Slow Rebound Foam Padded Sports Shirt

Abstract

A shirt or jersey for sports such as soccer incorporates a slow rebound foam pad to aid in controlling a ball that strikes the player.

1 . A sports shirt comprising an integrated pad, the pad comprising one or more slow-rebound foam layers affixed to one or more areas of the shirt. 
     
     
         2 . The sports shirt of  claim 1 , wherein a slow-rebound foam layer is affixed to the chest area of the shirt. 
     
     
         3 . The sports shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more slow-rebound foam layer comprises open cell viscoelastic polyurethane. 
     
     
         4 . The sports shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the at least 50% of the pad coverage area has a thickness of from 1 mm to 7 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The sports shirt of  claim 1 , further defined as a goalkeeper's jersey, a soccer jersey, a football jersey, a rugby jersey, an undershirt or a compression shirt. 
     
     
         6 . The sports shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the slow rebound foam has a durometer of from 8 to 18. 
     
     
         7 . The sports shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the slow rebound foam exhibits a time to recovery to 90% of pre-compression thickness of between 0.3 to 0.8 seconds. 
     
     
         8 . The sports shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the compression force deflection of the foam is in the range of 0.3 and 10 psi inclusive. 
     
     
         9 . The sports shirt of  claim 1 , further comprising a protective foam layer affixed to one or more of the elbow, rib, shoulder, back, kidney and abdomen areas of the shirt. 
     
     
         10 . An article of sports equipment comprising one or more layers of open cell viscoelastic polyurethane slow-rebound foam effective to reduce ball rebound speed of a ball striking the one or more layers. 
     
     
         11 . A soccer goalkeeper's shirt comprising one or more layers of open cell viscoelastic polyurethane slow-rebound foam attached to or incorporated into the chest area of the shirt. 
     
     
         12 . The sports shirt of  claim 11 , wherein the at least 50% of the pad coverage area has a thickness of from 1 mm to 7 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The sports shirt of  claim 11 , wherein the slow rebound foam has a durometer of from 8 to 18. 
     
     
         14 . The sports shirt of  claim 11 , wherein the slow rebound foam exhibits a time to recovery to 90% of pre-compression thickness of between 0.3 to 0.8 seconds. 
     
     
         15 . The sports shirt of  claim 11 , wherein the compression force deflection of the foam is in the range of 0.3 and 10 psi inclusive. 
     
     
         16 . The sports shirt of  claim 11 , further comprising a protective foam layer affixed to one or more of the elbow, rib, shoulder, back, kidney and abdomen areas of the shirt.