Rashguard

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rash protection apparel or clothing piece that is used to protect athletes, and more particularly watersports athletes from rashes that occurs surface waters, waves, or surf boards. The rash protection apparel contains a clothing piece with a head opening with a high neck, openings for arms and legs, and an opening of sufficient size for a user to enter the rash protection apparel. The rash protection apparel protects the wearer from rashes especially around the neck area.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rash protection apparel and more particularly to a rash protection device for water athletes. A rash protection, generally referred to as a rash guard is a type of sportswear made of spandex and nylon or polyester. They are used for light coverage in warm to extreme temperatures for several watersports including surfing, scuba diving, body boarding, and wakeboarding. Besides watersports, rash guards are used in a variety of other sports such as baseball, football, and soccer. In these sports, rash guards are also known as compression shirts.

Rash guards have gained popularity due to its ability to wick moisture, which evaporates sweat faster than normal fabric and the compression limits rash. Additionally, rash guards provide protection from ultraviolet light that causes sunburn or may cause skin cancer.

In watersports, rash guards provides protection from rash or irritation caused by rapid impact with surface water or a wave. In surfing, rash guard provides protection from rash or irritation caused by sliding up on a board. They are also worn under wetsuits to prevent chafing.

However, rash guards in the prior arts are not ideal, especially for female athletes. Because a rash guard is a shirt, the rash guard is hard to secure and generally runs up the body when a wet suit is worn over the rash guard. This lack of security also causes the rash guard to run when the surfer is actively surfing. Therefore, the surfer may still receive a rash due to the running of the rash guard.

SUMMARY

The present invention is a rash protection apparel and more particularly a rash protection apparel for water sport athletes and people who wear wet suits. More particularly, the rash protection apparel of the present invention is ideal for female surfers and wet suit wearers. The rash protection apparel of the present invention comprises a bathing suit like clothing piece with a neck area that is equal to or higher than the neck of a wet suit. The higher neck being made of materials that does not cause a rash. The rash guard protection apparel of the present invention further comprises an opening near the mid-section for ease of entry and exit.

This opening, on either the front or back mid-section of the rash protection apparel, is especially ideal for female users of the rash protection apparel of the present invention since female users generally wear a bathing suit underneath the wet suit and a rash guard over the bathing suit. Alternatively, a female athlete may wear a bikini bottom and a rash guard shirt on top. Male users generally do not wear anything underneath the wet suit except for a rash guard shirt.

Additionally, the opening is convenient for female users when they want to go to the bathroom. Traditionally, the wet suit must be removed and the rash guard is removed so the user can remove the bathing suit. When the user is ready to put the wet suit back on, especially when it is wet, the wet suit is harder to pull up. Once the wet suit is pulled back up, the rash guard has to be re-tucked underneath the wet suit.

The rash protection apparel of the present invention allows the user to remove the top of the wet suit and then pull down the bottom of the rash protection apparel of the present invention to use the restroom. Alternatively, the top of the rash protection apparel of the present invention can be exited and then the bottom pulled down for using the restroom. Therefore, the need for bathroom assistance is greatly reduced.

The rash protection apparel of the present invention can also be worn without a wet suit and will provide the same protection from surf board rashes. Unlike conventional rash guards, the rash protection apparel of the present invention will stay in place and also eliminates the danger of a surf board sliding up inside the rash protection apparel of the present invention as opposed to conventional rash guards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 Front of rash protection apparel

FIG. 2 Back of rash protection apparel

FIG. 3 Method of using the rash protection apparel of the present invention

FIGURES—REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 100 . . . Rash protection apparel
• 110 . . . Neck
• 120 . . . Arm opening
• 130 . . . Leg opening
• 200 . . . Opening

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1 and 2, the rash protection apparel 100 of the present invention is now discussed. The rash protection apparel 100 of the present invention comprises a neck 110, arm openings 120, leg openings 130, and an opening 200 around the mid-section for entry into the rash protection apparel 100. The rash protection apparel 100 may also be shaped in the form of a one piece bathing suit.

The neck 110 of the rash protection apparel 100 of the present invention is designed slightly higher than the neck of conventional bathing suits. Ideally, the neck 110 should be slightly higher than the neck of a wet suit but not higher than the length of the wearer's neck. This also protects the neck of the wearer from the Velcro® used on the wet suit. The neck 110 is also designed such that when the rash protection apparel 100 is worn, the neck 110 fits snugly around the user's neck. The neck 110 may also comprise gussets, or elastic materials, sewn on the left and right side of the neck.

The rash protection apparel 100 of the present invention further comprises an opening 200 in the middle area of the rash protection apparel 100. The opening 200 should ideally be on the back of the rash protection apparel 100. However, the opening 200 may also be located on the front of the rash protection apparel 100. The opening 200 is of sufficient size such that a user can enter the rash protection apparel 100 through the opening 200 by placing their legs through opening 200 and then entering leg openings 130. The user can then place their arms through opening 200 and enter their arms through arm openings 120. The user can then enter their head through opening 200 and pass their head through neck 110. The neck 110 should also be of sufficient size such that the rash protection apparel 100 is secure and not loose.

The rash protection apparel 100 of the present invention may be made of various materials and ideally materials that do not cause a rash when it rubs against the wearer's skin. It should also be a material that can stretch but will fit snugly on the wearer. These materials may be nylon, spandex and nylon, polyester, cotton, neoprene or elastic textile.

Furthermore, the inside of the rash protection apparel 100 may be fully lined. The lining may be any materials known in the industry such as those used in bathing suits.

Referring to FIG. 3, to use the rash protection apparel 100 of the present invention, a user enters the rash protection apparel 100 as described above by passing their arms, legs, head and body through hole 200 prior to passing these body parts through the respective arm openings 120, leg openings 130, and neck 110. Other means of entering the rash guard protection device 100 of the present invention may be possible.

Once rash protection apparel 100 of the present invention is on, the user may start surfing or commencing an activity. If the user wants to wear a wet suit, the wet suit is worn over the rash protection apparel 100.

To use the rash protection apparel 100 when going to the restroom, the user would remove the wet suit, if one is worn. The bottom section of the rash protection apparel 100 is then pulled down and the user may pull their legs out of the leg openings 130. After using the restroom, the user re-enters the legs through opening 200 and then through leg openings 130 and may pull on the wet suit over the rash protection apparel 100.

Alternatively, a user may exit the upper portion of the rash protection apparel 100 by exiting the head through neck 110 and pulling the arms out of arm openings 120. The neck and arms are then pulled out of opening 200. Once the upper body has exited the top portion of the rash protection apparel 100, the bottom portion may be pulled down prior to using the restroom.

Another alternative is to pull down the lower portion of the rash protection apparel 100 until the rear end of the user is over the opening 200. The user can then use the restroom without ever having to exit the rash protection apparel 100.

All the features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

While specific systems and methods have been disclosed in the preceding description, it should be understood that these specifics have been given for the purpose of disclosing the principles of the present invention and that many variations thereof will become apparent to those who are versed in the art.

Claims

1. A rash protection apparel, comprising a one-piece garment of stretchable deformable material comprising:

a. two arm openings;

b. two leg openings;

c. a neck opening comprising a raised neck that fits snugly around a wearer's neck and extends above the neckline of a conventional wet suit, but does not extend to the top of the wearer's neck; and

d. An opening in the mid-section of the rash protection apparel to allow ingress and egress into and out of the garment.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. The rash protection apparel of claim 1, wherein the opening in the mid-section of the rash protection apparel is of sufficient size such that a user can enter the rash protection apparel through the opening.

5. (canceled)

6. The rash protection apparel of claim 1, wherein the rash protection apparel is shaped in the form of a one piece bathing suit.

7. The rash protection apparel of claim 1, wherein the opening is on the front of the rash protection apparel.

8. The rash protection apparel of claim 1, wherein the opening is on the back of the rash protection apparel.

9. The rash protection apparel of claim 4, wherein the opening is on the back of the rash protection apparel.

10. The rash protection apparel of claim 1, wherein the rash protection apparel is made of an elastic material.

11. The rash protection apparel of claim 4, wherein the rash protection apparel is made of an elastic material.

12. The rash protection apparel of claim 1, wherein the rash protection apparel is In the shape of a one piece bathing suit.

13. The rash protection apparel of claim 4, wherein the rash protection apparel is in the shape of a one piece bathing suit.

14. The rash protection apparel of claim 2, wherein the neck is made of an elastic material.

15. The rash protection apparel of claim 4, wherein the neck is made of an elastic material.

16. The rash protection apparel of claim 1, wherein the inside of the rash protection apparel is lined.

17. The rash protection apparel of claim 4, wherein the inside of the rash protection apparel is lined.

18. (canceled)

19. A method of using the rash protection apparel comprising a one-piece garment of stretchable deformable material, comprising the steps of:

a. Providing a stretchable, deformable rash protection garment;

b. Stepping into an opening in the mid-section of the rash protection apparel such that each leg extends through each leg opening;

c. Pulling up the rash protection apparel from the legs upward until the opening in the mid-section of the rash protection apparel is raised above the wearer's waist so that the arms can enter the arm openings through the opening in the mid-section of the rash protection apparel, and said opening in the mid-section is raised further above the wearer's head so that the head can enter through the neck opening of the rash protection apparel through said opening in the mid-section.

d. Putting an arm through each arm opening of the garment; and

e. Placing the head through the neck opening so that the neck of the garment extends above the collar of a conventional wet suit.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising the additional step of wearing a wetsuit over the rash protection apparel.