IP Library Granted Patent US 8,281,414
Granted Patent B2
US 8,281,414 · App. 12/691,260 · Granted Oct 9, 2012

Garment having improved contact areas

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,281,414
App. No.
12/691,260
Granted
Oct 9, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An athletic padding arrangement includes a garment made of a fabric and a plurality of resilient bulge shaped gripping members disposed on the fabric. The gripping members provide at least one high friction area on the garment, each of the gripping members is uniform in composition. At least one protective pad is releasably positioned on the garment with and underside of the protective pad in contact with the at least one high friction area. The gripping members exert a frictional force on the underside of the protective pad that is greater than the frictional force exerted by the fabric on the protective pad. The garment may be, for example, a shirt or a pant comprised of a compression fabric with moisture wicking properties.

Claims (26)

1. An athletic padding arrangement configured to be worn by a human, the athletic padding arrangement comprising:

a shirt without an attached pant, the shirt including a compression fabric and a plurality of resilient bulge shaped gripping members disposed on the compression fabric, the gripping members providing at least one high friction area on the shirt, including a high friction area on a front shoulder portion and a high friction area on a rear shoulder portion, each of the gripping members uniform in composition; and

at least one protective shoulder pad releasably positioned on the shirt with an underside of the protective pad in contact with the high friction area on the front shoulder portion and the high friction area on the rear shoulder portion, wherein the gripping members exert a frictional force on the underside of the protective pad that is greater than the frictional force exerted by the fabric on the protective pad.

2. The athletic padding arrangement of claim 1 wherein the gripping members are comprised of a tackifying ink.

3. The athletic padding arrangement of claim 1 wherein the fabric is comprised of a material with moisture wicking properties.

4. The athletic padding arrangement of claim 1 wherein each of the gripping members is from 5 mm to 10 mm in diameter.

5. The athletic padding arrangement of claim 1 wherein each of the gripping members has a height above an outer surface of the garment of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.

6. The athletic padding arrangement of claim 1 wherein an outer surface of the fabric is exposed between each gripping member and wherein each gripping member is separated from adjacent gripping members by 5 mm to 20 mm.

7. The athletic padding arrangement of claim 1 wherein the garment is a shirt.

8. The athletic padding arrangement of claim 1 wherein the at least one protective pad includes football shoulder pads.

9. An athletic garment arrangement for a human body, the athletic garment arrangement comprising:

a protective padding member configured to be worn on an upper portion of the human body, the protective padding member including a padded portion and a rigid portion; and

a shirt with a front shoulder portion and a rear shoulder portion but without an attached pant, the shirt positioned between the protective padding member and the upper portion of the human body, the shirt comprising:

a fabric, and

gripping members fixed on the fabric on the front shoulder portion and the rear shoulder portion, the gripping members releasably engaging the protective padding member, the gripping members comprised of a material exerting a frictional force on the protective padding member that is greater than the frictional force exerted by the fabric on the protective padding member.

10. The athletic garment arrangement as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the garment is a long sleeved shirt.

11. The athletic garment arrangement as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the protective padding member is football shoulder pads, and the gripping members are disposed at locations on the shirt in contact with the football shoulder pads.

12. The athletic garment arrangement as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the gripping members are disposed on arm areas of the athletic shirt in contact with the football shoulder pads.

13. The athletic garment arrangement as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the gripping members are comprised of plastisol.

14. The athletic garment arrangement of claim 9 wherein the gripping members are positioned on an outer surface of the fabric and wherein the gripping members contact an inner surface of the protective padding member.

15. An athletic garment arrangement for a human body, the athletic garment arrangement comprising:

a shirt without an attached pant, the shirt comprising a fabric, the shirt including a front shoulder portion and a rear shoulder portion;

protective padding releasably positioned on the shirt and at least partially covering the front shoulder portion and rear shoulder portion; and

a plurality of gripping members disposed on the fabric at the front shoulder portion and the rear shoulder portion such that the plurality of gripping members are in releasable contact with at least a portion of the protective padding, the gripping members comprising discrete elements of a material exerting a frictional force on an underside of the protective padding that is greater than the frictional force exerted by the fabric on the protective padding.

16. The athletic garment of claim 15 wherein the garment is a shirt and the protective padding includes football shoulder pads.

17. The athletic garment as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the plurality of gripping members are disposed on at least one of the chest, arm and back areas of the garment in contact with the football shoulder pads.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2020
From: UNDER ARMOUR, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052654/0756 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2010
From: MICKLE, WILLIAM K.
To: UNDER ARMOUR, INC
Reel/Frame 023948/0582 →