EP4420548A1

EP4420548A1 - Running jacket with improved pocket for flexible water bottle and assembly comprising a running jacket and a flexible water bottle

Info

Publication number: EP4420548A1
Application number: EP24158554.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Claire Bozonnet
Original assignee: Ober ALP SpA
Current assignee: Ober ALP SpA
Priority date: 2023-02-23
Filing date: 2024-02-20
Publication date: 2024-08-28

Abstract

A running jacket (4) comprising a backrest (8) and a front portion (12) provided with at least one front pocket (28) provided with a rear wall (32) and at least one front wall (36) opposite the rear wall (32), said rear walls (32) and front wall (36) delimiting a containment volume for an associable flexible bottle (40). The containment volume extends along a longitudinal direction (Y-Y), from a closed lower edge (44) to an open upper edge (48). The front wall (36) is closed on the rear wall (32) at a first side edge (52) that extends longitudinally between the closed lower edge (44) and the open upper edge (48); the front wall (36) is open and separated from the rear wall (32) at a second side edge (56), opposite the first side edge (52), with respect to a transverse direction (X-X). Advantageously, the front wall (36) is provided with closing and opening means (60) configured to respectively allow the locking/unlocking, with respect to the rear wall (32), of at least one flap portion (64) of the open upper edge (48) and/or of the second side edge (56) of the front wall (36).

Description

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to a running jacket with an improved pocket for a flexible water bottle and an assembly comprising a running jacket and a flexible water bottle.

PRIOR ART

In the running sector, it is well known to make jackets provided with a plurality of front pockets used, in particular, to hold bottles or soft or flexible containers for water and/or energy drinks.
The purpose of such pockets is to give the runner a chance to quench his/her thirst during a race.
For this reason, the bottles or containers have a capacity of at least 500 ml.
The pockets used for bottle containment are arranged frontally, at chest height: this positioning has some disadvantages in terms of user comfort. Therefore, the bottles are soft or flexible, usually made of polymeric material, so they may deform and adapt to the pocket, especially as the volume of liquid contained becomes less. Usually said flexible bottles have a flattened shape, that is, with an elliptical cross-section, so that they adapt better to the pocket and may be more easily squeezed during their progressive emptying.
The solutions of the prior art have some disadvantages and drawbacks.
First of all, the bottles fit with difficulty into the front pockets, which are very restrictive in order to prevent them from moving during a run.
The problem is also worsened when the bottle is partially empty because, being made of soft material, as it is emptied, the bottle loses rigidity and thus becomes more difficult to insert through the entrance portion of the front pocket.
The problem is not insignificant because the runner must be able to remove and reinsert the bottle into the bottle pocket as quickly as possible several times during a run using only one hand and possibly without ever stopping.
Furthermore, during the run the bottles should be firmly locked to prevent them from compromising the runner's performance and/or comfort by moving around with the alternating steps. To avoid such annoying movement, the pockets of the known solutions are also particularly restrictive because, when emptying the liquid, the soft bottle loses volume whereby its play within the pocket's containing volume increases. Unfortunately, the use of highly restrictive pockets complicates the problem of inserting the bottles when said bottles are full.
Last but not least, the bottles are an obvious obstacle to the athlete's perspiration: this problem is only partially solved by making jackets with extensively perforated fabrics.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The need to solve the drawbacks and limitations mentioned with reference to the prior art is therefore felt.
This need is satisfied by a running jacket according to claim 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred, non-limiting embodiments thereof, wherein:

Fig. 1 depicts a front perspective view of an assembly of a running jacket fitted with flexible bottles and a front pocket in a closing configuration, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 depicts a front perspective view of the assembly in Fig. 1, in the opening configuration of said front pocket.

Elements or parts of elements common to the embodiments described hereinafter will be indicated with the same numerical references.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the aforesaid figures, an overall view of a running jacket is indicated collectively with the numeral 4.
The running jacket 4 comprises a jacket body having a backrest 8 that embraces the wearer's back, and a front portion 12 that covers the wearer's chest. The front portion 12 provides for a pair of flaps 16,20 provided with closure laces 24 or similar closure means.
Typically, the jacket 4 is sleeveless.
The front portion 12 is provided with at least one front pocket 28; typically, but not necessarily, each of said flaps 16,20 is provided with a front pocket 28.
The at least one front pocket 28 is provided with a rear wall 32 facing the body of the wearer, and at least one front wall 36 opposite the rear wall 32.
Said rear wall 32 and front wall 36 delimit a containment volume for an associable flexible bottle 40.
The containment volume extends longitudinally along a longitudinal direction Y-Y, from a closed lower edge 44 to an open upper edge 48 to allow access to the containment volume itself.
The front wall 36 is closed on the rear wall at a first side edge 52 that extends longitudinally between the closed lower edge 44 and the open upper edge 48.
The front wall 36 is open and separated from the rear wall 32 at a second side edge 56, opposite the first side edge 52, with respect to a transverse direction X-X, perpendicular to said longitudinal direction Y-Y. By virtue of the opening of the front wall with respect to the rear wall 32 at the second side edge 56 it is possible to have adequate ventilation of the jacket at the front pocket 28.
In accordance with a possible embodiment, the front wall 36 and/or the rear wall 32 are made of an elastic fabric.
Preferably said elastic fabric has an elasticity of not less than 130%.
Preferably, in order to further increase ventilation and thus user comfort, the front wall 36 and/or the rear wall 32 have a plurality of ventilation holes.
Advantageously, the front wall 36 is provided with closing and opening means 60 configured to respectively allow locking/unlocking, with respect to the rear wall 32, of at least one flap portion 64 of the open upper edge 48 and/or the second side edge 56 of the front wall 36.
Different types of closing/opening means 60 may be provided: for example, a press or snap button, at least one magnetic button and/or a male portion and a female portion of Velcro^® and/or a hook are provided.
The types listed above are only indicative and not exhaustive of the possible embodiments of the present invention.
Preferably, said closing/opening means 60 comprise at least one appendix 68, cantilevered with respect to the front wall 36 and unconstrained from the rear wall 32 in the closing configuration of the closing/opening means 60.
The function of the appendix 68 is to allow for an easy and smooth gripping by the user, which must allow the closing means 60 to be easily opened.
As mentioned above, the front pocket 28 is configured to accommodate and hold the flexible bottle 40 in place.
The flexible bottle 40, contained inside said front pocket 28, has a flexible body 72, made of a deformable material and configured to be contained in said containment compartment of the front pocket 28 and at least one dispensing spout 76 protruding outside the containment compartment and above the open upper edge 48.
In order to better hold the flexible bottle 40 in place, the front wall 36, at said open upper edge 48, may comprise an elastic reinforcement 80.
In accordance with a possible embodiment, the jacket 4 comprises at least one containment elastic 84, arranged above the front wall 36, on the side opposite the rear wall 32.
Said containment elastic 84 extends between the first side edge 52 and a portion of the rear wall 32 near the second side edge 56. In this way, the containment elastic always provides support for the front wall 36 and the flexible bottle 40 even when the closing and opening means 60 are open, and the front wall 36 is open and at least partially dangling. In general, the front wall 36 may be at least partially fixed (by gluing and/or sewing) to the rear wall 32 at the bottom of the front pocket, i.e., at the closed lower edge 44 and/or at the lower portion of the second open side edge 56, so as to ensure proper positioning of the flexible bottle 40 in the relevant containment volume of the front pocket 28.
In this way, the containment elastic 84 may effectively hold the flexible bottle 40 by cooperating with the front wall 36.
In accordance with a possible embodiment, the front pocket 28 is provided with an outer covering handkerchief 88, at least partially overlapping on the front wall 36 and/or the containment elastic 84.
Said outer covering handkerchief 88 has an overlapping portion 92 with respect to the front wall 36 which increases moving from the first side edge 52 to the second side edge 56 of the front wall 36. In this way, the overlapping portion 92 provides partial support to the front wall 36 when the closing and opening means 60 are open; furthermore, the overlapping portion improves the restrictive function of the front pocket 28 in regard to the flexible bottle 40.
Preferably, said outer covering handkerchief 88 is provided with ventilation holes so as to increase the ventilation of the jacket 4 and thus the comfort of the user as much as possible.
As may be appreciated from that which has been described, the present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
In particular, by virtue of the present invention, the pocket is always easy to open: it is therefore possible to easily insert the bottle regardless of its filling level, and thus regardless of its resulting stiffness.
The closing/opening means are easy to operate by the user with only one hand and while running.
The pocket, even when in the closing configuration, always has an open side whereby the breathability of the jacket, and thus the comfort of the runner, is significantly increased.
When the pocket is closed again, adequate bottle retention is always ensured by virtue of the use of an elastic pocket material and also by virtue of the presence of external containment means.
The upper access edge of the pocket is also advantageously reinforced in order to ensure the retention of the bottle within the pocket's containment volume.
Therefore, the solution in accordance with the present invention allows both the containment and the retention of the flexible bottle within the front pocket in all the partially filled or full configurations of said bottle.
A person skilled in the art, for the purpose of satisfying contingent and specific needs, may make numerous modifications and variations to the solutions described above.
The scope of protection of the invention is defined by the following claims.

Claims

Running jacket (4) comprising a backrest (8) embracing the wearer's back, and a front portion (12) covering the wearer's chest,
- the front portion (12) being provided with at least one front pocket (28) provided with a rear wall (32), facing the body of the wearer, and at least one front wall (36) opposite the rear wall (32), said rear walls (32) and front wall (36) delimiting a containment volume for an associable flexible bottle (40), the containment volume extending longitudinally along a longitudinal direction (Y-Y), from a closed lower edge (44) to an open upper edge (48) to allow access to the containment volume itself,

- wherein the front wall (36) is closed on the rear wall (32) at a first side edge (52) extending longitudinally between the closed lower edge (44) and the open upper edge (48),

- wherein the front wall (36) is open and separated from the rear wall (32) at a second side edge (56), opposite the first side edge (52), with respect to a transverse direction (X-X), perpendicular to said longitudinal direction (Y-Y),

- wherein the front wall (36) is provided with closing and opening means (60) configured to respectively allow the locking/unlocking, with respect to the rear wall (32), of at least one flap portion (64) of the open upper edge (48) and/or of the second side edge (56) of the front wall (36),
wherein the front pocket (28) is provided with an outer covering handkerchief (88), at least partially overlapping on the front wall (36).
Running jacket (4) according to claim 1, wherein said closing/opening means (60) comprise at least one press or snap button and/or wherein said closing/opening means (60) comprise at least one magnetic button.
Running jacket (4) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said closing/opening means (60) comprise a male portion and a female portion of Velcro^® and/or wherein said closing/opening means (60) comprise a hook.
Running jacket (4) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said closing/opening means (60) comprise at least one appendix (68), cantilevered with respect to the front wall (36) and unconstrained from the rear wall (32) in the closing configuration of the closing/opening means (60) .
Running jacket (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the front wall (36) and/or the rear wall (32) have a plurality of ventilation holes.
Running jacket (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the front wall (36), at said open upper edge (48), comprises an elastic reinforcement (80).
Running jacket (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the jacket (4) comprises at least one containment elastic (84), arranged above the front wall (36), on the side opposite the rear wall (32).
Running jacket (4) according to claim 7, wherein said containment elastic (84) extends between the first side edge (52) and a portion of the rear wall (32) near the second side edge (56).
Running jacket (4) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said outer covering handkerchief (88) at least partially overlaps on the containment elastic (84).
Running jacket (4) according to claim 9, wherein said outer covering handkerchief (88) is provided with ventilation holes.
Running jacket (4) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said outer covering handkerchief (88) has an overlapping portion (92) with respect to the front wall (36) which increases moving from the first side edge (52) to the second side edge (56) of the front wall (36).
Running jacket (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the front wall (36) and/or the rear wall (32) are made of an elastic fabric.
Running jacket (4) according to claim 12, wherein said elastic fabric has an elasticity not less than 130%.
Running jacket (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the front wall (36) can be at least partially fixed, by gluing and/or sewing, to the rear wall (32) at a bottom of the front pocket (28), i.e., at the closed lower edge (44) and/or at a lower portion of the second side edge (56).
Assembly comprising a running jacket (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, and at least one flexible bottle (40) contained inside said front pocket (28), the flexible bottle (40) having a flexible body (72), made of deformable material and configured to be contained in said containment compartment of the front pocket (28) and at least one dispensing spout (76) protruding outside the containment compartment and above the open upper edge (48) .