Padded surfing shirt

Abstract

A shirt for protecting the abdominal, rib, and kidney areas of a surfer is disclosed. The shirt is worn on the upper body of a user while surfing, in which the lower portion is constructed from a circumferential band of neoprene rubber extending between the waist and the chest of the user to provide cushioning for the rib and kidney areas of the user to help minimize pain, discomfort, and the effects of impact-related injury. The lower neoprene portion is attached via a sewn seam located below the chest to an upper portion, comprising the remainder of the shirt, which is constructed from a lightweight and flexible nylon and spandex fabric. The resulting garment gives the invention the combined qualities of cushioning for the intended critical areas, while ensuring unrestricted freedom of movement for the wearer.

1 . A padded surfing shirt, said shirt comprising:
 an upper shirt portion generally adapted to cover the upper chest area and upper back area of the user, said upper shirt portion being formed of a flexible material that does not restrict the mobility of the user;   a neck and left and right sleeves formed of said flexible material and attached to said upper shirt portion;   a lower shirt portion attached to said upper shirt portion and being generally adapted to cover the front mid-section of the user, said lower shirt portion being formed of a cushioning material that does not restrict the mobility of the user, said cushioning material being adapted for cushioning the front mid-section of the user from injury while the user is lying on a surfboard, wherein said attachment of said lower shirt portion to said upper shirt portion is positioned to generally correspond to a point just below the chest of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 1 , wherein said upper shirt portion is made of a nylon and spandex blended fabric. 
     
     
         3 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 1 , wherein said upper shirt portion is made of a polyester and spandex blended fabric. 
     
     
         4 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 1 , wherein said lower shirt portion includes a fastening device for attaching said lower shirt portion to another article of clothing worn by the user. 
     
     
         5 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 4 , wherein said fastening device is a fabric loop made from fabric. 
     
     
         6 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 1 , wherein said lower shirt portion includes a draw string for tightening said lower shirt portion around the user. 
     
     
         7 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 1 , wherein said cushioning material is neoprene rubber. 
     
     
         8 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 7 , wherein the thickness of said neoprene rubber is selected from the range 0.5 mm to 6.0 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 1 , wherein said lower shirt portion is generally adapted to cover the lower back area of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 9 , wherein said lower shirt portion is a continuously formed piece of cushioning material. 
     
     
         11 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 10 , wherein said lower shirt portion has first and second ends generally meeting in the middle of the lower back areas of the user, said first and second ends forming a closable opening in said lower shirt portion. 
     
     
         12 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 11 , wherein a portion of said first and second ends are attached in order to close a portion of said closable opening. 
     
     
         13 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 12 , wherein said lower shirt portion includes a fastening device for closing at least a portion of said closable opening. 
     
     
         14 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 13 , wherein said lower shirt portion further includes a fastening device for closing the remaining portion of said closeable opening. 
     
     
         15 . A padded surfing shirt, said shirt comprising:
 an upper shirt portion generally adapted to cover the upper chest area and upper back area of the user, said upper shirt portion being formed of a flexible material that does not restrict the mobility of the user;   a neck and left and right sleeves integrally formed of said flexible material and attached to said upper shirt portion;   a lower shirt portion attached to said upper shirt portion and being generally adapted to cover the front mid-section of the user, said lower shirt portion being formed of a cushioning material that does not restrict the mobility of the user, said cushioning material being adapted for cushioning the front mid-section of the user from injury while the user is lying on a surfboard, wherein said attachment of said lower shirt portion to said upper shirt portion is positioned to generally correspond to a point just below the chest of the user.   
     
     
         16 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 15 , wherein said upper shirt portion is made of a nylon and spandex blended fabric. 
     
     
         17 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 15 , wherein said upper shirt portion is made of a polyester and spandex blended fabric. 
     
     
         18 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 15 , wherein said lower shirt portion includes a fastening device for attaching said lower portion to the swimsuit drawstrings of the user. 
     
     
         19 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 15 , wherein said cushioning material is neoprene rubber. 
     
     
         20 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 15 , wherein said lower shirt portion has first and second ends generally meeting in the middle of the lower back areas of the user, said first and second ends forming a closable opening in said lower shirt portion. 
     
     
         21 . The padded surfing shirt of  claim 19 , wherein a portion of said first and second ends are attached in order to close a portion of said closable opening, wherein said lower shirt portion further includes a fastening device for closing the remaining portion of said closeable opening.