Apparel – Nether garments – Stockings
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-10
2001-02-13
Falik, Andy (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Nether garments
Stockings
C036S001500, C002S023000, C002S270000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185752
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of protective garments commonly called gaiters.
2. Description of Prior Art
Gaiters are well known in the art as protective garments which are used to overlap or cover the area between the top of a boot or shoe and a wearer's ankle or calf. Gaiters are commonly worn by hikers who are walking through terrain with loose gravel or snow and the gaiter prevents the gravel or snow from entering the boot. Gaiters are exceptionally useful to mountain hikers who are climbing through steep snow covered slopes. Gaiters are almost always worn by hikers wearing crampons, since the gaiter provides some protection from the sharp crampons which can stab the hiker's leg.
Unfortunately, there are several significant problems and limitations with present gaiter designs. One such problem is that gaiters are subject to a tremendous amount of wear on the side of the gaiter facing the opposite gaiter, this wear being particularly significant when the gaiters are worn with crampons, which continuously stab the gaiter. Another significant problem with gaiters is that they are notoriously warm and often overheat the legs. This heating problem is exacerbated by the fact that many gaiters extend upward to a position just below the knees in order to provide a sufficient seal and adequate protection against gravel and snow. At present, this problem has been addressed by garment designers by making the upper portion of the gaiter out of a waterproof and “breathable” fabric such as Gore Tex™. In extreme conditions, however, the breathable fabric does not provide sufficient relief and hikers often roll the gaiter down, which takes time and allows snow to be kicked up into the boot. This approach also creates another problem in that the upper breathable portion and lower protective portion must be connected by means of a seam. When using crampons in mountain climbing, the crampons tend to “catch” on the seam, leading to a premature destruction of the gaiter.
Therefore, there is a need for a gaiter that provides enhanced durability and, at the same time, provides an improved and more efficient method for reducing heat inside the gaiter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a gaiter having on its outside surface an air vent system which allows a user to easily and effectively vent the gaiter in order to permit air to pass through the side of the gaiter, and having on an opposite outside surface a protective surface coating which has a top seam which is slanted in a downward direction from the back of the gaiter to the front. The combination of the air vent system and protective surface coating presents a new and unique gaiter which is both comfortable and durable. The gaiter's comfort is facilitated by the air vent system which provides the user with an instantaneous cooling effect without having to either remove the gaiter or roll it down as is the common practice. Durability is provided by the protective surface coating which is designed to provide enhanced durability without unnecessarily increasing the heat retention characteristics of the gaiter.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5033126 (1991-07-01), Wruck et al.
patent: 5551172 (1996-09-01), Yu
patent: 5970525 (1999-10-01), Gallinot et al.
Hendersen Dylan
Link Robert
Falik Andy
Hendrickson Jay P.
Mountain Hardwear, Inc.
LandOfFree
Ventable gaiter does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Ventable gaiter, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ventable gaiter will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2597133