SHIRT FOR A HOCKEY PLAYER
A hockey shirt suitable for being worn by a hockey player and comprising (a) a torso portion having a head opening and a lower trunk opening; and (b) first and second sleeves, each of the first and second sleeves comprising biceps, elbow and forearm portions and a gripping zone provided on one of the biceps, elbow and forearm portions. The gripping zone is made of a material having a coefficient of friction sufficient for preventing movement between the hockey shirt and a hockey elbow pad worn by the hockey player.
The present application is a continuation under 35 USC §120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/862,832 filed on Aug. 25, 2010, presently under appeal, which itself was a continuation under 35 USC §120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/942,075 filed on Sep. 16, 2004 and which issued on Sep. 24, 2013 as U.S. Pat. No. 8,539,616. The contents of the aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a shirt for a hockey player, the shirt having gripping zones for keeping a hockey elbow pad in place.
BACKGROUNDIn many sports, players often wear protective equipment in order to avoid hurting and/or injuring themselves. For example, hockey players often wear shoulder pads, shin pads and elbow pads in order to prevent injury caused by physical contact with other players, hockey sticks, boards and pucks.
In general, the protective equipment is worn over the player's undergarment clothing, which is often made of smooth materials. As such, during the course of a hockey game, the protective equipment may move in relation to the undergarment clothing, which causes the protective equipment to move away from their intended positions.
When the protective equipment moves out of place, not only is it uncomfortable and irritating for the player, but it also means that the player may not be adequately protected until the protective equipment is moved back into its intended position. As such, not only is it distracting for the player but it opens up the possibility for the player to be hurt.
Accordingly, there is a need in the industry for a hockey shirt for a hockey player that has gripping means for maintaining the hockey elbow pad in its intended positions, so as to alleviate at least in part the deficiencies described above.
SUMMARYIn accordance with a first aspect, a shirt suitable for being worn by a sports player is presented. The shirt comprises a torso portion having a head opening and a lower trunk opening; and first and second sleeves, each of the first and second sleeves comprising biceps, elbow and forearm portions and a gripping zone provided on one of the biceps, elbow and forearm portions, the gripping zone being made of a material having a coefficient of friction sufficient for preventing movement between the shirt and an elbow pad worn by the sports player.
In accordance with another aspect, a method of customizing a shirt suitable for being worn by a sports player is provided. The method comprises: providing to a customer a shirt comprising first and second sleeves, each of the first and second sleeves comprising biceps, elbow and forearm portions; providing to the customer a plurality of gripping zones being made of a material having a coefficient of friction sufficient for preventing movement between the shirt and an elbow pad worn by the sports player; selecting a position on one of the biceps, elbow and forearm portions of the first and second sleeves for affixing at least one of the plurality of gripping zones; and affixing the gripping zone on the selected position.
In accordance with another aspect, a hockey shirt to be worn by a hockey player is provided. The hockey shirt comprises: (a) a torso portion comprising a head opening for receiving a head of the hockey player and a lower trunk opening for fitting around a waist and hips of the hockey player, the torso portion being configured such that the hockey shirt is worn by passing the head of the hockey player though the lower trunk opening and then through the head opening; and (b) a pair of sleeves for receiving arms of the hockey player, each sleeve comprising: (i) an inner arm portion for facing an inner side of the arm of the player and an outer arm portion for facing an outer side of the arm of the player, the inner arm portion and the outer arm portion defining a biceps portion for covering a biceps of the arm of the hockey player, an elbow portion for covering an elbow of the arm of the hockey player, and a forearm portion for covering a forearm of the arm of the hockey player; and (ii) a gripping zone for gripping a hockey elbow pad worn by the hockey player over the sleeve, the gripping zone being provided at least on the outer arm portion and on at least one of the biceps portion and the forearm portion, the gripping zone having a coefficient of friction with the hockey elbow pad sufficient to prevent movement of the hockey elbow pad relative to the sleeve,
In accordance with another aspect, a hockey shirt is provided to be worn by a hockey player having ahead waist, hips and arms, each arm having an inside portion, an outer portion, biceps, an elbow point and a forearm. The hockey shirt comprising: (a) a torso portion having a head opening and a lower trunk opening for fitting around the waist and hips of the hockey player, the torso portion being configured such that the hockey shirt is worn by passing the head of the hockey player though the lower trunk opening and then through the head opening; and (b) first and second sleeves, each of the first and second sleeves extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising biceps, elbow and forearm portions, inside and outer arm portions for facing the respective inside and outer portions of the arm, and first and second gripping zones provided on the biceps and forearm portions respectively, the first and second gripping zones being provided on the outer arm portion of the sleeve such that, when the hockey shirt is worn by the hockey player, the first and second gripping zones face a hockey elbow pad worn by the hockey player on the outer arm portion of the sleeve for protecting the elbow point of the arm, and wherein each of the first and second gripping zones has a coefficient of friction with the hockey elbow pad sufficient to prevent movement of the hockey elbow pad relative to the sleeve.
These and other aspects and features of the present invention will now become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
A detailed description of embodiments of the present invention is provided hereinbelow, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which;
In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purposes of illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended to be a definition of the limits of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTSTo facilitate the description, any reference numerals designating an element in one figure will designate the same element if used in any other figures. In describing the embodiments, specific terminology is resorted to for the sake of clarity but the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is understood that each specific term comprises all equivalents.
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The shirt 10 has a torso portion 12 having a head opening 14 for receiving the head of the player and a lower trunk opening 16 for fitting around the waist and hips of the player. Surrounding the head opening 14 is a neck portion 15. The shirt 10 further has a first sleeve 18 and a second sleeve 20. The first sleeve 18 has a biceps portion 22A, an elbow portion 24A and a forearm portion 26A, and the second sleeve 20 has a biceps portion 22B, an elbow portion 24B and a forearm portion 26B. The biceps portions 22A, 22B, elbow portions 24A, 24B, and forearm portions 26A, 26B are adapted for covering the respective biceps, elbow points, and forearms of the player.
In the embodiment shown in
In an alternative embodiment that is not shown in the figures, the sleeves 18, 20 do not include gripping zones on both biceps portions 22A, 22B and forearm portions 26A, 26B. Instead the sleeves 18, 20 comprise gripping zones on only one of the biceps portions 22A, 22B, and the forearm portions 26A, 26B. For example, the sleeves 18, 20 can include only the gripping zones 28A, 28B on the respective biceps portions 22A, 22B, and no gripping zones on the respective forearm portions 26A, 26B. Or alternatively, the sleeves 18, 20 can include only gripping zones 30A, 30B on the respective forearm portions 26A, 26B and no gripping zones on the respective biceps portions 22A, 22B.
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The material, shape and surface finish of the gripping zones will now be described with respect to gripping zones 28A and 30A shown in
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The bands 34 form an overall bumpy surface for the gripping zones 28A, 30A. The fact that the gripping zones 28A, 30 form a bumpy surface may further increase the frictional engagement between the gripping zones and the inner surface of the elbow pad 5. In an alternative embodiment, it should be understood that the gripping zones 28A, 30A could be formed of a single piece of the gripping material that forms a smooth surface. In addition, the gripping zones 28A, 30A could include other surface finishes that also help to increase the frictional engagement, such as overlapping ridges, or a quilted surface, for example.
In the embodiments shown in
The shirts 10, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 (which will now be referred to collectively as “the shirts”) may be made of a light-weight synthetic material that is able to move moisture away from the skin of the player, and enable faster evaporation of sweat. For example, the shirts can be made of polyester material, a polyester/spandex blend, or a polyester/nylon/spandex blend, among other possibilities. It should be understood that the shirts can be made entirely of one material, or can be made of panels of different materials.
The gripping zones described above can he affixed to the shirts in a variety of different manners known in the art, such as by printing them on, or applying them via adhesive, sewing, or thermal bonding, for example.
The shirt and the gripping zones may be sold in a package, in order to provide a method of customizing the shirt by providing to a customer a shirt and a plurality of gripping zones being made of a material having a coefficient of friction sufficient for preventing movement between the shirt and the elbow pad. The customer may select a position on one of the biceps, elbow and forearm portions of the sleeves for affixing at least one of the plurality of gripping zones and the gripping zone is afterward affixed on the selected position.
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In addition, the neck portion 15 of the shirt 10 can be designed and manufactured in order to receive a neck guard (not shown in
The above description of embodiments should not be interpreted in a limiting manner since other variations, modifications and refinements are possible and will become apparent to the person skilled in the art in light of the present description. The scope of the invention is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1-11. (canceled)
12. A hockey shirt for wearing by a hockey player, the hockey shirt being an undergarment configured to be worn under protective equipment worn by the hockey player, the hockey shirt being at least partially made of a synthetic moisture-moving material to move moisture away from skin of the hockey player when the hockey player sweats, the hockey shirt comprising:
- a torso portion for receiving a torso of the hockey player, the torso portion comprising a head opening for receiving a head of the hockey player and a lower trunk opening for fitting around a waist and hips of the hockey player; and
- b) a sleeve for receiving an arm of the hockey player, the sleeve comprising: i) an inner arm portion for facing an inner side of the arm of the hockey player that films towards the torso of the hockey player; ii) an outer arm portion for facing an outer side of the arm of the hockey player that faces away from the torso of the hockey player; and iii) a gripping zone configured to grip a hockey elbow pad worn by the hockey player, the gripping zone comprising gripping material disposed in the outer arm portion of the sleeve to engage an inner surface of the hockey elbow pad, a coefficient of friction of the gripping material with the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad being greater than a coefficient of friction of the synthetic moisture-moving material with the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad.
13. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the gripping material comprises a flexible polymer.
14. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the gripping material comprises rubber.
15. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the gripping material comprises polyurethane.
16. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the gripping material comprises polyvinyl chloride.
17. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the gripping material comprises silicone.
18. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the gripping zone comprises a plurality of gripping members spaced apart from one another and comprising respective portions of the gripping material of the gripping zone.
19. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 18, wherein given ones of the gripping members are elongated gripping members.
20. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 19, wherein the elongated gripping members are gripping bands.
21. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 18, wherein adjacent ones of the gripping members are substantially parallel to one another.
22. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 18, wherein each of the gripping members is substantially straight.
23. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the gripping material is printed onto the synthetic moisture-moving material.
24. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the gripping material is adhesively bonded to the synthetic moisture-moving material.
25. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the gripping material is thermally bonded to the synthetic moisture-moving material.
26. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the outer arm portion of the sleeve comprises:
- a) an upper arm part for facing an upper arm of the arm of the hockey player,
- b) an elbow part for facing an elbow of the arm of the hockey player, and
- c) a forearm part for facing a forearm of the arm of the hockey player;
- wherein at least part of the gripping zone is located in the forearm part of the outer arm portion of the sleeve.
27. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 26, wherein at least part of the gripping zone is located in the upper arm part of the outer arm portion of the sleeve.
28. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the outer arm portion of the sleeve comprises:
- a) an upper arm part for facing an upper arm of the arm of the hockey player,
- b) an elbow part for facing an elbow of the arm of the hockey player, and
- c) a forearm part for facing a forearm of the arm of the hockey player;
- wherein at least part of the gripping zone is located in the upper arm part of the outer arm portion of the sleeve.
29. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the outer arm portion of the sleeve comprises:
- a) an upper arm part for facing an upper arm of the arm of the hockey player,
- b) an elbow part for facing an elbow of the arm of the hockey player, and
- c) a forearm part for facing a forearm of the arm of the hockey player;
- wherein at least part of the gripping zone is located in the elbow part of the outer arm portion of the sleeve.
30. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the outer arm portion of the sleeve comprises: and wherein the gripping zone is a first gripping zone located in the forearm part of the outer arm portion of the sleeve and the sleeve comprises a second gripping zone located in the upper arm part of the outer arm portion of the sleeve, wherein the second gripping zone comprises gripping material disposed in the outer arm portion of the sleeve to engage the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad, a coefficient of friction of the gripping material of the second gripping zone with the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad being greater than the coefficient of friction of the synthetic moisture-moving material with the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad.
- i) an upper arm part for facing an upper arm of the arm of the hockey player,
- ii) an elbow part for facing an elbow of the arm of the hockey player, and
- iii) a forearm part for facing a forearm of the arm of the hockey player;
31. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 30, wherein no gripping zone is provided on the elbow part of the outer arm portion of the sleeve.
32. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the synthetic moisture-moving material comprises polyester.
33. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the synthetic moisture-moving material comprises spandex.
34. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the synthetic moisture-moving material comprises a blend of polyester and spandex.
35. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the synthetic moisture-moving material comprises a blend of polyester, nylon and spandex.
36. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the sleeve is a first sleeve, the arm of the hockey player is a first arm of the hockey player and the hockey elbow pad is a first hockey elbow pad, the hockey shirt comprising a second sleeve for receiving a second arm of the hockey player, the second sleeve comprising:
- a) an inner arm portion for facing an inner side of the second arm of the hockey player that faces towards the torso of the hockey player;
- b) an outer arm portion for facing an outer side of the second arm of the hockey player that faces away from the torso of the hockey player; and
- c) a gripping zone for gripping a second hockey elbow pad worn by the hockey player, the gripping zone of the second sleeve comprising gripping material disposed in the outer arm portion of the second sleeve to engage an inner surface of the second hockey elbow pad, a coefficient of friction of the gripping material of the gripping zone of the second sleeve with the inner surface of the second hockey elbow pad being greater than a coefficient of friction of the synthetic moisture-moving material with the inner surface of the second hockey elbow pad.
37. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, comprising a neck portion for projecting upwardly along a neck of the hockey player.
38. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 37, wherein the neck portion comprise a neck guard for protecting the neck of the hockey player.
39. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 12, wherein the sleeve comprises a wrist portion for facing a wrist of the arm of the hockey player.
40. The hockey shirt claimed in claim 39, wherein the wrist portion comprise a wrist guard for protecting the wrist of the hockey player.
41. A hockey shirt for wearing by a hockey player, the hockey shirt being an undergarment configured to be worn under protective equipment worn by the hockey player, the hockey shirt being at least partially made of a synthetic moisture-moving material to move moisture away from skin of the hockey player when the hockey player sweats, the hockey shirt comprising:
- a) a torso portion for receiving a torso of the hockey player, the torso portion comprising a head opening for receiving a head of the hockey player and a lower trunk opening for fitting around a waist and hips of the hockey player; and
- b) a sleeve for receiving an arm of the hockey player, the sleeve comprising: i) an inner arm portion for facing an inner side of the arm of the hockey player that faces towards a torso of the hockey player; ii) an outer arm portion for facing an outer side of the arm of the hockey player that faces away from the torso of the hockey player; and iii) a gripping zone configured to grip a hockey elbow pad worn by the hockey player, the gripping zone comprising gripping material disposed in the outer arm portion of the sleeve to engage an inner surface of the hockey elbow pad, a coefficient of friction of the gripping material with the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad impeding movement of the hockey elbow pad relative to the sleeve.
42. A method of making a hockey shirt for wearing by a hockey player, the method comprising:
- a) using a synthetic moisture-moving material to make at least part of a torso portion and a sleeve of the hockey shirt, the sleeve having an inner arm portion for facing an inner side of the arm of the hockey player that faces towards a torso of the hockey player and an outer arm portion for facing an outer side of the arm of the hockey player that faces away from the torso of the hockey player;
- b) disposing a gripping material on the outer arm portion of the sleeve to create a gripping zone for gripping an inner surface of a hockey elbow pad, such that, when the hockey elbow pad is worn by the hockey player over the hockey shirt, the gripping material engages the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad, a coefficient of friction of the gripping material with the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad being greater than a coefficient of friction of the synthetic moisture-moving material with the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad.
43. The method defined in claim 42, wherein the gripping material disposed on the outer arm portion of the sleeve comprises a flexible polymer.
44. The method defined in claim 43, wherein the flexible polymer comprises at least one of rubber, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride and silicone.
45. The method defined in claim 44, Wherein disposing the gripping material on the outer arm portion of the sleeve to create the gripping zone includes using a process that includes at least one of:
- a) printing the gripping material onto the synthetic moisture-moving material;
- b) adhesively bonding the gripping material to the synthetic moisture-moving material; or
- c) thermally bonding the gripping material to the synthetic. moisture-moving material.
46. The method defined in claim 44, wherein the outer arm portion of the sleeve comprises:
- a) an upper arm part for facing an upper arm of the arm of the hockey player,
- b) an elbow part for facing an elbow of the arm of the hockey player, and
- c) a forearm part for facing a forearm of the arm of the hockey player;
- and wherein disposing the gripping material on the outer arm portion of the sleeve to create the gripping zone includes disposing the gripping material on at least one of the upper arm part, the elbow part and the forearm part of the sleeve.
47. A method of retaining a hockey elbow pad worn by a hockey player, the method comprises:
- a) providing a hockey shirt for wearing by the hockey player, the hockey shirt comprising a torso portion and a sleeve at least partially made of a synthetic moisture-moving material, the sleeve comprising an inner arm portion for facing an inner side of the arm of the hockey player that faces towards a torso of the hockey player and an outer arm portion for facing an outer side of the arm of the hockey player that faces away from the torso of the hockey player, the sleeve comprising a gripping material disposed in the outer arm portion of the sleeve to engage an inner surface of the hockey elbow pad; and
- b) causing the hockey player to wear the hockey shirt and the hockey elbow pad so that, when the hockey player wears the hockey shirt and the hockey elbow pad, a coefficient of friction of the gripping material with the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad is greater than a coefficient of friction of the synthetic moisture-moving material with the inner surface of the hockey elbow pad.
48. The method defined in claim 47, wherein the gripping material disposed on the outer arm portion of the sleeve comprises a flexible polymer.
49. The method defined in claim 48, Wherein the flexible polymer comprises at least one of rubber, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride and silicone.
50. The method defined in claim 48, wherein the gripping material on the outer arm portion of the sleeve to create the gripping zone having been affixed to the synthetic moisture-moving material by a process that includes at least one of:
- a) printing the gripping material onto the synthetic moisture-moving material;
- b) adhesively bonding the gripping material to the synthetic moisture-moving material; or
- c) thermally bonding the gripping material to the synthetic moisture-moving material.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 11, 2015
Publication Date: Apr 7, 2016
Inventors: Jean-Francois BELAND (Montreal), Marc GAGNON (Verdun)
Application Number: 14/966,851