Supporting strip and protector with same

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of protector assemblies, and particularly relates to a supporting strip and a protector with the supporting strip, the supporting strip comprises an elastic supporting strip body which is in a long strip shape on the whole, the supporting strip body is bent when being stressed and can rebound after losing force, a bending part is arranged in the middle area of the supporting strip body, and the bending part is connected with the supporting strip body. The bending part is arranged in an arc shape towards one side, a circumferentially closed rebound groove is formed in the supporting strip body corresponding to the bending part, and the rebound groove is used for providing a flexible deformation space when the supporting strip body deforms, so that stress concentration is relieved, and deformation energy is temporarily stored. According to the supporting strip, through the innovative structure that the circumferentially-closed springback groove is formed in the middle bending part, efficient energy absorption and dispersion on the knee joint during strenuous exercise or rapid turning are achieved, meanwhile, rapid springback after bending is guaranteed, and therefore continuous and stable supporting force is maintained, and the service life is remarkably prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of protective gear component technology, and particularly relates to a support strip and protective gear having the same. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing awareness of exercise, fitness, and rehabilitation, knee protection has become a research hotspot in the field of sports equipment. The knee joint is not only a pivotal point for weight-bearing and movement, but also has a complex structure, making it highly susceptible to injury under weight-bearing conditions due to external impacts or improper posture. Knee braces, as common knee protection devices, primarily aim to reduce the impact and torsional forces on the knee joint by providing sufficient support and cushioning mechanisms, thereby lowering the risk of sports injuries.

[0003] Currently, most mainstream sports knee braces on the market rely on side support strips to cushion and support the knee joint's vertical movement. These support strips can be broadly categorized into metal and plastic materials. Metal support strips are widely used due to their high strength and good stability, but their weight can easily place an extra burden on the wearer over long periods, and may also create a noticeable pressure sensation at the knee's flexion point, affecting the user experience. Plastic support strips, on the other hand, have the advantages of lighter weight and lower cost, but they often suffer from insufficient durability and rapid loss of support when subjected to strenuous exercise or lateral loads. To adapt to the physiological curve of the knee joint, some knee brace products use simple bends or composite materials in the shape design of the support strips, aiming to improve wearing comfort while ensuring basic support. However, these improvements are mostly superficial and fail to simultaneously address support performance, comfort, and long-term resilience.

[0004] In complex sports scenarios, the knee joint not only bears vertical pressure but also experiences lateral shear forces and torsional loads. Traditional linear or curved support strips often fail to provide sufficient support when encountering these multi-directional impacts due to uneven distribution of cross-sectional stiffness, making it difficult to effectively disperse and absorb impact energy. Simultaneously, because some rigid materials lack necessary elastic cushioning, they can exert uneven pressure on soft tissues during knee flexion, causing discomfort to the wearer and even restricting the joint's natural range of motion, thus affecting the sports experience. Furthermore, the rebound performance of the support strip under repeated bending is also a key indicator: slow rebound speed or insufficient rebound amplitude not only reduces the dynamic support effect but may also lose effective restraint on the joint during sudden stops or changes in direction, thereby increasing the risk of sports injuries.

[0005] The knee brace support strip structures disclosed by the applicant in CN213128087U and CN213128090U, although partially improved in terms of the combination of support strip materials and structure, have alleviated the above problems to some extent. However, when the support strip is used, it is subjected to repeated bending forces inside the knee brace as the knee bends repeatedly. After long-term use, it also faces the risk of declining rebound ability and even breaking through the surface material of the knee brace.

[0006] Therefore, the market urgently needs a support strip structure that combines high-strength support, excellent rebound performance, and good comfort to meet the protection needs of sports enthusiasts and people with rehabilitation needs during long-term, large-amplitude knee joint activities. Utility Model Content

[0007] In view of this, the present invention aims to solve the technical problems of insufficient support, decreased rebound performance, and discomfort in the use of existing knee brace support strips, and provides a support strip and protective gear having the same.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is implemented as follows:

[0009] The first objective of this application is to disclose a support strip, comprising an overall elongated and elastic support strip body, which bends along its length when subjected to force and returns to its original shape after the external force is removed. A curved portion is provided in the middle region of the support strip body, the curved portion being arc-shaped to one side. A circumferentially closed spring groove is provided on the support strip body corresponding to the curved portion. The spring groove is used to provide flexible deformation space when the support strip body deforms, so as to alleviate stress concentration and temporarily store deformation energy.

[0010] Furthermore, the rebound groove is elongated, and its length direction is consistent with the length direction of the support strip body.

[0011] Furthermore, the number of springback grooves is one or more, and the springback grooves are arranged in an arc shape consistent with the bending direction of the bending portion.

[0012] Furthermore, a toothed portion is provided on the concave side surface of the curved portion. The toothed portion includes multiple teeth, which are arranged sequentially along the arc direction of the curved portion, and a tooth groove is provided between two adjacent teeth.

[0013] Furthermore, the tooth is designed with an arc-shaped structure that is small at the root and large at the tip. Correspondingly, the distance of the tooth groove near the tooth root is greater than the distance near the tooth tip.

[0014] Furthermore, one spring-loaded groove is provided, and the ratio of the length of both ends of the spring-loaded groove in the length direction to the length of the farthest ends of the two outermost tooth grooves in the length direction of the toothed portion is 0.6 to 1.2.

[0015] Furthermore, at least one end of the support bar body is a circular lifting end, which has an opening.

[0016] Furthermore, the support bar body has an upper lifting end and a lower lifting end at opposite ends, respectively. A first lifting groove is provided at the upper lifting end, and a second lifting groove is provided at the lower lifting end. The upper lifting end has a first opening that communicates with the first lifting groove, and the lower lifting end has a second opening that communicates with the second lifting groove.

[0017] Furthermore, the opening direction of the first opening is opposite to the opening direction of the second opening.

[0018] The second objective of this application is to disclose a protective garment comprising a cylindrical fabric with support strips as described above provided on the protective garment.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the support strip and protective gear having the same as described in this utility model have the following advantages:

[0020] 1. The support strip of this utility model, by setting a curved part with an arc-shaped profile in the middle of the support strip body and arranging a circumferentially closed rebound groove on the curved part, effectively guides the support strip to produce flexible deformation during knee joint movement, so that it can bend naturally with the knee joint rather than rigidly resisting it, thereby reducing the pressure on the skin and soft tissues. At the same time, the rebound groove can provide local stress buffer space and temporarily store some deformation energy when deformed under force. After the external force is released, the energy is quickly released to push the support strip to rebound, thereby improving its deformation recovery ability, extending the elastic life of the product and improving its dynamic support effect, which helps the wearer obtain a continuous and stable support and protection effect during long-term exercise.

[0021] 2. The support strip of this utility model has a toothed structure on the concave side of the curved part. The tooth groove between the teeth plays the role of stress dispersion and guiding deformation, making the arc deformation of the support strip more uniform during bending, avoiding structural fatigue and local fracture caused by rigidity concentration. In particular, the tooth structure design with a small root and a large tip allows the tooth groove to quickly absorb stress in the early stage of deformation and guide the coordinated elastic deformation between the teeth, thereby improving the fatigue resistance of the entire support strip during multiple bending processes. At the same time, the structural feature of the tooth groove size changing with the tooth position gives the entire toothed area a gradual elastic buffer zone, making the rebound process smoother and reducing the impact and puncture risk on the surface of the knee pad fabric when the support strip stops or accelerates, thus enhancing the overall durability and safety of the knee pad.

[0022] 3. The protective gear with support strips described in this utility model, by providing pull-up ends with open structures and corresponding pull-up groove structures at both ends of the support strips, allows the support strips to be more easily embedded into and fixed inside the knee brace fabric. At the same time, the pull-up ends also improve the ease of operation when putting on or taking off the knee brace. This structural design further enhances the structural integrity and assembly adaptability of the support strips without affecting the overall aesthetics, and helps to form a tighter and more fitting connection between the support strips and the knee brace, preventing slippage or displacement during use. This ensures that it can maintain an effective support position throughout the entire movement process and achieve continuous dynamic protection of the knee joint movement state, making the product more user-friendly and suitable for a wider range of people and usage scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support strip described in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a side view of the support strip according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the support strip in a bent state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support strip described in this embodiment of the invention when used on a knee brace;

[0027] The markings in the diagram are as follows:

[0028] 1-Support bar body; 2-Upper lifting end; 3-Lower lifting end; 4-Toothed part; 5-Rebound groove; 6-First lifting groove; 7-First opening; 8-Second lifting groove; 9-Second opening; 10-Bending part; 11-Tooth; 12-Tooth groove. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0030] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. For ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0031] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and are not limited in number; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0032] It should be noted that in the description of this application, the directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application. The directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0033] It should be noted that, in this application, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0034] like Figures 1-3 As shown, this utility model discloses a support strip, including a support strip body 1 that is elongated and elastic. The support strip body 1 bends when subjected to force and can rebound after the force is released. A bending portion 10 is provided near the middle of the support strip body 1. The bending portion 10 is curved to one side. A circumferentially closed rebound groove 5 is provided on the support strip body 1 corresponding to the bending portion 10. The length direction of the rebound groove 5 is consistent with the length direction of the support strip body 1.

[0035] This application discloses a support strip that is elongated and elastic. The support strip body 1 is made of a highly elastic material, which can bend controllably along its length when subjected to external force and quickly return to its original shape after unloading. A curved part 10 is provided in the middle of the support strip body 1, which bends to one side to conform to the natural curve of the knee joint and disperse local stress. A circumferential closed spring groove 5 is provided in the body area corresponding to the curved part 10, which is consistent with the length direction of the support strip. The spring groove 5 penetrates the support strip body 1 along the thickness direction. The groove structure is a closed annular strip to provide flexible deformation space for the material during bending deformation and reduce stress concentration. The design of adding spring groove 5 to the support strip body 1 can not only accommodate sufficient deformation during bending, but also exert the elastic recovery force of the groove wall after unloading, ensuring that the support strip maintains stable rebound performance and continuous support effect during repeated movement. When the support strip described in this application is installed in joint braces, such as knee braces for the knee joint, when the knee joint is subjected to vertical pressure or lateral torsional load, the support strip body 1 actively guides deformation through the arc-shaped structure of the central bending part 10 to distribute stress evenly along the bending surface. At the same time, the rebound groove 5 provides sufficient space for deformation to avoid excessive material concentration. Afterwards, at the moment the external force disappears, the elastic recovery force of the material on both sides of the rebound groove 5 is used to quickly release the stored energy, so that the support strip returns to its initial shape and transmits the rebound force to the knee brace body through both ends of the support strip body 1 in the length direction, achieving a synergistic effect of dynamic support and cushioning, and effectively eliminating residual deformation to maintain stable support and fit in multiple motion cycles.

[0036] The support bar described in this application, through its innovative structure of a circumferentially closed rebound groove 5 in the central curved portion 10, achieves efficient energy absorption and dispersion for the knee joint during vigorous exercise or rapid changes of direction, while ensuring rapid rebound after bending, thereby maintaining continuous and stable support and significantly improving service life. The synergistic design of the arc-shaped curved portion 10 and the annular rebound groove 5 fully conforms to the physiological curve of the knee, reducing local pressure and improving wearing comfort. Through optimized material and structural matching, it balances high-strength support, excellent rebound performance, and good fatigue resistance under the premise of lightweight design.

[0037] As a preferred example of this application, one or more spring-loaded grooves 5 are provided along the length direction of the support bar body 1, and the spring-loaded grooves 5 are generally arranged in an arc shape consistent with the bending direction of the bending portion 10. This design allows the support bar to undergo moderate deformation when bending, thereby absorbing more energy, and quickly returning to its original shape using the elasticity of the material after the external force disappears. This not only enhances the spring-loaded effect of the support bar, but also allows the support bar to more smoothly return to its original shape when deformed under force, improving the comfort and durability of use.

[0038] As a preferred example of this application, a toothed portion 4 is provided on the inner arc of the curved portion 10. The toothed portion 4 includes a plurality of teeth 11, and a groove 12 is formed between two adjacent teeth 11. In the example of this application, the toothed portion 4 is further optimized by providing a spring-loaded groove 5 on the curved portion 10 of the support bar body 1. The toothed portion 4 is composed of a plurality of teeth 11 spaced apart from each other. The bottom of the tooth 11 groove is provided with a groove 12 that extends through the thickness direction. When the support bar body 1 is bent and deformed under force, it can rotate around the toothed portion 10 towards the groove 12 of the curved portion 10 at a certain rotation axis point. The design of the toothed portion 4 can effectively guide the deformation of the curved portion 10, so that the support bar can deform more smoothly when bent under force and quickly rebound to its original state after the force is lost, thereby further optimizing the bending ability and rebound performance of the curved portion 10.

[0039] As a preferred example of this application, the distance of the groove 12 near the root of the tooth 11 is greater than the distance near the tip of the tooth 11. In the example of this application, the tooth 11 has an arc-shaped structure design with a small root and a large tip. Correspondingly, the groove 12 structure formed between two adjacent teeth 11 has the structural characteristics of a large distance near the root of the tooth 11 and a small distance near the tip of the tooth 11. This forms a predetermined rotation axis point when the bending part 10 deforms and guides the support bar to more smoothly rotate to one side. When the support bar is deformed under force, it can disperse local high stress points through the cooperation of the differentiated groove 12 width and the springback groove 5, and can also quickly release accumulated energy through the elasticity of the groove 12 and the groove wall during the springback stage, thereby obtaining a higher springback speed and amplitude.

[0040] As a preferred example of this application, one spring-loaded groove 5 is provided, and the toothed portion 4 is generally arranged in an arc shape consistent with the bending direction of the curved portion 10. The ratio of the length of both ends of the spring-loaded groove 5 in the length direction to the length of the farthest ends of the two outermost tooth grooves 12 in the length direction of the toothed portion 4 is 0.6 to 1.2. In the example of this application, a circumferentially closed spring-loaded groove 5 is provided along the length direction of the support bar body 1. The tooth grooves 12 of the toothed portion 4 and the spring-loaded groove 5 together constitute a flexible deformation unit, wherein the spring-loaded groove 5 and the arc-shaped toothed portion 4 are arranged in the same arc shape in the same direction. The ratio of the length of both ends of the spring-loaded groove to the length of the farthest ends of the outermost tooth grooves of the toothed portion is controlled in the range of 0.6 to 1.2, preferably 0.8 to 1, so as to ensure that a predetermined rotation axis point is formed during bending deformation and to provide differentiated deformation space, thereby dispersing stress and optimizing the rebound performance.

[0041] As a preferred example of this application, at least one end of the support strip body 1 forms a lifting end. Preferably, the lifting end is an annular lifting end. In the example of this application, the opposite ends of the support strip body 1 respectively form an upper lifting end 2 and a lower lifting end 3. A first lifting groove 6 is provided on the upper lifting end 2, and a second lifting groove 8 is provided on the lower lifting end 3, thereby forming an annular upper lifting end and an annular lower lifting end at both ends of the length of the support strip body 1, so that when the user wears the knee brace, he / she can easily put it on by holding the upper lifting end with both hands, and when removing it, he / she can pull the knee brace out by holding the lower lifting end with both hands, thus realizing the convenience of the wearing and removing process.

[0042] As a preferred example of this application, an opening is provided at least one circular pull-up end. In the example of this application, by providing a normally open opening on at least one circular pull-up end, the pull-up end can be deformed under force when the middle curved portion bends or returns to its original position, thereby effectively dispersing the top pressure generated by the rebound at the end, reducing the risk of damage to the knee pad fabric and improving durability and comfort.

[0043] As a specific example of this application, the upper lifting end 2 is provided with a first opening 7, which communicates with the first lifting groove 6, and the lower lifting end 3 is provided with a second opening 9, which communicates with the second lifting groove 8. The opening direction of the first opening 7 is opposite to the opening direction of the second opening 9. This design allows users to flexibly choose the lifting direction when putting on or taking off the knee brace, improving ease of operation. It also helps the support strip body 1 to open or close in response to external forces when bending or deforming, effectively dispersing the end pressure caused by rebound and preventing damage to the protective fabric.

[0044] The support bar disclosed in this application, by setting a circumferentially closed spring-loaded groove 5 aligned with the length direction in the central arc-shaped curved section 10 and a toothed section 4 including teeth 11 and tooth grooves 12, combined with the arc-shaped structural design of the teeth 11 with small roots and large tips, can actively guide the support bar to produce controllable bending deformation when the knee joint is subjected to complex loads such as vertical pressure, lateral shear and torsional loads. This allows the external force to be evenly distributed and temporarily stored as deformation energy along the arc-shaped surface and spring-loaded groove. Subsequently, the stored energy is quickly released through the elastic restoring force of the spring-loaded groove and tooth groove to achieve efficient rebound and eliminate residual deformation. At the same time, the central structure precisely conforms to the physiological curve of the knee. To reduce localized pressure and improve wearing comfort, the support strip features ring-shaped pull ends with interconnected pull grooves and openings facing opposite directions. This allows users to flexibly adjust the pull direction when putting on and taking off the knee brace. The variable opening of the pull ends effectively disperses the end pressure caused by rebound, preventing fabric damage. The overall structure combines lightweight, high-strength support, excellent rebound performance, and fatigue resistance. The user-friendly design significantly improves ease of use, enabling the knee brace to provide continuous and stable dynamic cushioning and a superior fit during strenuous exercise and rehabilitation training, while also significantly extending its service life.

[0045] This application also discloses a type of protective gear, such as Figure 4 As shown, the protective gear includes a cylindrical fabric on which support strips as described in the above embodiments are provided. In the examples of this application, the protective gear can be a knee pad or an elbow pad, and one of the aforementioned support strips is provided on each of the opposite sides of the protective gear.

[0046] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A support strip, comprising an elongated, elastic support strip body (1), wherein the support strip body (1) bends along its length when subjected to force and returns to its original shape after the external force is removed, and a curved portion (10) is provided in the middle region of the support strip body (1), the curved portion (10) being arc-shaped to one side, characterized in that, A circumferentially closed spring groove (5) is provided on the support bar body (1) corresponding to the curved part (10). The spring groove (5) is used to provide a flexible deformation space when the support bar body (1) deforms, so as to relieve stress concentration and temporarily store deformation energy.

2. The support bar according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring groove (5) is elongated and its length direction is consistent with the length direction of the support bar body (1).

3. The support bar according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The number of spring grooves (5) is one or more, and the spring grooves (5) are arranged in an arc shape consistent with the bending direction of the bending part (10).

4. The support strip according to claim 3, characterized in that, The curved portion (10) has a toothed portion (4) on its concave side surface. The toothed portion (4) includes a plurality of teeth (11), which are arranged sequentially along the arc direction of the curved portion (10). A tooth groove (12) is provided between two adjacent teeth (11).

5. The support strip according to claim 4, characterized in that, The tooth (11) is designed with an arc-shaped structure that is small at the root and large at the tip. Correspondingly, the distance of the tooth groove (12) near the root of the tooth (11) is greater than the distance near the tip of the tooth (11).

6. The support strip according to claim 4, characterized in that, One spring groove (5) is provided, and the ratio of the length of both ends of the spring groove (5) in the length direction to the length of the farthest ends of the two outermost tooth grooves (12) in the length direction of the toothed part (4) is 0.6~1.

2.

7. The support bar according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one end of the support bar body (1) is a circular lifting end with an opening.

8. The support bar according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support bar body (1) has an upper lifting end (2) and a lower lifting end (3) at its opposite ends. A first lifting groove (6) is provided on the upper lifting end (2), and a second lifting groove (8) is provided on the lower lifting end (3). A first opening (7) is provided on the upper lifting end (2), and the first opening (7) is connected to the first lifting groove (6). A second opening (9) is provided on the lower lifting end (3), and the second opening (9) is connected to the second lifting groove (8).

9. The support bar according to claim 8, characterized in that, The opening direction of the first opening (7) is opposite to the opening direction of the second opening (9).

10. A protective gear comprising a cylindrical fabric, characterized in that, The protective gear is provided with a support strip as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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