Importance

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Abstract

A protective pad is affixed to a protective garment having a moisture barrier and having an outer shell covering the moisture barrier, the moisture barrier being impervious to moisture and the outer shell being pervious to moisture. The protective pad has a moisture absorber incorporating a superabsorbent polymer and an outer cover pervious to moisture. The moisture absorber covers a region of the outer shell of the protective garment. The outer cover of the protective pad covers the moisture barrier. The outer cover of the protective pad is affixed to the outer cover of the protective garment, at least partly around the moisture absorber. The outer cover of the protective pad and the outer shell of the protective garment, in the covered region, are adapted to conduct moisture into the moisture absorber, in which the superabsorbent polymer is adapted to absorb much if not all moisture conducted into the moisture absorber. The moisture absorber has a fibrous matrix incorporating particles of the superabsorbent polymer and being disposed between an inner cover pervious to moisture and an outer cover pervious to moisture. The covers may be quilted so as to segregate discrete regions of the fibrous matrix. The outer cover of the protective pad is affixed to the outer shell of the protective garment, at least partly around the moisture absorber, as by stitching or adhesively. A gap may be left, which enables the moisture absorber to be withdrawn from a space between the outer cover of the protective pad and the outer cover of the protective garment, to be reinserted into the space therebetween, or to be replaced by a similar absorber to be inserted into the space therebetween. A fastener may be provided to fasten the outer cover of the protective pad releasably to the outer shell, across the gap.

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First Claim