BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a wetsuit, on a female form, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of a wetsuit, on a male form, in accordance with the present invention. The wetsuit may have different dimensions appropriate for male and female forms, but the components, structure, and manner of manufacture are the same.
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing patterns or panels of an outer layer of the wetsuit of FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 4 is a schematic partial perspective view, partially broken away, showing a layer structure of the wetsuit of FIGS. 1-3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a wetsuit 10 has a torso 12, arms 14 and 16 and legs 18 and 20. A zipper 22 extends along a posterior or back side of the torso 12, as shown in FIG. 2. Wetsuit 10 comprises a continuous, but not necessarily unitary, outer layer 24 extending over torso 12, arms 14 and 16 and legs 18 and 20. Outer layer 24 has a substantially uniform thickness of approximately 2 mm throughout torso 12, arms 14 and 16 and legs 18 and 20. Outer layer 24 is made of a water-resistant or -impervious material such as neoprene cut from sheets into patterns or panels 23 (FIG. 3) that are connected to each other along abutting edges by glue and by blind stitching along an inner surface 30 (FIG. 4) to form watertight seams 25, as shown in FIG. 3.
As depicted in FIG. 1, wetsuit 10 further comprises a pair of ancillary chest panels 26 and 28 attached to inner surface 30 of outer layer 24 on an anterior side (not separately designated) of torso 12. Chest panels 26 and 28 are spaced from one another by and along an elongate gap 32 extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis or midline 34 extending from a neck region 36 to a crotch region 38 on the anterior side of the torso. A plurality of ancillary abdominal panels 40 and 42 are disposed on inner surface 30 of outer layer 24 on the anterior side of torso 12 and spaced from one another along an elongate gap 44 extending substantially parallel to axis or midline 34. Owing to the resilience of outer layer 24 and the increased thickness of the wetsuit in the areas of the ancillary panels (e.g., panels 26, 28, 40, 42), gaps 32 and 44 underlie respective channels or grooves (not separately designated) formed along the outer surface of the wetsuit 10.
As further depicted in FIG. 1, wetsuit 10 further comprises (a) a first pair of ancillary thigh panels 46 and 48 disposed along inner surface 30 of outer layer 24 on leg 18 and (b) a pair of ancillary thigh panels 50 and 52 disposed along inner surface 30 of outer layer 24 on leg 10. Thigh panels 46 and 48 are spaced from one another along an elongate gap 54, while thigh panels 50 and 52 are spaced from one another along a mirror-image gap 56. Generally, the left and rights sides of wetsuit 10 are mirror images of one another.
FIG. 1 also depicts a pair of angled knee panels 58 and 60 on leg 18 and approximately oppositely angled knee panels 62 and 64 on leg 20. Panels 58 and 60 are spaced from one another by an elongate gap 66, while panels 62 and 64 are spaced from one another by an elongate gap 68.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, wetsuit 10 is provided on inner surface 30 of outer layer 24 with two long back panels 70 and 72 and two short, slightly boomerang-shaped back panels 74 and 76. Panels 70 and 74 are located on one side of zipper 22, while panels 72 and 76 are located on the opposite side of the zipper. Panels 70 and 74 are spaced from one another by a narrow gap 78, and panels 72 and 76 are separated from one another by another narrow gap 80.
As additionally illustrated in FIG. 2, wetsuit 10 additionally incorporates two gluteus panels 82 and 84, a first two ancillary thigh panels 86 and 88 and a second two ancillary thigh panels 90 and 92, all attached to inner surface 30 of outer layer 24. Thigh panels 86 and 88 are disposed in the thigh area (not designated) of leg 20, while thigh panels 90 and 92 are disposed in the thigh region of leg 18. Thigh panels 86 and 88 are spaced from one another along an elongate gap 94 extending longitudinally along leg 20. Analogously, thigh panels 90 and 92 are spaced from one another along an elongate gap 100 extending longitudinally along leg 18.
FIG. 2 further shows two posterior calf panels 106 and 108 disposed on a back side of leg 20 and another two posterior calf panels 110 and 112 disposed on a back side of leg 18. Calf panels 106 and 108 are spaced from one another along an elongate gap 114 extending longitudinally along the lower portion (not separately designated) of leg 20, i.e., substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis or midline 116 itself extending from a knee region 98 to an ankle region 118. Calf panels 110 and 112 are spaced from one another along an elongate gap 120 extending longitudinally along the lower portion (not separately designated) of leg 18, i.e., substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis or midline 122 itself extending from a knee region 104 to an ankle region 124.
FIG. 1 shows two anterior leg panels 126 and 128 disposed on a front lower side of leg 20. Leg 18 also has two anterior leg panels 130 (only one visible). Leg panels 126 and 128 are spaced from one another along an elongate gap 132 extending longitudinally along the lower part of leg 20, i.e., substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis or midline 131 itself extending from knee region 98 to an ankle region 118. Calf panels 130 are spaced from one another along an elongate gap 133 extending longitudinally along the lower portion (not separately designated) of leg 18.
As indicated above, outer layer 24 is made of multiple outer panels 23 of neoprene material joined to one another along watertight seams 25, the outer panels each having the substantially uniform thickness of approximately 2 mm.
The ancillary panels disposed along inner surface 30 of outer layer 24, including chest panels 26 and 28, abdominal panels 40 and 42, thigh panels 46, 48, 50, 52, 86, 88, 90, and 92, back panels 70, 72, 74, and 76 and calf or leg panels 86, 88, 90, 92, 126, 128, and 130, are preferably made of a foam material having a uniform or common thickness no greater than approximately 3 mm. The ancillary panels are preferably bonded or adhesively adhered to inner surface 30 of outer layer 24. This adhesive attachment may be effectuated via a two-sided adhesive sheet material 134, illustratively shown in FIG. 4 with respect to chest panel 26. In addition, the various ancillary panels may be sewn in blind stitches 136 along respective edges 138 to inner surface 30 of outer layer 24. Preferably, the ancillary panels fall within respective panels 23 of outer layer 24, so that none of the ancillary panels overlaps any seam 25 of outer layer 24.
Outer layer 24 extends over a vast majority of torso 12, arms 14 and 16 and legs 18 and 20. Outer layer 24 may include sections 140 and 142 (FIG. 3) of relatively small area that are covered with a different material. The inner sides of the forearm region of arms 14 and 16 may be formed by panels 144, 146 of a friction enhancing material (FIG. 3).
In making wetsuit 10, one cuts a plurality of panels 23 from waterproof sheet neoprene material and attaches the panels to one another along abutment seams 25 to form continuous outer layer 24 with the shapes of torso 12, arms 14 and 16 and legs 18 and 20. This attachment is effectuated via adhesive and blind stitching (e.g., a blind chain stitch). The ancillary panels including chest panels 26 and 28, abdominal panels 40 and 42, thigh panels 46, 48, 50, 52, 86, 88, 90, and 92, back panels 70, 72, 74, and 76 and calf or leg panels 86, 88, 90, 92, 126, 128, and 130, are cut from foam sheet material and adhesively attached via congruently cut double-sided adhesive sheets 134 to inner surface 30 of outer layer 24. In addition, the ancillary panels are sewn along their respective edges via blind stitching to the inner surface 30 of outer layer 24. Typically, the ancillary panels are attached to outer layer 24 prior to the complete formation of the outer layer. For instance, the ancillary panels may be bonded and sewn first to respective outer panels 23, before the outer panels 23 are joined to each other. Subsequently, one joins the outer panels 23 to one another along their edges to form seams 25. However, it is alternatively possible to attach the ancillary panels to inner surface 30 of outer layer 24 after the complete formation thereof.
As used herein, the phrase “extending over,” particularly when used with reference to the extent that an outer layer of neoprene wetsuit material covers a body part, means that a vast majority of the respective body part is covered by the outer layer. Te body part may have a minor area covered by a layer of another material. For instance, along the inner surfaces of the arms, a patch of friction enhancing material may be used.
Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.
Patent Application
20070294797
