CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/434,112, which was filed on Dec. 21, 2022, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of protective shirt devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to an undershirt worn while playing baseball or softball capable of protecting the body against injury due to getting hit by the ball. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.

BACKGROUND

By way of background, this invention relates to improvements in protective shirt devices. Generally, when young athletes begin their transition from the comforts of machine or coach pitching to live player pitching, a natural apprehension and/or fear begins to develop. Further, a young athlete's fear of getting hit by the pitch and causing injury to their bone, soft tissue or even organs become a mental fear. Without the disclosed undershirt, this fear will increase thereby reducing the athlete's effectiveness, mechanics, and eventually, participation. Accordingly, wearing the disclosed undershirt offers assurances that encourage player development in a safe effective manner while increasing participation rate while they mature.

Thus, the disclosed invention relates to improvements in shirts or undershirts which are adapted to protect the vulnerable upper portion of the torso and arms of a baseball or softball player when at bat who may be hit and injured by a thrown baseball/softball by the pitcher on the opposing team, or from impact while engaging in another sports activity. Accordingly, the disclosed protective shirt device includes padded sections with flexible material surrounding the sections to allow free range of motion during use.

Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a protective shirt device that provides users with an undershirt worn while playing baseball or softball and capable of protecting the body against injury due to getting hit by the ball. There is also a long-felt need in the art for a protective shirt device that offers protection against injury when batting or fielding a baseball or softball. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for a protective shirt device that features protective, impact absorbent sections for shielding the back (i.e., bone, muscle, and organs). Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for a device that includes optionally covered areas that will protect the upper arm (i.e., deltoid, triceps, elbow) and front torso and sternum. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for a protective shirt device that maintains a free range of motion to prevent any limitations while swinging a bat, throwing, or fielding a ball. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a protective shirt device that prevents physical injury or mental strain on the athletes during play, while reducing fears of being hit by the ball to encourage years of development and participation.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a protective shirt device. The device is a protective undershirt to be worn during contact sports like baseball, softball, or even hockey. A core function of the device during wear is the protection of soft tissue, bone, and organs by providing designated areas of protection. The protective shirt device comprises a shirt component with a plurality of protection areas positioned in designated areas on the shirt component. Further, the shirt component comprises a torso section, a neck opening, and two sleeve components. The plurality of protection areas include the back (posterior) of a user, including the rib cage, latissimus region, obliques, scapula, rear deltoid, trapezius region and spinus prothesis. Optionally, the plurality of protection areas include the upper arm (bilateral), bi-lateral deltoid, triceps, and elbow joint. Further, the plurality of protection areas can include the anterior (i.e., frontal ribs, muscles, and sternum). Padding components are secured to the plurality of protection areas to absorb the impact of a pitch or line drive. Further, each protection area is independent of the other areas, allowing free range of motion and expansion of the muscle groups. Further, the protective shirt device is lightweight, breathable, and will form an athletic fit when worn.

In this manner, the protective shirt device of the present invention accomplishes all of the foregoing objectives and provides users with a device that protects the body against injury during sports. The device offers protective areas while also maintaining free range of motion during use. The device can be manufactured of a lightweight, breathable material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a protective shirt device. The device is a protective undershirt to be worn during contact sports like baseball, softball, or even hockey. A core function of the device during wear is the protection of soft tissue, bone, and organs by providing designated areas of protection. The protective shirt device comprises a shirt component with a plurality of protection areas positioned in designated areas on the shirt component. Further, the shirt component comprises a torso section, a neck opening, and two sleeve components. Padding components are secured to the plurality of protection areas to absorb the impact of a pitch or line drive.

The disclosed protective shirt device strategically places a plurality of padding components and protection areas on a shirt, undershirt, or other suitable garment or clothing item. Further, the placement of padding components and/or protection areas must be spaced apart adequately and independent of one another to allow movement and free range of motion during sports activities to ensure safety. Accordingly, bulky padding is rather ineffective at enabling a user's movement.

In one embodiment, the protective shirt device comprises a protective padded shirt component. The shirt component can be any suitable size and shape as is known in the art and typically resembles a conventional shirt or undershirt, or other suitable article of clothing as is known in the art. Further, the shirt component is manufactured by sewing a front panel to a back panel along the sides to create the torso section, while leaving the collar section open to create a neck opening, and then sewing the two sleeve components to the torso section to complete the shirt component, as is well known in this field. Further, the shirt component can have long or short sleeves or no sleeve components. The shirt component can also have a high neck, a collar, a mock neck, a low neck, a crew neck, or a V-neck. The torso section of the shirt component can be long in length, falling below a user's hips, so as to be tucked in more easily, or shorter in length, falling right at a user's hips, or cropped and falling at a user's abdomen. The shirt component can be designed as an undershirt and worn under another shirt or jersey; or the shirt component can be designed as a shirt and worn by itself during the sports activities.

While many materials for the shirt component are possible, a super stretchy lycra content fabric has proven to be the most effective. Typically, the shirt component should be lightweight, breathable and have an athletic fit when worn. Accordingly, the shirt component can also be manufactured of nylon, spandex, etc., or other suitable abrasion-resistant fabric as is known in the art.

Further, the padding components can also be made from many materials, but molded plastic has proven to be the most effective. Additionally, the padding components can also be soft and manufactured of cotton padding, lycra, etc., or other suitable padded materials as is known in the art. The padding components can also be comprised of multiple layers of padding or one single layer.

In one embodiment, the padding components are secured to the plurality of protection areas, as needed. The padding components can be secured to the plurality of protection areas via sewing, gluing, adhesives, etc., or any other suitable securing means as is known in the art. In one embodiment, the plurality of protection areas comprise pockets for the padding components. The padding components can be inserted into the pockets in the needed areas, then removed as necessary. For example, if washing the shirt component, the padding components can be removed first. Once the padding components are in place, if an impact force contacts the padding components and/or the plurality of protection areas, the padding components become deformed and the padding components convert the impact force into a distributed force throughout the padding components to absorb the impact and protect the user from injury.

In another embodiment, strips of Velcro can be sewed to the outer surface areas of the protection areas, and the underside of the padding components have a similar Velcro strip. The Velcro strips allow the padding components to be quickly attached and detached, allowing a user to change padding components, as well as add or take away the padding components from some of the protection areas, as needed. It is to be understood that all of the padding components may be interchangeably positioned on the protection areas, depending on the needs and/or wants of a user.

In one embodiment, the shirt component comprises a plurality of protection areas which contain padding components. The plurality of protection areas can include the back (posterior) of a user, including the rib cage, latissimus region, obliques, scapula, rear deltoid, trapezius region and spinus prothesis. Optionally, the plurality of protection areas can also include the upper arm (bilateral), bi-lateral deltoid, triceps, and elbow joint. Further, the plurality of protection areas can also include the anterior (i.e., frontal ribs, muscles, and sternum). The padding components can be inserted into any and/or all of the protection areas, depending on the needs and/or wants of a user. For example, a user can choose to pad only the three most prevalent places where a severe injury may be sustained on the arm by a thrown baseball from an opposing pitcher.

In another embodiment, each protection area is independent of the other areas, allowing for free range of motion and expansion of the muscle groups. Accordingly, the independent areas around the protection areas provide flexibility between the protection areas. Thus, a user is not restricted from physical activity while wearing the protective shirt device. In some embodiments, the shirt component comprises an opening under the left arm pit and an opening under the right arm pit for further flexibility and freedom of movement of the shirt component and for coolness as an air passage under the user's arm pits.

In yet another embodiment, the protective shirt device comprises a plurality of indicia.

In yet another embodiment, a method of protecting a user from injuries during sports activities. The method includes the steps of providing a protective shirt device comprising a shirt component with a plurality of protection areas positioned in designated areas on the shirt component. The method also comprises securing padding components into the plurality of protection areas on the shirt component. Further, the method comprises securing the shirt component to a user by placing the shirt component over a user's head and the user's arms through the sleeve components. Finally, the method comprises utilizing the protective shirt device while playing sports.

Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, upon reading and understanding the following detailed specification.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a front perspective view of one embodiment of the protective shirt device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 1B illustrates a front perspective view of one embodiment of the protective shirt device of the present invention in use in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIGS. 2A-B illustrate a front perspective view of one embodiment of the protective shirt device of the present invention shown while swinging a bat in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 3 illustrates a front perspective view of one embodiment of the protective shirt device of the present invention shown on a child in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 4 illustrates a rear perspective view of one embodiment of the protective shirt device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 5 illustrates a front perspective view of a child without the protective shirt device during sports activities; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart showing the method of protecting a user from injuries during sports activities in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.

As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for a protective shirt device that provides users with an undershirt worn while playing baseball or softball and capable of protecting the body against injury due to getting hit by the ball. There is also a long-felt need in the art for a protective shirt device that offers protection against injury when batting or fielding a baseball or softball. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for a protective shirt device that features protective, impact absorbent sections for shielding the back (i.e., bone, muscle, and organs). Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for a device that includes optionally covered areas that will protect the upper arm (i.e., deltoid, triceps, elbow) and front torso and sternum. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for a protective shirt device that maintains a free range of motion to prevent any limitations while swinging a bat, throwing, or fielding a ball. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a protective shirt device that prevents physical injury or mental strain on the athletes during play while reducing fears of being hit by the ball to encourage years of development and participation.

The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a novel protective shirt device. The device is a protective undershirt to be worn during contact sports like baseball, softball, or even hockey. A core function of the device during wear is the protection of soft tissue, bone, and organs by providing designated areas of protection. The protective shirt device comprises a shirt component with a plurality of protection areas positioned in designated areas on the shirt component. Further, the shirt component comprises a torso section, a neck opening, and two sleeve components. Padding components are secured to the plurality of protection areas to absorb the impact of a pitch or line drive. Further, each protection area is independent of the other areas allowing free range of motion and expansion of the muscle groups. The present invention also includes a novel method of protecting a user from injuries during sports activities. The method includes the steps of providing a protective shirt device comprising a shirt component with a plurality of protection areas positioned in designated areas on the shirt component. The method also comprises securing padding components into the plurality of protection areas on the shirt component. Further, the method comprises securing the shirt component to a user by placing the shirt component over a user's head and his or her arms through the sleeve components. Finally, the method comprises utilizing the protective shirt device while playing sports.

Referring initially to the drawings, FIGS. 1A-B illustrate a perspective view of one embodiment of the protective shirt device 100 of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the protective shirt device 100 is an improved protective shirt device 100 that protects a user 108 from impacts during sports activities. Specifically, the device 100 is a protective undershirt (i.e., shirt component 102) to be worn during contact sports like baseball, softball, or even hockey, or any other suitable contact sports as is known in the art. A core function of the device 100 during wear is the protection of soft tissue, bone, and organs by providing designated areas of protection 104. The protective shirt device 100 comprises a shirt component 102 with a plurality of protection areas 104 positioned in designated areas on the shirt component 102. Padding components 108 are secured to the plurality of protection areas 104 to absorb the impact of a pitch or line drive or other impact from a sports activity.

The disclosed protective shirt device 100 strategically places a plurality of padding components 108 and protection areas 104 on a shirt, undershirt, or other suitable garment or clothing item. Further, the placement of padding components 108 and/or protection areas 104 must be spaced apart adequately and independent of one another to allow movement and free range of motion during sports activities to ensure safety. Accordingly, bulky padding is rather ineffective at enabling a user's movement.

The disclosed protective shirt device 100 is intended to protect the rear (back/organs/bone-tissue) of a batter (or other athlete), so that not only would they protect themselves but more importantly, the batter can learn proper mechanics of loading their swing. Specifically, the mechanics of the swing of a batter is to load back (turning their back to the pitcher) then swing, however, many young batters, when scared at bat, do the exact opposite, they turn open facing the pitcher (which increases the probability of facial injury or sternum injury). Thus, the protective shirt device 100 provides protection, so batters are not afraid to turn their back and hit the ball correctly. Accordingly, the device 100 is also designed to keep batters in the proper position, to successfully hit but also to successfully absorb the errant pitch in the back (not the front).

As shown in FIGS. 2A-B, the protective shirt device 100 comprises a protective padded shirt component 102. The shirt component 102 can be any suitable size and shape as is known in the art and typically resembles a conventional shirt or undershirt, or other suitable article of clothing as is known in the art. Further, the shirt component 102 is manufactured by sewing a front panel 200 to a back panel 202 along the sides 204 to create the torso section 206, while leaving the collar section 208 open to create a neck opening 210, and then sewing the two sleeve components 212 to the torso section 206 to complete the shirt component 102, as is well known in this field. Further, the shirt component 102 can have long or short sleeves or no sleeve components 212. The shirt component 102 can also have a high neck, a collar, a mock neck, a low neck, a crew neck, or a V-neck. The torso section 206 of the shirt component 102 can be long in length, falling below a user's hips, so as to be tucked in more easily, or shorter in length, falling right at a user's hips, or cropped and falling at a user's abdomen. The shirt component 102 can be designed as an undershirt and worn under another shirt or jersey; or the shirt component 102 can be designed as a shirt and worn by itself during the sports activities. Additionally, the shirt component 102 can include a fastener 213, such as a zipper, buttons, Velcro, etc., to secure the shirt component 102 around a user.

While many materials for the shirt component 102 are possible, a super stretchy lycra content fabric has proven to be the most effective. Typically, the shirt component 102 should be lightweight, breathable and have an athletic fit when worn. Accordingly, the shirt component 102 can also be manufactured of nylon, spandex, etc., or other suitable abrasion- resistant fabric as is known in the art. For example, the shirt component 102 can be manufactured of polyurethane, lycra, copolymers, elastomeric fibers, spandex, etc., or any other suitable materials or combination of materials, as is known in the art.

Further, the padding components 108 can also be made from many materials, but molded plastic has proven to be the most effective. However, the padding components 108 can also be soft and manufactured of cotton padding, foam, neoprene, gel, etc., or other suitable padded materials as is known in the art. The padding components can also be comprised of multiple layers of padding or one single layer.

As shown in FIG. 3, the padding components 108 are secured to the plurality of protection areas 104, as needed. The padding components 108 can be secured to the plurality of protection areas 104 via sewing, gluing, adhesives, etc., or any other suitable securing means as is known in the art. In one embodiment, the plurality of protection areas 104 comprise pockets 300 for the padding components 108. The padding components 108 can then be inserted into the pockets 300 in the needed areas then removed as necessary. For example, if washing the shirt component 102, a user can remove the padding components 108 first and then wash the shirt component 102 without damaging the padding components 108. Once the padding components 108 are in place, if an impact force contacts the padding components 108 and/or the plurality of protection areas 104, the padding components 108 become deformed and the padding components 108 convert the impact force into a distributed force throughout the padding components 108 to absorb the impact and protect the user from injury.

In another embodiment, strips of Velcro 302 can be sewed to the outer surface areas 304 of the protection areas 104, and the underside 306 of the padding components 108 have a similar Velcro strip 302. The Velcro strips 302 allow the padding components 108 to be quickly attached and detached without need of pockets 300 allowing a user to change padding components 108, as well as add or take away the padding components 108 from some of the protection areas 104, as needed. It is to be understood that all of the padding components 108 may be interchangeably positioned on the protection areas 104, depending on the needs and/or wants of a user. Further, the padding components 108 can be combined or layered at one protection area 104 (or more than one protection area 104) for additional padding and protection, as needed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the shirt component 102 comprises a plurality of protection areas 104 which contain padding components 108. The plurality of protection areas 104 can include the back (posterior) 400 of a user 500 including the rib cage 402, latissimus region 404, obliques 406, scapula 408, rear deltoid 410, trapezius region 412 and spinus prothesis 414. Optionally, the plurality of protection areas 104 can also include the upper arm (bilateral) 416, bi-lateral deltoid 418, triceps 420, and elbow joint 422. Further, the plurality of protection areas 104 can also include the anterior (i.e., frontal ribs, muscles, and sternum) 424. The padding components 108 can be inserted into any and/or all of the protection areas 104, depending on the needs and/or wants of a user 500. For example, a user 500 can choose to pad only the three most prevalent places where a severe injury may be sustained on the arm by a thrown baseball from an opposing pitcher, or any other protection area 104 as well, depending on the needs and/or wants of a user 500.

Furthermore, each protection area 104 is independent of the other areas allowing for free range of motion and expansion of the muscle groups. Accordingly, the independent areas around the protection areas 104 provide flexibility between the protection areas 104. Thus, a user 500 is not restricted from physical activity while wearing the protective shirt device 100. In some embodiments, the shirt component 102 comprises an opening 426 under the left arm pit 428 and an opening 426 under the right arm pit 428 for further flexibility and freedom of movement of the shirt component 102 and for coolness as an air passage under the user's arm pits 428.

As shown in FIG. 5, the protective shirt device 100 comprises a plurality of indicia 502. The shirt component 102 of the device 100 may include advertising, trademark, or other letters, designs, or characters, printed, painted, stamped, or integrated into the shirt component 102, or any other indicia 502 as is known in the art. Specifically, any suitable indicia 502 as is known in the art can be included, such as, but not limited to, patterns, logos, emblems, images, symbols, designs, letters, words, characters, animals, advertisements, brands, etc., that may or may not be sport, safety, or brand related.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of the method of protecting a user from injuries during sports activities. The method includes the steps of at 600, providing a protective shirt device comprising a shirt component with a plurality of protection areas positioned in designated areas on the shirt component. The method also comprises at 602, securing padding components into the plurality of protection areas on the shirt component. Further, the method comprises at 604, securing the shirt component to a user by placing the shirt component over a user's head and the arms through the sleeve components. Finally, the method comprises at 606, utilizing the protective shirt device while playing sports.

Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different users may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “protective shirt device”, “shirt device”, and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the protective shirt device 100 of the present invention.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the protective shirt device 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above- stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the protective shirt device 100 as shown in FIGS. 1-6 are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the protective shirt device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the protective shirt device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the protective shirt device 100 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.