A protective article of clothing for weight training including bottoms adapted to be worn on a lower portion of an athlete. The bottoms have a front and a rear surface, a waist opening, and left and right leg portions, each with a foot opening. At least one impact-resistant flexible pad is integrally attached to the bottoms and is sized and positioned to substantially cover a zone of likely contact, including the athlete's shins, knees, thighs, hips, hip creases, shoulders, and upper back. The flexible pad dampens impact forces applied to the zones of likely contact.

A welding helmet includes a helmet shell contoured to substantially cover a user's face, and a neck guard removably attachable to a bottom portion of the helmet shell. The neck guard has a predetermined contour, aligning with a portion of the helmet shell contour, and is configured to cover at least a portion of a user's neck when the welding helmet is fitted to the head of the user. The neck guard is removably attachable to the helmet shell by a mechanical fastening arrangement, which can include a plurality of fasteners.

The present disclosure relates to a protective garment, impact absorbing pads for use in a protective garment and methods of producing a protective garment. Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a protective garment comprising at least two impact absorbing pads, the at least two impact absorbing pads being arranged laterally across the garment with a lateral space between the at least two pads.

A spike resistant package containing a pouch, a first grouping of spike resistant textile layers, and a slip layer. Each of the textile layers within the first grouping of textile layers contains a plurality of interwoven yarns or fibers having a tenacity of about 5 or more grams per denier. At least a portion of the spike resistant textile layers comprise about 10 wt. % or less, based on the total weight of the spike resistant textile layer, of a coating comprising a plurality of particles having a diameter of about 20 m or less on at least one of the surfaces of the spike resistant textile layer. The slip layer has a stiffness of less than about 0.01 N-m and a static coefficient of friction (COF) between the slip layer and the second side of the first grouping of less than about 0.40. The pouch encapsulates the grouping of textile layers and slip layer. An article containing the package is also described.

A spike resistant package containing a pouch, a first grouping of spike resistant textile layers, and a slip layer. Each of the textile layers within the first grouping of textile layers contains a plurality of interwoven yarns or fibers having a tenacity of about 14 or more grams per denier. The slip layer has a thickness of less than about 0.1 mm, a stiffness of less than about 0.01 N-m, and a static coefficient of friction (COF) between the slip layer and the second side of the first grouping of less than about 0.40. The pouch essentially fully encapsulates the grouping of spike resistant textile layers and the slip layer and the slip layer and the inner surface of the pouch are in direct and intimate contact. An article containing the package is also described.

An energy absorbing member that may be coupled to a chest protector like those worn by baseball or softball catchers and/or umpires is provided. The energy absorbing member may be releasably attachable with, or permanently sewn or riveted into, an upper central region of the chest protector. The energy absorbing member includes a backing plate having low elasticity that abuts the chest protector. The energy absorbing member further includes a front plate attached to the backing plate that preferably projects outwardly from the backing plate to form a hollow interior portion between the plates. The front plate is preferably an arcuate, convex plate that is able to distribute energy and deflects a batted or pitched ball so that absorbing member may absorb and distribute energy from the ball along the chest.

Load carriage systems are described including one or more of a first chest panel, a first back panel, and a self-adjusting cummerbund connecting the first chest panel and the first back panel. The self-adjusting cummerbund may include a tensioning mechanism configured to allow the cummerbund to extend and retract, and may be configured to provide varying resistive force. The tensioning mechanism may include one or more of a sliding portion, a continuous patterned length of material that is folded over itself, and an elastic member that is attached to the sliding member and the length of material. Body armor plates may be held between outer and inner chest panels and/or between outer and inner back panels. A strip of webbing may be used to secure the body armor plate between the outer and inner panels.

Load carriage systems are described including one or more of a first chest panel, a first back panel, and a self-adjusting cummerbund connecting the first chest panel and the first back panel. The self-adjusting cummerbund may include a tensioning mechanism configured to allow the cummerbund to extend and retract, and may be configured to provide varying resistive force. The tensioning mechanism may include one or more of a sliding portion, a continuous patterned length of material that is folded over itself, and an elastic member that is attached to the sliding member and the length of material. Body armor plates may be held between outer and inner chest panels and/or between outer and inner back panels. A strip of webbing may be used to secure the body armor plate between the outer and inner panels.

A smart garment and a control method of a smart garment are provided. The smart garment includes a control module, a flexible sensor, and a flexible display. The flexible sensor and the flexible display are both electrically connected with the control module. When the flexible sensor detects a touch signal, the control module controls the flexible display to indicate a touch location corresponding to the touch signal.

The present disclosure seeks to reduce the effects of rotational and linear acceleration experienced by the body of a user in response to an impact force. Modular disengaging systems of the present disclosure are generally suitable for coupling to protective equipment to provide a disengaging motion between various layers such that the effects of the impact force to the body of the user are reduced. Generally described, the modular disengaging systems of the present disclosure include layers configured to facilitate relative lateral motion therebetween upon an impact force.