Yoga pants with padded knees

Abstract

This invention relates to yoga pants with built in strategically positioned pads to protect the knees while practicing yoga postures (positions) that require knee to floor contact. The original invention is designed to facilitate comfort, warmth and ease of movement during yoga practice. Other utilities apply.

Description

BACKGROUND OF PRIOR ART

There are various styles of sport activity garments which provide padding to protect the hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, chest, while participating in ice skating, skiing, motor cross and motor racing, horseback riding, baseball, soccer and football. All of these garments are designed to worn while participating in rugged outdoor activity. Most of these garments utilize open cell foam, or a jell like substance, or plastic, which is not washable and is not built in.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,407 Oct. 20, 1987—Protective Garment for motor cross and motor racing. This garment protects the hips, thighs and kidneys. Pads made of soft plastic, layered fabric.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,297 Apr. 8, 1986—Ski Pants with elastic knee and shin guards.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,052 Oct. 1, 1991—Protective Ice skating outfit with removable pads.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,454 Dec.17 1991 Garment with appendage portions having extensible flexible joints.

Protective garment specific to fire fighters.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,082 Sep. 3, 1996 Protective athletic pants provide gel ribs to protect wearer from injury to hips, thighs and buttocks, for a variety of outdoor activities.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,599 B1, Mar. 18, 2003 Athletic shorts with removable hip, thigh and tailbone pads.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,062,789 B1 Jun. 20, 2006 Outdoor winter sports apparel, with pads to protect buttocks, hips, and knees. Pads are bulky and removable and vague with regard to specific placement of pads and use of material for padding is also vague.

While all of these inventions provide padding to protect various areas of the body during physical activity, all of these garments pertain to rugged activity. Yoga is a completely different form of exercise. While it can be vigorous depending on the style of yoga, it is a sport that requires fluidity of motion. The clothing that an individual wears during yoga practice should enable the wearer to move with ease, not inhibit one's movements in any way. Not one of these inventions addresses the needs that are relevant to yoga, therefore none of these garments are suitable for yoga practice.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

My invention calls for closed cell foam, specifically perforated neoprene which is backed (covered) on both sides with nylon fabric. The nylon backed perforated neoprene is cut into an elongated shaped rectangle and sewn inbetween two layers of light weight 4 way stretch fabric, (like a pillow case.) The pillowcase is sewn through all 3 layers, with flatlock stitching to provide comfort and stability. As a built in feature, the kneepad panel is breathable, fully washable, flexible and compatible with the yoga pants. The construction of the panel fully integrates the kneepad panel into the underside of the garment, uniting the kneepad with the garment, in this case, yoga pants.

This pillow encased perforated neoprene is then sewn into the underside (inside) of the front leg pant panel with flatlock stitching all the way around the kneepad. The kneepad is elongated to cover and protect the kneecap. Additionally the kneepad extends 2½ inches above the kneecap and 2½ inches below the kneecap. The dimensions of the actual knee panels are calibrated for size adjustments according to industry sizing standards, ie: XS, SM, M, LG, XLG. The length of the pad will vary depending on the actual size of the yoga pants.

IDENTIFICATION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Front view of yoga pants with padded knees. This is a flat drawing.

FIG. 2 Front view on a figure, indicating how the garment actually fits the body.

FIG. 3 Back view on a figure, indicating how the garment actually fits.

FIG. 4 Side view on a figure, demonstrating knee to floor contact.

FIG. 5 Upright view of perforated neoprene panel, backed with nylon—the neoprene is perforated then covered with a solid sheet of nylon, therefore the perforations are in the neoprene, not in the nylon fabric cover. The nylon covers the neoprene on both sides of the kneepad.

FIG. 6 Upright view of perforated neoprene kneepad sandwiched between 2 panels of fabric. The edges of the fabric covered foam are sewn, encasing the foam in what will be referred to as “the pillow case.”

FIG. 7 Side view of the perforated neoprene kneepad panel “the pillow case.”

FIG. 8 Inside view of the flat leg panel, with the kneepad panel “pillow case” sewn into the underside of the front leg panel.

FIG. 9 Back leg panels

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Shows a flat front exterior view of the yoga pants with padded knees. 10. What is visible are the finely stitched panels surrounding the knees. 11. The intention of this invention is to provide compact cushioning and warmth for the knees, which is built in to the underside of the front leg panel. The exterior of the garment will in most cases look like any other pair of yoga pants. Styling embellishments will serve as decoration only. The inner construction of the perforated neoprene pillow case will remain constant as the foundation of my invention.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 Show front 12 and back 13 views of my yoga pants with knee pads, 14 on the figure. What is clear in FIG. 2 is the simple seam stitching from the inner 15 to outer 16 seams, as well as the seams that are strategically positioned several inches above 17 the knees and below 18 the knees. These seams are created from the inside when sewing the “pillowcase” into place on the inside of the front leg panel. FIG. 3 Shows that from the back, these pants look like any other yoga pant, since the construction of the knee pads are built in to the inside of the front leg panel, only.

FIG. 4 Shows a side lunge view, on the figure. From this angle, the value and purpose of my invention is self evident.

What is visible are the inner 19 and outer 20 seams, the knee pad panels 21, 22 which are sewn into the side seams and top and bottom seams 23, 24 of the front leg panel, and the knee to floor contact 25 which is protected by the built in knee pads

FIG. 5 Perforated neoprene knee pad panel 26 covered in nylon on both sides, front and back 27, 28.

FIG. 6 The perforated neoprene is sandwiched between 2 layers of fabric 29, 30 which has 4 way stretch, is breathable, washable and compatible with the fabric that is used to manufacture the yoga pants, ie. Cotton/spandex, cotton/lycra.

Meryl, cotton/bamboo etc. The fabric is stitched along the edge of the perforated neoprene, 31,32,33,34, creating a “pillow case” for the kneepad. This “pillow case is then strategically positioned and sewn using flatlock stitching into the inside of the front leg panel within the knee zone.

FIG. 7 Illustrates the side view of the sewn pillow case with stitching completed. This side view will vary as the thickness of the perforated neoprene will vary, as offering different thicknesses of foam is a large part of the branding/marketing potential that exists with this invention.

FIG. 8 This figure shows the flat inside view 36 of the front leg panel, with the kneepad pillow case attached 37 to all four seams 38, 39, 40, 41 These seams are sewn with flat lock stitching for maximum comfort

FIG. 9 This figure show the back leg panels which will be attached to the front leg panels and sewn together along the inner and outer seams, creating the legs of the pants. The styles of the pants will change with the seasons but this will have no bearing on the invention, as the state of the art of the invention remains constant.

Refer once again to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 for ultimate representation of this invention.

Claims

1. A garment, specifically a yoga pant with built in padded knees, which is breathable, flexible, washable and comfortable. My invention is a yoga pant with perforated neoprene kneepads that are first covered in nylon, then covered in 2 layers of 4 way stretch fabric. The 2 layers of fabric are then sewn together encasing the perforated neoprene inside what is referred to as “the pillow case.” This “pillow case” is then strategically positioned to the underside (inside) of the front leg panel and flatlock stitch sewn into place. The kneepad pillowcase is strategically positioned to cover the kneecap as well as several inches above the knee several inches below the knee. The actual dimensions of the kneepad panel will vary depending upon the size of the actual garment. XS, SM, M, LG and XLG. The intention is to make available yoga pants with kneepads for people of all shapes and sizes, since people of all shapes and sizes practice yoga.

2. A garment according to claim 1 with a perforated neoprene kneepad pillowcase in the thickness of 1.2 mm.

3. A garment according to claim 2 and 1 with a perforated neoprene kneepad pillowcase in the thickness of 2 mm.

4. A garment according to claim 3, 2, 1, with a perforated neoprene pillowcase in the thickness of 3 mm.

5. A garment according to claim 4, 3, 2, 1, with a perforated neoprene pillowcase in the thickness of 4 mm.

6. A garment according to the claim 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 with a perforated neoprene pillowcase in the thickness of 5 mm.