Volumetric shoulder for garments

Abstract

A separate section is introduced between the sleeve and the body of any garment such as a jacket, parka, wind shirt, or shirt of any type to isolate, to a considerable extent, the motion of the sleeve from the main body of the garment. This isolation of movement is accomplished by shaping the edges of the separate section and the adjoining edges of the garment body and the sleeve in such a way that excess fabric is available between the sleeve and the body of the garment regardless of which direction the arm is moved. In particular, excess fabric is available to accommodate the volume of the shoulder joint when it moves upward from a rest position as the arm is raised. The result is that the wearer can move the arm over a very wide range of motion with much less movement of the main body of the garment and much less movement of the sleeve cuff up and down the arm than with other methods of sleeve attachment.

1 . A garment, comprising: 
 a body and at least one sleeve, and a separate section interposed between the body and the at least one sleeve, the separate section structured to provide extra volume in a shoulder area defined by the separate section to isolate movement of the at least one sleeve from the body of the garment as a user raises and lowers the user's arm.    
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the separate section is formed of non-stretch material.  
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the separate section extends to a neck hole in the garment.  
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the separate section is formed to have first and second edges for attachment to a body edge and a sleeve edge, and wherein the first and second edges of the separate section are shaped to not match up to the body edge and the sleeve edge when the body, separate section, and sleeve are disposed flat on the same planar surface.  
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein an angle α formed by the top of the separate section and a bottom hem of the garment is intermediate to an angle Φ made by a top of the garment body and the garment hem and the angle θ made by a top of the sleeve and the garment hem.  
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 5 , wherein the separate section is formed of non-stretch material.  
     
     
         7 . A garment, comprising: 
 a body having a shoulder section and an armpit section, the body having an edge in the shoulder and armpit sections that defines a shoulder opening;    a sleeve having an edge defining a sleeve opening for attachment; and    a separate section configured to couple the sleeve to the body, the separate section having a first edge shaped to be attached to the edge of the body and a second edge shaped to be attached to the edge of the sleeve, the edges of the separate section configured to not match up with the edge on the body and the corresponding edge on the sleeve when disposed flat on a common planar surface to provide a volumetric shoulder area when assembled.    
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 7  wherein the separate section is formed of non-stretch material.  
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 8  wherein the separate section extends to a neck hole of the garment.  
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 6  wherein an angle α formed by the a top of the separate section and a bottom hem of the garment is intermediate to an angle Φ made by a top of the garment body and the garment hem and the angle θ made by a top of the sleeve and the garment hem.  
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 10 , wherein the separate section is made of non-stretch material.  
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 7  wherein the separate section is formed of a first section that is thicker and heavier than a second section, the second section being positioned in an armpit of the garment.  
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 7  wherein the separate section is constructed of subsections, each subsection having first and second opposing edges configured for attachment to the body and to the sleeve, respectively, and opposing third and fourth edges that are shaped to not match up with adjacent subsections when disposed flat on a common planar surface.  
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 13  wherein the first and second edges are formed to not match up to the respective edge on the body and the edge on the sleeve when disposed flat on a common planar surface.  
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 13  wherein the first and second edges of each subsection are configured to match up with the corresponding edge of the body and the edge of the sleeve, respectively, when disposed flat on a common planar surface.  
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a garment having a body and a sleeve, the method comprising: 
 forming a separate section to be interposed between the body and the sleeve, the separate section formed to provide extra volume in a shoulder of the garment to isolate movement of the sleeve from the body of the garment as a user moves the user's arm.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein forming the separate section comprises forming the separate section of non-stretch material.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein forming the separate section comprises forming the separate section to extend to a neck hole of the garment.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein forming the separate section comprises forming the separate section to have first and second edges for attachment to an edge on the body and an edge on the sleeve, respectively, the first and second edges of the separate section configured to not match up to the edge of the body and the edge of the sleeve, respectively, when disposed on a common planar surface.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein forming the separate section comprises forming the separate section of a plurality of subsections having first and second edges configured for attachment to the garment and the sleeve, respectively, and third and fourth edges configured for attachment to adjacent subsections, the third and fourth edges configured to not match up with adjacent corresponding third and fourth edges of adjacent subsections when disposed flat on a common planar surface.