Padded pant construction for athletic purposes

A pants garment having a pad retention member and liner sewn in place within the crotch and lower seat portion of the garment. Lines of stitching define rear and frontal pockets within which are retained resilient pads which cushion muscle and tissue of the anatomy subjacent the pelvis. Unstitched segments of the main member and liner provide openings for insertion and removal of the pads which may be of selected thicknesses to provide the desired amount of cushioning. Paired rear pads cushion the ischium of the pelvis while a forward pad cushions the pubic structure of the pelvis. Unfolding of the pads subsequent to pocket insertion contributes toward pad retention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention pertains generally to a garment with padding for 
protecting the lower torso when the wearer is seated. 
In riding of bicycles, certain areas of the torso are subjected to severe 
impact loads. Efforts to cushion the torso include the usual provision of 
padded bicycle seat structures and resilient seat covers the most common 
being of sheepskin and fleece. The foregoing solutions are adequate to 
some extent particularly for those riding for short periods of time over 
smooth surfaces. 
A problem exists in protecting that fleshy portion of the anatomy subjacent 
the pelvis especially for those engaged in riding over lengthy periods of 
time such as those cyclists engaging in competition of touring. Without 
adequate cushioning, bruising of tissue below the ischial tuberosities can 
occur was well as injury to muscles proximate the ischium and nerves 
proximate the pubic areas. 
Known cushioning efforts do not lend themselves to convenient altering the 
amount of cushioning provided. 
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
The present invention is embodied within a pants garment having padding 
means within the crotch portion to protect load bearing tissue and nerves 
when the wearer is seated. 
The garment may be embodied in a pair of shorts suited for wear by cyclists 
with padding confined in the crotch and seat areas of the shorts without 
hindering leg motion or causing bulkiness of the attire. The padding may 
be in the form of multiple pads located to provide the desired cushioning. 
Pad retention means confines the padding. Provision is made for pad 
removal and substitution to best suit present purposes and user's anatomy. 
The pad retention means, in place within the garment, insertably receives 
the pads and holds same in place at strategic points conducive to rider 
comfort. 
Important objectives include the provision of a protective pants garment 
for wear by those participating in an activity wherein sudden and severe 
loads are imparted to the lower torso as for example bicycling; the 
provision of a pants garment having pad retention means which confines 
padding in a removable manner so as to cushion those parts of the lower 
torso otherwise subjected to injurious loading; the provision of a pants 
garment with pad retention means providing for confinement of cushioning 
pads in a removable manner to permit adapting the padding to suit 
individual preferences; the provision of a pants garment with pad 
retention means and padding shaped to snugly fit about the body to avoid 
adding bulkiness to the wearer's attire; the provision of pad retention 
means which may be of unitary construction for ease of pants installation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With continuing attention to the drawing wherein applied reference numerals 
indicate parts similarly hereinafter identified, the reference numeral 1 
indicates a garment of the pants type for the lower human torso which 
garment may be in the form of bicycle shorts. A crotch portion is at 1A 
while a lower seat portion is at 1B. 
Typically the bicycle shorts include an elasticized waist band 2 and 
elasticized bands at 3 and 4 which fit about the wearer's upper legs in a 
snug manner. The garment interior surface is at 1C. 
While bicycle shorts are shown and described, it is understood that the 
present invention is usable with other types of pants garments worn by 
individuals engaging in athletics or other activities wherein the pelvic 
area of the torso is subjected to impact loads. 
Indicated generally at 5 are pad confinement means in place internally 
within garment 1. Such confinement means are located interiorally within 
the lower seat portion and the crotch portion of the garment. In the 
following description, the terms inner, outer, anterior and posterior are 
relative the lower torso. An inner main fabric member 6 of the pad 
confinement means is stitched at 7 substantially about its perimeter to 
the perimeter of an outer liner L of corresponding shape. Stitching 7 also 
passes through the pant material. Main member 6 is located below the 
wearer's pelvis with points A and B indicating areas of maximum ischium 
exerted pressure while points C and D indicate points of maximum pressure 
exerted by the wearer's pubic bone structure. Accordingly, the present pad 
confinement means is disposed intermediate the lowermost extremities of 
the pelvis and a seat. 
Main member 6 has inwardly recessed, edge free segments at 8 and 9 as well 
as at 10 and 11 which provide openings to permit passage of later 
described pad means. Forward and rearward portions at 6A-6B of main member 
6 are associated with the anterior and posterior of the pelvis. 
Main member 6 is preferably formed from two pieces of fabric wherein the 
forward portion 6A terminates rearwardly along a curved edge stitched at 
12 to a correspondingly curved edge of the rearward portion of the main 
member. Such construction permits the pad confinement means to adapt to 
the curvature of the crotch portion of the pant to prevent imparting an 
undesired bulky appearance to the garment. 
Pad means includes rear pads at 13 and 14, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, 
are confined in place within the confinement means 5 at positions to 
cushion the pelvis at the aforementioned points, A and B. For retention of 
the pads in place, main member 6 is stitched at 15-16 to liner L to form 
pad receiving rear pockets 17 and 18. More specifically, the stitching at 
15-16 defines the interior limits of pockets 17-18 further defined by 
perimeter stitching 7 to receive pads 13 and 14. A frontal pad at 22, 
which may be of cruciform shape, is confined within a front pocket 23 
defined by stitching 24 and 25 which, as was the case with the earlier 
defined stitched pockets, also passes through liner L. Accordingly, upon 
insertion of frontal pad 22, the wings 22A and 22B thereof will flex 
outwardly to occupy forwardly and rearwardly extending pocket extensions 
in communication with transversely extending pocket 23. 
The pads are preferably formed from a synthetic, resilient foam material of 
cellular foam, such as neoprene foam or vinylnitril foam, in a range of 
thicknesses from 1/8 inch through 1/4 of an inch or so with such 
permitting the user to select the most effective padding thickness. The 
main member is formed from a material having a napped or felt surface, one 
such suitable fabric being of polypropylene fiber. Such fabric tends to 
frictionally adhere to the pads to inhibit pad movement within their 
respective pockets. The openings 8-11 for pad passage are of lesser width 
than the associated pocket to assure pad confinement. 
The liner has been found suitable when made of a tricot material. The use 
of a liner permits pad retention means to be constructed as a unit and 
incorporated into the interior of the pants by the overlock stitching at 7 
about the perimeter of main member 6 and the liner except, of course, for 
free edge segments or openings 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the main member. 
A front-to-rear vertical medial plane is at P intersects front pocket 23 
while rear pockets 17 and 18 are laterally offset from same. Pad insertion 
and removal is accomplished with temporary folding of the pads for passage 
through the pocket associated opening. 
While we have shown but one embodiment of the invention, it will be 
apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied 
still otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of the 
invention. 
Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be secured in a 
Letters Patent is: