Apparel – Body garments – Shirts
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-06-05
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Body garments
Shirts
C002S069000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240564
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to improvements in and relating to garments.
In particular this invention relates to improvements in rugby jerseys. The reference to rugby jerseys should not be seen to be limiting scope of the present invention, as the improvements in the present invention may apply to other garments as the situation may demand.
BACKGROUND ART
Rugby is an extremely popular game in many parts of the world. The game demands a lot of physical contact, and has many facets of play.
The group of players known as the forwards, commonly wearing numbers 1-8, are particularly involved in areas of play known as scrummaging, line outs, mauls and rucks, as well as forms of running play.
The scrummage (the scrum) is a facet of set play in which the forwards, the “tight” 5 in particular, must bind together in a formation, facing the oppositions forwards in the same formation, the two forward packs coming together in an effort to push the other of the ball and gain possession.
The nature of the serum is such that the player's body positions are very low in a crouch position with their heads and backs being horizontal. As is the current practice, the tight 5, that is, the two props, the hooker and two locks, bind together by securing a section of their teammate's rugby jersey with their hands in a convenient place, and pulling it tight.
It is important that the binding is strong, as should one of the tight 5 lose their grip on the jersey they are holding onto, the scrum may become unbound, lose collective pushing power, or the scrum may collapse.
It is the latter situation that is fraught with the most danger. The danger arises particularly in the front row where, should the scrum collapse, the front row players heads are inevitably forced into the ground.
This has resulted in many injuries to players, the most severe being broken necks causing permanent paralysis, or even death. The hooker is in a particularly vulnerable position as he or she has no way of reducing the force against the ground due to both of the hooker's arms being positioned on the backs of the props.
In today's play with the modified rules, the flankers, namely number 6 and number 7 jerseys, are involved more in the pushing force of the scrum. This is because previously the flankers merely had to be in contact with the scrum resulting in the flankers merely keeping their hands on the scrum, waiting for the ball to pop out the side. As it is now required for the ball to emerge from the scrum behind the lock's feet, it is more advantageous that the flankers bind properly and aid in the pushing of the scrum. Consequently their grip must be also be firm.
The main reason why players lose grip of the jersey is that it becomes too much of a strain for their hands and wrists to hold onto a section of bare jersey while the scrum is moving about. This could be due to the range of gripping strength of the players, the playing conditions, it being harder to grip when it is cold or wet or both, or the jersey may be pulled too tight to obtain a quality hold.
During facets of play such as rucks and mauls, it is advantageous for a team to be well bound, and low in body position, in order to push the other team's forwards closer to their goal line. Again, the binding is usually obtained by securing a teammate's jersey. The tighter and more secure the grip, the more effective the body position and safer the facet of play.
What would be of great advantage is a rugby jersey that enables faster, easier, and a stronger binding to other players, and that reduces the risk of players becoming unbound during facets of play in which they are required to be bound or in which it is safer to be bound.
It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a garment characterised in that it has attached a holding means for aiding the securing of the garment by a person, wherein the holding means is attached to the garment in such a way that the forces resulting from the grasping of the said garment are distributed throughout the garment.
Reference to the garment shall now be made with reference to a sports jersey, in particular a sports jersey worn during a rugby match. The reference to the garment as a rugby jersey should not be seen to be limiting the scope of the present inventions manufacture or use, as the principles of the present invention may be applied to other garments in different situations.
In a preferred embodiment the holding means may consist of a length or lengths of a strap of material fixably attached to the rugby jersey, said holding means being fixably attached to reinforcing material. The said reinforcing material may be fixably attached to the rugby jersey. This may be hereafter referred to as the first configuration.
The holding means shall be hereafter referred to as straps. The use of the term straps to refer to the holding means should not be seen to be limiting the scope of the present inventions manufacture or use.
The advantage that this configuration over the prior art is that players may bind to the rugby jersey with a greatly increased grip strength. This means the danger of scrum collapse and the risk: of associated injuries are greatly reduced.
The reinforcing material allows forces on the rugby jersey to be distributed evenly. This results in the advantage that the strap is able to bear a large amount of force and reduces the risk of tearing occurring in the rugby jersey material.
In some preferred embodiments, the portion of the straps that the players bind to may be orientated substantially vertically or horizontally with reference to the orientation of the jersey. The vertical or horizontal orientation of the portion of the straps that the player bind to should not be seen to be limiting the scope of the present inventions manufacture or use, as that portion may be orientated as the situation demands.
This portion shall be hereafter referred to as the “handle”. This reference should not be seen as limiting the scope of the present inventions manufacture or use.
The advantage of having the handles substantially vertically or horizontal attached to the rugby jerseys, is that these orientations enable the players to bind directly onto the strap with greater ease, as the orientation of the strap is in the same plane in relation to the plane that the player's hands will encounter the strap.
In preferred embodiments, the handle may comprise a length of strap wound about a plastic tube along its axis.
This has the advantage of improving the ability of a person to secure the handle.
In another preferred embodiment, the reinforcing material may be attached to the inside of the rugby jersey. Attaching the reinforcing material in this fashion has the advantage of reducing the interference the reinforcing material may have on physical aspects of the game, and with the visual impact of the rugby jersey.
The attachment of the reinforcing means to the inside of the jersey should not be seen to be limiting the scope of the present inventions manufacture or use, as the reinforcing means may be attached in many convenient places on the jersey.
The attachment between the jersey and the reinforcing material may be permanent or semipermanent, whether or not the reinforcing means is positioned on the interior or exterior of the jersey.
In preferred embodiments, the reinforcing material may be made of the same material as the holding means.
In a further preferred embodiment, the holding device may be attached on the inside of the garment, along with the reinforcing means, accessible by an aperture in the jersey. This shall be hereafter referred to as the second configuration.
The second configuration has the advantage that the handles may be accessed for use during set
Hale Gloria M.
Stentina Brunda Garred & Brucker
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