Hockey Goaltender Leg Pads

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/682,453 filed on Feb. 28, 2022, which claims priority on U.S. Patent Application No. 63/155,352 filed Mar. 2, 2021, the entire content of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure relates generally to protective sports equipment and, more particularly, to ice hockey goalkeeper pads.

Ice hockey players generally wear protective leg equipment. Ice hockey goalkeepers (goaltenders) wear a specific type of leg pad, typically referred to simply as “goalie pads”. Improvements in such goalie leg pads are continuously sought, particularly in order to improve the comfort, performance and/or mobility of the goalkeeper.

In one aspect, there is provided a hockey goalkeeper leg pad having a top end proximate a knee of a wearer and a bottom end proximate a foot of the wearer, hockey goalkeeper leg pad comprising: an outer shell having a facing section facing away from the wearer, a rear section facing the wearer, a lateral section, and a medial section, the medial section located inwardly of the lateral section when worn by the wearer, the facing, rear, lateral, and medial sections interconnected to form a pocket defined within the outer shell; a core padding received within the pocket of the outer shell; and a medial pad secured to the medial section of the outer shell, the medial pad having a longitudinal pad extending longitudinally between the top end and the bottom end, and a knee pad monolithically protruding from the longitudinal pad in a transverse direction, a width of the medial pad extending uninterrupted from a front edge of the longitudinal pad to a rear edge of the knee pad.

The hockey goalkeeper leg pad may include any of the following features, in whole or in part, and in any combination.

In some embodiments, the medial pad is free of a hinge connection at an intersection between the knee pad and the longitudinal pad, the knee pad being substantially non-rotatable relative to the longitudinal pad.

In some embodiments, the knee pad and the longitudinal pad are free of a stitch line therebetween.

In some embodiments, a thickness of the medial pad in a direction transverse to the width is uniform from the longitudinal pad to the knee pad across an intersection therebetween.

In some embodiments, a medial edge of the rear section is stitched to a rear edge of the medial section along a stitch line, the stitch line extending around the knee pad.

In some embodiments, the medial section of the outer shell is free of direct connection to the rear section of the outer shell along an intersection between the longitudinal pad and the knee pad.

In some embodiments, the pocket has a core volume receiving the core padding, a knee pad volume receiving the knee pad, and a longitudinal pad volume receiving the longitudinal pad, the knee pad volume uninterruptedly communicating with the longitudinal pad volume for receiving a monolithic body defining the knee pad and the longitudinal pad.

In some embodiments, the facing section has a front lateral edge, the rear section has a rear lateral edge, the lateral section has opposed front and rear lateral edges each secured to a respective one of the front lateral edge and the rear lateral edge via one or more stitch lines, the front lateral edge, the rear lateral edge, and the opposed front and rear lateral edges located inside the pocket.

In some embodiments, the facing section has a front medial edge, the rear section has a rear medial edge, and the medial section has opposed front and rear medial edges each secured to a respective one of the front medial edge and the rear medial edge, the front medial edge, the rear medial edge, and the opposed front and rear medial edges located outside the pocket.

In some embodiments, the opposed front and rear medial edges follow a contour of the knee pad.

In another aspect, there is provided hockey goalkeeper leg pad having a top end proximate a knee of a wearer and a bottom end proximate a foot of the wearer, the hockey goalkeeper leg pad comprising: a plurality of sections including a facing section facing away from the wearer, a lateral section, a medial section, and a rear section facing toward the wearer, the plurality of sections being interconnected to define a pocket sized for receiving a core padding of the hockey goalkeeper leg pad; and a medial pad as the medial section of the outer shell, the medial pad having a longitudinal pad extending longitudinally between the top end and the bottom end, and a knee pad monolithic with the longitudinal pad and protruding therefrom in a transverse direction, a thickness of the medial pad being substantially constant from the longitudinal pad to the knee pad across an intersection between the longitudinal pad and the knee pad such that the knee pad is substantially non-rotatable relative to the longitudinal pad.

The outer shell may include any of the following features, in any combinations.

In some embodiments, the knee pad and the longitudinal pad are free of a stitch line therebetween.

In some embodiments, the pocket has a core volume sized for receiving the core padding, a knee pad volume receiving the knee pad, and a longitudinal pad volume receiving the longitudinal pad, the knee pad volume uninterruptedly communicating with the longitudinal pad volume for receiving a monolithic body defining the knee pad and the longitudinal pad.

In yet another aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing a hockey goalkeeper leg pad, comprising: obtaining an outer shell defining a pocket, the outer shell having a facing section, a rear section, a medial section, and a lateral section; securing a medial pad to the medial section of the outer shell, the medial pad having a longitudinal pad and a knee pad, the longitudinal pad extending longitudinally between a top end and a bottom end, the knee pad monolithically protruding from the longitudinal pad in a transverse direction; inserting a core padding inside the pocket of the outer shell; and closing an opening of the pocket by securing a rear edge of the medial section of the outer shell to a medial edge of the rear section of the outer shell by contouring a perimeter of the knee pad such that a thickness of the medial pad at an intersection between the knee pad and the longitudinal pad is substantially equal to the thickness of the medial pad at opposite sides of the intersection.

The method may include any of the following features, in any combinations.

In some embodiments, the closing of the pocket includes enclosing the knee pad between a protrusion of the rear section of the outer shell and a protrusion of the medial section of the outer shell such that the medial section of the outer shell is free of direct connection to the rear section at the intersection between the longitudinal pad and the knee pad.

In some embodiments, the obtaining of the outer shell includes securing together top edges and bottom edges of the facing section and the rear section.

In some embodiments, the method includes orienting outer faces of the facing section and of the rear section toward one another before the securing together of the top edges and the bottom edges of the facing section and of the rear section.

In some embodiments, the method includes flipping the outer shell inside out until inner faces of the facing section and of the rear section face one another.

In some embodiments, the method includes securing a lateral edge of the rear section to an edge of the lateral section before the flipping of the outer shell inside out such that the top edges, the bottom edges, the lateral edge of the rear section, and the edge of the lateral section are located inside the pocket.

In some embodiments, the outer shell defines a core volume receiving the core padding, a knee volume, and a longitudinal volume, the method comprising inserting the knee pad inside the knee volume and inserting the longitudinal pad inside the longitudinal volume.

Many further features and combinations thereof concerning the present improvements will appear to those skilled in the art following a reading of the instant disclosure.

Referring to, the ice hockey (or simply “hockey”) goalkeeper leg padis adapted to be worn a goalkeeper to protect at least a portion of a leg of the goalkeeper. The hockey goalkeeper leg pad(also referred to herein simply as “leg pad” herein below) can have different sizes and shapes and is adapted to cover, or substantially cover, the leg. In the depicted embodiment, the leg padis of a type generally known as a “goalie pad” or a “goalkeeper's pad” such as those worn by ice hockey goalkeepers. The leg padextends between an upper endand a lower endthereof. The upper endextends above a knee of the wearer and typically cover a portion of a thigh of the wearer. The lower endtypically covers a foot of the wearer.

When the leg padis worn by the player (wearer), it extends along the leg from a skate worn by the wearer to a thigh of the wearer. In the embodiment shown, the leg padis adapted to be worn on the right leg of the wearer. A corresponding leg pad, which may be a mirror image of the leg pad, may be worn on the left leg of the wearer.describe the leg pad, which is designed to be worn over a left leg of a wearer, whereasdescribe a right leg pad, which is a mirror image of the leg padof.

The leg padhas a medial sideand an opposed lateral side. The leg padhas an inner side() facing toward the leg of the wearer and an opposed outer sidefacing away from the wearer. When both of the left and right leg pads are worn, on the left and right legs of the wearer respectively, the medial sidesare facing one another and the lateral sidesare facing away from one another. The medial sidesmay therefore be located proximate medial portions of the legs of the wearer. In the embodiment shown, the leg padincludes inner paddings() located on the inner sideof the leg padand an outer padding() defining the outer sideof the leg pad. The inner paddingsare secured to the outer paddingas will be explained below. The leg padmay be secured to the leg of the wearer via the inner paddingsand/or suitable attachment means such as straps or buckles.

Referring more particularly to, the inner paddingsinclude calf flaps and knee flaps. Namely, the calf flaps includes a medial calf flapand a lateral calf flapand the knee flaps includes a knee stackand a outer knee flap. The knee stackmay be a single piece, but may comprise a plurality of pieces, hence the moniker “stack”, where a surface in direct contact with a knee of the wearer has more of an absorption function and whereas a remainder of the knee stackhas a raising purpose to increase a distance between the ice and the knee of the wearer when the wearer is in a butterfly position. The thicker the knee stack, the less stress is imparted on a knee joint of the wearer when the latter is in the butterfly position. A single piece knee stack may have to have the right equilibrium in terms of softness/rigidity with the portion in contact with the knee being softer and the remaining portion being sturdier.

As shown in, the knee stackextends from a proximal end at a rear sectionof the leg padto a distal end. The knee stackhas a first section extending from the proximal end and a second section extending from the first section to the distal end. A thickness of the first section is less than that of the second section to accommodate a knee pad, which will be described further below. Therefore, an outside face of the second section of the knee stackis substantially aligned with an outside face of the knee pad thanks to the difference in thicknesses of the first and second sections of the knee stack. Moreover, the second section of the knee stackprotrudes beyond a distal end of the knee pad. Strapsare used to secure the knee pad to the knee stack. Hook and loop fasteners may be used for that purpose, but any other fastening means, such as snap buttons, are contemplated.

The medial calf flap, lateral calf flap, knee stack, and outer knee flapmay be stitched to a rear side of the outer paddingand may be pivotable relative to the outer padding. The medial calf flap, lateral calf flap, knee stack, and outer knee flapdefine a spacing S () between them. The spacing S is sized and shaped, and thus configured, to receive the leg of the wearer. A knee strapis used to secure the knee stackto the outer knee flapby going around a rear side of the leg of the wearer and is used to hold a leg of the wearer in place within the spacing S. The knee strapmay also be used to keep a medial knee pad and the knee stackcombo in place, to avoid such a combo from floating freely and potentially protruding between legs of the wearer during play, which might be prohibited by some regulations. It is however possible for this combo to be held in place differently, such that the knee strapdoes not have to be connected to such combo. A calf strapis used to secure the medial calf flapto the lateral calf flapby going around the rear side of the leg of the wearer. These knee strapand the calf strapmay be adjusted to securely attach the leg padto the leg of the wearer.

Referring to, the outer paddingincludes a leg memberand a foot memberconnected to the leg member. The leg memberand the foot membermay be somewhat pivotable one relative to the other. The leg memberis used to cover the front of the lower part of the leg and a portion of a thigh of the wearer whereas the foot memberis used to cover at least partially a foot, skate and/or ankle of the wearer. The foot membermay extend generally transversally, forwardly, relative to the leg member.

Referring to, the outer paddingincludes generally an outer shell. The outer shelldefines an internal pocket therein that is sized to receive a core(), commonly referred to as the goalie pads' core. The coreis disposed within and/or extends along both of the leg memberand the foot memberof the outer padding. The coremay include a plurality of different padding elements which may be secured (e.g., glued, laminated, stitched, nested . . . ) to one another to define the shape of the leg pad. The outer shelltherefore encloses the leg memberand the foot memberof the outer paddingof the leg pad. In some embodiments, having a plurality of pieces of for the coremay allow to more easily achieve a pivoting of the leg memberin relationship to the foot member.

Typically, a leg pad includes a knee pad that is configured to register with a knee of the wearer and to contact the ice when the wearer is in the butterfly position. This knee pad is usually a separate piece of padding that is assembled to a remainder of the leg pad. This configuration is a result of a manufacturing technique. Namely, a typical leg pad has a facing section, to which are attached a medial section and lateral gusset section, with all flaps being attached separately for ease of overall manufacturing. This manufacturing process results in having a hinge between the medial section and the knee pad. That is, the knee pad is usually stitched to a remainder of the leg pad. However, such an assembly of the knee pad by stitching creates a hinge at an intersection between the knee pad and the remainder of the leg pad. This hinge allows the knee pad to pivot substantially freely. However, in some circumstances, this hinge and the pivot movement it allows may be undesirable.

As shown in, the outer shellis composed of a medial section, a lateral gusset section, a facing section, and a rear section. As shown more clearly in, the facing sectionof the outer shelldefines outer-roll protrusionslocated proximate a lateral edge of the leg padand that protrude away from a remainder of the facing sectionand away from the rear section. The outer-roll protrusionsextend over both of the leg memberand the foot memberof the outer paddingof the leg pad. The outer-roll protrusionsmay allow a better control of the puck by the wearer of the leg pad. The outer-roll protrusionsare designed to allow a pivotal movement of the leg memberin relationship to the foot member.

The outer shellmay be assembled by stitching together the medial section, the lateral gusset section, the facing section, and the rear sectionalong their respective peripheral edges. Understandably, the coreis inserted into the pocket of the outer shellbefore the pocket is fully stitched closed. The assembly steps of the leg padare described herein below.

The medial calf flap, lateral calf flap, knee stack, and outer knee flapof the inner paddingsmay be stitched along one of their edges to the rear sectionof the outer shell. Hence, the medial calf flap, lateral calf flap, knee stack, and outer knee flapmay be pivotable relative to the outer shellalong their stitched lines via which they are connected to the outer shellat the rear section. These stitched lines may therefore correspond to live hinges between the medial calf flap, lateral calf flap, knee stack, and outer knee flapand the outer shell.

The outer knee flap() may be used for providing increased comfort to the wearer in terms of the attachment of the knee straparound the leg of the wearer. As a secondary purpose, a degree of protection may be offered by the outer knee flap. The knee strapmay be fastened, via hook and loop fasteners in one embodiment, to the lateral calf flap. A fastening surface() is defined on the lateral calf flapfor fastening the knee strap. The lateral calf flapmay be used to provide comfort to the wearer and may offer a degree of protection. In some embodiment, it may offer an alternate attachment location for the knee strap. The medial calf flapmay have a similar function as the outer knee flap, that is, wrap-around comfort and some degree of protection.

As seen in, the outer paddingfurther includes a calf wingthat may be stitched to the medial sideof the leg padand adjacent the medial calf flap. Hook and loop fasteners may be used to hold the calf wingand the medial calf flaptogether. Any suitable fastening means, such as quick release buckles, standard buckles, snap buttons, and so on may alternatively be used. An outer surface of the calf wingmay be in direct contact with the ice when the wearer is in the butterfly position. It may assist the wearer in gliding on the ice and offers protection. The calf wingmay be prohibited from floating freely and from protruding between the legs of the wearer per some regulations. As shown in, the calf strapmay have an extremity thereof secured to the calf wingand may extend around a buckle secured to the rear sectionof the outer shell, or to the lateral calf flap, proximate the lateral sideof the leg pad. An effective length of the calf strapmay be adjusted to bias the medial calf flapand the lateral calf flapagainst opposite sides of the leg of the wearer. Hook and loop fasteners may be used to allow the calf strapto be removably securable to itself at a plurality of attachment points. Snap buttons or other suitable fastening means may alternatively be used. The calf strapmay have a similar function as the knee strap, that is, to hold the leg of the wearer secured to the leg padand to keep the calf wingin place. The calf wingmay be held in place via other means, such as hook and loop fasteners between the calf wingand the medial calf flap. The knee strapmay be secured to the medial sectionat one extremity and may be removably securable to the outer knee flapat its opposed extremity. Hook and loop fasteners may be used to removably secure the knee strapto the outer knee flapat a plurality of attachment points. Snap buttons or other suitable fastening means may alternatively be used.

As shown in, the medial sectionincludes a medial padthat includes a knee padand a longitudinal pad. This medial padis made of a single monolithic body that extends uninterrupted to define both of the knee padand the longitudinal padof the medial section. As will be explained below, performance gains for the wearer may be achieved using this unitary construction of the medial pad. Namely, a stiffness of the medial sectionis increased thanks to the medial padbeing free of any hinge, and thus substantially non-rotatable relative to one another, at an intersection between the knee padand the longitudinal padof the monolithic medial pad. The knee padmay be integrated to the knee stack, but having two separate pieces may facilitate the manufacturing of the leg pad. Herein, the expression “non-rotatable” means that the knee paddoes not pivot freely relative to the longitudinal padand that pivoting the knee padrelative to the longitudinal padrequires exerting sufficient force to bend a material of the medial pad

Still referring now to, the medial sectionincludes a front edge, a rear edge, a top edge, and a bottom edge. The top edgeand the bottom edgeextend from the front edgeto the rear edge. In an embodiment, the top edgeand the bottom edgemay be part of the front edgeand the rear edgeconverging toward one another to close the pocket of the outer shell. The medial sectionincludes an outer casingthat covers an outwardly facing side of the medial padof the medial section. In the embodiment shown, the knee padof the medial sectioncovers a knee of the wearer and the longitudinal padextends from the upper endto the lower endof the leg pad. More specifically, the outer casingis free of a stitch line extending therethrough and thus defines a continuous, uninterrupted pocket, to receive the medial padthat includes the single monolithic block of padding that defines both of the knee padand the longitudinal pad. In other words, the knee padextends integrally and monolithically from the longitudinal pad. The knee padextends in a transverse direction from the longitudinal pad. They may be considered as different portions or sections of a single monolithic body forming the medial pad. This monolithic body of the medial padmay be made of a high density foam.

Accordingly, the knee padand the adjacent portion of the longitudinal padare monolithic. However, the entirety of the medial sectionneed not be monolithic, and may for example be formed by multiple pieces to enable flexibility in the front-to-back plane. The lack of any stitching and/or hinge connection line between knee padand adjacent longitudinal padof the medial sectionresults in an increased rigidity in the resulting plane formed by the ice-contacting surface of the knee pageand the adjacent portion of the longitudinal pad. Thus, for pivoting the knee padin relationship to the longitudinal pad, it is required to bend a material of the medial pad. A thickness of the medial padmay be substantially constant from the front edgeto the rear edge

Referring to, the medial padmay include three pieces (one piece being removed from an outside casing for illustration purposes) distributed longitudinally between the top edgeand the bottom edge: a top piece extending from the top edgeto a central piece; a bottom piece extending from the bottom edgeto the central piece; and the central piece that may be located at an elbow section defined by the medial section. The top section extends monolithically from the front edgeto the rear edgeand defines both of the knee padand a portion of what is shown as the longitudinal padin. This embodiment, while retaining the rigid aspect of the knee stack because of the hinge elimination, may allow a better front-to-back flexibility of the padalong directions D. Consequently, while both pads would have the desired knee stack rigidity, both would offer different front-to-back flexibility. As shown, the three pieces of the medial padare contained in a casing that may be stitched along its perimeter to secure the three pieces in the casing. Stitch lines may be provided between the three pieces, and may extend from the front edgeto the rear edge, to prevent the pieces from moving within the casing.

“Monolithic” as defined herein with respect to the medial padis understood to mean that there is no live hinge(s) between the knee padand the longitudinal padof the medial pad, and thus that substantially no pivotable or rotational movement therebetween is possible (without permanently deforming the medial pad). However, as explained above, the knee padmay include a three-piece construction as long as a single piece extends monolithically to define both of a portion of the longitudinal padand the knee pad

The knee padmay therefore correspond to a rearwardly extending protrusion that extends away from the longitudinal pad, with the rear edgetherefore protruding away from both the front edge, and from a rear edge of the longitudinal pad, at the knee pad. The monolithic medial padextends over an entirety of the medial sectionto define the knee padand the longitudinal pad. In other words, there is no connection, hinge, stich, live hinge, and so on, between the knee padand the longitudinal padof the medial pad, and as such that substantially no relative rotational movement between the knee padand the longitudinal padis possible along a longitudinal axis extending from a top to a bottom of the pad. The medial sectionis thus free of a pivotal connection between its different constituents. The knee padmay be substantially non-rotatable relative to the longitudinal pad. That is, a thickness of the medial padmay be substantially uniform from the longitudinal padto the knee pad. Hence, the medial padis free of a reduced thickness area between the knee padand the longitudinal pad. If one were to rotate the knee padrelative to the longitudinal padof the medial pad, this person would be required to exert sufficient force to bend a material of the medial pad. Therefore, the knee paddoes not swivel easily relative to the longitudinal pad. The knee padis therefore a monolithic extension of the longitudinal padin a rearward direction away from the front edge. The medial sectionis therefore free of stitch line at an intersection between its knee and longitudinal portions. A width Wof the medial padat the knee padextends uninterrupted from the front edgeto the rear edge. A stiffness of the high-density foam used for the medial padwill determine the stiffness of the knee padwhen a force is exerted on the knee padto rotate the knee padabout a longitudinal axis extending from the top to the bottom of the pad. And, the unitary nature or not of the high-density foam used from top to bottom of the medial padwill determine the extent of movements in the direction D. In the embodiment shown, the medial sectionof the outer shellis free of direct connection to the rear sectionof the outer shellalong an intersection between the longitudinal padand the knee pad. In other words, the pocket of the outer shellhas a core volume receiving the core padding, a knee pad volume receiving the knee pad, and a longitudinal pad volume receiving the longitudinal pad. The knee pad volume uninterruptedly communicates with the longitudinal pad volume for receiving a monolithic body defining the knee padand the longitudinal pad. During assembly, inserting the knee padis inserted inside the knee volume and the longitudinal padis inserted inside the longitudinal volume.

Having the knee padmonolithic with the longitudinal padof the medial padmay allow a reduced a number of pieces of the leg pad; increased a stiffness of the knee pad; improved a sliding motion of the leg padon an ice surface; and/or allow for a more responsive movement of the wearer of the leg pad. More specifically, in use, the wearer may move his or her legs such that the medial sectionis in contact with the ice. This is known as the “butterfly” position. In so doing, knees of the wearer abut the knee padsof the medial padsof the leg pads. The wearer is then required to either move quickly in a lateral direction or to revert back from the butterfly position to a standing position. Having the knee padsolidary and monolithic with the longitudinal padof the knee padmay help the wearer carrying out those movements by being more responsive to force inputs provided by the wearer, thereby reducing reaction time, reducing energy loss, increasing force transfer from the wearer's knee to the pad. The monolithic construction of the knee padand the longitudinal padmay also help the wearer to move around on and/or up or down from/to the ice.

Additionally, the monolithic construction of the knee padand the longitudinal pad, given that no stitched hinge exists therebetween, may also help to create a substantially uninterrupted planar surface that extends fully along the medial-most surface of the medial pad. This may help to reduce friction between the pad and the ice surface. Given how much time goaltenders spend in the butterfly position, with this surface of the medial padin contact with the ice and sliding back and forth on this surface, any small reduction in surface friction may result in split second improvements in displacement along the ice, for example from one goalpost to the other. This reduction in friction may be caused by the fact that ice/snow can no longer accumulate into a recess at the stitch line between medial and longitudinal pads because said recess is removed by the monolithic construction of the medial pad. Moreover, the removal of this stitch line may increase a durability of the leg padsince any stitch line may be subjected to wear and tear. Given that even millisecond improvements in sliding displacement along the ice can sometimes mean the difference between stopping the puck and not, any reduction in surface friction between the outer surface of the medial padand the ice remains desirable. To a greater degree, the added stiffness of the knee pad, thanks to its monolithic construction with the longitudinal pad, may allow the wearer to be more reactive, reduce reaction time, ease movements between the standing and butterfly positions, direct energy transfer between the wearer and the ice via the stiff knee pad and so on.

As shown in, the strapmay be used to fasten the knee padof the medial sectionto the knee stack. Alternatively, hook and loop fasteners or snap buttons may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.