Abstract: The present invention relates to a combination shoulder pad and helmet assembly uniquely designed to protect a user from serious cervical spine injuries. The device comprises a helmet having a mounting bracket on the back portion thereof The mounting bracket has a pair of opposing embrasures in communication with and an axial, cylindrical bore. An elongated tubular rod is received within the bore having an indention at opposing ends thereof. The rod is retained within the bore using a spring biased pin received within the embrasures and the indention which also limits the rotation of the rod relative to the cylindrical bore. The spring biased pin has a concave portion proximal its head which may be selectively aligned with the rod indention to release the rod from the brackets. The opposing end of the rod is secured to a similar bracket and pin mechanism mounted to the top edge of a set of shoulder pads. Furthermore, a mid-torso protective device is secured to the lower edge of the shoulder pads.

Abstract: A padded protective garment to be worn on the upper body of a user comprises a number of padded panels for positioning against the chest and back regions to cover the shoulders and a major part of the rib cage of the wearer. The garment also includes an external shell comprising generally vertically extending stiffener bands provided in laterally spaced pairs for overlying portions of the front and rear padded sections. The stiffener bands at their upper ends are connected to shoulder arches and are fabricated from a stiffly flexible material so as to be able to attenuate localized impact forces and distribute such forces to an enlarged region of the underlying padding layers.

Abstract: A diving jacket for retaining warmth of a diver's torso is provided with an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface of the diving jacket is formed from first and second front torso portions fastened to a back portion. A releasable fastener for releasably attaching the first front torso portion to the second front torso portion is also preferably secured to the diving jacket. At least one loop is attached to the outer surface of the diving jacket to define an aperture that is dimensioned to accommodate a corresponding strap of a buoyancy compensator for allowing the buoyancy compensator to be secured to the outer surface of the diving jacket.

Abstract: A new Bra-Strap Securing System for retaining a bra-strap directly underneath a shirt strap of various types of sleeveless shirts preventing the bra-strap from exposure by securing the bra-strap with a middle positioned dual-sided adhesive tape. The inventive device includes a length of dual-sided adhesive tape formed into a tape roll, transparent or colored, which includes a plurality of perforations perpendicularly aligned to the longitudinal length of the dual-sided adhesive tape at various lengths apart allowing the user to remove an ergonomic section when needed from the tape roll, or can be sold in separate pieces in various lengths and widths.

Abstract: A new pneumatic torso armor and helmet for creating a visual display on a wearer for use at sporting events. The inventive device includes an inflatable body portion comprised of a front panel, a back panel, and a pair of shoulder panels. The front panel has a chest portion and an abdominal portion. A side of the front panel has an inflation tube extending outwardly therefrom. The front panel has couplers extending outwardly of lower side edges thereof. The back panel has corresponding couplers extending outwardly of lower side edges thereof for mating with the straps of the front panel. The shoulder panels have opposed lateral edges each having corresponding couplers disposed thereon for engaging the shoulder panels to a wearer.

Abstract: An impact absorbing garment is shown having a number of inflatable compartments attached to the garment. A source of pressurized gas is mounted to a manifold assembly also attached to the garment. The manifold assembly includes internal passageways connecting a gas inlet that receives gas from the source of pressurized gas to a gas outlet. Tubing attached to the garment connects the manifold assembly gas outlet to the inflatable compartments. The manifold assembly also houses a gas release valve. A toggle link mechanism supported within the manifold assembly provides a mechanical advantage by reducing the force required to maintain the gas release valve in a closed position against high pressure gas at the gas inlet. An electric solenoid moves a slide member to release the toggle link mechanism and open the gas release valve when an electrical circuit is closed between the solenoid valve and an electrical power source attached to the garment.

Abstract: An athletic protective pad comprising a foam body composed of a layer of open cell foam and a first and second layer of closed cell foam and having a foam chest portion, a foam shoulder member and a hinge attaching the chest portion to the shoulder member, with the chest portion and shoulder member each presenting a periphery. The hinge member includes tape attached to an outer surface of the foam body across a portion of the peripheries of the chest portion and shoulder member to allow the shoulder member to rotate in a first direction relative to the chest portion and preventing rotation thereof in a second direction. The first and second layers of closed cell foam are secured to opposing surfaces of the open cell foam layer, with the layers presenting a sandwich configuration. The layer of open cell foam has a first thickness and the layers of closed cell foam each have a second thickness, where the first thickness of the open cell foam is approximately 1.

Abstract: The invention is a one-piece, fully adjustable, shock absorbing protective vest. The protective vest is contoured to fully protect the chest, shoulder and upper arm areas of the wearer. The protective vest allows free movement of both arms without pulling out of position or compromising the area of protective coverage. Further, enhancing the flexibility of the protective vest are slits positioned to help the protective vest move with the wearer without pulling the protective vest out of position. The protective vest is attached to the wearer through an adjustable combination of flexible and non-flexible straps which are further adjustable by the use of a dual adjustable piece allowing a full range of adjustment for different body types without compromising protection to the wearer.

Abstract: A sport protector includes a chest-and-back protector, two shoulder guards and two arm guards. The chest-and-back protector and the arm guards have elastic paddings provided with air apertures and small air holes in walls of each air aperture for air to flow out so as to disperse shock in addition to absorb shock at the same time. Further, the air apertures are useful for heat produced by the body of a user to escape out, furnishing comfort to the user in wearing the protector. Besides, a reinforcing plate is respectively added on an outer side of the chest-and-back protector and the arm guards to increase endurable force against shock.

Abstract: The invention relates to a protective gear having a primary front protective pad and a rear protective pad, the front and rear pads being flexibly connected to one another and being adjustable relative to one another. This allows the primary front protective pad to extend to a greater or lesser extent downwardly over the player's abdomen, so as to accommodate the desired positioning of the front protective pad on the player's body. The protective gear also has arm sections that are adjustable in length to permit desired positioning on the player's arms. In a variant, the protective gear of the invention also has an adjustable secondary front pad which is attached to the primary front pad and the rear pad and which is configured to cover the player's upper chest and clavicle areas. The protective gear according to the invention is particularly useful for ice hockey players and particularly goaltenders.

Abstract: An athletic protective gear includes a protective structural member, a protective pad, and a retainer unit. The structural member is formed to overlie a body part to be protected. The protective pad of depressible material is formed to be disposed between the protective structural member and the body part and has two openings formed therethrough. The retainer unit includes a fastener strap secured on an inner surface of the protective structural member and has two opposed end portions which respectively extend through the openings of the structural member, and two hook-and-loop elements which are secured to the end portions respectively and which engage each other in such a manner that the protective structural member abuts against an outer side surface of the protective pad, thereby retaining the end portions of the strap on an inner side surface of the protective pad. Thus, the protective pad is confined between the structural member and the body part.