TROUSERS AND SKIRTS THAT ARE EASY TO DON AND REMOVE

Abstract

A garment is disclosed for easy donning and removal. In one example, the garment is a pair of pants that comprises: a waistband with a first end and a second end, a first leg, a second leg, a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said first leg, a second sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said second leg, and a front patch. The waistband has an extension strip on said first end. The extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening. The second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener. The extension strip has a mating component of said fastener.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application hereby claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/593,867, entitled “Easy to don and remove trousers and skirts,” filed on Dec. 1, 2017, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present teaching generally relates to trousers and skirts. More specifically, the present teaching relates to trousers and skirts that are easy to don and remove.

BACKGROUND

The donning and removal of trousers are difficult tasks for many people and in many situations. It typically requires putting one leg into a tubular structure first, then the other leg. The difficulties involve several aspects. The first is the specific motion required of a leg, which has the longest bone of human body. It also frequently requires the balance of body on one foot while the other leg is putting into one leg tube of the trousers. Usually it also means that the foot cannot wear shoes or boots. Otherwise it will dirt the trousers or cannot pass through. In many situations it is inconvenient or socially inappropriate to take off shoes or boots. Thus it is desirable to have trousers that can be donned and removed while both feet stay on the floor.

The breakaway pants, often seen worn by basketball players, is one example of such trousers. The breakaway pants have two sealable openings running the whole length of trousers, from the waist edge to the hem edge. Usually one opening is at the left side and the other opening is at the right side. The waist band of the trousers is divided into the two sections, one in the front and the other at the back. When one sealable opening is opened, it allows the enclosed leg to be completely out of the trousers. When both sealable openings are opened, the trousers can be removed under the crotch. While the removal of such trousers is convenient, its donning is not. The donning of such trousers requires the following steps in a standing position: (1) position the front waist section in the front and position the back waist section at the back; (2) close the first sealable opening; (3) close the second sealable opening. These steps are awkward. Step (1) is an unusual maneuver that requires one hand holding the front waist section in the front, and passes the back waist section under crotch to the back, then uses another hand to catch and brings it up at the back. Step (2), the closing of the first sealable opening, is also difficult since it requires two hand operations. Now the two hands need to move to the first opening to close it. During this time, the other side of the trousers will drop, making it difficult for the trousers to stay on the body of the wearer, and sometimes get dirty on the floor. One problem of the breakaway pants is that it takes two connections at the waist band to form a closed waistband loop.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,962 taught a trouser with two sealable openings running from the waist edge to the hem edge. It differed from the breakaway pants by positioning the top of the two openings closer to the front center. However, it still divided the waist into a front section and a back section, and is plagued with the same difficulties associated with the donning of breakaway pants.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,815 taught a combination of jacket and trouser. Although the trousers can be donned with both feet on the floor, this combination does not fit the need of people who just want to have a trouser that is separate from a jacket.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,161,573 taught trousers that combines a front panel and a back panel by Velcro. The two separate panels make the donning difficult, in addition to storage difficulty.

Therefore, there is a need for trousers and skirts to solve the above-mentioned problems and to avoid the above-mentioned drawbacks.

SUMMARY

One objective of the present disclosure is to have trousers that can be donned and removed easily and with both feet remaining on the floor in the standing position. An aspect of easy donning and removal is the formation of the closed waistband by a single connection. The formation of a closed waistband allows the trousers to securely rest on the waist of the wearer, free two hands for other operations without the danger of the dropping of the trousers to floor.

In one embodiment, a pair of pants is disclosed. The pair of pants comprises: a waistband with a first end and a second end; a first leg; a second leg; a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said first leg; a second sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said second leg; and a front patch. The waistband has an extension strip on said first end. The extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening. The second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener. The extension strip has a mating component of said fastener.

In another embodiment, a pair of pants is disclosed. The pair of pants comprises: a waistband with a first end and a second end; a first leg; a second leg; a crotch area; a front fly sealable opening running from a front center of said waistband to a bottom of said crotch area; a first sealable opening running from said bottom of said crotch area to a hem of said first leg; and a second sealable opening running from said bottom of said crotch area to a hem of said second leg. The waistband has an extension strip on said first end. The extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said front sealable opening. The second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener. The extension strip has a mating component of said fastener.

In yet another embodiment, a pair of pants is disclosed. The pair of pants comprises: a waistband with a first end and a second end; a first leg; a second leg; a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said first leg; a second sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said second leg; and a front patch. The waistband has a first extension strip on said first end. The waistband has a second extension strip on said second end. The first extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening. The second extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said second sealable opening. The first extension strip has a component of a fastener. The second extension strip has a mating component of said fastener.

In still another embodiment, a skirt is disclosed. The skirt comprises: a waistband with a first end and a second end; a skirt body; a lower shield; a first lower leg enclosure; a second lower leg enclosure; a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a lower rim of said skirt body and across said lower shield to a hem of said first leg enclosure; a second sealable opening running from said waistband to the lower rim of said skirt body and across said lower shield to a hem of said second leg; and a center front patch with a first side edge and a second side edge. The waistband has an extension strip on said first end. The extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening. The second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener. The extension strip has a mating component of said fastener. The first side edge of said center front patch forms part of said first sealable opening. The second side edge of said center front patch forms part of said second sealable opening.

In a different embodiment, a method for donning a pair of pants is disclosed. The pair of pants comprises: a waistband with a first end and a second end; a first leg; a second leg; a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said first leg; a second sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said second leg; and a front patch. The waistband has an extension strip on said first end. The extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening. The second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener. The extension strip has a mating component of said fastener. The method comprises: wrapping said waistband of said pants around a wearer's waist and fastening said fastener; lifting said center front patch; sealing said first sealable opening; and sealing said second sealable opening.

In another embodiment, a method for donning a pair of pants is disclosed. The pair of pants comprises: a waistband with a first end and a second end; a first leg; a second leg; a crotch area; a front sealable opening running from a front center of said waistband to a bottom of said crotch area; a first sealable opening running from said bottom of said crotch area to a hem of said first leg; and a second sealable opening running from said bottom of said crotch area to a hem of said second leg. The waistband has an extension strip on said first end. The extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said front sealable opening. The second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener. The extension strip has a mating component of said fastener. The method comprises: wrapping said waistband of said pants around a wearer's waist and fastening said fastener; sealing said front sealable opening; sealing said first sealable opening; and sealing said second sealable opening.

In another embodiment, a method for donning a skirt is disclosed. The skirt comprises: a waistband with a first end and a second end; a skirt body; a lower shield; a first lower leg enclosure; a second lower leg enclosure; a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a lower rim of said skirt body and across said lower shield to a hem of said first leg enclosure; a second sealable opening running from said waistband to the lower rim of said skirt body and across said lower shield to a hem of said second leg; and a center front patch with a first side edge and a second side edge. The waistband has an extension strip on said first end. The extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening. The second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener. The extension strip has a mating component of said fastener. The first side edge of said center front patch forms part of said first sealable opening. The second side edge of said center front patch forms part of said second sealable opening. The method comprises: wrapping said waistband around a wearer's waist and fastening said fastener; lifting said center front patch; sealing said first sealable opening; and sealing said second sealable opening.

Additional novel features will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The novel features of the present teachings may be realized and attained by practice or use of various aspects of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations set forth in the detailed examples discussed below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is noted that various features are not necessarily drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions and geometries of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. Like reference numerals denote like features throughout specification and drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary donning process of a pair of pants, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary front view of a pair of pants, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary front view of the waist band portion, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary side view of a hook-loop mechanism of waist size adjustment, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary side view of a ladder lock mechanism of waist size adjustment, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary front view of another ladder lock mechanism of waist size adjustment, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary front view of hem portion, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 shows an exemplary plane view of the inside of hem portion, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary front view of a pair of pants, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 shows an exemplary front view of a skirt, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 shows an exemplary front view of a pair of pants, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present teachings may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.

One objective of the present disclosure is to have trousers that can be donned and removed easily and with both feet remaining on the floor in the standing position. An aspect of easy donning and removal is the formation of a closed waistband by a single connection. The formation of a closed waistband allows the trousers to securely rest on the waist of the wearer, free two hands for other operations without the danger of the dropping of the trousers to floor.

The present disclosure has many applications. One application enables the donning of pants when wearing shoes, or boots, or skis, or skates, or snowboard. Another application is the high speed of donning of pants. Yet another application is the convenience of donning a second pair of pants outside an inner pair of pants. In the conventional leg-into-tube pants, putting the leg into the tube of a second pair of pants will roll up the tube of the inner pair of pants.

Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide easy access to the pockets of the inner pair of pants when pants of the present disclosure is donned outside an inner pair of pants. Many people put some personal items, such as keys, wallets, and cellular phones, in the pockets of the inner pair of pants. The easy access makes the use of such pants convenient.

Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide additional thermal insulation. In situations where there is a temperature difference, such as the indoor and outdoor environment during winter time, a person would want to have additional thermal insulation when he/she goes outdoor. The donning of such a pair of pants would provide additional thermal insulation to whatever insulation this person already has indoor.

Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide venting facility when a person wearing such pants prefers to cool down, either due to ambient temperature increase or physical activity increase.

Another objective of the present disclosure is to enhance the durability of a pair of pants. This improves the longevity. Some activities subject some portions of a pair of pants to greater wear and tear. For example, during skiing the inner portion of the hem can be worn by the sharp edge of skis.

Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide protection against elements, such as rain, snow, and wind for stable thermal insulation.

Some women prefer to wear skirts of thin fabric. This is a big challenge for them to go outdoor during the winter time. It is another objective of the present disclosure to provide a skirt that can be worn outside the original skirt, and at the same time fully enclose both lower legs for more thermal insulation.

The following disclosure describes various exemplary embodiment for implementing different features of the subject matter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. The terms left, right, front, etc. are with respect to the wearer of the pants or skirts in the following description. The following disclosure usually describes only one component placement in terms of left and right. The mirror-image component placement, which switches the left side and the right side, is also within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiment of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the process of donning a pair of pants 102, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. This pair of pants 102 is an integrated piece as shown in FIG. 1A. It has a waistband 104, a left leg (also mentioned as “first leg” or “second leg”) and a right leg (also mentioned as “second leg” or “first leg”). Each leg has a zipper that is sealable. Each zipper is open in FIG. 1A. For example, the left leg has an open zipper with two sides 114, 115, while the right leg has an open zipper with two sides 112, 113. The waistband 104 has two ends. The first end has an extension strip 106 that extends from approximately the intersection of the waistband 104 and the right side 113 of the zipper in the right leg. The extension strip has a shape that is close to a rectangle with about constant width as shown in the drawing, but it may have varying width. For example, it may have a tapered shape with the width at the intersection side greater than the width at the end side. Such tapered shape may help to align the front area of the pants better. Other variations of the extension strip width may also be used. The extension strip 106 has a component 108 of a fastener near its end. The second end of waistband 104 connects with the top of the left side 115 of the zipper in left leg, and has the mating component 110 of the fastener. The fastener may be a button 108 and hole 110 type as shown in the drawing, but it may be other types of fasteners that can be found in apparel, such as snap, hook and loop, grips, frog and lace, buckle, hook and eye, ladder lock, etc. When the button 108 goes into the hole 110 to accomplish fastening, a closed waistband 104 is formed. The pants have two long sealable openings, the first sealable opening and the second sealable opening, one in each of the legs. Both openings run the entire length of the pants 102 from the waistband 104 to the hems 118 and 120 of the legs. The long sealable openings are constructed with two long zippers, zipper 112, 113 for the right leg, and zipper 114, 115 for the left leg. The openings are closed when the two zippers close. The pants also have a front center patch 116. The upper edge of the front center patch 116 is lifted to align with the extension strip 106 after the waistband 104 forms a closed loop. The right edge (also mentioned as “first side edge” or “second side edge”) of the front center patch 116 is part of the left side 112 of the right long opening or part of the left side 112 of the right zipper. The left edge (also mentioned as “second side edge” or “first side edge”) of the front center patch 116 is part of the right side 114 of the left long opening. The lower side of the front center patch 116 connects with the rest of the pants.

As shown in the FIGS. 1B-1D by the big solid arrow signs 1, 2, 3 and 4, the steps of donning this pair of pants 102 may comprise: (1) wrap the waistband 104 around the waist of a wearer, fasten the fastener 108 and 110 to form a closed waistband loop. With the closed waistband resting on the waist of the wearer, the wearer can now free both hands to perform other tasks, including the next steps, easily; (2) pull the center front patch 116 up and front of the crotch, align the upper edge of the center front patch 116 with the extended strip 106 of the waistband 104; (3) close the left sealable opening from the waistband 104 all the way down to the left hem 120 by closing the long zipper 114, 115; (4) close the right sealable opening from the waistband 104 all the way down to the right hem 118 by closing the long zipper 112, 113.

The choice of closing either the right or left sealable opening first may be switched. In FIG. 1 the long sealable openings are closed using zippers. In other examples, they can also be closed by other fasteners or arrays of other fasteners, for example, long strips of hook and loop, or a long array of buttons and holes, or a long array of hooks and eyes, etc. It is clear from FIG. 1 and this description that the donning of this pair of pants 102 allows both feet of the wearer to remain on the floor throughout the whole process. Thus the wearer does not need to balance his/her body on a single foot while lifting and putting the other foot into a long tube of conventional pants. The wearer can also keep shoes, boots or skis on during the whole donning process. It also allows a one-person operation with ease, and there is no risk of dropping part of the pants to the floor and getting dirty.

The removal process may be a reverse of the donning process, and keeps all these advantages. FIG. 1 shows that the positions of the sealable openings symmetric to each other and roughly at the front center of each leg. The symmetry is conducive to aesthetics, but not required. The front center of leg position makes it convenient and comfortable for the wearer to close the sealable openings without too much twist of his/her body. The positions can vary from what is shown in FIG. 1. For example, they can be at the outseam position of the leg. The outseam position moves the opening to a less visible position, and has a more conventional look. The outseam position also mitigates the bending of the opening when the leg bends. It can also reduce the contact between the opening and the knee when the leg bends. In some applications the wearer may need to kneel down on a hard surface. The outseam position reduces or eliminates the contact between the knees and the openings during such events. It also allows the knee areas to have extra reinforcement patches to enhance durability of the pants. When the openings are at the outseam positions, the extension strip 106 will need to be longer to bridge the distance between the two openings. The length of the extension strip will be about half of the peripheral of the closed waistband loop. In another embodiment, the openings are not symmetric to each other. This makes it easier for each side to accommodate its own accessories, such as pockets. In yet another embodiment, part or all of the pants have a plurality of fabric layers. In one example, the number of fabric layers is three. The outer layer is a shell layer, the center layer is an insulation layer, and the inner layer is a lining. This 3-layer structure is good for use in a cold environment. In an embodiment, the shell layer may be either water resistant or waterproof.

In another embodiment, the closing of the sealable openings starts from the hem ends of the openings. In this embodiment, there is no need for step 2. After the closing of both openings, namely step 3 and step 4, the center front patch 116 will automatically be aligned with the extension strip 106 of waistband 104. It is also convenient to open and lower the front upper portion of the pants for urination, especially at the absence of a front fly.

In yet another embodiment, the closing of the sealable openings may start from either the waist on the top or the hem at the bottom. For example, double-end opening zippers can be used to achieve this flexibility. This embodiment allows the middle part of a sealable opening to remain open while both ends are closed. This flexibility provides some additional benefits, including venting of extra body heat, and more room for knee movement.

The pair of pants does not necessarily cover the legs down to the ankle area. It may be shorter. In an embodiment, it covers from the waist down to a position that passes the knee and is above the shin. In another embodiment, it covers from the waist down to the mid of the thighs.

FIG. 2A shows another pair of pants 202, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The sealable openings close from the hem ends 218 and 220 with zippers 212 and 214. At the center of the top edge of the center front patch 216 there is a hole 232, allowing the fastening with a button 234 on the extension strip 206 of the waistband 204. This provides additional alignment of center front patch 216 with the extension strip 206. There is also a front fly 202 that provides convenience for urination. This embodiment also provides several short openings 222, 224, 226 and 228. Usually the lengths of these openings are between 5 cm to 45 cm. Some or all of the short openings 222, 224, 226 and 228 may be sealable with fasteners, such as zippers. In one embodiment, some or all zippers are water resistant or waterproof. One of the applications of the short openings is for easy access to the pockets of the inner pair of pants when this pair of pants 202 is worn outside another inner pair of pants. The slant short openings 222 and 224 locate in the front and upper portions of the legs, and allow reaches to the pockets of both a pair of jeans, whose pockets usually are close to the center of pant and have openings closer to the waistband and should be reached from the top, and a pair of slack type of pants, whose pockets have openings that usually locate near the outseams and should be reached from the side. The short openings 226 and 228 locate in the back and upper portions of the legs, and provide easy access to the back pockets of inner pants. Another application of these short openings 222, 224, 226 and 228 is the venting of body heat. In another embodiment, some or all of these short openings 222, 224, 226 and 228 are entrances of pockets, providing storage for personal items. In one embodiment, some or all of the openings of these pockets are sealable, for example, with zippers. On the inner back of waistband 204 there is a tag 230. This tag 230 can be used for hanging the pants on a stand.

There are several advantages to cover the long and short openings 212, 214, 222, 224, 226 and 228 and their zippers with flaps. These advantages include better thermal insulation, keeping water, ice, snow and moisture out, and better visual aesthetics from hiding the fasteners, such as zippers. FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C show two different configurations. FIG. 2B shows a symmetric flap configuration. Flaps 244 and 246 symmetrically cover zipper 242. This symmetric configuration is aesthetically appealing to some viewers. FIG. 2C shows a one-side flap configuration. Flap 264 covers zipper 262 from one side of the zipper. This one-side configuration is easy to manufacture.

FIG. 3 shows a new waistband closure fastener configuration, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Instead of one, there are two fasteners 318 and 320 to form a closed waistband. Some components of these two fasteners 318 and 320 locate near the end of the extension strip 306 of waistband 304. The extension strip 306 extends from the top end of zipper 312 for the long sealable opening of the right leg. The other components of these two fasteners 318 and 320 locate near the other end of waistband 304 which is near the top end of zipper 314 for the long sealable opening of the left leg. As an example, they are a snap fastener 318, and a hook and loop fastener 320. The snap fastener provides precise point-to-point alignment. The hook and loop fastener allows non-precise alignment. The combination also provides redundancy, allow the pants to function properly when one of the fasteners fails. It is clear that other combinations of fasteners, or other numbers of fasteners, are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a combination of mechanisms for the adjustment of waistband size, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The adjustment of waistband size is important to accommodate a range of waist sizes, of both different wearers and the same wearer at different times. The backside of the waistband 402 is an elastic band 414. The elastic band 414 allows automatic adjustment of the waistband size to fit the wearer. The left side of the waistband 402 has a hook and loop fastener 420 that can be used to adjust the waistband size. Cover 418 forms a channel to conceal a portion of strip 416, making it more aesthetically appealing. The hook and loop fastener 420 has the benefit of good conformation to waistband 402 after adjustment.

FIG. 5 shows another combination of waistband size adjustment mechanisms, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The backside of the waistband 502 is an elastic band 514. The elastic band 514 allows automatic adjustment of the waistband size to fit the wearer. The left side of the waistband has a ladder lock fastener 518 that can be used to adjust the size of waistband 502. The ladder lock fastener 518 allows a single-hand operation. The right side of the waistband may have a similar ladder lock fastener.

FIG. 6 shows yet another waistband size adjustment mechanism, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. A ladder lock fastener 604 is placed near the top edge of the center front patch 610. This ladder lock fastener can be operated by a single hand to adjust the size of waistband 614. Some or all waistband size adjustment mechanisms shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6 may be combined. Other adjustment mechanisms and their combinations are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The adjustment of waistband is usually done after the first time donning the pants. Once the waistband size is appropriately adjusted, a wearer usually does not need to adjust it again unless his/her waist size changes substantially.

FIG. 7 shows a hem end implement of a right leg, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. A long zipper 708 runs in the front of the right leg from the waistband all the way to the hem 702. The center side, which is close to the center plane between two legs, has a reinforcement 706 by an additional patch of fabric. In one embodiment this fabric has good anti-abrasion property. Such reinforcement 706 improves the ability of the pants to sustain cutting and abrasions by other objects, such as the sharp edge of a ski on the left leg, or parts of a bike when riding a bike. The hem 702 has a channel with an adjustment device 704. This adjustment device 704 can tighten the hem 702, make it more difficulty for foreign object, such as dust and snow powder, to get in. In one implementation, this device 704 is a cord lock and an elastic cord enclosing the hem 702 inside a channel.

FIG. 8 shows the inside of hem end, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. It has a powder skirt 814 and a hem reinforcement 808. The top edge 810 of the powder skirt 814 is sewn to the inside of a leg 804 of the pants. The left edge of the powder skirt 814 has a loop patch 812. The right edge of the powder skirt 814 has a hook patch 816. The bottom edge of the powder skirt 814 is an elastic band 818. To form the powder skirt, the loop patch 812 is fastened to the hook patch 816, and the elastic band 818 is stretched around the ankle portion of a shoe or a boot, forming a tight shield against snow, dirt or ice. The hem 808 is reinforced with an additional fabric, usually with good anti-abrasion property. This improves the robustness and longevity of the pants.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment according to the present disclosure. In this embodiment the pants have two legs, the left leg and the right leg (also mentioned as the first leg and the second leg). The two long sealable openings, the first long sealable opening 920 and the second long sealable opening 922, and the front fly opening 918 meet near the bottom of the crotch area. The long sealable openings extend all the way to the hems 924 and 926. The front fly opening 918 extends from the front center of waistband 904 to the bottom of the crotch area. The steps of donning this pair of pants are: (1) wrap the waistband 904 around the waist of a wearer, fasten the fastener 916 to form a completely closed waistband loop. With the closed waistband 904 resting on the waist of the wearer, the wearer can now free both hands to perform the next steps easily; (2) close the front fly opening 918. The closing could be either from the top down or from the bottom up. The bottom up closing would allow the front fly opening for urination like conventional pants, and is preferred; (3) close one of the sealable long openings 920 or 922; (4) close the other sealable opening 922 or 920.

It is clear from FIG. 9 and this description that the donning of this pair of pants allows both feet to remain on the floor throughout the whole process. Thus the wearer does not need to balance his/her body on a single foot while lifting and putting the other foot into a long tube of conventional pants. The wearer can also keep shoes, boots or skis on during the whole donning process. It also allows a one-person operation with ease, and there is no risk of dropping part of the pants to the floor and getting dirty. The removal process is the reverse of the donning process, and keeps all these advantages. The short sealable openings 906, 908, 910 and 912 provide some other functions, such as accesses to pockets of inner pants and body heat venting. In one embodiment the waistband 904 is made of elastic band, allowing automatic waistband size adjustment. In another embodiment the waistband 904 has several belt loops 930, allowing the use of a belt. In yet another embodiment, part or all of the pants has a 3-layer structure. The outer layer is a shell layer, the center layer is an insulation layer, and the inner layer is a lining.

FIG. 10 shows yet another embodiment of the present disclosure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Conventional skirts have large openings at the bottom, expose the lower legs to ambient air without thermal insulation. It is desirable to have a skirt that provides good thermal insulation to lower legs. It is also desirable for such a skirt to be easy to don and remove. FIG. 10 shows such a skirt 1002 comprising of a waistband 1008, a skirt body 1032, a center front patch 1018, a lower shield 1020, a left lower leg enclosure 1022 (also mentioned as the first lower leg enclosure or the second lower leg enclosure), and a right lower leg enclosure 1024 (also mentioned as the second lower leg enclosure or the first lower leg enclosure). One end of the waistband 1008 is an extension strip 1006 with one component 1010 of a fastener, and the other end of the waistband 1008 has the counterpart 1030 of the fastener. The two lower leg enclosures 1022 and 1024 provide thermal insulation to lower legs. The lower shield 1020 blocks outside air from reaching the thighs and crotch area, thus prevents air convection, and provide good thermal insulation to the wearer. Most of the waistband 1008 and the top edge of the center front patch 1018 have elastic bands for waistband size adjustment. Other means and mechanisms of waistband size adjustment can also be used, such as buckle, loop and hook, ladder lock, cord lock, etc. When hanging this skirt 1002 on a stand, the center front patch 1018 would drop down, increases the total length of the apparel. Below the upper edge of the center front patch there is a loop patch 1016, which can be fastened to the hook patch 1004 at the back when hanging. This will reduce the total hanging length of the apparel.

In addition to the good thermal insulation, this skirt 1002 has the additional advantage that can be worn outside an inner skirt without deforming the shape of the inner skirt. In this application the length of the skirt body 1032 should be longer than the length of the inner skirt. When a skirt wearer moves from a high temperature area to a low temperature area, such as going outdoor during a winter time, the skirt of the present disclosure makes it convenient to gain additional thermal insulation without changing the original skirt worn indoor.

The steps of donning this skirt are: (1) wrap the waistband 1008 around the wearer, fasten the closure fastener 1010 and 1030 to form a waistband loop. With the closed waistband resting on the waist of a wearer, the wearer can now free both hands to perform the next steps easily; (2) pull the center front patch 1018 up and front of crotch, align the upper edge of the center front patch 1018 with the waistband extension strip 1006; (3) close one of the sealable openings 1012 (also mentioned as the first sealable opening or second sealable opening) or 1014 (also mentioned as the second sealable opening or first sealable opening) from the waistband 1008 all the way to the bottom of the skirt body 1032, then across the bottom shield 1020, then all the way to the hem 1026 or 1028 of the lower leg enclosure 1022 or 1024; (4) repeat step (3) for the other sealable openings 1014 or 1012.

It is clear from FIG. 10 and this description that the donning of this skirt allows both feet of the wearer to remain on the floor throughout the whole process. The wearer can also keep shoes, boots or skis on during the whole donning process. It also allows a one-person operation with ease. The removal process is the reverse of the donning process, and keeps all these advantages. FIG. 10 shows that the positions of the sealable openings symmetric to each other and roughly at the center of each leg. The symmetry is conducive to aesthetics. And the center of leg position makes it convenient for the wearer to close the sealable openings without too much twist of his/her body. In one embodiment, the openings use so-called invisible zippers, making them less visible when closed. In another embodiment, part or all of the skirt has a 3-layer structure. The outer layer is a shell layer, the center layer is an insulation layer, the inner layer is a lining. This 3-layer structure is good for use in a cold environment.

FIG. 11 shows another pair of pants 1102, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. It has a waistband 1104, a left leg (also mentioned as “first leg” or “second leg”) and a right leg (also mentioned as “second leg” or “first leg”). The waistband 1104 has two ends. The first end has a first extension strip 1106 that extends from approximately the intersection of the waistband 1104 and the right side of the zipper 1112 in the right leg. The second end has a second extension strip 1108 that extends from approximately the intersection of the waistband 1104 and the left side of the zipper 1114 in the left leg. The first extension strip 1106 has a component 1110 of a fastener near its end. The second extension strip 1108 has the mating component 1122 of the fastener. The fastener may be a button 1110 and hole 1122 type as shown in the drawing, but it may be other types of fasteners. When the button 1110 goes into the hole 1122 to accomplish fastening, a closed waistband 1104 is formed. The pants have two long sealable openings, the first sealable opening and the second sealable opening, one in each of the legs. Both openings run the entire length of the pants 1102 from the waistband 1104 to the hems 1118 and 1120 of the legs. The long sealable openings are constructed with two long zippers, zipper 1112 for the right leg and zipper 1114 for the left leg. The openings are closed when the two zippers close. The pants also have a front center patch 1116. The upper edge of the front center patch 1116 is lifted to align with the two extension strips 1106 and 1108 after the waistband 1104 forms a closed loop. The right edge (also mentioned as “first side edge” or “second side edge”) of the front center patch 1116 is part of the left side of the right long opening. The left edge (also mentioned as “second side edge” or “first side edge”) of the front center patch 1116 is part of the right side of the left long opening. The lower side of the front center patch 1116 connects with the rest of the pants.

Many fabrics could be used to make the pants and skirts in the present disclosure. These fabrics include what are used in normal pants, including fabrics made of natural and synthetic fibers, such as cotton, polyester, nylon, etc. The fabrics could be chosen based on the applications of the pants. For example, rain and snow pants may choose water resistant or waterproof fabrics; wind pants may choose windproof fabrics; utility pants that are subjected to frequent wear and tear may choose strong fabrics, such as nylon 66, etc. When insulation layer is used, normal insulation material can be used, including goose down, duck down, and synthetic insulation fibre.

Many styles of pants could be made in accordance with the present disclosure. These include, but are not limited to, jeans, snow pants, ski pants, rain pants, utility pants, dress pants, etc. The different styles of pants may choose the cut, pockets and accessories that are appropriate for their applications.

The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that those ordinary skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other configurations and processes for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

While the present teaching contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the present teaching or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of the present teaching. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

Claims

1. A pair of pants, comprising:

a waistband with a first end and a second end;

a first leg;

a second leg;

a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said first leg;

a second sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said second leg; and

a front patch, wherein: said waistband has an extension strip on said first end; said extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening; said second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener; said extension strip has a mating component of said fastener.

2. The pair of pants of claim 1, wherein the front patch is at the center of the pants.

3. The pair of pants of claim 1, wherein the front patch has a first side edge and a second side edge, said first side edge forms part of the first sealable opening, said second side edge forms part of said second sealable opening.

4. The pair of pants of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first sealable opening and the second sealable opening comprises a zipper.

5. The pair of pants of claim 1, further comprising: a front opening in an upper portion of at least one of the first leg and the second leg.

6. The pair of pants of claim 1, further comprising: a back opening in an upper portion of at least one of the first leg and the second leg.

7. The pair of pants of claim 1, further comprising: a mechanism for adjusting a size of the waistband.

8. The pair of pants of claim 1, further comprising: a power skirt.

9. The pair of pants of claim 1, further comprising: a front fly.

10. The pair of pants of claim 1, further comprising: a mechanism for adjusting a size of the hem of at least one of the first leg and the second leg.

11. The pair of pants of claim 1, wherein some part of said pants has a plurality of fabric layers.

12. The pair of pants of claim 1, wherein one of said sealable openings is located near the front center of its corresponding said leg.

13. The pair of pants of claim 1, wherein one of said sealable openings is located near an outseam position of its corresponding said leg.

14. A pair of pants, comprising:

a waistband with a first end and a second end;

a first leg;

a second leg;

a crotch area;

a front fly sealable opening running from a front center of said waistband to a bottom of said crotch area;

a first sealable opening running from said bottom of said crotch area to a hem of said first leg; and

a second sealable opening running from said bottom of said crotch area to a hem of said second leg, wherein: said waistband has an extension strip on said first end; said extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said front sealable opening; said second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener; said extension strip has a mating component of said fastener.

15. The pair of pants of claim 14, further comprising: a front opening in an upper portion of at least one of the first leg and the second leg.

16. A skirt, comprising:

a waistband with a first end and a second end;

a skirt body;

a lower shield;

a first lower leg enclosure;

a second lower leg enclosure;

a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a lower rim of said skirt body and across said lower shield to a hem of said first leg enclosure;

a second sealable opening running from said waistband to the lower rim of said skirt body and across said lower shield to a hem of said second leg; and

a center front patch with a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein: said waistband has an extension strip on said first end; said extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening; said second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener; said extension strip has a mating component of said fastener; said first side edge of said center front patch forms part of said first sealable opening; said second side edge of said center front patch forms part of said second sealable opening.

17. A pair of pants, comprising:

a waistband with a first end and a second end;

a first leg;

a second leg;

a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said first leg;

a second sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said second leg; and

a front patch, wherein: said waistband has a first extension strip on said first end; said waistband has a second extension strip on said second end; said first extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening; said second extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said second sealable opening; said first extension strip has a component of a fastener; said second extension strip has a mating component of said fastener.

18. A method for donning a pair of pants, said pair of pants comprising:

a waistband with a first end and a second end;

a first leg;

a second leg;

a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said first leg;

a second sealable opening running from said waistband to a hem of said second leg; and

a front patch, wherein: said waistband has an extension strip on said first end; said extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening; said second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener; said extension strip has a mating component of said fastener, said method comprising the following: (1) wrapping said waistband of said pants around a wearer's waist and fastening said fastener; (2) lifting said front patch; (3) sealing said first sealable opening; and (4) sealing said second sealable opening.

19. A method for donning a pair of pants, said pair of pants comprising:

a waistband with a first end and a second end;

a first leg;

a second leg;

a crotch area;

a front sealable opening running from a front center of said waistband to a bottom of said crotch area;

a first sealable opening running from said bottom of said crotch area to a hem of said first leg; and

a second sealable opening running from said bottom of said crotch area to a hem of said second leg, wherein: said waistband has an extension strip on said first end; said extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said front sealable opening; said second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener; said extension strip has a mating component of said fastener, said method comprising the following steps: (1) wrapping said waistband of said pants around a wearer's waist and fastening said fastener; (2) sealing said front sealable opening; (3) sealing said first sealable opening; and (4) sealing said second sealable opening.

20. A method for donning a skirt, said skirt comprising:

a waistband with a first end and a second end;

a skirt body;

a lower shield;

a first lower leg enclosure;

a second lower leg enclosure;

a first sealable opening running from said waistband to a lower rim of said skirt body and across said lower shield to a hem of said first leg enclosure;

a second sealable opening running from said waistband to the lower rim of said skirt body and across said lower shield to a hem of said second leg; and

a center front patch with a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein: said waistband has an extension strip on said first end; said extension strip extends from a proximity of an intersection of said waistband and said first sealable opening; said second end of said waistband has a component of a fastener; said extension strip has a mating component of said fastener; said first side edge of said center front patch forms part of said first sealable opening; said second side edge of said center front patch forms part of said second sealable opening, said method comprising the following: (1) wrapping said waistband around a wearer's waist and fastening said fastener; (2) lifting said center front patch; (3) sealing said first sealable opening; and (4) sealing said second sealable opening.