Grip-Enhancing Sportswear and Methods of Manufacturing the Same

Abstract

Socks and other articles of sportswear for increasing grip on a contacted ball, as well as methods for manufacturing the same, are provided. A sock includes one or more coating material portions disposed on at least a portion of a sock base material of the sock leg. The one or more coating material portions include a coating base material or a coating base material and an aggregate material, such that a coefficient of friction between the coating material portions and the contacted ball is higher than a coefficient of friction between the sock base material and the contacted ball.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sock for increasing grip on a contacted ball, comprising:
 a sock leg extending from a sock foot, the sock leg comprising a sock base material; and   one or more coating material portions disposed on at least a portion of the sock base material of the sock leg,   wherein the one or more coating material portions comprise a coating base material or a coating base material and an aggregate material, such that a coefficient of friction between the one or more coating material portions and the contacted ball is higher than a coefficient of friction between the sock base material and the contacted ball.   
     
     
         2 . The sock of  claim 1 , wherein the sock base material is selected from the group consisting of cotton, wool, nylon, acrylic, polyester, olefins, spandex, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The sock of  claim 1 , wherein the coating base material is selected from the group consisting of silicone, latex, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The sock of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregate material comprises a natural or synthetic material selected from the group consisting of garnet, emery, aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The sock of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more coating material portions comprise a single coating material portion disposed at least on a shin area of the sock leg, and   the shin area comprises an area between an ankle and a cuff of the sock leg on a toe-facing section of the sock leg.   
     
     
         6 . The sock of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more coating material portions comprise a continuous coating material strip extending around at least a portion of a circumference of the sock leg in an area between an ankle and a cuff of the sock leg. 
     
     
         7 . The sock of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more coating material portions comprise a plurality of discrete coating material portions. 
     
     
         8 . The sock of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more coating material portions comprise a plurality of coating material lines. 
     
     
         9 . The sock of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more coating material portions are disposed on the sock leg such that the coating material portions are positioned to maximize a contact area of the coating material portions and a ball when dribbled or controlled by a wearer. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing a sock for increasing grip on a contacted ball, comprising:
 providing a sock comprising a sock leg extending from a sock foot, the sock leg comprising a sock base material; and   coating at least a portion of the sock base material of the sock leg with one or more coating material portions,   wherein the one or more coating material portions comprise a coating base material or a coating base material and an aggregate material, such that a coefficient of friction between the one or more coating material portions and the contacted ball is higher than a coefficient of friction between the sock base material and the contacted ball.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein coating at least a portion of the sock base material of the sock leg with one or more coating material portions comprises applying the one or more coating portions via a coating method selected from the group consisting of spraying, dipping, rolling, brushing, metering, screen printing, heat pressing, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising curing the one or more coating material portions. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising combining the coating base material and the aggregate material prior to coating the sock leg. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 coating at least a portion of the sock base material of the sock leg with one or more coating material portions comprises applying a single coating material portion to a shin area of the sock leg, and   the shin area comprises an area between an ankle and a cuff of the sock leg on a toe-facing section of the sock leg.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein coating at least a portion of the sock base material of the sock leg with one or more coating material portions comprises applying a continuous coating material strip extending around at least a portion of a circumference of the sock leg in an area between an ankle and a cuff of the sock leg. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein coating at least a portion of the sock base material of the sock leg with one or more coating material portions comprises applying a plurality of discrete coating material portions to the sock base material of the sock leg. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein coating at least a portion of the sock base material of the sock leg with one or more coating material portions comprises applying a plurality of coating material lines to the sock base material of the sock leg. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein coating at least a portion of the sock base material of the sock leg with one or more coating material portions comprises applying the one or more coating material portions to a region of the sock leg such that the coating material portions are positioned to maximize a contact area of the coating material portions and a ball when dribbled or controlled by a wearer. 
     
     
         19 . An article of sportswear for increasing grip on a contacted ball, comprising:
 at least one external surface region positioned to contact a ball during ball handling, dribbling, or controlling performed by a wearer; and   one or more coating material portions disposed on the at least one external surface region,   wherein the one or more coating material portions comprise a coating base material or a coating base material and an aggregate material, such that a coefficient of friction between the one or more coating material portions and the contacted ball is higher than a coefficient of friction between the external surface region and the contacted ball.   
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 19 , wherein the article of sportswear is selected from the group consisting of leg warmers, short sleeve shirts, long sleeve shirts, athletic jerseys, pants, shorts, pads, guards, helmets, hats, shoes, and socks.