Importance

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Abstract

The shin pad, for use in ice hockey and possibly other sports, includes a lower brace element positionable along the front of the player's shin and securable to the player's lower leg, and an upper brace element positionable along the front of the player's lower thigh and securable thereto. A shin shield is secured outside the lower brace element. The lower and upper brace elements are pivotally connected to each other by pivotal connections on lateral and medial sides thereof, the pivotal connections being positionable on lateral and medial sides of the player's knee, in general alignment with the axis of the player's knee joint. To restrict or prevent hyperextension of the knee, the shin pad includes a stop arranged to prevent rotation of the upper and lower brace elements beyond a selected maximum permissible extension angle. To maintain protection when the knee is flexed, the upper and lower brace elements preferably include overlapping arcuate kneecap portions, one on each of the brace elements, arranged such that no gap between them when the knee is flexed. As the stop, the upper arcuate kneecap portion may come into contact with the shin shield when the maximum permissible extension angle is reached.

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First Claim