SPORTS APPAREL WITH INTEGRATED RACING BIB COUPLING

Abstract

Sports apparel, such as a skirt or shorts, integrates racing bib coupling therein via snap closures within a protective flap that is simple, effective, elegant and not cumbersome to enhance use and acceptance by participants. The skirt may fit over existing shorts, or such shorts may be incorporated into the skirt. The protective flap forms a downward facing slot or opening for receipt of the top of a conventional race bib wherein the eyelets or openings of the racing bib align with or are aligned with two of the snap connections to couple the racing bib to the skirt. The flap serves to protect the bib and prevent the bib from being a distraction to the athlete. The flap may have end seams to form a closed downward pocket for the bib and the seams will keep the flap in the desired overlapping protective position.

Claims

1. Sports apparel in the form of a skirt or shorts with integrated racing bib coupling comprising: A protective flap forming a downward facing slot for receipt of the top of a conventional race bib with eyelets; A plurality of snap closures within protective flap, wherein the snap closures are spaced to align with the eyelets of the racing bib and to snap together through the opening from opposed sides of the racing bib to couple the racing bib to the skirt.

2. The sports apparel according to claim 1 wherein only two snap closures are provided.

3. The sports apparel according to claim 1 wherein more than two snap closures are provided.

4. The sports apparel according to claim 1 wherein the flap is at an upper edge of sports apparel.

5. The sports apparel according to claim 1 wherein flap includes elastic material.

6. The sports apparel according to claim 1 wherein each snap closures includes a male portion of the snap closure on an inner side of the sports apparel and a female portion on an outer side of the sports apparel.

7. The sports apparel according to claim 1 wherein the flap includes end seams.

8. The sports apparel according to claim 1 wherein the sports apparel is in the form of a skirt.

9. The sports apparel according to claim 8 wherein the skirt includes integral shorts formed under a skirt portion.

10. A sports skirt with integrated racing bib coupling comprising A protective flap forming a downward facing slot for receipt of the top of a conventional race bib with eyelets; A plurality of snap closures within protective flap, wherein the snap closures are spaced to align with the eyelets of the racing bib and to snap together through the opening from opposed sides of the racing bib to couple the racing bib to the skirt.

11. The sports skirt according to claim 10 wherein only two snap closures are provided.

12. The sports skirt according to claim 10 wherein more than two snap closures are provided.

13. The sports skirt according to claim 10 wherein the flap is at an upper edge of sports skirt.

14. The sports skirt according to claim 10 wherein flap includes elastic material.

15. The sports skirt according to claim 10 wherein each snap closures includes a male portion of the snap closure on an inner side of the sports skirt and a female portion on an outer side of the sports skirt.

16. The sports skirt according to claim 10 wherein the flap includes end seams.

17. The sports skirt according to claim 10 wherein the sports skirt includes integral shorts formed under a skirt portion.

18. Sports apparel in the form of a skirt or shorts with integrated racing bib comprising A race bib having eyelets along at least a top surface thereof A protective flap forming a downward facing slot for receipt of the top the race bib with eyelets; A plurality of snap closures within protective flap, wherein the snap closures are spaced to align with the eyelets of the racing bib and to snap together through the opening from opposed sides of the racing bib to couple the racing bib to the skirt.

19. The Sports apparel in the form of a skirt or shorts with integrated racing bib according to claim 18 wherein the flap is at an upper edge of sports skirt and includes elastic material and end seams.

20. The Sports apparel in the form of a skirt or shorts with integrated racing bib according to claim 18 wherein the sports apparel in in the form of a sports skirt and each snap closures includes a male portion of the snap closure on an inner side of the sports skirt and a female portion on an outer side of the sports skirt.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an athlete wearing sports apparel, namely a skirt with integrated racing bib coupling and associated racing bib according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of the athlete wearing the skirt of FIG. 1 with a racing bib coupled thereto;

[0020] FIG. 2B is a front perspective view of the athlete wearing the skirt of FIG. 1 with the racing bib not coupled thereto;

[0021] FIG. 2C is a front perspective view of the athlete wearing a modified version of the skirt of FIG. 1 with the racing bib not coupled thereto;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the athlete wearing the skirt of FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the athlete wearing the skirt of FIG. 1 and exposing the racing bib coupling elements of the present invention; and

[0024] FIG. 5 is an elevational plan view of a representative racing bib used with the athletic apparel of the present claimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] This invention is directed to sports apparel such as skirts 10 and shorts with integrated racing bib coupling via snap closures 12 within protective flap 14 that is simple, effective, elegant and not cumbersome to enhance use and acceptance by participants 20. The skirt 12 may fit over existing shorts 16, or such shorts 16 may be incorporated into the skirt 10.

[0026] The invention is best illustrated in the figures in which FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an athlete 20 wearing sports apparel, namely a skirt 10 with integrated racing bib coupling via snap closures 12 and flap 14, with an associated racing bib 30 according to one aspect of the present invention, and FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of the athlete 20 wearing the skirt 10 of FIG. 1 with the racing bib 30 coupled thereto and FIG. 2B is a front perspective view of the athlete 20 wearing the skirt 10 of FIG. 1 with the racing bib 30 not coupled thereto. The skirt 10 will be generally 8-16, generally 10-12 in length and the waistband around the location of the flap 14 will typically include elastic to secure the skirt to the athlete 20. FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the athlete 20 wearing the skirt 10 of FIG. 1.

[0027] The skirt 10 may be worn over shorts 16, e.g. compression shorts, or the underlying shorts 16 may be integrated into the skirt 10 to form a single unit of apparel.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the athlete wearing the skirt of FIG. 1 and exposing the racing bib coupling elements of the present invention. The protective flap 14 forms a downward facing slot or opening for receipt of the top of a conventional race bib 30 wherein the eyelets or openings 32 of the racing bib 30 align with (or are aligned with) two of the snap connections 12 to couple the racing bib to the skirt 10. In other words the snap closures 12 within protective flap 14 are spaced to align with the eyelets 32 of the racing bib 30 and to snap together through the eyelets 32 from opposed sides of the bib 30 to couple the racing bib 30 to the skirt 10.

[0029] Although either arrangement is acceptable, having the male portion of the snap closure 12 on the inner side of the skirt 12 can make it easier to attach the bib 30, by allowing for hanging the bib 30 on the inner snaps while the outer female portions are brought into engagement with the male components and snapped thereto to couple the bib 30. Additionally, more than two snap connections 12 may be provided to yield a wider range of bib 30 operation as shown in one example in FIG. 2C.

[0030] The flap 14 extends across the entire top edge of the bib 30 and serves to protect the bib 30 and prevent the bib 30 from being a distraction to the athlete 20 or from damage during the event by minimizing flapping or excessive movement of the bib relative to the coupling snaps 12. The flap 14 is at an upper edge of the skirt 10 and may have vertical end seams as generally shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A to form a closed downward pocket for the bib 30 and will keep the flap 14 in the desired overlapping protective position as shown.

[0031] FIG. 5 is an elevational plan view of a representative racing bib 30 used with the athletic apparel 10 of the present claimed invention and best shows the eyelets 32 in the corners thereof. As shown in FIGS. 2A and B the snap connections 12 remain hidden by the protective flap 14 so as not to form any distraction for the athlete 20 or detract from the appearance of the apparel 10. The bibs 30 are generally of conventional arrangement but multiple snap connections may be added to accommodate different uniform race bib 30 sizes

[0032] Regarding race bibs 30, 8.35.8 and 7.55.75 are the most common sizes for road racing and triathlons, but other sizes are possible. The modified version in FIG. 2C can accommodate a range of standard bib 30 sizes whereby the skirt 10 includes added snaps 12 to better accommodate the most common bib sizes. Although one pair of snaps 12 can accommodate a reasonable range of bibs 30, including both the 7.5 and the 8.3 widths for bibs 30 without undue issues with the display of the bib 30. The bib 30 is often formed of TYVEK material often with the event name and logo printed on the bib 30. The skirt 10 of the present invention protects the bib 30 during the athletic event which is useful for the event itself, but athletes 20 often use the bib 30 as a memento of finished races and the skirt 10 of the invention helps maintain the bib 30 is good condition for post-race display by the competitor 20.

[0033] It is apparent that many variations to the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example the skirt 10 may include pockets for energy gels that are popular for athletes 20 in endurance races. The apparel need not be formed as a skirt 10 but easily may be implemented as running shorts with the flap 14 and the coupling snaps 12. The present invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereto.