A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present disclosure relates generally to garments, and more specifically, to a garment that selectively provides regions providing varying levels of compression and support.
Users may wear specific garments designed to provide support to various regions of the body. For example, a compression shirt may provide compression to the torso and arms of a user. As another example, a compressive undergarment may compress the waist and midsection of the user.
Compressive garments may be worn by the user to generally smooth and reduce the appearance of various portions of the body. For example, a compressive undergarment may reduce the appearance of cellulite on the user.
In many cases, users may generally desire to wear a garment that provides compression and support to various regions of the body while providing minimal compression in other areas. For example, a user may want greater compression and support to their midsection and less compression in the buttocks area of the user. However, many compressive garments may only provide uniform compression across the entire garment, preventing selective compression to various regions of the body.
The present embodiments are illustrated by way of example and are not intended to be limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings.
Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the figures and specification.
Users may wear specific garments designed to provide support to various regions of the body. Compressive garments may be worn by the user to generally smooth and reduce the appearance of various portions of the body. For example, a compressive undergarment may reduce the appearance of cellulite on the user.
In many cases, users may generally desire to wear a garment that provides compression and support to various regions of the body while providing minimal compression in other areas. This may smooth out specific regions of the body while accentuating other regions of the body, increasing aesthetics and a desired appearance of the user. As an example, a user may want greater compression and support to their midsection and less compression in the buttocks area of the user.
However, many compressive garments may only provide uniform compression across the entire garment, preventing selective compression to various regions of the body. For example, a compressive bodysuit may provide uniform compression across the body of the user. Such a garment may be uncomfortable to the user and lower overall desired aesthetics of the user, as specific regions are unable to be accentuated by the user.
The present embodiments relate to a garment configured to provide varying levels of compression and support selectively across a body of a user. The garment may selectively provide greater compression to some regions, such as a midsection region of the user, while providing less compression in other regions, such as a buttocks region.
Selectively providing varying levels of compression and support across the garment may provide a desired aesthetic for a user, as the garment can compress and smooth out specific parts of the body while accentuating other parts of the body. The garment can provide greater comfort while wearing the garment and may minimize the appearance of moving and shaking, smooth dips and dimples, and accentuate natural curves of the body of the user.
The garment may include built-in bra support, shapewear, and selective compression to assist in supporting various body parts. The fabric may include an anti-microbial material to mitigate proliferation of microorganisms and allow the user to wear the garment during many occasions. For example, the user may work from home, engage in a workout, then eat dinner, all while wearing the garment. The garment may be worn as either an undergarment or as an outfit. The compression may provide comfortable firming in select areas. For example, the selective compression may eliminate the appearance of cellulite in thighs, while only smoothing the buttocks of the user.
Further, the garment may include any of a waist-cinching zipper, gentle and effective arm compression, and built-in shapewear. The garment may include a light-weight lining of the bodice, waist, buttocks, and sleeves that can allow for the insertion of bra cups and additional compression mechanisms (padding, lipo foam, binding, etc.). Unlike other garments (e.g., shapewear and post-surgical garments), the garment as described herein is not solely designed to be hidden under clothing. It is a single garment that is multi-dimensional and operates in many capacities. For example, the garment may be used for fashion, as activewear, for maternity or post-partum wear, or for post-surgery use.
The garment may also include any of varying pant and sleeve lengths. A fastener, such as a zipper, may be placed down the front, down the back, or on the side along the waist. Heavy compression may be included in the arm sleeves, the thigh area, or the stomach and waist area. A lighter compression may be included in the buttocks area.
As shown in
The neck region can include a plunging neckline 111 that provides support such that the chest of the user is lifted and enhanced. The neck region can also include a wide neckline that makes it easier for the user to pull the garment up or down, for example when putting on or removing the garment. The arm region 130 can include compression sleeves that compress the arms and can make arms appear firm, toned and trim. The arm region 130 compression can be higher than the chest region 120 compression. The compression sleeves can also assist in holding the garment more securely on the user, thus enabling a wider neckline that makes it easier to pull the bodysuit up and down, and put the bodysuit, which can be tight, on the body.
Shapewear 141 built into midsection region 140 of the garment 100 may compress bulges or cellulite to provide a desired aesthetic.
For example, the user may desire to have an appearance including a slimmer waist and toned arms but keep a more voluminous appearance in the legs and buttocks. In such an example, the user can wear a garment including higher compression in the midsection and arms regions, but lesser compression in the legs and buttocks regions.
The garment may include any suitable fabric. The garment may include an antimicrobial activewear fabric, such as polyester, polyester-vinyl composites, vinyl, acrylics, synthetic fibers (e.g., elastane), or a combination of any such fabrics. The fabric(s) of the garment may be flexible such that the garment provides compression as described herein. In some embodiments, the garment may include a waterproof fabric such that the garment can be worn while the user swims. Example waterproof fabrics include PUL fabric, TPU fabric, and polyester or nylon treated with water repellent coatings.
The leg region 170 of the garment may lightly compress legs and minimize, for example, appearance of any cellulite. The leg region may include varying lengths. For example, the leg region can extend between any of the thigh region 160 of the user and an ankle region of the user. In other words, the leg region may comprise a shorts length, a full pant length, a mid-ankle length, a calf length, or any other suitable length.
As noted above, the regions of the garment can have varying levels or degrees of compression. A level of compression may be represented by a measurement of pressure, such as a millimeter of mercury (mmHg). A higher level of compression will be represented by a higher pressure in mmHg and alter the appearance of the body of the user from a natural state to a greater degree than a lower level of compression. For example, a minimal level of compression may have pressure <8 mmHg and provide a smoothing effect on the body of the user without affecting the size or shape of the body. A mild compression may range between 8 to 15 mmHg and provide a greater smoothing effect on the body of the user and adjust the shape and size of the body while providing light support. A moderate compression may range between 15 to 20 mmHg and adjust the apparent shape of the user's body to a greater degree than a mild compression along with providing greater support. A firm compression may range between 20 to 30 mmHg, and may be used to change the appearance of the user's body to a greater degree than mild or moderate compressions. A firm compression may also provide more support than mild or moderate compressions. As an example, a user may desire to shrink the user's waist dramatically, tone and firm the user's thighs, and smooth other areas of the user's body without reducing the apparent size or altering the shape of those areas. Accordingly, a midsection region 140 can include a firm level of compression, a thigh region 160 can include a moderate level of compression less than that of the midsection region, and the arm region 130 or leg region 170 can include a mild level of compression less than that of the thigh region. In this example, other regions, such as the buttocks region and the chest, can have a minimal level of compression.
The level of compression needed to achieve a desired aesthetic may vary with the user of the garment. For example, a user with a 34 inch waist size may use a higher level of compression in the midsection region than a user with a 32 inch waist size to achieve a desired waist size. In another example, a user with more elastic skin may use a lower level of compression than a user with less elastic skin to achieve a desired smooth appearance.
In some embodiments, the garment may include one or more pockets. The pockets can include suitable sizes to receive various items such as a credit card, mobile phone, or key ring. The pockets may be disposed on any region of the garment. For example, the pockets may be disposed on the outer thigh such that the user can easily access the pockets. A pocket may also be disposed on a sleeve to hold a phone while the user exercises.
As noted above, the buttocks region can include the lightest compression to create a smooth appearance but not shrink the size of the buttocks of the user. For example, the lowest level compression of 0-8 mmHg may create a smoother appearance without shrinking the size of the buttocks for some users. Other users may use a mild level of compression of 8-15 mmHg to further enhance smoothing while only slightly shrinking the size of the buttocks.
In one embodiment, a garment may comprise multiple regions. For example, a midsection region 140 can include a firm level of compression. An arm region 130, leg region 170, or thigh region 160 can include a second level of compression less than that of the midsection region. A buttocks region 150 or a chest region can include a mild or lower level of compression. The varying level of compression can provide greater comfort and selective support to various parts of a body of a user. The garment in the previous example may have more support in the arms, legs, and thighs, while having less support in the buttocks and chest. In another example, a user who wants more support in the chest may wear a garment with a higher level of compression, such as a moderate compression in the 15-20 mmHg range.
The garment may include a zipper 101 that can engage and disengage the compression between the garment and the body of the user. The compression between the garment and the body of the user may also be affected by adjusting the length and placement of the zipper. For example, the zipper 101 as shown in
The straight zipper 101 refers to the fact that when the garment 100 is not worn, the zipper 101 can be straight and has no curvature. For example, if the garment is lying flat on the ground, front side facing down, the zipper 101 can be lying flat on the ground as well.
However, when a curved portion 180 is added to the bottom of the zipper 101, the zipper stops being straight when not worn, and if the garment is lying flat on the ground, front side facing down, the bottom portion 180 of the zipper is curved off the ground. That curved portion of the zipper creates appearance of a more shapely, enlarged and/or smoother buttocks, as shown in
The legs region 270 may include varying lengths, such as shorts length, calf length, ankle length, or full pant length. In the embodiment as shown in
In addition, selective compression may increase the comfort of the garment, enabling the user to wear the garment all day, unlike garments without selective compression that may feel too tight in some areas of the user's body while being too loose in other areas. An antimicrobial fabric may further enable the user to wear the garment for longer periods of time. For exercise, compression may benefit the user by providing support, reducing fatigue, increasing blood flow, and decreasing recovery time.
The slots 414, 413, 412 can hold padding and can be positioned over the buttocks to enlarge the appearance of the buttocks, or over the chest to enlarge the appearance of the chest. The slots 414, 413, 412 are placed on the inside of the garment 400, in the interior lining 401, so that their existence and seams are not visible on the outside of the garment 400.
In addition, the slots 414, 413, 412 can act as an adjustable compression or enlargement mechanism by allowing the wearer to insert compressing objects such as tape or lipo foam, or enlarging objects such as padding.
The garment may include a legs region 610 of varying lengths. As shown in the embodiment in
The ruched region 611 can include a pocket 620 at the end of the leg region 170 in
The ruched portion 710 can be mobile and can be extended upwards 730, to varying degrees up until the ruched portion 710 is completely flat, i.e. not scrunched anymore, thus creating a higher neckline 740. Extending the ruched portion 710 up and down the neckline between the lowest neckline 720, and the highest neckline 740, can trade the neckline folds with the height of the neckline. The positioning of the ruched portion 710 can be very accurate and can be achieved using a friction enhancing mechanism such as a hook and loop mechanism built into the garment 750, as described in this application.
Surface 812 can be the surface of the inner lining 810 facing the wearer, while the surface 814 can be the surface of the inner lining 810 facing the surface 822 of the outer lining 820. Surface 824 of the outer lining 820 can be facing the outside, in other words away from the wearer.
The surfaces 814 and 822 can have enhanced friction to allow creation of the ruched portion 611 in
For example, 814 can be a loop surface while 822 can be a hook surface, or vice versa. The wearer can move, e.g. slide, a portion of the outer lining 820 with respect to the inner lining 810, to create a ruched portion. Specifically, the hook and loop surfaces 814 and 812 can create enhanced friction, maintaining the position of the ruched portion.
Surface 812 can be soft and comfortable, and can be covered with antimicrobial materials to prevent unpleasant odor. In addition, the surface 812 can include material containing loop like structures, for example fuzzy material, which can enable the user to attach padding at arbitrary places on the surface 812 using a hook like material attached to the padding. In effect surface 812 can allow the wearer to sculpt the body by adding padding anywhere on the surface 812.
In one embodiment, the slots 414, 413, 412 in
For example, to enlarge the body, the wearer can place an enlarging object, such as padding, that has an attachment mechanism through the slits 830, 840, 850 at a desired location, such as the buttocks, the chest, or the waist. In another example, to compress the body, the wearer can place a compressing object, such as tape, corset, or lipo foam, that has an attachment mechanism through the slits 830, 840, 850 at the desired location, such as the waist. The sculpting object can have one or both side that can attach to the surface 814 and/or surface 822.
The attachment mechanism can be configured to secure the sculpting object to the garment by using for example a hook and loop attachment mechanism. The attachment mechanism can be formed on a surface 814 of the inner lining 810 facing user or formed on a surface 822 of the outer lining 820 facing the inner lining.
Little or no compression in the buttocks region 150 in
The garment 800 can be therapeutic and calm anxiety by enabling the wearer to shift compression levels around the body via placing compressing and enlarging objects and moving ruching throughout the garment. Selective compression in the garment 800 provides targeted deep pressure touch that aids the regulation of the nervous system, and the wearer have the option to adjust the locations of deep pressure.
In one embodiment, to create the deep pressure, the garment 800 can couple to a compressing object using the enhanced friction mechanism as described in this application. The compressing object can have a narrow focus point, and can be shaped as a conical frustum, or a cylinder.
In another embodiment, the mobile ruching region 611 in
The mobile ruching region 611, 710 can also be used to shorten the garment 800 for wearers with varying heights, proportions, and accessibility needs.
Movement of the ruching region 611, 710 up and down the garment 800 can adjust the wearer's silhouette and can allow the wearer to create different looks. The adjustments emphasize and cinch parts of the body when the linings of the fabric catch in targeted places. The mobile ruching region 611, 710 is similar to the functionality of a garter or belt that cinches and shifts the appearance of body fat/weight. The wearer can use the ruching region 611, 710 to cup the chest and add definition to bust or add height/length to the neckline. Likewise, the ruching region 611, 710 can be moved to lengthen the leg region 170 in
The zipper 910, 920 can include an outwardly curved portion 915, 925, that does not conform to the shape of the body, and creates its own shape, enlarging, shaping, and smoothing, the desired body part. For example, the zipper 910, 920 by creating its own shape, can smooth the appearance of the desired body part, thus reducing or completely eliminating the appearance of cellulite.
Overall, the desired body part, can be shaped using multiple mechanisms including slots configured to receive padding in the desired body parts, zipper configured to separate from the body by being curved and stiff, thus creating an air pocket and enlarging the desired body part, and/or a selective compression mechanism. The selective compression mechanism can compress the body surrounding the desired body part, while leaving the desired body part uncompressed, thus creating an appearance of volume in the desired body part by contrast with the compressed body part. In addition to the appearance of volume through compression contrast, the desired body part can be enlarged using the various mechanisms described in this application such as the zipper, the padding, and/or the ruching.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.
This application is a continuation in part of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 17/096,818 titled “GARMENT WITH SELECTIVE SUPPORT AND COMPRESSION,” and filed Nov. 12, 2020, which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/934,199, titled “GARMENT WITH SELECTIVE SUPPORT AND COMPRESSION,” and filed Nov. 12, 2019, upon which is incorporated by reference hereto.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62934199 | Nov 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17096818 | Nov 2020 | US |
Child | 18585458 | US |