TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to sports padding for clothing. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a padding system for padding in shorts.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Sportswear is used to make the wearer more comfortable while exercising or competing in sports events. One of the types of activities a user may engage in is cycling. Cyclists often wear shorts made of elastane or other breathable and stretchable material to prevent overheating and make the user’ s body more streamlined. Because the user may sit on a seat while cycling, a padding system may be added into the crotch area of the shorts to make the exercise more comfortable.

SUMMARY

[0003] The various systems and methods of the present disclosure have been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available in sporting wear. The systems and methods of the present disclosure may provide a removable pad system within an article of clothing including sportswear and in particular cycling shorts.

[0004] To achieve the foregoing, and in accordance with the present disclosure, an exercise garment may be provided. The exercise garment may include a first fabric layer formed of one of a hook fiber material and a loop fiber material, and a removable pad with a padding layer, and an adherence layer formed of the other of a hook fiber material layer and a loop fiber material layer configured to adhere to the first fabric layer to couple the removable pad to the first fabric layer.

[0005] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that each of the hook fiber material and the loop fiber material is relatively pliable and is sufficiently soft and smooth to be comfortable against skin.

[0006] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that the first fabric layer is formed of the loop fiber material, the removable pad is formed of the hook fiber material, and the loop fiber material is a napped material.

[0007] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that the hook fiber material and the loop fiber material are configured to be easily and silently pulled apart by hand. [0008] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may further include a second removable pad with a second padding layer having a second level of cushioning different from a level of cushioning of the padding layer, and a second adherence layer with the same structure as the adherence layer, configured to adhere to the first fabric layer to couple the second removable pad to the first fabric layer. [0009] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that the adherence layer is configured to adhere to the first fabric layer without any other fastening elements.

[0010] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that the adherence layer is configured to adhere to the first fabric layer in any of multiple positions on the first fabric layer.

[0011] According to some embodiments, an exercise garment may have a first fabric layer and a removable pad with a padding layer, and a second fabric layer configured to adhere to the first fabric layer without any other fastening elements.

[0012] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that each of the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer is relatively pliable and is sufficiently soft and smooth to be comfortable against skin.

[0013] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that the first fabric layer is formed of a loop fiber material, the second fabric layer is formed of a hook fiber material, and the loop fiber material is a napped material.

[0014] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer are configured to be easily and silently pulled apart by hand.

[0015] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may further include a second removable pad with a second padding layer having a second level of cushioning different from a level of cushioning of the padding layer, and a third fabric layer with the same structure as the second fabric layer. The third fabric layer may be configured to adhere to the first fabric layer to couple the second removable pad to the first fabric layer.

[0016] According to some embodiments, an exercise garment may have a first fabric layer and a removable pad with a padding layer and a second fabric layer configured to adhere to the first fabric layer in any of multiple positions on the first fabric layer.

[0017] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that each of the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer is relatively pliable and is sufficiently soft and smooth to be comfortable against skin.

[0018] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that the first fabric layer is formed of a loop fiber material, the second fabric layer is formed of a hook fiber material, and the loop fiber material is a napped material.

[0019] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer are configured to be easily and silently pulled apart by hand.

[0020] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may further have a second removable pad with a second padding layer having a second level of cushioning different from a level of cushioning of the padding layer, and a third fabric layer with the same structure as the second fabric layer. The third fabric layer may be configured to adhere to the first fabric layer to couple the second removable pad to the first fabric layer.

[0021] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may further have a base layer. The first fabric layer may have a loop fiber material formed separately from and secured to the base layer.

[0022] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may be configured such that the first fabric layer is larger than the second fabric layer.

[0023] The exercise garment of any preceding paragraph may further have a third fabric layer formed of the loop fiber material. The third fabric layer may be formed separately from and secured to the base layer. The third fabric layer may be spaced apart from the first fabric layer on the base layer. The second fabric layer may further be configured to adhere to the third fabric layer.

[0024] These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the systems and methods of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only exemplary embodiments and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of the scope of the appended claims, the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0026] Figure 1 is a front, perspec tive view of a pair of cycling shorts according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 2 is a back, perspective view of a pair of cycling shorts according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 3 is a front, perspective view of a pair of cycling shorts turned inside out according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 4 is a back, perspective view of a pair of cycling shorts turned inside out according to one embodiment of the present disclosure’

[0030] Figure 5 is a top view of a removable pad for coupling into an interior portion of a pair of cycling shorts according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 6 is a side, perspective view of a removeable pad for coupling into an interior portion of a pair of cycling shorts according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 7 is a side, perspective view of a removeable pad for coupling into an interior portion of a pair of cycling shorts according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; [0033] Figure 8 is a top plan view of a removeable pad installed into an interior portion of a pair of cycling shorts according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 9 is a flowchart describing a method of manufacturing a pair of cycling shorts according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 10 is a front, perspective view of a pair of bibs according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0036] Figure 11 is a front, perspective view of a pair of cycling pants according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. It will be readily understood that the components of the disclosure, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the apparatus, system, and method, as represented in Figures 1 through 9, is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, as claimed, but is merely representative exemplary of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.

[0039] The phrases "connected to," "coupled to" and "in communication with" refer to any form of interaction between two or more entities, including mechanical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, fluid, and thermal interaction. Two components may be functionally coupled to each other even though they are not in direct contact with each other. The term "abutting" refers to items that are in direct physical contact with each other, although the items may not necessarily be attached together. The phrase "fluid communication" refers to two features that are connected such that a fluid within one feature is able to pass into the other feature.

[0040] The word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. While the various aspects of the embodiments are presented in drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated.

[0041] Figure 1 is a front, perspective view of a pair of cycling shorts 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Although the present specification describes a removeable pad 104 being operatively coupled to the pair of cycling shorts 100, the present specification contemplates that the removeable pad 104 may be affixed to any portion of any article of clothing. The removeable pad 104 may be used to add extra padding to a location where padding may be used to make the article of clothing or garment more comfortable during use. In the exemplary embodiments described herein, the removeable pad 104 may be placed at a crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100 where a user may sit on a bicycle seat. In other instances, the removeable pad 104 may be coupled to an article of clothing such as a shirt in order to provide a padding location where impacts may occur such as with a football jersey, for example.

[0042] Figures 1-4 show various views of a removeable pad 104 formed into a crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100. Figure 2 is a back, perspective view of a pair of cycling shorts according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a front, perspective view of a pair of cycling shorts turned inside out according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 is a back, perspective view of a pair of cycling shorts turned inside out according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] The pair of cycling shorts 100 may include a base layer such as a crotch 102 section that forms part of the pair of cycling shorts 100 that contacts a seat of a bicycle, in the exemplary embodiments described herein. In an embodiment, the crotch 102 may include a gusset that is formed, at least partially, from the materials similar to the materials used to form the short fabric 106 (e.g., elastane). In an embodiment, the gusset may be formed on an outside surface of the pair of cycling shorts 100 so that the material matches the outside materials forming the short fabric 106. Figures 1 and 2 show the crotch 102 where a gusset may be formed while Figures 3 and 4 do not show the gusset because these figures show the pair of cycling shorts 100 inside out.

[0044] The crotch 102 may further include one of a hook fiber material layer and loop fiber material layer, which may be formed as part of the gusset, or may be formed as a separate layer and attached (for example, permanently) to the gusset. In an embodiment, this additional layer may match the size of the gusset formed in the crotch 102, may exceed any dimensional size of the gusset formed in the crotch 102, or may have dimensions that are smaller than the size of the gusset. In an embodiment, the crotch 102 includes a hook fiber material layer that interfaces with a loop fiber material layer formed on a surface of the removeable pad 104. In this embodiment the loop fiber material layer may include napped materials that are made of cotton flannel, wool, polyvinyl acetate, chamois, viscose or other semi-synthetic fiber. These materials may include looped fibers that interact with hook fibers on the hook fiber material layer on the removeable pad 104. This hook and loop bond that forms between the hook fiber material layer on the crotch 102 and the loop fiber material layer on the removeable pad 104 secures the removeable pad 104 to the crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100 even when the pair of cycling shorts 100 gets wet or the user’s sweat or when the user shifts the user’s body within the pair of cycling shorts 100. Although there is a hook and loop interaction between the hook fiber material layer on the crotch 102 and the loop fiber material layer on the removeable pad 104, the removeable pad 104 may be removable by the user easily such that one removeable pad 104 may be swapped out for another removeable pad 104. It is appreciated that the area that the crotch 102 of the shorts covers may include those areas of the user’s anatomy that include, in some exemplary embodiments, the sit bones and buttocks areas.

[0045] In an embodiment, the material layer on the crotch 102 may include the loop fiber material layer while the removeable pad 104 may include the hook fiber material layer. In an embodiment, the crotch 102 includes this loop fiber material layer that interfaces with a hook fiber material formed on a surface of the crotch 102. In this embodiment the fiber material layer may include napped materials that are made of cotton flannel, chamois, wool, polyvinyl acetate, viscose or other semi-synthetic fiber. These materials may include looped fibers that interact with hook fibers on the material formed on the crotch 102. This hook and loop bond that forms between the looped fiber material layer on the crotch 102 and the hooked fiber material layer on the removeable pad 104 secures the removeable pad 104 to the crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100 even when the pair of cycling shorts 100 gets wet or the user’s sweat or when the user shifts the user’s body within the pair of cycling shorts 100. Although there is a hook and loop interaction between the hooked fiber material layer on the crotch 102 and the hooked fiber material layer on the removeable pad 104, the removeable pad 104 may be removable by the user easily such that one removeable pad 104 may be swapped out for another removeable pad 104. It is therefore appreciated that the hooked fiber material layer may be formed on the crotch 102 or on the removeable pad 104 while the looped fiber material layer may be formed on the opposite surface of that the hooked fiber material layer is formed on: the crotch 102 or the removeable pad 104.

[0046] The hooked and looped fiber materials may be of any type known in the art. One example is Goodcatch (https ://www.goodcatch. world/). The hooked and looped fiber materials may advantageously be silent in operation (e.g., silent to attach and/or silent to peel apart). In this application, “silent” to remove or pull apart does not mean that pulling the hooked and looped fabric materials apart makes absolutely no sound, but rather that the sound would not be noticeable by a typical competitor in the course of an athletic event. The hooked and looped fiber materials may also advantageously be relatively pliable, unlike traditional hook and loop materials, such as VELCRO, which typically have a more rigid plastic base. In this application, a material that is “relatively pliable” is sufficiently flexible to be easily wrapped around a pencil by hand. In some embodiments, cylindrical objects of various diameters could be used to test pliability, with diameters such as 1/16 inches, 1/8 inches, ! inches, 3/8 inches, and Vi inch. The hooked fiber material and/or the looped fiber material may advantageously be soft and smooth to the touch so that they are comfortable against the user’ s skin. Thus, the user may find the cycling shorts 100 comfortable with or without the removeable pad 104 in place. The hooked and looped fiber materials may further be easily pulled apart by hand. This means that they can be pulled apart by an athlete without significant exertion.

[0047] The removeable pad 104, as described herein, includes one of a hooked fiber material layer or a looped fiber material layer. In an embodiment, the removeable pad 104 may also include a padded layer that is operatively coupled to the one of a hooked fiber material layer or a looped fiber material layer. This padded layer may include any padding material such as foam, batting, down, feathers, felt, gel packs, or any other type of padding material that makes the user more comfortable when wearing the pair of cycling shorts 100 and when the user sits on a seat of a bicycle. The thickness of the removeable pad 104 may additionally vary based on the type of activities the user may engage in. For example, a user may actively engage in road or mountain biking that may requires a thicker padding on the removeable pad 104 and then engage in triathlon biking that may not necessitate less padding thickness on the removeable pad 104. Also, in some exemplary embodiments, the length of the ride may further inform the user in determining which padding type to choose. For example, a long ride cyclist may want thicker pad than a short ride cyclist. When engaged in a triathlon, the user may not want a thick pad for the event. After cycling the user could remove the pad for the event allowing for a thicker pad to be attached to the shorts and used when engaged in a different athletic event such as a long ride. This feature is not provided in traditional athletic (e.g., triathlon) shorts. Further, the athlete could put the pad in after a swimming portion of the triathlon and not have a water-logged pad for the cycling portion of the triathlon. Because an athlete often uses the same shorts for the swimming and cycling portions of the triathlon, this removeable pad 104 or a series of removeable pads 104 may be easily swapped out between these portions of the triathlon. Because of the easy removal and installation of the removeable pad 104, a user may remove one removeable pad 104 and swap it away for a second type of removeable pad 104. During this swapping, the user may complete the task without necessarily taking the pair of cycling shorts 100 off and the removeable pad 104 may not necessarily have to be aligned exactly with the material layers formed on the crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100. In some examples, the removeable pad 104 may be coupled to the material layers formed on the crotch 102 based on the comfort of the user. For example, the user may couple the removeable pad 104 to the material layers formed on the crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100 further towards the back in order to place the padded layers of the removeable pad 104 towards a back portion of the crotch 102 where a user’s hip bones (e.g., a coccyx, an inferior pubic ramus, or other bones of the user’s posterior) would contact a surface such as a bike seat. Additionally, alignment of the removeable pad 104 by the user may be customized by the user based on the reproductive anatomy of the user to provide additional or different padding at those anatomical differences. Still further, alignment of the removeable pad 104 by the user may be customized by the user based on a user’s riding style when the user is riding a bicycle.

[0048] In an embodiment, because the removeable pad 104 and material layers of the crotch 102 do not include any hardware (e.g., fastening elements) used to fasten the removeable pad 104 to the material layers of the crotch 102, the removeable pad 104 and/or material layers on the crotch 102 may include visual registration or alignment markers formed thereon for the user to quickly align the removeable pad 104 to the surface of the material layers formed on the crotch 102. The removable pad 104 may be able to remain in place on the material layers of the crotch 102 (or elsewhere on the exercise garment) without any other fastening elements besides the fabric material layers of the garment and the removable pad 104.

[0049] In an embodiment, the hook fabric material layer and the loop fabric material layer may be placed on the fabric material layers on the removeable pad 104 and on the crotch 102 such that abrasive skin contact or chafing is limited. For example, where the fabric material layer on the crotch 102 may contact the user’s skin, the softer of the hook fiber material layer and the loop fiber material layer may be coupled to the crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100.

[0050] It is appreciated that the coupling of the hook fiber material layer and the loop fiber material layer to one of the removeable pad 104 and crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100 is completed using any type of coupling method. In an exemplary embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be sewn into the gusset material at the crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be sewn to the removeable pad 104. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be glued to the gusset formed at the crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be glued to the removeable pad 104. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be chemically welded (e.g., chemicals used to dissolve part of each of the layers to meld the two fabrics together) to the gusset formed at the crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be chemically welded to the removeable pad 104. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be heat welded to the gusset formed at the crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be heat welded to the removeable pad 104. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be ultrasonically welded to the gusset formed at the crotch 102 of the pair of cycling shorts 100. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be ultrasonically welded to the removeable pad 104.

[0051] Figure 5 is a top view of a removeable pad 504 for coupling into an interior portion of a pair of cycling shorts according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As described herein, although the removeable pad 504 is described herein as being installed into a pair of cycling shorts, the present specification contemplates that the removeable pad 504 may be added to any portion of a garment. The placement of the removeable pad 504 on a garment at any location on that garment may be based on a number of factors including anticipated impacts to the user’ s body, potential rubbing locations of the body against the body and the body against exercise equipment, sweating locations, among other factors described herein.

[0052] Tire removeable pad 104 may include a plurality of layers that allow the removeable pad 104 to be operatively coupled to an interior surface of the pair of cycling shorts. In an embodiment, the removeable pad 104 may include one of a hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer that interacts with a loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer, respectively, formed on the gusset material of the crotch on the pair of cycling shorts in order to secure the removeable pad 504 to the garment.

[0053] Figure 5 shows the removeable pad 504 with a first end 508 and a second end 510. In an embodiment, the first end 508 may be placed at a location on the pair of cycling shorts that faces forward when the pair of cycling shorts is worn by a user. The second end 510, in an embodiment, may be placed at a location on the pair of cycling shorts that is posterior to the user when the pair of cycling shorts are worn. The shape of the removeable pad 504 in Figure 5 may be generally in a pear shape in order to provide a relatively larger portion of the removeable pad 504 at a location against the user’s anatomy where, for example, a user’s hip bones (e.g., a coccyx, an inferior pubic ramus, or other bones of the user’s posterior) would contact a surface such as a bike seat. This second end 510 of the removeable pad 504 may have, in an exemplary embodiment, relatively more padding than in the first end 508 such that when most of the weight of the user contacts the bike seat is padded.

[0054] It is appreciated that, despite the shape and size of the removeable pad 504 shown in Figure 5, the size and shape of the removeable pad 504 may vary. For example, larger sizes may be provided to those users who wear larger garments such as an extra-extra-large (XXL) pair of cycling shorts versus an extra-extra-small (XXS) pair of cycling shorts as well as those typical garment sizes between the XXL and XXS sizes as well as those outside those typical garment sizes. The present specification further contemplates that the size of the removeable pad 504 may be larger or smaller than the size of, for example, the gusset formed in the pair of cycling shorts with a pair of cycling shorts that includes a relatively large gusset having a removeable pad 504 that is smaller coupled thereto. In an embodiment, the removeable pad 504 may be one of a variety of different types and sizes of removeable pads 504 that are sold as a package thereby providing a variety of sizes and shapes of removeable pads 504 to a user for use in a plurality of different types of athletic activities.

[0055] In an embodiment, the variety of removeable pads 504 may be sold with the pair of cycling shorts or other type of garment. This may allow the removeable pads 504 to be customized with the type of exercise activity the user is anticipating to engage in when wearing the specific type of pair of cycling shorts. Additionally, or alternatively, the variety of removeable pads 504 may have varying thicknesses of padding that allows a user to select among the removeable pads 504 to provide more or less padding during the exercising activities. For example, a triathlete may select no padding for swimming, a thin pad for running, and a thick pad for cycling.

[0056] In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer and loop fiber material layer may be provided to the user separately from the padding layer. In this embodiment, the user may operatively couple the hook fiber material layer and loop fiber material layer to the removeable pad 504 and crotch area of the pair of cycling shorts by, for example, sewing these layers to their respective pieces.

[0057] Figure 6 is a side, perspective view of a removeable pad 604 for coupling into an interior portion of a pair of cycling shorts according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the first end 608 may be placed at a location on the pair of cycling shorts that faces forward when the pair of cycling shorts is worn by a user. The second end 610, in an embodiment, may be placed at a location on the pair of cycling shorts that is posterior to the user when the pair of cycling shorts are worn. It is contemplated that a removable pad according to the present disclosure may be placed on the interior or on the exterior of the garment. In some embodiments, the garment may have both interior and exterior layers capable of attachment to the pad, so that the pad can be attached to the interior or the exterior.

[0058] Figure 6 shows potential layers that may be included with the removeable pad 604. In an embodiment, the removeable pad 604 may include a first layer 612. The first layer 612 may be a soft layer that abuts the body of the user. This first layer 612 may include a fabric or other type of material that prevents chafing of the user’s body while the user is wearing the pair of cycling shorts and when the removeable pad 604 is operatively coupled to the pair of cycling shorts as described herein.

[0059] The removeable pad 604 may further include a second layer 614. In an embodiment, the second layer 614 may include any padding that provides comfort to the user. This second layer 614 of padding layer may include any padding material such as foam, batting, down, feathers, felt, gel packs or any other type of padding material that makes the user more comfortable when wearing the pair of cycling shorts and when the user sits on a seat of a bicycle, for example. The thickness of this second layer 614 may vary depending on the amount of padding material added into this layer. In an embodiment, the density of the padding material within the second layer 614 may vary along the surface of the second layer 614. The placement of more or less density of padding within the second layer 614 may vary depending on the anticipated location of the user’ s anatomy that may require padding during an exercise activity.

[0060] The third layer 616 may be one of the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer as described herein. In an embodiment, this third layer 616 may match the size of a gusset formed in the crotch area of the pair of cycling shorts, may exceed any dimensional size of the gusset formed in the crotch, or may have dimensions that are smaller than the size of the gusset. In an embodiment, the crotch may include the hook fiber material layer that interfaces with a loop fiber material layer formed on a surface of the removeable pad 604. In this embodiment the loop fiber material layer may include napped materials that are made of cotton flannel, polyvinyl acetate, chamois, wool, viscose or other semi-synthetic fiber. These materials may include looped fibers that interact with hook fibers on the hook fiber material layer on the removeable pad 604. This hook and loop bond that forms between the hook fiber material layer on the crotch and the loop fiber material layer on the removeable pad 604 secures the removeable pad 604 to the crotch are of the pair of cycling shorts even when the pair of cycling shorts gets wet or the user’s sweat or when the user shifts the user’s body within the pair of cycling shorts. Although there is a hook and loop interaction between the hook fiber material layer on the crotch and the loop fiber material layer on the removeable pad 604, the removeable pad 604 may be removable by the user easily such that one removeable pad 604 may be swapped out for another removeable pad 604.

[0061] In an embodiment, the material layer on the crotch may include the loop fiber material layer while the removeable pad 604 may include the hook fiber material layer as the third layer 616. In an embodiment, the crotch includes this loop fiber material layer that interfaces with a hook fiber material formed on a surface of the crotch area. In this embodiment the fiber material layer may include napped materials that are made of cotton flannel, polyvinyl acetate, chamois, wool, viscose or other semisynthetic fiber. These materials may include looped fibers that interact with hook fibers on the material formed on the crotch. This hook and loop bond that forms between the looped fiber material layer on the crotch and the hooked fiber material layer on the removeable pad 604 secures the removeable pad 604 to the crotch of the pair of cycling shorts even when the pair of cycling shorts gets wet or the user’ s sweat or when the user shifts the user’s body within the pair of cycling shorts.

[0062] Figure 7 is a side, perspective view of a removeable pad 704 for coupling into an interior portion of a pair of cycling shorts according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the first end 708 may be placed at a location on the pair of cycling shorts that faces forward when the pair of cycling shorts is worn by a user. The second end 710, in an embodiment, may be placed at a location on the pair of cycling shorts that is posterior to the user when the pair of cycling shorts are worn.

[0063] In an embodiment, the removeable pad 704 may include a first layer 712. The first layer 712 may include any padding that provides comfort to the user. This first layer 712 of padding layer may include any padding material such as foam, batting, down, feathers, felt, gel packs or any other type of padding material that makes the user more comfortable when wearing the pair of cycling shorts and when the user sits on a seat of a bicycle, for example. The thickness of this first layer 712 may vary depending on the amount of padding material added into this layer. In an embodiment, the density of the padding material within the first layer 712 may vary along the surface of the first layer 712. The placement of more or less density of padding within the first layer 712 may vary depending on the anticipated location of the user’s anatomy that may require padding during an exercise activity.

[0064] The second layer 714 may be one of the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer as described herein. In an embodiment, this second layer 714 may match the size of a gusset formed in the crotch area of the pair of cycling shorts, may exceed any dimensional size of the gusset formed in the crotch, or may have dimensions that are smaller than the size of the gusset. In an embodiment, the crotch may include the hook fiber material layer that interfaces with a loop fiber material layer formed on a surface of the removeable pad 704. In this embodiment the loop fiber material layer may include napped materials that are made of cotton flannel, polyvinyl acetate, chamois, wool, viscose or other semi-synthetic fiber. These materials may include looped fibers that interact with hook fibers on the hook fiber material layer on the removeable pad 704. This hook and loop bond that forms between the hook fiber material layer on the crotch and the loop fiber material layer on the removeable pad 704 secures the removeable pad 704 to the crotch are of the pair of cycling shorts even when the pair of cycling shorts gets wet or the user’s sweat or when the user shifts the user’s body within the pair of cycling shorts. Although there is a hook and loop interaction between the hook fiber material layer on the crotch and the loop fiber material layer on the removeable pad 704, the removeable pad 704 may be removable by the user easily such that one removeable pad 704 may be swapped out for another removeable pad 704. [0065] In an embodiment, the material layer on the crotch may include the loop fiber material layer while the removeable pad 704 may include the hook fiber material layer as the second layer 714. In an embodiment, the crotch includes this loop fiber material layer that interfaces with a hook fiber material formed on a surface of the crotch area. In this embodiment the fiber material layer may include napped materials that are made of cotton flannel, polyvinyl acetate, chamois, wool, viscose or other semisynthetic fiber. These materials may include looped fibers that interact with hook fibers on the material formed on the crotch. This hook and loop bond that forms between the looped fiber material layer on the crotch and the hooked fiber material layer on the removeable pad 704 secures the removeable pad 704 to the crotch of the pair of cycling shorts even when the pair of cycling shorts gets wet or the user’ s sweat or when the user shifts the user’s body within the pair of cycling shorts.

[0066] Figure 8 is a top plan view of a removeable pad 804 installed into an interior portion of a pair of cycling shorts 800 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The view shown in Figure 8 is a plan view as user looks down into the shorts from the top with the removeable pad 804 placed within a base layer such as a crotch gusset fabric 818 formed in the material of the pair of cycling shorts 800 at a location corresponding to a crotch 802 of the user in the seated position.

[0067] As shown in Figure 8, the removeable pad 804 may have dimensions that are smaller than the crotch gusset fabric 818. In this embodiment, the fabric of the crotch gusset fabric 818 may include one of a loop fiber material layer or a hook fiber material layer and may interface with a corresponding hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer formed on an underside of the removeable pad 804. Because the crotch gusset fabric 818 may contact the user’s skin when the pair of cycling shorts 800 is being worn, the crotch gusset fabric 818 may be soft such that it doesn’t chafe the user’s skin.

[0068] In an embodiment, size of the removeable pad 804 may exceed the dimensions of the crotch gusset fabric 818. In an embodiment, portions of the removeable pad 804 such as the first end 808 and/or second end 810 extend past the borders of the crotch gusset fabric 818. For example, a second end 810 of the removeable pad 804 may be increased in size to cover more portions of a user’ s posterior region on the user’s body. In an embodiment, some portions of the removeable pad 804 (e.g., the first end 808 and/or second end 810) may include a thicker portion of padding therein.

[0069] As described herein, the removeable pad 804 may include a plurality of layers. Among these layers is one of a hook fiber material layer or a loop fiber material layer depending on the type of fabric used on the crotch gusset fabric 818. A padding layer may be sewn onto or otherwise attached to the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer of the removeable pad 804. As described herein, the pair of cycling shorts 800 may be sold with a plurality of different removeable pads 804 that are of different sizes, thicknesses, shapes, and purposes as described herein.

[0070] The crotch gusset fabric 818 of the pair of cycling shorts 800 may have one or more pieces of short fabric 806 (e.g., elastane) sewed to it to form the pair of cycling shorts 800 as shown in, for example, Figures 1-4. The short fabric 806 may be formed into a single piece by sewing multiple pieces of fabric together forming seams in the pair of cycling shorts 800 in an embodiment. The type of fabric used to form the pair of cycling shorts 800 may vary depending on use purposes of the pair of cycling shorts 800, breathability, water wicking characteristics, among other factors. The crotch gusset fabric 818 along with the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer formed thereon may be made of the same or different material as the short fabric 806.

[0071] Optionally, multiple removable pads may be incorporated into the cycling shorts 800. For example, the cycling shorts 800 may also have first sit bone gusset fabric 828 and second sit bone gusset fabric 830 positioned where the rider’s sit bones will contact a seat such as a bicycle seat. A first sit bone removable pad 834 and a second sit bone removable pad 836 may be removably attachable to the first sit bone gusset fabric 828 and the second sit bone gusset fabric 830, respectively, in order to provide cushioning for the sit bones. The first sit bone gusset fabric 828, the second sit bone gusset fabric 830, the first sit bone removable pad 834, and/or the second sit bone removable pad 836 may be used independently of the crotch gusset fabric 818 and the removeable pad 804.

[0072] The first sit bone gusset fabric 828 and the second sit bone gusset fabric 830 may optionally be larger than the first sit bone removable pad 834 and the second sit bone removable pad 836 to provide flexibility in the placement of the first sit bone removable pad 834 and the second sit bone removable pad 836. Thus, the first sit bone removable pad 834 may be configured to adhere to the sit bone gusset fabric (or other fabric on the garment) in any of multiple positions on the garment. Tn the alternative, the first sit bone gusset fabric 828 and the second sit bone gusset fabric 830 may be substantially the same size and/or shape as the first sit bone removable pad 834 and a second sit bone removable pad 836 so that the first sit bone removable pad 834 and a second sit bone removable pad 836 are both placed at predetermined locations and/or orientations. The first sit bone gusset fabric 828, the second sit bone gusset fabric 830, the first sit bone removable pad 834, and/or the second sit bone removable pad 836 may be circular as shown, or may have any other shape that would be desirable for providing padding to the sit bones.

[0073] In some embodiments, fabric and additional removable padding may be placed at other locations on the bike shorts in addition to or in the alternative to those shown in Figure 8. Any construction described herein may be used to form the first sit bone gusset fabric 828, the second sit bone gusset fabric 830, the first sit bone removable pad 834, the second sit bone removable pad 836 and/or the additional fabric and padding.

[0074] Figure 9 is a flowchart describing a method 900 of manufacturing a pair of cycling shorts according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 900 may include forming a first fabric at a crotch location on a pair of shorts at block 905. The fabric here may be one of a hook fiber material layer or a loop fiber material layer as described herein. In an embodiment where the fabric is a hook fiber material layer, this hook fiber material layer may interface with a loop fiber material layer formed on a removeable pad that may be coupled to the crotch section of the pair of cycling shorts to add more padding or an additional layer in the pair of cycling shorts. In an embodiment where a fabric at the crotch section of the pair of cycling shorts is a loop fiber material layer, this loop fiber material layer may interface with a hook fiber material layer formed on a removeable pad that may be coupled to the crotch section of the pair of cycling shorts to add more padding or an additional layer in the pair of cycling shorts.

[0075] Tire method 900 further includes, at block 910, operatively coupling a second fabric to a first side of a removeable pad. In an embodiment, the removeable pad may be a layer of padding. The fabric on the first side of the removeable pad is one of the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer used to interface with the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer, respectively, formed at the crotch location on the pair of cycling shorts. As described herein, the hook fibers of the hook fiber material layer may hook into the loop fibers of the loop fiber material layer so that they two layers may be coupled to each other when the removeable pad is installed into the pair of cycling shorts. [0076] The method 900 also includes, at block 915, optionally operatively coupling a third fabric to a second side of the padding layer. In an embodiment, this third layer may be a non-chafing fabric layer, or any other type of layer that adds comfort to the user. In an embodiment, the third layer may be sewn onto the padding layer of the removeable pad. Alternative methods of coupling this third layer to the removeable pad may include chemical welding, ultrasonic welding, heat welding, gluing, among other coupling methods and devices.

[0077] Figure 10 is a front, perspective view of a pair of bibs 300 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The removeable pad 304 may be used to add extra padding to a location where padding may be used to make the article of clothing or garment more comfortable during use. In the exemplary embodiments described herein, the removeable pad 304 may be placed at a base layer such as a crotch 302 of the pair of bibs 300 where a user may sit on a bicycle seat, for example. In other instances, the removeable pad 304 may be coupled to an article of clothing such as a shirt in order to provide a padding location where impacts may occur such as with a football jersey, for example. The pair of bibs 300 may include a crotch 302 section that forms part of the pair of bibs 300 that contacts a seat of a bicycle, in the exemplary embodiments described herein. In an embodiment, the crotch 302 may include a gusset that is formed, at least partially, from the materials similar to the materials used to form the fabric 306 (e.g., elastane). In an embodiment, the gusset may be formed on an outside surface of the pair of bibs 300 so that the material matches the outside materials forming the fabric 306. Figure 10 shows the crotch 302 where a gusset may be formed.

[0078] The crotch 302 may further include one of a hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer formed onto the gusset. In an embodiment, this additional layer may match the size of the gusset formed in the crotch 302, may exceed any dimensional size of the gusset formed in the crotch 302, or may have dimensions that are smaller than the size of the gusset. In an embodiment, the crotch 302 includes a hook fiber material layer that interfaces with a loop fiber material layer formed on a surface of the removeable pad 304. In this embodiment the loop fiber material layer may include napped materials that are made of cotton flannel, wool, polyvinyl acetate, chamois, viscose or other semisynthetic fiber. These materials may include looped fibers that interact with hook fibers on the hook fiber material layer on the removeable pad 304. This hook and loop bond that forms between the hook fiber material layer on the crotch 302 and the loop fiber material layer on the removeable pad 304 secures the removeable pad 304 to the crotch 302 of the pair of bibs 300 even when the pair of bibs 300 gets wet or the user’s sweat or when the user shifts the user’s body within the pair of bibs 300. Although there is a hook and loop interaction between the hook liber material layer on the crotch 302 and the loop fiber material layer on the removeable pad 304, the removeable pad 304 may be removable by the user easily such that one removeable pad 304 may be swapped out for another removeable pad 304. It is appreciated that the area that the crotch 302 of the shorts covers may include those areas of the user’s anatomy that include, in some exemplary embodiments, the sit bones and buttocks areas.

[0079] In an embodiment, the material layer on the crotch 302 may include the loop fiber material layer while the removeable pad 304 may include the hook fiber material layer. In an embodiment, the crotch 302 includes this loop fiber material layer that interfaces with a hook fiber material formed on a surface of the crotch 302. In this embodiment the fiber material layer may include napped materials that are made of cotton flannel, chamois, wool, polyvinyl acetate, viscose or other semi-synthetic fiber. These materials may include looped fibers that interact with hook fibers on the material formed on the crotch 302. This hook and loop bond that forms between the looped fiber material layer on the crotch 302 and the hooked fiber material layer on the removeable pad 304 secures the removeable pad 304 to the crotch 302 of the pair of bibs 300 even when the pair of bibs 300 gets wet or the user’s sweat or when the user shifts the user’s body within the pair of bibs 300. Although there is a hook and loop interaction between the hooked fiber material layer on the crotch 302 and the hooked fiber material layer on the removeable pad 304, the removeable pad 304 may be removable by the user easily such that one removeable pad 304 may be swapped out for another removeable pad 304.

[0080] In an embodiment, because the removeable pad 304 and material layers of the crotch 302 do not include any hardware used to fasten the removeable pad 304 to the material layers of the crotch 302, the removeable pad 304 and/or material layers on the crotch 302 may include visual registration or alignment markers formed thereon for the user to quickly align the removeable pad 304 to the surface of the material layers formed on the crotch 302.

[0081] It is appreciated that the coupling of the hook fiber material layer and the loop fiber material layer to one of the removeable pad 304 and crotch 302 of the pair of bibs 300 is completed using any type of coupling method. In an exemplary embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be sewn into the gusset material at the crotch 302 of the pair of bibs 300. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be sewn to the removeable pad 304. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be glued to the gusset formed at the crotch 302 of the pair of bibs 300. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be glued to the removeable pad 304. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be chemically welded (e.g., chemicals used to dissolve part of each of the layers to meld the two fabrics together) to the gusset formed at the crotch 302 of the pair of bibs 300. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be chemically welded to the removeable pad 304. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be heat welded to the gusset formed at the crotch 302 of the pair of bibs 300. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be heat welded to the removeable pad 304. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be ultrasonically welded to the gusset formed at the crotch 302 of the pair of bibs 300. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be ultrasonically welded to the removeable pad 304.

[0082] Figure 11 is a front, perspective view of a pair of cycling pants 400 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The removeable pad 404 may be used to add extra padding to a location where padding may be used to make the article of clothing or garment more comfortable during use. In the exemplary embodiments described herein, the removeable pad 404 may be placed at a base layer such as a crotch 402 of the pair of cycling pants 400 where a user may sit on a bicycle seat, for example. In other instances, the removeable pad 404 may be coupled to an article of clothing such as a shirt in order to provide a padding location where impacts may occur such as with a football jersey, for example. The pair of cycling pants 400 may include a crotch 402 section that forms part of the pair of cycling pants 400 that contacts a seat of a bicycle, in the exemplary embodiments described herein. In an embodiment, the crotch 402 may include a gusset that is formed, at least partially, from the materials similar to the materials used to form the fabric 406 (e g., elastane). In an embodiment, the gusset may be formed on an outside surface of the pair of cycling pants 400 so that the material matches the outside materials forming the fabric 406. Figure 10 shows the crotch 402 where a gusset may be formed.

[0083] The crotch 402 may further include one of a hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer formed onto the gusset. In an embodiment, this additional layer may match the size of the gusset formed in the crotch 402, may exceed any dimensional size of the gusset formed in the crotch 402, or may have dimensions that are smaller than the size of the gusset. In an embodiment, the crotch 402 includes a hook fiber material layer that interfaces with a loop fiber material layer formed on a surface of the removeable pad 404. In this embodiment the loop fiber material layer may include napped materials that are made of cotton flannel, wool, polyvinyl acetate, chamois, viscose or other semisynthetic fiber. These materials may include looped fibers that interact with hook fibers on the hook fiber material layer on the removeable pad 404. This hook and loop bond that forms between the hook fiber material layer on the crotch 402 and the loop fiber material layer on the removeable pad 404 secures the removeable pad 404 to the crotch 402 of the pair of cycling pants 400 even when the pair of cycling pants 400 gets wet or the user’s sweat or when the user shifts the user’s body within the pair of cycling pants 400. Although there is a hook and loop interaction between the hook fiber material layer on the crotch 402 and the loop fiber material layer on the removeable pad 404, the removeable pad 404 may be removable by the user easily such that one removeable pad 404 may be swapped out for another removeable pad 404. It is appreciated that the area that the crotch 402 of the shorts covers may include those areas of the user’s anatomy that include, in some exemplary embodiments, the sit bones and buttocks areas.

[0084] In an embodiment, the material layer on the crotch 402 may include the loop fiber material layer while the removeable pad 404 may include the hook fiber material layer. In an embodiment, the crotch 402 includes this loop fiber material layer that interfaces with a hook fiber material formed on a surface of the crotch 402. In this embodiment the fiber material layer may include napped materials that are made of cotton flannel, chamois, wool, polyvinyl acetate, viscose or other semi-synthetic fiber. These materials may include looped fibers that interact with hook fibers on the material formed on the crotch 402. This hook and loop bond that forms between the looped fiber material layer on the crotch 402 and the hooked fiber material layer on the removeable pad 404 secures the removeable pad 404 to the crotch 402 of the pair of cycling pants 400 even when the pair of cycling pants 400 gets wet or the user’s sweat or when the user shifts the user’s body within the pair of cycling pants 400. Although there is a hook and loop interaction between the hooked fiber material layer on the crotch 402 and the hooked fiber material layer on the removeable pad 404, the removeable pad 404 may be removable by the user easily such that one removeable pad 404 may be swapped out for another removeable pad 404. [0085] In an embodiment, because the removeable pad 404 and material layers of the crotch 402 do not include any hardware used to fasten the removeable pad 404 to the material layers of the crotch 402, the removeable pad 404 and/or material layers on the crotch 402 may include visual registration or alignment markers formed thereon for the user to quickly align the removeable pad 404 to the surface of the material layers formed on the crotch 402.

[0086] It is appreciated that the coupling of the hook fiber material layer and the loop fiber material layer to one of the removeable pad 404 and crotch 402 of the pair of cycling pants 400 is completed using any type of coupling method. In an exemplary embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be sewn into the gusset material at the crotch 402 of the pair of cycling pants 400. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be sewn to the removeable pad 404. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be glued to the gusset formed at the crotch 402 of the pair of cycling pants 400. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be glued to the removeable pad 404. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be chemically welded (e.g., chemicals used to dissolve part of each of the layers to meld the two fabrics together) to the gusset formed at the crotch 402 of the pair of cycling pants 400. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be chemically welded to the removeable pad 404. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be heat welded to the gusset formed at the crotch 402 of the pair of cycling pants 400. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be heat welded to the removeable pad 404. In an embodiment, the loop fiber material layer or hook fiber material layer may be ultrasonically welded to the gusset formed at the crotch 402 of the pair of cycling pants 400. In an embodiment, the hook fiber material layer or loop fiber material layer may be ultrasonically welded to the removeable pad 404.

[0087] In alternative embodiments, the fiber and hook material layers may be used to attach pieces of exercise clothing together. For example, the bibs 300 of Figure 10 may have straps 310 that are used to hold the bibs 300 on the wearer’s torso. These straps 310 may be detachable to facilitate taking the bibs 300 on and off. The straps 310 may be attached and/or detached (in the middle of each strap 310 and/or at the juncture of the strap 310 with the body of the garment) with the same loop fiber material layer and hook fiber material layer referenced above. As mentioned previously, these layers may comprise the material marketed under the Goodcatch name (www. goodcatch. world).

[0088] As another example, jersey shorts and shirts may be secured together with such a material. For example, the cycling shorts 100 of Figures 1-4 may be secured to a jersey-style shirt. One of the loop fiber material layer and hook fiber material layer may be secured near the bottom hem of the shirt, and the other may be secured near the waist band of the cycling shorts 100 such that the two can be secured together. For example, this may help cyclists avoid the sunburn that may otherwise occur on the lower back due to the bottom of the jersey shirt riding up the back while cycling.

[0089] Any methods disclosed herein comprise one or more steps or actions for performing the described method. The method steps and/or actions may be interchanged with one another. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is required for proper operation of the embodiment, the order and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modified.

[0090] Reference throughout this specification to "an embodiment" or "the embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the quoted phrases, or variations thereof, as recited throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

[0091] Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description of embodiments, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, Figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require more features than those expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following this Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. This disclosure includes all permutations of the independent claims with their dependent claims.

[0092] Recitation in the claims of the term "first" with respect to a feature or element does not necessarily imply the existence of a second or additional such feature or element. Elements recited in means-plus-function format are intended to be constmed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. §112 Para. 6. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the abovedescribed embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure. [0093] While specific embodiments and applications of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the precise configuration and components disclosed herein. Various modifications, changes, and variations which will be apparent to those skilled in the art may be made in the arrangement, operation, and details of the methods and systems of the present disclosure disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.