Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02462208 2004-03-29
2
BACKGROUND
[0001 ] Devices and garments for protecting portions of the human body against
injury during
strenuous work and athletic activity are known in the art. The most commonly
known garments are
the athletic supporter and the protective cup, which are both used to provide
different degrees of
protection for the genital region of the body from impact. The athletic
supporter or jock strap is
primarily used to support the genital region. The protective cup is used to
protect the genital region
from injury due to an impact blow.
[0002] In an attempt to improve the comfort of an athletic support, J.V.
Rotello in his U.S.
Patent, 3,963,022 issued June 15, 1976 discloses using a single piece of
elastic waistband. The elastic
waistband is intended to seek its own proper position on the wearer's body for
maximum comfort and,
at the same time, provide adjustability to accommodate both long and short
torsos as well as broad
and thin torsos. An elastic waistband, with Velcro fasteners in the harness of
a panel support is
disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,622,962 issued November 18, 1986 to R.D. Kauffnan.
[0003] In difficult environmental conditions, such as cold (both indoor and
outdoor), wind, rain
and sleet, the male genital area can become chilled to the point of
discomfort. To avoid this,
additional layers of clothing may be worn. However, when participating in
active or strenuous sports,
the additional layers of clothing may hamper movement, become sodden with
perspiration, or cause
other body part to become uncomfortably warm etc.
SUMMARY
[0004] The present invention is defined by the following claims, and nothing
in this section
should be taken as a limitation on those claims. By way of introduction, the
preferred embodiments
described below relate to an athletic support garment for use on a body having
a waist, genitals, and
legs. The athletic support garment includes: an elastic waistband operative to
fit around the waist of
said body; a pouch formed of a layer of wicking material having a top and a
bottom, the top coupled
with the waistband, the pouch operative to support the genitals of said body;
at least one elastic left
leg strap having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled with the
waistband, the second end
coupled with the pouch, operative to fit behind the legs of said body; and at
least one elastic right leg
strap having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled with the
waistband, the second end
coupled with the pouch, operative to fit behind the legs of said body; whereby
the waistband, pouch,
left leg strap and right leg strap cooperate to fit closely to said body and
prevent movement of the
garn~ent on said body.
CA 02462208 2004-03-29
3
[0005] Further aspects and advantages of the invention are discussed below in
conjunction with
the preferred embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 depicts a front view of an embodiment of the present invention;
[0007] FIG. 2 depicts a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;
and
(0008] FIG. 3 depicts a back view of an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS
[0009] Herein, the phrase "coupled with" is defined to mean directly connected
to or indirectly
connected through one or more intermediate components.
[0010] Refernng now to FIG. I , a front view of an embodiment of an athletic
support garment 1
is depicted. The athletic support garment 1 has an elastic waistband 3. The
elastic waistband 3 is
coupled with a protective genital support pouch 5 and two elastic material
straps 7, 9. The straps 7, 9
are further coupled with the pouch 5 at strap coupling points 11, 13. The
pouch 5 may be sewn to the
waistband 3, the pouch 5 may be sewn to the straps 7, 9 and the straps 7, 9
may be sewn to the
waistband 3. Alternately, any appropriate attachments may be used to couple
the pouch 5 to the
waistband 3, the pouch 5 to the straps 7, 9 and the straps 7, 9 to the
waistband 3.
[0011] Refernng now to FIG. 2, a side view of an embodiment of the athletic
support garment 1
of FIG 1 is depicted, and the strap coupling point 11 may be seen more
clearly. The strap coupling
point 11 is positioned to minimize and/or eliminate chafing to the genital
area. The pouch 5 is
coupled with the waistband 3 at pouch coupling point 25. In one embodiment,
the pouch 5 is attached
to the outside of the waistband 3 to prevent chafing to the waist of the
wearer. The strap 7 is coupled
with the waistband 3 at waistband coupling point 27. In one embodiment, the
strap 7 is attached to
the outside of the waistband 3 to prevent chafing to the waist of the wearer.
[0012] Refernng now to FIG. 3, a back view of an embodiment of the athletic
support garment 1
is depicted on a body 15. The waistband 3 fits snugly around the waist 17. The
straps 7, 9 fit snugly
below the buttocks 19 and behind the legs 21, 23.
[0013] The waistband 3 may be of any dimension of comfort to the wearer. In
one embodiment
it is between 2 to 4 inches in width.
CA 02462208 2004-03-29
4
[0014] The protective genital support pouch 5 is positioned to be in contact
with the genital
region of the body 15 to provide support. The pouch 5 is made of at least one
layer of wicking
material such as Polartec~ Powerdry Fabrics, manufactured by Malden Mills of
Lawrence,
Massachusetts, that wicks moisture away from the genital area, provides
breathability, and so
maintains warmth and dryness in the genital area, thereby reducing the risk of
heat stress build-up
related to active outdoor and/or indoor sports. Alternately, the pouch 5 may
be made of two or more
layers of material. In this case, the innermost layer that is in contact with
the genital region is formed
of a wicking material. The outer layers) may also be formed of wicking
materials, or may be formed
from some other material, such as a windproof material. Where the material is
a windproof material,
it may be a breathable stretch polyurethane membrane. The layers may be
manufactured separately,
or may be manufactured as one sheet of fabric composed of multiple layers.
Various materials and
layers may be employed depending on temperature, environmental conditions and
so forth.
[0015] The straps 7, 9 may be of any dimension of comfort to the wearer. In
one embodiment
they are between '/4 to 1 inch in width. In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG
1 to 3, there is one
strap 7 for the left leg 21, and one strap 9 for the right leg 23.
Alternately, multiple straps may be
used for each leg.
[0016] In operation, the waistband 3, pouch 5 and straps 7, 9 cooperate to fit
the garment 1
closely to the body 15 and prevent movement of the garment 1 on the body 15.
Specifically, the
elastic nature of the waistband 3 and straps 7, 9 cooperate to hold the pouch
5 closely around the
genital area of the body 15. This multi-purpose outdoor; inclement weather use
athletic support
garment 1 provides the genital area with warmth by wicking away the body's
moisture, while at the
same time preventing inclement weather or cold temperatures from chilling the
genital area while the
wearer is participating in rigorous athletic activity. By wicking away
moisture from the genital area,
the painful chafing is reduced or eliminated. The garment 1 is lightweight,
easily donned, does not
have excess material that would hamper the wearer, and is practical.
[0017] It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed description be
regarded as illustrative
rather than limiting, and that it be understood that it is the following
claims, including all equivalents,
that are intended to define the spirit and scope of this invention.
