US2427428A - Athletic supporter with a sacroiliac protective pad - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 16, l947.' v s. J. VlTALE 2,427,428 I ATHLETIC SUPPORTER WITH .A SACROILIAC PROTECTIVE PAD Filed July 19, 1944 2 Shis-Sheet 1 Pf 44 k9 Inuentors. J. VITALE 2,427,428

ATHLETIC SUPPORTER WITH A SACROILIAC PROTECTIVE PAD Sept. 16, W47.

, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19 Patented Sept. 16, 1947 ATHLETIC SUPPORTER WITH A SACK/O- ILIAC PROTECTIVE PAD Sebastian J. Vitale, Fulton, Mo.

Application July 19, 1944, Serial No. 545,581

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a combined athletic supporter and protective device.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an athletic supporter having incorporated therein a protective pad or the like for protecting the sacroiliac joint of the wearer from injury.

A further object is the provision of such a supporter affording maximum protection to the wearer, without discomfort. As conducive to a clearer understanding of this invention, it may here be pointed out that those who wear athletic supporters are customarily engaged in heavy manual work or strenuous athletic sports. Un der such conditions falls and similar body contacts frequently occur. Among the more common injury resulting from such falls or bodily contacts is the bruising or fracturing of the sacroiliac joint, located at the base of the spine.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a protective pad to protect the sacroiliac joint from such injury, comprising an integral part of an athletic supporter, whereby the garment provides at the same time support and protection for the wearer.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept i Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an athletic supporter embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 2 as viewed in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 5 is a detail view showing the reverse side of the protective pad as shown in Figure 2.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings- Having reference now to the drawings, a waistband l0, adapted to be worn in the conventional manner, has secured thereto the customary supporting pouch H, from the lower portion of which buttock straps I! extend outwardly, to be positioned about the body of the wearer and have their ends secured as at l3 to waist portion In at a point adjacent, but spaced from th'e opposite edges of pouch ll. Band [0 and straps l2 may be of elastic material, or if desired may be serted at a suitable point in band Ill.

waistband Ill is a sacroiliac protecting pad generally indicated at 15. Pad I5 is so dimensioned and shaped as to extend from a point adjacent the waist of a wearer downwardly between the buttocks to a point intermediate the crotch and tapered at its lower extremity so as to provide a comfortable fit and obviate interference with the movement of or discomfort to the wearer. To the lower end of pad l5 are secured crotch straps l6 adapted to pass under the crotch of the wearer and secured at their opposite ends to suitable portions of buttock straps l2. Pad I5 is preferably comprised of a pocket-like structure including an outer wall I! and an inner wall [8 stitched together at their edges as at 19 (see Figure 4), each of walls I! and I8 being provided with a vertical row of stitching, at an intermediate point, securing together the opposite halves of these walls, to facilitate replacement of material therebetween (to be described hereinafter) as necessary. It is pointed out that the opposite halves of rear wall [8 adapted to be positioned adjacent the body of the wearer are secured together in end abutting relationship to preclude the formation of ridge which might cause chafing or other discomfort to the user thereof. Positioned between the inner and outer walls I! and I8, and adjacent inner wall I 8 is a layer 25 of relatively soft packing and padding material, between which layer and outer wall I! is positioned a second layer 26 of flexible, but relatively stiff protective packing.

From the foregoing the utility of the device should be readily understandable. When positioned in the customary manner on the person of wearer pad l5 covers and protects not only the sacroiliac joint but the entire adjacent region in such manner that any impact or blow in such region is deadened by padding layer 26 and the impact thereof against the body of the wearer cushioned by soft padding layer 25.

Thus, it will be seen that there is herein provided a combined athletic supporter and sacroiliac protective pad which afiords a maximum protection to one of the bod regions most frequently afiected by injuries, and that the device herein described accomplishes all the objects of this invention and many others including advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and as many modifications may 3 be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

In a device of the character described, at waistband, a supporting pouch secured to said band, buttock straps secured to the lower, end of said pouch and to the band near the pouch and adapted to encircle the legs of the wearer, a protective pad comprised of an inner wall and an outer wall, a layer of relatively soft padding therebetween adjacent said inner wall, and a layer of relatively stiff padding between said first-mentioned layer and said outer Wall, said pad being securedt csaid Waistband at a point diametrically opposite said pouch, and extensible crotch straps secured to the lower end of said pad and to said buttock straps near the pouch whereby said pad will be held in protective position over the sacroiliac region of the wearer.

SEBASTIAN J. VITALE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 35,683 Howard June 24, 1862 908,533 Zuckriegel Jan. 5, 1909 999,415 Street Aug. 1, 1911 1,141,569 McClure June 1, 1915 1,250,407 Woods Dec. 18, 1917 1,206,525 Force Nov. 28, 1916 1,989,686 Deutsch Feb. 5, 1935 2,219,475 Flaherty Oct. 29, 1940 1,612,121 Hittenberger Dec. 28, 1926 1,020,588 West Mar. 19, 191.2

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