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DESCRIPTION

The present invention concerns a garment for massaging in water and relative usage procedure.

In the field of fitness various exercises are known that improve circulation and muscle strength, including acquagym and hydrospinning . Although these activities are very useful for fitness and for general health of the individual, the applicants consider that the physical activity in water can be improved in terms of the effectiveness on the circulatory system and on the muscular system.

In the field of rehabilitation and/or maintaining fitness of elderly people, on the other hand, there are water-based exercises known as "gentle exercise" or low- impact exercise. Also in this case the applicants consider that there are big margins for improvement.

In the neighbouring fields of out-of-water activities international patent application WO2008/047575 discloses a device for alleviating pain with internal projections to be worn clinging to the skin for a stimulation effect. Its use in water, however, has no advantage with respect to use out of water.

Japanese patent JP2004277941, on the other hand, discloses a study on the shape of the knitwork of the projections inside the massage garments, also in this case, however, the document says nothing about the advantages and particular applications in water.

Going back in time one finds the American patent

US3028857 from 1962 that proposes garments with internal projections expressly for generating a massage during exercise activities. The material is elastic since the garment is worn clinging to the body. Also in this case, however, its use in water has no advantage with respect to use out of water.

Moving on to the field of play activities, international patent application WO2012/131681 discloses garments for children with external sensory elements (projections) to be touched as random for educative stimulation. The document indicates at the end the possibility of clothing with internal elements, for example in the area of the thighs/knee. However, the document says nothing about constructions of garments that make them particularly suitable and effective for use in water.

Patent application WO2008/047576 also discloses a further garment with internal projections having an analgesic effect to be worn in contact with the skin. As stated for the previous ones, its use in water has no advantage with respect to use out of water. A general purpose of the present invention is therefore to totally or partially overcome the problems and/or limitations of the prior art.

A preferred purpose of the present invention is to provide a garment constructed in such a way as to be particularly suitable for use in water and particularly effective in carrying out a massaging action in such a context .

Another preferred purpose of the present invention is to provide a garment for massaging in water that is easy to use and cost-effective to manufacture.

According to a first general aspect thereof the present invention concerns a garment for massaging in water characterised in that it comprises a plurality of projections, projecting on the inside of the garment so as to be able to come into operative contact with the person wearing it, said garment being of a shape and/or size and/or material suitable for being worn loosely so as to become alternately in operative contact and not in operative contact with the body according to the impact with the water generated by the movement of the body.

Advantageously, the fact that the projections are distributed over a deformable area to adapt to the anatomy of various parts of the body makes it possible to perform exercises in water where the movements of the person cause impact of said area with masses of water, causing the deformation of the device and thus generating a message. The massage is thus very extensive, enveloping and uniformly distributed, for which reason it is particularly effective in water. Moreover, unlike clinging garments for massaging during physical exercise, the massage can take place, as well as by the pressing action of the projections, also by their running over the body .

Of course, this does not preclude a massage and it being effective also out of water, for example when a user wears the device and moves during a normal sports activity in the gym, like for example an aerobics session .

In general, it is preferably for the projections to be deformable as a consequence of the impact with water generated by the movement of the body, so that the garment is more adaptable to the body and can massage it without limitations of point of application.

The projections are preferably arranged on a base element of the garment (5, 105) with respect to which they are more rigid, but do not prevent the deformation thereof, and in this way the massaging action is more incisive, and since the device is easily adaptable to anatomy, the action remains extensive.

In general, it is preferable for the projections to be oriented. For example, they can be in the form of lines with a predetermined orientation, or arranged to form predetermined figures, like for example point-shaped projections organised to form circles and/or lines, for example oriented.

According to some preferred embodiments of the invention said projections are in the form of strips that are deformable at least through the effect of direct action performed with the hands.

Advantageously, the deformable strips adapt to the anatomy as a consequence of the movements in water so that they are not an obstacle to massaging, but indeed they allow a massage over extensive areas, and preferably they are oriented (or at least partially oriented) to carry out massages according to predetermined directions.

In general, the applicants observe that the best results are expected with projections that have a height comprised in the range [0,5, 30] mm, a thickness (L) comprised in the range [0,1, 30] mm and a distance apart comprised in the range [0,1, 500] mm.

Even more preferred ranges are a height comprised in the range [10, 15] mm, a thickness (L) comprised in the range [10, 20] mm and a distance apart comprised in the range [20, 30] mm.

For example, the projections can be present in a number comprised in the range [1 - 5000] per dm ² .

According to another general preferred characteristic of the invention the projections are made from thermoplastic or thermosetting material, for example a silicone-based material and/or with polychloroprene- based synthetic rubbers (for example those commercialised by the company DuPont Performance Elastomers with the trade name Neoprene) , preferably with at least one of the following techniques: moulding, co-moulding, gluing, weaving .

In general, it should be noted that the projections must be present on at least one portion of the inside of the garment, even if the presence on the entire inner surface is preferable. There is also the possibility of having areas with different orientation of the projections from area to area. For example, the garment can be a pair of trousers, a T-shirt, or overalls .

According to some preferred embodiments the garment comprises at least one of the following characteristics :

- the garment comprises at least one tubular portion and said projections are arranged to form loops and/or spirals inside said portion;

- the garment comprises at least one inner side portion intended to be arranged at the front and an inner side portion intended to be arranged at the back of the user, wherein the arrangement scheme of said projections is different on said two sides.

the garment comprises at least projections intended to be arranged in an abdominal area having an arrangement with orientation from top to bottom or substantially from top to bottom;

- the garment comprises at least one group of projections oriented parallel to the muscle fibres of at least one of the following muscles: quadriceps femoris, biceps femoris, triceps surae, gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, pectoralis major, biceps humeri, triceps humeri, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, forearm. More preferably, it comprises many groups of projections, each intended to be positioned in front of one of said muscles and with the projections oriented according to the fibres of said muscle.

It is also foreseen to make embodiments in which at least one plurality of projections is arranged on a deformable support able to be applied to the inside of the garment (and considered part thereof) in a plurality of positions. In this way it is possible to localise the action and/or modify the orientation of the projections to modify the type of action.

According to a second aspect thereof the invention concerns a method for physical exercise characterised in that it comprises the step of a user putting on a loose garment (1, 101, 201, 301, 401) according to any one of the previous claims with the at least one plurality of projections (20, 120, 220, 320, 420) facing towards the body, and getting the user to perform a plurality of movements in water.

According to a third aspect thereof the invention concerns the use of a loose garment according to any one of the previous claims in water-based sports training to carry out a massaging procedure according to the previous claim aimed at increasing muscle strength.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, made with reference to the attached drawings and given for indicating and not limiting purposes. In such drawings:

figures 1 and 2 schematically represent a device for massaging in water according to the present invention, in a plan and side view, respectively;

figure 3 schematically represents a pair of trousers for massaging in water according to the present invention;

figures 4 and 5 schematically represent the front portion and the rear portion of the inside of a second pair of trousers for massaging in water according to the present invention;

- figure 6 schematically represents a third pair of trousers for massaging in water according to the present invention; and

figures 7 and 8 schematically represent the front portion and the rear portion of the inside of a fourth pair of trousers for massaging in water according to the present invention.

With reference to figures 1 and 2, a basic example of a device for massaging in water is represented, wholly indicated with reference numeral 1 and used as an example to explain some concepts.

The device 1 comprises a sheet portion 5, and/or fabric portion and/or similar, that is deformable and intended to form a base element.

The sheet and/or the fabric and/or similar can be made from any material suitable for being deformed with little force to adapt to the anatomical parts of a person, so that for example by just squashing it between the hands the deformation occurs. In this way, when the portion 5 is rested on an anatomical part of a person, and it is moved in the water, the impact with the fluid mass promotes the adaptation of shape and the adhering of the portion 5 to the anatomical part.

The sheets and/or fabrics and/or similar can also be made from composite and/or stratified material, with there being no limit to the type of material used. Nor is there any limit to their shape, with it being possible for example to form a garment like in the following examples .

The base portion 5 forms an area 10 with two main sides 12 and 14.

On at least one of such sides 14 a plurality of projections 20 are arranged in the form of strips, which project towards the front part of the area 10.

The strips 20 preferably have a height comprised in the range [10, 15] mm, a thickness (L) comprised in the range [10, 20] mm and a distance apart comprised in the range [20, 30] mm.

The strips 20 can be made from any material and made with any technique. In any case, they must also be manually deformable. For example, they can have the same rigidity as the base element 5, or have greater rigidity whilst still remaining deformable with an action of the hands and in any case by impact with the fluid mass as stated above to allow the adaptation and adhesion of the device to an anatomical part.

Examples of strips 20 with the same rigidity as the base element are those in which both are made from the same material, for example from fabric, so that the first are obtained with a weaving technique capable of making projections on the second. Another example is making the base element 5 and the projections 20 with thermoplastic and/or thermosetting materials, for example silicone-based material and/or polychloroprene-based synthetic rubbers (like those commercialised by the company DuPont Performance Elastomers with the trade name Neoprene and used for diving suits) .

Examples of strips 20 that are more rigid than the base element 5, although deformable, can be obtained by making the two from different materials. For example, the first can be made from thermoplastic or thermosetting polymeric material, for example silicone-based material, and/or with another equivalent rubber-based material, like for example natural materials like caoutchouc or latex, and the base element 5 can be made from fabric, for example cotton. The material of the strips can for example be co-moulded on the base fabric, or the strips can be moulded and then glued or sewn onto the fabric, or it is possible to make threads of elastic material to be woven together with the threads of fabric at the strips.

In reality, it should be observed that there is no limit to the combination of materials and rigidities able to be used, even if the strips made from elastically deformable material are in general preferable with any type of base element, irrespective of the relative rigidities so as to be more rigid than the base element.

It should be observed that the strips 20 can by in any direction, but preferably they are parallel or substantially parallel to one another. Moreover, the strips can be present over the entire area or only in one or more predetermined parts with said concentration.

Hereafter we will describe some alternative embodiments of the invention where elements that are the same or similar will be indicated with the same reference numerals used above and increased by 100 or by a multiple thereof .

With reference to figure 3, a more specific embodiment of the invention is illustrated, in particular a pair of trousers 101.

The base element 105 that supports the strips 120 here is the fabric (or similar) of the trousers, and the deformable area 110 is the entire area of the trousers.

The first characteristic to be highlighted is that the strips 120 are arranged on the inside 114 of the trousers, i.e. they are intended to come into contact with the skin of the user (the trousers 101 are illustrated in an inside-out configuration) . This is a general characteristic applied to all of the massaging garments according to the present invention.

It should also be noted that in the tubular portions of the trousers, i.e. the legs 125, the strips 120 are arranged to form loops that follow the circular profile of said portions. This embodiment is particularly suitable for lymphatic massage. The strips 120 are parallel or substantially parallel to each other, or have variations in direction in predetermined areas to generate gradual changes in inclination, like between the legs part 125 and the abdominal part 130.

In general, the massaging garment, for example the trousers 101, is made with a shape such as to be worn loosely by the user, i.e. such that the inner strips 120 interne come into contact with the user to a significant extent to carry out a massage only upon application of a pressure on the garment from the outside.

With reference to figures 4 and 5, a second embodiment of trousers 201 according to the invention is illustrated, which differs from the previous trousers 101 in that the inside has a portion 214A intended to be worn at the back (figure 4) and a portion 214B intended to be worn at the front (figure 5), and these two portions are different from each other.

In particular, the strips 220 are arranged differently on the rear portion 214A and on the front portion 214B.

On the rear portion 214A they are divided into a plurality of groups, for example a first group 240 corresponding to the lumbar and/or gluteal area, a second group 242 corresponding to the thigh area, and a third group 244 corresponding to the calf area. The different arrangement is due to the fact that the strips 220 are arranged to follow the shape of the muscles that they are intended to face, alternatively, when the fibres are arranged in a complex manner, the strips 220 are arranged to follow substantially their average shape or so as to carry out a significant massage, for example effective at the lymphatic level, for blood microcirculation or major blood circulation (for example for venous return) .

For example, in the lumbar and/or gluteal area

240 the strips 220 make substantially concave lines arranged substantially in a direction from top to bottom (with reference to the trousers in a condition worn by the user standing up) .

For example, the strips start from the pubis area and have the end points distributed along the waist area.

In the thigh area 242, the strips 220 make substantially concave lines arranged substantially in a direction from top to bottom, i.e. in the direction knee - hips, so as to substantially follow the shape of the muscle fibres of the quadriceps femoris.

In the calf area 244, the strips 220 make substantially rectilinear lines arranged substantially in a direction from top to bottom, i.e. in the direction knee - foot, so as to substantially follow the shape of the muscle fibres of the tibial muscles. The lines 220 are all parallel to each other.

On the front portion 214B there are substantially two groups of strips 220, a first group 246 in an abdominal area and a second group 248 at the legs.

In the abdominal area 246, the strips 220 make substantially concave lines arranged substantially in a direction from right to left, so as to substantially follow the muscle fibres of the abdominal wall: rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis and internal and external obliques.

In the leg area 248, the strips 220 follow substantially rectilinear and parallel lines arranged substantially in a direction from top to bottom along the entire leg, i.e. in the direction hips - foot, so as to substantially follow the shape of the muscle fibres of the biceps femoris triceps surae .

It should be noted that there is no reason why the fibres 220 of different groups cannot be joined together so as to continue in the adjacent groups, actually belonging to each of them, but being distinct in each by shape and/or orientation.

In general, there are also embodiments without strips in the abdominal area, in which case for example the strips will only wrap around buttocks, thighs, calves.

In general, in the abdominal area it is possible to foresee a clinging support band for the trousers to wrap around the waist, for example made from neoprene.

With reference to figure 6, a third embodiment of trousers 301 according to the invention is shown that differs from the previous ones in that it comprises a basic pair of trousers 301A without strips 320, which are instead made on a deformable element 301B that is separate but applicable on their inside 314 in a plurality of points and/or positions. The application can take place in any way, for example through buttons or similar, through portions of hook-and-loop material, for example of the type commercialised by the firm Velcro, or by making the element 301B in such a way as to be adhesive on the opposite side to that of the strips 320. The man skilled in the art will understand that the assembly of the basic trousers 301A and the deformable element 301B is a garment according to the present invention .

With reference to figures 7 and 8 a pair of trousers 501 alternative to the trousers 201 is illustrated, which differs from the latter in that the projections 520 instead of being strips are point-shaped blocks. As can be noted, the point-shaped projections can be organised according to predetermined schemes, for example according to oriented lines corresponding to the lines 220 of the trousers 201 like in the illustrated example .

In general, this example is meant to say that there is no limit to the shape and arrangement of the projections. They can also be arranged at random or according to different schemes from the ones shown.

What has been illustrated up to now for the trousers is applicable to any garment, for example a T- shirt or overalls.

In use, the user wears a loose-fitting garment according to the present invention, i.e. sufficiently ample so that the projecting strips do not significantly operatively act to carry out a massage when the user is stationary .

The user goes into the water wearing the garment and starts to carry out movements that allow the water to exert a pressure on the garment such as to deform it to make it cling to the body, at least locally, squashing the projecting strips against the skin and the muscles so as to obtain a massage. In other words, the movements of the user cause the surrounding mass of water to repeatedly compress the garment against the body, and the repetitions, preferably rhythmic, and/or the sliding carry out the massage. Each compression is indeed followed by a step of absence of compression or of lighter compression due to the stopping of the movement, the change in direction or the return movement of the body to the starting position. Additionally or alternatively, every movement of the user can vary the sliding direction of the garment on the body.

The alternation of the movements and of the rhythm allows massages to be carried out at various levels, for example lymphatic, and/or circulatory and/or muscular .

Therefore, it is the water against which the body pushes that transfers the pressure to the garment and activates the massage.

It should also be noted that with a loose-fitting garment the action of the projections, as well as being a pressing action, can more easily also be a sliding action on the body.

Although up to now water-based activity has been described and illustrated, there is no reason why the same device cannot be used and be effective for out-of- water activities.

Of course, the embodiments and the variants described and illustrated up to now are purely given as examples and a man skilled in the art can bring numerous modifications and variants, in order to satisfy specific and contingent requirements, including for example the combination of said embodiments and variants, all in any case encompassed by the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the following claims.