Chest protector in sports medicine

Abstract

A chest protector, in sports medicine, adapted for players of the athletic games, is light in weight and reasonably comfortable to wear. It will protect the heart and chest cavity area of players in such games as lacrosse, field hockey, and baseball. The chest protector includes a shirt, preferably of two-way stretch fabric, having a large front pocket across its chest area. A protector plate is positioned within the pocket. The protector plate is an assembly of molded layers, comprising inner-most and outer-most layers of plastic, preferably polyethylene sheets; a central layer of a high impact polymer pad, preferably a dry polyurethane gel; and two layers of high impact resistant fabric of high tensile strength fibers, preferably para-aramid fibers, with the polymer pad being sandwiched between the two layers of impact resistant fabric.

1 . A chest protector in sports medicine to protect a player against injury from high speed projectiles, such as balls or pucks, comprising: 
 a shirt adapted to be worn by the player with the shirt having a front chest area, a pocket formed on the shirt and extending sufficiently across the width of the shirt front area to cover the heart of the player,    a chest protector plate within the pocket;    the chest protector plate being an assembly of the following layers; a layer of penetration resistant woven fabric of high tensile strength fibers and a layer of high impact resistant polymer pad which is impact resistant and dissipates impact force throughout the polymer pad, the said polymer pad being interior of the said fabric layer with respect to the chest of the player.    
   
   
       2 . A chest protector as in  claim 1 , wherein the penetration resistant woven fabric layer is a fabric of para-aramid fibers.  
   
   
       3 . A chest protector as in  claim 1 , wherein the chest protector plate has inner-most and outer-most layers of plastic sheets selected from the group of low density polyethelene, polypropylene and ABS.  
   
   
       4 . A chest protector as in  claim 3 , wherein the inner-most and outer-most layers are molded together to form an air tight pocket enclosing the other layers.  
   
   
       5 . A chest protector as in  claim 1 , wherein the polymer pad is a dry polyurethane gel  
   
   
       6 . A chest protector as in  claim 1 , wherein the protector plate includes another layer of a penetration resistant woven fabric of high tensile strength fibers; the polymer pad being sandwiched between the two layers of penetration resistant woven fabric.  
   
   
       7 . A chest protector as in  claim 1 , wherein the shirt is a two way stretch fabric including elastic fibers and having moisture wicking properties.  
   
   
       8 . A chest protector, as in  claim 1 , wherein, the shirt includes polypropylene fibers.  
   
   
       9 . A chest protector as in  claim 1 , wherein, the pocket and the protector plate extend across the width of the shirt's front area.  
   
   
       10 . A chest protector as in  claim 1 , wherein the protector plate has curved side flanges, as seen from above, when worn by the player.  
   
   
       11 . A chest protector as in  claim 6  wherein the additional layer of penetration resistant woven fabric is a fabric of para-aramid fibers.  
   
   
       12 . A chest protector as in  claim 1 , wherein as seen from above, when worn by the player, the protector plate has a bowed-outward center section and opposite curved side flanges.  
   
   
       13 . A chest protector as in  claim 1 , wherein the penetration resistant woven fabric is a cross-woven fabric selected from the group of para-aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and para-aramid fibers combined with carbon fibers.  
   
   
       14 . A chest protector as in  claim 1 , wherein the polymer pad is a viscoelectric dry polymer.  
   
   
       15 . A chest protector in sports medicine to protect a player against injury from high speed projectile, such as balls and pucks, the chest protector comprising: 
 a shirt adapted to be worn by the player with the shirt having a front chest area, a pocket formed on the shirt, and extending sufficiently across the width of the shirt front area to cover the heart of the player;    a chest protector plate within the pocket, the chest protector plate being an assembly of the following layers, in the order named, starting with the outer-most layer with respect to the player's chest: 
 a. the first layer is a moldable sheet of polyethylene plastic,  
 b. the second layer is a layer of penetration resistant woven fabric of high tensile strength fibers,  
 c. the third layer is a high impact polymer pad, which is impact resistant and dissipates impact force throughout the polymer pad,  
 d. the fourth layer is a layer of penetration resistant woven fabric of high tensile strength fibers, and  
 e. the fifth layer is a moldable sheet of polyethylene plastic.  
   
   
   
       16 . A chest protector as in  claim 15 , wherein the second and fourth layers are a fabric of para-aramid fibers.  
   
   
       17 . A chest protector as in  claim 15 , wherein the first and fifth layers are molded together to form an air-tight pocket, enclosing the second and third layers.  
   
   
       18 . A chest protector as in  claim 15 , wherein the polymer pad is a dry polyurethane gel.  
   
   
       19 . A chest protector as in  claim 15 , wherein the shirt is a two way stretch fabric including elastic fibers and having moisture wicking properties.  
   
   
       20 . A chest protector, as in  claim 15 , wherein the shirt includes polypropylene fibers.  
   
   
       21 . A chest protector as in  claim 15 , wherein the pocket and the protector plate extend across the width of the shirt's front area.  
   
   
       22 . A chest protector as in  claim 15 , wherein the protector plate has curved side flanges, as seen from above when worn by the player.