Method of manufacturing a garment equipped with lumens configured to hold air

Abstract

A garment for the practice of water sports includes lumens for containing air. The garment is made of two superimposed neoprene sheets forming one or more lumens limited on their periphery by winding or angled welding lines.

Claims

1. A method of welding a periphery of a lumen applied to garment, the method comprising: (a) superimposing a first sheet of neoprene and a second sheet of neoprene with a layer of an elastomeric adhesive, wherein a chemical reaction of a previously delimited area occurs through the application of an acid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a trench is made along a welding line by removing a lining of neoprene into which a layer of adhesive product is applied.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an air chamber made of an elastic material is formed inside an internal region of said lumen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said lumen is positioned next to a profile located in an internal region of said lumen.

5. A method of welding a periphery of a lumen applied to garment, the method comprising: (a) superimposing a first sheet of neoprene and a second sheet of neoprene with a layer of an elastomeric adhesive, wherein a trench is made along a welding line by removing a lining of neoprene into which a layer of adhesive product is applied.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein an air chamber made of an elastic material is formed inside an internal region of said lumen.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said lumen is positioned next to a profile located in an internal region of said lumen.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an aquatic garment, highlighting the winding and/or angled welding lines along the periphery of the inflatable lumens. The dashed lines indicate the path made by the profiles or surfaces incorporated in the inner region of the lumens to facilitate the passage of air towards the valve.

(2) FIG. 2 is a back view of a garment, highlighting the profiles arranged in the inner region of the lumens and the path (represented by the dashed lines) made by the profiles when the air is introduced via the valve.

(3) FIG. 3 is a close-up of the bidirectional bite valve shown in FIG. 1 for filling the lumen(s) and/or for complementary oxygenation.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates the inclusion of a resilient material chamber located in the inner region of a lumen.

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates a lumen with a coating applied to the inner wall in order to inhibit air permeability.

(6) FIG. 6A illustrates a process of welding or fusing the periphery of a lumen though a chemical reaction, showing how the welding line is delimited.

(7) FIG. 6B shows the placement of the garment coating after a chemical reaction.

(8) FIG. 6C shows the inner face of the applied bonding line.

(9) FIG. 6D shows the formation of the lumen by superimposing two sheets of fabric. It also shows the face collapsed or indented by a chemical reaction and the welding achieved by the adhesive.

(10) FIG. 7 shows a representation of the welding of the periphery of the lumen and the application of the elastomeric adhesive.

(11) FIG. 8 shows the representation of the welding line of the lumen and the shape of a trench formed therein.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT(S)

(12) Garment 100 is fitted with lumens 10 which are configured to hold air. Garment 100 can be used for watersports. In at least some embodiments, garment 100 is made of neoprene. In at least one embodiment garment 100 is made of an elastomer made of polychloroprene rubber lined with nylon fabric on both sides. This material has imperviousness, isothermal, and resiliency properties.

(13) Suit 100 contains an arrangement of lumens 10 which are created by welding together two superimposed sheets of material 110 (See FIG. 4). In some embodiments the material is neoprene. In some embodiments lumens 10 are welded along the periphery by winding or angled welding lines 20. Winding or angled welding lines 20 avoid, or at least reduce, the formation of inelastic areas that would impede a wear's movement as can occur when welding is performed in a straight line.

(14) Among other places, lumens 10 can be placed in the chest area, close to the neck, and/or in the dorsal or lumbar area.

(15) Winding and/or angled welding lines 20 eliminate, or at least reduce, the presence of extensive straight lines that can cause inelastic areas that hamper the user's full range of motion. Alternatively, winding and/or angled welding lines 20 can create a spring effect. This spring effect can be particularly useful in the shoulder area where intense motion such as flexing, extension, abduction, hyperextension, adduction and internal rotation is often desired for rowing and swimming.

(16) In some embodiments lumen 10 has air chamber 101 made of an elastic material (see FIG. 4). Chamber 101 can have coating 21 applied to its inner surface. In some embodiments coating 21 is a paint. In certain embodiments coating 21 is applied by a silk-screen method. Coating 21 can act as physical barrier to the leakage of the air contained in lumen 10 through the fabric fibers (see FIG. 5).

(17) In some embodiments lumen 10 or chamber 101 are filled with air by means of bidirectional bite valve 11. In at least some embodiments bidirectional bite valve 11 is located on the front of garment 100 such that valve 11 can be readily access by the wearer of garment 100. In certain embodiments a user can use bidirectional bite valve 11 to access the air stored in lumens 10 and/or chambers 101.

(18) In some embodiments in the inner region of lumen 10 there are profiles 12 which move according to the flow of air created by the aspiration of bidirectional bite valve 11. Profiles 12, which can comprise internal protrusions, can facilitate the passing of air whether lumen 10 is being filled or emptied. Profiles 12 are especially useful in areas of constraint, where the elasticity of the material can cause a restriction of the intake or exhaust of air, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(19) In certain embodiments, as lumens 10 are filled with air, they work to keep the wear's chest elevated. Lumens positioned in this location can decrease the effort of rowing in the case of surfing. Lumens 10 also aid in the wearer's flotation. In particular, in at least some embodiments, the shape, volume and/or location of lumens 10 aid in keeping a wear's head above the water. In the same or other embodiments, lumens 10 can provide supplementary oxygenation that can be accessed via bidirectional bite valve 11.

(20) The welding method employed for line 20 of lumen 10 is delimited by flaps to cause the chemical reaction for the inner surface of the fabric through the application of an acid, such as hydrochloric acid, collapsing the neoprene's lining 110 and configuring an area where the thickness is reduced and pores 23 are eliminated, or at least reduced, thereby providing a chemical barrier that stops or inhibits the air contained in inflatable chamber 10 from escaping. Indented or collapsed area 23 of welding line 20 receives the adhesive 22, or the like, for bonding, as described in FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D.

(21) Optionally, the welding method can be achieved by superposing the neoprene sheets 110 or the like, with at least one coat of elastomeric adhesive 22 being applied onto the inner surface of welding line 20 of lumen 10, in such a way as to constitute a mechanical barrier to stop or inhibit the air from permeating through the fabric fibers, as shown in FIG. 7.

(22) Optionally, the welding method can be accomplished by deepening trench 24 along welding line 20 of lumen 24 by removing the inner coating of neoprene sheet 110, in such a way as to eliminate, or at least reduce, areas with fibers that allow permeation of air. At least one coat of adhesive 22 or the like is applied into trench 24 to prevent, or at least inhibit, air leakage, and welding line 20 is bonded to opposite sheet 100 by means of adhesive 22, as depicted in FIG. 8.

(23) While particular elements, embodiments and applications of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood, that the invention is not limited thereto since modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. For example, the numerous embodiments demonstrate that different combinations of components are possible within the scope of the claimed invention, and these described embodiments are demonstrative and other combinations of the same or similar components can be employed to achieve substantially the same result in substantially the same way.