MALE UNDERGARMET SUITABLE FOR MULTIPLE WAIST SIZES

Abstract

Boxer shorts (1) including a pants portion (2) made of a textile fabric, which pants portion (2) includes: A front part (3) that includes a central panel (4) intended to cover the genital organs of a wearer, and two front side parts (5a) (5b), each intended to cover at least part of the front surface of one leg of the wearer; A rear part (6) that includes a rear panel (7) intended to cover at least the majority of the buttocks of the wearer, and two rear side parts (8a) (8b), each of which is intended to cover at least part of the rear surface of one leg of the wearer; and A middle part (9) intended to cover at least one upper portion of the inner surfaces forming the crotch of the wearer; which boxer shorts (1) are noteworthy in that the rear panel (7) and the middle part (9) display at least one degree of expandability that is substantially greater than the corresponding degree of expandability of the front part (3) and of the two rear side parts (8a) (8b).

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. Boxer shorts comprising: a pants portion made of textile fabric, the pants portion comprising: a front part that includes a central panel intended to cover the genital organs of a wearer, and two front side parts, each of which is intended to cover at least part of a front surface of one leg of the wearer; a rear part that includes a rear panel intended to cover at least the majority of the buttocks of the wearer, and two rear side parts, each of which is intended to cover at least part of a rear surface of one leg of the wearer; and a middle part intended to cover at least one upper portion of inner surfaces forming the crotch of the wearer; wherein the rear panel and the middle part have a degree of expandability that is substantially greater than a degree of expandability of the front part and of the two rear side parts.

16. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein the middle part is configured to cover at least part of the groin area of the wearer, and middle part extends over the front part and encloses at least part of the central panel.

17. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein the rear panel and the middle part have different degrees of expandability.

18. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein the rear panel and the middle part are formed of a single piece of the textile fabric.

19. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein the rear panel and the middle part each have multiple degrees of expandability.

20. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein the degree of expandability of the rear panel and of the middle part varies continuously from one area to another area of the textile fabric of which the rear panel and the middle part are made.

21. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein a degree of expandability in an upward direction of the rear panel is 4 to 16 times the degree of expandability in the upward direction of the front part and of the two rear side parts.

22. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein a degree of expandability in the upward direction of the middle part is 4 to 16 times the degree of expandability in the upward direction of the front part and of the two rear side parts.

23. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein a degree of expandability in the widthwise direction of the rear panel and the middle part is 1.4 to 3 times the degree of expandability in the widthwise direction of the front part and of the two rear side parts.

24. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein an elasticity modulus of the rear panel in the upward direction is between 90 cN and 300 cN for stretching of the textile fabric by more than 120% for a stretching stress of 15 cN.

25. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein an elasticity modulus of the middle part in the upward direction is between 90 cN and 300 cN for stretching of the textile fabric by more than 120% for a stretching stress of 15 cN.

26. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, wherein the rear panel and the middle part have an elasticity modulus in the widthwise direction that is between 90 cN and 310 cN for stretching of the textile fabric by more than 120% for a stretching stress of 15 cN.

27. Boxer shorts according to claim 15, comprising a waistband located on an upper part of the pants portion, the waistband intended to be placed around the waist of a wearer, and the waistband having a degree of expandability in the widthwise direction between 100% and 170% for a stretching stress of 15 cN.

28. Boxer shorts according to claim 27, wherein the waistband has an elasticity modulus in the widthwise direction that is between 490 cN and 710 cN for stretching of the textile fabric by more than 100% for a stretching stress of 15 cN.

29. Boxer shorts according to claim 16, wherein the rear panel and the middle part have different degrees of expandability.

30. Boxer shorts according to claim 29, wherein the rear panel and the middle part are formed of a single piece of the textile fabric.

31. Boxer shorts according to claim 16, wherein the rear panel and the middle part are formed of a single piece of textile fabric.

32. Boxer shorts according to claim 17, wherein the rear panel and the middle part are formed of a single piece of textile fabric.

33. Boxer shorts according to claim 23 wherein a degree of expandability in the widthwise direction of the rear panel and the middle part is 1.4 to 2.3 times the degree of expandability in the widthwise direction of the front part and of the two rear side parts.

34. Boxer shorts according to claim 16, wherein the middle part extends around a bottom of the central panel and extends upwards at least partially along lateral sides of the central panel.

Description

[0047] We shall now describe, as a non-limitative example, one possible embodiment of the invention, with reference to the attached drawings, on which identical or similar reference numbers indicate identical or similar elements or sets of elements:

[0048] FIG. 1 is a rear view of the boxer shorts according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] FIG. 2 is a front view of the boxer shorts according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a hysteresis curve for the waistband of a pair of boxer shorts according to the prior art and a hysteresis curve for the waistband of a pair of boxer shorts according to the present invention.

[0051] With reference now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a pair of boxer shorts (1) according to the embodiment of the invention includes a pants portion (2) made of a textile fabric. The pants portion (2) includes: [0052] A front part (3) that includes a central panel (4) intended to cover the genital organs of a wearer, and two front side parts (5a) and (5b), each of which is intended to cover the front surface of one leg of the wearer; [0053] A rear part (6) that includes a rear panel (7) intended to cover the buttocks of the wearer, and two rear side parts (8a) and (8b), each of which is intended to cover the rear surface of one leg of the wearer; and [0054] A middle part (9) intended to cover the inner surfaces of the legs forming the crotch of the wearer, and including a part (10) intended to cover the groin area of the wearer, with the middle part thus extending over the front part (3) and enclosing at least part of the central panel (4).

[0055] The rear panel (7) and the middle part (9) display a degree of expandability in the upward direction and in the widthwise direction of 145% for a stretching stress of 15 cN, while the front part (3) and the two rear side parts (8a) and (8b) display a degree of expandability in the upward direction of 20% for a stretching stress of 15 cN and a degree of expandability in the widthwise direction of 80% for a stretching stress of 15 cN.

[0056] The rear panel (7) and the middle part (9) consist of a single part made from one piece of textile fabric, such that there is no junction area between them.

[0057] Furthermore, the rear panel (7) and the middle part (9) display an elasticity modulus in the upward direction and in the widthwise direction of 150 cN for stretching by 145% for a stretching stress of 15 cN, while the front part (3) and the two rear side parts (8a) and (8b) display an elasticity modulus in the upward direction and in the widthwise direction of 100 cN for stretching by 50% for a stretching stress of 15 cN.

[0058] The boxer shorts (1) include a waistband (11) located on an upper part (12) of the pants portion (2), which waistband (11) is intended to be placed around the waist of a wearer, and which waistband (11) has a degree of expandability in the widthwise direction of 145% for a stretching stress of 15 cN.

[0059] The waistband displays an elasticity modulus in the widthwise direction of 550 cN for stretching by 145% for a stretching stress of 15 cN.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment, the rear panel (7) and the middle part (9) are made from a stretchable jersey knit fabric that has a weight of 170g/m.sup.2 and that consists of 90% cotton and 10% elastane.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment, the front part and the rear side parts are made from a single-knit jersey fabric that has a weight of 170g/m.sup.2 and that consists of 95% cotton and 5% elastane.

[0062] The boxer shorts according to the invention are manufactured in accordance with a cut-and-sew procedure. However, they may also be manufactured in accordance with a bonding procedure in which materials are bonded together rather than being sewn together. Last, these boxer shorts can be manufactured in accordance with a so-called “seamless” or Santoni procedure, in which a product is created in the form of a single integral piece by means of Santoni-type equipment. Thanks to this procedure, the expandability of the product can be varied depending on the various areas of the product.

[0063] More specifically, FIG. 1 shows the rear part (6), as described hereinabove, of the boxer shorts according to the invention.

[0064] More specifically, FIG. 2 shows the front part (3) and the middle part (9), as described hereinabove, of the boxer shorts according to the invention.

[0065] FIG. 3 shows, on a diagram illustrating the elasticity modulus as a function of the stretch, the difference between the hysteresis curve for a waistband according to the invention (for example, as described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) (curve 13) and a known waistband according to the prior art (curve 14), showing, for example, 80% expandability for a stretching stress of 15 cN and an elasticity modulus of 800 cN for 80% expandability for a stretching stress of 15 cN.

[0066] A reading of these superimposed curves 13 and 14 reveals that the greater the expansion of the waistbands, the lower the elasticity modulus of the waistband according to the invention in comparison with the elasticity modulus of the waistband according to the prior art for the same expansion. It can also be seen that the waistband according to the invention can be stretched over a range which is broader than that of the waistband according to the prior art.

[0067] Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described as an example hereinabove, but also includes all of the equivalent techniques and the variants of the means described herein, as well as the possible combinations thereof.