초록 ▼

An energy-absorbing pad structure includes an energy-absorbing pad that is encapsulated by a polymeric film. The polymeric film is sufficiently air-permeable to permit air to escape during rapid compression of the pad structure, such as from a high-speed dynamic impact, but nonetheless is water resi

An energy-absorbing pad structure includes an energy-absorbing pad that is encapsulated by a polymeric film. The polymeric film is sufficiently air-permeable to permit air to escape during rapid compression of the pad structure, such as from a high-speed dynamic impact, but nonetheless is water resistant under ordinary conditions. It is desirable that the polymeric film is made from an elastic polymer. The air-permeability can be provided from a series of perforations such that the film's elastic quality tends to contract the perforations thereby impeding the progress of water through them under normal conditions. The energy-absorbing pad can be a semi-rigid viscoelastic foam.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An energy-absorbing pad structure comprising an energy-absorbing viscoelastic foam pad and a waterproof polymeric film encapsulating said foam pad, and a textile covering encapsulating said polymeric film, said polymeric film containing perforations that inhibit or prevent liq

What is claimed is: 1. An energy-absorbing pad structure comprising an energy-absorbing viscoelastic foam pad and a waterproof polymeric film encapsulating said foam pad, and a textile covering encapsulating said polymeric film, said polymeric film containing perforations that inhibit or prevent liquid water from passing through said polymeric film into said foam pad in the absence of a pressure gradient across the film, but permit air to pass through said polymeric film out of said foam pad when the pad structure is subject to a compression event and to pass through said polymeric film into said foam pad following said compression event, said foam pad having a pre-compression shape before the compression event, whereby the foam pad can recover to the pre-compression shape following the compression event, said polymeric film being made from an elastic polymer, wherein the polymer's elasticity contracts the perforations in the polymeric film to resist water penetration through said film.