Athletic protective device

Claim 2

An athletic protective assembly for use in protecting an athlete against neck injury resulting from forward and downward movement of the head of the athlete beyond a predetermined lowered position, said assembly comprising: a shoulder pad arrangement including a longitudinal opening below the chin of said athlete; a head restraining pad extending laterally across said opening and having opposite ends; and means for affixing the opposite ends of the head restraining pad to the shoulder pad arrangement at a longitudinal location beneath said chin to intercept the chin when the head of the athlete is in a prescribed lowered position and thereby restrain forward and downward movement of the head of the athlete beyond said predetermined lowered position.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein the head restraining pad includes: a relatively rigid bar; and relatively resilient padding material, such as a foamed synthetic resin, affixed to said bar in position to be intercepted by the chin.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 wherein said means for affixing the opposite ends of the head restraining pad to the shoulder pad arrangement includes a selectively detachable fastener means at at least one of said opposite ends.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 wherein said means for affixing the opposite ends of the head restraining pad to the shoulder pad arrangement includes means permanently affixing the other of said opposite ends to the shoulder pad arrangement.

Claim 6

A head restraining device for use in connection with athletic protective equipment such as a shoulder pad arrangement to protect an athlete against neck injury resulting from forward and downward movement of the head of the athlete beyond a predetermined lowered position, said device comprising: a head restraining pad extending between opposite ends; and means for affixing the opposite ends of the head restraining pad to the protective equipment at a longitudinal location beneath the chin of the athlete to intercept the chin when the head of the athlete is in a prescribed lowered position and thereby restrain forward and downward movement of the head of the athlete beyond said predetermined lowered position; said head restraining pad including a relatively rigid bar; and relatively resilient padding material, such as a foamed synthetic resin, affixed to said bar in position to be intercepted by the chin.

Claim 7

A head restraining device for use in connection with athletic protective equipment such as a shoulder pad arrangement to protect an athlete against neck injury resulting from forward and downward movement of the head of the athlete beyond a predetermined lowered position, said device comprising: a head restraining pad extending between opposite ends; and means for affixing the opposite ends of the head restraining pad to the protective equipment at a longitudinal location beneath the chin of the athlete to intercept the chin when the head of the athlete is in a prescribed lowered position and thereby restrain forward and downward movement of the head of the athlete beyond said predetermined lowered position; said head restraining pad including a relatively rigid bar; and relatively resilient padding material, such as a foamed synthetic resin, affixed to said bar in position to be intercepted by the chin.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 5 wherein said means for affixing the opposite ends of the head restraining pad to the protective equipment includes a selectively detachable fastener means at at least one of said opposite ends.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 5 wherein said means for affixing the opposite ends of the head restraining pad to the protective equipment includes a selectively detachable fastener means at both of said opposite ends.