Impact absorbing pad for garment, and garment including same

Abstract

A garment includes an impact absorbing pad having a layer of foam material with a body-facing surface, an outer surface that is opposite the body-facing surface, and a set of voids that extend through the layer in a multiple locations. The voids have a repeating pattern of shapes. Each shape includes three void arms having equal lengths that extend from a central vertex point. The impact absorbing pad may also include a second layer overlapping the first layer. The density of the first and second layer may be the same or may be different. The second layer may also have a set of voids overlapping the first set of voids. A covering covers the outer surface of the impact absorbing pad. The impact absorbing pad has a Shore durometer value of about 25 to about 50.

1 . An impact absorbing pad comprising:
 a first layer that:
 has a body-facing surface, and an outer surface that is opposite the body-facing surface, 
 comprises a foam material, and 
 includes a plurality of voids that extend through the layer in a plurality of positions; and 
   a covering that:
 covers the outer surface of the first layer, and 
 extends beyond and forms a frame around at least a portion of the outer surface of the first layer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 1 , wherein the voids comprise a pattern of shapes, each shape comprising three void arms having equal lengths and that extend from a central vertex point. 
     
     
         3 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each void comprises a distal end, and   each distal end of each void is equidistant from the distal end of its closest adjacent void.   
     
     
         4 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each void arm comprises a distal end, and   the distance between the vertex of each void arm is equidistant from the vertex of each adjacent void.   
     
     
         5 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 1 , wherein the covering is attached to the outer surface of the first layer. 
     
     
         6 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 1 , wherein the voids exhibit equal widths. 
     
     
         7 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 1 , further comprising a second layer that:
 has a body-facing surface, and an outer surface that is opposite the body-facing surface;   comprises a foam material; and   includes a plurality of voids that extend through the layer in a plurality of positions, wherein:
 the foam material of the first layer has a first density, 
 the second layer has a foam material having a second density, and 
 the first density is different than the second density. 
   
     
     
         8 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer exhibits a Shore durometer value that is from about 25 to about 50. 
     
     
         9 . A garment comprising the impact absorbing pad of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . An impact absorbing pad comprising:
 a first layer that:
 has a body-facing surface, and an outer surface that is opposite the body-facing surface, 
 comprises a first foam of a first density, and 
 includes a plurality of voids that extend through the first layer in a plurality of positions; 
   a second layer that:
 has a body-facing surface that is adjacent to the outer surface of the first layer, 
 has an outer surface that is opposite the body-facing surface of the second layer, 
 comprises a second foam of a second density that is different than the first density, and 
 includes a plurality of voids that extend through the second layer in a plurality of positions; and 
   a covering that:
 covers the outer surface of the second layer, and 
 extends beyond and forms a frame around at least a portion of the outer surface of the second layer; 
   wherein:
 the first foam has a Shore durometer value of about 20 to about 30, and 
 the second foam has a Shore durometer value of about 35 to about 45. 
   
     
     
         11 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 10 , wherein the voids of the first layer and the voids of the second layer comprise a pattern of shapes, each shape comprising three void arms that extend from a central vertex point. 
     
     
         12 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 10 , wherein:
 each void comprises a distal end, and   each distal end of each void is equidistant from the distal end of its closest adjacent void in the layer in which the void is positioned.   
     
     
         13 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 10 , wherein:
 each void comprises a vertex, and   the vertex of each void in each layer is equidistant from the vertex of each adjacent void in the layer in which the void is positioned.   
     
     
         14 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 10 , wherein the positions of voids of the first layer correspond to the positions of the voids of the second layer. 
     
     
         15 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the voids of the first layer exhibit a first size, and   the voids of the second layer exhibit a second size that is larger than the first size so that portions of the outer surface of the first layer are visible through the voids of the second layer.   
     
     
         16 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the voids of the first layer exhibit a first size, and   the voids of the second layer exhibit a second size that is smaller than the first size.   
     
     
         17 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 10 , wherein the outer surface of the first layer is attached to the body-facing surface of the second layer. 
     
     
         18 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 17 , further comprising an adhesive that attaches the outer surface of the first layer to the body-facing surface of the second layer. 
     
     
         19 . A garment comprising the impact absorbing pad of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 1 , wherein the voids comprise voids formed by die cutting. 
     
     
         24 . The impact absorbing pad of  claim 10 , wherein the voids comprise voids formed by die cutting.