Roller hockey pants

Abstract

Roller hockey pants include a pair of pant legs. Each pant leg has a knee portion and a distal end. A shin portion extends between the knee portion and the distal end. A length of the shin portion is configured so that, when the knee portion is arranged generally adjacent a wearer's knee, the distal end is arranged at or adjacent a wearer's ankle. A strap is operatively connected to each pant leg at a location in the shin portion closer to the knee than to the distal end. The strap is configured to selectively tighten the pants about a wearer's leg. Embodiments of such a strap can be suitably employed in various types of sporting leggings.

1 . Roller hockey pants, comprising: 
 a pair of pant legs, each pant leg comprising a knee portion and a distal end, a shin portion extending between the knee and the distal end, a length of the shin portion configured so that, when the knee portion is arranged generally adjacent a wearer's knee, the distal end is arranged at or adjacent a wearer's ankle; and    a strap operatively connected to each pant leg at a location in the shin portion closer to the knee than to the distal end, the strap configured to selectively tighten the pants about a wearer's leg.    
   
   
       2 . The roller hockey pants of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the strap is rigidly connected to the pants.  
   
   
       3 . The roller hockey pants of  claim 1 , wherein each pant leg comprises a strap channel, and a portion of the strap is held within the strap channel.  
   
   
       4 . The roller hockey pants of  claim 3 , wherein each strap is sewn to the respective pant leg.  
   
   
       5 . The roller hockey pants of  claim 1 , wherein the strap comprises an elastic material.  
   
   
       6 . The roller hockey pants of  claim 1 , wherein each strap comprises a closure, and the closure is disposed generally on a back side of the respective pant leg.  
   
   
       7 . The roller hockey pants of  claim 1 , wherein each strap is generally hidden from direct view from a front of the respective pant leg.  
   
   
       8 . The roller hockey pants of  claim 1 , wherein the pant legs are configured so that the straps are positioned between a top of shin guards worn by the wearer and the knee portion.  
   
   
       9 . The roller hockey pants of  claim 1 , wherein the pant legs are adapted such that the straps each surround a shin guard and a wearer's leg.  
   
   
       10 . Sporting leggings, comprising: 
 a pair of leggings, each legging configured to encircle a wearer's leg and comprising an upper leg portion, a lower leg portion, and a knee portion connecting the upper and lower leg portions; and a pair of straps, each strap comprising an elongated body connected to a selectively refastenable closure;    wherein the straps are connected to a corresponding lower leg portion of the leggings so that when a wearer wears the leggings, the closures secure the lower leg portion against the wearer's leg and the strap is at a location closer to the wearer's knee than to the wearer's foot.    
   
   
       11 . The sporting leggings of  claim 10 , wherein the closure is permanently refastenable.  
   
   
       12 . The sporting leggings of  claim 11 , wherein the permanently refastenable closure comprises a hook and loop fastener and the elongated body comprises elastic material.  
   
   
       13 . The sporting leggings of  claim 11 , wherein the permanently refastenable closure comprises one or more snaps.  
   
   
       14 . The sporting leggings of  claim 10 , further comprising a pair of apertures in each legging, the elongated body of each strap extending through a corresponding pair of apertures and held within the sporting leggings.  
   
   
       15 . The sporting leggings of  claim 13 , each legging further comprises a passage extending between each of the pairs of apertures, the elongated body of each strap positioned in the corresponding passage.  
   
   
       16 . The sporting leggings of  claim 14 , wherein the passage has a length of at least 1 inch.  
   
   
       17 . The sporting leggings of  claim 14 , wherein the passage extends about a portion of the legging.  
   
   
       18 . The sporting leggings of  claim 10 , wherein each legging comprises a pair of channels, the elongated body configured to pass through the channels and the closure is adapted to not pass through the channels.  
   
   
       19 . The sporting leggings of  claim 10 , wherein the leggings are configured so that each of the straps is position between a shin guard worn by the wearer and the knee portion.  
   
   
       20 . The sporting leggings of  claim 10 , wherein the leggings are adapted such that the straps each secure a shin guard to a wearer's leg.  
   
   
       21 . The sporting leggings of  claim 10 , wherein each legging comprises a plurality of pairs of apertures formed in the lower leg portion, the apertures configured to receive a strap.