Protective articles and methods thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein are wearable articles and methods for the manufacture and use thereof. The wearable articles can comprise compression elements, gripping elements, and support elements containing a rate-sensitive material which can operate to prevent injury.

1 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . An article wearable by a subject, comprising:
 (a) a base layer having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the interior surface has a first coefficient of friction (μ 1 ) relative to a body surface of the subject;   (b) a neck support device coupled to the base layer, the neck support device comprising a non-Newtonian material; and   (c) at least one gripping element coupled to the interior surface of the base layer, wherein the at least one gripping element is configured to contact a body of the subject, and wherein the at least one gripping element has a second coefficient of friction (μ 2 ) relative to the body surface, wherein μ 2  is greater than μ 1 .   
     
     
         32 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the neck support device comprises an elastomeric polymer. 
     
     
         33 . The article of  claim 32 , wherein the elastomeric polymer forms a foam matrix comprising the non-Newtonian material. 
     
     
         34 . The article of  claim 33 , wherein the non-Newtonian material is a shear thickening non-Newtonian fluid. 
     
     
         35 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the neck support device comprises a pouch encapsulating the non-Newtonian material. 
     
     
         36 . The article of  claim 31 , further comprising at least one of:
 (a) a thigh support element;   (b) a shin support element; or   (c) a spine support element.   
     
     
         37 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the neck support device comprises a penannular collar that is anatomically complementary with a neck of the subject. 
     
     
         38 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the neck support device comprises a force-reactive polymer positioned around a rear and lateral sides of a neck of the subject, wherein the force-reactive polymer comprises the non-Newtonian material. 
     
     
         39 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one gripping element is formed of a material configured to exert a normal or a tangential force upon the body surface of the subject to reduce shifting of the article across the body surface of the subject. 
     
     
         40 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one gripping element comprises a surface that is textured in a manner to exert a tangential force upon the body surface of the subject. 
     
     
         41 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one gripping element comprises a shoulder gripping element, an arm gripping element, a forearm gripping element, a chest gripping element, a rib gripping element, a thigh gripping element, a shin gripping element, a knee gripping element, a collar gripping element, a buttocks gripping element, a hip gripping element, a neck gripping element, a wrist gripping element, or an ankle gripping element. 
     
     
         42 . The article of  claim 31 , further comprising an adjustable tensioner. 
     
     
         43 . The article of  claim 42 , wherein the adjustable tensioner comprises a chest tensioner, an abdominal tensioner, a waist tensioner, a thigh tensioner, or a shin tensioner. 
     
     
         44 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the article comprises a long-sleeve shirt, a short-sleeve shirt, a no-sleeve shirt, or a full body suit. 
     
     
         45 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the article is a compression shirt. 
     
     
         46 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the neck support device comprises an adjustment strap for securing the neck support device to the base layer. 
     
     
         47 . The article of  claim 46 , wherein the adjustment strap is attached to the base layer using a fastener. 
     
     
         48 . The article of  claim 47 , wherein the fastener is a hook-and-loop fastener. 
     
     
         49 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the article comprises a spinal support element configured to support a non-cervical spine region of the subject. 
     
     
         50 . The article of  claim 31 , wherein the article comprises an integrated harness.