Chainmail article comprising a tightening means and a reinforcement member

Abstract

The present invention relates to a chainmail article (1) suitable for protecting a part of the body of a user, the article comprising a chainmail panel (2) provided with a tightening means (7, 8) cooperating with a longitudinal reinforcement member (9), which longitudinal reinforcement member (9) comprises a first reinforcement end (10) extending in the vicinity of the tightening means (9), this article (1) being characterized in that it comprises a zone in which the tightening means (12) is uninterrupted, arranged opposite the first reinforcement end (10) of the longitudinal reinforcement member (9).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Title of the invention: Article made of chainmail fabric comprising a tightening means and a reinforcing element

[0003] Technical field of the invention

[0004] The present invention relates to the technical field of chainmail fabric articles adapted for the protection of a part of a user's body.

[0005] It relates more specifically to chainmail fabric articles comprising a chainmail panel equipped with a tightening means cooperating with a longitudinal reinforcement element.

[0006] State of the art

[0007] Some chainmail fabric articles, such as chainmail protective gloves, may include a "hand" part intended to cover the user's hand, a "wrist" part intended to cover the user's wrist, and a "cuff" part, which extends their wrist part, intended to cover the user's forearm and possibly upper arm and which includes a free end of cuff.

[0008] The fabric wrist part of the chainmail is generally equipped with a tightening means to tighten the chainmail on the user's wrist, this tightening means being in the form of a tightening strap made of plastic or fabric, or a metal spring element.

[0009] These fastening means are fixed to the wrist part by any appropriate means, for example by means of added fastening rings, loops in chainmail fabric, or even a hem or sleeve in chainmail fabric.

[0010] The chainmail cuff section generally includes one or more longitudinal reinforcement elements, also called "stiffening" elements, which extend from the wrist section to its free end, and whose function is to create tension in the chainmail to ensure that the cuff stays on the user's forearm.

[0011] Such stiffening elements can take the form of an elongated rigid or semi-rigid element attached by any suitable means to the chainmail fabric. These may be plastic elements overmolded onto the chainmail fabric, or plastic or metal bars, attached by means of metal rings or housed in a hem or sleeve of the chainmail fabric.

[0012] A clamping device such as described above can also be fitted to the free end of the cuff.

[0013] For example, chainmail fabric gloves of this type are described in documents EP-1 919 314, or FR-2 836 790.

[0014] To ensure that the cuff stays securely on the forearm, the longitudinal reinforcement elements must extend to the fastening means that equip the wrist area and / or the free end of the cuff, or in the immediate vicinity of these fastening means.

[0015] However, during certain movements of the wrist, hand or arm, one or both ends of certain longitudinal reinforcement elements may come into contact with the opposite tightening means, or compress the chainmail fabric at that point, which may lead, through a cascading or stacking effect, to discomfort and inconvenience for the user.

[0016] Presentation of the invention

[0017] The present invention aims to overcome this drawback, or at least to limit the inconvenience caused.

[0018] To this end, the present invention proposes a chainmail fabric article adapted for the protection of a part of a user's body, comprising a chainmail fabric panel equipped with a tightening means cooperating with a longitudinal reinforcement member, which longitudinal reinforcement member includes a first reinforcement end which extends near said tightening means, this chainmail fabric article being characterized in that it includes a free zone of interruption of said tightening means, provided opposite said first reinforcement end of said longitudinal reinforcement member, which free zone of interruption of the tightening means is arranged to allow to absorb a small accumulation of chainmail fabric, during certain movements of the wrist or arm of the user.

[0019] Such a free zone, conventionally referred to here as the "free zone of interruption of the tightening means", makes it possible to limit the pressure and discomfort caused by the longitudinal reinforcement element during certain movements of the user, thus improving wearing comfort.

[0020] Other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics of the chainmail fabric article according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows:

[0021] - said clamping means may comprise a first part of clamping means and a second part of clamping means separated by a space forming said free zone of interruption of the clamping means;

[0022] - the chainmail fabric article may include a tightening means in the form of several metal spring elements fixed to the chainmail fabric panel by means of attached metal rings;

[0023] - said tightening means can be housed in a hem made on the chainmail fabric panel;

[0024] - the end of said longitudinal reinforcement member has a width X, and said free zone of interruption of said clamping means preferably has a width Y greater than said width X;

[0025] - said width Y of the free zone of interruption of the clamping means may be greater than 5 mm, preferably greater than 10 mm and even more preferably greater than 15 mm;

[0026] - the chainmail fabric article may be in the form of a glove comprising a "hand" part intended to cover the user's hand, a "wrist" part intended to cover the user's wrist, and a "cuff" part extending from its "wrist" part, intended to cover the user's forearm and comprising a free end of the cuff, which glove includes a first tightening means adapted to ensure tightening of said wrist part on the user's wrist, and possibly a second tightening means adapted to ensure tightening of the free end of said cuff on the user's forearm, which cuff part includes at least one longitudinal reinforcement element having a first reinforcing end located on the side of said first tightening means and a second reinforcing end located on the side of said possible second tightening means,which glove includes said free zone of interruption of said clamping means on said first clamping means and / or on said second clamping means, provided opposite said first end of reinforcement and / or said second end of reinforcement of said at least one longitudinal reinforcement member;

[0027] - The chainmail fabric glove comprises a median plane of the glove which passes through a portion intended to cover the user's thumb and a portion intended to cover the user's little finger; the cuff portion of the glove may comprise a first longitudinal reinforcing element located in said median plane of the glove, on the side of its portion intended to cover the user's thumb, and a second longitudinal reinforcing element located in said median plane of the glove, on the side of its portion intended to cover the user's little finger; and the glove may comprise:

[0028] - a first zone free from interruption of said first clamping means, cooperating with the first end of said first longitudinal reinforcement member, and

[0029] - a second zone free from interruption of the first clamping means, cooperating with the first end of said second longitudinal reinforcement element;

[0030] - the cuff portion of the glove may include a second fastening means adapted to ensure that the free end of said cuff is tightened on the user's forearm, and the glove may include:

[0031] - a first zone free from interruption of said second clamping means, cooperating with the second reinforcing end of said first longitudinal reinforcing element, and

[0032] - a second zone free from interruption of said second clamping means, cooperating with the second end of reinforcement of said second longitudinal reinforcement element;

[0033] - with the chainmail fabric article at rest, at least one of the reinforcing ends of the reinforcing element can extend over at least part of the bulk of the free interruption zone of the associated clamping means.

[0034] Of course, the different features, variants and embodiments of the invention can be combined with each other in various ways as long as they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

[0035] Detailed description of the invention. Furthermore, various other features of the invention become apparent from the attached description made with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the invention and where:

[0036] [Fig. 1] is a schematic perspective view of an article made of chainmail fabric according to the invention, in the form of a glove made of chainmail fabric;

[0037] [Fig. 2] is a schematic perspective view of the chainmail fabric glove from [Fig. 1], seen from another angle;

[0038] [Fig. 3] is a partial view of the chainmail fabric glove from [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2] showing the structure of the tightening means in the form of metal springs;

[0039] [Fig. 4] is an enlarged view of part of the glove illustrated in [Fig. 3];

[0040] [Fig. 5] is a perspective view of the chainmail fabric glove from [Fig. 1] to [Fig. 4], illustrating the function of the free areas of interruption of the tightening means;

[0041] [Fig. 6] is another perspective view of the chainmail fabric glove from [Fig. 1] to [Fig. 4], illustrating the function of the free areas of interruption of the tightening means;

[0042] [Fig. 7] is yet another perspective view of the chainmail fabric glove from [Fig. 1] to [Fig. 4], illustrating the function of the free areas of interruption of the tightening means;

[0043] [Fig. 8] is a detailed view illustrating the function of the free interruption zones of the clamping means;

[0044] [Fig. 9] is a perspective view illustrating one possible embodiment of a chainmail fabric glove according to the invention;

[0045] [Fig. 10] is a perspective view illustrating yet another possible embodiment of a chainmail fabric glove according to the invention, in which, the chainmail fabric article being at rest, one end of a reinforcing element extends partly into the space free of interruption of the associated tightening means;

[0046] [Fig. 11] is a detail view of the glove from [Fig. 10] illustrating the function of the free interruption zone of the clamping means;

[0047] [Fig. 12] is a detail view illustrating yet another possible embodiment of a chainmail fabric glove according to the invention, in which, the chainmail fabric article being at rest, one end of a reinforcing element extends completely into the space of the free interruption zone of the associated tightening means (i.e. over the entire width of the associated tightening means);

[0048] [Fig. 13] is a view similar to [Fig. 12] illustrating the function of the interruption-free zone of the clamping means.

[0049] Figures [Fig. 1] to [Fig. 8] illustrate an article 1 made of chainmail fabric according to the invention, in the form of a glove 1 made of chainmail fabric adapted to protect the hand and forearm of a user.

[0050] This article 1 in chainmail fabric includes a panel 2 in chainmail fabric which is classically made of an interlacing of metal rings, each made of bent and welded metal wire.

[0051] The outer diameter of the rings that make up panel 2 in chainmail fabric can be a few millimeters, for example 3 to 7 millimeters.

[0052] This 1-piece chainmail glove includes:

[0053] - a "hand" part 3 intended to cover the user's hand (including a "thumb" part 3a intended to cover the thumb of the user's hand, and a "little finger" part 3b intended to cover the little finger of the user's hand),

[0054] - a "wrist" part 4 designed to cover the user's wrist, and

[0055] - a "cuff" part 5 which extends its "wrist" part 4, and which is intended to cover the user's forearm.

[0056] The "hand" 3, "wrist" 4 and "cuff" 5 parts of the glove 1 can be made from the same panel 2 of chainmail fabric, or from at least two panels of chainmail fabric joined together by connecting rings.

[0057] The "cuff" part 5 ends with a free end of cuff 6.

[0058] The glove 1 includes a first tightening means 7 adapted to ensure tightening of its wrist part 4 on the user's wrist, and a second tightening means 8 adapted to ensure tightening of the free end of the cuff 6 on the user's forearm.

[0059] The cuff part 5 includes two longitudinal reinforcement elements 9 (one marked 9a and the other 9b), also called "stiffening elements", which extend over practically its entire length between the wrist clamping means 7 and the cuff end clamping means 8.

[0060] The longitudinal reinforcement members 9a, 9b each comprise a first reinforcement end 10 located on the side of the first clamping means 7 and a second reinforcement end 11 located on the side of the second clamping means 8.

[0061] To ensure that the cuff part 5 made of chainmail fabric stays securely on the user's forearm, and that the length is standardized in compression, the longitudinal reinforcement elements 9 (9a and 9b) extend over the greatest possible length, or practically the greatest possible length, between the two tightening means 7 and 8.

[0062] For this purpose the first end of reinforcement 10 and the second end of reinforcement 11 of the longitudinal reinforcement members 9 extend to the clamping means 7, 8 opposite, or very close to within a few millimeters of them.

[0063] And to limit discomfort during certain movements, and consequently to improve the comfort of wearing glove 1, free areas of interruption of the tightening means 12 are provided on the first tightening means 7 and on the second tightening means 8, provided opposite the first end of reinforcement 10 and the second end of reinforcement 11 of each longitudinal reinforcement member 9a, 9b.

[0064] It is understood that these free areas 12, or areas of absence of tightening means, allow a small accumulation of chainmail fabric to be absorbed during certain movements of the user's wrist or arm, which prevents the ends 10 and 11 of the longitudinal reinforcement elements 9 from coming into contact, or coming into excessive contact, against the tightening means 7, 8 opposite.

[0065] In particular, the ends 10 and 11 of the longitudinal reinforcement members 9 can, during certain movements of the user's wrist, hand or arm, move on these free areas or free spaces, without having contact or without too much contact with the clamping means 7, 8 opposite.

[0066] Such a technical effect is illustrated on [Fig. 5] to [Fig. 8], on which a compression of the cuff part 5 or of the wrist folds has been shown, resulting in a small penetration of the ends 10 and 11 of the longitudinal reinforcement elements 9 on the free areas 12 of absence of tightening means 7, 8.

[0067] As illustrated in the attached figures, this feature is preferably provided on two lines of the glove 1 which are likely to cause discomfort during wrist movements, namely the two diametrically or practically diametrically opposite lines of the median plane of the glove 1 which pass through the "thumb" part 3a and the "little finger" part 3b, that is to say on the wrist parts 4 and cuff parts 5, along the two parallel or practically parallel lines which extend the "thumb" part 3a and the "little finger" part 3b.

[0068] The cuff part 5 of the glove includes a first longitudinal reinforcement element 9a located in the median plane of the glove, on the side of its part 3a intended to cover the user's thumb, and a second longitudinal reinforcement element 9b located in the median plane of the glove, on the side of its part intended to cover the user's little finger,

[0069] And glove 1 includes:

[0070] - a first free zone of interruption of the first clamping means 12a, cooperating with the first end 10 of the first longitudinal reinforcement member 9a, and

[0071] - a second free zone of interruption of the first clamping means 12b, cooperating with the first end 10 of the second longitudinal reinforcement member 9b,

[0072] - a cuff part 5 comprising a second tightening means 8 adapted to ensure tightening of the free end of the cuff 6 on the user's forearm,

[0073] - a first free zone of interruption of the second clamping means 12c, cooperating with the second reinforcing end 11 of the first longitudinal reinforcing element 9a, and

[0074] - a second free zone of interruption of the second clamping means 12d, cooperating with the second reinforcement end 11 of the second longitudinal reinforcement member 9b.

[0075] In the attached figures, the free areas of interruption of the clamping means 12 preferably consist of spaces separating two parts 7a, 7b and 8a, 8b of the clamping means 7, 8.

[0076] These free zones of interruption of the clamping means 12 then extend over the entire width of the clamping means 7, 8; and preferably their width is constant. They have a generally square or rectangular shape.

[0077] To optimize the efficiency of the invention, the width Y of the free interruption zone of the clamping means 12 is greater than the width X of the end 10 opposite the longitudinal reinforcement member 9. This width Y of the free interruption zone of the clamping means 12 can be greater than 5 mm; preferably it is greater than 10 mm and even more preferably greater than 15 mm.

[0078] The width X of the end 10 opposite the longitudinal reinforcement member 9 is less than this width Y value by a few millimeters.

[0079] Each reinforcing element (or stiffening element) 9 is in the form of an elongated rigid or semi-rigid element fixed by any appropriate means to the chainmail fabric.

[0080] For example, it can be made of plastic material overmolded onto the chainmail fabric. It can also consist of a bar, a profile, a rolled spring, or a sinusoidal wire made of plastic or metal, attached and fixed by means of metal rings or housed in a hem or sleeve of chainmail fabric.

[0081] The clamping means 7, 8 can be in any suitable form.

[0082] Preferably, as illustrated in [Fig. 3] and [Fig. 4], they are in the form of several metal spring elements 7a, 7b; 8a, 8b fixed to the chainmail panel 2 by means of added metal rings 13.

[0083] Each metallic spring element 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b can be made up of a juxtaposition of wire arms 14 connected to each other, two by two, by a loop-shaped joint 15.

[0084] Each metal spring element 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b can be housed in a hem 16 (or sleeve 16) of chainmail fabric provided on the chainmail fabric panel 2.

[0085] Preferably, the tightening means 7, 8 which equip the wrist part 4 and the free end of the cuff 6 have the same structure (for example a structure in the form of a juxtaposition of wire arms 14 connected to each other, two by two, by a loop 15).

[0086] The added metal rings 13 are used in particular to fix the ends of the metal spring elements 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b on the chainmail fabric panel and in particular in the dedicated hem 16.

[0087] For this purpose, they provide a link between certain loops 15 of the metal spring elements 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, and certain rings of the chainmail fabric and / or the hem 16. As explained above, the presence of free areas of interruption of the tightening means 12 improves the comfort of the glove 1 in use.

[0088] In an alternative embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 9], the chainmail glove 1 according to the invention comprises a reinforcing element 9:

[0089] - of which a first reinforcing end 10 cooperates with a free zone of interruption of the clamping means 12 provided at the level of the clamping means 7 equipping the wrist area 4, and

[0090] - whose clamping means 8 which equips the free end of the cuff 6 is devoid of such a free zone of interruption of the clamping means 12.

[0091] The free interruption zone of the clamping means 12 can also cooperate with a clamping means 8 equipping the free end of the cuff 6, whereas the clamping means 7 equipping the wrist area 4 would lack such a free interruption zone of the clamping means 12.

[0092] The free end of the cuff 6 may also include a simple stiffening ring in place of the clamping means 8.

[0093] In alternative embodiments, the glove 1 may include a single reinforcing element 9, or more than two reinforcing elements 9.

[0094] Some of the ends 10, 11 of the reinforcing member 9 or of the reinforcing members 9 may not cooperate with a free zone of interruption of the clamping means 12.

[0095] The present invention can also be applied to glove-type articles for the protection of some fingers of the hand (for example three fingers), or to other chainmail fabric articles other than gloves, which include a tightening means cooperating with a longitudinal reinforcing member.

[0096] This is how we can equip, for example, a tunic made of chainmail fabric, a collar reinforcement for a tunic, or even an arm protector (without a "hand" part), etc.

[0097] In all cases, with the chainmail fabric article at rest, it can be expected that the relevant end of the reinforcing element will extend slightly, or completely, into the space free of interruption of the associated clamping means 12.

[0098] For example, as illustrated in [Fig. 10], with the chainmail glove 1 at rest, it can be expected that at least one end of the reinforcing member 9 extends into a part of the uninterrupted free zone of the associated clamping means 12.

[0099] In this case, in the illustrated embodiment, it is the second end of the reinforcement 11 which, at rest, enters the free zone of interruption of the associated clamping means 12 (on a part of the zone opposite the width of the clamping means 8 of the end of the cuff).

[0100] Figure 11 illustrates the possibility of translation of the reinforcing member 9 within the free zone of interruption of the clamping means 12, for example during a movement of the wrist and / or hand.

[0101] Figures [Fig. 12] and [Fig. 13] show a form of realization derived from Figures [Fig. 10] and [Fig. 11].

[0102] As illustrated in [Fig. 12], with the chainmail fabric article 1 at rest, one end of the reinforcing member 9 extends into the entire space of the free interruption zone of the associated clamping means 12 (over the entire area opposite the width of the associated clamping means).

[0103] And [Fig. 13] illustrates the possibility of translation of the reinforcing member 9 within the free zone of interruption of the clamping means 12, for example during a movement of the wrist and / or hand.

[0104] In this case, this possibility of translation allows the relevant end of the reinforcing member 9 to extend beyond the area opposite the associated clamping member 7, 8.

Claims

Demands

1. Article (1) made of chainmail fabric adapted for the protection of a part of a user's body, comprising a chainmail fabric panel (2) equipped with a tightening means (7, 8) cooperating with a longitudinal reinforcement member (9), said longitudinal reinforcement member (9) comprising a first reinforcement end (10) extending near said tightening means (9), characterized in that it comprises a free zone of interruption of the tightening means (12), provided opposite said first reinforcement end (10) of said longitudinal reinforcement member (9), said free zone of interruption of the tightening means (12) is arranged to allow to absorb a small accumulation of chainmail fabric, during certain movements of the wrist or arm of the user.

2. Article (1) made of chainmail fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that said clamping means (7, 8) comprises a first part of clamping means (7a, 8a) and a second part of clamping means (7b, 8b) separated by a space forming said free zone of interruption of said clamping means (12).

3. Article (1) made of chainmail fabric according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a clamping means (7, 8) in the form of several metal spring elements (7a, 7b; 8a, 8b) fixed to the chainmail panel (2) by means of attached metal rings (13).

4. Article (1) made of chainmail fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said tightening means (7, 8) is housed in a hem (16) formed on the chainmail panel (2).

5. Article (1) of chainmail fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the end (10, 11) of said longitudinal reinforcement member (9) has a width X, and in that said free zone of interruption of said clamping means (12) has a width Y greater than said width X. [Claims] Article (1) made of chainmail fabric according to claim 5, characterized in that said width Y of the free zone of interruption of the clamping means (12) is greater than 5 mm, preferably greater than 10 mm and even more preferably greater than 15 mm.

7. Article (1) made of chainmail fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is in the form of a glove comprising a "hand" part (3) intended to cover the user's hand, a "wrist" part (4) intended to cover the user's wrist, and a "cuff" part (5) extending from its "wrist" part (4), intended to cover the user's forearm and comprising a free end of the cuff (6), which glove (1) comprises a first tightening means (7) adapted to ensure tightening of said wrist part (4) on the user's wrist, and optionally a second tightening means (8) adapted to ensure tightening of the free end of the cuff (6) on the user's forearm,which cuff portion (5) comprises at least one longitudinal reinforcement member (9) having a first reinforcement end (10) located on the side of said first tightening means (7) and a second reinforcement end (11) located on the side of said optional second tightening means (8), which glove (1) comprises said free zone of interruption of said tightening means (12) on said first tightening means (7) and / or on said optional second tightening means (8), provided opposite said first reinforcement end (10) and / or said second reinforcement end (11) of said at least one longitudinal reinforcement member (9). [Claims] Article (1) made of chainmail fabric according to claim 7, characterized in that said glove comprises a median plane of the glove which passes through a portion (3a) intended to cover the user's thumb and a portion (3b) intended to cover the user's little finger, in that the cuff portion (5) of the glove comprises a first longitudinal reinforcing member (9a) located in said median plane of the glove, on the side of its portion (3a) intended to cover the user's thumb, and a second longitudinal reinforcing member (9b) located in said median plane of the glove, on the side of its portion intended to cover the user's little finger, and in that it comprises: - a first zone free from interruption of said first clamping means (12a), cooperating with the first end (10) of said first longitudinal reinforcement member (9a), and - a second zone free from interruption of the first clamping means (12b), cooperating with the first end (10) of said second longitudinal reinforcement member (9b).

9. Article (1) made of chainmail fabric according to claim 8, characterized in that the cuff portion (5) of the glove comprises a second tightening means (8) adapted to ensure tightening of the free end of the cuff (6) on the user's forearm, and in that it comprises: - a first zone free from interruption of said second clamping means (12c), cooperating with the second reinforcing end (11) of said first longitudinal reinforcing member (9a), and - a second zone free from interruption of said second clamping means (12d), cooperating with the second reinforcement end (11) of said second longitudinal reinforcement member (9b).

10. Article (1) of chainmail fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, the article (1) of chainmail fabric being at rest, at least one of the reinforcing ends (10, 11) of the reinforcing member (9) extends over at least part of the uninterrupted free zone of the associated clamping means (12).

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