Patent Application
20240206567
The present invention relates to a body shaper undergarment with flexible, expandable mesh or lace-patterned mesh coverings for the breasts and/or buttocks to allow for enhancement, while the mesh coverings are supported by thicker fabric material on the bottom, and left and right flanks adjacent to the expandable mesh material, where the breasts and/or buttocks are allowed to expand into the breast and/or buttocks pouch areas of the mesh, thereby forming a more desirable look. The mesh regions can also have one or more sub-regions of thicker mesh, or the entire flexible, expandable mesh region can have a single mesh of infinitely variable thicknesses and/or linear densities, expressed in deniers, that gradually change from one boundary side of the expanded mesh region to an opposite boundary side of the expandable mesh region.
The conventional types of hosiery/undergarment typically compress, and smooth body portions being designed to create a toned look to the legs and some support to areas controlled by panty hose and girdles. Some prior art of this type includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,765 of Blakely, U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,607 of Tino, U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,537 of Ewing, U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,732 of Duran, and US Published Patent Application Number 2004/0006811 of McKenzie.
In contrast to the prior art cited above, prior art U.S. Pat. No. 10,058,131 of Solano and Moncada, assigned to Maddox Holdings Inc, relates to a butt enhancing hosiery/shaper undergarment which uses a combination of members of different materials to actually lift and shape the rear buttocks region. In Solano, et al, '131 patent, the buttocks area of the undergarment is surrounded on the top, sides and bottom of the buttocks area by thicker fabric material than the buttocks regions which are covered in an expandable material or mesh of uniform. Thus, the left and right buttocks are supported by the thicker material on top, bottom, and left and right flanks of the undergarment, separated by a thin G-string area, and each buttocks area is allowed to expand into the buttocks pouch area of the mesh thereby forming a more desirable look. The front of the undergarment has a thicker fabric on the stomach wall portion to compress the stomach area.
The body-shaping garments for both men and women of this invention are for use as underwear or as partially covered active wear. Using one or more layers of stretch fabric panels, body shape is enhanced while activity (as in exercise) is supported through selective compression.
The prior art reveals some garments which have similar objectives. The aforementioned US Patent of Solano '131 is for a butt enhancing undergarment offering limited compression of certain body regions in a body shaper undergarment.
The body-shaping garment of Melarti, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,955,739, describes a woman's garment compressing a portion of the mid-section of a wearer above the waist. This upper part is attached to a lower portion of the garment at a seam. The lower portion may include panties with optional skirt.
The body-shaping intimacy garment described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,474,308 of Cronan is a woman's garment in two layers. The inner layer is stretched over the torso, waist, buttocks, hips and legs. The outer layer is of lower elasticity than the inner layer and is attached to the inner layer only at the bust.
US Patent Application Number 2012/0129425 of Bevans is a woman's shapewear garment in two layers which are attached as a shell and a lining. The garment may be a dress, a jumper, a romper, a top, pants, shorts, or skirt. Compression is obtained by using elastic fabric in all parts of the garment.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,024,892 of Blakely for a woman's two-ply body-smoothing lower-body body shaper undergarment is made by circularly knitting a pair of fabric tubes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,068 of Popa, et al., describes a method of using a circular knitting machine to integrally knit a two-layer lower body garment.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a body shaper undergarment which is comfortable to wear, and which provides some visual enhancement.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a body shaper undergarment which supports provides lace looking patterns on the breast and/or buttocks covering portions thereof.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a body shaping undergarment without seams.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide variable density expandable mesh portions of butt and breast enhancing undergarments in general.
The present invention also relates to multi-layer compressive breathable, sweat-porous body shaping garments which have compressive, breathable, strong layers in the abdominal area of the wearer of the body shaper undergarment.
Other objects which become apparent from the following description of the present invention.
Using materials and methods similar to those used by the inventor in U.S. Pat. No. 10,058,131 of Solano et al for a butt enhancing hosiery/shaper undergarment, an under garment is provided where the buttocks and/or also the breast area, has flexible, expandable, minimally compressive, stretchable mesh regions, preferably flexible mesh lace regions, with or without denser regions at lower portions thereof and/or with or without infinitely variable thicknesses or densities in deniers of mesh covering the buttocks and/or breasts of the wearer. Additionally an optional multi-layer abdominal portion can be provided for exercise, where the abdominal area is covered by a compressive breathable, sweat-porous mesh area, surrounded by one or more compressive porous fabric layers of varying compressive strengths on the interior skin facing layer and/or on the outer layer thereof, to provide a garment that is comfortable to wear even in exercise and which also improves the physical appearance of the wearer.
The multi-layer optional garment help keep the body of the woman in place, including the abdomen, breasts and buttocks, or any combination thereof. In an alternate embodiment, the abdomen area features the two or more, preferably three layers, as noted aforesaid, with different thickness or density in deniers and porosity on the full abdomen area. As in Solano '131 the bottom and side flank parts of the expandable, flexible mesh, or lace-patterned mesh, lace buttocks and breast areas are supported by thick supportive fabric so they can support the breasts and buttocks with the respective flexible expandable mesh portions, without sagging. However, the buttocks and breast regions may have variable density regions at lower edges thereof, or may comprise an infinitely variable mesh, to maximize retention of the expanded breast and buttocks portions held in place by the expandable, flexible mesh, or lace-patterned mesh, portions. The section supporting the mid abdomen below the breasts can be lighter and less dense than that of the breast and buttocks flank areas , but compressive, to hold the abdomen in place during exercise but which are porous enough to allow sweat to pour therethrough, as compared to prior art weight reducing garments of neoprene and other non-porous uncomfortable sweat retaining materials.
The seamless body shaper undergarment may be manufactured in a conventional manner with conventional knitted materials, such as, for example, NYLON®, LYCR®, SPANDEX®, silk, cotton, or cellulose derived fabric materials, such as RAYON®, etc. It can also be made of a fabric mix of nylon and elastane, an elastic polyurethane material, in an 84% to 16% ratio, with a thickness of between about 150 to 400 GSM. It is preferably manufactured on a circular hosiery knitting machine using a Jacquard machine, or by warped knitted seamless technique or other seamless knitting process. Rather than using elastic bands, knitted-in welts are knitted in during the knitting process where needed. This enables the garment to be manufactured in one continuous knitting process thereby eliminating a further post-process of attaching elastic bands. Preferably using tubular forms, the warped knitting seamless technique creates body forming garments from the original tubular structures, which are anatomically adaptable in shape, but also can add various arm and leg sub-features to the anatomically shaped tubular garment.
As mentioned in the previous section, the butt-enhancing body shaper undergarment of Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 10,058,131 of Solano et al uses expandable mesh regions to cover the rear buttocks regions and a thicker fabric in general to cover the stomach wall area to flatten the stomach area. For this invention, however, the stomach wall area is preferably partly covered in a breathable, sweat-porous, but compressive porous material layer, to hold the abdomen in place during exercise, while permitting breathable fabric to allow sweat to pour therethrough for comfort and weight loss.
The body shaper undergarment option of the present invention has expandable, flexible mesh areas in one or both of the breasts and/or buttocks regions , which are surrounded on the bottom and side flank areas as in Solano et al '131, with supportive fabric having a thickness of a range of deniers of from about 40 deniers to about 200 deniers, However, unlike Solano '131, the lower crescent shaped regions of the expandable, flexible mesh may have thicker densities, either incrementally in two or more lower crescent shaped regions, or in a lower crescent shaped region with infinitely variable densities of the expandable lower lace mesh portions.
As an option, the expandable, flexible mesh may be provided in aesthetically pleasing patterns, such as lace-patterned mesh.
Expressed another way, as in Solano et al '131, the side and bottom flanks of the breast and buttocks areas have a weight of about 230 to 420 GSM (grams per square meter of fabric material). In this situation, the flank and lower support regions of the abdominal area of the garment made be made of stretchable materials, such as, for example, NYLON®, LYCRA®, SPANDEX®, silk, cotton, or cellulose derived fabric materials, such as RAYON®, etc. Preferably, however, this flank and lower support abdominal area is made of 90% NYLON and 10% LYCRA if provided in a single color, or if multicolored pattern designs are provided, may be made of about 84% polyester and about 16% LYCRA. The expandable flexible lace mesh regions of the buttocks and/or breasts are provided in a range of about 10 deniers to about 50 deniers of the respective breast and buttocks portions of the garment.
An extra wide-open crotch double gusset is preferably provided allowing the user to utilize the restroom without removing the garment. However, in alternate embodiments other closures such as a zipper portion can be provided, or even not provided, where removal of the garment would be required in a rest room.
Therefore, the body shaper undergarment includes at least expandable, flexible mesh regions, preferably with lace shaped patterns, in the breast and/or buttocks portions, with an optional compressive non mesh but porous multi-layer abdominal area below the breasts of the wearer. As also in Solano et al '131, side and bottom flank supportive areas of fabric of the garment are sufficiently thick to provide side support for said the expandable lace mesh breast and/or buttocks regions. But these side and bottom flank regions are assisted by the lower one or more crescent shaped expandable, flexible mesh regions of the mesh materials, the breast and/or buttocks pockets.
Adjustable bra straps may be optionally provided supporting the aforementioned side and bottom flank garment areas, which extend down to at least the crotch of the garment, or optionally to thigh bands of the garment.
While the entire front abdominal area can be provided in a single thickness or density in deniers material, preferably the abdominal area includes respective thin outer and inner breathable compressive layer enveloping a stronger, thicker, compressive but breathable, sweat-porous layer therebetween.
While the mesh abdominal area can include two or more said fabric layers, in the preferred embodiment the garment includes a full abdomen area featuring three different thicknesses or densities in deniers of material placed sequentially in a layered fashion to provide strong abdominal tummy support and to cinch the waist, flatten the abdominal tummy area and smooth the back of the torso. The tummy section fabric also allows sweat through. It is sweat wicking, even in intense exercise.
Preferably the garment is seamless, made in a continuous knitting process. The garment is therefore 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.
However, in non-preferred embodiments the various parts of the garment can be separately made and attached together to a central hollow body portion by being sewn with threads or glued with strips of glue or other adhesive.
While garment is preferably made to start below the breasts, upper chest and back portions can be provided and/or the garment has an opening for use of a bra.
Additionally, the body shaper undergarment can be provided with the arm coverings, ranging in size, from a minimal tank top with arm openings, short tee shirt length arms, elbow length arms or full-size arms extending to the wrist and hands of the wearer. The arm and shoulder regions are less compressive than the front and back compressive areas, because they have to comfortable and not too tight to avoid restricting blood circulation, with a thickness or density in deniers of about 30 to 200 deniers. Likewise, the body shaper undergarment can be provided with leg coverings, such as shorts length covering the hips and upper thighs, mid-thigh leg coverings, knee high length leg coverings, calf-length Capris-style leg coverings, or full-length leg coverings extending to the ankles of the wearer. Furthermore, the abdominal region can include an optional corset over the multi-layers, which opens up in the front, or the corset can itself can function as the torso portion of the garment and it itself can have one or more inner breathable, sweat-porous, compressive layers.
Additionally, in an optional embodiment side flank areas of the garment are adapted to cover the breasts and/or buttocks of a user. These flank areas may support and surround expandable mesh regions adapted to enclose the breasts and/or buttocks, which optionally are made of lace-patterned mesh fabric. However, as noted above, preferably the breast and buttocks enclosed mesh regions include multiple regions of stretch, such as at least one of the multiple regions being less stretchable. In a further alternate embodiment, the multiple regions include two or more less stretchable regions, preferably arcuately shaped, are provided at the lowest portion of the buttocks mesh regions.
In an alternate embodiment, the upper abdominal, mid waist and lower abdominal areas can be made off a single, integral front portion, wherein the upper abdomen portion, the middle band and the lower abdominal portion are a single, or multiple strong, fabric layers of material designed to flatten the areas and not allow them to expand outward in contrast to the expandable, flexible mesh regions in the breast and/or buttocks regions. By areas it can include the abdominal tummy area, but also side bulging “love handles” of fatty tissue in the side of the hips area and lower lumbar area of the back.
Where the multiple breast and buttocks flexible mesh regions include two more regions, a thickest mesh of the plurality of buttocks enclosed mesh regions is provided in a thickness or density in deniers 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 the thickest mesh is provided in a thickness or density in deniers of from about 10 deniers to about 80 deniers, and wherein the mesh region being the lightest of the multiple portions is provided in a range of about 10 deniers to about 50 deniers of the garment.
While three mesh portions may be provided, more or less can be added, each with different or similar thicknesses or densities in deniers. Also, while the varying thickness or density in deniers segments can be crescent curved-shape, they could alternatively be a single or full breast or buttocks area, with a single expandable mesh that is infinitely variable in thickness or density in deniers from one boundary to another boundary.
In the aforementioned mesh portions with variable expandable stretchability regions, in an alternate embodiment, the expandable mesh used in either the breasts and/or buttocks has variable density or stretchability so that it is heavier (less stretch) on the bottom area to more closely approach the ideal amount of stretch for the local load. A plurality of separate density areas of mesh, such as, for example, three sub-regions, are used from top to bottom of a mesh region. It is important that these sub-regions are seam free to insure a smooth comfortable fit with “no visually discernable undergarment lines”. Another alternative is to have a density that is continuously and/or infinitely variable, getting heavier as the bottom of the mesh region is approached. It is noted that these variable density expandable mesh regions are used on the breast and/or buttocks regions of the body shaper undergarment. In this embodiment for expandable mesh portions of any body shaper/undergarment, for a woman, this extra option for the breasts and buttocks areas features the aforementioned plurality of different thicknesses or densities in deniers on buttocks pockets throughout the mesh. The reason why the multiple different, seamless, blended mesh buttocks' sub-regions areas are provided (such as, for example, three sub-regions), is because if the wearer already has large breasts or buttocks, there can be an undesirable compression line or a mark that can be visible under thigh of thin clothes. This multi-part expandable mesh region with variable blended thicknesses or densities in deniers solves this issue by giving the sides and bottom part of breasts and/or buttocks mesh more control with one or more regions of thicker mesh, with or without a flexible mesh lace pattern.
This alternate embodiment for breasts and/or buttocks enclosing regions having multiple sub-regions of stretch for gentle support and shape enhancement, can be used with any one piece undergarment covering at least an upper and a lower region of a front abdominal area, a rear back area and a pair of side flank regions on each side of said body shaper undergarment, connecting said front abdominal to said rear back area, where the under garment further includes a rear buttocks portion. The buttocks portion is a pair of expandable mesh regions separated by a think connector, such as an integral G-string connection or other seamed connection, passing closely between left and right buttocks of the wearer.
The expandable breasts and/or buttocks mesh regions are supported by stronger, denser side flank support regions adjacent to the upper and lower regions supporting the buttocks regions from the sides and below, as described in Solano et al '131 for buttocks regions, whereby the pair of buttocks mesh regions are further pushed outward without compression, as are the breasts regions, not described in Solano et al '131. These breasts and buttocks regions are fully covered by expandable mesh made from garment material thinner and less compressive than the respective garment material making up a remainder of the body shaper undergarment, allowing the breasts and/or buttocks regions to be pushed upward and outward, without compression, during wearing of the body shaper undergarment of the wearer.
The multiple regions of stretch, with lower portions of the at least one mesh regions being less stretchable are at the lower regions of the breasts and/or buttocks mesh regions, to provide further support at the lower portion of the breasts and/or buttocks with a thicker, more supportive mesh material.
Using breathable, sweat-porous knit fabrics with two or preferably, three, or more multilayers primarily in the abdomen area below the breasts, these garments thereby avoid uncomfortable compression of the chest area and they do not restrict any clavicle, arm or shoulder movements during athletic and/or dance exercise. Compressing the abdominal area has an aesthetic component to smooth and hold flab in as well as a physiological component to preventing sagging skin when some body weight is lost during exercise while not restricting breathing.
For women, one version of the body shaper undergarment is a body suit (similar to a one-piece bathing suit) with a triple layer abdominal area. The first outer layer is the outer portion of the whole garment itself made up of breathable, sweat-porous, but firm, compressive layer, while the second middle layer is a compressive mesh layer in the abdominal area, capable of being compressive and also being able to allow sweat to soak therethrough, so that the garment is “breathable”, unlike compressive non-breathable neoprene type non-porous materials. The third inner skin connecting layer is also a breathable, sweat-porous, but also firm, compressive layer. The rear back portions of the garment can be a single layer, a double layer or all three. The parts can be tube formed, but the multilayers are glued, sewn or zippered in place.
For the woman's body suit, the outer layer of the entire garment is preferably made of about 90% nylon and 10% LYCRA® knit, but if there are multi-colored patterns, (stripes, leopard skin, etc.) it will be instead knitted in a knit of about 84% polyester and about 16% LYCRA® because they hold multiple colors better than the nylon/LYCRA® composition. The range of weight for the outer layer is about 100 to 250 grams per square meter (GSM), preferably about 180 GSM. Alternatively, the woman's body suit can be made of a fabric material of a mix of nylon and an elastic polyurethane material, such as elastane.
In the body suit, the innermost breathable, sweat-porous layer, of the multilayers, touching the skin has a weight of about 150 to 400 grams per square meter (GSM), preferably about 330 GSM. This area, starting below the breast area is made of a knit of about 65% nylon and about 35% LYCRA®. The middle compressive layer of the multiple layers is a compressive, porous mesh fabric. Latex is to be avoided however, since it is known to harbor bacteria and is allergenic to some people. The multiple layers are strongly compressive, but highly breathable and allow sweat therethrough to the outer layer. It has a weight of preferably about 230 to 250 GSM; instead of the nylon/LYCRA® composition of the other layers, it is about 92% polyester (i.e., a polyamide) and about 8% nylon. The rear back portion of the garment can be three layers, like the front portion (abdominal wrapping around the back) or it can be two-layered with the outer layer of about 180 GSM and an inner layer of about 330 GSM.
The layers can also be made of a fabric mix of nylon and elastane, an elastic polyurethane material, in an 84% to 16% ratio, with a thickness of between about 150 to 400 GSM. If the rear back portion is one layer it will be more compressible at a weight of about 330 GSM. Other women's garments of this invention are described in the detailed description.
There is another metric which relates hole size to amount of stretch of the strong, but breathable, sweat-porous fabric materials. The materials have a wicking function which is related to fluid dynamics. When the hole dimensions are small, the fibers may be coated or uncoated (hydrophilic or hydrophobic).
A woman's exercise body shaping romper garment includes a top region of knitted fabric, and a three-layer compression abdominal region below breasts of a wearer comprising a mixture of polyester and LYCRA® knitted fabric, and preferably having a single layer knitted fabric back region below which is a compression region adjacent a crotch of the garment. The compression sweat porous abdominal region includes an inner skin contact compressive layer capable of emitting body sweat therethrough, a middle compressive layer and an outer sweat porous compressive layer.
Preferably, the exercise body shaping romper garment includes layers comprised of about 84% polyester and 16% LYCRA®, or 84% nylon and 16% elastane, an elastic polyurethane material, with a thickness of between about 150 to 400 GSM.
The present invention for undergarments for women with expandable buttocks and breasts portions includes wearable copper fabrics, mixed with elastane, nylon, spandex and/or any flexible fabric or thread to make it more flexible and wearable. The wearable copper fabrics are a combination of copper or silver-plated yarn which is knitted or woven with various non-conductive yarns. While any copper-based fabrics may be used, preferably the garment's copper fabrics are derived from the Silverell® line of fabrics, which are used for anti-microbial, fungicidal, RF shielding and/or thermal therapeutic applications in the outerwear garments.
In general, the breathable, sweat-porous body shaper garment of a woman's exercise shapewear garment includes an integral top, abdominal compression area, and skirt/shorts/pants of knitted fabric; and an abdominal compression area below the breasts of the wearer including an inner skin contact compressive, breathable, sweat-porous layer, a strongest middle compressive layer and an outer compressive layer.
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:
It is further noted that the various region areas of the body shaper undergarment are shown with various cross hatchings and line configurations, which like areas bear the same cross hatchings and/or line configurations.
Also shown in
The section where the attachment hooks or zipper connects is made of a strong fabric that can hold the stretching on the waist area. The hook and eye are made of metal or strong plastic, because they need to be strong.
Reference numeral 403 is the front closer with eye and hook style of the abdominal tummy area and reference numeral 404 is for the zipper closer shown as an option on the side. The reason the garment may be in corset style, too, is because for after plastic surgery, such as tummy tuck or liposuction, the waist and tummy area as time passes, the torso, tummy and waist area get smaller and smaller because of the post-surgical swelling.
After liposuction, major swelling may last for a month or two. The minor swelling can linger for several months after that. The skin contraction and shrinkage takes approximately 6-9 months to occur and the body shaper is to be worn for the first 4-6 weeks to assist in the skin contraction such that an even contour is achieved and that is the reason the eye and hook style corset closer is good, because the wearer can make it smaller as they lose inches on their waist area.
The corset front closer hook and eye clips of the corset can be sewn or glued to a front panel like a regular corset with the eye and the or a zipper.
In preferred embodiments, the woman's undergarments shown in drawing
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.
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.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16/876,747, filed may. 18, 2020, and claims priority therefrom under 35 USC § 120, which '747 application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 16/724,000 filed Dec. 20, 2019 and which '747 application claims priority in part therefrom under 35 USC § 120.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16876747 | May 2020 | US |
| Child | 18393328 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16724000 | Dec 2019 | US |
| Child | 16876747 | US |
