EP3370555B1 - Sportswear with at least one controlled temperature zone - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a piece of sportswear with at least one climate zone with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Such a piece of sports clothing is from the EP 1 476 033 B1 known. It includes web-shaped sections that are thickened and therefore rest on the skin and form outer air channels on the back, as well as areas that do not rest on the skin and form the inner air channels. Sweat is absorbed on the webs resting on the skin on the inside of the item of clothing, which is then absorbed by the webs and can evaporate via the outer air channels. The evaporation leads to local cooling. Air can flow between the webs, in the inner air channels, and ensure temperature compensation. In order to be able to collect sweat that runs down, the webs are aligned essentially transversely to the body axis. Although these climate zones, which have been tried and tested in themselves, enable excellent sweat absorption, they have the disadvantage that air circulation in the climate zone is only possible parallel to the webs. Heated air cannot rise along the body axis within the climate zone.

The object of the present invention is therefore to improve a piece of sportswear with at least one climate zone of the type mentioned at the outset with regard to air circulation, but to maintain the good properties with regard to sweat absorption and sweat evaporation.

To solve this problem, a piece of sports clothing with the features of claim 1 is proposed.

According to the present invention, the climatic zones do not comprise webs and air ducts which are aligned parallel to one another, but rather comprise a plurality of individual climatic elements, each of which is designed in the known manner per se, but only has at least one web which does not extend over the entire Width of the climate element extends. The climate elements are separated from each other in the transverse direction to the vertical body axis by lateral separation zones.

For the purposes of the present invention, separation zones are the areas to the side next to a climate element or between two climate elements lying next to one another. The climatic elements are also separated from each other vertically, namely by transverse or inclined internal air channels, as is already customary in the prior art. The separation zones are basically also internal air channels, but the linguistic differentiation serves to better characterize the invention with regard to the following directions in which air flows in and sweat flows off.

The climate elements are surrounded by textile fabrics. Between them are the inner channels through which air circulates. The climate elements are arranged in such a way that drops of sweat cannot run down the skin from top to bottom through the entire climate zone, because they are each collected at a lower sweat collection area, the next web located on the skin. For this purpose, the climatic elements positioned at different heights in relation to the vertical body axis are laterally offset from one another. The arrangement of the elements is possible in different ways, all of which have in common that the areas that lie on the skin alternate with those that do not rest on the skin in a manner or are offset from one another in such a way that no further drop of a sweat drop is allowed. At the same time, the offset climate elements represent only a minor obstacle to rising air. The air on the skin surface can circulate in several directions, since vertical air channels are kept open by the arrangement of the climate elements with intermediate separation zones. As a result, heated air can rise through the climate zone. by virtue of The associated chimney effect improves the moisture removal and thus the cooling of the skin.

The arrangement is preferably made in a regular pattern, but can also be irregular, as long as the basic principles of the invention are observed in the design and arrangement of the climate elements, namely to provide separation zones on the one hand to allow vertical air flow and on the other hand to arrange the separation zones with a lateral offset, in order to catch sweat running down in the next lower rows. The climate zones with the climate elements are thus optimally adapted to the body zones that sweat particularly heavily during sporting activities.

The offset arrangement relates in particular to a vertical body axis. However, according to the present invention, this does not necessarily mean an exactly vertical alignment when an athlete wears the sports clothing item, but rather is used to characterize an air passage direction, i.e. the direction in which heated air can rise along the body surface of the athlete. In the usual movement patterns of the athlete, this air flow direction will of course be oriented somehow against the direction of gravity, whereby not only an exactly vertical but also oblique air flow direction is possible. A plurality of flow threads can also be formed on the item of sports clothing or even within the same climate zone, that is to say the air flow can be fanned out. It is only important for the invention that the air flow direction is not interrupted by barriers lying in the flow path, such as were formed by the webs in the prior art.

The direction in which drops of sweat bead off extends opposite to the direction of air flow. This direction, in turn, is to be interrupted in accordance with the invention in order to collect trickling sweat. Such a barrier, which is created due to the laterally offset arrangement of the climate elements, does not have to be present in every row of climate elements. A series of rows without barriers can also be replaced by at least one pair of staggered rows, in which the sweat is then collected.

The climatic zones can be created by knitting, but also by gluing elements on fabric or other textiles.

The shape and arrangement of the climatic elements can be selected in various ways, all of the embodiments having in common that the areas that lie on the skin alternate with one another or offset with those that are not on the skin are that it is not possible for a drop of sweat to run down unhindered, but that each drop of sweat is caught again as quickly as possible.

The shape of the climate elements in the floor plan can e.g. be a Y, a V, an X, a double Y or the like, since these shapes are well suited to catch a drop, but at the same time they are only a slight obstacle to the side-by-side rising air.

The overall climatic zones on the clothing, including all the individual climatic elements, can be different in order to generate various additional advantages. You can e.g. be drawn vertically long to achieve a pronounced chimney effect, and in this way to be able to transport air from as far down as possible and to be carried up to the collar of a top or the waistband of a pair of pants, where it then emerges.

• Linearer Reihenversatz
• Linearer, gleichmäßiger Versatz einzelner Maschen
• Ungleichmäßiger Versatz einzelner Maschen
• Wechselweiser Reihenversatz von Maschenzonen, wodurch eine VorForm gebildet wird
• Wechselweiser gleichmäßiger Versatz einzelner Maschen sowie
• Wechselweiser ungleichmäßiger Versatz einzelner Maschen

The textile fabric is preferably a knitted fabric that forms the climatic zone and is either specially designed for it, or is connected to the basic knitted fabric of the sportswear item. In order to form the rising structures in relation to the body axis, which can be seen in the following figures, the following measures can be taken when knitting:

• Linear row offset
• Linear, even staggering of individual stitches
• Uneven misalignment of individual stitches
• Alternate row offset of stitch zones, which creates a preform
• Alternatively, even staggering of individual stitches as well
• Alternate uneven staggering of individual stitches

Fig. 1

einen Ausschnitt einer Klimazone eines Sportbekleidungsstücks in schematischer, perspektivischer Ansicht

Fig. 2 bis 5

je eine Draufsicht auf eine Klimazone mit Klimaelementen in verschiedenen Ausführungen

Fig. 6

eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine gestrickte Klimazone mit und

Fig. 7

die Klimazone nach Figur 1 in perspektivischer Ansicht.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. The figures show in detail:

Fig. 1

a section of a climate zone of a piece of sportswear in a schematic, perspective view

2 to 5

each a top view of a climate zone with climate elements in different versions

Fig. 6

a schematic plan view of a knitted climate zone with and

Fig. 7

the climate zone after Figure 1 in perspective view.

Figure 1 shows a climate zone 10.1 in a textile fabric 11.1, which may be a woven fabric or a knitted fabric. The climatic zone 10.1 is arranged, for example, on a piece of sports clothing and is formed there in each case on those parts of the body where a particularly high amount of sweating occurs during physical activity.

The climate zone 10.1 in the exemplary embodiment shown consists of a regular arrangement of individual climate elements 12.1. Each climate element 12.1 has at least one area in which the fabric or knitted fabric is gathered by less elastic and / or by shorter tension zones 15.1, so that one in cross section on the inside of the item of clothing which is to be turned towards the skin 200 of the wearer U or V-shaped configuration results. As a result, a so-called web 14.1 is formed on the inside of the textile fabric 11.1. Sweat is collected at the areas of the crest of the web 14. 1 lying against the skin and is absorbed by the textile. Inner air channels 13.1 are formed between the webs 14.1 resting on the skin 200, through which air can circulate over the skin surface.

The sweat collected is partly transported via the textile, hygroscopic side walls of the webs 14.1 to the top of the climatic zone 12.1 and into the surrounding areas 17.1 of the climatic elements 12.1, which are kept at a certain distance from the skin surface 200 due to the webs 14.1. Here the sweat can evaporate particularly well. The evaporative cooling in turn cools the air in the inner air channels 13.1 lying below the surrounding areas 17.1. At the back of the webs 14.1, trough-shaped structures are formed, which form outer air channels 18.1, via which evaporation likewise takes place.

Because the outer air ducts 18.1 are not spanned over the entire area by the draft zones 15.1, this also allows evaporation of the sweat to be collected without heat accumulating in the climate elements 12.1.

The climate elements 12.1 are preferably arranged in the textile fabric 11.1 in such a way that two essential directions are defined, namely a body axis X which, when the wearer is kept upright, runs essentially vertically and corresponds to an air flow direction, and a transverse direction thereto, which is perpendicular to the body axis or at an obtuse angle to it. In the transverse direction, the individual climate elements 12.1 are separated from one another by the surrounding areas 17.1, under which inner air channels 13.1 are formed. Furthermore, the webs 14.1 of adjacent climate elements 12.1 are separated from one another in their extension in the transverse direction by separation zones 16.1.

The outer air channels 18.1, which are formed in the grooves of the gathered textile, are likewise interrupted at the separation zones 16.1, but there is a cross connection of the individual inner air channels 13.1 with one another on the inside of the climate zone 10.1, below these separation zones 16.1. The separation zones 16.1 and the inner air channels 13.1 or are thus parts of an air channel network which is formed on the inner side of the fabric 11.1 which is to be turned towards the body side of the wearer.

The effects achieved in this way are shown by the respective top view of the various exemplary embodiments of climatic zones 10.2, 2 to 6 are shown, explained below.

In Fig. 2 a section of a climate zone 10.2 is shown according to a further embodiment of the invention. This can be formed directly on a textile fabric 11.2, from which the adjacent areas of the sportswear item are also formed. The climate zone 10.2 can also be manufactured separately and connected to the other areas of the sportswear item.

Fig. 2 shows the view of the inside of the climatic zone 10.2 facing the skin. The dark areas are intended to rest against the skin, while the keep bright areas in between a distance from the surface of the skin when the item of clothing is worn with climate zone 10.2.

Several rows of individual, each Y-shaped climate elements 12.2 are arranged in the climate zone 10.2, in such a way that one of the legs of the Y-shaped climate elements 12.2 is oriented in the vertical direction, that is to say parallel to the body axis X. In adjacent rows of climate elements 12.2 there is also an offset of the row of climate elements 12.2 in the transverse direction. As a result, where there is a separation point 16.2 between the air-conditioning elements 12.2 in the row above, and thus an internal air duct 13.2 is also formed between them, there is a collecting area 19.2 for sweat drops. The collecting area 19.2 is in the embodiment according to Fig. 2 formed by the spread apart legs of the Y-shaped climate elements 12.2. The thin, dash-dotted lines with the arrows pointing upward indicate the so-called air passage direction, that is, the path that the air A heated on the skin takes on the inside of the textile fabric 11.2 facing the skin. The climate elements 12.2 shown as dark zones act as a barrier through the system on the skin and lead to a deflection of the air flows. Due to the chimney effect, the warm air pulls up past the obstacles.

At the same time, sweat can run from top to bottom, as through the thick, solid lines in the left area of the Figure 2 is shown. Sweat drops that arise directly in the area between adjacent climate elements 12.2 run directly onto the climate element 12.2 underneath, which according to the exemplary embodiment in FIG Fig. 2 by the transverse offset of the climate elements 12.2 in the second and fourth rows compared to those in the first, third and fifth rows. The effects of trapping sweat S and rising air A overlap everywhere; the paths of sweat S and air A are only for illustration purposes Fig. 2 shown in separate areas of the drawing.

Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of a climate zone 10.3 designed according to the invention. Here too, the paths of perspiration S are shown in the left area by thick, downward-pointing arrows and on the right the paths of air A by thin, dashed arrows and lines. The body axis runs again vertical. Rod-shaped climate elements 12.3 are arranged in the left and right areas of the climate zone 10.3. The air A can in turn rise through the inner air channels 13.3 and the separation zones between the climate elements 12.3, 12.3 '. In a central zone, climate elements 12.3 are arranged one below the other in a V-shape. A welding catchment area 19.3 is formed within the climate element 12.3 pointing downward. With regard to the lateral, rod-shaped climate elements 12.3 ', the arrangement is such that the offset which leads to the formation of a sweat-collecting zone 19.3' is not brought about by lateral displacement of the rows of climate elements 12.3, 12.3 ', but rather that the rod-shaped climate elements 12.3 are inclined and spaced apart 'is coordinated with one another in such a way that drops of sweat which run past the respective upper ends of the climate elements 12.2' are collected at a lower end of an adjacent climate element 12.3 '.

The representation in Fig. 4 corresponds in principle to the representations described above in relation to the paths of sweat S and air A and the orientation of a climatic zone 10.4 in relation to a vertical body axis.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 4 individual rod-shaped climate elements 12.4 lie in alignment one behind the other in their elongated extent and are separated from one another by separation zones 16.4 on the narrow sides. A plurality of rows of air-conditioning elements 12.4 are arranged one above the other, there being in each case surrounding areas 17.4 between the rows, which form inner air channels 13.4 running in the transverse direction to the body axis. Between the rows of climate elements 12.4 there is an offset by half a grid width in the transverse direction, so that sweat drops trickling downward are collected in a collecting area 19.4 through the separation zones 16.4. The collecting area 19.4 is formed by the climate element 12.4, which is located in the row below and arranged like a cross bar.

Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment of a climate zone 10.5. The paths of perspiration and air are not shown in this case, since they also run as in the previously described embodiments. The embodiment of the climate zone 10.5 Fig. 5 clarifies that arrangements of climate elements 12.5 are also possible without a uniform grid. In Fig. 5 the climate elements 12.5 each have different lengths per row, and also the offset the rows of climate elements 12.5 with one another do not have a uniform dimension coupled to the length of the climate elements 12.5. It is only essential that sweat collecting areas 19.5 are again provided below a separation zone, which also forms an inner air channel 13.5.

Fig. 6 shows a further top view of a climatic zone 10.6, which is arranged in a textile fabric 11.6 formed as a knitted fabric. The stepped structure in the representation in Fig. 6 serves to illustrate the individual stitches. Crosspieces 14.6 and outer air channels 18.6 formed on the rear thereof consist, for example, of 10 rows of stitches, while a tension zone 15.6 spanning the outer air channel 18.6 has only a width of three rows of stitches. The width of the outer air ducts 18.6 can be increased in a similar ratio by providing up to twenty-five rows of stitches to form an outer air duct 18.6, while the tension zones 15.6 spanning these regions only have about ten stitch rows, so that a gathering effect occurs. Seen in the longitudinal extent of the outer air ducts, the tension zones 15.6 have a length of two to seven meshes and are arranged at a distance of five to twenty meshes from one another, so that non-straddled chambers with a width of five to twenty meshes result in the outer air ducts 18.6. The parts of the climatic elements 12.6 arranged one above the other, which form the outer air channels 18.6, are separated from one another by inner air channels 13.6 with a width of four to thirty rows of stitches.

Figure 7 shows a single climate element 12.1 in a textile fabric 11.1 with its three-dimensional structure in a perspective view of the outside of the clothing. It is clear that in a piece of sportswear designed according to the invention there are no sharp delimiting edges, as can only be seen in the diagrams according to FIGS Figures 2 to 6 result. The gathering of the textile fabric or knitted fabric through the tension zones 15.1 and the gutter-shaped structure extending underneath, which forms the so-called outer air duct 18.1, is clearly recognizable.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10.1 ... 10.6

climate zone

11.1 ... 11.6

sheet

12.1 ... 12.6

air element

13.1 ... 13.6

inner air duct

14.1 ... 14.6

web

15.1 ... 15.6

tension zone

16.1 ... 16.6

separation zone

17.1 ... 17.6

surrounding areas

18.1 ... 18.6

outer air duct

19.1 ... 19.6

Perspiration collection zone

200

skin

S

sweat

A

air

Claims (10)

1. A piece of sportswear with at least one controlled temperature zone (10.1, ..., 10.6) comprising a textile fabric structure (11.1, ..., 11.6), which is locally shirred over tension zones (15.1, ..., 15.6) into webs,
   wherein the webs (14.1, ..., 14.6) are designed to contact the skin (200) of the wearer on the inner side of the fabric structure (11.1, ..., 11.6),
   wherein inner air channels (13.1, ..., 13.6) are formed between adjacent webs (14.1, ..., 14.6),
   wherein a respective at least one channel is formed on the rear face of the webs (14.1, ..., 14.6) on the shirred fabric structure (11.1, ..., 11.6), and forms an outer air channel (18.1, ..., 18.6), and
   wherein several webs (14.1, ..., 14.6) are arranged one over the other in the controlled temperature zone (10.1, ..., 10.6),
   characterized in that

   - a plurality of isolated controlled temperature elements (12.1, ..., 12.6) are arranged in the controlled temperature zone (10.1, ..., 10.6), and contain short webs (14.1, ..., 14.6) that are separated from each other by lateral separation zones (16.1, ..., 16.6),

   - adjacent inner air channels (13.1, ..., 13.6) on the inner side of the fabric structure (11.1, ..., 11.6) are connected with each other by the separation zones (16.1, ..., 16.6), and

   - the separation zones (16.1, ..., 16.6) between the controlled temperature elements (12.1, ..., 12.6) are laterally offset to each other, such that the controlled temperature elements (12.1, ..., 12.6) at least partially overlap in relation to the longitudinal extension of the vertical body axis (X).
2. The piece of sportswear according to claim 1, characterized in that the controlled temperature elements (12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.5, 12.6) in at least one controlled temperature zone (10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.5, 10.6) are at least partially angled, and include an acute angle of 120° to 150°.
3. The piece of sportswear according to claim 2, characterized in that at least a portion of the controlled temperature elements (12.1) is shaped like a reclining Y in at least one controlled temperature zone (10.1).
4. The piece of sportswear according to claim 2, characterized in that at least a portion of the controlled temperature elements (12.2) is shaped like a standing Y in at least one controlled temperature zone (10.2).
5. The piece of sportswear according to claim 2, characterized in that at least a portion of the controlled temperature elements (12.1, 12.3, 12.6) is shaped like a reclining or standing V in at least one controlled temperature zone (10.1, 10.3, 10.6).
6. The piece of sportswear according to claim 1, characterized in that at least a portion of the controlled temperature elements (12.3, 12.4, 12.5) is rod shaped and extends transversely or at an inclination to the body axis (X) in at least one controlled temperature zone (10.3, 10.4, 10.5) .
7. The piece of sportswear according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the webs (14.1, ..., 14.6) and tension zones (15.1, ..., 15.6) are part of a separately fabricated controlled temperature element (12.1, ..., 12.6), which is connected with the textile fabric structure (11.1, ..., 11.6).
8. The piece of sportswear according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the textile fabric structure (11.1, ..., 11.6) is a woven fabric, wherein the webs (14.1, ..., 14.6) consist of the shirred base woven fabric, and the tension zones (15.1, ..., 15.6) have a reduced mesh number by comparison to the base woven fabric.
9. The piece of sportswear according to claim 8, characterized in that the controlled temperature zones have structures that run both inclined and offset to the body axis (X) due to linearly or alternatingly offset rows in the knitting.
10. The piece of sportswear according to claim 8, characterized in that the controlled temperature elements have structures that run both inclined and offset to the body axis (X), wherein a linearly uniform or non-uniform offset knitting and/or an alternatingly uniform or non-uniform offset of individual meshes are provided in the knitting.

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