Apparel – Body garments
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-29
2001-05-29
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Body garments
C002S059000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237151
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a warmup garment used to maintain warmth in a single arm and shoulder of an athlete. During many typical athletic events such as baseball or football games, a participating athlete does not engage in continuous play, but instead enters and exits the game intermittently, participating only for short periods of time. Without proper warmup, a short burst of anaerobic activity—even if followed by a brief period of aerobic activity—can not only severely strain, but also seriously injure, the particular muscle groups and associated connective tissue being used by the athlete during the event.
While the problem of achieving and maintaining proper muscular warmup affects all types of athletes, baseball players face unique challenges. Much of a baseball player's success depends upon how well his pitching or throwing arm performs. Because a baseball player does not engage in continuous play throughout a game, retaining warmth, flexibility and limberness in the arm and shoulder area is particularly difficult. Furthermore, because baseball players enter and exit the game so quickly during and between innings, the arm and shoulder areas often do not adequately cool down after use, which exacerbates the risk of injury to muscle groups and connective tissue which may already be inflamed or damaged.
Prior attempts to address the specific needs of baseball players have been inadequate, in that prior art warmup devices typically must be secured to the wearer by using straps placed around the wearer's neck. Such straps make removal of the warmup device difficult and time consuming, as the wearer must use both hands to initiate removal. Furthermore, if the wearer needs to quickly remove the device, he must often resort to pulling the entire device over his head, which is disruptive and inconvenient, since it may require first removing a helmet or hat.
The invention of the present application addresses the problem of adequately maintaining warmth and flexibility in an athlete's arm and shoulder by providing a warmup garment having a single sleeve and a body portion which covers the arm, shoulder, and adjacent upper torso region. The garment includes a unique attachment panel that extends beneath the athlete's arm opposite the sleeve of the garment. The attachment panel connects to a front panel just below the athlete's sternum using fasteners that are easy to open and close. Positioning the attachment panel around the upper torso and placing the fasteners on the front panel allows the athlete to release the fasteners using only one hand, and quickly remove the garment without resorting to pulling it over his head. Furthermore, the increased width of the attachment panel enhances the overall comfort of the athlete by eliminating the pulling, pinching and tugging associated with conventional elastic straps commonly used on prior art warmup garments. Optional external and internal pockets positioned in the elbow and shoulder areas of the garment permit the use of therapeutic heating and cooling pads to enhance healing and preserve flexibility of specific muscle groups and connective tissues.
The warmup garment of the present invention uses commonly available materials and components which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured and supplied to the user in many different forms, resulting in a garment that is aesthetically pleasing, effective, and easy to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object ofthe invention to provide a warmup garment capable of maintaining warmth and flexibility in a single arm and shoulder of an athlete.
It is another object of the invention to provide a warmup garment that can be quickly and easily put on and removed.
It is another object of the invention to provide a warmup garment which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture from commonly available components.
It is another object of the invention to provide a warmup garment which has a single sleeve and shoulder area and includes pockets adapted for receiving therapeutic heating and cooling packs therein for providing additional warmth or cooling to the areas of the athlete's body adjacent the pockets.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a warm-up garment for maintaining warmth in a single arm and shoulder area of a wearer, including a single sleeve having an upper end with an opening for receiving the wearer's hand and arm therethrough and a lower end having a lower opening for receiving the wearer's hand therethrough. A body portion is attached to the sleeve adjacent the upper end opening and comprising front and back panels joined across a top and a side edge adjacent the sleeve and extending diagonally across the torso of the wearer from the upper end of the sleeve to an area under the wearer's arm opposite the sleeve. The warm-up garment also includes an attachment panel having a first end attached to the back panel and a second end adapted for being extended from the back panel around the area under the wearer's arm opposite the sleeve to the front panel for releasably securing the front and back panels around the body of the wearer without encircling the neck of the wearer.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower end of the sleeve includes a cuff adapted for fitting closely against the wearer's wrist.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the front panel includes a first oblique edge extending diagonally from the top edge across the chest of the wearer and a front bottom edge extending across the upper torso adjacent the rib cage of the wearer.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the back panel includes a second oblique edge extending from the top edge diagonally across the spinal column of the wearer and a back bottom edge extending between the side edge adjacent the sleeve and the second edge of the attachment panel.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the front panel further includes inner and outer faces, the inner face adapted for releasably securing an outer surface of the second end of the attachment panel thereto.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the warm-up garment includes complementary fasteners attached to the outer surface of the attachment panel and to the inner face of the front panel for releasably securing the outer surface to the inner face.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the complementary fasteners are attached to the outer surface of the second end of the attachment panel and the inner face of the front panel adjacent the front bottom edge.
The complementary fasteners are preferably strips of hook-and-loop material.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the warm-up garment further includes at least one pocket attached to the sleeve and adapted for receiving a therapeutic pack therein.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1424215 (1922-08-01), Rowe
patent: 1796782 (1931-03-01), Gasperini
patent: 1833109 (1931-11-01), Day
patent: 4356570 (1982-11-01), Vernon et al.
patent: 4985934 (1991-01-01), Perry
patent: 5638546 (1997-06-01), Vita
patent: 5909801 (1999-06-01), Coffman
Adams, Schwartz & Evans P.A.
Hale Gloria M.
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