Patent Publication Number: US-6986750-B2

Title: Athletic protective cup supporter

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/465,167, filed on Apr. 23, 2003. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to an athletic protective cup supporter. More particularly, the present invention relates to an athletic supporter that includes an easily recognized visible indicia to aid in verifying that the athletic protective cup supporter is being worn. 
   An athletic supporter protective cup is a protective device that is worn by men and boys participating in athletic activities. Safety equipment varies from sport to sport, but many sports, such as baseball, require male participants to wear an athletic protective cup. Similar needs are also present with football, soccer and other sports. While it is not widely recognized that when involved in sporting activities, it is imperative to minimize exposure to injury. Athletic protective cup protection is considered imperative to the safety of those participating in sports activities where injury to the groin is possible. 
   Traditionally, the athletic supporter is worn by a user beneath pants, shorts and other clothing associated with a sport&#39;s uniform. The typical athletic supporter presently available consists of a panel of material which terminates between the wearer&#39;s legs, at which point support straps are attached. The typical athletic supporter is made of a heavy duty elasticized material. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,972, the contents of which are incorporated herein. 
   In order to address concerns relating to the protection of athletes from groin injuries, athletic leagues have instituted regulations that all players must wear protective cups and need to provide visual indicia that the cups are being worn. Conventional athletic supporters fail to provide this visual indicia. 
   Accordingly, there is a need for a means to identify individuals wearing athletic supporters which is simplified in its construction and application. There is a further need for easily recognized visible indicia to aid in verifying that the athletic protective cup supporter is being worn. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention resides in an improved athletic protective cup. In a preferred form of the invention, an athletic protective cup supporter includes a waistband, a cup supporting pocket connected to the waistband, and an elongated strap extending from the waistband and terminating at a resilient clip. 
   The cup supporter further includes a connector for attaching the strap and the waistband. The connector includes a male portion and a female portion operationally engaging the waistband therebetween. 
   The cup supporter further includes an aperture on the waistband, and the connector includes a male portion insertable through the aperture to engage a female portion of the connector. The male and female portions operationally engage the waistband therebetween. 
   The aperture is located through the waistband opposite the cup supporting pocket. 
   The cup supporter also includes an identification tag associated with the clip. 
   The waistband comprises a portion of an inner garment, and the clip operationally engages a waistband of an outer garment. The cup is located in the cup supporting pocket and the pocket is sewn shut. 
   A method for identifying an athlete wearing an athletic protective cup supporter involves connecting a first end of an elongated strap to a waistband of an inner garment having a cup supporting pocket holding a protective cup. 
   The elongated strap is looped from the waistband of the inner garment to a waistband of an outer garment in an area between the inner and outer garments. The looping further includes folding the strap around a shirt tail tucked into the area between the inner and outer garments. 
   A second end of the strap is attached to the waistband of the outer garment. 
   An identification tag is secured on the second end of the strap. 
   As part of connecting the first end of the elongated strap to the waistband of the inner garment, a male portion of the strap is inserted through an aperture of the waistband of the inner garment to engage a female portion of the strap, operationally engaging the waistband of the inner garment therebetween. Another part of connecting the first end of the elongated strap to the waistband of the inner garment includes placing the protective cup in the cup supporting pocket. 
   Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which will illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a rear elevational view of an athletic supporter embodying the present invention including an identification strap; 
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the identification strap of the athletic supporter of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the athletic supporter of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 4  is a close-up view of the identification strap shown in  FIG. 3 , taken along line  4 — 4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 1–4 , the present invention is concerned with an improved athletic protective cup supporter  10  that includes an elongated identification strap  12 . The athletic supporter  10  comprises an undergarment (or inner garment) that further includes a waistband  14 , a cup pouch  16  located on the front of the athletic supporter  10  and extending downwardly from the waistband  14 . The athletic supporter  10  may be made of an elastic fabric that allows a user to position a protective cup for maximum safety and protection. The athletic supporter  10  also includes at least two straps  18  which connect the waistband  14  to the cup pouch  16 . 
   The cup pouch  16  is generally triangular and designed to contain a generally triangular protective cup (not shown). The protective cup may be manufactured of any suitable material, but is preferably formed of plastic. While the cup pouch  16  may be left open so as to allow the protective cup to be inserted and removed from the cup pouch, it may be permanently closed once the protective cup is inserted. The cup pouch  16  may be stitched closed so as to permanently incorporate the protective cup therein. Heavy stitching may be done at the factory in order to permanently incorporate the protective cup within the cup pouch  16 . The straps  18  may be made of an elastic material and provide additional support for correcting the position of the athletic supporter  10  on the user. The waistband  14  may also be made of an elastic material. 
   The identification strap  12  may be securely attached to the waistband  14  at the rear of the athletic supporter  10 , generally opposite the cup pouch  16 . The waistband  14  includes an aperture  20  for connecting one end  21  of the strap  12  to the waistband  14 . The opposite end  23  of the identification strap  12  includes a resilient clip  22  for holding an identifier  24 . The identifier  24  may come in various forms including, without limitation, a flexible identification tag, an elongated piece of fabric or ‘flag’ (such as is used in playing flag football), a rectangular pocket or slot (with or without holes for connecting the pocket to the strap  12 ) with a transparent side (e.g., clear plastic layer) may cover the slot so as to enable a user to view a label or paper cutout, business cards, cards with logos, indicia and other markings or the like which are inserted into the pocket or to protect the contents of the pocket from the environment. The label or cutout may include various identifying information such as the user&#39;s name, corporate logo, player number, team name, etc. 
   The end  21  of the strap  12  includes a connector  26  which mechanically connects the strap  12  to the waistband  14 . The connector  26  includes an elongated resilient body  28  having a male member  30  and a female member  32  for engaging the waistband  14  therebetween. The body  28  is bendable generally along at least one fold  34 . The male member  30  is insertable through the aperture  20  to engage the female member  32  and operationally engage the waistband  14  therebetween. Alternatively, the connector  26  may include, without limitation, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, magnetic fasteners, adhesive surfaces or other means of securing the strap  12  to the athletic supporter  10 . Alternatively, the strap  12  may be attached by heavy stitching to the supporter  10  to insure a strong attachment to the waistband  14 . In another alternative, the fasteners on the connector  26  may engage mating fasteners on the waistband  14  instead of each other. 
   The identification strap  12  may be made from any suitable material, preferably plastic, though other materials may be used including, without limitation, cloth made of natural fibers, artificial fibers (e.g., nylon) or the like. From its point of attachment on the waistband  14 , the identification strap  12  is designed to extend below and around the shirt tail  38  of the user&#39;s uniform top when the uniform top is tucked into the uniform pants or shorts  36  of the user. The strap  12  then extends upwards, between the shirttail  38  and the uniform pants or shorts  36 , such that the clip  22  extends above and attaches to the waistband of the uniform pants or shorts  36  of the user. The identifier  24  should be easily visible when the user&#39;s uniform shirt or jersey is tucked into their outer garment (e.g., uniform pants or shorts)  36 , which is beneficial not only to the athlete, but also to spectators, coaches, umpires and other supervisory personnel. The clip  22  operationally engages a waistband of the outer garment. The identifier  24  is configured so that it is capable of being used in almost all applications. 
   In use, the first end  21  of the elongated strap  12  is connected to the waistband  14  of the inner garment  10  having the cup supporting pocket  16  holding the protective cup. 
   The elongated strap  12  is looped from the waistband  14  of the inner garment  10  to the waistband of the outer garment  36  in an area between the inner and outer garments  10 ,  36 . The looping further includes folding the strap  12  around the shirt tail  38  tucked into the area between the inner and outer garments  10 ,  36 . 
   The second end  23  of the strap  12  is attached to the waistband of the outer garment  36 . The identifier  24 , in the form of an identification tag or the like, is secured on the second end  23  of the strap  12 . 
   As part of connecting the first end  21  of the elongated strap  12  to the waistband  14  of the inner garment  10 , the male portion  30  of the strap  12  is inserted through the aperture  20  of the waistband  14  of the inner garment  10  to engage the female portion  32  of the strap  12 ; operationally engaging the waistband  14  of the inner garment  10  therebetween. Another part of connecting the first end  21  of the elongated strap  12  to the waistband  14  of the inner garment  10  includes placing the protective cup in the cup supporting pocket  16 . 
   The identifier  24 , attached to the clip  22  at the back of the waistband of the outer garment may be made easily identifiable by design. The design may be formed directly on the identifier  24 . The identifier  24  may be a bright color such as red, green, blue orange or otherwise matched to the colors traditionally associated with a particular professional sports team. The identifier  24  may also include a logo user&#39;s name, corporate logo, player number, team name, etc. The identifier  24  held by the clip  22  should extend down approximately two inches from the top of waistband of the user&#39;s uniform pants or shorts and is approximately one inch in width. Alternatively, the identifier  24  may also be four inches long and ¼ inch in width. 
   From the foregoing it is to be appreciated that the present invention provides a high reliable, simplified method by which a coach, umpire or athletic supervisor can identify athletes are wearing protective equipment, which effectively eliminates serious injury being incurred. The athletic supporter with cup  10  and identification strap  12  is easily identifiable as safety feature for all athletes. 
   In the alternative, a conventional athletic supporter may be retrofit to be used in conjunction with an identification strap, such as the one described above. A means of retrofitting a conventional athletic supporter makes it possible for the safety of conventional athletic supports to be improved. In this embodiment, the identification strap may be attached to a conventional athletic supporter by a fastening means in the form of snaps, hook and loop, magnetic or other means of securing the tag to the user&#39;s athletic supporter. The strap may include a base and a mount where the base attaches the mount to the waistband of the athletic supporter. The base may be attached to the athletic supporter in several ways including, but not limited to, stitching and adhesive. The mount may then be attached to the base using a fastening means in the form of snaps, hook and loop, magnetic or the like. The base and mount may be made from any suitable material, preferably plastic, though other materials may be used including, without limitation, cloth made of natural fibers, artificial fibers (e.g., nylon) or the like. The mount may be made easily identifiable by design. The design may be formed directly on the mount and the mount may be a bright color such as red, green, blue orange or otherwise matched to the colors traditionally associated with a particular professional sports team. The mount may also include a logo user&#39;s name, corporate logo, player number, team name, etc. 
   In another alternative, the identifier  24  may be incorporated into the back of the waistband  14  of the athletic cup supporter  10  by sewing the identifier  24  to the back of the waistband  14  with heavy thread and/or like material. The identifier  24  is preferably made of plastic and/or like material and approximately ¼ inches in width and four inches long. The identifier  24  may also be a predetermined color and/or include a logo that extends in front of and above the seat of the user&#39;s pants, shorts or uniform. This would allow for the identifier  24  to be attached to the top of the waistband  14  of the athletic supporter  10  and extend preferably 2 inches in front of the seat of the user&#39;s pants, shorts or uniform. The identifier  24  would be located above the user&#39;s backside so as to not be cumbersome and impact the user&#39;s athletic performance. In the alternative, the flexible identifier  24  may include a fastening means in the form of snaps, hook and loop, magnetic, adhesive or other means of securing the tag to the user&#39;s athletic supporter  10 . A retrofit makes it possible for the safety of conventional athletic supports to be improved. In this embodiment, the identifier  24  may also be attached to a conventional athletic supporter by attaching a fastening device to identifier  24  in the form of snaps, hook and loop, magnetic or other means of securing the identifier  24  to the user&#39;s athletic supporter. 
   Although several embodiments have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.