Patent Application
20050246813
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to apparel including vented zones at targeted locations in the garment structure to provide enhanced or improved cooling effects. Pre-wetting an athlete's apparel or other equipment, including pieces of apparel having zoned venting characteristics, in a pre-event or pre-exercise body cooling routine, also may slow the rate-of-rise and help regulate body temperature and improve the athlete's performance.
One of the biggest challenges athletes face when competing or training, particularly in moderate to hot temperature conditions, is heat. Not only must the athlete cope with heat from the external environment, but he/she also must cope with heat generated within his/her own body as a result of physical exertion.
Substantial heat may be generated in a person's body as a result of physical activity and exertion. In general, a body's core temperature rises with increased physical activity. Less than 25% of the energy created during physical activity is converted into work energy (e.g., energy used to move the body and/or resist an applied force). The remaining 75%+ of the created energy typically must be dissipated as released heat. The human body's most effective mechanism for dealing with excess heat is through evaporative cooling. When a person's core body temperature rises to a certain level, the body will start to sweat. When this liquid sweat evaporates, the physical conversion of the liquid to its corresponding gas form (i.e., the drying) draws heat from the nearest heat source. In the case of sweat, the nearest heat source is the skin. In this manner, sweating cools a person due to the evaporative cooling action as the sweat dries. This evaporation of sweat is dependent upon the water vapor pressure (or relative humidity) of the air in contact with the skin. Air movement also is an important factor. For example, ambient air gains humidity as it picks up moisture during the evaporation of sweat. In the absence of adequate air movement (ventilation), this humidified air becomes trapped in areas surrounding the skin, thus inhibiting the cooling provided by the continued evaporation of sweat.
Failure to properly release and move heat away from the body during exercise in a warm environment can cause a dangerous rise in the person's body temperature, potentially resulting in adverse health consequences, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Various known garment features are available and used to assist athletes in coping with excess heat generated as a result of physical exertion. For example, mesh venting has been used in garments to help dissipate heat. In sports apparel, it is common to see underarm vents provided by very small or closed-hole meshes, or by small eyelets provided through the fabric. While helpful, such meshes or vents typically are too small or too impermeable to provide adequate cooling effects. Additionally, such vents typically are not large enough and/or located at targeted positions so as to provide improved cooling action.
Known garments or other athletic equipment also do little or nothing to help prepare an athlete for core body temperature increases that accompany an athletic event or exercise routine. In many instances, a garment and/or a training or preparation method that helps regulate core body temperature prior to, during, and/or after an event or exercise routine may be useful to improve or maximize the athlete's performance, e.g., by helping to cool the body to reduce core body temperature prior to the event, to slow the rate-of-rise in core temperature during the event, and/or to cool the body after the event.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide apparel with targeted vented zones at targeted locations of the body to improve cooling action, and in many instances, to optimize and/or maximize the cooling action on the body. Such venting, in at least some instances, would improve the athlete's comfort and/or performance during the physical activity. Additionally, it would be advantageous to provide apparel and/or other athletic equipment and/or a preparation method that first anticipates the onset of heat stress and then enhances the body's thermoregulatory mechanism to function properly, e.g., to cool the body, before, during, and/or after the event or exercise routine.
Aspects of the present invention relate to garments that include targeted vented zones that assist in efficiently and effectively cooling the wearer. Such garments may include, for example: (a) a first garment portion formed of a fabric material, wherein the first garment portion has a maximum air permeability of less than 550 ft3/min per ft2; and (b) a second garment portion forming a garment structure with at least the first garment portion, wherein the second garment portion includes a first vented zone, wherein a material forming the first vented zone has a minimum air permeability of at least 550 ft3/min per ft2, and wherein the first vented zone is at least 12 in2 and is provided at a targeted location in the garment structure to cool the wearer's body. The vented zone may be any desired size without departing from the invention, for example, at least 20 in2, or even at least 30 in2. One or more additional garment portions including one or more additional vented zones like those described above may be included in the garment structure without departing from the invention. Such additional vented zones may be maintained separate from the first vented zone and/or separate from one another. In at least some examples of the invention, the first garment portion may form a majority of the garment structure.
Additional aspects of the invention relate to methods for forming garments having targeted vented zones like those described above. Such methods may include, for example: (a) providing a first garment portion formed of a fabric material, wherein the first garment portion has a maximum air permeability of less than 550 ft3/min per ft2; (b) providing a second garment portion including a first vented zone, wherein a material forming the first vented zone has a minimum air permeability of at least 550 ft3/min per ft2, and wherein the first vented zone is at least 12 in2, and in some examples may be at least 20 in2, or even at least 30 in2; and (c) forming a garment structure including at least the first garment portion and the second garment portion, wherein the first vented zone is provided at a targeted location in the garment structure to cool the wearer's body. If desired, the garment structure may be formed to include a plurality of separate vented zones, as generally described above.
Still additional aspects of the invention relate to systems and methods for cooling an athlete's body before, during, and/or after an event or exercise routine. Such systems may include, for example: (a) a piece of apparel or athletic equipment; and (b) a container for receiving liquid and the piece of apparel or athletic equipment. The container further may include indicia indicating at least one amount of liquid to be included in the container to wet the piece of apparel or athletic equipment prior to it being donned by a wearer. Methods for using such body cooling systems may include, for example: (a) wetting a piece of apparel or athletic equipment; (b) at least 20 minutes prior to a start of an event or an exercise routine, donning the wetted piece of apparel or athletic equipment and wearing it in a wetted condition (e.g., with the wearer maintaining a resting or relatively inactive state) so as to cool the wearer's body prior to the start; and (c) participating in the event or exercise routine. Optionally, all or part of the wetted piece of apparel or athletic equipment may be worn during and/or after the event or exercise routine, and/or some or all of it may be removed before the event or exercise begins and/or while it is occurring. Garments like those described above, including one or more vented zones, may be wetted and used in systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent and more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:
Various specific examples of the invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the attached drawings. To assist the reader, this specification is divided into various subsections, as follows: Terms; General Description of Aspects of the Invention; Specific Examples of the Invention; and Conclusion.
A. Terms
The following terms are used in this specification, and unless otherwise noted or clear from the context, these terms have the meanings provided below.
“Air permeability,” as used in this specification, means the volume of air (e.g., in cubic feet) that passes through a given area of the material tested (e.g., a square foot) in a given time period (e.g., a minute) under predetermined testing conditions. While various ways of measuring air permeability of a material are known and may be used, one suitable method of measuring air permeability involves the use of a Frazier Low Pressure Air Permeability Machine 750 using standard test ASTM D737-96.
A given type of material (e.g., a polyester, spandex, cotton, wool, or other type of material) may have a wide range of different air permeabilities, depending on various factors associated with the specific material sample. For example, the air permeability characteristics of a given material may depend on various characteristics of the ultimate fabric sample containing the material, such as: thread or fiber thickness; thread or fiber count; yarn twist; weave or knit density; weave or knit construction; material or weave flexibility or stretchability; the presence or absence of mesh openings (or other openings); the mesh or opening size; the percentage of material surface area covered by mesh or openings; fabric thickness; number of plies; surface and/or finishing treatments (if any); and the like. Accordingly, in at least some examples of this invention, the various “garment portions” having different air permeabilities, as these terms are used in the present specification, may be made from the same type of material, but characteristics of that material may be adjusted in at least one of the garment portions to alter its air permeability (e.g., the fabric may be treated or otherwise constructed or arranged in the vented zone to increase its air permeability as compared to the air permeability of the fabric at locations in the first garment portion (i.e., the portion not containing the vented zone) or the fabric in the first garment portion may be treated or otherwise constructed or arranged to lower its air permeability as compared to that of the material in the vented zone). In other examples of the invention, a different material may make up the vented zone as compared to the material in the first garment portion.
“Garment,” as used in this specification, includes any type of wearing apparel for the torso, arms, and legs. “Garments” do not include hats, caps, gloves, or footwear).
B. General Description of Aspects of the Invention
In general, aspects of this invention relate to garments having vented zones at specifically targeted locations of the garment structure to improve cooling efficiency and effectiveness and thereby, in at least some instances, increase the athlete's comfort level and improve his or her performance. As described above, much heat energy is generated in an athlete's body as a result of physical exertion, and this heat energy must be dissipated in some manner to provide a more comfortable workout and/or to prevent the athlete's core body temperature from rising to dangerous levels. Physiological research conducted in connection with this invention demonstrated that if a limited area of mesh is positioned on an athlete's upper torso, applying those mesh panels to the sides and down the center of the back provided the most effective ventilatory cooling during work in heat. Garments having targeted venting zones provided at one or more of these locations allow a significant reduction in the core body temperature rise during exercise and physical exertion as compared to garments having no venting and garments having venting in other areas.
Garments having targeted venting in accordance with at least some aspects of this invention may include, for example: (a) a first garment portion formed of a fabric material, wherein the first garment portion has an air permeability of less than 550 ft3/min per ft2; and (b) a second garment portion forming a garment structure with at least the first garment portion, wherein the second garment portion includes a first vented zone, wherein a material forming the first vented zone has an air permeability of at least 550 ft3/min per ft2, and wherein the first vented zone is at least 12 in2 and is provided at a targeted location in the garment structure to cool the wearer's body. The vented zone may be any desired size without departing from the invention, for example, at least 20 in2, or even at least 30 in2. One or more, additional garment portions including one or more additional vented zones like those described above may be included in the garment structure without departing from the invention. Such additional vented zones, when present, may be located separate from the first vented zone. In at least some examples of the invention, the first garment portion may form a majority of the garment structure.
Garments according to at least some more specific examples of the invention fit at least a portion of an upper torso of a wearer and include: (a) a first garment portion formed of a fabric material and having an air permeability of less than 550 ft3/min per ft2; and (b) a second garment portion forming a garment structure with at least the first garment portion, wherein the second garment portion includes a first vented zone, wherein a material forming the first vented zone has an air permeability of at least 550 ft3/min per ft2. In at least some examples, at least a portion of the first vented zone may be from about 2 to about 6 inches in a first dimension and at least about 10 inches in another dimension and extend along a center back portion of the garment structure. In other examples, at least a portion of the first vented zone may be from about 2 to about 6 inches in a first dimension and at least about 6 inches in another dimension and extend along a first side portion of the garment structure. Optionally, each side portion of the garments may include vented zones like those described above. As still another option, garments in accordance with at least some examples of this invention may include any combination or all of the center back vented zone and one or more side vented zones.
In at least some examples, the first garment portion may have an air permeability of less than 500 ft3/min per ft2, and even less than 450 ft3/min per ft2.
Additionally or alternatively, at least some example garments will have a second garment portion having an air permeability of at least 600 ft3/min per ft2, and in some examples, the air permeability will be at least 700 ft3/min per ft2 and even at least 800 ft3/min per ft2.
Zoned venting, like that described above, helps keep an athlete cooler by increasing air flow over various targeted regions of the body (e.g., the center back and two sides). The body releases a significant amount of its excess heat in the center back area, and increased air flow in this region, via zoned venting, speeds up the evaporation of sweat from the skin, and hence, speeds up the evaporative cooling process (as described above). Additionally, this improved air flow moves fresh and relatively cool air into the targeted regions and moves the heated air out.
Vented zones at the athlete's sides help improve intake and exhaust air flow when the body is moving forward or laterally, movement that typically occurs during exercise and/or sporting events. When vented zones are provided at the center back and both lateral sides, air can flow into the garment at the garment sides and around to the back and out, evaporating sweat and moving heated air away from the body.
In at least some studies, the rise in core body temperature during exercise when wearing an example garment in accordance with the invention (e.g., a garment having center back and two side vented zones) was between about 0.2° F. to 0.5° F. lower as compared to exercise under similar conditions wearing garments vented in other areas (with the same total venting area) and as compared to exercise under similar conditions wearing unvented garments. Although this may be meaningless to the athlete who is merely “warm,” an increase of even a few tenths of a degree can be very distressing to the athlete who is approaching his/her limit of heat tolerance.
Additional aspects of the invention relate to methods for forming garments having targeted vented zones, e.g., like those described above. Such methods may include, for example: (a) providing a first garment portion formed of a fabric material, wherein the first garment portion has an air permeability of less than 550 ft3/min per ft2; (b) providing a second garment portion including a first vented zone, wherein a material forming the first vented zone has an air permeability of at least 550 ft3/min per ft2, and wherein the first vented zone is at least 12 in2, and in some examples may be at least 20 in2, or even at least 30 in2; and (c) forming a garment structure including at least the first garment portion and the second garment portion, wherein the first vented zone is provided at a targeted location in the garment structure to cool the wearer's body. If desired, the garment structure may be formed to include a plurality of vented zones, as generally described above.
As a more specific example, for garments that fit at least a portion of an upper torso of a wearer, methods in accordance with some examples of the invention may include: (a) providing a first garment portion formed of a fabric material, wherein the first garment portion has an air permeability of less than 550 ft3/min per ft2; (b) providing a second garment portion including a first vented zone, wherein a material forming the first vented zone has an air permeability of at least 550 ft3/min per ft2, and wherein at least a portion of the first vented zone is from about 2 to about 6 inches in a first dimension and at least about 6 or at least about 10 inches in a second dimension; and (c) forming a garment structure including at least the first garment portion and the second garment portion, wherein the first vented zone extends along a center back portion of the garment structure or along a side portion of the garment structure. Again, plural vented zones may be included in the garment structure without departing from the invention.
As noted above, additional aspects of this invention relate to systems and methods for cooling an athlete's body during an event or exercise routine. Systems in accordance with at least some examples of this invention may include: (a) a piece of apparel or athletic equipment; and (b) a container for receiving liquid and the piece of apparel or athletic equipment. The container further may include instructions and/or indicia indicating at least one amount of a liquid (such as water) to be included in the container to wet the piece of apparel or athletic equipment prior to it being donned by a wearer. As another option, the container may be appropriately sized such that a user may place the piece of apparel or athletic equipment in the container and then fill (or substantially fill) the container with liquid. The container also may include a closure system, e.g., for holding the garment and the liquid in a liquid tight manner. The container may be repeatably openable and closeable, so that the garment can be wet repeatedly, if necessary or desired, e.g., for numerous events or exercise routines and/or for lengthy events or exercise routines.
In at least some examples, the piece of apparel or athletic equipment may constitute a garment for at least an upper torso of the wearer, optionally including one or more of the venting zones, such as the various garments described above.
Methods in accordance with these aspects of the invention may include, for example: (a) wetting a piece of apparel or athletic equipment; (b) at least 20 minutes prior to a start of an event or exercise routine, donning the wetted piece of apparel or athletic equipment and wearing it in a wetted condition (optionally while resting, maintaining a low level of physical activity, and/or staying in a cool environment) so as to cool a wearer's body prior to the start; and (c) participating in the event or exercise routine. In some instances, the athlete will continue resting, maintain a low activity level, and/or remain in a cool location for at least 20 minutes, in order to pre-cool the body prior to the event or exercise routine. Optionally, if desired, the piece of apparel or athletic equipment may be doffed prior to participating in the event or exercise routine, and further, if desired, it may be re-donned after the event or routine (optionally with re-wetting, if necessary) and used to cool the body after the event or routine. As another alternative, the piece of apparel or athletic equipment may be worn during and/or after the event or exercise routine, with re-wetting if and when necessary, to allow the athlete to benefit from the cooling effects before, during, and/or after the event or routine.
In at least some example methods according to the invention, the athlete further may warm up after donning the piece of apparel or athletic equipment and shortly before participating in the event or exercise routine. If desired, the athlete may warm up while wearing the pre-wetted piece of apparel or athletic equipment, to keep the athlete's body cool while the muscles are stretched and warmed up. The warm up may begin at any suitable time, such as after an initial pre-cooling time period of at least about 20 minutes and about 10 or 15 minutes before the event or exercise routine starts.
Specific examples of the invention are described in more detail below. The reader should understand that these specific examples are set forth merely to illustrate examples of the invention, and they should not be construed as limiting the invention.
C. Specific Examples of the Invention
1. Apparel Having Zoned Venting
The figures in this application illustrate various examples of apparel in accordance with this invention. When the same reference number appears in more than one drawing, that reference number is used consistently in this specification and the drawings to refer to the same part or element throughout.
The garment 100 includes a vented zone 108 that extends along a center back portion of the garment structure (i.e., along the garment wearer's spine). The vented zone 108 may be of any suitable or desired size, shape, arrangement, or dimension without departing from the invention, for example, depending on the overall size of the garment 100. In at least some examples, for a center back vented zone like zone 108 shown in
The overall length (dimension “L” in
Another example of a garment 300 in accordance with at least some aspects of this invention is illustrated in
The overall length of the side vented zones 302 and 304 also may vary without departing from the invention, for example, depending on the size of the garment. As examples, the side vented zones may extend from proximate to (or closely proximate to) an armpit seam or proximate to (or closely proximate to) an arm opening (e.g., along the garment's sleeves or at an arm opening for a tank top type garment) in the garment structure 300 to a waist area of the garment structure 300. In other examples, each side vented zone 302 and 304 may extend proximate to or closely proximate to a waist opening 106 in the garment structure 300, as illustrated in
Aspects of this invention are not limited to use with jerseys, tank tops, and other garments for covering only the upper torso of a wearer.
The various vented zones in a garment structure (e.g., the center back vented zone and/or one or more the side vented zones) also may be continuous or discontinuous, for example, over their width and/or length and/or other dimensions, without departing from the invention.
Garments in accordance with aspects of the present invention may be made from any desired material without departing from the invention, including from conventional materials known to those skilled in the art. In at least some examples of the invention, the fabric material forming the vented zone(s) may be a mesh type material or a material formed to include mesh openings, while the fabric material making up the other portions of the garment may be a non-mesh material (or not processed to include mesh openings and/or containing fewer mesh openings). The garment portions other than the portions including the vented zones, in at least some examples of the invention, may make up a majority of the garment structure and/or may cover a majority of the upper torso and/or the lower torso of the wearer.
As mentioned above, the entire garment may be made from a single type of material (and even from a single piece of material), in at least some examples of the invention, but the material provided in the vented zones of the garment may be processed or otherwise altered in some manner to increase its air permeability (and thereby provide the vented zone). Such processing may include, for example: laser treatments (to perforate the material and/or provide a mesh structure); calendaring, rolling, and/or other physical treatments to perforate the material and/or provide a mesh structure; stretching the fabric and/or weave (to increase inter-fiber distance); and the like. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the entire garment may be made from a single type of material, but material provided in the portions of the garment not including the vented zones may be processed or otherwise altered in some manner to reduce its air permeability (e.g., by heat treatment to reduce inter-fiber distance in the weave, by applying a second layer or ply, and the like). As still another alternative, different types of weaves and/or yarn or fiber thicknesses may be used in the various regions of the garment structure to provide the vented regions and/or the less air permeable regions. The processing or other activity to alter the air permeability of at least some portion of the garment, if any, may take place either before or after the actual garment structure is formed (e.g., sewn together) without departing from the invention.
In still other examples, garments in accordance with the invention may be made such that different types of material (and/or different pieces of material) make up the various portions of the garment structure. Such pieces of material may be sewn together and/or otherwise joined together to form a garment structure in any suitable or desired manner without departing from the invention, including in conventional manners known in the art. Any desired number of different types of materials and/or materials having different air permeability characteristics may be included in garments without departing from the invention. Additionally, if desired, the materials used for creating the various vented zones may be the same or different within a single garment, and, if desired, the different vented zones may have different air permeability characteristics with respect to one another within a single garment.
Examples of suitable materials for the garments in accordance with the invention include both natural and synthetic materials and mixtures thereof. More specific examples of suitable natural materials include: leathers, cotton materials, wool materials, silk materials, and the like. More specific examples of synthetic materials include: polyesters, vinyls, nylons, rubbers, spandex, polyester microfibers, polyester microfiber cotton blends, polyester microfiber cotton spandex blends, and the like. In some examples, garments in accordance with the invention may include peppermint coated or infused fabric or fibers, as described in more detail below.
Additional aspects of the invention relate to methods for forming garments like those described above. Such methods may include, for example: (a) providing a first garment portion formed of a fabric material, wherein the first garment portion has an air permeability of less than 550 ft3/min per ft2; (b) providing a second garment portion including a first vented zone, wherein a material forming the first vented zone has an air permeability of at least 550 ft3/min per ft2; and (c) forming a garment structure including at least the first garment portion and the second garment portion, wherein the first vented zone extends along a center back portion of the garment structure or along a side portion of the garment structure. Optionally, as described above, vented zones, like those described above, may be provided in the center back portion, along one side, and/or along both sides of the garment structure without departing from the invention. Alternatively, garments may be formed for covering other portions of the body and/or the vented zones may be provided at locations other than and/or in addition to the garment's back center or sides.
The various method steps described above may take place in any order without departing from the invention. For example, as mentioned above, the garment may be formed first (e.g., from a single type of fabric material), and then the vented zone or zones may be provided (at the appropriate desired location(s)) by increasing the air permeability of the fabric at the vented zone location (e.g., by perforating the fabric, by laser treatment, by creating a mesh structure, by eliminating a layer or ply of material, by stretching the fabric, or in any other suitable or desired manner). As another option, two different garment portions (having different air permeabilities, and optionally formed of different types of materials) may be provided and then the garment structure may be formed in any suitable or desired manner, for example, by sewing the garments portions together (optionally with an intervening fabric between the two garment portions), or in any other conventional manner.
The vented zones also may take on any suitable or desired color or shape without departing from the invention. As examples, the garment portion(s) including the vented zones may be made a different color from the garment portions having a lower air permeability, and indeed the various vented zones may be differently colored from one another. As another example, there is no need to make the vented zones in a rectangular shape as illustrated in
2. Aspects of the Invention Relating to Pre-Cooling and Body Temperature Regulation and Reduction
Additional aspects of the invention relate to apparel and/or equipment technology that may be pre-wetted and used, e.g., in a predetermined protocol, prior to, during, and/or after an athletic event or exercise routine, in an effort to cool the athlete's body and/or regulate or reduce the body's temperature. Such pre-cooling and/or temperature maintenance and reduction efforts may help slow the rise of the body's core temperature before and during the event or exercise, and also reduce the temperature after the event or exercise, using both evaporative and conductive cooling processes (e.g., evaporative cooling like the sweating process described above, and conductive cooling when the pre-wetted garment or equipment may be used as a medium to conduct heat from the warm skin to the cooler air, thereby leaving the body cooler).
In at least some examples of the invention, at least some portion of an athlete's apparel or equipment may be pre-wetted with water (or another desired liquid) before the event or exercise begins, and this pre-wetted apparel or equipment then may be worn by the athlete. Therefore, when the wetted apparel or equipment is donned by the athlete, the athlete's core body temperature has not yet risen as a result of the physical exertion associated with the event or exercise, and the sweating response (in at least some instances) has not yet been triggered. While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory or method of operation, it is believed that wearing the garment or equipment in a pre-wetted condition before the event or exercise begins will cool the outer layer of the athlete's body and the blood contained in that layer. Once the event or exercise starts (the athlete optionally may remove all or part of the pre-wetted garment during the event or exercise, if desired), increased blood circulation moves warmer blood from the body's core to the cooler outer body layer, and the continuing circulation moves cooler blood from the body's outer layer to its core. This action has been shown to contribute to a slower rise in core body temperature during the event or exercise. After the event or exercise, the wetted apparel or equipment (or another piece of wetted apparel or equipment and/or a rewetted piece of apparel or equipment) may be used (re-donned, if necessary) to speed up cooling of the body, which results in a faster drop in the core body temperature. This procedure, while effective and useful, is not recommended as a method of choice for the medical treatment of hyperthermia.
Any suitable or desired piece of apparel, garment, or equipment may be pre-wet and used in methods according to examples of the invention. For example, in at least some instances, a piece of apparel having zoned venting, like those described above in conjunction with
While various pre-event or routine body cooling protocols may be used in accordance with examples of the invention, some more specific examples of suitable protocols follow. In at least some examples, a piece of apparel or other equipment in accordance with aspects of this invention may be pre-wet with a predetermined amount of water, e.g., using at least about 0.5 ml of water per gram of dry fabric. In some examples, garments or other equipment in accordance with aspects of the present invention may be sold in or with a water-tight container, optionally in a pre-wetted condition. The volume of water needed to pre-wet the apparel or equipment may vary, e.g., depending on the material type; the apparel size, configuration, or style; the degree of wetness desired; ambient temperature; the type or length of event or routine; etc.
In one pre-event or pre-exercise cooling protocol, the pre-wetted apparel or equipment initially may be donned by the athlete some time prior to the start of the event or exercise routine, e.g., at least 20 minutes before the event or exercise routine is to start, and in some examples at least 25, 30, or even 40 minutes before the event or exercise routine is to start. As part of this example pre-event or exercise cooling protocol, the athlete then will stay in the coolest environment reasonably available (e.g., in the shade, in the locker room, in air-conditioning, near a fan or other cooling device, and the like) for at least about 20 minutes, while resting and/or with minimal physical activity, to support maximum pre-event cooling. If necessary or desired, the apparel or equipment may be re-wet as needed during this pre-event cooling time period.
As the start of the event approaches, the athlete may need or desire a warm-up time period. If a warm-up is desired, the athlete may start the warm-up (e.g., a light warm up) about 20 minutes or less, and in some examples, about 10 minutes or 15 minutes or less, before the event or exercise routine is to begin. In at least some examples, the pre-wetted apparel or equipment may continue to be worn during this warm-up period. In this manner, when the athlete begins the event or exercise, he or she will be stretched and warmed up, but the body still will be somewhat cooler than would be the case without this pre-cooling regimen.
During the event or exercise routine, in at least some examples, the athlete may wear the pre-wetted apparel or equipment, if desired or allowed by the rules of the competition. Doing so may help further reduce the rate-of-rise in the athlete's core body temperature during the physical exertion associated with the event or exercise. Additionally, as noted above, a pre-wetted piece of apparel or equipment also may be worn after the event or exercise routine, to enhance cooling. Alternatively, in some examples, a portion of the wetted piece of apparel or equipment may be removed for the event or routine, such as sleeves, pant legs, and the like.
A piece of apparel used in accordance with these aspects of the invention may be made from any desired natural, synthetic, or blended materials or combinations thereof, in any desired configuration, style, or combination, optionally with the vented zones as described above in conjunction with
Of course, variations and modifications of the pre-event or pre-exercise cooling protocol may be used without departing from the invention. For example, a limited amount of water may be used for the pre-wetting process, to avoid overly saturating the pre-wetted garment or equipment. As examples, for a T-shirt or jersey type garment, the garment may be pre-wet with 0.5 ml to 3 ml of water per gram of material in the piece of apparel (when dry). In some examples, the pre-wetting water amount may be about 0.8 to 1.5 ml of water per gram of dry material, and about 1 ml/g, in at least some examples. The various time periods described in the protocol above (e.g., the pre-event rest and cooling time period, the warm-up time period, and any desired post-event cool down time period) may vary widely, depending, for example, on athlete preference, the type of event or workout, the length of the event or workout, the ambient temperature, the energy expended during the event or workout, and the like.
As shown in
In use, water is added to the container 1010 to the appropriate level for the garment 1000 size, and the garment 1000 is placed in the container 1010 as shown by the arrow 1014 in
Optionally, if desired, in at least some instances, pieces of apparel and other equipment in accordance with the invention may be packaged for sale, distribution, and/or use in or along with a container like that illustrated in
Various examples of the present invention have been described above, and it will be understood by those of ordinary skill that the present invention includes within its scope all combinations and subcombinations of these examples. Additionally, those skilled in the art will recognize that the above examples simply exemplify the invention. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.
