Protective Vest, Particularly for Practicing Activities in the Field of Equestrian Sports

Abstract

A vest for protecting areas of the chest or torso of the body of a wearer, in particular, vertically from the next to the waist, includes a number of protective panels, characterized in that at least some of these protective panels are joined to one another by a stitching (C) serving as a seam, made by hand or with the aid of a sewing matching whereby forming an articulated connection between two stitched panels for forming at least one set ( 32 ) of protective panels.

1 . A protective vest ( 10 ) for protecting the areas of the trunk or torso of the body of a user, especially vertically from the neck to the waist, of the type that comprises:
 a plurality of protective panels (P) whose three-dimensional configuration is suitable for at least a part of said areas to be protected;   an envelope ( 26 ) formed by assembling a first or inner layer ( 28 ) next to the user's body and, generally parallel to the first layer, a second or outer layer ( 30 ), with said plurality of panels (P) being placed inside said envelope ( 26 );   said vest being characterized in that at least some of said protective panels ( 2 ) are connected together by stitches (C) forming a seam made by hand or on a sewing machine, in such a way as to create an articulated connection between two stitched panels to create at least one group ( 32 ) of protective panels (P).   
   
   
       2 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that at least some of said protective panels (P) are connected together by stitches (C) forming a seam in such a way as to define, between two stitched panels, a separation (j) for air circulation, and in that both layers of the envelope are made of an air-permeable material. 
   
   
       3 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that both layers ( 28 ,  30 ) of the envelope ( 26 ) are made of a net of regular meshes. 
   
   
       4 . The vest as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that all of the protective panels (P) are connected together by stitches (C) forming seams in order to create an articulated structure ( 32 ) of panels (P) that is permeable to air. 
   
   
       5 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that each panel (P) is thermoformed from a sheet of expanded polyethylene foam. 
   
   
       6 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the foam sheet in which the panels are thermoformed is made up of two superimposed sublayers (SCe, SCi) having differing structures, and in particular different densities, in such a way that each protective panel (P) has differing structural characteristics on its outer face, consisting of a plate (Pe), and on its inner face consisting of at least one inner protective block (Pp). 
   
   
       7 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that one panel comprises at least two adjacent protective blocks (Pp) articulated to each other. 
   
   
       8 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the back ( 14 ) of the vest ( 10 ) comprises a neck opening ( 25 ) extending vertically below the shoulder line. 
   
   
       9 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the bottom edge of the vest has two cutouts for the hips. 
   
   
       10 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that both layers ( 28 ,  30 ) of the envelope ( 26 ) are made of a net of regular meshes. 
   
   
       11 . The vest as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that all of the protective panels (P) are connected together by stitches (C) forming seams in order to create an articulated structure ( 32 ) of panels (P) that is permeable to air. 
   
   
       12 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that each panel (P) is thermoformed from a sheet of expanded polyethylene foam. 
   
   
       13 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that one panel comprises at least two adjacent protective blocks (Pp) articulated to each other. 
   
   
       14 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the back ( 14 ) of the vest ( 10 ) comprises a neck opening ( 25 ) extending vertically below the shoulder line. 
   
   
       15 . The protective vest as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the bottom edge of the vest has two cutouts for the hips.