Protective pad assembly with self-retaining device

Abstract

A protective pad assembly for removably positioning on an arm or a leg of a user of the protective pad assembly for protecting an elbow or a knee of the user. The protective pad assembly comprises an outer protective unit including a protective cushion pad configured to protect the elbow or the knee of the user from impact, and a self-retaining device mounted to the outer protective unit for retaining the outer protective unit on the arm or leg of the user. The self-retaining device includes a resilient retaining split-ring clamp having two opposite free ends spaced from one another. The free ends of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp are circumferentially expandable or contractable relative to one another for retaining the protective pad on an arm or a leg of the user of the protective pad assembly over one of the elbow and the knee thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective pad assembly removably positionable on an arm or a leg of a use, the protective pad assembly comprising:
 an outer protective unit including a protective cushion pad; and   a manually adjustable self-retaining device mounted to the outer protective unit for retaining the outer protective unit on the arm or leg of the user, the manually adjustable self-retaining device including a circular resilient retaining split-ring clamp having two opposite spaced free ends defining a gap therebetween, and a manual override adjuster mounted to the resilient retaining split-ring clamp;   the free ends of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp being circumferentially expandable or contractable relative to one another for retaining the outer protective unit on an arm or a leg of the user,   the manual override adjuster configured to manually adjust a distance between the free ends of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp;   the manually adjustable self-retaining device configured to removably maintain the outer protective unit on the arm or the leg of the user solely by a resilient force of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp of the self-retaining device;   the protective cushion pad configured to be removably positionable over one of a knee or an elbow of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the resilient retaining split-ring clamp has a rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
         3 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the manually adjustable self-retaining device is removably mounted to the outer protective unit. 
     
     
         4 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the manually adjustable self-retaining device is non-removably mounted to the outer protective unit. 
     
     
         5 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the manual override adjuster is a gear and rack assembly including a worm gear drive unit secured to one of the free ends of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp, and a toothed rack secured to another of the free ends of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp. 
     
     
         6 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the worm gear drive unit is mounted on an outer surface of the split-ring clamp. 
     
     
         7 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the toothed rack includes a plain rack portion and a rack teeth portion, and wherein the worm gear drive unit includes a base non-moveably secured to one of the free ends of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp on the outer surface of the split-ring clamp, a worm gear rotatably mounted to the base and meshing with the rack teeth portion of the toothed rack, and a thumb knob drivingly connected to the worm gear. 
     
     
         8 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the thumb knob is configured to adjust the tension of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp, and wherein turning the thumb knob manually adjusts the distance between the free ends of the resilient split-ring clamp. 
     
     
         9 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the toothed rack has a first distal end adjacent to the plain rack portion and a second distal end adjacent to the rack teeth portion, and wherein the first distal end of the toothed rack is fixed to the resilient retaining split-ring clamp. 
     
     
         10 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the first distal end of the toothed rack is fixed to the resilient retaining split-ring clamp by a fastener. 
     
     
         11 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first distal end and the rack teeth portion of the toothed rack are disposed on the outer surface of the split-ring clamp, and the plain rack portion of the toothed rack is disposed on an inner surface of the split-ring clamp. 
     
     
         12 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the resilient retaining split-ring clamp has a pair of access through holes, and wherein the toothed rack is fed between the outer and inner surfaces of the split-ring clamp through the access through holes. 
     
     
         13 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the resilient retaining split-ring clamp has a plurality of support brackets between the pair of the access through holes, wherein the support brackets extend radially inwardly from the inner surface of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp, wherein the support brackets define channels, wherein the toothed rack extends through the support brackets, and wherein each of the support brackets defines a U-shaped channel configured to keep the plain rack portion of the toothed rack inline and in place against the inner surface of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp. 
     
     
         14 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the support brackets are formed integrally with the resilient retaining split-ring clamp. 
     
     
         15 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 12 , further including a plurality of cable ties extending through the resilient retaining split-ring clamp between the pair of the access through holes, wherein the cable ties extend radially inwardly from the inner surface of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp, wherein the cable ties define channels, wherein the toothed rack extends through the cable ties, and wherein each of the cable ties are configured to keep the plain rack portion of the toothed rack inline and in place against the inner surface of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp. 
     
     
         16 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 12 , further including a braided cord extending through the resilient retaining split-ring clamp and wrapped over the toothed rack, wherein the braided cord holds and keeps in position the toothed rack against the inner surface of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp, and wherein the braided cord is a single length of cord and is fed through small through holes in the resilient retaining split-ring clamp between the pair of the access through holes. 
     
     
         17 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 11 , wherein clockwise rotation of the thumb knob manually reduces the distance between the free ends of the resilient split-ring clamp and enables the resilient retaining split-ring clamp to increase tension by allowing incremental adjustments. 
     
     
         18 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 17 , wherein counterclockwise rotation of the thumb knob manually increases the distance between the free ends of the resilient split-ring clamp and enables the resilient retaining split-ring clamp to reduce the tension by allowing incremental adjustments. 
     
     
         19 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the manually adjustable self-retaining device is mounted entirely to an outer surface of the resilient retaining split-ring clamp. 
     
     
         20 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 19 , wherein clockwise rotation of the thumb knob manually increases the distance between the free ends of the resilient split-ring clamp and enables the resilient retaining split-ring clamp to reduce a tension by allowing incremental adjustments. 
     
     
         21 . The protective pad assembly as defined in  claim 20 , wherein counterclockwise rotation of the thumb knob manually reduces the distance between the free ends of the resilient split-ring clamp and enables the resilient retaining split-ring clamp to increase the tension by allowing incremental adjustments.