Abstract:
A compression sport pant compliments the pelvic region and legs and supports the hamstring muscles of a wearer. A neoprene liner in the back of a leg portion and in contact with the associated leg of the wearer holds natural body heat next to the wearer&#39;s skin. A stretchable, relatively wide strap is wrapped around the leg portion over the liner when the garment is worn to apply additional support to the hamstring area.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to improvements in compression support pants or shorts and, in particular, to a compression garment that keeps the hamstring muscle warm by holding natural body heat next to the skin. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The compression girdle is a widely used and accepted garment for active individuals and athletes engaged in diverse physical activities such as bicycling, hiking, track and field events, basketball and football. One example of this type of garment is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,257 which discloses a sport pant in the form of a knee-length football girdle made from a highly resilient fabric comprising, for example, a blend of 75% nylon and 25% Lycra® (Dupont registered trademark). This fabric provides a four-way stretch with the desired compression characteristics for effective support of the underlying muscles of the wearer. Sport garments of this type are available in both short styles and full-length pants. 
         [0003]    Although the compression girdle effectively supports the user&#39;s hamstring muscles, it does not, of itself, materially prevent body heat from escaping from the hamstring muscles at the back of the legs of the wearer. Therefore, the user relies upon outer garments for this function. Light-weight outer garments, often worn, provide little resistance to the escape of natural body heat from the hamstring muscle area. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In an embodiment of the present invention the aforementioned problem is addressed by providing a compression sport pant shaped to compliment the pelvic region and legs and support the hamstring muscles of a wearer. Downwardly extending leg portions of the garment receive the legs of the wearer, and a neoprene liner in the back of each of the leg portions contacts the leg of the wearer when the garment is worn and thus holds natural body heat next to the wearer&#39;s skin. To apply additional support to the hamstring area, a stretchable, relatively wide strap is wrapped around the leg portion over the liner when the garment is worn. 
         [0005]    In another aspect of the invention, means is provided on an outer surface of the pant at a rear portion thereof to secure the strap in a fixed position. The securing means may comprise a strip of hook or loop material extending upwardly to a buttock region of the garment to hold the strap in the fixed position. 
         [0006]    Another aspect of the present invention is that a tendency of the stretchable straps to drop down in front to a low position when the wearer is active is prevented as means is provided on the front of the pant which engages the straps and holds them in place when the garment is worn. 
         [0007]    Other advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a frontal and left side view illustrating the support garment of the present invention on a wearer and shows a stretchable support strap wrapped around and secured to the right leg, the left leg being shown without a strap to reveal a piece of hook material attached to the leg for securing the strap (when applied) in a fixed position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is perspective view of the rear and left side of the garment as worn, the support strap for the left leg also being removed as in  FIG. 1  to show the position of the neoprene liner on the inside of the leg and a vertically extending strip of hook material on the rear of the garmet. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a frontal view of the garment showing parts broken away and removed to reveal the right and left neoprene liners and details of construction. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of the garment showing the left leg with the support strap removed therefrom and the right leg with the support strap partially removed. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a detail view showing the layers at the rear of the garment and arrows indicating the retention of body heat at the hamstring muscles. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates the application of the support strap to the right leg. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-3 , the compression support pant of the present invention is shown in place on the body of the wearer. The garment has three sections stitched together at spaced seams  10  and  12 , such sections including a right leg section  14 , a center or crotch section  16 , and a left leg section  18 . The seams  10  and  12  extend from the front of a waistband  20  down under the crotch and up to the back of the waistband  20  as seen in the rear view of  FIG. 4 . The particular support pant illustrated is a knee-length girdle style, it being appreciated that the present invention is equally applicable to a full-length pant. 
         [0015]    The leg and crotch sections  14 ,  16  and  18  are made from a highly resilient fabric, preferably a blend of 75% nylon and 25% Lycra® having a rating of approximately 280 denier. This provides a fabric having four-way stretch ability and thus the compression characteristics desired for effective compression support of the underlying muscles of the wearer, as set forth, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,257. In the present invention, a hamstring support system is provided and includes a substantially rectangular neoprene liner in the back of each leg of the compression short, the liner  22  for the left leg being partially shown in broken lines in  FIG. 2  and revealed in  FIG. 3  where the fabric is broken away. The liner  22  is secured by a peripheral line of stitching  24  which is continuous along the top, bottom and side edges of the liner  22 , the inside edge thereof being hidden from view. An identical neoprene liner  26  is secured by peripheral stitching to the inside, back surface of the right leg section  14  as is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
         [0016]    In addition to the neoprene liners  22  and  26 , the hamstring support system includes a pair of detachable straps  28  for the respective legs, shown in place on the right leg in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the strap  28  on the left leg being omitted from the figures in order to reveal other aspects of the present invention set forth below. In  FIG. 3  the right strap  28  is shown released and open at the front to reveal a relatively small, rectangular piece of Velcro® hook material  30  sewn on the leg section  14  which, when the strap  28  is in place as shown in  FIG. 1 , engages and holds the strap  28  against downward movement at the front of the garment which might otherwise occur when the pant is worn. 
         [0017]    An elongated, vertically extending strip  32  of elasticated loop material is secured to the outside of each of the leg sections  14  and  18  at the rear thereof from the buttock portion down to near the bottom of each leg for the purpose of positioning and holding the strap  28  on each leg in place and preclude downward shifting at the rear when worn by an active individual. This assures that the straps  28  will not slip downward and will continue to apply support to the hamstring area of the wearer at the desired position. Application of the strap  28  to the right leg is illustrated in  FIG. 6  where it may be appreciated that the strap is stretched tightly as it is wrapped around the leg and thus applies the additional support. The strap  28  is provided with a strip of hook material  34  at each end thereof which, once the strap  28  is stretched to the extent desired by the wearer, engages the loop material of the strap  28  to tightly secure the strap  28  in place. It will be appreciated that the straps  28  enable the girdle of the present invention to accommodate the leg size of the wearer and thus provide the hamstring support. 
         [0018]    The action of the hamstring support system of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 5  for the left leg section  18 . The arrows  36  represent body heat at the hamstring muscles which, in the absence of the support system of the present invention, would readily escape through the material and the rear of the leg sections  14  and  18 . However, the neoprene liner  22  (or liner  26 , right leg) prevents substantial heat escape as illustrated by the arrows  38  and thus body heat does not escape, or is minimized, and the hamstring muscles stay warm as the natural body heat is held next to the skin. For maximum heat retention, each of the neoprene liners should have a thickness of at least one-sixteenth of an inch. 
         [0019]    Furthermore, in the present invention the neoprene liners  22 ,  26  and the strap  28  on each leg cooperate to assure maximum heat retention as both are held in place in overlying relationship to the user&#39;s hamstring muscles. The straps  28  apply additional support to the hamstring area and thus maintain a continuous amount of consistent pressure on the hamstring muscles. The pieces  30  of hook material and the strips  32  hold the straps  28  to prevent downward shifting during athletic activity. 
         [0020]    It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.