Maternity undergarment for gentle support and shape enhancement

Abstract

A maternity under garment specifically for use during pregnancy supports the weight of a developing fetus while not encroaching on the growth aspect. The maternity undergarment has a shape that helps keep the abdomen of the pregnant woman in place, which expands as the fetus grows therein. The abdomen area features three different thicknesses on the full abdomen area. The bottom part of abdomen is a thick supportive fabric so it can hold the abdomen with the fetus therein. The section supporting the mid abdomen is lighter and less dense than that of the lower abdomen portion, because that will allow the woman's expanding abdomen to come out as the fetus grows, The top hemispheric part of the abdomen area has a thinner mesh material, that will allow the abdomen to fully come outward and upward, with no compression.

Claims

1. A maternity garment comprising: a stretchable mesh region in an upper abdomen portion of a full abdomen area of said garment expandable over time of a pregnancy and adapted to accommodate a growing fetus; side flank areas of fabric configured to provide side support for said stretchable mesh region; adjustable bra straps supporting said flank areas; a middle band of structural support material attached to a bottom edge of said mesh region extending from one side flank area of said flank areas to an opposite side flank area of said flank areas providing bottom support of said mesh region, said middle band being provided in a thickness of from 20 deniers to 100 deniers; said middle band being bounded beneath by a lower abdomen portion of said full abdomen area, said lower abdomen portion comprised of a layer of solid fabric adapted to support the weight of said fetus, said layer of solid fabric provided in a thickness of from 40 deniers to 200 deniers, wherein said middle band of structural material is less dense and lighter than said lower abdomen portion; an area of said maternity garment comprising structural sections of support material, including a wide-open crotch double gusset allowing use of a rest room without removal of said garment; wherein separate areas of support are provided for said stretchable mesh region in said upper abdomen portion and said lower abdomen portion adapted to support the weight of said fetus, said areas of support being separated by said middle band of structural support material; and, wherein said full abdomen area includes three different thicknesses of material, the lower abdomen portion being the thickest supportive fabric in said full abdomen area, while the middle band is made of material less dense and lighter than said lower abdomen portion, and the stretchable mesh region being the lightest of all three portions of the full abdomen area of said garment.

2. The maternity garment of claim 1 wherein said garment is seamless.

3. The maternity garment of claim 2 in which the garment is constructed entirely of knitted materials in which the garment is manufactured in one continuous knitting process thereby eliminating a post-process of attaching elastic bands.

4. The maternity garment of claim 3 in which said garment has an opening for use of a bra.

5. The maternity garment of claim 4 in which said flank areas of said garment have extensions to cover buttocks of a user.

6. The maternity garment of claim 4 in which said flank areas have extensions including stretchable mesh regions to enclose said buttocks.

7. The maternity garment of claim 6 in which said buttocks-enclosing mesh regions include multiple regions of stretch, with lower portions of said multiple regions being less stretchable.

8. The maternity garment as in claim 7 wherein a thickest mesh of said plurality of buttocks-enclosing mesh regions is provided in a thickness of a range of deniers of from about 20 deniers to about 100 deniers, wherein further a second mesh of less dense and lighter mesh than said thickest mesh is provided in a thickness of from about 10 deniers to about 80 deniers, and wherein a lightest mesh of said buttocks-enclosing mesh regions is provided in a range of about 10 deniers to about 50 deniers of said garment.

9. The maternity garment as in claim 7 wherein said multiple regions of stretch of said mesh regions of said buttocks regions comprises continuously variable mesh.

10. The maternity garment as in claim 1 wherein said upper abdomen portion, said middle band and said lower abdominal portion are a single, integral mesh.

11. The maternity garment as in claim 1 further comprising a multi-colored pattern design in said garment.

12. A maternity garment comprising: a variable density stretchable mesh region in an upper abdomen portion of a full abdomen area of said garment expandable over time of a pregnancy and adapted to accommodate a growing fetus; side flank areas of fabric configured to provide side support for said stretchable mesh region; adjustable bra straps supporting said flank areas; a middle band of structural support material attached to a bottom edge of said mesh region extending from one side flank area of said flank areas to an opposite side flank area of said flank areas providing bottom support of said mesh region; said middle band being bounded beneath by a lower abdomen portion of said full abdomen area, said lower abdomen portion comprised of a layer of solid fabric adapted to support the weight of said fetus; an area of said maternity garment comprising structural sections of support material, including a wide-open crotch double gusset allowing use of a rest room without removal of said garment; and wherein separate areas of support are provided for said stretchable mesh region in said upper abdomen portion and said lower abdomen portion adapted to support the weight of said fetus, said areas of support being separated by said middle band of structural material.

13. The maternity garment as in claim 12 wherein said variable density stretchable mesh region in said upper abdomen portion of said full abdomen area of said garment expandable over time of a pregnancy and adapted to accommodate a growing fetus comprises a plurality of separate density areas of mesh being used from top to bottom of said variable density stretchable mesh region.

14. The maternity garment as in claim 12 wherein said variable density stretchable mesh region in said upper abdomen portion of said full abdomen area of said garment expandable over time of a pregnancy and adapted to accommodate a growing fetus comprises a continuously variable mesh getting heavier as the bottom of the mesh region is approached.

15. The maternity garment as in claim 12 further comprising a pattern design in said garment.

16. The maternity garment of claim 15 wherein said pattern design is multi-colored.

17. The maternity garment of claim 12 wherein said garment is seamless.

18. The maternity garment of claim 17 in which the garment is constructed entirely of knitted materials in which the garment is manufactured in one continuous knitting process thereby eliminating a post-process of attaching elastic bands.

19. The maternity garment of claim 18 in which said garment has an opening for use of a bra.

20. The maternity garment of claim 19 in which said flank areas of said garment have extensions to cover buttocks of a user.

21. The maternity garment of claim 20 in which said flank areas have extensions including stretchable mesh regions to enclose said buttocks.

22. The maternity garment of claim 21 in which said buttocks-enclosing mesh regions include multiple regions of stretch, with lower portions of said multiple regions being less stretchable.

23. The maternity garment as in claim 22 wherein a thickest mesh of said plurality of buttocks-enclosing mesh regions is provided in a thickness of a range of deniers of from about 20 deniers to about 100 deniers, wherein further a second mesh of less dense and lighter mesh than said thickest mesh is provided in a thickness of from about 10 deniers to about 80 deniers, and wherein a lightest mesh of said buttocks-enclosing mesh regions is provided in a range of about 10 deniers to about 50 deniers of said garment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention can best be understood in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is noted that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown in drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a non-maternity undergarment of a previous prior art invention.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a rear perspective view of the same non-maternity undergarment of FIG. 1 from the previous prior art invention.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a front perspective view of the maternity undergarment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a rear perspective view of the maternity undergarment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a right-side perspective view of the maternity undergarment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 6 is a right-side perspective detail of an alternate embodiment of the right buttocks covering in mesh illustrating the two bands of higher density mesh at the bottom area.

(8) FIG. 7 is a rear perspective detail of the alternate embodiment mesh covering as in FIG. 6 showing the two higher density bands near the bottom of the mesh areas of both buttocks.

(9) FIG. 8 is a right-side perspective view of the maternity undergarment of the present invention showing the higher density bands of both buttocks as well as the higher density mesh bands near the bottom of the front mesh region.

(10) FIG. 9 is a right-side perspective view of the maternity garment of FIG. 8, showing a multi-color pattern design adorned on a mesh portion of the maternity garment.

(11) It is further noted that the various region areas of the maternity undergarment are shown with various cross hatchings and line configurations, which like areas bear the same cross hatchings and/or line configurations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) FIGS. 1 and 2 are prior art drawings illustrating the front and the back respectively of an undergarment for butt enhancement. In FIG. 2, mesh regions marked with item labels “B” and “C” are expandable pouches which allow the buttocks to expand into them as supported by less stretchable surrounding regions to form a more desirable look. FIG. 1 of the same prior art shows a thick fabric region over the stomach wall marked as item label “A” which helps to compress the stomach flat.

(13) FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a maternity undergarment of this invention as worn by a user. Although specific undergarments may vary in terms of materials and design, the functional aspects are well illustrated by the elements of FIG. 3. Stretchable mesh region 1 used in the upper abdomen expands outward over the time of the pregnancy without encroaching on a growing fetus. The area around the crotch 6 as well as the middle band 3 are structural sections of thick support material. Lower abdomen section 4 is a one-layer solid fabric which supports the weight of the fetus. The side flank areas 2 are of the thickest fabric which continues to the back as illustrated in FIG. 4, the back view. Thigh bands 7 may have knitted-in welts. Item 6 is a wide-open crotch double gusset. Two bra straps with adjusters 15 support the undergarment foundation (i.e., back and side flanks). The mesh areas on right buttocks 16 and left buttocks 17 are shown as supported at the edge by fabric 2. FIG. 5 is a right-side perspective view showing the items described in FIGS. 3 and 4 from the side where sections such as the shape of the foundation 2 are more clearly visible.

(14) FIGS. 6-8 illustrate an alternate embodiment wherein the stretchable mesh areas have variable stretchability. FIG. 6 is a detail of a right buttocks area covered in mesh 25 that has three regions of stretch. While most of the area of 25 is thin and quite stretchable; the bottom portion 26 has two bands which become more dense and have less stretch. Band 28, adjacent to support fabric 2 is the densest mesh while band 27 is less dense than 28 but denser than the upper part of 25. FIG. 7 shows the same details from a back view of both buttocks 25. FIG. 8 illustrates a maternity undergarment of the second embodiment with three regions of stretch for both the buttocks mesh as well as the front mesh. In this side view, both rear mesh 25 as well as front mesh 33 can be seen. In front mesh 33, lower bands 35 and most dense mesh 36 are shown at the bottom edge as region 34. It is important that seamless implementation of these bands is used to eliminate outwardly visible lines. A continuously variable stretch knitting is ideally suited to replace the discrete bands shown here.

(15) FIG. 9 shows the garment of FIG. 8, but with optional multicolored pattern designs 37 provided on the front mesh 33 of the undergarment.

(16) Since the buttocks area mesh and the front mesh are quite isolated from each other, a maternity undergarment without the buttocks mesh enhancement is feasible as is a non-maternity butt enhancing undergarment with a variable density mesh.

(17) In the foregoing description, certain terms and visual depictions are used to illustrate the preferred embodiment. However, no unnecessary limitations are to be construed by the terms used or illustrations depicted, beyond what is shown in the prior art, since the terms and illustrations are exemplary only, and are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention.

(18) It is further known that other modifications may be made to the present invention, without departing the scope of the invention, as noted in the appended Claims.