Protective articles and methods thereof

• US 10,441,870 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kapsul Tech Corporation
• Original Assignee: AEXOS Inc.
• Inventors: Corrigan, Charles Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kinsaul, Anna K
• Application Number:
  US15/997,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20180318693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0007 Garments with built-in harnesses safety harnesses A62B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0015 Sports garments other than provided for in groups A41D13/0007 - A41D13/088
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0153 having hinged or separable parts
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0506 Hip
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0512 Neck or shoulders area
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0518 Chest
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0525 Loin or waist area
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0531 Spine
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0537 Buttocks
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0543 Legs knee or foot A41D13/06; protectors for the legs of players or sportmen A63B71/1225
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/055 Protector fastening, e.g. on the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/06 Knee or foot protectors for the legs of players or sportsmen A63B71/1225
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/08 Arm or hand protective gloves A41D19/015 ; protectors for the hands of players or sportsmen A63B71/14
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2300/20 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2500/50 Synthetic resins or rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/10 for sport activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/1208 for the breast and the abdomen, e.g. breast plates
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/1233 for the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/125 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/1258 for the shin, e.g. shin guards
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 : Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/12 : for the body or the legs , e.g. for the shoulders A63B71/081 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/1225 : for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/1291 : for the neck
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/14 : for the hands, e.g. baseball, boxing or golfing gloves archer's finger tabs F41B5/1473
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 1/02 : Armoured or projectile- or missile-resistant garments; Composite protection fabrics F41H5/04 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed herein are wearable articles and methods for the manufacture and use thereof. The wearable articles can comprise compression elements, gripping elements, and support elements containing a rate-sensitive materials which can operate to prevent injury.

Claims

1. An article wearable by a subject, comprising:

a) a base layer having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the interior surface has a first coefficient of friction (μ

1) relative to a body surface of the subject, and wherein the base layer has a first modulus of elasticity (E1);

b) at least one gripping element coupled to the interior surface of the base layer, wherein the at least one gripping element is configured to contact a body of the subject, and wherein the at least one gripping element has a second coefficient of friction (μ

2) relative to the body surface, wherein μ

2 is greater than μ

1;

c) at least one compression element coupled to the base layer, wherein the at least one compression element has a second modulus of elasticity (E2) that is greater than E1; and

d) at least one support element comprising a neck support element integrated into the base layer, the neck support element comprising a force-reactive polymer comprising a non-Newtonian material, wherein the neck support element is dimensioned (i) to have close topographical engagement with a neck of the subject and (ii) to extend at most up to an occipital bone of the subject,

wherein the neck support element comprises a single body surrounding the force-reactive polymer and is configured to provide increasing resistance in response to an increasing degree of an applied force.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the non-Newtonian material comprises:

a) a first viscosity (v1) in response to a first motion by the subject that exerts a first force (F1) upon the at least one support element; and

b) a second viscosity (v2) in response to a second motion by the subject that exerts a second force (F2) upon the at least one support element, wherein F2 is greater than F1and v2 is greater than v1 such that the at least one support element produces a greater resistance to the second motion than to the first motion.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one support element comprises an elastomeric polymer.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein the elastomeric polymer forms a foam matrix comprising the non-Newtonian material.

5. The article of claim 4, wherein the non-Newtonian material is a shear thickening non-Newtonian fluid.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one support element comprises a pouch encapsulating the non-Newtonian material.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one support element is configured to provide resistance to movement of at least one of a muscle, a joint, or a bone of the subject, wherein the resistance increases with increasing force of the movement.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one support element further comprises at least one of:

a) a thigh support element;

b) a shin support element;

or

c) a spine support element.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the neck support element comprises a penannular collar member having a shape that is configured to be anatomically complementary with the neck of the subject.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein the neck support element is configured to be positioned around a rear and lateral sides of the neck of the subject.

11. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one gripping element comprises a polymeric or composite material.

12. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one gripping element comprises a textured surface.

13. The article of claim 1, further comprising at least one tensioner.

14. The article of claim 13, wherein the at least one tensioner comprises at least one of a chest tensioner, an abdominal tensioner, a waist tensioner, a thigh tensioner, or a shin tensioner.

15. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one compression element comprises a polymeric material or composite material.

16. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one compression element comprises a material formed from silicone, nylon, rubber, neoprene, vinyl, polyurethane, or any combination thereof.

17. The article of claim 1, wherein the article comprises a long-sleeve shirt, a short-sleeve shirt, a no-sleeve shirt, a pair of pants, or a full body suit.

18. A method for forming an article wearable by a subject, comprising:

a) providing a base layer having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the interior surface has a first coefficient of friction (μ

1) relative to a body surface of the subject, and wherein the base layer has a first modulus of elasticity (E1);

b) coupling at least one gripping element to the interior surface of the base layer, wherein the at least one gripping element is configured to contact a body of the subject, and wherein the at least one gripping element has a second coefficient of friction (μ

2) relative to the body surface, wherein μ

2 is greater than μ

1;

c) coupling at least one compression element to the base layer, wherein the at least one compression element has a second modulus of elasticity (E2) that is greater than E1; and

d) integrating at least one support element comprising a neck support element into the base layer, wherein the neck support element comprises a force-reactive polymer comprising a non-Newtonian material, and wherein the neck support element is dimensioned (i) to have close topographical engagement with a neck of the subject, and (ii) to extend at most up to an occipital bone of the subject, wherein the neck support element comprises a single body surrounding the force-reactive polymer and is configured to provide increasing resistance in response to an increasing degree of an applied force.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising laminating or printing the compression element or gripping element adjacent to the base layer.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the support element, the compression element, and the gripping element is irremovably attached to the base layer.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the neck support element comprises a penannular collar member that is anatomically complementary with the neck of the subject.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the neck support element is positioned around a rear and lateral sides of a neck of the subject.

23. A method for mounting an article on a body of a subject, comprising:

a) providing the article comprising;

i) a base layer having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the interior surface has a first coefficient of friction (μ

1) relative to a body surface of the subject, and wherein the base layer has a first modulus of elasticity (E1);

ii) at least one gripping element coupled to the interior surface of the base layer, wherein the at least one gripping element is configured to contact a body of the subject, and wherein the at least one gripping element has a second coefficient of friction (μ

2) relative to the body surface, wherein μ

2 is greater than μ

1;

iii) at least one compression element coupled to the base layer, wherein the at least one compression element has a second modulus of elasticity (E2) that is greater than E1; and

iv) at least one support element comprising a neck support element integrated into the base layer, the neck support element comprising a force-reactive polymer comprising a non-Newtonian material, wherein the neck support element is dimensioned (i) to have close topographical engagement with a neck of the subject and (ii) to extend at most up to an occipital bone of the subject, wherein the neck support element comprises a single body surrounding the force-reactive polymer and is configured to provide increasing resistance in response to an increasing degree of an applied force; and

b) mounting the article on the body of the subject,

wherein when mounted on the body of the subject, the interior surface and the at least one gripping element contact the body surface of the subject at μ

2 greater than μ

1.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein when mounted on the body of the subject, the at least one support element provides support and impact protection to the subject while allowing full range of motion.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein when mounted on the body of the subject, the non-Newtonian material of the at least one support element comprises:

a) a first viscosity (v1) in response to a first motion by the subject that exerts a first force (F1) upon the at least one support element; and

b) a second viscosity (v2) in response to a second motion by the subject that exerts a second force (F2) upon the at least one support element, wherein F2 is greater than F1 and v2 is greater than v1, and the at least one support element produces a greater resistance to the second motion than to the first motion.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one gripping element comprises a surface that is textured in a manner configured to exert a tangential force upon the body surface of the subject when the at least one gripping element is mounted on the body of the subject.