WO2009133433A1

WO2009133433A1 - Swimsuit

Info

Publication number: WO2009133433A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/005069
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francesco Fabbrica
Original assignee: Francesco Fabbrica
Priority date: 2008-04-29
Filing date: 2009-03-25
Publication date: 2009-11-05
Also published as: ITMI20080790A1

Abstract

There is described a swimsuit (1), in particular a costume for speed swimming or for water polo, realized by a plurality of membranes (2) made of elastic fabric composed of woven yarns coated with a coating polymer realized by polyurethane, in a manner suitable to form a membrane (2) of uniform thickness.

Description

DESCRIPTION

SWIMSUIT

The present invention relates to a swimsuit of the type specified in the preamble of claim 1.

There are currently known different types of swimsuits and in particular costumes for speed swimming or water sports, such as water polo and the like.

These are generally realized by trunks or bodyskin suits made of elastic and water permeable material. They can be produced with weaves of polymer yarns or with natural yarns.

In particular, in speed swimming in many cases costumes realized by bodyskin suits which substantially cover the entire body excluding the shoulders and arms are used.

Instead, for water sports such as water polo, costumes substantially realized by trunks are used.

Prior art swimwear has some important drawbacks.

In fact, due to their shape and seams these costumes form an element that reduces the hydrodynamics of athletes engaged in speed swimming.

Moreover, costumes for water sports, in particular for water polo, can be gripped by opponents and can also break following contact with these opponents.

In this situation the technical aim of the present invention is to devise a swimsuit capable of substantially overcoming the aforesaid drawbacks.

Within said technical aim, an important object of the invention is to devise a costume for speed swimming which is capable of optimizing the performances of athletes and in particular of optimizing the hydrodynamics thereof. Another important object of the invention is to obtain a costume capable of improving the performances of athletes who practice water sports and in particular water polo.

A further object is to obtain a costume for water sports which cannot be easily gripped by opponents.

The technical aim and the objects specified are achieved by a swimsuit which is characterized by the fact that it comprises one or more of the new technical solutions described and claimed below.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings. In particular:

Fig. 1 shows a schematized front view of a first swimsuit according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a schematized rear view of the first swimsuit;

Fig. 3 shows a view of a further suit according to the invention;

Fig. 4 shows a diagram of a weld of two membranes which produce a suit according to the invention;

Fig. 5 schematically shows a normal section of a detail of the first swimsuit.

With reference to the Figures, the swimsuit according to the invention is indicated as a whole with the number 1.

It comprises a plurality of membranes 2 each defined, at least partly, by an elastic fabric produced with polymer yarns or the like and woven according to known weaves. The elastic fabric is also covered, coated or ennobled with a coating polymer in a manner suitable to form a single membrane 2, having preferably a unvarying thickness. In detail, said elastic fabric is produced with a basic periodic weave composed of two yarns, one polyamide and the other elastomer whose proportions in weight, with respect to the total weight of the elastic fabric, are preferably respectively of between 70% and 90% and between 10% and 30%, more preferably between 75% and 85% and between 15% and 25%, and even more preferably respectively close to 80% and 20%.

Alternatively, it can be composed of polyurethane yarns or the like.

Said elastic fabric is preferably coated with said coating polymer realized by polyurethane. Preferably, coating takes place at 100⁰C - 120⁰C by means of known industrial equipment or also manually.

The polyurethane then penetrates between the fibres of the elastic fabric and forms a membrane in a single layer. The coating polymer and the elastic fabric are thus closely integrated in a single membrane. In this sense, the membrane has a uniform thickness or substantially uniform.

The percentages in weight between said elastic fabric and said coating polymer are respectively of between 50% and 70% and between 30% and 50%, more preferably between 55% and 65% and between 35% and 45%, and even more preferably respectively close to 60% and 40%.

The membrane 2 is thus preferably composed of polyurethanes, polyamides and elastomers whose proportions in weight, with respect to the weight of the membrane are preferably respectively between 35% and 45%, between 43% and 53% and between 7% and 17%, more preferably respectively close to 40%,

48% and 12%.

Said membranes 2 have the following characteristics: elongation at break greater than 300% in longitudinal direction and greater than 150% in transverse direction with respect to the prevalent direction of extension of the fibres (test performed with the method UNI EN ISO 1421), elongation under load of 100 N: greater than 300% in longitudinal direction and greater than 150% in transverse direction (test method UNI 4818-7), resistance to water penetration greater than

200 cm (test method UNI EN 1734), tensile strength: greater than 100N/5cm in both directions (test method UNI EN ISO 1421), tear resistance: greater than

10N in both directions (test method UNI 4818-9), weight between 130 and170 g/m².

The membranes 2 are also resistant to water penetration, in particular due to the presence of said coating polymer and in particular to the polyurethane coated over the fabric.

Moreover, the suit 1 also has an outer surface 1a and an inner surface 1b which is in contact with the skin of the person wearing this swimsuit 1.

The membranes 2 are joined together by means of welds 3.

These welds 3 are preferably produced by means of an ultrasonic heat-sealing process along the rib of these membranes, as shown in Figure 4.

Moreover, a reinforcing tape 4 is preferably placed along the inner surface 1b and along the edge of the weld 3 and connected to the membranes 2 by means of hot melting, heat-sealing or various glues, to reinforce the weld.

A similar weld is described in the Italian patent application MI2008A 000555 filed on April 11th 2008.

Said welds 3 are particularly effective with the membranes 2 described, as said coating polymer penetrates between the fibres of the elastic fabric and allows connection between adjacent membranes 2 and the tape 4.

A first example of swimsuit 1 is realized by a costume for speed swimming 5 shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Said costume 5 is preferably produced with five membranes 2, one front piece for the torso, two front pieces for the legs and two rear pieces for the legs and back, all mutually welded by means of the welds 3.

The costume 5 is therefore preferably produced entirely with the membranes 2 described.

Moreover, it preferably covers the legs and the torso of the wearer, leaving the shoulders, shoulder blades, arms and feet uncovered.

The swimming costume 5 is also preferably produced with dimensions such that, when worn, the membranes 2 are stretched and preferably have an average elongation of between 20% and 120 % of the unstretched length of these membranes 2.

The rear membranes 2 are mutually connected, in the upper part, by means of a zipper 6, the section of which is shown in Figure 5.

In particular, the zipper 6 comprises a toothed chain 7, surrounded and supported by two lateral tapes 8 connected to the inner surface 1b by means of glues or by heat-sealing.

Along the outer surface 1a the toothed chain 7 is also covered by means of two flaps of membrane 9, which have a central opening 10 suitable to allow opening and closing of the zipper 6.

The outer surface of the zipper 6 is thus completely covered by the flaps 9 and aligned with the outer surface of the suit 1a.

Finally, the zipper 6 comprises a slider suitable to be positioned both along the inner surface 1a and along the outer surface 1b.

The swimming costume 5 also comprises elastic lateral edges 11 preferably having a modulus of elasticity, in the direction parallel to the direction of extension of these edges 11 , which does not exceed the modulus of elasticity of the membranes 2.

In particular, a support tape 12 can be positioned along the edges 11.

A second example of swimsuit 1 is realized by a costume for water sports, and in particular by a water polo costume 13.

Said costume 13 is preferably a costume in the form of trunks or briefs, also realized by a plurality of membranes 2 mutually welded by means of welds 3.

Also in this case, the water polo costume 13 is preferably produced with dimensions so that, when worn, the membranes 2 are stretched and preferably have an average elongation of between 20% and 120% of the unstretched length of these membranes 2.

Moreover, it is also preferably produced entirely with the membranes 2 described.

Said water polo costume also comprises an upper closing element 14 placed in proximity of the waist, realized in particular by a tie cord.

The invention achieves important advantages.

In fact, during various tests, the applicant verified that the compression exerted by the swimsuit 1 on the muscles of athletes improves the performances of these athletes.

Moreover, it was surprisingly found that the resistance to water penetration of the membranes 2 improves the hydrodynamics of this suit 1.

Also the welds 3 and the specific zippers 6 improve the hydrodynamics of the suit 1.

A further characteristic that improved the performances of athletes was surprisingly the particular configuration of the lateral edges 11 which, contrary to what normally occurs, are not tighter than the membranes 2 on the body of the athlete.

A further advantage is given in particular to the water polo costume 13.

In fact, due to compression of the membranes 2, this costume 13 cannot be gripped by opponents due to the fact that it adheres closely to the skin of the athlete.

The invention is susceptible to modifications and variants falling within the inventive concept.

All the details can be replaced by equivalent elements and the materials, the shapes and dimensions can be any.

Claims

C L A I M S

1) Swimsuit (1) including at least one membrane (2) comprising an elastic fabric composed of woven yarns and characterized in that said fabric is coated with a polymer and in that said swimsuit (1) is substantially entirely realized by said membranes (2).

2) Suit according to claim 1 , wherein said coating polymer is polyurethane.

3) Suit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said fabric and said coating polymer are suitable to form a membrane (2) of substantially uniform thickness.

4) Suit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is resistant to water penetration.

5) Suit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said elastic fabric is produced with a basic periodic weave composed of two yarns, and wherein said yarns are respectively polyamide and elastomer.

6) Suit according to claim 5, wherein the proportions in weight of said polyamide yarn and of said elastomer yarn, with respect to the total weight of said elastic fabric, are respectively of between 70% and 90% and between 10% and 30%.

7) Suit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the proportions in weight of said elastic fabric and said coating polymer, with respect to the total weight of said membrane (2), are respectively of between 50% and 70% and between 30% and 50%.

8) Suit according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising membranes (2) mutually connected by means of heat-sealing along the rib of said membranes (2). 9) Suit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has dimensions such as to be suitable to be stretched when worn by a user.

10) Suit according to claim 9, wherein said stretching causes an average elongation of between 20% and 120% of the unstretched length of said membranes (2).

11) Suit according to one or more of the preceding claims, producing a speed swimming costume.

12) Suit according to claim 11 , comprising elastic lateral edges (11) and preferably having a modulus of elasticity, in the direction parallel to the direction of extension of these edges (11), which does not exceed the modulus of elasticity of said membranes (2).

13) Suit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein at least two membranes (2) are mutually connected by means of a zipper (6) comprising a toothed chain (7), covered, along the outer surface of said suit (1), by means of two flaps of membrane (9).

14) Suit according to one or more of the preceding claims, producing a water polo costume.

15) Suit according to claim 13, configured as briefs or trunks and comprising an upper closing element (14) placed in proximity of the waist and realized by a tie cord.