Protective apparel

Abstract

There is described a protective apparel for a users torso, the protective apparel comprising; a first front panel and a second front panel; a harness unit comprising a plurality of straps; and a rear panel, the rear panel comprising a substantially Y-shaped portion comprising a first upper region and a second upper region, the first upper region removably retainable to the first front panel and the second upper region removably retainable to the second front panel; wherein the protective apparel comprises front panel attachment means configured to removably retain the first front panel to the second front panel; wherein the harness unit comprises a rear panel harness unit located on the rear panel, the rear harness panel unit comprising a substantially Y-shaped portion, the rear panel harness unit comprising a first strap extending from the lower region of the Y-shaped portion of the rear panel, the first strap connected to a second strap and third strap at a common centre, the second strap extending from the common centre beyond the first upper region, the third strap extending from the common centre beyond the second upper region; wherein the first strap is substantially parallel to a first axis, the first axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal upright axis of a user wearing the protective apparel, in use; wherein the harness unit comprises a first front harness unit located on the first front panel and a second front harness unit located on the second panel, the first front harness unit removably retainable to the rear panel via a first elastic member and the second front harness unit removably retainable to the rear panel via a second elastic member; such that a protective apparel with articulated panels is provided.

Description

[0001] PROTECTIVE APPAREL

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a protective apparel for a user’s torso.

[0004] Background to the Invention

[0005] Personnel working in a number of operational sectors, such as the modem Police Force, are required to carry operational equipment, such as, body armour, restraining devices, torches, data terminals and radios, on regular shifts. The equipment carried is determined by operational requirements rather than the capacity of the person to bear a load. Load may vary slightly by role or by personal preference, however loads can weigh around 5-6 kg on average, often comprising of around 5-10% of bodyweight. Loaded carriage is associated with an increased risk of injury and the Police population display high injury rates when compared to other occupations.

[0006] Analysis of the burden of injury suggests that approximately 1 ,047 weeks of work are lost per 1 ,000 workers due to injury in Police Forces, with a rate of 90 injuries per 1 ,000 workers compared with a rate of 28 injuries for all other occupations. Back and shoulder injuries represented the most frequently injured body parts amongst members of the Police Force, accounting for 19% and 13% of all injuries respectively.

[0007] In studies of Police Officers who wear tactical vests as part of their uniform, between 67-88% of Officers reported that they commonly experience lower back, neck and shoulder discomfort and pain, with between 25-27% of Officers taking sick leave and 23% reporting that they were unable to carry out their normal work due to such injuries.

[0008] In this way, there is a need for an improved article for carrying this load, wherein the injury rate of the user is considered and reduced.

[0009] Objects and aspects of the present claimed invention seek to alleviate at least these problems with the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0010] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a protective apparel for a user’s torso, the protective apparel comprising; a first front panel and a second front panel; a harness unit comprising a plurality of straps; and a rear panel, the rear panel comprising a substantially Y-shaped portion comprising a first upper region and a second upper region, the first upper region removably retainable to the first front panel and the second upper region removably retainable to the second front panel; wherein the protective apparel comprises front panel attachment means configured to removably retain the first front panel to the second front panel; wherein the harness unit comprises a rear panel harness unit located on the rear panel, the rear harness panel unit comprising a substantially Y-shaped portion, the rear panel harness unit comprising a first strap extending from the lower region of the Y-shaped portion of the rear panel, the first strap connected to a second strap and third strap at a common centre, the second strap extending from the common centre beyond the first upper region, the third strap extending from the common centre beyond the second upper region; wherein the first strap is substantially parallel to a first axis, the first axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal upright axis of a user wearing the protective apparel, in use; wherein the harness unit comprises a first front harness unit located on the first front panel and a second front harness unit located on the second panel, the first front harness unit removably retainable to the rear panel via a first elastic member and the second front harness unit removably retainable to the rear panel via a second elastic member; such that a protective apparel with articulated panels is provided.

[0011] In this way, a protective apparel which closely matches user torso motion thereby reducing the risk of injury to the user is provided. Additionally, a bespoke fit is provided reducing the risk of issues with discomfort arising. The protective apparel may be suitable for industries, professions and working personnel other than the Police Force, such as Paramedics.

[0012] The first axis is substantially the central axis of the sagittal plane. It is understood that the sagittal plane is an anatomical plane which divides the human body into right and left parts. For the longitudinal upright axis of a user, upright is understood to refer to the torso when the user is in a typical seated or standing position.

[0013] Preferably, the protective apparel further comprises an elongate waist panel configured to extend from the first front panel to the second front panel about the waist of a user, in use. In this way, a cummerbund is provided. Preferably, the elongate waist panel comprises a plurality of elongate waist panels. In a select embodiment, the elongate waist panel comprises two elongate waist panels.

[0014] Preferably the elongate waist panel is configured to extend about an internal face of the first front panel and second front panel, such that the elongate waist panel comprises a user contacting surface.

[0015] Preferably, the protective apparel comprises a shell portion configured to partially encase at least one of the first front panel, second front panel and the rear panel. More preferably, the protective apparel comprises a shell portion configured to partially encase the first front panel, second front panel and the rear panel. Preferably the harness unit is substantially encased within the shell portion and access to the harness unit is reduced. Preferably, a portion of the first front harness unit is accessible via a first aperture in the shell portion and a portion of the second front harness unit is accessible via a second aperture in the shell portion.

[0016] Preferably, the harness unit is attached to each of the first panel, the second panel and the rear panel at a plurality of points and motion of the harness unit within the shell portion is reduced. In this way, motion of the harness relative to the panels is restrained.

[0017] Preferably, the first upper region is removably retainable to the first front panel via the second strap of the rear panel harness unit and the second upper region is removably retainable to the second front panel via the third strap of the rear panel harness unit.

[0018] Preferably, the first front panel comprises a second strap receiving portion comprising a plurality of second strap receiving members configured to removably retain the second strap to the first front panel and the second front panel comprises a third strap receiving portion comprising a plurality of third strap receiving members configured to removably retain the third strap to the second front panel.

[0019] Preferably, the first front harness unit comprises a second strap receiving strap configured to connect to the second strap at a first end and the first front panel at a second end and the second front harness unit comprises a third strap receiving strap configured to connect to the third strap at a first end and the second front panel at a second end.

[0020] Preferably, the second strap receiving strap and the third strap receiving strap extend substantially parallel to the first axis. Preferably, the first elastic member is coupled to the second strap receiving strap and the second elastic member is coupled to the third strap receiving strap.

[0021] Preferably, the front panel attachment means comprises at least one zip. In some embodiments, the front panel attachment means comprises a plurality of zips. Preferably, the front panel attachment means is located on an edge of the first front panel and the second front panel.

[0022] Preferably, the protective apparel comprises retaining means configured to removably retain at least one detachable auxiliary item on the protective apparel. Preferably, the retaining means are located on at least one of the first front panel, the second front panel and the rear panel. More preferably, the retaining means are located on the first front panel and the second front panel. Still more preferably, the retaining means are located on the first front panel, the second front panel and the rear panel.

[0023] Preferably, the rear panel comprises a padded portion located on an inner facing surface of the rear panel. Preferably, the padded portion of the rear panel extends to a portion of both the first upper region and the second upper region.

[0024] Preferably, the first elastic member comprises a first upper elastic member and a first lower elastic member and the second elastic member comprises a second upper elastic member and a second lower elastic member. Preferably, the first elastic member comprises heavy duty elastic. For example, the heavy duty elastic may comprise horse elastic. Preferably, the second elastic member comprises heavy duty elastic. For example, the heavy duty elastic may comprise horse elastic. It is understood that the term ‘horse elastic’ is a strong heavy duty 25mm elastic that is constructed on a needle loom machine, with the following composition; 48.7% rubber, 27% cotton, 24% polyester and 0.3% nylon.

[0025] Preferably, the front panel attachment means is configured to removably retain the first front panel to the second front panel along the first axis. Preferably, the second front panel is substantially symmetrical to the first front panel about the first axis.

[0026] The protective apparel may further comprise one or more force absorption portions such that the protective apparel is configured to be a partial or full bullet-proof, spike-proof, blade-proof and / or shock-proof vest.

[0027] Detailed Description

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] Figure 1 depicts a rear view of an embodiment of the protective apparel according to the first aspect of the invention, the protective apparel shown in an unfastened configuration;

[0030] Figure 2A depicts a front view of a user contacting surface of the rear panel of the protective apparel of Figure 1 ;

[0031] Figure 2B depicts an internal view of the rear panel of the protective apparel of Figure 1 ;

[0032] Figure 3 depicts a rear internal view of the protective apparel of Figure 1 in an unfastened configuration;

[0033] Figure 4 depicts a front view of the protective apparel of Figure 1 in an unfastened configuration; Figure 5A depicts a front view of the protective apparel of Figure 1 in a fastened configuration;

[0034] Figure 5B depicts an illustrative key of the material composition of the protective apparel of Figure 1 ;

[0035] Figure 5C depicts a further rear internal view of the protective apparel of Figure 1 in an unfastened configuration;

[0036] Figure 6A depicts a front view of the protective apparel of Figure 1 in a fastened configuration, the protective apparel adjusted to the maximum size configuration;

[0037] Figure 6B depicts a rear view of the protective apparel of Figure 1 in a fastened configuration, the protective apparel adjusted to the maximum size configuration;

[0038] Figure 6C depicts a front view of the protective apparel of Figure 1 in a fastened configuration, the protective apparel adjusted to the minimum size configuration;

[0039] Figure 6D depicts a rear view of the protective apparel of Figure 1 in a fastened configuration, the protective apparel adjusted to the minimum size configuration;

[0040] Figure 7A depicts a user’s torso, the user wearing a second embodiment of the protective apparel of the present invention herein described as Vest A, the protective apparel shown in a fastened configuration and loaded with auxiliary items;

[0041] Figure 7B depicts an example auxiliary item loading configuration of Vest A;

[0042] Figure 8 depicts a graph of the percentage difference in body part injuries of protective vest wearers and non-vest wearers, a positive percentage indicates that injuries were more prevalent in vest users; Figure 9 depicts a graph of the coupling angle across stance in the protective apparel of the prior art (Vest B) over different loading conditions and an unloaded condition;

[0043] Figure 10 depicts a graph of the coupling angle for an embodiment of the present invention (Vest A), a protective apparel of the prior art (Vest B) and the unloaded condition;

[0044] Figure 11 depicts a graph of the head accelerations in the anterior-posterior direction for an embodiment of the present invention (Vest A), a protective apparel of the prior art (Vest B) and an unloaded condition;

[0045] Figure 12 depicts the head accelerations in the anterior-posterior direction for an embodiment of the present invention (Vest A), a protective apparel of the prior art (Vest D) and an unloaded condition.

[0046] With reference to Figures 1-6, an embodiment of a protective apparel 100 for a user’s torso in accordance with the present invention is depicted. The protective apparel 100 comprises a first front panel 105, a second front panel 110 and a rear panel 115. In this embodiment, the second front panel 110 is substantially symmetrical to the first front panel 105 about a first axis A, as depicted in Figure 6C and 7A. The first axis A is substantially parallel to the longitudinal upright axis of a user wearing the protective apparel 100. It is understood herein that features described in relation to the first front panel 105 are present in substantially mirrored from on the second front panel 110, as illustrated in the Figures.

[0047] The rear panel 115 comprises a substantially Y-shaped portion 120, the Y-shaped portion 120 comprising a first upper region 125a and a second upper region 125b. As shown in Figure 6A, the first upper region 125a is removably retainable to the first front panel 105 and the second upper region 125b is removably retainable to the second front panel 110.

[0048] The protective apparel 100 further comprises a harness unit 130 comprising a plurality of straps, as illustrated in Figure 3. The harness unit 130 comprises a first front harness unit 135a located on the first front panel 105, a second front harness unit 135b located on the second panel 110 and a rear panel harness unit 135c located on the rear panel 115.

[0049] The protective apparel 100 comprises front panel attachment means 140 configured to removably retain the first front panel 105 to the second front panel 110. A portion of the front panel attachment means 140 is located on the first front panel 105 and a portion of the front panel attachment means 140 is located on the second front panel 110, with the front panel attachment means 140 being located on an edge of the first front panel 105 and the second front panel 110. As such, there is a reduced portion of the first front panel 105 overlapping the second front panel 110 when the protective apparel 100 is fastened, namely when the first front panel 105 is fastened to the second front panel 110 via the front panel attachment means 140.

[0050] In this embodiment, the front panel attachment means 140 extends along the first axis A and comprises a zip extending substantially the length of the first front panel 105 and the second front panel 110. The zip comprises an upper slider and a lower slider, each of the upper slider and lower slider comprising a pull-tab, such that the user can independently unzip the upper portion and lower portion of the zip without requiring a total unzipping of the zip. The front panel attachment means 140 allows the first front panel 105 to be removably retained on the second front panel 110 along the first axis A.

[0051] The rear harness panel unit 135c comprises a substantially Y-shaped portion 145 comprising a first strap 150 extending from a lower region 145a of the Y-shaped portion 145 of the rear panel 115. The first strap 150 is connected to a second strap 155 and a third strap 160 at a common centre 165. The first strap 150 is substantially parallel to the first axis A when the protective apparel 100 is worn on the torso of a user. In this way, the second strap 155 and the third strap 160 form the upper arms of the Y-shape. The second strap 155 extends from the common centre 165 beyond the first upper region 125a and the third strap 160 extends from the common centre 165 beyond the second upper region 125b. The rear panel harness unit 135c further comprises a rear elastic member 170 and the first strap 150 is coupled at a first end to the rear elastic member 170, the first end taken as the end of the first strap 150 distal the common centre 165. The rear elastic member 170 is substantially planar to the first strap 150. The rear elastic member 170 is coupled to the rear panel 115 and the rear elastic member 170 may elastically deform the rear panel harness unit 135a to move relative to the rear panel 115, such as when a force is applied to the rear panel harness unit 135a. When said force is removed from the rear panel harness unit 135a, the rear elastic member 170 returns to an undeformed position. In this embodiment, the rear elastic member 170 is directly connected to both the rear panel 115 and the first strap 150.

[0052] The configuration of the rear elastic member 170, first strap 150 and common centre 165 is illustrated in Figure 2B. Namely, view B1 depicts the face of the configuration facing an external direction, away from the user’s body, in use. View B2 depicts the face of the configuration facing an internal direction, towards the user’s body, in use. In this way, the first strap 150 is offset slightly from the rear panel 115 and separated from the rear panel 115 by the rear elastic member 170 and a portion of the common centre 165. The first strap 150 is adjustable in length at the common centre 165 via a hook and loop fastening means located on the first strap 150 and looped about the common centre 165.

[0053] Motion of the rear panel harness unit 135c is restricted by a pair of restriction members 230, with a restriction member 230 located about each of the first upper region 125a and the second upper region 125b. A restriction member 230 can be placed about the perimeter of the first upper region 125a such that it encases the second strap 155, and then the restriction member 230 can be fastened and unfastened to itself. In this way, the restriction member 230 is not fixed to the rear panel 115, however, motion and rotation of the restriction member 230 is restricted by the shape of the first upper region 125a. The restriction member 230 in turn restricts motion of the second strap 155, however, as the restriction member 230 is not fixed to the second strap 155 there is a large degree of freedom of the second strap 155 against the rear panel 115. In this way, the first strap 150 of the rear panel harness unit 135c is elastically coupled to the rear panel 115 via the rear elastic member 170, and the second strap 155 and third strap 160 are restricted from motion away from the rear panel 115 in part due to the restriction members 230.

[0054] The second strap 155 extends beyond the first upper region 125a and the third strap 160 extends beyond the second upper region 125b such that the first upper region 125a is removably retainable to the first front panel 105 via the second strap 155 and the second upper region 125b is removably retainable to the second front panel 110 via the third strap 160. The first front panel 105 comprises a second strap receiving portion 175a comprising a plurality of second strap receiving members configured to removably retain the second strap to the first front panel. Similarly, the second front panel 110 comprises a third strap receiving portion 175b comprising a plurality of third strap receiving members configured to removably retain the third strap to the second front panel. The second strap receiving portion 175a comprises an upper aperture 330a and a lower aperture 330b such that the user can thread the second strap 155 through the selected aperture 330a, 330b to provide the best fit.

[0055] The second strap receiving portion 175a and the third strap receiving portion 175b each comprise an upper loop 180 located on a first panel upper portion 105a and a second panel upper portion 110a, respectively. The upper loops 180 are fixed to the first panel upper portion 105a and second panel upper portion 110a but not to the second strap 155 and third strap 160, such that the second strap 155 and third strap 160 are free to move within the upper loops 180. Motion is substantially constricted in all directions except the direction parallel to the first axis A to allow the second strap 155 and third strap 160 to be adjusted relative to the first front panel 105 and the second front panel 110. Further, this allows forces between the articulated panels to be damped in use. The second strap receiving portion 175a and the third strap receiving portion 175b each comprise a ladder lock buckle, allowing the second strap 155 and third strap 160 to be adjustably retained in a first position to the first front harness unit 135a and second front harness unit 135b, respectively.

[0056] The first front harness unit 135a comprises a second strap receiving strap 185a configured to connect to the second strap 155, via the second strap receiving portion 175a, at a first end and the first front panel 105 at a second end. The second front harness unit 135b comprises a third strap receiving strap 185b configured to connect to the third strap 160, via the third strap receiving portion 175b, at a first end and the second front panel at a second end. The second strap receiving strap 185a and third strap receiving strap 185b are substantially parallel to the first axis A.

[0057] The first upper region 125a comprises a first front panel receiving portion 315a comprising a pair of hook and loop fastening portions extending from a common edge of the first upper region 125a. In this way, the first front panel receiving portion 315a can be considered a pair of jaws and the first front panel 105 can be considered a tongue received within the jaws. The first front panel receiving portion 315a can then be affixed to the outer facing surface of the first front panel 105 and the inner facing surface of the first front panel 105 simultaneously, increasing the strength of connection between the first front panel 105 and the rear panel 115, and partially enclosing and protecting the harness unit 130. A similar configuration is present on the second upper region 125b.

[0058] The second strap receiving strap 185a is elastically coupled to a lower edge 190 of the first front panel 105 via a first vertically aligned elastic member 195a. In this way, the second strap receiving strap 185a is able to move relative to the first front panel 105, such as to allow forces between the articulated panels to be damped in use. The first vertically aligned elastic member 195a extends in a direction parallel to the first axis A and is of substantially the same width as the second strap receiving strap 185a. The third strap receiving strap 185b is configured in substantially the same manner on the second front panel 110, with a lower edge 190 of the second front panel 110 and a second vertically aligned elastic member 195b.

[0059] The first front harness unit 135a is removably retainable to the rear panel 115 via a first elastic member 205 and the second front harness unit 135b is removably retainable to the rear panel via a second elastic member 210. The first front harness unit 135a further comprises a plurality of substantially horizontal straps, namely a lower strap 200a, a middle strap 200b and an upper strap 200c. The lower strap 200a, middle strap 200b and upper strap 200c extend substantially the width of the first front panel 105. Similarly, the second front harness unit 135b comprises a plurality of substantially horizontal straps, namely a lower strap 200’a, a middle strap 200’b and an upper strap 200’c. The configuration of the first front harness unit 135a will be described herein. It is understood that the second front harness unit 135b is substantially identical to the configuration of the first front harness unit 135a, the second front harness unit 135b being the substantial mirror image about the first axis A.

[0060] The lower strap 200a, middle strap 200b and upper strap 200c are parallel to one another and the middle strap 200b is located closer to the upper strap 200c than the lower strap 200a.

[0061] The first elastic member 205 comprises a lower elastic member 205a, a middle elastic member 205b and an upper elastic member 205c. Namely, the middle elastic member 205b is a first lower elastic member and the upper elastic member 205c is a first upper elastic member. Similarly, the second elastic member 210 comprises a lower elastic member 210a, a middle elastic member 210b and an upper elastic member 210c.

[0062] The lower strap 200a is elastically coupled to the rear panel 115 via the lower elastic member 205a at a first end and comprises a slide release buckle clip 215 at a second end. A complementary portion of the buckle clip 215 is located on the lower strap 200’a of the second front harness unit 135b. In this way, the user can fasten the first front harness unit 135a to the second front harness unit 135b via the buckle clip 215, further securing the first front panel 105 to the second front panel 110. The lower straps, 200a 200’a are adjustable about the buckle clip 215 to allow the user to adjust how tight the lower straps 200a, 200’a fit about their torso.

[0063] The lower strap 200a intersects the second strap receiving strap 185a at substantially a right angle at the first vertically aligned elastic member 195a. In this way, the lower strap 200a passes through the first vertically aligned elastic member 195a such that a portion of the lower strap 200a is encased by the first vertically aligned elastic member 195a. The first front harness unit 135a comprises a pair of lower loops 220 configured to partially restrict motion of the lower strap 200a relative to the first front panel 105. Similarly, the second front harness unit 135b comprises a pair of lower loops 220 configured to partially restrict motion of the lower strap 200’a relative to the second front panel 210. In this way, motion of the first front harness unit 135a relative to the first front panel is restricted while still allowing damping of forces experienced by the protective apparel 100, in use.

[0064] As illustrated in Figure 5C, the middle strap 200b and upper strap 200c thread through a stitched channel that has been created within the first front harness unit 135a. The stitched channel is created by applying two layers of webbing on top of one another, spanning from the upper edge of the first vertically aligned elastic member 195a to adjacent and above the middle strap 200b. The first vertically aligned elastic member 195a is attached to the hem of the first front panel 105. Within the double layered stitched channel there are two sewn sections forming a hole to thread the middle strap 200b and upper strap 200c through.

[0065] The middle strap 200b and upper strap 200c are configured to be threaded from the centre front of the first front panel 105, through the tight opening in the outer side edge of the first front panel 105. The straps 200b, 200c can then be, respectively, threaded through the ladder locks attached to the rear panel 115, then back on itself back through the side opening and the opening within the front harness. Each of the middle strap adjusting member 320b, upper strap adjusting member 320c and second strap receiving strap adjusting member 320d comprise a D-ring attached to the end of the respective strap. The user can pull on the D-Ring to tighten the strap to fit their torso. The D-rings attached to the straps 200b, 200c prevent the straps 200b, 200c from pulling back through the opening. The straps 200b, 200c run freely within the front panel 105 to adjust to the width of the torso, and the stitched channels / openings prevent any vertical movement of the second strap receiving member 185a.

[0066] The pair of lower loops 220 are located adjacent the lower elastic member 210a, with one of the pair of lower loops 220 located on the first front panel 105 and one of the pair of lower loops 220 located between the first front panel 105 and the rear panel 115.

[0067] The middle strap 200b is elastically coupled to the rear panel 115 via the middle elastic member 205b at a first end and is elastically coupled to the first front panel by a first horizontally aligned elastic member 240a at a second end. In this way, the middle strap 200b is able to move relative to the first front panel 105, such as to allow forces between the articulated panels to be damped in use. The middle strap 200b is fixed to the middle elastic member 205b via an adjustable ladder lock buckle. The first horizontally aligned elastic member 240a extends in a direction perpendicular to the first axis A and is of substantially the same width as the middle strap 200b. The middle strap 200b intersects the second strap receiving strap 185a at substantially a right angle. In this way, the middle strap 200b passes through the second strap receiving strap 185a such that a portion of the middle strap 200a is encased by the second strap receiving strap 185a.

[0068] The upper strap 200c is elastically coupled to the rear panel 115 via the upper elastic member 205c at a first end and is elastically coupled to the first front panel by a second horizontally aligned elastic member 240b at a second end. In this way, the upper strap 200c is able to move relative to the first front panel 105, such as to allow forces between the articulated panels to be damped in use. The upper strap 200c is fixed to the upper elastic member 205c via an adjustable ladder lock buckle. The second horizontally aligned elastic member 240b extends in a direction perpendicular to the first axis A and is of the same width as the upper strap 200c. The upper strap 200c intersects the second strap receiving strap 185a at substantially a right angle. In this way, the upper strap 200c passes through the second strap receiving strap 185a such that a portion of the upper strap 200c is encased by the second strap receiving strap 185a.

[0069] The length of the middle strap 200b and the upper strap 200c is adjustable via a middle strap adjusting member 320b and an upper strap adjusting member 320c, respectively. The length of the second strap receiving strap 185a is adjustable via a second strap receiving strap adjusting member 320d. Each of the middle strap adjusting member 320b, upper strap adjusting member 320c and second strap receiving strap adjusting member 320d comprise a D-ring attached to the end of the respective strap. The user can pull on the D-Ring to tighten the strap to fit their torso.

[0070] The length of the middle strap 200b and the upper strap 200c is further adjustable with a middle rear adjusting member 320e and an upper rear adjusting member 320f, located adjacent the middle elastic member 205b and the upper elastic member 205c, respectively. The middle rear adjusting member 320e and an upper rear adjusting member 320f each comprise a ladder lock buckle, enabling the user to adjust the length of the middle strap 200b and the upper strap 200c, wherein the ladder lock buckle removably retains the strap to the desired length after adjustment.

[0071] The length of the lower straps 200a, 200’a can be adjusted by pulling the ends of the lower straps 200a, 200’a and tucking any excessive strap length back on themselves and through the lower loops 220.

[0072] The protective apparel 100 comprises a shell portion 250 configured to partially encase the first front panel 105, second front panel 210 and the rear panel 215. The harness unit 130 is substantially encased within the shell portion 250 such that access to the harness unit 130 is reduced. The shell portion 250 comprises webbing and the function of the shell portion 250 is to protect the internal structure of the protective apparel 100, such as the harness unit 130, during normal use. Further, the shell portion 250 assists in protecting the user’s torso, such as from impact or blow.

[0073] The harness unit 130 is attached to each of the first panel 105, the second panel 110 and the rear panel 115 at a plurality of points and motion of the harness unit 130 within the shell portion 250 is reduced and to prevent puckering inside when the harness unit 130 is adjusted. Tack points 325 are shown on Figures 1 to 5, and are generally located about the lower edges 190 of the front panels 105, 110. It is understood that the tack points 325 comprise stitching through all layers of the protective apparel 100 at that point, such that the layers cannot move relative to one another at that point.

[0074] A portion of the first front harness unit 135a is accessible via a first aperture 310a in the shell portion 250 and a portion of the second front harness unit 135b is accessible via a second aperture 310b in the shell portion 250. As such, access to the ladder lock buckle of the second strap receiving portion 175a is restricted to the first aperture 310a. The first aperture 310a and second aperture 310b are configured to be opened and closed with a zip. The first aperture 310a and second aperture 310b span the majority of the length of the first front panel 105 and second front panel 110 respectively, to allow the user access to the harness unit 130. The rear panel 115 comprises a padded portion 255 located on an inner facing surface of the rear panel 115. As illustrated in Figure 2A, the padded portion 255 across the entire first upper region 125a and second upper region 125b. The padded portion 255 comprises foam layered with a spacer mesh, and improves the comfort and fit of the protective apparel 100 on the user’s upper back and shoulders. Further, the padded portion 255 assists in damping the forces experienced by the articulated panels, during use. The first strap 150 of the rear panel harness unit 135c is connected to a first edge 255a of the padded portion 255. The padded portion 255 is connected along its first edge 255a to the rear panel 115 and along its second edge 255b to the rear panel 115 such that a portion of the padded portion 255 is free to move relative to the rear panel 115. The second edge 255b extends along the first upper region 125a and the second upper region 125b, with a disconnected region between the first edge 255a and the second edge 255b.

[0075] The protective apparel 100 comprises retaining means 260 configured to removably retain a plurality of detachable auxiliary items 10, such as those outlined in Table 1 , on the protective apparel 100. Retaining means 260 are located on each of the first front panel 105, second front panel 110 and rear panel 115, as illustrated in Figure 1. The retaining means 260 comprises a plurality of adjacent retaining loops 260a. One method of manufacture to achieve the plurality of adjacent retaining loops 260a is a strap fixed to the first front panel 105 at a plurality of fixed points 260b along the length of the strap, such as by a plurality of stiches. In this way, auxiliary items, including pouches, hooks and similar coupling means to couple auxiliary items to the protective apparel 100, can be removably retained on the retaining loops 260a. The first front panel 105 comprises six rows of retaining loops 260a, spaced equidistant across the length of the first front panel 105. The rows of retaining loops 260a are perpendicular to the first axis.

[0076] The lower strap 200a comprises a row of retaining loops 260a located on an outwardly facing portion, namely a portion facing the external environment when the protective apparel 100 is worn on the torso of a user. The row of retaining loops 260a on the first front panel 105 distal the retaining loops 260a located on the lower strap 200a are shorter in length than the other rows of the retaining loops 260a. As such, this row of retaining loops 260a extends across substantially half the width of the first front panel 105 to improve user’s ease of arm motion when wearing the protective apparel 100. This configuration is mirrored on the second front panel 110.

[0077] The first front panel 105 and second front panel 110 comprise second retaining means 270 comprising a region of hook and loop fastening means. The second retaining means 270 allows an auxiliary item, such as a name tag or badge, to be removably retained on the first front panel 105 and second front panel 110, wherein the auxiliary item comprises complementary hook and loop fastening means to the second retaining means 270.

[0078] The rear panel 115 also comprises a plurality of rows of retaining loops 260a, namely, four rows spaced equidistant across the length of the rear panel 115, the rows of retaining loops 260a being perpendicular to the first axis. The rows of retaining loops 260a are located on the lower region 145a of the Y-shaped portion 145. Additionally, the first upper region 125a and the second upper region 125b each comprise two rows of retaining loops 260a located distal the lower region 145a of the Y-shaped portion 145. In this way, auxiliary items can be removably retained proximate the shoulder region of the user. The rear panel 115 also comprises a second retaining means 270 comprising a region of hook and loop fastener. It is understood the inner facing surface, namely the surface facing the user in use, of the first front panel 105, second front panel 110 and / or rear panel 115 may comprise additional fastening means, such as hook and loop fastener, to fasten the protective apparel 100 to further internal auxiliary items or portions of the user’s clothing or other apparel.

[0079] The protective apparel 100 further comprises an elongate waist panel 280 configured to extend from the first front panel 105 to the second front panel 110 about the waist of a user, in use. The elongate waist panel 280 is configured to extend about an internal face of the first front panel 105 and second front panel 110, such that the elongate waist panel 180 comprises a user contacting surface 185. The elongate waist panel 280 extends beyond the first front panel 105 and beyond the second front panel 110 such that the elongate waist panel 280 can be removably retained on itself when the protective apparel 100 is worn by the user.

[0080] The elongate waist panel 280 comprises a first portion 280a extending beyond the width of the first front panel 105, and a second portion 280b extending beyond the width of the second front panel 110. The first portion 280a and second portion 280b are removably retainable to one another at a rear connection region 290, located between the rear panel 115 and the user, in use. The rear connection region 290 is located planar to the first axis A, at the symmetrical centre of the rear panel 115. The first portion 280a and second portion 280b comprise complementary hook and loop fastening means configured to attach the first portion 280a and second portion 280b at the rear connection region 290. The width of the elongate waist panel 280 increases at the rear connection region 290 to provide a greater surface area and facilitate attachment.

[0081] The first portion 280a and second portion 280b are removably retainable to one another at a front connection region 300 located, when the protective apparel is fastened with the front panel attachment means 140, between the front panel attachment means 140 and the user, in use. The front connection region 300 is located planar to the first axis A, at the symmetrical centre of the front panel attachment means 140. The first portion 280a and second portion 280b comprise complementary hook and loop fastening means configured to attach the first portion 280a and second portion 280b at the front connection region 300.

[0082] The first front panel 105 and the second front panel 110 each comprise a pair of elongate waist panel loops 305, through which the elongate waist panel 280 can be threaded such that motion of the elongate waist panel 280 is restrained in a direction parallel to the first axis A but is free to move in a direction perpendicular to the first axis A.

[0083] The width of the first panel decreases in the upper portion 105a to fit a user’s torso, such that the first front panel 105 and the second front panel 110 are substantially L- shaped. It should be noted that in Figures 1 , 3, 4 and 5A, the second strap 155 and third strap 160 are shown disconnected between the front panels 105, 110 and the rear panel 115. It is understood that the second strap 155 and third strap 160 are continuous between the front panels 105, 110 and the rear panel 115, thereby attaching the rear panel 115 to the front panels 105, 110.

[0084] The key in Figure 5B depicts the materials of Figures 1-5A. It can be seen that the protective apparel comprises spacer mesh, 20mm loop fastening, 25mm hook fastening, 38mm loop fastening, 38mm hook fastening, 50mm loop fastening, 50mm hook fastening, 100m loop fastening, 100mm hook fastening, 150mm loop fastening, 25mm webbing, 38mm webbing, 50mm webbing, 25mm soft elastic, 25mm horse elastic, 50mm horse elastic and 101 mm soft elastic.

[0085] The second strap 155, third strap 160, first front harness unit 135 and second front harness unit 135b comprise 25mm webbing. The elastic members comprise 25mm horse elastic. The elongate waist panel 280 comprises LBV mesh. The first front panel 105 and second front panel 110 are provided with webbing on their outer perimeter to prevent sagging.

[0086] FITTING INSTRUCTIONS

[0087] Place the protective apparel 100 on the torso of the user, with the front panel attachment means 140 at the front of the user. Close the elongate waist panel 180 around the waist of the user, enclosing the first front panel 105 and second front panel 110.

[0088] Adjust the body length using the second strap 155, third strap 160, second strap receiving portion 175a and third strap receiving portion 175b to create a snug fit on the upper body / armhole. For users with a longer torso thread the second strap 155 and third strap 160 through the upper button hole of the ladder lock buckle, for shorter body lengths thread it through the lower button hole of the ladder lock buckle. In this way, the rear panel harness unit 135c is encased within the first front panel 105 and second front panel 110 to prevent sideways motion of the rear panel harness unit 135c. Close the zip of the front panel attachment means 140 and open the first aperture 310a and the second aperture 310b. The first front harness unit 135a and the second front harness unit 135b can be adjusted to create a snug tight fit. The elastic members attached to the ends of harness unit 130 offer shock absorption and comfort for the user.

[0089] Pull the second strap receiving strap adjusting member 320d and third strap receiving strap adjusting member 320’d evenly to ensure the upper front chest to front hem line fit to the contoured length of the body.

[0090] Pull on the upper strap adjusting member 320c of both the first front panel 105 and second front panel 110 evenly to make the chest straps fit to the girth of the upper body.

[0091] Pull on the middle strap adjusting member 320b of both the first front panel 105 and second front panel 110 evenly to make the waist straps fit to the girth of the mid body.

[0092] Close the buckle clip 215 of lower strap 200a and pull on the lower straps 200a, 200’a evenly to make the hem of the protective apparel 100 fit snugly beneath the base to the body armour around the girth of the lower body. Then thread the loose tails of the lower straps 200a, 200’a back on themselves inserting them through the lower loops 220 if there is excessive length. The adjustment members are colour coded for ease of use.

[0093] The various adjustment points of the vest and the harness unit 230 is that the protective apparel 100 can be adjusted to fit all body shapes and sizes. The protective apparel 100 is offered in three body heights (short, regular, and tall) and various widths so the size of the protective apparel 100 can be selected to suit the user, including the positioning of the elastic waist panel 280 at the correct waist height. As such, a bespoke fit is provided allowing for vest movement to closely match user torso motion, reducing the risk of injury to the user.

[0094] On the ‘short’ body height protective apparel, the lower strap is spaced 10cm from the middle strap and the middle strap is spaced 10cm from the upper strap. On the ‘tall’ body height protective apparel, the lower strap is spaced 10cm from the middle strap and the middle strap is spaced 15cm from the upper strap.

[0095] TYPICAL AUXILIARY ITEMS

[0096] Table 1 shows the auxiliary items and masses of typically worn Police Force equipment. Table 1 illustrates the high load carriage that member of the Police Force can be required to carry while on shift, highlighting the importance of injury reduction under such loads.

[0097] Table 1

[0098] INJURY REDUCTION TESTING

[0099] A number of scientific studies were conducted both prior to and after the design process. Firstly, a validated injury questionnaire was circulated amongst a UK Police Force. One hundred and seventeen operational Police Officers responded, data regarding body part injuries over a twelve-month period was collected. The data between operational Officers who wear protective apparel, such as protective vests, during duty was compared to operational Officers who did not wear such garments while on duty. Figure 8 illustrates the percentage difference in the number of respondent’s number of protective vest wearers and non-vest wearers. A positive percentage indicates that injury to the body part was more prevalent in vest wearers than non-vest wearers. Similarly, a negative percentage indicates that injury to the body part was more prevalent in non-vest wearers compared to vest wearers. Figure 8 shows that neck, shoulder and lower back injuries were more prevalent in protective vest wearers.

[0100] Secondly, thirty-eight operational police officers with no prior injury participated in a study comparing the biomechanics of gait whilst running unloaded and whilst wearing a vest of the prior art (Vest B - Arktis P9 and Vest C - Arktis P1100). This allowed understanding of the mechanisms of development for the injuries to the neck, shoulders and back identified above. Seven loading conditions were tested; an unloaded condition wherein the user did not wear any protective apparel; a condition where the user wore Vest B, with the loads in Table 1 attached in a ‘High’ configuration; a condition where the user wore Vest B, with the loads in Table 1 attached in a ‘Distributed’ configuration; a condition where the user wore Vest B, with the loads in Table 1 attached in a ‘Low’ configuration as shown in Figure 7B; a condition where the user wore Vest C, with the loads in Table 1 attached in a ‘High’ configuration; a condition where the user wore Vest C, with the loads in Table 1 attached in a ‘Distributed’ configuration; and a condition where the user wore Vest CB, with the loads in Table 1 attached in a ‘Low’ configuration as shown in Figure 7B.

[0101] Figure 7A illustrates an example of a protective apparel of the prior art, herein described as Vest B, the protective apparel loaded with pouches and auxiliary items and Figure 7B illustrates an example of a ‘low load’ configuration of auxiliary items, namely wherein loading of the protective apparel is distributed such that the load is heavier at the bottom of the apparel, by the waist, than the top of the apparel, by the shoulders. It is understood that in the following passage, the term ‘vest’ and ‘protective apparel’ are used interchangeably for ease of reference only.

[0102] The protective apparel was adjusted for length and waist fit and were available in multiple sizes to ensure the correct fit to the user. Loading conditions were based on the weights of typically worn items on shift and individual item weights were represented using custom filled sandbags in MOLLE pouches. The participants ran on a motor-less treadmill at a self-selected speed for one minute per trial, with data being captured for the final thirty seconds using three-dimensional motion capture and two-dimensional high speed video data. The location of the centre of mass of the head, the centre of the upper torso, centre of the lower torso, centre of the upper vest and centre of the lower vest were calculated from the position data of the 3D motion capture markers. Data was determined per stride for the entire trial (i.e. the entire thirty seconds), with there being an average of 23 ± 5 steps.

[0103] The lean of the head and torso was calculated relative to the vertical in the sagittal plane (side view), with positive values representing forward lean in the direction of travel. Horizontal separation between the head centre of mass and the torso centre of mass in the sagittal plane was also calculated, with a positive value depicting when the head centre of mass was further forward than the trunk centre of mass. Peak torso and head lean and displacements were offset using mean values obtained from a standing trial. Peak variables were then averaged across all steps for each trial, providing single values (± standard deviations) for comparisons.

[0104] The individual responses were also grouped so the group mean responses across conditions could be compared (e.g. control vs. protective apparel vs. loaded protective apparel conditions). Peak displacement of both upper and lower vest segments were compared to the corresponding torso segments in all three planes. Timings of the change of direction of the vest segments were also compared to the same variable from corresponding torso segments in all three cardinal directions during stance.

[0105] Finally, the coupling angle between the head and torso was calculated using modified vector coding. Modified vector coding allows a quantification of how two segments (in this case the head and torso) move in relation to each other. Quantifying the relationship between two connected body segments provides insight into the potential stress and strain of soft tissue structures between them (e.g. neck muscles, tendons, and ligaments). Results showed large oscillations of the protective apparel in the side-side and front- back directions which were out of sync with the torso. Statistical analysis showed that in the vertical and front-back direction the vest type and load placement did not affect the displacements. However, in the side-side direction vest type did not affect the displacement but load placement did. For the upper vest, the only difference was that the distributed condition had more movement than the low condition. For the lower vest, both the high and distributed conditions had less movement than the low condition.

[0106] Placing load lower on a tactical vest creates a pendulum effect with the lower vest. Additionally, the difference in time between the vest and torso changing directions during running strides was investigated. No differences were found between the two vest types or load placement. In the anterior-posterior direction the vest changes direction before the body - this is because the vest becomes ballistic at foot contact and changes direction when it reaches the end range of the fabric (bounce). In the vertical direction the vest changes direction later than the body, this is because the body begins moving upwards whilst the vest is still moving down.

[0107] Calculation of the coupling angle between the torso and head found that when wearing the vest the co-ordination of the head and torso is significantly altered during the second half of stance (after the lowest point, when the body is preparing to take off for the next step), as illustrated in Figure 9. This is when the vest reaches the end of its ballistic motion and the torso accepts the weight. At this point the vest is moving back and down, whilst the torso is accelerating up and forwards in order to take off for the next step. This forces the small postural neck muscles to engage unexpectedly and more than when unloaded in order to keep the head level and body balanced.

[0108] Figure 9 illustrates the coupling angle across stance in the protective apparel of the prior art (Vest B) over different load conditions; Con (no-load), high load condition, distributed load condition and a low load condition. Figure 9 illustrates the horizontal banding of the segmental phase. When the coupling angle is in-phase the head and torso are rotating in the same direction and when the coupling angle is out-of-phase the head and torso are rotating in opposite directions. Loaded conditions spend more time in an out of phase area in the second half of stance when compared to unloaded conditions. Vertical grey shaded areas indicate where the unloaded control condition was statistically different to other conditions.

[0109] The testing undertaken indicated that the elasticated cummerbund design of Vest C does not negate vest movement when fully loaded. Further, different areas of the protective apparel moved independently, therefore there is a need for an improved design over the prior art. The change in co-ordination seen in the second half of stance gives a highly plausible mechanism for the large number of neck and back injuries seen in operational Officers. Reducing the displacements and dampening the vest’s motion in key areas can help control the loading and improve biomechanics during operational Police tasks.

[0110] DESIGN PROCESS

[0111] The initial focus was on creating a well fitted harness system that would absorb forces in the specific problematic areas and direction. Once a harness unit was created that was comfortable and worked well, attention turned to integrating the protective apparel around the harness unit and ensuring that adjustability in the harness unit would carry over to the protective apparel. Additional improvements were made to the retaining means for retaining the detachable auxiliary items to improve their stability on the protective apparel, this was achieved by tightening the tolerances between the webbing loop on the protective apparel and the strapping on the retaining means using additional lines of stitching.

[0112] Testing was repeated with twenty operational police officers, comparing a protective apparel according to the present invention, Vest A, to a model of the prior art, Vest B. Vest A is illustrated in Figures 1-6. The same experimental protocol as above was followed however, there was only one load distribution used this time, representative of the ‘distributed load’ condition. Testing was conducted using the newly designed retaining means which gave less movement on the protective apparel.

[0113] Results of the testing show that displacements are reduced in all directions when using Vest A compared to Vest B (Table 2). Additionally, Vest A was compared to a bespoke all-in-one body armour and load carriage system of the prior art, currently used by some UK Police Forces, namely Vest D (Cooneen HMO-003). Vest A had reduced displacements when compared with Vest D in all directions (Table 3). This is important as an all-in-one should have the least movement due to the reduction in moving layers between the body armour and vest.

[0114] Tables 2 and 3 show peak displacement of both upper and lower vest segments were compared to the corresponding torso segments in all three planes.

[0115] Table 2

[0116] Table 3

[0117] Table 2 shows the comparison of percent differences between the Vest B and Vest A, negative values represent a smaller displacement in Vest A compared to Vest B. Table 3 shows the comparison of displacements of Vest A and a bespoke all-in-one armour and load carriage system of the prior art, Vest D.

[0118] Figure 10 illustrates the coupling angle for Vest A (dashed line), Vest B (dot and dashed line) and the unloaded condition (solid line). Note that the Vest A condition shows biomechanics very similar to unloaded running after 50% stance when compared to Vest B.

[0119] Peak head acceleration in the anterior-posterior direction was significantly greater when wearing Vest B compared to the unloaded condition, however Vest A reduced this effect by 54%, as shown in Figure 11 . This effect was also seen when Vest A was compared against Vest D, as shown in Figure 12. Despite the greater accelerations in the Vest conditions compared to the unloaded conditions, there was no difference in head-torso co-ordination during this time period, indicating that the loaded conditions must use greater neck muscle forces to control this motion.

[0120] Figure 11 depicts the head accelerations in the Anterior-Posterior direction the unloaded condition; Vest A; and Vest B. Close proximity to the unloaded condition is desirable. Vest B of the prior art is a current issue vest, designed to sit over body armour. Figure 11 shows that Vest B has very large head accelerations compared to the unloaded condition, and that Vest A negates this effect by around half.

[0121] Figure 12 depicts the head accelerations in the anterior-posterior direction for the unloaded condition; Vest A and Vest D. Close proximity to the unloaded condition is desirable. Vest D of prior art is an all-in-one current issue vest, where the load carriage vest is combined with the body armour. Figure 12 illustrates that Vest A is an improvement over Vest D of the prior art, as a much lesser head acceleration is experienced by the user. Figure 11 and Figure 12 both illustrate that the protective apparel of the claimed invention has reduced head accelerations compared to the currently issued protective apparel.

[0122] It is understood that both Vest B and D fall outside the scope of the present invention. Vest A falls within the scope of the present invention, with Vest A illustrated as a preferred embodiment in Figures 1-5. Vest A shows improved characteristics over Vests B and D . Vest A is illustrated in Figure 6.

Claims

Claims1 . A protective apparel for a user’s torso, the protective apparel comprising; a first front panel and a second front panel; a harness unit comprising a plurality of straps; and a rear panel, the rear panel comprising a substantially Y-shaped portion comprising a first upper region and a second upper region, the first upper region removably retainable to the first front panel and the second upper region removably retainable to the second front panel; wherein the protective apparel comprises front panel attachment means configured to removably retain the first front panel to the second front panel; wherein the harness unit comprises a rear panel harness unit located on the rear panel, the rear harness panel unit comprising a substantially Y-shaped portion, the rear panel harness unit comprising a first strap extending from the lower region of the Y-shaped portion of the rear panel, the first strap connected to a second strap and third strap at a common centre, the second strap extending from the common centre beyond the first upper region, the third strap extending from the common centre beyond the second upper region; wherein the first strap is substantially parallel to a first axis, the first axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal upright axis of a user wearing the protective apparel, in use; wherein the harness unit comprises a first front harness unit located on the first front panel and a second front harness unit located on the second panel, the first front harness unit removably retainable to the rear panel via a first elastic member and the second front harness unit removably retainable to the rear panel via a second elastic member; such that a protective apparel with articulated panels is provided.

2. The protective apparel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the protective apparel further comprises an elongate waist panel configured to extend from the first front panel to the second front panel about the waist of a user, in use.The protective apparel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elongate waist panel is configured to extend about an internal face of the first front panel and second front panel, such that the elongate waist panel comprises a user contacting surface. The protective apparel as claimed in claim 1 , claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the protective apparel comprises a shell portion configured to partially encase the first front panel, second front panel and the rear panel. The protective apparel as claimed in claim 4, wherein the harness unit is substantially encased within the shell portion and access to the harness unit is reduced. The protective apparel as claimed in claim 5, wherein a portion of the first front harness unit is accessible via a first aperture in the shell portion and a portion of the second front harness unit is accessible via a second aperture in the shell portion. The protective apparel as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the harness unit is attached to each of the first panel, the second panel and the rear panel at a plurality of points and motion of the harness unit within the shell portion is reduced. The protective apparel as claimed in any one preceding claim, wherein the first upper region is removably retainable to the first front panel via the second strap of the rear panel harness unit and the second upper region is removably retainable to the second front panel via the third strap of the rear panel harness unit. The protective apparel as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first front panel comprises a second strap receiving portion comprising a plurality of second strap receiving members configured to removably retain the second strap to the first front panel and the second front panel comprises a third strap receiving portion comprising a plurality of third strap receiving members configured to removably retain the third strap to the second front panel.The protective apparel as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first front harness unit comprises a second strap receiving strap configured to connect to the second strap at a first end and the first front panel at a second end and the second front harness unit comprises a third strap receiving strap configured to connect to the third strap at a first end and the second front panel at a second end. The protective apparel as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second strap receiving strap and the third strap receiving strap extend substantially parallel to the first axis. The protective apparel as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11 , wherein the first elastic member is coupled to the second strap receiving strap and the second elastic member is coupled to the third strap receiving strap. The protective apparel as claimed in any one preceding claim, wherein the front panel attachment means comprises at least one zip. The protective apparel as claimed in any one preceding claim, wherein the front panel attachment means is located on an edge of the first front panel and the second front panel. The protective apparel as claimed in any one preceding claim, wherein the protective apparel comprises retaining means configured to removably retain at least one detachable auxiliary item on the protective apparel. The protective apparel as claimed in claim 15, wherein the retaining means are located on the first front panel and the second front panel. The protective apparel as claimed in any one preceding claim, wherein the rear panel comprises a padded portion located on an inner facing surface of the rear panel. The protective apparel of claim 17, wherein the padded portion of the rear panel extends to a portion of both the first upper region and the second upper region.The protective apparel as claimed in any one preceding claim, wherein the first elastic member comprises a first upper elastic member and a first lower elastic member and the second elastic member comprises a second upper elastic member and a second lower elastic member. The protective apparel as claimed in any one preceding claim, wherein the front panel attachment means is configured to removably retain the first front panel to the second front panel along the first axis. The protective apparel as claimed in any one preceding claim, wherein the second front panel is substantially symmetrical to the first front panel about the first axis.

Images