A flexible energy absorbing system comprising a material coated, impregnated and/or combined with a strain rate sensitive substance is disclosed. It is formed so as to define repeating adjacent cells, each cell having a re-entrant geometry such that, upon impact, the material locally densifies at the impact site.

Disclosed is a panel that is produced by assembling a plurality of adjacent individual absorption blocks; each block in the panel is in the shape of a polyhedral pyramid frustum, of which the base is a regular six-sided polygon; each individual block including six lateral walls surrounded by a lower peripheral lip of which each section is provided with a complementary tenon or a mortise arranged so as to allow two adjacent individual blocks to be assembled, in particular by engagement, in the vertical direction, of a tenon and a mortise belonging respectively to one and the other of the two adjacent individual blocks.

A back protector is described, having a body with energy-absorbing function extending along a longitudinal direction (L) and having a portion able to provide the body with energy-absorbing function with a freedom of movement according to at least six degrees of freedom; and/or allow return into an original position following cessation of all the following stresses: stretching along the longitudinal direction, a compression, in the opposite direction to the stretching, along the longitudinal direction, a torsion in both directions of rotation about an axis passing through the body with energy-absorbing function, the axis being parallel to the longitudinal direction, a bending towards right-hand and left-hand sides of the body with energy-absorbing function about an axis orthogonal to a plane supporting the body with energy-absorbing function and orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (L), and/or a combination of the stresses.

Aspects herein relate to apparel items and apparel systems that utilize applied or printed foam nodes to provide, among other things, stand-off between an apparel item and a wearer's skin surface. One or more of the foam nodes, or areas of the textile surrounding the foam nodes, may be perforated to provide a fluid communication path between an inner-facing surface and an outer-facing surface of the apparel item. The communication path may be used to facilitate air exchange between the external environment and the wearer's body and/or to provide an exit path for moisture vapor generated by the wearer.

A compliant shin guard includes an outer shell composed of an impact absorbing material and an inner padding mounted to the inner surface of the outer shell. A plurality of vents extend through the outer shell and the inner padding, the plurality of vents being distributed across the outer surface of the outer shell. A raised channel extends at least partially along the length of the outer shell to provide rigidity to the outer shell.

A helmetless support and ventilation system for use with surgical hoods and gowns, including a surgical gown, a surgical hood operatively connected to the surgical gown, wherein the hood is located over a head and neck area of a wearer such that the head and neck area of the wearer are substantially enclosed within the hood, a ventilation system located within the surgical gown and the surgical hood for providing ventilation air within the surgical gown and the surgical hood, wherein the ventilation system is retained by shoulders of the wearer of the ventilation system in order to provide ventilation air within the surgical gown and surgical hood, and an operating parameter measurement assembly operatively connected to the ventilation system, wherein the operating parameter measurement assembly is located within the surgical hood.

Aspects herein relate to apparel items and apparel systems that utilize applied or printed foam nodes to provide, among other things, stand-off between an apparel item and a wearer's skin surface. One or more of the foam nodes, or areas of the textile surrounding the foam nodes, may be perforated to provide a fluid communication path between an inner-facing surface and an outer-facing surface of the apparel item. The communication path may be used to facilitate air exchange between the external environment and the wearer's body and/or to provide an exit path for moisture vapor generated by the wearer.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to spacers configured to be selectively and releasably coupled to at least one attachment region on a garment. In an illustrative example, each spacer may be provided with successive concentric walls and corresponding channels. The spacer may, for example, be provided with intersecting concentric and lateral channels. An (under)garment may be provided with at least one attachment region configured to releasably couple to the spacer. Various embodiments may advantageously provide tangential and/or radial fluid communication between a wearer's body and an outer garment disposed over the spacers.

A compliant shin guard includes an outer shell composed of an impact absorbing material and an inner padding mounted to the inner surface of the outer shell. A plurality of vents extend through the outer shell and the inner padding, the plurality of vents being distributed across the outer surface of the outer shell. A raised channel extends at least partially along the length of the outer shell to provide rigidity to the outer shell.

Different safety gear for the head, face, and body are disclosed with an outer shell made of a flexible antiballistics material or aramid fiber based fabric, an inflatable chamber adjacent to or integrated into the outer shell, a valve coupled to the inflatable chamber, and energy absorbing structures. The inflatable chamber extends across the outer shell and provides a first layer protecting the wearer from impact energy. The inflatable chamber has an internal cavity that expands in response to injection of air or liquid through the valve. The energy absorbing structures provide a second layer supplementing the first layer of the inflatable chamber protecting the wearer from the impact energy. The energy absorbing structures are compressible bars, tubes, rods, or ribs or rubber or high-density polyurethane foam extending against the inflatable chamber and compressing in response to the impact energy transferring from the outer shell or the inflatable chamber.