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  Leg protector with adjustable foot and toe guardUSPTO Application #: 20070250977Title: Leg protector with adjustable foot and toe guard Abstract: A catcher's leg protector having an adjustable foot and toe guard includes a shin guard for covering a wearer's shin, a foot and toe guard for covering a portion of a wearer's foot, and an adjustment mechanism for moving the foot and toe guard relative to the shin guard and locking the foot and toe guard in a fixed position. Various embodiments of the leg protector and associated method are provided. (end of abstract) Agent: Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP Attn: Patent Group - Kansas City, MO, US Inventors: Robin J. Brown, Jason Lee, Steven L. Johnson USPTO Applicaton #: 20070250977 - Class: 002022000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Apparel, Guard Or Protector, Leg The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070250977. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] None. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates to protective sports equipment, and more particularly to catcher's leg protectors used in baseball and softball. Specifically, the present invention relates to catcher's leg protectors having attached foot and toe guards. [0005] 2. Description of Related Art [0006] In the games of baseball and softball, the catcher typically wears articles of protective equipment, including a chest protector and leg protectors. Leg protectors usually include padded guard units for protecting the catcher's thighs, knees, shins, calves, and feet and toes. Each individual guard unit typically comprises a rigid shell portion to provide protection against strikes from stray balls, with the rigid shell portion attached to a resilient padding backing to absorb the impact from any such strikes. [0007] The individual guard pieces may be combined into a single unit, for instance a shin protector, knee protector, and calf protectors may be combined into a single protective unit, or they may be separate pieces, as is typical with foot or toe protectors. The individual pieces are integrated into a single leg protector by adjoining the various individual pieces together using padding, straps, or other means. The leg protector is secured to the catcher's leg using straps or bands attached around various portions of the leg. The integrated leg protector thus provides protection to the areas of the catcher's legs that would otherwise be exposed to stray balls. [0008] In such conventional leg protectors, the foot or toe guard portion is often just an extension off of the lower portion of the shin guard portion. A length of padding simply extends from the lower edge of the shin guard and to the foot of the wearer, where a rigid shell forms the foot and toe guard of the leg protector. Other configurations of leg protectors have the foot and toe guard attached to the shin guard portion via a flexible strap, which allows the foot and toe guard to lie loosely on top of the catcher's foot. In either of these configurations, the spacing or distance between the foot and toe guard and the shin guard is fixed, and cannot be adjusted by the user. [0009] Hence, a particular leg protector will be configured to conform to a hypothetical average-sized catcher, with the foot and toe guard located at a distance from the shin guard such that the foot and toe guard covers a pre-defined area of that average-sized catcher's foot. Catchers of different sizes, or average-sized catchers who want the distance between the foot and toe guard and the shin guard changed, are unable to vary the spacing in this fixed configuration. This fixed configuration is particularly undesirable in cases where a player needs to protect a specific area of his or her foot that has been injured, or otherwise needs extra protection. [0010] Thus, it can be seen that there remains a need in the art for a leg protector having a shin guard and toe guard configuration that is adaptable to a particular wearer. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention is directed to a leg protector having an adjustable foot and toe guard. The foot and toe guard portion of the leg protector is movable with respect to the shin guard portion so that a linear distance between the foot and toe guard and the shin guard may be varied by the wearer. The adjustability of the spacing between the foot and toe guard and the shin guard allows a wearer to locate the foot and toe guard over any desired portion of their foot. [0012] For example, a shorter-than-average catcher may adjust the foot and toe guard to be closer to the shin guard so that the foot and toe guard is located over the mid-portion of their foot rather than being located over their toes, as occurs when using conventional, fixed configuration leg protectors. Or, a taller-than-average catcher may adjust the foot and toe guard to be farther away from the shin guard so that the foot and toe guard is located over the mid-portion of their foot rather than being located high up on their foot, near their ankle, as would occur with a conventional, fixed-configuration leg protector. Similarly, a catcher who has injured a toe may choose to adjust the foot and toe guard so that it is farther away from the shin guard such that it covers and protects his or her toes. [0013] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the leg protector comprises a resilient pad backing configured to cover and conform to the shin and lower knee of the wearer's leg. Attached to the resilient pad are rigid shell shin guard, rigid shell left and right side shin guards, and rigid shell left and right ankle joint guards to protect those areas of a wearer's leg. A knee guard and thigh guard, each comprising a rigid shell with a resilient pad backing, are attached to the upper portion of the lower leg protector, with a shield piece covering the gap between the knee guard and the thigh guard. Four attachment straps secure the knee guard, thigh guard, and shin guard portions to the leg of the wearer. [0014] A semi-rigid adjustment strap extends from a lower edge of the shin guard portion to a foot and toe guard, the foot and toe guard also comprising a rigid shell with a resilient pad backing. The adjustment strap extends upwardly on the back side of the shin guard and into an adjustment mechanism mounted along the back side of the shin guard. Raised protrusions on a surface of the adjustment strap engage with a spring-biased lever on the adjustment mechanism. When engaged with the adjustment strap, the lever secures the adjustment strap in place, thus holding the foot and toe guard in a fixed position. Using the lever, the wearer can disengage the lever from the adjustment strap and move the adjustment strap linearly along the shin guard. Moving the adjustment strap in turn moves the attached foot and toe guard towards or away from the shin guard, allowing the wearer to position the foot and toe guard anywhere along his or her foot. [0015] Thus, the adjustment mechanism allows a wearer to position the foot and toe guard anywhere along the foot as desired, and allows as single leg protector to be quickly and easily adjusted to different wearers, or to the preference of a single wearer. [0016] Additional aspects of the invention, together with the advantages and novel features appurtenant thereto, will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] The present invention will be described in greater detail in the following detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, in which: [0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a leg protector with adjustable foot and toe guard in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing the foot and toe guard positioned away from the shin guard portion of the leg protector. [0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the leg protector of FIG. 1, showing the foot and toe guard positioned near the shin guard portion of the leg protector. Continue reading... Full patent description for Leg protector with adjustable foot and toe guard Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Leg protector with adjustable foot and toe guard patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Leg protector with adjustable foot and toe guard or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Nose cover Next Patent Application: Moisture resistant infant clothing Industry Class: Apparel ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Leg protector with adjustable foot and toe guard patent info. 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