Body Protection

Abstract

A body protection assembly is disclosed for protecting a human body from injury due to an impact. An internal planar structure (102) defines the shape of the apparatus and an outer layer of a flexible sheet material (105) has a shape defined by the internal planar structure. The internal planar structure is constructed from a plurality of cells such that, in response to an impact, the cells at the position of an impact region deform to absorb kinetic energy. Furthermore, the outer layer of flexible sheet material extends the size of the impact region so as to increase the number of cells that absorb this kinetic energy.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of fabricating a body protection apparatus for absorbing the energy of an impact, comprising the steps of:
 constructing an internal planar structure from a plurality of open cells configured to deform under load; and   arranging an outer layer of a flexible material to overlie a surface of said internal planar structure; wherein   the outer layer of flexible material is held in place relative to the internal planar structure such that the outer layer of flexible material increases the area of energy absorption under impact.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of attaching the outer layer of flexible material to the internal planar structure to hold the layers in place. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said constructing step further comprises the steps of:
 extruding tubes with an inner circumference of a first material and an outer circumference of a second material, said second material having a lower melting point than said inner material;   cutting predetermined lengths of said extruded tubes;   arranging said predetermined lengths into said planar structure; and   applying heat to melt a portion of said outer circumferences without melting respective inner circumferences.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said tubes have an outer diameter between two millimetre (2 mm) and nine millimetre (9 mm). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said tubes have a thickness of less than seven hundred and fifty micro metre (0.75 mm). 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of forming holes in said flexible material.