WO1989007896A1

WO1989007896A1 - Strapless and cupless athletic support

Info

Publication number: WO1989007896A1
Application number: PCT/GB1989/000214
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alan Bergman
Original assignee: Alan Bergman
Priority date: 1988-03-01
Filing date: 1989-03-01
Publication date: 1989-09-08
Also published as: AU3342889A; GB8804863D0

Abstract

A jockstrap is provided with front and rear parts of a fabric material, preferably a cotton/Lycra fabric, with the front part being of a piece of flat fabric not in the shape of a pocket or pouch. The front (2) and rear parts (3) are attached or stitched to a waistband (4) and can be in two separate parts to connect along three seams or made from one sheet of fabric. Preferably, the front part (2) is of a double thickness of fabric with a pocket between the fabric layers to receive a protective guard therebetween. The layers of double thickness are preferably identical. Conveniently, the junction of the front and rear parts is at the waistband leaving a high cut leg line at the upper thigh/hip portion. Advantageously the stitching throughout the jockstrap comprises reverse stitching to provide a smooth interior surface to the jockstrap.

Description

STRAPLESS AND CUPLESS ATHLETIC SUPPORT

This invention relates to jockstraps, and more particularly, but not exclusively to jockstraps for use in high activity or strenuous exercise such as dancing and all forms of sports.

Conventional jockstraps are generally of the suspensory harness type in that the testicles and penis rest in a cup or pouch that is secured by two straps attached thereto which themselves are attached to an anchoring structure in the form of a waist band at the back and which is itself attached at the front to the top of the pouch. All three structures are of enadequate mass and tension to sufficiently counter the movement particularly the upward, downward and sideways motion of the testicles.

For normal everyday use, this unwanted movement, while it is not desirable is not a particular problem, but if a jockstrap of this type is to be used for high activity applications such as sport or dancing this movement is much more or a problem, in spite of natural scrotum retraction during high tense physical activity.

However, testicle movement or bounce can be reduced to some degree in a number of ways. The most commonly used methods are by increasing the thickness of the pouch and sometimes strap material and by constructional devices such as seams and the tension of the attached elastic straps which pass around the buttocks and attach to the back portion of the garment. However, as such jockstraps are all still of an inadequately designed suspensory harness system, with the testicles and penis located in a pouch which is suspended from and anchored by straps, painful testicle movements or bounce as well as irritation can still occur, particularly when the recovery properties of the elastic straps weaken due to frequent washing and wearing thereby reducing to some degree whatever suspension/anchoring they were meant to give.

Si Biz ! 1 i I*1 s C3_"-__^;« _ Another problem with known jockstraps is that the straps are usually visible under athletic shorts. Obviously this visibility of the jockstrap's straps is aesthetically undesirable.

Furthermore, conventional jockstraps as they are totally open across the buttocks provide little or no lateral/horizontal support which is absolutely essential.

It is the object of the invention, therefore, to provide a jockstraps or athletic support which overcomes or substantially reduces all or most of these problems.

According to the invention there is provided a jockstrap/athletic support without pouch or straps in which at least the portion which supports the testicles and penis is made of a piece of fabric which is initially flat but which, without the use of seams, darts, mouldings or shaping, will stretch around and generally conform to the shape of the scrotum and penis when inserted therein to hold the gentilia closer against the wearer's body, thereby enhancing nature's design.

The present invention represents a substantial departure from known jockstraps because it has no shaped cup to receive the testicles or straps to suspend or anchor the non-existent pouch. Instead, it effectively holds or clamps the genetilia mass to the wearer's body to restrict its movements rather than suspend it in a cup which is anchored by straps usually of the elastic type. Instead of straps the glutial mass or buttocks is covered.

Preferably, the whole of the jockstrap including the back portion is made of said fabric but it will be appreciated that some or all of the other component parts of the jockstrap could be made of different materials. Preferably, the fabric of the jockstrap supporting portions, front, sleeve, and back is cotton/Lycra or cotton/Lycra blends as described below and some of all of the rest of the jockstrap could be cotton/Lycra or cotton/Lycra with various blends of other fibres such as polyester, nylon, rayon, modal in varying percentages and incorporating the respective and resulting variations of stretch and recovery characteristics in the warp and weft of the fabric.

In a preferred embodiment, the jockstrap is made up from a front

< supporting portion, sleeve guard portion and rear portion, said front and rear portions being connected by three or no seams depending on whether the front and rear portions are cut out as separate pieces of fabric or the whole jockstrap is cut out from a single piece of fabric. If it is done in the latter way with the front and rear portions continuing together through the crutch, then none or two seams would be necessary depending on the point of attachment or junction of the front and back portions on the waist band. If on the other hand, the jockstrap was cut from two pieces of fabric with the front and rear portions connected together at the crutch, then one or three seams would be necessary depending on the point of attachment or junction of the front and back portions on the waistband.

Conveniently, the front and rear portions of the jockstraps are designed and cut so that at the point of junction of the front and rear portion on the waistband forms a very high cut leg line at the upper thigh/hip position of the wearer but as a result of a full rear portion the rear portion does not even under the most strenuous exercises ride up. This has the advantage of not only eliminating unslightly straps showing as well as their accompanying irritation resulting from their movement but also and more importantly this full glutial covering back portion gives increased directional holding/support power to the front rear portion.

An important feature of the preferred jockstrap of the invention is that its front portion includes a double thickness or said fabric forming a sleeve to insert a protective guard. This sleeve should not be confused with or interpreted as a pocket for the testicles to reside in. It is a flat unshaped piece of fabric mirroring in shape and size the front portion described above. It is joined to the front portion on three sides by reverse stitching resulting in a seamless sleeve into which the guard fits. When not utilised the additional portion of fabric increases the comfort, and holding power of the invention.

A further important feature of the preferred jockstrap is provided by the option of incorporating reverse stitching throughout the garment. This method of construction will further enhance the already reduced irritation potential of the soft flat stitching around the waistband and the reverse or inside out stitching of the front sleeve by providing no potentially rough structural seaming on the internal surfaces. Thus the jockstrap of the present invention advantageously provides a very effective product of maximum support and maximum comfort without the use of straps or testicle pouch.

A preferred jockstrap of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a front view of the jockstrap of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view;

Figure 3 is a front view of the jockstrap of Figures 1 and 2 on a wearer's body, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the jockstrap of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a jockstrap 1 comprising a front genetial supporting portion 2 and a rear glutial portion 3. In the illustrated jockstrap the front and rear portions are cut from separate pieces of fabric, preferably a cotton/polyester/Lycra mixture which are connected together by a crutch seam and attached to a waistband 4. The use of two pieces is cost effective as a better lay is achieved from the fabric. However, it would be possible to cut the jockstrap from a single piece of fabric which would be joined to the waistband as illustrated. The cotton/polyester/Lycra mixture utilised in the preferred embodiment of the jockstrap is ideal for this purpose because of the relationship of warp and weft stretch or tensioning within the plane of the material although other warp and weft stretch characteristics and blends could be utilised by adjusting the pattern.

The main features of the illustrated jockstrap which distinguish it from known jockstraps are firstly that it is not a cup or pouch suspension system. It is specifically designed to hold the genetilia close to the body thereby reducing potential discomfort or pain as a result of excessive movement associated with cup or pouch suspension designed jockstraps. Secondly, it is devoid of all straps which can irritate the wearer and be a source of discomfort as well as embarrassment when the straps become visible as they usually do.

Thirdly, it is also devoid of irritating seams, darts or ventilation mesh openings which are a further source of irritation and discomfort to the wearer. Also polyester and blends of polyester and particularly nylon are usually used in known jockstraps for the front mesh ventilation portion and this material actually generates perspiration and does little or nothing to absorb it. By making the jockstrap of the invention out of cotton/Lycra or blends, such front mesh ventilation openings are not needed as the blend of and or cotton/Lycra fabric absorbs perspiration and allows the skin to breathe naturally because due to the construction of the fabric it is only the cotton fibres that touch the skin. As the front genetial supporting portion, guard sleeve portion, which are reversed stitched, and rear portions are made of flat pieces of stretch cotton/Lycra or blend material without external seams on the inside of the garment, darts, moulding or other shaping, manufacture is made much easier and it is more comfortable to wear as there are no potentially irritating seams, fold or straps. The cotton/Lycra or blend fabric is -used particularly for the tensioning effect within the fabric. This enhances the support provided by the jockstrap because of the fabric's warp and weft stretch in the plane of the fabric.

The special design of the illustrated jockstrap incorporating a fully covered glutial or buttocks portion, double layered genital front portion and extermely hip high let line means that it can readily be worn under most sports shorts or trunks without being visible. Its unique design also makes it aesthetically and socially acceptable as outer wear if the wearer chooses this alternative. In this case the presentation of the garmant can be enhanced by using coloured stitching, embroidery or printing on the wide soft salt resistant elastic waistband which may or may not be covered by the cotton/Lycra or blend fabric. Additionally printed fabric could be used as well as a logo as a design feature.

Lycra is Du Pont's registered trademark for its elastane fibre..

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A jockstrap for covering and supporting genitals comprising a flat front portion arranged to support and firmly hold the genitals against the body, a rear portion integrally connected with the first portion for covering and supporting the buttocks, and a waistband which is attached to an upper edge, in use, of the said front and rear portions, wherein the front and rear portions are integrally formed at least in a crutch area therebetween.

2. A jockstrap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front and rear portions are formed from a single piece of frabric.

3. A jockstrap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the jockstrap is formed from individual front and rear portions interconnected along three seams.

4. A jockstrap as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front portion includes a double thickness of fabric forming a pocket to receive a protective guard therebetween.

5. A jockstrap as claimed in claim 4, wherein the additional layer of fabric is of the same shape as the front portion.

6. A jockstrap as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the junction of the front and rear portions meet on the waistband to provide a high cut leg line at the upper thigh/hip portion.

7. A jockstrap as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the stitching on the jockstrap is reverse stitching to provide a smooth surface on the inner surface of the jockstrap.

8. A jockstrap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawing.