Support shirts including a restriction panel

Abstract

A support shirt including a shirt body including a front portion having a top edge and an opposite bottom edge, a pair of sleeves extending from the front portion, the pair of sleeves having a sleeve elasticity, a restriction panel provided on the front portion between the pair of sleeves and extending from the top edge toward the bottom edge, the restriction panel having a restriction elasticity less than the sleeve elasticity, a receiver affixed to the shirt body to define a cavity between the receiver and the shirt body, and a protective pad disposed within the cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A support shirt comprising:
 a shirt body including a front portion having a top edge and an opposite bottom edge;   a pair of sleeves extending from the front portion, the pair of sleeves having a sleeve elasticity;   a restriction panel provided on the front portion between the pair of sleeves and extending from the top edge toward the bottom edge, the restriction panel having a restriction elasticity less than the sleeve elasticity;   a receiver affixed to the shirt body to define a cavity between the receiver and the shirt body; and   a protective pad disposed within the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The support shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a top edge, a bottom edge, and a plurality of side edges affixed to the shirt body. 
     
     
         3 . The support shirt of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom edge and the plurality of side edges of the receiver are affixed to the shirt body to define an opening formed between the top edge and the shirt body. 
     
     
         4 . The support shirt of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a first fastener provided on the top edge of the receiver; and   a second fastener provided on the shirt body,   wherein the first fastener and the second fastener couple to one another.   
     
     
         5 . The support shirt of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a flap extending from the shirt body adjacent the top edge of the receiver to cover the opening.   
     
     
         6 . The support shirt of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the flap includes an inner surface and an outer surface;   the receiver includes an outer surface; and   the flap comprises a first fastener provided on the inner surface of the flap and a second fastener provided on the outer surface of the receiver, the second fastener configured to couple to the first fastener.   
     
     
         7 . The support shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver is affixed to the shirt body by stitching. 
     
     
         8 . The support shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the protective pad has a width that is greater than a width of the restriction panel. 
     
     
         9 . A support shirt comprising:
 a body including a front portion having a top edge, an opposite bottom edge, and a pair of circular seams defining a pair of sleeve openings;   a collar provided at the top edge of the front portion of the body;   a pair of sleeves extending from the front portion, the pair of sleeves being fixed to the front portion at the pair of sleeve openings;   a panel provided on the front portion between the pair of sleeves and extending from the top edge toward the bottom edge, the panel being defined by a pair of restriction seams, the pair of restriction seams extending from the top edge toward the bottom edge, the pair of restriction seams contacting the pair of circular seams;   a receiver affixed to the body to define a cavity between the receiver and the body; and   a pad disposed within the cavity,   wherein the pair of sleeves has a sleeve elasticity, the panel has a restriction elasticity less than the sleeve elasticity, and the collar has a collar elasticity less than the sleeve elasticity.   
     
     
         10 . The support shirt of  claim 9 , wherein the receiver includes a top edge, a bottom edge, and a plurality of side edges affixed to the body. 
     
     
         11 . The support shirt of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom edge and the plurality of side edges are affixed to the body to define an opening between the top edge and the body. 
     
     
         12 . The support shirt of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first fastener provided on the top edge of the receiver; and   a second fastener provided on the body, wherein the first fastener and the second fastener couple to one another.   
     
     
         13 . The support shirt of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a flap extending from the body adjacent the top edge of the receiver to cover the opening.   
     
     
         14 . The support shirt of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 the flap includes an outer surface;   the receiver includes an outer surface; and   the flap comprises a first fastener provided on the inner surface of the flap and a second fastener provided on the outer surface of the receiver, the second fastener configured to couple to the first fastener.   
     
     
         15 . The support shirt of  claim 9 , wherein the panel extends from the top edge of the body to the bottom edge of the body. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing a support shirt, the method comprising:
 forming a shirt body, wherein forming the shirt body comprises:
 coupling a first panel to a second panel; and 
 coupling the second panel to a third panel; 
   coupling a restriction panel to the shirt body, the restriction panel having a restriction elasticity;   coupling a pair of sleeves to the shirt body on opposite sides of the restriction panel, the pair of sleeves having a sleeve elasticity; and   affixing a receiver to the third panel, wherein the receiver comprises a top edge, a bottom edge, a plurality of side edges, and an outer face,   wherein the restriction elasticity is less than the sleeve elasticity.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 placing a protective pad on the third panel; and   affixing the receiver to the third panel around the protective pad.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 coupling a first fastener to the top edge of the receiver; and   coupling a second fastener to the third panel.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising coupling a flap to the third panel adjacent to the top edge of the receiver, wherein the flap comprises an inner surface and an outer surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 coupling the first fastener to the inner surface of the flap; and   coupling the second fastener to the outer surface of the receiver.