Method for Monitoring or Visualizing the Running Speed of an Athlete and Athletic Garment

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for monitoring or visualizing the running speed (v) of an athlete (1). To determine the running speed of the athlete in an easy manner the proposed method comprises the steps: a) Providing a piece of garment (2) or a shoe (2′), which are worn by the athlete (1) during miming, wherein the piece of garment (2) or the shoe (2′) is provided with a coating (3) applied at an outer surface (4) of the piece of garment (2) or the shoe, wherein the coating (3) comprises at least one thermochromic dye or at least one liquid crystal, or wherein the piece of garment (2) or the shoe (2′) is made at least partially of a material, especially by a yarn, which comprises at least one thermochromic dye or at least one liquid crystal; b) Monitoring the color (C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3) of the at least one thermochromic dye or liquid crystal during running of the athlete (1); c) Evaluating the running speed (v) of the athlete (1) on the basis of the actual color (C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3) of the at least one thermochromic dye or liquid crystal. Furthermore, the invention relates to an athletic garment or shoe.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring or visualizing a speed, especially a running speed, of an athlete, comprising the steps: providing a piece of garment or a shoe, which are worn by the athlete during a sporting activity, wherein the piece of garment or the shoe is provided with a coating applied at an outer surface of the piece of garment or the shoe, wherein the coating comprises at least one thermochromic dye or at least one liquid crystal, or wherein the piece of garment or the shoe is made at least partially of a material, which comprises at least one thermochromic dye or at least one liquid crystal; monitoring the color of the at least one thermochromic dye or liquid crystal during the sporting activity of the athlete; and evaluating the speed of the athlete on the basis of the actual color of the at least one thermochromic dye or liquid crystal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one thermochromic dye comprises a liquid crystal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of garment is a jacket or shirt and the at least one thermochromic dye is applied on a chest region of the jacket or shirt.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of garment is a jacket or shirt and the at least one thermochromic dye is applied on a front sleeve region of the jacket or shirt.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one thermochromic dye is applied on a forefoot region of the shoe.

6. An athletic garment or shoe, comprising: a section which covers a part of the body of an athlete, wherein an outer surface of the section is provided with a coating which comprises at least one thermochromic dye or at least one liquid crystal or that the piece of garment or shoe is made at least partially of a material, which comprises at least one thermochromic dye or at least one liquid crystal, and wherein the garment or shoe also comprises at least one region where elements are provided to influence the aerodynamic drag of the garment or shoe.

7. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 6, wherein the thermochromic dye comprises a liquid crystal.

8. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 7, wherein the liquid crystal is contained in a mixture which is applied to the garment or shoe, and wherein the percentage of the liquid crystal in the mixture is between 30 weight-% and 65 weight %.

9. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 8, wherein the mixture further contains polyether, and wherein the percentage of polyether in the mixture is between 20 weight-% and 50 weight %.

10. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 8, wherein the mixture further contains glycerol, and wherein the percentage of glycerol in the mixture is between 3 weight-% and 9 weight-%.

11. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 6, wherein the athletic garment is a jacket or shirt and the section which is provided with the coating is a chest region of the jacket or shirt.

12. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 6, wherein the athletic garment is a jacket or shirt and the section which is provided with the coating is a front sleeve region of the jacket or shirt.

13. The athletic garment of claim 6, comprising trunks and the section which is provided with the coating is a front leg region of the trunks.

14. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 6, wherein the elements which influence the aerodynamic drag are pads which are arranged on the outer surface of the piece of garment.

15. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 14, wherein a plurality of substantially rod-shaped sticks are arranged on the pads or forming the pads which rod-shaped sticks extend normal on the outer surface of the piece of garment.

16. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 6, further comprising at least one further section which is provided with venting elements.

17. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 16, wherein the venting elements are designed as a pattern of openings, which are machined into the material of the piece of garment or which are manufactured during the production of the piece of garment or shoe.

18. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 6, wherein coating is applied to the piece of garment or shoe by means of a printing process, by means of a spraying process or by means of a painting process.

19. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 6, wherein the piece of garment or shoe has or is a textile substrate which comprises synthetic fibers and/or which comprises natural fibers.

20. The athletic garment or shoe of claim 6, wherein the athletic garment is a seamless textile part.

Description

[0026] In the drawings embodiments of the invention are shown.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows an athlete wearing a piece of garment,

[0028] FIG. 2 shows the upper part of the body of the athlete and the piece of garment,

[0029] FIG. 3 shows the athlete who is running with a certain running speed and who is observed by an observer,

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a region of the garment where elements are provided to influence the aerodynamic drag of the garment,

[0031] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the elements to influence the aerodynamic drag of the garment and

[0032] FIG. 6 shows another section of the garment which is provided with venting elements.

[0033] In FIG. 1 an athlete 1 is depicted who wears a piece of garment 2 and sports shoes 2′. The garment 2 has a chest region 5 which covers the chest of the athlete 1 during intended use of the garment 2. Furthermore, the garment 2 has regions in the lateral area of the same which are provided with elements to influence the aerodynamic drag during running.

[0034] In FIG. 2 an upper part of the garment 2 is shown which covers the upper part of the body of the athlete 2. Here, is can be seen that the outer surface 4 of the garment 2 is provided with a coating 3 (having a dot pattern in the case of the shown embodiment). The coating 3 consists of a mixture which is or which contains a thermochromic dye.

[0035] The coating 3 and the thermochromic dye respectively are sensitive with respect to the temperature. Depending on the temperature the color of the thermochromic dye changes.

[0036] In the present case the thermochromic dye comprises a liquid crystal, wherein the liquid crystal is contained in the mixture which is applied onto the outer surface 4 of the garment 2. The percentage of the liquid crystal in the mixture is here about 45 weight-% of the mixture.

[0037] The applied coating 3 is thus an optically active mixture of organic chemicals that is highly temperature sensitive and changes the color accordingly. In the present case it start with the color black at a low temperature (for example below 10° C.) and takes the colors of a rainbow (from red to blue) with rising temperatures until the color black is given again at high temperatures (for example above 45° C.). The color change is reversible.

[0038] This effect is used to determine the running speed v of the athlete 1 as depicted in FIG. 3.

[0039] Here, the chest region 5 is exposed to the airflow which is produced during running. Thus, the cooling effect especially of the chest region 5 is increasing and thus the temperature of the coating 3 in the chest region 5 is decreasing the faster the athlete 1 runs. Accordingly, depending of the running speed v of the athlete 1 the color of the coating 3 changes from C.sub.1 to C.sub.2 and C.sub.3.

[0040] An observer 11 can observe the chest region 5 of the runner and can thus determine the (approximate) actual running speed of the athlete 1.

[0041] The mentioned effect is improved and stabilized respectively if elements 7 to influence the aerodynamic drag are used. Those elements 7 can be applied in the (lateral) regions 6 of the garment 2. A first embodiment of the elements 7 are depicted in FIG. 4. Here a plurality of pads 8 are arranged on the outer surface 4 of the garment 2. The pads 8 have a substantially circular outer circumference. Thereby, the diameter of the pads 8 varies.

[0042] Each pad is established by a plurality of substantially rod-shaped sticks 9 which extend perpendicular outwards from the outer surface 4 of the garment. The diameter of the substantially rod-shaped sticks 9 are preferably between 0.25 to 1.0 mm. The length (measures in the direction perpendicular to the outer surface 4) is preferably between 1.0 mm and 4.0 mm. The specifically preferred height is 2.0 mm.

[0043] An alternative embodiment of the elements 7 is shown in FIG. 5. Here the pads 8 have also a circular circumference. In this embodiment the pad 8 is a cylindrical element with a height between 1.0 mm and 4.0 mm. The upper plateau of each pad 8 is flat (in distinction to the pads according to FIG. 4).

[0044] The pads 8 consist preferably of silicon or rubber.

[0045] The wearing comfort of the garment 2 is improved by supplying the same with venting elements 10 as shown in FIG. 6. Those venting element 10 are arranged in the spine region of the garment and the athlete respectively. As can be seen the venting element 10 is established by a plurality of openings which are machined into the base substrate of the garment 2.

[0046] Holes of different diameter, which can be arranged in groups as depicted in FIG. 6, have been proven to supply a good venting effect to the spine region of the athlete. The openings can be produced by a knitting process (warp knit holes), i. e. during the production process of the base material of the piece of garment 2.

[0047] The garment 2 is preferably designed as a seamless textile part.

[0048] If instead a seam is used the same is arranged preferably in the rear side of the garment so that it has no influence on the above described effect. In the case that the garment is not seamless it is preferred that the seams are produced by ultrasonic bonding.

[0049] The proposed garment and respective method allows a visual observation of the actual running speed of the athlete 1 by an eye-catching color change effect. It is the result of the convection cooling effect during the sprint of the athlete 1.

[0050] For example, according to the mixture which is applied as coating 3 the following effect can be obtained:

[0051] During a 100 m running competition (by a warmed-up athlete) the appearance of the chest region of the garment is blue (color C.sub.1) at a running speed of 30 km/h (8.33 m/s), becomes green (color C.sub.2) at a running speed of 34 km/h (9.44 m/s) and becomes finally yellow (color C.sub.3) at a speed of 38 km/h (10.56 m/s). So, an observer 11 can see which performance is currently achieved by the athlete already during the competition.

[0052] The application of the coating 3 is preferably done by a printing process which allows an economical production.

[0053] As an alternative to the coating of the thermochromic dye it is for example also possible to use a fiber or yearn for the garment or shoe which already contains the dye. A fiber or yarn can for example be covered or coated with the thermochromic dye. For doing so an extrusion process can be employed. Then, the piece of garment is produced (for example knitted or weaved) by using the respective prepared yarn or fiber.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0054] 1 Athlete [0055] 2 Piece of garment/Athletic garment [0056] 2′ Shoe [0057] 3 Coating [0058] 4 Outer surface of the piece of garment [0059] 5 Chest region [0060] 6 Region with elements to influence the drag [0061] 7 Element to influence the aerodynamic drag [0062] 8 Pad [0063] 9 Rod-shaped stick [0064] 10 Venting element [0065] 11 Observer [0066] v Running speed [0067] C.sub.1 Color 1 [0068] C.sub.2 Color 2 [0069] C.sub.3 Color 3