A back protection device for the practice of sporting activities includes a plate covering at least partially the surface of the back and in the thickness of which recesses are made intended to ensure the flexibility of the plate. The plate comprises a longitudinal ridge, the axis of which is intended to extend along the spine by delimiting, on either side, two right and left parts, each composed of an upper zone and a lower zone. The four zones are movable relative to each other, each being provided with recesses in the form of slots opening onto at least one face of the plate and being oriented with an inclination angle that is variable relative to the axis of the longitudinal ridge, so as to dissociate the flexibility of said zones.

A shoulder pad assembly has main body cushions consisting of a plurality of different types of foam material joined together to result in a hybrid pad structure constructed from slow-response foam and open-cell foam. A main body cushion is constructed from a first sheet or panel of slow-response foam disposed over the torso of the wearer, a second sheet or panel of slow-response foam disposed over the back of the wearer, joined together by a third sheet or panel of open-cell foam positioned between the first sheet and second sheet, disposed over the wearer's shoulder. Optionally, a fourth sheet or pad of slow-response foam is disposed on the third sheet, disposed over the wearer's shoulder, preferably at the location that is most likely to suffer blows during football play. Optionally, a fifth sheet or pad of open-cell foam is disposed on the first sheet, on the side of the first sheet in contact with the wearer and a sixth sheet or pad of open-cell foam is disposed on the second sheet.

A manufacturing method of protective pad for sportswear and the protective pad obtained by the manufacturing method are disclosed. The manufacturing method has the steps of: 1. making separate paddings using spongy materials; 2. choosing several paddings being made; adhering the several paddings with fabric pieces by heat press using a heat press mold and heat press formation devices, thereby forming the protective pad for sportswear. Specifically, the heat press mold contains cavities for accommodating the paddings; before heat press, laying a first fabric piece on the heat press mold, and then placing the paddings into the cavities; and after that laying a second fabric piece over the paddings; applying glues between the first fabric piece, the second fabric piece and the paddings; finally, adhering the first fabric piece, the second fabric piece and the paddings by heat press using the heat press formation devices.

A garment with compression-generating sections includes: at least one body section including a portion that is tubular when the garment is worn; and at least one compression-generating section. The body section is stretchable so as to fit a wearer's body. The compression-generating section is disposed in such a manner that, when the garment is worn, it is located above a body region where skin sagging occurs and extends in a direction along Langer's lines. The compression-generating section has lower stretchability than the body section at least in an insertion direction in order to increase compression provided by a portion of the garment where the compression-generating section is disposed.

A universal protective headgear device wraps around a user's head to cover and protect crucial areas around the entire circumference of the cranium while conforming to each user's particular anatomy, including head shape and size. Pads formed of impact absorbing polymers having full elastic memory are fitted within the headgear, between inner and outer layers of moisture absorbing material, such as neoprene or knitted fabric. Hook and loop fasteners on the opposite end portions allow for adjusted fitting to the user's head. The polymeric pads are structured and disposed to absorb and dissipate significant impact forces, thereby providing increased protection to areas around a user's entire head that are at the highest level of risk of head and brain injuries. The polymeric pads include an equally spaced arrangement of ventilation holes formed therethrough to allow perspiration to be transferred from the inner layer to the outer layer for dissipation.

A universal protective headgear device wraps around a user's head to cover and protect crucial areas around the entire circumference of the cranium while conforming to each user's particular anatomy, including head shape and size. Pads formed of impact absorbing polymers having full elastic memory are fitted within the headgear, between inner and outer layers of moisture absorbing material, such as neoprene or knitted fabric. Hook and loop fasteners on the opposite end portions allow for adjusted fitting to the user's head. The polymeric pads are structured and disposed to absorb and dissipate significant impact forces, thereby providing increased protection to areas around a user's entire head that are at the highest level of risk of head and brain injuries. The polymeric pads include an equally spaced arrangement of ventilation holes formed therethrough to allow perspiration to be transferred from the inner layer to the outer layer for dissipation.

An integrated body armor garment for providing protection to a wearer against ballistic impacts. The garment has a body portion and a ballistic resistant armor system. The body portion can have an outer shell and an underlayer, and the armor system can be embedded within the body portion between the outer shell and the underlayer. The garment can be an upper body garment with a torso portion and left and right arm sleeves and a ballistic-resistant collar, and the armor system can be an upper torso armor system with body armor panels overlapping in a reverse shingle configuration. The armor system can have a plurality of armor panels connected by a resilient cord or other elastic suspension network. The network can be adjustable, as by a cinching of the cord, to permit the body armor panels to be adjusted in relative position.

A shoulder-pad system includes various components, including an impact-plate assembly and one or more sub-layers. The shoulder-pad system may be substantially retained in an arrangement or configuration using one or more securing garments. An exemplary securing garment includes an upper-body garment that at least partially wraps over, and attaches to, the impact-plate assembly.

Techniques and mechanisms for changing a flexibility of a sheet structure. In an embodiment, a garment or other device includes sheet structure, where an interface region is disposed between overlapping layer portions of a sheet structure. While a pressure differential is maintained between the interface region and a chamber of the garment, a valve of the garment is opened to allow an exchange of fluid between the interface region and the chamber. In another embodiment, the exchange of fluid changes a flexibility of the sheet structure by initiating or alleviating friction jamming between the overlapping layer portions.

A full-body protection gear is disclosed. The protection gear includes a torso protector, an arm protector, and a lower body protector. The torso protector includes a protective vest defining a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm opening. The torso protector includes a front shield, aback shield, a first pair of side shields, a second pair of side shields, a first shoulder shield and a second shoulder shield fixedly disposed on the protective vest. The arm protector includes a first part adapted to cover an upper arm region of a user extending from a shoulder to an elbow, and a second part adapted to be removably coupled with the first part and to cover a lower arm region of the user extending from the elbow to a palm. The lower body protector includes a first part adapted to cover pelvic region and an upper leg region of a user, and a second part removably coupled with the first part in a partial overlapping manner, and adapted to cover lower leg region of the user. The lower leg region is indicative of a region extending from above a knee joint to above an ankle joint of the user.