Patent Application
20150191232
The present invention relates to a wetsuit intended for marine sports such as sailing, sail boarding, surfing, paddling diving and so on.
Wetsuits are sportswear that are used by individuals to provide thermal insulation during participation in watersports such as sailing, sail boarding, surfing, paddling diving and so on. Wetsuits are traditionally made from a material consisting of neoprene or other closed cell foam or other substantially liquid impermeable substrate with high stretch laminated to a textile. Said material is generally sewn or bonded into a tight fitting garment that conforms to the users body and has the ability to stretch and flex according the users movements.
Wetsuits may be constructed as to provide a substantially watertight construction that prevents the ingress of a substantial amount of water during normal use. Other designs and methods of construction may also allow a reasonable flow of water through the suit.
An inherent problem with most wetsuits is the difficulty of removing the suit during use to urinate. While it is known in the art to provide a Velcro or zippered relief opening on the crotch area, there is a need to provide a more durable relief opening that exhibits good stretch and comfort while also allow easy access during sporting activities. In a further aspect, there is a need to provide a substantially watertight seal to allow for use in watertight wetsuits.
The present invention discloses a relief outlet in a wetsuit that is optionally substantially watertight. Said relief outlet consists of a foldable funnel made of an elastic and optionally watertight material. Said funnel is open at one end and secured around the circumference of the second opening to said wetsuit. Said funnel is folded at least 1 time to close the opening when not in use and is secured by means of a covering flap or other retaining device secured to said wetsuit.
a is a front view of the crotch area of a wetsuit with an extended funnel in the open position. Funnel retaining flap is omitted for clarity.
b is a front view of the crotch area of a wetsuit with a funnel folded one time. Funnel retaining flap is omitted for clarity.
c is a front view of the crotch area of a wetsuit with a funnel folded in the closed position. Funnel retaining flap is omitted for clarity.
d is a front view of the crotch area of a wetsuit with a funnel folded in the closed position and covered by funnel retaining flap.
a is a cross section view of relief outlet with extended funnel in open position.
b is a cross section view of relief outlet with funnel folded one time.
c is a cross section view of relief outlet with funnel folded in closed position and secured by funnel retaining flap.
a is a front view of the crotch area of a wetsuit with an extended funnel in the open position. Funnel retaining flap is omitted for clarity.
b is a front view of the crotch area of a wetsuit with a funnel folded one time in the closed position. Funnel retaining flap is omitted for clarity.
c is a front view of the crotch area of a wetsuit with a funnel folded in the closed position and covered by funnel retaining flap.
a is a cross section view of relief outlet with extended funnel in open position.
b is a cross section view of relief outlet with funnel folded one time in closed position and secured by funnel retaining flap.
The present invention discloses a relief outlet in a wetsuit made from a substantially watertight textile or rubber material or composite thereof. Said relief outlet consists of a foldable funnel preferably made from a flexible elastic and optionally rubber material fixed at one end to the crotch area of the said wetsuit and open at the opposite end. Said funnel is folded at least 1 time to close said opening and secured by optional covering flap or other retaining device.
In a preferred embodiment said wetsuit is constructed from a material that consists of an elastic closed cell foam such as neoprene or other foam rubber that is optionally laminated to at least one textile. Said material is preferably combined together by means of stitching, gluing or taping or combination of these processes and may be configured to substantially water and air impermeable or water and/or air permeable. In an alternative embodiment said material could consist of a substantially watertight and air permeable membrane laminated to a textile.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in
Said crotch panels are preferably made from a neoprene textile composite, latex rubber, textile or other material and may be bonded at seams 104 and 105 by means of gluing, stitching, taping or other method.
In a preferred embodiment said seams 104 and 105 are constructed to be watertight by means of gluing and blind-stitching said panels whereby the cut edge of said closed cell foam panels are glued together and a blind stitch that does not pierce through the thickness of the material is used to reinforce said glued seam.
In another preferred embodiment said seams are reinforced by the additional of a hot-melt or hand glued tape consisting of a polyurethane film or thin neoprene film.
In a preferred embodiment as shown
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said crotch panels 101 and 102 may feature a smoothskin neoprene, latex rubber, silicon, silicon printed textile or other surface on the inner side of said panels that provide an improved watertight seal when funnel 106 is folded.
In another preferred embodiment, said crotch panels may consist of 2 or more separate panels combined together as to provide a thinner material thickness in the funnel area of the panel.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a single panel may stitched and/or molded to create said funnel instead of combining two or more separate panels.
In an alternative embodiment shown in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014900051 | Jan 2014 | AU | national |
