the band, and united by a central neck of material 17 at the outside of the band, with an infilling of a protective padding material 18. The padding material 18 can be a band of comparatively stiff foamed polyethylene padding 9mmsthick, having two wing portions contained within the two pockets 16. Strengthening loops 19 around the padding are provided at the mouths of the pockets 16. Midway between the two pockets 16, the padding 18 is encircled by two side-by-side thongs 20 of elasticated material, to which the ends of the elasticated strap 15 are attached.

The reinforced synthetic plastics material forming the pockets 16 and the neck portion 17, and also the separate strap 14, can be assembled bythermoplas- tic seam welding. Alternatively, a material such as leather can be employed and machine-stitched.

The band 11 is formed with an upper edge 21 hav ing a concave centre 22, and the lower edge 23 is formed with convex wing portions 24 and a concave centre 25, to suit the contours of a wearer's ankle.

The 'Velcro' (RTM) fastening enables the protector to be removed very quickly on the field of play, which is a great advantage since football players commonly will not wear any form of leg protection that cannot be rapidly discarded.

1. An ankle protector eomprising a wide padded band long enough to encircle the ankle, quickly unfastenable means forfastening the two ends of the band to one another, and an elasticated strap on the band to pass underthe arch of the foot and retain the fastened band at ankle level.

2. An ankle protectoraccordingto claim 1, wherein the quickly unfastenable means comprises a strap removably attached to one or both ends of the band by means of areas of 'Velcro' material.

3. An ankle protector according to claim 1 or claim ?, wherein the band comprises pockets of outer material forming two 'wings' of the band which are united by a central neck of material and into which are inserted 'wing' portions of a band of padding material.

4. An ankle protector according to claim 3, wherein the padding material is a stiff foamed synthetic plastics material.

5. An ankle protector according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the elasticated strap has its ends secured to thongs encircling a centre portion of the padding material between the pockets.

6. An ankle protector according to claim 3 or claim 4 or claim 5, wherein reinforcing loops encircle the padding material at the mouths of the pockets.

7. An ankle protector substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Ankle guard This invention provides an ankle guard or protector, especially for sportsmen. In certain sports, such as association football, players undergo considerable risk of sustaining ankle injuries. It is an object of the present invention to alleviate this problem. According to the invention, there is provided an ankle protector comprising a wide padded band long enough to encircle the ankle, quickly unfastenable means for fastening the two ends of the band to one another, and an elasticated strap on the band to pass under the arch of the foot and retain the fastened band at ankle level. One form of ankle protector in accordance with the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the ankle protector with its ends fastened as it would be in use, Figure 2 shows the outside of the flat unfastened band, and Figure 3 shows the inside of the flat unfastened band. The protector shown consists of a wide padded band 11 in the form of two 'wings' 12 and long enough to encircle the ankle substantially entirely with a 'wing' on each side. On the outside of each 'wing' 12 of the band, extending almost to the extreme end of the 'wing' and located near the top edge of the band, there is a horizontal rectangular area of 'Velcro' (RTM) 13. When the band has been placed in position around a wearer's ankle the ends of it are fastened together by means of a separate strap 14 which is faced with 'Velcro' (RTM) on its inside and which can be pressed on to and thus attached quickly to the areas 13 on the 'wings' of the band. The strap 14 can also be quickly detached simply by peeling it off.An elasticated strap 15, secured to the band 11 at the central portion thereof between the two 'wings', passes under the foot arch of the wearer to hold the band down around the wearer's ankle. The band 11 is made of two spaced pockets 16 of reinforced synthetic plastics material forming the 'wings' of the band, and united by a central neck of material 17 at the outside of the band, with an infilling of a protective padding material 18. The padding material 18 can be a band of comparatively stiff foamed polyethylene padding 9mmsthick, having two wing portions contained within the two pockets 16. Strengthening loops 19 around the padding are provided at the mouths of the pockets 16. Midway between the two pockets 16, the padding 18 is encircled by two side-by-side thongs 20 of elasticated material, to which the ends of the elasticated strap 15 are attached. The reinforced synthetic plastics material forming the pockets 16 and the neck portion 17, and also the separate strap 14, can be assembled bythermoplas- tic seam welding. Alternatively, a material such as leather can be employed and machine-stitched. The band 11 is formed with an upper edge 21 hav ing a concave centre 22, and the lower edge 23 is formed with convex wing portions 24 and a concave centre 25, to suit the contours of a wearer's ankle. The 'Velcro' (RTM) fastening enables the protector to be removed very quickly on the field of play, which is a great advantage since football players commonly will not wear any form of leg protection that cannot be rapidly discarded. CLAIMS

1. An ankle protector eomprising a wide padded band long enough to encircle the ankle, quickly unfastenable means forfastening the two ends of the band to one another, and an elasticated strap on the band to pass underthe arch of the foot and retain the fastened band at ankle level.

2. An ankle protectoraccordingto claim 1, wherein the quickly unfastenable means comprises a strap removably attached to one or both ends of the band by means of areas of 'Velcro' material.

3. An ankle protector according to claim 1 or claim ?, wherein the band comprises pockets of outer material forming two 'wings' of the band which are united by a central neck of material and into which are inserted 'wing' portions of a band of padding material.

4. An ankle protector according to claim 3, wherein the padding material is a stiff foamed synthetic plastics material.

5. An ankle protector according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the elasticated strap has its ends secured to thongs encircling a centre portion of the padding material between the pockets.

6. An ankle protector according to claim 3 or claim 4 or claim 5, wherein reinforcing loops encircle the padding material at the mouths of the pockets.

7. An ankle protector substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.