Leg pad for a hockey player
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a leg pad for a hockey player. The leg pad extends along a longitudinal axis and comprises an upper portion, a lower portion and a band. The upper portion has a knee cap for covering a knee joint of the player. The lower portion has an upper shell for covering a substantial part of a shin of the hockey player and a lower shell for at least partially covering the shin and ankle of the hockey player. The band extends along part of a periphery of the upper shell and part of a periphery of the lower shell. The band interconnects the upper shell and the lower shell to one another wherein the lower shell is movable relative to the upper shell between a first position and a second position in response to flexion of the ankle.
1. A hockey leg pad for a hockey player, the hockey leg pad comprising:
(a) an upper portion including a knee cap configured to overlie and protect a knee joint of the hockey player; and
(b) a lower portion including a rigid upper shell configured to overlie and protect an upper part of a shin of the hockey player and a rigid lower shell configured to overlie and protect a lower part of the shin of the hockey player proximate to an ankle of the hockey player, the lower shell being smaller than the upper shell;
wherein the upper shell and the lower shell are connected to one another such that the lower shell is movable relative to the upper shell between an extended position and a flexed position in response to flexion of the ankle of the hockey player while skating; wherein the upper shell and the lower shell overlap both in the extended position and in the flexed position; wherein a bottom edge of the lower shell is configured to overlie the lower part of the shin of the hockey player or the ankle of the hockey player in both the extended position and the flexed position; and wherein the overlap of the upper and lower shells when the lower shell is in the flexed position is greater than the overlap of the upper and lower shells when the lower shell is in the extended position.
2. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 1 , the hockey leg pad extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein, when the lower shell is in the extended position, the overlap of the upper and lower shells is between 2 mm and 12 mm when measured along the longitudinal axis.
3. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 1 , the hockey leg pad extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein, when the lower shell is in the flexed position, the overlap of the upper and lower shells is between 5 mm and 20 mm when measured along the longitudinal axis.
4. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 1 , wherein the lower shell defines an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the hockey leg pad when the lower shell is in the flexed position.
5. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 4 , wherein the angle relative to the longitudinal axis is up to 15°.
6. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 1 , the hockey leg pad extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising a band extending along part of a periphery of the upper shell and part of a periphery of the lower shell, the band interconnecting the upper shell and the lower shell to one another.
7. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 6 , wherein the upper shell has an outer side opposed to an inner side and a peripheral edge between the outer and inner sides, the lower shell has an outer side opposed to an inner side and a peripheral edge between the outer and inner sides, and wherein the band overlies the inner side, outer side and peripheral edge of the upper shell and overlies the inner side, outer side and peripheral edge of the lower shell.
8. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 7 , wherein the peripheral edge of the upper shell has a bottom edge and left and right side edges and the peripheral edge of the lower shell has top and bottom edges and left and right side edges, wherein the band covers the left and right side edges of the upper and lower shells and wherein the bottom edge of the upper shell and the top edge of the lower shell are free of the band.
9. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 8 , wherein the band further covers the bottom edge of the lower shell.
10. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 6 , wherein the band is a strip of woven stretchable fabric.
11. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 6 , wherein the band is a braiding.
12. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 8 , wherein the band is a braiding that has a width large enough for covering the left and right side edges of the upper and lower shells and the bottom edge of the lower shell.
13. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 12 , wherein a stitch line affixes the braiding to at least one of the inner and outer sides of either of the upper and lower shells.
14. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 6 , wherein the band biases the lower shell towards the extended position.
15. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 7 , wherein the leg pad also comprises a strap connecting the inner side of the upper shell to the inner side of the lower shell.
16. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 15 , wherein the upper shell has a bottom edge and the lower shell has a top edge and wherein the strap restricts the top edge of the lower shell from moving over the bottom edge of the upper shell.
17. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 16 , wherein, in use, the strap ensures that the lower shell remains generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the leg pad when pressure is applied to the lower shell for moving the lower shell inwardly.
18. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 1 , the hockey leg pad extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the lower shell is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis when in the extended position.
19. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 1 , wherein the lower portion is configured so as to bias the lower shell towards the extended position.
20. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 1 , comprising a liner disposed behind the upper and lower shells, wherein the lower shell is movable relative to the liner.
21. A leg pad as defined in claim 20 , wherein the liner is made of foam, polyethylene, low density polyethylene or foam covered by layers of woven synthetic yarn.
22. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 1 , comprising a link affixed to the upper shell and the lower shell and configured such that the lower shell is movable relative to the upper shell between the extended position and the flexed position.
23. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 22 , wherein a material of the link is different from a material of the upper shell and a material of the lower shell.
24. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 23 , wherein the material of the link is fabric.
25. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 22 , wherein the link comprises a band extending along part of a periphery of the upper shell and part of a periphery of the lower shell.
26. A hockey leg pad for a hockey player, the hockey leg pad comprising:
(a) an upper portion including a knee cap configured to overlie and protect a knee joint of the hockey player; and
(b) a lower portion including a rigid upper shell configured to overlie and protect an upper part of a shin of the hockey player and a rigid lower shell configured to overlie and protect a lower part of the shin of the hockey player proximate to an ankle of the hockey player, the lower shell being smaller than the upper shell;
wherein the upper shell and the lower shell are separate from one another and connected to one another such that the lower shell is movable relative to the upper shell between an extended position and a flexed position in response to flexion of the ankle of the hockey player while skating; wherein the lower shell is configured to surround at least part of a lower region of the shin proximate to the ankle; wherein the upper shell and the lower shell are configured to avoid a gap therebetween in both the extended position and the flexed position; wherein, both in the extended position and in the flexed position, the upper shell and the lower shell overlap; and wherein the overlap of the upper shell and the lower shell when the lower shell is in the flexed position is greater than the overlap of the upper shell and the lower shell when the lower shell is in the extended position.
27. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 26 , wherein a bottom of the lower shell is configured to overlie the lower part of the shin of the hockey player or the ankle of the hockey player in both the extended position and the flexed position.
28. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 26 , comprising a liner disposed behind the upper shell and the lower shell.
29. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 28 , wherein the liner comprises foam.
30. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 28 , wherein the liner comprises fabric.
31. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 26 , comprising a link affixed to the upper shell and the lower shell and configured such that the lower shell is movable relative to the upper shell between the extended position and the flexed position.
32. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 31 , wherein a material of the link is different from a material of the upper shell and a material of the lower shell.
33. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 32 , wherein the material of the link is fabric.
34. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 31 , wherein the link comprises a band extending along part of a periphery of the upper shell and part of a periphery of the lower shell.
35. A hockey leg pad as defined in claim 28 , wherein the lower shell is movable relative to the liner.