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(11) | EP 0 609 699 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Spats type over-pants for skiing |
| (57) The invention relates to a pair of spats type over-pants for wearing over a pair
of regular ski pants. The over-pants (2) are made of thin material which is several
times more expandable or contractible in universal directions including a longitudinal
direction, a lateral direction and an oblique direction than the regular ski pants
(1) and fit the skier's legs. |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a pair of spats-type over-trousers which are so called "lift pants" and which trousers a skier wears over his or her ski pants.
[0002] In general, many ski pants which have been on sale are of a fit type, which ski pants are fit on the skier's legs. Such type ski pants are made of relatively thick texture which has an excellent flexibility, in view of the weather-proof property and athletic property and are therefore generally expensive.
[0003] Also, cold-weather proof over-trousers which are to be worn on regular ski pants against the cold-weather have conventionally sold. For the purpose of the cold-proof property, the conventional cold-proof over-pants have been made of water-proof material which is not flexible and heat-insulating stuffs has often been inserted into the interior of the over-pants or thick cold-proof material has been sometimes used, which would be bulky, oversized and unstylish.
[0004] Accordingly, if the skier wears the conventional cold-weather proof over-type pants, as mentioned above, the pants would not fit the skier, and the pants would be bulky and unstylish. Other people can readily recognize that he or she wears the weather-proof pants.
[0005] As mentioned above, the regular ski pants are stylish because of fitness to the skier's legs, whereas the weather-proof over-pants would not fit his or her legs and would be extremely unstylish in comparison with the regular ski pants. Accordingly, these days, even if it is somewhat cold for skiing, frequently, skiers only wears a single pair of ski pants, and only in the case where it is very cold, they purchase and wears the expensive weather-proof over-pants regardless of their style.
[0006] Also, skiers who possess non-pattern ski pants wish to ski with showy pattern ski pants. Conventionally, of course, they have to purchase other expensive ski pants with patterns. In this case, they can buy and wear weather-proof type ove-pants. However, in many cases, the over-pants are hardly used, even if the over-pants have patterns, because the over-pants would not fit the regular ski pants and would be unstylish as mentioned before.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the foregoing problems inherent in the prior art over-pants, an object of the present invention is to provide a spats type over-pants which can fit skier's legs and have not been available on the market.
[0008] According to the invention, there are provided a pair of spats type over-pants may be used over a pair of regular ski pants. The over-pants are made of thin material flexible in both lateral and longitudinal directions and are formed so as to conform with skier's legs.
[0009] According to another aspect of the invention, there are provided a pair of spats type over-pants may be used over a pair of regular ski pants. The over-pants are made of thin two-way tricot material which is expandable or contractible in universal directions including a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction and an oblique direction with expansion/contraction several times greater than those of the ski pants and are formed so as to conform with skier's legs.
[0010] According to the present invention, since the over-pants are made of the thin material which is expandable or contractible in the universal directions including the longitudinal, lateral and oblique directions so as to fit the skier's legs, the over-pants may fit the regular ski pants which fit the skier's legs in the same way. In particular, in the case where the material for the over-pants is provided with expansion/contraction several times greater than those of the ski pants, even if the skier wears the two pairs of the pants, other skiers could not recognize it but feel that the two pairs of pants looks like a pair of integral pants without any weather-proof over pants. This is quite stylish.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a front view showing a pair of spats type over-pants according to the present invention; and
Fig. 2 is a front view showing a state where the over-pants shown in Fig. 1 is used.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] A pair of spats type over-pants according to the invention are used over a pair of conventional ski pants which are called "lift pants" and are formed of thin material which can expand and contract in universal directions including a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction and an oblique direction.
[0014] According to the embodiment of the invention, the over-pants are made of two-way tricot (i.e., material which have been widely used for swim wears and cycling pants) which expands and contracts in the universal directions including the longitudinal, lateral and oblique directions and which is thin and will not impart an excessive pressure to the skier. The flexibility (i.e., expandability and contractibility) of the material is about five times larger than that of ski pants 1 which are relatively thick and fit the skier as under-wears. Thus, the over-pants may fit the underside ski pants.
[0015] More specifically, the two-way tricot is the material which is used for swim wears or cycling pants as described above and woven of special poly-urethane yarn called a "spandex" which is a rubber system material. The special poly-urethane yarn has an expansion which is about five to seven times relative to flexible yarn which is used for the ski pants 1 as a thick textile and whose expansion is about two times. Therefore, the over-pants 2 made of the two-way tricot is very excellent in flexibility relative to the ski pants 1. The over-pants 2 becomes a pair of spats type trousers which can expand and contract in the universal directions including the longitudinal, lateral and oblique directions.
[0016] Also, the special poly-urethane is superior in quick restoration to the original shape after expansion, service life against repeated expansion/contraction, and in durability to rubber. In addition, the special poly-urethane is durable against acid and alkaline and excellent in weather-proof against sunshine or the like. Also, it is possible to make thinner and more uniform yarn from the special poly-urethane than rubber. The yarn may fall within a wide range from 10 denier to 800 denier.
[0017] Thus, since the over-pants 1 according to the embodiment are made of the above-described material and thin, the over-pants are more inexpensive than the ski pants 2.
[0018] For instance, since in general many ski pants are provided with no pattern, if a pair of over-pants 2 according to the invention are prepared in addition to the ski pants, it is possible to select the non-patterned ski-pants without the over-pants for a steady atmosphere or the patterned over-pants 2 for a showy atmosphere depending upon skier's feeling. Then, since the over-pants according to the invention fit the skier's legs even when the ski pants are worn under the over-pants, the skier's style would not be bulky. Particularly, young people like the over-pants. The commercial value would be increased.
[0019] As described above, in order to enjoy two kinds of fashions, conventionally, it is necessary to purchase two pairs of expensive ski pants 1 or to purchase a pair of ski pants 1 and a pair of over-pants which are different in outer appearance to the ski pants 1. In the former case, the cost is undesirably high. In the later case, the overall appearance would not be stylish. According to the present invention, it is possible to enjoy two different kinds of stylish fashions in low cost overcoming the defects of the conventional fashions.
[0020] It is also possible to sell the over-pants independently on the market but it is possible to sell a two-item set of the ski pants 1 and the over-pants 2 of the invention or to sell a four-item set further including conventional cold-weather proof over-trousers and jackets.
[0021] For instance, the over-pants according to the present invention may be made of transparent material. In this case, if the patterned ski pants 1 are prepared and the transparent over-pants are laid over the ski pants 1, since the pattern of the ski pants 1 is visible from the outside, a very unique appearance can be enjoyed. This type over-pants may be sold in the set.
[0022] As described above, the over-pants according to the invention is advantageous in practical aspect such as weather proof effect and may be worn together with the ski pants 1 so that it is possible to select a showy fashion and a steady fashion depending upon the skier's taste or atmosphere. The spats type over-pants 2 are very stylish.
[0023] Reference numeral 3 denotes a pair of retainer ring portions for retaining at the skier's feet, numeral 4 denotes a pair of fasteners, and numeral 5 denotes a pair of pats for preventing the over-pants from being damaged due to the friction between the over-pants and the ski boots.
[0024] The present invention insures the following advantages:
i) Since the over-pants are of the spats type which fit the skier's legs, when the skier wears the over-pants over the ski pants which also fit the skier's legs, the ski pants and the over-pants are integral with each other to enhance the outer appearance.
ii) If the skier possesses the over-pants according to the present invention which is different from the ski pants in outer appearance, it is possible to enjoy two kinds of fashions in a very stylish way. This can be enjoyed in low cost in comparison with the case where the skier possesses two pairs of expensive ski pants. In addition, the over-pants according to the invention is easy to put on or put off and hence the two kinds of fashions may readily be switched over.
iii) Since the over-pants are formed of the thin flexible material expandable or contractible in any directions including a longitudinal, lateral and oblique directions so as to fit the skier's legs, even when the over-pants are put over the ski pants, other skiers could not recognize that he or she wears two pairs of the pants. The over-pants fit over the ski pants in an integral manner and may follow quickly the motion of the skier's legs unlike the conventional over-trousers which would be bulky. The spats type over-pants according to the invention would not adversely affect the skier's skiing skill.
[0025] Various details of the invention may be changed without departing from its spirit nor its scope. Furthermore, the foregoing description of the embodiments according to the present invention is provided for the purpose of illustration only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
1. A pair of spats type over-pants for wearing over a pair of regular ski pants, characterized
in that the over-pants are made of thin material which is expandable or contractible
in both longitudinal and lateral directions and fit the skier's legs.
2. A pair of spats type over-pants for wearing over a pair of regular ski pants, characterized
in that the over-pants are made of thin two-way tricot material which is several times
more expandable or contractible in universal directions including a longitudinal direction,
a lateral direction and an oblique direction than the regular ski pants and fit the
skier's legs.