JP4309416B2 - Leg guard for baseball or softball catchers - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a leg guard for a baseball or softball catcher, and more particularly to a technique that enables size adjustment.

  A baseball or softball catcher leg guard is attached to the lower leg to protect the lower leg from the knee of the catcher to the instep from the impact caused by the collision of the ball or the runner's collision during sliding, etc. However, a baseball or softball catcher is based on a catching posture in which the knees of both legs are bent and sits open, and the knee is attached to the ground, one leg is stretched, or it stands or runs. In order to allow flexion at the ankle and knee joints, at least the ankle and knee protectors, the shin protectors, and the instep protectors are connected in series between the adjacent protectors. It is configured.

  Therefore, in order to fully protect the body of the catcher and to fully demonstrate the exercise performance of the catcher with the above-mentioned leg guard attached, a leg guard of a size corresponding to the length of the lower leg of the wearer is used. There is a need to.

  However, since leg guards are relatively expensive, general baseball teams that do not have sponsors (youth baseball, student baseball, or grass baseball such as circles) have multiple sizes (eg, S, M, L). The fact was that he could not own a leg guard.

  Therefore, conventionally, a soft impact buffer fixed to the back side of the leg knee protector is extended downward, and a surface fastener that engages with each other is disposed between the extended portion and the back side of the foot shin protector. The leg knee protector can be repositioned relative to the foot shin protector in the engageable range of the hook-and-loop fasteners (that is, the range of the extension length of the shock absorbing body), thereby adjusting the size of the leg guard (especially In other words, there has been proposed a technique that enables size adjustment in the length direction of the lower leg). (See Patent Document 1 below)

Shoko 62-14302

  However, in the conventional technology as described above in which the size adjustment is performed by changing the position of the leg knee protector with respect to the foot and shin protector, the size adjustment to the extension side causes a large impact force to be positioned on the front side in the catching posture of the catcher. There is a serious problem that the space between the leg and leg knee protectors that are susceptible to spread widens, which significantly reduces the body protection function of the leg guard.

  In view of this situation, the main problem of the present invention is to provide a leg guard for a baseball or softball catcher that can effectively prevent the body protection function from being reduced by the size adjustment while the size can be adjusted. .

A first characteristic configuration of the present invention relates to a leg guard for a baseball or softball catcher.
Baseball that is composed of at least a knee protector, a shin protector, and an instep protector connected in series between the adjacent protectors in a flexible manner and detachable from the lower leg from the knee to the instep Or a leg guard for a softball catcher,
The foot shin protector is constructed by laminating a soft impact buffer on the back side of the protector body, and the foot knee protector is connected to the protector body, and the instep protector is connected to the impact buffer.
The impact buffer is configured to be position-changeable with respect to the protector main body at least in the lower leg length direction.

  In other words, according to the above-described characteristic configuration, the position of the instep protector is changed with respect to the foot shin protector by changing the position of the impact buffer with respect to the protector body of the foot shin protector, and the size is adjusted between the foot shin protector and the foot protector. Therefore, by adjusting the size to the extension side, it is possible to prevent the space between the foot and knee protectors, which are susceptible to a large impact force, from spreading. In addition, it is possible to effectively prevent the body protecting function from being lowered by the size adjustment.

  In addition, while the impact force transmitted to the shin by the impact buffer can be reduced, the size of the impact buffer can be adjusted by changing the position of the impact buffer relative to the protector body. It is possible to reduce the manufacturing material and reduce the manufacturing cost compared to the case where the size adjustment allowance is provided and the size adjustment member is provided separately from the shock absorber. Can be planned.

  In addition, among the foot and knee protector, the foot and foot protector, and the instep protector, the foot and foot protector has the longest length in the lower leg length direction. The position change length can be made as long as possible, and the size adjustment range can be effectively secured.

The second feature configuration of the present invention specifies an embodiment suitable for the implementation of the first feature configuration.
A joining means for detachably joining the impact buffering body to the back side of the protector body at a desired position in a position change range with respect to the protector body is provided.

  In other words, according to the above-described characteristic configuration, the shock absorber is not bonded to the back side of the protector main body, and the shock absorber and the protector main body are applied to the lower leg of the wearer to change the position of the shock shock absorber relative to the protector main body. Since the shock absorber can be joined to the back side of the protector main body in the desired position within the range and in that state, the size adjustment according to the wearer can be easily and accurately performed.

The third feature configuration of the present invention specifies an embodiment suitable for the implementation of the second feature configuration.
The back side of the protector body is provided with position holding means for holding the shock absorber in an unbonded state at a desired mounting position with respect to the lower leg.

  That is, according to the above characteristic configuration, the protector main body can be joined to the impact buffer in the position holding state at the desired mounting position with respect to the lower leg by the position holding means. For example, the protector main body and the impact buffer are joined. Compared with the case where the holding operation for the lower leg of the shock absorber and the joining operation for the shock absorber of the protector body are performed simultaneously, the labor required for size adjustment can be reduced and the impact before the attachment to the protector body can be reduced. Problems such as displacement of the buffer can be effectively suppressed.

  Hereinafter, a base guard for a baseball or softball catcher according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the leg guard for the left foot and the leg guard for the right foot are symmetrical, only one (for the right foot) is taken up. I will explain.

  The leg guard T according to the present invention includes, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, at least a foot knee protector 3, a foot shin protector 4, an instep protector 5 (in this example, a lower thigh protector 1, a lower thigh-foot knee). The bridging protector 2, the foot knee protector 3, the foot shin protector 4, and the instep protector 5) are connected in series between the adjacent protectors so that they can be bent. It is configured to be detachable via a binding band 6.

  Each protector 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 is mainly composed of a soft elastic material such as sponge material or silicon material on the back side of each protector body 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A made of a hard material such as plastic. Each impact buffer 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B is laminated.

  Each impact buffer 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B is constructed by laminating a covering fabric such as leather, synthetic leather, cloth fabric, etc. on both the front and back surfaces of a soft elastic material, and its peripheral portion is each protector body 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A is configured to have a larger area than the protector bodies 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A so as to protrude from the peripheral edge of each of the shock absorbers 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B. A back surface (not shown, but in detail, a back side dough) is used to form a contact surface for the lower leg of each protector 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

  The lower thigh protector 1, lower thigh-foot-knee bridging protector 2, foot-knee protector 3, and instep protector 5 are provided with shock absorbers 1B, 2B, 3B, 5B for the protector bodies 1A, 2A, 3A, 5A. It is configured to be secured by fastening means such as rivets, eyelets and sewing. On the other hand, the foot shin protector 4 is a surface fastener that removably joins the shock absorber 4B to the back side of the protector body 4A at a desired position within a position change range (that is, a joining range of joining means described later) with respect to the protector body 4A. 7 (an example of a joining means), the protector body 4A and the impact buffer 4B are joined, and thereby the impact buffer 4B is in-plane direction of the protector body 4A with respect to the protector body 4A (for example, the lower leg length direction). Or the lower leg outer peripheral direction).

  Between the lower thigh protector 1 and the lower thigh-foot-knee bridging protector 2, between the lower thigh-foot-knee bridging protector 2 and the foot-knee protector 3, and between the lower thigh protector 1 and the leg-knee protector 3, the belt Are connected via a joint body 8a.

  Further, the foot knee protector 3 and the foot shin protector 4 are connected so that the lower end portion of the shock buffer 3B of the foot knee protector 3 and the upper end portion of the protector main body 4A of the foot shin protector 4 are overlapped. The flexible joint portion 8b is configured with the flexibility of the impact buffer 3B of the protector 3, and the lower end portion of the impact buffer 4B of the foot shin protector 4 and the foot are provided between the foot shin protector 4 and the instep protector 5. The upper end of the impact buffer 5B of the upper protector 5 is connected so as to overlap with each other, so that the joint 8c is flexible with the flexibility of the impact buffers 4B and 5B of the protectors 4 and 5.

  The binding band 6 is provided with a total of four sets, one set for the lower thigh protector 1, one set for the leg knee protector 3, and two sets for the foot shin protector 4, and one of the side release type one-touch buckles at the tip. The binding band 9A provided with the male locking body 9a is attached to one side of each of the protector main bodies 1, 3, 4 via a fastening device whose length can be adjusted at the base end, and side release. A female locking body 9b of the one-touch buckle of the mold is attached to the other side of each of the protector bodies 1, 3, and 4 via a stopper.

  The foot shin protector 4 will be described in detail. The protector main body 4A is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross-section with the lower leg front side convex so that the both sides of the foot shin can be sufficiently protected in addition to the front surface of the foot shin. On both side walls of the back surface of 4A, strip-shaped female surface fasteners 7A having a length substantially extending from the upper end of the side wall to the lower end of the side wall are disposed symmetrically in the length direction (vertical direction) of the lower leg, and on the surface of the shock absorber 4B. A male surface fastener 7B having a strip shape slightly narrower than the female surface fastener 7A is disposed in the longitudinal direction in the left-right symmetrical manner in the middle and both sides, and thereby, the male surface fastener disposed on the shock absorber 4B. The impact buffer 4B can be detachably joined to the back side of the protector body 4A within a range in which 7B can be engaged with the female surface fastener 7A disposed on the protector body 4A.

  In other words, the leg guard T is configured to change the shock absorber 4B to the protector body 4A by changing the impact buffer body 4B with respect to the protector body 4A of the foot shin protector 4 (for example, changing from a solid line in FIG. 1 to a dotted line display). ) To change the position of the instep protector 5 relative to the foot shin protector 4, and in the catching posture of the catcher (see FIG. 4), it is positioned rearward than between the foot knee protector 3 and the foot shin protector 4. Therefore, the size of the leg guard T can be adjusted between the foot shin protector 4 and the instep protector 5 that are difficult to receive a large impact force.

  Further, with the impact buffer 4B of the foot shin protector 4 unattached to the back side of the protector body 4A, the impact buffer 4B and the protector body 4A are applied to the lower leg of the wearer, and the impact buffer 4B is protected. Positioning at a desired position with respect to the main body 4A and joining the impact buffer 4B to the back side of the protector main body 4A in this state makes it possible to easily and accurately adjust the size according to the wearer.

  Moreover, the protector body 4A is placed in the desired position (for example, the foot) with the impact buffer 4B of the foot / shin protector 4 applied to the desired mounting position of the lower leg (for example, the position where the instep protector 5 corresponds to the instep of the foot). The leg guard T can be adjusted in size and attached to the lower leg at once by binding to the lower leg with the binding band 6 so that the knee protector overlaps the impact buffer 4B at a position corresponding to the knee of the foot). .

[Other Embodiments]
[1] As a position holding means that can hold the shock buffer 4B of the foot shin protector 4 at a desired mounting position with respect to the lower leg, the binding band 6 described in the above embodiment, or a string, rubber, belt, etc. are shocked. The shock absorber 4B may be provided on the shock absorber 4B and held at a desired mounting position with respect to the lower leg.

  In that case, the protector main body 4A can be joined to the shock absorber 4B in the position holding state at the desired mounting position with respect to the lower leg by the position holding means, and the labor of size adjustment according to the wearer can be reduced. At the same time, it is possible to effectively suppress problems such as the displacement of the shock absorber 4B before joining to the protector body 4A.

[2] In the above-described embodiment, the lower thigh protector 1, the lower thigh-foot-knee bridging protector 2, the foot-knee protector 3, the foot shin protector 4, and the instep protector 5 are connected in series between the protectors so as to be freely bent. Although the leg guard T was configured, the leg guard T is not limited thereto, and for example, the leg lower protector 1, the leg knee protector 3, the foot shin protector 4, and the instep protector 5 are connected in series between the protectors so as to be bent. The guard T may be configured, or the leg guard T may be configured by connecting the leg knee protector 3, the foot shin protector 4, and the instep protector 5 in a flexible manner between the protectors.

[3] In the above-described embodiment, the case where the leg guard T is configured to be detachable from the lower leg by the binding band 6 disposed on the leg guard T has been described as an example, but the leg guard T is detachable from the lower leg. For example, the leg guard T may be configured so as to be detachable from the lower leg by an annular restraining means such as a belt or rubber.

[4] In the above-described embodiment, the case where the soft impact buffer 4B is laminated on the back side of the protector main body 4A and the foot shin protector 4 is configured in a two-layer structure is shown as an example. You may comprise in 3 or more layers.

[5] In the above-described embodiment, the impact buffer 4B of the foot shin protector 4 is configured to be capable of changing the position in the in-plane direction of the back surface of the protector body 4A with respect to the protector body 4A. For example, the shock absorber 4B may be configured to be slidable along the lower leg length direction with respect to the protector body 4A. For example, the shock absorber 4B may be configured to be capable of changing its position only in the lower leg length direction with respect to the protector body 4A.

  Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, at the center of the front surface of the shock absorbing body 4B, the width is the same as the lateral width L of the concave portion 4a formed on the back surface of the protector body 4A facing and smaller than the vertical width of the concave portion. A configuration in which the position of the impact buffer 4B in the outer peripheral direction of the lower leg with respect to the protector body 4A may be positioned, such as by forming a convex part 4b having a vertical width. In that case, the convex portion 4a may be formed by disposing a separate member on the impact buffer 4B, or may be formed integrally with the impact buffer 4B.

[6] In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the hooking fastener 7 is detachably joined to the back side of the protector main body 4A at the desired position in the position change range with respect to the protector main body 4A with the surface fastener 7 is shown. However, for example, the joining means may be constituted by a restraining means such as a string, a belt, or a rubber, or an engaging means such as a suction cup, a button, a hook, or a rail.

[7] In the above-described embodiment, the surface fastener 7 is configured by providing a female surface fastener 7A on the back surface of the protector body 4A and a male surface fanner 7B on the surface of the impact buffer 4B. Although shown, a male surface fanner may be provided on the back surface of the protector body 4A, and a female surface fastener may be provided on the surface of the shock absorber 4B.

[8] In the above-described embodiment, the case where the female surface fastener 7A of the surface fastener 7 is partially provided on the back surface of the protector body 4A has been described as an example. It may be provided on the entire surface. In addition, a specific arrangement in the case where the female surface fastener 7A is partially provided may be appropriately selected.

[9] In the above-described embodiment, the case where the male surface fanner 7B of the surface fastener 7 is partially provided on the surface of the impact buffer 4B has been described as an example. It may be provided on the entire surface. Moreover, what is necessary is just to select suitably the specific arrangement | positioning in the case of providing in part the male surface fan 7B.

Front view of leg guard according to the present invention Simplified cross-sectional view of a foot shin protector portion in a leg guard according to the present invention (Simplified cross-sectional view along line AA in FIG. 1) The disassembled perspective view of the leg guard which concerns on this invention Side surface explanatory drawing which shows the state (catching posture) which attached the leg guard which concerns on this invention to the lower leg The simplified cross-sectional view of the foot shin protector portion showing another embodiment of the leg guard according to the present invention

Explanation of symbols

T leg guard 3 leg knee protector 4 foot shin protector 4A protector body 4B impact buffer 5 foot instep protector

Claims (3)

Baseball that is composed of at least a knee protector, a shin protector, and an instep protector connected in series between the adjacent protectors in a flexible manner and detachable from the lower leg from the knee to the instep Or a leg guard for a softball catcher,
The foot shin protector is constructed by laminating a soft impact buffer on the back side of the protector body, and the foot knee protector is connected to the protector body, and the instep protector is connected to the impact buffer.
The impact buffer is a leg guard for a baseball or softball catcher that is configured to be positionally changeable with respect to the protector body at least in the length direction of the lower leg.   The leg guard for a baseball or softball catcher according to claim 1, further comprising a joining means for detachably joining the impact buffering body to the back side of the protector body at a desired position in a position change range with respect to the protector body.   The base guard for a baseball or a softball catcher according to claim 2, further comprising position holding means for holding the shock absorbing body unbonded to the back side of the protector body at a desired mounting position with respect to a lower leg.

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