Patent Application
20120174282
1. cl Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to apparel, and, in particular, performance apparel.
2. Background Art
Physical activity is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and individual well-being. There are many activities in daily life that require individuals to use their strength, agility, posture and balance, and maintaining physical fitness can help individuals complete these activities with minimum disruption to their lives. Maintaining physical fitness has also been shown to strengthen the heart, boost HDL cholesterol, aid the circulatory system, and lower blood pressure and blood fats, translating to lower risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Physical activity also strengthens muscles, increases flexibility, and promotes stronger bones, which can help prevent osteoporosis.
Garments worn during physical activities should not hinder the wearer's performance of their activity, and should ideally support the user in achieving their physical fitness goals. Garments are known that purport to assist a user in achieving a variety of fitness goals, including increasing muscle activation in desired locations. However, existing garments often suffer from myriad problems such as poor functionality, uncomfortable fit, high cost, and undesirable aesthetics.
Accordingly, there is a need for garments with improved functionalities that may solve one or more of the above mentioned problems with existing garments. There is also a need for garments that allow a wearer to better achieve his or her physical fitness goals while engaging in physical activity throughout the course of his or her daily routine.
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an athletic garment. The garment may comprise a base layer having a front surface and a back surface; a first flexible layer disposed on the front surface and the back surface of the base layer, the first flexible layer having a plurality of voids forming a first pattern; and a second flexible layer disposed on the front surface and the back surface of the base layer, the second flexible layer having a plurality of voids forming a second pattern. In one embodiment, the first pattern and/or the second pattern may be a lattice pattern.
In one embodiment, an athletic garment may comprise: a base layer; and a continuous flexible and elastic layer disposed on a portion of the base layer, the flexible and elastic layer having a plurality of voids therein forming a honeycomb pattern.
In another embodiment, an athletic garment may comprise: a base layer comprising a shirt having a front surface, a back surface, and first and second shoulder portions; a continuous first flexible layer disposed on the front surface and the back surface of the base layer, the first flexible layer having upper and lower transition portions extending between the front surface and the back surface, the first flexible layer defining a void of the first flexible layer over the first shoulder portion of the base layer and having a plurality of smaller voids forming a pattern; and a continuous second flexible layer discrete from the first flexible layer disposed on the front surface and the back surface of the base layer, the second flexible layer having upper and lower transition portions extending between the front surface and the back surface, the second flexible layer defining a void of the second flexible layer over the second shoulder portion of the base layer and having a plurality of smaller voids forming a pattern. The upper transition portion may extend over a portion of the trapezius muscle group of the wearer. The lower transition portion may extend over a portion of the latissimus dorsi muscle group of the wearer.
In another embodiment, a garment comprises: a base layer; and a flexible layer comprising silicon ink printed on the base layer, the flexible layer having a plurality of voids forming a honeycomb pattern.
In yet another embodiment, an athletic garment comprises: a base layer; and a continuous flexible and elastic layer having a plurality of voids forming a lattice pattern disposed on a portion of the base layer, wherein the portion of the base layer with the continuous flexible and elastic layer disposed thereon together have a stretch in the range of about 15% to about 20% and a modulus of about 10.7 N to about 13.3 N at 40% elongation.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention.
The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to indicate identical or functionally similar elements. References to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.
The following examples are illustrative, but not limiting, of the present invention. Other suitable modifications and adaptations of the variety of conditions and parameters normally encountered in the field, and which would be apparent to those skilled in the art, are within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Embodiments of the present invention include a garment 10 that may be worn by a wearer while engaging in physical activities, such as activities like walking, running, and jumping that may occur in the ordinary course a person's daily routine or during athletic activities. The garment 10 may be configured to cause increased activity in a muscle in the wearer's body during a locomotion movement and/or when the wearer is stationary. Increased muscular activity may beneficially result in increased calorie consumption and toning of the activated muscles. In one embodiment, the garment 10 may activate or support a muscle in one or more posture related muscle groups, which may lead to improved posture and balance. In another embodiment, garment 10 may constrain a wearer's movement or stance to help correct posture and/or balance. In some embodiments, garment 10 can provide feedback—for example, tactile and/or proprioceptive feedback—to the wearer such that the wearer can correct posture and/or balance.
With reference to
The base layer 100 may be configured as any suitable garment for physical activity. In one embodiment, base layer 100 may comprise a shirt. The shirt may be, for example, short-sleeved, long-sleeved, or sleeveless. In other embodiments, the base layer 100 may comprise pants, shorts, a lower or upper body undergarment, a jacket, a lower or upper body outergarment, a pullover, or other suitable garment or portions thereof. Moreover, the base layer 100 may be configured as a garment suitable for a particular activity, including, but not limited to, running, cross-training, hockey, football, soccer, baseball, skiing, lacrosse, basketball, track and field, or the like.
The base layer 100 may comprise one or more natural or synthetic materials, or combinations thereof. Suitable materials may include, for example, those made of cotton, flax, silk, polyester, aramid, acrylic, nylon, polyurethane, polyamide, spandex, and/or olefin. In one embodiment, the base layer 100 may include a blend of one or more materials. In some embodiments, base layer 100 contains at least one elastic fiber such as, e.g., spandex. For example, the base layer can contain at least about 10% elastic fiber or at least about 20% elastic fiber such as about 10 to about 30% elastic fiber or about 15 to about 25% elastic fiber. In some embodiments, base layer 100 is a blend of polyester and spandex such as, for example, a blend of about 80% polyester and about 20% spandex or a blend of polyamide and spandex such as, for example, a blend of about 79% polyamide and about 21% spandex. The materials making up the base layer 100 may, for example, be woven, knit, or composite textiles. In an embodiment, the base layer 100 may be fabricated as a single, unitary structure. In other embodiments, the base layer 100 may be fabricated by cutting and coupling various pieces of material together. Because the garments 10 of embodiments of the present invention may be capable of being assembled from one or more different materials, a variety of styles with a variety of desirable properties may be fabricated.
In one embodiment, the flexible layer 200 may comprise a flexible tape, such as, for example, a tape which includes polyurethane, nylon, polyester, polyolefin, and/or combinations thereof. Suitable flexible tapes include, but are not limited to, part nos. 3206, 3218, 3287,3405, 3410, 4220, 5214, 5250, 5290, 6218, ST644, ST646, ST647, TL100 OT100, 6343, 6344, 6371, and 6385 available from Bemis Associates, Inc. (Shirley, Mass.) and part nos. EXF-367 and UAF-442 available from Adhesive Films, Inc. (Pine Brook, N.J.). In another embodiment, the flexible layer 200 may comprise a silicon ink that may be printed directly onto the base layer 100. For example, a silicon ink suitable for use on textiles may be printed onto the base layer 100 with a sufficient thickness to provide the desired stretch and modulus to the garment 10. Examples of desired stretch and modulus are described infra. In still other embodiments, the flexible layer 200 may comprise one or more natural or synthetic materials or combinations thereof, including, but not limited to, cotton, silk, flax, polyester, aramid, acrylic, nylon, polyurethane, spandex, and/or olefin fibers. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to utilize a material for the flexible layer 200 that has a relatively high coefficient of friction compared to other materials.
In one embodiment, the flexible layer 200 may be coupled to the base layer 100 by stitching, by an adhesive, by an application of heat and/or pressure or other suitable method. In one embodiment, the flexible layer 200 may be integrally formed with the base layer 100, and may comprise one or more natural or synthetic materials, or combinations thereof, such as those made of cotton, flax, silk, polyester, aramid, acrylic, nylon, polyurethane, spandex, and/or olefin. In one embodiment, the base layer 100 and the flexible layer 200 have at least one material in common. In another embodiment, the base layer 100 and the flexible layer 200 do not have a material in common. In some embodiments, the particular materials used may be chosen for certain properties such as stretchability, breathability, ease of laundering, cost, etc. In one embodiment, the garment 10 may include flexible layers disposed on the base layer 100 using different techniques. For example, the garment 10 may include both printed and non-printed flexible layers 200.
As shown in
In one embodiment, the garment 10 may include a plurality of flexible layers 200.
For example, the garment 10 may include a first flexible layer 202, generally disposed on the left side of the wearer's torso, and a second flexible layer 204, generally disposed on the right side of the wearer's torso. It will be appreciated that the positioning of the first and second flexible layers may be reversed or otherwise provided. For example, the first flexible layer 202 may be generally disposed on an upper portion of the wearer's body and the second flexible layer 204 may be generally disposed on a lower portion of the wearer's body. One or both of the first 202 and second 204 flexible layers may comprise continuous layers that are disposed on the front surface 102 and the back surface 104 of the base layer 100. For example, in embodiments where the flexible layer is printed on the base layer 100 it may form a continuous layer without a break. In other embodiments, the flexible layer 200 may comprise more than one portion such that it is non-continuous. One or both of the first 202 and second 204 flexible layers may also comprise unitary, continuous layers such that the layer is formed as a single piece. In other embodiments, one or both of the first 202 and second 204 flexible layers may comprise multiple discrete portions that are connected or attached so as to make a single piece.
The flexible layer 200 may be configured on the base layer 100 to support or cause increased activity in one or more muscles of the wearer. In one embodiment, the garment 10 may activate, support or otherwise affect a muscle in one or more posture related muscle groups, which may lead to improved posture and balance. For example, the garment 10 may activate muscle(s) in muscle groups including, but not limited to, the rhomboid, latissimus dorsi, deltoid, trapezius, and/or erector spinae groups.
In one embodiment, the base layer 100 and the flexible layer 200 may have different resistance to stretching. In an embodiment of the present invention, the base layer 100 may have a base level resistance to stretching, while the flexible layer 200 may have a resistance to stretching that is greater than the base level resistance to stretching. In alternate embodiments, the flexible layer 200 may have a resistance to stretching that is less than the base level resistance to stretching, or the flexible layer 200 resistance to stretching may be equal to the base level resistance to stretching.
The base layer 100 and flexible layer 200 may be selected to provide the desired balance of performance and comfort to the user. Two important parameters that may impact the performance and comfort of the garment 10 are the stretch and modulus of the garment or portions of the garment. In some embodiments if stretch is too low, performance can lag. If modulus is too high, comfort can be compromised.
As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, in some embodiments, to determine the stretch of a material sample, the material sample may be hung with no load attached and a distance (A1) is measured between two benchmarks on the material. A ten pound force is then applied to the bottom of the material sample and the distance (D1) between the two benchmarks is measured. Stretch is measured as a percentage and is determined by the following formula:
Stretch (%)=100×[(D1−A1)/A1].
For example, a completely non-stretchable material sample would have a 0% stretch.
In some embodiments, suitable stretch of portions of the garment 10 having both the base layer 100 and the flexible layer 200 can be at least about 10% such as about 10% to about 30%, about 15% to about 25%, or about 16% to about 20%.
As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, modulus can be defined as tensile stress at 40% elongation, and can be measured using a 1 inch (2.54 cm) by 8 inch (20.32 cm) strip of material. In some embodiments, suitable modulus of portions of the garment 10 having both the base layer 100 and the flexible layer 200 may be no greater than about 4.8 pounds (lbs) (about 21.4 Newtons (N)), such as, for example, about 1.6 lbs (about 7.1 N) to about 4.8 lbs (about 21.4 N), about 2 lbs (about 8.9 N) to about 4 lbs (about 17.8 N), or about 2.4 lbs (about 10.7 N) to about 3 lbs (about 13.3 N).
In some embodiments, portions of the garment having both the base layer 100 and the flexible layer 200 have a stretch of at least about 10% and a modulus no greater than about 4.8 lbs (about 21.4 N), for example, a stretch of at least about 16% and a modulus no greater than about 3.0 lbs (about 13.3 N). In certain specific embodiments, portions of the garment 10 having both the base layer 100 and the flexible layer 200 have a stretch of about 10% to about 30% and a modulus of about 1.6 lbs (about 7.1 N) to about 4.8 lbs (about 21.4 N). In other embodiments, these garment portions have a stretch of about 15% to about 20% and a modulus of about 2.4 lbs (about 10.7 N) to about 3.0 lbs (about 13.3 N). Other stretch and modulus characteristics are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, and the base layer 100 and flexible layer 200 may be selected to provide the desired balance of performance and comfort to the user.
With reference to
The flexible layer 200 may further include a longitudinal portion 226 extending longitudinally on the back surface 104. The longitudinal portion 226 may extend continuously from the upper transition portion 224 and may extend along all or a portion of the longitudinal length of the base layer 100. In one embodiment, the longitudinal portion 226 may be disposed near the center of the back surface 104 and may extend along a portion of one or more of the rhomboid, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and/or erector spinae groups. In one embodiment, one or both of the first 202 and second 204 flexible layers may be configured such that the longitudinal portion 226 does not extend across the center of the back surface 104, as shown, for example, in
The flexible layer 200 may further include a generally triangular shaped lower back portion 225, which may extend along a portion of the latissimus dorsi muscle group. In one embodiment, the flexible layer 200 may further include a lower transition portion 228 that extends between the front surface 102 and the back surface 104 of the base layer 100 below the upper transition portion 224. The lower transition portion 228 may extend continuously from the lower back portion 225 and the C-portion 220, and may extend along a portion of the latissimus dorsi muscle group. The longitudinal portion 226 and the lower transition portion 228 may form a large opening 227 in the flexible layer 200. The opening 227 may be generally disposed over the shoulder blade of the wearer.
Other configurations for the flexible layer 200 on the base layer 100 may be used to support or cause increased activity in one or more posture related muscle groups, which may lead to improved posture and balance.
In one embodiment, the garment 10 is configured to be able to cause increased activity in a muscle during a locomotion movement via an increase in the resistance to contraction of the muscle provided by the garment 10 during locomotion of the wearer. Increased muscular activity due to establishing resistance to muscle contraction may beneficially result in increased calorie consumption and toning of the activated muscles, and may lead to improved posture and balance.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the increase in the resistance to contraction of the muscle provided by the garment 10 may be due at least in part to the presence of the flexible layer 200. This may be the case in embodiments where the flexible layer 200 has a resistance to stretching greater than the base level resistance to stretching of the base layer 100.
When a portion of the garment 10 including the flexible layer 200 is stretched during a locomotion movement that is caused in part by a contraction of a muscle, the muscle may experience increased resistance to contraction as compared to situations where the garment 10 was absent, where the garment 10 did not contain the flexible layer 200, or where the flexible layer's resistance to stretching was lower. In response to this increased resistance, the muscle must work harder and increase its muscle activity to execute the locomotion movement.
In one embodiment, as shown in
In one embodiment, during manufacturing the flexible layer 200 may first be provided without the voids 210, and the voids may subsequently be cut into the flexible layer. For example, the voids 210 may be cut with a die or laser.
Various characteristics including, but not limited to, the geometry of the pattern of the flexible layer 200, the size and shape of the voids 210, the degree of void symmetry, and the shape of the flexible layer 200 surrounding the void, may be selected to provide the desired stretch and/or modulus to the garment 10. Further, in some embodiments, these characteristics may be selected to provide the desired stretch and/or modulus to the garment 10 in particular directions of movement. For example, when stretched in different directions, a latticed portion of the flexible layer 200 having a circle shaped void 210 might have similar stretch and modulus in all directions, depending also upon the shape of the flexible layer that surrounds the void. In other embodiments, shapes such as triangle, squares, and hexagons might have different stretch and modulus in various directions. In some embodiments, the flexible layer 200 can be aligned to give a desired stretch and modulus in a given movement direction (e.g., along a muscle or in a direction to oppose muscle movement). In other embodiments, the flexible layer is constructed to give a variety of stretch and modulus in a variety of garment movement directions. The variety of stretch and modulus characteristics may be planned such that the user is aware of the affected movement directions. In some embodiments, the variety of stretch and modulus characteristics may be random.
Other flexible layer configurations and void shapes, sizes, and patterns may be used. The voids 210 may be shaped, sized, and/or arranged to provide the desired flexibility of the flexible layer 200, and, thus, the desired muscle activity response. In one embodiment, as shown in
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With reference to
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In one embodiment, the garment 10 may further include flexible elements 238 disposed on the base layer 100. The flexible elements 238 may be made of the same or similar materials as the flexible layer 200 and may be disposed on the base layer 100 in the same or similar manner as the flexible layer 200, as described above. The flexible elements 238 may be linear, curved, circular, or otherwise shaped to achieve the desired results. In one embodiment, the flexible elements 238 may border all or a portion of the flexible layer 200. In one embodiment, the flexible elements 238 may separate adjacent portions of the base layer 100 made of different materials. For example, as best shown in
In one embodiment of the present invention, the garment 10 may include activation means 240 for activating and deactivating the muscle activity causing effect of all or a portion of the flexible layer 200. In one embodiment, as shown in
In another aspect of the present invention, embodiments may include a method of providing a customized fitness garment 10. With reference to
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance.
The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
