AbstractBy Kenneth Camp
My friend is new to ice hockey and she was having a problem with her shoulder pads, which also includes the chest protector, riding up and choking her at her neck during play. She asked me if I could MacGyver her something to keep her from getting choked by her chest plate while playing hockey. It needed to be something that wouldn't be a modification to the gear, so she could still trade her gear in. I ran the refurbishment department for the Alaska Fire Service for 20 years repairing Wildland firefighter equipment and during that time, I also innovated many ways and built many devices, tools, etc., to improve on ways to more quickly or easily repair our equipment or improve worker health and safety.
This device is a mini spender or brace. It is 1" wide by 10" long: 4" of cloth strap with a buttonhole, 2'' of doubled elastic and 4" of hook & loop. Hook on one side, loop on the other, so it just attaches to the hook and loop on the chest plate. This device anchors the shoulder pad to her breezes (hockey pants). The buttonhole attaches to the spender buttons on the breezes (not commonly used anymore) to the hook and loop shoulder pad adjusters/connectors. This device has worked well in play, not allowing the shoulder pad chest plate to ride up. The fit is adjustable.
It fixes a problem that seems to be fairly common, would be inexpensive to manufacture, fits as part of regular hockey gear, is adjustable, and standard gear does not need to be modified to use it