JP2023128096A - Wet suit for triathlon - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a wet suit for triathlon capable of reducing the fatigue of a wearer by enabling efficient swimming and improving swimming power.SOLUTION: In a wet suit for triathlon 1 with sleeves formed so as to be fitted to the body surface of a wearer, a plurality of suit members 2 forming a body part 10, arm parts 11 and leg parts 12 is formed of an elastic material 3 obtained by sticking a fiber layer 31 to the back surface of a foamable rubber elastic body 30 or both the back surface and the front surface of the foamable rubber elastic body 30. As the suit member 2, a flow member 22 having higher fluid permeability than that of other members is disposed at least in an area covering the shoulder joint region of the wearer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to the technology of a triathlon wetsuit, and more particularly to a triathlon wetsuit with sleeves configured to fit the wearer's body surface.

Conventionally, wetsuits have been worn when participating in marine sports such as scuba diving and windsurfing, and in recent years, wetsuits have also been worn when participating in underwater sports such as triathlons that require swimming. In this type of wet suit, the suit members are generally made of an elastic material such as chloroprene rubber or other foamed rubber elastic material, with a fibrous layer adhered to the back surface of the foamed rubber elastic material, or to the back and surface of the foamed rubber elastic material. has been done.

Triathlon swimming events are held all at once in open water such as the ocean or lake, so the competition may be conducted in harsh environments such as waves and low water temperatures, and there may be contact with other competitors. Many athletes wear wetsuits to maintain safety during competitions. In particular, for athletes with a certain level of swimming ability (competitive ability), wetsuits are designed to have excellent buoyancy and reduce water resistance, allowing them to maintain their underwater posture and perform stable swimming movements. A triathlon wetsuit is preferably used.

As a wetsuit for triathlon, a structure in which a fabric material having holes in a foamed rubber elastic body is arranged at predetermined parts has been proposed, such as the wetsuit disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. According to the structure of such a wetsuit, a fabric material having holes is provided in the area that covers the arms and legs of the wetsuit, so that water that has been moistened between the body and the wetsuit is released from the holes through the holes. This allows the arms and legs to move smoothly without resistance during strokes.

However, the triathlon wetsuit disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which a fabric material with holes is provided in the area covering the lower part of the shoulders. Movement of the shoulder joint, which is particularly important for front crawl swimming, was restricted. In other words, in the swimming motion, propulsive force is generated by linking the movements of the arms and shoulders to perform a coordinated movement that unites the whole body, but the movement of the shoulder joint is restricted, making it difficult for the arms and shoulders to move smoothly together. If this is hindered, the force generated by the upper limbs during each phase of the swimming stroke (catch, pull, and recovery) cannot be efficiently transmitted to the axial skeleton and body, and the wearer is unable to achieve the desired propulsion. There was a problem in that the effort to gain strength increased fatigue and the swimmers were unable to demonstrate their original swimming ability.

Utility model registration No. 3030075

Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems regarding a triathlon wetsuit, and provides a triathlon wetsuit that enables efficient swimming movement, reduces fatigue of the wearer, and improves swimming ability. The purpose is to

The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above, and next, means for solving this problem will be explained.

That is, in claim 1, in a triathlon wetsuit with sleeves configured to fit the wearer's body surface, a plurality of suit members constituting the torso, arms, and legs are made of foamed rubber elastic. It is made of an elastic material in which a fiber layer is adhered to the back surface of the body or the back surface and surface of a foamed rubber elastic body, and the suit member has a high thickness compared to other members in the area that covers at least the wearer's shoulder joint region. A flow member having fluid permeability is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the flow member is disposed in the torso portion so as to be cut out in a curved shape having the same shape from front to back along the outside of the shoulder blade of the wearer from the neck opening.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the flow member is disposed over the entire area from a region covering the wearer's shoulder joint region to the cuff of the arm portion.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the flow member is also provided on a part or all of the hem opening of the leg.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the flow member is formed of a foamed rubber elastic body of the elastic material in which a plurality of flow holes are formed.

As an effect of the present invention, it is possible to enable efficient swimming movement, reduce wearer's fatigue, and improve swimming ability.

1 is a front view showing the overall structure of a triathlon wetsuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear view of FIG. 1 as well. FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of a flow member disposed in a region covering a shoulder joint region. They are (a) an enlarged front view and (b) an enlarged side view of the flow member arrange|positioned at the hem opening of a leg part. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a human skeleton for explaining a shoulder joint region. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a flow member disposed in a region covering a shoulder joint region. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a flow member disposed at the hem of the leg. FIG. 3 is a front view of a triathlon wetsuit according to another embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view of a triathlon wetsuit according to another embodiment.

Next, a mode for carrying out the invention will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the triathlon wetsuit 1 of this embodiment is configured as a triathlon wetsuit with sleeves that are configured to fit the wearer's body surface. Specifically, the triathlon wetsuit 1 of this embodiment is configured as a full suit with sleeves having a torso section 10, arm sections 11, and leg sections 12. It is preferably used by athletes with strong strength.

The triathlon wetsuit 1 is worn as a one-piece long-sleeved and long-trousers dress in which a torso section 10, arm sections 11, and leg sections 12 are integrally formed, and is fitted (closely attached) to the wearer's body surface. The torso section 10 has an open neck opening 13 and is mainly in close contact with the body surface of the wearer's torso. The arm portions 11 form a pair of left and right sleeves that are continuous from the body portion 10, and the cuffs 14 are opened and reach the left and right wrists of the wearer, and are in close contact with the body surface of the upper limbs. The leg portions 12 are continuous with the body portion 10, have open hem openings 15, reach the upper portions of the left and right ankles (middle calves) of the wearer, and are brought into close contact with the body surface of the lower legs.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the triathlon wetsuit 1 comprises a torso section 10, arm sections 11, and leg sections 12 described above, and is divided into multiple parts for each region covering a predetermined part of the wearer. The suit member 2 is made of the following members. Specifically, the suit member 2 includes an upper body member 20, a chest reinforcing member 21, a flow member 22, a lower body member 23, a knee elastic member 24, a flow member 25, and the like. In the triathlon wetsuit 1, the upper body part is formed by the upper body member 20, the chest reinforcement member 21, and the flow member 22 of the suit member 2, and the lower body member 23, the knee elastic member 24, and the flow member 25 of the suit member 2. The lower body part is formed.

The upper body member 20 is connected to the chest reinforcing member 21 and the flow member 22, and is disposed in an area that mainly covers the wearer's abdomen and back in the front and back parts.In other words, the upper body part covers the chest It is arranged in an area excluding the reinforcing member 21 and the flow member 22. Furthermore, a zipper-type chuck 26 for putting on and taking off the wetsuit is attached to the central part of the back body of the upper body member 20 from the neck opening 13 along the back to the waist.

The chest reinforcing member 21 is disposed in an area that mainly covers the wearer's chest, and is disposed such that the connection point with (the front body of) the upper body member 20 is upwardly convex. . In the triathlon wetsuit 1, the chest reinforcing member 21 is arranged in an upwardly convex manner in the upper body part, so that the chest reinforcing member 21 is provided when the wearer performs a swimming movement (front crawl swimming method). It is formed so that the movement of the abdomen (abdominal muscles, etc.) is not hindered.

The flow members 22 are disposed in areas that cover at least the left and right shoulder joints of the wearer, and specifically, are disposed in the entire area from the area that covers the shoulder joints to the cuffs 14 of the arm portion 11, and are disposed over the entire area covering the shoulder joints of the wearer. It forms sleeves (long sleeves) that cover the upper arm, elbow joint, and forearm. The flow part 22 has a connection point with the upper body member 20 (back body) and the chest reinforcing member 21 in a curved shape that is the same in the front and back along the outside of the wearer's shoulder blades (center side of the body) from the neck opening 13. It is arranged like a cutout.

Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the "shoulder joint site" in this example refers to the joints (glenohumeral joint, acromioclavicular joint, sternoclavicular joint, scapulothoracic joint) and bones (scapulothoracic joint) that constitute the shoulder joint. Humerus, scapula, clavicle, ribs, sternum), and in this example, at least the scapulothoracic joint, which is important in swimming movement, and the shoulder located at the end of the scapula. It includes a compound joint in the narrow sense consisting of the glenohumeral joint. The area covering this shoulder joint region refers to each joint (especially the glenohumeral joint and the scapulothoracic joint) and each bone (especially the scapula, humerus, ribs, and part of the clavicle) that make up this region. ) refers to the area that covers the area.

Among these, the scapula is located on the back of the thorax, and is not connected to the axial skeleton itself, but is connected to the clavicle through the acromioclavicular joint. Movements such as rotation/downward rotation are possible. During each phase of the swimming stroke (catch, pull, and recovery), the movements of the arm and shoulder are linked by muscle groups originating from each joint and each bone in the shoulder joint, resulting in a coordinated movement that unites the whole body. The force generated by the upper limbs is transmitted from the humerus to the scapula through the glenohumeral joint, and then to the axial skeleton and body through the sternoclavicular joint.

To outline the movements of the shoulder joint during the swimming stroke, first, during the catch phase, the humerus (glenohumeral joint) is internally rotated, and the scapula is abducted and rotated upwards, raising the arm and Propulsion begins by reaching forward with the hands through rotation of the thoracic spine. During the pull phase, the humerus is internally rotated and the scapula is rotated downwards, creating the main propulsion force on thoracic spine rotation and a fixed hand. Then, in the recovery phase, as the humerus switches from internal rotation to external rotation, the scapula is internally rotated and rotated upward, and the arm returns to the catch position as the thoracic vertebrae rotate.

Returning to FIGS. 1 to 4, the lower body member 23 is connected to the above-mentioned upper body member 20 and chest reinforcing member 21, as well as to the knee elastic member 24 and flow member 25, and is mainly used for the wearer's body. It is disposed in a region covering the waist, thigh, and lower leg, in other words, it is disposed in a region of the lower body excluding the knee elastic member 24 and the flow member 25. The lower body member 23 forms a hem (long pants) that covers the lower legs, and in this embodiment is formed to a length that exposes a portion of the wearer's lower legs (ankles).

The knee elastic member 24 is disposed mainly in a region that covers the left and right knees of the wearer, and is disposed between the region that covers the left and right thighs of the lower body member 23 and the region that covers the lower leg. has been done. In the triathlon wetsuit 1, the elastic knee member 24 is disposed in the lower body part, so that the elastic knee member 24 prevents the movement of the knee (knee joint) when the wearer is swimming. It is formed so that there is no

The flow member 25 is disposed in a region that covers part of the wearer's calf, and specifically, is disposed in a part of the hem opening 15 of the leg portion 12. The flow part 25 is disposed such that the connection part with the lower body member 23 is cut out of the hem opening 15 of the leg part 12 in an inverted U shape.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the triathlon wetsuit 1 of this embodiment includes each of the above-mentioned suit members 2 (upper body member 20, chest reinforcing member 21, flow member 22, lower body member 23, knee The elastic member 24 and the flow member 25) are made of an elastic material 3 having a fiber layer 31 adhered to the back surface of a foamed rubber elastic body 30. Among these, the flow members 22 and 25 have a plurality of flow holes 32, 32... formed in the foamed rubber elastic body 30 of the elastic material 3, and are different from other members (upper body member 20, etc.). Made of a material with high fluid permeability.

The material of the foamed rubber elastic body 30 is not particularly limited, but rubber materials used in known triathlon wet suits can be used, such as chloroprene rubber (trade name: neoprene rubber) or styrene-butadiene rubber. In addition, closed cell foam sheet-like members such as polyethylene and polyurethane are used.

The thickness of the foamable rubber elastic body 30 is not particularly limited, but preferably 2.0 mm or more and 6.0 mm or less. In particular, in the triathlon wetsuit 1 of this embodiment, the foamed rubber elastic body 30 is formed to have a different thickness depending on the suit member 2, which has an excellent buoyancy effect and water flow resistance reduction effect, and improves the underwater posture. From the viewpoint of being able to maintain stable swimming motions, the lower body member 23, the chest reinforcing member 21, and the flow member 25 have a thickness of approximately 5.0 mm, and the other upper body members 20 and the knee elastic member 24 have a thickness of approximately 5.0 mm. The flow member 22 used has a thickness of approximately 3.0 mm (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

The material of the fiber layer 31 is not particularly limited, but fiber materials used in known wet suits for triathlons can be used, such as polyester fibers, nylon fibers, polypropylene fibers, polyurethane fibers, acrylic fibers, and rayon fibers. , carbon fibers, etc., one or more types may be appropriately selected or used in combination.

The fiber layer 31 may be formed by adhering the above-mentioned fiber material to the foamable rubber elastic body 30 with an adhesive or the like as a knitted or woven fabric, or may be formed by directly adhering short fibers to the foamable rubber elastic body 30. It's okay. The fiber layer 31 is preferably a knitted fabric from the viewpoint of not inhibiting the elasticity of the foamable rubber elastic body 30, and is particularly preferably a jersey fabric from the viewpoint of longitudinal and lateral elasticity and high air permeability. More preferred.

The flow hole 32 is provided in the elastic material 3 (the foamed rubber elastic body 30) that forms the flow members 22 and 25, and is formed as a through hole with a circular cross section that penetrates the foamed rubber elastic body 30. , are arranged in a grid pattern over the entire surface of the foamable rubber elastic body 30 in a plan view. Note that the flow holes 32 are provided only in the foamed rubber elastic body 30 of the elastic material 3, and are not provided in the fiber layer 31 described above.

The arrangement of the communication holes 32 is not particularly limited, and in this embodiment, as an example, the adjacent communication holes 32 are arranged in a square lattice shape in which the distances are equal. Arrangements such as an orthorhombic lattice, a rectangular lattice, and a parallel lattice can be adopted.

Although the hole diameter of the communication hole 32 is not particularly limited, it is preferably formed to be 1.0 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. This is because if the flow holes 32 are too small, stable fluid permeation performance cannot be exhibited, while if the flow holes 32 are too large, the strength of the elastic material 3 decreases, making it easy to break or break, resulting in poor durability.

The arrangement of the communication holes 32 is not particularly limited, but preferably the communication holes 32 are arranged so that the distance between the closest communication holes 32 is 3.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less, and the communication holes 32 satisfy the above-mentioned size specifications. In this case, it is preferable that about 1 to 2 pieces are arranged per unit area (1 cm ² ) in the foamable rubber elastic body 30. If the number of flow holes 32 per unit area is small, stable fluid permeation performance cannot be achieved, and if the number is large, the strength of the elastic material 3 decreases, making it easy to break or break, resulting in poor durability. It is from.

The elastic material 3 is suitably set to have an elongation rate (elongation rate) adopted in known wet suits for triathlons, depending on fit and wearability. In particular, the triathlon wetsuit 1 of this embodiment is formed so that the elongation rate of the elastic material 3 differs depending on the members of the suit member 2, which has excellent buoyancy and water resistance reduction effects, and maintains the underwater posture. From the viewpoint of being able to stably perform swimming motions, the lower body member 23 has the smallest expansion/contraction ratio, and the following formula holds: lower body member 23<chest reinforcing member 21<upper body member 20≒knee elastic member 24<flow member 22 - Formed so that the elongation rate increases in the order of 25. Further, the elastic material 3 forming the flow member 22 has a larger elongation ratio in the vertical direction (length direction) than in the lateral direction (width direction), and is formed to allow smoother swimming motion.

The triathlon wetsuit 1 of this embodiment uses a material in which a plurality of communication holes 32, 32, etc. are formed in the foamed rubber elastic body 30 of the elastic material 3. The flow members 22 and 25 having the flow holes 32 have high permeability to fluids such as water and air compared to the members (upper body member 20, etc.). Therefore, during a triathlon swimming event, fluid can easily flow (inflow and outflow) into the gap between the body and the wetsuit 1 through the flow holes 32 in the area where the flow members 22 and 25 are provided. . In particular, the fluid circulation in the region where the flow member 22 is arranged is forcibly developed in accordance with the movement of the shoulder joint region (movement of the arm and shoulder) during each phase of the swimming stroke, and This is facilitated by the effect of negative pressure that is generated intermittently between the body and the wetsuit due to turning and movement of the lower body in conjunction with the upper body.

As described above, the triathlon wetsuit 1 according to the present embodiment includes a triathlon wetsuit 1 with sleeves configured to fit the wearer's body surface, including a torso portion 10, arm portions 11, and leg portions 12. A plurality of suit members 2 constituting the suit member 2 are made of an elastic material 3 in which a fiber layer 31 is adhered to the back surface of a foamed rubber elastic body 30, and the suit member 2 includes at least an area covering the wearer's shoulder joint. Since the flow member 22 having higher fluid permeability than the above member is provided, it is possible to enable efficient swimming movement, reduce fatigue of the wearer, and improve swimming ability.

In other words, in the triathlon wetsuit 1 of this embodiment, the flow member 22 having high fluid permeability is disposed in the area covering the shoulder joint, so that the shoulder joint can be protected during each phase of the swimming stroke. As you exercise (movement of your arms and shoulders), fluid flows through the gap between your body and the triathlon wetsuit 1 in the area that covers the shoulder joints, smoothing the movements of your shoulder joints and smoothing your arms and shoulders. It can be linked to. Therefore, the force generated by the wearer's upper limbs can be efficiently transmitted to the axial skeleton and the body, reducing fatigue and allowing the wearer to efficiently demonstrate his or her original swimming ability.

In particular, the flow member 22 of this embodiment is disposed in the torso 10 from the neck opening 13 along the outside of the wearer's shoulder blades in a curved shape with the same shape in the front and back, so that the flow member 22 is connected to the body and the triathlon. The fluid flowing into the gap between the wetsuit 1 and the wetsuit 1 controls the movement of the scapula (scapulosternoclavicular joint), which constitutes the shoulder joint (adduction/abduction, elevation/descension, upward rotation/downward rotation). ) becomes smoother, allowing the arms and shoulders to work together more efficiently.

Furthermore, since the flow member 22 of this embodiment is disposed in the entire area from the area covering the shoulder joint of the wearer to the cuff 14 of the arm 11, it does not flow into the gap between the body and the triathlon wetsuit 1. With this fluid, the movement of the upper limb along with the humerus (glenohumeral joint) that makes up the shoulder joint becomes smoother, and the arm and shoulder can be linked more efficiently.

In addition, since the flow member 25 of this embodiment is also provided in a part of the hem opening 15 of the leg portion 12, the fluid flowing into the gap between the body and the triathlon wetsuit 1 during the swimming movement is transferred to the lower leg (leg). 12), allowing for smooth movement of the lower body as well as the upper body, allowing for more coordinated exercise that integrates the whole body.

Furthermore, since the flow members 22 and 25 of this embodiment are made of a material in which a plurality of flow holes 32 are bored in the foamed rubber elastic body 30 of the elastic material 3, the flow members 22 and 25 are While maintaining the high fit of the wetsuit body by the body 30, high fluid permeability can be achieved with a simple configuration.

Note that the configuration of the triathlon wetsuit 1 is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the purpose of the present invention.

That is, although the triathlon wetsuit 1 of the above-mentioned embodiment has been described as having a one-piece structure with long sleeves and long pants in which the body portion 10, arm portions 11, and leg portions 12 are integrally formed, such a triathlon wetsuit The configuration of No. 1 is not limited to this, and it is possible to adopt the configuration of a known trithlon wetsuit with sleeves, for example, a two-piece type in which the torso section 10 is separated from the top and bottom in an area that covers the wearer's abdomen; It may be configured to have short sleeves or short pants with short arm portions 11 and leg portions 12.

Further, in the triathlon wetsuit 1 of the above-described embodiment, the flow member 22 is disposed in the entire area from the region covering the wearer's shoulder joint region to the cuff 14 of the arm portion 11. The arrangement of the member 22 is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that the member 22 is arranged in an area that covers at least the wearer's shoulder joint region. For example, like the flow member 22 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, a flow member 22b may be provided at the cuff 14 of the arm portion 11 in addition to the flow member 22a provided in the region covering the shoulder joint region. Often, like the flow member 22 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, a flow member 22c may be further disposed in a region covering the elbow joint region.

In addition, although the triathlon wetsuit 1 of the above-described embodiment has a structure in which the fiber layer 31 is adhered to the back surface of the foamed rubber elastic body 30 as the elastic material 3, the structure of the elastic material 3 is different from this. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a structure in which the fiber layer 31 is adhered to the back and front surfaces of the foamable rubber elastic body 30 may also be used. In this way, by disposing the fiber layer 31 on the surface of the foamed rubber elastic body 30 as the elastic material 3, the durability of the elastic material 3 is further enhanced.

1 Wet suit for triathlon 2 Suit member 3 Elastic material 10 Body part 11 Arm part 12 Leg part 13 Neck opening 14 Cuff 15 Hem opening 20 Upper body member 21 Chest reinforcement member 22 Flow member 23 Lower body member 24 Elastic member for knees 25 Flow member 26 Chuck 30 Foamed rubber elastic body 31 Fiber layer 32 Distribution hole

Claims (5)

In a triathlon wetsuit with sleeves that is configured to fit the wearer's body,
A plurality of suit members constituting the torso, arms, and legs are formed of an elastic material in which a fiber layer is adhered to the back surface of a foamed rubber elastic body or to the back and front surfaces of the foamed rubber elastic body,
A flow member having higher fluid permeability than other members is disposed as the suit member in a region covering at least a shoulder joint region of the wearer.
A triathlon wetsuit with the following features: 2. The triathlon wetsuit according to claim 1, wherein the flow member is disposed in the torso section from the neck opening along the outer side of the wearer's shoulder blades in a curved shape having the same shape from front to back. 3. The triathlon wetsuit according to claim 1, wherein the flow member is disposed in an entire area from a region covering a shoulder joint of the wearer to a cuff of the arm. The triathlon wetsuit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the flow member is also provided in part or all of the hem opening of the leg. The triathlon wetsuit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the flow member is formed of a foamed rubber elastic body of the elastic material with a plurality of flow holes formed therein. .

Images