Smoothing and enhancing lower garment

Abstract

A lower garment for a female person includes an interior layer that comprises one or more elastic fabric panels encircling the person's waist and at least a portion of the person's stomach. The interior layer extends downward to at least the top of the person's upper thighs around the person's legs. The interior layer has an inside surface for contacting the person's skin, and an outside surface. A resilient crotch insert extends from an inseam of the interior layer forward to substantially cover the person's labia and is adapted to present a smooth front surface. An exterior layer is applied to the outside surface of the interior layer and the front surface of the crotch insert. The interior layer may include two buttocks pocket openings that each define a buttocks pocket adapted for receiving a resilient shaping insert that covers at least a portion of the person's buttocks.

Claims

1. A lower garment for a female person, comprising: an interior layer comprising one or more elastic fabric panels encircle the person's waist and at least a portion of the person's stomach at a top end of the interior layer, the interior layer extending downward to at least the top of the person's upper thighs around the person's legs, the interior layer having an inside surface for contacting the person's skin, and an outside surface; a resilient crotch insert extending from an inseam of the interior layer forward to substantially cover the person's labia, the crotch insert adapted to present a smooth front surface that does not conform to the shape of the person's labia; an exterior layer applied to the outside surface of the interior layer and the front surface of the crotch insert, the exterior layer integrally formed without seams.

2. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the interior layer and the exterior layer together are adapted to compress the person's thighs to lift and support the person's buttocks.

3. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the interior layer and the exterior layer together are adapted to lift and support at least the portion of the person's stomach.

4. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the interior layer extends to at least the person's mid-thighs down each of the person's legs, the interior layer extending down each leg made of a single seamless fabric panel.

5. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the elastic fabric panels of the interior layer include materials taken from the group comprising nylon, spandex, and micro-compression breathable fabric.

6. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the interior layer includes two buttocks pocket openings through the interior layer proximate the top end of the interior layer at a back side thereof, each pocket opening defining a buttocks pocket adapted for receiving a shaping insert between the interior layer and a pocket panel fixed with the interior layer, the shaped insert extending downward to cover at least a portion of the person's buttocks.

7. The lower garment of claim 6 wherein each pocket opening includes a closure on the inside surface of the interior garment, the closure having an open configuration and a closed configuration, whereby the shaping insert is inhibited from slipping within the buttocks pocket when the closure is in the closed configuration.

8. The lower garment of claim 6 wherein the closure includes a zipper.

9. The lower garment of claim 6 wherein each shaping insert includes a foam material.

10. The lower garment of claim 6 wherein each shaping insert includes a silicon material.

11. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the interior layer and the exterior layer are colored between a light brown color and a dark brown color.

12. The lower garment of claim 1 wherein the exterior layer includes materials taken from the group comprising spandex, polyester, rayon, cotton, or a mixture thereof.

13. The lower garment of claim 1 further including a high-friction strip disposed around the inside surface of the interior layer proximate the top end of the interior layer, whereby the high-friction strip inhibits slipping of the lower garment on the person's waist.

14. A lower garment for a female person, comprising: an interior layer comprising one or more elastic fabric panels encircle the person's waist and at least a portion of the person's stomach at a top end of the interior layer, the interior layer extending downward to at least the top of the person's upper thighs around the person's legs, the interior layer having an inside surface for contacting the person's skin, and an outside surface, the elastic fabric panels of the interior layer including materials taken from the group comprising nylon, spandex, and micro-compression breathable fabric; a resilient crotch insert extending from an inseam of the interior layer forward to substantially cover the person's labia, the crotch insert adapted to present a smooth front surface that does not conform to the shape of the person's labia; an exterior layer comprising one or more panels applied to the outside surface of the interior layer and the front surface of the crotch insert, the exterior layer integrally formed without seams, the exterior layer including materials taken from the group comprising spandex, polyester, rayon, cotton, or a mixture thereof, the interior layer and the exterior layer colored between a light brown color and a dark brown color; the interior layer and the exterior layer together being adapted to compress the person's thighs to lift and support the person's buttocks, and to lift and support at least the portion of the person's stomach; two buttocks pocket openings formed through the interior layer proximate the top end of the interior layer at a back side thereof, each pocket opening defining a buttocks pocket adapted for receiving a shaping insert between the interior layer and a pocket panel fixed with the interior layer, the shaped insert extending downward to cover at least a portion of the person's buttocks, each pocket opening including a zipper closure on the inside surface of the interior garment, the zipper closure having an open configuration and a closed configuration, the shaping insert being inhibited from slipping within the buttocks pocket when the zipper closure is in the closed configuration.

15. The lower garment of claim 14 wherein each shaping insert includes a foam material.

16. The lower garment of claim 14 wherein each shaping insert includes a silicon material.

17. The lower garment of claim 14 wherein the lower garment takes the form of shorts.

18. The lower garment of claim 14 wherein the interior layer extends to at least the person's mid-thighs down each of the person's legs, the interior layer extending down each leg made of a single seamless fabric panel.

19. The lower garment of claim 14 further including a high-friction strip disposed around the inside surface of the interior layer proximate the top end of the interior layer, whereby the high-friction strip inhibits slipping of the lower garment on the person's waist.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, illustrated without an exterior layer for clarity of illustration;

(2) FIG. 2 is a partial rear perspective view of the invention, partially broken away to reveal a shaped insert;

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

(4) FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of another embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention;

(6) FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the shaped insert of the invention;

(7) FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the shaped insert of the invention; and

(8) FIG. 8 is a top plan view of still yet another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(9) Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. The following explanation provides specific details for a thorough understanding of and enabling description for these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

(10) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. When the claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list. When the word “each” is used to refer to an element that was previously introduced as being at least one in number, the word “each” does not necessarily imply a plurality of the elements, but can also mean a singular element.

(11) FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a lower garment 10 for a female person 20. The lower garment 10 may take the form of, for example, shorts, leggings, capris, jeans, biker shorts, sweat pants, tights, or any other suitable lower garment 10.

(12) An interior layer 30 comprises one or more elastic fabric panels 40 encircling the person's waist 22 and at least a portion of the person's stomach 21 at a top end 39 of the interior layer 30. The interior layer 30 extends downward to at least the top of the person's upper thighs 25 around the person's legs 26. The interior layer 30 has an inside surface 32 for contacting the person's skin, and an outside surface 38. Preferably each elastic fabric panel 40 of the interior layer 30 includes materials taken from the group comprising nylon, spandex, and micro-compression breathable fabric. In some embodiments, the interior layer 30 is colored between a light brown color and a dark brown color.

(13) A resilient crotch insert 50 extends from an inseam 35 of the interior layer 30 forward to substantially cover the person's labia 23. The crotch insert 50 is adapted to present a smooth front surface 58 that does not conform to the shape of the person's labia 23. Preferably the crotch insert 50 includes a plurality of layers 55 of resilient padding, nylon or spandex fabric layers, and/or other materials that is thick enough in a central portion to avoid conforming to the shape of the person's labia 23, yet still thin enough, particularly around the edges of the crotch insert 50, to not appear like a bulky menstrual pad or result in edge lines. The crotch insert 50 is preferably in the shape of a feminine pad or similar so that the entire labial 23 is covered thereby, yet thin in the inseam for comfort and to avoid chaffing of the legs 26 and upper thighs 25 while walking. Notably, the lower garment 10 does not require a standard inseam gusset, often used in prior art garments, adding to a smooth and seamless appearance.

(14) An exterior layer 60 is applied to the outside surface 38 of the interior layer 30 and the front surface 58 of the crotch insert 50. The exterior layer 60 is preferably integrally formed without seams in preferred embodiments. Preferably the exterior layer 60 includes materials taken from the group comprising spandex, polyester, rayon, cotton, denim, a mixture thereof, or other like materials as is known in the art for lower garments. In some embodiments, the exterior layer 60 is colored between a light brown color and a dark brown color for blending in should another garment be worn over the lower garment 10. The exterior layer 60 is applied to the interior layer 30 with adhesives, sewing, ultrasonic bonding, or other methods as are known in the art. Together the exterior layer 60 presents a seamless or minimally-seamed garment outwardly, obscuring any seams that may be present with the interior layer 30.

(15) Preferably the interior layer 30 and the exterior layer 60 together are adapted to compress the person's thighs 25 and to lift and support the person's buttocks 24. In some embodiments the interior layer 30 and the exterior layer 60 together are adapted to lift and support at least the portion of the person's stomach 21.

(16) In some embodiments a high-friction strip 37 (FIG. 3) is disposed around the inside surface 32 of the interior layer 30 proximate the top end 38 of the interior layer 30. As such, the high-friction strip 37 inhibits slipping of the lower garment 10 on the person's waist 22. Such a high-friction strip 37 may be a thin strip of a silicon rubber material, for example.

(17) In some embodiments the interior layer 30 extends to at least the person's mid-thighs 27 down each of the person's legs 26. The interior layer 30 extending down each leg 26 is preferably made of a single seamless fabric panel 40 to avoid unsightly seams.

(18) In preferred embodiments of the invention, the interior layer 30 includes two buttocks pocket openings 75 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 8) through the interior layer 30 proximate the top end 38 of the interior layer 30 at a back side 31 thereof. Each pocket opening 75 defines a buttocks pocket 70 adapted for receiving a shaping insert 80 (FIGS. 3 and 6-8) between the interior layer 30 and a pocket panel 73. The shaped insert 80 extends downward to cover at least a portion of the person's buttocks 24, and preferably includes a foam or silicon material adapted to retain its shape but still be resilient.

(19) In such embodiments, each pocket opening 75 preferably includes a closure 90 on the inside surface 32 of the interior garment 30. Each closure 90 has an open configuration 91 and a closed configuration 92, such that the shaping insert 80 is inhibited from slipping within the buttocks pocket 70 when the closure 90 is in the closed configuration 92. Such a closure 90 may include a zipper, hook-and-loop type fastening material, mechanical fasteners such as snaps and buttons, or the like. Preferably, however, the closure 90 is relatively flat when in the closed configuration 91 so that little or no outline of the closure 90 is visible through the internal layer 30 and the external layer 60 of the lower garment 10.

(20) While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the lower garment 10 may take the form of other garments (not shown), such as bikini bottoms, jeggings, etc. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.

(21) Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention.

(22) The above detailed description of the embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above or to the particular field of usage mentioned in this disclosure. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Also, the teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments.

(23) All of the above patents and applications and other references, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention.

(24) Changes can be made to the invention in light of the above “Detailed Description.” While the above description details certain embodiments of the invention and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Therefore, implementation details may vary considerably while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated.

(25) While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventor contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. Accordingly, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention.