WO1994004048A2

WO1994004048A2 - Athletic safety jacket

Info

Publication number: WO1994004048A2
Application number: PCT/US1992/006189
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sebastino Thomas Marion
Original assignee: Sebastino Thomas Marion
Priority date: 1992-08-17
Filing date: 1992-08-17
Publication date: 1994-03-03
Also published as: AU2909592A

Abstract

An athletic safety jacket operable to reduce the shock to the body resulting from impact of a fast moving game projectile such as a hockey puck or baseball.

Description

ATHLETIC SAFETY JACKET

abstract of disclosure An athletic safety Jacket operable to reduce the shock to the body resulting from impact of a fast moving game projectile such as a hockey puck or baseball.

specifications This invention relates generally to athletic safety devices. More particularly, this invention relates to an athletic safety Jacket operable to reduce the shock to the body resulting from impact of a fast moving game projectile such as a hockey puck or baseball.

Protective garments for specific use in athletic enterprise have been devised in a long history of a variety of designs. For example, U.S. patent no. 2,589,636 issued in 1952 to Smith discloses a shooting garment. This garment is a shooting Jacket that has padding at the elbows. The elbow padding reduces chafing and fatigue. The garment is heavy, enclosed, hot, and has permanently fixed sleeves. In sharp contrast to the Smith disclosure, it is an object of the subject invention to provide an athletic safety Jacket that is light, has a plurality of open apertures, cool to the wearer, and has detachable sleeves.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET U.S. patent no. 1,796,782 issued in 1931 to Gasperini discloses a signal device and garment protector for automobile drivers. This device is a combination integral body side cover and single sleeve. It is designed for use in thrusting the arm and hand through an open side curtain in making turn signals. The sleeve and side cover are not designed to attach to other clothing. Turn signaling is hardly an athletic enterprise, and there is no design to protect from fast moving projectiles of any kind.

In contrast to the Gasperini disclosure, it is an object of the subject invention to provide an athletic protective garment that covers the chest and has a selectively attachable and detachable sleeve.

^SUBSTITUTESHEET U.S. patent no. 2,468,841 issued in 1949 to Seigel discloses a chest protector. This device covers part of the upper chest with soft wool or cotton stuffed between two layers of fabric.

In contrast to Seigel, it is an object of the subject invention to cover the upper chest and other parts of the body with fabric enclosed rigid members capable of increasing the area of sharp impact and thus reducing stress concentrations.

U.S. patent no. 2,516,598 issued in 1950 to Selkirk discloses a protecting garment. Separate pants and partial upper vest are provided with a quilted padding. No protection for the back is provided.

In contrast to Selkirk, it is an object of the subject invention to protect the back and sides of a player with a quilted garment that encloses rigid members, not mere padding, where the garment integrally protects the chest and selectively protects the arms with detachable sleeves as well.

SUBSTITUTESHEET U.S. patent no. 2,320,705 issued in 1943 to Reynolds discloses a kidney guard. The guard is formed of fiber to withstand impact with the ground or collision from body contact. The guard is not integral with any clothing.

In contrast to Reynolds, it is an object of the subject invention to use a waffle-like formation of a plurality of fabric enclosed rigid members made of compressed dense plastic foam that are integral to an athletic Jacket and not ust resistant, but capable of spreading the impact of an athletic projectile moving at high speed to effectively reduce the stress of impact on the wearer.

SUBSTITUTESHEET U.S. patent no. 1,516, 644 issued in 1924 to Pierce discloses a shoulder guard. The guard is used as armor in protecting a football player from rough and hard body contact with other football players. The armor is made from rigid tubes of fiber held by leather strips to fabric. No attachment to other garments is disclosed.

In contrast to Pierce, it is an object of the subject invention to provide protective armor comprised of a plurality of rigid plastic members integrally attached to fabric of a Jacket that protects the chest, sides, back and selectively the arms of an athletic participant from injury due to impact with a fast moving game projectile.

SUBSTITUTESHEET U.S. patent no. 3,500,472 issued in 1970 to Castellani discloses football and baseball equipment. A sleeveless chest protector with straps for holding around the back of a player is disclosed.The armor in the protector comprises flexible pocket means, which by means of stitching or gluing form a plurality of pockets. In each pocket is an inflatable cushion.

In sharp contrast, it is an object of the subject invention to provide pockets of rigid plastic , not soft fluid cushions, capable of spreading the area of sharp hard impact to reduce concentrated shock.

SUBSTITUTESHEET U.S. patent no. 3,076,197 issued in 1963 to Glahe discloses a chest protector. No back, sides, or sleeves are disclosed. Parallel bands of padding with vertical separations to facilitate movement of the catcher is disclosed.

In contrast, it is an object of the subject invention to provide vertical and horizontal further compressed foam-fabric sandwich to facilitate movement of a player where the further compressed foam-fabric sandwich separates rigid members , not Just padding, and a quilt effect of a plurality of rigid members cover a significant part of the body in an integral garment far more than Just the chest.

8

SUBSTITUTESHEET U. S. patent no. 2,990, 549 issued in 1961 to Doughty discloses a Batter's protector. A quilted half vest is provided which is left handed and right handed reversible. A diamond shaped plurality of quilts enclose with fabric a flexible panel of resilient and flexible pad of sponge rubber. U.S. patent no. 3,574,861 issued in 1971 to Hale discloses a chest and throat protector. The garment comprises horizontally arrayed padded segments that are also segmented vertically. U.S. patent no. 4,847,913 issued in 19B9 to Chen discloses baseball chest protector. A chest protector of a quilt of substantially square and rectangular segmented flexible soft foam is provided. U.S. patent no. 4,100,620 issued in 1978 to Pecoraro discloses a body protector. A sleeveless vest of interiorly diamond shaped quilts of foamed soft polyethylene or a padding of soft acrylic fibers are enclosed front and back by fabric. In sharp contrast, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a diamond waffle of fabric enclosed pads of rigid plastic in not Just a half vest, but a full vest covering the back, front and both sides of a batter, and having selectively detachable sleeves. U.S. patent no. 4,441,211 issued in 1984 to Doaxis discloses a protective batting Jacket. Enclosed pockets of fluid are provided in the Jacket to absorb shock.

SUBSTITUTESHEET In sharp contrast, it is an object of this invention to provide solid rigid shields to effectively spread the area of impact in order to reduce the stress by spreading the force over a larger area.

10

SUBSTITUTE SHEET U.S. patent no. 3,991,420 issued in 1976 to Savarino discloses a protective baseball batting garment. Hard pads are provided at the elbow, forearm and biceps. The hard pads are made of plastic. U.S. patent no. 3,162,861 issued in 1964 to Gustafson discloses a batter's chest protector. A rigid piece of plastic covering the entire chest has an inner resilient liner of flexible resilient material like foam rubber. U.S. patent no. 4,373,211 issued to Goudreau et al discloses a protective chest shield. A shield covering the side of a batter is disclosed. The shield is made of a sheet of polyvinyl chloride closed cell foam that is relatively thick covered with a relatively thin sheet of polypropylene.

In contrast, it is an object of the present invention to provide compressed dense plastic foam surfaces embedded in a fabric waffle all over the upper torso of a player, and similarly dispersed armor all over the arm of the batter facing the pitcher.

11

SUBSTITUTE SHEET U.S. patent no. 4,084,264 issued in 1978 to Marion discloses a batter training safety jacket. A jacket with detachable sleeves and thick padding is disclosed.

The present invention is an improvement in that it has an object of providing rigid compressed dense plastic foam pieces embedded in a waffle pattern to reduce sharp stresses.

In recent years, several deaths have been experienced by young children playing baseball, where the deaths were caused by defibrilation of the heart induced by the shock of sharp high intensity stress from impact of a fast moving baseball. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of young children play less aggressive baseball from fear of painful or serious injury from impact with a baseball projectile. Similar fears diminish performance of young athletes in other sports engrossed in fast moving projectiles such as ice hockey.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide the means to reduce impact stress from collision with a fast moving projectile by providing armored mail where the mail links comprise a compressed dense plastic foam rigid energy absorber operable to spread over a larger area the impact of collision.

12

SUBSTITUTE SHEET It is a further object of this invention to provide a hard rigid shield over the heart, with a surface area of the same order of magnitude as the largest side of the heart, and fixed to a flexible armored mail jacket.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an athletic safety jacket securable by velcro, having a flexible waffle of rigid shields, that has a plurality of apertures to provide breathing and to facilitate evaporation, that is light in weight, relatively cool to wear, and that is inexpensive and uncomplicated to make, use, and maintain.

13

SUBSTITUTE SHEET These and other objects of this invention are achieved by the provision of an athletic safety jacket that is light, has a plurality of open apertures, cool to the wearer, and has detachable sleeves; an athletic protective garment that covers the chest and has a selectively attachable and detachable sleeve; to cover the upper chest and other parts of the body with fabric enclosed rigid members capable of increasing the area of sharp impact and thus reducing stress concentrations; to protect the back and sides of a player with a quilted garment that encloses rigid members, not mere padding, where the garment integrally protects the chest and selectively protects the arms with detachable sleeves as well; to use a waffle-like formation of a plurality of fabric enclosed rigid members made of compressed dense plastic foam that are integral to an athletic jacket and not just resistant, but capable of spreading the impact of an athletic projectile moving at high speed to effectively reduce the stress of impact on the wearer; to provide protective armor comprised of a plurality of rigid plastic members integrally attached to fabric of a jacket that protects the chest, sides, back and selectively the arms of an athletic participant from injury due to impact with a fast moving game projectile; to provide pockets of rigid plastic , not soft fluid cushions, capable of spreading the area of sharp hard impact to reduce concentrated shock; to provide

14

SUBSTITUTE SHEET vertical and horizontal further compression to facilitate movement of a player where the further compressed foam-fabric sandwich separates rigid members, not just padding, and a waffle effect of a plurality of rigid members cover a significant part of the body in an integral garment far more than just the chest; to provide a diamond waffle of fabric enclosed pads of rigid plastic in not just a half vest, but a full vest covering the back, front and both sides of a batter, and having a selectively detachable sleeves; to provide solid rigid shields to effectively spread the area of impact in order to reduce the stress by spreading the force over a larger area; to provide compressed dense plastic foam surfaces embedded in a fabric waffle all over the upper torso of a player, and similarly dispersed armor all over the arm of the batter facing the pitcher; providing rigid compressed dense plastic foam pieces embedded in a waffle pattern to reduce sharp stresses; to provide the means to reduce impact stress from collision with a fast moving projectile by providing armored mail where the mail links comprise a compressed dense plastic foam rigid energy absorber opreable to spread over a larger area the impact of collision; to provide a hard rigid shield over the heart, with a surface area of the same order of magnitude as the largest side of the heart, and fixed to a flexible armored mail jacket; to provide an athletic safety jacket securable by velcro,

15

SUBSTITUTESHEET having a flexible waffle of rigid shields, that has a plurality of apertures to provide breathing and to facilitate evaporation, that is light in weight, relatively cool to wear, and that is inexpensive and uncomplicated to make, use, and maintain.

16

SUBSTITUTESHEET These and other objects of this invention can be understood from the following specifications and claims.

ON IHE. DRA IINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a back view of the article shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of a portion of the article shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the article shown in FIG. 4 taken by the section lines 5-5 thereof; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the article shown in FIG. 2 .

17

SUBSTITUTESHEET Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details in construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and not of limitation. AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS

A catcher's safety jacket 10 is an alternative embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG. 1. The upper torso portion 12 of the vest 14 has compressed dense plastic foam 16 mail links 18 forming a mail 20 of armor. Each of the mail links 16 is enclosed in a fabric square 22. The fabric squares 22 are linked by compression borders 24 to form the mail 20. A preferred composition of the mail links 16 is compressed dense plastic foam of closed cell polyethylene foam such as that made by JANCO of Dover, New Hampshire. The preferred fabric cover of the compressed dense foam is LYCRA in order to provide adequate strength and light weight.

18

SUBSTITUTESHEET The vest 14 is preferably selectively closed and opened with VELCRO fasteners 32 in a manner well understood in the fastener art.

A hard plastic shield 30 is fixed to the vest proximate the heart of the wearer and has a surface area of the same order of magnitude as the largest side of the heart. The shield is preferably .060 inch thick panel of polypropylene hard plastic shell. This shell is molded to mate with the compressed borders of the links 16 to provide flexibility of movement and close fit therewith. Note that in this catcher alternative embodiment the throwing arm of the catcher has a shortened sleeve 68. A neck protective portion 82 comprises armor 20.

The sleeves 40 are selectively detachable from the vest 14 by means of VELCRO fasteners 42. A decorative insignia 72 can be provided. Additional fastening means 76, such as a belt and corresponding buckle can be provided.

Substantially circular peripheral apertures 50 form open apertures and are disbursed throughout the armor 52 to lessen the weight of the jacket and to promote evaporation of sweat and air conduction to cool the wearer.

19

SUBSTITUTESHEET The preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIGS 2 and 3 illustrating the front and back,of a hockey safety jacket 60. The hard plastic shields 62 and shoulder pads 64 are preferably made of .080 inch thick panels of polypropylene hard plastic and preferably secured by fabric and rivets (not shown) to the vest of mail 20. The shoulder pads are hung to the chest panels in such a manner as well known in the art so as to provide a significant air cushion 66 when hit with a fast moving impact.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention , the mail 16 is made by compressing polyethylene foam in dies, applying heat in the range of 200 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit, holding under compression in a range of 5 to 17000 psi and simultaneous heat at the upper range for a period of 30 seconds to 5000 seconds, and cooling to a lower range of 50 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of 50 to 2400 seconds.

I claim:

20

SUBSTITUTESHEET

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. An article of manufacture comprising an athletic safety jacket; said jacket having a shield; said shield covering at least a portion of the upper torso of a player, said shield surrounding said torso comprising parts of the chest, back, and both sides of the player; said shield having a plurality of open apertures;

each of said apertures having a sufficiently large open area, said area being at least .1 sq. cm. and no more than 100 sq. cm., to conduct air flow between a significant portion of said torso and ambient atmosphere proximate said player;

said plurality of open apertures being spread in an arrange;

said array being proximate said torso and being spread over an area of at least 100 sq. cm.

2. The article of claim 1 having a weight less than 3 pounds.

3. The article of Claim 1 wherein said plurality of apertures form a geometric pattern facilitating fluid evaporation and conduction of heat away from the upper torso of the player.

21

SUBSTITUTESHEET

4. The article of claim 1 and at least one sleeve operable to be selectively attachable and detachable to said shield.

5. The article of claim 1 wherein said shield covers the chest.

6. The article of claim 1 wherein said shield covers the upper chest and other parts of the torso.

22

SUBSTITUTESHEET

7. The article of claim 1 wherein said shield covers the upper chest and other parts of the torso;

said shield comprising a plurality of rigid members arranged in an array;

said rigid members being enclosed by fabric;

said rigid members having raised portions;

said rigid members being sufficiently close to one another in the shield such that a moving projectile, such as a puck or baseball, will contact several of said raised portions thus transferring impact to several of said rigid members thereby being capable of increasing the area of sharp impact and thus reducing stress concentration.

23

SUBSTITUTESHEET

8. The article of claim 1 comprising a quilted garment;

said garment having an array of a plurality of rigid members;

said rigid members being enclosed with a light weight strong fabric such as LYCRA;

said rigid members having elastic properties sufficiently different from mere padding;

said rigid members and said enclosing fabric cooperating integrally to protect the chest;

means comprising said quilted garment operable to protect the back and sides of a player .

24

SUBSTITUTESHEET

9. The article of claim 1 comprising a quilted garment;

said garment having an array of a plurality of rigid members;

said rigid members having elastic properties significantly different from mere padding;

means comprising said quilted garment operable to protect the back and sides of a player;

and said garments being selectively operable to protect the arms with detachable sleeves.

25

SUBSTITUTESHEET

10. The article of claim 1 comprising a garment having a structure representing a waffle;

said structure being a formation of a plurality of rigid members;

and fabric enclosing said rigid members.

11. The article of claim 1 comprising a garment having a structure representing a waffle;

said structure being a formation of a plurality of rigid members;

fabric enclosing said rigid members;

each of said rigid members being made of compressed dense closed cell plastic foam.

26

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

12. The article of claim 1 comprising a garment having a structure representing a waffle;

said structure being a formation of a plurality of rigid members;

fabric enclosing said rigid members;

each said rigid members being made of compressed dense closed cell plastic foam;

said cell members being integral with said jacket;

said cell members being operable of being resistant to the impact of an athletic projectile moving at a speed of at least 40 ph;

said cell members being operable to spread said impact;

said cell members being operable to effectively reduce the stress of impact on the wearer.

13. An article of manufacture providing protective armor comprised of a plurality of rigid plastic members.

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SUBSTITUTESHEET

14. The article of claim 13 attached to fabric of a jacket,

said jacket having fabric;

said members being integrally attached to said fabric.

15. The article of claim 13, said article comprising a jacket;

said jacket having fabric;

said members being integrally attached to said fabric;

said jacket being operable to protect the chest, sides, back, rear neck and selectively the arms of an athletic participant from injury due from impact with a fast moving game projectile.

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SUBSTITUTESHEET

16. The article of claim 13 and means providing shields of rigid plastic, significantly harder than said plastic members;

said means being free of soft fluid cushions;

said means being operable to spread the area of sharp impact by engaging a plurality of said plastic members;

each of said members comprising compressed dense plastic foam portions;

said means being operable to reduce the area of concentration of shock.

17. The article of claim 13 and vertical and horizontal stitching then closing of compressed foam-fabric sandwich of said plastic members, to facilitate movement of a player where the said compressed foam-fabric sandwich separate, said rigid members.

29

SUBSTITUTESHEET

18. The article of claim 13 wherein said plurality of rigid members form a structure resembling a waffle and covers a significant part of the body, in an integrated garment far more than just the chest.

19. The article of claim 13 wherein said rigid members comprise pads of rigid plastic;

said pads being enclosed by fabric;

said plurality of rigid members forming a pattern of quadrilateral shapes representative of a waffle.

30

SUBSTITUTESHEET

1 20. The article of claim 13 wherein said rigid members

2 comp ise pads of igid plastic;

****.

4 said pads being enclosed by fabric; 5

6 said plurality of rigid members forming a pattern of

7 quadrilateral shapes resembling a waffle; 8

9 said armor being more than just a half vest but being a full 0 vest covering the back, front and both sides of a batter; 1 2 said armor having selectively detachable sleeves. 3 4 5 21. The article of claim 13 and providing solid rigid 6 shields to effectively spread the area of impact in order to 7 reduce the stress by spreading the force over a larger area. 8 9 0 1

22. The article of claim 13 and providing compressed dense 2 plastic foam surfaces embedded in a fabric waffle all over 3 the upper torso of a player, and similarly dispersed armor 4 all over the arm of the batter facing the pitcher.

31

^SUBSTITUTESHEET 1

23. The article of claim 13 and providing rigid compressed

2 dense plastic foam pieces embedded in a waffle pattern to

3 reduce sharp stresses. 4

5

6 24. The article of claim 13 and providing the means to

7 reduce impact stress from collision with a fast moving

8 projectile by providing armored mail where the mail links

9 comprise a compressed dense plastic foam rigid energy

10 absorber opreable to spread over a larger area the impact of

11 col1 ision. l∑- lS

14 25. The article of claim 13 and providing a hard igid

15 shield over the heart, with a surface area of the same order

16 of magnitude as the largest side of the heart, and fixed to a

17 flexible armored mail jacket. 18

19

20 26. The article of claim 13 and providing an athletic safety

21 jacket securable by VELCRO, and having a flexible waffle of

22 rigid shields , and having a plurality of apertures to

23 provide breathing and to facilitate evaporation. 24

32

SUB^STITUTESHEET

27. The article of claim 13 and providing an athletic safety jacket securable by VELCRO, and having a flexible waffle of rigid shields , and having a .plurality of apertures to provide breathing and to facilitate evaporation, and having a weight of less than 3 pounds.

28. The article of claim 13 and providing an athletic safety jacket securable by VELCRO, and having a flexible waffle of rigid shields , and having a plurality of apertures to provide breathing and to facilitate evaporation, and being relatively cool to wear, and that is inexpensive and uncomplicated to make, use, and maintain.

33

SUBSTITUTESHEET