Patent Application
20220132945
The present disclosure relates to athletic apparel, and more particularly apparel that is suitable for hydration during the course of exercise.
Endurance sports are frequently becoming popular recreational activities. As people push the physical limits of the human body, endurance activities, such as marathons, triathlons, super marathons, long-distance bike races, hiking and other forms of sport gain more and more participants.
Maintaining hydration levels for the duration of the physical exercise is important. Dehydration is prevented by maintaining proper levels of hydration throughout, not merely drinking water when one is thirsty. Runners, hikers, and athletes have a greater tendency to maintain hydration throughout the duration of an activity when water is made more conveniently available, in a non-cumbersome way. Water bottles, in this regard, prove to be cumbersome and require the use of at least one hand to hold and bring the bottle into a position the athlete can easily drink from. Alternatives have emerged, such as hydration backpacks, but carrying an additional backpack for water can be heavy and hinder performance. Hydration belts and vests are flimsy and additionally inadequate in terms of aiding performance. Both allow the water within the bladder to maintain inertia, hindering speed and control of the athlete's body while they are exercising. There is a need in the art for a hydration vessel that does not hinder athletic performance while still allowing for constant hydration during exercise.
The term embodiment and like terms are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this disclosure and the claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the claims below. Embodiments of the present disclosure covered herein are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the disclosure and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this disclosure, any or all drawings and each claim.
Hydration during exercise is important. In order to allow for constant, hands-free hydration, an athletic apparel is described that is configured to maintain the hydration pack relatively secure, such throughout the course of exercise, the hydration pack does not move in unwanted ways or slosh around. The fluid conduit can allow for athletes to hydrate in a hands-free manner that encourages hydration throughout the course of exercise. The fluid conduit can be configured to fasten to the athletic apparel such that the fluid conduit is secured and does not hinder or distract the athlete from exercising.
The athletic wear shirt may have a wearable garment, a hydration pack stored in a pouch of the garment, and a flexible liquid delivery channel. The wearable garment may have a belt to secure the hydration pack in the pouch. The flexible liquid delivery channel may be coupled to the garment with a fastener and configured to carry a liquid from the hydration pack to a drinkable end of the flexible liquid delivery channel.
In some examples, the athletic wear shirt may have a belt with an elastic band. In some examples, the athletic wear shirt may have an end segment of the elastic band coupled to an inside surface of the wearable garment, with the elastic band extending to an outside surface of the wearable garment and configured to secure the hydration pack from lateral movement within the pouch.
In some examples, the athletic wear shirt may have a removable magnetic fastener, with a removable end of the magnetic fastener coupled to the flexible liquid delivery channel and a fastened end of the magnetic fastener positioned inside the wearable garment. In some examples, the athletic wear shirt may have a fastener pouch and an end of the magnetic fastener positioned in the fastener pouch.
In some examples, the athletic wear shirt may have a velcro fastener.
In some examples, the athletic wear shirt may have the flexible liquid delivery channel interwoven through a channel of the wearable garment.
In some examples, the athletic wear shirt may have the flexible liquid delivery channel configured to be detached and removed from the hydration pack.
In some examples, the athletic wear shirt may have an opening in the pouch and a zipper configured to open and close the pouch opening.
In some examples, the athletic wear shirt may have an opening and a magnetic fastener configured to open and close the pouch opening.
In some examples, the hydration pack may be configured to hold 1 liter of fluid.
According to embodiments, the athletic wear shirt may have a wearable garment, a hydration pack stored within a pouch of the wearable garment, a belt fixedly coupled to the pouch of the wearable garment and configured to adjust the pouch, and a flexible liquid delivery channel positioned partially within the wearable garment and fluidly coupled to the hydration pack. The flexible liquid delivery channel can be configured to be fastened to the wearable garment.
In some examples, the belt may have a hook and loop strap.
In some examples, the flexible liquid delivery channel can be configured to be fastened to the wearable garment by a magnetic fastener.
In some examples, the hydration pack can be configured to be removed from the pouch of the wearable garment.
Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting examples.
A further understanding of the nature and advantages of various embodiments may be realized by reference to the following figures. In the appended figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.
Described herein are apparel with a pouch for carrying a removable hydration pack. Maintaining proper hydration levels for endurance sports is important for health concerns. Moreover, drinking water only when one feels thirsty can be insufficient for ensuring proper water levels—rather, hydration through the course of exercise is preferred. In order to facilitate hydration through the course of exercise, an athletic apparel is described with fluid-bearing capabilities. The athletic apparel provides for ease of constant hydration without typical impedances to performance that may accompany other hydration-pack bearing tools.
The belt 102 can be used to maintain a hydration pack, such as hydration pack 202 described below, within the pouch 112. The belt 102 is positioned to run through the pouch 112, through the apparel 100, and around the front side of the apparel 100. In embodiments, the belt 102 can be a hook and loop strap or an elastic strap that runs through the apparel. The elastic may allow for the hydration pack to be secured against the body to prevent unwanted movement of the fluids within the hydration pack. In embodiments, this may be achieved by a tightening mechanism, such as loop ties, drawstrings, fasteners, or otherwise. In embodiments, the tightening may be by, for example, a buckle. In embodiments, the belt 102 may be a different form of securing the hydration pack, such as stiffened ribs, drawstring ties, or otherwise.
The flexible liquid delivery channel 106 is fluidly connected to the hydration pack and is configured for delivering the contents of the hydration pack to an athlete. In embodiments, this may be through a straw-like configuration, where the athlete applies a negative pressure, through sucking, to the liquid delivery channel opening 110, and the negative pressure causes liquids to flow through the channel 106. In embodiments, a fluid regulator, one-way valve, or other suitable mechanism may be put in place at the end of the channel 106 to prevent leakage of any residual fluid in the channel 106. In embodiments, the channel 106 is positioned within the shirt, and forms a path through the shirt to the opening 104. At the opening 104, the channel 106 exits the shirt, and is accessible for the athlete to drink from.
The flexible liquid delivery channel 106 has a magnetic fastener 108 coupled to the channel 106 to affix the channel 106 to the apparel 100. The fastener prevents unwanted movement of the channel 106 during the course of exercise. In embodiments, the apparel 100 may have a receiving magnetic end within a pouch in the apparel, configured to magnetically interface with the magnetic fastener 108. While
The hydration pack 202 can be a bladder for storing fluids for hydration during the course of exercise. In embodiments, the hydration pack 202 can be configured to store 1 liter of fluid. In other embodiments the hydration pack 202 can store 0.5 L, 0.75 L, 1.5 L, 2 L or otherwise.
As can be seen from the figure, the flexible liquid delivery channel 106 is connected to the hydration pack 202, and exits the pouch 112 through a pouch opening 204. After exiting the pouch opening 204, the flexible liquid delivery channel continues upwards through the apparel towards the shoulder region before moving to the front for access to the channel. Alternative pathways for the flexible liquid delivery channel 106, such as, for example, towards where the athlete's right hip would be and around to the front side of the apparel.
The belt 102 is shown connected to the interior of the apparel 100 in
The pouch 112 has an opening 204 that can be opened or closed by a fastening mechanism. The pouch 112 can use elastic straps to close that may be attached to the belt 102. In the described configuration, fastening the belt 102 simultaneously fastens the pouch 112. In embodiments, the fastening mechanism may be a zipper, a velcro top, a drawstring tie, or any other suitable fastening mechanism to open or close the pouch 112. The pouch opening 204 can allow for the hydration pack 202 to be removed from the apparel 100. The pouch opening 204 is configured to allow for the channel 106 to pass through the opening.
The use of “adapted to” or “configured to” herein is meant as open and inclusive language that does not foreclose devices adapted to or configured to perform additional tasks or steps. Additionally, the use of “based on” is meant to be open and inclusive, in that a process, step, calculation, or other action “based on” one or more recited conditions or values may, in practice, be based on additional conditions or values beyond those recited. Headings, lists, and numbering included herein are for ease of explanation only and are not meant to be limiting.
Having described several example configurations, various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. For example, the above elements may be components of a larger system, wherein other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the invention. Also, a number of steps may be undertaken before, during, or after the above elements are considered.
The following examples will serve to further illustrate the present disclosure without, at the same time, however, constituting any limitation thereof. On the contrary, it is to be clearly understood that resort may be had to various embodiments, modifications and equivalents thereof which, after reading the description herein, may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. During the studies described in the following examples, conventional procedures were followed, unless otherwise stated. Some of the procedures are described below for illustrative purposes.
