Posterior Knee Guard

Abstract

A posterior knee guard is coupled to a shin guard which includes a front shell, padding, and an elastic mounting strap. The posterior knee guard includes a hard outer layer and an resilient inner pad. The inner pad has a strap channel extending laterally therethrough which is configured to receive the mounting strap of the shin guard. The outer layer may be overlaid with a strong covering material. The outer layer has a vertical column of horizontally extending guard strips. The guard strips are separated from each other to form a space between adjacent guard strips.

1 . A posterior knee guard for protecting the popliteal fossa area of a wearer, the posterior knee guard comprising:
 a resilient inner pad;   an outer shell having a vertical column of horizontal guard strips, each said strip being spaced from an adjacent said strip, and   a flexible covering overlaying said outer shell.   
     
     
         2 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 1  wherein said guard strips are mounted to said inner pad,
 whereby the inner pad acts as a joint between adjacent guard strips for articulated movement of the outer shell. 
 
     
     
         3 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 1  wherein said resilient inner pad has a laterally extending strap channel therethrough,
 whereby the strap channel may receive the mounting strap of a conventional shin guard. 
 
     
     
         4 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 1  wherein said resilient inner pad is at least partially overlaid with a liner material. 
     
     
         5 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 1  further comprising a mounting strap coupled to said inner pad. 
     
     
         6 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 1  wherein said horizontal guard strips include multiple segments. 
     
     
         7 . A posterior knee guard for protecting the posterior of a wearer's knee, the posterior knee guard comprising:
 a flexible inner pad;   a hard outer shell coupled to said inner pad, said outer shell having a plurality of elongated members coupled to each other for articulated movement of said outer shell.   
     
     
         8 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 7  further comprising a flexible covering overlaying said outer shell. 
     
     
         9 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 7  wherein said guard strips are coupled to each other by mounting each elongated member to said inner pad to create a space between each adjacent elongated member. 
     
     
         10 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 7  wherein said inner pad has a laterally extending strap channel therethrough. 
     
     
         11 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 7  wherein said inner pad is at least partially overlaid with a liner material. 
     
     
         12 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 7  further comprising a mounting strap coupled to said inner pad. 
     
     
         13 . The posterior knee guard of  claim 7  wherein said elongated members include multiple segments. 
     
     
         14 . A combination posterior knee guard and shin guard comprising,
 a shin guard having a lower leg portion and a kneecap portion, the shin guard also having a flexible mounting strap;   a posterior knee guard coupled to said shin guard, said posterior knee guard having a resilient inner pad, and an outer shell coupled to said inner pad, said posterior knee guard being coupled to said shin guard through said flexible mounting strap being coupled to said posterior knee guard.   
     
     
         15 . The combination posterior knee guard and shin guard of  claim 14  wherein said outer shell includes a plurality of horizontal guard strips. 
     
     
         16 . The combination posterior knee guard and shin guard of  claim 14  wherein said vertical column of horizontal guard strips includes a space between each adjacent guard strip, and wherein each guard strip is coupled to said inner pad. 
     
     
         17 . The combination posterior knee guard and shin guard of  claim 14  further comprising a flexible covering overlaying said outer shell. 
     
     
         18 . The combination posterior knee guard and shin guard of  claim 14  wherein said inner pad has a laterally extending strap channel therethrough and said mounting strap of said shin guard extends through said strap channel. 
     
     
         19 . The combination posterior knee guard and shin guard of  claim 14  wherein said inner pad is at least partially overlaid with a liner material. 
     
     
         20 . The combination posterior knee guard and shin guard of  claim 15  wherein said horizontal guard strips include multiple segments.