Patent Publication Number: US-2015082510-A1

Title: Support shirt

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Embodiments of the current invention are related to a shirt or garment which covers the upper torso. Specifically, embodiments are directed to a support shirt providing support along the chest and shoulder regions of the wearer. The support shirt of embodiments of the invention can be used for sporting activities where support of the chest and shoulders is desired. One such application of the support shirt of embodiments of the invention is a bench press shirt for support in weightlifting activities. 
     Bench press shirts provide an increase in the amount of weight a bench presser can lift as well as increased safety to the bench presser. Typically, bench press shirts are made of taut materials with high strength, such as double knit polyester, canvas or denim. Such bench press shirts have portions covering the sleeves and chest which may provide tightness during lifting. Bench press shirts can also be made of spandex type fabric and be effective for support. As distinguished from ordinary shirts or t-shirts, bench press shirts have at least one area of increased support/strength, designed to augment movement of a body part by increased strength of material and/or compression. 
     In a bench pressing exercise, a weightlifter lies substantially flat on his back, with arms upraised. The weightlifter then lowers a weight to the chest, and then pushes it upward straight until the arms are straight. The tautness provides assistance and increased support for the underlying muscles, thereby allowing the weightlifter to lift more weight. 
     Weightlifting shirts typically provide a peak area of support from the bench press, referred to as a “support bubble.” Typically, the lifter tries to push the weight upward in line with the support bubble of the bench press shirt. Shirt and lifter do not always have the perfect peak support area, so the lifter adjusts the bar path as much as possible to meet the peak of the shirt&#39;s support bubble. Moreover, the lifter can adjust the fitting position of the shirt to match the lifter&#39;s bar path. For example, the lifter could adjust the position of the neck band of a bench press shirt, or could adjust the position of the sleeves in relation to the lifter&#39;s deltoid muscles. Lifters can also employ both techniques of adjusting the bar path in combination with adjusting the fitting position of the shirt. Moreover, such shirts often do not have shoulder reinforcement such that would provide adequate support for the lifter during elevation and descent of a weight through the bar path. 
     Other problems exist in such bench press shirts. During a bench press exercise, slack exists in the material of the shirt just below the lifter&#39;s arm from the front deltoid. The slack material tightens up as the bar lowers. Additionally bench press shirts may tear or shred at the shoulder seams and neck area where most the stress happens. Therefore, a problem exists for providing lack of support across the shoulders of the wearer through the bar path of a bench press exercise. 
     Attempts have been made to provide a bench press shirt providing support. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,235 applies to a shirt wherein the circumference and tightness of the area across the upper torso is less than that of the area around the waist. Other designs focus on the type of material and configuration of the compressible fabrics used across the upper chest. Such designs employ fabric or material across the shirt which fails to reinforce the front shoulder portion during the bench press exercise. Additionally, such designs fail to provide support to the shoulders which allows the weightlifter full range of motion and support in shoulders and chest through the bar path. As a result, the lifter must expend additional energy to manually correct and stabilize the weight through the bar path. Therefore, a need exists for a support shirt which provides support across the shoulders and chest of the wearer through the bar path of a bench press exercise. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the current invention solve the need for a support shirt which provides support across the shoulders and chest of the wearer through the bar path of a bench press exercise. According to an embodiment of the current invention, a support shirt has a shirt body, and shirt body sleeves positioned near the upper shirt body. The shirt body has at least one section comprised of taut supporting fabric extending across the upper torso. Sleeve portions are attached to the shirt body at the sleeve body holes. 
     During upward movement of the arms, a centerline exists along the chest, extending over the shoulder regions. The centerline extends longitudinally across the front portion of the sleeves. Sleeve reinforcement regions extend from the sleeve holes to an outer portion of the sleeve along each sleeve portion. The sleeve reinforcement regions extend along the path of the centerline along the sleeves. The sleeve reinforcement regions provide an increased area of support along the centerline, thereby stabilizing and providing support to the shoulders through the upward lifting motion. 
     In a first embodiment, the sleeve reinforcement regions have coupling seams extending from the sleeve holes to an outer portion of the sleeve along each sleeve portion. The sleeve reinforcement regions comprise a taut length of material located on the coupling seams and attached to the sleeve portions. The sleeve reinforcement regions provide reinforcement proximate to the centerline along the front portions of the sleeve portions. 
     In alternate embodiments, the sleeve reinforcement regions exist as a waveform. For example, in a first alternate embodiment, the sleeve reinforcement regions exist as a taut length of material located on coupling seams attached to the sleeve portions. The amplitude of the waveform is measured from the centerline. The sleeve reinforcement regions provide reinforcement proximate to the centerline. Each sleeve portion has a front and back portion, which are joined at a seam and the coupling seam. 
     The structure and configuration of the sleeve reinforcement regions may vary. For example, the sleeve reinforcement regions may comprise a strip of material extending along the centerline with or without a coupling seam. Moreover, the sleeve reinforcement regions may also employ densely woven stitching along the centerline, with or without coupling seams. A strip of material may be separated by a coupling seam, and extend along the centerline. The purpose of the sleeve reinforcement regions is to provide an area of augmented support along the centerline, extending along the front portion of the sleeve portions. 
     The support shirt of embodiments herein may implement shirt sleeves which can be placed in a more downward tilted position, or less downward position, to accommodate different benching styles. Some lifters bench with a “flat back” on the bench which gives them a more straight upward bar path in relation to their torso. Many lifters arch their back, which makes the bar path closer to that of a decline-bench bar path. The sleeve reinforcement regions on the front of the shirt can be placed in various positions to suit various bar path preferences, and various sleeve-tilt constructions. 
     The shirt body and sleeve portions are comprised of a taut fabric. The shirt body and sleeve members may be the same or of different material. Both the shirt body and sleeve members may be stretchable or non-stretchable material. The shirt body may or not have a back portion. 
     It is an object of the current invention to provide a support shirt with a supporting fabric across the upper torso of an individual. 
     It is a further object of the current invention to provide a support shirt with sleeve reinforcement regions providing support along a centerline. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the support shirt of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a front view of the support shirt of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a back view of the support shirt of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  shows a side view of the support shirt of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  shows a top view of the support shirt of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the support shirt of an alternate embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of a sleeve portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  shows a front view of the support shirt of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 9  shows a back view of the support shirt of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 10  shows a side view of the support shirt of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 11  shows a top view of the support shirt of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective view of an individual wearing a support shirt, and illustrates the centerline during the bench press exercise, according to embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a top view of an individual wearing a support shirt, and illustrates the approximate centerline during the bench press exercise, according to embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 14  shows a front view of the support shirt, and the configuration of the reinforced sleeve arrangement in relation to the centerline, of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 15  shows a front view of the support shirt, and the assembled sleeve portions before sleeve reinforcement regions are attached to the support shirt, according to the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 16  illustrates a side view of an individual wearing a support shirt, and illustrates the support bubble during the bench press exercise, according to embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 17  illustrates an example of a bar path during the bench press exercise, according to embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 18  shows a front view of the support shirt of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 19  shows a front view of the support shirt of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 20  shows a front view of the support shirt of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 21  shows a front view of the support shirt of an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     For purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components will bear the same designations and numbering throughout the Figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     According to an exemplary preferred embodiment of the invention, a support shirt  10  comprises a shirt body  11  worn across the torso of an individual in accordance with  FIGS. 1-5 . The shirt body  11  comprises an upper shirt body  13  and lower shirt body  15 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Additionally, the shirt body  11  has a shirt front  51  and shirt back  52  joined at a body seam  53 . The shirt body  11  is comprised of a taut supporting fabric, extending across at least the upper shirt body  13 . The taut material provides support across the upper torso of the individual, so that there is increased pressure exerted across the pectoralis major and serratus anterior muscles of the wearer. The shirt body  11  provides support during raising of the bar through a bar path  33 . The fabric may be comprised of stretchable or non-stretchable material. Additionally, the fabric may be single ply or multi-ply and may be comprised of: canvas fabric; polyester; spandex type fabric; nylon fabric; organic cotton; or any kind of fabric that holds tautness. Shirt body sleeve holes  17  are positioned near the upper shirt body  13 , corresponding with the area of traversal of the wearer&#39;s arms. In the preferred embodiment, the shirt body  11  has a strength of 90 psi, although differing strengths of shirts may be used. 
     Sleeve portions  19  are attached to the shirt body  11  at the shirt body sleeve holes  17 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The sleeve portions  19  provide compression across the shoulders of the wearer, corresponding with the anterior deltoid, coracobrachialis, scapulae fixer, biceps, and triceps of the wearer. The sleeve portions  19  are comprised of a taut material, providing support for the shoulders during lifting. The fabric may be comprised of stretchable or non-stretchable material. Additionally, the fabric may be single ply or multi-ply and may be comprised of: canvas fabric; polyester; spandex type fabric; nylon fabric; organic cotton; or any kind of fabric that holds tautness. The sleeve portions  19  may be arranged in differing positions according to embodiments of the invention. For example, sleeve portions  19  can be placed in a more downward tilted position, or less downward position, to accommodate different benching styles. Some lifters bench with a “flat back” on the bench which gives them a more straight upward bar path  33  in relation to their torso. Many lifters arch their back, which makes the bar path  33  closer to that of a decline-bench bar path  33 . In the preferred embodiment, the sleeve portions  19  extend in an outward direction relative to a frontal plane  4  of the shirt body  11  and a downward direction relative to a transverse plane  6  of the shirt body  11  as shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 . According to  FIG. 5 , sleeve portions  19  have a first central angle  37  of approximately 85° relative to the frontal plane  4 . According to  FIG. 4 , sleeve portions  19  have a second central angle  39  of approximately 30° relative to the transverse plane  6  of the shirt body  11 . In the preferred embodiment, the sleeve portions  19  have a strength of 90 psi, although differing strengths may be used. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates a support bubble  35  during a bench press exercise, according to embodiments of the invention. The support bubble  35  is a peak area of support from the support shirt  10 . During the bench press exercise, the lifter tries to press the bar upward in line with the peak of support from the support shirt  10 . Bench press shirts are designed to have a peak point of support at the most natural point of pressing for the lifter, referred to as a centerline  31  according to embodiments of the invention. The centerline  31  refers to the longitudinal axis corresponding with the weightlifting bar, as shown in  FIGS. 12 ,  13 . The centerline  31  corresponds to an area of support for the support shirt  10 , extending along the upper shirt body  13 , located slightly below the sleeve body holes  17 , which corresponds with the axis of a bar during the bench press exercise. The centerline  31  extends across the upper torso of the individual and the frontal shoulder areas and forms a curvilinear axis, as shown in  FIG. 2 . According to the preferred embodiment, the centerline  31  extends across the bench press shirt  10  across the lifter&#39;s body, above the serratus anterior muscles, and across the pectoralis major muscle. 
     Sleeve reinforcement regions  27  are located on each of the sleeve portions  19 . The sleeve reinforcement regions  27  comprise a length of material stitched to the sleeve portions as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . The sleeve reinforcement regions  27  extend longitudinally, from the shirt body sleeve holes  17  to the outer edge of the sleeve portions  19 . The sleeve reinforcement regions  27  of the preferred embodiment are comprised of a taut fabric stitched to the support shirt  10 . The area comprising the sleeve reinforcement regions  27  has a greater strength than that of the shirt body  11 . Therefore, the sleeve reinforcement regions  27  provide greater support for the wearer&#39;s shoulders, biceps, and triceps during lifting, and assists the lifter during movement through the bar path  33 . In the preferred embodiment, the area comprising the sleeve reinforcement regions  27  has a strength of 100 psi, however differing strengths may be used. As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , the sleeve reinforcement regions  27  are aligned such that they extend across the centerline  31  during the bench press exercise. The sleeve reinforcement regions  27  form a support area which provides support for the lifter in the support bubble  35  through the bar path  33 . An exemplary bar path is illustrated in  FIG. 17 . 
     The fabric and structure comprising the upper shirt body  13 , lower shirt body  15 , and sleeve portions of the support shirt  10  of the embodiment differs from conventional shirts or t-shirts. As distinguished from a conventional shirt or t-shirt, the support shirt  10  has at least one area of increased support/strength, designed to augment movement of a body part by increased strength of material and/or compression. The support shirt  10  of the preferred embodiment utilizes such a supporting fabric with a greater tensile strength and thickness than ordinary shirts. Moreover, the support shirt  10  utilizes fabric which utilizes compression and support across the chest area, thereby allowing support for athletic activities such as bench pressing exercises. The sleeve reinforcement regions  27  extend this area of support along the shoulders through the path of the centerline  31 , as defined herein. Therefore, the support shirt  10  naturally augments motion of the wearer&#39;s arms forward from the frontal plane of the wearer&#39;s body during athletic activities such as bench press exercises. 
     Alternatives 
     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. In accordance with  FIGS. 6-11 , an alternate embodiment is shown. In the embodiment, a support shirt  110  comprises a shirt body  111 , upper shirt body  113 , lower shirt body  115 , shirt body sleeve holes  117 , sleeve portions  119 , and sleeve reinforcement regions  127  extending longitudinally about a centerline  131 . According to the embodiment, the sleeve reinforcement regions extend in a sinusoidal waveform shape, with an amplitude measured from the centerline  131 . 
     The sleeve portions  119  extend in an outward direction relative to a frontal plane  104  of the shirt body  111  and a downward direction relative to a transverse plane  106  of the shirt body  111  as shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11 . According to  FIG. 11 , sleeve portions  119  have a first central angle  137  of approximately 85° relative to the frontal plane  104 . According to  FIG. 10 , sleeve portions  119  have a second central angle  139  of approximately 30° relative to the transverse plane  106  of the shirt body  111 . In the embodiment, the sleeve portions  119  have a strength of 90 psi, although differing strengths may be used. 
       FIG. 18  shows a support shirt  210  of an alternate embodiment. In the embodiment, the support shirt  210  comprises a shirt body  211 , upper shirt body  213 , lower shirt body  215 , shirt body sleeve holes  217 , sleeve portions  219 , and sleeve reinforcement regions  227  extending longitudinally about a centerline  231 . According to the embodiment, the sleeve reinforcement regions  227  extend in a square wave shape. 
       FIG. 19  shows a support shirt  310  of an alternate embodiment. In the embodiment, the support shirt  310  comprises a shirt body  311 , upper shirt body  313 , lower shirt body  315 , shirt body sleeve holes  317 , sleeve portions  319 , and sleeve reinforcement regions  327  extending longitudinally about a centerline  331 . According to the embodiment, the sleeve reinforcement regions  327  extend in a triangle wave shape. 
       FIG. 20  shows a support shirt  410  of an alternate embodiment. In the embodiment, the support shirt  410  comprises a shirt body  411 , upper shirt body  413 , lower shirt body  415 , shirt body sleeve holes  417 , sleeve portions  419 , and sleeve reinforcement regions  427  extending longitudinally about a centerline  431 . According to the embodiment, the sleeve reinforcement regions  427  extend in a sawtooth wave shape. 
       FIG. 21  shows a support  510  of an alternate embodiment. In the embodiment, the support shirt  510  comprises a shirt body  511 , upper shirt body  513 , lower shirt body  515 , shirt body sleeve holes  517 , sleeve portions  519 , and sleeve reinforcement regions  527  extending longitudinally about a centerline  531 . According to the embodiment, the sleeve reinforcement regions  527  extend approximately perpendicular with the centerline  531 . 
     The construction, material, and configuration of the elements described herein may vary. 
     For example, the bench press shirt could also exist without a lower torso area, and/or without a shirt back. 
     Bench press shirts may be composed of numerous materials including synthetic and non-synthetic fibers. The bench press shirts of the embodiments herein provided support/and or compression during athletic activities, and therefore have greater tensile strength than conventional shirts. Bench press shirts may or may not have elastic properties. For example, embodiments may utilize fabrics such as neoprene or spandex. Additionally, bench press shirts may comprise stretch fabric including either 2-way or 4-way stretch. 
     The sleeve reinforcement regions may comprise a strip of material extending along the centerline with or without a coupling seam. Moreover, the sleeve reinforcement regions may also employ densely woven stitching along the centerline, with or without coupling seams. A strip of material may be separated by a coupling seam, and extend along the centerline. The sleeve reinforcement regions may or may not extend the entire distance from the sleeve body holes to the lower edge of the shirt. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the descriptions of the preferred versions herein.