Core for protective leg gear

Abstract

A core for a protective leg gear includes a rear pad and a front pad. The rear pad is integrally molded in a single mold from a semi-rigid lightweight material, and has a leg portion and a foot portion integrally connected to each other at an angle with respect to one another to define a rear surface of the rear pad. The rear surface includes an elongated groove configured to at least partially receive a lower part of the leg. The front pad is connected to at least part of a front surface of the rear pad. The upper portion of the front pad extends beyond the leg portion to cover the knee. The front pad is more flexible than the rear pad, such as to allow at least limited rearward folding of the upper portion of the front pad.

1 . A core for protective leg gear protecting a leg, ankle and foot of a wearer, the core comprising: 
 a rear pad integrally molded in a single mold from a semi-rigid lightweight material, the rear pad having a leg portion and a foot portion integrally connected to each other at an angle with respect to one another to define a rear surface of the rear pad, the rear surface having an elongated groove defined therein configured to at least partially receive a lower part of the leg below a knee thereof, the ankle and at least part of the foot; and    a front pad connected to at least part of a front surface of the rear pad, an upper portion of the front pad extending beyond the leg portion to cover the knee, the front pad being more flexible than the rear pad such as to allow at least limited rearward folding of the upper portion of the front pad.    
   
   
       2 . The core according to  claim 1 , wherein the semi-rigid lightweight material is a closed cell foam.