Compression Garments and Methods of Manufacturing Same

This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/467,977 filed on May 21, 2023, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure relates to garments. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to garments including visually appealing garments for wearing during lifestyle activities. Such lifestyle activities may include leisure activities such as playing sports, such as tennis, golf, and the like.

The disclosure provides a short-skirt (“skort”) compression garment that is tubular and seamless at the waistline. The garment evenly adheres to the wearer's form, without causing excess compression at the waistline, and prevents portions, such as fatty portions, of the abdomen from unduly protruding from the waistline when worn.

Certain wear form-fitting clothing when playing sports, such as tennis or golf, but may have issues with their appearance when wearing this clothing because the clothing applies compression against the body in a particular manner. For example, prior existing “skorts,” including articles constructed by “cut-and-sew” methods, tend to invariably have seams or other breaks in the continuity of the structure which dig into the waistline and produce unflattering bulges. Specifically, excess compression applied at the waistline can cause an undesirable appearance, especially if the wearer has excessive abdominal fat.

In response to excessive compression, the abdominal fat may bulge upward and outward from the waistline, forming a “muffin top,” which may be undesirable for many wearers. The need to appear a certain way, even when playing or competing in sports, can detract from an athlete's focus, enjoyment, or performance during training or competition. Amateur and professional athletes may also need to maintain a certain level of consistency with their public appearances for maintaining sponsorships and pursuing opportunities.

Accordingly, there is a need for improved form-fitting clothing for an athlete that does mot detract from the athlete's appearance when the clothing is worn. The present disclosure addresses these and other unmet needs.

According to an exemplary arrangement, a compression garment comprises a skirt portion, a short portion structurally continuous with the skirt portion, wherein the short portion is configured to adhere to a wearer, the skirt portion is configured to cover at least part of the short portion, and the compression garment is seamless at a waistline of the wearer to adhere to the waistline without excessive compression at the waistline when the garment is worn.

In one arrangement, the short portion adheres to a thigh, a buttock, and a groin of the wearer when de garment is worn.

In one arrangement, the garment is configured to prevent abdomen portions of the wearer from unduly protruding from the waistline when the garment is worn.

In one arrangement, the short portion and the skirt portion each comprises a nylon fabric, an elastane fabric, or both the nylon fabric and the elastane fabric.

In one arrangement, the garment comprises a tubular garment, and wherein the short portion is seamlessly transitioned to the skirt portion via an intermediate portion that comprises a seamless fold line.

In one arrangement, the garment is configurable to be in an extended configuration that is not folded at the seamless fold line such that the skirt portion extends upward from the intermediate portion, wherein the garment is configurable to be in a retracted configuration that is folded at the seamless fold line such that the skirt portion extends downward from the intermediate portion. In one arrangement, the waistline of the wearer is adjacent to the seamless fold line when the garment is worn. In one arrangement, the short portion comprises a ribbing knit pattern; and wherein each of the skirt portion and the intermediate portion comprises a warp knit pattern. In one arrangement, the ribbing knit pattern is a 2×1 ribbing knit pattern.

In one arrangement, a crotch portion of the short portion comprises a flatlock inseam and a gusset.

In one arrangement, a tubular compression garment comprises a short portion seamlessly transitioned to a skirt portion via an intermediate portion that comprises a seamless fold line, wherein the short portion adheres to a wearer, the skirt portion is configured to cover at least part of the short portion, and the garment is seamless at a waistline of the wearer to adhere to the waistline without excessive compression at the waistline when the garment is worn; wherein the garment is configurable to be in an extended configuration that is not folded at the seamless fold line such that the skirt portion extends upward from the intermediate portion, wherein the garment is configurable to be in a retracted configuration that is folded at the seamless fold line such that the skirt portion extends downward from the intermediate portion; wherein the waistline of the wearer is adjacent to the seamless fold line when the garment is worn; and wherein the garment is configured to prevent fatty portions of an abdomen of the wearer from unduly protruding from the waistline when the garment is worn.

In one arrangement, a crotch portion of the short portion comprises a flatlock inseam and a gusset.

In one arrangement; the short portion comprises a ribbing knit pattern, and wherein each of the skirt portion and the intermediate portion comprises a warp knit pattern.

In one arrangement, the ribbing knit pattern is a 2×1 ribbing knit pattern.

In one arrangement, a method for manufacturing a tubular compression garment, comprises the steps of creating a short portion, creating an intermediate portion that comprises a seamless fold line and that is structurally continuous with the short portion, and creating a skit portion that is structurally continuous with the intermediate portion.

In one arrangement, the garment is configurable to be in an extended configuration that is not folded at the seamless fold line such that the skirt portion extends upward from the intermediate portion, wherein the garment is configurable to be in a retracted configuration that is folded at the seamless fold line such that the skirt portion extends downward from the intermediate portion.

In one arrangement, a waistline of a wearer is adjacent to the seamless fold line when the garment is worn.

In one arrangement, the short portion is created by knitting a ribbing knit pattern with a first fabric, and wherein the intermediate portion and the skirt portion are created by knitting a warp knit pattern with a second fabric.

In one arrangement, each of the first fabric and the second fabric comprises a nylon fabric, an elastane fabric, or both the nylon fabric and the elastane fabric.

In one arrangement, the ribbing knit pattern is a 2×1 ribbing knit pattern.

The following detailed description describes various features and functions of the disclosed systems and methods with reference to the accompanying figures. The illustrative system and method embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. It may be readily understood that certain aspects of the disclosed systems and methods can be arranged and combined in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are contemplated herein.

Further, unless context suggests otherwise, the features illustrated in each of the figures may be used in combination with one another. Thus, the figures should be generally viewed as component aspects of one or more overall implementations, with the understanding that not all illustrated features are necessary for each implementation.

Additionally, any enumeration of elements, blocks, or steps in this specification or the claims is for purposes of clarity. Thus, such enumeration should not be interpreted to require or imply that these elements, blocks, or steps adhere to a particular arrangement or are carried out in a particular order.

By the term “substantially” it is meant that the recited characteristic, parameter, or value need not be achieved exactly, but that deviations or variations, including for example, tolerances, measurement error, measurement accuracy limitations and other factors known to those of skill in the art, may occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect the characteristic was intended to provide.

The features, functions, and advantages can be achieved independently in various embodiments of the present disclosure or may be combined in yet other embodiments in which further details can be seen with reference to the following description and drawings.

The disclosure provides a compression garment comprising a short portion and a skirt portion to form a “skort” design.

Referring now to-II, there are depicted views of an exemplary compression garmentand related materials. When the garmentis worn, the short portionadheres to the wearer and the skirt portioncovers at least part of the short portionsuch that the garmentappears as a skirt. The garmentis seamless throughout the structure, including at a waistline of the wearer. In this manner, the garmentcan adhere to the waistline of the wearer without any use of elastic and without excessive compression at the waistline when worn. In this manner, the garmentcan evenly compress the wearer's body. As just one consequence, certain portions of the wearer do not unduly protrude from the waistline when the garment is worn.

The present disclosure also provides methods for producing the compression garment. The method comprises creating a short portionwith a first fabric, creating an intermediate portionthat comprises a seamless fold linewith a second fabric, and creating a skirt portionwith the second fabric. The method is generally performed such that the short portion, the intermediate portion, and the skirt portionare structurally continuous with each other and are made as part of a single knitting operation, rather than several knitting operations as used for “cut-and-sew” methods. As a result, the diferent portions of the garmentinterface with each other without any seams.

The transitionfrom one portion to the next portion may be achieved by changing a knit pattern. In implementations, the short portionmay be created by knitting a ribbing knit pattern, and each of the intermediate portionand the skirt portionmay be created by knitting a warp knit pattern.

Any of various materials may be used for the first fabric and the second fabric, and in certain implementations, the short portionand the intermediate portioneach includes a form-fitting or compressive material (e.g., elastane) combined with another structural material (e.g., nylon), and the skirt portiondoes not include the form-fitting or compressive material such that the skirt portionflows about when the garmentis worn. In such implementations, the skirt portiondoes not adhere to the wearer. However, in implementations, a form-fitting skirt portionmay be made by incorporating the form-fitting material (e.g., elastane) into the skirt portion.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide improved compression garments that may be constructed of suitable fabrics and manufactured with suitable processes including manual and/or machine-based knitting and/or sewing.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. While the “skort” or garmentis disclosed herein as exemplary, alternative form factors and/or designs are contemplated, and the scope of the disclosure includes various changes or alterations to the exemplary “skort” as disclosed. In various forms of the garment, even though the waistline of the wearer is contacted by or is adjacent to the seamless fold line when the garment is worn, the garment does not apply excessive compression at the waistline and the wearer's appearance is maintained. In this manner, a contour of the wearer's waistline may be maintained and not disrupted by the garment.

In implementations, the short portionmay be configured to adhere to a thigh, a buttocks, and/or a groin of the wearer when the garment is worn, and the garment may be constructed with any suitable material or fabric. In certain implementations, the short portionand the intermediate portionmay each comprise a nylon fabric and an elastane fabric, and the skirt portion may comprise the nylon fabric. However, in other implementations, the skirt portionmay be made form-fitting or compressive by including the elastane fabric in the skirt portion.

In implementations, the short portionmay comprise a ribbing knit pattern, and each of the skirt portionand the intermediate portionmay comprise a warp knit pattern. The exact choice of knitting and/or sewing patterns may vary based on a certain implementation, but in some instances, the ribbing knit pattern may be a 2×1 ribbing knit pattern. In other instances, the ribbing knit pattern may be a 3×1 ribbing knit pattern, a 1×1 ribbing knit pattern, or another ribbing knit pattern, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In implementations, a crotch portionof the short portionmay comprise a flatlock inseamand a gusset, and in this manner, the garmentmay have little or no visible seams, depending on how the garmentis viewed when worn and/or when not worn.

Referring now to, there are depicted views, of the exemplary compression garmentin a retracted configuration () and an extended configuration (), in various implementations, the garmentis configurable to be in an extended configuration that is not folded at the seamless fold linesuch that the skirt portionextends upward from the intermediate portion. The garmentis also configurable to be in a retracted configuration that is folded at the seamless fold linesuch that the skirt portionextends downward from the intermediate portion, and the seamless fold lineforms a top portion of the waistband and contacts the waistline of the wearer when the garmentis worn.

In various implementations, suitable dimensions for the garmentmay be used. The exact dimensions may vary and may be determined and/or adjusted as needed for certain sizes, including but not necessarily limited to a size small, a size medium, a size large, a size extra-large, etc.

Referring now to, there are depicted exemplary illustrations of a wearer's abdominal area without wearing any garment (), wearing a prior “skort” garment (), and wearing a compression garmentin accordance with of the present disclosure (). The individual's naked waistline () may be overfat, but since the individual is not wearing any clothes at the abdominal area, the contour of the individual's waist is natural. Prior existing “skort” garments may cause excess compression at the waistline, for example via a horizontal seam at the waistline, and when worn by the individual, typically may produce a “muffin top” effect. The “muffin top” may be characterized in that excess fat at the abdominal area is compressed at the waistline such that it protrudes upward and outward from the waistline ().

For many individuals, the “muffin top” appearance is not desirable. The present disclosure provides an improved compression garmentthat may be worn by the individual without producing the “muffin top” effect as illustrated in. In this manner, the individual is able to focus on other activities, such as sports, without being as concerned with their appearance. The present disclosure may also benefit third parties, including, but not limited to news stations, sports broadcasters, advertisers, marketers, managers, sponsors, family members, friends, and the like, who may benefit from a consistent and/or improved public image maintained by the individual or athlete who wears the garment disclosed herein.

The compression garmentmay be manufactured according to any suitable manufacturing process, whether performed in whole or in part by one or more persons, in whole or in part by one or more machines, or otherwise. While developed or known manufacturing processes may be described herein, it is contemplated that the disclosure also encompasses any manufacturing processes as may be developed or known in the future and as may be suitable for producing any compression garment of or related to the disclosure. In certain implementations, the garmentmay be manufactured using a circular knitting machine.

Accordingly, the disclosure provides methods for manufacturing a tubular compression garment, the methods comprising: creating a short portion, creating an intermediate portionthat comprises a seamless fold lineand that is structurally continuous with the short portion, and creating a skirt portionthat is structurally continuous with the intermediate portion.

In various implementations, the short portionmay be created by knitting a ribbing knit pattern with a first fabric, and the intermediate portionand the skirt portion may each be created by knitting a warp knit pattern with a second fabric. The method may be used to produce any garmentdisclosed or contemplated herein and may be adapted as needed for a particular implementation relative to another implementation.

The description of the different advantageous embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments in the form disclosed. Modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Further, different advantageous embodiments may provide different advantages as compared to other advantageous embodiments. The embodiment or embodiments selected are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.