JP2008019548A - Wetsuit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wetsuit easy to put on and take off, and configured not obstruct freedom of movement of a wearer when worn. <P>SOLUTION: This wetsuit 10 has a neck opening part 22, a fastener 24 which widens the neck opening part 22 by opening, an opening part 42 which is fixed to the back and allows covering on the head of a wearer, and a flap part 36 which has a fixation means 44 detachably fixed to the front side. The flap part 36 is accurately worn by a wearer, and the opening part 42 of the flap part 36 makes a seal around the head or neck of a wearer, and at the same time, the flap part 36 completely covers the fastener 24. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a wet suit.

  Wet suits are used in a wide range of water sports competitions such as surfing, bodyboarding, body surfing, snorkeling, and swimming. Wet suits are usually made of neoprene, a closed cell structure and a highly elastic and elastic material. Neoprene is used by changing the thickness. Usually, thicker neoprene is used for wet suits for cold water.

  It is desirable that the wet suit is easy to wear and undress, and it is desirable that the wet suit is configured so as not to deprive the wearer of freedom of movement. Many wetsuits are provided with a long fastener on the back side and extend downward from the neck so that the wetsuit can be easily worn. To wear the wet suit, the fastener is fully opened and the user pulls the wet suit up to the upper body and closes the fastener after pulling it up completely. The long fastener allows the wearer to easily wear the wet suit. However, on the contrary, the longer fastener tends to deprive the wearer of freedom of movement. Furthermore, the fastener is likely to allow internal water immersion.

  In order to prevent internal flooding from the fastener, some wet suits are provided with a back sheet material fixed on both sides of the fastener. The back sheet material is usually made of neoprene which is rich in elasticity and is a lightweight material. The back side sheet material effectively prevents internal water immersion from the fastener. However, in the back side sheet material, when the fastener is fully opened, the distance between the two sides is limited, so that it is more difficult to wear and undress the wet suit.

  The Applicant does not believe that the prior art cited herein is widely known in Australia or other countries. The term “comprising” as used throughout the text is to be construed in the sense of “includes”, unless the context indicates otherwise.

  According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a wet suit having the following configuration. The wet suit according to the present invention includes a neck opening, a fastener that opens the neck opening by being opened, an opening that is fixed to the back side and allows the wearer's head to be covered, and the front side. A flap portion including a fixing means for removably fixing to the wearer, and the flap portion is accurately worn by the wearer, and the opening of the flap portion forms a seal around the head or neck of the wearer. At the same time, the flap part completely covers the fastener.

  As one specific aspect, the fastener portion extends from the neck opening.

  As one specific aspect, the neck opening includes an opposite end, and the opposite end is detachably closed with a closing material or a fastener.

  Wet suits are usually made of neoprene. Other materials used to make wetsuits may be used in the present invention.

  As one specific aspect, the fastener includes a row of service teeth connected to one end of the material and a row of service teeth connected to the other end of the material, and the one end and the other end of the material are mutually connected. There is no need to provide a back sheet material to be connected to.

  The neck opening of the wet suit may be defined by an edge portion having a first end and a second end, and when the first end and the two ends close the fastener, They are adjacent to each other or overlap each other to a small extent. For example, the first end and the second end overlap in a range from 20 millimeters to 30 millimeters.

  A closing member may be provided to close the first end and the second end. The closure member may comprise a hook-and-loop fastener such as Verclo (registered trademark). When the fastener and the closure member are closed, the state in which the fastener is in the closed position may be maintained by overlapping the upper end portion of the fastener.

  When the wearer wears the wet suit of the present invention, the edge portion of the neck opening is in close contact with the lower portion of the wearer's neck or a portion slightly below the neck. For example, when a wet suit is worn and the fastener is closed, the edge of the neck opening may be in close contact with the wearer's collarbone or the vicinity thereof.

  The neck opening may be made of a lightweight material such as neoprene. According to neoprene, when the wearer wears or undresses a wet suit, it is allowed to improve the stretchability of the neck opening. Moreover, according to neoprene, it is allowed to improve the comfort when the wet suit is worn. Preferably, the neck opening is constructed using a lightweight material, and the neck opening forms a double portion of material to a small extent. In such a configuration, not only can the manufacturing of wet suits be simplified, but also the feeling of wearing the neck opening is improved, freedom from movement is reduced, and a wide range of areas is covered. Compared to known wetsuits with thick neck openings that are overlapped with hook-and-loop fastener materials, the waterproofness of the neck opening (especially when receiving waves during surfing) can be improved. .

  The opening of the flap portion may include a collar portion that is in close contact with the wearer's neck when the flap portion is accurately worn. The collar portion of the flap portion may have a relatively short height of 20 mm to 50 mm. The collar portion of the opening of the flap portion is in close contact with the wearer's neck, and is more closely attached under the neck. According to the said structure, the water immersion in a wet suit can be suppressed to the minimum.

  Of course, in most specific embodiments, when the wetsuit is used, the neck opening is in close contact with the lower part of the wearer's neck or slightly below the neck, while the flap part. The edge part of the opening part or the collar part is located above the neck opening part.

  The collar portion of the flap portion is preferably made of an elastic material or an elastic material, and is stretched when it is put on the wearer's head, and then contracts to adhere to the neck of the wearer. The collar portion may be made of neoprene.

  One end of the flap portion may be fixed to the back side of the wet suit so as not to be detached. The flap portion is configured with a sufficient length so that the free end can be moved to cover the opening on the wearer's head or neck and the free end can be adjacent to the front portion of the wetsuit. The free end of the wetsuit is removably fixed to the front portion of the wetsuit by appropriate fixing means. Suitable fixing means include hook-and-loop fasteners (for example, hook-and-loop fasteners such as Velcro (registered trademark)), buttons, clips, fasteners, and the like. Of the fixing means, a hook-and-loop fastener is most suitable for use.

  The flap portion may be coupled to the back side of the wet suit so as not to be detached. In the case of adopting the above-described specific mode, it is desirable that the fastener is also fixed to the back side of the wet suit.

  The flap portion may be detachably coupled to the wetsuit using sewing thread, suitable adhesive, or other means. By other means is meant means known to those skilled in the art for fixing the flap-like material of the wetsuit.

  In a specific embodiment, the fastener is preferably very short, for example, configured with a length of 150 to 250 millimeters. In the case of the above-mentioned configuration, since the length is usually shortened from a range between 450 millimeters and 750 millimeters, the length is considerably shorter than a usual fastener used for a wet suit. Naturally, relatively large fasteners are used for large-sized wetsuits. For example, a 150 mm long fastener is used for an XS size wetsuit, and a 250 mm long fastener is used for an XXL size wetsuit.

  The wet suit may be provided with a hood for cooling water. For example, the hood is fixed to the flap portion with a sewing thread. In the case of the above configuration, the hood includes a collar portion that is in close contact with the wearer's neck and a head portion that is in contact with the wearer's head. As a different configuration from the above configuration, the hood may be a separate hood that is placed on the wearer's head.

  The wet suit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention has good comfort, is easy to wear and undress, and can minimize water immersion from around the neck and from the fastener.

  It will be appreciated that the accompanying drawings have been prepared for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the features shown in the attached drawings.

  The wet suit 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 includes a trunk portion 12, arm portions 14 and 16, and leg portions 18 and 20. The wet suit 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 includes a long-sleeved sleeve part and a long trousers-type leg part. As a matter of course, the wet suit 10 may be configured to shorten both or both of the sleeve portion and the leg portion. The wetsuit 10 is suitably manufactured from neoprene. The wet suit 10 may be manufactured with a plurality of panels joined together with sewing threads or the like. A person skilled in the art can immediately understand how the wetsuit is constructed.

  In addition, the wet suit 10 includes a neck opening 22. The fastener 24 extends downward from the neck opening 22. The neck opening 22 includes an edge portion 26. The edge portion 26 defines the outer periphery of the neck opening 22. The edge portion 26 includes a first end portion 28 and a second end portion 30. The sealing flap 32 is of a hook-and-loop type such as Velcro (registered trademark), and is disposed at the second end 30 of the edge portion 26 of the neck opening 22. In use, the sealing flap 32 covers the fastener 24 and maintains the state where the fastener 24 is in the closed position.

  In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the sealing flap 32 appropriately overlaps the first end 28 of the edge portion 26 to a small extent. Thus, the double region where the thickness of neoprene around the neck of the wetsuit 10 is doubled is prevented from becoming wide. When the double region is wide, this double region is considered to be the position where the wet suit 10 is internally flooded. In an embodiment of the present invention, lightweight neoprene or other elastic material is used to form the neck opening 22, which includes a double portion with minimal material overlap. Is preferred. This simplifies the manufacturing of wet suits, and compared with known wet suits that have neck openings where neoprene and hook-and-loop fastener materials overlap in a wide range and become thicker, the feeling of wearing and movement at the neck opening There are advantages such as improving the ease and waterproofness of the opening for the neck (especially waterproofing when receiving waves during surfing). A string member 34 is attached to the fastener 24 so that the fastener 24 can be easily closed.

  As can be seen with reference to FIG. 1, the edge 26 of the neck opening 22 defines a relatively wide opening that is in close contact with the wearer's neck or slightly below the neck. When the wearer wears the wet suit 10, for example, the edge portion 26 of the neck opening 22 may be in close contact with the wearer's clavicle. In such a case, it is considered that scratches caused by the edge portion 26 of the neck opening 22 can be minimized.

  The wet suit 10 further includes a flap portion 36. The flap part 36 may be manufactured by one piece piece material, and may be manufactured by the several piece piece material mutually couple | bonded with the sewing thread | yarn. The illustrated flap portion 36 is made of four panel pieces that are sewn together. The flap part 36 is connected around the lower edge part 38 on the back side of the wet suit 10 with a sewing thread or the like so as not to be detached. The sewn portion appropriately extends around the lower edge portion 38 from the point 38A to the point 38B shown in FIG. A person skilled in the art can immediately understand how the flap portion 36 can be sewn to the wet suit 10. Instead of the sewing thread, another joining means such as an adhesive suitable for joining may be used.

  The flap portion 36 has a free end 40. The flap portion 36 includes an opening 42. The opening part 42 of a flap part is comprised by the magnitude | size which can cover the flap part 36 from the wearer's head of the wet suit 10. FIG. Thus, it will be appreciated that the flap portion 36 is suitably manufactured from neoprene. Neoprene is a material rich in elasticity and elasticity. When the flap portion 36 is put on the wearer's head, the opening 42 of the flap portion extends or expands and passes through the wearer's head. Once the opening 42 of the flap portion passes through the wearer's head and is lowered downward, the shape contracts and closely contacts the wearer's neck.

  The flap portion 36 is configured to have a size that allows the opening portion 42 to be covered from the wearer's head and allows the free end 40 to extend to the front side of the wetsuit 10. Accordingly, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, the lower edge portion 38 is fixed to the wet suit 10 so as not to be detached. The flap portion 36 is configured with a sufficient length so that the opening 40 passes through the wearer's head and the free end 40 moves forward of the wetsuit 10. The configuration is clearly represented in FIG.

  As clearly shown in FIG. 1, the free end 40 of the flap portion 36 is provided with fixing means 44. The fixing means 44 cooperates with a complementary fixing means 46 fixed to the front side of the wet suit 10. For example, each fixing means 44 and 46 is configured by a hook-and-loop fastener structure such as Velcro (registered trademark). Therefore, when the flap part 36 exists in a wearing position, the free end 40 of the flap part 36 can be fixed to the front side of the wet suit 10.

  As clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the flap portion 36 includes a collar portion 48. The collar portion 48 at least partially defines the opening 42 of the flap portion. The collar portion 48 is configured to extend from the lower end of the wearer's neck toward the top of the neck. Accordingly, the collar portion 48 forms a seal around the wearer's neck. The collar portion 48 functions to prevent water from entering from the neck region of the wet suit 10. The collar portion 48 is appropriately composed of neoprene. The collar portion 48 may be made of separated piece piece neoprene, and in this case, the separated piece piece shaped neoprene is sewn to the flap portion 36 at a position adjacent to the opening 42. As is apparent when referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 in comparison with FIGS. 3 and 4, the collar portion 48 is in close contact with the neck of the wearer at a position higher than the neck opening 22.

  As is most apparent with reference to FIG. 4, the lower edge portion 38 of the flap portion 36 extends below the lower end of the fastener 24. Therefore, when the flap portion 36 is in the wearing position (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4), the flap portion 36 completely covers the fastener 24, and water is introduced into the wetsuit 10 through the fastener 24. It serves to prevent entry.

  In the case of employing the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, there is an advantage that the neck opening 22 can be brought into close contact with the lower part of the wearer's neck or a part slightly below the neck. Thereby, the opening part 22 for necks can be comprised a little larger than the opening part for necks closely_contact | adhered above a neck. By opening the fastener 24, the neck opening 22 can be further enlarged. Thereby, it becomes easy for the wearer to put the body in the wet suit 10. Further, since it is not necessary to provide a back sheet material fixed on both sides of the fastener in order to minimize the water immersion from the fastener or to prevent the water from entering from the fastener, the neck opening 22 is widely configured. However, a relatively short fastener may be used. In practice, the fastener 24 may be configured with a length from 150 millimeters to 250 millimeters. Thus, since the length of the fastener 24 can be configured to be relatively short, the range in which the freedom of movement of the wearer is deprived by the fastener 24 can be minimized.

  In the illustrated wet suit 10, the fastener 24 is provided on the back side, but it is obvious that the fastener 24 may be provided on the front side. When the fastener 24 is provided on the front side, the fastener 24 is covered with the flap portion 36 on the free end 40 side.

  Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations other than those specifically disclosed. Naturally, the present invention includes all the modifications and variations described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It is a front view of the wet suit which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and has shown the state which exists in the position which the flap part opened. It is a rear view of the wet suit of FIG. 1, and has shown the state which exists in the position which the flap part opened. It is a front view of the wet suit of FIG. 1, and has shown the state in which a flap part exists in the closed position. It is a rear view of the wet suit of FIG. 3 in the state which has a flap part in the closed position.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Wet suit 12 Trunk part 14,16 Arm part 18,20 Leg part 22 Neck opening part 24 Fastener 26 Edge part 28 First edge part 30 Edge part 2nd edge part 32 Sealing flap 34 String material 36 Flap Part 38 lower edge part 40 free end of flap part 42 opening part of flap part 44 fixing means on flap part side 46 fixing means on wet suit side 48 collar part

Claims (5)

An opening for the neck;
A fastener that opens the neck opening by opening it;
An opening that is fixed to the back side and allows it to be placed on the wearer's head; and a flap portion that includes a fixing means that is detachably fixed to the front side.
A wetsuit, wherein the flap is completely worn by the wearer and the opening of the flap forms a seal around the wearer's head or neck while the flap completely covers the fastener. An opening for a neck comprising an edge portion and closely contacting a lower part of the wearer's neck or a portion slightly below the neck;
A fastener that opens the neck opening by opening it;
One end fixed to the back side so that the lower edge portion is located below the lower end portion of the fastener, a free end, an opening that allows the wearer's head to be covered, and the free end on the front side And a flap portion provided with a fixing means for removably fixing to,
A wetsuit, wherein the flap is completely worn by the wearer and the opening of the flap forms a seal around the wearer's head or neck while the flap completely covers the fastener.   The wet suit of Claim 1 or 2 with which the said flap part is provided with the collar part closely_contact | adhered to a wearer's neck at the time of use. The neck opening is defined by an edge comprising a first end and a second end;
The wet suit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first end and the second end are adjacent to each other or overlap each other in a slight range when the fastener is closed.   A wetsuit as described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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