Knee Pad Support System

Abstract

The present invention comprises a knee pad system for attaching one or more knee pads to a user's knee. The system for a single knee pad includes a knee pad with two knee pad straps that attach said knee pad to a user's knee, and two upper straps that attach to the two knee pad straps and a user's belt or waist. One of the upper straps runs the length of the user's outer thigh, while the second upper strap runs from the user's inner thigh where the second upper strap attaches to the knee pad strap to the front of a user's waist. The configuration of the two upper straps prevents the knee pad from moving about the user's knee.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to the following: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/779,938 filed on Dec. 14, 2018.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

The inventor did not disclose the invention herein prior to the 12 month period preceding the filing of this provisional application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to an assembly that secures and supports a knee pad onto a user's knee. The assembly prevents movement of the knee pad once the knee pad is installed in the correct position. This device is useful for users laying flooring, cleaning, and other tasks wherein knee protection is desired.

(2) Description of Related Art

The prior art includes a number of devices for securing a knee pad onto the knee of a user. Both Luley (U.S. Pat. No. 1,269,829), Wiegers (U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,691 at FIG. 5), and Garcia et al. (US 2018/0055106 A1) disclose the securing of two knee pads upon a user's knee wherein two straps that run behind each knee to each knee pad, and a single strap running from the front and center of each knee pad to the user's belt. These inventions do a poor job of securing a knee pad in the desired position during use.

Lopez et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,220,073 B2) discloses a device with two straps secured to the front and center of each knee pad wherein the two straps cross behind and in front of the user's leg, and attach to a belt upon a user's waist. This device is complicated and difficult for a user to install. Additionally, this device does not firmly secure the knee pad in the desired position during usage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a front, angled view of the Knee Pad Support System installed upon leg of a user.

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side, angled view of the device attached only to the left leg of a user.

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 depicts a front angled view of FIG. 4 wherein the device is not attached to a user's leg and not attached to the waist of a user.

FIG. 6 is a front view of FIG. 5, while FIG. 7 is a side view of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a top view of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, several embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure should be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments so illustrated. Further, to the extent that any numerical values or other specifics of materials, et., are provided herein, they are to be construed as exemplifications of the inventions herein, and the inventions are not to be considered as limited thereto.

The following description and drawings are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description. References to one, or an, embodiment in the present disclosure can be, but not necessarily are, references to the same embodiment; and, such references mean at least one of the embodiments.

Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments, but not other embodiments.

The terms used in this specification generally have their ordinary meanings in the art, within the context of the disclosure, and in the specific context where each term is used. Certain terms that are used to describe the disclosure are discussed below, or elsewhere in the specification, to provide additional guidance to the practitioner regarding the description of the disclosure. For convenience, certain terms may be highlighted, for example using italics and/or quotation marks. The use of highlighting has no influence on the scope and meaning of a term; the scope and meaning of a term is the same, in the same context, whether or not it is highlighted. It will be appreciated that the same thing can be said in more than one way.

Consequently, alternative language and synonyms may be used for any one or more of the terms discussed herein, or is any special significance to be placed upon whether or not a term is elaborated or discussed herein. Synonyms for certain terms are provided. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification, including examples of any terms discussed herein, is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the disclosure or of any exemplified ter. Likewise, the disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given in this specification.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. In the case of conflict, the present document, including definitions will control.

Embodiments of the present invention may include one or more of the following features.

FIG. 1 depicts a front, angled view of the Knee Pad Support System installed upon a leg of a user. Right knee pad 6 and left knee pad 8 are positioned on the knees of right leg 2 and left leg 4, respectively. Straps 10 and 12 reversibly attach to right knee pad 6 and left knee pad 8 via clasp 11. Straps 10 and 12 encircle the back side of right knee pad 6 and left knee pad 8. Strap 14 attaches to strap 12 and may be tethered to strap 18 via clasp 16. Strap 14 may run the full length of the outside of a user's thigh without utilizing clasp 16 and strap 18. The inclusion of clasp 16 and strap 18 allows a user to exercise fine control over the overall length of the device. Strap 18 may be reversibly connected to belt 22 via clasp 20. Belt 22 wraps around the waist of the wearer/user. Straps 16 and 18 are attached to strap 12 and belt 22 so that they are positioned on the outside of the user's thigh. Strap 34 is attached to strap 12 (an alligator clasp is shown, but any type of clasp may be used). Strap 34 may be coupled to strap 38 via clasp 16, or other suitable means. Strap 38 is coupled to belt 22 via clasp 20. Straps 34 and 38 are positioned so that they run along the inside of the user's inner thigh from strap 12 to belt 22. The position of straps 34/38 and 14/18 allow the position of right knee pad 6 and left knee pad 8, respectively, to secured onto the knee of a user.

FIG. 2 depicts a front view a user wearing the device. Right knee pad 6 includes straps 14 and 18 (coupled via clasp 16) along the outside of the user's right thigh 42 and straps 34 and 38 (coupled via clasp 16) along the inside of the user's right leg 2 connecting knee pad 6 to belt 22. Left knee pad 8 includes straps 14 and 18 (coupled via clasp 16) along the outside of the user's left thigh 44 and straps 34 and 38 (coupled via clasp 16) along the inside of the user's left leg 4 connecting knee pad 6 to belt 22. Belt 22 is secured along the user's waist via belt loops 24. Clasp 11 is shown.

FIG. 3 shows an angled front view of a user with the device worn on the left leg only. Left knee pad 8 is connected to straps 10 and 12 via clasps 11 along the outside of the left thigh 44 of the wearer. Straps 14/18 (which may are shown coupled via clasp 16) are secured onto belt 22 via clasp 20. Belt 22 is secured onto a user via belt loops 24. Straps 34/38 (which are shown coupled via clasp 16) are secured to belt 22 via clasp 20 along the inside of the left thigh 44 of the wearer's left leg 4.

A side view of a user wearing the device is shown in FIG. 4. Left knee pad 8 is secured onto the user's left leg 4 via straps 10 and 12, which are coupled to left knee pad 8 via clasps 11. Straps 14 and 18 (which are coupled via clasp 16) secure strap 12 and left knee pad 8 to belt 22 along the outside of the user's left thigh 44. Straps 34 and 38 (which are coupled via clasp 16) run along the inside of user's left thigh 44, and are coupled to belt 22 via clasp 20.

A front, angled view of the device not attached to a user's belt is shown in FIG. 5. Clasps 13 couples straps 34 and 14 to strap 12, which is coupled to left knee pad 8. Straps 12 and 10 couple to left knee pad 8 via buttons 9, upon which clasp 11 attaches onto. Straps 38 and 18 (which are coupled to straps 34 and 14 via clasps 16, respectively) may be secured upon the waist of a user via velcro tabs 23 and velcro tabs 25, which may be wrapped around a user's belt and coupled together, or other means that maintains left knee pad 8 into position upon the user's knee.

FIG. 6 depicts a front view of the device not attached to a user's belt. Straps 14/18 (which are shown coupled via clasp 16) are shown as they would be positioned lying flat along the outside of a user's thigh. Strap 18 may be secured upon the waist of a user via velcro tab 23, which may be wrapped around a user's belt and coupled to velcro tab 25. Straps 34/38 (which are coupled via clasp 16) are shown as they would be positioned along the inner thigh of a user. Strap 38 may be secured upon the waist of a user via velcro tab 23 which may be wrapped around a user's belt and coupled to velcro tab 25. Straps 12 and 10 are shown coupled to left knee pad 8.

FIG. 7 depicts a side view of FIG. 6. Clasps 11 attach straps 10 and 12 to left knee pad 8 via buttons 9. Clasp 13 attaches strap 14 to strap 12. Straps 14 and 18 are shown as if they were positioned lying flat along the outside of a user's thigh. Straps 34 and 38 are shown as if they were positioned lying along the inside of a user's thigh. Strap 18 and strap 38 may include velcro tabs 23 (not shown). Velcro tab 23 (shown in FIG. 6) may be wrapped around the belt of the user so that they couple to velcro tab 25. Clasps 16 are shown attaching strap 14 to 18 and strap 34 to 38.

A top view of the left knee pad 8 coupled to strap 12 via clasp 11 and button 9 is shown in FIG. 8.

Claims

1) A system for coupling a knee pad to a user's knee comprising:

an upper strap that couples with the upper portion of a knee pad, wherein the upper strap wraps around the back side of a user's knee, and wherein the upper couples with the opposite side of the knee pad;

a lower strap that couples with the lower portion of a knee pad, wherein the lower strap wraps around the back side of a user's knee, and wherein the lower strap couples to the opposite side of the knee pad;

an outer strap that couples with the upper strap on the outside of the user's thigh, wherein the outer strap runs along the length of the user's thigh, and wherein the outer strap couples with the user's belt or clothing; and

an inner strap that couples with the upper strap on the inside of the user's thigh, wherein the inner strap runs from the inner thigh of a user to the front of user's waist, and wherein the inner strap couples with the user's belt or clothing.

2) The system of claim 1 wherein the upper strap, lower strap, outer strap, and inner strap are composed of velcro.

3) The system of claim 1 wherein the upper strap, lower strap, outer strap, and inner strap reversibly couple with a knee pad.

4) The device of claim 1 wherein the inner and outer straps are coupled with the knee pad using alligator clips.

5) The device of claim 1 wherein the inner and outer straps are coupled with the user's belt or clothing using alligator clips.