Patent Application
20090038046
Various types of swimwear are worn during aquatic activities, including swimming, diving, surfing, water skiing, and scuba diving. As an example of one type of swimwear, racing suits are commonly worn when engaging in competitive swimming or diving. Racing suits are generally formed from stretch knitted textiles (e.g., knitted textiles that incorporate spandex and stretch more than ten percent prior to tensile failure) that provides a tight-fitting configuration to reduce drag. Although some racing suits only cover the pelvic region of an individual, other racing suits cover a majority of the torso and may extend over arms and legs of the individual. As an example of a second type of swimwear, water shorts are commonly worn while surfing or engaging in recreational swimming. In contrast with the stretch knitted textiles of racing suits, water shorts are generally formed from non-stretch woven textiles (e.g., woven textiles that stretch less than ten percent prior to tensile failure) and exhibit a loose-fitting configuration. Although water shorts may be relatively tight around the waist of an individual, water shorts are generally loose-fitting in the pelvic region and the leg regions of the individual.
Stretch knitted textiles and non-stretch woven textiles react differently when immersed in water or otherwise saturated with water. More particularly, stretch knitted textiles may stretch or otherwise deform when exposed to fluid flow or subjected to the additional weight of being saturated with water. When pre-stretched to impart the tight-fitting configuration of racing suits (i.e., when a racing suit is worn), however, tension in the stretch knitted textiles is generally sufficient to overcome the deformation that occurs as a result of being saturated with water. In contrast with stretch knitted textiles, non-stretch woven textiles are dimensionally-stable. Given the loose-fitting configuration of water shorts, non-stretch woven textiles are generally utilized in order to reduce deformation that occurs when the water shorts are exposed to fluid flow or subjected to the additional weight of being saturated with water. That is, the non-stretch woven textiles utilized in water shorts remain dimensionally-stable when exposed to water.
Two common techniques for manufacturing textiles are knitting and weaving. Knitting involves the formation of a plurality of columns of intermeshed loops to form a knitted textile. Many stretch textiles are manufactured through knitting because relatively large spaces between yarns in the knitted textiles enhance stretch. For this reason, the stretch textiles utilized in racing suits are often knitted textiles. The relatively large spaces between yarns in knitted textiles also tend to hold a relatively large quantity of water, thereby increasing the deformation that occurs as a result of being saturated with water. Weaving involves intersecting yarns that cross each other at right angles to form a woven textile. Many non-stretch textiles are manufactured through weaving because the longitudinally-extending yarns and relatively small spaces between the yarns in the woven textiles provide lesser stretch than knitted textiles. For this reason, the non-stretch textiles utilized in water shorts are often woven textiles. The relatively small spaces between yarns in woven textiles also tend to hold a relatively small quantity of water, thereby decreasing the deformation (in comparison with knit textiles) that occurs as a result of being saturated with water.
Knitted textiles and woven textiles, whether of stretch or non-stretch types, also differ in terms of durability and permanent deformation. In comparison with woven textiles, knitted textiles may be less abrasion resistant and may snag more easily. When formed from similar materials, therefore, the overall durability of woven textiles may be greater than knitted textiles. In addition, knitted textiles may permanently deform more easily than woven textiles when subjected to tensile forces (i.e., when stretched). More particularly, the yarns forming loops in the knitted textiles may slide relative to each other and cause the knitted textiles to permanently remain in a stretched state, whereas woven textiles are less likely to become permanently stretched when subjected to tensile forces.
Features of a pair of water shorts disclosed below relates to a first woven textile and a second woven textile. The first woven textile forms a majority of an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface of the water shorts, and the first woven textile exhibits at least thirty percent stretch prior to tensile failure. The second woven textile is located around a waistband portion of the water shorts, for example, and the second woven textile exhibits less than ten percent stretch prior to tensile failure.
The advantages and features of novelty characterizing aspects of the invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. To gain an improved 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 foregoing Summary of the Invention and the following Detailed Description of the Invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose an article of apparel 10 having a configuration of a pair of water shorts. Although the structure of apparel 10 and the materials incorporated into apparel 10 are suitable for use during a variety of aquatic activities (e.g., swimming, diving, surfing, water skiing, and scuba diving), apparel 10 may also be worn while engaging in land-based activities. Accordingly, apparel 10 may be suitable for a variety of aquatic and non-aquatic activities.
With reference to
Pelvic area 20 includes a waistband 22 that extends around apparel 10 adjacent to upper opening 21. A lace 23 extends through various apertures in a front area of waistband 22, and lace 23 crosses between the apertures. Although a fly portion of pelvic area 20, which includes lace 23 and a portion of waistband 22, may have a variety of configurations, the fly portion is depicted as having a configuration disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,215 to Biggerstaff. When apparel 10 is worn by individual 100, lace 23 may be utilized in a conventional manner to adjust the circumference of waistband 22. That is, lace 23 may be tensioned and tied to secure apparel 10 to individual 100, and lace 23 may be untied and loosened to assist in removing apparel 10 from individual 100. Although lace 23 is depicted as extending through the apertures in waistband 22, lace 23 may alternately extend around the circumference of waistband 22. That is, lace 23 may extend through a channel formed in waistband 22 so as to extend entirely around pelvic region 120 of individual 100. Lace 23 may also be absent such that a zipper, snap, button, or hook and loop fastener, for example, is utilized.
With the exception of waistband 22, a majority of apparel 10 has a loose-fitting configuration. That is, apparel 10 is generally structured to be spaced from individual 100 or in loose contact with individual 100 when worn, rather than in tight-fitting contact with individual 100. As discussed in the Background section above, many pairs of water shorts are primarily formed from non-stretch woven textiles. In contrast, apparel 10 may be primarily formed from a stretch woven textile 11. That is, a relatively large portion of the woven textiles utilized in apparel 10 are stretch woven textiles.
Stretch woven textile 11 forms both an exterior surface 13 and an opposite interior surface 14 of apparel 10 in a majority of apparel 10. Referring to
One area where stretch woven textile 11 may not form both of surfaces 13 and 14 is in waistband 22. Referring to
The locations of woven textiles 11 and 12 depicted in
Yarns within stretch woven textile 11 may be at least partially formed from any of polyamide, polyester, nylon, spandex, wool, silk, or cotton materials, for example. More particularly, the yarns may be eighty percent polyamide and twenty percent spandex in some configurations. When formed from a combination of polyamide and spandex, for example, stretch woven textile 11 may exhibit at least thirty percent stretch prior to tensile failure, but may also exhibit at least fifty percent or at least eighty percent stretch prior to tensile failure. In some configurations of apparel 10, the stretch in stretch woven textile 11 may equal or exceed one-hundred-twelve percent. An advantage of the stretch properties of stretch woven textile 11 relates to comfort. More particularly, stretch woven textile 11 will stretch to conform with movements of individual 100 during aquatic or land-based activities, thereby providing less restriction and a greater freedom of movement during the activities.
In comparison with some knit textiles, stretch woven textile 11 may have a relatively dense structure. That is, the spaces between adjacent yarns may be relatively small in stretch woven textile 11. An advantage of this configuration is that stretch woven textile 11 may be relatively thin and lightweight. Another advantage is that the relatively small spaces between the yarns in stretch woven textile 11 tend to hold a relatively small quantity of water and exhibit relatively little deformation as a result of being saturated with water. While prior pairs of water shorts were formed from a non-stretch woven textile to limit excess weight and deformation when saturated with water, apparel 10 may overcome these issues while being formed from stretch woven textile 11. That is, despite being a stretch textile, stretch woven textile 11 is suitable for apparel 10 having the configuration of a pair of water shorts. In addition, a further advantage of utilizing stretch woven textile 11 relates to relatively high durability and a relatively low tendency to permanently deform when subjected to tensile forces (i.e., when stretched).
Yarns within non-stretch woven textile 12 may be at least partially formed from any of polyamide, polyester, nylon, spandex, wool, silk, or cotton materials, for example. Depending upon the materials selected for the yarns, non-stretch woven textile 12 may exhibit less than ten percent stretch prior to tensile failure, but may also exhibit less than five percent stretch or less than three percent stretch prior to tensile failure. Accordingly, the structure, materials, and properties of non-stretch woven textile 12 may vary significantly.
As discussed in the Background section above, many pairs of conventional water shorts are primarily formed from non-stretch woven textiles. That is, the pelvic area (including the waistband) and the leg areas of conventional water shorts are formed from non-stretch woven textiles. Each area of conventional water shorts, therefore, are primarily formed from materials that are substantially non-stretch. In contrast, apparel 10 utilizes woven textiles with different stretch properties in different areas. More particularly, a portion of waistband 22 is formed from non-stretch woven textile 12, whereas other portions of pelvic area 20 and leg areas 30 is formed from stretch woven textile 11. Accordingly, the stretch properties of the woven textiles forming apparel 10 vary in different areas of apparel 10.
A plurality of different elements of each of stretch woven textile 11 and non-stretch woven textile 12 may be joined to form apparel 10. That is, apparel 10 may have various seams 15 that are stitched or glued, for example, to join the various elements of stretch woven textile 11 and non-stretch woven textile 12 together. As depicted in both of
Many prior pairs of water shorts were manufactured through a traditional construction method that utilized a size 604 polyester thread to form felled seam stitches at nine stitches per inch. In apparel 10, however, a size 502 nylon thread may be utilized to form triple coverstitch seams at seven to eight stitches per inch. Accordingly, the construction method (i.e., thread size and stitch configuration) for apparel 10 may vary from the traditional construction method utilized in many prior pairs of water shorts.
The configuration of apparel 10 depicted in
The invention is disclosed above and in the accompanying drawings with reference to a variety of embodiments. The purpose served by the disclosure, however, is to provide an example of the various features and concepts related to the invention, not to limit the scope of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerous variations and modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.
