ARTICLE OF CLOTHING FOR CYCLING

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to an article of clothing for protecting the foot, ankle and lower leg of a cyclist from cold or inclement weather when riding a bicycle. The article of clothing, sometimes referred to as a ‘bootie’ or ‘leg warmer’, covers the shoe yet has openings therethrough to permit the cleat of the shoe and the heel of the shoe to extend therethrough. The article of clothing extends up the leg to a height that is sufficient to permit the top of the article of clothing to be tucked under the bottommost portion of the cyclist's shorts to prevent the article of clothing from falling down. A fastening mechanism is present along the back of the article of clothing to permit the cyclist to easily slip their shoe through the article of clothing when not fastened, and then fasten the article of clothing to provide a snug fit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/440,438 (2162.048414), filed Feb. 8, 2011, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an article of clothing for protecting a foot, ankle and lower leg of a cyclist.

2. Description of the Related Art

Cycling has increased in popularity in recent years due in large part to the success of Lance Armstrong in his fight against cancer and subsequent success in winning the Tour de France. With the increase in popularity, there are many cycling events across the country for competitive cyclists as well as charity based events. Not all events take place on a partly cloudy, 75 degree day. These events may occur across vastly different climates such as warm weather climates and cold weather climates. Indeed, some cycling events, like cyclocross are intended to take place in poor weather and terrain conditions. When riding in non-optimal conditions, the cyclist may need clothing to protect their body from the inclement weather.

The cyclist's feet and legs are exposed to the elements and the feet and legs face a constant wind chill while riding the bicycle. A cyclist peddling at 15 miles per hour on a calm, 40 degree day with no wind will feel a temperature of 32 degrees due to the wind chill. To remain comfortable while riding, the cyclist may wear a shoe cover to keep their foot warm and legging to keep their legs warm or protected from the wind or rain. The shoe cover simply slips over the shoe and has an opening to permit the cleat from the shoe to pass therethrough to engage the peddle. The leggings extend down over the shins to just above the ankle to cover the lower part of their legs. However, the leggings and shoe covers collectively are multiple pieces that can easily be lost or separate while riding. Separate leggings and covers are typically purchased separately which can involve a hefty financial investment over time. Additionally, the leggings and shoe covers do not collectively provide adequate protection for the ankle. Finally, the shoe covers wear out quickly if the cyclist does not remove the shoe covers before walking around.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for an article of clothing for cyclists that protects the foot, ankle and lower leg that is both durable and easy to wear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to an article of clothing for protecting the foot, ankle and lower leg of a cyclist from cold or inclement weather when riding a bicycle. The article of clothing, sometimes referred to as a ‘bootie’ or leg warmer', covers the shoe yet has openings therethrough to permit the cleat of the shoe and the heel of the shoe to extend therethrough. The article of clothing extends up the leg to a height that is sufficient to permit the top of the article of clothing to be tucked under the bottommost portion of the cyclist's shorts to prevent the article of clothing from falling down. A fastening mechanism is present along the back of the article of clothing to permit the cyclist to easily slip their shoe through the article of clothing when not fastened, and then fasten the article of clothing to provide a snug fit.

It is to be understood that while the description herein is made with reference to use of the article of clothing by a cyclist, the article of clothing has numerous applications beyond simply cycling. For example, the article of clothing is envisioned to be beneficial to be worn by the outdoor enthusiast during all outdoor sports or activities that include, but are not limited to, soccer, cross-country skiing, cross-country running, track and field events, etc.

In one embodiment, an article of clothing is disclosed. The article of clothing comprises a foot portion and a leg portion. The foot portion has a shape to approximate the shape of a shoe. The foot portion also has a first opening therethrough sized to permit a bicycle cleat attached to the shoe to pass therethrough. The foot portion additionally has a second opening therethrough sized to permit a heel of the shoe to be exposed. The leg portion has a first end coupled to the foot portion and a second end opposite the first end. The second end is sized to receive a cyclist's leg therethrough. The article of clothing also has a fastening mechanism coupled to both the foot portion and the leg portion.

In another embodiment, an article of clothing is disclosed. The article of clothing comprises a first portion, a second portion and a fastening mechanism. The first portion has a top surface coupled to a bottom surface to approximate the shape of a shoe. The top surface has a first end and a second end. The bottom surface extends for a distance that is less than a length of a hypothetical shoe received in the first portion. The bottom surface also has a first opening therethrough at a first location. The second portion has a body comprising a third end that is coupled to the first portion. The third end has a first circumference. The body also has a fourth end that has a second circumference that is greater than the first circumference. The body additionally has a slot therein that extends from the third end to a location that is spaced from the fourth end. The fastening mechanism is coupled to both the second portion and the first portion.

In another embodiment, an article of clothing includes a body shaped to receive a leg and a foot having a shoe thereon and a fastening mechanism. The body has a first opening therethrough to permit exposure of a first portion of the shoe. The body also has a second opening therethrough to permit exposure of a second portion of the shoe. The body additionally has a first flange extending from the second opening and a second flange extending from the second opening. The fastening mechanism is coupled to the first flange and the second flange and functions to couple the first flange to the second flange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1A is a front view of an article of clothing.

FIG. 1B is a top view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is a side view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1D is a side view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1E is a bottom view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1F is an isometric view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1A having the fastening mechanism opened.

FIG. 1G is an isometric view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1A having the fastening mechanism closed.

FIG. 2A is a side view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1A being worn by a person.

FIG. 2B is a back view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1A being worn by a person.

FIG. 2C is a bottom view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1A being worn by a person.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention generally relates to an article of clothing for protecting the foot, ankle and lower leg of a cyclist from cold or inclement weather when riding a bicycle. The article of clothing, sometimes referred to as a ‘bootie’ or ‘leg warmer’, covers the shoe yet has openings therethrough to permit the cleat of the shoe and the heel of the shoe to extend therethrough. The article of clothing extends up the leg to a height that is sufficient to permit the top of the article of clothing to be tucked under the bottommost portion of the cyclist's shorts to prevent the article of clothing from falling down. A fastening mechanism is present along the back of the article of clothing to permit the cyclist to easily slip their shoe through the article of clothing when not fastened, and then fasten the article of clothing to provide a snug fit.

FIG. 1A is a front view of the article of clothing 100, FIG. 1B is a top view of the article of clothing 100, FIG. 1C is a side view of the article of clothing 100, FIG. 1D is a side view of the article of clothing 100 and FIG. 1E is a bottom view of the article of clothing 100. The article of clothing 100 includes a first or foot portion 102 and a second or leg portion 104. The foot portion 102 and the leg portion 104 are shown to be separate pieces that are sewn together at joint 106, but it is to be understood that the article of clothing 100 may be made from a single piece such that the joint 106 is not present. Suitable materials that may be utilized for the foot portion 102 include neoprene, polychloroprene, spandex, lycra, elastane, nylon, polyester, or combinations thereof.

The leg portion 104 has a first end 108 that is coupled to the foot portion 102 at the joint 106. The leg portion 104 also includes a second end 110 opposite the first end 108. The second end 110 has a circumference that is larger than the first end 108 so that the circumference of the second end 110 approximates the circumference of the cyclist's leg while the circumference of the first end 108 approximates the circumference of the cyclist's ankle. The second end 110 has an elastic band 112 coupled thereto to provide a snug fit of the second end 110 around the leg of the cyclist. The article of clothing 100 is designed such that the second end 110 is located at about the mid thigh of the cyclist when the article of clothing is worn properly. The second end 110 and elastic band 112 may be tucked under the end of the cyclist's shorts to provide additional support to prevent the leg portion 104 from falling down the leg. Additionally, when tucked under the end of the cyclist's shorts, the leg portion 104 prevents the cyclist's shorts from rising up the leg. Therefore, the shorts and leg portion 104 may work in concert to cover the cyclist's leg. Suitable materials that may be utilized for the leg portion 104 include neoprene, polychloroprene, spandex, lycra, elastane, nylon, polyester, or combinations thereof. The leg portion 104 may be lined with a material such as cotton, wool, fleece, polyethylene terephthalate, or combinations thereof. The materials for the foot portion 102 and the leg portion 104 need not be identical. The materials for the foot portion 102 and the leg portion 104 should be suitable to wick away moisture, reduce drag while cycling, and be water resistant. Additionally, for cooler climate cycling, the material should help provide warmth.

The elastic band 112 disposed at the second end 110 of the leg portion 104 may be sized to prevent the elastic band 112 from digging into the leg of the cyclist while also preventing the elastic band 112 from bunching. A suitable thickness for the elastic band 112 is between about ¾ inch and about 1 inch with the thickness being defined along the axis extending from the second end 110 to the first end 108.

The foot portion 102 is designed to be snug against the shoe 202 of the cyclist. A snug fit is beneficial to reduce wind resistance or drag. The cyclist will oftentimes wear a special shoe 202 for cycling. The cycling shoe 202 may have a cleat 204 that extends from the ball of the shoe 202 to engage the bicycle pedal. The cleat 204 and the heel 206 of the shoe 202, when walking, contact the ground quite often and could easily destroy the foot portion 102 of the article of clothing 100. Therefore, the foot portion 102 is designed to have a first opening 114 through the bottom surface of the foot portion 102 sized to permit the cleat 204 of the shoe 202 to pass therethrough. The foot portion 102 is also designed to have a second opening 116 through the bottom surface of the foot portion 102 sized to permit the heel 206 of the shoe 202 to be exposed. Thus, the cyclist may walk around wearing the article of clothing 100 without fear of tearing or destroying the article of clothing 100. In order to provide longevity to the article of clothing 100, the border of the first and second openings 114, 116 may be stitched, such as a by a stay stitch, to prevent the edges of the openings 114, 116 from fraying. Additionally, the second end 112 of the leg portion 104 may be bordered by a stitch, such as a stay stitch, to prevent the edges from fraying.

FIG. 2A-2C are side, back and bottom views respectively of the article of clothing 100 being worn by a person. As shown in FIGS. 2A-2C, the cleat 204 of the shoe 202 and the heel 206 of the shoe 202 extend through the first and second openings 114, 116 respectively to permit the cyclist to walk around without damaging the article of clothing 100.

It could be difficult to put on the article of clothing 100 while wearing a shoe 202. Therefore, in order to put on the article of clothing 100 easily, the leg portion 104 and the foot portion 102 are designed to enlarge the second opening 116 when needed. The second opening 116 may be enlarged by unfastening a fastening mechanism 118. Once the article of clothing 100 is on, the fastening mechanism 118 may be refastened.

The fastening mechanism 118 is coupled to both the foot portion 102 and the leg portion 104. The fastening mechanism 118 may extend from just about the heel 206 of the cyclist to just below halfway up the calf. In other words, the fastening mechanism 118 may extend to a location that is above the Achilles tendon. The fastening mechanism 118 should not extend any higher due to the potential for the fastening mechanism to rub against the back of the leg or knee and irritate the skin of the cyclist. The fastening mechanism 118 is coupled to a first end 120 and a second end 122 of the top surface of the foot portion 102. The fastening mechanism 118 is also attached to a first flange 126 and a second flange 128 of the leg portion 104. The fastening mechanism 118, when unfastened as shown in FIG. 1F, opens the lower portion of the leg portion 104 and the back of the foot portion 102 to a sufficient size to permit the cyclist's foot to pass therethrough while wearing their shoe 202. FIG. 1G is an isometric view of the article of clothing 100 having the fastening mechanism 118 closed. Suitable fastening mechanisms 118 envisioned include Velcro, buttons, snaps, hooks, and zippers. Velcro is the most preferred fastening mechanism due to the ease of fastening the fattening mechanism 118 while on a bicycle.

When riding the bicycle, the foot will be covered by not only the foot portion 102, but also the shoe 202. The leg, however, may simply have the leg portion 104 as protection. Therefore, the leg portion 104 may comprise a liner to provide warmth. A suitable liner includes cotton, wool or polyethylene terephthalate. While not shown, it is contemplated that the leg portion 104 may have one or more pockets sewn thereon to permit the cyclist to store items such as an air ump or tire repair kit therein. Additionally, various patches such as team logos or sponsors may be attached to the article of clothing 100. The article of clothing 100 may be made in any suitable color such as black. The article of clothing 100 may be designed such that the foot portion 102 has a different color as compared to the leg portion 104. A reflective material may be added to the article of clothing 100. One exemplary location for the reflective material is on the toe of the shoe portion 102 because the toe is moving while pedaling and will momentarily disappear behind the pedal arm while pedaling to provide a flashing appearance while illuminated with a light. Another exemplary location is along the outside fastening mechanism 118. It is to be understood that the reflective material may be disposed on any suitable location of the article of clothing 100. Reflective material 132, 134 is shown on the toe and fastening mechanism 118 respectively in FIGS. 1A and 1G.

The article of clothing 100 disclosed herein is beneficial to the competitive cyclist as well as the weekend cyclist. The foot portion 102 and the leg portion 104 are an integrated structure. Therefore, rather than having four separate articles of clothing to store and not lose, the cyclist simply has two items. Additionally, the ankle area is well covered by the foot portion 102 and the leg portion 104 because the leg portion 104 and the foot portion 102 form an integrated structure that covers the ankle area. The single piece article of clothing, as opposed to separate leggings and shoe covers, can be obtained by purchasing a single item as opposed to purchasing separate shoe covers and leggings, which may offer a financial savings.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. An article of clothing, comprising:

a foot portion, the foot portion having a shape to approximate the shape of a shoe, the foot portion having a first opening therethrough sized to permit a cleat attached to the shoe to pass therethrough, the foot portion also having a second opening therethrough sized to permit a heel of the shoe to be exposed;

a leg portion having a first end coupled to the foot portion and a second end opposite the first end, the second end sized to receive a user's leg therethrough; and

a fastening mechanism coupled to both the foot portion and the leg portion for opening and closing part of the foot portion and part of the leg portion to permit a shoe to pass therethrough.

2. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises Velcro.

3. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the foot portion comprises a first material and the leg portion comprises a second material different than the first material.

4. The article of clothing of claim 3, wherein the first material comprises polychloroprene.

5. The article of clothing of claim 4, wherein the second material comprises nylon.

6. The article of clothing of claim 1, further comprising an elastic band coupled to the second end to provide a snug fit around a leg.

7. The article of clothing of claim 1, further comprising a reflective material coupled to one or more of the foot portion and the leg portion.

8. An article of clothing, comprising:

a first portion having a top surface coupled to a bottom surface to approximate the shape of a shoe, the top surface having a first end and a second end, the bottom surface extending for a distance that is less than a length of a hypothetical shoe received in the first portion, the bottom surface also having a first opening therethrough at a first location;

a second portion having a body comprising a third end that is coupled to the first portion, the third end having a first circumference, the body also comprising a fourth end that has a second circumference that is greater than the first circumference, the body additionally having a slot therein that extends from the third end to a location that is spaced from the fourth end; and

a fastening mechanism coupled to both the second portion and the first portion for opening and closing part of the first portion and part of the second portion to permit a shoe to pass therethrough.

9. The article of clothing of claim 8, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises Velcro.

10. The article of clothing of claim 8, wherein the first portion comprises a first material and the second portion comprises a second material different than the first material.

11. The article of clothing of claim 10, wherein the first material comprises polychloroprene.

12. The article of clothing of claim 11, wherein the second material comprises nylon.

13. The article of clothing of claim 8, further comprising an elastic band coupled to the fourth end to provide a snug fit around a leg.

14. The article of clothing of claim 8, further comprising a reflective material coupled to one or more of the first portion and the second portion.

15. An article of clothing, comprising:

a body shaped to receive a leg and a foot having a shoe thereon, the body having a first opening therethrough to permit exposure of a first portion of the shoe and having a second opening therethrough to permit exposure of a second portion of the shoe, the body having a first flange extending from the second opening and a second flange extending from the second opening; and

a fastening mechanism coupled to the first flange and the second flange and functioning to couple the first flange to the second flange.

16. The article of clothing of claim 15, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises Velcro.

17. The article of clothing of claim 15, wherein the body comprises two different materials.

18. The article of clothing of claim 17, wherein a first material of the two different materials comprises polychloroprene.

19. The article of clothing of claim 18, wherein a second material of the two different materials comprises nylon.

20. The article of clothing of claim 15, further comprising:

an elastic band coupled to the second end to provide a snug fit around a leg; and

a reflective material coupled thereto.