Articles of apparel providing enhanced body position feedback
First Claim
1. An article of apparel, comprising:
- a garment structure for covering at least a lower back portion of a human torso, wherein the garment structure includes one or more fabric elements, and wherein the garment structure is structured and arranged so as to provide a close fit to at least the lower back portion; and
a lower back position feedback system engaged with the garment structure at the lower back portion, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes at least a first region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than a compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up a largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein a largest dimension of the first region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in a direction from a first side of the garment structure toward a second side of the garment structure,wherein the lower back position feedback system extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure and at most partially around the sides of the garment structure such that the lower back position feedback system terminates at or before portions of the garment that cover the side portion of a human torso,wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a second region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the second region is located below the first region in the garment structure, and wherein a largest dimension of the second region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in the direction from the first side toward the second side,wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a third region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the third region is located above the first region in the garment structure, and wherein a largest dimension of the third region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in the direction from the first side toward the second side,wherein the first, second and third regions of the lower back position feedback system are vertically staggered regions which are vertically separated from each other over a majority of their lengths such that a first space is defined between the top of the first region and the bottom of the third region, and a second space is defined between the bottom of the first region and the top of the second region, wherein the second space is positioned below the first space,wherein the first space extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure over a majority of the length of the first region and a majority of the length of the third region and the second space extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure over the majority of the length of the first region and a majority of the length of the second region.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Articles of apparel include: (a) a garment structure having one or more fabric elements structured and arranged to provide a close fit to at least one predetermined portion of a body (e.g., area(s) of the body for which enhanced position sensing and/or feedback are desired, such as the lower back, the arch of the foot, etc.); and (b) a body position feedback system engaged with or integrally formed as part of the garment structure. The body position feedback system may apply higher tensile or constricting (compressive) forces to selected portions of the wearer'"'"'s body, which can help stimulate or interact with nerves and deep tissue receptors located in various portions of the body. The increased forces at selected locations of the body give the wearer sensory feedback regarding the position or orientation of these parts of the body and can improve or accelerate development of “muscle memory.”
145 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An article of apparel, comprising:
-
a garment structure for covering at least a lower back portion of a human torso, wherein the garment structure includes one or more fabric elements, and wherein the garment structure is structured and arranged so as to provide a close fit to at least the lower back portion; and a lower back position feedback system engaged with the garment structure at the lower back portion, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes at least a first region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than a compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up a largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein a largest dimension of the first region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in a direction from a first side of the garment structure toward a second side of the garment structure, wherein the lower back position feedback system extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure and at most partially around the sides of the garment structure such that the lower back position feedback system terminates at or before portions of the garment that cover the side portion of a human torso, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a second region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the second region is located below the first region in the garment structure, and wherein a largest dimension of the second region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in the direction from the first side toward the second side, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a third region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the third region is located above the first region in the garment structure, and wherein a largest dimension of the third region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in the direction from the first side toward the second side, wherein the first, second and third regions of the lower back position feedback system are vertically staggered regions which are vertically separated from each other over a majority of their lengths such that a first space is defined between the top of the first region and the bottom of the third region, and a second space is defined between the bottom of the first region and the top of the second region, wherein the second space is positioned below the first space, wherein the first space extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure over a majority of the length of the first region and a majority of the length of the third region and the second space extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure over the majority of the length of the first region and a majority of the length of the second region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
7. An article of apparel, comprising:
-
a garment structure for covering at least a lower back portion of a human torso, wherein the garment structure includes one or more fabric elements; and
wherein the garment structure is structured and arranged so as to provide a close fit to at least the lower back portion; anda lower back position feedback system engaged with the garment structure at the lower back portion, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes at least a first region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than a compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up a largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein a largest dimension of the first region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in a direction from a first side of the garment structure toward a second side of the garment structure, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a second region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the second region is located below the first region in the garment structure, and wherein a largest dimension of the second region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in the direction from the first side toward the second side, wherein the first region and the second region are vertically staggered regions which are vertically separated from each other, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a first material layer providing the higher compressive force application capability and a second material layer engaged with the first material layer, wherein the second material layer has a lower compressive force application capability than the first material, wherein the lower back position feedback system further includes a third material layer, wherein the second material layer is sandwiched between the first material layer and the third material layer, and wherein the third material layer of the lower back position feedback system directly contacts at least one fabric element making up the garment structure to thereby engage the lower back position feedback system with the garment structure, wherein the second material layer is made from a textile material.
-
-
13. An article of apparel, comprising:
-
a garment structure for covering at least a lower back portion of a human torso, wherein the garment structure includes one or more fabric elements, and wherein the garment structure is structured and arranged so as to provide a close fit to at least the lower back portion; and a lower back position feedback system engaged with the garment structure at the lower back portion, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes at least a first region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than a compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up a largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein a largest dimension of the first region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in a direction from a first side of the garment structure toward a second side of the garment structure, wherein the lower back position feedback system extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure and at most partially around the sides of the garment structure such that the lower back position feedback system terminates at or before portions of the garment that cover the side portion of a human torso, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a second region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the second region is located below the first region in the garment structure., and wherein a largest dimension of the second region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in the direction from the first side toward the second side, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a third region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the third region is located above the first region in the garment structure, and wherein a largest dimension of the third region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in the direction from the first side toward the second side, wherein the first, second, and third regions are connected by a common base region, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a first material layer providing the higher compressive force application capability and a second material layer engaged with the first material layer, wherein the second material layer has a lower compressive force application capability than the first material, wherein the lower back position feedback system further includes a third material layer, wherein the second material layer is sandwiched between the first material layer and the third material layer, and wherein the third material layer of the lower back position feedback system directly contacts at least one fabric element making up the garment structure to thereby engage the lower back position feedback system with the garment structure. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A shirt, comprising:
-
a garment structure for covering at least a lower back portion of a human torso, wherein the garment structure includes one or more fabric elements, and wherein the garment structure is structured and arranged so as to provide a close fit to at least the lower back portion; and a lower back position feedback system engaged with the garment structure at the lower back portion, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes at least a first region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than a compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up a largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein a largest dimension of the first region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in a direction from a first side of the garment structure toward a second side of the garment structure, wherein the lower back position feedback system extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure and at most partially around the sides of the garment structure such that the lower back position feedback system terminates at or before portions of the garment that cover the side portion of a human torso, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a second region in the lower back portion having a higher compressive force application capability than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the second region is located below the first region in the garment structure, and wherein a largest dimension of the second region extends across the lower back portion of the garment structure in the direction from the first side toward the second side, wherein the first and second regions of the lower back position feedback system are vertically staggered regions which are vertically separated from each other over a majority of their lengths, wherein the lower back position feedback system includes a first material layer providing the higher compressive force application capability and a second material layer engaged with the first material layer, wherein the second material layer has a lower compressive force application capability than the first material, wherein the lower back position feedback system further includes a third material layer, wherein the second material layer is sandwiched between the first material layer and the third material layer, and wherein the third material layer of the lower back position feedback system directly contacts at least one fabric element making up the garment structure to thereby engage the lower back position feedback system with the garment structure, wherein the first region includes a first end region and a second end region opposite the first end region, and the first material layer at the first end region includes a first opening which extends over a majority of the first end region and the first material layer at the second end region includes a second opening which extends over a majority of the second end region and is separate from the first opening, wherein the second region includes a first end region and a second end region opposite the first end region, and the first material layer at the first end region includes a first opening which extends over a majority of the first end region and the first material layer at the second end region includes a second opening which extends over a majority of the second end region and is separate from the first opening, wherein the second material layer covers the openings in the first material layer.
-
Specification