Athletic garment with integral cup assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9629400-B2
Application number	US-201213357955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2012
Priority date	Apr 27, 2011
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

An athletic garment generally includes a short member, a cup receiving pocket, and a strap. The short member may include a front panel, rear panel, two side panels, and a waistband. The pocket is dimensioned to receive an athletic protective cup and has an open end, a closed end and two side portions. The open end of the pocket is attached to the waistband or to the front panel of the short member. The strap is coupled to the closed end of the pocket and is attached along an axis of the rear panel of the short member. Alternatively, a protective cup may be attached to the athletic garment without the use of a pocket. The garment is also useable with replaceable incontinent pads and/or where the cup is formed from liquid absorbent material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An athletic garment, comprising:
a main body forming a short member having a waist portion, a first leg portion, and a second leg portion, the main body having a front portion, a rear portion, an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central axis extending between the first leg portion and the second leg portion from the front portion to the rear portion; and
a pocket assembly comprising:
a pocket dimensioned to removably receive an athletic protective cup, the pocket having an upper portion including an open first end configured to receive the athletic protective cup and a lower portion including a closed second end, the upper portion of the pocket having a direct attachment to the inner surface of the front portion of the main body; and
a strap, such that the athletic garment does not have multiple straps, said strap having a first strap end attached to the lower portion of the pocket and a second strap end having a direct attachment to the inner surface of the rear portion of the main body and along the central axis of the main body such that the lower portion of the pocket is configured to move relative to the main body,
wherein the pocket assembly between the open first end of the pocket and the second strap end is freely suspended between the inner surface of the front portion and the rear portion of the main body.

2. The athletic garment of claim 1 , wherein the pocket has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the second strap end is releasably attached along the central axis of the inner surface of the main body coincident with the longitudinal axis of the pocket.

3. The athletic garment of claim 1 , wherein the strap comprises a single strap of elastic material.

4. The athletic garment of claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a front panel, a rear panel, a waistband, and at least two side panels, the waistband extending along the front panel, the rear panel, and the at least two side panels, and wherein the upper portion of the pocket is attached to a portion of the waistband along the front panel, and wherein the front panel, the rear panel, and the at least two side panels form a unitary article.

5. The athletic garment of claim 4 , wherein the strap is releasable attached to the inner surface of the rear panel adjacent to the waistband.

6. The athletic garment of claim 4 , wherein the strap is releasably attached to the inner surface of the rear panel of the main body spaced from the waistband.

7. The athletic garment of claim 1 , wherein the strap includes a support system configured to apply tension between the main body and the pocket to secure the pocket against a wearer's body.

8. The athletic garment of claim 1 , wherein the lower portion of the pocket is configured to move with a wearer and relative to the short member.

9. The athletic garment of claim 1 , wherein the pocket is configured to receive athletic protective cups of various sizes.

10. The athletic garment of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first fastener attached to the inner surface of the front portion of the main body;
a second fastener attached to the inner surface of the rear portion along the central axis of the main body;
wherein the direct attachment of the pocket to the inner surface of the front portion of the main body comprises a third fastener attached to the upper portion of the pocket and configured to be releasably coupled to the first fastener; and
wherein the direct attachment of the second strap end to the inner surface of the rear portion of the main body comprises a fourth fastener attached to the second strap end and configured to be releasably coupled to the second fastener.

11. The athletic garment of claim 10 , wherein the first fastener, the second fastener, the third fastener, and the fourth fastener comprise a combination of at least one male component releasably attachable to at least one female component.

12. The athletic garment of claim 10 , wherein the pocket assembly is configured to be removed from the main body by uncoupling the third fastener from the first fastener and uncoupling the fourth fastener from the second fastener.

13. An athletic garment, comprising:
a main body forming a short member having an inner surface, an outer surface, a front panel, a rear panel, a first side panel and a second side panel, a first leg opening, a second leg opening, a top portion configured to receive a waist of a wearer, and a bottom portion disposed between the first and second leg openings and extending between the front panel and rear panel;
a first fastening device attached to the inner surface of the front panel of the short member;
a second fastening device attached to the inner surface of the bottom portion of the short member toward the rear panel; and
a pocket assembly comprising:
a pocket having an upper portion defining an open first end and a lower portion defining a closed second end and configured to removably receive an athletic protective cup;
a strap, such that the athletic garment does not have multiple straps, said strap having a first end attached to the closed second end of the pocket and a second end;
a third fastening device attached to the upper portion of the pocket and configured to releasably couple to the first fastening device;
a fourth fastening device attached to the second strap end and configured to releasably couple to the second fastening device;
wherein the upper portion of the pocket is attached to the inner surface of the short member and the second strap end is attached to the inner surface of the bottom portion of the short member such that the lower portion of the pocket and the first strap end are freely suspended therebetween.

14. The athletic garment of claim 13 , wherein the strap is configured to releasably couple the lower portion of the pocket to the rear panel of the short member.

15. The athletic garment of claim 13 , wherein the strap is configured to releasably couple the lower portion of the pocket to the rear panel of the short member and configured to provide an upward bias to the lower portion of the athletic cup towards the groin of a wearer.

16. The athletic garment of claim 13 , wherein the lower portion of the pocket and the first strap end are freely suspended between the third fastening device and the fourth fastening device.

17. An athletic garment system, comprising:
a main body forming a short member having an inner surface, an outer surface, a front panel, a rear panel, a first side panel and a second side panel, a first leg opening, a second leg opening, a waist opening defined by the front panel, the rear panel, and the first and second side panels of the short member, and a central axis extending between the first and second leg openings from the front panel to the rear panel;
a first fastening device attached to the inner surface of the front panel of the short member;
a second fastening device attached to the inner surface of the bottom portion of the short member toward the rear panel; and
a pocket assembly having a third fastening device and a fourth fastening device and comprising:
a pocket having an open first end, a closed second end, and configured to removably receive an athletic protective cup; and
a strap, such that the athletic garment system does not have multiple straps, said strap having a first end attached to the closed second end of the pocket and a second end;
wherein the third fastening device is attached to the open first end of the pocket and configured to couple to the first fastening device; and the fourth fastening device is attache

Assignees

• Landi James J
• Landi Michael T
• Shock Doctor Inc

Inventors

• Landi James J
• Landi Michael T

Classifications

• A41B9/12

  Protective undergarments (combined with swabs or absorbent pads or specially adapted for supporting them A61F13/15) · CPC title

• A41D13/0575 Primary

  in an openable pocket · CPC title

• A63B71/1216

  for the genital area · CPC title

• A41D13/0506

  Hip · CPC title