Patent Application
20250082048
Runners and athletes counteract dehydration by ingesting water or other fluids. At least some runners and/or athletes carry water in water bottles and/or other containers to stay hydrated. The amount of water that can be carried via handheld bottles, however, is limited. Conventional solutions for carrying water include hydration belts and vests. At least some known hydration belts and/or vests allow water bottles to clip on, which may be insecure. Moreover, at least some known hydration belts and/or vests allow water bottles to bounce or move, which may be distracting and could cause chaffing.
Examples described herein enable a runner or other endurance athlete to carry hydration and other objects in a hands-free manner securely and comfortably. In one aspect, a garment is provided. The garment includes a front portion, a back portion opposite the front portion, and a pair of side portions extending between the front portion and the back portion. The pair of side portions are adjustable to cinch the garment around a user. The pair of side portions include a first side portion integrally coupled to the front portion and the back portion at a first side of the garment, and a second side portion integrally coupled to one of the front portion and the back portion at a second side of the garment and removably coupled to the other of the front portion and the back portion at the second side of the garment.
In another aspect, a method of making a garment is provided. The method includes positioning a first portion opposite a second portion, and extending a pair of side portions between the first portion and the second portion such that the pair of side portions are configured to cinch the garment around a user. The pair of side portions include a first side portion integrally coupled to the front portion and the back portion at a first side of the garment, and a second side portion integrally coupled to one of the front portion and the back portion at a second side of the garment and removably coupled to the other of the front portion and the back portion at the second side of the garment.
Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the above-mentioned aspects. Further features may also be incorporated in the above-mentioned aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to any of the illustrated examples may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects, alone or in any combination.
Features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following Detailed Description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters represent like elements throughout, wherein:
Although specific features of various examples may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only. Any feature of any drawing may be referenced and/or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawing.
The present disclosure relates to apparel designed for runners and other endurance athletes and, more particularly, to a side-entry running vest. Examples described herein may include a plurality of pockets for hydration and other items a runner may want to access during use. The pockets are generally easy-to-access and enable the runner to carry hydration and/or other objects in a hands-free manner securely and comfortably. The pockets may include and/or be fabricated from stretch materials that enhance storage capabilities while preventing or restricting one or more items stored in the pockets from bouncing or moving during use. Examples described herein may also include side-cinching capabilities to facilitate improving comfort and/or fit of the vest on the runner.
As will be understood, terms such as front, back, side, upper, lower, medial, lateral, inner, outer, and the like are used herein for convenience of description only and are not to be considered limiting of the orientation of the vest and/or any other feature described herein.
The front portion 110, back portion 120, and side portions 130 are sewn, bonded, or otherwise integrally coupled to each other to form a single-piece garment 100. For example, each side portion 130 may be integrally coupled to the front portion 110 along a front edge 132 of the side portion 130 and/or to the back portion 120 along a back edge 134 of the side portion 130. In some examples, one of the side portions 130 is removably coupleable to one of the front portion 110 or back portion 120. For example, as shown in
When the one side portion 130 is selectively positioned in a closed configuration in which it is removably coupled to the front portion 110 or back portion 120, the garment 100 includes a head opening 136 defined by an upper edge 138 of the front portion 110 and back portion 120, and a pair of arm openings 140, each collectively defined by an upper edge 142 of a respective side portion 130 and corresponding lateral or side edges 144 of the front portion 110 and back portion 120. When the one side portion 130 is selectively positioned in an open configuration in which it is uncoupled from the front portion 110 or back portion 120, the head opening 136 and arm opening 140 opposite the one side portion 130 are unaffected, but the arm opening 140 on the same side as the one side portion 130 is “open” in that a lower segment is not defined by the upper edge 142 of the one side portion 130. This configuration of the one side portion 130 allows for “side entry” of the garment 100 which enables the user to put on or take off the garment 100 quickly and easily. For example, to put on the garment 100, the user may extend their head through the head opening 136 while extending one arm through the arm opening 140 opposite the one side portion 130 in one smooth motion before “closing” the arm opening 140 on the same side as the one side portion 130 about the other arm by selectively positioning the one side portion 130 in the closed configuration.
In some examples, the garment 100 includes one or more fasteners or fastening mechanisms 150 configured to selectively couple the one side portion 130 to one of the front portion 110 or back portion 120. For example, as shown in
In some examples, the garment 100 includes one or more cinching mechanisms 160 configured to cinch the garment 100 around the user. The cinching mechanisms 160 may be used, for example, to adjust a fit of the garment 100 and/or reduce movement of the garment 100 during use. As shown in
The garment 100 includes a plurality of pockets 170 sized, shaped, and/or configured to store one or more items therein. For example, as shown in
The pockets 170 may be spaced and/or positioned about a torso area 182 and a shoulder area 184 of the front portion 110 and/or back portion 120 and/or a rib area 186 of the side portions 130 to allow the user to easily access one or more items stored in the pockets 170 during use. For example, as shown in
To facilitate enclosing the pockets 170 and/or keeping items therein, the garment 100 may include one or more fasteners or fastening mechanisms 190 configured to selectively open or close one or more pocket openings 180. Additionally or alternatively, the garment 100 may include one or more securing mechanisms 192 configured to secure one or more items thereto and/or in one or more pockets 170.
In some examples, the garment 100 includes a whistle 194. For example, as shown in
To make or provide a side-entry running vest like the garment 100 shown in
The side panels may include a first side panel integrally coupled to the first and second panels at a first side of the garment, and a second side panel integrally coupled to one of the first panel or second panel at a second side of the garment and removably coupled to the other of the first panel or second panel at the second side of the garment. For example, a first zipper portion (e.g., first zipper portion 152) may be extended along a front edge of one of the second side panel, and a complementary second zipper portion (e.g., second zipper portion 154) may be extended along a lower segment of a corresponding side edge of the other of the first panel or second panel. Alternatively, one or more other fastening mechanisms, such as hook-and-loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, clips, buckles, and/or magnets, may be used to removably couple the second side panel to the other of the first panel or second panel at the second side of the garment.
In some examples, one or more cinching mechanisms (e.g., cinching mechanisms 160) may be laced to span or extend over a distance between side edges on the same side of the garment. The cinching mechanisms may be selectively tightened or loosened to facilitate decreasing or increasing the girth of the garment for adjusting a fit of the garment and/or reduce movement of the garment during use.
In some examples, one or more panels may be extended over the first panel, second panel, and/or side panels to form one or more pockets (e.g., pockets 170) sized, shaped, and/or configured to store one or more items therein. The panels may be spaced and/or positioned about the garment to position the pockets such that they are easily accessible during use. The panels may be fabricated from a stretch material that enables the pockets to accommodate one or more larger items and/or prevent or restrict one or more items stored therein from bouncing or moving during use. In some examples, one or more fasteners (e.g., fastening mechanism 190) may be used to enable one or more pocket openings (e.g., pocket openings 180) to be selectively opened and closed. Additionally or alternatively, one or more securing mechanisms (e.g., securing mechanisms 192) may be used to enable one or more items to be secured in one or more pockets 170. In some examples, a whistle (e.g., whistle 194) may be coupled to the first panel, second panel, and/or side panels.
During use, the second side panel may be selectively moved between a closed configuration, in which the second side panel is coupled to the first and second panels on the first and second sides of the garment, and an open configuration, in which the second side panel is uncoupled from the other of the first panel or second panel at the second side of the garment. In this manner, the vest may be specifically configured to allow for “side entry” which enables the user to put on or take off the vest quickly and easily, as well as enabling the vest to have an uninterrupted area across the front for more easy-to-access pockets. When the second side panel is in the closed configuration, the garment defines a head opening and a pair of arm openings. On the other hand, when the second side panel is in the open configuration, one of the arm openings is “open” while the head opening and the other arm opening remain unaffected.
The features described herein work together to provide an attractive running vest that includes ample storage space for a wide variety of items and allows the items to be secured in a bounce-free manner. While aspects of the disclosure have been described in terms of various examples with their associated operations, a person skilled in the art would appreciate that a combination of operations from any number of different examples is also within the scope of the aspects of the disclosure.
The order of execution or performance of the operations in examples of the disclosure illustrated and described herein is not essential, unless otherwise specified. That is, the operations may be performed in any order, unless otherwise specified, and examples of the disclosure may include additional or fewer operations than those disclosed herein. For example, it is contemplated that executing or performing a particular operation before, contemporaneously with, or after another operation is within the scope of aspects of the disclosure.
When introducing elements of aspects of the disclosure or the examples thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. Furthermore, references to an “embodiment” or “example” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments or examples that also incorporate the recited features. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. The phrase “one or more of the following: A, B, and C” means “at least one of A and/or at least one of B and/or at least one of C.”
Having described aspects of the disclosure in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of aspects of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims. As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products, and methods without departing from the scope of aspects of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63537694 | Sep 2023 | US |
