Quick release leg guard assembly

Abstract

A quick release protective equipment assembly is disclosed and may include a fabric sleeve adapted to be worn by an athlete and a piece of protective equipment removably attached to the fabric sleeve by one or more magnetic fasteners and one or magnets embedded in the fabric sleeve and the protective equipment.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A quick release leg guard assembly, comprising:
 a sleeve adapted to be worn around a leg of a wearer, the sleeve comprising a leg-engaging portion and a plurality of sleeve fasteners attached thereto;   a leg guard arranged for engagement with the sleeve and having a plurality of guard fasteners attached thereto at positions aligned with each of the plurality of sleeve fasteners;   wherein, at least one of the plurality of sleeve fasteners and the plurality of guard fasteners is a magnet and at least one of the plurality of sleeve fasteners and the plurality of guard fasteners is formed of a magnetically attractive material; and,   wherein each of the plurality of guard fasteners is positioned to magnetically engage a corresponding one of the plurality of sleeve fasteners when the leg guard is positioned adjacent the sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of guard fasteners are each a magnet and the plurality of sleeve fasteners are each formed of a magnetically attractive material. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sleeve fasteners are each a magnet and the plurality of guard fasteners are each formed of a magnetically attractive material. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the leg guard is a shin guard. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of sleeve fasteners includes a recess, and wherein each of the plurality of guard fasteners is arranged for disposition within the recess. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the recess is cup-shaped, and wherein the guard fastener is a cylindrically shaped magnet. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises a fabric portion arranged for engaging with the leg of the wearer, and a mounting surface, wherein each of the plurality of sleeve fasteners is attached to the mounting surface, the fabric portion being removably attached to the mounting surface. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the mounting surface is formed of silicone. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the leg guard comprises an outer layer formed of an impact-absorbing material. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the leg guard comprises an inner cushioning layer. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the guard fasteners are affixed to or disposed on the inner cushioning layer of the leg guard. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the fabric portion comprises laterally extending flaps arranged for adjustably securing the sleeve to the leg of a wearer. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the mounting surface additionally comprises laterally extending closed loops arranged for receiving the laterally extending flaps therethrough. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the laterally extending flaps secure to the sleeve utilizing hook and loop fasteners. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein the fabric portion is formed of an elastomeric or textile material. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein engagement between the leg guard and the sleeve results in a pull force of between 5.0 pounds and 20 pounds. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetically attractive material is a ferrous metal. 
     
     
         18 . A method for applying a quick release leg guard assembly to the leg of a wearer, the method comprising the steps of:
 applying a sleeve on a leg of a wearer, the sleeve having an outside surface on which a plurality of sleeve fasteners are disposed, each of the plurality of sleeve fasteners including a magnetically attractive material;   providing a leg guard having an inside surface on which a plurality of guard fasteners are disposed, each of the plurality of guard fasteners in the form of a magnet and located at a position corresponding with each of the plurality of sleeve fasteners; and,   positioning the leg guard adjacent the sleeve to engage each of the plurality of guard fasteners with each of the plurality of sleeve fasteners to engage the leg guard with the sleeve.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sleeve additionally comprises adjustable flaps, and wherein the method includes the additional step of utilizing the adjustable flaps to secure the sleeve to the leg of a wearer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , additionally comprising the step of lowering a trouser leg over the sleeve once the sleeve has been applied to the leg of a wearer.