SWIM SUIT, PARTICULARLY FOR COMPETITION SWIMMING

• US 20170172224A1
• Filed: 02/05/2014
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arena SpA
• Original Assignee: Arena Distribution SA (BS Invest SRL)
• Inventors: Joseph, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 10,813,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/24 Reducing drag or turbulence in air or water
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/38 Shaping the contour of the body or adjusting the figure
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/10 for sport activities
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 7/00 Bathing gowns; Swim-suits, drawers, or trunks; Beach suits
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 7/005 Bathing drawers or trunks A41D7/001 takes precedence

Abstract

A swimsuit (1) has an outer shell (2) made of a flexible stretchable fabric and forms a tubular trunk portion (6) and two tubular thigh portions (7), the swimsuit (1) comprising two back stiffening lines (8) continuously connected to the outer shell (2) and extending each in a generally longitudinal direction of a one of the thigh portions (7) from a rear region (9) of the thigh portion (7) across a rear region of the trunk portion (6), in which said back stiffening lines (8) have a tensile stiffness greater than a tensile stiffness of said outer shell (2).

Claims

1. Swimsuit, particularly for competition swimming, comprising an outer shell made of a flexible stretchable fabric adapted to apply a hoop compression to the thighs and to the body trunk of a swimmer, wherein said outer shell forms a tubular trunk portion adapted to cover at least a lower region of the torso of the swimmer and two tubular thigh portions connected with the trunk portion and adapted to cover each an upper region of a respective thigh of the swimmer, wherein the swimsuit comprises two back stiffening lines continuously connected to the outer shell and extending each in a generally longitudinal direction of a respective one of the thigh portions from a thigh rear region of the thigh portion, which in use covers the posterior thigh muscles, across a trunk rear region of the trunk portion, which in use covers the gluteus, and in which said back stiffening lines have a tensile stiffness greater than a tensile stiffness of said outer shell.

2. Swimsuit according to claim 1, in which the back stiffening lines comprise a stripe of overlapped and bonded multiple layer outer shell fabric.

3. Swimsuit according to claim 1, in which the back stiffening lines comprise a tape 10 fastened externally to the outer shell fabric.

4. Swimsuit according to claim 3, in which at least one of a binding glue and the tape of the back stiffening line have thermosetting properties and are applied to the outer shell fabric by means of heating and pressure.

5. Swimsuit according to claim 1, in which an annular elastomeric leg band is connected to each of the thigh portions in a manner to extend in contact with the skin around the respective legs of the swimmer, in which lower ends of the back stiffening lines are arranged at and connected to the leg bands.

6. Swimsuit according to claim 5, in which the annular leg bands are arranged to cover an outer shell edge at leg openings.

7. Swimsuit according to claim 1, tailored as a jammer, wherein the trunk portion has an upper opening in the region of the waist of the wearer, said upper opening being provided with an annular waistband coated with elastomeric material facing inside the swimsuit to ensure its adherence and attachment to the skin, wherein upper ends of the back stiffening lines are arranged at and connected to the waist band.

8. Swimsuit according to claim 1, comprising anterior-lateral flexion lines continuously formed at the outer shell and extending each in a generally longitudinal direction of a respective one of the thigh portions from a thigh anterior-lateral region of the thigh portion, which in use covers the vastus lateralis muscle, and parallel to the hip flexor muscles across a trunk lateral region of the trunk portion, wherein said anterior-lateral flexion lines provide a local discontinuity of material properties with respect to the directly bordering outer shell fabric.

9. Swimsuit according to claim 8, in which lower ends of the anterior-lateral flexion lines are arranged at and connected to the leg bands and upper ends of the anterior-lateral flexion lines are arranged at and connected to the waist band.

10. Swimsuit according to claim 9, in which the lower end of the anterior-lateral flexion line is placed in an anterior lateral region of the leg band and the upper end is placed in a posterior lateral region of the waist band and the anterior lateral flexion line extends in the entire thigh portion in an anterior-lateral region and, in the trunk portion from an anterior-lateral region thereof towards a posterior-lateral region.

11. Swimsuit according to claim 1, tailored as a one-piece female tank-suit, wherein the trunk portion forms two upper arm openings provided with an annular shoulder band that extends all around the arm opening, wherein upper ends of the back stiffening lines are arranged at and connected to the respective shoulder bands in a position under the arm.

12. Swimsuit according to claim 1, tailored as a one-piece female tank-suit, wherein the trunk portion forms a back opening and two upper arm openings provided with an annular shoulder band that extends all around the arm opening, wherein upper ends of the back stiffening lines are arranged in a lateral region of the trunk portion, substantially at the height of a lower edge of the back opening.

13. Swimsuit according to claim 11, comprising two anterior flexion lines continuously connected to the outer shell and extending from a crotch region of the trunk portion to an anterior lateral region of the trunk portion near the arm openings, thereby forming a “

V”

in the anterior region of the trunk portion, wherein along said anterior flexion lines there is a local discontinuity of material properties with respect to the directly bordering outer shell fabric.

14. Swimsuit according to claim 13, wherein upper ends of the anterior flexion lines are arranged at and connected to the respective shoulder bands.