# US 8,769,715 B2 · Protective gear > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,769,715 B2 - Document ID: US8769715B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/867,642 - Filed: 2009-02-08 - Published: 2011-02-24 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-02-14 - Assignees: Bergmann & de Jounge AB - Applicants: Dieter Bergmann - Inventors: Dieter Bergmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8769715B2 ## CPC - A63B 71/1225: {for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet} - A63B 71/12: for the body or the legs {, e.g. for the shoulders (A63B71/081 takes precedence)} - A63B 2071/1258: {for the shin, e.g. shin guards} - A63B 2102/20: Cricket - A63B 2102/22: {Field} hockey - A63B 2209/02: with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres - A63B 2243/0025: Football - A63B 2243/0066: Rugby; American football - A63B 2244/19: Skiing - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract Protection for a body part of a user, such as a leg protection for a football player, comprising a stiff protective plate with a shape being adapted to the body part. This protective plate, which preferably is fiber reinforced, displays an outer surface arranged to be turned away from the user and an inner surface arranged to be turned facing the user. One or more shock absorbing elements, such as strips or cones, are arranged on the inner surface of the protective plate, along the periphery of the protective plate. Thereby a protection is achieved which has a low weight, is gentle to the skin and stays well in place. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Protection for a body part of a user, comprising a stiff protective plate with a shape adapted to the body part, which protective plate displays an outer surface arranged to be turned away from the user in a facially outward direction, an inner surface arranged to be facing the user in a facially inward direction generally opposite the facially outward direction, and a peripheral edge defining an edgeward direction generally parallel to the inner and outer surfaces, and at least one shock absorbing element arranged on the inner surface only along the periphery of the inner surface, the protective plate and the at least one shock absorbing element define an inner chamber of the protection, wherein said at least one shock absorbing element comprises at least one strip displaying peripherally spaced peaks or cones with edgewardly extending mutual spaces therebetween, the mutual spaces configured to provide fluid communication between the inner chamber and a location edgewardly outward of the protection, and wherein the protective plate displays one or more through-going ventilation holes configured to provide fluid communication between the inner chamber and a location facially outward of the protection. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Protection according to claim 1, wherein said at least one shock absorbing element is made from an elastic material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Protection according to claim 1, wherein the protective plate is built up by at least one layer fiber reinforced plastic. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Protection according to claim 3, wherein the protective plate is built up of multiple layers of fiber reinforced plastic with different fiber directions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) Protection according to claim 3, wherein the protective plate comprises any of the following fiber materials: carbon fiber and aramide fiber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Protection according to claim 1, wherein the through-going holes have a diameter of 0.5-1.5 millimeter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Protection according to claim 1, wherein the through-going holes have a diameter of 5-15 millimeter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Protection according to claim 1, wherein the protective plate has a size and shape adapted for placing on the rear side of the user's leg such that the protective plate is adapted for covering the user's Achilles tendon. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Protection according to claim 8, wherein the protective plate extends along a central axis from a top side to a bottom side and wherein the protective plate flares transversely outward from the axis towards the bottom side. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) Protection according to claim 9, wherein the protective plate further includes bottom wings extending from the bottom side in an axially downward and transversely outward direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Protection according to claim 1, comprising a first protective plate having a size and shape adapted for placing on the rear side of the user's leg such that the first protective plate is adapted for covering the user's Achilles tendon, and a second protective plate having a size and shape adapted for placing on the front of the user's leg such that the second protective plate is adapted for covering the user's shinbone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Protection according to claim 1, wherein said at least one shock absorbing element comprises rubber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Protection according to claim 1, wherein the one or more through-going ventilation holes are a multiplicity of through-going ventilation holes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Protection according to claim 13, wherein the multiplicity of holes are arranged in rows and columns. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) Protection according to claim 1, wherein the one or more through-going ventilation holes are two through-going ventilation holes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) Protection according to claim 1, wherein the two through-going ventilation holes are longitudinally spaced along the protective plate.