Protective article with flexible protective pads

Abstract

An article for protecting part of a user's body and a method of fabricating the same. The article may be a glove for protecting a user's hand from heat or a knee or elbow pad for protecting a knee or elbow from impact. The article includes a base having interior and exterior surfaces. One or more three-dimensional protective pads are applied to a part of the exterior surface of the base. In a glove, at least some of the one or more pads are provided on a gripping surface of the glove. The pads are fabricated from silicone or neoprene or Kevlar® and may include additional materials that improve the abrasion resistance of the pad such as fiberglass mesh. Protective layers of material, such as layers of silicone, may be applied between the base and the pads, or over the surface of the base and the protective pads.

1 . A protective article comprising:
 a base having an interior surface and an exterior surface; where the interior surface bounds and defines a space; wherein the base is adapted to receive a part of a user's body therein; and   one or more pads provided on regions of the exterior surface of the base;   
       wherein each of the one or more pads is a three-dimensional pad. 
     
     
         2 . The protective article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the article is a glove and wherein at least some of the regions including the one or more pads thereon are gripping surfaces of the glove that are adapted to contact objects held by a user. 
     
     
         3 . The protective article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the article is a knee pad or an elbow pad; and wherein at least some of the regions including the one or more pads thereon are surfaces of the knee pad or the elbow pad positioned to take an impact. 
     
     
         4 . The protective article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pads comprise a plurality of pads and each pad is separated from adjacent pads by a space; and wherein each space define a channel on the protective article. 
     
     
         5 . The protective article as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer positioned between a part of the exterior surface of the base and the one or more pads. 
     
     
         6 . The protective article as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer positioned over a part of the exterior surface of the base and the one or more pads. 
     
     
         7 . The protective article as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a first protective layer positioned between a part of the exterior surface of the base and the one or more pads; and a second protective layer positioned over the first protective layer and the one or more pads. 
     
     
         8 . The protective article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pads are comprised of a selected material and the selected material is silicone; or neoprene; or Kevlar®; silicone mixed with Kevlar®; or neoprene mixed with Kevlar®; or silicone, neoprene or Kevlar® mixed with a fiberglass mesh; or silicon and Kevlar® and a fiberglass mesh; or neoprene and Kevlar® and a fiberglass mesh. 
     
     
         9 . The protective article as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more protective pads are individual blocks of the selected material. 
     
     
         10 . The protective article as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more pads are individual blocks of the selected material that are applied onto a mesh backing. 
     
     
         11 . The protective article as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the protective layer is comprised of neoprene mixed with Kevlar®; or silicone, neoprene or Kevlar® mixed with a fiberglass mesh; or silicon and Kevlar® and a fiberglass mesh; or neoprene and Kevlar® and a fiberglass mesh. 
     
     
         12 . The protective article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pads are comprised of individual blocks of silicone or neoprene or Kevlar®. 
     
     
         13 . The protective article as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the one or more pads include additional materials that improve abrasion resistance of the one or more pads. 
     
     
         14 . The protective article as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the additional materials include Kevlar®; or a fiberglass mesh; or a mixture of Kevlar® and a fiberglass mesh. 
     
     
         15 . The protective article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pads are arranged in a pattern on the exterior surface of the base. 
     
     
         16 . A method of producing a protective article comprising:
 providing a base having an interior surface and an exterior surface; and   wherein the interior surface bounds and defines a space adapted to receive a part of a user's body; and   bonding one or more three-dimensional pads to the exterior surface of the base.   
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 16 , further comprising applying a protective layer over the exterior surface of the base prior to bonding the one or more pads thereto. 
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the step of applying the protective layer includes:
 dipping the base in a quantity of liquid protective material;   removing the dipped base from the quantity of liquid protective material; and   setting the liquid protective material retained on the exterior surface of the base to form the protective layer.   
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising:
 forming three-dimensional shapes from silicone or neoprene or Kevlar® or silicone mixed with Kevlar®, neoprene mixed with Kevlar®, silicone mixed with fiberglass mesh, neoprene mixed with fiberglass mesh, silicon mixed with Kevlar® and fiberglass mesh; or neoprene mixed with Kevlar® and fiberglass mesh;   placing the formed three-dimensional shapes at intervals on the exterior surface of the base;   spacing the three-dimensional shapes from each other so as to form channels between adjacent individual three-dimensional shapes; and   bonding the individual three-dimensional shapes to the base.   
     
     
         20 . The method as defined in  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:
 dipping the base with the bonded three-dimensional shapes thereon into an additional quantity of liquid protective material;   removing the dipped base with the bonded three-dimensional shapes thereon from the additional quantity of liquid protective material; and   allowing the liquid protective material remaining on the removed dipped base with the bonded three-dimensional shapes thereon to dry into an additional protective layer.   
     
     
         21 . The method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the step of placing the three-dimensional shapes includes placing the three-dimensional shapes into rows that extend horizontally across the part of the exterior surface of the base. 
     
     
         22 . The method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the step of placing the three-dimensional shapes further includes placing the three-dimensional shapes additionally in columns that extend vertically across the part of the exterior surface of the base. 
     
     
         23 . The method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the step of placing the three-dimensional shapes further includes positioning the three-dimensional shapes on a front surface of a digit region of a glove and on an interior side of a thumb region of the glove. 
     
     
         24 . The method as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the step of placing the three-dimensional shapes further includes positioning the three-dimensional shapes on a front surface of a palm region of the glove. 
     
     
         25 . The method as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the step of placing the three-dimensional shapes includes positioning the three-dimensional shapes on a front surface of a knee pad or an elbow pad.