MEN'S UNDERWEAR

Abstract

An undergarment for a male individual, the male individual having a scrotum and a penis, the undergarment comprising: a waistband defining an opening to receive a torso portion of the male individual with front and rear wall fabric panels depending from the waistband to be connected at the hips and at the crotch creating two leg openings; and a scrotum opening defined by one or more fabric panels of the undergarment for allowing the scrotum of the individual to pass through during use without allowing the penis of the individual to pass through the opening. The undergarment also includes a scrotum supporting panel overlaid above the one or more fabric panels defining the scrotum opening to support the scrotum of the individual

Claims

1. An undergarment for a male individual, the male individual having a scrotum and a penis, the undergarment comprising: a waistband defining an opening to receive a torso portion of the male individual with front and rear wall fabric panels depending from the waistband to be connected at the hips and at the crotch creating two leg openings; a scrotum opening defined by portions of a crotch panel and a perineum panel of the undergarment for allowing the scrotum of the individual to pass through during use without allowing the penis of the individual to pass through the opening; and a scrotum supporting panel overlaid above the one or more fabric panels defining the scrotum opening to support the scrotum of the individual wherein the scrotum supporting panel extends generally from a region of the scrotal opening to the waistband and is overlaid above an outer surface of the crotch panel and the perineum panel to be attached to said waistband for supporting the scrotum of the male individual during use.

2-4. (canceled)

5. The undergarment in accordance with claim 1 wherein the scrotum supporting panel comprises a mesh having a plurality of openings to regulate and maintain temperature of the scrotum of the individual.

6. The undergarment in accordance with claim 2 wherein a lower portion of the scrotum supporting panel defines a pouch for receiving and retaining scrotum of the male individual during use.

7. The undergarment in accordance with claim 6 wherein the pouch comprises an elasticized material to allow the internal volume defined by the pouch to be expanded or contracted as the scrotum distends or contracts due to variation in temperature.

8. The undergarment in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least a frontal crotch fabric panel and a perineum fabric panel and wherein the scrotum opening is defined by respective defining portions of the crotch fabric panel and the perineum fabric panel.

9. The undergarment in accordance with claim 8 during use, the respective defining portions are adapted to stretch to define a substantially ovoid shaped scrotum opening.

10. The undergarment in accordance with claim 9 wherein the respective defining portions of the crotch fabric panel and the perineum fabric panel define the scrotum opening that extends between two lateral ends such that the crotch fabric panel and the perineum fabric panel are stitched to each other at said lateral ends.

11. The undergarment in accordance with claim 7 comprising an inner crotch panel adapted to contact and support the penis of the individual and an outer crotch panel adapted to additionally support the crotch panel.

12. The undergarment in accordance with claim 7 wherein at least one of the crotch panels is stitched to one or more of the front panels of the undergarment.

13. The undergarment in accordance with claim 7 wherein an in use lower portion of the scrotum supporting panel is stitched to the perineum fabric panel.

14. The undergarment in accordance with claim 13 wherein an upper portion of the scrotum supporting panel is stitched to one of the crotch panels, preferably to the outer crotch panel.

15. The undergarment in accordance with claim 1 wherein the scrotum opening is positioned and shaped to prevent the penis of the individual from passing through the scrotum opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a men's undergarment 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the men's undergarment 100.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a first top view of the men's undergarment 100.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a second top view of the men's undergarment 100.

[0031] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the undergarment 100 showing the scrotum opening 160 in further detail.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a lower frontal view of the undergarment 100.

[0033] FIG. 7 is another frontal view of the undergarment 100.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] FIGS. 1 to 7 illustrate a men's undergarment 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The undergarment 100 is specifically adapted for a male individual having a scrotum and a penis and it is theorised by the inventors that some embodiments of the men's undergarment 100 may provide improvement in male fertility as will be described in the foregoing sections.

[0035] The undergarment 100 comprises a waistband 110 that defines an opening to receive a torso portion of the male individual. The waistband 110 may be made from any material that may allow the undergarment 100 to be held generally around the torso of the user. The undergarment 100 consists of front panels 120A and 120B (denoted generally by 120) and a rear panel 140. The front and rear panels 120 and 140 depend from the waistband 110 to be connected at the hips and the crotch to define leg openings 132 and 134.

[0036] Importantly, the undergarment 100 also comprises a scrotum opening 160 that is defined by one or more fabric panels of the undergarment 100 to allow the scrotum of the male individual to pass through the scrotum opening 160 when the male individual wears the undergarment 100. The provision of the scrotum opening 160 allows the scrotum of the individual to fall through and be suspended exterior to the underwear's internal volume defined by the fabric panels of the undergarment 100. As a result, the provision of the scrotum opening 160 (and its specific configuration as will be described in further detail) reduces the likelihood of the scrotum being positioned adjacent or against the body of the male individual (a limitation of prior art undergarments utilising the commonly known one-pouch design) and reduces the likelihood of the scrotum being positioned adjacent to the body of the male individual. As a result, the scrotum of the male individual (wearer of undergarment 100) is less likely to absorb body heat from the individual because the scrotum is suspended out of the scrotum opening 160.

[0037] In the preferred embodiment, the scrotum opening 160 is defined by a lower portion of an internal crotch panel 162A and an upper frontal portion of a perineum panel 164. Each of the internal crotch panel 162A and the perineum fabric panel 164 are formed from stretchable fabric material. In the preferred embodiment, an external crotch panel 162B is provided in front of the internal crotch panel 162A. The inner crotch panel 162A adapted to contact and support the penis of the individual wearing the undergarment 100 and the outer crotch panel 162B is adapted to additionally support the crotch panel. In the preferred embodiment, the inner and outer crotch panels 162A and 162B are spaced apart and provide an opening. The opening may be used by the wearer of the undergarment 100 to pass their penis through during periods of passing out urine (during urination). In some alternative embodiments, the inner and outer crotch panels 162A and 162B may be stitched together. In other alternative embodiments, the two separate crotch panels 162A and 162B may be replaced by a single crotch panel (such as 162).

[0038] Corner portions of the perineum fabric panel 164 are stitched to lower corner portions of the internal crotch panel 162A (and the outer crotch panel 162B) to define a substantially ovoid shaped opening 160. The shape and structure of the scrotum opening 160 allows the scrotum of the male individual to pass through as has been explained in the previous sections without allowing the penis of the wearer to pass through the scrotum opening 160.

[0039] An end portion of the perineum fabric panel 164 which is located opposite to the corner portions (which are stitched to the crotch panel 162) is stitched to the rear panel 140 and the front panels 120A and 120B to define the groin region of the undergarment 100. The defining regions of crotch panels 162 (includes inner and outer crotch panels 162A and 162B) and the perineum panel 164 are arch shaped or curved which provides the distinctive shape of the scrotum opening 160.

[0040] In addition to the scrotum opening 160, the undergarment 100 also includes a scrotum supporting panel 165 overlaid over the crotch panel 162 and the perineum panel 164 defining the scrotum opening 160 to support the scrotum that passes through the scrotum opening 160 during use. The scrotum supporting panel 165 in the preferred embodiment comprises a mesh like material which allows the scrotum of the male individual to easily expel heat and also allow better airflow onto the scrotum of the male individual. The mesh like material forming the scrotum supporting panel 165 can easily aid in dissipating heat. Providing the scrotum opening 160 in combination with the meshed scrotum supporting panel 165 allows the scrotum to be positioned away from the body of the wearer of the undergarment 100 and lets the cremaster muscle to extend or contract the scrotum to the desired position which allows optimal temperature regulation.

[0041] The scrotum supporting panel 165 extends generally from a region of the scrotal opening 160 (which is an in-use lower frontal portion of the undergarment 100) to an in use upper region of the front panel 120 of the undergarment 100. In the preferred embodiment, the upper portion of the scrotum supporting panel 165 extends up to the waist band 110 of the undergarment. However, in alternative embodiments, the scrotum supporting panel 165 may extend to an intermediate upper crotch region of the undergarment 100. The lower region of the scrotum supporting panel 165 forms a pouch 166. The scrotum falls into the pouch 166 as the scrotum passes through the scrotum opening 160 of the undergarment 100. The size or shape of the pouch 166 is not limiting and it would be understood by a person skilled in the art that the pouch may be provided in a range of sizes to accommodate different sized scrotums of male individuals. The pouch 166 is generally structured so that the scrotum is supported and not permitted to get completely distended and cause distress to the associated muscles resulting in varicoceles. In some embodiments, the pouch 166 formed by the scrotum supporting panel 166 may be formed from elasticized material to allow the pouch size to be flexible enough to accommodate any changes or movements of the scrotum as cremaster muscles contract or relax.

[0042] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. The term comprises and its variations, such as comprising and comprised of is used throughout in an inclusive sense and not to the exclusion of any additional features.

[0043] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.

[0044] The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.