Protective leg covering

Abstract

The present invention includes a protective device for the lawn or landscape worker that protects the lower leg. This device clips onto the hem of the user's short pants and wraps around the user's lower leg. It is secured to the leg with straps and fasteners. This device allows for quick and easy donning and removal. This device also allows for maximum protection and comfort.

Description

This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/764,602, filed Feb. 3, 2006, titled Protective Lower Leg Coverings that Attach to User's Short Pants for Use with Power Lawn Equipment, String Trimmers, and Mowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When landscape employees or gardeners work with grass or shrub cutting and trimming tools, there is a large probability of obtaining cuts and abrasions on one's legs. Most workers solve this problem by wearing long pants. However, especially in the summer months, long pants can be extremely uncomfortable, and there is an overwhelming desire to wear short pants.

This invention is located in the art including limb protection devices. There are many protection devices, each having a unique feature or component. The invention of Cho, U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,070, is a leg and foot protective device comprising a soft, energy absorbing material with straps and hook and loop fasteners that wrap around the leg and foot. The invention of Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,247, uses a formed tube for a leg protector. There are many other types of leg protective devices. Another example is the invention of Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,262. This invention includes a protective material that uses straps with hook and loop fasteners to attach to the belt or belt loops of pants and straps to wrap around the leg to secure the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved protective device for the lower legs. This protective device clips to the bottom or hem of short pants and protects the bare leg that is exposed from the short pants to the ankle. The clips allow quick donning and removing of the protection. This yields a comfortable and easy-to-use protection, and quick removal during breaks to increase user comfort.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the leg protector laid flat, looking from the side exposed to the elements, such as grass trimmings, stones, etc.

FIG. 2 shows the leg protector laid flat, looking from the side that touches the skin of the bare leg. This view is the opposite of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the leg protector formed as it would be worn around the leg.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in the drawings, the present invention provides a protective device adapted to be worn around the lower leg of the user. FIG. 1 shows a rectangular piece of material 10. This material consists of two pieces, approximately 20 inches long by 9 inches wide. These two pieces are sewn together to make one piece of protective textile. This resulting textile is a cotton/polyester blend that is comfortable for the user and provides protection.

This material 10 is wrapped around the leg of a user. The top, one of the lateral edges, approximately nine inches wide, is clipped onto the hem, or bottom, of the user's short pants. There is a set of straps and fasteners preferably clips that facilitate the connection of the material 10 to the short pants. There can be anywhere from one to three or more straps and clips. The preferred embodiment consists of three straps 21, 22, 23 having three clips 31, 32, 33. One end of these straps 21, 22, 23 are sewn onto the material 10. The clips 31, 32, 33 are sewn onto the opposite ends of the straps 21, 22, 23 respectively.

The user, when donning this protective device, first fastens the clips 31, 32, 33 to the hem, bottom, of his or her short pants. The material 10 then hangs down in front of his or her leg. These clips 31, 32, 33 are spring clips. The user will squeeze the spring clip mechanism and fasten them to the short pants.

The straps 21, 22, 23 include an adjustment means. This allows the user with varying short pants lengths and leg lengths to use this device with maximum protection and comfort The adjustment means can be any known means to lengthen and shorten the straps 21, 22, 23.

The user will then wrap the material 10 around the front of the user's lower leg, or shin. There are straps attached to the sides of the material 10. The sides are the vertical sides, approximately twenty inches long. Each vertical side has at least one strap sewn to it. The preferred embodiment consists of two straps on each vertical side. The left side, looking at the side exposed to the elements, as shown in FIG. 1, has two straps 41, 42 attached to it. One end of these straps 41, 42 is sewn onto the left lateral side of the material 10. There are fasteners preferably snap fasteners 61, 62 that are sewn onto the opposite ends of straps 41, 42. The snap fasteners 61, 62 are preferably locking clips and can be either the male half of the locking clips or the female half of the locking clips. FIG. 1 shows the fasteners 61, 62 as the male half of the locking clips.

The right side, looking at the side exposed to the elements, as shown in FIG. 1, has two straps 51, 52 attached to it. One end of these straps 51, 52 is sewn onto the left lateral side of the material 10. There are fasteners preferably snap fasteners 71, 72 that are sewn onto the opposite ends of straps 51, 52. The snap fasteners 71, 72 are preferably locking clips and can be either the male half of the locking clips or the female half of the locking clips. FIG. 1 shows the fasteners 71, 72 as the female half of the locking clips.

The user will wrap the straps 41, 42 around one side of the lower leg, and wrap the straps 51, 52 around the other side of the lower leg. The user will then connect the male locking clips 61, 62 to the female locking slips 71, 72. This will then secure the protective device to the lower leg.

The straps 41, 42, 51, 52 include an adjustment means. This allows the user with varying leg sizes, or diameters, to use this device with maximum protection and comfort. The adjustment means can be any known means to lengthen and shorten the straps 41, 42, 51, 52.

FIG. 2 shows the opposite side of the present invention. This drawing shows the overlap of one end of the straps 21, 22, 23, 41, 42, 51, 52 and the material 10. This drawing also shows more detail of clips 31, 32, 33 that squeeze and clip to the short pants.

FIG. 3 shows the shape of the present invention when it is in the form as if it were secured to the user's lower leg. A section of material 10 is cut away in this drawing to show more detail of the strap 22 sewn onto the material 10. The clips 31, 32, 33 are fastened to the short pants. The material 10 is hanging from the straps 21, 22, 23. The material 10 is wrapped partially around the user's leg. The straps 41, 42 are also wrapped around the user's leg. The straps 51, 52 are also wrapped around the user's leg. The fasteners 61, 62 are connected to the fasteners 71, 72. This results in the present invention fully wrapping around the user's lower leg. This protective device is attached to the user's short pants and secured around the user's leg.

The present invention protects the user's legs from grass trimmings, stones, rocks, branches, and any other material that can cut, abrade, and hit the user's lower legs. This invention allows the user to wear short pants so as to be maximally comfortable. This protective device can be quickly donned or removed from the lower leg. Therefore, as the user pauses the landscape work, the user can quickly remove the protective device so as to allow cooling and comfort. As the work is resumed, the donning of the protective device is quick and easy.

Claims

1. A leg protector for covering a portion of a human leg comprising:

a piece of material, having a pair of vertical edges and a pair of lateral edges,

at least one strap, one end of said at least one strap attached to one of the lateral edges,

at least one fastener, each fastener attached to said at least one strap attached to the lateral edge, said fastener located on the opposite end of said strap,

at least one strap, one end of said at least one strap attached to each of the vertical edges,

a fastener attached to each strap attached to the vertical edges, said fastener located on the opposite end of said strap,

whereas each of said at least one strap attached to the vertical edges wraps partially around the leg, so that one of said fasteners can attach to the other of said fasteners and secure the leg protector to the leg.

2. A leg protector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fastener attached to said at least one strap attached to the lateral edge is a clip to attach to short pants on the leg.

3. A leg protector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one strap attached to the lateral edge comprises three straps.

4. A leg protector as claimed in claim 2 wherein said at least one strap attached to the lateral edge comprises three straps.

5. A leg protector as claimed in claim 4 wherein said straps include adjusting means for lengthening or shortening the straps.

6. A leg protector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one strap attached to each vertical edge comprises two straps.

7. A leg protector as claimed in claim 6 wherein said straps include adjusting means for lengthening or shortening the straps.

8. A leg protector as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fasteners comprise snap fasteners.

9. A leg protector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said material extends down to the ankle of the leg.

10. A method for protecting a human leg comprising the steps of:

providing a piece of material, having a pair of vertical edges and a pair of lateral edges, each of said vertical edges having at least one strap, said at least one strap having a fastener,

fastening one of the lateral edges to short pants on the leg,

wrapping said straps around the leg,

attaching each strap together using said fasteners,

and securing the leg protector to the leg.

11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said at least one strap comprises two straps.

12. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said fasteners are snap fasteners.

13. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said step of fastening to the short pants uses a clip.

14. The method defined in claim 13 wherein said step of fastening to the short pants includes a step to adjust the length of said at least one strap.

15. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said step of attaching said each strap together includes a step to adjust the length of said at least one strap.