A chest protector for accommodating a female figure may include an upper portion sized to at least partially surround a user's bust region and having a neck opening shaped to receive a user's neck region. The chest protector may further include a lower portion sized to at least partially surround a user's abdominal region. A flexible element may connect the upper and lower portions to allow the upper portion to articulate with respect to the lower portion. The upper portion may include a breast covering section extending in an anterior direction to form a breast volume for accommodating the user's breasts or breast region. The breast volume may be formed at least in part by connecting a pair of edges positioned on opposing lateral sides of the upper portion. Optionally, the upper portion may overlap the lower portion. The chest protector may be formed from resilient foam or other materials.

A glove is provided that is superior in impact resistance and allows prevention of dislocation and detachment of an impact-resistant pad. The glove includes: a stretchable glove main body made of fiber; a coating layer comprising a synthetic resin or rubber as a principal component, being laminated to an external face of the glove main body at least in a finger portion and a palm portion; and impact-resistant pads comprising a synthetic resin as a principal component, being provided to at least a part of an external face side of the coating layer on a back hand side of the glove main body, in which the impact-resistant pad is sewn onto the glove main body. The glove main body is preferably seamless. The impact-resistant pad is preferably provided to the finger portion. An internal face of the impact-resistant pad and an external face of the coating layer are preferably smooth.

Implementation described and claimed herein include a cushioning structure and method for manufacturing a cellular cushioning system, which allows for maximum comfort through the compression and shock cycle. Specifically, a cushioning structure comprises void cells formed in an array, which comprise multiple outwardly curved surfaces, with varying radius measurements. Stiffness in the void cells can vary by varying the Radii. Outwardly curved surfaces prevent buckling and provide support for high impact by absorbing energy.

A shin guard includes a protective plate having a front face and a rear face. The rear face is contoured to fit around a shin of a wearer of the shin guard. Further, the shin guard includes a three dimensional image element carried on the front face. This image element projects an image outline through a sock worn over the shin guard.

An article of weightlifting equipment includes a weightlifting jacket having a main vest-shaped body having a front covering the torso of a user, a back connected to the front, and one or more pads that provide a cushion to provide comfort and to protect the user from injury by reducing the force on the body caused by a barbell. The pads include a front pad that is positioned on the portion of the jacket front to cover the lower torso of a user wearing the weightlifting jacket. The jacket also includes one or more adjustable straps that allow the jacket to be fitted for users of different sizes. The equipment can have other forms, such as a belt instead of a jacket for positioning the torso pad.

A method of making articles of apparel that include a base layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface. The base layer is associated with a thermoplastic polymer element, then an aperture is formed through the base layer and the thermoplastic polymer element. A cushioning elements that may have a first material layer, a second material layer, and a plurality of foam components is positioned proximate the aperture. The first material layer and the second material layer are bonded to the second surface of the base layer. The foam components are located between and secured to the first material layer and the second material layer. In addition, the foam components are positioned to correspond with a location of the aperture.

A body impact protection system includes an inner layer and an impact force dampening and defusing structure. The inner layer includes a material composition and is adjacent to a body part when the body impact protection system is worn. The impact force dampening and defusing structure is juxtaposed to the inner layer and includes a plurality of components. The components function to reduce pressure on the body part from an impact force on a layer by layer basis. Each layer of the system dampens and defuses the impact force such that, by the time it reaches the body part, it has been substantially attenuated and spread over a large area.

A shoe or apparel, including a first material layer with a first plurality of protrusions, a flexible layer with a plurality of apertures, and a second material layer. The flexible layer is positioned between the first material layer and the second material layer. Each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions of the first material layer extends through at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures of the flexible layer and is connected to the second material layer. The flexible layer is not connected to the first material layer and the second material layer, and thereby can freely move between the first material layer and the second material layer.

Energy distribution structures provide architectural flexibility in various configurations, materials, and scalability, which enables a vast number of applications. An energy distribution structure or array thereof may include a three-dimensional outer component and a three-dimensional inner component within the outer component. The outer component absorbs and redirects initial energy from an applied energy event, and the inner component absorbs and redirects residual energy from the applied energy event. Such an applied energy event may be caused by a ballistic or non-ballistic impact, an instantaneous or prolonged impact such as atmospheric pressure or decompression, explosive overpressure (shockwave), low-velocity contact, and blunt force trauma. Energy distribution structures can increase the strength, resilience or survivability of such events, and reduce the injury or damage to target objects such as people, vehicles, structures, vessels and surfaces by shielding same from such events.

Body-protector (1,1′) comprising: a wearable article (2,2′); a shock-absorbing pad (3) anchored to the wearable article (2,2′); wherein the shock-absorbing pad (3) comprises a first member (4) configured to absorb shock energy by an irreversible plastic deformation and a second member (5) configured to absorb shock energy by a reversible elastic deformation and wherein the first member (4) is embedded in the second member (5); wherein the first member (4) comprises a plurality of cells (6) interconnected each other via their sidewalls (7) to form a pliable sheet (8) configured to absorb energy through irreversible deformation of said sidewalls (7) or said interconnections in response to a compressive load applied to said sheet (8). Said wearable article (2) being a glove (2′) wherein said shock-absorbing pad (3) is anchored to a back of the glove (2′).