US20080289072A1

US20080289072A1 - Work pants equipped with detachable knee protection pads

Info

Publication number: US20080289072A1
Application number: US11/804,765
Authority: US
Inventors: James Gunjae Shin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-05-21
Filing date: 2007-05-21
Publication date: 2008-11-27

Abstract

A work pants equipped with knee protection pads is provided. Four male clip buttons are placed on each leg member of the pants surrounding knee contacting portion of the work pants to avoid contact with knees when a wearer of the work pants kneel down. The knee protection pads for the work pants according to current application is equipped with four female clip buttons on the pad that receive the four male button clips on the pants. The knee protection pads are easy to detach from the work pants to wash the pants and pads separately. Objects such as wood chips, soil, nails, etc., get inserted between the pants and pads are easily removed by detaching the pad and sweeping them out.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Current application relates to work pants, especially to a work pants equipped with detachable knee protection pads.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lots of knee protections are introduced to the market. However, they can be classified as two big groups. One group is wearing directly on knee and the other group is attached on a pants. Most of sporting knee protectors belongs to the first group. People wear those knee protectors when play volley ball, roller blade, rock climbing cycling, etc. Those direct wearing knee protectors are fastened by ties or made of elastic materials to fasten them to knees of a wearer. Some of them are worn on a sporting pants and work pants. However, if the knee pads are too much tightened, they block circulation of blood in the leg of wearer. Those kinds of knee protectors are not wearable for a worker who should kneel down for hours. Almost all of knee protectors on a work pants are stitched to the pants. It is impossible to wash knee protectors separately from the work pants. Some other knee protectors are inserted in pockets that are stitched to a work pants. For those pocket type knee protectors, the pad itself can be washed separately. However, if foreign objects are inserted, the wearer must open the pocket and take out the pads and the foreign objects. It is purpose of the current application to provide working pants that is easy to clean the pants and the pads separately.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTS

U.S. Patent Application 20070044208 by Huang; Hui-Chen illustrates a knee and elbow protector with size-adjustable fastener. U.S. Patent Application 2006 0241633 by Stalcup; Greg; et al. illustrates a patella protector for a knee during surgery including a platform being sized and shaped to be slid under the patella. U.S. Patent Application 2005 0060783 by Gold, Jerome; et al. illustrates a high strength, impact resistant knee protector. At least one layer of impact resistant foam padding is secured to a side of the pre-formed high strength, lightweight material.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,770 to Fecenko illustrates a work pants. Padded material is housed within each of the knee sections, and pluralities of straps are attached to the house. U.S. Pat. No. 6,839,906 to Gold, et al. illustrates a joint protector of high strength impact resistant material. U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,573 to Brown illustrates a protector pad. The attachment strap extends over the lower ⅔ of the pad. U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,754 to Canney illustrates a weight displacing knee protector pad having a main body comprised of a piece of foam or the like covered with a protective coating such as fabric. U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,839 to Vo, et al. illustrates a pants which include at least one pant leg and a pocket in the area of the knee. U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,845 to Ferriter illustrates a wheeled support for supporting a kneeling person. U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,779 to Goldsmith, et al. illustrates a limb protector comprising a knee element. U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,768 to McCrane illustrates a joint protector comprised of a cushion pad which is shaped to fit about portions of the user's knee or elbow. U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,737 to Fleege illustrates a combined elbow and foot protector comprising strapping members for strapping of the protector to the body of the user, and a sole attached to a flexible base. U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,440 to Ferriter illustrates a wheeled support for supporting a kneeling person. U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,333 to Crampton illustrates a resilient, flat closed-cell knee pad is rolled and inserted through a gap in a seam attaching edges of a patch to the knee area of a work pant. U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,412 to Holden illustrates a knee comprises a cushion member being a flexible semi-cylindrical body section having a flat outer surface contact area with tapered sides and an integral flexible quadric-spherical cut back top section. U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,081 to Torres illustrates a work pants construction in which padding is provided to protect both the knees and shins of the worker. U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,080 to Skottheim illustrates an articulated limb protection system comprises a buffer pocket which is disposed between an outer joint guard means and an inner joint guard means. U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,084 to Freese, III illustrates a pocket formed on the inside of the knees of a pair of firefighter's pants supports a plurality of flexible gas-filled modules. U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,726 to Ross illustrates sports pants with protective pads includes a trunk and legs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,473 to Valtakari illustrates an athletic garment for use in different sports. The pad pockets including hook and loop type closure tapes and being made of an elastic material so that pads for the protection of the wearer can be inserted into and withdrawn from the respective pad pockets. U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,355 to Ritter illustrates a knee protector covers the front of the knee, and extends rearward on both sides. The protector has foamed padding towards the leg, and a somewhat rigid outer shell. U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,303 to Atwater illustrates a knee protector pad. A flat elastomeric foam pad is enclosed in a knit sleeve and bar tack stitching attaches spaced-apart portions of the upper and lower edges of the knit sleeve to the elastic sleeve. U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,500 to Mason, et al. illustrates an athletic knee protector with a bowed leaf spring hinge structure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,026 Pierce, Jr. illustrates contact sport protection sleeves and pads including at least one protection panel of flexible elastomeric polymeric foam or of rigid plastic attached to an elastomeric sleeve. U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,153 to Sims illustrates an athletic knee protector having a flexible aluminum shield which wraps around the kneecap and sides of the knee. U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,108 to Jarvinen illustrates a knee and shin protector, comprising an outer shield and a separate padding layer fitted therein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,052 to Butler illustrates a cushioned protector includes a stretchable sleeve of textile material which is easily drawn over and resiliently engages and covers the elbow or knee of the wearer. U.S. Pat. No. 2,561,872 to J. Krinick is closest to current application. Krinick used snap fastener, kind of clip button, to attach sponge like pad to a work pants. However, the snap fasteners are located in front of the knee portion of the pants.
U.S. Pat. D478,992 to Burke illustrates an orthopedic knee protector. U.S. Pat. D459,838 to Parkins illustrates a knee protector. U.S. Pat. D436,696 to Bonaventure, et al. illustrates an elbow and knee protector. U.S. Pat. D395,939 to DeFino illustrates a gardening pants with pads. U.S. Pat. D381,490 to Torres illustrates a trousers with knee pad. U.S. Pat. D373,657 to Walker illustrates a combined equestrian knee grip pad and protector. U.S. Pat. D368,332 to Chiang illustrates a knee protector. U.S. Pat. D335,000 to Johnson illustrates a knee protector. U.S. Pat. D280,040 to Ostermaier illustrates a knee protector. U.S. Pat. D245,206 to Magnan illustrates a knee protector.
However, none of the prior art illustrates a work pants equipped with detachable knee protection pads that are easy to detach from the pads for cleaning and easy to remove objects between the pads and the pants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Lots of knee protections are introduced to the market. However, they can be classified as two big groups. One group is wearing directly on knee and the other group is attached on a pants. Most of sporting knee protectors belongs to the first group. People wear those knee protectors when they play volley ball, roller blade, rock climbing cycling, etc. Those direct wearing knee protectors are fastened by ties or made of elastic materials to fasten them to knees of a wearer. Some of them are worn on a sporting pants and work pants. However, if the knee pads are too much fastened, they block circulation of blood in the leg of wearer. Those kinds of knee protectors are not wearable for a worker who should kneel down for hours. Most of knee protectors on a work pants are stitched to the pants. It is impossible to wash knee protectors separately from the work pants. Some other knee protectors are inserted in pockets that are stitched to a work pants. For those pocket type knee protectors, the pad itself can be washed separately. However, if a foreign object is inserted, the wearer must open the pocket and take out the pads and the foreign objects. It is purpose of the current application to provide a working pants that is easy to clean the pants and the pads separately. A work pants equipped with knee protection pads is provided. Four male button clips are placed on each leg member of the pants surrounding knee contacting portion of the work pants to avoid contact with knees when a wearer of the work pant kneel down. The knee protection pads for the work pants according to current application are equipped with four female button clips that receive the four male button clips. The knee protection pads are easy to detach from the work pants to wash the pants and pads separately. Objects such as wood chips, soil, nails, etc., get inserted between the pants and pads are easily removed by detaching the pad and seeping them out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a work pants equipped with two detachable knee protection pads according to current application.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective exploded view of a work pants equipped with two detachable knee protection pads showing engagement of male and female clip buttons.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a work pants equipped with two detachable knee protection pads according to current application.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A′ seen from view point A″ in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a work pants (1) equipped with two detachable knee protection pads (2) according to current application. Each kneel protection pad (2) is attached to the pants (1) on the knee portion (3). FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective exploded view of a work pants (1) equipped with two detachable knee protection pads (2) showing engagement of male clip button (4-M) and female clip button (4-F). FIG. 3 is a side view of the work pants (1) equipped with two detachable knee protection pads (2) according to current application. Eight male clip buttons (4-M) which are placed on the knee portion of the pants on seam lines (8). Among them, two male clip button buttons (4-M) are placed on outer seam line (8-L-O) of left leg of the pants. Another two male clip button buttons (4-M) are placed on inner seam line (8-L-I) of left leg of the pants. The other two male clip button buttons (4-M) are placed on inner seam line (8-R-I) of right leg of the pants and last two male clip buttons (4-M) are place on outer seam line (8-R-O) of right leg of the pants. The knee protection pads (2) are in a shape of shield. The pad (2) is comprised of a cushion material (5), such as sponge, covered with cloths (6). The protection pad (2) is stitched along the brim (7), except the top, thereof to hold the cushion material (5) therein. Four female clip buttons (4-F) are placed on the stitched brim (7) to receive the male clip buttons (4-M) that match in position. Most of work pants of prior arts, equipped with knee protection pads, are not separable from the pads. So, it is not an easy job to wash the pants with pad. However, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the pads (2) according to current application are easily detachable from the pants (1). Therefore, user of the pants (1) can wash the pants (I) and pads (2) separately. It is the first benefit of the current application over the prior arts. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A′ seen from view point A″ in FIG. 1. Due to the structure of the pad (2), a gap (9) is developed between the pad (2) and the pants (1) when a user of the pants (1) stands up. Then foreign objects (10), which may be entrapped into the gap (9), can be easily removed by just stand up and shake them off. It is the second benefit of the current application.
Among the prior arts, U.S. Pat. No. 2,561,872 to J. Krinick is closest to current application. Krinick used snap fastener, kind of clip button, to attach sponge like pad to a work pants. However, the snap fasteners are located in front of the knee portion of the pants. Then, the snap fasteners will press knee of the wearer when the wearer kneels down on the ground. It is clear that so much pain will burdens the wearer when some metallic parts are laid under the knee of a person and pressed by the weight of a user.
To avoid such pain clip buttons (4) are placed closed to seam line (8) in the current application.
Another closest prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,412 to Holden. He discloses an attaching facility 32, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 13 a and from column 5 lines 28 to line 39. The facility 32 is a slap-on style type 44, which consists of a first pair of VELCRO strips 46. A substance 48 is for securing each first VELCRO strip 46 vertically along an inner surface of one tapered side 28 of the flexible semi-cylindrical body section 24 of the cushion member 22. Second pair of VELCRO strips 50 is provided. A substance 52 is for securing each second VELCRO strip 50 vertically along an outer surface of the pant leg 34 at the knee area; so that the first pair of VELCRO strips 46 can mate with the second pair of VELCRO strips 50. Holden used pair of VELCRO®, indicated as 46 and 50, and additional substance 52 to secure the VELCRO® S. It needs more steps than the current application to make the product. In addition to this, dirt and threads from clothes are easily stick to the VELCRO® when do laundry. They should be removed to maintain the sticking force of the VELCRO®. It needs another effort to maintain the pads attachable to a work pants.
As a conclusion, the work pants equipped with detachable knee protection pads according to current application is most simple and easy to clean one ever introduced.

Claims

1. A work pants equipped with two detachable knee protection pads on the knee portion thereof is comprised of

a work pants equipped with eight male clip buttons which are placed on the knee portion of the pants on seam lines;

two male clip button buttons are placed on outer seam line of left leg of the pants and two male clip button buttons are placed on inner seam line of left leg of the pants and two male clip button buttons are placed on inner seam line of right leg of the pants and two male clip button buttons are placed on outer seam line of right leg of the pants, and

two shield shaped knee protection pads;

each of them is comprised of

a cushion material, such as sponge, covered with cloths, and is stitched along the brim, except the top, thereof to hold the cushion material therein, and

four female clip buttons that are placed on the stitched brim to receive the male clip buttons that match in position.