Soft caps for dasher board assemblies

Abstract

Soft caps for absorbing player impact against dasher boards are disclosed. The soft cap can include an elongated body defining a number of absorption ribs and channels for absorbing impact forces against the dasher board. The elongated body can be formed from a material having a relatively low durometer adapted to displace and absorb the impact energy when a player strikes the dasher board. One or more curved sections of the elongated body can be configured to fit adjacent to the hard edges of the dasher board. The soft cap can be provided as part of a dasher board assembly including a lower frame assembly and a number of upper shielding panes.

1 . A dasher board assembly, comprising:
 a frame assembly including an impact panel attached to a number of vertical posts and stringers, the frame assembly having an upper section defining an upper periphery; and   a bumper formed of a soft material disposed adjacent to the upper periphery of the frame assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is formed from a low-density polyethylene. 
     
     
         3 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is formed from a material having a durometer of about 60-30 Shore A. 
     
     
         4 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is formed from a material having a durometer of less than 90-100 Shore A. 
     
     
         5 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper comprises an elongated body having at least one curved section adapted to overhang an upper edge of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one curved section includes a single curved section adapted to overhang an upper edge of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one curved section includes a plurality of curved sections each adapted to overhang an upper edge of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper comprises an elongated body having a number of transverse absorption ribs. 
     
     
         9 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper comprises an elongated body having a number of longitudinal absorption ribs. 
     
     
         10 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one shielding pane coupled to the frame assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a sill adjacent to the upper periphery of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the bumper is formed from a material having a lower durometer than the material forming the sill. 
     
     
         13 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the sill is formed from a high-density polyethylene. 
     
     
         14 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the bumper is coupled to the dasher board assembly vertically adjacent to the sill. 
     
     
         15 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the bumper is coupled to the dasher board assembly horizontally adjacent to the sill. 
     
     
         16 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a layer of material disposed on the bumper, the layer of material having a durometer greater than the material forming the bumper. 
     
     
         17 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is fabricated via a molding process. 
     
     
         18 . The dasher board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is fabricated via an extrusion process. 
     
     
         19 . A dasher board assembly, comprising:
 a frame assembly including an impact panel attached to a number of vertical posts and stringers, the frame assembly having an upper section defining an upper periphery; and   a bumper disposed adjacent to the upper periphery of the frame assembly, the bumper formed from a material having a durometer of less than 90-100 Shore A.   
     
     
         20 . A bumper for use with a dasher board having a frame assembly, the bumper comprising:
 an elongated body having a first end, a second end, a first side, and a second side, the elongated body defining a number of absorption ribs for absorbing impact forces against the dasher board; and   wherein the elongated body is formed from a material having an impact hardness that is less than the material or materials forming the dasher board.   
     
     
         21 . The bumper of  claim 20 , wherein said elongated body material includes a low-density polyethylene. 
     
     
         22 . The bumper of  claim 20 , wherein said elongated body material has a durometer of about 60-30 Shore A. 
     
     
         23 . The bumper of  claim 20 , wherein said elongated body material has a durometer of less than 90-100 Shore A. 
     
     
         24 . The bumper of  claim 20 , wherein the absorptions ribs are oriented parallel to a general longitudinal axis of the elongated body. 
     
     
         25 . The bumper of  claim 20 , wherein the absorption ribs are oriented transverse to a general longitudinal axis of the elongated body. 
     
     
         26 . The bumper of  claim 20 , wherein the ribs are spaced apart from each other via a number of channels, and wherein the width of the ribs are different than the width of the channels. 
     
     
         27 . The bumper of  claim 20 , wherein the elongated body further defines at least one curved section adapted to lie adjacent to an upper edge of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         28 . The bumper of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one curved section includes a single curved section adapted to overhang an upper edge of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         29 . The bumper of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one curved section includes a plurality of curved sections each adapted to overhang an upper edge of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         30 . The bumper of  claim 20 , further comprising a layer of material disposed on the bumper, the layer of material having an impact hardness greater than the material forming the bumper. 
     
     
         31 . The bumper of  claim 20 , wherein the bumper is fabricated via a molding process. 
     
     
         32 . The bumper of  claim 20 , wherein the bumper is fabricated via an extrusion process.