Sports garment for covering protective equipment

A garment having a substantially tubular body configured to cover at least one of an upper and a lower torso of a wearer, and at least one pair of tubular portions extending from the body and configured for surrounding corresponding limbs of the wearer, each tubular portion including a tubular insert having a length increasing around a perimeter thereof from a minimum length to a maximum length, the tubular insert providing excess material in the tubular portion along the maximum length to locally increase a width of the tubular portion. The garment can be for example pants or a jersey.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to garments to be worn over equipment such as, for example, protective equipment. In particular, the present invention provides for a garment such as a jersey or pants configured to be worn over protective equipment, such that the range of motion of the arms or legs covered by the protective equipment is not unduly impeded by the garment.

2. Background Art

In contact sports such as hockey, lacrosse, football, or others, a player is required to wear a number of pieces of protective equipment, for example elbow pads. As the player usually wears a garment such as a jersey over the equipment, the garment is required to be substantially large in size in order to effectively contain the protective equipment.

However, enlarged garments, for example jerseys having enlarged sleeves to contain elbow pads, provide more opportunities for an opponent to grab and restrain the player by the loose material, for example the loose material of the enlarged sleeve surrounding parts of the arm not protected by the elbow pad.

On the other hand, a garment that is too tight, especially where surrounding a joint such as an elbow or knee protected by a pad, can impede the motion of the joint through the interaction of the pad and garment, thus being detrimental to the wearer's performance.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide an improved garment to be worn over protective equipment without substantially impeding motions of the wearer.

It is also an aim of the present invention to provide an improved garment having enlarged sections to cover protective equipment.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a garment comprising a substantially tubular body configured to cover at least one of an upper and a lower torso of a wearer, and at least one pair of tubular portions extending from the body and configured for surrounding corresponding limbs of the wearer, each tubular portion including a tubular insert having a length increasing around a perimeter thereof from a minimum length to a maximum length, the tubular insert providing excess material in the tubular portion along the maximum length to locally increase a width of the tubular portion.

Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a garment comprising a substantially tubular body configured to cover at least one of an upper and a lower torso of a wearer, and at least one pair of tubular portions extending from the body and configured for surrounding corresponding limbs of the wearer, a width of each tubular portion progressively increasing from a first point to a second point and progressively decreasing from the second point to a third point, the first point being closer to a connection between the tubular portion and the body than the third point and the second point being located between the first and third points.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

Referring now toFIGS. 1-3, a sports jersey10according to a particular embodiment of the present invention, which can be for example a hockey jersey, is shown. The jersey10includes a tubular body12defining a chest portion14, a back portion16and a shoulder portion18which are interconnected and configured for respectively covering a chest, a back and shoulders of a wearer. The various portions14,16,18can be separately formed and assembled together, or two or more of the portions14,16,18can be integrally formed from a single panel of material or cloth. Alternately, any of the portions14,16,18can be composed of a plurality of assembled panels.

The jersey10also includes a pair of tubular portions or sleeves20, each extending from the body12for containing at least part of an arm of the wearer. Each sleeve20includes a tubular insert22,122which is located to surround the elbow joint of the wearer. The insert22,122has a length progressively increasing around its perimeter from a minimum length24to a maximum length26, as can be best seen inFIG. 1. The maximum length26is located along the back28of the sleeve20(seeFIGS. 1 and 3), substantially over the elbow of the wearer, such as to provide excess material around the elbow for containing an elbow pad. The minimum length24is located along the front30of the sleeve20(seeFIGS. 1-2).

Referring toFIG. 1, the excess material along the back28of the sleeve20provided by the insert22,122provides a local increase in the width32of the sleeve20around the location of the elbow pad. Thus, the width32progressively increases from a first point34to a second point36and progressively decreases from the second point36to a third point38, the first point34being closer to the connection of the sleeve20with the jersey body12than the third point38and the second point36being located between the first and third points34,38. The minimum length24of the insert22,122at the front30of the sleeve20minimizes the quantity of material in a portion of the sleeve20where excess material is not required. The excess material along the back28of the sleeve20facilitates the bending of the elbow joint by reducing the interaction between the material of the sleeve20and the elbow pad contained therein.

Referring toFIG. 4, a particular configuration for the insert22is shown in its unassembled form. The insert22includes first and second opposed ends40,42respectively defining first and second longitudinal edges44,46having a similar length and defining a transversal central line C therebetween, the longitudinal edges44,46being joined together to form the assembled insert22. In the example shown, the joined longitudinal edges44,46of the insert22in the sleeve20are located along the underside48of the sleeve20(seeFIGS. 2-3). The insert22also includes two curved transversal edges50,52extending between the two longitudinal edges44,46. The curved transversal edges50,52curve away from each other in the back28of the sleeve20, such as to define the maximum length26therebetween. The transversal edges50,52also curve toward each other in the front30of the sleeve20, such as to define the minimum length24therebetween.

Referring toFIG. 5, an alternative configuration for the insert122is shown in its unassembled form. The insert122includes first and second opposed ends140,142, the first end140having a cut-out145, for example, a triangular cut-out, defined therein such as to form two first longitudinal edges144a,bwhich, together, have a similar length than a second longitudinal edge146defined by the second end142. Here again, the first longitudinal edges144a,bare joined to the second longitudinal edge146to form the assembled insert122, with the cut-out edges149being attached together, as illustrated inFIG. 3by the dotted line147. The joined longitudinal edges144a,b,146of the insert122in the sleeve20are located along the underside48of the sleeve20(seeFIGS. 2-3). Two curved transversal edges150,152extend between the first and second longitudinal edges144a,b,146, curving away from each other in the back28of the sleeve20such as to define the maximum length26therebetween, and toward each other in the front30of the sleeve20such as to define the minimum length24therebetween.

Other configurations for the insert22,122are also possible, for example longitudinal edges44,144,46,146a,bof the insert22,122in the sleeve20located along the back28of the sleeve20and defining the maximum length26, or located along the front30of the sleeve20and defining the minimum length24, and/or an insert22,122composed of a plurality of pieces attached together, and/or an insert22,122having a plurality of cut-outs such as145defined in the longitudinal edges44,144,46,146a,b, and/or an insert22,122with straight transversal edges50,150,52,152, etc.

Referring toFIGS. 6-7, pants210according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention are shown. The pants210have a substantially tubular body212configured to cover the lower torso of the wearer including the hips. The body212can be formed of a single panel or a plurality of interconnected panels. The body212can include various types of fastening means, for example buttons, cords, snaps, zipper, etc. (not shown). The pants210also include a pair of tubular portions or legs220, each extending from the body212for containing at least part of a leg of the wearer. The legs220may be similar in configuration to the arms of the jersey previously shown and described, i.e. each leg220may include a tubular insert222similar to the insert22,122which is located to surround the knee joint of the wearer. The insert222, like the insert22,122of the jersey10, has a length progressively increasing around its perimeter from a minimum length224to a maximum length226. However, in the case of the pant leg220the maximum length226is located along the front230of the leg220. The maximum length226is located substantially over the knee of the wearer such as to provide excess material around the knee for containing a knee pad, and the minimum length224is located along the back228of the leg220.

The excess material provided along the front230of the leg220provides a local increase in the width (not shown—see the width32of the sleeve20shown inFIG. 1) of the leg220around the location of the knee pad. Thus, the width progressively increases from a first point234to a second point236and progressively decreases from the second point236to a third point238, the first point234being closer to the connection of the leg220with the pant body212than the third point238and the second point236being located between the first and third points234,238.

Although the present invention has been described with hockey jersey and pants, it is to be understood that the present invention can be similarly applied to other types of garments, for example garments for other types of contact sports necessitating protective equipment (e.g. football, lacrosse, etc.), garments to be worn over other types of bulky equipment (e.g. casts, medical devices, other protective wear, etc.). In these other applications, the location of the width variation in the tubular portion of the garment (e.g. sleeve, leg) surrounding the bulky equipment is determined by the position of that equipment on the body of the wearer.

The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be exemplary. Those skilled in the art will therefore appreciate that the foregoing description is illustrative only, and that various alternate configurations and modifications can be devised without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternate configurations, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.