Body Protection

Abstract

This invention relates to a structure for absorption and/or dissipation of mechanical shocks comprising: connectors forming an aerated base with a base surface; protuberances, each of the protuberances comprising a central axis along which it extends from the aerated base, the central axis being normal to the base surface, two adjacent protuberances being connected to each other by a connector. It also relates to a body protector at least partly made using the structure and protective clothing comprising at least one such protector.

1 . Structure for absorption and/or dissipation of mechanical shocks comprising:
 connectors forming an aerated base with a base surface;   protuberances, each of the protuberances comprising a central axis along which it extends from the aerated base, the central axis being normal to the base surface, two adjacent protuberances being connected to each other by a connector.   
     
     
         2 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio between the height of the protuberances and the thickness of the aerated base is 6 to 17. 
     
     
         3 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein breathability of the structure is 10 to 70%. 
     
     
         4 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the Shore A hardness of the structure is 5 to 90. 
     
     
         5 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio between the equivalent outside diameter of the protuberances measured at the base surface and the distance between the central axes of two adjacent protuberances is 0.65 to 1.5. 
     
     
         6 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the protuberances are all on the same side of the aerated base. 
     
     
         7 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each protuberance has an external wall which has a circular symmetry about the central axis or can be superposed on its image by a 360°/n rotation about the central axis, where n is an integer greater than 1. 
     
     
         8 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the equivalent outside diameter of the protuberances is constant from the aerated base or decreases linearly from the aerated base with an angle of more than 0° and equal or less than 30°. 
     
     
         9 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the protuberances has a through or blind orifice therein, and which extends along the central axis and defines an internal wall of the protuberance. 
     
     
         10 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the internal wall has a circular symmetry about the central axis or can be superposed on its image by a 360°/n rotation about the central axis, where n is an integer greater than 1. 
     
     
         11 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the equivalent inside diameter of the protuberances:
 is constant from the aerated base or   decreases linearly from the aerated base with an angle of more than 0° and equal or less than 30°, or   increases linearly from the aerated base with an angle of more than 0° and equal or less than 30°.   
     
     
         12 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the structure is made of a viscoelastic material. 
     
     
         13 . Structure according to  claim 12 , wherein the majority constituent of the viscoelastic material is a polymer. 
     
     
         14 . Body protector made at least partially from the structure according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . Body protector according to  claim 14  achieving at least performance level 1 in standard EN1621-1: 2013 or in standard EN1621-2: 2014. 
     
     
         16 . Protective clothing comprising at least one protector according to  claim 14 . 
     
     
         17 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the protuberances are on each side of the aerated base. 
     
     
         18 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each protuberance has an external wall which can be superposed on its image by a 60°/n rotation about the central axis. 
     
     
         19 . Structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each protuberance has an internal wall which can be superposed on its image by a 60°/n rotation about the central axis. 
     
     
         20 . Structure according to  claim 12  wherein the majority constituent of the viscoelastic material is chosen from the group consisting of: polynorbornene, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer, chlorobutyl rubber and mixtures thereof.