Apparel – Guard or protector – Leg
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-28
2001-05-29
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Guard or protector
Leg
C002S024000, C602S023000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237149
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to means for protecting a person's shin and Achilles tendon and more particularly pertains to a new lower leg protection means for preventing injury to a person s lower leg.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of means for protecting a person's shin and Achilles tendon is known in the prior art. More specifically, means for protecting a person's shin and Achilles tendon heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 1,744,384; U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,537; U.S. Pat. No. 2,818,571; U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,148; U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,271; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,037.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new lower leg protection means. The inventive device includes a pair of thin, laterally curved rigid members which are enclosed with foam material such as polyfoam and which are essentially made of carbon fiber graphite. Each of the thin, laterally curved rigid members is fastened about a particular region of a person's lower leg with fasteners which includes a pair of first strips of hook and loop fasteners, a pair of elongate elastic members, and a pair of second strips of hook and loop fasteners attached to the elongate elastic members. One of the thin, laterally curved, padded rigid members is adapted to fit about and protect a person's shin, and the other of the thin, laterally curved, padded rigid members is adapted to fit about and protect a person's Achilles tendon.
In these respects, the lower leg protection means according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing injury to a person's lower leg.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of means for protecting a person's shin and Achilles tendon now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new lower leg protection means construction wherein the same can be utilized for preventing injury to a person's lower leg.
The general purpose and object, of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new lower leg protection means apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the means for protecting a person's shin and Achilles tendon mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new lower leg protection means which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art means for protecting a person's shin and Achilles tendon, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this general purpose and object, the present invention generally comprises a pair of thin, laterally curved rigid members which are enclosed with foam material such as polyfoam and which are essentially made of carbon fiber graphite. Each of the thin, laterally curved rigid members is fastened about a particular region of a person's lower leg with fasteners which includes a pair of first strips of hook and loop fasteners, a pair of elongate elastic members, and a pair of second strips of hook and loop fasteners attached to the elongate elastic members. One of the thin, laterally curved, padded rigid members is adapted to fit about and protect a person's shin, and the other of the thin, laterally curved, padded rigid members is adapted to fit about and protect a person's Achilles tendon.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the appended abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new lower leg protection means which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new lower leg protection means which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new lower leg protection means which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such lower leg protection means economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new lower leg protection means which provides some of the advantages disclosed in the prior art, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new lower leg protection means for preventing injury to a person's lower leg.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new lower leg protection means that lasts longer and is better able to withstand kicks and other blows to one's lower leg region.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new lower leg protection means that not only protects a person's shin but also protect a person's Achilles tendon unlike any of the prior art.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2817841 (1957-12-01), Bilecki
patent: 3772704 (1973-11-01), Carbonneau
patent: 4627108 (1986-12-01), Jarvinen
patent: 4633529 (1987-01-01), Litz
patent: 4888826 (1989-12-01), Parsons, Jr. et al.
patent: 5297294 (1994-03-01), Washick
Hale Gloria M.
Leavitt John J.
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