# US 2019/0166797 A1 · 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 2019/0166797 A1 - Document ID: US20190166797A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/220,953 - Filed: 2018-12-14 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2002-07-01 - Assignees: New Balance Athletics, Inc. - Applicants: New Balance Athletics, Inc. - Inventors: Andrew Lubets; Nicholas Raymond - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190166797A1 ## 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; a first sleeve; a second sleeve; a first material portion comprising at least a portion of the first sleeve and at least a portion of the torso section, wherein the first material portion comprises a first material; and a second material portion comprising at least a portion of the second sleeve and at least a portion of the torso section proximate the second sleeve, wherein the second material portion comprises a second material adapted to provide a lesser resistance to stretching than the first material to reduce resistance to a movement of a wearer during an asymmetrical athletic motion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein: (i) the torso section comprises a neck opening for the wearer's neck and a torso opening for a lower portion of the wearer's torso; (ii) the first sleeve covers at least a portion of a first arm of the wearer, the first sleeve adjoining the torso section at a first end thereof and having an opening for a wearer's hand to extend through at a second end thereof; and (iii) the second sleeve covers at least a portion of a second arm of the wearer, the second sleeve adjoining the torso section at a first end thereof and having an opening for a wearer's hand to extend through at a second end thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the second material portion comprises a rear section of the torso section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The garment of claim 3, wherein the rear section extends substantially vertically down the rear from the neck opening towards the torso opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the second material portion further comprises a side section extending around at least a portion of a side of the torso section proximate the second sleeve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the second material portion comprises a unitary expanse of the second material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the second material portion comprises a plurality of sections of second material connected to form a continuous expanse. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein the first material comprises material adapted to provide at least one of a wicking property and cooling property. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first material and 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 10 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, further comprising a third material portion, wherein the third material portion comprises at least a portion of the first sleeve and at least a portion of the torso section proximate the first sleeve, and wherein the third material portion comprises the first material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The garment of claim 10, wherein the third material portion further comprises at least one of a rear section extending substantially vertically down a rear of the torso section and a side section extending helically around at least a portion of a side of the torso section proximate the first sleeve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The garment of claim 10, wherein the third material portion is arranged substantially symmetrically with the second material portion about a central axis of the garment. ### Claim 13 (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 14 (depends on 13) The garment of claim 13, wherein the one or more supporting elements comprise reinforcement elements comprising the first material or second material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The garment of claim 13, wherein the one or more supporting elements comprise one or more non-slip elements on an outer surface of the garment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The garment of claim 15, wherein the non-slip elements comprise a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of silicone and rubber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The garment of claim 1, further comprising one or more elasticity elements adapted to support a movement of the wearer during the asymmetrical athletic motion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The garment of claim 17, wherein the one or more elasticity elements are disposable 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 19 A method of supporting a movement of an athlete during an athletic motion, the method comprising: identifying a body portion of an athlete subject to resistance to a movement of the body portion by an article of apparel worn by the athlete during an asymmetrical athletic motion; and providing an asymmetric garment adapted to reduce the resistance to the movement of the body portion during the athletic motion, the garment comprising: a first material portion comprising a first portion of the garment, wherein the first material portion comprises a first material; and a second material portion comprising a second portion of the garment, wherein the second material portion comprises a second material adapted to provide a lesser resistance to stretching than the first material, and wherein the second portion of the garment at least partially covers the body portion subject to resistance. ### Claim 20 An asymmetric garment for at least a portion of a body of a wearer, the garment comprising: a first material portion comprising a first portion of the garment, wherein the first material portion comprises a first material; and a second material portion comprising a second portion of the garment, wherein the second material portion comprises a second material, and wherein (i) the first material portion and second material portion are arranged asymmetrically with respect to a central vertical plain of the garment, and (ii) the second material is 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.