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  Athletic garmentUSPTO Application #: 20070000015Title: Athletic garment Abstract: In several embodiments, an athletic garment is designed to store energy when a weight or load is lowered in order to assist the wearer to subsequently raise the load. In some embodiments, the garment provides seams which are curved in order to twist the garment fabric and thereby store energy therein. In one shirt embodiment, the sleeves extend perpendicularly forward of the torso and then converge toward a centerline of the shirt. In a second shirt embodiment, the sleeves extend perpendicularly forward of the torso for their entire length. In a weight lifter's suit embodiment, the curved seams extends from an armhole of a torso section to a location under the buttocks of the lifter. In another shirt embodiment, the arms extend forwardly of a vertical plane when the wearer is lying on the back in preparation for an arching bench press movement. (end of abstract) Agent: G. Turner Moller, Jr. - Corpus Christi, TX, US Inventors: Irma P. Alaniz, Pedro M. Alaniz USPTO Applicaton #: 20070000015 - Class: 002115000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Apparel, Body Garments, Vests, Men's Outer Garments The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070000015. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This invention relates to an athletic garment and more particularly to a garment designed for weight lifters to store energy in the garment so the stored energy may be applied to lifting weights. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Weight lifting is a sport, like all sports, where small differences in performance are the difference between winning and losing, especially in top flight competition. The reason, of course, is that competitors are normally very evenly matched. In order to provide a competitive edge, tight fitting weight lifter's shirts have been designed to store energy when a weight is lowered in order to assist the lifter in raising the weight, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,908. This approach involves angling the sleeves of a lifter's shirt in a horizontal plane so that the shirt material, across the chest, is stretched on lowering the weight in order to contribute to the lifter's force in raising the weight. [0003] Other disclosures of some interest relative to this invention are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,797,818; 5,636,710; 5,638,646; 5,720,363; 5,816,443; 6,473,739 and Printed Application 2002/001-3730A1. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] In this invention, a tight fitting weight lifter's garment is made so that lowering a weight acts to store energy in the garment so that the stored energy can contribute to the force applied by the lifter in raising the weight. In this invention, the energy storing components are sleeves of a shirt or legs of a weight lifting suit. The sleeves and legs include seams that are curved to twist the garment material and thereby store energy in the fabric of the garment. In some shirt embodiments of this invention an energy storing component comprises sleeves extending away from the shirt torso and then converging. [0005] In the case of curved seams, energy is stored in the garment by twisting the fabric in response to lowering a weight and thereby storing energy in the fabric of the garment. The seams are accordingly curved in a manner to promote twisting of the fabric. In a weight lifting shirt, the seams run in a corkscrew fashion down the sleeves. In a weight lifting suit, the seams run in a curved fashion from adjacent the armhole of the torso covering member to below the buttocks. [0006] In the case of angled sleeves acting as the energy storing component, lowering a weight in a bench press movement causes the sleeves to diverge. This stretches the fabric of the shirt across the lifter's chest thereby storing energy in the shirt. [0007] It will be appreciated that energy storing garments must be carefully designed and executed if they are to be used in weight lifting or other competitions. For example, extraneous material cannot be applied to the interior or exterior of garments. The energy storing components must be incorporated into either the fabric of the garments or the seams of the garment because competition organizers do not allow extraneous materials on competition garments. Similarly, the use of elastic materials in competition garments is prohibited. [0008] It is an object of this invention to provide an athletic garment that stores energy in such a manner that the garment may be used in an athletic event. [0009] A further object of this invention is to provide an improved garment for weight lifters that improves performance. [0010] A more specific object of this invention is to provide an improved weight lifters shirt that stores energy during lowering of a weight to complement the force applied by the lifter. [0011] Another specific object of this invention is to provide a weight lifter's shirt that is particularly suitable for bench press competition. [0012] These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as this description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings and appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 is a top view of a weight lifter's shirt of this invention, illustrating the shirt in an unstressed condition, i.e. before the shirt is worn by a user, showing a curved seam of the sleeves in a dashed line where the seam is exposed and in a dotted line where the seam is under the sleeve; [0014] FIG. 2 is a top view of a lifter wearing the shirt of FIG. 1; [0015] FIGS. 3-6 are patterns of the front, back, left sleeve and right sleeve as cut from fabric in order to make the shirt of FIG. 1; [0016] FIGS. 7 and 8 are top views of the left and right sleeves after sewing assembly; [0017] FIGS. 9 and 10 are views of the left and right sleeves after sewing assembly and after they are sewn to the shirt front, as viewed from the inside of the sleeves, showing the curved seams; [0018] FIGS. 11 and 12 are enlarged cross-sectional views of two seam embodiments; [0019] FIG. 13 is a top view of another embodiment of a weight lifter's shirt of this invention, illustrating the shirt in an unstressed condition, i.e. before the shirt is worn by a user; [0020] FIGS. 14-17 are patterns of the front, back, left sleeve and right sleeve as cut from fabric in order to make the shirt of FIG. 13; [0021] FIGS. 18 and 19 show the left and right sleeves after sewing assembly; Continue reading... Full patent description for Athletic garment Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Athletic garment patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Athletic garment or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Surgical gown with a film sleeve for glove retention and wearer protection Next Patent Application: Gas cooling methods for high pressure fuel storage tanks on vehicles powered by compressed natural gas or hydrogen Industry Class: Apparel ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Athletic garment patent info. 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