US20160317899A1

US20160317899A1 - Upper body protector with strap fastening mechanism

Info

Publication number: US20160317899A1
Application number: US15/140,937
Authority: US
Inventors: Kate Colchie
Original assignee: Burnett Wm T IP LLC
Current assignee: Burnett Wm T IP LLC
Priority date: 2015-04-30
Filing date: 2016-04-28
Publication date: 2016-11-03

Abstract

An upper body protector that provides a comfortable fit for a player of virtually any shape or size, yet provides a secure fit to prevent shifting or sliding of the padding in the protector during game play or other player movement. The upper body protector comprises a garment capable of being worn around the neck and over the shoulders of said wearer and having an opening therein to accommodate the neck of said wearer, and having an improved strap mechanism comprising a set of straps attached to a back portion of the upper body protector that are fed through a pair of grommets on the front side of the upper body protector and folded back over themselves for attachment to the front portion of the upper body protector via a fastening means, such as Velcro®. The combination of the unique grommets at either end of the strap attachment mechanism and strap shape provide a secure, yet comfortable and adjustable fit to the wearer through a full range of motion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S

The present application derives priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/155,196 filed 30 Apr. 2015.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to upper body protective wear for use during contact sports, and, more particularly, to a secure and durable upper body protective garment with increased adjustability and improved fit.
2. Description of the Background
Protecting players from injury is a primary concern for any sport. Sports such as hockey, football and lacrosse feature player-to-player contact as well as player-to-ground and player-to-equipment ball, stick, puck, etc.) contact that has the potential to injure participants. Consequently, players participating in such contact sports wear protective gear such as helmets, elbow/knee pads, rib/kidney protectors and shoulder pads. To be effective, padding such as shoulder pads must absorb and distribute the force of blows or contact but also must not impede the player's range of motion, agility and speed. It is also highly important that the padding is fitted so as to minimize shifting on the player's body as he or she moves during game play, both to prevent the padding from becoming uncomfortably situated on the body and/or impeding the player's range of notion, and to ensure that the padding is properly in place to protect those areas that it was designed to protect. Padding of the types described above may be designed to cover locations on an average player's body that are the most sensitive and/or that are expected to receive the most impact during game play. Player health also requires that pads provide adequate ventilation so that players are not overheated or overly fatigued through use of their equipment during the intense physical exertion of game play.
To accomplish these opposing requirements of protection without impediment, protective gear is typically constructed of an assembly of soft padding in combination with molded, semi-rigid or hard shells or plates configured to be worn by the participant only over the areas of the body most likely to be impacted during play of the particular game with which the pads are intended to be used. Such pads are relatively heavy and inflexible, and may involve numerous separate parts held in fixed relation relative to each other to allow a nominal amount of motion relative to one another, the relative positioning of which may not be adjustable. Shoulder pad construction may also vary depending on the on-field role of the intended wearer. For example, a lacrosse defenseman's pads may preferably be both light and minimally protective whereas an attackman's might offer much more protection as they are more likely to be the target of much checking and physical contact. A midfielder's pads might be a balance of the two or skew towards one extreme or the other. Likewise, a football quarterback's shoulder pads should emphasize freedom of motion whereas a lineman's pans should offer much more protection while being streamlined so as to offer as few handholds as possible for opposing players to exploit. In all cases it is desirable that the pads and protective gear be properly fit and securely attached.
Regardless of the game, shoulder pads typically take the form of a garment donned over the head and harnessed atop the shoulders and upper body. Because of their rigid or semi-rigid construction and so as not to impede movement, conventional shoulder pads typically cover the shoulder and ribcage areas but do not extend down over the abdominal area to the waist. The pads are secured around the ribcage, the chest and back portions being joined by straps or fasteners extending underneath the player's armpits for this purpose. Some lacrosse attackmen or football receivers prefer more rib/kidney protection. Supplemental pads are available either as separate rib/kidney protectors worn around the midsection or hung by suspenders, or as integral rib/kidney protectors secured to the shoulder pads. The net result is often a hodge-podge of pads tightened against the body, which creates additional bulk and restriction. In addition, pads of this type are often constructed in one of a few size ranges with limited means for adjusting all dimensions of the pads to fit to an individual player. Due to the encapsulating nature of the pads as they are worn by a player, the fit of the padding on all areas of the player's body is crucial to ensure that the goals of proper protection, comfort, and lack of motion impedance are accomplished. Proper fit is a function of both the dimensions of adjustability and the degree of adjustability which, in addition to the ease of adjustability, continue to be a focus in the market for protective equipment.
What is needed is an improved upper body protector that is easily adjustable to accommodate a greater number of upper body shapes and sizes, and that is easily put on and taken off. It would also be advantageous to have an improved upper body protector that is more securely held in the proper position on a player's body to prevent sliding or shifting of the padding during use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an upper body protector that provides a comfortable fit for a player of virtually any shape or size, yet provides a secure fit to prevent shifting or sliding of the padding in the protector during game play or other player movement.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such an improved upper body protector that is easy to put on, take off, and to adjust during use.
In accordance with the above-described objects, an embodiment of the present invention is an upper body protector for contact sports with an improved strap mechanism to provide both adjustability and a secure fit for the upper body protector around the torso of the wearer. The strap mechanism generally comprises a set of webbing-type straps fixedly attached to a back portion of the upper body protector and that are fed around into and through a front portion of the upper body protector, through a pair of spaced grommets on the front side of the upper body protector. Straps on either side of a user's torso can first enter the front portion of the upper body protector through one grommet, traverse a length of the back surface of the front side of the upper body protector and exit through another grommet on the front side of the upper body protector. Each strap has a fastening means at its outwardly-exposed distal end, preferably a securing material and most preferably a section of hook material for hook-and-loop fastening. Each strap may then be folded back over counterpart fastening means (e.g., a section of loop material) exposed on a length of the front portion and adjacent the grommets, or, if necessary for a tighter fit, back over the fastening means and continuing along the exposed strap itself, which is preferably designed to receive and hold the strap fastening means (e.g., by another section of loop material or by the weave of the strap itself). The combination of the unique grommets at either end of the strap attachment mechanism and strap shape provide a secure, yet comfortable and easily adjustable fit to the wearer through a full range of motion.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and certain modifications thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an upper body protector 1 incorporating the strap attachment mechanism 101 on the front portion 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the upper body protector 1 with strap attachment mechanism 101 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 depicts a preferred configuration for attaching strap 104 to the back portion 3 of upper body protector 1.

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the strap 104 portion of the novel strapping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a composite view (A, B, C & D) of the steps for fastening the strapping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a composite view (A, B & C) showing steps for adjusting the strapping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a detail view of grommets before and after attachment to upper body protector 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
The present invention is an upper body protective garment or protector for use during contact sports and a novel securing mechanism for same. The protective garment is constructed to offer protection from blows and contact to the upper body experienced during game play, and to be affixed securely but adjustably to the wearer at the lower or upper torso so as to be stable during use.
FIG. 1 depicts a front view of the upper body protector 1 configured to be worn over the upper body of the wearer, e.g., around the neck a id over at least a portion of the shoulders, and having, an opening therein to accommodate the neck of said wearer. FIG. 2 depicts a side view. The front 2 and rear 3 portions of upper body protector 1 are preferably formed of lightweight synthetic woven or non-woven materials, and are most preferably constructed of breathable synthetic mesh material such as polyester mesh, which provides a base layer 10 for attachment of padding 12 in the desired locations as a matter of design choice.
Upper body protector 1 essentially defines a harness covering at least a portion of the shoulders, and has a front portion 2 and a back portion 3, each with a front surface and back surface, extending downward to respective lower ends anywhere along the thorax of the wearer. In one embodiment, the lower corners/ends of the front 2 and back 3 portions of upper body protector 1 may extend to or even slightly beyond the hips of the wearer owing to variations in player physiology, but are preferably truncated at or just below the rib cage to provide optimal, secure fit. As with conventional jerseys, a hole is provided through the center of the neck/shoulder portion for the player's head. In alternate embodiments, the front 2 or back portions may be split vertically in the manner of a buttoned shirt to allow easier donning of upper body protector 1, however it is imperative that the split front 2 or back 3 portion be capable of being securely closed, or rejoined so as to prevent movement or slippage of the upper body protector 1, as will be described.
The front portion 2 is worn draped over the chest, extending down and flaring out on both sides over the wearer's upper abdomen substantially in a butterfly-shape. The front portion 2 thereby defines four corners at the shoulders and upper abdomen, a chest portion 21 that extends from the wearer's neck/shoulders downward in any desired shape, from the shoulders converging to and covering the wearer's sternal notch, and an abdominal, portion 22 that flares outward on opposite sides to a lowermost crescent edge where the front portion 2 ends as shown in FIG. 1. The rear portion 3 is likewise worn draped over the back, and may extend from the neck/shoulder downward covering at least a portion of the player's back, flaring outward slightly on opposite sides of the back. The back portion 3 is permanently attached to the front portion 2 at the top two corners approximately at the wearer's shoulders, essentially forming a harness with two over-shoulder straps. The front 2 and rear portions of upper body protector 1 are attached along the thorax of the wearer by the novel front-side strap attachment mechanism 101 utilizing two length-adjustable straps, as will be described.
The terms of relative position used herein such as “upper/lower”, “inner/outer” and “back/front” refer to the relative position of elements as depicted in the drawings and are not intended to be limiting in and of themselves. The relative positions of the layers of an upper body protector 1 according, to the present invention may be changed within the scope of the invention.
The front 2 and back 3 portions of the upper body protector 1 are preferably, but not necessarily, independent below the neck/shoulder, which is to say that they do not preferably rejoin one another below the arms of the wearer. Rather, as shown in the depicted embodiment, the sides of the front 2 and back 3 portions and the upper body protector 1 as a whole remain open, subject to attachment only by the front-side strap attachment mechanism 101, preferably with no side panel(s) incorporated. This configuration eliminates bunching of fabric side panels that otherwise impede the movements or comfort of the wearer.
The front portion 2, back portion 3, and over-shoulder straps need not be separate panels or elements but rather may constitute a unitary fabric base layer 10. Front portion 2 and, optionally, back portion 3 of upper body protector 1 further comprises an array of padding 12 arranged on the base layer 10 to provide protection to areas of the wearer's body that are expected to receive the greatest force from contact and/or those sensitive areas most in need of protection from blows. Padding 12 may be composed of multiple, individual or binged padding elements that may include rib, sternum, kidney and/or abdominal pads attached exteriorly to the base layer 10 as desired.
FIG. 1 (inset) and FIG. 4 depict detail views of the front-side strap attachment mechanism 101 according to the present invention. FIG. 1 (inset) depicts a front-side strap attachment mechanism 101 secured to or otherwise a part of the front portion 2 of upper body protector 1. As shown therein, two opposing slot grommets 102 are placed through the front and back surfaces of the base layer, and through any additional padding 12 to each define a slot-like hole 108 through the front portion 2 of upper body protector 1. Holes 108 are rimmed by slot grommets 102 and both grommets 102 have a height that is slightly greater than strap 104, and a width that is slightly greater than the thickness of the thickest portion of strap 104, to allow straps 104 to pass through.
As seen in FIG. 1 (inset) and FIG. 2 each strap attachment mechanism 101 includes a corresponding strap fastener 103 for fixation of the ends of straps 104 to the body protector 1. Strap fasteners 103 are situated on either side of abdominal portion 22 of the front portion 2 of upper body protector 1 adjacent the lower edge thereof, preferably traversing the area between holes 108 and grommets 102. Strap fasteners 103 can form roughly the shape of a parallelogram oriented generally in a horizontal direction on the front portion 2 of upper body protector 1, or a direction roughly parallel to the angle of straps 104 as upper body protector 1 fits on the torso as the wearer. The outermost edges of strap fasteners 103, located nearer to the outermost corners of abdominal portion 22, are slightly elevated from the inner edge of strap fasteners 103 to provide greater leverage for tightening and adjusting the upper body protector 1 with strap mechanism 101, as will be described.
Holes 108 and grommets 102 are immediately adjacent the opposing sides of strap fasteners 103, along the vertically-oriented edges thereof. As such, both the grommets 102 and strap fasteners 103 provide strength and structure to the edges of holes 108 to prevent tearing of the material around holes 108 and to provide a convenient gripping surface for use in passing straps 104 through, as will be described.
FIG. 2 depicts one of the two straps 104 making up the strap mechanism 101 of the present invention. Each strap 104 can be attached by sewing or other known means at one end (see FIG. 2) to an outer lower corner of the back portion 3 of upper body protector 1 at a height h elevated above strap fasteners 103, but more preferably each strap 104 is attached more proximate the center of back portion 3 to extend more completely around the wearer's torso. If there is rear padding 12 on the back portion the straps 104 may be sandwiched and sewn between the padding and base layer 10.
FIG. 3 depicts a preferred configuration for attaching strap 104 to the back portion 3 of upper body protector 1. In this embodiment the back portion 3 of the upper body protector 1 is formed with two opposing floating side pads hinged to a main body pad by base layer 10. Strap 104 is passed over or through sleeves in the floating side pads and are secured endwise into the lain pad as shown. This improves the fit of strap 104 by extending more completely around a user's torso.
FIG. 4 is an isolated view of strap 104, which is preferably comprised of flat woven webbing formed in a strip of material, such as 2 inch wide nylon webbing, elastic or other suitable fabric material. Straps 104 may be stretchable or non-stretchable, but are preferably stretchable to allow for more fit variations among users of different body types and sizes, some of whom may need to fold the straps 104 back over strap fasteners 103 and extending out over a side-portion of the strap 104 before it enters grommet 102. Each strap 104 runs to a distal free end 105.
As best seen in FIG. 4, beginning at or near the distal free end 105 of straps 104, a section of fastening material 109, preferably hook material, is added for attachment purposes to the underside of strap 104 (viewing FIG. 4). A reinforcing tab 106 is preferably attached to the distal free end 105 of straps 104 to serve as a gripping surface and a non-loosening mechanism that will not, due to its thickness, voluntarily slide back through grommet 102 holes 108. Importantly, the section of hook material 109 extends along the underside of strap 104 (viewing FIG. 4) and continues beyond tabs 106 along the strap 104 to facilitate and complete the full attachment to the front portion and, when desired, dis-attachment of the strap 104 from the front portion 12 through grabbing and pulling on the extended strap portion via tab 106. Tabs 106 may be over-molded rubber or plastic, or may be formed from one or more additional layers (or doubled over layers) of material that are sewn or otherwise adhered to one or, more preferably, both sides of straps 104 near their distal ends 105. Tabs 106 are preferably formed of a more durable material than straps 104 to guard against ripping or fraying of tab ends 105 where they are most commonly gripped to tighten and adjust upper body protector 1.
Strap fasteners 103 may comprise a section of hook or loop attachment material such as Velcro™. One skilled in the art will understand that if strap fasteners 103 comprise a section of loop attachment material, the fastening material 109 on straps 104 should be a mirror section of hook attachment material attached behind the distal ends 105 of straps 104 and running inward. Conversely, if strap fasteners 103 comprise a section of hook material, a the fastening material 109 on straps 104 may be optional where strap fasteners 103 are capable of attaching directly to the woven webbing of straps 104.
FIG. 5A-5B depict the routing sequence of straps 104 through grommets 102, which steps will generally be performed during manufacture so that straps 104 are pre-installed at the time of sale. After the chest portion 21 of upper body protector 1 is placed over the head and shoulders of the wearer, straps 104 are each fed, tab end 105 first, around the waist of the wearer and through the grommets 102 at the outer edges of abdominal portion 22 of the front portion 2 of upper body protector 1, from the front, padded surface to the back surface (see Figure SA). Straps 104 are then run behind along the backside of the abdominal portion 22 (behind strap fasteners 103) as shown in FIG. 4B, and back out through the opposing grommet 102.
FIG. 5C-5D depict the use of straps 104 during the sequence of donning upper body protector 1. As seen in FIG. 5C the wearer folds the tab end 105 of strap 104 over across the front surface of the front portion 2 of upper body protector 1, where the fastening material 109 on straps 104 faces strap fasteners 103. The wearer cinches the strap 104 tight, pulling against the innermost grommet 102 which provides a winch-like action. When the straps 104 are properly tightened and the upper body protector 1 snug, the straps 104 are secured by pressing the fastening material 109 on straps 104 against the strap fasteners 103.
FIG. 6 is a composite view (A, B & C) showing steps for adjusting the strapping mechanism 101. The tab 106 is pulled outward, and the fastening material 109 dislodged from the strap fasteners 103 (FIG. 6B). The straps 104 are readjusted and properly tightened until the upper body protector 1 is snug. Finally the straps 104 are secured by pressing the fastening material 109 on straps 104 against the strap fasteners 103 (FIG. 6C). The entire process may be accomplished in mere seconds.
In the illustrated embodiment as shown in FIG. 6C, strap fasteners 103 and the fastening material 109 on straps 104, which face strap fasteners 103 during use, each comprise opposing panels of a fastening material such as hook-and-loop fastener such as sold under the trademark Velcro®, as described above. However, one skilled in the art will understand that other means for securing the tab ends 105 of straps 104 to the front portion 2 of upper body protector 1 can be used. For example, the fastening means 103, 107 may alternatively comprise snaps, hooks, buckles or other known means to releasably and adjustably secure straps 104.
In an alternative embodiment (not shown), holes 108 do not extend all the way through the front portion 2 of upper body protector 1, but instead grommets 102 on either end of each fastener 103 may define the open ends of a “sleeve” for containing strap 104 inside the front portion 2 of upper body protector 1. Such a sleeve may generally be formed between two overlaid pieces of base material that are sewn or otherwise attached along, two sides, forming a tubular opening within base layer 10. At the remaining two open edges, grommets 102 hold sleeves open while securing the ends of the sleeve from fraying or tearing, and may optionally also be a means of attachment for sleeves 101 to the base layer 10 of the front portion 2 of upper body protector 1. Although sleeves according to the present embodiment may be formed separately from the base layer 10 of upper body protector 1 and affixed thereto by sewing or another means known in the art, sleeves are preferably formed between the base layer of upper body protector 1 and a layer of padding attached to base layer along two parallel edges defining the upper and lower edges of the sleeve.
FIG. 7 is a composite detail view of grommets 102 before and after attachment to upper body protector 1. In a preferred embodiment, grommets 102 are two section grommets that snap together through holes 108. The interior section 102B comprises a pass-through slot with large reinforcing flange, and the exterior section 102A likewise comprises a pass-through slot with smaller reinforcing flange. The two sections 102A and 102B telescope together and lock in a friction fit, passing through holes 108, to form the structure shown in FIG. 7B.
As described, strap mechanism 101 operates to adjustably secure the upper body protector 1 to the torso of the wearer. Velcro® or like fastening means 103, 107, on fastener 101 and tab ends 105 of straps 104, respectively, are preferably formed along the entire width and height of fasteners 101 and tab ends 105 to allow secure fastening, between tab ends 105 and fasteners 101 regardless of the extent to which tab ends 105 extend across fasteners 101, allowing for a customized fit for each player regardless of body type. A quick-release hook-and-loop type fastener like Velcro® also advantageously allows the wearer to unfasten, readjust, and refasten strap mechanism, i.e. during, breaks in game play, to tighten, loosen, or otherwise readjust the fit of upper body protector 1 based on his or her preference or to ensure a tight fit of upper body protector 1 over areas needing impact protection. At the same time, the increased thickness of tabs 106 near the distal ends of straps 104 helps to prevent straps 104 from sliding backwards through grommets 102 as the player moves or during readjustment of the fit of upper body protector 1. Tabs 106 are also preferably constructed of a sufficiently durable and stiff material so as to provide a relatively solid support to snaps 104. The slight upward angle of fasteners 101 and the backwards motion that the wearer uses to tighten the fit of upper body protector 1 by folding straps 104 over themselves and pulling them back over fasteners 101 also provide a more ergonomic motion tar fitting and adjusting upper body portion 1. This arrangement allows the wearer to adjust the upper body protector 1 by pulling tabs 106 backwards along his or her torso, granting the wearer more leverage for tightening upper body protector 1 than prior art sports pad arrangements.
The result of the foregoing is an upper body protector that provides a comfortable fit for a player of virtually any shape or size, yet provides a secure fit to prevent shifting or sliding of the padding in the protector during use.
The foregoing disclosure of embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure. The scope of the invention is to be defined only by the claims, and by their equivalents.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A protective vest assembly for the protection of a wearer during contact sports, comprising:

a garment capable of being worn around the neck and over at least a portion of the shoulders of said wearer and having an opening therein to accommodate the neck of said wearer, said garment further comprising a front portion and a back portion, said front and back portions each having opposing lateral sides; and

an adjustable securing mechanism, comprising,

a pair of straps engaged to said back portion, said straps each having a first thickness and comprising a tab near the distal end thereof having a second thickness, wherein said first thickness is less than said second thickness,

said straps further comprising attachment pads along their length on one side, and

exposed fastening areas for said straps on either side of said front portion, said fastening areas each bordered by a pair of slot grommets wide enough to accommodate said straps but not said tabs.

2. The protective vest according to claim 1, wherein said garment includes a mesh fabric base layer.

3. The protective vest according to claim 2, wherein the front portion of said base layer drapes down below a wearer's chest and flares out on both sides at the wearer's abdomen to opposing corners.

4. The protective vest according to claim 1, wherein said attachment pads and said fastening areas comprise sections of hook-or-loop material.

5. The protective vest according to claim 4, wherein each pair of slot grommets is attached proximate a corresponding corner of the front portion of said base layer.

6. The protective vest according to claim 1, wherein one of said pair of straps extends from the rear portion around in one direction to said front portion through one of said grommets and doubles back for attachment by its attachment pad to one of said exposed fastening areas, and another of said pair of straps extends from the rear portion around in another direction to said front portion through one of said grommets and doubles back for attachment by its attachment pad to the other exposed fastening area.

7. The protective vest according to claim 6, wherein an end of said first strap and an end of said second strap may be reinserted into corresponding ones of said pair of grommets for stowage.

8. The protective vest according to claim 1, wherein said first strap and second strap are elastic.

9. A protective vest for the protection of a wearer during contact sports, comprising:

a harness comprising a base layer of fabric configured to be worn about a wearer's neck with a front portion draped over the wearer's chest and a rear portion draped over a wearer's back;

one or more sections of padding attached to said base layer; and

a strap attachment assembly for seeming the base layer front portion to said rear portion about a waist of said wearer, said strap attachment assembly further comprising,

a first grommet located on one side of the front portion of said base layer,

a second grommet located on another side of the front portion of said base layer,

a first strap attachment pad of hook-or-loop material adjacent said first grommet,

a second strap attachment pad of hook-or-loop material adjacent said second grommet,

a first strap extending from the rear portion of said base layer around in one direction to said front portion and through said first grommet, said first strap having a section of hook-or-loop material proximate it distal end for temporary fixation to said first strap attachment pad, and

a second strap extending from the rear portion of said base layer around in another direction to said front portion and through said first grommet, said first strap having a section of hook-or-loop material proximate it distal end for temporary fixation to said second strap attachment pad.

10. The protective vest according to claim 9, wherein said base layer of fabric comprises mesh fabric.

11. The protective vest according to claim 9, wherein the front portion of said base layer drapes down the wearer's chest and flares out on both sides at the wearer's abdomen to opposing corners.

12. The protective vest according to claim 11, wherein said first grommet and said second grommet are attached proximate corresponding corners.

13. The protective vest according to claim 12, further comprising a third grommet spaced from said first grommet and a fourth grommet spaced from said second grommet.

14. The protective vest according to claim 13, wherein said first attachment pad is located between said first and third grommet, and said second attachment pad is located between said second and fourth grommet.

15. The protective vest according to claim 9, wherein said first strap extends from the rear portion of said base layer around in one direction to said front portion through said first grommet and doubles back for attachment by its section of hook-or-loop material to the first attachment pad, and the second strap extends from the rear portion of said base layer around in another direction to said front portion through said second grommet and doubles back for attachment by its section of hook-or-loop material to the second attachment pad.

16. The protective vest according to claim 15, wherein said first strap extends from the rear portion of said base layer around in one direction to said from portion through said first grommet and doubles back for attachment by its section of hook-or-loop material to the first attachment pad, and the second strap extends from the rear portion of said base layer around in another direction to said front portion through said second grommet and doubles back for attachment by its section of hook-or-loop material to the second attachment pad.

17. The protective vest according to claim 16, wherein an end of said first strap may be inserted into said third grommet for stowage, and an end of said second strap may be inserted into said fourth grommet for stowage.

18. The protective vest, according to claim 9, wherein said first strap and second strap are attached centrally to said rear portion of said base later.

19. The protective vest according to claim 9, wherein said first strap and second strap are elastic.