Weighted apparel and related manufacturing methods

Abstract

Weighted apparel designed for training and/or weight loss, for example, along with related manufacturing methods. In some embodiments, a plurality of spherical weighted elements may be positioned within one or more tunnels formed within a piece of fabric. The tunnels may be sealed such that the weighted elements are contained within the tunnels and add a desired amount of weight to the fabric according to the number of weighted elements and the density of the material of such weighted elements. The fabric may be incorporated into a piece of apparel, such as shirts, pants, hats, belts, gloves, socks, ankle or wrist bands, shin guards, or full body suits, for example.

1 . A weighted apparel item, comprising:
 a fabric formed into a shape to be worn by a user;   a plurality of tunnels formed within the fabric; and   a plurality of spherical weighted elements positioned within each of the plurality of tunnels to add weight to the apparel item.   
     
     
         2 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tunnels comprises a single row of spherical weighted elements. 
     
     
         3 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tunnels comprises a plurality of rows of spherical weighted elements. 
     
     
         4 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 1 , wherein the spherical weighted elements comprise ball bearings. 
     
     
         5 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 4 , wherein the spherical weighted elements comprise a copper material. 
     
     
         6 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tunnels is at least substantially parallel to at least one adjacent tunnel of the plurality of tunnels. 
     
     
         7 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 1 , wherein the weighted apparel item comprises one of a shirt, a pair of pants, a hat, a belt, a glove, a sock, an ankle band, a wrist band, and a body suit. 
     
     
         8 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of weighted elements comprises a maximal dimension of no more than about 8 mm. 
     
     
         9 . A weighted apparel item, comprising:
 a first fabric sheet;   a second fabric sheet coupled to the first fabric sheet; and   a weighted region comprising a plurality of weighted elements positioned in between the first fabric sheet and the second fabric sheet, wherein each of the plurality of weighted elements is configured to contact at least one adjacent weighted element to maintain at least limited flexibility of the weighted apparel item in the weighted region.   
     
     
         10 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 9 , further comprising one or more chambers defined at least in part by the first fabric sheet and the second fabric sheet, wherein each of the plurality of weighted elements is positioned within the one or more chambers. 
     
     
         11 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of weighted elements is at least substantially spherical. 
     
     
         12 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more chambers comprise a plurality of elongated tunnels, and wherein at least a subset of the plurality of elongated tunnels extends at least substantially parallel to at least one other elongated tunnel of the plurality of elongated tunnels. 
     
     
         13 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 9 , wherein the weighted apparel item comprises at least one of spandex, polyester, and neoprene. 
     
     
         14 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 9 , wherein the weighted apparel item further comprises one or more unweighted regions. 
     
     
         15 . The weighted apparel item of  claim 14 , wherein each of the one or more unweighted regions are defined by a single layer of material. 
     
     
         16 . A method for manufacturing weighted apparel, the method comprising the steps of:
 coupling a first fabric sheet to a second fabric sheet;   forming a plurality of elongated chambers in between the first fabric sheet and the second fabric sheet;   forming a weighted region by inserting a plurality of weighted elements within each elongated chamber of the plurality of elongated chambers such that each of the plurality of weighted elements is configured to contact one or more adjacent weighted elements and to maintain flexibility of the weighted region; and   forming an item of apparel with the weighted region.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of elongated chambers comprises a tunnel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of forming the plurality of elongated chambers comprises forming a plurality of at least substantially parallel sew lines connecting the first fabric sheet to the second fabric sheet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the weighted elements are spherical in shape. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of forming a weighted region comprises:
 inserting an at least substantially maximal number of weighted elements in each of the plurality of elongated chambers; and   closing two opposite ends of each of the plurality of elongated chambers.