Modular impact protection system for athletic wear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10021922-B2
Application number	US-201414321290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2014
Priority date	Jul 1, 2013
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A modular protective structure may be formed from an impact absorbing material formed into a repeating pattern of one or more geometrical shapes that may be assembled to a size, shape, and/or configuration desired to protect an athlete from impact. The thickness of the structure may vary in a repetitive fashion along at least a first axis of the structure, and may further vary in a repetitive fashion along a second axis of the structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An impact absorption system comprising:
a base panel having a first surface opposite a second surface, and a minimum thickness extending between the first surface and the second surface;
a plurality of first walls coupled to the first surface and extending distally away from the first surface, each first wall of the plurality of first walls including a first distal edge and a first wall height measured from the second surface to the first distal edge;
the plurality of first walls forming a plurality of repeating shapes, the plurality of repeating shapes being positioned across the base panel and being spaced apart by an interstitial space, each repeating shape of the plurality of repeating shapes including a set of first walls that form a perimeter around a wall-bound space;
a plurality of second walls coupled to the first surface and extending distally away from the first surface, each second wall of the plurality of second walls including a second distal edge and a second wall height measured from the second surface to the second distal edge, each second wall height of the plurality of second walls being less than the first wall height of the plurality of first walls, each second wall intersecting with at least one other second wall in the interstitial space;
a plurality of third walls coupled to the first surface and extending distally away from the first surface, each third wall of the plurality of third walls including a third distal edge and a third wall height measured from the second surface to the third distal edge, each third wall height of the plurality of third walls being less than the first wall height of the plurality of first walls, each third wall intersecting with at least one other third wall in the wall-bound space; and
each of the plurality of first walls includes a first end and a second end between which said first wall extends, and wherein each first wall first end is directly joined to an adjacent first wall second end.

2. The impact absorption system of claim 1 , wherein the first wall height is constant across the base panel.

3. The impact absorption system of claim 1 , wherein the second wall height varies across the base panel.

4. The impact absorption system of claim 1 , wherein the third wall height varies across the base panel.

5. The impact absorption system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of third walls intersects with at least one of the plurality of first walls.

6. The impact absorption system of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of second walls intersects with at least one of the plurality of first walls.

7. The impact absorption system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of repeating shapes formed by the plurality of first walls comprise triangles.

8. The impact absorption system of claim 1 , wherein the interstitial space includes at least one aperture formed through the base panel.

9. The impact absorption system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one aperture formed through the base panel comprises three apertures separated by three second walls.

10. The impact absorption system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second walls form a repeated pattern across the base panel, the repeated pattern comprises at least two intersecting second walls.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Brandt Baron C

Classifications

• A41D13/0156

  having projecting patterns · CPC title

• A41D13/015 Primary

  with shock-absorbing means (A41D13/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A41D13/0153 Primary

  having hinged or separable parts · CPC title