Protective device

• US 7,979,922 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dainese S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Dainese S.p.A.
• Inventors: Ronco, Luigi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoey; Alissa L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson; Amber R
• Application Number:
  US11/791,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20070289051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 245/9, 246/0, 246/1, 246/2, 2 2/4, 2 2/3, 2 2/2, 2 1/6, 2 6/2, 2 5/9
• US Class Current: 2/459
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0153 having hinged or separable parts
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0512 Neck or shoulders area
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0581 with permanent fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/102 Motorcycling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/125 for the knee
• 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: Y10T 29/4997 At least one part nonmetallic

Abstract

A protective device, in particular of a type suitable for use during sports activities to protect in case of knocks, falls and impacts in general, comprises at least one substantially rigid main protective element, apt to be applied at a region to be protected, at least one substantially rigid ancillary protective element, apt to be applied in a position next to the main protective element and connecting means for connecting the ancillary protective element to the main protective element apt to allow the mutual rotation working as hinge about a main axis. The connecting means comprises deformable connections between the protective elements so that the connecting means allow, besides said rotation, also rotations along axes different from said main axis and/or limited translation motions nearing thereto and/or away therefrom.

Claims

1. A protective device comprising:

at least one substantially rigid main protective element, apt to be applied at a region of a user'"'"'s body to be protected;

at least one substantially rigid ancillary protective element, apt to be applied in a position next to said main protective element; and

connecting means for connecting said at least one ancillary protective element to said main protective element,

wherein a respective padding is fastened to each of the main protective element and the ancillary protective element, the padding extending externally to the respective substantially rigid main and ancillary protective elements and defining a peripheral flexible edge of the main protective element and a peripheral flexible edge of the ancillary protective element,

wherein the ancillary protective element comprises an end region that is arranged underlying the main protective element,

wherein said connecting means connects the peripheral flexible edge of the main protective element and the peripheral flexible edge of the ancillary protective element,

said connecting means implementing a deformable connection configured to allow a mutual rotation between the main protective element and the ancillary protective element about a main axis and to allow limited additional rotations about axes different from said main axis and/or limited translation motions,

wherein said connecting means comprises a strip-like element fastened to the peripheral flexible edges of the main protective element and the ancillary protective element,

the strip-like element extending along the entire periphery of the protective device and holding together said main protective element and said ancillary protective element.

2. The protective device of claim 1, wherein said end region of the ancillary protective element is arranged underlying the main protective element in any operative configuration of the protective device.

3. A protective garment comprising at least one protective device of claim 1, said protective device being in a region of at least one user'"'"'s body joint zone, the joint zone being selected from a group consisting of:

shoulder, elbow, knee, neck.

4. The protective garment of claim 3, wherein the protective device is fastened on said garment.

5. The protective garment of claim 4, wherein only the ancillary protective element rests directly onto the protective garment.

6. The protective device of claim 1, comprising two ancillary protective elements located at opposite sides of said main protective element.

7. The protective device of claim 1, comprising fastening means for fastening the protective device to the user'"'"'s body.

8. The protective device of claim 7, wherein the fastening means is positioned onto the ancillary protective element.

9. The protective device of claim 1, wherein the strip-like element extends both in the external region and in the region contacting the user'"'"'s body.

10. A protective device comprising:

at least one substantially rigid main protective element, apt to be applied at a region of a user'"'"'s body to be protected;

at least one substantially rigid ancillary protective element, apt to be applied in a position next to said main protective element; and

connecting means for connecting said at least one ancillary protective element to said main protective element,

wherein a respective padding is fastened to each of the main protective element and the ancillary protective element, the padding extending externally to the respective substantially rigid main and ancillary protective elements and defining a peripheral flexible edge of the main protective element and a peripheral flexible edge of the ancillary protective element,

wherein the ancillary protective element comprises an end region that is arranged underlying the main protective element,

wherein said connecting means connects the peripheral flexible edge of the main protective element and the peripheral flexible edge of the ancillary protective element,

said connecting means implementing a deformable connection configured to allow a mutual rotation between the main protective element and the ancillary protective element about a main axis and to allow limited additional rotations about axes different from said main axis and/or limited translation motions,

wherein said connecting means comprises a cord-like element fastened to the peripheral flexible edges of the main protective element and the ancillary protective element,

the cord-like element extending along the entire periphery of the protective device and holding together said main protective element and said ancillary protective element.

11. The protective device of claim 10, wherein said cord-like element has a cross-section of variable extension.

12. The protective device of claim 10, wherein said cord-like element has a substantially circular cross-section.

13. The protective device of claim 10, wherein said cord-like element is made of silicon material.

14. The protective device of claim 10, wherein said end region of the ancillary protective element is arranged underlying the main protective element in any operative configuration of the protective device.

15. The protective device of to claim 10, comprising two ancillary protective elements located at opposite sides of said main protective element.

16. The protective device of claim 10, comprising fastening means for fastening the protective device to the user'"'"'s body.

17. The protective device of claim 16, wherein the fastening means is positioned onto the ancillary protective element.

18. A protective garment comprising at least one protective device of claim 10, said protective device being in a region of at least one user'"'"'s body joint zone, the joint zone being selected from a group consisting of:

shoulder, elbow, knee, neck.

19. The protective garment of claim 18, wherein the protective device is fastened on said protective garment.

20. The protective garment of claim 18, wherein only the ancillary protective element rests directly onto the protective garment.