Shoulder pads

Abstract

Protective athletic shoulder pads for a wearer, such as a hockey or lacrosse player. The shoulder pads may comprise a base with protective padding for protecting shoulders of the wearer, a rib protector for protecting ribs of the wearer, and an attachment mechanism configured to allow the rib protector to be removably connected to the base. Alternatively or additionally, the attachment mechanism may allow attachment of the rib protector to the base in one of a plurality of pre-determined positions. A protective athletic system comprising the shoulder pads and an undergarment is also provided.

1 . Protective athletic shoulder pads for a wearer, said shoulder pads comprising:
 a base with protective padding for protecting shoulders of the wearer;   a rib protector for protecting ribs of the wearer; and   an attachment mechanism configured to allow the rib protector to be removably connected to the base.   
     
     
         2 . The shoulder pads of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a front member for protecting a sternum of the wearer and a back member for protecting part of a back of the wearer. 
     
     
         3 . The shoulder pads of  claim 2 , wherein the rib protector comprises left and right chest protectors for protecting ribs on respective left and right sides of a chest of the wearer. 
     
     
         4 . The shoulder pads of  claim 3 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a first attachment element and a second attachment element configured to allow the left and right chest protectors to be removably connectable to first and second sides of the front member, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The shoulder pads of  claim 4 , wherein the first attachment element comprises a first part on the left chest protector and a second part on the first side of the front member, the first and second parts of the first attachment element being attachable to and detachable from one another. 
     
     
         6 . The shoulder pads of  claim 5 , wherein the second attachment element comprises a first part on the right chest protector and a second part on the second side of the front member, the first and second parts of the second attachment element being attachable to and detachable from one another. 
     
     
         7 . The shoulder pads of  claim 6 , wherein one of the first part and the second part of the first attachment element is a button and the other of the first part and the second part of the first attachment element is a slit through which the button passes. 
     
     
         8 . The shoulder pads of  claim 7 , wherein when the button is elastically retained to the left chest protector. 
     
     
         9 . The shoulder pads of  claim 3 , wherein the rib protector further comprises left and right back protectors for protecting ribs on respective left and right sides of a back of the wearer. 
     
     
         10 . The shoulder pads of  claim 9 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a first attachment element and a second attachment element configured to allow the left and right back protectors to be removably connected to first and second sides of the back member, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The shoulder pads of  claim 10 , wherein the first attachment element comprises a first part on the left back protector and a second part on the first side of the back member, the first and second parts of the first attachment element being attachable to and detachable from one another. 
     
     
         12 . The shoulder pads of  claim 11 , wherein the second attachment element comprises a first part on the right back protector and a second part on the second side of the back member, the first and second parts of the second attachment element being attachable to and detachable from one another. 
     
     
         13 . The shoulder pads of  claim 12 , wherein one of the first part and the second part of the first attachment element is a button and the other of the first part and the second part of the first attachment element is a slit through which the button passes. 
     
     
         14 . The shoulder pads of  claim 13 , wherein when the button is elastically retained to the left back protector. 
     
     
         15 . The shoulder pads of  claim 9 , wherein the left chest protector and the left back protector are interchangeable and wherein the right chest protector and the right back protector are interchangeable. 
     
     
         16 . The shoulder pads of  claim 3 , wherein the left and right chest protectors are padded with padding. 
     
     
         17 . The shoulder pads of  claim 16 , wherein the padding comprises foam. 
     
     
         18 . The shoulder pads of  claim 16 , wherein the left and right chest protectors are perforated. 
     
     
         19 . The shoulder pads of  claim 9 , wherein the left and right back protectors are padded with padding. 
     
     
         20 . The shoulder pads of  claim 19 , wherein the padding comprises foam. 
     
     
         21 . The shoulder pads of  claim 9 , wherein the left and right back protectors are perforated. 
     
     
         22 . The shoulder pads of  claim 3 , wherein the left chest protector extends to a back of the wearer and includes padding for protecting a left side of the back of the wearer, and wherein the right chest protector extends to the back of the wearer and includes padding for protecting a right side of the back of the wearer. 
     
     
         23 . The shoulder pads of  claim 2 , wherein the front member and the back member are connected together by at least one adjustable arch. 
     
     
         24 . The shoulder pads of  claim 23 , wherein the adjustable arch is affixed to one of the front member and the back member and is detachable from the other one of the front member and the back member. 
     
     
         25 . The shoulder pads of  claim 24 , wherein the adjustable arch comprises a fastener and wherein the other of the front member and the back member comprises a complementary fastener. 
     
     
         26 . The shoulder pads of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one adjustable strap attached to the front member and the back member and configured to surround a torso of the wearer. 
     
     
         27 . The shoulder pads of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one rib strap connecting the left back protector to the right back protector. 
     
     
         28 . The shoulder pads of  claim 27 , wherein the rib strap connects the left back protector to the right back protector irrespective of whether the left and right back protectors are attached to the back member of the base. 
     
     
         29 . The shoulder pads of  claim 1 , further comprising a left arm protector and a right arm protector. 
     
     
         30 . The shoulder pads of  claim 2 , further comprising a left shoulder protector and a right shoulder protector, the left and right shoulder protectors being connected to at least one of the front member and the back member of the base. 
     
     
         31 . The shoulder pads of  claim 2 , further comprising a left shoulder protector and a right shoulder protector, the left and right shoulder protectors being detachably connected to at least one of the front member and the back member of the base. 
     
     
         32 . The shoulder pads of  claim 2 , further comprising a left arm protector and a right arm protector, the left and right arm protectors being connected to at least one of the front member and the back member of the base. 
     
     
         33 . The shoulder pads of  claim 2 , further comprising a left arm protector and a right arm protector, the left and right arm protectors being detachably connected to at least one of the front member and the back member of the base. 
     
     
         34 . The shoulder pads of  claim 3 , further comprising a left arm protector and a right arm protector, the left arm protector being connected to the left chest protector and the right arm protector being connected to the right chest protector. 
     
     
         35 . The shoulder pads of  claim 2 , wherein the front member is a front yoke and wherein the back member is a back yoke. 
     
     
         36 . Protective athletic shoulder pads for a wearer, said shoulder pads comprising:
 a base with protective padding for protecting shoulders of the wearer;   a rib protector for protecting ribs of the wearer; and   an attachment mechanism for attaching the rib protector to the base and configured to allow a position of the rib protector to be adjusted.   
     
     
         37 . Protective athletic shoulder pads for a wearer, said shoulder pads comprising:
 a base with protective padding for protecting shoulders of the wearer;   a rib protector for protecting ribs of the wearer; and   an attachment mechanism that allows attachment of the rib protector to the base in one of a plurality of pre-determined positions.   
     
     
         38 . Protective athletic shoulder pads comprising a protective base and at least one strap configured for adjusting a fit of the protective base around a rib cage of a wearer, the strap guided by at least one retaining element that is disposed on a protective element that is detachable from the protective base. 
     
     
         39 . A protective athletic system comprising:
 shoulder pads comprising protective padding for protecting shoulders of a wearer; and   an undergarment comprising protective padding;   
       wherein the protective padding of the undergarment complements the protective padding of the shoulder pads, at least some of the protective padding of the shoulder pads being located on a protector that is detachable from the system. 
     
     
         40 . The protective athletic system of  claim 39 , wherein the protective athletic system comprises an attachment mechanism for providing a connection of the undergarment to the shoulder pads. 
     
     
         41 . The protective athletic system of  claim 40 , wherein said connection is a detachable connection.