NURSING BACK SUPPORT AND TUMMY CONTROL COMPRESSION CAMI

Abstract

A garment including a back panel, a belly panel, a bodice portion, and gussets. The back panel and belly panel are made of compression fabric and the bodice portion and gussets are made of stretchable fabric. The bodice portion is configured to be partially removable to expose an underlying inner nursing layer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/660,525 filed on Apr. 20, 2018. The subject matter of the aforementioned prior application is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to supportive clothing designed to be worn during or after the birth of a child.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pregnancy and stages during postpartum require clothing that is specialized for the changing body of a woman. Specifically, it is important to have clothing which is comfortable throughout the various stages of a changing body while maintaining the aesthetics and quality of the product. In particular, it is important to provide adequate support for a woman's tummy while pregnant and after birth and before a woman's body goes back to its pre-pregnancy shape as well as proper clothing to accommodate a changing bust size. The present invention provides a solution to this need.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a garment which includes a back panel, a belly panel, gussets, and a bodice portion. The back panel and the belly panel are composed of compression fabric made of one or more of: nylon, spandex, polyester, cotton, rayon, and/or wool. The gussets are positioned at side portions of the garment and are composed of stretchable fabric which is made from one or more of: nylon, spandex, polyester, cotton, rayon, and/or wool.

The garment also includes an inner nursing layer. The bodice is configured to cover the inner nursing layer at a first position and to expose the inner nursing layer at a second position. The inner nursing layer has two openings configured to accommodate protruding breasts of the wearer. The garment also has elastic secured to the inner nursing layer. The belly panel extends from an upper seam to a lower seam, which are made with flatlock stitching composed of polyester and nylon threads.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a first embodiment of a garment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the first embodiment of the garment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the first embodiment of the garment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a front interior view of the first embodiment of the garment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a back interior view of the first embodiment of the garment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a front view of a second embodiment of a garment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the first embodiment of the garment of the present invention with a partially exposed inner nursing layer 15.

FIG. 8 shows a partial enlarged front view of a top portion of the garment according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a partial enlarged front view of a bottom portion of the garment according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a partial enlarged side view of a top portion of the garment according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows a partial enlarged side view of a bottom portion of the garment according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of some, but not all, of the configurations of the subject technology and is not intended to represent an exhaustive list. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the present invention and subject technology. The subject invention and technology is not limited to the specific details set forth herein and may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and techniques have not been shown or described in detail so as not to obscure the disclosure.

The present invention is directed to a garment that can be worn by a woman who is pregnant or who has given birth and the woman's body is changing back to a pre-pregnancy shape. The present invention has a number of advantages including comfort, support, and the ability to breast feed without having to change clothes.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a first embodiment of a garment 1 according to the present invention. The garment 1 has a supportive construction since it includes bodice portion 9 which can be double layered (as well as single layered) with the double layered structure providing additional support. Bodice portion 9 is composed of stretchable fabric. Garment 1 includes a belly panel 5 which is configured to provide support to the wearer of the garment 1. The belly panel 5 is composed of compression material or fabric, and may be designed to cover an entire belly region of the wearer of the garment 1. The belly panel can extend from the lower abdomen and over the wearer's abdomen while worn. The garment 1 includes upper gussets 7 which can be triangular in shape. The upper gussets 7 are designed to accommodate growth of the wearer's bust while maintaining the shape of the front panel 5 and providing support. Flatlock stitching is used to form the upper seam 11 and lower seam 13 which connect the belly panel to the bodice portion 9 and to the lower front panel 33, respectively. The flatlock stitching can include synthetic materials such as polyester and/or nylon threads to reduce chafing since threads of these materials can be made soft. This structure of the seams 11 and 13 allows them to contour to a changing abdomen of the wearer while maintaining elasticity and quality of the stitch.

A bottom part of the bodice portion 9 is connected with the belly panel 5 via the upper seam 11. An upper portion of the bodice portion 9 is partially separated from the garment 1 such that the bodice portion 9 can be folded down to expose the inner nursing layer 15 (See FIG. 7). The bodice portion 9 is connected with the garment though fasteners 17 located at the neckline seam 19. The fasteners can be hooks. The neckline style of the garment 1 is defined by the neckline seam 19.

The garment 1 also includes a lower front panel 33 which is designed to accommodate the wearer's expanding belly region. This lower front panel 33 is composed of compression material consisting of any variation or combination of the following materials: nylon (such as Supplex branded nylon or other types of nylon), spandex (such as Lycra branded spandex or materials containing polyurethane or polyether-polyurea copolymers), polyester (such as Coolmax branded polyester), cotton, rayon, and/or wool. Adjacent to the lower front panel 33 are lower gussets 35 which are configured to accommodate the wearer's protruding belly region. This is because the lower gussets 35 can be made by a secondary fabric which has a higher degree of stretch in a lighter weight than the fabric of the lower front panel 33. The lower gussets 35 are composed of stretchable material consisting of any variation or combination of the following materials: nylon (such as Supplex branded nylon or other types of nylon), spandex (such as Lycra branded spandex or polyester spandex or rayon spandex or materials containing polyurethane or polyether-polyurea copolymers), polyester (such as Coolmax branded polyester), cotton, rayon, and/or wool. Yarn in combination with type of knit used in construction and quality is one difference between the material for lower front panel 33 and lower gussets 35. In other words, the materials for lower front panel 33 and lower gussets 35 may be different in terms of how fibers are spun into yarn and how the knit is used to create the fabric, even if the fibers are made of the same material. It is possible to use different fibers too. The compression material has some elasticity and the stretchy material has more elasticity than the compression material. All of the gussets 7,35 can be made of the stretchy material. The bodice portion 9 can be made of the stretchy material. The remainder of the garment can be made of the compression material.

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the first embodiment of the garment 1 of the present invention. The garment 1 includes a back panel 3. The back panel 3 can be composed of a single panel or multiple panels and can have one layer, two layers, or more than two layers. For extra support, two layers or more can be utilized. The back panel 3 is composed of compression material which can be fabric knitted with elastic, stretchable strands configured to help maintain back support and alignment for the wearer of the garment 1. The compression material helps to gently squeeze the body. The pressure of the compression material should not be too high since this can make the skin red. The upper gussets 7 and lower gussets 35 help provide support and to control the pressure so that it is not too high. The fabric of the upper gussets 7 and lower gussets 35 is stretchy and can be made of polyester spandex or rayon spandex. The compression fabric, such as the fabric of back panel 3, is the same as compression fabric in other parts of garment 1. The stretchy fabric such as the fabric used to make the upper gussets 7 and lower gussets 35 is the same as other stretchy fabrics used in other parts such as bodice portion 9 (see FIG. 1) and inner nursing layer 15 (see FIG. 4). With respect to the compression fabric, the fibers in combination with fabric knit allow the yarns to expand with resistance when the garment is worn. This puts gentle pressure on the wearer at specific portions of the human body. The pressure is designed to give the body muscle cues to help generate better posture and circulation while the garment is worn. The gussets 7 can be located at a side hem of a bodice portion 9 of the garment 1.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the first embodiment of the garment of the present invention and includes a side seam 27 which can be made with flatlock stitching. It also shows one upper gusset 7 and one lower gusset 35.

FIG. 4 shows a front interior view of the first embodiment of the garment 1 of the present invention. This is the view from inside the garment 1 towards the front of the garment 1. Bodice portion 9 (see FIG. 1) is an outer layer of the garment 1 and an inner nursing layer 15 is on the other side of bodice portion 9. The inner nursing layer 15 is designed to be elastically expandable and contractible. For example, the inner nursing layer 15 can be made of knitted fabric containing elastic, stretchable strands made of nylon (such as Supplex branded nylon or other types of nylon), spandex (such as Lycra branded spandex or polyester spandex or rayon spandex or materials containing polyurethane or polyether-polyurea copolymers), polyester (such as Coolmax branded polyester), cotton, and/or rayon. The upper seam 11 can be located at an empire waistline. A bottom part of the bodice portion 9 is connected with the belly panel 5 via the upper seam 11 (see FIG. 1). An upper portion of the bodice portion 9 is connected with the garment 1 such that the bodice portion 9 can be repositioned to expose the inner nursing layer 15 (see FIG. 7). The inner nursing layer 15 can be made of interior stretch knit and has two bust openings 21. The bottom portion of the inner nursing layer 15 is secured to an elastic 23 located adjacent to the upper seam 11. The elastic 23 can extend along the upper seam 11. The elastic 23 is thick and is configured to hold the inner nursing layer 15 close to the body of the wearer and to help maintain bust support for the wearer.

The top portion of the inner nursing layer 15 is secured to the neckline seam 19. The bust openings 21 can be oval-shaped. The bust openings 21 can have surged edges 25. The surged edges 25 can comprise polyester and/or nylon to ensure elasticity and to maintain the shape of the bust openings 21 while accommodating a changing bust size of the wearer during pregnancy or after pregnancy. The bust openings 21 can also be used for breastfeeding without having to change clothes or remove a shirt or otherwise since they are designed to expose the breasts of the wearer.

FIG. 5 shows a back interior view of the first embodiment of the garment of the present invention. This is the view from inside the garment 1 towards the back of the garment 1. It also shows the lower interior seam 29 which can be made with flatlock stitching.

FIG. 6 shows a front view of a second embodiment of a garment of the present invention. This embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that it has a different neckline seam 31 and therefore has a different neckline style. The present invention is intended to cover garments with a variety of neckline styles and not just the ones shown in the Figures.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the first embodiment of the garment 1 of the present invention with a partially exposed inner nursing layer 15. FIG. 7 shows the bodice portion 9 partially folded to partially expose the inner nursing layer 15 to partially show the bust openings 21. The bodice portion 9 can be fully extended downward to fully expose the bust openings 21.

FIG. 8 shows a partial enlarged front view of a top portion of the garment 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. At FIG. 8, the fasteners 17 can be seen. At FIG. 8, the fasteners 17 form hooks and the bodice portion 9 includes loops 20 that are operably connected with the hooks.

FIG. 9 shows a partial enlarged front view of a bottom portion of the garment according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Here, the lower seam 13 can be seen more clearly.

FIG. 10 shows a partial enlarged side view of a top portion of the garment 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A gusset 7 is more clearly seen in this FIG. 10.

FIG. 11 shows a partial enlarged side view of a bottom portion of the garment 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The numerals used in the Figures identify the same portions if the same numeral is used. For example, numeral 5 in FIGS. 1 and 11 is the belly panel 5.

Headings and subheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limit the invention.

Any aspect set forth in any embodiment or example may be used with any other embodiment or example set forth herein.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the disclosed products without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Other examples of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only and that the present invention is not limited to the details shown.

All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in the description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

Claims

1. A garment comprising:

a back panel;

a belly panel; and

a bodice portion.

2. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the back panel and the belly panel are composed of compression fabric.

3. The garment according to claim 2, wherein the compression fabric comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: nylon, spandex, polyester, cotton, rayon, and wool.

4. The garment according to claim 1, further comprising gussets at side portions of the garment.

5. The garment according to claim 4, wherein the gussets and bodice portion are composed of stretchable fabric.

6. The garment according to claim 5, wherein the stretchable fabric comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: nylon, spandex, polyester, cotton, rayon, and wool.

7. The garment according to claim 1, further comprising an inner nursing layer.

8. The garment according to claim 7, wherein the bodice is configured to cover the inner nursing layer at a first position and the bodice is configured to expose the inner nursing layer at a second position.

9. The garment according to claim 7, wherein the inner nursing layer comprises two openings configured to accommodate protruding breasts of the wearer.

10. The garment according to claim 7, further comprising an elastic secured to the inner nursing layer.

11. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the belly panel extends from an upper seam to a lower seam, and wherein the upper and lower seams are made with flatlock stitching.

12. The garment according to claim 11, wherein the flatlock stitching comprises polyester and nylon threads.