Seam-in-pad apparatus with cycling shorts application

Abstract

A pad for use in clothing garments bonds to a garment seam to provide protection from chafing or irritation caused by the seam and provide support and strength to the seam. The seam may be embedded within the pad to integrate the seam into the padding to eliminate contact between the wearer's body and the seam stitching. The seam may be bonded to or embedded within the pad during manufacture of the pad or in a separate step using preformed pads and seams.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cycling garment comprising:
 a pad; and   at least two fabric sections joined at a seam, at least a portion of the seam being bonded to the pad.   
     
     
         2 . The cycling garment of  claim 1 , wherein the pad is comprised of a polymer material. 
     
     
         3 . The cycling garment of  claim 2 , wherein the polymer is silicone. 
     
     
         4 . The cycling garment of  claim 2 , wherein the polymer is rubber. 
     
     
         5 . A cycling garment comprising:
 a first fabric section;   a second fabric section joined to the first fabric section to form a first seam; and   a first pad disposed along the first seam, at least a portion of the first seam bonded to the first pad.   
     
     
         6 . The garment according to  claim 5  further comprising:
 a third fabric section joined to the first fabric section to form a second seam; and 
 a second pad disposed along the second seam, at least a portion of the second seam bonded to the second pad. 
 
     
     
         7 . The garment according to  claim 6  further comprising a back fabric section attached to a posterior of at least the first fabric section. 
     
     
         8 . The garment according to  claim 6  further comprising a front fabric section attached to an anterior of at least the first fabric section. 
     
     
         9 . The garment according to  claim 6  further comprising an outer fabric section attached to the cycling garment so as to dispose at least the first pad between the first section and the outer section. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 5  wherein the first pad is positioned lateral to a mid-sagittal plane in a first direction. 
     
     
         11 . The garment according to  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the first pad is positioned beneath an ischial pelvis bone of a person wearing the garment. 
     
     
         12 . The garment according to  claim 6  wherein the first pad is positioned lateral to a mid-sagittal plane in a first direction and the second pad is positioned lateral to the mid-sagittal plane in in a second direction. 
     
     
         13 . The garment according to  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the first pad is positioned beneath a first ischial pelvis bone of a person wearing the garment and the second pad is positioned beneath a second ischial pelvis bone of a person wearing the garment. 
     
     
         14 . A method for manufacturing a cycling garment comprising at least the steps of:
 providing a first fabric section;   providing a second fabric section;   providing a first pad;   joining the first and second fabric sections to form a first seam;   bonding the first seam to the inside of the first pad;   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of bonding the first seam into the first pad comprises the steps of:
 positioning at least a portion of the first seam within a pad mold; 
 filling the pad mold with a pad material; and 
 curing the pad material to bond the at least a portion of the first seam to the first pad. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising
 providing a third fabric section; 
 providing a second pad; 
 joining the first and third fabric sections to form a second seam; 
 bonding the second seam to the inside of the second pad. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising attaching a back fabric section to a posterior of at least the first fabric section. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising attaching a front fabric section to an anterior of at least the first fabric section. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising attaching an outer fabric layer to the cycling garment so as to dispose the first pad between the at least first fabric section and the outer fabric layer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the first and second pads are positioned to rest directly under the wearer's ischial pelvis bones.