US3154082A

US3154082A - Girdle

Info

Publication number: US3154082A
Application number: US151845A
Authority: US
Inventors: Florence M Cape
Original assignee: Powder Melting Corp
Current assignee: Powder Melting Corp
Priority date: 1961-11-13
Filing date: 1961-11-13
Publication date: 1964-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 1981-10-27

Description

F.M.CAPE

Oct. 27, 1964 GIRDLE Filed Nov. 15, 1961 HVVENTOR FLORENCE M.

CAPE

Fig. 4

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,154,082 GIRDLE Florence M. Cape, Monterey, Calif, assignor to Powder Melting Corporation, Monterrey, Calif, a corporation of California Filed Nov. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 151,345 2 Claims. (6i. 128-527) ing the entire girdle from the body, but it is also virtually impossible to replace the closure while the girdle is worn. Moreover, the fasteners used, being usually made of metal, are subject to corrosion or rusting under the conditions under which the girdle is used.

It has also been proposed, as in Patent No. 2,453,063, to provide a closure for the crotch opening of a girdle, in which the closure is removably secured to the girdle by means of zippers. Such a closure is also impractical, not only because it is difficult to remove and replace the closure, but also because the zipper parts, if made of metal, are subject to corrosion and rusting, and because of the rather complicated structure used to prevent chafing of body parts. The use of zippers also presents a hazard, in that parts of the body can be caught in the zipper strucure.

The present invention has as its principal object the provision of a girdle of the character described, in which a closure is employed for the fenestra or crotch opening of the girdle, which closure is so constructed and is secured to the gridle in such a manner as to overcome all of the aforesaid disadvantages of prior art closures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a girdle of the character described, embodying a fenestra closure which can be quickly and easily removed, without removal of the girdle from the body, and which can be as quickly and easily replaced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a girdle of the character described, embodying a fenestra closure and means for removably securing the closure to the girdle, in which such means is completely devoid of parts or fastening means which can cause chafing of the body, become corroded or rusted, or can cause any injury or damage to portions of the body, in the area of the crotch.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing a gridle embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a girdle embodymg the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on a somewhat enlarged scale, taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on a somewhat enlarged scale, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but of a modification of the invention.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings, there is illustrated a girdle, having a fenestra or opening 2, in the crotch area of the girdle, which opening, as is well understood, is used to permit natural body functions of the wearer, without requiring removal of the girdle from the body.

Secured to the external or outer surface of the girdle, along the margin of the fenestra or opening 2, as by means of stitching 3, is a strip 4 of a woven nylon tape, which forms one of the two strips of a fastener, which is preferably of the type known as a Velcro fastener. The other strip of the fastener, similarly of a woven nylon tape, is designated by reference numeral 5. Fasteners of this type are described in US. Patent No. 2,717,437, to which reference may be had for a complete understanding of their construction and use.

In brief, the strip 4 is provided on its outer surface with raised pile threads, and the strip 5 is similarly provided on its inner surface with raised pile threads, so that when the

strips

4 and 5 are pressed together, by mere hand pressure, the threads interlock with each other to cause removable securement of the strip 5 to the strip 4, this securement being such as to maintain the strip 5 secured to the strip 4 under all normal conditions of wear of the girdle, as well as during laundering of the girdle. At the same time, the strip 5 can be readily removed from the strip 4 by merely pulling the strip 5 away from the strip 4. The interlocked threads of the

strips

4 and 5 are generally designated by reference numeral 6.

Secured to that marginal portion of the strip 5 which lies adjacent the fenestra of opening 2 as by means of stitching 7, is a closure or closure member, which may be made of any desired fabric, as for example, silk or nylon, and which is of an area and conformation to elfectively close the fenestra or opening 2, while conforming generally to the shape of the body at the crotch.

In order to facilitate replacement of the closure 8, after performance of the body functions, the strip 5 may be permanently secured to the girdle 1 at a point at the rear of the girdle, as by stitching 9 (see FIG. 3). The only purpose of this is to prevent the closure, when it is pulled away from the girdle to expose the opening 2, from becoming entirely detached from the girdle, since complete detachment might require the wearer to spend some additional time to insure that the closure is properly reattached. Another reason for this is to prevent possible loss of the closure during laundering of the garment. However, it is to be understood that it is not necessary that the closure be thus permanently secured to the girdle, and the closure may, in fact, be completely detachable from the strip 4, when body functions are to be performed. Where the closure is thus completely detachable, it can be separately laundered, or replaced with a clean or new closure.

In FIG. 5, the construction is identical with that shown in FIG. 3, but in this case, the stitching 9 of FIG. 3, has been replaced by a snap fastener 10, which fastens the strip 5 to the girdle at this point, so as to prevent complete detachment of the closure from the girdle, when the girdle is to be laundered. The fastener 10, in other words, will secure the closure to the girdle, at this point, even when the closure is detached at all other points to permit the natural body functions. The closure may, however, be completely detached to permit it to be sepa rately laundered, or replaced with a clean or new closure.

It is thus seen that I have devised a closure arrangement for girdles which arrangement overcomes all the disadvantages of prior art disclosures, which can be quickly and easily removed from the girdle, without removal of the girdle from the body, which can be as quickly and easily reattached or replaced, and which utilizes securing means which are completely devoid of parts or fasteners which can cause chafing of the body, or any injury damage to portions of the body in the area of the crotch.

Although the invention has been described with particular reference to a girdle, it will be understood that it is also applicable to other undergarments of this general type.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A garment comprising: a body including front, back and crotch portions defining a garment having leg openings and a crotch area between said leg openings; said body being provided with an opening in the crotch area defined by a continuous marginal edge spaced from said leg openings whereby to leave said leg openings intact; a closure panel having an area sufficient to close said open ing of said crotch area and a marginal edge of substantially the same extent as said marginal edge of said body; outwardly directed first raised pile means secured to and extending along said marginal edge of said opening; inwardly directed raised pile means secured to and extendcrotch opening.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,477,593 8/49 Gershenow 128527 2,531,772 11/50 Erteszek 128-527 2,717,437 9/55 De Mestral 2872 3,057,354 10/62 Roberts et a1. 128-289 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,223,713 2/60 France.

LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner. ADELE M. EAGER, Examiner.

Claims

1. A GARMENT COMPRISING: A BODY INCLUDING FRONT, BACK AND CROTCH PORTIONS DEFINING A GARMENT HAVING LEG OPENINGS AND A CROTCH AREA BETWEEN SAID LEG OPENINGS; SAID BODY BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING IN THE CROTCH AREA DEFINED BY A CONTINUOUS MARGINAL EDGE SPACED FROM SAID LEG OPENINGS WHEREBY TO LEAVE SAID LEG OPENINGS INTACT; A CLOSURE PANEL HAVING AN AREA SUFFICIENT TO CLOSE SAID OPENING OF SAID CROTCH AREA AND A MARGINAL EDGE OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME EXTENT AS SAID MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID BODY; OUTWARDLY DIRECTED FIRST RAISED PILE MEANS SECURED TO AND EXTENDING ALONG SAID MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID OPENING; INWARDLY DIRECTED RAISED PILE MEANS SECURED TO AND EXTENDING ALONG SAID MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID CLOSURE PANEL; SAID FIRST AND SECOND RAISED PILE MEANS ADAPTED TO BE INTERENGAGED TO RELEASABLY SECURE SAID CLOSURE PANEL TO SAID BODY PORTION TO CLOSE SAID OPENING.