초록

An energy absorbing pad having a pouch that contains tubes that may be filled with flexible materials is described. The energy absorbing pad is worn as a part of an athletic wear garment so that it protects the wearer from injury due to impacts in contact sports.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An energy-absorbing pad, comprising: a pouch suitable for use with a garment, having a front side, a back side, a first side, a second side, a top side and a bottom side; anddisposed in said pouch at least one continuous fillable tube formed to be in a serpentine shape or a spiral shape, and wher

1. An energy-absorbing pad, comprising: a pouch suitable for use with a garment, having a front side, a back side, a first side, a second side, a top side and a bottom side; anddisposed in said pouch at least one continuous fillable tube formed to be in a serpentine shape or a spiral shape, and wherein, if in said serpentine shape, said tube is in a compact serpentine shape comprising: a first straight section being adjacent to a second straight section and joined to it by a contiguous U-shaped section at an upper end of said first and second straight sections;said second straight section being adjacent to a third straight section and joined to it by a contiguous U-shaped section at lower end of said second and third straight sections; andsaid third straight section being adjacent to a fourth straight section and joined to it by a contiguous U-shaped section at an upper end of said third and fourth straight sections;and if in said spiral shape, said tube is in an Archimedean spiral shape having at least three complete turnings. 2. The article of claim 1 wherein the continuous fillable tube is removable from the pouch. 3. The article of claim 1 wherein the continuous fillable tube contains a gas, liquid, fluid, gel or solid, or mixtures thereof. 4. The article of claim 1 wherein the continuous fillable tube is filled to a pressure, and said pressure is controlled using a valve. 5. The article of claim 1, wherein the continuous fillable tube is conformed into a serpentine, linear or spiral shape by the pouch. 6. The article of claim 1, wherein the continuous fillable tube is conformed into a serpentine, linear or spiral shape by a conformer device. 7. The article of claim 1, wherein the continuous fillable tube is made of a resilient deformable material. 8. The article of claim 1, wherein the continuous fillable tube is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material. 9. The article of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the continuous fillable tube is between 0.0004 and ten centimeters. 10. The article of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the continuous fillable tube is between 0.04 and 2 centimeters. 11. The article of claim 1, wherein the pouch is made of a resilient deformable material. 12. The article of claim 1, wherein the pouch is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material. 13. The article of claim 1, wherein the pouch is made of plastic or foam. 14. The article of claim 1, wherein the energy absorbing pad is disposed in a garment. 15. The article of claim 14, wherein the garment is a protective sports garment. 16. The article of claim 15, wherein the energy absorbing pad is permanently disposed in said garment. 17. The article of claim 15, wherein the garment has a pocket and the energy absorbing pad is removably disposed in the pocket. 18. An energy absorbing pad, comprising: A pouch having a front side, a back side, a first side, a second side, a top side and a bottom side; and disposed in said pouch a plurality of continuous fillable tubes formed to be in a serpentine shape or a spiral shape, and wherein, if in said serpentine shape, said tube is in a compact serpentine shape comprising : a first straight section being adjacent to a second straight section and joined to it by a contiguous U-shaped section at an upper end of said first and second straight sections; said second straight section being adjacent to a third straight section and joined to it by a contiguous U-shaped section at lower end of said second and third straight sections; andsaid third straight section being adjacent to a fourth straight section and joined to it by a contiguous U-shaped section at an upper end of said third and fourth straight sections;and if in said spiral shape, said tube is in an Archimedean spiral shape having at least three complete turnings. 19. The article of claim 18, wherein the pouch has a plurality of tube pockets to house the plurality of continuous fillable tubes.