US20130212768A1

US20130212768A1 - Modular Detoxification Garment

Info

Publication number: US20130212768A1
Application number: US13/401,063
Authority: US
Inventors: Timothy C. Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-02-21
Filing date: 2012-02-21
Publication date: 2013-08-22

Abstract

A modular detoxification garment includes an upper garment member having a shoulder supported portion and opposed sleeve members extending laterally away from the shoulder supported section and an upper torso section connected to and extending downwardly from the shoulder supported section terminating at a lower edge. The shoulder supported portion defines an opening through which the head of the wearer is selectively received. The detoxification garment includes a lower garment member having a waist section separated from the lower edge of the upper garment member and a pair of upper leg sections extending downwardly therefrom, the lower garment member being configured to selectively cover a lower torso and upper legs of the wearer. A temperature probe is situated proximate an inner layer of the upper garment member. A thermochromic material that is color responsive to temperature is situated on an outer layer of the upper garment member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to exercise garments and, more particularly, to a detoxification garment that includes modular components that give a user many options of how much of his body is covered or exposed and indicates a relative temperature inside the garment.
It is almost universally agreed that losing weight should include a balance of proper diet and exercise. With specific regard to exercise, it is also believed that burning calories through vigorous exercise and by losing water weight through sweating are keys to the exercise component for weight loss. Some people, however, choose to lose weight by inducing perspiration in a hot sauna rather than vigorously exercising.
One disadvantage of the sauna approach to inducing sweating is that a sauna may not be readily available for use and may require a special trip to a gym or other exercise facility on a regular basis. Other people may seek to induce sweating through normal exercise while wearing a sweat suit (often referred to as a “pair of sweats”). Although wearing sweat pants or a sweatshirt may eventually induce sweating, the sweating may not be nearly as thorough, consistent, or long lasting as may be obtained in an actual sauna. In addition, wearing traditional sweats may be difficult to slide on and off in order to stay comfortable and may not be as effective to induce sufficient perspiration to lose weight quickly. In addition, true detoxification suits that induce high temperatures for maximum sweat induction may, in fact, cause dangerously high heat levels.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a modular detoxification garment that includes modular components that are easy to attach and remove as desired. Further, it would be desirable to have a modular detoxification garment constructed of materials that induce perspiration. In addition, it would be desirable to have a modular detoxification garment having a thermochromic element that indicates a temperature inside the garment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A modular detoxification garment for use in inducing perspiration by a wearer of the garment includes an upper garment member having a shoulder supported portion and opposed sleeve members extending laterally away from the shoulder supported section and an upper torso section connected to and extending downwardly from the shoulder supported section terminating at a lower edge. The upper garment member is configured to substantially cover the upper torso and arms of a wearer. The shoulder supported portion defines an opening through which the head of the wearer is selectively received. The detoxification garment includes a lower garment member having a waist section separated from the lower edge of the upper garment member and a pair of upper leg sections connected to the waist section and extending downwardly therefrom, the lower garment member being configured to selectively cover a lower torso and upper legs of the wearer. A temperature probe is situated proximate an inner layer of the upper garment member. A thermochromic material that is color responsive to temperature is situated on an outer layer of the upper garment member.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a modular detoxification garment for use in inducing perspiration by a wearer of the garment.
Another object of this invention is to provide a modular detoxification garment, as aforesaid, having modular components that are easy for a user to put on and to selectively remove, as desired.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a modular detoxification garment, as aforesaid, that indicates an internal temperature so that a user can monitor the temperature inside the garment as a safety precaution.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a modular detoxification garment, as aforesaid, having at least one temperature probe situated inside an upper garment member that is connected to a thermochromic material configured to indicate the temperature detected by the probe.
A further object of this invention is to provide a modular detoxification garment, as aforesaid, that is attractive and in the form of a conventional exercise garment.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular detoxification garment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the garment as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from a portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from a portion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the garment as in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A modular detoxification garment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings. The modular detoxification garment 10 includes an upper garment member 20 configured to selectively cover a wearer's upper torso and a lower garment member 40 configured to selectively cover a wearer's lower torso and legs. The modular detoxification garment 10 also includes a temperature sensing member 60 configured to visually indicate a relative heat present at an interior area of the garment.
The upper garment member 20 is best understood to be in the form of a jacket but with further limitations as discussed below. More particularly, the upper garment member 20 includes a shoulder supported portion 22 that defines an opening 24 configured to selectively receive the head of a wearer therethrough (FIG. 1). Opposed sleeve members 26 are connected to lateral portions of the shoulder supported portion 22 and extend laterally away from the shoulder supported portion 22. In addition, the upper garment member 20 may include an upper torso section 28 connected to the should supported portion 22 and extending downwardly therefrom. The upper torso section 28 may terminate at a lower edge 30 proximate the waist of a user when worn. Accordingly, the upper garment member 20 is configured to substantially cover the upper torso and arms of a user when worn thereby.
In some embodiments, the upper torso section 28 includes a left front portion 32 and a right front portion 34 that may be selectively coupled together with a fastener 36 such as a zipper, snaps, claps, hook and loop material, or the like. It is understood that the upper torso section 28 in this embodiment is movable between an open configuration when the fastener 36 is disengaged (not shown) and a closed configuration when the fastener 36 is engaged (FIG. 1). In another embodiment, the upper torso section 28 may have an integrated and continuous construction that is not variable between open and closed configurations (now shown). In such an embodiment, the upper garment member 20 is worn by pulling it over the user's head and inserting the head through the opening 24.
The lower garment member 40 is separate from the upper garment member 20 and includes a waist section 42 proximate but not attached to the lower edge 30 of the upper torso section 28 when the upper and lower garment members are worn by a person. The waist section 42 does not include an elastic band but rather is adjusted to the size of a wearer as will be described below in more detail. A pair of upper leg sections 44 are connected to and extend downwardly from the waist section 42, i.e. a left leg section and a right leg section, and terminate at an upper leg section lower end 46 (respective upper leg section lower ends may also be referred to as leg section lower edges). The waist section 42 and upper leg sections 44 are preferably in the form of pants and are configured to substantially cover the lower torso and upper legs of a user when the lower garment member 40 is worn.
The waist section 42 and upper leg sections 44 are configured to be attached to a user's torso without the user having to “slip them on” in a traditional manner for pants. More particularly, the lower garment member 40 includes a front portion 48 and a back portion (not shown but is a minor image of the front portion). Further, a quick release fastener 50, such as complementary hook and loop fasteners may be situated on the front portion 48 and back portion to enable the waist section 42 and upper leg sections to be selectively coupled together or separated. Even more specifically, one or both lateral side edges of the front and back portions may include fasteners. In use, the front 48 and back portions may be positioned on the front and back of a user's body, respectively, and coupled together with the fasteners without having to slide the user's legs through leg portions in a traditional manner of putting on pants. With this construction, the waist section 42 may be adjusted for tightness about the waist of a user.
The lower garment member 40 may also include a pair of lower leg sections 52 that are removably coupled to lower ends 46 of the upper leg sections 44 (FIG. 5). The lower leg sections 52 may be coupled to respective upper leg sections 44 with a fastener 54 such as a zipper, snaps, clasps, hook and loop material, or the like such that attachment and removal is quick and convenient. It is understood that a user may prefer to use the modular detoxification garment 10 without the lower leg sections 52 in that perspiration by the lower legs or feet may be deemed ineffective or otherwise undesirable.
Both the upper detoxification garment 10 and the lower detoxification garment 10 include a multi-layer construction that is configured to induce an enhanced level of perspiration by a user when wearing the garments than would be expected when wearing other traditional exercise clothing. With specific reference to the sectional view of the upper detoxification garment 10 shown in FIG. 6, the garment may include an inner layer 70 of a soft material such as cotton (the inner layer also referred to as an inner surface). While the inner layer 70 may contribute to the inducement of perspiration, it is primarily included to provide comfort to a wearer of the garment 10. Each of the garment members 10, 40 may also include an outer layer 72 (which may also be referred to as a heat retention layer) that is constructed of a generally non-conductive material. The non-conductive material may be plastic, vinyl, or a composite material that resists heat transfer. It is understood that the material is also generally flexible such that a user wearing the modular detoxification garment 10 is not substantially limited in his range of motion.
The temperature sensing member 60 includes a temperature probe portion 62 that is situated proximate an inner layer 70 of the upper garment member 20 (FIG. 6). The temperature sensing member 60 also includes a thermochromic portion 64 that is color responsive to temperature situated on an outer layer 72 of the upper garment member 20.
The thermochromic portion 64 is operably connected to the probe portion 62 such that a temperature detected by the probe portion 62 is communicated efficiently to the thermochromic portion 64 such as through a conductive element. The thermochromic portion 64 may be configured to change colors according to different temperatures detected thereby. For instance, the thermochromic portion 64 may include a green color when the temperature inside the garment is cool, a yellow color when the temperature inside the garment is warm, and a red color when the temperature inside the garment is hot.
As shown in the drawings, the temperature sensing member 60 may be situated on one of the opposed sleeve members 26 such that a user may conveniently view the color indicators merely be raising his arm in a manner similar to viewing a wristwatch. In addition, an auxiliary temperature sensing member 60 a may be situated on the upper garment member 20 at a position displaced from the temperature sensing member 60 such that an interior temperature at a second location may be observed and compared with the temperature indicated by the temperature sensing member 60.
In use, a user who desires to perspire in order to lose weight may put on the modular detoxification garment as described above. Specifically, the upper garment member 20 may be pulled over the user's head or fastened in front, as the case may be. The lower garment member 40 may be wrapped around the front and back of a user's lower torso and then fastened at the side. The natural heat generated by the user's body and as may be caused by the inner layer is not able to pass through the heat retention layer such that the temperature within the respective garment increases and perspiration is induced. The user is able to monitor the temperature by visually observing the temperature sensing member 60. The color of the temperature sensing member 60 is indicative of the relative heat inside the respective garments and the user may choose to remove some or all of the modular elements. For instance, the lower leg sections 52 may be selectively removed, the upper garment member fastener 36 may be opened, the upper garment member 20 may be completely removed, or the like.
It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A modular detoxification garment for use in inducing perspiration by a wearer of the garment, said detoxification garment comprising:

an upper garment member having a shoulder supported portion and opposed sleeve members connected to and extending laterally away from said shoulder supported section, said upper garment member having an upper torso section connected to and extending downwardly from said shoulder supported section terminating at a lower edge;

wherein said upper garment member is configured to selectively cover an upper torso and arms of the wearer;

wherein said shoulder supported portion defines an opening through which a head of the wearer is selectively received;

a lower garment member having a waist section separated from said lower edge of said upper garment member and a pair of upper leg sections connected to and extending downwardly from said waist section, said lower garment member being configured to selectively cover a lower torso and upper legs of the wearer;

a temperature sensing member having a probe portion situated proximate an inner layer of said upper garment member and a thermochromic portion that is color responsive to temperature situated on an outer layer of said upper garment member and operably coupled to said probe portion.

2. The modular detoxification garment as in claim 1, wherein said lower garment member includes a pair of lower leg sections removably coupled to lower edges of respective upper leg sections.

3. The modular detoxification garment as in claim 1, wherein:

said upper garment member includes a heat retention layer constructed of a non-conductive material that resists heat transfer; and

said lower garment member includes a heat retention layer constructed of a non-conductive material that resists heat transfer.

4. The modular detoxification garment as in claim 3, wherein said non-conductive material is plastic.

5. The modular detoxification garment as in claim 1, wherein said upper torso section includes:

a left front portion;

a right front portion; and

a zipper extending between said shoulder supported section opening and said upper torso section lower edge that is configured to selectively couple said left front portion to said right front portion such that said upper torso section is movable between a closed configuration when said fastener is engaged and an open configuration when said fastener is disengaged.

6. The modular detoxification garment as in claim 5, wherein:

said upper garment member is a jacket; and

said lower garment member is pants.

7. The modular detoxification garment as in claim 1, wherein said temperature sensing member is situated proximate one of said opposed sleeve members.

8. The modular detoxification garment as in claim 7, further comprising an auxiliary temperature sensing member situated on said upper torso section displaced from said temperature sensing member, said auxiliary temperature sensing member having an auxiliary temperature probe portion situated proximate an inner layer of said upper torso section and an auxiliary thermochromic portion that is color responsive to temperature situated on an outer layer of said upper torso section and operably coupled to said auxiliary probe portion.

9. The modular detoxification garment as in claim 1, wherein said lower garment member includes a front portion and a back portion removably coupled to said front portion with at least one quick release fastener.

10. The modular detoxification garment as in claim 9, wherein said at least one quick release fastener includes complementary hook and loop fasteners coupled to respective side edges of respective front and back portions of said lower garment member.

11. The modular detoxification garment as in claim 2, wherein said pair of lower leg sections is removably coupled to said pair of upper leg sections, respectively, with zippers.