Tactical shirts

Shirts are disclosed that may be worn by tactical operators. In an embodiment, the shirt includes a body to be disposed about a torso of a wearer, a body to be disposed about a torso of a wearer, and pair of sleeves to receive the wearer's arms. In addition, the shirt includes a collar assembly including a port including a V-shaped region, and a collar extending from the port. The collar has a first portion extending a first length from the port, and a second portion extending a second length from the port. The first length is longer than the second length, and the second portion extends from the V-shaped region of the port. The body and the collar assembly comprise a first material, the pair of shoulder and the pair of sleeves comprise a second material, and the second material is more abrasion resistant than the first material.

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

Tactical operators (e.g., soldiers, police officers, security and emergency response personnel who possess specialized knowledge, skills and/or training) may encounter situations that are both dangerous and that call for high levels of physical exertion. In addition, such tactical operators (or more simply “operators”) may be disposed in relatively warm climates and may carry heavy, heat-retaining equipment (e.g., body armor), which thereby increases the associated physical demands of the operator's tasks.

SUMMARY

In light of the disclosure herein, and without limiting the scope of the invention in any way, in a first aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a shirt includes a body to be disposed about a torso of a wearer, a pair of shoulders to be disposed about the wearer's shoulders, a pair of sleeves to receive the wearer's arms, and a collar assembly. The collar assembly includes a port including a V-shaped region and a collar extending from the port. The collar has a first portion extending a first length from the port, and a second portion extending a second length from the port. The first length is longer than the second length. The second portion extends from the V-shaped region of the port. The body and the collar assembly comprise a first material. The pair of shoulder and the pair of sleeves comprise a second material. The second material is more abrasion resistant than the first material.

In a second aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the second portion of the collar or the V-shaped region of the port is free of buttons, zippers, or other clasps.

In a third aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the second material has a higher thermal insulation value than the first material.

In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the first material is configured to stretch more than the second material when an identical force is applied along a direction.

In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the first material is configured to wick moisture away from the wearer's skin.

In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the body is configured to be worn underneath body armor.

In a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a shirt includes a body, a pair of shoulders, a pair of sleeves, and a collar assembly. The collar assembly includes a port including a V-shaped region and a collar extending from the port. The collar has a first portion extending a first length from the port, and a second portion extending a second length from the port. The first length is longer than the second length. The second portion extends from the V-shaped region of the port. The body and the collar assembly comprise a first material. The pair of shoulder and the pair of sleeves comprise a second material. The second portion of the collar and the V-shaped region of the port is free of buttons, zippers, or other clasps.

In an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the second material is more abrasion resistant than the first material.

In a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the second material has a higher thermal insulation value than the first material.

In a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the first material is configured to stretch more than the second material when an identical force is applied along a direction.

In an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the first material is configured to wick moisture away from a wearer's skin.

In a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the body is configured to be worn underneath body armor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following discussion is directed to various exemplary embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the examples disclosed herein have broad application, and that the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to suggest that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.

The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features and components herein may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in interest of clarity and conciseness.

In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection of the two devices, or through an indirect connection that is established via other devices, components, nodes, and connections. In addition, as used herein, the terms “axial” and “axially” generally mean along or parallel to a given axis (e.g., central axis of a body or a port), while the terms “radial” and “radially” generally mean perpendicular to the given axis. For instance, an axial distance refers to a distance measured along or parallel to the axis, and a radial distance means a distance measured perpendicular to the axis. Further, when used herein (including in the claims), the words “about,” “generally,” “substantially,” “approximately,” and the like mean within a range of plus or minus 10%.

As previously described, operators may wear heavy, heat-retaining equipment in relatively warm climates. As a result, the operator's choice of clothing may help to avoid overheating, chaffing, and other negative impacts. For instance, chaffing and overheating from body armor may lead to injuries or worse for operators as they attempt to complete their assigned duties. Accordingly, embodiments disclosed herein include tactical shirts to be worn by operators underneath other equipment, such as body armor, in order to enhance heat transfer, moisture wicking, to reduce chaffing and otherwise increase overall comfort.

Referring now toFIGS. 1 and 2, a tactical shirt100according to some embodiments is shown. As will be described below, in some embodiments tactical shirt100may be worn underneath body armor. Thus, inFIGS. 1 and 2, a body armor vest50is shown in hidden line, so as not to occlude the features of shirt100.

Shirt100includes a torso or body110, a pair of shoulder portions102and a pair of sleeves104. The body110is configured to be worn about the wearer's torso, the shoulder portions102are configured to be disposed about the wearer's shoulders, and the sleeves104are configured to receive the wearer's arms. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, in some embodiments, each shoulder portion102and corresponding sleeve104may comprise the same piece (or pieces) of fabric. In some embodiments (e.g., such as the embodiments ofFIGS. 1 and 2), sleeves104are so-called “long sleeves” that extend down to (and potentially past) the wearer's wrists.

Referring now toFIGS. 3 and 4, shirt100also includes a collar assembly120including a hole or port122for a wearer's head to extend through and a collar124extending from port122. In some embodiments, port122includes a V-neck profiled region121such that collar is ajar or spread at the wearer's neck. Without being limited to this or any other theory, the V-neck profiled region121of port122may allow air to easily flow or breathe into and out of port122at the wearer's neck and sternum, and thus more easily contact the wearer's skin so as to increase heat transfer (e.g., convective heat transfer) during operations.

Collar124extends from port122and includes a first portion124aconfigured to surround the back and sides of the wearer's neck, and a second portion124blining a portion of port122that is to rest in front of the wearer's neck. As a result, the second portion124bof collar124may be disposed along the V-neck profiled region121of port122. First portion124aof collar124extends a greater distance from port122than second portion124bsuch that the portions of collar124adjacent the back and sides of the wearer's neck cover a greater amount of the wearer's skin in these regions or areas (e.g., along the sides and back of the wearer's neck). Without being limited to this or any other theory, the additional length of the material forming first portion124aof collar124may help to reduce the risk of chaffing of the wearer's neck (e.g., by straps56or back side54of body armor vest50described in more detail below).

In some embodiments (such as the embodiments ofFIGS. 1 and 2) no buttons, zippers, or other clasps are disposed along the V-neck profiled region121of the port122or second portion124bof collar124. Rather, the V-neck profiled region121of the port122is free of any fastening features. As will be described in more detail below, the lack of any such buttons, zippers, clasps, etc. along these portions may increase comfort since such rigid features may be pressed into the wearer's skin by the relatively heavy body armor vest50.

Referring again toFIGS. 1 and 2, body armor vest50may comprise any suitable body armor material (e.g., KEVLAR®, metal or ceramic plates, etc.) that is configured to prevent (or at least restrict) the penetration of projectiles (e.g., bullets, shrapnel, etc.) therethrough. Body armor vest50generally includes a first or front side52and a second or rear side54that are joined by a pair of straps56. Straps56rest on a wearer's shoulders while front side52and rear side54cover (partially or totally) the wears front and back torso, respectively. When vest50is worn over shirt100as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the front and rear sides52and54cover (substantially) the body110. In addition, the front side52of vest50also covers a portion of the port122of collar assembly120. When vest50is disposed over shirt100, the two components may form a body armor system or assembly10that is configured to be worn by an operator during a tactical operation.

Referring still toFIGS. 1 and 2, in some embodiments the body110and collar assembly120(including collar124) of shirt100comprises a lightweight, breathable fabric that is configured to wick moisture away from the wearer's body. For example, the body110and/or collar assembly120may comprise polyester, polypropylene, wool, merino wool, micromodel, or bamboo. In other examples, the body110and/or collar assembly120may comprise modacrylic, spandex, elastane, or the like. In some embodiments, the body110and collar assembly120may comprise a knitted material for improved air-flow. Generally, each of body110and collar assembly120are lighter-weight fabrics, when compared to fabrics associated with the shoulder portions102and sleeves104. For example, the shoulder portions102and sleeves104of shirt100may comprise an abrasion resistant fabric. In some embodiments, the shoulder portions102and sleeves104of shirt100may comprise nylon.

Specifically, the material comprising the shoulders102and sleeves104may be more durable and abrasion resistant than the material comprising the body110and collar assembly120. In some embodiments, the durability or abrasion resistance of the materials of shirt100may be measured by the methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,636,948 (e.g., a Modified Wayzenbeek abrasion test or by ASTM D 4157 Standard Test Method for Abrasion Resistance of Textile Fabrics (Oscillatory Cylinder Method), etc.), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In addition, because the material forming the body110and collar assembly120may comprise a knitted material, the material may be more easily stretched than the material forming the shoulders102and sleeves104(i.e., the material forming body110and collar assembly120may stretch further than the material forming shoulders102and sleeves104when placed under an identical force in a given axis or direction). Further, the material forming the body110and collar assembly120may have a lower thermal insulation than the materials forming shoulders102and sleeves104. For instance, the material forming the body110and collar assembly120may have a lower do value than the material forming the shoulders102and sleeves104(where 1 clo=0.155 K*m2*W−1). Accordingly, in some embodiments, the material forming the body110and collar assembly120may be lighter (or weigh less) for a given surface area than the material forming the shoulders102and sleeves104.

Without being limited to this or any other theory, by utilizing a lighter, moisture wicking material for the portions of shirt100that are covered (partially or totally) by body armor vest50(i.e., body110and collar assembly120), the wearer's comfort may be increased by enhancing heat transfer and by more effectively wicking away moisture (e.g., sweat). Also, by constructing collar assembly120from a lighter, moisture wicking material, sweat that is formed or drips around the wearer's neck (e.g., sweat emanating from the wearer's head) is readily absorbed and wicked away by collar124(e.g., particularly first portion124aof collar124). In addition, because port122of collar assembly120includes no buttons, zippers, clasps, etc., the overlay of the front side52of body armor vest50does not drive any of these rigid components into the wearer's skin. Rather, one of more layers of the moisture wicking material forming body110and collar assembly120are placed between the wearer's skin and body armor vest50, thereby reducing chaffing, enhancing thermal heat transfer and moisture wicking, and therefore increasing comfort.

As used in this specification, including the claims, the term “and/or” is a conjunction that is either inclusive or exclusive. Accordingly, the term “and/or” either signifies the presence of two or more things in a group or signifies that one selection may be made from a group of alternatives.

Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can use the preceding description to utilize the claimed inventions to their fullest extent. The examples and embodiments disclosed herein are to be construed as merely illustrative and not a limitation of the scope of the present disclosure in any way. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles discussed. In other words, various modifications and improvements of the embodiments specifically disclosed in the description above are within the scope of the appended claims. For example, any suitable combination of features of the various embodiments described is contemplated. Note that elements recited in means-plus-function format are intended to be construed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112 ¶6. The scope of the invention is therefore defined by the following claims.