Protective garment for use under an exoskeletal pad system

Abstract

A protective garment is provided for use in conjunction with an exoskeletal upper body pad system for a sport, such as American football. The protective garment includes a shirt formed of air-permeable, moisture-wicking fabric that stretches in all directions. A number of independent protective pad segments are integrated within the shirt and are arranged to enable flexible motion by the wearer of the shirt. The independent protective pad segments are positioned and dimensioned to enable the protective garment to be worn between the body of the wearer and the exoskeletal upper body pad system. A conventional exoskeletal shoulder pad system may be easily retrofit for use with the protective garment by attaching a pair of sub pad assemblies to the main arches of the system in order to provide localized compressible padding.

1 . A protective garment for use in conjunction with an exoskeletal upper body pad system, said protective garment comprising: 
 a shirt formed of an air-permeable, moisture-wicking fabric that stretches in a plurality of directions; and;    a plurality of independent protective pad segments integrated with said shirt, said protective pad segments being arranged to enable flexible motion of a wearer of said shirt, said independent protective pad segments being positioned and dimensions to enable said protective garment to be worn between the body of said wearer and said exoskeletal upper body pad system.    
   
   
       2 . The protective garment of  claim 1  wherein said independent protective pad segments are formed of perforated, closed cell foam, thereby enabling cooling of the torso of said wearer.  
   
   
       3 . The protective garment of  claim 1  wherein said independent protective pad segments are thermal bonded to said shirt.  
   
   
       4 . The protective garment of  claim 1  wherein said independent protective pad segments are thermal bonded to said shirt using a WEB-type hot melt adhesive.  
   
   
       5 . The protective garment of  claim 3  wherein said independent protective pad segments that are thermal bonded to said shirt have a thermal-bonded cover of air-permeable, moisture-wicking fabric that stretches in a plurality of directions along surfaces that are not in immediate contact with said shirt.  
   
   
       6 . The protective garment of  claim 1  wherein at least some of said independent protective pad segments have a plurality of thermal-formed sub segments to promote flexibility of said independent protective pad segments.  
   
   
       7 . The protective garment of  claim 1  wherein said shirt includes an anterior fabric panel joined to a posterior fabric panel.  
   
   
       8 . A protective system comprising: 
 an exoskeletal shoulder pad system that includes main arches and epaulet assemblies;    a pair of sub pad assemblies attached to said main arches to provide localized compressible padding; and    a protective garment that is configured for wear on an upper body between said exoskeletal shoulder pad system and said upper body, said protective garment including a plurality of embedded protective pad segments to provide wide range compressible padding.    
   
   
       9 . The protective system of  claim 8  wherein: 
 (1) each said main arch includes a chest portion, a back portion and a connecting portion extending between said chest and back portions;    (2) each said sub pad assembly is configured to underlie a corresponding said connecting portion; and    (3) said localized compressible padding of said sub arch assemblies is independent of said protective garment.    
   
   
       10 . The protective system of  claim 8  wherein said wide range compressible padding of said protective garment includes closed cell foam.  
   
   
       11 . The protective system of  claim 10  wherein said protective garment is a shirt.  
   
   
       12 . The protective system of  claim 8  wherein said protective garment is formed of an air-permeable and moisture-wicking fabric.