Abstract: An impact and/or vibration absorbent material and protective articles making use of said material. An impact and/or vibration absorbent material of the present invention has at least two material layers. The individual layers of the impact and/or vibration absorbent material may be of different materials, or of the same material with the composition of the material of one layer adjusted to be of dissimilar hardness to an adjacent layer. Each material layer preferably contains a number of holes. The holes in one layer are located and arranged to be offset from the holes in an adjacent layer. The combination of material properties and the inclusion and arrangement of holes renders such a material highly impact and/or vibration absorbent. Through use of a protective article of the present invention, the effects of impact and/or vibration forces on a user of the protective article can be minimized.

Abstract: An impact and/or vibration absorbent material and protective articles making use of said material. An impact and/or vibration absorbent material of the present invention has at least two material layers. The individual layers of the impact and/or vibration absorbent material may be of different materials, or of the same material with the composition of the material of one layer adjusted to be of dissimilar hardness to an adjacent layer. Each material layer preferably contains a number of holes. The holes in one layer are located and arranged to be offset from the holes in an adjacent layer. The combination of material properties and the inclusion and arrangement of holes renders such a material highly impact and/or vibration absorbent. Through use of a protective article of the present invention, the effects of impact and/or vibration forces on a user of the protective article can be minimized.

Abstract: An impact and/or vibration absorbent material and protective articles making use of said material. An impact and/or vibration absorbent material of the present invention has at least two material layers. The individual layers of the impact and/or vibration absorbent material may be of the same material, or of different materials. Each material layer preferably contains a number of holes. The holes in one layer are located and arranged to be offset from the holes in an adjacent layer. The combination of inherent material properties and the inclusion and arrangement of holes renders such a material highly impact and/or vibration absorbent. Through use of a protective article of the present invention, the effects of impact and/or vibration forces on a user of the protective article can be minimized.

Abstract: An impact and/or vibration absorbent material and articles, particularly a protective glove, making use of said material. An impact and/or vibration absorbent material of the present invention has at least two material layers. The individual layers of the impact and/or vibration absorbent material may be of the same material, or of different materials. Each material layer preferably contains a number of holes. The holes in one layer are located and arranged to be offset from the holes in an adjacent layer. The combination of inherent material properties and the inclusion and arrangement of holes renders such a material highly impact and/or vibration absorbent. When used in an impacting article, deflection of portions of one material layer into the holes in an adjacent material layer at impact further provides an enhanced transfer of impact force to an impacted object.

Abstract: A testing apparatus and method for determining the impact an/or vibration absorbent characteristics of an impact and/or vibration absorbent material. The apparatus includes a base having upwardly extending vertical guide rods. A sample plate is maintained in a position above the base by one or more springs of known spring rate. A weight is adapted to move vertically along the guide rods and to impact the sample plate and a sample of impact and/or vibration absorbent material when dropped from a raised position. The impact of the weight causes a downward vertical displacement of the sample plate, which displacement is measured by a moveable indicator. This displacement can be used, along with the total spring rate provided by the spring(s), to calculate a pass-through impact force. The pass-through impact force can then be subtracted from the impact force generated by the falling weight to determine the amount of impact force absorbed by the impact and/or vibration absorbent material.