"CROTCH LINER FOR CYCLING TIGHTS AND SHORTS" Technical field

The present invention relates to a crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts especially designed to offer improved protection of the genital, perineal, and ischial area, for both professional and amateur cyclists.

Background Art

It is a known fact that, if you do not protect the genital, perineal, and ischial area when cycling, nervous and circulatory disorders may arise since the weight of the body bearing down upon the saddle can limit the flow of blood to the aforesaid area and strains may occur, with a consequent partial insensitivity of the genitals and legs.

In greater detail, the perineal area, can be described, approximately, as the cavity which contains the external genital organs. The lateral limits thereof are defined by the two ischial tuberosities, in front of the pubic symphysis and beneath the coccyx. Problems for cyclists concerning the perineal area can be of a nervous and/or circulatory nature. In the former case, problems arise during the pedal stroke, when the thigh is extended backwards as this action could lead to strains of the pudendal nerve, which can result in numbness of the genitals and lower limbs, if not appropriately protected. In the latter case, possible problems of a circulatory nature depend on the weight of the cyclist's body, which - when resting on the saddle - can cause arterial insufficiency as the correct supply of blood and oxygen to the whole area of the genitals is prevented, with the consequent triggering of inflammations or unpleasant dysfunctions.

To overcome the problems illustrated above, for some time now, cycling shorts have been made with reinforcements and protective devices designed to protect the aforesaid areas. The protective devices are known as 'crotch liners' and are extremely important elements for the cyclist' s health first and foremost, but also for improving performance. In actual fact, nowadays, there are several studies which demonstrate how greatly the use of a low-quality crotch liner can negatively affect the cyclist's performance, since, over time, less than optimal protection in the saddle area causes the athlete to make haphazard movements, resulting in a loss of energy and greater oxygen consumption and, in turn, reduced performance and stamina of the athlete. At present, there are heat-moulded crotch liners on the market which are composed of foams with different thicknesses which, with time and use, tend to lose their cushioning capacity and, consequently, the protection for which they were designed is reduced. Moreover, the foams used have often proved inadequate because if they are thin, they do not offer the ischial bones sufficient protection against impacts, while if they are thick or too thick, the cyclist tends to lose balance on the saddle, as well as being particularly bulky and therefore altering the correct kinetics of the pedal stroke.

Furthermore, there are crotch liners which feature gel pockets designed to create a protective pad for the point of contact between the cyclist's ischial area and the saddle. One drawback encountered with such crotch liners derives from the fact that since the gel is not secured in place, when the pad is washed, the gel moves, resulting in the wear and destruction thereof.

In addition to the explanations so far, some of the current crotch liners have a substantially flat front portion which is supposed to protect the cyclist ' s genitalia. It has been found that these crotch liners are unable to perform as intended because, being inserted in shorts or suits which are extremely elastic and adherent in order to be aerodynamic, they lead to incorrect positioning of the genitals, which are crushed and tend to end up positioned between the cyclist' s thigh and the saddle, resulting in continuous, repeated rubbing and a constriction condition which leads, over time, to unpleasant irritations, discomfort, and dysfunctions of the urogenital system, also due to the fact that cyclists - be they professionals or amateurs - spend many hours on the saddle.

In addition, it has been found that, over time, repeated micro-traumas to and compressions of the ischial arch leads to bursitis, which causes pain and discomfort also after the cycling activity has finished. In addition, the constant rubbing, together with the sweating and compression ischemia, can give rise to painful skin ulcers and force the athlete to stop sports activities.

As it is known, nowadays, there is a lot of interest among users in clothes and accessories which are comfortable, practical, functional, aesthetically pleasing, and flexible in terms of the use thereof. In addition to the above, it is a known fact that those who engage in this sport are particularly demanding and careful about their choices when it comes to the clothing and accessories they use with their bikes, which means they refuse to accept shorts or suits which do not meet up to their expectations and needs.

Furthermore, the sportspeople want to be able to show off increasingly customised, innovative accessories which are capable of arousing interest, attention, and also (and why not?) the envy of their fellow cyclists.

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the present invention is essentially to solve the problems of the commonly known technique, overcoming the difficulties described above by means of a crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts which is able to offer optimal protection of the cyclist's genital, perineal, and ischial area.

A second aim of the present invention is to provide a crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts which is able to adapt perfectly to the body's morphology, to fill every possible space between the body and the saddle, as well as to form an extremely comfortable air cushion between the body and the saddle.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide a crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts which allows the user to attain a notable level of comfort when on the saddle. A further aim of the present invention is to provide a crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts which allows the overheating of the prostate channel to be eliminated and offers optimal breathability.

A still further but not final aim of the present invention is to produce a crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts which is easy to manufacture and works well.

These aims and others besides, which will better emerge over the course of the present description, are essentially achieved by means of a crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts, as outlined in the claims below.

Brief Description of Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages will better emerge in the detailed description of a crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts according to the present invention, provided in the form of a non- limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

- Figure 1 shows, in a schematic way, a crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts according to the present invention.

With reference to the aforesaid Figure, 1 denotes the crotch liner as a whole, which is envisaged to be inserted into cycling shorts or suits.

The crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts 1 in question is essentially constituted of a first portion 2, of a substantially known type, which is designed to protect the cyclist's ischial and perineal area, and a second portion 3, which is positioned in front of the first portion and designed to protect the user's genital area. In greater detail, the first portion 2 is, in turn, divided into a plurality of sectors comprising a pair of first pads 20 positioned at the point of contact between the buttocks and the saddle, and a second pad 21 , with a Y-shaped configuration, which is positioned at the point of contact between the rear portion of the scrotum and the saddle and forks out around the outer lateral ends of each of the first pads 20, as shown in Figure 1 .

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

According to the present embodiment, the pair of first pads 20 and the second pad 21 are composed of heat-sealed gel. This gel pad has been obtained following careful study of the gel melting temperatures and by changing the temperatures of the moulds. The surface of the said gel has been melted so that, upon cooling, the said surface incorporates the envisaged components thereof into a whole, allowing the pad to form a single body which is able to withstand washing and preventing the internal components curling up and wearing out, as occurred with the crotch liners according to the commonly known technique.

In accordance with the present invention, the first portion 2 has the pads 20 and 21 contained between a first layer and a second layer of foam with different densities, wherein the top layer, which remains in contact with the cyclist, features a higher density, while the lower one, which remains in contact with the saddle, has a lower density. Furthermore, the two layers of foam are covered with fabric. In particular, the said fabric can be of various types, ranging from synthetic to natural, etc, and is peached, which renders it very soft to the touch and similar in feel to doeskin.

In addition, each first pad 20 is provided with a multitude of holes 22 which are made once the crotch liner is assembled, so that the holes are through-holes and therefore optimal, homogeneous breathability is guaranteed while averting the impossibility of matching up the holes in the different layers which is encountered in the crotch liners currently on the market.

The crotch liner in question envisages that an unpadded channel 23 is positioned between the first pair of pads 20, the said channel being perforated along the entirety thereof to completely eliminate overheating of the inter-buttock area.

The channel 23, as mentioned, features a large perforation which runs along the length thereof and, due to the "pumping" effect produced by the pedalling movement transmitted to the buttocks, the cyclist has a fresh and dry sensation, and therefore comfort.

The crotch liner 1 according to the present invention has the second portion 3 located in front of the first portion and, as mentioned earlier, is designed to protect the user's genital area.

In particular, the second portion 3 is a concave supporter wherein the particular concave shape thereof allows the genitals to assume a slightly raised position, cupped within the said seat and detached from the thighs so as to prevent the two-way stretch fabric of which the tights and shorts are made continuously "stressing" the genitals during pedalling, irritating them as a result of the pressure and tension - from the right and the left - caused by the elastomer (elastic incorporated in the fabric).

Furthermore, the scrotum and the genitals thus positioned avoid blows and stresses to the lower portion thereof imparted by the tip of the saddle. They are not compressed due to muscular action and they are exposed to a lower temperature because they are no longer subject to friction and compression. In this way, skin irritation phenomena, edema, and swelling can be avoided in relation to both the testicular portion and the various excretory ducts.

Naturally, the shape of the shorts must be changed and adapted to accommodate the supporter, therefore, when on the cutting bench, a different cutting process must carried out with respect to those currently made in order to allow the supporter to be housed therein. In addition to the explanations so far, also in the second portion 3, the supporter is contained between two layers of foam and covered with fabric in a similar way to the first portion. Furthermore, the components are joined together and assembled by heat-moulding by means of the interposition of a glue and in the present embodiment, during the processing, the glue used is a film which, as it melts, settles on the cells of the foam, rendering the crotch liner breathable. In addition, the second portion 3 can be perforated to further facilitate breathability.

After the predominantly structural description above, the operation of the invention in question will now be outlined. When a user wishes to wear shorts provided with the crotch liner according to the present invention, they simply have to insert the said liner in the same way as those according to the commonly known technique.

Once the user has put on a pair of shorts equipped with the crotch liner in question, they can get on their bike and start pedalling.

The space which originates from the presence of the second portion 3 will cup the cyclist 's genitalia in a comfortable way without the said genitalia being crushed between the saddle and thigh, as occurred with shorts with crotch liners according to the commonly known technique.

Thus the present invention achieves the aims set.

The crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts in question is able to offer optimum protection for the genital, perineal, and ischial area for both professional and amateur cyclists as it adapts perfectly to the morphology of the person's body and fills every possible space between the body and saddle, as well as forming an extremely comfortable air cushion between the body and the saddle.

Advantageously, the crotch liner according to the present invention enables a considerable reduction of the mechanical stress to the cyclist's skin, muscles, and bones. Furthermore, the crotch liner enables the prevention of contusions to both the testicles and the excretory ducts. In addition, the crotch liner promotes reduced perspiration, keeping the skin temperature at a more physiological level and eliminating the overheating of the prostate channel.

One advantage achieved with the present crotch liner is that the cyclist's performance improves as the disturbing, uncomfortable elements are reduced with respect to crotch liners according to the commonly known technique.

In particular, by reducing the stress factors, the condition after the pedalling activity is also improved, allowing cyclists with problems that have reached a chronic state to recover most of their physical fitness.

One aspect found with crotch liners according to the commonly known technique, but no longer found with the present crotch liner, is the cyclist's need to change their position on the saddle in the event of ulcerations, where such behaviour would lead to irritation phenomena relating to both muscles and joints of anatomical structures which were not in direct contact with the saddle, such as the adductor muscles and/or knee.

A further advantage lies in the fact that the crotch liner for cycling tights and shorts is easy to manufacture and works well.

Naturally, further modifications or variants may be applied to the present invention while remaining within the scope of the invention that characterises it.