Abstract:
A multilayered garment material that has a central layer composed of conventional fabric, an inner layer of highly frictional material that is distributed over large segments of the inner surface of the garment, and an outer layer of highly frictional material that is distributed over large segments of the outer surface of the garment. The external layers of frictional material prevent slippage of the garment on the skin, and slippage of the garment when it is in contact with external surfaces.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No. 61/471,144, filed Apr. 12, 2011, and is incorporated herein as set forth in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to athletic garments. In particular, it relates to athletic garments having dual nonslip surfaces comprising a first non-slip surface that prevents the inner surface of the garment from slipping relative to the skin of the wearer, and further having a second nonslip surface that prevents the outer surface of the garment from slipping relative to the surface of athletic equipment, such as a bench press bench. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Physical fitness has become an important activity as well as an important commercial activity in America and elsewhere. A variety of equipment has been developed to help individuals seeking to improve their physical condition and strength. One area that has seen extensive growth is the use of free weights and other exercise machines which are designed to assist individuals who are attempting to build muscle mass. 
         [0004]    A problem associated with bodybuilding is the potential for injury while handling heavy weights. One cause of injury stems from individuals who slip and lose their balance when using exercise equipment such as bench presses. A frequent cause of these injuries is due to slippage of the garment worn by the individual. Slippage can be caused by the garment slipping on the individual&#39;s body and/or the garment slipping on a surface of exercise equipment, or other surface. In either case, the slippage causes the individual to lose balance that in turn leads to losing control over weights being used by the individual. As a result, individuals can sustain serious injuries when they lose control of the weights. It would be desirable to have a method of preventing garment related slippage while exercising that would prevent injuries due to loss of balance. 
         [0005]    The prior art has failed to provide a method of avoiding garment slippage for the purpose of preventing physical injury by an individual when exercising. In particular, the prior art has failed to provide a garment that will grip the skin of the wearer and simultaneously grip any surface that the wearer is pressing against. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides a garment material that has a central layer composed of conventional fabric, an inner layer of highly frictional material that is distributed over large segments of the inner surface of the garment, and an outer layer of highly frictional material that is distributed over large segments of the outer surface of the garment. The inner layer of frictional material prevents slippage of the garment on the skin, and the outer layer frictional material prevents slippage of the garment when it is in contact with external surfaces. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1A  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a shirt constructed in accordance with the invention showing the outer layer; 
           [0008]      FIG. 1B  is a rear view of a preferred embodiment of the shirt constructed in accordance with the invention showing the outer layer; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2A  is a sectional view of the garment material constructed in accordance with the invention illustrating the central fabric layer, the inner layer of high friction material, and the outer layer of high friction material; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2B  is a sectional view of the garment constructed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the garment material illustrating the central fabric layer, with a single layer of high friction material; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2C  is a sectional view of the garment constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the garment material constructed in accordance with the invention illustrating the central fabric layer, with a single layer of high friction material; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a sectional view of the garment material in accordance with another embodiment of the invention showing an exemplary pattern of high friction material on the surface of the central fabric layer; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  is a sectional view of the garment material in accordance with yet another embodiment that shows a pattern of high friction material on the surface of the central fabric layer; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3C  is a sectional view of the garment material in accordance with another embodiment of the invention showing a pattern of high friction material on the surface of the central fabric layer; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a high friction protrusion constructed in accordance with the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Prior to a detailed discussion of the figures, a general overview of the invention will be presented. A preferred embodiment of the invention provides a shirt that has a multilayer laminate structure which is designed to prevent users from sliding relative to the surface of an exercise bench, a floor, a wall, a chair, a Pilates bench, a mat, or any other surface the user will want to not slip from. The shirt anchors the user by providing a laminate structure which has a central layer comprised of any suitable fabric material, an inner layer comprised of frictional material distributed across the surface of the central layer which is designed to prevent the user&#39;s body from sliding relative to the shirt, and an outer layer comprised of frictional material distributed across the surface of the central layer which is designed to prevent the user&#39;s body from sliding relative to any object the user is pressing against. Having a multilayer shirt that prevents slippage on the body as well as external surfaces provides the user with greater stability when lifting weights and/or when using exercise machines that require substantial amounts of force. By avoiding slippage, the possibility of injury is reduced because the user will be less likely to lose their balance while exercising. As a result, this shirt structure provides the user: 
         [0017]    1) A safer workout, because it avoids slippage which may result in loss of control of the weights or exercise equipment which in turn may result in injury to the user. 
         [0018]    2) A better workout, because the user will have more confidence and can work with greater amounts of weights due to the increased stability of the garment. 
         [0019]    3) The ability to avoid loss of potential power because the user is anchored between the support surface and the weight: helping the user maintain proper form. 
         [0020]    To be clear, the shirt will not make the user stronger, it simply helps a user not lose power. For example, if an individual is on a slippery surface such as a lake of ice and attempted to push a 100 lb weight, the user would slip on the ice and fail to move the weight very far. However, if the user put on metal ice cleats and then pushed the weight, the user would most likely be able to move the weight farther. Note that the weight would move farther not because the user has greater muscular strength, but because the cleats allow users to use more of their muscle&#39;s stored up energy. As a result, the user will have a more efficient workout. The user is getting a greater return on the effort made by the user. The garment disclosed herein provides a similar advantage to the cleat example given above. The improved friction, both inside and outside of the garment, allows the user to put more effort into their exercise while simultaneously providing more safety. 
         [0021]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited merely to free weight lifting. It also benefits anyone using the many types of exercise machines found in a gym, along with outdoor activities such as soccer, football, baseball, etc. 
         [0022]    In the preferred embodiment, the high friction material is screen printed onto a shirt and cured to the shirt. Screen printing is a process well known in the art. High friction material is a material having a coefficient of friction sufficient to prevent slippage of the shirt relative to the support equipment and the skin of the user. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the coefficient of friction is between about 0.7 and 0.85. While any number of suitable materials can be used as the high friction material, in one preferred but non-limiting embodiment the high friction material may be silicone material or another high friction rubber such as Spand-E-Sol™, commercially available from Rutland Technologies headquartered in North Carolina. 
         [0023]    In addition, in a non-preferred but in an exemplary, but non-limiting embodiment, a shirt fabric is made from 95% pima cotton and 5% elastane. The fabric may also be a polyester/spandex blend or 100% cotton. 100% polyester will not work when using Spand-E-Sol™ material since the Spand-E-Sol™ material can have a bleeding affect on the fabric. As was the case above in regard to Spand-E-Sol ™ material, those skilled in the art will recognize that a variety of materials may be suitable for the central fabric layer of the shirt. 
         [0024]    The Spand-E-Sol™ material, or any other frictional material, can be applied in a variety of alternative ways. It can be screen printed as described above. It can also be embedded in holes in the fabric or embedded holes in the fabric with portions extending over the fabric such that the fabric is partially embedded in the high friction material. 
         [0025]    Another alternative embodiment replaces the high friction material with a fabric made with ridges. Further, the fabric can be made with specialty fabrics such as commercially available cotton that has wicking properties to keep the athlete dry. Other embodiments can also be made, for example, with the cotton ridges on the inside of the garment and high friction material on the outside of the garment. 
         [0026]    The relative amount of friction provided by the garment can be adjusted during the manufacturing process in several ways. For example, the type of high friction material selected for the garment can vary. Each high friction material will have its own coefficient of friction so the choice of high friction material will have a direct effect on the frictional characteristics of the garments. Another way that the frictional characteristics of a garment can vary is by increasing or decreasing the total area of the garment that is covered by the high friction material. In addition, another way to adjust the frictional characteristics of the garment is to increase the radius, thickness, or height of the high friction material that in turn increases the amount of contact with the surface of the wearer&#39;s skin. 
         [0027]    The use of non-slip surfaces inside and outside of the shirt provides a garment that will not slip on the user&#39;s skin or when in contact with external surfaces. As a result, the user is anchored relative to the support surface, (bench, floor, or the like) and can avoid injuries caused by slippage, and further focus more energy on the exercise, thereby creating a greater benefit. 
         [0028]    An alternative preferred embodiment provides socks that have a similar laminate structure to that used by the shirt discussed above. There are many instances where an athlete&#39;s performance will be enhanced by eliminating the potential for slippage while the athlete is in motion. In addition to slower paced activities such as weight lifting, Pilates, and yoga, many fast-paced sports, such as hockey, tennis, basketball, football, and soccer, among others, create situations where athletes constantly change direction and accelerate as fast as they can. The use of non-slip socks will enhance the ability of the athlete to change direction and accelerate with minimum slippage relative to the shoe, and in turn the ice, floor, field and the like. 
         [0029]    In all of the activities mentioned above, from slower paced activities such as weight lifting, Pilates, and yoga, to fast-paced sports, such as hockey, tennis, basketball, football, and soccer, etc, there is a common need for stability. The high friction garments provided herein create this stability for almost all athletic activities. In addition to athletic activities, the technology used by this invention can also be applied to any type of garment where non-slippage is desirable. For example, a leotard can be worn for exercise, Pilates, etc., but it can also be worn as merely a garment for any occasion. As a result, while the invention provides specific benefits to athletes. it can also be used in garments worn by non-athletes. 
         [0030]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that the principles of the above- described embodiments can be applied to any type of garment that requires stability when worn. For example, sports bras can use the invention to provide stability for female breasts while jogging. This provides a benefit for women in that it avoids skin chafing while a woman engages in athletic activities such as jogging. In addition, other garments, such as shorts, can also benefit from the invention while they are worn in a variety of athletic activities. 
         [0031]    In general, there are two forms of friction that play in regard to the invention. They are static friction and kinetic friction. Static frictional forces arise from the interlocking of surface irregularities on two surfaces that are in contact. Static frictional force will increase under lateral pressure until it reaches a limit where the lateral pressure overcomes the static frictional force and the two surfaces break free and begin to slide against one another. In regard to static friction, the limit where static frictional forces overcome can be adjusted based on the height of the high friction material disposed on the garment  2 . The greater the thickness of the high friction material, the greater the static friction will be. In regard to kinetic friction, this can be increased based on the frictional characteristics of the high frictional materials selected for use as the inner and outer layers of high friction material. 
         [0032]    Having discussed the features and advantages of the invention in general, we turn now to a more detailed discussion of the figures. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1A  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of an exemplary garment found as a shirt  1  having a central fabric layer  2  having sleeves  3  and a torso section  4 . Also shown in this figure is an outer layer of high friction material  5  that is disposed as spaced protrusions  5  at various locations across the outside torso section  4  of the garment  1 . The layer of high friction protrusions  5  on the outside torso section  4  prevents the garment  1  from slipping when it is in contact with external surfaces such as exercise equipment, etc. The inside of the garment will have a corresponding inner layer of protrusions  7  formed from high friction material (shown below in regard to  FIG. 2A ) extending away from an opposed surface of material  2  that is designed to prevent slippage of the shirt relative to the skin surface of the user. 
         [0034]    The combination of the high friction protrusions  7  on the inside surface of the torso section  4  facing towards the user, and the high friction protrusions  5  on the outside surface of torso section  4  extending away from fabric layer  2  prevents the garment  1  from slipping in relation to the wearer&#39;s skin, and also prevents the garment  1  from slipping in relation to external surfaces such as exercise equipment, etc. While it is possible for either corresponding layer of high friction protrusions  5 , to be disposed at any arbitrary location on the surface of the torso section  4  of the central fabric layer  2 , the preferred embodiment envisions the pattern of high friction protrusions  7 , disposed on the inside of the garment&#39;s torso section  4  to align with the pattern of high friction protrusions  5  on the outside of the garment&#39;s torso section  4 . The pattern  6  used to form the outer layer can take any desirable aesthetic shape. The pattern  6  illustrated in the figure is for exemplary purposes only. The only requirement is that the distribution and overall area covered by the high friction protrusions  5 , is sufficient to provide the stability needed to implement the invention. 
         [0035]      FIG. 1B  is a rear view of a preferred embodiment of a shirt  1  showing the outer layer of high friction protrusions  5  disposed on the torso section  4  of the garment  2 . As was the case above, the preferred embodiment envisions outer and inner layers of high friction protrusions  5 ,  7  that are aligned with one another. And as was the case in regard to the front of the shirt  1 , the rear of the shirt  1  can have any desired pattern of friction protrusions  5 ,  7  disposed on the outer and inner surfaces of the central fabric layer  2 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 2A  is an edge view of a preferred embodiment of a shirt  1  illustrating the central fabric layer  2 , the inner layer of high friction protrusions  7 , and the outer layer of high friction protrusions  5 . In this illustration, the high friction protrusions  5 ,  7  are disposed directly onto the surface of the central fabric layer  2 . In the preferred embodiment, the high friction protrusions  5 ,  7  are disposed onto the surface of the central fabric layer  2  via commercially known screen-printing methods. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that any suitable process can be used to adhere the high friction protrusions  5 ,  7  to the surface of the central fabric layer  2 . 
         [0037]    In preferred embodiments, protrusions  5 ,  7  are substantially circular in cross-section to maximize the contact area between the skin of the user or the supporting athletic equipment. Furthermore, in the preferred, but non-limiting embodiment, there is spacing between adjacent protrusions  5 , 7 . These spacings form channels  14  which provide flow paths for moisture or liquids, such as sweat, to flow along the garment, and not interfere with the friction forces between protrusions  5 , 7  and the surface to which they are anchored. This is particularly true where fabric layer  2  is made from a wicking material. In a preferred embodiment, the diameter of protrusions  5 , 7  is the same as the width (spacing) of channel  14  so that there is a substantially 1:1 ratio of the respective diameters of protrusions  5 , 7  and respective channels  14  within the pattern  6 . The height of each individual protrusion  5 , 7  is between 0.1 centimeters and 0.3 centimeters and has a maximum diameter of between 0.5 centimeters and 1 centimeter. 
         [0038]    In a preferred non limiting embodiment, pattern formed by protrusions  5 , by way of example has an area corresponding to between about twenty to twenty five percent of the area of torso section  4  of shirt  1 . As a result of the ratio discussed above the area of torso section  4  actually made of protrusions  5  or  7  is tent to twelve and a half percent. 
         [0039]      FIG. 2B  is an edge view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the shirt  1  illustrating a central fabric layer  2 ′, and a unitary protrusion  8  formed from a high friction material which extends through an aperture  11  in the surface of the central fabric layer  2 ′ to form both the inner and outer high friction layers. As a result, the unitary construction in which a single layer of high friction protrusions  8  forms the inner and outer layers of high friction protrusions  5 ,  7  used in the previous embodiment. This structure allows a more precise alignment of the inner and outer layers of high friction material. The embodiment illustrated in this figure shows the high friction protrusion  8  slightly overlapping an edge  12  of aperture  11  in the central fabric layer  2 ′. 
         [0040]      FIG. 2C  is an edge view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the shirt  1  illustrating the central fabric layer  2 ′, and a single layer of high friction protrusions  8  extending through an aperture  11  in the surface of the central fabric layer  2 ′. The embodiment illustrated in this figure is similar to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2C  with the exception that the high friction protrusions  8  does not overlap an edge  12  of aperture  11  in the central fabric layer  2 ′, but is instead adhered to the edge of the aperture in the central fabric layer  2 ′. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a preferred embodiment of the garment material that shows an exemplary pattern of high friction protrusions  5 ,  7  on the surface of the central fabric layer  2 . In this figure, the height of the high friction protrusions  5 ,  7  are similar to each other. 
         [0042]      FIG. 3B  illustrates an alternative preferred embodiment of the garment material  2  that shows an alternative exemplary pattern of high friction protrusions  5 ,  7  on the surface of the central fabric layer  2 . In this embodiment, the height to which inside and outside layers of high friction protrusions  5 ,  7  extend from have been increased relative to other embodiments to increase static friction with a surface with which it is in contact. 
         [0043]      FIG. 3C  illustrates another alternative preferred embodiment of the garment material that shows an alternative exemplary pattern of high friction protrusions  5 ,  7  on the surface of the central fabric layer  2 . In this embodiment, the heights to which protrusions  5 , 7  extend from central fabric  2  are asymmetrical. By way of non-limiting example, the inside layer of high friction protrusions  7  has a greater height than the height of protrusions  5  to increase static friction against the skin of the wearer relative to the static friction between shirt  1  and the equipment. Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that this can be reversed to increase the relative height of the outer layer of protrusions  5 , relative to the inner layer of protrusions  7 . 
         [0044]    The above embodiment has been described in terms of a shirt by way of example only. It is readily understood that the material is applicable to socks, shorts, or even hand wraps for boxing or the like where performance and safety are improved by maintaining the positioning of the anatomy of the user relative to the glove, shoe or support during performance of a task. By way of example, the material shown in  FIGS. 2A-3C  would provide the surface of the sole of the sock. However, in a sock embodiment, because of the additional moisture, the ratio of protrusion diameter to channels is about 1:2. 
         [0045]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 4  where the formation of a protrusions  5 , 7 , or  8  in accordance with the invention is provided. 
         [0046]    It is known in the art when applying a rubberized layer to a fabric material to present a pattern, to mix ink with the rubberized material to give the pattern aesthetic value. Alternatively, it also known to apply the rubberized layer and then screen print the ink over the deposit rubberized laver. However. these methodologies are not applicable to an exercise environment where friction and sweat will cause the ink to leech onto the skin or simply rub off onto whatever material the protrusions are anchored to. Therefore, in accordance with the embodiment, the protrusions  5  by way of non-limiting example, as shown in  FIG. 4  are formed as a layered structure. A layer of ink  20  is deposited at the position of protrusion  5  directly onto material  2 ′. A heated layer of high coefficient friction material  22  is then applied over the ink. It is understood that high coefficient of friction material  22  is translucent or clear so that ink  20  layer may be viewed therethrough. A second layer of ink  24  is then layered onto the cooled layer  22  of high coefficient material. To prevent rubbing of ink layer  24 , a second layer of material of high coefficient of friction material  24  is deposited onto ink layer  24  completing protrusion  5 . In other embodiments, layer  22  of high coefficient material may be directly applied to fabric material  2 ′. 
         [0047]    While the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit, scope, and teaching of the invention. For example, the material used to fabricate the central fabric layer of the shirt may be anything suitable for its purpose, composition of the high friction material can also vary so long as it achieves the purposes and goals of the invention. The principles of the invention can be used in combination with any type of garment in which slippage is undesirable. This can be shirts, shorts, pants, socks, leotards, even nylon stockings. Likewise, the size, shape, and pattern of the high friction material can vary, etc. Accordingly, the invention herein disclosed is to be limited only as specified in the following claims.