US6098209A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Protective padding for sports gear
Assignee: Brock USA LLC
•
Filing: 1999-06-09
•
Granted: 2000-08-08
•
Expires: 2019-06-09
Abstract
Abstract Protective padding primarily intended for use in sports gear. The pads include flexible, outer casings of porous, breathable, inelastic material overfilled with resilient, discrete beads of elastic material. The beads are initially in compressed states within the casing and place the outer, inelastic casing in tension. When a blow or force is applied, the beads are further compressed to absorb and dissipate the impact. Additionally, the applied blow or force will increase the tension in the outer casing to even further compress the elastic beads for better absorption and dissipation of the impact. In use, the porous pads are compressed and rebound to create a pumping effect that circulates air into and out of the pads drawing heat and perspiration from the athlete's body and keeping the athlete cool and dry. If desired, the pad can be secured directly to the athlete's jersey to enhance this pumping effect as well as the dissipation of the force of any impact. In an alternate embodiment, the outer casing is made of an elastic material that is overfilled to its elastic limit to act in the manner of the preferred embodiments. All of the pads of the present invention are lightweight and washable and can be adapted and integrated into a wide variety of items.
Inventors
- 👤 David W. Bainbridge
- 👤 L. Paul Nickerson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:32
CPC Classifications
A; A42; A42B; A42B3/00; A42B3/04; A42B3/10; A42B3/12; A42B3/125; A41; A41D; A41D13/00; A41D13/015; A41D13/05; A41D13/06; A41D13/065; A41D31/00; A41D31/04; A41D31/28; A41D7/00; A41D7/001; A63; A63B; A63B71/00; A63B71/08; A41D13/055; A41D13/0556; A41D13/0568; A41D13/0581; A41D13/0593; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S5/00; Y10S5/911
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
29 words
A pad having a flexible, outer casing of porous, breathable, elastic material filled to over 100% of a gravity fill substantially with resilient, discrete beads of substantially elastic material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
A pad having a flexible, outer casing of porous, breathable, elastic material filled to over 100% of a gravity fill substantially with resilient, discrete beads of substantially elastic material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The pad of claim 1, wherein substantially all of said beads are compressed within said casing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The pad of claim 1, wherein at least one of said casing material and said bead material is substantially waterproof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The pad of claim 1, wherein said casing material and said bead material are substantially waterproof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The pad of claim 1, wherein portions of adjacent beads abut one another and other portions of said adjacent beads are spaced from each other to create interstitial spaces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The pad of claim 1, wherein substantially all of said beads are compressed within said casing and said casing is tensioned by said beads.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The pad of claim 1, wherein the elastic material at said casing is stretchable to an elastic limit and said casing is filled to stretch said material of said casing substantially to said elastic limit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
The pad of claim 7, wherein portions of adjacent beads abut one another and other portions of said adjacent beads are spaced from each other to create interstitial spaces and wherein the total volumes of the interstitial spaces of said first and second shapes are different to thereby create a pumping effect of air into and out of the pad through said porous casing and said interstitial spaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The pad of claim 1, wherein said pad includes means for pumping air into and out of said pad through said porous casing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The pad of claim 9, wherein said pumping means includes an article of clothing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The pad of claim 10, wherein said pumping means includes means for securing said pad to said article of clothing for movement therewith.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The pad of claim 1, including means for biasing a casing toward said first shape.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
The pad of claim 1, wherein said flexible casing can assume at least first and second, different shapes and said pad further includes an article of clothing and means for securing said pad to said article of clothing for movement with each other as said flexible casing moves between said first and second shapes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The pad of claim 13, wherein said pad and said article of clothing have respective spaced-apart portions respectively secured to each other for movement with each other.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-08 | 2004-02-07 | 2004-08-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-08 | 2008-02-07 | 2008-08-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-08 | 2012-02-07 | 2012-08-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |