Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
1 ~ 3 ~ 6
VER~ICALLY ADJUSTABLE ATHLETIC SUPPORTER
Background of the Invention
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to athletic equipment and
in particular athletic supporters.
2. Art Backqround
The avowed purpose for athletic supporters is the
support of the genitals and scrotum during athletic
endeavors or during less strenuous activities. The
supporters generally include a waistband, a downward and
then rearward projecting pouch appended to the front of
the waistband to support the scrotum and genitals and a
pair of straps extending from the bottom of the pouch to
- separated positions on the waistband. Supporters are made
in a few discrete sizes. ~owever this concept of a ~ew
siæes fitting all i5 often unsatisfactory. Even if a
generically sized supporter fits when new, l~nding some of
the desired support, washings and use soon take their
~oll.
Attempts to extend the usefulness of supporters
have often involved improvement of the mat~rials, e.g.,
elastic materials. Some other approaches involve
mechanical expedien~sO For example, ~.S. Patent
3,547,117, issued December 15, 1970, describes a~
adjustable waistband having a fastener, e.g., a
Velcro~ fastener, to reduce or enlarge the circumference
of the waistband. This adjustability does not
significantly improve the support provided. An alternate
approach to increased convenience (U.S. Patent 4,141,357,
issued February 27, 1979) employs, as shown in Fig. 3, a
pouch, 1, with no straps at the bottom of the pouch but
having two adjustable straps, 3 and 4, attached to
opposing ends at the top of the pouch and adapted to
attach to th~ waistband of a separate garment, e.g. r a
131~
2.
bathing suit. Lack of straps at the bottom of the pouch
significantly decreases support.
Attempts to compensate for the varying degrees
of support required for different activities for the
variety of human configurations and ~or the ranges of use
have not been entirely successful.
In drawings which illustrate preferred
embodiments of the invention Figs. 1 and 2 are
illustrative of embodiments of the inrention and of the
manner ~n which the inventive athlatic supporter provides
comfort and adjustable support; and
Fig. 3 is illustrative of embodiments outside
the invention.
Summarv of the Invention
`~! 15 Significant support for a wide variety of the
physiques and activities as well as compensation for the
effects of wear is possible with the inventive supporter
configuration. In particular a configuration is used
that includes: 1) a waistband, 2) a pouch, a
substantial portion of which is stretchable, attachable
to the waistband in the front, 3) means for attachiny the
pouch to the waistband, and 4) holding members extending
from the bottom portion of the pouch to the waistband.
The means for attachment should satisfy cPrtain criteria.
The attachment means should provide for attachment and
detachment from a plurality of positions extending in a
direction from the bottom of the waistband to the top.
The attachment at each such position should be such that
1) the pouch should advantageously not substantially
distort downwardly or sage due to the forces exerted upon
atta hment by contact with the wearer's body and such
that 2) the waistband should not substantially pucker due
to the forces upon attachment exerted by contact with the
body.
For example, excellent support for a wide variety
of body configurations is achieved by employing a hook and
loop attachment means such as Velcro~. In one specific
B
3 . ~l 3 ~
~mbodiment one portion of the attachment means, e.g., the
hooks, is arrayed substantially completely across the top
of the pouch and the other portion o~ the attachment
means, e.g., the loops, is arrayed across the waistband
(37 in Fig. 2) width and extends along thle circumference
o the waistband a distance substantially corresponding to
the dimension of the pouch occupied by thle attachment
means, e.g., the hooks. In this em~odiment the support
afforded is adjusted by pulling the top of the pouch
upwardly and attaching it at a comfortable position on the
waistband. The resulting support and comfort is
substantially maintained because the pouch does not sag
(attachment is all across the top of the pouch) and the
waistband does not pucker ~the force generated by the
desired support is distributed over a relatively
substantial portion of the waistband).
Detailed Description
The inventive athletic supporters are
characterized by their comfort and ad3ustable support.
These attributes are obtained by employing 1) a waistband,
37 in Figs. 1 and 2, 2) a pouch, 35, 3~ an appropriate
means for attaching the upper portion of the pouch to the
front portion of the waistband, and 4) holding members,
33, that extend from and provide support for the bottom
portion of the pouch while extending to the waistbandO
~The different elements of the athletic supporter need not
be discrete. It is possible, for example, to form the
waistband and holding members from one piece of cloth,
3~ e.g., a structure that resembles an underwear brief.)
The expedient employed to provide the means for
attachment is not critical, but it is desirable that
attachment and detachment be relatively convenient.
Expedients such as a plurality of snap , a plurality of
hooks with eyes, and/or Velcro~ are suitable. However,
the expedient should ~e configured so that certain
criteria are satisfied~ The attachment should provide a
plurality of positions for attachment extending in a
. L~,
4 . ~ 3 ~
direction from the bottom, 36, of the waistband, i.e., the
edge closest to the toes when the athletic supporter is
worn, to the top. (The waistband need not be a constant
width. For example, a larger range of adjustment is
possible if the waistband is wider where the pouch is
attached.) For example, snaps are provided in rows, e.g.,
rows 21, 22, 23, and 24 in Fig. 2 parallel to he bott~m
edge of the waistband, with a plurality of rows stacked in
an upward direction. Each row corresponds to an
IO attachment position for the pouch. In another embodiment,
a Velcro~ patch 30 in Fig. 1 ~either the hooks or the
! loops) extends along the waistband and also extends in the direction from bottom to top pf the waistband.
(Directions and locations such as upward, downward, bottom
and top as used in this disclosure are those that apply
when the athletic supporter is being worn and the wearer
is standing on his feet.) In all embodiments,
irrespective of the expedient utilized for attachment, a
' plurality of positions for attachment on the waistband
j 20 and/or pouch is provided. ~A position of waistband
(pouch) attachment is a curve defining the lower boundary
for the points of waistband (pouch) attachment.)
. . .
To obtain the entire benefit of comfort and
; adjustability it is desirable that the attachment means
satisfy more than tha requiremQnt of multi-position
~ attachment. The pouch should attach to the waistband so
! that upon pouch attachment the forces produced due to
contact of the athletic supporter with the body 1) do not
induce substantial puckering uf the waistband and 2) do
not produce a downward distortion o~ the imaginary curve
connecting the uppermost points of the pouch before
attachment that are no higher than the position of
ultimate pouch attachment. Puckering in this context is a
loss of contact of the waistband with the body in
localized regions. Also in the context of the disclosure
a point of attachment is a point 1) on the pouch and
5 ~3~g~
waistband of direct attachment, or ~) the point on the
pouch ~point of pouch attachment) and point on the
; waistband (point of waistband attachment~ to which an
~ intervening member connecting the two attaches.
! 5 The embodiments of Fig. 1 andl Fig. 2 satisfythese conditions. In Fig. 2 the snaps: in a given row, for
example 21, are sufficiently closely spaced 50 that
substantial downward distortion of the pouch does not
occur. A~ditionally, because the forces o contact with
the body are spread over a relatively long region o~ the
waistband ~region 40 denoted by bracket) substantial
puckering o~ the waistband is avoided.
Similarly, in the embodiments of Fig. 1, the
~ forces are spread over the bracketed region 44 to avoid
¦ 15 puckering and since the pouch is supported across its
width substantial deformation is also avoided. (It is
~ossible to attach the pouch to the waistband in a
I direction that is not parallel to the edge of the
I waistband.~
In contrast, ~or the athletic supporter shown in
Fig. 3, as the adjustment is made forces are applied at
points 10 and ll. Since the forces are not distributed
~¦ there is a tendency for the waistband to pucker as the
buckles, 14, are tightened to provide adjustment.
, 25 Additionally the top of the pouch is supported only in the
corners and thus sags in the middle. If more force is
applied at the corners to remove the sag, this force is
~ ~ transferred to the waistband and contributes to
!: puckering.
i ~ 30 The use of, for example, a limited num~er of
contact points, e.g., snaps, however is not to be totally
precluded. Exemplary of th~ possibilities is the use of
,,
snaps on the pouch with stiffening members along the pouch
and waistband. The stiffening member prevents sagging of
the pouch and distributes forces to preclude puckering.
Indeed, when Velcro~ is employed the fabrio backing, when
13~ ~86
present, provides stiffening that contributes t~ the
? prevention of puckering.
~ The materials used for the pouch, m0ans for
:~ attaching the pouch to the waistband "~nd the waistband
5 itself are not critical. Typically, materials xuch as
stxetchable cloth are used. The attaching members are
generally sewn to the pouch and waistband. However, other
means ~or connection are acceptable Cuch as the use of
Velcr ~ that also provides adjustment. Additionally, it
10 is possible for provi~ion to be made for a hard cup or
foam cushion such as used in contact sports~ Adjustment
such as where the support ~embers attach to the waistband
yields additional comfort especially when a hard cup is
- employed. The upward adjustment of the pouch puts tensionj 15 on ~he supporting members. This tension is relieved by a
concomitant adjustment of the supporting members such as
at 45 in Fig. 1.
...... . -
,
