HK1160743B - Protective element for cyclist pants - Google Patents

Description

Protective element for cyclist's pants

Technical Field

The invention relates to a protective element for a pair of cyclist pants (radfahresholse), having a front protective region and a rear protective region, which are connected to one another by a taper (Verj ü ngung), wherein the protective region and the taper each have a surface.

Background

Cyclist pants are to be understood in the sense of the present invention not only as pants but also as sportswear (Renndress) for cycling for women and men, which also includes tops. Such pants and clothing are used by both professional and non-professional cyclists, both when riding bicycles (Bahnradfahren) on the street and on the ground and also when riding bicycles on mountains. They serve to provide physical protection in the event of prolonged continuous sitting on the elongated racing seat of a racing bicycle. Due to the elongated saddle, the body part in direct contact with the saddle is subjected to the highest local stresses, which can lead to serious injuries of the relevant body part if no protective measures are taken. In order to protect against such injuries, particular cyclist pants are known which are provided with a protective pad (Schutzpolster) at the part of the body which is most highly loaded, in order to protect the body part which is highly loaded against pressure and friction.

In order to provide such protection from pressure and friction, it is known to sew or glue protective elements in cyclist pants or sportswear made for cyclists. For this purpose, a cushion arranged in the crotch region of the trousers (Schritt) is used. The mat may be made of padded (gepolstert) natural leather or padded artificial leather; the use of colloidal pads (Gelkisse) is also known.

The known protective element has a friction-reducing and smooth surface. In order to obtain additional friction reduction, protective elements made of natural leather are generally greased before use. In the case of woven (eingewoben) mats, a friction reducing textile (Textil) is applied. It is common for the protective element to have a very smooth surface in order to keep the friction between the pad and the skin of the user as small as possible.

The protective elements used to date, however, have the following disadvantages: sweat formation occurs during cycling due to increased body loads. Sweat formation also occurs in the area of the protective elements in the cyclist's pants. Moisture in the form of sweat causes softening of the skin of the cyclist, as is often the case when the skin comes into contact with moisture. The mechanical load capacity of the skin is reduced due to the softening of the skin. This leads to an increased risk of skin injury by friction, and thus to a reduced working efficiency.

Disclosure of Invention

In this context, the present invention will make a remedy. The aim of the invention is to provide a protective element for cyclist pants which, while maintaining the cushioning properties, also avoids softening of the skin during the accumulation of perspiration (Schwei β anfall). According to the invention, this object is solved by a protective element. The surface of which has a three-dimensional (dreidimetric) structure.

With the present invention a protective element for cyclist pants is provided which enables perspiration to be conducted away and thus contributes to making the skin less loaded by moisture. The mechanical load capacity of the skin is thereby reduced less strongly, so that the risk of injury by friction is significantly reduced. The provision of a three-dimensional structure as a surface for the protective element for cyclist pants differs here from previous solutions which are based on the theory that as smooth as possible, i.e. a two-dimensional surface, is most suitable for the protective element, since the friction is kept at a small level due to the smooth surface. However, it is not taken into account here that moisture cannot evaporate, so that a softening of the skin ensues due to a permanent loading of the skin by the accumulated moisture. By the permanent action of moisture on the skin, the mechanical load capacity of the skin is continuously reduced, so that the probability of injury by friction is high. This effect is enhanced for the application of the leather pad by the grease, since the grease can cause occlusion of the pores, so that air circulation is completely prevented.

In a development of the invention, the structure is produced from a knitted fabric (strickgewell). This type of manufacturing enables the three-dimensional shape to be designed as freely as possible. Different structures with different properties are thus produced by different configurations of the knitted fabric. Furthermore, the knitted fabric has a high elasticity, which helps to optimally adapt the protective element to movements and to the body.

Preferably, recesses (Tasche) and/or grooves (Nische) are formed in the structure. The recesses and/or grooves enable absorption of sweat. At the same time, the recesses or grooves are filled with air, so that by absorbing moisture into the air-filled recesses and grooves, sweat is absorbed by the air, which leads to evaporation. This makes it possible to remove moisture from the area which is particularly subjected to loads.

In a further development of the invention, an air duct is provided in the structure. The air channels also help to draw moisture away from the areas that are subjected to loads, in particular by the accumulation of sweat, which leads to a further reduction in the load on the skin caused by moisture.

Drawings

Further developments and embodiments of the invention are specified in the remaining dependent claims. Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and described in detail below. Wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a view of a protective element;

fig. 2 shows a view of the protective element in a further embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged perspective view of a partial section of a three-dimensional structure of a surface in which a groove is configured;

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged perspective view of a partial section of a three-dimensional structure having a notched surface configured therein;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a cross section through a protective element;

fig. 6 shows a view of the protective element in a further embodiment in a partially broken-away view;

fig. 7 shows a view of the protective element in an additional embodiment.

Detailed Description

The protection element for cyclist pants chosen as an embodiment has a front protection zone 1 and a rear protection zone 2. The protection zones 1 and 2 are connected to each other by a taper 3. The protective element is provided at least partially with an edge portion 4 on its periphery. The edge portion 4 serves to secure the protective element at the bicycle rider pants, not shown. The connection between the protective element and the cyclist's trousers can be made by sewing, gluing, welding or the like.

In the protective element, gel-filled pads 5, 6 and 7 are provided (fig. 1 and 2). In a variation of this embodiment, the pads 5, 6 and 7 may also be foamed, as shown for example in fig. 5A pad. The cushions 5, 6 and 7 are formed in a manner related to the human body structure (anatomisch) and are tailored in an ergonomic manner. These pads provide effective cushioning of collisions and enable even pressure distribution. The shown shape of the pads 5, 6 and 7 is only a feasible solution. As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the pads 5, 6 and 7 may also have other shapes.

In the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 6, a mat 7 is provided, for example, in addition to the mats 5 and 6, but the mats 7 are embodied separately, thus forming mat components 71 and 72. In addition, a cushion 11 is additionally provided in the region of the taper 3, which is likewise embodied as separate, thereby forming cushion parts 111 and 112. In the embodiment according to fig. 7, pads 5, 6 and 7 are also provided. However, these pads have a smaller surface than the other embodiments. The free space thus formed between the mats is occupied by the mats 12 in the region of the taper 3 (ausfullen) on the one hand and in the following protective region on the other hand2 occupied by two pads 13. The longitudinal gap is produced by the separate embodiment of the mat 11 and the arrangement of the additional mats 12 and 1314 and a transverse gap (query) 15, which improves the mobility of the protective element and thus the adaptation to the body.

The protective element and thus the protective regions 1 and 2 and the taper 3 are provided with a surface 10 which in the embodiment according to fig. 1 and 2 surrounds the entire protective element on the skin-facing side of the protective element. In the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 6 and 7, the surface 10 is arranged only in the region of the pads 5 to 7 and 11 to 13. The surface 10 has a three-dimensional structure, which is made of a knitted fabric. For the production of knitted fabrics, different threads (Garne) can be used. Preferably, the thread is a skin-compatible (hautsymphathich) thread which furthermore has bacteriostatic, non-allergenic (allergeneiutral), odour-inhibiting and antistatic properties.

In the embodiment according to fig. 2, a recess 8 is formed in the structure of the protective region 1, which recess 8 extends as far as into the taper 3. In the embodiment according to fig. 6, the grooves 8 are provided on the pads 7 and 11. The grooves 8 absorb the accumulated sweat, dredge it and transport it quickly away from the strongly sweated frontal protection zone 1. In the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 2, recesses 9 are formed in the rear protective region 2, which recesses 9 show a honeycomb-shaped structure in the overall view. The recess 9 extends locally into the taper 3. In the embodiment according to fig. 6 and 7, there are also recesses 9, but in a modified shape. In fig. 6 the recess 9 is provided on the pads 5 and 6; in fig. 7 all the mats are provided with a honeycomb-shaped structure configured as recesses 9. The recess 9 contributes to a large area distribution of the pressure and thus to an increased comfort. At the same time, the skin is ventilated from behind through the recess 9 (hingerl fur). In addition, the recesses 9 absorb sweat similar to the grooves 8 and help to quickly carry it away from the skin. The grooves 8 and the recesses 9 thus contribute to providing a dry skin feel, whereby the mechanical properties of the skin in the relevant area are not negatively affected by moisture, so that the risk of injury, in particular by friction, is significantly reduced. In the embodiment according to fig. 1, this effect is obtained by a net-shaped structure.

The section through the protective element for cyclist pants shown in figure 5 illustrates its configuration. Obviously, the pad 7 is foamed in the front protective region 1, while the pad 5 shown in cross section is filled with gel. The filling of the gel is realized by a so-called gel pad (Gelpad)18, which gel pad 18 essentially has the shape of the pad 5. A foam pad (Schaumpad)19 follows the shape of the foamed mat 7. Ventilation channels 16 are provided in the foamed mat 7 or the foam padding 19. The ventilation channel 16 is vertically oriented. The ventilation channel 16 serves for ventilation and ventilation in the region of the protective element. In this way, the transport of the moisture produced and the exchange with fresh air are additionally improved.

Fig. 5 also shows the three-dimensional structure of surface 10 in the region of pads 5 and 7. It can be seen that the elevations and depressions alternate on the surface 10, whereby the depressions are configured as grooves 8 or recesses 9. Similarly, this is also present for the remaining pads 6 and 11 up to 13. As can also be taken from fig. 5, an intermediate layer 17 is arranged between the pad 5 and the surface 10. The intermediate layer 17 has, on the one hand, cushioning properties, which, on the other hand, promotes the shape stability of the protective element.

In the protective element according to the invention, the three-dimensional structure (with its recesses 8 and recesses 9 configured therein and filled with air) results in an "air-permeable" configuration of the protective element. By means of the significantly improved ventilation compared to the protective elements known from the prior art, a significantly improved air conditioning is obtained. The air conditioning is additionally improved in that the movement is transmitted to the protective element during the cycling. By the resulting alternating pressure on the protective element, a pressure is exerted on the thus deformed groove 8 and the recess 9. The air in the grooves 8 and the recesses 9 produces a pump effect (pumpfeffekt). This results in an accelerated supply and removal of air and an increased cooling effect. At the same time, this results in an accelerated transport of moist air, thereby increasing the operating efficiency. The mentioned effect is additionally increased by the provision of the ventilation channel 16, since fresh air is thereby transported from below into the protective element on the one hand, and moist air is transported away at an increased speed through the ventilation channel 16 on the other hand.

Furthermore, the groove 8 and the recess 9 provide the possibility to store grease used by the user of the bicycle pants. Unlike for example in the case of leather pads (for which the application of grease can cause the occlusion of the holes), in the case of the protective element according to the invention the three-dimensional structure is able to store grease in the groove 8 or the recess 9 without losing the venting and deflation function, since grease can penetrate into the groove 8 or the recess 9.

In addition, in a supplementary version of the exemplary embodiment, it is possible to provide air channels, not shown, in the structure, which enable further air supply and removal. On the one hand the air channels can be arranged directly below the surface 10 and on the other hand they can be woven into the structure.

Claims (7)

1. Protective element for cyclist pants, having a front protective region and a rear protective region, which are connected to one another by a taper, wherein the protective region and the taper each have a surface, wherein the surface (10) has a three-dimensional structure and is provided with a pad (5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13), characterized in that a groove (8) and/or a recess (9) is/are configured in the structure and an intermediate layer (17) is arranged between the pad (5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13) and the surface (10).

2. Protective element according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure is made of a knitted fabric.

3. Protective element according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an air channel is provided in the structure.

4. Protective element according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pad (5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13) comprises a first pad filled with a gel.

5. Protective element according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mat (5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13) comprises a second mat, which second mat is foamed.

6. Protective element according to claim 5, wherein a ventilation channel (16) is provided in the second mat.

7. Protective element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that longitudinal gaps (14) and/or transverse gaps (15) are formed between the mats (5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13).