U.S. patent application number 11/647541 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-06 for wetsuit with flush resistant through shoulder entry system.
Invention is credited to Bruce Moore.
Application Number | 20070277277 11/647541 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38788396 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070277277 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moore; Bruce |
December 6, 2007 |
Wetsuit with flush resistant through shoulder entry system
Abstract
A low profile, flush resistant, through shoulder entry system
for a wetsuit is disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, the
wetsuit has a stretchable entryway formed through a head-opening
portion with a head flap pivotally secured to the body of the
wetsuit. The head flap pivots to define an open position whereby a
user can easily enter and exit the wetsuit through the stretchable
entryway, and a closed position. At least one gusset extends
between the wetsuit and head flap. In another embodiment, the head
flap is detachably secured in its closed position with a
combination of a horizontally mounted slide fastener and hook and
loop material.
Inventors: |
Moore; Bruce; (Costa Mesa,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IPSOLON, LLP (NIKE)
111 SW COLUMBIA ST.
SUITE 710
PORTLAND
OR
97201
US
|
Family ID: |
38788396 |
Appl. No.: |
11/647541 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60756860 |
Jan 7, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/2.15 ;
2/82 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63C 11/04 20130101;
B63C 9/087 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/002.15 ;
002/082 |
International
Class: |
B63C 11/04 20060101
B63C011/04 |
Claims
1. A wetsuit comprising: a body portion a head opening portion
opening into said body portion; an entryway into said body portion
through said head opening portion; a head flap portion pivotally
secured to said body portion defining an open position wherein said
entry way is exposed for entry into the wetsuit, and a closed
position wherein said entry way is closed from entry; and, a first
water flow resistant gusset extending between said body portion to
said head flap thereby limiting the flow of water between said head
flap and said body portion.
2. The wetsuit of claim 1, further including a second water flow
resistant gusset extending between said body portion and said head
flap, said first and second gussets spaced apart from each other
and straddling said head opening portion.
3. The wetsuit of claim 1, wherein: said gusset is substantially
planar and substantially triangular defining a head flap engaging
edge, a body portion engaging edge, and an open edge; said head
flap engaging edge secured to said head flap; and, said body
portion engaging edge secured to said body portion.
4. The wetsuit of claim 3, wherein said head flap engaging edge is
sealed to said head flap, and said body portion engaging edge is
sealed to said body portion.
5. The wetsuit of claim 1, wherein said head flap includes an
opening for receiving a wearer's head therethrough.
6. The wetsuit of claim 5, further including a collar portion
encircling said opening for snuggly engaging a wearer's neck when
said head flap is in said closed position.
7. The wetsuit of claim 1, further including a securing structure
for detachably holding said head flap in said closed position.
8. The wetsuit of claim 7, wherein said securing structure includes
a first portion of a slide fastener mounted substantially
horizontally along a front of the body portion, and a second
portion of the slide fastener mounted to said flap portion such
that said first and second portions of said slide fastener operably
engage each IS other when said flap portion is in said closed
position.
9. The wetsuit of claim 8, wherein said first portion is mounted to
an outer surface-of said body portion and said second portion of
said slide fastener is mounted to an inner surface of said head
flap.
10. The wetsuit of claim 8, wherein said head flap has a distal end
and said second portion of said slide fastener is positioned toward
said distal end.
11. The wetsuit of claim 10, further including a first portion of
one of said hook and loop material operably secured toward said
distal end of said head flap, and a second section of the other of
said hook and loop material operably secured to said body portion
for operably securing said head flap to said body portion is said
closed position.
12. The wetsuit of claim 8, further including a tap extending from
said head flap to said body portion, said tap detachably securable
to said body portion and positioned so as to extend over at least a
portion of said slide fastener when said head flap is in said
closed position, thereby preventing inadvertent opening of said
slide fastener.
13. A wetsuit comprising: a body portion a head opening portion
opening into said body portion; an entryway into said body portion
through said head opening portion; a head flap portion pivotally
secured to said body portion defining an open position wherein said
entry way is exposed for entry into the wetsuit, and a closed
position wherein said entry way is closed from entry; a first
portion of a slide fastener mounted substantially horizontally
along a front of the body portion, and a second portion of the
slide fastener mounted to said flap portion such that said first
and second portions of said slide fastener operably engage each
other when said flap portion is in said closed position thereby
detachably holding said head flap portion in said closed
position.
14. The wetsuit of claim 13, wherein said head flap includes an
opening for receiving a wearer's head therethrough.
15. The wetsuit of claim 13, wherein said first portion is mounted
to an outer surface of said body portion and said second portion of
said slide fastener is mounted to an inner surface of said head
flap.
16. The wetsuit of claim 15, wherein said head flap has a distal
end and said second portion of said slide fastener is positioned
toward said distal end.
17. The wetsuit of claim 16, further including a first portion of
one of said hook and loop material operably secured toward said
distal end of said head flap, and a second section of the other of
said hook and loop material operably secured to said body portion
for operably securing said head flap to said body portion is said
closed position.
18. The wetsuit of claim 13, further including a tap extending from
said head flap to said body portion, said tap detachably securable
to said body portion and positioned so as to extend over at least a
portion of said slide fastener when said head flap is in said
closed position, thereby preventing inadvertent opening of said
slide fastener.
19. The wetsuit of claim 13, further including a first water flow
resistant gusset extending between said body portion to said head
flap thereby limiting the flow of water between said head flap and
said body portion.
20. The wetsuit of claim 19, further including a second water flow
resistant gusset extending between said body portion and said head
flap, said first and second gussets spaced apart from each other
and straddling said head opening portion.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent
application Ser. No. 60/756,860, filed on Jan. 7, 2006.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates to an entry system for a wetsuit that
allows a user easy entry into and egress from the wetsuit while
significantly resisting undesirable flushing of water through the
entryway while the wetsuit is being worn by the user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Wetsuits are tight-fitting water-permeable suits worn by
divers, surfers, swimmers and the like in order to protect their
wearer's and retain body heat while their wearer's are immersed in
cold water. Wetsuits come in a variety of styles and serve a
variety of purposes. Full body wetsuits have full-length arm and
leg portions extending from a trunk portion. Alternatively, a
wetsuit commonly known as a "spring suit" usually has short sleeves
and shortened leg portions extending from the trunk portion. In
most all cases, wetsuits are formed with flexible, heat-insulating
material such as elastomer foam, the most commonly used of which is
usually referred to as "Neoprene."
[0004] The typical wetsuit traps a layer of water between the
wearer and the suit so that the wearer's body heat warms the
trapped water. As warm trapped water is flushed from within the
suit, it is usually replenished with cold ambient water that must
be warmed by the wearer's body heat before wearer comfort is
restored. Accordingly, it is undesirable for large portions of this
trapped water to be rapidly flushed or otherwise flow from the suit
during use.
[0005] Moreover, given the tight-fitting nature of wetsuits, it can
be difficult for a wearer to put them on and take them off.
Considerable effort has been made to facilitate wearer ease of
entry into and egress out of a wetsuit. For example, many wetsuits
have a large substantially vertically aligned zipper running down
either the front or back trunk portion. The zipper allows the user
to put on and take off the wetsuit like a jacket (front vertical
zipper) or women's dress (back vertical zipper). Unfortunately,
such vertical zippers are not aesthetically pleasing, they can be
difficult for a user to use without assistance, and they tend to
allow a large amount of water to flush through them during use.
[0006] More recently, efforts have focused on providing a
zipperless system for permitting entry into and egress out of a
wetsuit. An example of such a system is found in U.S. Pat. No.
5,630,229 to Machado et al. These types of systems provide an
entryway between the shoulders of the wetsuit that stretches to
allow the user to enter the wetsuit, but then compresses against
the user after they have entered the wetsuit. In some cases, a head
flap is also positioned to close over the entry area, with the user
inserting their head through a collar in the flap to further close
the entry and secure the user within the suit.
[0007] While such systems improve the flush resistance of the
wetsuit by eliminating substantial portions of elongate, flush
prone, zippers along the trunk portion of the wetsuit, water still
tends to flush under the head flap and into the wetsuit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, despite the known improvements with wetsuit
entry and egress systems, there remains a need for a simple, cost
effective, low profile, system for a wetsuit that allows easy entry
and egress from a wetsuit while minimizing the amount of water
flushing through the system into the wetsuit during use. In
addition to other benefits that will become apparent in the
following disclosure, the present invention fulfills these
needs.
[0009] In a disclosed embodiment, the wetsuit has a stretchable
entryway formed through a head-opening portion with a head flap
pivotally secured to the body of the wetsuit. The head flap pivots
to define an open position whereby a user can easily enter and exit
the wetsuit through the stretchable entryway, and a closed position
wherein the user is secured within the wetsuit. One or more gussets
extend between the wetsuit and head flap thereby preventing
inadvertent flushing of water between the head flap and wetsuit
body through the entryway when the head flap is in its closed
position.
[0010] In another disclosed embodiment, the head flap is detachably
secured in its closed position with a combination of a horizontally
mounted slide fastener extending between a distal end of the head
flap and an outer, front surface of the body of the wetsuit and
hook and loop material also extending therebetween.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a wetsuit having a flush
resistant through shoulder entry system in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention, showing a head flap in a
possible closed position.
[0012] FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial view of the wetsuit of FIG. 1
showing preferred components of the flush resistant through
shoulder entry system in an exploded view.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a partial front view of the wetsuit of FIG. 1
showing the head flap in a third possible partially closed
position.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a partial front view of the wetsuit of FIG. 1
showing the head flap in a second possible partially closed
position.
[0015] FIG. 5 is an isometric partial view of the wetsuit of FIG. 1
showing the head flap in a first possible partially closed
position.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an isometric partial view of the wetsuit of FIG. 1
showing the head flap in a possible open position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] A wetsuit 10 having a low profile, flush resistant, through
shoulder entry and egress system 12 is disclosed in FIGS. 1-6.
[0018] The wetsuit has a stretchable through shoulder entry 14 with
a head flap 16 that is pivotally secured to the wetsuit 10 so-as to
define an open position 20 (FIG. 6) and a closed position 22 (FIG.
1). Left and right gussets 30a, 30b extend between the head flap 16
and top portion 32 of the wetsuit to prevent inadvertent water flow
between the head flap 16 and top portion 32 of the wetsuit when the
head flap 16 is in the closed position 22 (FIG. 1). A securing
structure 40 is also preferably provided to detachably hold the
head flap 16 in its closed position 22 (FIG. 1).
[0019] Referring to FIG. 2, the wetsuit 10 is preferably formed
with conventional materials and methods to define a front 50, a
back 52, a top 54, a trunk portion 56, a left leg portion 58, a
right leg portion 60, a left arm portion 62, a right arm portion
64, a shoulder portion 66 and a head opening portion 68. The
wetsuit 10 is preferably formed with elastomer foam such as
neoprene having desired insulating characteristics for the planned
use of the wetsuit. For example, a lightweight wetsuit would have a
neoprene thickness of about 2 to 3 millimeters, a medium weight
wetsuit would have a neoprene thickness of about 3 to 4
millimeters, and a heavy-duty wetsuit would have a neoprene
thickness of about 4 to 5 millimeters.
[0020] Preferably, the head opening portion 68 includes an interior
chest lining 70 that attaches to the front 50 of the wetsuit 10 and
has overlapping panels 72a, 72b that stretch around the head
opening portion 68 toward the back 52 of the wetsuit 10 to allow a
user to enter and exit from the wetsuit through the stretched head
opening portion 68. The head opening portion 68 and chest lining 70
are preferably made of sufficient resilient material to close down
around the user when the user is inside the wetsuit 10.
[0021] More preferably, a substantially planar, chest lining insert
72 is secured to the inside surface 74 of the chest lining 70
toward the front 50 of the wetsuit 10 as best shown in FIGS. 5
& 6. The chest lining insert 72 is preferably formed of water
impenetrable material such as neoprene or the like, and it is
preferably edge glued and bind stitched to the chest lining 70
using conventional methods. The chest-lining insert 72 reduces
water flush entering from the front of the wetsuit through the head
opening.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 2 & 6, the head flap 16 is preferably
pivotally secured to the wetsuit 10 along a substantially
horizontal plane 80 aligned along the shoulders of the wearer so as
to provide movement between a closed position 22 (FIG. 1) and open
position 20 (FIG. 6) of the head flap 16. More preferably, the head
flap 16 is pivotally secured to the wetsuit 10 with conventional
edge gluing and bind stitching.
[0023] An opening 82 is provided in the head flap 16 that aligns
with the head-opening portion 68 of the wetsuit 10 when the head
flap 16 is in the closed position 22 (FIG. 1). A resilient collar
panel 84 preferably encircles the opening 82 and is sized to snugly
encircle a wearer's neck, thereby preventing the flow of water
through the opening 82 when worn by the user.
[0024] The left gusset 30a and right gusset 30b are preferably each
substantially triangular shaped, planar members formed of
substantially water impenetrable material, such as neoprene. Each
gusset 30a, 30b defines a wetsuit engaging edge 90, a head flap
engaging edge 92 and an open edge 94. Preferably, the wetsuit
engaging edge 90 of each gusset 30a. 30b is edge glued and bind
stitched to the wetsuit 10, and the head flap engaging edge 92 of
each gusset 30a, 30b is edge glued and bind stitched to the head
flap 16 as best shown in FIG. 6. More preferably, panel patches 96
are also provided at the corners of each gusset 30a, 30b to further
improve the durability of each attachment.
[0025] The head flap 16 is free to move between its open position
20 (FIG. 6) and closed position 22 (FIG. 1) without interference
from the gussets 30a, 30b. Moreover, the gussets 30a, 30b are
preferably formed of a stretchable material so as to stretch as
needed to allow a user to enter through the head opening portion 68
in the wetsuit 10 when the head flap 16 is in the open position 20
(FIG. 6). The gussets 30a, 30b provide a substantially water tight
seal between the wetsuit 10 and head flap 16 on the left and right
sides of the wetsuit 10 when the head flap 16 is in the closed
position 22 (FIG. 1), thereby reducing water flush into the wetsuit
10 during use.
[0026] Preferably, the gussets 30a, 30b are formed with the same
material forming the wetsuit 10. More preferably, the gussets 30a,
30b are formed with neoprene having a thickness of about 1
millimeter. Of course, other substantially non-permeable stretch
materials could also be used.
[0027] The securing structure 40 for holding the head flap 16 in
the closed position 22 (FIG. 1) preferably is flush resistant and
includes one or more structures for preventing inadvertent opening
of the head flap 16.
[0028] One possible securing structure 40 is shown in FIGS. 2-6. A
first portion 100a of a slide fastener 100, such as a
corrosion-resistant zipper, is aligned substantially horizontally
along the front 50 and on the outer surface 102 of the wetsuit 10.
The mating portion 100b of the slide fastener 100 is positioned on
the inside surface 104 of the head flap 16 and aligned so as to
operably engage the first portion o100a of the slide fastener 100
when the head flap 16 is in the closed position 22 (FIG. 1).
[0029] More preferably, engaging panels 110a, 110b of hook and loop
material are provided on the outer surface 102 of the wetsuit 10
and the inside surface 104 of the head flap 16 adjacent to their
respective slide fastener portions 100a, 100b and positioned toward
the distal end 120 of the head flap 16 as best shown in FIG. 6. A
tab 122 with engaging hook and loop material 124 secured thereto
preferably extends from the head flap 16 toward the engaging hook
and loop material 110b on the wetsuit 10, thereby covering a
portion of the slide fastener 100. More preferably, this tab 122 is
positioned so as to prevent the pull 130 of the slide fastener 100
from inadvertently moving, thereby holding the slide fastener 100
closed.
[0030] A user dons the wetsuit 10 with the low profile, flush
resistant, through shoulder entry and egress system 12 by first
positioning the head flap 16 to its open position20 (FIG. 6) and
inserting their body, legs first, through the head opening portion
68 at the top 54 of the wetsuit 10. With their body, including
their arms and legs, in the wetsuit 10, the user then inserts their
head through the opening 82 in the head flap 16 so that the collar
panel 84 encircles their neck. In this configuration, the head flap
16 will likely be in a first partially closed position 150 as best
shown in FIG. 5.
[0031] The user then aligns the slide fastener portions 100a, 100b
so as to allow the pull 130 to operably engage the slide fastener
100 (FIG. 4) and slides the pull 130 thereby securing the distal
end 120 of the head flap 16 to the front 50 of the wetsuit 10. The
tab 122 is then positioned across the slide fastener 100 (FIG. 3).
The engaging panels 110a, 100b of hook and loop material on the
head flap 16 and wetsuit 10 are engaged (FIG. 1), thereby securing
the head flap 16 in a substantially flush resistant closed position
22 (FIG. 1).
[0032] In view of the wide variety of embodiments to which the
principles of the invention can be applied, it should be apparent
that the detailed description of a preferred embodiment is
illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of
the invention. Accordingly, the claimed invention includes all such
modifications as may come within the scope of the following claims
and equivalents thereto.
* * * * *