US2019166947A1PendingUtilityA1

Athletic gear or other devices comprising pads or other cushioning components

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Assignee: BAUER HOCKEY LTDPriority: Nov 30, 2017Filed: Nov 30, 2018Published: Jun 6, 2019
Est. expiryNov 30, 2037(~11.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jean-Francois LaperriereCharles-Antoine Desrochers
A63B 59/70A63B 2102/14A63B 59/54A63B 2102/18A63B 59/20A63B 2102/24A43B 23/028A43B 5/1625A63B 71/141A63B 71/12A63B 71/14A63B 60/08A63B 71/1225A63B 2209/02A63B 2071/1208B32B 2307/558B32B 2437/04B32B 27/065B32B 2571/00B32B 2307/72A42B 3/128A63B 71/10A42B 3/08B32B 2307/51A42B 3/324A42B 3/06A42B 3/121B32B 2307/54B32B 2266/0214B32B 7/022B32B 7/02B32B 5/32B32B 3/04B32B 27/40A63B 2209/00B32B 2262/0253B32B 5/16B32B 2307/56B32B 2266/0235B32B 27/32B32B 5/18B32B 2266/0278B32B 1/00B32B 2262/0261B32B 3/30B32B 5/022B32B 27/34B32B 27/365B32B 2307/536B32B 5/30B32B 5/024B32B 2307/732B32B 2307/722B32B 5/22B32B 2266/025B32B 3/14B32B 5/26B32B 2262/0276B32B 27/14B32B 2262/0207
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Claims

Abstract

A device (e.g., an article of athletic gear) comprising a cushioning component for absorbing energy when the device is contacted (i.e., impacted or otherwise contacted), in which the cushioning component comprises a core comprising a plurality of zones of different materials (e.g., which may differ in one or more materials properties such as density, stiffness, resilience, etc.) and a covering disposed on the core. In some embodiments, a given one of the zones of different materials may be a zone of expanded microspheres. The cushioning component may provide enhanced protection, comfort, and/or vibration or other shock absorption while being relatively lightweight.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A cushioning component comprising:
 a core comprising a plurality of zones of different materials; and   a covering disposed on the core;   
       wherein a given one of the zones of different materials is a zone of expanded microspheres. 
     
     
         2 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein a density of a first zone of the different materials is different from a density of a second one of the zones of different materials. 
     
     
         3 . The cushioning component of  claim 2 , wherein the cushioning component is configured to protect a user, the second one of the zone of different materials is configured to be located closer to the user than the first one of the zones of different materials, and the density of the second one of the zones of different materials is less than the density of the first one of the zones of different materials. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The cushioning component of  claim 2 , wherein the density of the second one of the zones of different materials is no more than 50% of the density of the first one of the zones of different materials. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The cushioning component of  claim 2 , wherein a modulus of elasticity of a first zone of the different materials is different from a modulus of elasticity of a second one of the zones of different materials. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein a resilience of a first zone of the different materials is different from a resilience of a second one of the zones of different materials. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein an elongation at break of a first zone of the different materials is different from an elongation at break of a second one of the zones of different materials. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the given one of the zones of different materials is a first given one of the zones of different materials, the zone of expanded microspheres is a first zone of expanded microspheres, a second given one of the zones of different materials is a second zone of expanded microspheres, and a density of the first zone of expanded microspheres is different from a density of the second zone of expanded microspheres. 
     
     
         23 . The cushioning component of  claim 22 , wherein the cushioning component is configured to protect a user, the second zone of expanded microspheres is configured to be located closer to the user than the first zone of expanded microspheres, and the density of the second zone of expanded microspheres is less than the density of the first zone of expanded microspheres. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the zone of expanded microspheres constitutes at least one-quarter of the core by weight. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the zone of expanded microspheres constitutes at least half of the core by weight. 
     
     
         30 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the given one of the zones of different materials is a first given one of the zones of different materials, the zone of expanded microspheres is a first zone of expanded microspheres, and a second given one of the zones of different materials is a second zone of expanded microspheres. 
     
     
         31 . The cushioning component of  claim 30 , wherein a state of the first zone of expanded microspheres is different from a state of the second zone of expanded microspheres. 
     
     
         32 . The cushioning component of  claim 30 , wherein the first zone of expanded microspheres is consolidated and the second zone of expanded microspheres is unconsolidated. 
     
     
         33 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein expanded microspheres constitute at least one-quarter of the core by weight. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein expanded microspheres constitute at least a majority of the core by weight. 
     
     
         36 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the given one of the zones of different materials is a first given one of the zones of different materials, and a second given one of the zones of different materials is not a zone of expanded microspheres. 
     
     
         37 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein: the given one of the zones of different materials is a first given one of the zones of different materials; and a second given one of the zones of different materials is a zone of foam. 
     
     
         38 . The cushioning component of  claim 37 , wherein the zone of foam is a first zone of foam, a third given one of the zones of different materials is a second zone of foam, and a density of the second zone of foam is different from a density of the second zone of foam. 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the zones of different materials include at least three zones of different materials. 
     
     
         43 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein a peripheral one of the zones of different materials comprises a projection projecting from an adjacent part of a surface of the core. 
     
     
         44 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein a peripheral one of the zones of different materials comprises a plurality of projections projecting from an adjacent part of a surface of the core and spaced from one another. 
     
     
         45 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the zone of expanded microspheres corresponds to at least one-quarter of a thickness of the core. 
     
     
         46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the zone of expanded microspheres corresponds to at least a majority of a thickness of the core. 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein a particular one of the zones of different materials and an adjacent one of the zones of different materials are interlocked by an interlocking part of the particular one of the zones of different materials extending into an interlocking void of the adjacent one of the zones of different materials. 
     
     
         51 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a first side and a second side opposite to the first side of the core and the first side of the core is uneven. 
     
     
         52 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the core is concave. 
     
     
         53 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a first side and a second side opposite to the first side of the core and the covering covers at least part of the first side of the core and at least part of the second side of the core. 
     
     
         54 . The cushioning component of  claim 53 , wherein the covering covers at least a majority of the first side of the core and at least a majority of the second side of the core. 
     
     
         55 . The cushioning component of  claim 54 , wherein the covering covers an entirety of the first side of the core and an entirety of the second side of the core. 
     
     
         56 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the covering covers at least a majority of a periphery of the core. 
     
     
         57 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the covering envelops the core. 
     
     
         58 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the covering is molded to conform to the core. 
     
     
         59 . The cushioning component of  claim 58 , wherein at least part of the covering is vacuum-formed. 
     
     
         60 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the covering comprises a layer of polymeric material molded to conform to the core. 
     
     
         61 . The cushioning component of  claim 60 , wherein the layer of polymeric material is a layer of polyurethane. 
     
     
         62 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the covering comprises a layer of fabric molded to conform to the core. 
     
     
         63 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the covering comprises a layer of a first material molded to conform to a first side of the core and a layer of a second material different from the first material molded to conform to a second side of the core opposite to the first side of the core. 
     
     
         64 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is a polymeric material and the second material is a fabric. 
     
     
         65 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the covering is bonded to the core. 
     
     
         66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . (canceled) 
     
     
         70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . The cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a hole extending through the core and defined by an internal surface of the core, and the covering extends into the hole and covers at least part of the internal surface of the core. 
     
     
         72 . A device comprising the cushioning component of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         73 . The device of  claim 72 , wherein the device is an article of athletic gear for a user. 
     
     
         74 . The device of  claim 73 , wherein the article of athletic gear is an article of protective athletic gear wearable by the user and the cushioning component is a pad to protect the user. 
     
     
         75 . The device of  claim 74 , wherein the article of protective athletic gear is a helmet for protecting a head of the user. 
     
     
         76 . The device of  claim 75 , wherein the helmet comprises an outer shell and an inner liner that includes the pad. 
     
     
         77 . The device of  claim 72 , wherein the device is an article of personal protective gear wearable by a user and the cushioning component is a pad to protect the user. 
     
     
         78 . (canceled) 
     
     
         79 . (canceled) 
     
     
         80 . (canceled) 
     
     
         81 . (canceled) 
     
     
         82 . (canceled) 
     
     
         83 . (canceled) 
     
     
         84 . The device of  claim 73 , wherein the article of athletic gear is a sports implement for handling by the user. 
     
     
         85 . The device of  claim 84 , wherein the sports implement is a hockey stick. 
     
     
         86 . The device of  claim 84 , wherein the sports implement is a lacrosse stick. 
     
     
         87 . The device of  claim 84 , wherein the sports implement is a ball bat. 
     
     
         88 . A device comprising the cushioning component of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, the core comprises a first side facing towards the first side of the device and a second side facing towards the second side of the device, and the core occupies a majority of a thickness of the device from the first side of the device to the second side of the core. 
     
     
         89 . A device comprising a plurality of cushioning components as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         90 . A cushioning component comprising:
 a core comprising a zone of expanded microspheres and a zone materially different from the zone of expanded microspheres; and   a covering disposed on the core.   
     
     
         91 . An article of athletic gear for a user, the article of athletic gear comprising a cushioning component that comprises:
 a core comprising a plurality of zones of different materials; and   a covering disposed on the core;   
       wherein a given one of the zones of different materials is a zone of expanded microspheres. 
     
     
         92 .- 166 . (canceled)

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