LEAKPROOF UNDERGARMENTS

Abstract

An undergarment for use with an absorbent pad is disclosed. The undergarment includes: a main body including at least an exterior fabric layer, an interior fabric layer, and a substantially waterproof layer interposed between the exterior and interior fabric layers, wherein the main body defines: a front body portion; a rear body portion; and a crotch portion coupling the front and rear body portions; and an elastic compression strip coupled to the crotch portion on an interior side of the main body, the compression strip and the crotch portion defining an opening therebetween such that at least a portion of the absorbent pad is insertable into the opening for securing the absorbent pad in pressing engagement against the crotch portion.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to articles of clothing and, in particular, to undergarments that are designed to facilitate use with absorbent pads.

BACKGROUND

A wide range of absorbent items may be worn in underwear to absorb flow of bodily fluids and prevent leakage. For example, a sanitary pad (or menstrual pad) may be worn by women in the underwear when menstruating, bleeding after giving birth, or in other situations where it is necessary to absorb flow of blood from the vagina. Sanitary pads may be disposable or reusable (e.g., cloth pads may be washable and/or reusable).

It is desirable to provide undergarments that facilitate use with absorbent pads.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings which show example embodiments of the present application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example undergarment in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are front and rear views of the example undergarment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an interior side of the example undergarment of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of the interior side of the example undergarment of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate an example use of an absorbent pad with the example undergarment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 illustrates the example undergarment of FIG. 1 when worn by a user.

Like reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote like elements and features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

In an aspect, the present disclosure describes an undergarment for use with an absorbent pad. The undergarment includes: a main body including at least an exterior fabric layer, an interior fabric layer, and a substantially waterproof layer interposed between the exterior and interior fabric layers, wherein the main body defines: a front body portion; a rear body portion; and a crotch portion coupling the front and rear body portions; and an elastic compression strip coupled to the crotch portion on an interior side of the main body, the compression strip and the crotch portion defining an opening therebetween such that at least a portion of the absorbent pad is insertable into the opening for securing the absorbent pad in pressing engagement against the crotch portion.

In some implementations, the compression strip may be coupled to the interior side of the main body by sewing, heat bonding, or gluing.

In some implementations, a first end of the compression strip may be coupled to the front body portion and a second end of the compression strip may be coupled to the rear body portion, the second end being opposite to the first end.

In some implementations, a width of the compression strip may be narrower than a width of the crotch portion.

In some implementations, the compression strip may at least partially overlap the crotch portion.

In some implementations, the compression strip may be centrally disposed relative to the crotch portion such that the compression strip does not overlap at least part of the crotch portion.

In some implementations, the compression strip may be constructed from at least one of synthetic fiber, cotton, bamboo, or modal fabric.

In some implementations, a length of the compression strip may be between 1 and 4 inches.

In some implementations, the crotch portion may include a substantially waterproof fabric layer.

In another aspect, the present disclosure describes a pair of outerwear pants. The pair of outerwear pants includes: leggings defining a crotch portion; and an elastic compression strip coupled to the crotch portion on an interior side of the leggings, the compression strip and the crotch portion defining an opening therebetween such that at least a portion of an absorbent pad is insertable into the opening for securing the absorbent pad in pressing engagement against the crotch portion.

Other example embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from a review of the following detailed descriptions in conjunction with the drawings.

The widespread use of reusable sanitary pads has increased the demand for undergarments that are compatible for use with sanitary pads (as well as other types of pads, such as incontinence pads). Typically, extra protective clothing is worn when using a sanitary pad because the pad may be subject to shifting and twisting as a result of body movements of the wearer. The burden of having to wear additional articles of clothing often deters people from participating in certain daily activities, such as exercise.

The present application discloses solutions that are designed to overcome the shortcomings of traditional undergarments in facilitating use with absorbent pads.

Reference is first made to FIG. 1, which is a perspective view of an example undergarment 100. The undergarment 100 is designed for use with one or more absorbent pads, such as sanitary pads, incontinence pads, and the like. The undergarment 100 comprises a main body. The main body includes at least an exterior fabric layer, an interior fabric layer, and a substantially waterproof layer that is interposed between the exterior and interior fabric layers. More specifically, at least parts of the main body of the undergarment 100 may comprise three different layers of fabric. The multiple layers of fabric provide protection against fluid leakage when the undergarment 100 is worn by a wearer.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the main body includes a front body portion 110 and a rear body portion 120. The front body portion 110 substantially corresponds to a front part of a wearer's body and the rear body portion 120 substantially corresponds to a rear part of the wearer's body when the undergarment 100 is worn. That is, the undergarment 100 is designed to be worn such that the front body portion 110 at least partially covers a front part (e.g., groin) of the wearer's body and the rear body portion 120 at least partially covers a rear part (e.g., buttocks) of the wearer's body.

The main body also includes a crotch portion 130. The crotch portion 130 couples the front body portion 110 and the rear body portion 120. More specifically, the crotch portion 130 extends between the front body portion 110 to the rear body portion 120 such that the front body portion 110 and the rear body portion 120 are connected, i.e., the front and rear body portions are part of a unitary construction. The front body portion 110, the rear body portion 120, and the crotch portion 130 define openings 180 through which legs of the wearer can be inserted when the undergarment 100 is worn.

In at least some embodiments, the crotch portion 130 includes a substantially waterproof fabric layer. For example, the crotch portion 130 may include an outer fabric layer, an inner fabric layer, and a waterproof fabric layer interposed between the outer and inner fabric layers. In some embodiments, only the crotch portion 130 may include the waterproof fabric layer. That is, the main body may substantially comprise two layers (i.e., an outer fabric layer and an inner fabric layer) with the exception of the crotch portion 130 which may comprise three layers (including the waterproof fabric layer).

Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which shows an interior side 200 of the main body of the undergarment 100. The interior side 200 is a side of the undergarment 100 that contacts the wearer's skin when the undergarment 100 is worn. The interior side 200 includes a front body portion interior 210, a rear body portion interior 220, and a crotch portion interior 230.

FIG. 3 also shows a compression strip 250. The compression strip 250 is a strip of fabric that is coupled to the crotch portion 130 on the interior side 200. In at least some embodiments, the compression strip 250 is sewn into the interior side 200 of the main body. For example, a first end 250a of the compression strip 250 may be coupled (e.g., by sewing) to the front body portion interior 210 and a second end 250b (opposite to the first end 250a) of the compression strip 250 may be coupled to the rear body portion interior 220. In some embodiments, the compression strip 250 may be coupled to the main body by other techniques. For example, the first end 250a and second end 250b may be coupled to the front body portion interior 210 and rear body portion interior 220, respectively, by heat bonding, gluing, or the like.

In at least some embodiments, the compression strip 250 may be constructed from finished materials such as compression bands or a mixture comprising at least one of synthetic fiber, cotton, bamboo, modal fabric, and the like. The compression strip 250 may have a length in the range of 1 to 4 inches. In particular, the compression strip 250 may be at least 1 inch but no more than 4 inches along its length (i.e., distance between the first end 250a and the second end 250b).

The compression strip 250 is elastic. In particular, the compression strip 250 may be deformed to be pulled away from the crotch portion interior 230. When the compression strip 250 is disposed in spaced relation to the crotch portion interior 230 (for example, by pulling or lifting the compression strip 250 away from the main body), the compression strip 250 and the crotch portion 130 define an opening 240 therebetween (as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B).

The compression strip 250 may at least partially overlap the crotch portion interior 230. In some embodiments, the width of the compression strip 250 may be narrower than a width of the crotch portion interior 230. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the compression strip 250 may be centrally disposed relative to the crotch portion interior 230 such that the compression strip 250 does not overlap at least part of the crotch portion interior 230. That is, at least a portion of the crotch portion interior 230 may remain uncovered by the compression strip 250.

The opening 240 (illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B) represents a space between the compression strip 250 and the crotch portion interior 230 through which parts of an absorbent pad can be inserted. In at least some embodiments, an absorbent pad (e.g., a sanitary pad) may include wings or tabs that are foldable. The wings/tabs of an absorbent pad may be partially inserted into the opening 240. In particular, the wings/tabs may be folded and inserted into the opening 240 to secure the absorbent pad 270 in pressing engagement against the crotch portion interior 230.

In FIGS. 5A and 5B, an example arrangement of an absorbent pad 270 with the undergarment 100 is illustrated. The absorbent pad 270 may have wings/tabs that are foldable. The wings/tabs may be secured to each other, or the wings/tabs may be attached to the compression strip 250 for securing the absorbent pad 270 to the compression strip 250. The wings/tabs are inserted in the opening 240 that is defined between the crotch portion interior 230 and the compression strip 250. More specifically, the absorbent pad 270 may be disposed on an exterior side of the compression strip 250 and the wings/tabs of the absorbent pad 270 may be inserted into the opening 240 such that the wings/tabs are secured to each other and/or attached to the compression strip 250 on an interior side (i.e., the side of the compression strip 250 facing the crotch portion interior 230) of the compression strip 250.

As mentioned above, the compression strip 250 may be sewn (or heat-bonded, glued, etc.) to couple the compression strip 250 to the crotch portion 130 (specifically, the crotch portion interior 230). Seams 235, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, serve to limit the movement of the absorbent pad 270 once it is secured to the compression strip 250. In particular, the location of the seams 235 may limit longitudinal movement of the wings/tabs of the absorbent pad 270 relative to the compression strip 250. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the compression strip 250 (and more specifically, first and second ends of the compression strip 250) may be sewn to the front and rear body portion interiors of the undergarment 100. The resulting seams 235 and 235′ limit the longitudinal movement of the wings/tabs of the absorbent pad 270, thereby limiting shifting of the absorbent pad 270 due to body movement of the wearer when the undergarment 100 is worn. The location of the seams 235 on the front body portion interior 210 and the location of the seams 235′ on the rear body portion interior 220 delimit the boundaries for longitudinal movement of the wing/tabs of the absorbent pad 270. The seams 235 and 235′ can be positioned closer to each other along the crotch portion 130 to decrease the degree of freedom of longitudinal movement of the absorbent pad 270, or they can be positioned farther from each other to increase the degree of freedom of longitudinal movement of the absorbent pad 270.

It will be understood that the arrangement of the compression strip 250 and crotch portion interior 230, as described with respect to undergarment 100, can be generalized to other types of clothing, such as bike shorts, yoga pants, training pants, boxer briefs, trunk briefs, boxer shorts, and briefs. That is, the disclosed mechanism for securing an absorbent pad to a crotch portion may be applicable to various different types of clothing having a defined crotch section. As a specific example, a pair of outerwear pants may include leggings that define a crotch portion. The pair of outerwear pants may be configured to include a compression strip that can be coupled to the crotch portion on an interior side of the leggings. The compression strip may be elastic, i.e., deformable. The compression strip and the crotch portion may define a space, or opening, therebetween such that at least a portion of an absorbent pad may be inserted into the space for securing the absorbent pad in pressing engagement against the crotch portion.

Certain types of loungewear or outerwear pants may comprise an inner brief underwear that is coupled to an interior of the pants (by sewing, heat-bonding, gluing, etc.). The inner brief underwear may be formed in accordance with disclosed embodiments of the present application. In particular, the loungewear/outerwear pants may comprise a single piece of garment that integrates a leakproof undergarment portion in its interior.

The various embodiments presented above are merely examples and are in no way meant to limit the scope of this application. Variations of the innovations described herein will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art, such variations being within the intended scope of the present application. In particular, features from one or more of the above-described example embodiments may be selected to create alternative example embodiments including a sub-combination of features which may not be explicitly described above. In addition, features from one or more of the above-described example embodiments may be selected and combined to create alternative example embodiments including a combination of features which may not be explicitly described above. Features suitable for such combinations and sub-combinations would be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art upon review of the present application as a whole. The subject matter described herein and in the recited claims intends to cover and embrace all suitable changes in technology.

Claims

1. An undergarment for use with an absorbent pad, the undergarment comprising:

a main body including at least an exterior fabric layer, an interior fabric layer, and a substantially waterproof layer interposed between the exterior and interior fabric layers, wherein the main body defines: a front body portion; a rear body portion; and a crotch portion coupling the front and rear body portions; and

an elastic compression strip coupled to the crotch portion on an interior side of the main body, the compression strip and the crotch portion defining an opening therebetween such that at least a portion of the absorbent pad is insertable into the opening for securing the absorbent pad in pressing engagement against the crotch portion.

2. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein the compression strip is coupled to the interior side of the main body by sewing, heat bonding, or gluing.

3. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein a first end of the compression strip is coupled to the front body portion and a second end of the compression strip is coupled to the rear body portion, the second end being opposite to the first end.

4. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein a width of the compression strip is narrower than a width of the crotch portion.

5. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein the compression strip at least partially overlaps the crotch portion.

6. The undergarment of claim 5, wherein the compression strip is centrally disposed relative to the crotch portion such that the compression strip does not overlap at least part of the crotch portion.

7. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein the compression strip is constructed from at least one of synthetic fiber, cotton, bamboo, or modal fabric.

8. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein a length of the compression strip is between 1 and 4 inches.

9. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein the crotch portion includes a substantially waterproof fabric layer.

10. A pair of outerwear pants, comprising:

leggings defining a crotch portion; and

an elastic compression strip coupled to the crotch portion on an interior side of the leggings, the compression strip and the crotch portion defining an opening therebetween such that at least a portion of an absorbent pad is insertable into the opening for securing the absorbent pad in pressing engagement against the crotch portion.