# US 12,213,541 B2 · Asymmetric athletic apparel and methods of use therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,213,541 B2 - Document ID: US12213541B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/220,953 - Filed: 2018-12-14 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-21 - Assignees: New Balance Athletics, Inc. - Applicants: New Balance Athletics, Inc. - Inventors: Andrew Lubets; Nicholas Raymond - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213541B2 ## CPC - A41D 13/0015: {Sports garments other than provided for in groups A41D13/0007 - A41D13/088} - A01K 15/02: Training or exercising equipment, e.g. mazes or labyrinths for animals (A01K15/04 takes precedence) {; Electric shock devices; Toys specially adapted for animals} - A01K 15/021: {Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats} - A41D 13/08: Arm or hand (protective gloves A41D19/015 {; protectors for the hands of players or sportsmen A63B71/14}) - A41D 31/18: Elastic - A01K 27/009: {with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices} - A41D 27/10: Sleeves; Armholes - A41D 27/12: Shields or protectors - A41D 31/185: {using layered materials} - A63B 21/4005: {to the shoulder} - A63B 21/4007: {to the chest region, e.g. to the back chest} - A63B 21/4025: {Resistance devices worn on the user's body (A63B21/065 takes precedence)} - A63B 71/12: for the body or the legs {, e.g. for the shoulders (A63B71/081 takes precedence)} - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract The invention relates to apparel and methods for supporting a movement of an athlete during an asymmetrical athletic motion. An example asymmetric garment for at least a portion of a body of a wearer includes a first material portion and a second material portion, with the first material portion and second material portion being arranged asymmetrically with respect to a central vertical plain of the garment, and with the second material being adapted to provide a lesser resistance to at least one of stretching or twisting than the first material to reduce resistance to a movement of the wearer during an asymmetrical athletic motion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An asymmetric garment for at least a portion of an upper body of a wearer, the garment comprising: a torso section comprising a neck opening for a wearer's neck, a lower torso opening for a lower portion of the wearer's torso, and an upper torso end for an upper portion of the wearer's torso, wherein at least a portion of the torso section comprises a first material; a first sleeve comprising the first material and a first end, wherein the first sleeve is connected to the upper torso end of the torso section at the first end; and a second sleeve comprising (a) a second end, wherein the second sleeve is connected to the upper torso end of the torso section at the second end with a seam and (b) a single, unitary expanse of a second material comprising (i) a second arm region configured to extend completely around a second arm of the wearer and at least partially cover the second arm of the wearer and (ii) a second shoulder region configured to cover at least a portion of a second shoulder of the wearer and extending to a second collar portion at the neck opening of the torso section, wherein (i) the seam defines the asymmetry of the garment, (ii) the single, unitary expanse of the second material is adapted to provide reduced resistance to asymmetrical shoulder and arm motion at the second shoulder region, (iii) a stretchability of the second material is greater than a stretchability of the first material, (iv) a first segment of the seam extends from the second collar portion directly towards the lower torso opening, (v) a second segment of the seam extends from the upper torso end proximate the second arm region towards a center region of the upper torso end, and (vi) the first and second segments meet proximate the center region of the upper torso end. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the torso section further comprises a third material portion comprising a side section extending around at least a portion of a side of the torso section proximate at least one of the first sleeve and the second sleeve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first material or the second material comprises material adapted to provide at least one of a wicking property and cooling property. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first material or the second material comprises cotton, polyester, nylon, spandex, a polyester-spandex blend, a nylon-spandex blend, a cotton-spandex blend, or a combination of two or more materials thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, further comprising one or more supporting elements extending over or underlying at least a portion of at least one shoulder of the garment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The garment of claim 5, wherein the one or more supporting elements comprise reinforcement elements comprising the first material or second material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The garment of claim 5, wherein the one or more supporting elements comprise one or more non-slip elements on an outer surface of the garment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The garment of claim 7, wherein the non-slip elements comprise a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of silicone and rubber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, further comprising one or more elasticity elements adapted to support a movement of the wearer during asymmetrical athletic motion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The garment of claim 9, wherein the one or more elasticity elements are disposed on a first area of the garment to store energy by elastic elongation under a first movement of a portion of the body of the wearer and to release the stored energy under a second movement of the portion of the body in an opposite direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the seam comprises at least one of stitching, flat-lock stitching, bonding, heat welding, use of seam tape, use of at least one separate bonding element, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The garment of claim 11, wherein the flat-lock stitching comprises nylon thread. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the torso section comprises a material differing in at least one material property from at least one of the first material or the second material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the first sleeve is connected to the torso section at a raglan sleeve seam extending over a first shoulder region of the torso section to a first collar portion disposed at the neck opening of the torso section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The garment of claim 14, wherein the seam is arranged asymmetrically with respect to the raglan sleeve seam connecting the first sleeve to the torso section, so as to provide reduced resistance to the asymmetrical shoulder and arm motion at the second shoulder region. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The garment of claim 14, wherein the raglan sleeve seam comprises at least one of stitching, flat-lock stitching, bonding, heat welding, use of seam tape, use of at least one separate bonding element, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the first sleeve comprises a single, unitary expanse of a first material configured to extend completely around a first arm of the wearer and to at least partially cover the first arm of the wearer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the second shoulder region comprises a front section and a back section that are each configured to extend only partially over the torso of the wearer proximate the second arm region. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the seam defines the asymmetry of the garment so as to provide reduced resistance to the asymmetrical shoulder and arm motion at the second shoulder region. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the seam meets the second sleeve at the upper torso end of the torso section. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein a spandex content of the second material is higher than a spandex content of the first material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the second material provides less resistance to at least one of stretching, twisting, or deformation than the first material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein a coefficient of friction of the second material is lower than a coefficient of friction of the first material.