SUPPORT SHIRT
Embodiments are directed to a support shirt providing sleeve reinforcement regions on sleeve portions about a centerline. The centerline exists as a curvilinear axis across the support shirt. The support shirt comprises a shirt body, and shirt body sleeves positioned near the upper shirt body. The shirt body provides support for the wearer around the chest region. Sleeve portions are attached to the shirt body at the sleeve body holes. In an embodiment, the sleeve reinforcement regions comprise a length of taut material extending from the sleeve holes to an outer portion of the sleeve about the centerline. The sleeve portions extend in an outward direction relative to a frontal plane of the shirt body and in a downward direction relative to a transverse plane of the shirt body.
Embodiments of the current invention are related to a shirt or garment which covers the upper torso. Specifically, embodiments are directed to a support shirt providing support along the chest and shoulder regions of the wearer. The support shirt of embodiments of the invention can be used for sporting activities where support of the chest and shoulders is desired. One such application of the support shirt of embodiments of the invention is a bench press shirt for support in weightlifting activities.
Bench press shirts provide an increase in the amount of weight a bench presser can lift as well as increased safety to the bench presser. Typically, bench press shirts are made of taut materials with high strength, such as double knit polyester, canvas or denim. Such bench press shirts have portions covering the sleeves and chest which may provide tightness during lifting. Bench press shirts can also be made of spandex type fabric and be effective for support. As distinguished from ordinary shirts or t-shirts, bench press shirts have at least one area of increased support/strength, designed to augment movement of a body part by increased strength of material and/or compression.
In a bench pressing exercise, a weightlifter lies substantially flat on his back, with arms upraised. The weightlifter then lowers a weight to the chest, and then pushes it upward straight until the arms are straight. The tautness provides assistance and increased support for the underlying muscles, thereby allowing the weightlifter to lift more weight.
Weightlifting shirts typically provide a peak area of support from the bench press, referred to as a “support bubble.” Typically, the lifter tries to push the weight upward in line with the support bubble of the bench press shirt. Shirt and lifter do not always have the perfect peak support area, so the lifter adjusts the bar path as much as possible to meet the peak of the shirt's support bubble. Moreover, the lifter can adjust the fitting position of the shirt to match the lifter's bar path. For example, the lifter could adjust the position of the neck band of a bench press shirt, or could adjust the position of the sleeves in relation to the lifter's deltoid muscles. Lifters can also employ both techniques of adjusting the bar path in combination with adjusting the fitting position of the shirt. Moreover, such shirts often do not have shoulder reinforcement such that would provide adequate support for the lifter during elevation and descent of a weight through the bar path.
Other problems exist in such bench press shirts. During a bench press exercise, slack exists in the material of the shirt just below the lifter's arm from the front deltoid. The slack material tightens up as the bar lowers. Additionally bench press shirts may tear or shred at the shoulder seams and neck area where most the stress happens. Therefore, a problem exists for providing lack of support across the shoulders of the wearer through the bar path of a bench press exercise.
Attempts have been made to provide a bench press shirt providing support. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,235 applies to a shirt wherein the circumference and tightness of the area across the upper torso is less than that of the area around the waist. Other designs focus on the type of material and configuration of the compressible fabrics used across the upper chest. Such designs employ fabric or material across the shirt which fails to reinforce the front shoulder portion during the bench press exercise. Additionally, such designs fail to provide support to the shoulders which allows the weightlifter full range of motion and support in shoulders and chest through the bar path. As a result, the lifter must expend additional energy to manually correct and stabilize the weight through the bar path. Therefore, a need exists for a support shirt which provides support across the shoulders and chest of the wearer through the bar path of a bench press exercise.
SUMMARYEmbodiments of the current invention solve the need for a support shirt which provides support across the shoulders and chest of the wearer through the bar path of a bench press exercise. According to an embodiment of the current invention, a support shirt has a shirt body, and shirt body sleeves positioned near the upper shirt body. The shirt body has at least one section comprised of taut supporting fabric extending across the upper torso. Sleeve portions are attached to the shirt body at the sleeve body holes.
During upward movement of the arms, a centerline exists along the chest, extending over the shoulder regions. The centerline extends longitudinally across the front portion of the sleeves. Sleeve reinforcement regions extend from the sleeve holes to an outer portion of the sleeve along each sleeve portion. The sleeve reinforcement regions extend along the path of the centerline along the sleeves. The sleeve reinforcement regions provide an increased area of support along the centerline, thereby stabilizing and providing support to the shoulders through the upward lifting motion.
In a first embodiment, the sleeve reinforcement regions have coupling seams extending from the sleeve holes to an outer portion of the sleeve along each sleeve portion. The sleeve reinforcement regions comprise a taut length of material located on the coupling seams and attached to the sleeve portions. The sleeve reinforcement regions provide reinforcement proximate to the centerline along the front portions of the sleeve portions.
In alternate embodiments, the sleeve reinforcement regions exist as a waveform. For example, in a first alternate embodiment, the sleeve reinforcement regions exist as a taut length of material located on coupling seams attached to the sleeve portions. The amplitude of the waveform is measured from the centerline. The sleeve reinforcement regions provide reinforcement proximate to the centerline. Each sleeve portion has a front and back portion, which are joined at a seam and the coupling seam.
The structure and configuration of the sleeve reinforcement regions may vary. For example, the sleeve reinforcement regions may comprise a strip of material extending along the centerline with or without a coupling seam. Moreover, the sleeve reinforcement regions may also employ densely woven stitching along the centerline, with or without coupling seams. A strip of material may be separated by a coupling seam, and extend along the centerline. The purpose of the sleeve reinforcement regions is to provide an area of augmented support along the centerline, extending along the front portion of the sleeve portions.
The support shirt of embodiments herein may implement shirt sleeves which can be placed in a more downward tilted position, or less downward position, to accommodate different benching styles. Some lifters bench with a “flat back” on the bench which gives them a more straight upward bar path in relation to their torso. Many lifters arch their back, which makes the bar path closer to that of a decline-bench bar path. The sleeve reinforcement regions on the front of the shirt can be placed in various positions to suit various bar path preferences, and various sleeve-tilt constructions.
The shirt body and sleeve portions are comprised of a taut fabric. The shirt body and sleeve members may be the same or of different material. Both the shirt body and sleeve members may be stretchable or non-stretchable material. The shirt body may or not have a back portion.
It is an object of the current invention to provide a support shirt with a supporting fabric across the upper torso of an individual.
It is a further object of the current invention to provide a support shirt with sleeve reinforcement regions providing support along a centerline.
A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description, in which:
For purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components will bear the same designations and numbering throughout the Figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONAccording to an exemplary preferred embodiment of the invention, a support shirt 10 comprises a shirt body 11 worn across the torso of an individual in accordance with
Sleeve portions 19 are attached to the shirt body 11 at the shirt body sleeve holes 17, as shown in
Sleeve reinforcement regions 27 are located on each of the sleeve portions 19. The sleeve reinforcement regions 27 comprise a length of material stitched to the sleeve portions as shown in
The fabric and structure comprising the upper shirt body 13, lower shirt body 15, and sleeve portions of the support shirt 10 of the embodiment differs from conventional shirts or t-shirts. As distinguished from a conventional shirt or t-shirt, the support shirt 10 has at least one area of increased support/strength, designed to augment movement of a body part by increased strength of material and/or compression. The support shirt 10 of the preferred embodiment utilizes such a supporting fabric with a greater tensile strength and thickness than ordinary shirts. Moreover, the support shirt 10 utilizes fabric which utilizes compression and support across the chest area, thereby allowing support for athletic activities such as bench pressing exercises. The sleeve reinforcement regions 27 extend this area of support along the shoulders through the path of the centerline 31, as defined herein. Therefore, the support shirt 10 naturally augments motion of the wearer's arms forward from the frontal plane of the wearer's body during athletic activities such as bench press exercises.
Alternatives
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. In accordance with
The sleeve portions 119 extend in an outward direction relative to a frontal plane 104 of the shirt body 111 and a downward direction relative to a transverse plane 106 of the shirt body 111 as shown in
The construction, material, and configuration of the elements described herein may vary.
For example, the bench press shirt could also exist without a lower torso area, and/or without a shirt back.
Bench press shirts may be composed of numerous materials including synthetic and non-synthetic fibers. The bench press shirts of the embodiments herein provided support/and or compression during athletic activities, and therefore have greater tensile strength than conventional shirts. Bench press shirts may or may not have elastic properties. For example, embodiments may utilize fabrics such as neoprene or spandex. Additionally, bench press shirts may comprise stretch fabric including either 2-way or 4-way stretch.
The sleeve reinforcement regions may comprise a strip of material extending along the centerline with or without a coupling seam. Moreover, the sleeve reinforcement regions may also employ densely woven stitching along the centerline, with or without coupling seams. A strip of material may be separated by a coupling seam, and extend along the centerline. The sleeve reinforcement regions may or may not extend the entire distance from the sleeve body holes to the lower edge of the shirt. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the descriptions of the preferred versions herein.
Claims
1. A support shirt fitting over the torso of an individual, comprising:
- a. a shirt body comprising an upper shirt body, said shirt body having at least one area of increased support/strength, augmenting movement of the arms of said individual;
- b. shirt body sleeve holes positioned near said upper shirt body;
- c. sleeve portions attached to said shirt body at said shirt body sleeve holes, said sleeve portions comprising front sleeve portions and back sleeve portions, said sleeve portions comprised of a taut fabric; and
- d. sleeve reinforcement regions located on each of said sleeve portions, extending along said front sleeve portions about a centerline; wherein said centerline is a curvilinear longitudinal axis along said upper shirt body, located slightly below said sleeve holes.
2. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said sleeve reinforcement regions comprise a length of material attached to said sleeve portions.
3. The support shirt of claim 2, wherein said length of material is attached to said sleeve portions by stitching.
4. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said sleeve reinforcement regions have a coupling seam.
5. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said sleeve reinforcement regions comprise a length of densely woven fabric across said centerline.
6. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said upper shirt body is either stretchable or non-stretchable.
7. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said upper shirt body is either single ply or multi-ply.
8. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said upper shirt body is either of: canvas fabric;
- polyester; spandex type fabric; nylon fabric; or any fabric which holds tautness.
9. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said sleeve portions are either stretchable or non-stretchable.
10. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said sleeve portions are either single ply or multi-ply.
11. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said sleeve portions are constructed of either: canvas fabric; polyester; spandex type fabric; nylon fabric; or any fabric which holds tautness.
12. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said sleeve portions extend in an outward direction relative to a frontal plane of said shirt body and a downward direction relative to a transverse plane of said shirt body.
13. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said sleeve reinforcement regions extend in waveform shape, with an amplitude measured from said centerline.
14. The support shirt of claim 12, wherein said waveform shape is either of: a sine wave shape; a square wave shape; a triangle wave shape; or a sawtooth wave shape.
15. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said sleeve reinforcement regions extend approximately parallel with said centerline.
16. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said sleeve reinforcement regions extend approximately perpendicular with said centerline.
17. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said fabric does not extend around the back of said shirt body.
18. The support shirt of claim 1, wherein said fabric does not extend around a lower portion of said shirt body.
19. A support shirt fitting over the torso of an individual, comprising:
- a. a shirt body comprising an upper shirt body, said shirt body having a defined frontal plane and a defined transverse plane relative to said torso of said individual, wherein said upper shirt body is comprised of a taut fabric;
- b. shirt body sleeve holes positioned near said upper shirt body;
- c. sleeve portions attached to said shirt body at said shirt body sleeve holes, said sleeve portions comprising front sleeve portions and back sleeve portions, wherein said sleeve portions extend in an upward direction relative to said frontal plane of said shirt body, and wherein said sleeve portions extend in a downward direction relative to said transverse plane of said shirt body, wherein said sleeve portions are comprised of a taut fabric;
- d. sleeve reinforcement regions located on each of said sleeve portions, extending along said front sleeve portions about a centerline;
- e. wherein said centerline is a longitudinal curvilinear axis along said upper shirt body, located slightly below said sleeve holes; and
- f. wherein said sleeve reinforcement regions extend as a waveform along said centerline.
20. A support shirt fitting over the torso of an individual, comprising:
- a. a shirt body comprising an upper shirt body, said shirt body having a defined frontal plane and a defined transverse plane relative to said torso of said individual, wherein said upper shirt body is comprised of a taut fabric;
- b. shirt body sleeve holes positioned near said upper shirt body;
- c. sleeve portions attached to said shirt body at said shirt body sleeve holes, said sleeve portions comprising front sleeve portions and back sleeve portions, wherein said sleeve portions extend in an upward direction relative to said frontal plane of said shirt body, and wherein said sleeve portions extend in a downward direction relative to said transverse plane of said shirt body, wherein said sleeve portions are comprised of a taut fabric;
- d. sleeve reinforcement regions located on each of said sleeve portions, extending along said front sleeve portions about a centerline; and
- e. wherein said centerline is a longitudinal curvilinear axis along said upper shirt body, located slightly below said sleeve holes.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 20, 2013
Publication Date: Mar 26, 2015
Inventor: John Inzer (Longview, TX)
Application Number: 14/032,645
International Classification: A41D 13/00 (20060101); A41D 31/00 (20060101); A41D 27/06 (20060101);