Girl's Undergarment For Providing Comfort and Ensuring Modesty

Abstract

An undergarment for a girl includes a center panel sub-assembly formed from two pieces, an inner center panel and an outer center panel, both having the same general outline in shape. Both the inner center panel and the outer center panel are each cut as a single piece for comfort and do not have a seam in a crotch portion. The center panel sub-assembly is stitched to a right leg component and left leg component, and which are then all in turn stitched to a waistband. The inner center panel in one embodiment is made from a cotton fabric for comfort. The outer center panel in one embodiment is made from a cotton/spandex blend to facilitate a snug fit of the undergarment. The leg components are characterized in one embodiment as extending below the crotch to ensure that modesty is maintained in various positions while wearing the undergarment.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to children's undergarments, and more specifically, to a girl's lower-body undergarment that provides comfort and ensures modesty.

BACKGROUND

Undergarments worn by young children, such as in the age group of approximately 2 through 10, must address certain aspects that are unique to children. First, the skin of a child can be particularly sensitive and delicate as compared to adults. Children may find the touch of certain fabrics irritating, as well as the construction of the undergarment itself, when worn. Even the attachment and fabric of a label attached to the undergarment can cause discomfort to a child. Construction techniques and fabrics that are suitable for an adult undergarment, and which may not even be noticed by an adult, much less found to be irritating, may be unacceptable and feel very uncomfortable to a child. Thus, additional care and thought must be given to the structure, fabric, stitching, and labels of a child's undergarment.

The fit of the undergarment is also important, since children are likely to adjust the position of the undergarment (e.g., by pulling or tugging on the undergarment) more so than adults, especially if the undergarment is in any way uncomfortable. Pulling or tugging can distort the shape of the undergarment and result the undergarment fitting even more poorly. For example, the crease of skin where the leg and the torso meet can be particularly sensitive for a child, and a tight fitting cuff in a panty rubbing the skin in this area can be particularly irritating to a child. A likely response is to repeatedly tug at the undergarment in that area in an attempt to loosen the fit. Typically, this results in distorting the fabric in the area of the leg opening, resulting in worsening the fit even more.

Compounding the problem is that children in this age group may not be fully aware of societal norms of modesty. This self-awareness of modesty usually increases with age. Thus, it is not uncommon for mothers of young girls, particularly in the age group of 2 to 5 years, to remind their daughters how to sit in public or position themselves during playtime when wearing dresses so that their undergarments are not readily viewable by others. Oftentimes poorly fitting panties may result in exposing more than is desired by the parents, resulting in a so-called “immodesty incident,” which may not be recognized by the child wearing the undergarment.

To avoid such embarrassment, mothers may dress their daughters in short pants that are worn under a skirt or a dress. Wearing pants avoids any possibility of an immodesty incident, but wearing this combination can be bulky for the child, since underpants may still be required under the short pants, which are then worn under a skirt or dress. Furthermore, wearing these multiple layers of clothing can become quite hot when worn outside on a summer day. Finally, the pants may have pockets and other seams that increase discomfort.

Thus, there is a need for comfortable, lower-body undergarments for girl toddlers that provides modesty, stays in place, is comfortable, and is cool. It is with these and other considerations that the concepts and technologies herein are disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention in its various embodiments addresses the above problems by providing in certain embodiments an undergarment for the lower body of a girl toddler and a method for making the undergarment. The undergarment, in one embodiment, is characterized as having a center panel comprising an inner center panel and an outer center panel, which are joined together along for at least for a portion of the perimeter, and is positioned front-to-back when worn. The inner center panel is in contact with the skin when worn. The outer center panel is in contact with the outer garment, which may be a dress. The center panel is seamed to two leg portions and an elastic waistband. The center panel does not have any lateral seam in the crotch area, as is found in other undergarments, and the absence of such seam contributes to the comfort of the undergarment.

In one embodiment, the inner center panel is constructed of 100% cotton material or at least 90% cotton, preferably a cotton weave or knit, which is absorbent, promotes hygiene, and provides comfort. The outer center panel is constructed of a cotton blend of spandex, and may be a blend of 97% cotton and 3% spandex (denoted herein as a “97/3” blend.) In other embodiments, the cotton/spandex blend may be 85/15 reflecting a higher spandex content. In other embodiments, the cotton/spandex blend may be 95/5.

In another embodiment, the undergarment is constructed to have leg portions that extend down at least ½″ from the crotch. The leg portions may be constructed of the same type of material as the outer panel, namely a cotton blend of spandex, which, in one embodiment, may have the same ratio of cotton/spandex. In another embodiment, the bottom of each respective leg portion is finished with a seamed cuff. In other embodiments, a decorative cuff or elastic band may be seamed to the bottom of each leg portion in lieu of a seamed cuff. In other embodiments, lace or other decorative fabric may be stitched to the bottom of the leg with or in lieu of a seamed cuff.

The undergarment in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention overcomes the drawbacks of prior girl's underpants or panties by providing a comfortable undergarment that maintains modesty, fit, and comfort, regardless of how active the girls is.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of certain preferred embodiments thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front of the undergarment as it would appear when worn;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the undergarment;

FIG. 3 is a back view of the undergarment;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a center panel assembly comprising an inner panel and an outer panel prior to being seamed together; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a leg portion prior to being stitched to other components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention, however, may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

An undergarment for girls between 1-10 years of age, is illustrated in FIG. 1. Although the preferred embodiment is targeted for girls in this age group, nothing prevents the principles and concepts being applied to females of other age groups, including teenagers, young adults, and even adult women.

Conventional undergarments suffer from several deficiencies that can cause discomfort, poor fit, and so-called “immodesty incidents” where more of the wearer's anatomy is exposed than is intended. A first deficiency is that conventional undergarments may use a single fabric. This may be a natural fiber, such as cotton, which can be stretched and distorted if repeatedly pulled. Chafing at the leg openings of a panty and rubbing by seams or tags on the skin may cause discomfort. This can lead to pulling or tugging of the undergarment by the wearer in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort. A further cause of discomfort may be the presence of seams in the crotch area that may also lead to pulling or tugging of the undergarment. One solution in conventional undergarments is to use a cotton/spandex blend of fabric. While doing so may contribute to a better fit, the fabric itself may be less comfortable or hygienic as compared to using a natural fiber, such as 100% cotton.

The undergarment disclosed herein addresses these problems in several ways. One way is by its construction. The undergarment comprises five main components: 1) an inner panel and 2) an outer panel; 3) a right leg component; 4) a left leg component; and 5) a waistband. The inner panel and the outer panel form a center panel assembly, and so the undergarment may be alternatively described as having four main components, where one of the components (the center panel assembly) is made up of two sub-components (the inner panel and the outer panel). When worn, the center panel is positioned so that it is draped from the front to the back, and between the legs. Note that in other embodiments, additional components may be added, such as, e.g., decorative lace edging at the bottom of the leg components or other fabric forming a cuff at the bottom of the legs.

Turning to FIG. 1, a perspective drawing of the undergarment 100 is shown. The undergarment is viewed from the front and hence the left leg component 130 appears on the right side of the drawing. The right leg component 140 in a preferred embodiment is symmetrical with respect to the left leg component 130.

The center panel 120 is shown seamed to the left leg 130 and the right leg 140. The center panel is an assembly that comprises two pieces that are seamed to each other. The center panel assembly is draped, so to speak, from the front of the wearer to the back when worn. If the center panel were laid flat by itself, it would have in one embodiment, an hour-glass like shape, with a narrow portion in the middle, corresponding to the portion positioned in the crotch area when worn. The center panel 120 is constructed of two co-incident panels, an outer panel 124 and an inner panel 126. Each of these panels is single piece of fabric cut from a respective larger piece, so that there is no seam (referred to herein as a “crotch seam”) traversely (e.g., side-to-side) positioned at the narrow portion, near the crotch (as found in conventional undergarments). Such a crotch seam can be irritating, especially when sitting. Reference to the outer panel refers to the panel visible when the garment is worn, and the inner panel is the panel touching the skin of the wearer.

The seams of the center panel itself (e.g., the inner panel and outer panel), as well as the seams of the center panel with the leg components employs flat seams that do not stand up, and hence would cause discomfort. Rather, the flat seams present a low profile and serve to minimize any bulging and hence discomfort when worn.

Each of the outer panel 124 and the inner panel 126 has a front and a back, as well as an inner side and an outer side. The inner side is the side facing the wearer and the outer side is the side facing away. In the illustration of FIG. 1, the front of the outer panel 124 is visible and a portion of the inner panel 126 on the back portion is visible. The portion of the inner panel 126 that is visible in FIG. 1 is the back side of the inner panel, and which is the outer side. The inner side of the outer panel 124 is in contact the outer side of the inner panel 126, and neither is generally visible. The inner side of the inner panel is in contact with the skin of the wearer, and finally, the outer side of the outer panel is visible when worn. Reference to the “top front portion” or “top front section” of the center panel refers to the portion of the center panel positioned on the front side of the wearer, near the waist area, which is where the waistband is positioned. Similarly, the “top back portion” or “top back section” refers to the area of the panel on the backside of the wearer, also near the waist area.

The center panel 120, the left leg component 130, and the right leg component 140 may be seamed to a waistband 105. In one embodiment, the waistband 105 is an elastic waistband. In certain embodiments, the waistband may be elastic that is sewn to the center panel and leg components. This may be sewn using a zigzag, lapped seam, blanket stitch, feather stitch, or other stitches known to those skilled in the art. In other embodiments, fabric may be lapped over the elastic and stitched to the remainder of the assembly.

Finally, the bottom of each leg may have a cuff, band, or welt seam. Elastic may or may not be incorporated at the bottom of each leg. In one embodiment, the cuff may comprise fabric of the leg component lapped over the elastic and stitched.

The problems of the prior art may also be addressed not only by the construction of the undergarment, but also by the type of fabric used. The left leg component 130, the right leg component 140, and the outer panel 124 may be made from the same type of fabric. In a preferred embodiment, these components are made from a cotton/spandex blend. In one embodiment, the cotton/spandex ratios may be as low as 99/1 and as high as 85/15. Incorporation of some spandex, such as Lycra®, provides a degree of stretchiness to the outer shell of the undergarment. This facilities the undergarment fitting snugly to the child's torso and facilitates the garment staying in position. Further, a snug fit along with the construction of the undergarment contributes to maintaining privacy even when the child is playing or sitting in what could be described as an immodest position.

Turning to FIG. 2, a front view of the garment 100 is shown. This view illustrates a width labeled as W₁ 202 across the top of the center panel along the portion where it is seamed to the waistband 105. In one embodiment, the width W₁ may be at least half of the overall width of W₂ 204. In a preferred embodiment, the width W₁ 202 is more than one half and less than three-quarters of the overall width W₂. In various embodiments, the front side seams of the center panel 205a, 205b may be cut to be straight or curved. If curved, the seam may be convex or concave. In a preferred embodiment, the front left side seam 205b is symmetric to the front right side seam 205a. Various styles and variations are possible with respect to the shape of the front portion of the center panel and the associated side seams.

FIG. 2 also illustrates the relative length 204 of the right leg component 140 and left leg component 130. In a preferred embodiment, the relative length 204 of the left leg component 140 is equal to that of the right leg component 130. The length 204 may extend at least ½″ or ¾″ down from the crotch, or in other embodiments, may extend several inches, including down to the mid-thigh area. This length is sufficient enough that modesty is maintained by the wearer, even in various positions. Further, by extending the cuff beyond the crotch, if the wearer does tug or pull at the cuffs, modesty is still maintained. Thus by extending the leg portion below the crotch, modesty is ensured regardless of the position of the wearer, and is not affected by any pulling or tugging of the undergarment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a back view of the garment. In this view, there are corresponding left and right side seams of the center panel 305a, 305b. Because this is a view from the back, the left side seam 305a is shown on the left side of the figure, and the right side seam 305b is on the right side of the figure. Depending on the shape of the center panel on the backside, these side seams may appear to be straight or curved when the undergarment is worn. If the seams are curved, the curve may be convex or concave in shape. It is not required that the shape of the front side seams 205a, 205b in FIG. 2 mirror or match the shape of the back side seams 305a, 305b. In some embodiments, the front side seams may be straight, while the back side seams may have a more curved shape.

The width W₃ 320 of the top of the back center panel is typically greater than the width of the front center panel W₁ 202. In some embodiments, this width may be the same. In other embodiments, the back width W₃ 320 is wider and facilitates determining which side of the undergarment is the front versus the back. Stated another way, the front top portion of the front center panel is narrower than the back top portion of the center panel. Thus, holding the undergarment up by the sides allows easy visual inspection to determine which side is the front. This arrangement can aid the wearer to know if they are wearing the undergarment properly.

In some embodiments, a label may be present on the inside back of the waistband seam, as is placed in conventional undergarments, which can also facilitates locating the back portion. However, since labels can be irritating to little children, the label may be placed elsewhere or removed by the purchaser, so that determining the front or the back is accomplished by ascertaining the relative widths of the top center panel seam.

Turning to FIG. 4, an exploded view of the center panel is shown. The inner panel 126 is the panel that may be made from a natural fiber such as 100% cotton (without any spandex), and the outer panel 124 may be made from a fabric with a cotton/spandex blend. As illustrated, the front width W₁ 202 is typically, but not necessarily, narrower than the back width W₃ 320.

As evident from FIG. 4, the center panel assembly is made from two pieces that have an hourglass shape. The narrow portion 402 of each panel, which is near the crotch area and in the middle of each panel, is characterized in the absence of any seam. That is, each center panel component is cut as a single piece of the respective fabric type, and there is no seam near the crotch that joins sub-components, as may be found in the prior art. The absence of a seam in the crotch area contributes to comfort and wearability of the undergarment.

In manufacturing the undergarment, various orders of assembly of the component are possible. In one embodiment, the leg components may be formed first. Turning to FIG. 5, a completed leg component 500 is shown. Depending on the embodiment, the right and left leg components may be symmetrical. Thus, FIG. 5 can represent both a right leg component and a left leg component. In other embodiments, they may not be as fully symmetrical, as this is dependent, in part, on the size and shape of the center panel component. Returning back to FIG. 5, the basic tubular structure of the leg component may be formed first, which involves stitching an inner side seam 502. After the particular leg component is formed, the leg cuff of the leg component may be formed, which involves forming the leg cuff seam 504. This may involve stitching an elastic band, lace, decorative fabric, or folding over the material over elastic and stitching the fabric to itself.

After the respective leg and right leg components are formed, the center panel assembly may be formed. This comprises stitching the two panels together. The edges of the two panels may be bound together by serving, in one embodiment, to form the center panel assembly. Then, the center panel assembly may be stitched with the respective left and right leg components. Finally, this subassembly, comprising the center panel and leg components may be seamed with the waistband. In other embodiments, the order of assembly may be different. For example, leg cuffs may be formed and then the waistband is attached.

Many modification and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the claims herein. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. An undergarment for a girl, comprising:

a first leg portion formed from a fabric comprising a blend of cotton and spandex;

a second leg portion formed from the fabric comprising the blend of cotton and spandex;

a center panel assembly comprising an inner center panel and an outer center panel, wherein the inner center panel has a same shape as the outer center panel, the inner center panel formed from a natural fiber fabric without any spandex and the outer center panel formed from the fabric comprising the blend of cotton and spandex; and

a waistband seamed to the first leg portion, the second leg portion, and a portion of the center panel assembly.

17. The undergarment of claim 16, wherein the first leg portion and the second leg portion extend at least one-half inch beyond a crotch area of the center panel assembly.

18. The undergarment of claim 17, wherein the first leg portion and the second leg portion comprise a cuff formed from a lapped seam.

19. The undergarment of claim 16, wherein the center panel assembly comprises a front top portion seamed to the waistband and a back top portion seamed to the waistband, wherein the front top portion is narrower than the back top portion.

20. The undergarment of claim 16, wherein the inner center panel is formed from a single piece of the natural fiber fabric, wherein the natural fiber fabric comprises 100% cotton.

21. An undergarment for a girl, comprising:

a first leg component comprising a first single piece of a knit fabric comprising a blend of cotton and spandex, with a first seam on the inner side of the first leg component;

a second leg component comprising a second single piece of the knit fabric comprising the blend of cotton and spandex, with a second seam on the inner side of the second leg component;

a center panel assembly comprising an inner center panel and an outer center panel, wherein the inner center panel has a same shape as the outer center panel,

wherein the inner center panel comprises a first single piece of natural fiber knit fabric without any spandex and the outer center panel comprises a third single piece of the knit fabric comprising the blend of cotton and spandex,

wherein a front top portion of the center panel assembly is narrower in width than a back top portion of the center panel assembly, and wherein the center panel assembly comprises an hour-glass like shape,

wherein a first seam joins the first leg component to the center panel component contiguously on one side of the center panel assembly from the front top portion to the back top portion, and

wherein a second seam joins the second leg portion to another side of the center panel assembly contiguously from the front top portion to the back top portion; and

a waistband, wherein a third seam joins the waistband to the first leg component, the second leg component, the front top portion of the center panel assembly, and the back top portion of the center panel assembly.

22. The undergarment of claim 21, wherein the center panel assembly comprises the hour-glass like shape with a narrow portion located in a crotch region of the undergarment.

23. The undergarment of claim 22, wherein the first leg component and the second leg component extend at least one-half inch below the crotch region of the center panel assembly and are both configured to end above a mid-thigh region of a wearer of the undergarment.

24. The undergarment of claim 23, wherein the first leg component and the second leg component each comprise a fold of the knit fabric forming a cuff located below the crotch region and configured to be above the mid-thigh region of the wearer.