Abstract
Safety apparel for traversing a roof surface includes an outer fabric surface over which a readily abradable pattern of raised elastomeric members is applied. The apparel is sized and configured to fit over worn clothing such as blue jeans, permit the easy passing through of worn shoes, and includes cinching members to snug the apparel over the worn clothing. Interior surfaces of the apparel may also include an applied pattern of raised elastomeric members.
Claims
1. Safety apparel for traversing a roof surface comprising: a fabric trouser member, the trouser member comprising: a pair of leg portions each leg portion including a top opening and a bottom opening and each leg portion configured to fully surround the leg or thighs of a wearer; a waist portion; a buttocks portion; and wherein each bottom opening is configured for expansion and contraction at a lower end of each leg portion; at least the leg portions and the buttocks portion are covered with a pattern of raised elastomeric members, and, the raised elastomeric members are configured to sacrificially abrade when sliding directly against a composition roof surface.
2. The safety apparel according to claim 1 wherein the raised elastomeric members cover at least 75% of an outer surface of the fabric trouser member.
3. The safety apparel according to claim 1 wherein the raised elastomeric members include a shore A durometer value of between 0 and 50.
4. The safety apparel according to claim 1 wherein the raised elastomeric include a readily abradable silicone.
5. The safety apparel according to claim 1 including a lengthwise closure on each leg portion.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES AND THE REFERENCED NUMBERS
[0033] FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment according to the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 2 is a back view of the embodiment shown in (FIG. 1);
[0035] FIG. 3 shows various elastomeric elements that may be applied to a fabric substrate;
[0036] FIGS. 4A and 4B show respectively, front and back views of an embodiment according to the present invention including a jacket with a pattern of applied elastomeric elements;
[0037] FIGS. 5A and 5B show respectively, front and back views of an embodiment according to the present invention including a jacket with a pattern of applied elastomeric elements;
[0038] FIGS. 6A and 6B show respectively, front and back views of another embodiment according to the present invention including a jacket with a pattern of applied elastomeric striped elements;
[0039] FIGS. 7A and 7B show respectively, front and back views of another embodiment according to the present invention including overalls with a pattern of applied elastomeric elements;
[0040] FIGS. 8A and 8B show respectively, front and back views of an embodiment according to the present invention including overalls with a pattern of applied elastomeric elements;
[0041] FIGS. 9A and 9B show respectively, front and back views of an embodiment according to the present invention including overalls with a pattern of applied elastomeric elements;
[0042] FIGS. 10A and 10B show respectively, front and back views of another embodiment according to the present invention including overalls with a pattern of applied elastomeric striped elements;
[0043] FIG. 11 shows a pair of overalls with an applied textured pattern inside of the overalls;
[0044] FIG. 12 shows a shirt or pull-over having an applied texture thereon;
[0045] FIG. 13 is another embodiment, and depicts a front view of a pair of shorts with an applied elastomeric coating;
[0046] FIG. 14 is a back view of the shorts shown in (FIG. 13);
[0047] FIG. 15 is a side view of the shorts shown in (FIG. 13);
[0048] FIG. 16 is a detail view of a leg opening of the shorts shown in (FIG. 13);
[0049] FIG. 17 is a detail view of a fabric substrate with an applied elastomeric pattern;
[0050] The advantages described herein will be more fully understood by by the following detailed description of the embodiments.
REFERENCE LISTING OF THE NUMBERED ELEMENTS
[0051] 100 clothing article [0052] 102 textured pattern element [0053] 104 elastomeric print [0054] 105 fabric substrate [0055] 106 pants leg [0056] 108 article exterior [0057] 110 article interior [0058] 112 waist band [0059] 114 pocket [0060] 116 crotch section [0061] 117 buttocks section [0062] 118 cinching member [0063] 120 stretch panel [0064] 122 leg side flap closure [0065] 123 zipper
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0066] In the following description, the term gripping surface material means an elastomeric material with a high coefficient of friction when moving against a roofs surface. the gripping surface material can be made of one kind of material such as but not limited to a sheet of rubber, or can be made of one or more than one type of elastomer, or the homogeneous gripping surface material can employ a homogeneous texture or textures, homogeneous or non-homogeneous regularly patterned or irregularly patterned, or homogeneous gripping surface can be a gripping surface that is currently employed in gloves with gripping surfaces, or the homogeneous gripping surface can consist of protruding members that semi-penetrate the roof for added slip resistance. The term roof surface means any commercially available roofing material such as tiles, asphalt composition, metal corrugated, plastic or other composition. The term abradable means a material that loses surface material sacrificially when moving against the sloping surface of a roof. When referring to percentages of surface covered by an elastomeric pattern or gripping material, this means considering the various outer surfaces of garment, taking an average of the overall outer surface that is covered by a regular pattern of raised elastomeric elements.
[0067] Referring generally to FIGS. 1-17, embodiments according to the present invention include articles of safety apparel. The articles of safety apparel typically possess a loose fit that enables the apparel to be donned over existing worn apparel. The articles of safety apparel are typically made of a tough yet breathable fabric substrate such as a 5-8 oz poly-cotton, a 5-8 oz nylon. However, it is possible that some implementations may include a heavier weight, e.g., 12-16 oz fabric. The safety apparel also includes an applied elastomeric pattern 104 atop the fabric substrate 105 that is typically printed on the fabric prior to sewing the safety apparel. In some implementations, the applied pattern may be glued to the outer surface of the apparel. The applied pattern typically covers at least 60% of the outer surface of the apparel. The applied pattern may be on both the exterior and interior of the apparel. Trouser type apparel typically include an elastic panel on an inside facing side of each leg, and a slit that may be opened and closed; e.g., by a zipper, to permit shoes to pass through the leg openings.
[0068] Referring to FIG. 1, a front view of one embodiment of safety apparel 100 shows a gripping surface material that has a substantial amount of gripping surface material 104 applied to the outer surface 105 of the apparel. Cinching members 118 to tighten the leg openings may include strap and patch pairs with hook and loop material. Alternately, cinching may be provided by buttons, snaps, drawstrings, etc., that will suggest itself to those having skill in the art and access to this dislcosure.
[0069] Referring to FIG. 2, a rear view of the article of apparel of (FIG. 1), also shows a substantial amount of gripping surface material applied to the outer surface of the apparel.
[0070] FIG. 3 depicts various possible patterns of an applied gripping surface material 102 such as a circular elastomeric applique that could be used in a pattern of dots, a strip type applique which may be be used in a pattern of a series of stripes or parallel lines or perpendicular lines, a chevron applique, a random shape applique, a spider web applique and a Bengal tiger pattern applique.
[0071] FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A and 6B illustrate the front and back sides of a shirt or jacket type article of safety apparel that includes a gripping surface material 102 in various patterns with a substantial amount of gripping surface material 102, 104 applied to the safety clothing.
[0072] FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B, 9A, 10A and 10B illustrate the front and back sides of an overall type article of safety apparel including a gripping surface material 102, 104 that has been applied to varying percentages of the outer surface 105 of the apparel. Preferably, the pattern would cover at least 60% and preferably at least 75% of the outer surface.
[0073] FIG. 11 depicts an overall type article of safety apparel including a gripping surface material that covers the outer surface 105 substantially, and at least some of the interior surfaces as well. FIG. 12 shows a pull over type article of safety apparel that covers the outer surface 105 substantially, and at least some of the interior surfaces as well.
[0074] FIG. 13 depicts a front side view of a preferred embodiment for an article of safety apparel. The pair of shorts shown includes an outer surface 105 that is substantially covered by a regular repeating pattern 104 of raised readily abraded elastomeric members. The shorts include elastic stretchable panels 120 on the inside facing sides of the pants legs and a lengthwise opening 122 that may be opened and closed by a zipper or other closure means to enable a shoe to pass through the leg openings.
[0075] FIG. 13 depicts a back side view of a preferred embodiment of (FIG. 13).
[0076] FIG. 15 shows the lengthwise opening 122 that enlarges the pants leg opening as needed to don article over worn shoes.
[0077] FIG. 16 is a detail view of a pants leg 106 opening depicting the lengthwise opening 122 with zipper closure 123 and side surface 110. The raised patter of elastomeric members 104 is clearly shown atop a fabric substrate 105.
[0078] FIG. 17 is an enlarged detail view of a regular pattern of enlarged raised elastomeric elements 104 over a fabric substrate 105.
[0079] Although the present disclosure is described in terms of certain example embodiments, other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure, including embodiments that do not provide all of the benefits and features set forth herein, which are also within the scope of this disclosure. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, without departing from the scope of the following claims.
