GB2472586A - A leg garment - Google Patents

Abstract

A leg garment 10, in particular a sock, comprises a body portion 14 which exhibits a first degree of elasticity. The body portion 14 is coupled with a calf portion 16 which exhibits a second degree of elasticity. The calf portion 16 positioned to in use overlie a wearer's calf. The first leg garment also includes an intermediate portion 18 which couples the body and calf portions 12, 14 to one another. The intermediate portion 18 exhibits a third degree of elasticity which lies between the first and second degrees of elasticity. The calf portion 16 may be arranged to exhibit a second degree of elasticity that is greater than the first degree of elasticity or vice versa. The calf portion may comprise sub-portions 24, 26 of different stitch configuration and the garment may comprise a welt 20 having the intermediate portion 18 extending therefrom.

Description

ALEGGARMENT

This invention relates to a leg garment and in particular. but not evcluslvety. a soot S It is known to provide leg garments. and soda in pariiSar with padded regions to provide protection, andlor conaresslve regions to provide support However, the inclusion of such features can render the garment less comfortable to wear. pdflatly in the region that the garment overlies a wearers calf.

There is. therefore, a need for an improved leg garment which provides greater comfort in a wearer's cat? region.

Accordig to a first aspect cat the Invention there is providec a leg garment comprising: a body portion exhibiting a first degree of elasticity and being coupled with a calf 16 portion ethlbtting a second degree of elasticity, the call portion being positioned to in use overlie a wearer's call, and an btepnediate patton coupling the bo'iy and calf portions to one another. the intermediate portion eRhibltirlg a third degree of elasbcity lying between the first and second degrees Of elasticity The inclusion 02' an intermediate portion having a third c,tegree of elasticftv wnIch lies between the first and second degrees of elasticity provides a trariflion between the differing degrees of elasticity of the body and car portions, and so renders the garment mote comfortable to wear in the regIon of a wearer's cat 2$ In a preferred embodirnern of the invention the second degree of elasticity iS greater than the first degree of elasticity. Such an arrangement provMss a garment which exerts a low degree of oompressbn on a wearer's cat! to further improve the oorriort of the garment in this region. so

In another preferred embodiment of the invention the secord degree of elaslicity is less than the first degree of elasticity An arrangement of this type is able to en"t a high Cegree of compression to a wearer's cat!, so as to provide a desired degree of support, while continuing to provide a transition between the body and call portions to improve comfort relative to, fig. a conventional support 50CR.

I

Optionally the Ptg garment further includes a welt Scent an apr end thereof. the ir*ermedia$e portion extendIng from the welt In this manner the well and innnediate portion define the shape and extent of the calf portion and so help b ensure that the calF portion remains correctly positioned osr a wearer'; calf while the garment is being warn.

Preferably the welt and the intermediate portion exhibit the same degree of elasticIty.

Having the welt and intermediate patton exhibit the same degree of elasdoity maintains a consistent transition region adjacent to the calf portion.

The web and the Senaechate portion may have the same stitch configuration. Such a feature allows the welt and the intermediate portion to exhb(t the same degree of elasticity in a manner mat is readily manufacturable According to a second aspect of the Invention there Is provided a leg garment comprisIng: a body ration exhibrnng a first degree of elasticIty aS being coupled with a calf por&in positioned to in use overlie a weare(s calf. the calf portion exhibiting a second degree of elasbdty greater than the first degree of etastklty.

The Inclusion of a calf portion wnicn exhibits a second degree of elasticIty that is greater than the first degree of elasticity of the body portion results Wi a calf portion with everts a lower compressive force on a wearers calf than the remainder oF the garment and so improves a wearer's feeling of comfort in this region.

26 Pioferabty the calf portion is subdMded into proximal and disS calf sub-portions having different stitch configurations The inclusion of such sub-portions helps to ensire that the calf portion is expandable so as to readily adopt (he genetal shape of a wearer's ca1f, and so further tmprove the comfort of the garment Optionay the proximal and distal calf sub.portions have opposed stitch configurations.

Such a feature ensures symmetrical expansion at the sup-portions re%atr4e to one another.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention each of the proximal and dIstal calf sub-portions is further divided into first and second laleral portions having diflereni sldth configurations. Such an arlangement further improves (tie manner ir; which the 0a portion i abm to expand to adopt the shape of a wearers caU, me first and second laterai porli3ns of eSi calf sub'portion may have opposed stitch conflgurations. Suth a feature ensures syrnwnlcal expanson of the lateral pottlons relative to one another. a

Preferably each of the first end second lateral portions of the proximal and distal cii sub-portions has a stitch configuration Wi which the stitcti structure is inclined towards a common point coincident with the intersection of the lateral portions. Such an arrarçement allows the calf portion to expand to the greatest extent at the common porni 1* so as to adopt a dome shape comparable to that of a asrer's calf.

There now fellows a brief description of pieferred embodntients of the invention, by way of non-limSy examples. with reference being made to the accornpanyhig drawings in whith Figure 1 shows a schematic, perspective view from in front of a leg garment accorduig to a first embodiment of the Invention: Flgure 2 shows a schemeti& perspective view from behind of the leg garment thomi in Fure 1. and Flgute 3 shows a schematic. perspective view from ni front of a ISQ garment accordIng to a second embodiment of the Invention.

A ieg garment according to a first embodiment of the invention Is Oesignated generally by the reference numeral 10.

fl TheflrstleggarmentlOisatirstsockl2.

In other embodiments of the invention (not shown) the leg garment may be a hose or a pair of tights 36 Iheflrstsock 12 includes a body portion l4thatexldbits eflrsldagree of elasticity and is coupled with a calf portion 16 wnith exhibits a second degree of elasticity.

The call portion lOts positioned to, In use, cverlle a wearer's caL 3$ Thefirztsoclcl2 Mtherlncludesan intertnedlateportlon l8whichcouplesthebodyand calf portions 14, 16 to one another. In particular, in the embodiment shown, the body, taft and intcarrnediate portIons 14, 16: 18 ate integrally knitted with one another using. e.g. a \ \ . \ " \ \ \, t*r f erd e cflree et fl the eel srevr the econ:l leqree oF s tY ieee ether er reeete of the netflrnn et sowr the seoord deee of eLestflt$ e thee ler tee eret ie roe ol n the:flte'methete noreen 13 e,xteeds norn weft2O eteeh t$E e1 eOet to open erth $2 of the frist coF: 12 tn pert$uLer enh ertet of the nier tete norhen tO exteeris Pore the tht $0 erreh that fta etereteo tOe ponlon 3 eed eweh 20 to*oother etehne the enape ce the caf oordon hO.

The waft $1) cad the nterecadete poton 13 attlt the tame tree of essteetv one: " " " " " \\ .S'C.., : -, N N>N'N-s f: e' \-f',.

wterrne ate oorhcn 1 3 aei the wet 20 era formed freon rh sloth the neh ortO:' 13 n euxteolec rite nrrncrrra taft uth ooten $t vet totem tC: the cc open end cc: the r: sock 1,2 p1 a doted coO onworeon 26 v:nct fer heel Once the. N''

Lech cOthe end dolt ceO tah-por2ons 24, drteerent seth nor urwero echft,'h are) epposect to erie 0. SIC: S r rroip oe of one ereither annul tet iritertice hetweer: sucer.ottnre. r: thE: e000h em tease, the ceacece oaf suPIc trio 2.4 it turener cthddaci rOe Pretend one there poreone 23. 33: rend the data trek s heorhon 23 te eden nb $-:rte,:r -him end tooted etert nernons 3$ 3$, Other etc eceanmice 01 PSI nVOr1tOn fno snown pa,s rppjs ont two trace cat aub flc:rt:One wtc.h drride the tOt tiothun 16 rOe two storm the ength oF -the tlrsi scot 12.

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orieesother ehotO the:nrerfeoe het'weee the' e peccive peir oF hrsr end eec:Onr,i, eon portoro 26 30 32. tn c mk st3kTh L'C>'.tc. 30 32 31 hen entth c flonra rn toe st cOw rture cnmrnnr pnn 33 rhdr c.reen1 wfth the ntesenn 3$ ef the a porrnn 2330. 22.

othev enhndnrnnts the rvert:cr fl nkr2: eanh 32. 34 3nned tnwedn dhferent rnn perO. er may Or? t' "N* nnn,thec:efnnrOnn i3nft ef aiscryk The ca fcsrtmo 1 e:nmt> fte. hçhet deee tO rdrahmtv arid en mnrr2a a tOwer ear reng?e <err: an the m thah e.<eeh n the r rne3aN:anoan 1 h end the a ddttkm nmh at On atertO acetone 23 30. 32, 34 tO the eel' nonma 111 eot,rends nOth the common tront.38 exr,senrlinn tO the rtatent e,$ent a,mr: that the eat poolan 1 empta e an erKn enene cc oaarebe hr the aherre at a we nyfs: ceO.

\ \ N' N' N' <N'. ,,:.,< N','<,,<'NN"'', "N'<' N'< \N',\,'N'<: ",* \: ...< .-.: N'.' N',.' N'N'<: .,.

hy the releren,ce r:aniare 0 The en to to en qerreent ad 4 e reread recK $2 he 3.t4'$ n<ac<K at. ehatee rne'tv I entrees wOo the lest each 1 ee' tee cnn ctewqnelen t':wnn me carte iherencenurneree The yecetno seer. 62 molnde.ce doOr chr2on I 4 wrhth a:chOrts e ret deoree w elast?citv.

The andy ncr'tmn "tO 4 enuprhd wIth a cre0 portlan 16 that er'hihlte a second 34gee at etectioltnwhkrh dtceetor tOne the fIrst onaree at tOea'tctv "he hod and calf onnlfans: 14, 18 em ntef3a3 KnOted wrh oneanather. as descrtbed ehore.

It oUter erabadimente at the anton the c34pcrhan 1$ wee he enrdvided as rr,stanc?d d?iN'ct.or: nOd tte teat OC;K I 0 In use. the calf portion 1 of the second sock 12 arhibks a lower compressive force on a wearer then the oody portion 14.