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US4715066A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Shoulder pad

Assignee: Rawlings Sporting Goods Co Inc
•
Filing: 1986-10-24
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Granted: 1987-12-29
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Expires: 2006-10-24
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Abstract

Abstract A shoulder pad for football players and the like. The shoulder pad comprises a left-hand member adapted to fit over the left shoulder and a right-hand member adapted to fit over the right shoulder, each of these members being of generally inverted U-shape as viewed from the side. Each member comprises a chestplate member, a backplate member and an arch member, and the arch members are relatively more rigid than the chestplate members and the backplate members. One chestplate member and one backplate member are fixedly interconnected to each arch member. The arches are laterally spaced to provide an opening for the neck of a wearer with the spacing such that the arches lie adjacent and relatively close to the neck. An additional aspect of this invention includes a method for producing shoulder pads of a range of sizes using arch members of one size.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hal D. Mitchell
  • 👤 Donald R. Walker

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 05:03
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B71/00; A63B71/08; A63B71/12; A63B2071/1208

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 118 words
A shoulder pad for football players and the like comprising a left-hand member adapted to fit over the left shoulder and a right-hand member adapted to fit over the right shoulder, each of said members being of generally inverted U-shape as viewed from the side and comprising a chestplate member, a backplate member and an arch member, said arch member being relatively more rigid than said chestplate member and said backplate member, connecting means for fixedly interconnecting said chestplate member and said backplate member to said arch member, said arches being laterally spaced to provide an opening for the neck of a wearer with the spacing such that said arches lie adjacent and relatively close to the neck.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 118 words
A shoulder pad for football players and the like comprising a left-hand member adapted to fit over the left shoulder and a right-hand member adapted to fit over the right shoulder, each of said members being of generally inverted U-shape as viewed from the side and comprising a chestplate member, a backplate member and an arch member, said arch member being relatively more rigid than said chestplate member and said backplate member, connecting means for fixedly interconnecting said chestplate member and said backplate member to said arch member, said arches being laterally spaced to provide an opening for the neck of a wearer with the spacing such that said arches lie adjacent and relatively close to the neck.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arch members are thicker than said chestplate and backplate members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 31 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 2 wherein said arch members are molded material and said chestplate members and backplate members are die cut from a sheet of material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 3 wherein said arch members, chestplate members and said backplate members are of plastic material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises rivets.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 63 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 1 wherein each chestplate member and each backplate member has a contoured edge portion, each arch member having a matingly contoured edge portion adapted for abutting said contoured edge portion of each chestplate member, and each arch member having a matingly contoured edge portion adapted for abutting said contoured edge portion of each backplate member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 6 wherein said contoured edge portions includes mating angled portions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 7 wherein each contoured edge portion has a generally V-shaped configuration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 29 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 1 includes means for receiving a web hinge for an epaulet, the means including a slot defined in the arch member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 36 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 9 wherein said receiving means includes an inner edge portion adjacent the opening for the neck, one end of the web hinge being inside the inner edge portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 10 wherein said slot is molded into said arch member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 30 words
A shoulder pad as set forth in claim 1 wherein said right-hand backplate and said left-hand backplate are riveted together thereby to maintain said lateral spacing between the arch members.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2163463A Cited
US2741767A Cited
US3366970A Cited
US3739397A Cited
US3721992A Cited
US4320537A Cited
US4610035A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-12-28 1991-06-29 1991-12-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-12-28 1995-06-29 1995-12-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-12-28 1999-06-29 1999-12-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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