Patent Publication Number: US-8528114-B2

Title: Men&#39;s swimsuit

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to clothing, and in particular, to men&#39;s swimsuits. 
     BACKGROUND 
     People may wear swimsuits for various reasons, such as to go swimming at the beach or pool. Swimsuits generally cover parts of the swimsuit wearer&#39;s body. Swimsuits can also improve the user&#39;s overall experience at the beach or pool, such as during or after swimming. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the invention features a men&#39;s swimsuit that includes an outer shell having an outer-shell waistband; and an inner liner that defines an interior lumen. The inner liner includes an inner-liner waistband attached to the outer-shell waistband; and a pair of inner-liner leg sleeves extending from the inner-liner waistband. Each inner-liner leg sleeve terminates in a hem configured to exert a radially compressive force urging the hem against a thigh passing therethrough. As a result, the hems of the inner-liner leg sleeves, in cooperation with the inner-liner waistband, prevent particulate matter from reaching the interior lumen of the inner liner. 
     In some embodiments, the hem is a form-fitting hem. Examples of such hems are those made of a form-fitting material. One such material is spandex. Other materials are those that include elastomeric fibers. Other examples of form-fitting hems include those having elastic bands, and those having a drawstring that, when tightened, exerts a radially compressive force. 
     In other embodiments, the portion of the inner liner between the hems and the waistband, the inner liner comprises a non-form-fitting material. 
     Other embodiments of the invention feature inner liners of various types. Among these embodiments are those in which the inner liner is made of a form-fitting material. Exemplary form fitting materials include those having elastomeric fibers. One such material is spandex. 
     In other embodiments, the inner liner includes a rapidly drying material. 
     Additional embodiments include those in which the inner liner includes a scrotal pouch. 
     In another aspect, the invention features a men&#39;s swimsuit having an outer shell; and an inner liner coupled to the outer shell. The inner liner defines a lumen for enclosing a pelvic region, and includes means for preventing particulate matter from entering the pelvic region. 
     In another aspect, the invention features a men&#39;s swimsuit having an outer shell having an outer-shell waistband; and an inner liner made of an elastomeric material, the inner liner defining an interior lumen. The inner liner includes an inner-liner waistband attached to the outer-shell waistband; and a pair of inner-liner leg sleeves extending from the inner-liner waistband. Each inner-liner leg sleeve terminates in a hem configured to exert a radially compressive force. As a result, the hems of the inner-liner leg sleeves, in cooperation with the inner-liner waistband, prevent particulate matter from reaching the interior lumen of the inner liner. 
     Embodiments of the swimsuit include those in which the inner-liner is a bikini inner-liner. 
     These, and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying figures, in which: 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an exemplary swimsuit. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exemplary swimsuit that includes a scrotal pouch. 
         FIG. 3  shows examples of radially compressive forces that the hem of the swimsuit&#39;s inner liner can exert on a thigh. 
     
    
    
     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an exemplary swimsuit  100  worn about the upper legs and waist area of a man. However, other variations and/or sizes of the swimsuit  100  may be worn, for example, by a user or swimmer of any age. 
     The swimsuit  100  includes an outer shell  102  having an outer-shell waistband  104 . The outer shell  102  may be constructed of any suitable fabric or other material, such as a material that can withstand getting wet (e.g., not disintegrate or significantly shrink, etc.). The outer-shell waistband  104  attached to the outer shell  102  can include elastic, a drawstring, or some combination thereof that can hold the swimsuit  100  in place along the user&#39;s waistline. 
     The swimsuit  100  also includes an inner liner  106  held in place by an inner-liner waistband  108 . The inner-liner waistband  108  may be attached to the outer shell  102 , such as by stitching into the outer-shell waistband  104 . The inner liner  106  includes a pair of inner-liner leg sleeves  110  that fit over the user&#39;s thigh  111 . A hem  112  at the end of each inner-liner leg sleeve  110  fits snugly over the user&#39;s thigh  111 . All or some of the inner liner  106  can be constructed of a rapidly drying material, such as spandex, polyester, nylon, etc. The inner liner  106  forms an interior lumen, or inner region, of the swimsuit  100 . As such, the interior lumen serves as a cavity for the upper leg and private portions of a male&#39;s body. 
     As used herein, a point on the surface of a leg is on the “thigh” if a line normal to the leg at that point intersects with the femur. 
     The materials used to construct parts of the swimsuit  100 , and in particular the inner liner  106 , may include elastomeric fibers or other such natural or synthetic materials that, at room temperature, can be expanded or stretched to about twice or more of their original length. For example, elastomeric fibers may include spandex, polyester, LYCRA®, or any manufactured fiber in which the fiber forming substance is a long-chain synthetic polymer comprised of, for instance, at least 85% of a segmented polyurethane. 
     In some implementations, the entire inner liner  106  can be constructed using, for example, a form-fitting material, such as spandex or some other synthetic fiber having exceptional elasticity. In other implementations, inner-liner waistband  108  and hems  112  may be constructed of spandex (or other stretchable material), and the remaining portions of the inner liner  106  may be constructed of a non-form-fitting material. 
     The hems  112  are generally configured to exert a radially compressive force. Specifically, the radially compressive force pulls the hem  112  generally toward the center of a circle representing the cross section of the swimsuit wearer&#39;s thigh  111 . In particular, each point along the hem  112  can pull the hem  112  toward the middle of the swimsuit wearer&#39;s thigh  111 . As such, the hems  112  can provide a tight fit between the hems  112  and the user&#39;s thighs  111 . In some implementations, the hems  112  may be constructed of spandex or other stretchable material. In other implementations, the hems  112  may include drawstrings or elastic bands for providing the radially compressive force. 
     The inner liner  106  may prevent, for example, particulate matter (e.g., sand) from penetrating certain areas of the swimsuit  100 . For example, the inner-liner waistband  108  prevents sand or other foreign material from entering through the top (or waist line area) of the swimsuit  100 . Similarly, the hems  112  prevent sand or other material from entering the interior lumen of the inner liner  106 . In this way, the form-fitting features of the swimsuit prevent sand or other particulate matter from reaching sensitive areas of the male anatomy. In some cases, the inner-liner waistband and the hems  112  may also prevent crawling insects from penetrating the interior of the inner liner  106 . For example, the inner liner  106  may keep ticks or other such insects from reaching areas on the male&#39;s body, particularly hirsute areas, where they may go undetected. 
       FIG. 2  shows an exemplary swimsuit  100  that includes a scrotal pouch  202 . The scrotal pouch  202  may be used, for example, to support portions of a male&#39;s anatomy, or to restrict portions of the male&#39;s anatomy to remain within a cavity defined by the scrotal pouch  202 . As such, the scrotal pouch  202  may serve as a type of jock strap embedded within the swimsuit  100 . The scrotal pouch  202  may be constructed using the same form-fitting material as the inner liner  106 , and as such, may be a separate compartment sewn into or along the inside of the inner liner  106 . The material used to construct the scrotal pouch  202  can be the same material used to construct the inner liner  106 . Using a rapidly drying material to construct the scrotal pouch  202  can provide the advantage of reducing the exposure of a male&#39;s anatomy to a wet swimsuit. 
       FIG. 3  shows examples of radially compressive forces that the hem  112  of the swimsuit&#39;s inner liner  106  can exert on a thigh  111 . As depicted, the hem  112  is held tightly against a thigh  111  (shown as a cross section) by compressive radial forces  304 . Such forces  304  may be result from, for example, the nature of the material (e.g., spandex or other elastic material) used for the hem  112 . A gap  306  exists between the hem  112  and the outer shell  102 . As depicted, such a gap  306  represents the space between the swimsuit&#39;s outer shell  102  and the inner liner  106 , specifically where the hem  112  fits snugly against the user&#39;s thigh  111 . 
     In some embodiments, where elastic or drawstrings are used for the hems  112 , compressive radial forces  304  may arise from such elastic or drawstrings. As a result of the compressive radial forces  304 , the hem  112  can be held tightly against the user&#39;s thigh  111 . Similarly, other such compressive radial forces  304  in the inner-liner waistband  108  can facilitate the tight fit of the inner-liner waistband  108  to the user&#39;s waistline. 
     In other embodiments, the inner-liner  106  is cut as a bikini, in which case the radially-compressive force is exerted just above the thigh along the contour defining the intersection of the femur and pelvis. 
     A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.