Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
GARMENT HAVING ENGINEERED LACE ZONES
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This application relates to the field of garments, and more
specifically, to a garment for
sporting activities, exercise, and the like that has engineered lace zones.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Athletes and consumers are demanding high performance activewear and
sportswear, such
as for example, sports tights. Currently, most sports garments are made by
cutting and sewing
together fabrics having different structural properties to provide different
levels of pressure
sensation in different areas of the garment. However, such garments typically
have limited
ornamental designs (or looks) and typically have a number of seams located
throughout the
garment that may cause chaffing. In addition, making such garments typically
involves greater
fabric waste and increased labor and manufacturing costs.
SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION
[0003] In one aspect, a garment having engineered lace zones is provided. The
garment comprises
a lace panel that forms at least portion of the garment and that has a first
engineered lace zone and
a second engineered lace zone. The first engineered lace zone has a first
structural property and
the second engineered lace zone has a second structural property.
[0004] In addition to the aspects and embodiments described above, further
aspects and
embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and study of the
following
detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Throughout the drawings, reference numbers may be re-used to indicate
correspondence
between referenced elements. The drawings are provided to illustrate example
embodiments
described herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the application.
Sizes and relative
positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For
example, the shapes
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of various elements and angles may be not drawn to scale, and some of these
elements may be
arbitrarily enlarged and positioned to improve drawing legibility.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an example of a garment having
engineered lace zones.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a rear view illustrating an example of a garment having
gradually changing
engineered lace zones.
[0009] FIG. 4 includes front views illustrating two example garments having
engineered lace
zones and having reflective yarn incorporated therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] In the following description, details are set forth to provide an
understanding of the
application. In some instances, certain structures, techniques, and methods
have not been described
or shown in detail in order not to obscure the application.
[0011] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a garment 10 having a lace panel 12 that
includes two or more
engineered lace zones 14. The garment 10 may be a pair of sports tights (or a
sports tight). Of
course, the garment 10 may be any other athletic or sports garment such as a
bra, top, shirt, jacket,
pants, shorts, etc., without departing from the scope of the application. The
garment 10 has a front
side 11, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and a rear side 13, as illustrated in FIG.
2. The garment 10 further
comprises a waistband 15 and first and second (or right and left) legs 16, 17.
[0012] The lace panel 12 is shaped and sized to cover at least a portion of a
wearer's body (e.g.,
the wearer's legs, a portion of the wearer's torso, etc.). The lace panel 12
comprises multiple (e.g.,
three) engineered lace zones 14, such as a first engineered lace zone 14a, a
second engineered lace
zone 14b, and a third engineered lace zone 14c. Persons skilled in the art
will understand that the
lace panel 12 can have two zones or more than three lace zones without
departing from the scope
of the application. Each of the engineered lace zones (e.g., 14a) has a
respective structural property
that differs from the structural property of the other engineered lace zones
(e.g., 14b, 14c). The
structural property of the engineered lace zones 14 can be changed by changing
the yarn fed into
the machine used to knit the lace, changing the gauge (looser or tighter
gauge), or by changing the
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knit structure. For example, the first engineered lace zone 14a can be knitted
with a thicker yarn
or combination of yarns, or with a tighter gauge or thicker knit construction,
or any combination
thereof, so that it provides a first amount (or level) of pressure (e.g.,
sensation, compression, etc.)
on the skin of the wearer. The third engineered lace zone 14c can be knitted
with thinner yarn/yarns
having a looser gauge or knit structure, so that it provides a second amount
(or level) of pressure
which is less than the first amount of pressure of the first engineered lace
zone 14a. In addition,
the third engineered lace zone 14c can include a mesh that improves
breathability or ventilation
within the zone 14c while providing a lower amount of pressure on the skin of
the wearer. The
second engineered lace zone 14b can be knitted so that it provides a third
amount (or level) of
.. pressure that is greater than the second amount of pressure provided by the
third engineered lace
zone 14c but less than the first amount of pressure provided by the first
engineered lace zone 14a.
According to one embodiment, transitions between engineered lace zones 14a,
14b, 14c are
seamless. For example, in the illustrated example of the garment 10, the first
engineered lace zone
14a can be positioned in the thigh area, the second engineered lace zone 14b
can be positioned in
the knee and upper calf area, and the third engineered lace zone 14c can be
positioned in the lower
calf and ankle area.
100131 Persons skilled in the art will understand that the engineered lace
zones 14 can have
different sizes and shapes and can be positioned in different parts of the
garment 10 without
departing from the scope of application. For example, where the garment is a
shirt, an engineered
lace zone providing a greater amount of pressure can be positioned in the
abdomen area or across
the back (for posture control) of the garment 10. In addition, the garment 10
can have more than
one fabric panel 18 (as described below).
[0014] The engineered lace zones 14 can be knitted from a yarn or thread made
from a material
such as LycraTM, spandex, nylon, elastane, polyamide, polyether-polyurea
copolymer, polyester,
cotton, wool, silk, forest based fibres, etc., that can provide stretch and
shape retention and is
quick-drying, sweat-wicking, smooth, and soft. In one embodiment, CorduraTM
yarn can be added
to increase the durability of the garment 10. In some embodiments, thermal
yarn can be added to
provide the wearer with a warming or cooling sensation, or reflective yarn can
be incorporated to
increase visibility of the wearer at night. In some embodiments, waterproof or
water-resistant yarn
can be used to knit the lace panel 12.
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[0015] The garment 10 further comprises a fabric panel 18. For example, the
fabric panel 18 can
cover the pelvic area of the wearer's torso. In one embodiment, it can also
extend to the upper
portions of the legs 16, 17. The fabric panel 18 can be knitted with a
structural property that is
different than that of the lace panel 12. For example, the fabric panel 18 can
be heavier and/or
thicker than the lace panel 12 and can provide an amount a pressure that can
be greater than the
amount of pressure provided by the engineered lace zones 14. The fabric panel
18 can be connected
or attached to the lace panel 12 by sewing or bonding. In the example garment
10, the fabric panel
18 is sewn to the lace panel 12 thereby defining a seam 19.
[0016] FIG. 3 shows another example of a garment 100 having a lace panel 112.
The garment 100
is a tight or pair of tights. The lace panel 112 extends from a waistband
opening 115 all the way
through the legs 116, 117 forming the entire garment 100. The density of the
lace panel 112
gradually changes along the length of the garment 100. For example, the upper
part of the lace
panel 112 near the waistband opening 115 can be knitted with a thicker yarn or
combination of
yarns, or with a tighter gauge or thicker knit construction, or any
combination thereof, forming an
engineered lace zone 114a. The engineered lace zone 114a can cover the pelvic
area (encircling
the waist and splitting to cover the upper thigh area of each leg 116, 117),
such that the increased
thickness of the lace panel 112 in the engineered lace zone 114a makes the
garment 100 less
transparent in that area. The lace panel 112 structure is engineered so that
its thickness gradually
decreases down the legs 116, 117. In one embodiment, the garment 100 can
further comprise a
fabric panel 118. The fabric panel 118 can be an inner liner (e.g., inner
shorts) positioned under
the engineered lace zone 114a. In one embodiment, the fabric panel 118 can be
connected or
attached to the lace panel 112. For example, the fabric panel 118 and the lace
panel 112 can be
connected along an edge of the waistband opening 115.
[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates further examples of garments 200, 201 having an
engineered lace panel
212 with multiple engineered lace zones 214 as described above. A reflective
yarn or yarns is
added to knit at least a portion of the lace panel 212 forming reflective
portions 220 of the garment
200, 201. A structural property of the reflective portions 220 can differ from
one another. For
example, the structural property of a reflective portion 220 can be the same
as the structural
property of the engineered lace zones 214 where the reflective portion 220 is
located. In some
embodiments, the structural property of all of the reflective portions 220 can
be the same and the
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structural property of the reflective portions 220 can be different from the
structural property of
the engineered lace zones 214.
[0018] While particular elements, embodiments and applications of the present
application have
been shown and described, it will be understood, that the scope of the
application is not limited
thereto, since modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing from the
scope of the present application, particularly in light of the foregoing
teachings. Thus, for example,
in any method or process disclosed herein, the acts or operations making up
the method/process
may be performed in any suitable sequence and are not necessarily limited to
any particular
disclosed sequence. Elements and components can be configured or arranged
differently,
combined, and/or eliminated in various embodiments. The various features and
processes
described above may be used independently of one another, or may be combined
in various ways.
All possible combinations and subcombinations are intended to fall within the
scope of this
application. Reference throughout this disclosure to "some embodiments," "an
embodiment," or
the like, means that a particular feature, structure, step, process, or
characteristic described in
connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus,
appearances of the
phrases "in some embodiments," "in an embodiment," or the like, throughout
this application are
not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment and may refer to one or
more of the same or
different embodiments. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein
may be embodied
in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, additions,
substitutions, equivalents,
.. rearrangements, and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein
may be made
without departing from the spirit of the application.
[0019] Various aspects and advantages of the embodiments have been described
where
appropriate. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such aspects or
advantages may be
achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, it
should be
.. recognized that the various embodiments may be carried out in a manner that
achieves or optimizes
one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily
achieving other aspects
or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
[0020] Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, "can,"
"could," "might," "may,"
"e.g.," and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise
understood within the context
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as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include,
while other
embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus,
such conditional
language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or
steps are in any way
required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments
necessarily include logic
for deciding, with or without operator input or prompting, whether these
features, elements and/or
steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment. No
single feature or group
of features is required for or indispensable to any particular embodiment. The
terms "comprising,"
"including," "having," and the like are synonymous and are used inclusively,
in an open-ended
fashion, and do not exclude additional elements, features, acts, operations,
and so forth. Also, the
term "or" is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so
that when used, for
example, to connect a list of elements, the term "or" means one, some, or all
of the elements in the
list.
[0021] Any example calculations, simulations, results, graphs, values, and
parameters of the
embodiments described herein are intended to illustrate and not to limit the
disclosed
embodiments. Other embodiments can be configured and/or operated differently
than the
illustrative examples described herein.
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