Relocatable Protective Padding System for Clothing

Abstract

The present invention is a relocatable protection system that is used to keep the user comfortable while performing physical labor and to protect bones and joints from injury. This system attaches to clothing by using a series of loops attached to the user's clothing in parallel tracks. A relocatable protective pad is shaped in a way to conform to that part of the body being protected. The areas being protected are the knees most of the time but could also be the shins, shoulders, spine or elbows among others. The pad opens and closes in a clamshell fashion and comprises a protective base and a lid together with a hinge mechanism and a fastening mechanism. Typically straps with Velcro which fasten to themselves go through the device and through the loops in the clothing and fasten directly in front of the protective base. The lid portion has a soft cushioning inner portion and a harder outer portion. The lid closes and fastens over the protective base which contains and stores the remaining strap length in spaces designed for this function. This body part pad device is relocatable to better place the device in the exact most useful place on the user's body for the work they are doing.

1 . A body part pad device ( 10 ) comprising
 a protective base ( 1 ) comprising a protective base proximal surface ( 21 ) and a protective base distal surface ( 22 ), wherein the proximal surface is shaped to fit a user's body part;   a clamshell ( 5 ) comprising a proximal portion ( 50 ), distal portion ( 60 ), and a hinge ( 4 ), wherein the hinge is attached to the distal portion and the proximal portion to allow for the proximal portion and the distal portion to open and close, and wherein the proximal portion ( 50 ) is attached to the protective base distal surface ( 22 );   a protective shell ( 6 ) wherein the protective shell is attached to the clamshell distal portion ( 60 ); and   a strap ( 7 ) attached to the protective base ( 1 ).   
     
     
         2 . The body part pad device of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of straps attached to the protective base. 
     
     
         3 . The body part pad device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one strap comprises a first end section ( 91 ), a middle section ( 92 ), and a second end section ( 93 ), and
 wherein the first end section ( 91 ) comprises a first reversible fastener ( 96 ), the second end section ( 92 ) comprises a second reversible fastener ( 97 ).   
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The body part pad device of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion ( 50 ) comprises a proximal closing mechanism part, and the distal portion ( 60 ) comprises a distal closing mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The body part pad device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one strap comprises a first end section ( 91 ), a middle section ( 92 ), and a second end section ( 93 ), and wherein the clamshell ( 5 ) when closed encloses space large enough to store the first end section ( 91 ) and the second end section ( 93 ). 
     
     
         7 .- 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The body part pad device of  claim 1 , wherein the protective base comprises a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         12 . The body part pad device of  claim 11 , wherein at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures is sized to accept the strap to pass therethrough. 
     
     
         13 . The body part pad device of  claim 1  further comprising an intermediate mat ( 2 ) between the clamshell and the protective base ( 1 ). 
     
     
         14 . The body part pad device of  claim 1 , wherein the protective shell ( 6 ) is comprised of material selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene-vinyl rubber, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, rubber, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polyethylene acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, high impact polystyrene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyamide, polyethersulfone, a co-polymer of any one or more of the preceding, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The body part pad device of  claim 1 , wherein the protective shell ( 6 ) is comprised of material with a Shore A hardness of about 50 to about 100. 
     
     
         16 . The body part pad device of  claim 1 , wherein the protective shell ( 6 ) is comprised of material with a Shore D hardness of about 10 to about 80. 
     
     
         17 . A body part protection system ( 100 ) comprising
 the body part pad device ( 10 ) of any of  claim 1 , and   an apparel ( 110 ) comprising a parallel pair of daisy chains ( 8 ), wherein each of the daisy chains comprise a lacuna ( 121 ) to accept the strap ( 7 ).   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the apparel ( 110 ) are pants, and the body part pad device ( 10 ) is a knee pad or a shin pad. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the apparel ( 110 ) is a jacket, and the body part pad device ( 10 ) is a pad designed to protect a user's spine, elbow, or shoulder. 
     
     
         20 . A body part protection system ( 200 ) comprising
 an apparel ( 12 ) comprising a pair of loop strips ( 13 / 14 );   a pouch ( 17 ) comprising a proximal face ( 40 ) and a distal face ( 38 ), wherein the proximal face ( 40 ) comprises a pair of hook strips ( 36 / 37 ); and   a cushion ( 31 ) sized to fit into the pouch ( 17 ).   
     
     
         21 . The body part protection system ( 200 ) of  claim 20 , wherein the cushion ( 31 ) comprises a proximal layer and a distal layer, wherein the distal layer is harder than the proximal layer. 
     
     
         22 .- 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The body part protection system ( 200 ) of  claim 20 , wherein the distal face ( 39 ) comprises a pair of Velcro loop strips ( 33 / 34 ), the body part protection system ( 200 ) further comprising one or more Velcro hook strips ( 23 / 24 ). 
     
     
         27 . The body part protection system of  claim 20 , wherein the distal pair of Velcro loop strips attached to apparel further comprises an additional width of material ( 19 , 20 ) and an additional Velcro loop strip ( 23 & 24 ). 
     
     
         28 . A body part protection system ( 100 ) comprising
 the body part pad device ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , and   an apparel ( 110 ) comprising a parallel pair of slits ( 85 ) and further comprising a parallel pair of strands ( 80 ) proximal to the slits wherein each of the openings comprise a cleat to accept the strap ( 7 ).   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the apparel ( 110 ) are pants, and the body part pad device ( 10 ) is a knee pad or a shin pad. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled)