PROTECTIVE GARMENT FOR USE UNDER GEAR

Abstract

The invention is a garment designed for wear under equipment, such as a shin guard, which protects from contact dermatitis and other skin concerns while preserving elements to maintain or improve user comfort and performance. The garment may incorporate antimicrobial function by utilizing silver, copper, or another skin-safe component, as well as individual or combinations of elements including cooling, insulating, venting, padding, compression, odor control and other elements to protect the skin and improve function specific to the demands of the activity.

Claims

1. A garment for use under equipment comprising an antimicrobial panel positioned on the garment at the point of contact with the equipment when the equipment is used, wherein the antimicrobial panel includes antimicrobial fibers.

2. The garment of claim 1 further comprising a cooling region which includes a cooling textile.

3. The garment of claim 1 further comprising vents.

4. The garment of claim 1 further comprising a compression region including an elastomeric fiber.

5. The garment of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial fibers are fibers embedded with at least one of the group consisting of silver, copper, silver alloys, and copper alloys.

6. The garment of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial fibers are fibers bonded to at least one of the group consisting of silver, copper, silver alloy, and copper alloys.

7. The garment of claim 3 wherein the vents include at least one of the group consisting of material thinner than the garment's surrounding material, regions of no material, and regions of perforated material

8. A sock for use under a shin guard, the sock comprising: (a) an antimicrobial panel at the shin portion of the sock, wherein the antimicrobial panel includes antimicrobial fibers; (b) an antimicrobial panel at the bottom of the foot portion of the sock, wherein the antimicrobial panel includes antimicrobial fibers; (c) vents at the top of the foot portion of the sock; (d) a cooling region at the lower calf portion of the sock, wherein the cooling region includes a cooling textile; and (e) a compressive region at the upper calf portion of the sock, wherein the compressive region includes an elastomeric fiber.

9. The sock of claim 8 wherein the vents include at least one of the group consisting of material thinner than the surrounding material, regions of no material, and regions of perforated material.

10. The sock of claim 8 wherein the antimicrobial fibers are fibers embedded with at least one of the group consisting of silver, copper, silver alloys, and copper alloys.

11. The sock of claim 8 wherein the antimicrobial fibers are fibers bonded to at least one of the group consisting of silver, copper, silver alloys, and copper alloys.

12. The sock of claim 8 further comprising a seamless toe.

13. A garment comprising: (a) a region comprising an elastomeric fiber; and (b) a means for protecting against exposure to microbes through the garment.

14. The garment of claim 13 further comprising a region comprising a cooling fiber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary garment designed to be worn as a sock under a shin guard, according to an aspect of the invention.

[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary garment designed to be worn as pants under thigh and genital guards, according to an aspect of the invention.

[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary garment designed to be worn as a shirt under shoulder and elbow guards, according to an aspect of the invention.

[0015] FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate an exemplary garment designed to be worn as a vest under a harness for supporting marching-band instruments, according to an aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] In the summary above, and in the description below, reference is made to particular features of the invention in the context of exemplary embodiments of the invention. The features are described in the context of the exemplary embodiments to facilitate understanding. But the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. And the features are not limited to the embodiments by which they are described. The invention provides a number of inventive features which can be combined in many ways, and the invention can be embodied in a wide variety of contexts. Unless expressly set forth as an essential feature of the invention, a feature of a particular embodiment should not be read into the claims unless expressly recited in a claim.

[0017] Except as explicitly defined otherwise, the words and phrases used herein, including terms used in the claims, carry the same meaning they carry to one of ordinary skill in the art as ordinarily used in the art.

[0018] Because one of ordinary skill in the art may best understand the structure of the invention by the function of various structural features of the invention, certain structural features may be explained or claimed with reference to the function of a feature. Unless used in the context of describing or claiming a particular inventive function (e.g., a process), reference to the function of a structural feature refers to the capability of the structural feature, not to an instance of use of the invention.

[0019] Except for claims that include language introducing a function with means for or step for, the claims are not recited in so-called means-plus-function or step-plus-function format governed by 35 U.S.C. 112(f). Claims that include the means for [function] language but also recite the structure for performing the function are not means-plus-function claims governed by 112(f). Claims that include the step for [function] language but also recite an act for performing the function are not step-plus-function claims governed by 112(f).

[0020] Except as otherwise stated herein or as is otherwise clear from context, the inventive methods comprising or consisting of more than one step may be carried out without concern for the order of the steps.

[0021] The terms comprising, comprises, including, includes, having, haves, and their grammatical equivalents are used herein to mean that other components or steps are optionally present. For example, an article comprising A, B, and C includes an article having only A, B, and C as well as articles having A, B, C, and other components. And a method comprising the steps A, B, and C includes methods having only the steps A, B, and C as well as methods having the steps A, B, C, and other steps.

[0022] Terms of degree, such as substantially, about, and roughly are used herein to denote features that satisfy their technological purpose equivalently to a feature that is exact. For example, a component A is substantially perpendicular to a second component B if A and B are at an angle such as to equivalently satisfy the technological purpose of A being perpendicular to B.

[0023] Except as otherwise stated herein, or as is otherwise clear from context, the term or is used herein in its inclusive sense. For example, A or B means A or B, or both A and B.

[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary protective garment (a sock) 100 configured to be worn under a shin guard such as may be worn by soccer or hockey players. The garment 100 includes an antimicrobial panel 110 positioned on or as part of the garment 100 such that the panel 110 will be interposed between the shin guard and the user's skin when the garment 100 is worn. The antimicrobial panel 110 may, for example, be constructed from an antimicrobial textile woven into the garment 100. The antimicrobial nature of the textile may be effected, for example, by embedding or bonding copper or silver in or to the fibers of the textile. The antimicrobial nature of the panel 110 helps protect the user from fungi, bacteria, and other microbes that may form near or at the moist, warm contact of shin and shin guard and further may inhibit the growth of such microbes on the garment or shin guard (which may control odor). The antimicrobial panel 110 further prevents direct contact between the user's skin and the shin guard, thus helping to protect the user against exposure to allergens and irritants in the shin-guard material.

[0025] The exemplary protective garment 100 may also include an antimicrobial region 112 positioned on or as part of the garment 100 such that the region 112 will be interposed between the insole of the footwear (e.g., shoe or skate) and the user's skin when the garment 100 is worn. This antimicrobial region 112 may be constructed similarly to the antimicrobial panel 110 by using one or more antimicrobial textiles. The antimicrobial nature of the region 112 helps protect the user from fungi, bacteria, and other microbes that may form near or at the moist, warm contact of foot and insole and further may inhibit the growth of such microbes on the garment or shoe (which may control odor). The antimicrobial region 112 further prevents direct contact between the user's skin and the insole, thus helping to protect the user against exposure to allergens and irritants in the insole material.

[0026] The protective garment 100 may further include, for example, a seamless toe 114, heat-dissipating vents 116 (e.g., gaps in the material or regions of thinner material), a cooling region 118 constructed of cooling fibers, or one or more compressive regions 120, 122 constructed of a compression textile (which includes elastomeric fibers). The seamless toe 114 may improve the fit of the garment in another sock, or in equipment such as a shoe or skate. The vents 116 and cooling region 118 will help move heat away from the user's skin while in use. The compressive regions 120 and 122 may help maintain the position of the garment 100 during use, and compressive region 120 may also help reduce user fatigue. These attributes, jointly or in concert, may, for example, improve the performance of the garment when worn under another garment. For example, the protective garment 100 may be a sock that is worn underneath the shin guard and also underneath a second sock that is worn over the shin guard. The seamless, venting, cooling, and compression attributes of the sock will enable the antimicrobial protection provided by the antimicrobial panel 110 and region 112 while minimizing the discomfort due to fitting and heating issues when worn underneath another sock. Alternatively, the cooling regions may be replaced with insulating regions to help maintain user temperatures in cold-weather applications. Although not shown in FIG. 1, padded regions may also be incorporated into the garment 100 at select points to help protect the user against pressure from the equipment or impact on the equipment.

[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary protective garment (pants) 200 configured to be worn under genital or thigh guards such as may be worn by football or hockey players. The garment 200 includes an antimicrobial panel 210 positioned on or as part of the garment 200 such that the panel 210 will be interposed between the genital guard and the user's skin when the garment 200 is worn. The antimicrobial panel 210 here may be the same textile as described above with reference to antimicrobial panel 110 and region 112. Other antimicrobial panels 212 may be positioned between thigh guards and the user's skin. The garment 200 may also include one or more compressive regions 222 constructed of one or more compression textiles to, for example, help the garment remain in place while in use. The garment 200 may also include a cooling region 218 constructed of one or more cooling textiles to help move heat away from the user during use.

[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary protective garment (a shirt) 300 configured to be worn under shoulder or elbow guards such as may be worn by football, hockey, or lacrosse players. The garment 300 includes an antimicrobial panel 310 positioned on or as part of the garment 300 such that the panel 310 will be interposed between the shoulder guard and the user's skin when the garment 300 is worn. The antimicrobial panel 310 here may include the same textiles as described above with reference to antimicrobial panel 110 and region 112. Other antimicrobial panels 312 may be positioned between elbow guards and the user's skin. The garment 300 may also include one or more compressive regions 322 to, for example, help the garment remain in place while in use. The garment 300 may also include one or more cooling regions 318 to help move heat away from the user during use.

[0029] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an exemplary protective garment (a vest) 400 configured to be worn under a marching-band harness. FIG. 4A depicts the vest 400 from the front, FIG. 4B depicts the vest 400 from the back. The garment 400 includes an antimicrobial panel 410 positioned on or as part of the garment 400 such that the panel 410 will be interposed between the harness's shoulder strap and the user's skin when the garment 400 is worn. The antimicrobial panel 410 may include the same textiles as described above with reference to antimicrobial panel 110 and region 112. Anther antimicrobial panel 412 may be positioned between the harness's T-bar/belly plate and the user's skin. The garment 400 may also include one or more compressive regions to, for example, help the garment remain in place while in use. The garment 400 may also include one or more cooling regions to help move heat away from the user during use.

[0030] While the foregoing description is directed to the preferred embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the basic scope of the invention. And features described with reference to one embodiment may be combined with other embodiments, even if not explicitly stated above, without departing from the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims which follow.