Protective Garment

Abstract

A protective garment 1 having an outer layer 2 and a protective inner layer 3, wherein the protective inner layer 3 lines substantially the whole of the inside of the garment 1 and the inner layer 3 is secured to the outer layer 2 only at corresponding edges of the inner and outer layers which occur at openings of the garment.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to protective garments. In particular, the invention is applicable to protective garments worn/used by motorcyclists and it is convenient to describe it in this manner. However, it should be noted that the invention is not limited to this application.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Motorcycles and scooters do not offer much protection when the motorcycle or scooter rider is involved in an accident. Significant injury can occur if a rider falls off their motorcycle or scooter, even when the rider is only travelling at low speed. Therefore it is prudent for riders to wear protective clothing when riding.

Conventionally riders wear leather garments to protect themselves from injury. Leather is often worn because it is resistant to abrasion and provides protection to the skin if a rider falls off and impacts the ground.

Leather garments, however, are not always seen as fashionable and in some instances it is not appropriate to wear leather. In addition, in the summer, leather garments can cause the rider to become excessively warm and uncomfortable when not riding and so the rider must consider carrying a change of clothing to wear when they arrive at their destination. This is obviously not desirable.

It has been known to use protective shields which are supported externally to the riding garment or are secured to an external surface of the garment. This is also not desirable as the garment still takes the appearance of clothing for motorcycle riding and is cumbersome to wear for general day to day activities. Furthermore these types of garments are not considered fashionable or suitable in certain situations.

There are many riders who want to wear fashion garments such as denim jeans or jackets. The problem with wearing such fashion garments when riding is that they do not offer much protection if an accident occurs, in particular where a rider may fall off their motorcycle and then hit and skid along the hard bitumen of the road. On impact, denim will split, tear and offer little or no protection to the rider. Depending on the severity of the impact, the rider could be left with only abrasions; alternatively there may be significant loss of skin and flesh.

More recently, fashion garments such as those made of denim have had patches of protective and abrasion resistant material stitched to the inside of the denim only at those points of the garment considered to be most likely to impact the ground should a rider fall off their bike. That is, there are only a few selected.

Another problem with those garments with protective patches is that the protective patches are sewn on the inside of the garment with the same piece of thread used to join the protective patches to the denim. That is the protective patches are joined directly to the denim by the same seam. If the denim seam splits, so does that of the protective material. Furthermore, when a rider falls off the motorcycle, the garment can twist and the protective material may not be protecting the same part of the body during impact as when the rider is mounted on the motorcycle.

In addition these fashion garments are often treated in a number of ways, such as bleached, chemically washed, heavy stone washed, sand blasted etc. If the protective material is stitched into the garment then when the garment is treated, the protective material fibres are weakened and thus the treatment reduces its effectiveness and ability to withstand abrasion. This also is not desirable.

Outlined above are a number of difficulties with providing a fashion garment with protection for riders.

If riders want to wear fashion garments they have only a few options, one is to wear these fashion garments when riding and risk significant injury if they fall off. Another option, is to wear the fashion items under the protective clothing but be very uncomfortable and hot when riding, alternatively they can carry a change of clothes for when they arrive at their destination. This is clearly inconvenient.

It is an object of this invention to provide motorcyclists and those involved in similar activities with garments which provide protection but are acceptable as fashion garments.

Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge in this specification is included to explain the context of the invention. It should not be taken as an admission that any of the material formed part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art in Australia or any other country on or before the priority date of the claims herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a protective garment, such as trousers or a jacket, having an outer layer, preferably a fashion material such as denim, and a protective inner layer, preferably abrasion resistant material including a light, strong para-aramid synthetic fibre, such as Kevlar®, and more preferably treated para-aramid fibre, such as brushed Kevlar®. The inner layer lines substantially the whole of the inside of the garment and is secured to the outer layer only at corresponding edges of the inner and outer layers which occur at openings of the garment.

Preferably the Kevlar® inner layer is removably secured to the denim outer layer. It is desirable that the Kevlar® layer is secured to the denim layer by means of one or more zips or by hook-and-loop fasteners, such as Velcro®.

Alternatively, the Kevlar® inner layer may be permanently secured to the outer denim layer. The Kevlar® inner layer may be secured to the denim outer layer by stitching.

The protective garment in one form is a pair of trousers. The inner protective Kevlar® layer and outer denim layer are secured together, to form the trousers, at one or more of the following openings: cuffs at the ankles, cuffs at the calves, or at the waist band region.

The inner protective Kevlar® layer of the trousers preferably includes two leg portions wherein each leg portion is only joined by a seam on the inside of the leg portion.

In another form the protective garment is a jacket. The inner protective Kevlar® layer and outer fashion garment denim layer are secured together, to form the jacket, at one or more of the following: cuffs at the wrists, cuffs at the forearms, collar, base of the jacket or front portion of the jacket.

The inner protective Kevlar® layer of the jacket preferably includes two arm portions wherein each arm portion is only joined by a seam on the inside of the arm portion.

The protective Kevlar® layer of the jacket or trousers preferably includes a plurality of pockets for receiving protective inserts. It is desirable that the plurality of pockets overlap for receiving the protective inserts at alternative selectable positions. Preferably the location of the pockets includes one or more of the following: hip area, knee area, shoulder area or elbow area. The advantage of this is that the protective inserts can be placed at the appropriate height for the wearer so that they cover the knee, elbow, hip or shoulder of the wearer.

The protective garment in accordance with the present invention has several advantages. In particular, because the inner layer substantially lines the whole of the outer layer, the rider is protected no matter on which part of the body they fall.

An additional advantage of the preferred embodiment of the invention is that the protective Kevlar® layer is removable. Therefore, the rider can wear the garment when riding, but when they reach their destination, the rider can remove the inner Kevlar® layer so they are not too hot, and more comfortable, but they can still keep wearing their fashionable denim jacket or trousers. A further advantage to the Kevlar® layer being removable is that the outer denim layer can be treated by bleaching, chemical washing, stone washing and sand blasting etc without having to treat the Kevlar® layer at the same time. If the Kevlar® layer were treated at the same time this would weaken the Kevlar® fibre and reduce the effectiveness of the Kevlar® layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

It will be convenient to further describe the invention with respect to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof. Other embodiments of the invention are possible, and consequently, the particularity of the accompanying drawings is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description of the invention.

FIG. 1—A front view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention where a protective garment is in the form of trousers wherein an inner protective layer is secured to an outer fashion layer, as a rider would normally wear.

FIG. 2—A front view of the inner protective layer of FIG. 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 3—A front view, when turned inside out, of a preferred embodiment of the present invention where the inner protective layer of the trousers of FIG. 2 is secured to the outer fashion layer.

FIG. 4—A rear view of the trousers shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5—A front view of the inner protective layer according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention showing overlapping pockets for receiving protective inserts.

FIG. 6—A front view, when turned inside out, of the inner protective layer of the trousers of FIG. 5 secured to the outer fashion layer.

FIG. 7—A rear view of the trousers shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8—A front view of the inner protective layer of another preferred embodiment of the present invention where the protective garment is in the form of a jacket.

FIG. 9—A front view, when turned inside out, of the inner protective layer of the jacket of FIG. 8 secured to an outer fashion layer.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention will now be described with reference to a preferred embodiment where FIG. 1 shows a protective garment in the form a conventional of a pair of trousers or jeans 1 having an outer layer 2 made of material, usually fashion material such as denim, and a protective inner layer 3. The protective inner layer 3 lines substantially the whole of the inside of the trousers 1. The inner layer is secured to the outer layer only at corresponding edges of the inner and outer layers which occur at openings of the garment.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the inner protective layer 3 of the pair of trousers. In a preferred embodiment the inner layer of the trousers is made from abrasion resistant material including a light weight, strong para-aramid synthetic fibre, such as Kevlar®. The para-aramid synthetic fibre is treated with needles on one side, making that side much smoother and softer than the regular Kevlar®. This is referred to as brushed Kevlar®. Therefore when the treated side of the Kevlar® is placed against the skin of the wearer it is very comfortable and almost smooth, but not itchy or scratchy.

The Kevlar® layer 3 substantially lines the whole of the inside of the trousers, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. It is advantageous for the protective layer to line as much of the garment as possible. If only certain areas of the inside of the denim layer are lined with the Kevlar® layer, such as thighs and bottom, then only those certain sections of the riders body may be protected. In addition, during a fall and skid along a road the trousers are not necessarily going to stay in the same position on the body as when the rider is riding. It is possible for the trousers to twist and even bunch up. If this occurs the patches of lining may not be over the same section of body parts as they were intended to protect. It is also possible that the outer denim layer of the trousers will split or tear, leaving the rider's body exposed when the rider has a fall. If there was no Kevlar® liner on the inside of the denim then parts of the rider's body will be exposed to the road. By having the trousers fully lined, if a rider does have a fall and skids along the road, even if the trousers twist around or the outer material layer splits, the whole of the rider's legs will be protected.

The Kevlar® layer 3 is secured to the denim layer 2 only at corresponding edges of the Kevlar® and denim layers which occur at the openings 5 of the trousers. It will be appreciated that the openings can take various forms depending on the garment. In FIGS. 1-4 the openings are at the waist band region and the cuffs at the ankles. However, the openings could also be cuffs at the calves if the trousers are of a ¾ length.

It is advantageous that the Kevlar® layer is secured at the openings of the trousers because, if it were not secured at the openings, it would be possible for the Kevlar® to roll up while the rider is travelling. If the Kevlar® has rolled up (or down) and the rider were then to have a fall the Kevlar® layer will not be able to protect the rider effectively. In addition, it is also possible for the Kevlar® to roll up when the rider falls off and skids along the asphalt. Therefore it is advantageous that the Kevlar® layer is secured at the openings of the trousers for also this reason.

The outer denim layer and inner Kevlar® layer can be removably secured through the use of a zip 7 as shown in FIGS. 1-4. Alternatively, Velcro® can be used. There are several advantages of having the Kevlar® layer secured to the denim trousers by zips. One advantage is that the rider can zip the Kevlar® layer into the trousers before riding to their destination. While they are riding they are protected. When they arrive at their destination, they can remove the Kevlar® layer so as to be more comfortable but still wear their fashionable clothing without the need for a change of clothing.

Another advantage is that manufacturers can treat the outer denim layer to make fashion clothing without affecting the properties of the inner Kevlar® layer. Manufacturers can take out the inner Kevlar® layer before treating the denim by bleaching, stonewashing, grinding etc. and then zip the Kevlar® layer back in. If the denim was treated while the Kevlar® layer was secured to it, the Kevlar® would be weakened by the treatment and would lose its effectiveness to resist abrasion. Therefore, if a rider wearing trousers having a Kevlar® layer that have been treated in some manner, has a fall, the Kevlar® layer will be significantly less resistant to abrasion than the Kevlar® layer that has not been treated.

Alternatively, in an embodiment not shown in the drawings, the two layers can be permanently secured by stitching.

A unique attribute of either embodiment is that each leg portion 4 of the Kevlar® layer is only joined by one seam down the inner leg 6, which is the region of the leg portion which faces the other leg portion. There are no seams on the outer side of the leg or the front or back of the leg. The seam is stitched using Kevlar® thread to add additional strength and enhance the resistance to abrasion, even at the seam.

This attribute of only having one seam 6 on the inside leg is advantageous because, although it is not possible to determine how a rider will fall off a motorcycle, when riders do fall they will most likely fall on the outside of the body including the leg or arm. Therefore if the Kevlar® layer was made in the conventional manner, including seams on the outer side of the leg, when a rider fell, there would be more pressure on the seam and it would come apart more quickly than a seam on the inside of the leg. By only having the seam on the inside of the leg, the Kevlar® layer is continuous on the outside of the leg, providing increased protection for the rider.

For added protection, in another preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5-7, the Kevlar® layer includes pockets 8 and 9 for receiving protective inserts. The pockets 8 and 9 would usually be located at points the rider is most likely to impact if they have a fall, such as hips and knees. The protective inserts can be solid and/or flexible and add additional protection from abrasion, as well as impact, should a rider have a fall. For example the protective inserts could be made of polycarbonate or metal such as titanium. The protective inserts are not limited to these examples.

In a further preferred embodiment the multiple pockets 9 overlap so that the rider can select where the protective insert will be placed. This is advantageous because the position of each person's knees are different and do not necessarily correspond to the same position or part of the garment. By having multiple pockets at slightly differing locations, the wearer can decide the most comfortable and appropriate position to place the protective inserts for added protection.

In another preferred embodiment, the protective garment is a jacket as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Here it can be seen that the openings 10 are at the cuffs at the wrist, the opening at the front of the jacket, the collar and the bottom of the jacket. However, the openings could also be at cuffs at the forearms if the jacket sleaves are of a ¾ length.

As in the previous embodiment, the inner Kevlar® layer and outer denim layer can be removably secured by means of zips 11. Alternatively, Velcro® can be used. The Kevlar® and denim layers of the jacket can also be permanently secured by stitching the layers together. The thread used for stitching is preferably Kevlar® thread as this adds additional strength to the garment.

The protective jacket shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 can also have pockets (not shown) for receiving protective inserts. The pockets can be located at the shoulders and elbow areas, but are not limited to these positions. In a further embodiment (also not shown) the pockets overlap so that the rider can select where the protective insert will be placed in the shoulder or elbow areas. This ensures the rider is comfortable and also protected since the protective inserts will sit in the correct position, that is, over the shoulder and elbows of the wearer.

Variations can be made to the above-described arrangements without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as described herein or as claimed in the appended claims. For example the outer layer could be made of corduroy, high performance nylon, such as Cordura® or the garment could be in the form of a shirt, dress or overalls.

Claims

1. A protective garment having an outer layer and a protective inner layer, wherein the protective inner layer lines substantially the whole of the inside of the garment and the inner layer is secured to the outer layer only at corresponding edges of the inner and outer layers which occur at openings of the garment.

2. The protective garment according to claim 1 wherein the inner layer is removably secured to the outer layer.

3. The protective garment according to claim 2 wherein the inner layer is secured to the outer layer by means of one or more zips.

4. The protective garment according to claim 2 wherein the inner layer is secured to the outer layer by hook-and-loop fasteners.

5. The protective garment according to claim 1 wherein the inner layer is permanently secured to the outer layer.

6. The protective garment according to claim 5 wherein the inner layer is secured to the outer layer by stitching.

7. The protective garment according to claim 1 wherein the protective inner layer is made of abrasion resistant material, including para-aramid fibre.

8. The protective garment according to claim 7 wherein the abrasion resistant material is made of treated para-aramid fibre.

9. The protective garment according to claim 1 wherein the garment is a pair of trousers.

10. The protective garment according to claim 9 wherein the openings of the garment include one or more of the following: cuffs at the ankles, cuffs at the calves, or the waist band region.

11. The protective garment according to claim 10 wherein the inner protective layer includes two leg portions and each leg portion is only joined by a seam on the inside of said leg portion.

12. The protective garment according to claim 1 wherein the garment is a jacket.

13. The protective garment according to claim 12 wherein the openings of the garment include one or more of the following: cuffs at the wrists, cuffs at the forearms, collar, base of the jacket or front portion of the jacket.

14. The protective garment according to claim 13 wherein the inner protective layer includes two arm portions and each arm portion is only joined by a seam on the inside of said arm portion.

15. The protective garment according to claim 1 wherein the protective inner layer includes a plurality of pockets for receiving protective inserts.

16. The protective garment according to claim 15 wherein the plurality of pockets overlap for receiving protective inserts at alternative selectable positions.

17. The protective garment according to claim 16 wherein the location of the pockets for receiving protective inserts includes one or more of the following: hip area, knee area, shoulder area or elbow area.