KNEE PAD

Abstract

A knee pad includes a sleeve. A pad is disclosed on an outer surface of the sleeve having a length and a width. A channel is formed across substantially, the length of at least one of the length and width. In one embodiment, an insert is provided, the insert being sized to be received within the at least one channel. A fastener selectively fastens the insert within the channel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a knee pad, and in particular, a knee pad for stabilizing a worker in position for safe and comfortable performance of a task.

Knee pads are well known in the art to provide protection, stability, and comfort. The prior art knee pad includes a sleeve adapted to receive the leg of the user at the knee. In the most common knee pad, a pad is disposed on the outer surface of the sleeve, and when worn, positioned adjacent the knee cap. Such a knee pad is well known in sports for providing protection to the knee, such as in soccer or football, comfort to the knee as when kneeling as in wrestling, cushioning the knee when the knee hits the ground as in football, soccer or wrestling, and lastly, internal stability at the knee as a function of the tightness of the sleeve.

More specialized knee pads have been developed, which include pads on a rear surface of the sleeve, across a gap of the sleeve from the knee pad to provide support when the user is in a crouched position; such as a baseball catcher's knee pad.

Specialized knee pads have also been developed for industry. Rubber knee pads have been developed for masons who spend a significant amount of time on their knees laying stone.

Other professionals who must spend time on their knees utilized knee pads, such as inspectors, roofers, carpenters, flooring installers, and inspection engineers. The issue becomes particularly acute for occupations like roofers, who often must kneel on a truss in an unfinished roof for stability while handling tools and roof components. This is also true of attic insulators or air conditioning repairmen who must work in low cramped spaces, forcing crouching or kneeling, on a surface without a floor in unfinished attics.

Often, these repairmen, roofers and inspectors, use knee pads to kneel on the joist or truss, but either must hook the edge of the knee pad to the truss avoiding the cushioning effect of the knee pad, or the cloth surface of the knee pad slides across the joist or truss causing the wearer to fall. They must support themselves on the joist where slipping could lead to falling through the ceiling or roof of the house in which they are working. The conventional knee pad does not allow for safe or comfortable travel along the support surface while kneeling. Accordingly, a knee pad which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art is desired.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A knee pad includes a sleeve. A pad is disposed on an outer surface of the sleeve. The pad has a length and a width. A channel is formed across substantially the length of at least one of the length and width.

In one embodiment, an insert is provided, the insert being sized to be received within at least one channel. A fastener selectively fastens the insert within the channel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by a way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like numerals are used to note like elements and in which;

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a knee pad constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front plan view of a knee pad constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear plan view of the knee pad constructed in accordance with the invention in a wrapped orientation;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a knee pad taken along line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an insert constructed in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of an insert constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference is made to FIGS. 1-4 in which a knee pad, generally indicated as 10, constructed in accordance with the invention is provided. A sleeve includes a base substrate 14. Extending from opposed edges of substrate 14 are respective pairs of legs 19a, 19b. Respective leg pair 19a includes first leg 20a and second leg 20b separated across a gap. Similarly, leg pair 19b includes a first leg 18a separated across a gap from a second leg 18b. Each of legs 18a, 18b supports a respective fastener 16a, 16b adapted to come in contact with and selectively engage a respective leg 20a, 20b.

Sleeve 12 may be made from any flexible material capable of withstanding repeated bending such as cotton or neoprene by way of non limiting example. In a preferred embodiment sleeve 12 is made from an elastic material. Fastener 16a, 16b may be, by way of example, snaps, hooks, buttons, and in a most preferred embodiment, one mating surface of a hook and fiber fastener such as a Velcro® fastener. It follows that each of legs 20a, 20b has a complimentary fastening structure 17a, 17b to cooperate with a respective fastener 16a, 16b in order to secure the sleeve 12 about a leg of a user.

As seen in FIG. 3, a sleeve is formed by the overlap and engagement of a first arm 18a over second arm 20a and a third arm 18b over a fourth arm 20b. It should be understood, that this structure provides the ability to adjust to a variety of circumferences of users. However, it is also contemplated as is known in the art to make a sleeve from a unitary material capable of stretching to accommodate the various sizes of knees and legs and provide a tension/friction fit between sleeve 12 and the leg of the user.

A pad 24 is disposed on substrate 14 of sleeve 12 and has an area substantially greater than or equal to the area of a knee cap of the user. Pad 24 is made from a flexible compressible material having restorative properties. In other words, it forms a cushion which may be compressed when a force is applied to the padding but substantially returns to its original shape when the force is released. The cushion may be made out of a foam, a soft rubber, a gel pad, or even air filled bladder, i.e., that is capable of some flexibility and compression when the user flexes their knee or kneels, while still providing some protection to the underlying knee cap of the user.

Padding 24 is preferably fixably attached to sleeve 12 at substrate 14. It maybe attached by glue, stitching 22, Velcro® or may be sealed within a compartment formed on substrate 12 by affixing a material to substrate 14 by stitching 22 with pad 24 disposed there between. In a preferred embodiment, material stitching 22 does not extend all of the way about the material to form a pocket. In this way, pad 24 may be removed or changed to meet the needs of the user.

A knee cap 30 is disposed on sleeve 12 so that padding 24 is disposed between substrate 14 and knee cap 30. Knee cap 30 includes a first channel 34 extending along an upper surface (a surface facing away from substrate 14) of knee cap 30. In a preferred embodiment, substrate channel 34 extends substantially the entire length of knee cap 30. Additionally, the width of channel 34 is sufficient to receive at least an edge of a joist or a truss. For reasons that would become apparent below, channel 34 is sized and dimensioned, such that when a user is in at least a kneeling position, channel 34 is adapted to receive a sufficient portion of a truss or joist to stabilize a user utilizing the truss or joist.

A second channel 32 is formed substantially along the width of knee cap 30. In a preferred, but non-limiting embodiment, channels 32 and 34 intersect each other, substantially at a center knee cap 30. Like channel 34, channel 32 is sized and dimensioned so as to be adapted to receive at least a portion of a joist or truss sufficient to stabilize the user when the user is kneeling upon the joist or truss. It should be noted that because cap 30 becomes bent during use, the edges of the cap will not always come in contact with the joist or truss so the channels need not extend the entire length of the cap in order for cap 30 to function.

It should be noted, that it is well within the scope of the invention for either channels 32 or 34 to be shifted relative to knee cap 30 so that an intersection of the channels does not occur substantially at the center without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Furthermore, it is well within the scope of the invention to provide knee cap 30 with only one of channels 32 or 34.

During use, a user would apply knee pad 10 by positioning substrate 12 to align padding 24 above the knee cap of a user. Leg pairs, 19a, 19b, forming straps, would be pulled along the rear of the leg of the user. Legs 20a, 20b would overlap legs 18a, 18b, so that fasteners 16a, 16b engage fasteners 20a, 20b, securing knee pad 10 above the leg in a tension fit.

Sleeve 12 is made from a sufficiently flexible material, so that when a user bends their leg, sleeve 12, padding 24, and knee cap 30, all flex in unison with bending of the knee. When kneeling, upon a joist or a truss, or other type of support the user positions knee cap 30 to either receive the entire joist or truss within the respective channel 32, 34 or to catch an edge of a joist or truss therein. In this way, when kneeling, the user is now stabilized by the structure to prevent inadvertent falling or slipping while performing a task.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5, in which another feature of the invention is described. In some instances, it is preferable to provide both the secure and stabilizing features of knee pad 10 as discussed above, as well as a complete knee pad which aesthetically and functionally resembles those found in the prior art, either for aesthetic reasons or to provide additional cushioning when stabilizing is no longer needed. As a result, in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, fastening structure 40 may be disposed within at least one of channel 32 or 34.

An insert 50 is dimensioned, shaped and sized to be received within channels 32, 34 so as to fill channels 30 and 34. By way of example, insert 50 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 has a substantially cross shape to meet with and fill the spaces formed by channels 32 and 34. However, insert 50 may be formed as segments which fill parts of channel 30 and/or 34. For the purpose of this application, fill shall mean to be received within the open space of the respective channel and to occupy the space formed by the channel sufficiently to be substantially coplanar with the remaining structures of knee cap 30 and with substantially no gap between insert 50 and the remaining structures of knee cap 30, other than to provide clearance for fastener 40. In a preferred embodiment, fastener 40 includes four sections, 42, 44, 46, and 48 which are disposed in and affixed to corners of the upstanding remaining structures 36 on knee cap 30. However, fastener 40 may be disposed along the floor and/or side walls of any one of respective channels 32, 34.

In a preferred embodiment, fastener 40 may be a hook and fabric type fastener, such as Velcro® fastener so that the insert is easily selectively attached and removed. It follows, that in a preferred embodiment, insert 50 is made of a flexible yet sufficiently rigid material to flex with the knee and as knee cap 30 is flexed and bends, but provide protection and cushioning for the knee cap of the user. In a preferred embodiment, insert 50 and knee cap 30 are formed of the same material.

Cap 30 is the element of knee pad 10 which engages the surface upon which a user kneels and therefore the upper surfaces 36 of cap 34 must be sufficiently rigid to catch and hold an object within channels 32, 34 and sufficiently durable to prevent wear and tear. In a preferred non limiting example, a rubber having properties such as that used in a sneaker or deck shoe sole is used. It is also well understood in the art, that the padding 24 and the knee cap 30 may be constructed with a unitary structure. In such an embodiment, in effect channels 32, 34 are formed within an overly thick pad 24. It is also contemplated that the material may have a varying degree of rigidity along its height so that it may be formed as a rubber which is different (more rigid) at its top (the surface facing away from the sleeve) than at its bottom (the surface adjacent the sleeve).

It is also contemplated, that the structures to which the knee cap is to stabilize the user do not come in a one size fits all environment. Accordingly, channels 32, 34 may not accommodate all trusses, joists or other structures such as stairs or a ladder to which a kneeling worker may wish to be anchored during performing a process. Furthermore, a user may consider it an inconvenience to switch out insert 50 during the day as a task being performed; switch between a knee brace to be stabilized and a knee brace for more protection of the user's knee cap. Therefore, in accordance with yet another embodiment, an insert 150 is provided having a channel formed therein and adapted to cooperate with a structure having an edge to anchor a kneeling user to the structure. In a preferred, non-limiting embodiment, the channel has a substantially V shape.

Specifically, an insert 150 is sized, shaped and dimensioned to fill the channels 32 and/or 34 as discussed above in connection with insert 50. However, an upper surface 154 is formed with a groove 152 having an angle therein so as to be adapted to catching an edge of a surface when a user is in the kneeling position.

As can be seen from the above, a knee pad having a sleeve, a pad, and a knee cap, the knee cap having at least one groove formed therein can provide both comfort and protection as well as the additional safety of anchoring the user or move over and across while acting as a guide to a structure, such as a truss and joist, ladder, stair edge or the like being worked upon. It is understood, that modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A knee pad comprising:

a sleeve, the sleeve adapted to receive a leg of a user in a tension fit;

a knee cap disposed on the sleeve; and

a pad, the pad being disposed between the knee cap and the sleeve, the knee cap having a length and a width, the knee cap being formed with at least one channel therein, the at least one channel extending along at least one of the width and length of the knee cap.

2. The knee pad of claim 1, wherein the at least one channel is sized and dimensioned to receive a portion of a structure therein sufficient to stabilize the user when the structure is received within the at least one channel.

3. The knee pad of claim 1, further comprising an insert, the insert being received within the at least one channel.

4. The knee pad of claim 3, wherein the insert is sized and dimensioned to fill the at least one channel.

5. The knee pad of claim 1, comprising at least a second channel extending along at least one of a width or length of the knee cap and intersecting the at least first channel.

6. The knee pad of claim 5, further comprising an insert, the insert being received within the at least second channel.

7. The knee pad of claim 5, wherein the insert is sized and dimensioned to fill the at least second channel.

8. The knee pad of claim 3, further comprising a third channel formed along the insert.

9. The knee pad of claim 3, further comprising a fastener disposed within the at least one channel for fastening the insert to the knee cap.

10. The knee pad of claim 1, wherein the knee cap and the pad are formed as a unitary construction.