Protective device for a person's rib cage area

Claim 1

A protective device for use in athletic contests adapted to be worn around a person's waist for protecting the rib cage and adjacent areas comprising a generally rectangular flexible flat member having casing means with resilient foam means disposed therein, said member having contoured upper and lower edges and identical first and second end sections, said upper edge being contoured downwardly from each end section and then upwardly to define an upwardly extending midsection of said upper edge, said lower edge being contoured upwardly from each end section and then downwardly to define a downwardly extending midsection of said lower edge, vertically disposed holes in each of said end sections, a pair of horizontal holes disposed between said upper and lower edges adjacent said first end section vertical holes, fastening means in one of said horizontal holes, strap means disposed through said vertical holes in said end sections adapted to retain said device in a tubularly disposed shape with said end sections adjacent and separated, said strap means passing through said vertical holes and adapted to be movable through at least said first end section vertical holes, whereby when said device is being worn around a person's midsection a portion of said strap means between said first end section vertical holes can be pulled through one horizontal hole and into the second horizontal hole and fastened therein to thereby pull said adjacent end sections closer together and to thereby snugly secure said device around a person's waist.