초록 ▼

An article of apparel may include a base layer and a cover layer. The cover layer may be stitchlessly-secured to an exterior surface of the base layer and positioned to extend along a side area and from a pelvic region to a leg region of the base layer. A width of the cover layer may be greater in t

An article of apparel may include a base layer and a cover layer. The cover layer may be stitchlessly-secured to an exterior surface of the base layer and positioned to extend along a side area and from a pelvic region to a leg region of the base layer. A width of the cover layer may be greater in the pelvic region than the first leg region. In some configurations, a frictional resistance of the exterior surface of the base layer may be greater than a frictional resistance of a surface of the cover layer.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An article of apparel comprising: a base layer having a pelvic region, a first leg region extending from the pelvic region, and a second leg region extending from the pelvic region, the base layer having an interior surface for contacting a wearer and an opposite exterior surface that faces away

1. An article of apparel comprising: a base layer having a pelvic region, a first leg region extending from the pelvic region, and a second leg region extending from the pelvic region, the base layer having an interior surface for contacting a wearer and an opposite exterior surface that faces away from the wearer, and the base layer being formed from a textile material; anda cover layer secured to the exterior surface of the base layer and positioned to extend from a side area of the pelvic region to a side area of the first leg region, the cover layer having a height extending from an area of the pelvic region defining a waist opening to an area of the first leg region defining a leg opening, a width of the cover layer along the height being greater in the pelvic region than the first leg region, and the cover layer being formed from a single material selected from a group consisting of (a) a polymer-coated textile, (b) a two-layer polymer film, and (c) a polyamide, polyester, polyolefin, or vinyl film, wherein the cover layer is bonded directly to the base layer without an intermediate layer positioned between the cover layer and the base layer. 2. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein another cover layer is stitchlessly-secured to the exterior surface of the base layer and positioned to extend from an opposite side of the pelvic region to a side of the second leg region. 3. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein a width of the another cover layer is greater in the pelvic region than the second leg region. 4. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the cover layer is formed from the two-layer polymer film, and wherein a frictional resistance of the exterior surface of the base layer is greater than a frictional resistance of a surface of the cover layer. 5. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein a majority of an area of the cover layer is located in a rearward portion of the article of apparel. 6. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the cover layer has an interior surface facing the base layer and an exterior surface facing away from the wearer, and the cover layer defines at least one aperture that exposes the exterior surface of the base layer, the at least one aperture extending through the cover layer and from the interior surface of the cover layer to the exterior surface of the cover layer. 7. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the cover layer is formed from the polymer-coated textile, and wherein a frictional resistance of the exterior surface of the base layer is greater than a frictional resistance of a surface of the cover layer. 8. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the cover layer includes a side that faces towards the opposite exterior surface of the base layer and wherein substantially all of the side is bonded to the opposite exterior surface. 9. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the cover layer is stitchles sly-secured to the exterior surface of the base layer. 10. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the cover layer tapers between the pelvic region and the first leg region. 11. An article of apparel comprising: a base layer having a pelvic region, a first leg region extending from the pelvic region, and a second leg region extending from the pelvic region, the base layer having an interior surface for contacting a wearer and an opposite exterior surface that faces away from the wearer;a cover layer secured to the exterior surface of the base layer and positioned to extend from a side area of the pelvic region to a side area of the first leg region, a width of the cover layer being greater in the pelvic region than the first leg region, the cover layer having an interior surface facing the base layer and an exterior surface facing away from the wearer, the cover layer defining at least one aperture that extends through the cover layer and from the interior surface of the cover layer to the exterior surface of the cover layer, wherein the at least one aperture exposes at least one portion of the exterior surface of the base layer, and an exterior surface of the article of apparel includes the at least one portion of the exterior surface of the base layer; anda cushioning layer positioned between the base layer and the cover layer, wherein edges of the cushioning layer are spaced inward from edges of the cover layer. 12. The article of apparel recited in claim 11, wherein the base layer is formed from a textile material, and the cover layer is at least partially formed from a non-textile material. 13. The article of apparel recited in claim 11, wherein another cover layer is stitchlessly-secured to the exterior surface of the base layer and positioned to extend from an opposite side of the pelvic region to a side of the second leg region. 14. The article of apparel recited in claim 11, wherein a frictional resistance of the exterior surface of the base layer is greater than a frictional resistance of a surface of the cover layer. 15. The article of apparel recited in claim 11, wherein (a) an upper area of the pelvic region defines a waist opening, a lower area of the first leg region defines a first leg opening, and a lower area of the second leg region defines a second leg opening, (b) the cover layer has a height extending from the upper area of the pelvic region to the lower area of the first leg region, and (c) the width of the cover layer along the height is greater in the pelvic region than the first leg region. 16. An article of apparel comprising: a base layer having (a) a pelvic region, (b) a first leg region extending from the pelvic region and having a lower area that defines a leg opening, and (c) a second leg region extending from the pelvic region and having a lower area that defines a leg opening, the base layer having an interior surface for contacting a wearer and an opposite exterior surface that faces away from the wearer;a first cover layer having (a) a bulbous upper area positioned to correspond with a femoral joint and (b) a narrower lower area positioned to correspond with a side of a leg and extending from the upper area of the first cover layer to the lower area of the first leg region, a width of the first cover layer being greater in the pelvic region than in the first leg region, wherein a first cushioning layer is positioned between the base layer and the first cover layer, andwherein the first cover layer and the first cushioning layer define at least one void through the first cover layer and the first cushioning layer, the edges of the first cushioning layer being spaced inward from edges of the first cover layer and the edges of the first cover layer being secured to the exterior surface of the base layer, such that the at least one void exposes at least one first portion of the exterior surface of the base layer;a second cover layer having (a) a bulbous upper area positioned to correspond with a femoral joint and (b) a narrower lower area positioned to correspond with a side of a leg and extending from the upper area of the second cover layer to the lower area of the second leg region, wherein a second cushioning layer is positioned between the base layer and the second cover layer, andwherein the second cover layer and the second cushioning layer define at least one void through the second cover layer and the second cushioning layer, the edges of the second cushioning layer being spaced inward from edges of the second cover layer and the edges of the second cover layer being secured to the exterior surface of the base layer, such that the at least one void exposes at least one second portion of the exterior surface of the base layer. 17. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein the base layer is formed from a textile material and each of the first cover layer and the second cover layer are formed from non-textile materials. 18. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein a frictional resistance of the exterior surface of the base layer is greater than a frictional resistance of surfaces of the first cover layer and the second cover layer. 19. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein the first cushioning layer and the second cushioning layer are formed from a polymer foam material. 20. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein edges of the first cover layer and edges of the second cover layer are secured to the exterior surface of the base layer by a bonding selected from a group consisting of an adhesive or a thermobond. 21. An undergarment comprising: a base layer having a pelvic region, a first leg region, and a second leg region, an upper area of the pelvic region defining a waist opening, a lower area of the first leg region defining a first leg opening, and a lower area of the second leg region defining a second leg opening; anda single-layer, friction-reducing cover layer bonded directly to to an exterior surface of the base layer without an intermediate layer positioned between the cover layer and the base layer and extending from the upper area of the pelvic region to the lower area of the first leg region, an upper area of the single-layer, friction-reducing cover layer being positioned to correspond with a femoral joint and a lower area of the single-layer, friction-reducing cover layer being positioned to correspond with a side of a leg, and a width of the upper area of the single-layer, friction-reducing cover layer being greater than a width of the lower area of single-layer, friction-reducing cover layer,wherein a frictional resistance of the exterior surface of the base layer is greater than a frictional resistance of an exterior surface of the single-layer, friction-reducing cover layer to permit an article of apparel covering the undergarment to move relative to the undergarment. 22. The undergarment recited in 21, wherein the single-layer, friction-reducing cover layer is formed from a material selected from a group consisting of (a) a polymer-coated textile, (b) a two-layer polymer film, and (c) a polyamide, polyester, polyolefin, or vinyl film. 23. The undergarment recited in claim 21, wherein the single-layer, friction-reducing cover layer defines at least one or more apertures that extend through the single-layer, friction-reducing cover layer to expose one or more portions of the exterior surface of the base layer, and an exterior surface of the article of apparel includes the one or more portions of the exterior surface of the base layer.