Athletic garment

Abstract

An athletic garment includes a user-selectable front panel, a user-selectable back panel and at least one fastener coupled to the user-selectable front panel and to the user-selectable back panel. The front panel displays indicia associated with at least one athletic affiliation and the user-selectable back panel displays indicia associated with at least one other athletic affiliation. For example, the athletic garment may be a jersey or a T-shirt such that the front panel is a front portion of the jersey and the back panel would be a back portion of the jersey. The athletic affiliation may be, for example, a professional sports team, a college sports team, a high school sports team, an amateur sports team or any other suitable athletic affiliation.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to garments and, more particularly, to athletic garments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sports fans often wear athletic garments, such as athletic jerseys, of their favorite sports teams. These athletic garments commonly display indicia showing an affiliation with a particular sports team. Athletic garments, such as athletic jerseys, T-shirts, singlets, shorts or the like, indicate an association with the sports team by a team color, a team member's name, a font type, a mascot or a team symbol. Additionally, sports fans wear athletic garments with the name and player number of a particular sports athlete.

A sports fan, may have more than one favorite player, favorite team, favorite sport or even favorite league. However, popular athletic garments typically do not include the sports affiliation of more than one player or sporting team on a single athletic garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an athletic garment having a front panel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a back view of the athletic garment having a back panel according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a shirt and a pair of shorts according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a back view of a shirt and a pair of shorts according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for fastening front and back panels of the athletic garment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An athletic garment includes a user-selectable front panel, a user-selectable back panel and at least one fastener coupled to the user-selectable front panel and to the user-selectable back panel. The user-selectable front panel displays indicia associated with at least one athletic affiliation and the user-selectable back panel displays indicia associated with at least one other athletic affiliation. For example, the athletic garment may be a jersey or a T-shirt such that the front panel is a front portion of the jersey and the back panel would be a back portion of the jersey. The athletic affiliation may be, for example, a professional sports team, a college sports team, a high school sports team, an amateur sports team or any other suitable athletic affiliation.

Among other advantages, the athletic garment allows a user to select a user-selectable front panel associated with one athletic affiliation and a user-selectable back panel associated with another athletic association. Since sports fans typically have more than one favorite sports team, a sports fan may custom-assemble an athletic garment according to the user's favorite sports team affiliations. For example, a user may select a front panel displaying the name of a particular athlete and the user-selectable back panel displaying the name of another athlete. Alternatively, an athletic garment may display one or more athletic affiliations, such as different sports teams within a type of sport or between different types of sport. For example, a user may select one of the panels having an athletic affiliation of a football team and another panel having an athletic affiliation of a basketball, baseball or hockey team. Additionally, the user may detach the user-selectable front and back panels and select other panels displaying a different athletic affiliation for attachment.

FIG. 1 is a front view of an athletic garment 10 having a user-selectable front panel 20 according one embodiment of the invention. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the user-selectable front panel 20 displays the name and player number for Michael Jordan, No. 23 of the Chicago Bulls basketball team in the NBA (National Basketball Association). The athletic garment 10 further includes fasteners 30, 40 coupled to opposite ends of the front panel 20. The athletic garment 10 is shown having a central vertical axis 50, such that the user-selectable front panel 20 covers the front of the athletic garment 10. Although FIG. 1 shows the athletic garment 10 having a button-down collar 60, the athletic garment 10 may be any suitable type of shirt or jersey, for example, without a button-down collar 60, depending on the type of sport, such as basketball, football, hockey, baseball, golf, etc.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the athletic garment 10 having a user-selectable back panel 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The user-selectable back panel 200 is located behind the user-selectable front panel 20 on the same vertical axis 50 and covers the back of the user. According to this embodiment, the user-selectable back panel 200 displays the name of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team in the NBA. The back panel 200 includes corresponding fasteners 210, 220 on opposite ends of the user-selectable back panel 200 for complementary engagement with the fasteners 30, 40 on the user-selectable front panel 20, previously described with respect to the user-selectable front panel 20.

The fasteners 30, 40 and complementary fasteners 210, 220 may include a snap, a hook and loop (also known as velcro), a zipper, a lace eyelet, a hook, a clip, a clamp, a button or any other suitable fastener. For example, if the fasteners 30, 40 and complementary fasteners 210, 220 are of a hook and loop type fastener, then the user-selectable front panel 20 may be attached to one portion of the fastener 30, such as a strip of hooks, and the user-selectable back panel 200 may be attached to the other corresponding portion of the fastener 210 having a strip of loops.

The athletic garment 10 may include a shirt, as shown, or any other suitable garment, such as a pair of pants, a pair of shorts, a jersey, a warm-up jacket, a hat, one or more gloves, a pair of socks, a warm-up suit or any suitable article of clothing or garment. Accordingly, the athletic garment 10 may be any suitable article of athletic clothing, including the user-selectable front panel 20 and the user-selectable back panel 200. Although the user-selectable front panel 20 is shown in FIG. 1 with the name of Michael Jordan and his player number 23 for the Chicago Bulls, the user-selectable front panel 20 may indicate an athletic affiliation with any player or professional sports team, college sports team, high school sports team, little league sports team, amateur sports team or any suitable team affiliation. Similarly, the user-selectable back panel 200 may display the indicia of any type of athletic affiliation that may be the same as or different from the user-selectable front panel 20. For example, the user-selectable front panel 20 may display the indicia of a basketball team where the user-selectable back panel 200 may display the indicia of a football team. Additionally, the athletic affiliation may include, for example, a basketball team, a basketball league, such as the NBA (National Basketball League), a baseball team, a baseball league, such as the American League, a football team, a football league, such as the NFL (National Football League), a hockey team, a hockey league, such as the NHL (National Hockey League), a soccer team, a college, a university, a high school, an automobile racing series, an automobile racing team or any appropriate athletic affiliation. As described above, the user-selectable front panel 20 and the user-selectable back panel 200 may display the athletic affiliation of teams that are in the same sports league or in two different types of sports, such as basketball and football. According to one embodiment, the user-selectable front panel 20 and the user-selectable back panel 200 display the indicia associated with different athletic affiliations within a same sport, such as the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers basketball teams.

According to another embodiment, the user may attach or reattach the user-selectable front panel 20 and the user-selectable back panel 200 to other user-selectable interchangeable front and back panels, such that the user may mix and match front and back panels in order to form any number of desired combinations of front panels 20 and back panels 200. For example, the user may detach the user-selectable front panel 20 from the user-selectable back panel 200 in order to form a new athletic garment 10 having two combinations of athletic affiliations different from those previously assembled. According to one embodiment, the user-selectable front panel 20 and the user-selectable back panel 200 are sewn together, such that the fasteners 30, 40 comprise thread, as is commonly known in the art. Accordingly, once the user-selectable front panel 20 and the user-selectable back panel 200 are sewn together, then the user-selectable front panel 20 and the user-selectable back panel 200 are typically not detached. However, the user-selectable front panel 20 and the user-selectable back panel 200 may be sewn together in a manner such that the thread may be readily removed, allowing the reattachment of two different panels using the sewing method according to this embodiment. Accordingly, the fasteners 30, 40 may be selected in order to permit the attachment of the user-selectable front panel 20 and the user-selectable back panel 200 either once, twice or any suitable number of times.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an athletic garment 300, including a top article of athletic clothing 310 having a top user-selectable front panel 320, at least one top fastener 330, 340 and a bottom article of athletic clothing 360. The top user-selectable front panel 320 displays indicia associated with a first athletic affiliation. The bottom article of athletic clothing has a bottom user-selectable front panel 370. According to one embodiment, the athletic garment 300 corresponds to an athletic uniform, as is commonly known in the art. The bottom article of athletic clothing further includes at least one bottom fastener 380, 390 coupled to the bottom user-selectable front panel 370 and to the bottom user-selectable back panel 420 (shown in FIG. 4) such that the bottom user-selectable front panel 370 displays indicia associated with a third athletic affiliation, and the bottom user-selectable back panel 420 (shown in FIG. 4) displays indicia associated with a fourth athletic affiliation.

FIG. 4 is a back view of the athletic garment 310, including the top article of athletic clothing 310 and the bottom article of athletic clothing 360. The top article of athletic clothing 310 includes a top user-selectable back panel 410, such that the top user-selectable back panel 410 displays indicia associated with a second athletic affiliation.

The bottom article of athletic clothing 360 includes a bottom user-selectable back panel 420. According to one embodiment, the first, second, third and fourth athletic affiliations are the same or are different.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method for assembling the user-selectable front panel 20 to the user-selectable back panel 200. As shown in step 510, a user selects the user-selectable front panel 20 displaying indicia associated with one athletic association. As shown in step 520, a user selects the user-selectable back panel 200 displaying indicia associated with another athletic association. As shown in step 530, a user may fasten the user-selectable front panel 20 to the user-selectable back panel 200 by coupling the hook portion of the fasteners 30, 40 to the loop portion of the complimentary fasteners 210, 220 in order to couple the user-selectable front panel 20 with the user-selectable back panel 200.

It should be understood that implementation of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects will be apparent to those with ordinary skill in the art and that the invention is not limited by this specific embodiment described. It is therefore contemplated to cover by the present invention any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein.

Claims

1. An athletic garment comprising:

a user-selectable front panel;

a user-selectable back panel; and

at least one fastener coupled to the user-selectable front panel and to the user-selectable back panel such that the user-selectable front panel displays indicia associated with at least one athletic affiliation and the user-selectable back panel displays indicia associated with at least one other athletic affiliation.

2. The athletic garment of claim 1 wherein the at least one fastener includes at least one of: a snap, a hook and loop, a zipper, a lace eyelet, a hook, a clip, a clamp and a button.

3. The athletic garment of claim 1 wherein the athletic garment is at least one of: a shirt, a pair of pants, a pair of shorts, a jersey, a warm-up jacket, a hat, one or more gloves, a pair of socks and a warm-up suit.

4. The athletic garment of claim 1 wherein the athletic affiliation is at least one of: a professional sports team, a college sports team, a high school sports team and an amateur sports team.

5. The athletic garment of claim 1 wherein the front panel displays the indicia of at least one of: a basketball team, a basketball league, a baseball team, a baseball league, a football team, a football league, a hockey team, a hockey league, a soccer team, a college, a university, a high school, an automobile racing series and an automobile racing team, and wherein the back panel displays the indicia of at least one of: a basketball team, a basketball league, a baseball team, a baseball league, a football team, a football league, a hockey team, a hockey league, a soccer team, a college, a university, a high school, an automobile racing series and an automobile racing team.

6. The athletic garment of claim 1 wherein the at least one fastener couples the front panel to the back panel at least one of: once, twice and multiple times.

7. An athletic garment comprising:

a top article of athletic clothing including: a top user-selectable front panel; a top user-selectable back panel; and at least one top fastener coupled to the top user-selectable front panel and to the top user-selectable back panel such that the top user-selectable front panel displays indicia associated with at least a first athletic affiliation and the top user-selectable back panel displays indicia associated with at least a second athletic affiliation; and

a bottom article of athletic clothing including: a bottom user-selectable front panel; a bottom user-selectable back panel; and at least one bottom fastener coupled to the bottom user-selectable front panel and to the bottom user-selectable back panel such that the bottom user-selectable front panel displays indicia associated with at least a third athletic affiliation and the bottom user-selectable back panel displays indicia associated with at least a fourth athletic affiliation.

8. The athletic garment of claim 7 wherein the at least one top fastener and bottom fastener include at least one of: a snap, a hook and loop, a zipper, a lace eyelet, a hook, a clip, a clamp and a button.

9. The athletic garment of claim 7 wherein the top article of athletic clothing is at least one of: a shirt, a jersey, a warm-up jacket and a sweatshirt, and wherein the top article of athletic clothing is at least one of: a pair of pants, a pair of shorts and a pair of sweatpants.

10. The athletic garment of claim 7 wherein the first, second, third and fourth athletic affiliation is at least one of a professional sports team, a college sports team, a high school sports team, and an amateur sports team.

11. The athletic garment of claim 7 wherein:

the first and third athletic affiliation is associated with at least one of: a basketball team, a basketball league, a baseball team, a baseball league, a football team, a football league, a hockey team, a hockey league, a soccer team, a college, a university, a high school, an automobile racing series and an automobile racing team, and

the second and fourth athletic affiliation is associated with at least one of: a basketball team, a basketball league, a baseball team, a baseball league, a football team, a football league, a hockey team, a hockey league, a soccer team, a college, a university, a high school, an automobile racing series and an automobile racing team.

12. The athletic garment of claim 7 wherein:

the at least one top fastener couples the top user-selectable front panel to the top user-selectable back panel at least one of: once, twice and multiple times, and

the at least one bottom fastener couples the bottom user-selectable front panel to the bottom user-selectable back panel at least one of: once, twice and multiple times.

13. A method for an athletic garment comprising:

selecting a front panel displaying indicia associated with at least one athletic affiliation;

selecting a back panel displaying indicia associated with at least one other athletic affiliation; and

fastening the front panel to the back panel.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the athletic garment is at least one of: a shirt, a pair of pants, a pair of shorts, a jersey, a warm-up jacket, a hat, one or more gloves, a pair of socks and a warm-up suit.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the front panel and the back panel are fastened via at least one of: snapping, hooking and looping, zippering, lacing, hooking, clipping, clamping and buttoning.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the athletic affiliation is at least one of a professional sports team, a college sports team, a high school sports team and an amateur sports team.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the front panel displays the indicia of at least one of: a basketball team, a basketball league, a baseball team, a baseball league, a football team, a football league, a hockey team, a hockey league, a soccer team, a college, a university, a high school, an automobile racing series and an automobile racing team, and wherein the back panel displays the indicia of at least one of: a basketball team, a basketball league, a baseball team, a baseball league, a football team, a football league, a hockey team, a hockey league, a soccer team, a college, a university, a high school, an automobile racing series and an automobile racing team.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein fastening the front panel to the back panel occurs at least one of: once, twice and multiple times.