Protective apparatus with a varied thickness lattice support structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9370208-B2
Application number	US-201313804758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to a protective apparatus that is comprised of an impact shell and an impact attenuating component. In particular, the impact shell is comprised of a lattice structure on the posterior side of the shell that protrudes from the shell and allows the impact attenuating structure to be offset or spaced from the posterior surface of the shell in at least a middle portion of the shell. The amount of protrusion of the lattice from the posterior surface of the shell reduces as the lattice extends from a middle portion of the shell outwardly towards a medial and/or lateral portion. The lattice structure provides improved impact attenuation characteristics and increased structural strength while reducing materials.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A protective apparatus comprising:
an impact shell having an anterior surface, an opposite posterior surface, a medial edge, an opposite lateral edge, a superior edge, and an opposite inferior edge;
the impact shell further comprising an integrally formed structural lattice protruding from the impact shell posterior surface forming a protrusion surface;
the lattice including one or more ribs, at least one of the ribs including a medial-edge portion and a middle portion, wherein the medial-edge portion is closer to the medial edge than the middle portion, the medial-edge portion having a first rib height and the middle portion having a second rib height, the first rib height being shorter than the second rib height; and
an impact attenuating structure covering at least a portion of the posterior surface of the impact shell and the protrusion surface of the lattice, such that the integrally formed structural lattice is layered between the impact attenuating structure and the impact shell, the impact attenuating structure affixed to the impact shell at least proximate the medial edge and the lateral edge.

2. The protective apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the impact shell is formed from at least one material selected from the following:
a) a polypropylene material;
b) a styrene-butadiene copolymer material; or
c) a carbon fiber-based material.

3. The protective apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lattice is comprised of at least one first linear extending from an inferior medial location to a superior lateral location of the impact shell and at least one second linear extending from an inferior lateral location to a superior medial location of the impact shell, such that the at least one first linear rib and the at least one second linear rib intersect.

4. The protective apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one first linear rib and the at least one second linear rib protrude from the posterior surface a common amount at a common location of the posterior surface.

5. The protective apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one first linear rib and the at least one second linear rib extend closer to the medial edge than the lateral edge.

6. The protective apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second rib height is taller than any other rib height of the at least one of the ribs.

7. The protective apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion surface of the lattice extends from the superior edge to the inferior edge.

8. The protective apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion surface of the lattice does not extend to the medial edge or the lateral edge of the impact shell.

9. The protective apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the impact attenuating structure is affixed to the posterior surface of the impact shell within a medial affixing portion of the posterior surface and a lateral affixing portion of the posterior surface, the medial affixing portion extending between the medial edge and a most medial protrusion of the lattice and the lateral affixing portion extending between the lateral edge and a most lateral protrusion of the lattice.

10. The protective apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lattice is visually perceptible through the anterior surface of the impact shell.

11. The protective apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the impact attenuating structure is comprised of a posterior surface and an anterior surface, the impact attenuating structure anterior surface is proximate the impact shell posterior surface and the lattice protrusion surface.

12. The protective apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the impact attenuating structure anterior surface is offset from the impact shell posterior surface by the lattice.

13. A protective apparatus comprising:
an impact shell having an anterior surface and an opposite posterior surface and a medial edge, an opposite lateral edge, a superior edge, and an opposite inferior edge, the posterior surface of the impact shell having a first curve extending outwardly in a direction of the anterior surface, the first curve extending normal to the posterior surface between the superior edge and the opposite inferior edge, the first curve extending from the medial edge to the lateral edge, the first curve having a first arc radius based on a first arc extending from the medial edge to the lateral edge;
a structural lattice integrally formed with the impact shell and protruding from the posterior surface of the impact shell, the structural lattice being comprised of a plurality of interconnected rib members protruding from the posterior surface in a direction opposite from the anterior surface, the plurality of interconnected rib members forming a protrusion surface;
the protrusion surface having a second curve extending outwardly in a direction of the impact shell anterior surface, the second curve also extending normal to the posterior surface and sharing a common centerline axis with said first curve; the second curve having a second arc radius based on a second arc, wherein the second arc radius is greater than the first arc radius; and
an impact attenuating structure positioned across at least a portion of the posterior surface of the impact shell and the protrusion surface of the lattice, such that the lattice is layered between the impact attenuating structure and the impact shell.

14. The protective apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the structural lattice protrudes a greater amount between a medial location of the structural lattice and a lateral location of the structural lattice than at the medial location or the lateral location.

15. The protective apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the impact attenuating structure is a foam-based material.

16. The protective apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the impact attenuating structure is comprised of a posterior surface and an anterior surface, the anterior surface proximate the impact shell posterior surface, the impact attenuating structure comprised of a plurality of channels.

17. The protective apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a portion of the plurality of channels on the posterior surface of the impact attenuating structure aligns with a portion of the plurality of rib members of the lattice.

18. The protective apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a medial portion of the plurality of channels indent from the impact attenuating structure posterior surface a lesser amount than a lateral portion of the plurality of channels.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Behrend Carl
• Mclachlan Oliver

Classifications

• A41D13/06 Primary

  Knee or foot {(protectors for the legs of players or sportsmen A63B71/1225)} · CPC title

• A63B2071/0063

  Shock absorbers · CPC title

• A41D13/015

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