Athletic clothing with sting reduction padding

• US 20050114985A1
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matscitechno Licensing Company
• Original Assignee: Sting Free Co.
• Inventors: Vito, Robert A., Falone, Thomas, DiMario, Carmen
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/161.100
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/015 with shock-absorbing means A41D13/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/01523 absorbing shocks or vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/064 with relative movement between layers
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/121 with at least one layer or pad containing a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/127 with removable or adjustable pads
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/003 characterised by the material made of wood A43B17/12, made of sponge, rubber or plastic materials A43B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 19/00 Shoe-shaped inserts; Inserts covering the instep
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/16 Skating boots
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/1233 for the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• 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 71/143 Baseball or hockey gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/146 Golf gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/148 : Gloves for bowling and other ball games
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/022 : Mechanical properties

Abstract

An article of athletic clothing is provided with at least one sting reducing multilayer laminate pad. Preferably the laminate pad comprises an inner layer made of vibration damping material such as an elastomeric material and preferably silicone gel. The pad also includes a layer of force dissipating stiffening material as an intermediate layer located outwardly of the inner layer of vibration damping material. The pad also includes an outermost cover layer.

Claims

1. An athletic glove that regulates and dissipates vibration, the athletic glove comprising:

a glove body configured to cover at least a palm portion of a hand for placement thereover;

the glove body including at least one pad, the at least one pad having a pad body having an outer perimeter and being formed by a reinforced elastomer material that regulates and dissipates vibration, the reinforced elastomer material comprising;

first and second elastomer layers; and

a reinforcement layer disposed between and generally separating the first and second elastomer layers, the reinforcement layer comprising a layer of high tensile strength fibrous material, the reinforcement layer being generally coextensive with the first and second elastomer layers such that the reinforcement layer extends generally throughout the entire area of the at least one pad as bounded by the outer perimeter of the pad body.

2. The athletic glove of claim 1, wherein the pad body defines a major material surface, the first and second elastomer layers being generally parallel thereto, the layer of high tensile strength fibrous material of the reinforcement layer generally prevents substantial elongation of the pad body in a first direction generally parallel to the major material surface during use.

3. The athletic glove of claim 1, wherein the layer of high tensile strength fibrous material is a woven sheet.

4. The athletic glove of claim 2, wherein the reinforcement layer is generally compliant only in a second direction that is generally perpendicular to the major material surface so that the at least one pad is non energy storing in the second direction, the reinforcement layer being generally resistant to elongation in the first direction so that vibrations are transferred to the first and second elastomer layers generally evenly throughout.

5. The athletic glove of claim 1, wherein the glove body is configured as one of a baseball glove and a softball glove, the glove body being configured to cover fingers and a palm portion of a hand therein.

6. The athletic glove of claim 1, wherein the glove body is configured as a golf glove.

7. The athletic glove of claim 1, wherein the glove body is configured as a batting glove.

8. The athletic glove of claim 1, wherein the glove body is configured as one of a hockey glove, a lacrosse glove, and a boxing glove.

9. A glove that regulates and dissipates vibration, the glove comprising:

a glove body configured to cover at least a palm portion of a hand for placement thereover;

the glove body including at least one pad, the at least one pad comprising a pad body having a major material surface and an outer perimeter, the pad body being formed by a reinforced elastomer material that regulates and dissipates vibration, the reinforced elastomer material comprising;

first and second elastomer layers; and

a reinforcement layer disposed between and generally separating the first and second elastomer layers, the reinforcement layer being generally coextensive with the pad body such that the reinforcement layer extends generally throughout the entire area of the pad body as bounded by the outer perimeter of the pad body, the reinforcement layer consisting of a plurality of high tensile strength fibrous material, the high tensile strength fibrous material being connected to the first and second elastomer layers generally uniformly throughout to provide substantially complete coverage between the first and second elastomer layers, the high tensile strength fibrous material being generally compliant only in a direction generally perpendicular to the major material surface so as to be generally non energy storing in the direction, the high tensile strength fibrous material is generally interlocked in and generally held in position by the first and second elastomer layers, wherein the high tensile strength fibrous material generally distributes impact energy parallel to the major material surface and into the first and second elastomer layers.

10. The glove of claim 9, wherein the high tensile strength fibrous material is formed by a plurality of strips.

11. The glove of claim 9, wherein the high tensile strength fibrous material is an imperforate sheet.

12. The glove of claim 9, wherein the high tensile strength fibrous material substantially prevents elongation of the pad body in a second direction generally parallel to the major material surface of the pad body in response to vibration exerted thereon.

13. The glove of claim 9, wherein the glove body is configured as one of a driving glove and a ski glove.

14. The glove of claim 9, wherein the glove body is configured as a woman'"'"'s dress glove.

15. A pad that regulates and dissipates vibration, the pad comprising:

a pad body having a major material surface and an outer perimeter, the pad body being formed by a reinforced elastomer material that regulates and dissipates vibration, the reinforced elastomer material comprising;

first and second elastomer layers; and

a reinforcement layer disposed between and generally separating the first and second elastomer layers, the reinforcement layer being generally coextensive with the pad body such that the reinforcement layer extends generally throughout the entire area of the pad body as bounded by the outer perimeter of the pad body, the reinforcement layer consisting of a plurality of high tensile strength fibrous material, the high tensile strength fibrous material being connected to the first and second elastomer layers generally uniformly throughout to provide substantially complete coverage between the first and second elastomer layers, the high tensile strength fibrous material being generally compliant only in a direction generally perpendicular to the major material surface so as to be generally non energy storing in the direction, the high tensile strength fibrous material is generally interlocked in and generally held in position by the first and second elastomer layers, wherein the high tensile strength fibrous material generally distributes impact energy parallel to the major material surface and into the first and second elastomer layers, the high tensile strength fibrous material of the reinforcement layer substantially prevents elongation of the pad in a second direction parallel to the major material surface of the pad during use.

16. The pad of claim 15, wherein the first and second elastomer layers are formed of thermoset silicone material.

17. The pad of claim 15, wherein the high tensile strength fibrous material is a woven sheet.

18. The pad of claim 17, wherein the woven sheet generally separates the first and second elastomer layers causing the material to have three generally distinct and separate layers.

19. The pad of claim 15, the reinforcement layer consisting of the high tensile strength fibrous material formed by an imperforate sheet.

20. The pad of claim 15, wherein the pad is positioned on a glove.