Customizable knee pads and process of forming the same

Abstract

A customizable knee pad includes a foam main body having an anterior surface A and a posterior surface molded to the shape of the knee. The anterior surface is formed with an array of spaced recesses covering the knee to be protected. Each recess defines a negative incremental area and, cumulatively, define an area A.sub.r. The effective area A.sub.eff of the anterior surface is equal to A.sub.eff=AA.sub.r. A fabric sheet covers the posterior surface. A gel pad is provided within the main body in close proximity to the fabric sheet. The main body of the knee pad is injection molded with the gel pad and fabric sheet in place to bond the fabric sheet and gel pad to the molded main body to be effectively integrated therewith. Changing the recesses' shape and spacing alters the flexibility of the knee pad and renders it harder or softer.

Claims

1. An insert for a knee pad comprising a main body formed of a compressible material, such as foam, having an anterior or exterior surface and a posterior or interior surface moldable to the shape of a user's knee; a fabric layer extending along and conforming to said interior surface; and a gel pad positioned between said interior and exterior surfaces and positioned to be juxtaposed with a kneecap of the user when the knee pad is worn by the user, said main body being injection molded to bond to said fabric layer and fully encapsulate said gel pad within said compressible material, whereby a layer of compressible material is formed between said gel pad and said fabric layer.

2. An insert for a knee pad as defined in claim 1, wherein said compressible material is foam.

3. An insert for a knee pad as defined in claim 1, wherein said compressible material is formed on said exterior surface with an array of recesses configured to provide a knee pad of a desired softness.

4. An insert for a knee pad as defined in claim 1, wherein said main body has lateral sides, and ears on said lateral sides for attachment of a knee pad strap.

5. A method of producing an insert for a knee pad comprising the steps of positioning and maintaining a gel pad inside a mold; arranging a fabric sheet in close proximity to but spaced from said gel pad; forming the knee pad insert by injection molding to form an anterior or exterior surface and a posterior or interior surface that can be molded to the shape of a user's knee and to fully encapsulate said gel pad to provide a layer of compressible material between said gel pad and said fabric layer.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said main body is formed by injection of a foam material.

7. An insert for a knee pad comprising a main body formed of a compressible material, such as foam, having an anterior or exterior surface and a posterior or interior surface molded to the shape of the knee; a fabric layer forms or defines the posterior surface; and a gel pad provided in close proximity to and spaced from said fabric layer, said main body being injection molded to fully encapsulate said gel pad and fabric layer in the mold to bond said fabric sheet and gel pad to said main body.

8. A method of producing a knee pad comprising the steps of positioning and maintaining a gel pad inside a mold at a predetermined height approximately equal to a thickness of the knee pad at the point where the knee pad contacts a user's knee cap; securing a fabric sheet to have at least a portion of said fabric sheet in close proximity to and spaced from said gel pad; forming the knee pad by injection molding to form an anterior or exterior surface and a posterior or interior surface, said fabric sheet forming and defining the posterior surface, said main body being injection molded to fully encapsulate said gel pad and fabric layer to bond said fabric sheet and gel pad to said main body.

9. An insert for a knee pad as defined in claim 1, wherein said anterior surface is formed with an array of spaced recesses over a predetermined region.

10. An insert for a knee pad as defined in claim 1, wherein said gel pad is spaced from said interior surface and said fabric layer a distance smaller than a distance of said gel pad from said exterior surface.

11. An insert for a knee pad as defined in claim 10, wherein said main body of said insert has a maximum thickness T between said interior and exterior surfaces and said gel pad is spaced a distance t from said interior surface and T/t13.

12. An insert for a knee pad as defined in claim 10, wherein said gel pad has a thickness t.sub.g and said main body of said insert has a maximum thickness T and T/t.sub.g3.7.

13. An insert for a knee pad as defined in claim 10, wherein said gel pad is spaced from said interior surface a distance t and is spaced a distance t from said exterior surface and t/t8.5.

14. An insert for a knee pad as defined in claim 10, wherein said gel pad has thickness t.sub.g and is spaced from said interior surface a distance t and t.sub.g/t3.5.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a knee pad in accordance with the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the knee pad shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the knee pad shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 1 which shows a modified array of recesses having different sizes and spacings from the ones shown in FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a mold used to form the knee pad shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

(7) FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 showing the posterior or inside sheet of fabric supported at the ends of the mold and a gel pad or insert supported in close proximity behind the fabric sheet; and

(8) FIG. 7 is similar to FIGS. 5 and 6 and show the knee pad after the foam material has been injected to contact and/or encapsulate the gel insert and fabric sheet thereby bonding the knee pad with the fabric sheet and gel insert.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) Referring now specifically to the Figures, in which the identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout, and first referring to FIG. 1, a knee pad in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference 10.

(10) In its final molded form the main body 40 of the knee pad 10 defines an outer or anterior surface 12 that has a top end 14, a bottom end 16 and lateral ends 18. The anterior or outer surface 12 defines a region that covers and protects the knee. However, while the anterior surface 12 is shown to extend between bottom and top extensions 20, 22 the effective anterior surface can be modified to render it more centralized over the knee cap short of the extensions 20, 22.

(11) The anterior or outer surface 12 is formed with an array of recesses 24 two the effective area of the anterior or outer surface. Thus, if the overall area of the anterior or outer surface 12 is A and the cumulative area represented by the array of recesses 24 is A.sub.r than the effective surface area A.sub.eff is A.sub.eff=AA.sub.r. It is clear that the effective surface area A.sub.eff decreases as the cumulative area A.sub.r of the recesses 24 increases.

(12) Referring to FIG. 4, an alternate array of recesses is shown in which the size of the recesses 24 is smaller than those shown in FIG. 1 and the spacing between the recesses within the array is also smaller. Using the array of FIG. 4 would result in a stiffer knee pad. It will be clear, therefore, that selecting the size and shapes of the recesses as well as their spacing within the array can produce a knee pad for normal use, a softer knee pad or a harder one using the same or similar foam material depending on the application or use to which the knee pad is intended. It may also be possible to use the same mold only modified with an insert to reflect the size, shape and spacing of the recesses within the array.

(13) The specific cross-sectional shape of the recesses 24 is not critical and recesses in the shapes of circles, squares, hexagons triangles, etc. can be used. The cumulative area of the recesses 24 can modified by changing not only the shapes and sizes of the recesses but the spacing of the recesses in the array.

(14) The knee pad can also be formed without the recesses 24. The knee pad would still benefit from the unitary or integrated bonding of the gel insert 32 and fabric sheet 36 to the injected foam main body 40 that would resist separation of the gel insert and/or fabric sheet from the main body with extended use.

(15) The lateral sides 18 extend to each side of the kneepad and provide lateral protection to the knee as well as provides rigidity to the main body of the resulting knee pad. The top and bottom extensions 20, 22 also help to rigidify the structure and these are not within the protective region of the knee pad that can be adjusted or modified in terms of hardness and softness. The lateral sides 18 also include ears 26 used to attach a strap for securing the knee pad to the leg of the user. Any conventional straps, including elastic straps, can be used.

(16) Referring to FIGS. 5-7, the process of making the knee pad in accordance with the invention is illustrated. The mold 28 includes an internal surface 28a that conforms to the outer or anterior surface 12. In the top of 28 and to each side of the internal surface 28a are support or bearing surfaces 20b. The mold has an inlet channel 34 for injecting foam material to form the knee pad 10.

(17) In FIG. 6, a gel pad 32 is supported above the surface 28a by a support member 34. A fabric sheet will layer 36 extends across the surface 20a and supported by the support or bearing surfaces 20b. The fabric layer 36 is conformed to the desired shape to generally correspond to the shape and size of the knee to be protected. The support member 34 is selected to position the gel pad 32 in close proximity to the fabric sheet.

(18) Referring to FIG. 7, the foam 38 is shown injected through the channel or passageway 32 fill the entire volume between the mold surface 28 a and the fabric sheet 36 thereby fully encapsulating the gel pad 32 and contacting the inner surface of the fabric sheet 36. As the foam 38 sets and bonds to both the gel insert or pad 32 as well as to the fabric sheet 36. Such bond is very strong and resists separation of the fabric sheet 36 from the main body 40, in most cases being stronger than a bond between the fabric sheet 36 and an applied adhesive. Also, because of the strong bond between the main body and the gel pad or insert 32 this ensures that the gel pad does not shift initially or with extended use. This is different from most knee pads that employ a gel insert placed within a surface recess after the main body 40 has been molded, a common complaint with existing knee pads.

(19) The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention is not limited to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.