Washable, protective hip pad construction

Abstract

A thin, light weight, flexible, washable protective hip pad is incorporated into a pocket of washable underwear at the hip. This pad comprises a hermetically sealed plastic envelope extending substantially throughout the pocket, a solid foam insert layer having a configuration that extends substantially throughout the envelope in contiguity with the inner walls of the envelope, and a junction arrangement between the insert layer and at least one inner face of the envelope. The arrangement is such that the extent of the configuration of the insert layer is maintained substantially throughout the envelope, flexibility is maintained by slippage between contiguous faces of the insert layer and at least a wall of the envelope, and compression and redistribution of air occurs where and when any point of the hip pad assemblage is subject to impact. The arrangement remains intact when the pad is repeatedly bent, twisted or otherwise deformed during washing or wearing.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A washable protective hip pad for incorporation into a pocket in the region of a hip in washable underwear, said pad comprising an assemblage of a hermetically sealed plastic envelope, an insert layer therein, and restricted connection between said envelope and said layer; 
 (a) said hermetically sealed plastic envelope extending substantially throughout said pocket;    (b) said hermetically sealed plastic envelope containing said insert layer and a cleavage between said insert layer and at least a portion of one of the inner faces of the walls of said envelope;    (c) said insert layer being a solid foam having an internal phase composed of air and an external phase composed of a polymer;    (d) at least a partial cleavage between said insert layer and at least one inner face of said walls;    (e) said restricted connection including at least one physical junction;    (f) said restricted connection being sufficiently limited in lateral extent to permit redistribution of air in said insert and said cleavage and being strategically placed to maintain said predetermined configuration substantially throughout said envelope despite repetitive deformation of said assemblage.    
     
     
         2 . The protective hip pad of  claim 1  wherein said solid foam includes an internal phase composed of air and an external phase composed of an elastomer.  
     
     
         3 . The protective hip pad of  claim 1  wherein each of said walls is composed of an outer layer of polymeric fabric and an inner layer of thermoplastic polymer.  
     
     
         4 . The protective hip pad of  claim 1  wherein said restricted connection is in the form of junctions that are composed of thermoplastic welds.  
     
     
         5 . The protective hip pad of  claim 1  wherein said restricted connection is in the form of junctions that are composed of bonding adhesive.  
     
     
         6 . The protective hip pad of  claim 1  wherein said restricted connection is in the form of junctions that are composed of peripherally spaced spots.  
     
     
         7 . The protective hip pad of  claim 1  wherein said restricted connection is in the form of an adhesive stratum bonding one face of said insert layer to an inner face of one of the walls.  
     
     
         8 . The protective hip pad of  claim 1  wherein said foam has open cells.  
     
     
         9 . Washable underwear having at the hips a pair of opposed pockets incorporating a pair of the thin, light weight, flexible, washable protective hip pads, each hip pad comprising: 
 (a) a hermetically sealed plastic envelope extending substantially throughout its pocket;    (b) a solid foam insert layer having a configuration that extends substantially throughout said envelope in contiguity with the inner walls of said envelope; and    (c) junctions between said insert layer and at least one inner face of said envelope;    (d) a slight cleavage between major contiguous spans of said insert layer and said envelope in order to ensure that the extent of said configuration of said insert layer remains substantially throughout the envelope;    (e) flexibility being maintained by permitting slippage between the contiguous faces of said insert layer and at least a wall of said envelope;    (f) compression and redistribution of air occurring where and when any point of said hip pad assemblage is subject to impact;    (g) said junction arrangements maintaining the generally contiguous and coextensive condition of the envelope and the insert layers when the assemblages of the envelope and insert layer are repeatedly bent, twisted or otherwise deformed during washing or wearing.    
     
     
         10 . The washable underwear of  claim 9  wherein said solid foam includes an internal phase composed of air and an external phase composed of an elastomer.  
     
     
         11 . The washable underwear of  claim 9  wherein each of said walls is composed of an outer layer of polymeric fabric and an inner layer of thermoplastic polymer.  
     
     
         12 . The washable underwear of  claim 9  wherein said restricted connection is in the form of junctions that are composed of thermoplastic welds.  
     
     
         13 . The washable underwear of  claim 9  wherein said restricted connection is in the form of junctions that are composed of plastic adhesive.  
     
     
         14 . The washable underwear of wherein said restricted connection is in the form of junctions that are composed of peripherally spaced spots.  
     
     
         15 . The washable underwear of  claim 9  wherein said restricted connection is in the form of an adhesive stratum bonding one face of said insert layer to an inner face of one of the walls.  
     
     
         16 . The washable underwear of  claim 9  wherein said foam has open cells.  
     
     
         17 . A washable protective hip pad for incorporation into a pocket in the region of a hip in washable underwear, said pad comprising an assemblage of a hermetically sealed plastic envelope, an insert layer therein, and restricted connection between said envelope and said layer; 
 (a) said hermetically sealed plastic envelope extending substantially throughout said pocket;    (b) said hermetically sealed plastic envelope containing said insert layer and a cleavage between said insert layer and at least one of the inner faces of the walls of said envelope;    (c) said insert layer being a solid foam having an internal phase composed of air and an external phase composed of a polymer;    (d) a cleavage between said insert layer and at least one inner face of said walls;    (e) said restricted connection including one or more physical junctions;    (f) said junctions being sufficiently limited in lateral extent to permit redistribution of air in said insert and said cleavage and being strategically placed to maintain said predetermined configuration substantially throughout said envelope despite repetitive deformation of said assemblage;    (g) each of said walls being composed of a laminate having an outer fabric stratum and an inner thermoplastic stratum;    (h) said insert layer being composed of an open cell solid foam having an internal air phase and an external thermoplastic phase;    (i) the inner thermoplastic stratum of each wall and the external phase of said insert layer being composed essentially of polyurethane;    (j) said fabric stratum being composed of a textile produced from a high melting point plastic;    (k) said fabric being in the range of from 50 to 500 denier;    (l) the thickness of said laminate ranging from 1 to 6 mils.    
     
     
         18 . The washable protective hip pad of  claim 17  wherein said thermoplastic of said walls and the thermoplastic of said insert layer is polyurethane.