Swimsuit having compression panels
A swimsuit is provided having a hip and thigh portion and a unitarily formed chest portion. Various compression panels may be attached to an inside surface of the hip and thigh portion as well as the chest portion for reducing muscle vibration of the chest muscle, thigh muscle and gluteal muscles.
Not Applicable
STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
BACKGROUNDThe present invention is related to a swimsuit having compression panels positioned over various muscle groups of a swimmer to reduce muscle vibrations of specific muscle group.
Technical wear for competitive swimmers attempt to reduce, minimize or eliminate various impediments that cause a competitive swimmer to lose a race. For example, hydrodynamic drag is a major factor in the speed of competitive swimmer. As such, technical swimwear does exist which attempt to reduce the hydrodynamic drag on a swimmer such that the swimmer is able to increase/her speed without any additional expenditure of energy or strength. For example, technical swimwear may incorporate material which does not absorb water or is designed to provide less hydrodynamic drag.
Technical wear additionally attempts to conserve the swimmer's energy such that the conserved energy may be directed to propelling the swimmer through the water. For example, it has been found that as the swimmer swims through the water, his/her muscles vibrate causing a loss of energy which could have been used to propel the swimmer through the water. As such, it would be desirable to prevent and/or minimize muscle vibration.
BRIEF SUMMARYThe swimsuit of the present invention specifically addresses the needs discussed above, discussed below and those that are known in the art.
The swimsuit may comprise a hip and thigh portion and a chest portion. The hip and thigh portion may be fabricated to have left and right thigh compression panels attached to an inside surface of the hip and thigh portion which compress thigh muscles and reduce thigh muscle vibrations of the swimmer. Additionally, the hip and thigh portion may also have buttock compression panels attached to the inside surface of the hip and thigh portion to reduce gluteal muscle vibration while the swimmer is swimming.
The chest portion may be fabricated from a unitary material with the hip and thigh portion. Additionally, the chest portion may have first and second chest compression panels attached to an inside surface of the chest portion diagonally with respect to each other in a criss-cross configuration. The chest compression panels reduce muscle vibrations of the chest while the swimmer is swimming.
The compression panels discussed herein may have a elongate configuration, linear or curved configuration. The compression panels may also be fabricated from an elastic material having a spring constant greater than the material from which the hip and thigh portion and the chest portion is fabricated. The elasticity of the compression panel is also sufficient strong so as to compress the muscle to reduce or minimize muscle vibration.
The compression panels may preferably be attached to an inside surface of the hip and thigh portion and/or chest portion. However, it is also contemplated that the compression panels be attached to an outside surface of the hip and thigh portion and/or chest portion.
These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
Referring now to
The hip and thigh portion 14 and/or chest portion 40 may be fabricated from various materials. By way of example and not limitation, the hip and thigh portion 14 and/or chest portion 40 may be fabricated from a stretchable material, an elastic material, fabric, cotton, nylon, spandex, and/or blends thereof. Additionally, the compression panels 28a, b, 38a, b, 42a, b may be fabricated from various materials. By way of example and not limitation, the compression panels 28a, b, 38a, b, 42a, b may be fabricated from a stretchable material, an elastic material, fabric, cotton, nylon, spandex, and/or blends thereof. Also, the compression panels 28a, b, 38a, b, 42a, b may be fabricated from a material which is less easily stretchable compared to the material from which the hip and thigh portion 14 and/or chest portion 40 is fabricated.
Referring now to
Preferably, the hip and thigh portion 14 may be fabricated from an elastic material and sized such that the high and thigh portion 14 slightly expands when worn by the swimmer such that the hip and thigh portion 14 may conform to the curves of the swimmer's body.
Left and right thigh compression panels 28a, b may be attached to an inside surface 30 of the hip and thigh portion 14, as shown in
The left compression panel 28a may be stitched to the inside surface 30 (see
The bottom ends 27a, b may have an elastic band attached thereto. The elastic bands may pull the left and right thigh compression panels 28a, b down such that the left and right thigh compression panels 28a, b may apply compressive forces on one or more of the thigh muscles.
In addition to or in the alternative, referring now to
The left thigh compression panel 28a may be joined to the left buttock compression panel 38a in that they both share a common stitch line 29c and 39b (see
Referring to
The chest portion 40 may have first and second chest compression panels 42a, b attached to an inside surface 44 of the chest portion 40. The first chest compression panel 42a may extend from an upper left area 48a (e.g., adjacent left shoulder) of the chest to a lower right area 50b (e.g., lower right ribs) of the chest when the chest portion 40 of the swimsuit 10 is worn by the swimmer. The second chest compression panel 42b may extend from an upper right area 48b (e.g., adjacent right shoulder) of the chest to a lower left area 50a (e.g., lower left ribs) of the chest of the swimmer when the chest portion 40 of the swimsuit 10 is worn by the swimmer. The first and second compression panels 42a, b may extend diagonally across the swimmer's chest in a criss-cross configuration, as shown in
The first chest compression panel 42a may be sewn/stitched to the inside surface 44 of the chest portion 40 as shown by stitch lines 45a, b, c, d. The second compression panel 42b may also be stitched to the inside surface 44 of the chest portion as shown by stitch lines 45e, f, g, h. When the second compression panel 42b is attached to the inside surface 44 of the chest portion 40, stitch lines 45f and 45h also stitch the first compression panel 42a to the inside surface 44 of the chest portion 40. Conversely, it is contemplated that the second compression panel 42b be attached to the inside surface 44 of the chest portion first before the first compression panel 42a is attached to the inside surface 44 of the chest portion 40. Also, stitch lines 45b, d attaches the second compression panel 42b to the inside surface.
The chest portion 40 may have a tubular configuration so as to fit snugly around the chest of the swimmer. Moreover, the chest portion 40 may have left and right apertures 46a, b (see
The compression panels discussed herein may have an elongate configuration. These compression panels may also have a constant width, narrowing width, or widening width. It is also contemplated that the configuration of the compression panels may have a linear or curved configuration.
In an aspect of the swimsuit 10, the same may have a zipper 52 (see
In an aspect of the swimsuit 10, the chest portion and the hip and thigh portion may be fabricated from multiple panels to provide a better conforming fit.
The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.
Claims
1. A swimsuit for reducing muscle vibration of a swimmer, the swimsuit comprising:
- a hip and thigh portion; and
- left and right thigh compression panels fabricated from a material which is less easily stretchable compared to the material of the hip and thigh portion, the left and right thigh compression panels attached to the hip and thigh portion from upper lateral hip areas, across the thigh areas, to lower medial thigh areas;
- wherein the left and right thigh compression panels pushes against quadracep muscles of the swimmer when the hip and thigh portion is worn by the swimmer for reducing muscle vibration while the swimmer is swimming.
2. The swimsuit of claim 1 wherein the left and right thigh compression panels are elongate strips.
3. The swimsuit of claim 2 wherein each of the left and right thigh compression panels have a narrowing configuration.
4. The swimsuit of claim 2 wherein each of the left and right thigh compression panels have a constant width.
5. The swimsuit of claim 1 wherein the left and right thigh compression panels are positioned over and compress the rectus femoris.
6. The swimsuit of claim 1 wherein the left and right thigh compression panels are positioned over and compress at least one of the rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis.
7. The swimsuit of claim 1 further comprising left and right buttock compression panels positioned over and compress gluteal muscles.
8. The swimsuit of claim 7 wherein the left and right buttock compression panels are positioned over and compress the gluteus maximus muscle.
9. The swimsuit of claim 7 wherein the left and right buttock compression panels are positioned over and compress at least one of a gluteus minimus, a gluteus maximus and a gluteus medius.
10. The swimsuit of claim 7 wherein the left and right buttock compression panels and the left and right thigh compression panels are attached to an inside surface of the hip and thigh portion.
11. A swimsuit for reducing muscle vibration of a swimmer, the swimsuit comprising:
- a hip and thigh portion; and
- left and right buttock compression panels fabricated from a material which is less easily stretchable compared to the material of the hip and thigh portion, the left and right buttock compression panels attached to the hip and thigh portion from upper lateral buttock areas to lower medial buttock areas;
- wherein the left and right buttock compression panels pushes against gluteal muscles of the swimmer when the hip and thigh portion is worn by the swimmer for reducing muscle vibration while the swimmer is swimming.
12. A swim suit for reducing muscle vibration of a swimmer, the swimsuit comprising:
- a chest portion; and
- first and second chest compression panels extending diagonally across the swimmer's chest in a criss-cross configuration;
- wherein the first and second chest compression panels pushes against pectoral muscles of the swimmer when the chest portion is worn by the swimmer for reducing muscle vibration while the swimmer is swimming.
13. The swimsuit of claim 12 wherein the first and second compression panels are positioned over and compress pectoralis major muscles.
14. The swimsuit of claim 12 wherein the first and second compression panels are positioned over and compress at least one of a major pectoral muscle and a minor pectoral muscle.
15. The swimsuit of claim 12 wherein the first and second compression panels are elongate strips.
16. The swimsuit of claim 15 wherein the elongate strips have a narrowing configuration.
17. The swimsuit of claim 15 wherein the elongate strips each have a constant width.
18. The swimsuit of claim 12 wherein the first and second chest compression panels are attached to an inside surface of the chest portion.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 17, 2007
Publication Date: Oct 23, 2008
Inventor: Joseph Di Lorenzo (Laurel Hollow, NY)
Application Number: 11/787,735