One size fits all adjustable zip wrap / knee brace contractor knee pads

Abstract

A contractor knee pad designed for long-term comfort when working kneeling on the ground or on the floor. The kneeling work pads of the invention have a hard inner core and a comfortable outer sheath which protects the contractors knee from the inner core, a wide elastic webbing may be stretched across the back of the wearer's leg from one side of the kneeling work pads to the other. In order to provide uniform tension, a zipper is employed, the zipper of the wide elastic webbing closes downward, that is, the opposite to the most common direction. Optional strips attach to strip anchors actually on the front of the contractors kneeling word pads, which are simple studs so that the strips may be put over the stud to be held in place and no part of the attachment reaches to the back of the device.

Claims

1. Contractor knee pads for wearing on the knees of a contractor for comfort while working and kneeling with the knee joint's front side on the ground or floor supporting the contractor and the knee joint's rear side free, the contractor knee pads each comprising: front and back sides; a hard inner protective body dimensioned and configured to conform to the shape of such kneeling human knee joint's front side; an outer sheath of comfort padding enclosing a back side of the inner protective body; the hard inner protective body and outer sheath forming a work pad having left and right edges; one edge of the left and right edges having a first half of a first zipper attached thereto on a leg protection flange, the first half of the first zipper being attached on a front side of the leg protection flange, the other edge of the left and right edges having an elastic webbing attached thereto; the elastic webbing dimensioned and configured to conform to the shape of such kneeling human knee joint's rear side, the elastic webbing having a top edge and a bottom edge, the top edge having a top width and the bottom edge having a bottom width; the top width being greater than the bottom width; the elastic webbing having a distal edge having a second half of the first zipper attached thereto; the elastic webbing having a first location intermediate to the distal edge and the work pad, the first location having a first half of a second zipper attached thereto, the elastic webbing having a second location also intermediate to the distal edge and the work pad, the second location spaced apart from the first location, the second location having a second half of the second zipper attached thereto, the first and second halves of the second zipper non-parallel on the elastic webbing and diverging more at the top edge of the elastic webbing than at the bottom edge of the elastic webbing such that the second halves of the first zipper and the second zipper extend further distally at the top edge of the elastic webbing than at the bottom edge of the elastic webbing in an unzipped configuration and with respect to the work pad; whereby, when each contractor knee pad is placed on such front side of such knee joint, the elastic webbing is configured to be stretched across such rear side of such knee joint, and the two halves of the first zipper is configured to be zipped together, comfortably securing the kneeling work pads in place; and further whereby, when the second zipper is zipped closed, the width of the elastic webbing is reduced more at the top edge than at the bottom edge.

2. The contractor knee pads of claim 1, the first and second zippers further comprising: respective first and second sliders oriented such that the first and second sliders separate the two halves of the respective first and second zippers when the respective slider is moved upward and zips together the two halves of the respective first and second zippers when the respective slider is moved downward, whereby: when the zippers are zipped together, the sliders rest at a bottom end of the zipper.

3. The contractor knee pads of claim 2, further comprising: a logo visible on the front of the contractor knee pads, the logo comprising one member selected from the group including plastic, rubber, gel and combinations thereof.

4. The contractor knee pads of claim 2, the outer sheath of comfort padding comprising: one member selected from the group including plastic, rubber, gel and combinations thereof.

5. The contractor knee pads of claim 2, the outer sheath of comfort padding comprising: padded fabric.

6. The contractor knee pads of claim 2, the hard inner protective body comprising: one member selected from the group including plastic, rubber, gel and combinations thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a front view diagram of a first embodiment of the invention showing the invention unzipped with the side support strips and elastic webbing both spread out sideways from the contractor knee pad.

(2) FIG. 2 is a rear view diagram of the first embodiment of the invention showing the invention unzipped with the support strips and elastic webbing spread out to the sides away from the main body.

(3) FIG. 3 is a rear view diagram of the first embodiment of the invention showing the invention zipped down with the elastic webbing stretched across the rear, as it would be in the position of being worn, but with no contractor leg depicted.

(4) FIG. 4 is a rear view diagram of a second embodiment of the invention showing the invention zipped down with the elastic webbing, and with optional straps as well in use, stretched across the rear, as it would be in the position of being worn, but with no contractor leg depicted.

(5) FIG. 5 is a front view diagram of the second embodiment of the invention showing the invention unzipped with the side support straps and elastic webbing both spread out sideways from the contractor knee pad, and with the optional straps attached to the anchor studs on the front of the kneeling work pad and also spread out to the sides.

(6) FIG. 6 is a front view diagram of a third embodiment of the invention, a retrofit kit with the elastic webbing for attachment to a kneeling work pad.

(7) FIG. 7 is a rear view diagram of a third embodiment of the invention, a retrofit kit with the elastic webbing for attachment to a kneeling work pad.

(8) FIG. 8 is an oblique rear and side view diagram (a diagonal angle) of the invention worn on a contractor's knee in the position of use: the knee is bent for kneeling on the ground (though this is not easily seen except from a straight side view).

(9) FIG. 9 is a left side view of the invention with the single visible support elastic stretched out to the side.

(10) FIG. 10 is a right side view of the invention with the single visible support webbing stretched out to the side.

(11) FIG. 11 is a top view of the invention.

(12) FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the invention.

(13) FIG. 13 is a rear view diagram of a fourth embodiment of the invention, a retrofit kit with the elastic webbing for attachment to a kneeling work pad but with a trapezoidal shape which is wider at the top than the bottom.

(14) FIG. 14 is a front view diagram of the presently preferred fifth embodiment of the invention showing the invention unzipped with the elastic webbing spread out to the sides away from the main body, which is wider at the top than at the bottom. In this view the second zipper is also unzipped open to expand the leg size.

(15) FIG. 15 is a front view diagram of the fifth embodiment of the invention showing the invention unzipped with the elastic webbing spread out to the sides away from the main body, which is wider at the top than at the bottom, but with the second zipper closed to decrease the leg size.

INDEX TO REFERENCE NUMERALS

(16) Contractor knee pad 100 Inner knee protector 102 Outer padding 104 Logo 106 Straight edges 108a, 108b Edge length 110 Outer padding width 111 Leg protection flange 112 Second support strip 114 Third support strip 116 Elastic webbing 118 First zipper half 120 Second zipper half 122 Slider 124 Stud 126 Stud 127 Sheath 128 Strap 130 Strap 132 Buckle 134 Buckle 136 Hole 138 Rear/side of knee 200 Elastic webbing, wider at top 318 First zipper half 320 Second zipper half 322 Slider 324 Secondary zipper for size adjustment, first half 340 Secondary zipper for size adjustment, second half 342 Secondary zipper for size adjustment, slider 344 Curved edges 408 Leg protection flange 412 Elastic webbing, wider at top 418 First zipper half 420 Second zipper half 422 Slider 424 Secondary zipper for size adjustment, first half 440 Secondary zipper for size adjustment, second half 442 Secondary zipper for size adjustment, slider 444

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Glossary

(17) A kneeling human knee having a front side on the ground or floor and a rear side elevated free has a common shape: the terms used in the claims are not intended to define anything other than the normal shape of a knee during kneeling. No claim is made to the parts of the human knee, only to devices shaped for the comfort of the kneeling knee shape. The claims herein use the term such to avoid laying any legal claim to the knee itself.

(18) Elastic, as used in the attached claims, means that the webbing has the ability to stretch considerably from its resting shape.

(19) Zipper as used herein means two rows of rounded teeth with a slider thereon which attaches the two halves of the zipper together when moved one direction and separates them when moved the other direction. The zipper may or may not have the tape part of the zipper, which function may instead be taken over by the support strips of the present invention.

End Glossary

(20) FIG. 1 is a front view diagram of a first embodiment of the invention showing the invention unzipped with the side support strips and elastic webbing both spread out sideways from the contractor knee pad.

(21) Contractor knee pad 100 has a body with curved top and bottom edges. The hard inner knee protector 102 may be a hard polymer material, or it may be a more comfortable material such as a polymer gel type of material. Outer padding/sheath 104 may be a more resilient material such as tough fabric, padding, polymer gel, leather, and so on. The outer padding 104 may extend around the edges of the hard inner knee protector 102 to become the sheath 128 on the back side of the kneeling work pad 100.

(22) Logo 106 (left blank in the diagram) may be screen printed onto the outer padding 104, or may be polymer gel, plastic or the like. The logo 106 may be the maker, or a licensee, a paid advertiser, the identity of a different product promoter and so on.

(23) Straight edges 108a, 108b are important to the elastic webbing 118 of the invention. As noted previously, if the edges of the knee pads are not straight, the webbing 118 immediately develops transverse waves, long bumps from side to side, which then act in a manner similar to straps anyway: pressing against the leg and the back of the knees of the contractor. Thus it is necessary to provide a knee pad having straight edges 108a, 108b to which the elastic webbing may be secured by means of a support strip running vertically up the edge of the webbing.

(24) Edge length 110 may advantageously be approximately 7 inches, though this is not required, and the outer padding width 111 may in preferred embodiments be 1.25 inches, although again this is not required. A wider range of length from 6 to 10 inches and width from to 2 inches may also suffice.

(25) Leg protection flange 112 and second support strip 114 do not extend across the back of the knee of the wearer, instead they run vertically up the length of the side edges 108a and 108b. (The leg protection flange 112 acts much like a first support strip, though in fact it is for protecting a contractor's leg from the chafing of the zipper and zipper pull.) The third support strip 116 extends along the distal edge of the elastic webbing 118. These support strips are made of a strong fabric which may itself be somewhat elastic.

(26) Second support strip 114 is stitched to the edge 108a on a first edge, and is attached to the elastic webbing 118 on a second edge.

(27) Leg protection flange 112 however is stitched to the edge 108b on a first edge. First zipper half 120 is attached to the leg protection flange 112, for example by stitching or bonding. It is important for the comfort of the contractor that the first zipper half 120 is not actually attached at a second edge of the leg protection flange 112, but is in a median part, set back from the edges. It is also important that it is attached to the front side of the leg protection flange 112 (as shown in FIG. 1), not to the back side. By this means the zipper is kept away from the trousers or skin of the contractor, preventing it from catching skin or hair, and preventing it from chafing the skin during long work sessions.

(28) Second zipper half 122 however is attached to the edge of the third support strip 116, so that when the long elastic webbing is wrapped about the rear of the knee and pulling on slider 124 allows it to be zipped down (attached to) first zipper half 120, the two zipper halves are then both kept away from the skin and trousers of the contractor. In this manner the zipper also remains exposed and accessible from the outside so that slider 124 can be easily grasped and zipped upward to detach the two zipper halves.

(29) As noted previously the most common arrangement (coats, dresses, vests, athletic clothing, etc) is to have zippers which open by being pulled down, while the invention's zipper opens when pulled upward. This has various benefits, for example, the zipper is more easily found by feel if it is further down the leg, and gravity helps hold the zipper closed.

(30) The preferred zipper of the invention is fairly coarse, with large teeth rather than small ones, to help resist the jamming effect of dirt, grout, dust, mud and so on.

(31) Stud 126 and stud 127 are the anchors for the entirely optional straps, as discussed further in reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

(32) FIG. 2 is a rear view diagram of the first embodiment of the invention showing the invention unzipped with the support strips and elastic webbing spread out to the sides away from the main body. Leg protection flange 112 has the plain back side: the zipper half on the front side is held away from the user's skin or pants. Second support strip 114 is much as previously shown.

(33) Third support strip 116 however, may have a second pull on the slider 124 on the reverse side of the second zipper half 122, or slider 124 may have no pull on this side. If the slider 124 has no pull on this side, it is smoother against the contractor and thus more comfortable, the zipper may be less expensive to manufacture as well. Note that the pull shown on the inside is less preferred because it is less likely to be usefully accessible when the zipper halves are connected: it may be harder to reach.

(34) Sheath 128 may be seen. It may be a continuation of the outer padding 104 or it may be separate. It should be a comfortable and firm cushion, since it is the part which will hold the contractor's patella (knee bone) away from the hard inner core 102. Thus it may be a polymer gel pad, a foam material (firmer closed cell foam or softer open cell foam), a thick fabric, and so on.

(35) FIG. 3 is a rear view diagram of the first embodiment of the invention showing the invention zipped down with the elastic webbing stretched across the rear, as it would be in the position of being worn, but with no contractor leg depicted. Leg protection flange 112 is zipped to second support strip 114, with elastic webbing 118 stretching across the broad back of the invention.

(36) Slider 124 is at the bottom, since it is closed.

(37) FIG. 4 is a rear view diagram of a second embodiment of the invention showing the invention zipped down with the elastic webbing, and with optional straps as well in use, stretched across the rear, as it would be in the position of being worn, but with no contractor leg depicted. Strap 130 and strap 132 may provide a more traditional feel for the contractor, and may provide more firmness: note that in this configuration/embodiment, the device has the elastic webbing AND the straps to hold it onto the back of the knee.

(38) FIG. 5 is a front view diagram of the second embodiment of the invention showing the invention unzipped with the optional side support straps and elastic webbing both spread out sideways from the contractor knee pad, and with the optional straps attached to the anchor studs on the front of the kneeling work pad and also spread out to the sides. Stud 126 carries and anchors one end of strap 132, while stud 127 will carry the other end. Strap 130 will be held in a similar manner by the two upper studs.

(39) Strap 132 has two buckles 134 and 136 which may simply be flat plates with apertures (like hole 138) passing through. Obviously the hole need not be a simple circle but may be a keyhole shape. Buckle 134 is securely anchored to the stud 126 by having the hole passed over the stud, and then allowing the tension of the strap 132 to pull the buckle onto the narrower part of the stud (which is not visible, being underneath the stud head).

(40) FIG. 6 is a front view diagram of a third embodiment of the invention, a retrofit kit with the elastic webbing for attachment to kneeling work pad. Note that in this embodiment one support strip is omitted on one side of the elastic: the elastic webbing may be attached (perhaps by sonic bonding, adhesives, stitching, etc) directly to the edge material of the kneeling work pad. FIG. 7 is a rear view diagram of the same third embodiment of the invention, the retrofit kit with the elastic webbing for attachment to kneeling work pad. This embodiment shows the preferred slide, which has not pull on the inside.

(41) FIG. 8 is an oblique rear and side view diagram (a diagonal angle) of the invention worn on a contractor's knee in the position of use: the knee is bent for kneeling on the ground (though this is not easily seen except from a straight side view). Third support strip 116 is visible edge on, with slider 124 at the very bottom: the zipper is concealed at this angle, which is half way between a side view and a rear view. The elastic webbing 118 is attached to a support strip which is itself attached to the edge of the kneeling work pad.

(42) Rear/side of knee 200 (as noted previously, no claim is made to human body parts), may be seen in broken/dashed lines, with the clothing of the contractor relatively smooth and un-rumpled by the addition of the zipped-on working knee pad.

(43) FIG. 9 is a left side view of the invention with the single visible support strip stretched out to the side. FIG. 10 is a right side view of the invention with the single visible support strip stretched out to the side, showing the same features. The slider may be seen at the top of the zipper in FIG. 10. The stud heads (the wider top part of the studs) are also visible edge on, as is the slightly raised logo above them.

(44) FIG. 11 is a top view of the invention, with the elastic webbing seen extending out one side, and the logo protruding slightly, while FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the invention with the inner cap/core protruding slightly, and the heads of the studs slightly visible.

(45) FIG. 13 is a rear view diagram of a fourth embodiment of the invention, a retrofit kit with the elastic webbing for attachment to a kneeling work pad but with a trapezoidal shape which is wider at the top than the bottom.

(46) Elastic webbing 318 is wider at the top than at the bottom, thus allowing more space for the user's leg at the top. This matches the configuration of most legs, which are wider at the bottom of the thigh than at the top of the calf.

(47) In practice, it has been found that a useful size for contractors is webbing which is 11 inches wide at the top, in total, and 9 inches wide at the bottom.

(48) However, in this embodiment there are now two zippers rather than one. The first zipper is still present and is still used to put the contractors kneeling work pads on: first zipper half 320, second zipper half 322 and slider 324 are as previously described, but angled due to the different shape of webbing. The new feature is the second zipper, which is used for size adjustments.

(49) Because human being's legs vary widely in size, the secondary zipper for size adjustment is provided to allow the device to be made wider or narrower. Second zipper first half 340 and second zipper second half 342 are shown separated. Note that in this embodiment they are perfectly parallel. The second slider 344 may be seen in the up or UNZIPPED configuration.

(50) It has been found in testing that second zipper halves two inches apart provide sufficient take up or pleating to make the device suitable for a very wide range of legs, i.e. One Size Fits All. When the second zipper is zipped DOWN, that is, together, the device becomes 9 inches wide at the top and 7 inches wide at the bottom. Webbing 7 inches deep has been tested to be comfortable in either size.

(51) Note that the second zipper also zips closed in the downward direction. As mentioned previously, zipping up works well for winter parkas or boots or the like, but is found to be less satisfactory at remaining closed in the circumstances of constant kneeling. When kneeling, unlike when walking, bicycle riding, skating, or athletics, there is not just the constant flexure of the knee joint, there is also the aspect of constantly shifting pressure applied to the kneeling pad from the outside. This pressure, sideways friction forces with the dirt, and so on, are all absent or quite infrequent in sporting activities. For example, in sporting activities, protective gear is designed to avoid injury from occasional impact. On the other hand for a kneeling contractor, the protective gear is for comfort but also for protection from the constant imposition of sideways friction, small objects like pebbles and sticks being driven into the knee, and so on.

(52) FIG. 14 is a front view diagram of the presently preferred fifth embodiment of the invention showing the invention unzipped with the elastic webbing spread out to the sides away from the main body, which is wider at the top than at the bottom. In this view the second zipper is also unzipped open to expand the leg size.

(53) Curved edges 408 may be seen for the central protector, unlike in previous embodiments. In this embodiment, it may be desirable to have the knee pad/protector, like the webbing, be some shape other than rectangular. The figure eight shape shown is one possibility, and having the knee pad be wider at the top, just like the webbing is, is one possibility as well. Thus the edges need not be straight.

(54) Leg protection flange 412, as previously described, protects the leg from the first zipper. Note that the second zipper will require no protection flange because it is disposed on the outside of the webbing 418, not the inside.

(55) Elastic webbing 418 is wider at the top than the bottom, and other than the zipper halves may have no support strips. Note that the embodiment also does not need optional straps. First zipper half 420 and second zipper half 422 and slider 424 are as described in previous embodiments: they zip downward to close and upward to open, may be a heavy duty zipper with broad teeth to help withstand the constant exposure to dirt and grit being driven into them during kneeling work, and so on.

(56) The secondary zipper for size adjustment, has first half 440, second half 442, and slider 444. These are not quite parallel in this embodiment: careful inspection of the figure will reveal that two halves of the zipper 440 and 442 diverge more at the top and the bottom. This is because the leg is wider at the top than the bottom and the difference is based on the size of the legs: larger legs are more wider at the top while smaller legs are wider at the top but not as much wider at the top.

(57) FIG. 15 is a front view diagram of the fifth embodiment of the invention showing the invention with the FIRST zipper (but not the second) unzipped with the elastic webbing spread out to the sides away from the main body, which is wider at the top than at the bottom, but with the second zipper closed to decrease the leg size.

(58) Leg protection flange 412, the elastic webbing 418 and the zipper halves 420 and 422 with slider 424 are as previously described. This is the zipper which is unzipped (up) to spread the device for inspection.

(59) In this diagram, the secondary zipper's first half 440 and the second half 442 are zipped together and the slider 444 is at the bottom of the zip. The webbing has been reduced in width and thus fits a smaller leg snugly.

(60) Thus this configuration of the device can be considered to be size S/M while the configuration of the exact same device shown in FIG. 14 may be considered to be size L/XL. And merely by zipping or unzipping the second zipper, the device can be switched from one to the other.

(61) For many years, straps by themselves as used for many decades, create strap burns, rip out leg hairs, and rub the user's legs raw under the wrong circumstances, as well as tending to bunch up work pants and thus make all these problems worse and reduce blood circulation. The present invention on the other hand, gets away from these problems. In the presently preferred embodiments, the optional straps are not necessary at all under normal circumstances: the comfort webbing secures the new design and makes the straps obsolete.

(62) The disclosure is provided to render practicable the invention by those skilled in the art without undue experimentation, including the best mode presently contemplated and the presently preferred embodiment. Nothing in this disclosure is to be taken to limit the scope of the invention, which is susceptible to numerous alterations, equivalents and substitutions without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is to be understood from the appended claims.

(63) Methods and components are described herein. However, methods and components similar or equivalent to those described herein can be also used to obtain variations of the present invention. The materials, articles, components, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

(64) Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art.

(65) Having illustrated and described the principles of the invention in exemplary embodiments, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described examples are illustrative embodiments and can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. Techniques from any of the examples can be incorporated into one or more of any of the other examples. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.