Core assembly for an athletic protective pad

1. A core assembly for an athletic protective pad comprising:

a backing member including a plurality of backing pieces assembled together; and

a deflection shield overlaid on the backing member and located using cooperating interlocking members provided on the deflection shield and at least one of the backing pieces, the interlocking members comprising tenons and corresponding holes in which the tenons are received, at least some of the backing pieces also being interconnected with cooperating interlocking members.

2. The core assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the tenons are provided on a forward facing surface of the backing member and the holes are provided in the deflection shield.

3. The core assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the tenons and corresponding holes are dimensioned to provide a frictional engagement between the deflection shield and the backing member.

4. The core assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the deflection shield comprises a plurality of shield sections.

5. A core assembly for an athletic protective pad, comprising a backing member including a plurality of backing pieces assembled together, and a deflection shield overlaid on the backing member and located using cooperating interlocking members provided on the deflection shield and at least one of the backing pieces, the backing pieces including a lower piece, an upper piece and two lateral pieces, the lower piece and the two lateral pieces also being provided with cooperating interlocking members.

6. The core assembly as defined in claim 5 , wherein the two lateral pieces each comprise at least one flex hole for facilitating flexure of the backing member near a knee region of a wearer.

7. The core assembly as defined in claim 6 , wherein each of the two lateral pieces further comprise a flex plug inserted into the at least one flex hole.

8. The core assembly as defined in claim 5 , wherein the lower piece of the backing member comprises a groove for facilitating flexure of the backing member near an ankle region of a wearer.

9. A core assembly for an athletic protective leg pad comprising:

a backing member having a forward facing surface and a plurality of tenons disposed on the forward facing surface, the backing member including at least one flex hole for facilitating flexure of the backing member; and

a deflection shield overlaid on the backing member and located using cooperating holes provided in the deflection shield for receiving the tenons of the backing member.

10. The core assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the tenons and corresponding holes are dimensioned to provide a frictional engagement between the deflection shield and the backing member.

11. The core assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the backing member further comprises a flex plug inserted within the at least one flex hole, the flex plug comprising a same material as the backing member.

12. A core assembly for an athletic protective leg pad comprising:

a backing member having a forward facing surface and a plurality of tenons disposed on the forward facing surface; and

a deflection shield overlaid on the backing member and located using cooperating holes provided in the deflection shield for receiving the tenons of the backing member

wherein the backing member comprises a lower piece, an upper piece and two lateral pieces assembled together.

13. The core assembly as defined in claim 12 , wherein the two lateral pieces are frictionally engaged to the lower piece.

14. The core assembly as defined in claim 12 , wherein the lower piece, the upper piece and the two lateral pieces are made from the same material.

15. A method of assembling a protective hockey goaltender leg pad comprising the steps of:

a) assembling a plurality of backing pieces to form a backing member;

b) overlaying and interlocking a deflection shield on the backing member to form a core assembly; and

c) inserting the core assembly into an outer envelope.

16. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the overlaying and locating step b) further comprises frictionally engaging the deflection shield to the backing member.

17. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the assembling step a) further comprises frictionally engaging at least two of the backing pieces together.

18. The core assembly as defined in claim 5 , wherein the upper piece is configured to cover the thigh and knee of a wearer, and the lower piece is configured to cover the shin, ankle and part of a skate boot of the wearer.

19. The core assembly as defined in claim 7 , wherein each lateral piece is made of a different material than that of the flex plug inserted into the at least one flex hole.

20. The core assembly as defined in claim 7 , wherein each lateral piece is made of a same material than that of the flex plug inserted into the at least one flex hole.

21. The core assembly as defined in claim 7 , wherein the lower piece, upper piece, lateral pieces and flex plugs are made of expanded polyethylene (EPE) foam or expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam.

22. The core assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the backing member further comprises a flex plug inserted within the at least one flex hole, the flex plug comprising a different material than that of the backing member.

23. The core assembly as defined in claim 6 , wherein the deflection shield includes a discontinuity in substantial alignment with each flex hole to facilitate flexure of the core assembly.

24. The core assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the deflection shield includes a discontinuity in substantial alignment with each flex hole to facilitate flexure of the core assembly.

25. The method as defined in claim 15 , wherein steps a) and b) are performed without the use of adhesive.