Ballistic and athletic personal protective equipment utilizing rigid panel(s) featuring designs for improved cooling employing “stack effect” airflow in combination with optimized wearer contact surface geometry. Improved ballistic and athletic personal protective equipment designs contain rigid panel(s) for protection of wearer from impacts, ballistic threats and the like. The equipment is provided with spacers arranged to provide a stack effect powered airflow between rigid panel(s) and wearer, cooling the same. The spacers are further designed, dimensioned and arranged to provide optimal heat transfer and mass transfer efficiency from wearer to cooling air within the protective equipment system, providing optimal cooling effects. The system is simple, light, and inexpensive, providing improved wearer comfort and safety from hyperthermia for optimal performance at elevated temperatures.

A pad for a garment includes a one piece structure comprising interconnected elements made from a compressible material. The elements are arranged such that, when the pad is in a non-deformed state, each element is spaced apart from adjacent elements by a void. The elements are interconnected such that, when the pad is deformed, a zigzag arrangement of at least three elements is formed and/or a void enclosed by at least two adjacent elements expands.

A protective clothing device having an article of clothing having an inner layer and/or an outer layer is disclosed. The protective clothing device may have thin force absorbing members coupled to the inner layer or outer layer of the article of clothing. The force absorbing members can have overlapping or interlaced portions for enhanced protection even when the protective clothing device expands. In one embodiment, the protective clothing device may be a protective hat. In another embodiment, the protective clothing device may be a headband.

A wearable airbag device (100) comprising at least one inflatable bag (10) including a first side (12) and a second side (14) defining a gas inflatable volume (V) therebetween. The at least one inflatable bag (10) comprises a plurality of airflow passages (40) defined between said first side (12) and second side (14).

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.

A protective clothing device having an article of clothing having an inner layer and/or an outer layer is disclosed. The protective clothing device may have thin force absorbing members coupled to the inner layer or outer layer of the article of clothing. The force absorbing members can have overlapping or interlaced portions for enhanced protection even when the protective clothing device expands. In one embodiment, the protective clothing device may be a protective hat. In another embodiment, the protective clothing device may be a headband.

A protective clothing device having an article of clothing having an inner layer and/or an outer layer is disclosed. The protective clothing device may have thin force absorbing members coupled to the inner layer or outer layer of the article of clothing. The force absorbing members can have overlapping or interlaced portions for enhanced protection even when the protective clothing device expands. In one embodiment, the protective clothing device may be a protective hat. In another embodiment, the protective clothing device may be a headband.

A protective structure for protective garments and equipment is disclosed having a flat curved plate like object which includes a mesh structure having a multitude of holes. The holes in the mesh structure or parts of the holes in the mesh structure have rim structures extending towards a user of the protective structure when the protective structure is in use. Between the rim structures are channels. The channels improve air circulation beneath the protective structure and the rim structures enhances the impact spreading and elasticity of the protective structure. A continuous border frame surrounds the mesh structure. The protective structure has a first surface and a second surface, and the second surface is oriented towards the user when the protective structure is in use.

A protective clothing device having an article of clothing having an inner layer and/or an outer layer is disclosed. The protective clothing device may have thin force absorbing members coupled to the inner layer or outer layer of the article of clothing. The force absorbing members can have overlapping or interlaced portions for enhanced protection even when the protective clothing device expands. In one embodiment, the protective clothing device may be a protective hat. In another embodiment, the protective clothing device may be a headband.

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.