Patent Application
20250024900
Lower-body swimming garments are commonly worn when engaging in various aquatic activities, such as recreational swimming. Such garments are made in various styles, including shorts, and typically consist of one or more knitted or woven fabrics (e.g., spandex, elastane, nylon, polyester, or a blend thereof). Recently, with the rise of athleisure apparel, compression shorts, which athletes have long preferred, have been incorporated into men's athletic shorts and now swim shorts. Men's swim shorts traditionally include no liner (e.g., board shorts) or a liner made of mesh or netting to simulate wearing briefs. But in a new style, the liner is made of a stretchy fabric, instead of mesh or netting, to simulate boxer briefs or compression shorts. Such liners reduce or eliminate chafing and provide a snug and supportive fit that may also aid in performance and recovery by improving blood circulation and reducing muscle vibration and fatigue.
Swimming is a life skill that offers numerous physical, mental, and social benefits. Learning how to swim significantly reduces your risk of drowning, builds your confidence around water, permits you to engage in a form of exercise that is gentle on your joints, permits you to engage in a variety of recreational and therapeutic activities, such as aquatic sports and games, and permits you to assist others in case of unexpected accidents or emergency situations involving water. Nonetheless, many individuals never learn how to swim or lack basic swimming skills, such as the ability to swim at least twenty-five yards without stopping or touching the bottom of the pool, the ability to stay above the water's surface in an upright position by treading water, and the ability to remain on the water's surface in a face-up position without assistance or panic.
Common issues that individuals struggle to overcome when learning how to swim include feeling anxious or fearful, difficulty maintaining balance and a horizontal body position, and difficulty synchronizing arm and leg movements. Even after learning how to swim, many individuals do not use the proper swimming technique. Common issues include poor body position which creates drag, inefficient or excessive body rotation, inadequate streamlining due to failing to fully extend the body, and overusing muscles by failing to stay relaxed and in control. These issues can be especially pronounced during the freestyle and back strokes.
The invention is a stabilizing lower-body swimming garment that enhances a wearer's stability, balance, and control during aquatic activities, especially when swimming in a horizontal position, and is wearable, comfortably and discreetly, for long periods of time in any circumstance in which athletic shorts or pants might be worn, permitting wearers to transition seamlessly from aquatic activities to land-based athletic and non-athletic activities and vice versa. The garment works by incorporating low-density, closed-cell foam along a wearer's outer legs to increase the wearer's righting torque when in water.
Righting torque is the rotational force that acts to restore an object or system to an upright or balanced position when it is tilted or displaced from its equilibrium. It is the rotational force that counteracts the tilting or tipping force, bringing the object back to its stable position. The placement of low-density foam along the wearer's outer legs increases the upward force exerted by water on those areas. This upward force contributes to a larger moment arm (i.e., the perpendicular distance between the point or axis of rotation and the line of action of a force), resulting in a stronger righting torque to counteract the tilting or tipping caused by forces such as body movements or waves.
In some embodiments, the garment consists of shorts made of a knitted or woven fabric (e.g., spandex, elastane, nylon, polyester, or a blend thereof) that are configured to fit tightly and to conform to the contours of the wearer's waist, hips, buttocks, crotch, and legs. A sheet of low-density, flexible or semi-flexible, closed-cell foam is cut to correspond to the form of part or all of the shorts and attached to the parts of the shorts to which it corresponds. The foam is arranged in a manner such that it is concentrated on the area of the shorts that will cover the wearer's outer thighs, and such that the garment is bilaterally symmetrical.
In some embodiments, the foam is shaped and arranged such that the area of the foam that corresponds with the area of the shorts that will cover the wearer's outer thighs is thicker or includes a foam that is less dense than the foam that covers any part of the remainder of the shorts. In some embodiments, the foam is cut to create two identical pieces that correspond with the form of at least part or all of the area of the shorts that will cover the wearer's outer legs and at most all of the area of the shorts that will cover the wearer's outer, front, and back legs and hips.
In some embodiments, the foam may range in thickness from 1/32 of an inch to 1 inch. In some embodiments, the foam may be polyethylene foam or polyurethane foam. In some embodiments the foam may be cut or form-pressed into one or more shapes or a plurality of identical, tessellated shapes, such as triangles, squares, pentagons, or hexagons. In some embodiments, the foam may be attached to the parts of the shorts to which it corresponds using an adhesive, sewing, fusing, or molding or by layering a piece of knitted or woven fabric on top of the foam that is arranged (possibly with the help of a temporary adhesive) on the shorts where it will be attached and adhering, sewing, fusing, or molding the two pieces of fabric together. In some embodiments, the foam may be attached to the shorts in a manner such that gaps are left in between the pieces of foam that cover areas where the shorts customarily would be folded before storing them.
In some embodiments, the shorts may extend down to the wearer's thighs, knees, or shins. In some embodiments, the shorts may be pants and extend down to the wearer's ankles.
In some embodiments, outer shorts made of a knitted or woven fabric (e.g., spandex, elastane, nylon, polyester, or a blend thereof) may be attached to the waistband and configured to fit loosely over the shorts that conform to the form of the wearer. In some embodiments, the outer shorts may include variations of features customarily found in swim shorts, such as an elastic waistband, front and back pockets with or without mesh lining, drawstrings, buttons, grommets, laces, end caps, and zippers. In some embodiments, the outer shorts may be replaced by an outer skirt.
In some embodiments, the fabric used may include features that are customarily found in fabric for swim shorts, such as quick-drying, wicking, stretchability, and UV protection.
The advantages and features of novelty characterizing aspects of the invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. To gain a better understanding of the advantages and features of novelty, however, reference may be made to the following descriptive matter and accompanying drawings that describe and illustrate various embodiments and concepts related to the invention.
The following discussion and accompanying drawings disclose a stabilizing lower-body swimming garment. The garment is wearable, comfortably and discreetly, for long periods of time in any circumstance in which athletic shorts or pants might be worn, permitting wearers to transition seamlessly from aquatic activities to land-based athletic and non-athletic activities and vice versa. The garment consists primarily of compression shorts or pants that incorporate low-density, closed-cell foam along a wearer's outer legs to enhance the wearer's stability, balance, and control during aquatic activities, especially when swimming in a horizontal position, by increasing the wearer's righting torque when in water.
Righting torque is the rotational force that acts to restore an object or system to an upright or balanced position when it is tilted or displaced from its equilibrium. It is the rotational force that counteracts the tilting or tipping force, bringing the object back to its stable position. The placement of low-density foam along the wearer's outer legs increases the upward force exerted by water on those areas. This upward force contributes to a larger moment arm (i.e., the perpendicular distance between the point or axis of rotation and the line of action of a force), resulting in a stronger righting torque to counteract the tilting or tipping caused by destabilizing forces such as body movements or waves.
The waistband element 10 consists of a waistband 11 that lays against and completely encircles the wearer's waist. The waistband 11 is the topmost part of the garment and serves to secure the garment around the wearer's waist, preventing the garment from slipping down while allowing for ease of movement. In addition, the waistband 11 provides support and serves as the base to which other components of the garment are attached.
Various forms of waistbands exist and any waistband that is feasible to use for compression shorts, swim shorts, or athletic shorts may be used as the waistband 11 in the waistband element 10. For example, in some configurations, as in
The elastic material in the waistband 11 is formed into a narrow band or tape. The width and length of the tape may vary depending on the style of the garment and the waist circumference of the intended wearer. In some configurations, as in
In other configurations, the waistband 11 may not be an elastic waistband. The waistband 11 may be a drawstring waistband in which a drawstring, usually made of cord or ribbon, is threaded through apertures in the waistband casing and the waistband casing itself to allow for adjustable sizing. The waistband 11 may be a button or zipper waistband in which the waistband includes a fly that is secured by fastening buttons or a zipper closure. The waistband 11 may be a fold-over waistband in which the waistband may be folded down or unfolded to adjust the rise of the garment. The waistband 11 may be an adjustable waistband in which various mechanisms, such as elasticized tabs, buckle closures, or adjustable sliders, are incorporated into the waistband to allow for fine-tuning the waist size. The waistband 11 may use velcro or apertures and laces to tie the two sides of the waistband together using a knot (e.g., bow knot).
The waistband 11 may be a combination of these various forms of waistband. For example,
The shorts or pants element 20 is the main body of the garment. The shorts or pants element 20 is made of a plurality of panels of a knitted or woven fabric (e.g., spandex, elastane, nylon, polyester, or a blend thereof) that are attached together, typically by sewing using various stitches (e.g., straight stitches, serging, or overlocking). The shorts or pants element 20 includes a pelvic area 21, a left leg area 22, and a right leg area 23. The pelvic area 21 covers the wearer's front and back pelvic areas and attaches to the waistband 11. The left leg area 22 and the right leg area 23 extend downward from opposite sides of the pelvic area 21 and substantially extend around and cover the wearer's left leg and right leg. The left leg area 22 is substantially the same as the right leg area 23, such that the two leg areas are substantially bilaterally symmetrical. The dimensions of the panels of fabric are configured such that, when the panels are attached together, the shorts or pants element 20 fits tightly and conforms to the contours of the wearer's front and back pelvic areas and leg areas. It is important that the shorts or pant element 20 fit snugly against the wearer's skin because it will hold in place the closed-cell foam element 30 (discussed below).
This is not the only way the shorts or pants element 20 may be constructed. Fewer panels (e.g., five panels, six panels, seven panels, or eight panels) may be used. More panels (e.g., ten panels, eleven panels, twelve panels) may be used. Instead of sewing the panels together, the panels may be attached using various other methods, such as bonding. Bonding is a fabric attachment technique that involves joining two or more layers of fabric using heat pressure, adhesives, or a combination of these elements to create a strong and durable bond between the fabric layers. In addition, the shorts or pants element 20 may consist of pants that extend down to the ankles. Or the shorts may vary in length, extending down to the upper thigh, middle thigh, lower thigh, knee, upper shin, middle shin, or lower shin.
The fabric may be the same throughout or it may be different in some areas. Some or all of the fabric may include features that are customarily found in fabric for swim shorts, such as quick-drying, wicking, stretchability, and UV protection. In addition, the shorts or pants element 20 may include various combinations of conventional and unconventional features, such as a fly that is secured using a zipper, buttons, or velcro, front pockets that may include a mesh lining and may be secured using a zipper, buttons, or velcro, back pockets that may include a mesh lining and may be secured using a zipper, buttons, or velcro, vents that may be made out of a more breathable or mesh fabric, and grommets. For example,
The closed-cell foam element 30 is the technical part of the garment that increases the wearer's righting torque while in water. It is made from a sheet or various sheets of low-density, flexible or semi-flexible, closed-cell foam 31 cut to correspond with the form of part or all of the shorts or pants element 20. The foam 31 is arranged and attached in a manner such that it is concentrated on the area of the shorts or pants element 31 that will cover the wearer's outer legs, and such that the garment is substantially bilaterally symmetrical.
In other embodiments, in which the closed-cell foam element 30 consists of different types of foam, the maximum coverage may be as much as complete coverage as long as the foam 31 that is attached to the area of the shorts or pants element 20 that will cover the wearer's outer thighs is less dense than the foam that covers any part of the remainder.
In
In
In
In some embodiments, as shown in
The shorts configuration in the shorts or skirt element 40 includes a pelvic area 41, a left leg area 42, and a right leg area 43. The pelvic area 41 covers the wearer's front and back pelvic areas and attaches to the waistband element 10. The left leg area 42 and the right leg area 43 extend downward from opposite sides of the pelvic area 41 and substantially extend around and cover the wearer's left leg and right leg. The left leg area 42 is substantially the same as the right leg area 43, such that the two leg areas are substantially bilaterally symmetrical. The skirt configuration in the shorts or skirt element 40 includes one or more pieces of fabric that cover the pelvic area 41 and extend down to cover the thighs.
This is not the only way the outer shorts or skirt element 40 may be constructed. Fewer panels (e.g., five panels, six panels, seven panels, or eight panels) may be used. More panels (e.g., ten panels, eleven panels, twelve panels) may be used. Instead of sewing the panels together, the panels may be attached using other various other methods, such as bonding. In addition, the outer shorts may vary in length, extending down to the upper thigh, middle thigh, lower thigh, knee, upper shin, middle shin, or lower shin. Moreover, the outer shorts or skirt element 40 may be an outer skirt, instead of outer shorts.
The fabric may be the same throughout or it may be different in some areas. Some or all of the fabric may include features that are customarily found in fabric for swim shorts, such as quick-drying, wicking, stretchability, and UV protection.
In addition, the outer shorts or skirt element 40 may include various combinations of conventional and unconventional features, such as a fly that is secured using a zipper, buttons, or velcro, front pockets that may include a mesh lining and may be secured using a zipper, buttons, or velcro, back pockets that may include a mesh lining and may be secured using a zipper, buttons, or velcro, vents that may be made out of a more breathable or mesh fabric, and grommets. For example,
Although the present invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments and possible configurations, it will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that other implementations and adaptations are possible. Moreover, there are advantages to individual enhancements described herein that may be obtained without incorporating other aspects described above. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.
