EXERCISE APPAREL

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a new and improved article of apparel that may include an apparatus for convenient exercise equipment available throughout the day at the location the potential user might be amenable to exercising. The article of apparel may include a first fabric panel, a second fabric panel, a void formed from the two panels, an elastic band, and a first and second closable access slit. The elastic band may have a first bulbous portion and a second bulbous portion. The first and the second closable access slits may be aligned with the elastic band, such that the first bulbous portion may be extended through the first closable access slit while the second bulbous portion may be extended through the second closable access slit, while the elastic band remains partially in the void.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field

This invention is generally related to exercise apparel, and more particularly, exercise apparel with imbedded elastic exercise ropes.

2. Background

Regular exercise provides health benefits. After an injury, exercising with resistance equipment may lead to a quicker recovery. Exercising throughout the day may provide increased benefits. However, exercising can be inconvenient. One aspect that leads to inconvenience as that exercise equipment is often not available throughout the day at the location the potential user might be amenable to exercising.

The need for convenient exercise equipment has led others to propose a variety of solutions such as: the Exercising Apparatus, by Raabe, described in U.S. Pat. No. 650,656; the Body Exerciser, by Davidson, described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,618,273; the Exercisor, by Marshman, described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,097,376; the Article of Wear for a Applying Stress on the Wearer, by Gatts, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,500; the One Piece Elastic Body Suit, by Fox, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,814; the Exercise Suit, by Malloy, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,802; the Exercise Suit with Resilient Reinforcing, by Dicker, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,546; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The solutions previously described do not provide an optimal solution for providing convenient exercise equipment available throughout the day at the location the potential user might be amenable to exercising. For example, prior solutions suffered from the following suboptimal features: the user was required to wear excess equipment or clothing; the apparel could not be comfortably worn throughout the day; the equipment was readily observable when worn; and the equipment and apparel were impractical to wear throughout the day.

What is needed is a practical apparatus for convenient exercise equipment available throughout the day at the location the potential user might be amenable to exercising.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is a new and improved exercise apparel apparatus. The exercise apparel may include a first fabric panel, a second fabric panel, a void formed from the two panels, an elastic band, and a first and second closable access slit. The second fabric panel may be joined to the first fabric panel to form the void between the first fabric panel and the second fabric panel. The void may have a first opening at a first end and a second opening at a second end. The elastic band may have a first bulbous portion and a second bulbous portion. The elastic band may be at least partially in the void and the first bulbous portion may be outside of the void near the first end of the void, and the second bulbous portion may be outside the void near the second end of the void. The first and the second closable access slits may be aligned with the elastic band, such that the first bulbous portion may be extended through the first closable access slit while the second bulbous portion may be extended through the second closable access slit, while the elastic band remains partially in the void.

Other systems, methods, aspects, features, embodiments and advantages of the system and method for fabricating illuminated panels disclosed herein will be, or will become, apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, aspects, features, embodiments and advantages be included within this description, and be within the scope of the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

It is to be understood that the drawings are solely for purpose of illustration. Furthermore, the components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the system disclosed herein. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is a frontal elevation view of man wearing a shirt and pants that include an exercise apparel system that includes an elastic band.

FIG. 2 is an interior elevation view of the back of the shirt of FIG. 1 showing the elastic band in a retracted state.

FIG. 3 is an interior elevation view of the back of the shirt of FIG. 1 showing the elastic band in an extended state.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the man of FIG. 1 showing the elastic band in an extended state and grasped by the man.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description, which references to and incorporates the drawings, describes and illustrates one or more specific embodiments. These embodiments, offered not to limit but only to exemplify and teach, are shown and described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice what is claimed. Thus, for the sake of brevity, the description may omit certain information known to those of skill in the art.

FIG. 1 shows a man 100 wearing a shirt 102, pants 104, and shoes 106. The shirt 102 and pants 104 include exemplary exercise apparel systems 108a and 108b. The shirt 102 includes a front 102a and a back 102b (shown in FIG. 2).

FIG. 2 shows an expanded view of the interior surface 201 of the back 102b of shirt. 102. The back 102b may be a fabric panel that may be made of any of the many known materials that shirts are made from. In one embodiment, the fabric panel is a moisture wicking fabric as known in the art to be used with athletic apparel. Attached to the back 102b may be a securing fabric panel 202. The securing fabric panel 202 may be joined to the back 102b to form a void 204 between the back 102b and the securing fabric panel 202. The void 204 may include a first end opening 204a and a second end opening 204b. Passing through the void 204 may be an elastic band 206. The elastic band 206 may have a first bulbous portion 206a near a first end 206b, and a second bulbous portion 206c near a second end 206d. The bulbous portions 206a and 206c, and the ends 206b and 206d, may extend outside of the void 204 through the first end opening 204a and the second end opening 204b.

Also shown in FIG. 2 is a first closable access slit 208 and a second closable access slit 210. The first and second closable access slits 208 and 210 may include, for example, a zipper, or a hook and loop type securing system. The first and second closable access slits 208 and 210 may be concealed by shirt flaps 120 (see FIG. 1). The first and second closable access slits 208 and 210 may be aligned with the elastic band 206 and the void 204 such that, if extended in an approximately straight line, the bulbous portion 206a may be extended through the first closable access slit 208 and the bulbous portion 206c may be extended through the second closable access slit 210.

FIG. 3 shows the exemplary exercise apparel system 108a where the ends 206b and 206d of the elastic hand 206 are extended outside of the first and second closable access slits 208 and 210.

FIG. 4 illustrates that the bulbous portion, for example 206c, of the elastic band 206 may be extended through the closable access points, for example second closable access point 210, while the elastic band 206 remains partially in the void 204 and the closable access points, for example closable access point 210, are aligned with the elastic band 206.

Exemplary exercise apparel system 108b operates on the same principals as exercise apparel system 108a, however, the system may be located in pants 104, for example near the belt area, and closable access slits 130a and 130b may be located on the sides of the pants 104.

By further illustration, the exercise apparel apparatus may include, a first fabric panel, such as back 102b of shirt 102, a second fabric panel, such as securing fabric panel 202, joined to the first fabric panel to form a void, such as void 204, between the first fabric panel and the second fabric panel. The exercise apparel apparatus may further include a first opening at a first end of the void, such as first end opening 204a, and a second opening at the second end of the void, such as second end opening 204b. The exercise apparel apparatus may further include an elastic band, such as elastic band 206, having a first bulbous portion and a second bulbous portion, such as first bulbous portion 206a and second bulbous portion 206c, where the elastic band is at least partially in the void, such as void 204, and the first bulbous portion is outside of the void near the first end of the void, and the second bulbous portion is outside the void near the second end of the void. And the exercise apparel apparatus may further include a first and a second closable access slit, such as first and second closable access slits 208 and 210, aligned with the elastic band, wherein the first bulbous portion may be extended through the first closable access slit while the second bulbous portion may be extended through the second closable access slit, while the elastic band remains partially in the void.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment or variant described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or variants. All of the embodiments and variants described in this description are exemplary embodiments and variants provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and not necessarily to limit the scope of legal protection afforded the appended claims.

The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use that which is defined by the appended claims. The following claims are not intended to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other embodiments and modifications will readily occur to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of these teachings. Therefore, the following claims are intended to cover all such embodiments and modifications when viewed in conjunction with the above specification and accompanying drawings.

Claims

1. An article of apparel that comprises:

a first fabric panel;

a second fabric panel joined to the first fabric panel to form a void between the first fabric panel and the second fabric panel;

a first opening at a first end of the void and a second opening at the second end of the void;

an elastic band having a first bulbous portion and a second bulbous portion, the elastic band at least partially in the void and the first bulbous portion being outside of the void near the first end of the void, and the second bulbous portion being outside the void near the second end of the void; and

a first and a second closable access slit aligned with the elastic band,

wherein the first bulbous portion may be extended through the first closable access slit while the second bulbous portion may be extended through the second closable access slit, while the elastic band remains partially in the void.

2. The article of apparel of claim 1, wherein the first fabric panel is a portion of a shirt.

3. The article of apparel of claim 1, wherein the first fabric panel is a portion of pants.

4. The article of apparel of claim 1, wherein the second fabric panel is secured to the interior surface of the first fabric panel.

5. The article of apparel of claim 1, wherein the second fabric panel is secured to the interior surface of the first fabric panel, and the first fabric panel is a portion of a shirt.

6. The article of apparel of claim 1, further including a flap, wherein the flap conceals the first closable access slit.

7. The article of apparel of claim 1, wherein the first closable access slit includes a zipper.

8. The article of apparel of claim 1, wherein the first closable access slit includes a hook and loop system.