Full zippered garment

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a full zippered garment having improved access to an inner undergarment worn by the wearer. Desirably, the flap located on the front of the pants provides the functions and the appearance of a normal pair of pants and use as a stain barrier thereat.

Claims

1. A garment providing access to an inner undergarment worn by the wearer, comprising: (a) a waistband having a front and a rear; (b) a pair of pant legs having a front section, a crotch, and a rear section, the front section, the crotch, and the rear section each including an interior surface and an exterior surface, the pair of pant legs joined at their top by the waistband; (c) a center seam extending along the front section, the crotch, and the rear section of the pair of pant legs; (d) an elongated zipper moveable along the center seam; (e) an access opening along the center seam of the pair of pant legs, the opening extending from the front of the waistband along the center seam of the front section of the pair of pant legs, through the center seam of the crotch, and up the center seam of the rear section of the pair of pant legs to the rear of the waistband, the access opening being opened or shut using the elongated zipper; (f) an elongated zipper flap located on the interior surface of the front section of one leg of the pair of pant legs, the flap extending laterally from the center seam of the one leg and downwardly from the front of the waistband along the center seam, and terminating at a lower end spaced upwardly and away from the crotch, and wherein partially opening the zipper creates a fly front access opening as needed and exposes the flap, the separation between the lower end of the flap and downward movement of the upper end of the zipper forms an unobstructed access opening between the lower end of the flap and the upper end of the zipper that provides the wearer with substantially unobstructed easy access to an inner undergarment.

2. The garment of claim 1, wherein the flap located on the front of the pants defines a stain barrier.

3. The garment of claim 1, which further comprises a pair of zippers cooperating to improve access to an inner undergarment worn by the wearer, such that the degree of opening the garment may be regulated to permit only a partial opening along the seam while permitting the balance of the garment to remain closed.

4. A garment providing access to an inner undergarment worn by the wearer, comprising: (a) a waistband having a front and a rear; (b) a pair of pant legs having a front section, a crotch, and a rear section, the front section, the crotch, and the rear section each including an interior surface and an exterior surface, the pair of pant legs joined at their top by the waistband; (c) a center seam extending along the front section, the crotch, and the rear section of the pair of pant legs; (d) an elongated closure member moveable along the center seam; (e) an access opening along the center seam of the pair of pant legs, the opening extending from the front of the waistband along the center seam of the front section of the pair of pant legs, through the center seam of the crotch, and up the center seam of the rear section of the pair of pant legs to the rear of the waistband, the access opening being opened or shut using the elongated closure member, (f) an elongated closure flap located on the interior surface of the front section of one leg of the pair of pant legs, the flap extending laterally from the center seam of the one leg and downwardly from the front of the waistband along the center seam, and terminating at a lower end spaced upwardly and away from the crotch, and wherein partially opening the closure member creates a fly front access opening as needed and exposes the flap, the separation between the lower end of the flap and downward movement of the upper end of the closure member forms an unobstructed access opening between the lower end of the flap and the upper end of the closure member that provides the wearer with substantially unobstructed easy access to the inner undergarment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a full zippered pair of pants of the present invention having a waistband and a quick access opening when in a closed position;

(2) FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the pair the of pants of the present invention and the quick access opening of the pants in an open position;

(3) FIG. 3 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 2 showing an interior zipper flap and connection thereof to a pant leg; and

(4) FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the pair of pants of the present invention, the quick access opening and details of the zipper and the zipper flap to permit unobstructed access of the wearer through an enhanced opening thereof to reach an inner undergarment worn by the user; and

(5) FIG. 5 is a view of a crotch portion second embodiment hereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(6) Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of a full zippered pair of pants 10 of the present invention having a quick access opening 12 in a closed position. The pants 10 have an interior surface 14 and an exterior surface 16. A right leg 18 having an upper edge 20, a front section 22 and a rear section 24 is attached to a left leg 26 having an upper edge 28, a front section 30 and a rear section 32 along a center seam 34 via an elongated zipper 36. The right leg 18 and left leg 26 are also attached to a waistband 38 along the upper edges 20 and 28.

(7) Conventional closure means 60 such as snaps, buttons, and the like secure front facing portions of the waistband into a closed position.

(8) The zipper 36 has opposite sides 36a, 36b that join or separate to create an access opening 12 extending along the center seam 34 of the pants, the opening extending from the front waistband of the pants, through the crotch 42 of the pants and to the rear waistband. The access opening is formed (i.e., opened) or closed by moving a zipper slider 36c along the sides 36a, 36b of the zipper 36.

(9) When in the closed position, the zipper 36 is not visible on the exterior surface 16 of the pants 10, thereby creating the appearance that the center seam 34 is a sewn seam and the appearance of a normal pair of pants 10. When the slider 36c of the zipper is moved downwardly and away from the front waistband 38 and the zipper sides 36a, 36b laterally separate downwardly from the waistband 38 and create a traditional fly front opening proximate to the crotch 42.

(10) An interior zipper flap 40 is disposed on the interior surface 14 of the front section 30 of the pant leg 26, which as will be discussed, provides a protective layer beneath and against the front upper end portions of the zipper 36 and sides 36a, 36b thereof when closed and forms the invisible seam at the front sections 22, 30 of the pant legs 18, 26. When the pants are closed by the zipper 36, the flap 40 is disposed against the inner garment (not shown) to provide a protective moisture barrier to reduce the likelihood of accident stains from the inner incontinence garment being visible on the exterior surface 18 of the pants 10.

(11) More importantly the zipper flap 40 cooperates with the zipper 36 to provide an enhanced, unobstructed, easy access opening 112 (FIG. 4) with the fly front opening of the pants 10 that enables the wearer to reach the inner incontinence garment, possibly to use the fly front opening of the pants 10 for normal purposes or to have enhanced but easy access to manipulate or even remove the inner undergarment from within the pants in the event of an accident.

(12) FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the full zippered garment or pants 10 of the present invention wherein the zipper ends 36a, 36b and the fly front opening 12 is in a partially open position and the front ends 38a, 38b of the waistband 38 are in an open position. The elongated zipper 36 allows a wearer to create a front access opening 12 and, if desired, separate the two pant legs 18, 26 from the waistband 38 at the front sections 22, 30 downwardly around the crotch 42 and up to rear sections 24, 32 of the pant legs 18, 26 along the center seam 34. As shown, the zipper slider 36c has moved downwardly to the crotch 42, shown at 44, and laterally opened a portion of the zipper sides 36a, 36b of the zipper 36 and the front sections 22, 30 of the pant legs downwardly to the crotch 42. The downward lower end 48 of the zipper flap 40 is spaced upwardly and away from the downward extension 44 of the zipper slider 36c when creating a partial access opening 12.

(13) Referring to FIG. 3, the interior zipper flap 40 is generally flat, rectangular in shape, and includes an upper and lower end 46, 48 and longitudinally extending inner and outer edges or ends 50, 52. The upper end 46 is joined to the waistband 38 and the lower end 48 of the flap 40 extends downwardly from the waistband to a location 54 on the seam spaced upwardly from the crotch 42. The inner end or edge 50 is joined with the inner surface 14 of the pant leg 26 and extends beneath and along the upper side 36b of the zipper 36 in a manner that the flap 40 projects outwardly and away from its securement to the pant leg 26. The flap and outer end 52 thereof will be disposed under and against the interior surface 14 of the other pant leg 18 when the zipper and waistband are closed. The flap 40 is sandwiched between the upper end of the zipper 36 and the inner incontinence garment of the wearer when the upper end portions 36a, 36b are closed by the slider 36c.

(14) Importantly, the lower end 48 of the flap 40 extends downwardly from the waistband 38 to the location 54 on the center seam but is spaced upwardly and away from the crotch 42 and the zipper slider 36c when the fly opening 12 is open, the end 48 and slider location proximate the crotch defining a separation S therebetween. The separation defines an enhanced opening wherein the flap 40 does not obstruct the enhanced access opening 112 that is formed and permits ease of access to the wearer wanting to gain access to the inner incontinence garment.

(15) FIG. 4 shows a front perspective view of the pants 10 of the present invention with the waistband 38 secured in a closed position and the fly front opening 12 forming with the flap 40 the enhanced quick access opening 112 in an open position for the wearer to have a substantially unobstructed access to the incontinence garment. The zipper slider 36c has moved downwardly and away from the waistband 38 and the zipper sides 36a, 36b laterally separated from the waistband to the crotch at 44, the upper end portions of the zipper sides 36a, 36b opening the front sections 22, 30 of the pant legs 18, 26 to form the fly front opening 12. The lower end 48 of the flap 40 is downwardly from the waistband 38 to the seam at 54. The slider 36c of the zipper 36, proximate to the crotch 42, is spaced downwardly and away from the downward extension of the lower end 48 of the flap 40.

(16) When the zipper 36 is partially opened, downwardly to the crotch, an easy access opening 112 is formed below the lower end 44 of the flap 40 and above the crotch 39. Desirably, the flap 40 so dimensioned and positioned in the zipper opening does not inhibit user access to the undergarment.

(17) Referring now to FIG. 5, there is depicted thereon an alternate embodiment hereof.

(18) In accordance herewith, a pair of pants, generally denoted at 210 has legs 212, 214 a center seam 216, which extends from the front of the pant to the rear to define a crotch portion 218. A pair of zippers 220, 222 are disposed within the crotch area and extend from the front of the pant to the rear.

(19) As is known to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, the zippers may work in tandem and in relation to one another, or may be moved in opposing directions to provide one or two openings and to provide access to an under garment, or one adjacent to another to close off the entire seam, or to provide any other suitable opening.

(20) In all other respects, the present invention is constructed the same as the first embodiment, including the flap 240.

(21) It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.