Shin guard sleeve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10150027-B2
Application number	US-91018710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2010
Priority date	Oct 22, 2010
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to a shin guard sleeve that extends higher in a calf portion than in a shin portion of the shin guard sleeve. Additional aspects may include a shin guard sleeve having an apex located in the calf region of a wearer to provide a volume able to be filled by the calf region of the wearer. Further, aspects may include one or more maintainers affixed to the shin guard sleeve to further resist slipping of the shin guard sleeve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shin guard sleeve constructed from a flexible material, in an un-stretched state, comprising:
a shin portion and an opposite calf portion, wherein the shin portion is proximate a shin region of a wearer's leg and the calf portion is proximate a calf region of the leg when the shin guard sleeve is in an as-worn position;
a medial portion and an opposite lateral portion, wherein when in an as-worn position, the medial portion is disposed between the calf portion and the shin portion, and the lateral portion is disposed between the calf portion and the shin portion;
a top edge and an opposite bottom edge; wherein the medial portion, the shin portion, the lateral portion, and the calf portion are disposed between the top edge and the bottom edge;
a medial edge and an opposite lateral edge; wherein when in an as-worn position, the medial edge and the opposite lateral edge join to form a joining seam extending from the top edge to the bottom edge proximate the calf region;
an intermediate portion between the top edge and the bottom edge that extends from the medial edge to the lateral edge proximate a medial apex and a lateral apex;
a shin distance as measured from the top edge to the bottom edge proximate the shin portion that is less than a calf distance as measured from the top edge to the bottom edge proximate the calf portion;
a bottom edge length between the medial edge and the lateral edge proximate the bottom edge is less than an intermediate length between the medial edge and the lateral edge within the intermediate portion, wherein the bottom edge length and the intermediate length extend across the shin portion; and
a maintainer coupled proximate the top edge, wherein the maintainer comprises a material having a coefficient of friction greater than a coefficient of friction of the flexible material.

2. The sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the maintainer further comprises a first maintainer and a second maintainer.

3. The sleeve of claim 1 , further comprising a bottom maintainer coupled proximate the bottom edge, wherein the bottom maintainer comprises the material having the coefficient of friction greater than the coefficient of friction of the flexible material.

4. The sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the maintainer is a rubberized stitching material located at one or more seams of the sleeve, the rubberized stitching material having the coefficient of friction greater than the coefficient of friction of the flexible material.

5. The sleeve of claim 4 , further comprising a longitudinal maintainer located at the joining seam.

6. The sleeve of claim 1 , further comprising a maintaining member constructed from a sticky-type material affixed along a portion of an interior surface of the sleeve, the sticky-type material having the coefficient of friction greater than the coefficient of friction of the flexible material.

7. A shin-guard sleeve having an open-ended, generally tubular structure comprising:
a wall of flexible material having
a top edge;
a bottom edge generally opposing the top edge;
a first side edge connecting the top edge to the bottom edge;
a second side edge generally opposing the first edge and connecting the top edge to the bottom edge,
wherein the top edge includes a first portion positioned at a midpoint between the first side edge and the second side edge, the first portion being spaced apart from the bottom edge by a first length of flexible material,
wherein the top edge includes a second portion positioned at a junction of the top edge and the first side edge, the second portion being spaced apart from the bottom edge by a second length of flexible material, and
wherein the top edge includes a third portion positioned at a junction of the top edge and the second side edge, the third portion being spaced apart from the bottom edge by a third length of flexible material that is the same as the second length of flexible material and that is longer than the first length of flexible material; and

a seam connecting the first side edge near the second side edge and the second portion of the top edge near the third portion of the top edge to form the open-ended generally tubular structure, the seam extending from the top edge to the bottom edge and including a seam length measured from the top edge to the bottom edge, wherein the seam length includes a dimension that is at least as long as the second and third length of flexible material and that is at least as long as any other length of flexible material connecting the top edge to the bottom edge.

8. A shin-guard sleeve having an open-ended, generally tubular structure comprising:
a wall of flexible material including a bound body portion that is bound by perimeter edges, including:
a top edge;
a bottom edge generally opposing the top edge;
a first side edge connected to the top edge at a first junction and connected to the bottom edge at a second junction, the first side edge including a first side apex that is positioned between the first junction and the second junction and that curves outward, away from the bound body portion of the wall of flexible material;
a second side edge generally opposing the first edge and connected to the top edge at a third junction and connected to the bottom edge at a fourth junction, the second side edge having a second side apex that is positioned between the third junction and the fourth junction and that curves outward, away from the bound body portion of the wall of flexible material,
wherein the top edge includes a top-edge midpoint between the first side edge and the second side edge and the bottom edge includes a bottom-edge midpoint between the first side edge and the second side edge, a midline extending from the top-edge midpoint to the bottom edge midpoint and including a first length of flexible material,
wherein the top edge includes a first side portion positioned at a junction of the top edge and the first side edge, the first side portion being spaced apart from the bottom edge by a second length of flexible material,
wherein the top edge includes a second side portion positioned at a junction of the top edge and the second side edge, the second side portion being spaced apart from the bottom edge by a third length of flexible material that is a same length as the second length of flexible material and that is longer than the first length of flexible material; and

a seam connecting the first side edge near the second side edge and the first side portion of the top edge near the second side portion of the top edge to form the open-ended generally tubular structure,
wherein the seam extends from the top edge to the bottom edge and includes a seam length measured from the top edge to the bottom edge, wherein the seam length includes a dimension that is at least as long as the second and third lengths of flexible material and that is at least as long as any other length of flexible material connecting the top edge to the bottom edge, and
wherein the seam connects the first side apex near the second side apex such that an amount of flexible material between the midline and the seam is greatest at the first side apex and the second side apex.

9. The shin-guard sleeve of claim 8 , wherein the first side apex is spaced apart from the second side apex by a fourth length of flexible material, the fourth length of flexible material being the greatest distance between the first side edge and the second side edge.

10. The shin-guard sleeve of claim 9 , wherein the wall of flexible material includes a consistent amount of tension across the entire wall of flexible material.

Assignees

• Fisher Sam
• Behrend Carl
• Mclachlan Oliver
• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Fisher Sam
• Behrend Carl
• Mclachlan Oliver

Classifications

• A41D13/0543

  Legs (knee or foot A41D13/06; protectors for the legs of players or sportmen A63B71/1225) · CPC title

• A63B2071/1258

  for the shin, e.g. shin guards · CPC title

• A63B71/1225 Primary

  for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet · CPC title

• A63B2243/0025

  Football · CPC title