Cycling garment with a seat pad

Abstract

A cycling garment comprising a seat pad, wherein the seat pad comprises a cover and at least one shaped pads respect to a median longitudinal axis of the seat pad, wherein the seat pad is attached to the cycling garment along at least part of the perimeter of said cover, and the seat pad is also attached to the garment with a crotch attachment located in the rear portion of the seat pad.

Claims

1. A cycling garment comprising a seat pad, wherein the seat pad comprises a cover and at least two rear pads associated to the cover and positioned respectively right and left of the seat pad, leaving an unpadded region in between, wherein the seat pad has a perimetric attachment to the garment, made along edges of the seat pad, including a front perimetric attachment and a rear perimetric attachment, the front perimetric attachment extends continuously along a front edge of the seat pad and the rear perimetric attachment extends continuously along a rear edge of the seat pad, wherein a central edge of the seat pad, which is located between said front edge and rear edge, is not attached to the garment, the garment further comprising an additional attachment line which is located centrally in a rear portion of the seat pad, wherein said additional attachment line is a non-perimetric connection made over a surface portion of the cover of the seat pad to join the cycling garment and the cover of the seat pad, and is located in the aforesaid unpadded region between said two rear pads, wherein said additional attachment line is spaced from the rear perimetric attachment located at a longitudinal center line of the cover.

2. The cycling garment according to claim 1, wherein said additional attachment line is parallel to, or coincident with, a longitudinal anterior-posterior median line of the seat pad and wherein said median line is a line of symmetry of the seat pad.

3. The cycling garment according claim 1, wherein said additional attachment line is coincident with a line of connection of two fabric panels of the garment.

4. The cycling garment according to claim 1, wherein said additional attachment line has a length of 10% to 40% of the length of the seat pad, preferably 10% to 20%.

5. The cycling garment according to claim 1 wherein: given a longitudinal coordinate according to a median longitudinal line of the seat pad, the coordinate being 0 at an intersection of said line with the rear edge of the seat pad, and the coordinate being 1 at an intersection of said line with the front edge, the additional attachment line extends in the coordinate range of 0.05 to 0.45, preferably 0.1 to 0.25.

6. The cycling garment according to claim 1, wherein said additional attachment line is a continuous attachment line, or comprises several discrete attachment points.

7. The cycling garment according to claim 1, said additional attachment line including any of: stitching, welding, gluing.

8. The cycling garment according to claim 1 wherein said additional attachment line consists of only one attachment line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a partial view of a garment including a seat pad according to an embodiment of the invention. of FIG. 1.

(2) FIG. 2 is a view of the inside of the garment of FIG. 1, showing the seat pad and its connection to the cycling garment.

(3) FIG. 3 is a view of the seat pad in a preferred embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(4) FIG. 1 illustrates a cycling garment, for example a cycling bib 10, including a seat pad 1 in the crotch area. The cycling bib 10 includes a pair of shorts 11 and suspenders 12. The shorts 11 are made of various fabric panels, connected together.

(5) The seat pad 1 (FIG. 2) comprises a cover 2 and two shaped pads 3 attached (e.g. stitched) to the cover 2. The two shaped pads 3 provide a padded region 9 of the seat pad, which extends over part of the surface of the cover 2.

(6) The cover 2 may be a single-layer fabric panel or may comprise multiple layers. For example, in an embodiment, the cover 2 includes an inner layer for contact with the skin, an outer layer, and optionally also an intermediate soft layer. One or more layers may be perforated to expel water vapour and provide a proper circulation of air.

(7) The cover 2 may also include a front window 4 specifically designed for accommodation and/or ventilation of the genital area. For example the front window 4 may be perforated or specifically realized with a single layer of fabric.

(8) The seat pad 1 is symmetric relative to a longitudinal median line A-A. This median line A-A can be a straight axis when the cover 2 lies on a plane. In some embodiments the cover 2 has its own shape and the line A-A may be a curvilinear line of symmetry following a curvature of the cover 2.

(9) The seat pad 1 is attached to the crotch area of the cycling bib 10 along at least part of the perimeter 5 of the seat pad. The perimetric attachment may be continuous or discontinuous. Various embodiments include: a connection over the full perimeter, a connection at discrete points distributed over the perimeter; a connection only in the front portion and rear portion.

(10) Further to the perimetric attachment, along all or part (a front perimetric attachment and a rear perimetric attachment) of the perimeter 5, the seat pad is also attached to the bib 10 via a crotch attachment line 6 located in the rear portion of the seat pad 1.

(11) The attachment line 6 is located outside of the padded region of the seat pad. In the example, the attachment line 6 is located between the shaped pads 3. As a consequence, the thickness of the padded region of the seat pad is not affected by said attachment line 6.

(12) In the illustrated embodiment, the shaped pads 3 include front portions 7, narrowing towards the front of the seat pad, and larger rear lobes 8 designed to provide support to the ischiatic bones. Said attachment line 6 is located in the mid-rear part of the seat pad, between the rear lobes 8.

(13) Preferably, said attachment line 6 lies on the median line A-A, thus being in the centre of the seat pad 1.

(14) The perimetric attachment, along all or part (a front perimetric attachment and a rear perimetric attachment) of the perimeter 5, and the additional attachment line 6, connect the seat pad 1 to one or more fabric panels of a cycling garment.

(15) It can be appreciated from FIG. 2 that the line 6 provides an additional region of fixation of the seat pad to the garment which is strategically located between the shaped pads 3 and in the rear portion of the seat pad.

(16) Preferably, as illustrated, the cover 2 is attached to a front panel 13 and lateral panels 14, 15 of the shorts 11. The lateral panels 14, 15 are joined at a line 16. Preferably said attachment line 6 is coincident with the joint line 16.

(17) The attachments of the seat pad to the garment 10, including the attachment line 6, are made for example by stitching.

(18) FIG. 1 illustrates the position of the seat pad 1, shaped pads 3 and attachment line 6 in the cycling bib 10.

(19) The length of the attachment line is preferably 20% to 40% of the length of the seat pad, according to the axis A-A.

(20) FIG. 3 illustrates the position of the attachment line 6 in a preferred embodiment. As stated above, said line 6 is preferably in a mid-rear position. In a greater detail, FIG. 3 illustrates a coordinate y wherein y=0 denotes the bottom centre 20 and y=1 denotes the front centre 21 of the seat pad.

(21) The line 6 starts at a coordinate y1 and ends at y2. Preferably the entire line 6 lies in the region of y being 0.05 to 0.45, preferably 0.1 to 0.30. More preferably, y1 is 0.05 to 0.10 and y2 is 0.25 to 0.40.

(22) In use, the additional fixation provides by the line 6 helps keeping the shaped pads 3, particularly the ischiatic lobes 8, in their proper working position. Also the cover 2 becomes more stable thanks to the central fixation of line 6. Accordingly, the adherence and performance of the seat pad 1 are improved. The seat pad 1 is stabilized horizontally.