Foam material for padding and body protection

Abstract

A protective foam material and pads are disclosed herein. The material is a rounded foam pellet having a hole through the center of the pellet. The pellets may be arranged and interconnected to form a pad. These pads may be applied to persons, animals, or other objects for protective functions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foam padding comprising a first foam pellet comprising an aperture substantially near a minor axis thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The foam padding of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture passes through the first pellet. 
     
     
         3 . The foam padding of  claim 1 , where the first pellet is of a nonuniform density. 
     
     
         4 . The foam padding of  claim 3 , where the first pellet comprises a first half characterized by a first density and a second half characterized by a second density. 
     
     
         5 . The foam padding of  claim 1 , where the foam is polyurethane. 
     
     
         6 . The foam padding of  claim 1  further comprising a second foam pellet, and a substrate connecting the first foam pellet to the second foam pellet. 
     
     
         7 . The foam padding of  claim 1  further comprising multiple other foam pellets, and multiple substrates interconnecting the first foam pellet with the other foam pellets. 
     
     
         8 . The foam padding of  claim 7 , further comprising an area between two substrates through which air can pass. 
     
     
         9 . A foam padding comprising a plurality of foam pellets, at least one of said foam pellets comprising an aperture substantially near a minor axis thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A foam padding as in  claim 9 , further comprising a first region of the at least one of said pellets having a first density, and a second region of the at least one of said pellets having a second density, wherein the first density and the second density are not the same. 
     
     
         11 . A foam padding as in  claim 10 , wherein the first region and the second region are bonded together. 
     
     
         12 . A foam padding as in  claim 11 , wherein the aperture passes through the at least one of said foam pellets. 
     
     
         13 . The foam padding of  claim 6  further comprising a substrate connecting the at least one of said foam pellets to at least one other foam pellet. 
     
     
         14 . The foam padding of  claim 13  wherein foam pellets are arranged in a linear array. 
     
     
         15 . The foam padding of  claim 13 , wherein foam pellets are arranged as a sheet, with substrates interconnecting at least some of the plurality of foam pellets. 
     
     
         16 . The foam padding of  claim 15 , comprising an area between at least two foam pellets, said area having at least one location that is free of substrate through which air can pass. 
     
     
         17 . The foam padding of  claim 6 , further comprising a first textile layer. 
     
     
         18 . The foam padding of  claim 17 , further comprising a second textile layer disposed at least partially on an opposite side of the at least one pellet from the first textile layer. 
     
     
         19 . The foam padding of  claim 14 , wherein the first textile layer is in the form of a shirt. 
     
     
         20 . The foam padding of  claim 19 , wherein the first textile layer comprises a torso portion and a sleeve portion. 
     
     
         21 . A protective foam pad comprising:
 a. a first textile layer adapted to enclose a protected area; and   b. a plurality of foam pellets arranged in an array and disposed along the first textile layer, where at least one pellet has an aperture through the pellet substantially near the minor axis.   
     
     
         22 . The protective foam pad of  claim 21  where the first textile layer is a compression fabric. 
     
     
         23 . The protective foam pad of  claim 21  further comprising a second textile layer on a side of the foam pad opposite the first textile layer. 
     
     
         24 . The protective foam pad of  claim 23  where the second textile layer is a compression fabric. 
     
     
         25 . The protective foam pad of  claim 24 , where the foam pad comprises two sections, and the first textile layer and second textile layer are sewn together between the two sections. 
     
     
         26 . The protective foam pad of  claim 21 , where the plurality of foam pellets are connected to one another into a foam unit. 
     
     
         27 . The protective foam pad of  claim 26 , where multiple foam units are attached to the first textile layer, such that a first foam unit is maintained in special relationship to a second foam unit without being directly affixed to the second foam unit. 
     
     
         28 . Pads for use in athletic competitions comprising:
 a. a first textile layer adapted to receive an upper body of a wearer;   b. a second textile layer sewn to the first textile layer to form a plurality of enclosed pockets; and   c. a plurality of foam arrays arranged in the plurality of enclosed pockets, each foam array comprising a plurality of foam pellets having an aperture substantially near a minor axis thereof, and a substrate connecting the plurality of foam pellets.   
     
     
         29 . The pads of  claim 28 , where the first textile layer is a compression fabric. 
     
     
         30 . The pads of  claim 28 , where the enclosed pockets are separated by an area free of pockets. 
     
     
         31 . The pads of  claim 28 , further comprising a yoke in the form of an arch adapted to fit over a shoulder of the wearer. 
     
     
         32 . The pads of  claim 31 , wherein the yoke comprises recycled carbon fiber. 
     
     
         33 . The pads of  claim 31 , wherein the yoke is removable. 
     
     
         34 . The pads of  claim 31 , where the yoke further comprises a front section in the approximate shape of a “J.”. 
     
     
         35 . The pads of  claim 31 , wherein the yoke further comprises a back section in the approximate shape of an “O.”. 
     
     
         36 . The pads of  claim 31 , further comprising an epaulet attached to the yoke in a position to extend over a shoulder of the wearer when worn. 
     
     
         37 . Shoulder pads for use in athletic competitions comprising:
 a. a padding rig comprising
 i. an inner textile layer; 
 ii. an outer textile layer; and 
 iii. a plurality of foam pellets sandwiched between the inner textile layer and outer textile layer, said pellets comprising an aperture substantially near a minor axis thereof, 
    where the foam pellets are arranged about the padding rig.   
     
     
         38 . The shoulder pads of  claim 37 , wherein the inner textile layer and outer textile layer are sewn together to form a plurality of seams subdividing the padding rig into a plurality of sections containing at least one foam pellet. 
     
     
         39 . The shoulder pads of  claim 37 , wherein multiple foam pellets in a section are connected by a substrate. 
     
     
         40 . The shoulder pads of  claim 37 , where a foam pellet comprises a first region having a first density and a second region having a second density, wherein the first density and the second density are not the same. 
     
     
         41 . The shoulder pads of  claim 40 , where the foam pellet further comprises a first half having the first density. 
     
     
         42 . The shoulder pads of  claim 37 , wherein at least one of the inner textile layer and the outer textile layer comprises a compression fabric.