Fleece Shorts With Durable, Wind-Blocking Pocket

Abstract

A shorts garment comprising insulating fleece and durable, wind-blocking patch pockets. The shorts comprise fleece front and rear panels with high air permeability. The patch pockets comprise durable, non-stretch fabric with low air permeability, sewn on top of the fleece panels. The patch pocket fabric has an air permeability less than the air permeability of the fleece, thereby providing enhanced wind and cold protection for the thigh areas. The air permeability of the pocket fabric can be less than 1/2, 1/5 or 1/10 of the air permeability of the fleece. The patch pockets also protect the fleece from wear and abrasion. A crotch area between the pockets has high air permeability fleece, and so the crotch receives cooling air ventilation. The patch pockets preferably cover about 20%, 30%, 40% or more of the front fleece panels. The present shorts garment is comfortably warm over a wide temperature range.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shorts garment, comprising:
 1) two tubes comprising fleece fabric for receiving a human waist and legs, wherein the tubes are joined at one end, and each tube has a front panel;   2) a waistband circumscribing the joined end;   3) a patch pocket attached to an exterior of each front panel, wherein:   a) each patch pocket is open along a top edge,   b) each patch pocket comprises a non-stretch, non-fleece fabric having an air permeability less than an air permeability of the fleece fabric comprising the front panels, and each patch pocket covers at least about 25% of each respective front panel.   
     
     
         2 . The shorts garment of  claim 1  wherein the air permeability of the patch pocket fabric is less than 30 CFM/SF by ASTM D737, and the air permeability of the front panel fleece fabric is greater than 60 CFM/SF by ASTM D737. 
     
     
         3 . The shorts garment of  claim 1  wherein the air permeability of the patch pocket fabric is less than 10 CFM/SF by ASTM D737, and the air permeability of the front panel fleece fabric is in the range of 75-350 CFM/SF by ASTM D737. 
     
     
         4 . The shorts garment of  claim 1  wherein the air permeability of the patch pocket fabric is less than 1/4 the air permeability of the fleece fabric. 
     
     
         5 . The shorts garment of  claim 1  wherein the air permeability of the patch pocket fabric is less than 1/10 the air permeability of the fleece fabric. 
     
     
         6 . The shorts garment of  claim 1 , wherein a crotch area exists between the patch pockets, and the crotch area has, on average, an air permability in the range of 50-350 CFM/SF by ASTM D737. 
     
     
         7 . The shorts garment of  claim 1 , wherein a crotch area exists between the patch pockets, and at least 40% of the crotch area has an air permeability greater than 60 CFM/SF. 
     
     
         8 . The shorts garment of  claim 1  wherein each patch pocket covers at least about 35% of each respective front panel. 
     
     
         9 . The shorts garment of  claim 1  wherein each patch pocket covers at most about 80% of each respective front panel. 
     
     
         10 . The shorts garment of  claim 1 , wherein the tubes comprise rear panels made of fleece, and further comprising rear patch pockets that cover at least about 20% of each respective rear panel, and wherein the rear patch pockets have an air permeability less than 1/2 an air permeability of the rear panels. 
     
     
         11 . A shorts garment, comprising:
 1) two tubes comprising fleece fabric for receiving a human waist and legs, wherein the tubes are joined at one end, and each tube has a front panel;   2) a waistband circumscribing the joined end;   3) a patch pocket attached to an exterior of each front panel, wherein:   a) each patch pocket is open along a top edge,   b) each patch pocket comprises a non-stretch, non-fleece fabric having an air permeability less than 1/4 of an air permeability of the fleece fabric comprising the front panels, and each patch pocket covers at least about 30% of each respective front panel.   
     
     
         12 . The shorts garment of  claim 11 , wherein a crotch area exists between the patch pockets, and the crotch area has, on average an air permability in the range of 50-350 CFM/SF by ASTM D737. 
     
     
         13 . The shorts garment of  claim 11 , wherein a crotch area exists between the patch pockets, and at least 40% of the crotch area has an air permeability greater than 60 CFM/SF. 
     
     
         14 . The shorts garment of  claim 11  wherein each patch pocket covers at least about 40% of each respective front panel. 
     
     
         15 . The shorts garment of  claim 11  wherein the air permeability of the patch pocket fabric is less than 15 CFM/SF by ASTM D737, and the air permeability of the front panel fleece fabric is in the range of 75-350 CFM/SF by ASTM D737. 
     
     
         16 . The shorts garment of  claim 11  wherein each patch pocket covers at most about 80% of each respective front panel. 
     
     
         17 . The shorts garment of  claim 11 , wherein the tubes comprise rear panels made of fleece, and further comprising rear patch pockets that cover at least about 25% of each respective rear panel, and wherein the rear patch pockets have an air permeability less than 1/4 an air permeability of the rear panels. 
     
     
         18 . A shorts garment, comprising:
 1) two tubes comprising fleece fabric for receiving a human waist and legs, wherein the tubes are joined at one end and each tube comprises a front panel, and wherein the fleece fabric has an air permeability in the range of 70-350 CFM/SF and has pile of at least 1 mm on each side;   2) a waistband circumscribing the joined end;   3) a patch pocket attached to an exterior of each front panel, wherein:   a) each patch pocket has at least one connection to the waistband,   b) each patch pocket is open along a top edge,   c) each patch pocket comprises a non-stretch, non-fleece fabric having an air permeability less than 10 CFM/SF, and each patch pocket covers at least about 35% of each respective front panel.   
     
     
         19 . The shorts garment of  claim 18 , wherein a crotch area exists between the patch pockets, and the crotch area has, on average, an air permability in the range of 50-350 CFM/SF by ASTM D737. 
     
     
         20 . The shorts garment of  claim 18  wherein each patch pocket covers at most about 80% of each respective front panel. 
     
     
         21 . The shorts garment of  claim 18  wherein the tubes comprise rear panels made of fleece, and further comprising rear patch pockets that cover at least about 20% of each respective rear panel, and wherein the rear patch pockets have an air permeability less than 1/2 an air permeability of the rear panels.