Articles and methods for forming splints for body parts of an animal are disclosed. A splint includes a splint core formed of one or more layers of knit fabric impregnated with a water-curable hardenable resin. The opposite faces of the splint core are covered by nonwoven fibrous fabric covers which bond to the core by contact with the resin. A securement member or strap is partially or completely encircled about the splint, and flexible hooks on the strap grasp the fabric covers to hold the splint on the body part being treated. For a small animal, the splint core is a die-cut article having notches in its side edges which permit the core to be bent to form a foot-supporting platform without substantial bunching at the side edges.

A suspension system for the care and prevention of wounds on the body of a user includes an array of removable suspension devices forming a flexible sheet. Each suspension device is removably coupled to at least one other suspension device. The suspension devices are selectably removable from the array in order to define a space within the sheet which approximates the size of a target area on the body of the user. A disposable garment for the body of a user includes an absorbent portion and a wound care and prevention suspension portion. The absorbent portion has a fluid pervious inner sheet, a fluid impervious outer sheet and at least one layer of absorbent material disposed between the inner and outer sheets. The wound care and prevention suspension portion is coupled to the absorbent portion. The application of a suspension system for the care and prevention of wounds to the body of a user including identifying a target area on the body of the user, obtaining a sheet formed of removable suspension devices, selectably removing at least one suspension device from the sheet to define a space which approximates the target area, and securing the sheet to the body of the user such that the sheet supports the target area without contacting the target area.

Protective padding primarily intended for use in sports gear. The pads include flexible, outer casings of porous, breathable, inelastic material overfilled with resilient, discrete beads of elastic material. The beads are initially in compressed states within the casing and place the outer, inelastic casing in tension. When a blow or force is applied, the beads are further compressed to absorb and dissipate the impact. Additionally, the applied blow or force will increase the tension in the outer casing to even further compress the elastic beads for better absorption and dissipation of the impact. In use, the porous pads are compressed and rebound to create a pumping effect that circulates air into and out of the pads drawing heat and perspiration from the athlete's body and keeping the athlete cool and dry. If desired, the pad can be secured directly to the athlete's jersey to enhance this pumping effect as well as the dissipation of the force of any impact. In an alternate embodiment, the outer casing is made of an elastic material that is overfilled to its elastic limit to act in the manner of the preferred embodiments. All of the pads of the present invention are lightweight and washable and can be adapted and integrated into a wide variety of items.

A porous, breathable pad for use as protective padding by a person to absorb the force of an impact and to protect the user from injury while allowing liquids and air to freely pass through the pad. The pad includes a plurality of discrete, solid beads of inelastic and waterproof, closed-cell foam wherein some outer portions of adjacent beads abut one another and other outer portions of the adjacent beads are spaced from each other to create interstitial spaces. In the preferred embodiments, substantially all of the adjacent beads are fused together at their abutting, outer portions and the interstitial spaces are substantially uniformly distributed throughout the pad.

Protective padding primarily intended for use in sports gear. In a first set of preferred embodiments, the pads include flexible, outer casings of porous, breathable, inelastic material overfilled with resilient, discrete beads of elastic material. The beads are initially in compressed states within the casing and place the outer, inelastic casing in tension. When a blow or force is applied, the beads are further compressed to absorb and dissipate the impact. Additionally, the applied blow or force will increase the tension in the outer casing to even further compress the elastic beads for better absorption and dissipation of the impact. In an alternate embodiment, the outer casing is made of an elastic material that is overfilled preferably to its elastic limit to act in the manner of the preferred embodiments. In a second set of preferred embodiments, the outer casings of the pads are actually filled no more than a simple gravity fill (i.e., 100%) and preferably are underfilled (e.g., 90%) to less than a gravity fill. This second set of pads is preferably used in combination with a hard, outer shell. Variations of the basic features of the first and second sets of pads are also disclosed as for example where the beads (elastic or inelastic) are fused together. All of the pads of the present invention are lightweight and washable and can be adapted and integrated into a wide variety of items.