Protective Knee Wear

Abstract

A protective clothing equipment is provided that is comfortable, stabilizing, and compatible with varying types of surfaces. One embodiment of the protective clothing equipment includes a shell, padding disposed in front of the knee of the wearer, the padding including a non-uniform stiffness.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A knee pad comprising:
 an upper support configured to couple to a leg of a user above a knee;   a lower support configured to couple to the leg of the user below the knee;   a shell coupled to the upper support and the lower support and positioned between the upper support and the lower support, the shell formed from a first material; and   a single integral padding sheet coupled an interior surface of the shell such that the single integral padding sheet is positioned between the shell and the knee of the user when worn, the single integral padding sheet comprising:
 a central portion sized to interface with the knee of the user, the central portion comprising:
 a center; and 
 a periphery that extends around the central portion and defines a perimeter length, the periphery comprising:
 a concave portion that is concave with respect to the center of the central portion, the concave portion comprising at least 80% of the perimeter length of the periphery of the central portion; and 
 a convex portion that is convex with respect to the center of the central portion, the convex portion comprising at least 10% of the perimeter length of the periphery; 
 
 
 an outer portion circumferentially surrounding the central portion, the outer portion and central portion collectively comprising the entire single integral padding sheet; 
 wherein the central portion has a first durometer and the outer portion has a second durometer and wherein the first durometer is different than the second durometer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The knee pad of  claim 1 , wherein the first durometer is less than the second durometer. 
     
     
         3 . The knee pad of  claim 1 , wherein the convex portion is located in a lower half of the periphery. 
     
     
         4 . The knee pad of  claim 1 , wherein the convex portion is located on a medial side of the periphery facing toward the other knee of the user. 
     
     
         5 . The knee pad of  claim 1 , wherein the first material has a third durometer and wherein the third durometer is greater than the first durometer and the second durometer. 
     
     
         6 . The knee pad of  claim 1 , the shell further comprising:
 a front wall; and   a pair of lateral walls, each lateral wall extending from an opposing side of the front wall.   
     
     
         7 . The knee pad of  claim 6 , the pair of lateral walls extending rearward, away from the interior surface of the shell, past an anterior edge of the single integral padding sheet such that each one of the pair of lateral walls provides a supporting force against a side of the knee when the user is kneeling. 
     
     
         8 . The knee pad of  claim 1 , the shell further comprising:
 a plurality of protrusions extending inward from the interior surface of the shell toward the knee of the user;   wherein the plurality of protrusions couple to the single integral padding sheet.   
     
     
         9 . A knee pad comprising:
 an upper support configured to couple to a leg of a user above a knee;   a lower support configured to couple to the leg of the user below the knee;   a shell coupled to the upper support and the lower support and positioned between the upper support and the lower support; and   a padding sheet formed from a padding material and coupled to an interior surface of the shell, the padding sheet comprising:
 a central portion sized to interface with the knee of the user, the central portion comprising:
 a periphery that extends around the central portion and defines a perimeter of the central portion; 
 a longitudinal axis that defines the longest vertical arc extending across the central portion; and 
 a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and bisecting the longitudinal axis, the lateral axis, the longitudinal axis, and the perimeter of the periphery together defining four quadrants of the central portion, the four quadrants of the central portion comprising:
 a lower-medial quadrant positioned in a lower half of the central portion and on a medial side; 
 an upper-medial quadrant; 
 a lower-lateral quadrant; and 
 an upper-lateral quadrant; 
 
 
 an outer portion circumferentially surrounding the central portion; 
   wherein an area of the lower-medial quadrant is less than areas of the upper-medial quadrant, the lower-lateral quadrant, and the upper-lateral quadrant.   
     
     
         10 . The knee pad of  claim 9 , wherein a durometer of the outer portion of the padding sheet is greater than a durometer of the central portion of the padding sheet. 
     
     
         11 . The knee pad of  claim 9 , wherein the padding sheet is formed from a single integral piece of padding material. 
     
     
         12 . The knee pad of  claim 9 , wherein the outer portion and the central portion collectively comprise the entire padding sheet. 
     
     
         13 . The knee pad of  claim 9 , the shell further comprising:
 a front wall;   a first lateral wall extending rearward from a first side of the front wall; and   a second lateral wall extending rearward from a second side of the front wall opposing the first side of the front wall.   
     
     
         14 . The knee pad of  claim 13 , the first lateral wall extending past an anterior edge of the padding sheet, such that the first lateral wall applies a force inward, against a side of the knee when the user is kneeling. 
     
     
         15 . A knee pad comprising:
 a shell; and   a padding sheet coupled to an interior surface of the shell, the padding sheet comprising:
 a central portion sized to interface with a knee of a user, the central portion comprising:
 a periphery that extends around the central portion and defines a perimeter of the central portion; 
 a longitudinal axis that defines the longest vertical arc extending between the periphery across the central portion; and 
 a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and bisecting the longitudinal axis at an intersection, wherein the longitudinal axis, the lateral axis, and the periphery define four quadrants of the central portion, the four quadrants comprising:
 a lower-medial quadrant; 
 an upper-medial quadrant; 
 a lower-lateral quadrant; and 
 an upper-lateral quadrant; 
 
 
 an outer portion circumferentially surrounding the central portion; 
   wherein the central portion has a first durometer and the outer portion has a second durometer, and wherein the first durometer is less than the second durometer;   wherein each of the four quadrants defines a central radius extending from the intersection of the lateral axis and the longitudinal axis to the periphery, and wherein a central radius of the lower-medial quadrant is smaller than a central radius of the upper-medial quadrant, the lower-lateral quadrant, and the upper-lateral quadrant.   
     
     
         16 . The knee pad of  claim 15 , wherein each central radius is positioned halfway between the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis in each of the four quadrants. 
     
     
         17 . The knee pad of  claim 15 , wherein the padding sheet is formed from a single integral sheet of a padding material, and wherein the central portion and the outer portion collectively comprising the entire padding sheet. 
     
     
         18 . The knee pad of  claim 17 , wherein the shell is formed from a second material that is different from the padding material, and wherein the second material has a third durometer that is greater than the first durometer and the second durometer. 
     
     
         19 . The knee pad of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 an upper support configured to couple to a leg of the user above the knee; and   a lower support configured to couple to the leg of the user below the knee;   wherein the shell is coupled to the upper support and the lower support and extends between the upper support and the lower support.   
     
     
         20 . The knee pad of  claim 15 , the shell further comprising:
 a front wall;   a first lateral wall extending rearward from a first side of the front wall; and   a second lateral wall extending rearward from a second side of the front wall opposing the first side of the front wall.