Protective sports equipment and methods of making same

Abstract

Protective pads for protecting a body part of a person, such as a shin guard for protecting the shin from impacts during sporting activities, and methods of making the same, are disclosed. The protective pad comprises an outer shell and a padding layer connected to the outer shell. The protective pad further comprises at least one padding element located in an interior portion of a lower portion of the protective pad. The at least one padding element is configured to provide a space between the body part and at least one of the outer shell and the padding layer. In this manner, the space provided between the body part and at least one of the outer shell and the padding layer allows the outer shell and the padding layer to absorb and dissipate more of a force resulting from an impact to the protective pad away from the body part.

1 . A protective pad for protecting a body part of a person, the protective pad comprising:
 an outer shell:   at least one padding layer connected to the outer shell; and   at least one padding element located in an interior portion of a lower portion of the protective pad, the at least one padding element configured to provide a space between the body part of the person and at least one of the outer shell and the at least one padding layer.   
     
     
         2 . The protective pad of  claim 1 , wherein the body part is a shin portion of a leg and the at least one padding element is configured to provide a space between the shin portion and the at least one of the outer shell and the at least one padding layer. 
     
     
         3 . The protective pad of  claim 1 , wherein by providing the space between the body part and the at least one of the outer shell and the at least one padding layer, the at least one padding element is configured to allow the outer shell and the at least one padding layer to absorb and dissipate a force of an impact to the protective pad away from the body part. 
     
     
         4 . The protective pad of  claim 1  wherein the interior portion is concave and configured to receive the at least one padding element. 
     
     
         5 . The protective pad of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one padding element has a width of between approximately two (2) inches and approximately five (5) inches, a length of between approximately two (2) inches and approximately five (5) inches, and a thickness of between approximately one (1) inch and approximately four (4) inches. 
     
     
         6 . The protective pad of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the width, length, or thickness is chosen to contour to one or more of: the size and shape of the protective pad; the size and shape of the lower section; and the interior portion of the lower portion of the protective pad. 
     
     
         7 . The protective pad of  claim 1  wherein the at least one padding element comprises a plurality of padding elements. 
     
     
         8 . The protective pad of  claim 1 , wherein a backing layer is disposed between the outer shell and the at least one padding layer. 
     
     
         9 . The protective pad of  claim 1  wherein the at least one padding element is positioned outside and proximate the at least one padding layer. 
     
     
         10 . The protective pad of  claim 8  wherein the at least one padding element is positioned between the least one padding layer and the backing layer. 
     
     
         11 . The protective pad of  claim 1  wherein the at least one padding element is integral to the lower portion of the protective pad. 
     
     
         12 . The protective pad of  claim 1  wherein the at least one padding element is removably attached to the lower portion of the protective pad. 
     
     
         13 . The protective pad of  claim 1 , further comprising a pocket disposed in the backing layer, the pocket configured to receive the at least one padding element. 
     
     
         14 . The protective pad of  claim 8 , wherein a first padding element is integral to the lower portion of the protective pad, and wherein the protective pad further comprises a pocket disposed in the backing layer or in the at least one padding layer, the pocket configured to receive a second padding element. 
     
     
         15 . A method of assembling a protective pad for protecting a body part of a person, the method comprising:
 providing an outer shell;   connecting a padding layer to the outer shell; and   positioning at least one padding element in an interior portion of a lower portion of the protective pad such that the at least one padding element is configured to provide a space between the body part of the person and at least one of the outer shell and the padding layer.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 choosing at least one of a width, length, and thickness of the at least one padding element to contour to one or more of: the size and shape of the protective pad; the size and shape of the lower section; and the interior portion of the lower portion of the protective pad.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein positioning at least one padding element further comprises positioning a plurality of padding elements. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein positioning at least one padding element further comprises forming the at least one padding element as an integral piece of the lower portion of the protective pad. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising disposing a pocket in the at least one padding layer, the pocket configured to receive the at least one padding element. 
     
     
         20 . A protective pad for protecting a body part of a person, comprising:
 an outer shell having a concave interior section; and   at least one padding layer connected to the outer shell, wherein the at least one padding layer is configured to provide padding around the concave interior section such that a space is created between the body part and the concave interior section.