WO2004110571B1 - Takraw padding - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a takraw body protector comprising at least one outer component of fabric, at least one inner component of flexible, shock absorbing material attached to the outer component and at least one elastic component being part of or attached to the outer component; such that, when worn to play takraw, the protector can be stretched over a given area of a takraw players body: one embodiment is for a takraw player's ankle area, wherein the outer component and the elastic component are combined as a tube (10) of elasticised fabric (12, 14) shaped to fit around the ankle and the inner component is a pad or pads (24, 26) of resilient material attached to the tube sides so as, when worn to play takraw, a takraw player's inner and/or outer ankles are protected; another embodiment is for a takraw player's forehead, wherein the outer component (48) is a headband (46), the inner component is a thin pad (56) of resilient material retained within the headband and the elastic component is an elastic member (50) connected between the ends (64, 66) of the headband; means (60, 62) being provided, when worn to play takraw, to preferentially transmit tension from the elastic member to the upper and lower margins (52, 54) of the headband.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS[received by the International Bureau on 14 March 2005 (14.03.05); original claims 1 - 10 replaced by amended claims 1 - 7 (2 pages)]

1. A takraw forehead protector comprising a headband (46), an inner component (56) of resilient material retained and a connecting member (50) between headband ends (64,66) characterised in that the headband (46) is fabric, the inner component is a thin pad (56) of resilient material retained within the headband (46), the connecting member (50) is elastic and tension transmission means (60,62) are provided that, in use, preferentially transmit tension from the elastic member (50) to headband upper and lower margins (52,54); such that, when worn to play takraw, the protector can be stretched over a takraw player's head so that the headband and pad can substantially and smoothly conform to the player's forehead; whereby impact shock of a takraw ball on the forehead can be reduced, whilst directional control can be retained.

2. A protector as claimed in claim 1 and further characterised in that the elastic member (50) is an adjustable elastic belt (72) and the tension transmission means are one or more inelastic straps (60, 62) attached between an end of the belt and the respective headband end (64,66); with each strap being operative in use to transmit tension to the upper headband margin (52) and/or the lower headband margin (54) respectively.

3. A protector as claimed in claim 1 and further characterised in that the elastic member (50) is constituted by pairs of elastic straps attached between ends of an inelastic belt and the respective headband end (64,66) and each strap of each pair is operative, when worn to play takraw, to generate and transmit tension to the upper headband margin (52) or the lower margin (54) respectively headband.

4. A protector as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 and further characterise in that the headband (46) is formed of two superimposed, elongate, bow-shaped sheets (48, 50) of fabric and the pad (56) of is shock-absorbing material shaped to follow the inner periphery of the sheets.

5. A protector as claimed in claim 4 and further characterised in that the sheets (48, 50) are of elasticised, plain or mixed elasticised and plain fabric.

6. A protector as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 and further characterised in that the pad (56) is only anchored to the two sheets (48,50) in one area (74).

7. A protector as claimed in claim 1 and further characterised in that the elastic member (50) is, in whole or in part, an inner component of elastic, resilient material.