Patent Application
20120005798
The invention generally relates to the field of athletic legwear.
A person's knee marks the meeting place of three bones: the shinbone (tibia), the thighbone (femur), and the kneecap (patella). Two crescent-shaped pads of cartilage, each called a meniscus, sit between the shinbone and the thighbone and act as cushions between the bones and shock absorbers during movement. Two sets of ligaments—the cruciates and the collaterals—strap all three bones in place. The cruciates crisscross below the kneecap; the collaterals run alongside the outside of the kneecap. The leg's substantial muscles help these ligaments keep the bones properly aligned.
During physical exercises, for example, yoga, a substantial pressure may be applied to the kneecap and shin areas. It would be desirable to protect the kneecap and shin areas during exercises or other routine activities when damaging pressure may be applied to the knee and shin area.
U.S. Pat..No. 7,194,770 discloses work pants with built-in knee pads. The work pants include a leg member extending to above a knee and a knee section having a cushioning material housed therein. The knee section is secured to a worker's leg by a plurality of straps which may be releasably attached to the worker's shoes.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 7,089,598 discloses infant pants having knee pockets and replaceable knee pads. The knee pads are permanently or removably mounted to an inner surface of the pants or to an infant pants inner liner. Either the pants or the liner has an internal pocket to secure a replaceable protective pad within the pocket.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,408 discloses pants for use when performing work in which sitting and kneeling take place frequently, as in roofing work. The pants include padding in the seat and knee areas.
In one general aspect of the invention, an article of clothing is provided. The article of clothing has an outer layer, an inner layer connected to the outer layer and a cushioning insert. The inner layer is connected to the outer layer by at least two side seams. The cushioning insert is fixedly secured and is sandwiched within a predetermined area between the inner layer and the outer layer such that the cushioning insert is located between the two side seams without contacting them.
In another general aspect of the invention, athletic pants are provided. The pants have an outer layer, an inner layer having an area smaller than the area of the outer layer, and a cushioning insert. The inner layer is connected to the outer layer at two side seams. The cushioning insert is secured to a predetermined area between the inner layer and the outer layer such that the cushioning insert is sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer and is located between the two side seams without contacting them.
The above aspects, advantages and features are of representative embodiments only. It should be understood that they are not to be considered limitations on the invention as defined by the claims. Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description, from the drawings, and from the claims.
The invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation and the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references denote like or corresponding parts, and in which:
a-5b are a front and side view, respectively, of an alternative embodiment of the athletic pants;
a-6b are front views of a childwear having cushioning inserts; and
As shown in
Pants 10 further include a cushioning insert 20 positioned within a predetermined area 56 of the pants. In the preferred embodiment, this predetermined area is the knee and shin area of the pants. The cushioning insert 20 is preferably secured within the predetermined area 56 such that the cushioning insert 20 is sandwiched between the inner and outer layers and is located between the two side seams 18 without contacting either of the seams. In the embodiment shown in
In accordance with the preferred embodiment, cushioning insert 20 is made of a foam material or a gel or gel-like material to provide adequate protection and cushioning for the wearer. Other suitable materials may also be utilized.
In the embodiment shown in
It should be understood by a person skilled in the art that, although the present application describes the cushioning insert as being positioned between the two layers of fabric, it may simply be positioned directly on the wearer's knee and shin.
As shown in
Further, as shown in
Moreover, in an alternative embodiment shown in
Finally, as shown in
While there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices and methods illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
