Protective gear for a limb

Abstract

A protective body guard ( 10 ) providing a full range of motion that closely tracks the biomechanical movement of a joint. The device provides protection against sharp objects, impact and limb movement into positions that may cause injury. The device ( 10 ) comprises successive segments ( 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 ) made of a hard, impact-resistant, light material and arranged in overlapping fashion and interconnected by means of a single pivot pin ( 28 ) or flexible strap in an arcuate slot ( 30 ) at each side of the segments. Cushioning pads ( 24, 26 ), detachably fixed to the segments ( 12, 22 ), provide protection from contact with the interior of the segments.

1. Protective gear for a jointed limb comprising a pair of spaced limb guards and a plurality of partially and successively overlapping, substantially rigid, segments extending between said limb guards, each of said segments being adapted to articulate in relation to the next adjacent segment to selectively flex and extend substantially along a longitudinal axis and to undergo limited rotation about said longitudinal axis in relation to others of said segments, said articulation between a given segment and the next adjacent segment being accomplished by means at opposed sides of each of said segments, each of said means comprising an arcuate slot in said given segment and a single pivot element associated with said next adjacent segment, said pivot element extending through said arcuate slot. 
     
     
       2. Protective gear as in  claim 1  wherein said pivot element is a pivot pin. 
     
     
       3. Protective gear as in  claim 1  or  2  wherein said pivot element is integrally formed with said next adjacent segment. 
     
     
       4. Protective gear as in  claim 1  wherein said arcuate slot has a center point the tangent to which defines an angle of between 10 and 65 degrees in relation to said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       5. Protective gear as in  claim 4  wherein said angle is between 40 and 50 degrees. 
     
     
       6. Protective gear as in  claim 1  wherein the arc length of the arcuate slot is between 15 mm and 25 mm. 
     
     
       7. Protective gear as in  claim 6  wherein said arc length is about 20 mm. 
     
     
       8. Protective gear as in  claim 1  wherein said arcuate slot has a radius of curvature of between 20 and 55 mm. 
     
     
       9. Protective gear as in  claim 8  wherein said radius is about 30 mm. 
     
     
       10. Protective gear as in  claim 4  or  5  wherein said pivot element is a pivot pin. 
     
     
       11. Protective gear as in  claim 1  wherein said protective gear is a leg and knee guard, and said protective gear further including limb guards are a shaped thigh segment guard and a shaped shin segment guard. 
     
     
       12. Protective gear as in  claim 7  further comprising at least one cushioning pad extending under at least two of said segments. 
     
     
       13. Protective gear as in  claim 7  wherein said pivot elements are pivot pins extending through apertures in the inferior posterior portions of said segments and said arcuate slots are formed in the superior posterior portions of said segments. 
     
     
       14. Protective gear as in  claim 9  wherein said apertures and said arcuate slots are spaced in relation to the lateral edges of said segments. 
     
     
       15. Protective gear as in  claim 10  wherein said spacing is between one half inch and one and a half inches. 
     
     
       16. Protective gear as in  claim 11  further comprising at least two straps each of said straps being secured to at least two of said segments. 
     
     
       17. Protective gear as in  claim 1 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6  or  7  wherein said pivot element is a strap of flexible material. 
     
     
       18. Protective gear as in  claim 7  wherein said pivot elements are flexible straps extending through apertures in the inferior posterior portions of said segments and said arcuate slots are formed in the superior posterior portions of said segments. 
     
     
       19. Protective gear as in  claim 18  wherein a single flexible strap is threaded through the apertures and arcuate slots of successive segments on each side of said gear. 
     
     
       20. Protective gear for a jointed limb comprising a pair of spaced limb guards and a plurality of partially and successively overlapping, substantially rigid, segments extending between said limb guards, each of said segments being adapted to articulate in relation to the next adjacent segment to selectively flex and extend substantially along a longitudinal axis and to undergo limited rotation about said longitudinal axis in relation to others of said segments, said articulation between a given segment and the next adjacent segment being accomplished by means at opposed sides of each of said segments, each of said means comprising an aperture in said given segment, said aperture having an arcuate edge, and a single pivot element associated with said next adjacent segment, said pivot element extending through said aperture. 
     
     
       21. Protective gear as in claim 20 wherein said arcuate edge has a center point the tangent to which defines an angle of between 10 and 65 degrees in relation to said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       22. Protective gear as in claim 21 wherein said angle is between 40 and 50 degrees. 
     
     
       23. Protective gear as in claim 20 wherein the arc length of the arcuate edge is between 15 mm and 25 mm. 
     
     
       24. Protective gear as in claim 23 wherein said arc length is about 20 mm. 
     
     
       25. Protective gear as in claim 20 wherein said arcuate edge has a radius of curvature of between 20 and 55 mm. 
     
     
       26. Protective gear as in claim 25 wherein said radius is about 30 mm. 
     
     
       27. Protective gear as in claim 21 or 22 wherein said pivot element is a pivot pin. 
     
     
       28. Protective gear as in claim 20 wherein said protective gear is a leg and knee guard, and said limb guards are a shaped thigh guard and a shin guard. 
     
     
       29. Protective gear as in claim 24 further comprising at least one cushioning pad extending under at least two of said segments. 
     
     
       30. Protective gear as in claim 24 wherein said pivot elements are pivot pins extending through apertures in the inferior posterior portions of said segments and said apertures having an arcuate edge are formed in the superior posterior portions of said segments. 
     
     
       31. Protective gear as in claim 26 wherein said apertures and said apertures having an arcuate edge are spaced in relation to the lateral edges of said segments. 
     
     
       32. Protective gear as in claim 28 further comprising at least two straps each of said straps being secured to at least two of said segments. 
     
     
       33. Protective gear for a jointed limb comprising a pair of limb guards and a plurality of partially and successively overlapping, substantially rigid, segments extending between said limb guards, each of said segments being adapted to articulate in relation to the next adjacent segment to selectively flex and extend substantially along a longitudinal axis and to undergo limited rotation about said longitudinal axis in relation to others of said segments, said articulation between a given segment and the next adjacent segment being accomplished by means at opposed sides of each of said segments, each of said means comprising an aperture in said given segment and a single pivot element associated with said next adjacent segment, said pivot element extending through said aperture, said aperture having dimensions relative to said pivot element that allow arcuate motion of said pivot element in said aperture. 
     
     
       34. Protective gear as in claim 33 wherein said pivot element is a pivot pin. 
     
     
       35. Protective gear as in claim 33 wherein said protective gear is a leg and knee guard, said limb guards comprising a shaped thigh guard and a shaped shin guard. 
     
     
       36. Protective gear as in claim 33 further comprising at least one cushioning pad extending under at least two of said segments. 
     
     
       37. Protective gear as in claim 33 wherein said pivot elements are pivot pins extending through apertures in the inferior posterior portions of said segments and said apertures in said given segments are formed in the superior posterior portions of said segments. 
     
     
       38. Protective gear as in claim 33 wherein said apertures and said apertures in said given segments are spaced in relation to the lateral edges of said segments. 
     
     
       39. Protective gear as in claim 35 further comprising at least two straps each of said straps being secured to at least two of said segments.