Shoulder puller wetsuits, shoulder pullers and methods for making wetsuits having shoulder pullers

Abstract

Shoulder pullers, wetsuits with shoulder pullers and methods for making wetsuits with shoulder pullers are described herein. The shoulder pullers may be part of a wetsuit or may be arranged for retrofitting to an existing wetsuit. The shoulder pullers can be used to assist a wetsuit user to remove a wetsuit through an access opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wetsuit comprising:
 a core portion configured to cover at least a torso of a user, the core portion having a front portion, a back portion, a right shoulder portion, and a left shoulder portion, the core portion including an access opening between the right shoulder portion and the left shoulder portion through which the user can put on and take off the wetsuit;   
       a right arm portion extending from the right shoulder portion, wherein at least part of the right shoulder portion and at least a part of the right arm portion, including a part that is adjacent to the right shoulder portion, defines a right shoulder area; 
       a left arm portion extending from the left shoulder portion, wherein at least part of the left shoulder portion and at least a part of the left arm portion, including a part that is adjacent to the left shoulder portion, defines a left shoulder area; 
       a right shoulder puller attached to the right shoulder area, the right shoulder puller including a right pull line that is extendable out of the access opening; and 
       a left shoulder puller attached to the left shoulder area, the left shoulder puller including a left pull line that is extendable out of the access opening. 
     
     
         2 . The wetsuit of  claim 1 , wherein the right shoulder puller is attached to an inside surface of the right shoulder area and the left shoulder puller is attached to an inside surface of the left shoulder area. 
     
     
         3 . The wetsuit of  claim 1 , wherein the right shoulder puller further comprises a right connection support and the left shoulder puller further comprises a left connection support. 
     
     
         4 . The wetsuit of  claim 3 , wherein the right and left connection supports are made from neoprene and are connected to the right and left shoulder areas, respectively, using a neoprene glue. 
     
     
         5 . The wetsuit of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the right and left connection supports includes a “V” or “U” shape. 
     
     
         6 . The wetsuit of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the shoulder pullers includes a “V” or “U” shaped connection support that is positioned at one of the arm portions in an area of the user's deltoid muscle when the wetsuit is worn. 
     
     
         7 . The wetsuit of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the right and left connection supports comprises a front connection support and a back connection support that are separate from one another. 
     
     
         8 . The wetsuit of  claim 7 , wherein the front connection support is positioned at the front portion in an area of the user's mid-clavicle to outer ⅓ of the clavicle when the wetsuit is worn. 
     
     
         9 . The wetsuit of  claim 7 , wherein the back connection support is positioned at the back portion in an area of the user's mid-scapular spine when the wetsuit is worn. 
     
     
         10 . The wetsuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a lower core portion, a right leg portion extending from the lower core portion, and a left leg portion extending from the lower core portion. 
     
     
         11 . The wetsuit of  claim 1 , further comprising: a collar portion including a lower opening and a neck opening, the lower opening connected to the core portion adjacent to the access opening, the neck opening configured for fitting around the neck of the user to form around the user's neck. 
     
     
         12 . The wetsuit of  claim 11 , further comprising: a closure assembly attached to the core portion adjacent to the access opening and the collar portion adjacent to the lower opening, the closure assembly configured for selectively closing between the core portion and the collar portion, and for selectively opening such that the user can utilize the access opening. 
     
     
         13 . The wetsuit of  claim 11 , wherein the closure assembly comprises a zipper. 
     
     
         14 . The wetsuit of  claim 11 , wherein the closure assembly comprises a draw string. 
     
     
         15 . The wetsuit of  claim 1 , wherein the right and/or left pull line is a cord. 
     
     
         16 . The wetsuit f  claim 1 , wherein the right and/or left pull line is a ribbon. 
     
     
         17 . The wetsuit of  claim 1 , wherein the right and/or left pull line includes a loop. 
     
     
         18 . A shoulder puller for connecting to a wetsuit having an access opening positioned between a right shoulder portion and a left shoulder portion of the wetsuit to aid in removal of the wetsuit by a user wearing the wetsuit, the shoulder puller comprising:
 a pull line;   a connection support made from a material that has an elasticity that is similar to an elasticity of at least a portion of the wetsuit, the connection support configured to connect the pull line to a shoulder area of the wetsuit, and wherein the pull line is configured to extend at least from the shoulder area of the wetsuit to the access opening.   
     
     
         19 . The shoulder puller of  claim 18 , wherein the connection support includes a “V” or “U” shape. 
     
     
         20 . A method for producing a wetsuit, the method comprising:
 configuring a core portion to cover at least a torso of a user, the core portion having a front portion, a back portion, a right shoulder portion, and a left shoulder portion, the core portion including an access opening between the right shoulder portion and the left shoulder portion through which the user can put on and take off the wetsuit;   extending a right arm portion from the right shoulder portion, wherein at least part of the right shoulder portion and at least a part of the right arm portion, including a part that is adjacent to the right shoulder portion, defines a right shoulder area;   extending a left arm portion from the left shoulder portion, wherein at least part of the left shoulder portion and at least a part of the left arm portion, including a part that is adjacent to the left shoulder portion, defines a left shoulder area;   attaching a right shoulder puller to the right shoulder area, the right shoulder puller including a right pull line that is extendable out of the access opening; and   attaching a left shoulder puller to the left shoulder area, the left shoulder puller including a left pull line that is extendable out of the access opening.