Patent Publication Number: US-10327484-B2

Title: Athletic garment with interchangeable ventilated sleeves

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     N/A. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of clothing for dancing and gymnastics, and more particularly to leotards designed with removable sleeves. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Leotards are commonly used for dancing and gymnastics. They can be made with varying designs, including no sleeves, as well as short and long sleeves. 
     Dancers and gymnasts may become overheated during long practice session and may wish to change to a shorter sleeve, or a sleeveless leotard. Additionally, a wearer may wish to change the visual appearance. However, it may be impractical to use several leotards, and even shorter sleeve leotard versions are typically completely closed around the torso area and may not offer adequate ventilation. 
     As such, considering the foregoing, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for novel and improved devices and methods for adaptable leotards with improved ventilation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in aspects of this invention, enhancements are provided to the existing model of leotards. 
     In an aspect, an adaptable garment, which can be an adaptable leotard, can include:
         a) a garment body, which can be a leotard body, comprising right and left arm openings; and   b) right and left removable sleeves that are removably attached to the leotard body.       

     In a related aspect, the removable sleeves can be partially attached to the garment body, such that that armpit apertures are defined between the garment body and the removable sleeves. 
     In related aspects, the removable sleeves can be attached to the garment body with zippers, hook and loop fastener, or other types of fastening mechanisms. 
     In another aspect, an adaptable garment system can include:
         a) a garment body; and   b) a plurality of removable sleeve pairs, including first and second pairs of removable sleeves.       

     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an adaptable leotard with removable sleeves, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of an adaptable leotard with removable sleeves, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of an adaptable leotard with removable sleeves, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of an adaptable leotard with removable sleeves detached, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of part of an adaptable leotard with removable sleeves, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view of an adaptable leotard system, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Before describing the invention in detail, it should be observed that the present invention resides primarily in a novel and non-obvious combination of elements and process steps. So as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art, certain conventional elements and steps have been presented with lesser detail, while the drawings and specification describe in greater detail other elements and steps pertinent to understanding the invention. 
     The following embodiments are not intended to define limits as to the structure or method of the invention, but only to provide exemplary constructions. The embodiments are permissive rather than mandatory and illustrative rather than exhaustive. 
     In the following, we describe the structure of an embodiment of a leotard with removable sleeves  100  with reference to  FIG. 1 , in such manner that like reference numerals refer to like components throughout; a convention that we shall employ for the remainder of this specification. 
     In an embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an adaptable garment  100 , which for example can be an adaptable shirt, an adaptable jacket, an adaptable unitard, an adaptable bodysuit, an athletic garment with interchangeable ventilated sleeves, or an adaptable leotard  100 , can include:
         a) a garment body  110 , such as a leotard body  110 ; and   b) right and left removable sleeves  122   124 , which are removably attached to respectively right and left arm openings  112   114  of the leotard body  110 .       

     In a related embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3 , each of the right and left removable sleeves  122   124  can be attached to respectively a right and left partial upper periphery  316  of each of respectively the right and left arm openings, from a front attachment point  332  to a rear attachment point  334 , such that that there is an armpit aperture  330  defined between the leotard body and the removable sleeve  112   114 , the armpit aperture  330  positioned in respectively the right and left armpits of a user wearing the adaptable leotard  100 . The armpit aperture can for example be substantially diamond shaped, substantially oval, or as shown, diamond/oval shaped with an upper triangular/diamond shape and a lower oval shape. The partial connection of the right and left removable sleeves  122   124  to respectively the right and left partial upper periphery  316 , allow for a tight fit when worn, because the non-connected segments  340 , which surround the armpit aperture  330 , can stretch and therefore adapt to the user. Further, the right and left apertures  330  provide ventilation and reduce perspiration of the user, which increases the life span of the adaptable leotard  100  and reduces the risk of discoloration and related degradation of the adaptable leotard  100 . 
     In a related embodiment, the garment body  110  and the right and left removable sleeves  122   124  can be made from a stretch fabric, such as LYCRA™, Spandex, and similar stretch fabrics. 
     In a related embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the right and left removable sleeves  122   124  can each be attachable with zippers  402  to a partial upper periphery  316  of each of respectively the right and left arm openings. Alternatively, hook and loop fastener  404 , or other types of fasteners can be used. The zippers  402  can be sewn with conventional design details, for example as lap zippers  402 , using flaps to cover the zippers, or as so-called invisible zippers  402 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a right removable sleeve  122  attached to the leotard body  110 , such that the adaptable leotard  100  has a right armpit aperture  530 . 
     In an embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6 , an adaptable garment system  100  can include:
         a) a garment body  110 , shown from the rear in  FIG. 6 ; and   b) A plurality of removable sleeve pairs, including:
           i. A first pair of removable sleeves, including:
               First right and left removable sleeves  122   124 , which are removably attachable to respectively right and left arm openings  112   114  of the garment body  110 ; and   
               ii. A second pair of removable sleeves, including:
               Second right and left removable sleeves  522   524 , which are removably attachable to respectively the right and left arm openings  112   114  of the leotard body  110 .   
               
               

     In a related embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the first right and left removable sleeves  122   124  can be configured as a pair of long sleeves, and the second right and left removable sleeves  522   524  can be configured as a pair of short sleeves. 
     In related embodiments, the plurality of removable sleeve pairs can include a plurality of sleeves configured with different styles, design, lengths, colors, and/or patterns. Different length removable sleeve pair can for example include bicep-length short sleeves, ¾ length sleeves that reach to the forearm, and long sleeves that reach to the wrist. 
     Here has thus been described a multitude of embodiments of the adaptable garment  100 , and systems and methods related thereto, which can be employed in numerous modes of usage. 
     The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 
     Many such alternative configurations are readily apparent, and should be considered fully included in this specification and the claims appended hereto. Accordingly, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and thus, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.