MATERNITY GARMENTS FOR BREAST-FEEDING, EXERCISE AND WORK TASKS

Abstract

A multipurpose garment, including a top and a bottom configured for discreetly breast-feeding, breast-pumping, exercising and other activities. The top includes side seams, at least one of which is zippered. A waist expansion is zippered and accommodates an enlarged abdomen when deployed. The garment bottom includes a waist band configured for providing abdominal support.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/433,648, filed Dec. 19, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to maternity, exercise and work garments, and in particular to multi-purpose garments providing comfort, support and privacy.

2. Description of the Related Art

A wide variety of special-purpose maternity clothes are available for different stages of pregnancy and postpartum wear. Activewear maternity garments can accommodate exercise, breast-feeding and other activities, including work. For example, healthcare practitioners commonly wear “scrubs,” which tend to be relatively loose-fitting for comfort and freedom-of-motion. Scrubs are frequently changed and cleaned for sterility and microbial control in the interests of optimizing patient care and controlling the spread of infectious diseases.

Exercise apparel, such as “joggers,” are normally designed for comfort, flexibility and freedom-of-movement. Regular exercise is also known to significantly benefit expectant and postpartum mothers. Moreover, infants generally benefit from maternal proximity, especially in the early stages of life.

An objective of the present invention is accommodating expectant mothers through various stages of pregnancy and into postpartum activities, such as breast-feeding.

Postpartum activities can present wardrobe challenges. For example, breast-feeding mothers generally prefer privacy, particularly when others are nearby. To avoid offense and embarrassment, breast-feeding is normally done in private. However, total privacy is not always available when infants require breast-feeding. Medically, breastmilk is known to have many nutritional advantages for infants. Challenges can arise in maintaining regular feeding schedules while engaged in other activities, such as practicing healthcare. In addition, mothers often are required to pump their breastmilk for storage and later feeding of the child. The present invention would allow a mother additional privacy while pumping as they would no longer be required to completely remove or lift their tops in a public environment.

The garments embodying the present invention accommodate exercise with freedom-of-movement and provide privacy for breast-feeding with discrete, closable panels and openings. Moreover, they can be configured as medical-grade, antimicrobial scrubs, exercise apparel and other forms of activewear. Additional material criteria include moisture-wicking, durability, wrinkle-resistance and softness.

Heretofore there have not been available multi-purpose maternity garments with the advantages and features of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally provides maternity documents with fabrication features accommodating various activities, including medical care scrubs, exercise, breast-feeding and pumping. Anti-microbial, multi-directional stretchability, durability and wrinkle-resistance features are also accommodated. Without limitation, the documents can be configured as scrub tops and bottoms, shorts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, “joggers,” etc.

The tops according to the present invention include zippered side openings for enabling breast-feeding. The bottoms include waistbands and maternity bands of the same material configured for expanding uniformly for accommodating the growing abdomens of expectant mothers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrating various objects and features thereof.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a multi-purpose maternity top embodying an aspect of the present invention, shown in a breast-feeding application.

FIG. 2 is another front elevation of the top with one side folded over and a side opening unzipped in an open configuration, e.g., to accommodate breast-feeding.

FIG. 3 is another front-elevational view of the top.

FIG. 3a is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the zipper, taken generally within circle 3a in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3b is a cross-sectional view of the zipper, taken generally along line 3b-3b in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view top, shown with a waistband unzipped and expanded.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a pants (bottoms) garment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

I. Introduction and Environment

As required, detailed aspects of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right, and left refer to the invention as orientated in the view being referred to. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning. Without limitation, the following garment concepts provide examples of features and functions, which can be incorporated in the present invention.

II. Preferred Embodiments Multi-Purpose Maternity and Exercise Garments 2

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, a two-piece garment 2 generally comprises a top or shirt 4 and a bottom or pants 6. Alternative embodiments within the scope of the present invention include one-piece garments and individual pieces with different configurations, such as long-sleeve, short-sleeve and sleeveless tops. The bottoms can be configured as full-length pants, short pants, skirts, etc. Without limitation on the generality of useful applications of the present invention, examples include medical-great scrubs and exercise apparel.

The top 4 is shown in FIG. 1 in an open configuration to accommodate a woman 8 breast-feeding an infant 10. The top 4 includes a side seam 12 including a side seam zipper 14 with a closure flap 16, which conceals the zipper 14. The zipper is actuated by grasping a zipper tab 18. Alternatively, the side seam 12 can be selectively closed with snaps, buttons, hook-and-loop (e.g., Velcro®), laces and other fasteners. The top 4 can be configured with zippered side seams 12 on one or both sides. As shown in FIG. 2, the side seam 12 opening can extend from an upper end 20 at a garment armpit 21 to a lower end 22 at a garment lower hem 23.

Another application of the garment top 4 involves discreetly breast-pumping milk. Lactating mothers commonly pump their own breastmilk for storing and later consumption by infants. For example, fresh breastmilk can be frozen for consumption later, enabling mothers considerable freedom to engage in other activities (e.g., work, travel, etc.) while providing their infants access to highly nutritional and beneficial breastmilk. Breast pumps for milk extraction are commercially available from Evenflo Company, Inc. of West Chester, Ohio and other commercial vendors.

As shown in FIG. 3, the top 4 includes a transverse, front, waist expansion 24, including a waist expansion zipper 26 configured for retaining a waist expansion panel 28 in a closed, concealed, in-folded configuration (FIG. 3a). FIG. 4 shows the waist expansion unzipped with the expansion panel 28 deployed and enlarging the area of the top front panel.

FIG. 5 shows the garment bottom 6, which is configured as long, full-length pants. An elasticized waist band 34 is configured for providing abdominal compression/abdominal support from scrub pants 6 to be used before, during and after pregnancy. The supportive/stretchy material will cover the abdomen.

III. Fabrication and Use

Medical garments incorporating the present invention can include normal straight leg scrub pants, jogger style scrub pants, and any other modifications made to scrub pants, i.e., extra pockets, etc. The multi-purpose garments can be fabricated from various suitable materials, including synthetics, cotton, wool and blends. Moreover, the materials can include elasticized fabrics for stretching and compression to provide additional support.

In use, breast-feeding and pumping can be discreetly accomplished by opening the side seams sufficiently for infant access simultaneously with the top 4 providing visual privacy with adjustable covering. Various activities can be accommodated by the multi-purpose garments 2, including work (e.g., in healthcare), exercising and relaxing. The garment material(s) can be chosen for comfort, softness, stretchability, durability, appearance, washability and anti-microbial characteristics. Preferably, the top 4 and the bottom 6 comprise the same elasticized material configured for stretching to accommodate women in progressive stages of pregnancy, and post-partum. Within the scope of the present invention, various natural and synthetic fabrics can be utilized as appropriate.

It is to be understood that the invention can be embodied in various forms and is not to be limited to the examples specifically discussed above. The range of components and configurations which can be utilized in the practice of the present invention is virtually unlimited.

Claims

1. A multi-purpose garment comprising:

a top with front and back panels, said top including: a zippered side seam selectively joining said front and back panels; and a zippered waist expansion with a transverse zipper configured for exposing a waist expansion panel for deployment over a wearer's abdomen; and

a bottom with a waist band configured for providing abdominal compression.

2. The garment according to claim 1, which includes:

a side seam panel configured for covering said side seam zipper in its closed configuration.