Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Sports undergarment including a resilient fabric contributing levels of
compression adapted to the muscle tissues
The present invention relates to an undergarment for the practice of a sport,
which is provided
for improving comfort and performances.
In the practice of a sports activity, fast and repeated movements lead to
oscillation of
the muscle tissues of the body as a whole including the muscle, fat matter and
skin. These
oscillations are variable depending on the muscles as a function of the sport
practiced and the
person, in particular his/her sex, age, height and weight.
The oscillations of the muscle tissues demand of the muscles, in addition to
the effort
necessary for the sports activity, additional energy for supporting this
matter, which fatigues
these muscles more rapidly and limits the energy dedicated to the sports
performance.
Furthermore, it is possible to get micro-lesions on the scale of the muscle,
which
fatigue them even more.
In order to exert a tight holding of the limbs for medical reasons, the
production of
support undergarments is known, in particular support stockings for the legs,
comprising a
resilient fabric which exerts a constant and uniform tight hold on the limbs
as a whole.
This tight holding of the limbs makes it possible to compress the surface vein
network
and in particular to limit the formation of edemas which can lead to
thromboses. However,
these undergarments are not suited to improving sports performances.
Furthermore, a known type of sports undergarment for the lower body, in the
form of
pants, presented in particular in the document US-A1-2014059741, has vertical
resilient
bands arranged along the legs, which exert additional support in this
direction making it
possible to reduce muscle fatigue of the legs.
However, this type of pants with resilient bands along the legs does not
enable one to
adapt, in particular for each type of muscle, the level of tight hold that is
suitable for it in
order to optimize the performance of each of these muscles to be best possible
extent.
The present invention in particular aims to prevent these disadvantages of the
prior art.
For this purpose, it proposes an undergarment provided for sports practice,
which
includes a resilient fabric which is fit on the body while exerting
compression in order to
limit the oscillations of the muscle tissues during the practice of the sport,
characterized in
that it has areas having different levels of resilience, each of these areas
contributing levels of
compression adapted to the muscle tissues that they cover, including higher
compression
when these muscle tissues present greater oscillations from the outset.
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An advantage of this undergarment is that it is thus possible to precisely
define
different areas on the human body, each corresponding to ranges of oscillation
of the muscle
tissues during the practice of the sport, and then to adapt, for each of these
areas, the level of
elongation and nervousness of the resilient fabric in order to reduce the
oscillations
appropriately.
It is thus possible to restrain to a greater extent the muscle masses
presenting the most
extensive oscillations, with areas that have shapes that are freely adapted to
these muscle
masses, and to retrain the other muscle masses to a lesser extent, thereby
ensuring the
comfort of the undergarment.
These garments improve physical recovery, that is to say that good physical
form is
regained more rapidly, and therefore indirectly, the performance is improved
to the extent
that the sports practice can be resumed more quickly and one can therefore
practice more,
thereby inducing a greater yield and therefore better physical performances.
The undergarment according to the invention can moreover have one or more of
the
following features which can be combined together.
Advantageously, the areas of higher compression have a silicone deposit on the
resilient fabric. Silicone is a material having great resilience and great
nervousness, which
moreover is easily deposited and attached on resilient fabrics. The
compression can be
contributed by other methods, for example, by the application of resins other
than silicone,
adhesion or addition of material, or any other application, in particular of
the material
reinforcement type which reinforces the resilience in the higher compression
areas.
In this case, advantageously, the deposit, for example, of silicone on the
areas of
higher compression forms a pattern comprising mesh preferably of hexagonal
shape or of any
other known geometric shape, for example, triangular. These meshes form a
decoration that
at the same time allows one to set the level of resilience by adjusting their
thickness.
Advantageously, the silicone is deposited according to a pattern produced by a
silk
screen printing process. This process makes it easy to form varied patterns.
Advantageously, the resilient fabric is a jersey stitch knit based on
polyamide and
elastane. This type of fabric has a good level of resilience and is pleasant
to wear.
In this case, the weaving width of the resilient fabric is advantageously
arranged
according to the height of the undergarments but can also be arranged in the
direction of the
width provided that the elongation and the modulus are similar. One thus
obtains greater
compression in the direction of the height which represents the direction of
the greatest
oscillations of the muscle tissues.
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In particular, the areas of compression including the highest level have, in
the
direction of the height of the undergarment, an elongation of approximately
49%, particularly
between 40% and 60%, for a load of 15 N, and in the direction of the width, an
elongation of
approximately 66%, particularly between 55% and 75%, for a load of 15 N, these
measurements being made according to the standard BS 4952. These values
contribute a good
level of compression of the muscle tissues that have the highest oscillations.
According to an embodiment, the undergarment is in the form of pants having a
lower
area of low compression on the legs, which goes up to the knees, and having an
upper area of
high compression above that going up to the top. One thus has areas that are
adapted to the
movements of the corresponding muscle tissues.
In addition, between the area of low compression and the area of high
compression,
essentially at the level of the knees, the pants can have an area of medium
compression in the
form of a band that rises towards the inside between the legs.
According to another embodiment, the undergarment is in the form of a jersey
having
an upper area of low compression in the upper part going essentially down to
the middle of
the thorax, and on the arms, and having one or more lower areas of higher
compression below
that. In this case as well, there are areas that are adapted to the movements
of the
corresponding muscle tissues.
In addition, the jersey can have a lower area which, in the center of the
front and of
the back and at the height of the middle of the thorax, includes an
essentially horizontal band
which is completed on each side by a descending part contributing a medium or
high level of
compression.
The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and
advantages will
appear more clearly upon reading the description hereafter given as an example
in reference
to the appended drawings in which:
- Figures la and lb present the muscles of the human body respectively from
the front
and from the back;
- Figures 2a and 2b present, on the human body respectively from the front
and from
the back, areas corresponding to three levels of oscillation of the muscle
tissues during the
practice of running;
- Figures 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b present, respectively from the front and from the
back, pants
or "leggings" and a jersey or "tee-shirt" according to the invention having
three levels of
resilience;
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- Figure 5 presents a silicone covering pattern applied on the resilient
fabric in order
to adapt its level of resilience; and
- Figures 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b present, respectively from the front and from the
back, pants
or "leggings" and a jersey or "tee-shirt" according to a variant having two
levels of resilience.
Figure la presents the human body seen from the front, which has the following
muscles on each leg, starting from the bottom, the peroneus brevis 2, the
tibialis anterior 4,
the vastus medialis 6, the vastus lateralis 8, the rectus femoris 10, the
adductor longus 12, the
sartorius 14, the tensor fasciae latae 16, and towards the inside of the leg
the adductor magnus
18, the gracilis 20, the pectineus 22 and the iliopsoas 24.
The human body has the following muscles in the upper part, starting from the
bottom,
the abdominal external oblique muscle 26, the rectus abdominus 28, the
serratus anterior 30,
the pectoralis major 32 and the deltoid 34. On each arm, starting from the
hand, it has the
flexor carpi ulnaris 36, the palmaris longus 38, the brachioradialis 40, the
brachialis 42 and
the biceps brachii 44.
Figure lb presents the human body seen from the back, which has the following
muscles on each leg, starting from the bottom, the soleus 50, the peroneus
longus 52, the
gastrocnemius 54, the plantaris 56, the semimembranosus 58, the semitendinosus
60, the
biceps femoris 62, the gluteus maximus 64 and the gluteus medius 66.
The human body has the following muscles in the upper part, starting from the
bottom,
the latissimus dorsi 68, the infraspinatus 70 and the trapezius 72. On each
arm, starting from
the hand, it has the extensor carpi ulnaris 80, the anconeus 82, the triceps
brachii 84, the teres
major 86 and the teres minor 88.
Figures 2a and 2b present different levels of oscillation of the muscle
tissues during
the practice of running, which were measured by sensors on a sample of people
representing
different sexes, ages, heights and weights. The movements are measured in
three dimensions;
in the case of this sport, they are generally greater in the vertical
direction.
These movements depend on the contraction of the muscles; they are greater
when the
muscles are relaxed.
Small oscillations of less than 15 mm are obtained on the back of the legs
below the
knees 80 and in the center of the back 82. Medium oscillations between 15 and
25 mm are
obtained in the lower thorax and the center of the abdomen 84, on the lower
back 86 and on
the upper arms 88, and on the upper back of the legs towards the inside 98.
Large oscillations
greater than 25 mm are obtained, for the front, on the upper part of the legs
including the
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pelvis 90 and on the sides of the abdomen 92, and for the back, on the side of
the legs 94 and
on the sides of the back 96.
Figures 3a and 3b present pants 100 made from a resilient fabric, which
produces
compression of the lower body at the same time due to the material and how
this fabric is
made and due to the application of silicone on certain areas of this fabric.
The fabric alone
contributes a low level of compression; the silicone combined with the fabric
contributes,
depending on its pattern, a medium level and a high level of compression.
The fabric is a jersey stitch knit based on polyamide and elastane, in
particular
containing 78% polyamide and 22% elastane. The grammage is 200 g per square
meter. In
the direction of the weaving length, it has an elongation of 77% for a load of
15 N, and a
modulus of 233 cN for a force of 30%. In the direction of the weaving width,
it has an
elongation of 59% for a load of 15 N, and a modulus of 107 cN for a force of
30%. These
measurements are made according to the standard BS 4952.
Since the oscillations of the muscle tissues are greater in the direction of
the height,
for the manufacturing, one will advantageously arrange the width of the fabric
in the
direction of the height of the pants 100, in order to benefit from a greater
stiffness of this
fabric in this direction. Moreover, greater resilience is obtained in the
direction of the width,
which allows the product to be slipped on more comfortably.
On the legs, the pants 100 have a lower area 102 featuring a fabric without
silicone
contributing a low level of compression, which goes approximately up to the
knees, rising
toward the inside, and which essentially covers the peroneus brevis 2 and the
tibialis anterior
4 on the front and the soleus 50, the peroneus longus 52 and the gastrocnemius
54 on the
back.
Then, above that, the pants 100 have an intermediate area 104 in the form of a
band
also rising toward the inside between the legs and coming almost to the
crotch, featuring a
fabric with silicone contributing a medium level of compression, which
essentially covers the
plantaris 56, the semimembranosus 58, the semitendinosus 60.
Finally, above that, the pants 100 have an upper area 106 going up to the
waist,
featuring a fabric with silicone contributing a high level of compression,
which essentially
covers the vastus medialis 6, the vastus lateralis 8, the rectus femoris 10,
the adductor longus
12, the sartorius 14, the adductor magnus 18, the gracilis 20, the pectineus
22 and the
iliopsoas 24 on the front. This upper area 106 essentially covers the biceps
femoris 62 and the
gluteus maximus 64 muscles on the back.
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Figures 4a and 4b present a jersey 110 made from the same resilient fabric,
which
produces compression of the upper body in the same manner due to the material
and how this
fabric is made and due to the application of silicone on certain areas in
order to contribute
three levels of compression.
For the manufacturing, the width of the fabric is also arranged in the
direction of the
height of the jersey 110 in order to benefit from greater stiffness in this
direction and to make
this product easier to slip on.
On the upper body going down to the middle of the thorax and on the sleeves,
the
jersey 110 has an upper area 112 featuring a fabric without silicone
contributing a low level
of compression, which essentially covers the pectoralis major 32, the deltoid
34, the
infraspinatus 70, the trapezius 72, the teres major 86, the teres minor 88,
and all the muscles
of the arm.
Then, below that, the jersey 110 has an intermediate area 114 which, in the
center of
the front and of the back and at the height of the middle of the thorax, has a
thin, essentially
horizontal band which is completed on each side by a descending part coming
below this
thorax, featuring a fabric with silicone contributing the medium level of
compression. The
intermediate area 114 essentially covers the rectus abdominus 28 and the
serratus anterior 30.
Finally, below that on each side, the jersey 110 has a lower area 116 going
down to
the waist, featuring a fabric with silicone contributing the high level of
compression, which
essentially covers the abdominal external oblique muscle 26 on the front and
the latissimus
dorsi 68 on the back.
Figure 5 presents the pattern produced with silicone for the areas of medium
and high
compression, comprising mesh according to a hexagonal shape 120 having a width
L on the
order of 10 mm and a height H on the order of 15 mm.
Advantageously, the areas of medium and high compression are differentiated by
adapting the thickness E of this pattern, which is 2 mm for medium compression
and 3 mm
for high compression, thereby enabling one to keep an appearance and
manufacturing means
that remain similar.
One preferably uses a two-component silicone having a Shore A hardness between
10
and 40, which is advantageously a medical type material in order to avoid
reactions with the
skin.
The silicone can in particular be deposited by silk screen printing on the
textile in
order to obtain the desired pattern, this process allowing impregnation of the
silicone in the
textile, which increases its nervousness, that is to say the force of return
to its initial position.
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It should be noted that, since the elongation before rupture of the silicone
for
reinforcing the resilient fabric is greater than that of this fabric, there is
then no risk of
damaging this silicone in the case of great stretching.
For the area of medium compression, one obtains a resilient fabric having, in
the
direction of the height of the product, an elongation of 54% for a load of 15
N and a modulus
of 560 cN for a force of 30%. In the width direction, it has an elongation of
72% for a load of
15 N and a modulus of 420 cN for a force of 30%. These measurements are made
according
to the standard BS 4952.
It is observed that, for this area of medium compression, one has a reduced
elongation
and a greater stiffness in the two directions as well as a better nervousness
of the fabric.
For the area of high compression, one also obtains a resilient fabric having,
in the
direction of the height of the product, an elongation of 49% for a load of 15
N and a modulus
of 640 cN for a force of 30%. In the width direction, it has an elongation of
66% for a load of
15 N and a modulus of 420 cN for a force of 30%. These measurements are made
according
to the standard BS 4952.
For this area of high compression, one has even greater stiffness.
Figures 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b present pants 100 and a jersey 110 that have only two
areas of
compression, an area of low compression with the resilient fabric alone, and
an area of high
compression with the fabric receiving silicone in order to produce the highest
compression
presented above.
For manufacturing, the width of the fabric is also arranged in the direction
of the
height of the pants 100 and of the jersey 110 in order to benefit from greater
stiffness in this
direction and to make these products easier to slip on.
Figures 6a and 6b present pants 130 having, on each leg, a lower area 132
featuring a
fabric without silicone contributing a low level of compression, which goes
approximately up
to and including the knees, rising slightly towards the outside, and which
essentially covers
the peroneus brevis 2 and the tibialis anterior 4 on the front, and the soleus
50, the peroneus
longus 52 and the gastrocnemius 54 on the back.
Above that, the pants 130 have an upper area 134 which goes up to the waist,
featuring a fabric with silicone contributing a high level of compression,
which essentially
covers the vastus medialis 6, the vastus lateralis 8, the rectus femoris 10,
the adductor longus
12, the sartorius 14, the adductor magnus 18, the gracilis 20, the pectineus
22 and the
iliopsoas 24 on the front, and which covers the plantaris 56, the
semimembranosus 58, the
semitendinosus 60, the biceps femoris 62 and the gluteus maximus 64 on the
back.
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Figures 7a and 7b present a jersey 140 which, on the upper body going down to
the
middle of the thorax, and on the sleeves, has an upper area 142a featuring a
fabric without
silicone contributing the low level of compression, which essentially covers
the pectoralis
major 30, the deltoid 34, the infraspinatus 70, the trapezius 72, the teres
major 86, the teres
minor 88, and all the muscles of the arm.
The jersey 140 also has two lower central areas 142b of fabric without
silicone
contributing the low level of compression, in the middle of the abdomen and of
the back
down to the bottom.
Finally, the jersey 140 has a lower area 144 which, in the center of the front
and of the
back, and at the height of the middle of the thorax, has a thin, essentially
horizontal band
which is completed on each side by a descending part coming down to the
bottom, featuring a
fabric with silicone contributing the high level of compression. This lower
area 144
essentially covers the abdominal external oblique muscle 26, the rectus
abdominus 28 and the
serratus anterior 30 on the front, and the latissimus dorsi 68 on the back.
In a practical manner, similar measurements performed on the same persons with
and
without this type of undergarments showed a gain regarding the level of
oscillation of the
muscle tissues between 20 and 40%. With these undergarments, one therefore has
a clear
reduction of the movements of the muscles which reduces the energy consumed,
improves
comfort and enables one to increase the sports performance.
In a general manner, according to the invention, it is possible to produce on
the
undergarments a varied number of areas, greater than three, corresponding to
different levels
of compression of the fabric, as well as area contours adapted particularly to
the muscles to
be covered. In particular, it is possible to produce undergarments provided
for different
categories of people, particularly according to their type, their age, their
height and their
weight, in order to optimize in a specific manner the comfort as well as the
sports
performances.
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