Articles of sports apparel with support elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10357067-B2
Application number	US-201615267446-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2016
Priority date	Sep 17, 2015
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

Articles of sports apparel may include elongate support elements. Particular examples provided are swimsuits and other sports apparel such as sports apparel for rugby football. An Article of sports apparel may include at least one base portion adapted to be arranged proximate a lower back of a user when worn, and at least three elongate support elements. The at least three elongate support elements may be arranged at the base portion such as to extend outwardly from a region at least partially encompassing the lower back of the user when worn.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. An article of sports apparel comprising:
at least one base portion adapted to be arranged proximate a lower back of a user when worn;
at least two elongate support elements, wherein:
the at least two elongate support elements are attached to the at least one base portion to extend outwardly from a region at least partially encompassing the lower back of the user when worn;
at least one of the at least two elongate support elements is arranged to cross over a spine of the user when worn; and
an elastic modulus of at least one of the elongate support elements is lower in a direction along the elongate support element compared to a direction orthogonal to the elongate support element.

2. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements is arranged to form an angle with the spine in a range from 30° to 80°.

3. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements is arranged to form an angle with the spine in a range from 50° to 71°.

4. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein the region is between a lower end of a sacrum of the user and an upper end of a next-to-lowest lumbar vertebra of the user.

5. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements comprises a layer on at least one of an inside and an outside of the at least one base portion.

6. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements is at least partly arranged at an inner and/or an outer surface of the at least one base portion at a seam of the at least one base portion.

7. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements comprises a thickness between 0.3 mm and 0.8 mm.

8. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

9. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements comprises a polyurethane.

10. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements comprises a fabric.

11. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements is attached to the at least one base portion by a discontinuous adhesive.

12. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements has a higher elastic modulus than the at least one base portion.

13. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements extends at least partly around a lateral torso region of the article of sports apparel.

14. The article of sports apparel of claim 13 , wherein at least two of the at least two elongate support elements intersect each other in a breast region of the article of sports apparel.

15. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of the at least two elongate support elements extends at least partly around a lateral pelvis region of the article of sports apparel; and
at least one of the at least two elongate support elements extends at least partly around a lateral thorax region of the article of sports apparel.

16. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements extends at least partly around a shoulder region of the article of sports apparel.

17. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements circumscribes a leg region of the article of sports apparel.

18. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements extends in at least one of a front region and a back region of a thigh region of the article of sports apparel.

19. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two elongate support elements extends in a groin region of the article of sports apparel.

20. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , further comprising a profile element arranged on the at least one base portion in the region at least partially encompassing the lower back of the user when worn.

21. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one base portion comprises at least one artificial hollow fiber.

22. A method for manufacturing an article of sports apparel, the method comprising:
providing at least one base portion;
providing at least one elongate support element; and
pressing the at least one elongate support element on the at least one base portion at a temperature in a range of 100° C. and 180° C., wherein:
the at least one elongate support element is arranged to cross over a spine of a user when worn; and
at least a portion of the base portion comprises an artificial hollow fiber.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising applying a pressure of 2.8 bar to 4.1 bar.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the pressing occurs for a duration of 20 seconds to 30 seconds.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the at least one elongate support element comprises at least two layers.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein the at least one elongate support element comprises a low activation temperature adhesive activatable at a temperature in a range from 80° C. to 150° C.

27. An article of sports apparel comprising:
at least one base portion adapted to be arranged proximate a lower back of a user when worn, wherein the at least one base portion comprises an elastic material, the at least one base portion comprising an inner surface and an outer surface;
a plurality of elongate support elements that are disposed on at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface, wherein at least one of the plurality of elongate support elements comprises an elastic material having a different elastic modulus than the at least one base portion; and
wherein at least two of the plurality of elongate support elements (i) cross one another in a region at least partially encompassing the lower back of the user when worn and (ii) extend outwardly from the region at least partially encompassing the lower back of the user when worn.

28. The article of sports apparel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one base portion is elastic.

Assignees

• Adidas Ag

Inventors

• Yeomans Deborah
• Botha Verena Melanie
• Metzger Andreas

Classifications

• A41D2400/38

  Shaping the contour of the body or adjusting the figure · CPC title

• A41D31/04

  characterised by special function or use (protective clothing affording protection against heat or harmful chemical agents or for use at high altitudes A62B17/00; composition of materials for coverings or clothing affording protection against harmful chemical agents A62D5/00) · CPC title

• A41D2600/10

  for sport activities · CPC title

• A41D7/00 Primary

  Bathing gowns; Swim-suits, drawers, or trunks; Beach suits · CPC title

• A41D2400/24

  Reducing drag or turbulence in air or water · CPC title