Wetsuit and wetsuit fabric

Abstract

A wetsuit and wetsuit fabric made of a multi-layer laminated fabric material having a plurality of interconnected air channels formed between the fabric layers. The air channels are formed by unattached regions between fabric layers that are otherwise attached such as by gluing. The unattached regions are free to separate from each other and expand in response to pressure from a gas such as air under pressure. The air is preferably introduced through a valve such as by the wearer blowing air into the valve to fill the air channels thereby expanding these “unglued” regions. In a preferred embodiment, the air channels are selectively shaped to form a plurality of adjacent cells, thereby adding to the aesthetic appearance of the wetsuit fabric. These cells may be virtually any shape depending simply on the path chosen for the air channels. The fabric employing expandable air channels may be employed at virtually any location in a wetsuit as well as in accessories such as gloves, boots and hoods.

1 . A wetsuit comprising: 
 inner and outer laminated fiber layers;    a plurality of expandable interconnected air channels formed between said fiber layers by affixing said layers to one another at selected locations; and    a valve connected for selectively admitting air under pressure into said air channels and forming inflated regions in said wetsuit.    
   
   
       2 . The wetsuit recited in  claim 1  wherein said air channels are configured for forming a plurality of externally visible adjacent cells.  
   
   
       3 . The wetsuit recited in  claim 2  wherein said cells are hexagonally shaped.  
   
   
       4 . The wetsuit recited in  claim 2  wherein said cells are non-inflatable regions where said fiber layers are affixed to one another.  
   
   
       5 . The wetsuit recited in  claim 1  wherein said inflated regions are in the chest portion of said wetsuit.  
   
   
       6 . A wetsuit fabric comprising: 
 two fabric layers laminated together at selected locations to form a two layer unitary fabric, one layer forming the outer surface of said wetsuit and the other layer forming the inner layer of said wetsuit;    a plurality of contiguous regions between said layers, said layers being free to separate from each other along said contiguous regions to form expandable air channels therein; and    a valve for selectively introducing air under pressure into said air channels to expand said contiguous regions.    
   
   
       7 . The wetsuit fabric recited in  claim 6  wherein said air channels are configured for forming a plurality of externally visible adjacent cells.  
   
   
       8 . The wetsuit fabric recited in  claim 7  wherein said cells are non-inflatable regions where said fiber layers are affixed to one another.  
   
   
       9 . The wetsuit fabric recited in  claim 6  wherein said air channels are configured to form a repeating pattern of externally visible inflated and non-inflated regions.  
   
   
       10 . The wetsuit fabric recited in  claim 9  wherein said non-inflated regions are hexagonally shaped.