Trousers-supporting waist belt

Abstract

An apparatus for supporting trousers has an elastic band adapted to wrap around a waist of a person wearing the trousers, a pouch affixed at or adjacent to a lower edge of the elastic band, and a trousers-engaging element for grasping or abutting an interior surface of the trousers. The trousers-engaging element is a strip of polymeric material received within the interior of the pouch. The strip a polymeric material has a vertical portion and a horizontal portion. The horizontal portion is adapted to engage with an interior surface of the trousers.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting trousers, the apparatus comprising: an elastic band adapted to wrap around a waist of a person wearing the trousers; a pouch affixed to said elastic band, said pouch affixed at or adjacent to a bottom of said elastic band so as to extend downwardly therefrom, said pouch having an interior area, said pouch being formed of a soft pliable material; and a trousers engager adapted to grasp or abut an interior surface of the trousers, said trousers engager comprising a strip of polymeric material, said strip being received in said interior of said pouch, said strip of polymeric material having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion defining an L-shaped cross-section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said elastic band having a circular or oval shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, said elastic band having a fastener thereon so as to be adapted for removable placement around the waist of the person wearing the trousers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, the fastener selected from the group consisting of hook-and-loop material, buttons, zippers and snaps.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, said horizontal portion adapted to engage with the interior surface of the trousers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, said horizontal portion having a plurality of teeth arranged in spaced relation to each other.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, said horizontal portion having a cut-out area adapted to generally correspond with zippers or fasteners of the trousers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, said strip of polymeric material being slidably received in said pouch.

9. An apparatus comprising: trousers having an interior seam or structure on an interior thereof adjacent to a top of the trousers; an elastic band adapted to wrap around a waist of a person wearing the trousers; a pouch affixed to the elastic band and extending downwardly therefrom; and a trousers engager adapted to grasp or abut the interior seam or structure of the trousers, said pouch affixed at or adjacent to a lower edge of said elastic band, said pouch residing within the interior of said trousers at the top of said trousers, trousers engager comprising a strip of polymeric material, said strip being received in said interior of said pouch, said strip of polymeric material having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion defining an L-shape cross-section, said horizontal portion engaging with the interior seam or structure on the interior of said trousers.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, said trousers having a fastened opening at a front thereof, said horizontal portion having a cut-out area generally corresponding in location with the fastened opening at said front of said trousers.

11. An apparatus for supporting trousers, the apparatus comprising: an elastic band adapted to wrap around a waist of a person wearing the trousers; a pouch affixed to said elastic band; and a strip of polymeric material received within an interior of said pouch, said strip of polymeric material having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion defining an L-shaped cross-section, said horizontal portion adapted to engage with an interior surface of the trousers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an illustration showing the application of the trousers supporting waist belt of the present invention upon a human body.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the trousers-supporting waist belt of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a upper perspective view showing the plastic strip as received within the pouch of the trousers supporting waist belt of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the location of the L-shaped plastic strip within the pouch of the trousers supporting waist belt of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is an illustration showing the application of the trousers supporting waist belt of the present invention upon the inner surface of trousers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the trousers supporting waist belt 10 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The trousers supporting waist belt 10 is illustrated as positioned on the abdomen 12 of a wearer 14. Additionally, the wearer 14 is illustrated as having trousers 16 positioned over the wearer's legs and lower abdomen. The trousers 16 include a belt area 18 at the upper end thereof. As will be described hereinafter, the trousers supporting waist belt 10 will include a suitable trousers-engaging means which will grasp an interior surface of the trousers 16 at the upper end thereof in the area of the belt area 18. As such, the trousers 16 will be supported at a desired location on the hips of the wearer 10. In the meantime, the trousers supporting waist belt 10 has an elastic band 20 which serves as a girdle-type article of clothing over the abdomen 12. As such, this elastic band 20 will compress the abdomen 12 so as to provide a neat and trim appearance to the wearer.

(7) FIG. 2 is an isolated view showing the trousers supporting waist belt 10 of the present invention. As can be seen, there is an upper elastic band 20 which has an upper end 22 and a lower end 24. The elastic band 20 can be made of a suitable fabric, polymeric material, elastomeric material, or other elastic fabric. The elastic band 20 can have a circular or oval configuration.

(8) In FIG. 2, it can be seen that there is a pouch 26 that extends downwardly from the lower end 24 of the elastic band 10. Pouch 26 has an interior area. Pouch 26 is formed of a soft pliable fabric material. In particular, the pouch 26 will serve to receive a plastic strip on the interior thereof. The pouch 26 can have a slot formed therein so as to allow the plastic strip to be threaded therethrough and introduced therein.

(9) FIG. 3 illustrates the plastic strip 30 that is received within the pouch 26. The plastic strip 30 is formed of a flexible plastic material. In particular, the plastic strip 30 includes a band 32 that extends in a generally circular configuration. The band 32 has a vertical portion 34 and a horizontal portion 36. The horizontal portion 36 is formed of teeth that are arranged in spaced-apart relationship. A cut-out area 38 is formed in the horizontal portion 36. The cut-out area 38 will correspond to the fasteners and/or zippers of the trousers. As such, the horizontal portion and the teeth associated with the horizontal portion 36 will not interfere with the opening or closing of the zipper.

(10) Importantly, the teeth 36 are configured so as to extend outwardly of the vertical portion 34. The horizontal portion 36 will extend outwardly away from the body of the wearer. As such, they provide a surface for grasping or abutting an interior surface of the trousers. It is important that the horizontal portion 36 be in the nature of spaced-apart teeth. If the horizontal portion 36 were solid instead of having spaced-apart, then the flexibility of the band 32 would be compromised. The spacing of the teeth facilitates the ability to conform the shape of the band 32 to the waist of the wearer.

(11) FIG. 4 illustrates how the plastic strip 30 is received within the interior area 40 of the pouch 26. In particular, it can be seen that the pouch 26 is secured to the lower end of the elastic band 20 through the use of threads 42. The plastic strip 30 is configured so that the vertical portion 34 will face in the direction of the body of the wearer. The horizontal portion 36 will extend away from the body of the wearer. The soft pliable fabric of the pouch 26 provides a comfortable surface for placement against the body of the wearer. This soft pliable material will not interfere, in any way, with the intended ability to secure the horizontal portion 36 with the interior surface of the trousers.

(12) FIG. 5 shows the application of the trouser-supporting waist belt 10 of the present invention upon trousers 50. It can be seen that there is a small ledge 52 or seam located in the upper portion 54 of the trousers 50 generally adjacent to the belted area 56. The plastic strip 30 faces outwardly such that the horizontal portion 36 will abut this seam 52 so as to support the trousers in the desired position. The pouch 26 deforms so as to conform to the surfaces on the interior of the trousers 50. The elastic band 20 extends upwardly therefrom and is located within the interior of the trousers 50. As such, the trousers supporting waist belt 10 of the present invention will be concealed during use.

(13) The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction can be made within the scope of the present claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.