Kneepad construction

Abstract

A unitary knew pad fabricated from closed cell resin includes center cup section and integral lateral side connection straps located at the bottom side of the cup section for placement about the leg below the knee and retention of the cup section over the knee.

1 . A kneepad comprising:
 a unitary, molded form including a central cup shaped, generally concave pad section, a first lateral side strap section, and a second opposite lateral side strap section, said cup section including a generally concave inside face, a patterned outside face, a generally elongate, oval periphery, a first lateral side of said periphery, an opposite second lateral side of said periphery, a top side and edge of said periphery and a bottom side and edge of said periphery, said first lateral side strap section molded integrally with the central section and extending outwardly from the first lateral side adjacent the bottom side, said second lateral side strap section molded integrally with the central section and extending outwardly from the second lateral side adjacent the bottom side;   a longitudinal axis of said cup section extending from the middle of the bottom edge to the middle of the top edge, said strap sections generally symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis;   said central cup section extending upwardly from the strap sections at least about 30% of the longitudinal extent of the longitudinal dimension of the longitudinal axis of the central section between the middle of the bottom side edge and the middle of the top side edge, said straps each including end sections having connection elements for joining the straps together to retain the kneepad on the leg of an individual, said central section and strap sections comprising a single molded article of manufacture.   
   
   
       2 . The kneepad of  claim 1  wherein the molded material is a closed cell resin. 
   
   
       3 . The kneepad of  claim 1  wherein the outside face includes a pattern. 
   
   
       4 . The kneepad of  claim 1  wherein said inside face includes a molded pattern of projections. 
   
   
       5 . The kneepad of  claim 1  wherein said inside face is smooth. 
   
   
       6 . The kneepad of  claim 1  wherein the first and second straps each include a generally straight longitudinal axis extending from a middle point of the axis of the cup section, said middle point located on the longitudinal axis in the range of 25% to 35% of the longitudinal dimension from the bottom edge, said first and second strap axes each forming an included angle in the range of about 100° to 140°. 
   
   
       7 . The kneepad of  claim 1  wherein the outside face of the central cup includes a generally flat planar surface extending from the top side toward the bottom side, said flat planar surface connected to a concave surface at the bottom side, said concave surface having an axis of curvature generally parallel to the flat planar surface; said concave surface terminating with said bottom edge. 
   
   
       8 . The kneepad of  claim 1  wherein each strap includes a through passage adjacent the periphery of the cup section.