EP0776615A2 - Trousers for cyclist - Google Patents

Abstract

Cycling trousers for men and women feature an insert made of natural or synthetic leather and located in the body area resting on the bicycle saddle. It is made of a single, flat piece and is symmetrical in relation to the plane of symmetry (l) of the bicycle. Both the wider rear section (12') and the narrower front section (12") of the insert feature a narrow notch (13), which is located on the plane of symmetry (1), and has the shape of a slightly open V. The notches (13) extend over an initial section of the corresponding zone and do not reach across the middle of the zone (12', 12").

Description

The present invention relates to cycling pants or a racing dress for women and men according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Cyclist pants are used extensively by cyclists, especially road and rail racing drivers who are used to putting their body and material to the highest stress. In particular, prolonged sitting on the narrow racing saddle of a sports bike exposes the body parts that come into direct contact with the saddle to the highest local stresses, which can lead to serious injuries to the affected body parts if no suitable measures are taken to protect them, especially for the more sensitive parts of the genital organs. This applies to both men and women. For this reason, special cycling pants have been used for some years, which are provided with protective inserts at the most delicate points, that is, according to the body parts of the rider that are exposed to the highest pressure and frictional stresses, with the purpose, on the one hand, of the greatest comfort and for the athlete Above all, to offer physical integrity and, on the other hand, to guarantee the cyclist perfect control of the bicycle. In other words, on the one hand, the cyclist must have complete control of the bicycle on which he is sitting and with which he must form a single unit, but on the other hand, such close contact with the vehicle must not cause any physical damage to the driver. This shows that the task that cycling pants have to perform is multifaceted and requires a search for a compromise between comfort and safety.

Cycling pants that correspond to the prior art and are described in the preamble of claim 1 are known and have been used in practice for many years. Cyclist pants of this type usually consist of a tight-fitting garment made of textile or knitted fabric that is elastic in all directions. A pair of pants or a dress of this type adapts perfectly to the driver's body shape and offers the advantage of ensuring maximum freedom of movement. Similar pants are also used in other sports that require great freedom of movement. The well-known cycling pants, however, have a special feature of an insert made of natural or synthetic leather, the arrangement of which corresponds to the body zones of the cyclist that are supported on the saddle of the bicycle. Such an insert in the pants usually consists of a wider rear part, which corresponds to the seat of the body, and a narrower front part, which serves to protect the more sensitive genital area of the driver or the driver, which is unprotected due to the friction between the saddle and body when pedaling, or because in bad weather the effects of the weather, such as Water that is exposed could suffer permanent damage. The rear part of the insert is normally connected to the front part by an intermediate zone in which the pedaling movement of the legs takes place in vertical planes next to the driver's torso.

The inlays known from practice belong to two different types: those of the first type consist of two separate parts which are joined in the middle by means of a seam. The two halves are each cut in such a way that they take on an "envelope shape" when they are joined together with the central seam, ie a three-dimensional one Shape that adapts to the body of the cyclist. The two half-insoles are thus designed in such a way that when they are sewn together they bulge in the middle and form a type of cup that is adapted to the body sitting on the saddle. The disadvantage of this known embodiment of the insert is that the connecting seam, which unites the two halves of the insert, is located exactly in the plane of symmetry of the cyclist, ie exactly between his legs, which considerably disturbs the wearer of the pants and finally, in the worst case, Can cause injuries to sensitive body tissue.

The second known type of inserts in cycling pants consists of a single part without a central seam, which is thermally deformed into a suitable profile, thanks to which it can adapt to the body of the cyclist sitting on the saddle. An insert of this type is therefore three-dimensional before it is sewn into the garment and has no seam in the plane of symmetry of the cyclist. This insert therefore eliminates the disadvantages of the known inserts, which consist of two parts sewn together, since there is no longer any seam that could disturb the cyclist. On the other hand, this insert again shows two fundamental disadvantages, which are connected on the one hand with the production of the clothing, and on the other hand with the fact that pants which contain such inserts are unable to offer the wearer the desired level of safety and stability. Experience has also shown that inserting inserts of this type without a central seam in the plane of symmetry in the elastic garment is disproportionately difficult, since the insert cannot be placed for sewing in and the seamstress easily gets out of hand. Moreover, and this constitutes the more serious disadvantage, a deposit of these offers Art, even if it is correctly sewn at the edges to the elastic garment, does not secure the cyclist securely anchored on the bicycle saddle and gives the rider the feeling of "swimming" on the saddle, which is due to the fact that the insert is not in the plane of symmetry is properly pinned and anchored. All of this creates an uncomfortable feeling of insecurity among the cyclist, who should be able to form a unit with his bicycle in order to be able to safely control the vehicle in all situations. These known insoles without any seam in the plane of symmetry are therefore unpopular with professional racers and amateurs who take part in races.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the mentioned disadvantages of the known cycling pants and to create a new type of cycling pants or racing dress that combines the advantages of perfect wearing comfort with those of absolute safety that allows the rider to become one with the bike feel. In addition, the new trousers will be easier to manufacture and will therefore be less expensive than those which are known in the prior art, since they bring better-defined working conditions for the seamstress without the uncertainties already described.

These objectives are achieved by means of cycling pants according to the preamble of claim 1, which is characterized in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Thanks to the design that the insert is made from a single, flat piece and is symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry of the cyclist, the main advantage achieved is that in the most sensitive area it is the body of the cyclist on which he bears his weight on the bicycle saddle supports, there are no continuous seams that form a thickening and could therefore injure the sensitive body tissues in this zone. Furthermore, because the insert is flat before sewing into the garment, handling by the seamstress is facilitated. Only the seams between the garment and the edges of the two slightly V-shaped incisions give the insert the necessary three-dimensional "anatomical" fit while sewing the garment together, ie a shape that adapts to the body shape of the cyclist. The inlays are thus "punched out" from a flat material web (made of natural or synthetic leather), and no preparatory pre-deformation is necessary. In addition, the sewing of the insert into the elastic garment is facilitated, which can begin with the seam for attaching the incisions in the plane of symmetry, so that the complex pant / insert receives its full stability from the beginning.

An even more important point, however, is that the seam that connects the insert along the two side edges of the two weakly opening V-shaped incisions to the elastic garment gives the insert great lateral stability in the garment, whereby the insert in the pants does not can move more sideways.

This makes the cyclist feel much safer in the saddle because the insert in his clothing in the center of the saddle is firmly attached to the actual pants, but without seams in the area that is subject to the highest pressure from the rider's body weight would be present, which could cause any trouble to the driver. This eliminates the unpleasant feeling known from trousers with inserts without a seam in the plane of symmetry, the insert "floats" freely in the garment around, and this advantage is achieved according to the invention without having to accept the disadvantages of a "continuous body seam" in the inserts described above.

The pants according to the invention thus offer the wearer maximum comfort and safety and are also easier to manufacture.

Other preferred embodiments of the present invention are then the subject of the further dependent claims, which are explained in more detail below together with their advantages using a few exemplary embodiments.

Fig. 1

Eine schematische Ansicht der Innenseite einer Radfahrerhose von oben mit den Elementen der vorliegenden Erfindung, die den Bereich bilden, auf welchem sich der Radfahrer auf den Fahrradsattel setzt.

Fig. 2

Eine Perspektivansicht einer mittels einer Naht vorgeformten Einlage gemäss dem Stand der Technik, von dem die vorliegende Erfindung ausgeht.

Fig. 3

Eine Perspektivansicht einer zweiten, thermisch vorgeformten Einlage gemäss dem Stand der Technik, von dem die vorliegende Erfindung ausgeht.

Fig. 4

Eine erfindungsgemässe Einlage vor dem Einnähen in die Hose.

Fig. 5

Die gleiche Einlage gemäss der Fig. 4 mit einer Polsterung auf ihrer Aussenseite, ebenfalls vor dem Einnähen in die Hose dargestellt.

Figuren 6 und 7

Je einen Querschnitt der Einlage längs der Linien A-A bzw. der Linien B-B gemäss der Fig. 5.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to some embodiments shown in the figures. Show it:

Fig. 1

A schematic top view of the inside of a pair of cycling pants with the elements of the present invention forming the area on which the cyclist sits on the bicycle saddle.

Fig. 2

A perspective view of an insert preformed by means of a seam according to the prior art, from which the present invention is based.

Fig. 3

A perspective view of a second, thermally preformed insert according to the prior art, from which the present invention is based.

Fig. 4

An insert according to the invention before sewing into the pants.

Fig. 5

The same insert according to FIG. 4 with padding on the outside, also shown before being sewn into the pants.

Figures 6 and 7

A cross section of the insert along lines AA and lines BB according to FIG. 5.

1 shows the inside of a pair of cycling trousers 1 viewed from above. This appears - in rough approximation - as a circular tube on the bottom of which openings 2 and 3 are visible to the legs. The pants consist of two completely symmetrical halves, which are sewn together with a seam 4 (body seam) in the plane of symmetry (not shown) of the cyclist wearing the pants 1. In the area between the two openings 2 and 3 for the legs, i.e. in the area on which the cyclist places on the bicycle saddle (not shown), an insert 5 is then attached to the inside of the pants, which protects the bicycle saddle in Parts of the cyclist's body that come into contact are intended both with regard to the mechanical stresses due to the friction of body parts on the saddle (risk of abrasions or wolf, caused by the body weight or by the centrifugal force that occurs in steep, high-speed corners, such as on racetracks , Overheating effects, etc.), as well as external influences (rain, cold, etc.).

The insert 5 as an important element of the present invention is sewn along its entire outer edge with a seam 6, which is preferably designed as an elastic seam, so that it can adapt better to the body shapes. The material from which the pants are made can be a fabric or knitwear of great elasticity (stretch) that allows the athlete freedom of movement, as is required in all sports. The insert 5 itself, known as such according to the prior art, can either be made of padded natural leather or of one or more or less padded synthetic leather. The material chosen for the insert is of course of great importance in the context of the present invention, since the comfort properties and the service life of the pants depend heavily on it. However, the present invention does not relate to a special insert material, but adopts an insert material that is optimally selected in accordance with the current state of the art. In the context of the present invention, all materials suitable for such applications can be used to produce the insert. It should only be noted that the materials from which the inserts are made must meet certain minimum requirements with regard to mechanical resistance, moisture absorption, immutability under the influences of weather and body secretions and exhalations, etc. In FIG. 1, to the explanation later Some construction details of the invention is to be returned, it is shown how the insert 5 is sewn onto the trousers 1 with a possibly elastic seam 6, the seam and the insert itself taking on a precisely defined shape, which will be explained below. It should also be noted here that the narrower part of the insert 5, which is shown at the top in FIG. 1, has two wings 7 and 8 made of a fabric on the side, which are sewn into the trousers 1, these wings being within the scope of the present invention play a subordinate role, and the only purpose of which is merely aesthetic in that they serve only to better mask the driver's genital zone to the outside without taking on any protective function for them.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show two types of inserts according to the known state of the art in the sense of a comparison.

2 shows an insert 9 which is sewn from two to one another in a central plane which, after the insert has been sewn into the pants, corresponds to the plane of symmetry of the cyclist.

The shape of the two halves of the insert 9 are designed in such a way that their connecting seam causes a curvature of the two ends of the insert upwards, the insert taking on a curved shape during sewing, which is the lower part of the spine of the rider sitting on the saddle adjusts. It can already be seen here that the insert 9 consists of a wider rear part 9 ', which corresponds to the seating area of the body, and a narrower front part 9' 'to protect the driver's genital zone. In addition, it can be seen that the rear part 9 'of the insert 9 is connected to the front part 9' 'via an intermediate region 9' '' in which the pedaling movement takes place in vertical planes of the legs next to the driver's torso. Therefore, said intermediate region 9 ″ ″ is made narrower, which gives the two tabs, which form the front part 9 ″ of the insert 9, more opportunity to move.

The main disadvantage of this type of insert is that, as already noted, a seam 10 traverses the entire insert, which therefore comes into contact with the driver's body and causes considerable disturbances since its most sensitive parts of the body are stressed. In any case, a suture represents a harder area in its environment, and in the present case can cause painful abrasions (wolf) and injuries in the groin area. For this reason, deposits of this type are not well received. Moreover, from the point of view of fabrication, the sewing in of such preformed inserts presents not a few problems if the seamstress has to center them in the pants. This Operation becomes difficult and costly.

FIG. 3 shows a further type of insert according to the known prior art, by means of which an attempt was made to avoid the disadvantage caused by the presence of the seam 10 in the insert. In order to achieve this goal, the insert 11 is formed in one piece and preformed by means of a suitable, heated molding device. It is clear that this type of production requires the selection of a suitable material for this manufacturing method. However, this was not a major disadvantage, since synthetic leather materials are now available that are satisfactory for this type of processing and for the intended use.

The main disadvantage of the described type of inserts for use in elastic pants is to be seen rather in the fact that such an insert, which is sewn in along its entire outer edge, does not give the cyclist a sufficient feeling of security, since the cyclist tends to " swim". Rather, the cyclist wants to feel as if he is firmly seated in the bicycle saddle, and for this purpose his pants must not slide around opposite the saddle, as happens when the insert is only sewn on at the edges. This type of insole therefore does not have the necessary degree of stability, especially in the lateral direction, so that the rider feels insecure and unstable on his bike.

FIG. 4 shows an insert which allows the production of a pair of cycling pants according to the invention, namely in the stage of the completely flat shape cut, which is ready for sewing into the cycling pants. 4 can also have a wider rear one Part 12 ', which corresponds to the seating area of the body, and a narrower front part 12''to protect the genital area of the cyclist and an intermediate area 12''' connecting the parts 12 'and 12'', in which the pedaling movement of the legs of the Cyclist expires. The area 12 '''therefore has the task of creating an area with freedom of movement between the rear, wider section 12' of the insert 12 and the narrower front section 12 ''.

According to the invention, the insert, as shown in FIG. 4, consists of a single, flat piece and is symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry of the cyclist, which is indicated in FIG. 4 with a dash-dotted line l. This line also forms the intersection line of the plane that perpendicularly intersects the plane of the insert. When using the pants, level 1 corresponds to the vertical plane of symmetry of the rider and also of the bicycle. The wider portion 12 'of the insert 12 shown below then has a narrow incision 13 before sewing into the trousers 1, which is essentially V-shaped in the plane of symmetry and has a small opening width. Analogously, the front narrower part 12 ″ of the insert 12 has a second narrow incision 14, which is also arranged in a slightly open, V-shaped manner in the plane of symmetry. The incisions 13 and 14 continue from the edge of the insert 12, however, only along an initial region of the corresponding parts 12 'and 12''which does not extend beyond the center of this region. According to the present invention, the seam of the insert 12 in the trousers 1 (FIG. 1) follows along the entire edge of the insert 12 in such a way that when the V-shaped cut edges of the incisions 13 and 14 are sewn together in parallel, the insert 12 takes a three-dimensional shape that conforms to the body shape of the cyclist.

• a) Das Fehlen jeglicher Naht in der Symmetrieebene l zwischen den Enden der beiden Einschnitte 13 und 14. Dies steigert den Komfort für den Träger der Radfahrerhose beträchtlich und erspart ihm insbesondere körperliche Schäden, die durch das Vorhandensein einer "harten" Naht zwischen seinen Lenden hervorgerufen werden können.
• b) Die Anordnung der Einschnitte 13 und 14 bringt als grossen Vorteil mit sich, dass die Näherin während der Fabrikation der Radfahrerhose 1 die Einlage 12 auf die Naht 4 (Fig. 1) der zugeschnittenen Hose 1 "zentrieren" kann, indem sie die Einschnitte 13 und 14 auf die Naht 4 ausrichtet: die Erfahrung zeigt, dass dies die Konfektionsarbeit an der Hose merklich erleichtert.

The cycling pants according to the invention therefore have the following two basic advantages:

• a) The absence of any seam in the plane of symmetry l between the ends of the two incisions 13 and 14. This increases the comfort for the wearer of the cycling pants considerably and saves him in particular physical damage caused by the presence of a "hard" seam between his loins can be.
• b) The arrangement of the incisions 13 and 14 has the great advantage that the seamstress can "center" the insert 12 on the seam 4 (FIG. 1) of the tailored pants 1 during the manufacture of the cycling pants 1 by cutting the incisions 13 and 14 aligned to seam 4: experience shows that this makes the assembly work on the trousers noticeably easier.

It should also be noted here that the insert 12 can be produced from a natural material such as leather or from a synthetic material, the thickness of which is preferably between 2 and 8 mm.

Of course, when the edges of the incisions 13 and 14 (see FIG. 1) become parallel to one another when the seams are sewn together, the material of the insert 12 is contracted locally so that it bulges out and forms a kind of "cup", as it did before Shown forms of the inserts 5, 9 shown in Figures 2 and 3. Such a deformation of the insert 12 takes place only at the moment when the insert 12 is sewn together with the trousers 1 and not before, as in the prior art described: this simplifies the work of the seamstress always prefers to work with two-dimensional rather than three-dimensional pieces.

According to a preferred first embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, in which the same elements are provided with the same reference numerals, a padding 15 is attached to the outwardly facing part of the insert 12, which in the rear part 12 'of the Insert 12 corresponding area is wider, and narrower in the area that corresponds to the front portion 12 '' of the insert 12. The padding 15 naturally has the purpose of absorbing bumps and blows in front of the cyclist as an effective shock absorber cushion.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the padding 15 is the same as or greater than that of the insert 12, which in turn is preferably chosen between 2 and 8 mm.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention, also shown in FIG. 5, provides that the upholstery 13 consists of two parts 13 'and 13'', which are mutually in the plane of symmetry l by means of a depression (more clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7) 5, which show cross sections through the insert 12 according to FIG. 5 along the lines AA and BB) in which the center seam or body seam 4 (FIG. 1) of the pants 1 is accommodated after the padded insert has been sewn into the pants 1. This preferred embodiment of the invention (shown in cross section in FIG. 6) offers the advantage that the unavoidable body seam 4 of the trousers 1 "disappears" in the depression of the padding 15, so that this "hard" seam on the one hand no longer disturbs the cyclist and, on the other hand, that it actively helps, the fabric or knitted fabric of the trousers 1 better than the insert 12 to center, which improves the desired centering effect already mentioned several times.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the wider part of the padding 15, that is to say the part attached to the rear part 12 'of the insert, corresponds to the area on which the two ischial bones lie support the cyclist, recesses 17, 17 ', the shape and dimensions of which are selected to accommodate the two bones mentioned.

The purpose and the advantage of this improvement according to the invention are clearly evident: the recesses 17, 17 'provided for receiving the protruding pelvic bones allow a better distribution of the specific load on the body over a larger area, the peak values being reduced. This reduces the local stress on the body and the tendency to experience pain and other unpleasant consequences.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the width M of the wider rear part 12 'of the insert 12 is approximately three times greater than the width m of its front narrower part 12' '. Thanks to this arrangement, there is optimal freedom of movement for the limbs of the cyclist.

Finally, it should be noted that FIG. 5 also shows the wings 7, 8 made of woven or knitted fabric, which have already been mentioned with reference to FIG. 1, and which are sewn to the insert 12 by means of a zigzag seam, analogously to the seam indicated with zigzag lines, with which the padding 15 of the insert 12 is sewn.

The present invention has been described in the present illustration for particular use as cycling pants or cycling dress; However, it should be noted that the invention is in no way restricted to this application, but can equally well be used for clothing for all other recreational or competitive sports, such as for equestrian sports, which require prolonged sitting on a saddle.

LIST OF ELEMENTS SHOWN IN THE FIGURES

1

Pants or racing dress

2nd

Opening for the left leg

3rd

Right leg opening

4th

Seam or body seam

5

inlay

6

seam

7

Fabric wings

8th

Fabric wings

9

inlay

10th

seam

11

inlay

12th

inlay

13

incision

14

incision

15

upholstery

16

Sinking

17, 17 '

Recess

Claims (7)

Cycling pants for men and women with an insert made of natural leather or synthetic leather, which is sewn into the pants according to the body areas of the cyclist resting on the bicycle saddle, and which consists of a textile material made of woven or knitted fabric that is elastic in all directions, whereby the insert consists of a rear, wider part, which corresponds to the seating area of the body, and a front, narrower part to protect the genital area of the driver, furthermore the rear part of the insert is connected to the front part by an intermediate area in which the pedaling movement of the Legs running in vertical planes next to the cyclist's torso,
characterized in that the insert (12) is made from a single, level piece and is symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry (l) of the cyclist, and that Both the wider rear part (12 ') and the narrower front part (12'') of the insert (12) have a small incision (13, 14) in the trousers (1) before being sewn in, which in the plane of symmetry (l) is arranged and essentially has a slightly open V-shape, the two incisions (13, 14) extending from the edge only over an initial region of the corresponding zone and not over the middle of the zone (12 ', 12'') extend beyond that the insert (12) is sewn into the pants (1) along all edges of the insert (12) in such a way that the insert (12), when the V-shaped edges of the incisions (13, 14) are sewn in parallel takes on a three-dimensional shape that conforms to the body shape of the cyclist. Cycling pants according to claim 1,
characterized in that on the outward-facing side of the insert (12) there is padding (15) which is wider in the area corresponding to the rear part (12 ') of the insert (12) and narrower in that of the front part (12'' ) the area corresponding to the insert (12). Cycling pants according to claim 2,
characterized in that the padding consists of two parts (13 ', 13'') which are connected to each other in the plane of symmetry (l) of the insert (12) via a depression (16) in which the central seam (4) of the pants after sewing in padded insert in the pants (1) is housed. Cycling pants according to claim 2,
characterized in that the wider area of the upholstery (15) corresponding to the zones in which the two ischial bones of the cyclist are supported have recesses (17, 17 '), the shape and dimensions of which are selected to suit the ischial bone. Cycling pants according to claim 1,
characterized in that the thickness of the insert (12) is between 2 and 8 mm. Cycling pants according to claim 2,
characterized in that the thickness of the padding (15) is equal to or greater than the thickness of the insert (12). Cycling pants according to claim 1,
characterized in that the width (M) of the wider rear section (12 ') of the insert (12) is approximately three times greater than the width (m) of its narrower front section (12'').

Images