Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
  • A44B—BUTTONS, PINS, BUCKLES, SLIDE FASTENERS, OR THE LIKE
  • A44B11/00—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts
  • A44B11/006—Attachment of buckle to strap
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D20/00—Wristbands or headbands, e.g. for absorbing sweat
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A42—HEADWEAR
  • A42B—HATS; HEAD COVERINGS
  • A42B3/00—Helmets; Helmet covers ; Other protective head coverings
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/08—Body-protectors for players or sportsmen, i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions
  • A63B71/10—Body-protectors for players or sportsmen, i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions for the head
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/08—Body-protectors for players or sportsmen, i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions
  • A63B71/12—Body-protectors for players or sportsmen, i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions for the body or the legs, e.g. for the shoulders
  • A63B71/1225—Body-protectors for players or sportsmen, i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions for the body or the legs, e.g. for the shoulders for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/08—Body-protectors for players or sportsmen, i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions
  • A63B71/12—Body-protectors for players or sportsmen, i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions for the body or the legs, e.g. for the shoulders
  • A63B71/1225—Body-protectors for players or sportsmen, i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions for the body or the legs, e.g. for the shoulders for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet
  • A63B2071/1266—Body-protectors for players or sportsmen, i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions for the body or the legs, e.g. for the shoulders for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet for the calf

Definitions

• Document US-A-6094743 discloses an arm protector for athletes, such as but not limited to baseball or softball and is comprised of padded material covered by a flexible plastic insert with varying geometric profiles fitted within a sleeve of elastic cloth type material of varying shapes. This is a deflector protector and is not designed to and is not capable of functioning as a protection for a playing area for which directional control has to be retained.
• the outer component is in the form of a cover of a relatively elastic material and is shaped to fit said given body area, to be retained thereagainst and to substantially and smoothly conform to the contours of that body area; the inner component being in the form of resilient padding shaped to fit within the cover and to be moulded thereby to smoothly conform to the contours of that body area; whereby, when worn to play takraw in use, the contours of that body area continue to be followed by the outer and inner components as the takraw player moves.
• Fig. 3 is a section on the line X-X of Fig. 2;
• Fig. 7 is a front elevation corresponding to the side elevation of Fig. 6;
• Fig. 8 is a detail of an elasticated belt and buckle component for the forehead protector of Fig. 6;
• Fig. 9 is a plan of a component for the forehead protector of
• an ankle protector in accordance with the present invention comprises a tube 10 formed from a two superimposed, elongate, essentially rectangular sheets 12, 14 of elasticised material, such as Spandex®, each having a cut-out 16, 18 in each side 20, 22 thereof.
• the protector is assembled by inserting two thin, typically 10 to 11 mm uncompressed, cushion pads 24, 26 of resilient, shock- absorbing material, such as polyethylene or polyurethane foam on either side of the cut-outs 16, 18 (as shown in Fig. 4) and sewing through the two sheets 12, 14 and along and about the respective pad 24, 26 so as to form four, thin, longitudinally extending, padded ribs 27, 28, 30, 32.
• the thus-formed ankle protector has a main, double-layered tubular body part 34, front and rear seams 36, 38, an inner ankle cushion pad 24 and an outer ankle cushion pad 26.
• the sheet parts between the cut-outs 16, 18 form a seamless stirrup 40.
• the shape and elasticity of the fabric ensures that the protector fits snugly over a player's foot and surrounds the ankle; with the pads 24 and 26 covering and protecting the inner and outer ankle bones respectively.
• the elasticity of the tube material is such that, when the protector is stretched about a players foot, sufficient " tension is generated for it to stay in place and to compress the pads so that they closely conform to the shape of the foot in the ankle region and still permit essentially full freedom of ankle movement.
• the ribbed nature of the pad also permits the protector to better shape around the ankle. Clearly, the thicker the pad the more shock protection it provides but the less the pad will conform to the ankle playing area and the less direction and force will be applied to a takraw ball when struck by this playing area. The pad thickness is kept to the minimum found to reduce ball strike shock to a bearable level.
• the ball When playing takraw, the ball is principally, 90% of the time, struck by the inner ankle surface, although the outer ankle surface is occasionally used. It will be seen that the design of the protector in conforming to the contours of the inner and outer ankle surfaces closely replicates the surfaces of the unprotected playing areas. Sepaktakraw regulations prevent the use of any aid to that provides an advantage to a player.
• the ankle protector of the present invention does not provide any advantage; indeed the anti-shock cushion will, if anything, slightly reduce the striking force which a player can impart to a ball.
• a protector with both inner and outer ankle cushions has been described; a protector can be provided with only an inner ankle cushion, a protector with only an outer ankle cushion is possible but would be of little practical use.
• a forehead protector in accordance with the present invention comprises a headband 46 formed from a two superimposed, elongate, bow- shaped sheets 48, 50 of fabric.
• the fabric may be elasticised, such as Spandex®, or plain, such as cotton, or of various mixes of plain and elasticised.
• Each sheet has an arcuate upper edge 52 and an essentially straight lower edge 54 (see Fig. 9).
• a cushion or pad 56 again of thin, typically 3-4 mm uncompressed, shock-absorbing material, such as polyethylene or polyurethane foam, is shaped so as to follow the inner periphery of the sheets 48, 50.
• the protector is stretched about the head of a player and the elastic belt 72 is adjusted so that the headband fits snugly over the player's forehead; the tension generated by the elastic belt is transmitted by the straps 60, 62 to the upper or lower margins 52, 54 of the headband, which are thus preferentially tensioned with respect to the remainder of the headband.
• This preferential tensioning assists the headband both to shape to the contour of the forehead and be retained on the forehead during play.
• straps 60, 62 Whilst exposed straps 60, 62 have been described they could be hidden by the headband cover being extended to the buckles 68, 70, with the straps within, attached to the upper and lower margins and offset from the headband ends.
• the straps could each be replaced by a single inelastic strap or any other analogous construction that functions to preferentially transmit tension from an elastic member to the upper and lower margins of the headband; for example, the adjustable belt could be inelastic and the straps elastic.
• the forehead protector could be completed by a light head cover or cap, somewhat like a hair net. Again, this forehead protector retains directional control of the ball whilst reducing ball strike shock to a bearable level, in like manner to the ankle protector. Again, striking force is only marginally reduced.
• the above described takraw game protectors are for the main strike playing areas of the ankle and forehead; however the principal of the present invention, of providing a shock absorbing padding that conforms to body area contours to maintain ball control and acceptably reduce strike shock, can be applied to protectors for other striking or blocking areas; such as the sides of the upper torso and thighs or the shoulders, upper arms and elbows.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (3)

Family

ID=27590066

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (9)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2003
  • 2003-06-13 GB GB0313734A patent/GB2397535B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2004
  • 2004-04-22 TW TW093111288A patent/TW200505534A/zh unknown
  • 2004-05-20 WO PCT/GB2004/002174 patent/WO2004110571A2/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (9)

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