GB2110067A - Waterproof garment - Google Patents

Abstract

A waterproof garment (10) such as may be worn by motorcyclists comprises regions (11, 12) of differing construction. One region such as a trouser seat (12) comprises outer (16) and inner (15) waterproof fabrics whilst other regions such as leg fronts (11) comprise an outer waterproof fabric (16) and an inner quilted fabric (20). Inner (15, 20) and outer (16) fabrics are joined to each other only at garment peripheral seams (13) whilst the inner fabrics are joined to each other at intermediate seams (14), as are portions of the outer fabric (16). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Garment This invention relates to garments and in particular to garments which in use are required to keep the wearer warm and dry in conditions in which he would otherwise be cold and/or wet.

The type of garment to which the present invention relates in particular is one such as may be worn by a motorcyclist, thereby being subjected to exposure to high relative wind speeds and heavy rain for long periods. Such garments, whilst allowing the wearer a reasonable degree of freedom of movement must be able to retain the wearer's body heat against the cooling effect of the fast moving airstream and also resist penetration by rainwater.

The aforementioned requirements of the garment may conflict to a certain extent. For example in order to provide a garment giving good protection against cold a quilted construction may be desired. However the lines of stitching required in forming a quilted construction tend to create sources of penetration of water, thus rendering the garment unable to satisfy the other requirement, namely that of being waterproof.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a garment in which the abovementioned disadvantage is avoided to a substantial extent.

The invention provides a garment comprising an outer waterproof or substantially waterproof fabric, a first region of said garment comprising a first inner fabric of quilted construction and a second region of said garment comprising a second inner fabric being a waterproof or substantially waterproof fabric.

The garment may be formed having peripheral seams and intermediate seam, in which case said inner fabrics may be secured to each other at said peripheral and said intermediate seams. The inner fabrics may be secured to said outer fabric solely at said peripheral seams.

By means of the invention a garment is provided in which one or more parts thereof are quilted so as to provide protection against cold where that is the dominant requirement, and another part or parts thereof are formed of a double thickness of waterproof material where protection against water ingress in the dominant requirment.

The garment may be a pair of trousers, in which case at least the parts at the front of the legs comprise the quilted construction and at least the seat region comprises the double waterproof fabric construction. Such a garment provides that protection is afforded to the wearer against cold in the region of the front legs where the cooling effect is greatest, and against water ingress where the likelihood of such water ingress is greatest due to the wearer sitting on and moving relative to a wet saddle.

A tape may be bonded to each intermediate seam formed in said outer fabric.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of part of a pair of trousers incorporating the invention and Figure 2 is a part section through an upper leg region of the trousers of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the figures a pair of trousers 10 comprises a front of leg part 11 and a seat region 1 2. The trousers 10 are constructed with peripheral seams 1 3 and intermediate seams 14. In both regions 11, 1 2 the trousers 10 comprises inner 1 5 or 1 7 and outer 1 6 fabrics, which are secured to each other at the peripheral seams 1 3 but not at the intermediate seams 14. The intermediate seams 14 formed in the outer fabric 1 6 have a tape 1 8 bonded thereto, by adhesive or by heat welding, so a to prevent the ingress of water at the line of stitching forming the seam.The inner fabrics 1 5 and 1 7 are secured to each other at the intermediate seams 1 4 between regions 11, 1 2. Inner fabric 1 7 comprises a lining fabric 19, for example nylon taffeta and an interlining 20, for example polyester wadding which are secured to each other by lines of stitching 21 to form the quilted construction. Outer fabric 1 6 and inner fabric 1 5 are of waterproof or substantially waterproof material, for example polyurethane coated nylon, the coated surfaces thereof being adjacent in region 1 2.

Sincd the quilting stitches 21 so not penetrate the outer fabric 16, the intermediate seams 1 4 in the inner fabric 1 5,1 7 are independent of the outer fabric 1 6 and the intermediate seams 1 4 in the outer fabric have tapes 1 8 applied thereto no path for water ingress is created in the garment. In this way the garment is waterproof or substantially so.

However by means of the above described construction the regions in which low heat loss is the dominant requirement are quilted whilst the regions in which no ingress of water is the dominant requirement are protected by a double thickness of waterproof material.

Such a construction may be applied to garments other than trousers, for example jackets, coats or all-in one suits if desired.

Furthermore alternative materials and/or constructions may be envisaged within the scope of the invention. For example the waterproof material may be wax proofed cotton and the interlining may be a foamed material such as polyester. The inner and outer fabrics may be bonded to each other by means of adhesive and/or further linings or layers of fabric may be incorporated into the garment, depending upon the cost and quality levels desired.

Claims (21)

1. A garment comprising an outer waterproof or substantially waterproof fabric and comprising at least two regions, a first region comprising a first inner fabric of quilted construction and a second region comprising a second inner fabric being a waterproof or substantially waterproof fabric.

2. A garment according to claim 1 having a peripheral seam and at least one intermediate seam.

3. A garment according to claim 2 wherein said inner fabrics are secured to said outer fabric solely at said peripheral seam.

4. A garment according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said inner fabrics are secured to each other at said intermedite seam or seams.

5. A garment according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein portions of said outer fabric are secured to each other at said intermediate seam or seams.

6. A garment according to claim 5 wherein a tape is bonded to the or each intermediate seam formed between portions of said outer fabric.

7. A garment according to claim 6 wherein said tape is bonded to said outer fabric by an adhesive.

8. A garment according to claim 6 wherein said tape is bonded to said outer fabric by heat welding.

9. A garment according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said first inner fabric comprises a lining material to which an interlining is secured.

1 0. A garment according to claim 9 wherein said lining material is a nylon taffeta.

11. A garment according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein said interlining is a polyester wadding.

12. A garment according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein said interlining is a coated polyester material.

1 3. A garment according to any one of claims 1 to 1 2 wherein said outer material is a polyurethane coated nylon material.

1 4. A garment according to any one of claims 1 to 1 2 wherein said outer material is a wax-proofed cotton material.

1 5. A garment according to any one of claims 1 to 1 4 wherin said second inner material is a polyurethane coated nylon material.

1 6. A garment according to claim 1 5 when dependent upon claim 1 4 wherein the coated surfaces of said nylon materials are adjacent each other in said second region.

1 7. A garment according to any one of claims 1 to 1 6 in the form of a pair of trousers.

18. A garment according to any one of claim 1 to 1 6 in the form of a coat or jacket.

1 9. A garment according to any one of claims 1 to 1 6 in the form of an all-in-one suit.

20. A garment acording to claim 1 7 comprising seat and front of leg regions, said seat region being formed as a second region of said garment and said front of leg regions being formed as first regions of said garment.

21. A garment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.