Catcher's leg guard

Abstract

To provide a catcher leg guard with an improved fit feeling.SOLUTION: A catcher leg guard 1 can be worn by a user. The catcher leg guard 1 comprises a thigh protection part 20 and a shin protection part 40. When the catcher leg guard 1 is worn by the user, the thigh protection part 20 is arranged at a position where it covers at least a portion of a thigh part of the user. The shin protection part 40 is arranged at a position where it covers a shin part of the user. The thigh protection part 20 includes a protection member. The protection member is divided into a plurality of pieces.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a catcher's leg guard. [Background technology]

[0002] Because baseball and softball catchers typically sit with both knees bent, conventional catcher leg guards have been designed to improve fit when the catcher is seated (see, for example, JP 2014-236893 A). JP 2014-236893 A discloses a leg guard that includes a central protector portion and a shin protector portion divided into left and right protector portions, and a thigh protector portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-236893 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, catchers often stand as well as sit, and the above-mentioned catcher's leg guards have room for improvement in terms of fit when in a standing position.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a catcher's leg guard with an improved fit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A catcher's leg guard according to the present disclosure is a catcher's leg guard that can be worn by a user. The catcher's leg guard includes a thigh protection portion and a shin protection portion. When a user wears the catcher's leg guard, the thigh protection portion is positioned to cover at least a portion of the user's thigh. The shin protection portion is positioned to cover the user's shin. The thigh protection portion includes a protection member. The protection member is divided into multiple portions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] Based on the above, a catcher's leg guard with an improved fit can be obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a catcher's leg guard according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of a catcher's leg guard according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the catcher's leg guard according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the catcher's leg guard taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a side view of a catcher's leg guard according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.

[0010] (Embodiment) <Catcher's leg guard configuration> Fig. 1 is a front view of a catcher's leg guard 1 according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a side view of the catcher's leg guard 1 according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the catcher's leg guard 1 according to an embodiment. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the catcher's leg guard 1 taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 2.

[0011] The catcher's leg guard 1 (hereinafter also referred to as leg guard 1) shown in Figures 1 to 4 is a leg guard worn by a catcher in, for example, baseball or softball. The catcher's leg guard 1 is worn, for example, on the catcher's leg. The catcher's leg guard 1 shown in Figure 1 is configured to protect one of the legs of the user.

[0012] The catcher's leg guard 1 shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is a leg guard 1 for the left leg worn on the left leg of a user (catcher). Note that the catcher's leg guard 1 in this embodiment may also be a leg guard 1 for the right leg worn on the right leg of a user. For example, the leg guard 1 for the right leg is configured to be mirror-symmetrical to the leg guard 1 for the left leg. Furthermore, a set of the leg guard 1 for the left leg and the leg guard 1 for the right leg described above may be worn on both legs of a user.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1 , the leg guard 1 mainly includes a thigh protection portion 20, a knee protection portion 30, a shin protection portion 40, an instep protection portion 50, and a plurality of belts 60. When a user wears the leg guard 1, the thigh protection portion 20 is positioned to cover a portion of the user's thigh. Specifically, the thigh protection portion 20 is positioned to cover the region of the thigh closer to the knee. When a user wears the leg guard 1, the knee protection portion 30 is positioned to cover the user's knee. The shin protection portion 40 is positioned to cover the user's shin. The instep protection portion 50 is positioned to cover the user's instep. Each of the thigh protection portion 20, the knee protection portion 30, the shin protection portion 40, and the instep protection portion 50 includes a protection member and a cover member, as described below. The direction in which the thigh protection portion 20 is positioned as viewed from the shin protection portion 40 is defined as a first direction X. In the first direction X, the thigh protection part 20, the knee protection part 30, the shin protection part 40, and the instep protection part 50 are connected in this order. The thigh protection part 20 and the knee protection part 30 are connected by a first connecting member. The knee protection part 30 and the shin protection part 40 are connected by a second connecting member. The shin protection part 40 and the instep protection part 50 are connected by a third connecting member. The first to third connecting members are, for example, strip-shaped members. The first and second connecting members may be integrally formed members. The first to third connecting members may be made of a stretchable material. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the thigh protection part 20 and the shin protection part 40 are arranged adjacent to each other. The knee protection part 30 is arranged so as to straddle the boundary between the thigh protection part 20 and the shin protection part 40 in the first direction X. In other words, the knee protection part 30 is arranged to overlap a part of the thigh protection part 20 and a part of the shin protection part 40 so as to cover the boundary part where the thigh protection part 20 and the shin protection part 40 are adjacent to each other.

[0014] The material constituting the protective member is, for example, a resin. For example, polyethylene can be used as the resin constituting the protective member. For the material constituting the covering member, any material can be used as long as it is flexible. For example, the material constituting the covering member is ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin (EVA).

[0015] The thigh protection section 20 includes a thigh protection member 22 as a protection member and a thigh covering member 21 as a covering member. When a user wears the leg guard 1, the thigh covering member 21 is positioned so as to cover at least a portion of the user's thigh. The thigh covering member 21 is positioned between the thigh protection member 22 and the user's thigh. The material constituting the thigh protection member 22 may be, for example, a material harder than the material constituting the thigh covering member 21. The thigh protection member 22 protects the user's thigh from a ball flying toward the catcher, such as a pitched ball or a ball hit by the bat. The thigh covering member 21 is, for example, a cushioning material that absorbs the impact of a ball flying toward the catcher, such as a pitched ball or a ball hit by the bat, when the ball hits the thigh protection member 22. As described below, the thigh covering member 21 may be a flexible connecting member.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 4, the thigh protection member 22 has a thigh protection surface 20s1. The thigh covering member 21 has a thigh covering surface 20s2. The thigh protecting surface 20s1 is the surface that receives the impact of an incoming ball. In the thigh protection section 20, the thigh covering surface 20s2 is the surface opposite to the thigh protecting surface 20s1. The thigh covering surface 20s2 is the surface of the thigh protection member 22 that faces the front of the user's thigh when the user wears the leg guard 1. The thigh covering member 21 is connected to the thigh protecting member 22. From a different perspective, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer peripheral shape of the thigh covering member 21 substantially coincides with the outer peripheral shape of the thigh protection section 20. The thigh protecting member 22 is fixed to the surface of the thigh covering member 21 (the surface of the thigh covering member 21 opposite to the thigh covering surface 20s2). As will be described later, the thigh protecting member 22 is divided into multiple members. That is, the multiple members that make up thigh protection member 22 (central protection member 22c and two end protection members 22r, 22l) are fixed to the surface of thigh covering member 21 at intervals from each other.

[0017] The knee protection unit 30 includes a knee protection member 32 as a protection member and a knee covering member 31 as a covering member. When a user wears the leg guard 1, the knee covering member 31 is positioned to cover the user's knee. The knee covering member 31 is positioned between the knee protection member 32 and the user's knee. The material constituting the knee protection member 32 may be, for example, a material harder than the material constituting the knee covering member 31. The knee protection member 32 protects the user's knee from a ball flying toward the catcher, such as a pitched ball or a ball hit by the bat. The knee covering member 31 is, for example, a cushioning material that absorbs the impact of a ball flying toward the catcher, such as a pitched ball or a ball hit by the bat, when the ball hits the knee protection member 32.

[0018] The shin protection part 40 includes a shin protection member 42, a shin anti-slip member 43, two pads 71, 72, and a shin cover member 41 as a cover member. When a user wears the leg guard 1, the shin cover member 41 is positioned to cover the user's shins. The shin cover member 41 is positioned between the shin protection member 42 and the user's shins. The material forming the shin protection member 42 may be, for example, harder than the material forming the shin cover member 41. The shin protection member 42 protects the user's shins from balls flying toward the catcher, such as pitched balls or balls hit by the bat. The shin cover member 41 is, for example, a cushioning material. When a ball flying toward the catcher, such as a pitched ball or a ball hit by the bat, hits the shin protection member 42, the shin cover member 41 absorbs the impact of the ball.

[0019] The shin anti-slip member 43 is positioned to cover part of the shin and knee when the user wears the leg guard 1. In the first direction X, at least a part of the shin anti-slip member 43 is positioned to overlap a part of the knee covering member 31. Another part of the shin anti-slip member 43 is positioned between the shin protecting member 42 and the shin covering member 41 at the upper part of the shin protecting member 42 (the end on the knee side). As shown in FIG. 2, the shin anti-slip member 43 extends from between the shin protecting member 42 and the shin covering member 41 at the upper part of the shin protecting member 42 to the area overlapping with the knee protecting part 30 (the area adjacent to the thigh protecting part 20). For example, when the user sits with their knees on the ground, the shin anti-slip member 43 prevents slipping on the ground. The shin anti-slip member 43 is made of a material such as urethane.

[0020] The shin protection part 40 has a shin protection surface 40s1 and a shin covering surface 40s2. The shin protection surface 40s1 is the surface of the shin protection member 42, and is the surface that receives the impact of a ball flying towards the catcher, such as a pitched ball or a ball that grazes the bat. In the shin protection part 40, the shin covering surface 40s2 is the surface opposite the shin protection surface 40s1. The shin covering surface 40s2 is the surface of the shin covering member 41 that faces the front of the user's shin when the user wears the leg guard 1. The shin protection member 42 is connected to the surface of the shin covering member 41 opposite the shin covering surface 40s2.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3 , the two pads 71 ​​and 72 are connected to the shin covering surface 40s2 of the shin covering member 41 and the inner peripheral surface (the surface facing the front of the user's shin or knee) of the shin anti-slip member 43, respectively. Specifically, the pad 72 is positioned between the shin anti-slip member 43 and the user's patellar tendon and patella when the user wears the leg guard 1. In the first direction X, the center position p2 of the pad 72 is positioned so that the pad 72 protects the user's patellar tendon. The pad 71 is positioned between the shin covering member 41 and the shin when the user wears the leg guard 1. The two pads 71 ​​and 72 are, for example, cushioning materials that further reduce the impact of a ball flying toward the catcher, such as a pitched ball or a ball that grazes the bat, when the ball hits the shin protecting member 42 or the shin anti-slip member 43.

[0022] The instep protection part 50 includes an instep protection member 52 and an instep covering member 51. When the user wears the leg guard 1, the instep covering member 51 is positioned so as to cover the instep of the user. The instep covering member 51 is positioned between the instep protection member 52 and the instep of the user. The material constituting the instep protection member 52 may, for example, be harder than the material constituting the instep covering member 51. The instep protection member 52 protects the instep of the user from balls flying towards the catcher, such as pitched balls or balls hit by the bat. The instep covering member 51 is, for example, a cushioning material, and absorbs the impact of a ball flying towards the catcher, such as a pitched ball or balls hit by the bat, when the ball hits the instep protection member 52.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1 , multiple belts 60 are connected to the covering member. In this specification, the belt 60 refers not only to the belt main body made of fabric or the like, but also to length-adjusting members and fasteners connected to the belt main body. Specifically, two belts 61 and 62 are connected to the thigh protection member 20. The two belts 61 and 62 are connected to the thigh covering member 21. The ends of the two belts 61 and 62 are fixed to both the thigh covering member 21 and the thigh protecting member 22 while being sandwiched between them. Pins that penetrate the thigh covering member 21, the belt 61, or the belt 62 and the thigh protecting member 22 can be used as fixing members for the belts 61 and 62. Each belt 61 and 62 can wrap around the user's thigh when the user puts on the leg guard 1. In this way, the belts 61 and 62 can reliably determine the positions of the thigh protecting member 22 and the thigh covering member 21 relative to the thigh. Three belts 63, 64, and 65 are connected to the shin protector 40. The belt 63 is connected to the shin anti-slip member 43. Two belts 64 and 65 are connected to the shin cover 41. The ends of the belts 64 and 65 are sandwiched between the shin cover 41 and the shin protector 42 and fixed to both the shin cover 41 and the shin protector 42. Pins that pass through the shin cover 41, the belt 64, or the belt 65 and the shin protector 42 can be used to fasten the belts 64 and 65. Each of the belts 63, 64, and 65 can wrap around the user's lower leg when the user stretches their leg while wearing the leg guard 1. One belt 66 is connected to the instep protector 50. The belt 66 is connected to the instep cover 51. The ends of the belt 66 are sandwiched between the instep cover 51 and the instep protector 52 and fixed to both the instep cover 51 and the instep protector 52. The fixing member for the belt 66 can be a pin that passes through the instep covering member 51, the belt 66, and the instep protecting member 52. By fixing the covering member, the belt, and the protecting member with the same fixing member in this way, the structure of the leg guard 1 can be simplified compared to a configuration in which the fixing of the covering member to the protecting member and the fixing of the belt to the covering member or the fixing member are performed separately.The belts 66 can be wrapped around the user's feet when the user puts on the leg guard 1. Specifically, the belts 66 can be wrapped around the feet to secure the spikes and the instep protection parts 50. In this way, when the user puts on the leg guard 1, the leg guard 1 is secured to the user's feet by wrapping the multiple belts 60 around the legs.

[0024] A feature of the catcher's leg guard 1 according to this embodiment is that the thigh protection section 20 includes multiple divided protection members. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the thigh protection member 22 includes a central protection member 22c and two end protection members 22r and 22l. The two end protection members 22r and 22l form a pair and are arranged to sandwich the central protection member 22c. When a user extends their legs while wearing the leg guard 1, the pair of end protection members 22r and 22l are arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the first direction X. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the pair of end protection members 22r and 22l are arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other in a second direction Y, which is perpendicular to the first direction X. The thigh covering member 21 is located at least below the boundary between the central protection member 22c and the two end protection members 22r and 22l. The thigh covering member 21 is a connecting member that connects the central protection member 22c and the two end protection members 22r and 22l. The thigh covering member 21 is flexible.

[0025] In this way, the thigh protection member 22 divided into multiple parts is connected to the thigh covering member 21 as a flexible connecting member, so that the position of the thigh protection member 22 can be appropriately adjusted to follow the bulge of the thigh muscles. It is generally said that the quadriceps is the largest muscle in the human body. Therefore, for example, when changing from a sitting position to a standing position, the thigh muscles bulge significantly. Because baseball and softball catchers typically sit with both knees bent, conventional catcher's leg guards are often designed to fit the sitting position with both knees bent. Therefore, in conventional catcher's leg guards, if a thigh protection member is present, the member may be positioned in an undesirable position when the catcher changes from a sitting position to a standing position, for example. Therefore, if the thigh protection member 22 is divided into multiple parts, as in the leg guard 1 of this embodiment, the thigh protection member 22 can be positioned appropriately when the catcher changes from a sitting position to a standing position. Therefore, even when the user is in a standing position, the leg guard 1 can still fit the user in a sitting position while playing.

[0026] In catcher's leg guard 1 according to the present embodiment, thigh protection member 22 is divided into three pieces, but it may be divided into four or more pieces, for example, it may be divided into five pieces.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the second direction Y is defined as a direction perpendicular to the first direction X and perpendicular to the perpendicular line at the center of the thigh protection surface 20s1. The central protection member 22c has a first region Q1 and a second region Q2. The second region Q2 is positioned farther from the shin protection portion 40 than the first region Q1. The width L2 of the second region Q2 in the second direction Y may be different from the width L1 of the first region Q1 in the second direction Y. When viewed from the third direction Z, the central protection member 22c may have any shape. Specifically, the shape of the central protection member 22c when viewed from the third direction Z may be any polygonal shape, such as a trapezoidal shape as shown in FIG. 1, a hexagonal shape, or a rhombus shape. The central protection member 22c has a first end face and a second end face. The first end face of the central protection member 22c is positioned farthest from the shin protection portion 40 in the first direction X. The second end face of the central protection member 22c is located closest to the shin protection portion 40 in the first direction X. The width of the second end face in the second direction Y may be different from the width of the first end face in the second direction Y. If the width of the second end face in the second direction Y is shorter than the width of the first end face in the second direction Y, the shape of the central protection member 22c becomes an inverted trapezoid when viewed from the third direction Z. The width of the second end face in the second direction Y may be the same as the width of the first end face in the second direction Y. In this case, the shape of the central protection member 22c becomes a regular polygon when viewed from the third direction Z. The width L2 of the second region Q2 in the second direction Y may be the same as the width L1 of the first region Q1 in the second direction Y. In this case, the shape of the central protection member 22c becomes a rectangle when viewed from the third direction Z. The side surfaces of the end side protection members 22r and 22l adjacent to the central protection member 22c may extend in a direction along the extension direction of the side surface of the central protection member 22c. For example, the side surfaces of central protection member 22c may be parallel to the side surfaces of end protection members 22r and 22l. Central protection member 22c and end protection members 22r and 22l may be arranged at an interval. As a result, thigh covering member 21 deforms in response to the expansion and contraction of the thigh muscles, thereby appropriately adjusting the position of thigh protection member 22.

[0028] When a user wears the leg guard 1, among the multiple belts 60 wrapped around the user's lower leg, the belt 63 located closest to the user's patella in the first direction X is preferably located in either the thigh protection part 20 or the shin protection part 40. In other words, the belt 60 need not be located in the knee protection part 30. In this manner, the belt 60 will not be wrapped around the back of the user's knee. In the catcher's leg guard 1 according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 , when a user wears the leg guard 1, the center of the user's patella is located approximately at the center position p2 of the pad 72. Therefore, for example, it is preferable that the belt 63 be located closer to the instep than the center position p2 of the pad 72. The belt 63 may also be located closer to the instep than the patella. In this way, by locating the belt 63 at a position offset from the center of the patella in the first direction X, the belt 63 will not be wrapped around the back of the user's knee. If the belt 63 is wrapped around the back of the user's knees, the fit of the leg guard 1 will decrease when the user sits down, hindering the user's movements. Therefore, by positioning the belt 63 so that it is not wrapped around the back of the user's knees, it is possible to prevent the fit of the leg guard 1 from decreasing and to prevent problems such as hindering the user's movements.

[0029] From a different perspective, as shown in FIG. 1 , the belt 63 may be positioned closer to the instep than the third region Q3. Specifically, the knee protection part 30 has the third region Q3. The third region Q3 is a region that is separated from the center p1 of the length T1 of the knee protection part 30 in the first direction X by a distance T2 that is ¼ of the length T1 in the direction in which the shin protection part 40 is positioned. When the user wears the leg guard 1, of the belts 63, 64, and 65 that are wrapped around the lower leg, the belt 63 that is positioned closest to the patella in the first direction X may be positioned closer to the instep than the third region Q3. In this way, the belt 63 is positioned offset from the center of the patella in the first direction X. As a result, the belt 63 is not wrapped around the back of the user's knee.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a side view of the leg guard 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 corresponds to FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the thighs may be displaceable relative to the shin protection section 40 and the knee protection section 30 so that stress is not applied to the user's thighs even when the catcher's leg guard 1 is standing. Specifically, when the catcher's leg guard 1 is placed on a horizontal surface with the shin protection surface 40s2 facing downward, the region above the point on the shin protection surface 40s1 that is the farthest from the horizontal surface is defined as the fourth region Q4. The region closer to the horizontal surface than the fourth region Q4 is defined as the fifth region Q5. The thigh protection section 20 may be connected to the shin protection section 40 so that point p3, the farthest point from the shin protection section 40, can move from the fifth region Q5 to the fourth region Q4. Conventional catcher's leg guards are often designed to accommodate a sitting position with both knees bent. As a result, the range of motion of the thigh protection section 20 is narrow, limiting thigh movement when the catcher is standing. Therefore, with conventional catcher's leg guards, when the user changes their posture from sitting to standing, thigh protection portion 20 places a load on the thighs, which may result in a decrease in the user's performance.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 5, if the range of motion of the thigh protection part 20 is expanded so as to avoid stress on the user's thighs even when standing, a decline in the user's performance can be suppressed. In the leg guard 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the shape of the end of the knee protection part 30 on the thigh protection part 20 side is curved and convex toward the front of the knee protection part 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the shape of the thigh protection surface 20s1 is curved so as to follow the shape of the front of the user's thigh. In this way, the shapes of the contact points between the knee protection part 30 and the thigh protection part 20 are both curved and convex in the same direction. As a result, the knee protection part 30 does not excessively hinder the movement of the thigh protection part 20, and the point p3 of the thigh protection part 20 farthest from the shin protection part 40 can easily move from the fifth area Q5 to the fourth area Q4. In other words, the range of motion of the thigh protection part 20 can be expanded so as to avoid excessive stress on the user's thighs when standing.

[0032] <Action and effect> A catcher's leg guard 1 according to the present disclosure is a catcher's leg guard 1 that can be worn by a user. The catcher's leg guard 1 includes a thigh protection portion 20 and a shin protection portion 40. When a user wears the catcher's leg guard 1, the thigh protection portion 20 is positioned to cover at least a portion of the user's thigh. The shin protection portion 40 is positioned to cover the user's shin. The thigh protection portion 20 includes a protection member. The protection member is divided into multiple portions.

[0033] In this way, the position of each divided portion of the thigh protection part 20 (plural thigh protection members 22) can be appropriately adjusted according to the thickness of the thigh or the expansion and contraction of the thigh muscles. For example, if the thigh protection members 22 are positioned appropriately when the user changes their posture from a sitting position to a standing position, the leg guard 1 can provide a good fit in the standing position as well as the fit in the sitting position.

[0034] In the catcher's leg guard 1, the thigh protection part 20 includes a flexible connecting member (thigh covering member 21). The connecting member connects the divided protection members. In this way, the position of the thigh protection member 22 can be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the thigh muscles.

[0035] In the catcher's leg guard 1, the thigh protection member 22 includes a central protection member 22c and a pair of end protection members 22r, 22l. The pair of end protection members 22r, 22l are arranged to sandwich the central protection member 22c. The direction in which the thigh protection member 20 is arranged as viewed from the shin protection member 40 is defined as a first direction X. The pair of end protection members 22r, 22l are arranged spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the first direction X (second direction Y). In this way, the position of the thigh protection member 22 can be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the thigh muscles. As a result, a good fit can be obtained.

[0036] In the catcher's leg guard 1, the thigh protection portion 20 has a thigh covering surface 20s2 and a thigh protecting surface 20s1. The thigh covering surface 20s2 is the surface that faces the front of the user's thigh when the catcher's leg guard 1 is worn by the user. The thigh protecting surface 20s1 is the surface opposite the thigh covering surface 20s2. The central protection member 22c has a first region Q1 and a second region Q2. The second region Q2 is positioned farther from the shin protection portion 40 in the first direction X than the first region Q1. The direction perpendicular to the first direction X and perpendicular to the perpendicular line at the center of the thigh protecting surface 20s1 is defined as the second direction Y. The width L2 of the second region Q2 in the second direction Y is different from the width L1 of the first region Q1 in the second direction Y. In this case, if the thigh protection part 20 is shaped to fit the shape of the thigh, the position of the thigh protection member 22 can be appropriately adjusted to follow the expansion and contraction of the thigh muscles, resulting in a good fit.

[0037] The catcher's leg guard 1 further includes at least one belt 60 that can wrap around the user's lower leg and a knee protection unit 30. The knee protection unit 30 covers the user's knee. The knee protection unit 30 is positioned so as to straddle the boundary between the thigh protection unit 20 and the shin protection unit 40 in the first direction X. When the user stretches his or her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard 1, the belt 63 that is positioned closest to the user's patella in the first direction X is positioned in either the thigh protection unit 20 or the shin protection unit 40. In other words, it is sufficient that the belt 60 is not positioned in the knee protection unit 30. In this way, the belt 60 does not wrap around the back of the user's knee when the user bends his or her leg. Therefore, the user does not experience any discomfort caused by the belt 60 being wrapped around the back of the knee. This prevents impairment of the user's performance.

[0038] In the catcher's leg guard 1, the knee protection part 30 has a third region Q3. The third region Q3 is a region that is separated from the center p1 of the length T1 of the knee protection part 30 in the first direction X by a distance T2 that is one-fourth of the length T1 in the direction in which the shin protection part 40 is disposed, as viewed from the center p1. When a user extends his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard 1, the belt 63, which is positioned closest to the user's patella in the first direction X, is positioned closer to the user's instep than the third region Q3. In this way, the belt 63 does not wrap around the back of the user's knee, preventing a loss of performance.

[0039] In the catcher's leg guard 1, the shin protection portion 40 has a shin covering surface 40s2 and a shin protecting surface 40s1. The shin covering surface 40s2 faces the user's shin when the catcher's leg guard 1 is worn. The shin protecting surface 40s1 is the surface opposite the shin covering surface 40s2. When the catcher's leg guard 1 is placed on a horizontal surface with the shin covering surface 40s2 facing downward, the area above the point on the shin protecting surface 40s1 that is the farthest from the horizontal surface is designated as the fourth region Q4. The area closer to the horizontal surface than the fourth region Q4 is designated as the fifth region Q5. The thigh protection portion 20 is connected to the shin protection portion 40 so that point p3, the farthest point from the shin protection portion 40, can move from the fifth region Q5 to the fourth region Q4. This prevents excessive stress from being placed on the user's thighs even when the user is standing. As a result, a decline in the user's performance can be suppressed.

[0040] A catcher's leg guard 1 according to the present disclosure is wearable by a user and comprises a thigh protection portion 20, a knee protection portion 30, and a shin protection portion 40. When a user extends his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard 1, the thigh protection portion 20 is positioned to cover at least a portion of the user's thigh. The shin protection portion 40 is positioned to cover the user's shin. The direction in which the thigh protection portion 20 is positioned as viewed from the shin protection portion 40 is defined as a first direction X. The knee protection portion 30 is positioned so as to straddle the boundary between the thigh protection portion 20 and the shin protection portion 40 in the first direction X. The catcher's leg guard 1 further comprises at least one or more belts 60 that can be wrapped around the user's lower leg when the user extends his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard 1. When the user extends his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard 1, the belt 63 located closest to the user's patella in the first direction X is located in either the thigh protection part 20 or the shin protection part 40. In this way, the belt 63 does not wrap around the back of the user's knee when the user bends his / her leg. Therefore, the user does not feel any discomfort caused by the belt 63 being wrapped around the back of the knee. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the user's performance due to such discomfort.

[0041] The catcher's leg guard 1 further includes a knee protection section 30 that covers the user's knee. The knee protection section 30 is positioned to straddle the boundary between the thigh protection section 20 and the shin protection section 40 in the first direction X. The knee protection section 30 has a third region Q3. The third region Q3 is a region that is spaced a distance T2 that is one-fourth of the length T1 of the knee protection section 30 from the center p1 of the length T1 of the knee protection section 30 in the first direction X, in the direction in which the shin protection section 40 is positioned. When a user stretches their leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard 1, the belt 63, which is positioned closest to the user's patella in the first direction X, is positioned closer to the user's instep than the third region Q3. This configuration reliably prevents the belt 63 from wrapping around the back of the user's knee when the user bends their leg.

[0042] A catcher's leg guard 1 according to the present disclosure is wearable by a user and includes a thigh protection portion 20 and a shin protection portion 40. When a user wears the catcher's leg guard 1, the thigh protection portion 20 is positioned to cover at least a portion of the user's thigh. The shin protection portion 40 is positioned to cover the user's shin. The shin protection portion 40 has a shin covering surface 40s2 and a shin protection surface 40s1. The shin covering surface 40s2 is the surface that faces the user's shin when the user wears the catcher's leg guard 1. The shin protection surface 40s1 is the surface opposite the shin covering surface 40s2. When the catcher's leg guard 1 is placed on a horizontal surface with the shin covering surface 40s2 facing downward, the region above the point at which the shin protection surface 40s1 is the farthest from the horizontal surface is defined as a fourth region Q4. The area on the horizontal side of the fourth area Q4 is called the fifth area Q5. The thigh protection part 20 is connected to the shin protection part 40 so that point p3, which is the farthest point from the shin protection part 40 on the thigh protection part 20, can move from the fifth area Q5 to the fourth area Q4. In this way, excessive load is not placed on the user's thighs even when standing. As a result, a decline in the user's performance can be suppressed.

[0043] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Unless inconsistent, at least two or more of the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined. The basic scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, rather than the above description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be embraced.

[0044] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices. (Appendix 1) A catcher's leg guard that can be worn by a user, A thigh protection part; and a shin protection part. When the user wears the catcher's leg guard, the thigh protection portion is disposed at a position covering at least a part of the thigh of the user, the shin protection portion is disposed at a position covering the shins of the user, The thigh protection portion includes a plurality of divided protection members. (Appendix 2) the thigh protection portion includes a flexible connecting member; The catcher's leg guard described in Appendix 1, wherein the connecting member connects the divided protective members. (Appendix 3) The thigh protection member includes a central protection member and a pair of end protection members arranged to sandwich the central protection member, When the direction in which the thigh protection part is arranged as viewed from the shin protection part is defined as a first direction, A catcher's leg guard as described in Appendix 1 or Appendix 2, wherein the pair of end side protection members are positioned apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. (Appendix 4) The thigh protection portion has a thigh covering surface and a thigh protection surface, the thigh covering surface is a surface of the thigh protection portion that faces a front surface of the thigh of the user when the user wears the catcher's leg guard, the thigh protection surface is a surface opposite to the thigh covering surface, the central protective member has a first region and a second region; the second region is disposed at a position farther in the first direction from the shin protection portion than the first region, If a direction perpendicular to the first direction and perpendicular to a perpendicular line at the center of the thigh protection surface is defined as a second direction, 4. A catcher's leg guard as described in Appendix 3, wherein the width of the second region in the second direction is different from the width of the first region in the second direction. (Appendix 5) At least one belt that can wrap around the user's lower leg when the user stretches his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard; and a knee protection part for covering the knee part of the user. the knee protection portion is disposed so as to straddle the boundary between the thigh protection portion and the shin protection portion in the first direction, A catcher's leg guard as described in Appendix 3 or claim 4, wherein when the user extends his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard, the belt that is positioned closest to the user's patella in the first direction is positioned in either the thigh protection portion or the shin protection portion. (Appendix 6) The catcher's leg guard further includes a knee protection portion that covers the knee portion of the user, the knee protection portion is disposed so as to straddle the boundary between the thigh protection portion and the shin protection portion in the first direction, The knee protector has a third region, the third region is a region spaced from the center of the length of the knee protection part in the first direction by a distance of ¼ of the length in a direction in which the shin protection part is disposed, as viewed from the center of the length of the knee protection part in the first direction, A catcher's leg guard as described in Appendix 3 or claim 4, wherein when the user extends his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard, the belt, which is positioned closest to the user's patella in the first direction, is positioned closer to the user's instep than the third region. (Appendix 7) The shin protection portion has a shin covering surface and a shin protection surface, the shin covering surface is a surface of the shin protection portion that faces the shin of the user when the user wears the catcher's leg guard, The shin protection surface is a surface opposite to the shin covering surface, When the catcher's leg guard is placed on a horizontal surface with the shin-covering surface facing downward, the area above the point on the shin-protecting surface that is the greatest distance from the horizontal surface is defined as a fourth area, and the area closer to the horizontal surface than the fourth area is defined as a fifth area. 7. A catcher's leg guard as described in any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 6, wherein the thigh protection portion is connected to the shin protection portion so that the point on the thigh protection portion farthest from the shin protection portion can move from the fifth region to the fourth region. (Appendix 8) A catcher's leg guard that can be worn by a user, A thigh protection part; Knee protection, and a shin protection part. When the user wears the catcher's leg guard, the thigh protection portion is disposed at a position covering at least a part of the thigh of the user, the shin protection portion is disposed at a position covering the shins of the user, When the direction in which the thigh protection part is arranged as viewed from the shin protection part is defined as a first direction, The knee protection part is disposed so as to straddle the boundary between the thigh protection part and the shin protection part in the first direction, and further At least one belt is provided that can wrap around the user's lower leg when the user extends his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard, A catcher's leg guard in which, when the user extends his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard, the belt, which is positioned closest to the user's patella in the first direction, is positioned on either the thigh protection portion or the shin protection portion. (Appendix 9) The knee protector has a third region, the third region is a region spaced from the center of the length of the knee protection part in the first direction by a distance of ¼ of the length in a direction in which the shin protection part is disposed, as viewed from the center of the length of the knee protection part in the first direction, A catcher's leg guard as described in Appendix 8, wherein when the user extends his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard, the belt, which is positioned closest to the user's patella in the first direction, is positioned closer to the user's instep than the third region. (Appendix 10) A catcher's leg guard that can be worn by a user, A thigh protection part; and a shin protection part. When the user wears the catcher's leg guard, the thigh protection portion is disposed at a position covering at least a part of the thigh of the user, the shin protection portion is disposed at a position covering the shins of the user, The shin protection portion has a shin covering surface and a shin protection surface, the shin-covering surface is a surface that faces the shin of the user when the user wears the catcher's leg guard, The shin protection surface is a surface opposite to the shin covering surface, When the catcher's leg guard is placed on a horizontal surface with the shin-covering surface facing downward, the area above the point on the shin-protecting surface that is the greatest distance from the horizontal surface is defined as a fourth area, and the area closer to the horizontal surface than the fourth area is defined as a fifth area. A catcher's leg guard, wherein the thigh protector is connected to the shin protector so that the point of the thigh protector farthest from the shin protector can move from the fifth region to the fourth region. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1 leg guard, 20 thigh protection part, 20s1 thigh protection surface, 20s2 thigh covering surface, 21 thigh covering member, 22 thigh protection member, 22c central protection member, 22r, 22l end side protection member, 30 knee protection part, 31 knee covering member, 32 knee protection member, 40 shin protection part, 40s1 shin protection surface, 40s2 shin covering surface, 41 shin covering member, 42 shin protection member, 43 shin anti-slip member, 50 instep protection part, 51 instep covering member, 52 instep protection member, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 belt, 71, 72 pad, Q1 first region, Q2 second region, Q3 third region, Q4 fourth region, Q5 fifth region, T1 length, T2 distance, X first direction, Y second direction, p1 center, p2 Center position, p3 point, L1,L2 width.

Claims

1. A catcher's leg guard that can be worn by a user, A thigh protection part; and a shin protection part. When the user wears the catcher's leg guard, the thigh protection portion is disposed at a position covering at least a part of the thigh of the user, the shin protection portion is disposed at a position covering the shins of the user, The thigh protection portion includes a plurality of divided protection members and a flexible connecting member, the connecting member connects the divided protection members, the material constituting the protective member is a material having a higher hardness than the material constituting the connecting member, the protective member includes a central protective member and a pair of end protective members disposed so as to sandwich the central protective member, When the direction in which the thigh protection part is arranged as viewed from the shin protection part is defined as a first direction, The pair of end side protection members are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, The catcher's leg guard, wherein the central protective member and the pair of end protective members are adjusted in position to follow the muscles of the thighs.

2. The thigh protection portion has a thigh covering surface and a thigh protection surface, the thigh-covering surface is a surface that faces a front surface of the thigh of the user when the user wears the catcher's leg guard, the thigh protection surface is a surface opposite to the thigh covering surface, the central protective member has a first region and a second region; the second region is disposed at a position farther from the shin protection portion than the first region in the first direction, If a direction perpendicular to the first direction and perpendicular to a normal line at the center of the thigh protection surface is defined as a second direction, The catcher's leg guard according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the second region in the second direction is different from the width of the first region in the second direction.

3. At least one belt that can wrap around the user's lower leg when the user stretches his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard; and a knee protection part for covering the knee part of the user. the knee protection portion is disposed so as to straddle the boundary between the thigh protection portion and the shin protection portion in the first direction, 2. The catcher's leg guard of claim 1, wherein the belt positioned closest to the user's patella in the first direction when the user extends his / her leg while wearing the catcher's leg guard is positioned on either the thigh protection portion or the shin protection portion.

4. The shin protection portion has a shin covering surface and a shin protection surface, the shin covering surface is a surface of the shin protection portion that faces the shin of the user when the user wears the catcher's leg guard, The shin protection surface is a surface opposite to the shin covering surface, When the catcher's leg guard is placed on a horizontal surface with the shin-covering surface facing downward, the area above the point on the shin-protecting surface that is the greatest distance from the horizontal surface is defined as a fourth area, and the area closer to the horizontal surface than the fourth area is defined as a fifth area.

4. A catcher's leg guard according to claim 1, wherein the thigh protector is connected to the shin protector so that the point on the thigh protector farthest from the shin protector can move from the fifth region to the fourth region.

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