Protective clothing system

Abstract

A protective clothing system includes clothing configured to be worn by a user. A polyethylene foam is attached to the clothing. The polyethylene foam is positioned on the clothing to protect a portion of the user's body from impacts due to a fall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective clothing system comprising:
 clothing configured to be worn by a user; and   a polyethylene foam attached to the clothing, the foam being positioned on the clothing to protect a portion of the user's body from impacts due to a fall.   
     
     
         2 . The protective clothing system of  claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene foam is attached externally to the clothing. 
     
     
         3 . The protective clothing system of  claim 2 , wherein the polyethylene foam is attached to the clothing via at least one of a hook and loop fastener system, a zipper or sewn onto the clothing. 
     
     
         4 . The protective clothing system of  claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene foam is attached internally to the clothing. 
     
     
         5 . The protective clothing system of  claim 4 , wherein the polyethylene foam is attached to the clothing via at least one of insertion into pockets of the clothing, a hook and loop fastener system, a zipper or sewn onto the clothing. 
     
     
         6 . The protective clothing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the system includes pants; and   the polyethylene foam is positioned on one of the knee of the pants to protect the user's knee, the rear of the pants to protect the user's spine or the side of the pants to protect the user's hip from impacts due to a fall.   
     
     
         7 . The protective clothing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the system includes one of a shirt or a jacket; and   the polyethylene foam is positioned on one of the shoulder of the shirt or jacket to protect the user's shoulder, the rear of the shirt or jacket to protect the user's back, the elbow of the shirt or jacket to protect the user's elbow or the collar of the shirt or jacket to protect the user's neck from impacts due to a fall.   
     
     
         8 . The protective clothing system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the polyethylene foam is positioned on the collar of the shirt or jacket, the collar having a down undeployed position and an up deployed position, wherein:
 when in the down undeployed position, the collar rests upon shoulders of the shirt or jacket; and 
 when in the up deployed position, the collar abuts against the user's neck and the polyethylene foam attached to the collar provides protection against direct impacts to the neck of the user caused during a fall. 
   
     
     
         9 . The protective clothing system of  claim 8 , comprising:
 the collar including a collar fastener system to removably fasten the collar around the user's neck;   wherein, when the collar is fastened to the user's neck via the collar fastener system, the polyethylene foam provides additional structural support to the user's neck to mitigate against injuries due to whiplash of a user's neck caused during a fall.   
     
     
         10 . The protective clothing system of  claim 9  wherein the collar fastener system includes at least one of a zipper, a hook and loop fastener system, a button or a snap fastener. 
     
     
         11 . The protective clothing system of  claim 1 , wherein the protective clothing system is configured to function as a flotation device to keep the user afloat in water that the user has fallen into. 
     
     
         12 . The protective clothing system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 when the protective clothing system is worn by the user, the combined volumes of the portion of the protective clothing system submerged in the water plus the portion of the user submerged in the water will displace a mass of water that is greater than the combined total mass of the user and protective clothing system, such that at least the user's head remains above water.   
     
     
         13 . The protective clothing system of  claim 12 , wherein the polyethylene foam is waterproof. 
     
     
         14 . A protective clothing system comprising:
 a shirt or jacket configured to be worn by a user; and   a protective foam attached to a collar of the shirt or jacket, the protective foam being configured to protect the user's neck from impacts due to a fall.   
     
     
         15 . The protective clothing system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the collar has a down undeployed position and an up deployed position, wherein:
 when in the down undeployed position, the collar rests upon shoulders of the shirt or jacket; and 
 when in the up deployed position, the collar abuts against the user's neck and the protective foam attached to the collar provides protection against direct impacts to the neck of the user caused during a fall. 
   
     
     
         16 . The protective clothing system of  claim 15 , comprising:
 the collar including a collar fastener system to removably fasten the collar around the user's neck;   wherein, when the collar is fastened to the user's neck via the collar fastener system, the protective foam provides additional structural support to the user's neck to mitigate against injuries due to whiplash of a user's neck caused during a fall.   
     
     
         17 . The protective clothing system of  claim 16 , wherein the collar fastener system includes at least one of a zipper, a hook and loop fastener system, a button or a snap fastener. 
     
     
         18 . A protective clothing system comprising:
 clothing configured to be worn by a user; and   a protective foam attached to the clothing, the foam being positioned on the clothing to protect a portion of the user's body from impacts due to a fall;   wherein the protective clothing system is configured to function as a flotation device to keep the user afloat in water that the user has fallen into.   
     
     
         19 . The protective clothing system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 when the protective clothing system is worn by the user, the combined volumes of the portion of the protective clothing system submerged in the water plus the portion of the user submerged in the water will displace a mass of water that is greater than the combined total mass of the user and protective clothing system, such that at least the user's head remains above water.   
     
     
         20 . The protective clothing system of  claim 19 , wherein the protective foam is polyethylene foam.