Patent Publication Number: US-2010125926-A1

Title: Protective swimwear garment/undergarment

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to protective swimwear garments and undergarments consisting of a tightly woven fabric and a rubber grip waistband and thigh/knee bands. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     There are many different types of swimsuits, undergarments and beach garments available for providing different types of protection. 
     There are patents for similar garments to our invention that are not made with a rubber or other waistband (as in our claims) or knee/thigh band to keep debris from entering the garment. 
     There are other patents with similar designs but their claims are only that they enhance swimming performance and speed. Additional patents we looked at only claim to protect from jellyfish stings or protect from the cold of the water. Additional patents we looked at only claim to provide UVA or UVB protection. 
     While there are a number of protective swimwear articles that are available, most of them are not configured to meet multiple objectives. In addition, there is a need for functional protective swimwear garments that provide protection from a number of different elements and fulfill a number of different purposes, as we will mention below. 
     For example, there are patents that have been granted and other products already on the market do not protect wearers from all types of debris mentioned in our claims above. There are patents that are not made with a fabric that is tightly woven and sand and debris can enter and get embedded between the garment and the wearer&#39;s skin as well as embedded in the fabric itself. We have tested many different manufacturers&#39; garments and they do not keep debris out of garment and away from the skin. This is where ours is different and effective. 
     There are no patents approved for the purpose of keeping sand and all types of debris away from the wearer&#39;s skin and/or female and male genitalia to help prevent rashes, infections, chafing, burning, itching, etc. Our product protects the wearer from all items listed above. 
     We took the idea of a pair of bicycle shorts and added a wide elastic waistband and wide elastic thigh/knee bands on each leg, all with rubber gripping on the backs of the elastic, to help solve the problem of having debris enter our garment. This greatly reduces or eliminates the amount of sand or debris from touching the wearer&#39;s skin. This also solves the problem of unnecessary sand or debris from entering a baby&#39;s diaper. This also greatly reduces the amount of sand and debris from touching male and female genitalia and buttocks. 
     Technology over the years has provided many improvements in design, durability and easy of use in swimwear, but still nothing protects infants through adults from having the annoying problem of sand and debris entering their swimsuits. Sand and debris can cause many problems including skin irritation, infections, blisters, rashes, burning, discomfort, etc., for the wearer. There are many new fabrics that are highly flexible and durable and tightly woven to enhance a wearer&#39;s enjoyment at the beach or other places where sand and debris are present. We are using these newer, high-quality and high-performance fabrics to help solve all of the problems above. We are also using a rubber gripping to ensure that debris stays out of the garment. 
     Basic design is just as important as fabric characteristics. There are many manufacturers but our combination of materials used and the actual design of this garment will provide the most effective protection and comfort available. 
     The bottom line is that there is a need for an undergarment, garment and/or short device that can keep debris from contact with the wearer&#39;s skin, genitalia and buttocks while keeping the wearer comfortable without irritating or annoying the wearer. Keeping debris and sand out will also help to prevent burning, rashes, irritation, chafing, infections, etc. These are the benefits from wearing this garment, undergarment or short. There also is a universal need for an undergarment, garment and/or short that can protect babies from all of the elements listed in our claims, especially in their genitalia and buttocks and diapers. In addition to this, the aesthetics of our product are something that adults and children would like to wear. There is a further need for an undergarment that incorporates essentially straights seams and a limited numbers of seams for easier manufacture. The seams will also be made with a flatlock stitching and lycra threading for additional comfort and less abrasion. Our present invention is directed to such needs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION, BRIEF DESCRIPTION  
     The present invention is directed to swimwear in the form of garments and undergarments. The present invention is used for any wearer from infant through adult, male or female. The present invention is to be used by, but not limited to babies, children, adults, swimmers, beachgoers, sunbathers, surfers, bodyboarders, skimboarders, snorkelers, scuba divers, jetskiers, parasailers, waterskiiers, etc. 
     The garment will function to envelop the wearer&#39;s body and is worn from a section of the body below the wearer&#39;s chest, at the wearer&#39;s waist or hips, to just above the wearer&#39;s knees and including the wearer&#39;s thigh area. 
     The garment is comprised of materials such as polyester, nylon, cotton, spandex, Lycra, silk, warped or circular knits, mesh, any natural or manmade or synthetic fiber, fabric, cloth, textile, etc. The garment will be made with rubber gripping that will be sewn on the waistband and also sewn on the hems of both thighs/knees to ensure that the garment stays in place and allows a minimal amount of debris inside the garment. The rubber gripping will be made from any combination of rubber, jacquard rubber gripping, elastic, cotton, spandex, Lycra, polyester and Velcro. The waistband and thigh/knee band will be made at a length or width of zero to infinity. 
     The unique combination of all materials and processes we have chosen will provide the maximum benefits for all purposes described in this description and in our claims. We have chosen fabric combinations that will greatly reduce the amount of sand and debris that enter the garment and touch the skin by the openings at the waist, thigh/knee openings and through the fabric itself. 
     The garment is form fitting for extreme comfort, fitting like a second skin. The garment is aesthetically pleasing and the fabric is breathable. The garment will be made of a high-quality, tightly knit fabric to enhance the experience for a day at the beach, vacation, resort or for any water sport. 
     This garment will be used by the above for the purposes of: (a) helping to keep any type of debris including but not limited to sand, dirt, rocks, seaweed, shells, dust, mud, slime, saltwater, bugs, fish, etc., from entering into the garment, undergarment and/or short; (b) for helping to protect the wearer from, but not limited to, getting friction, rashes, irritation, chafing, blisters, burning, itching, etc.; (c) for helping to keep all of the items in section (a) above from irritating or annoying male and female&#39;s genitalia and/or buttocks as well as their thighs/knees/waist to keep the wearer comfortable; (d) for helping to keep the items from elements in (a) from entering male and female genitalia to reduce bacterial infections that can be caused by certain types of debris; (e) keeping babies comfortable from all of the elements in (a), (b), (c) and (d) above, as well as helping to keep these elements out of their diapers. 
     All features, aspects, and advantages of the invention are apparent from all of the information we have provided. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The entire figure is a perspective view of the front of the invention. 
       FIG. A shows where the Jacquard Elastic Waistband with Rubber Grip is placed; 
       FIG. B shows where the Jacquard Elastic Thigh/Knee Band/Hem with Rubber Grip is placed; 
       FIG. C shows where the Flatlock Stitching is sewn on all seams (for comfort), attaching front and back panels of the garment together; 
       FIG. D shows where Flatlock Stitching is sewn to connect Figure (A) waistband to the garment; 
       FIG. E shows the garment itself, made out of a tightly woven fabric consisting of materials mentioned in description. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a multi-functional protective swimwear clothing article. While there are a number of protective swimwear articles that are available, most of them are not configured to meet multiple objectives. In addition, there is a need for functional, protective swimwear garments that provide protection from a number of different elements and fulfill a number of different purposes, as we will mention below. This is where ours is different and effective. 
     Technology over the years has provided many improvements in design, durability and easy of use in swimwear, but still nothing protects infants through adults from having the annoying problem of sand and debris entering their swimsuits. Sand and debris can cause many problems including skin irritation, infections, blisters, rashes, burning, discomfort, etc., for the wearer. There are many new fabrics that are highly flexible and durable and tightly woven to enhance a wearer&#39;s enjoyment at the beach or other places where sand and debris are present. We are using these newer, high-quality and high-performance fabrics to help solve all of the problems above. We are also using a rubber gripping to ensure that debris stays out of the garment. 
     Basic design is just as important as fabric characteristics. There are many manufacturers but our combination of materials used and the actual design of this garment will provide the most effective protection and comfort available. 
     The bottom line is that there is a need for an undergarment, garment and/or short device that can keep debris from contact with the wearer&#39;s skin, genitalia and buttocks while keeping the wearer comfortable without irritating or annoying the wearer. Also, keeping debris and sand out of the garment will also help to prevent burning, rashes, irritation, chafing, infections, etc. These are the benefits from wearing this garment, undergarment or short. There also is a universal need for an undergarment, garment and/or short that can protect babies from all of the elements listed in our claims, especially in their genitalia and buttocks and diapers. In addition to this, the aesthetics of our product are something that adults and children would like to wear. There is a further need for an undergarment that incorporates essentially straights seams and a limited numbers of seams for easier manufacture. The seams will also be made with a flatlock stitching (as in Figure C and Figure D) and Lycra threading for additional comfort and less abrasion. Our present invention is directed to such needs. 
     The present invention is directed to swimwear in the form of garments and undergarments. The present invention is used for any wearer from infant through adult, male or female. The present invention is to be used by, but not limited to babies, children, adults, swimmers, beachgoers, sunbathers, surfers, bodyboarders, skimboarders, snorkelers, scuba divers, jetskiers, parasailers, waterskiiers, etc. 
     The garment will function to envelop the wearer&#39;s body and is worn from a section of the body below the wearer&#39;s chest, at the wearer&#39;s waist or hips, to just above the wearer&#39;s knees and including the wearer&#39;s thigh area. The garment is comprised of materials such as polyester, nylon, cotton, spandex, Lycra, silk, warped or circular knits, mesh, any natural or manmade or synthetic fiber, fabric, cloth, textile, etc. The garment will be made with rubber gripping (Figures A and B) that will be sewn on the waistband (Figure A) and also sewn on the hems of both thighs/knees (Figure B) to ensure that the garment stays in place and allows a minimal amount of debris inside the garment. The rubber gripping (Figures A and B) will be made from any combination of rubber, jacquard rubber gripping, elastic, cotton, spandex, Lycra, polyester and Velcro. The waistband (Figure A) and thigh/knee bands (Figure B) will be made at a length or width of zero to infinity. 
     The unique combination of all materials and processes we have chosen will provide the maximum benefits for all purposes described in this description and in our claims. We have chosen fabric combinations that will greatly reduce the amount of sand and debris that enter the garment and touch the skin by the openings at the waist, thigh/knee openings and through the fabric itself. The garment is form fitting for extreme comfort, fitting like a second skin. The garment is aesthetically pleasing and the fabric is breathable. The garment will be made of a high-quality, tightly knit fabric to enhance the experience for a day at the beach, vacation, resort or for any water sport. 
     This garment will be used by the above for the purposes of: (a) helping to keep any type of debris including but not limited to sand, dirt, rocks, seaweed, shells, dust, mud, slime, saltwater, bugs, fish, etc., from entering into the garment, undergarment and/or short; (b) for helping to protect the wearer from, but not limited to, getting friction, rashes, irritation, chafing, blisters, burning, itching, etc.; (c) for helping to keep all of the items in section (a) above from irritating or annoying male and female&#39;s genitalia and/or buttocks as well as their thighs/knees/waist to keep the wearer comfortable; (d) for helping to keep the items from elements in (a) from entering male and female genitalia to reduce bacterial infections that can be caused by certain types of debris; (e) keeping babies comfortable from all of the elements in (a), (b), (c) and (d) above, as well as helping to keep these elements out of their diapers. 
     All features, aspects, and advantages of the invention are apparent from all of the information we have provided.