Patent Grant
9867400
The present invention relates to form fitting hosiery for uplifting the rear buttocks area.
The conventional type of hosiery/shaper undergarment usually includes traditional under wear, panty hose, and girdles. These traditional under garments compress the buttocks, offer no support on the upper thigh and they create bulges under clothing.
The conventional hosiery/shaper undergarment includes a pair of legs knit solely of stretchable yarn and providing sufficient stretchability to fit a range of leg sizes while providing a relatively small amount of compressive force against the underlying legs of the wearer. They compress the buttocks and provide no support on the upper thigh and area around the waist love handle. These hosiery undergarments do not have a control top that extends high enough to provide support to the upper torso bulge (the bulge can be really seen from the upper back area under the armpits). Some types of hosiery under garments, the so-called “panty girdle” type, include a panty girdle formed of a heavy elastic fabric with the upper ends of hosiery legs being sewn to the leg openings in the panty girdle. This type of panty girdle applies a great amount of compressive force against the underlying portion of the body of the wearer while the portions of the stockings immediately adjacent to the leg openings apply very little, if any, compressive force against the upper thigh portions of the legs of the wearer. This immediate transition from high compressive force by the panty girdle to little or no compressive force by the adjacent hosiery leg causes an abrupt outward bulging of the portions of the upper thighs below the leg openings of the panty girdle portion and these bulge lines are visible when the panty hose is worn beneath tight-fitting slacks or skirts.
This type of hosiery under garment also compresses the buttocks in a way as to not allow a round naturally shaped buttocks to emerge. This type of hosiery under garment also does not provide an open toe along with an open crotch (open gusset), buttocks shaping and high waist control top for a full body shaping experience.
These types of under garments do not provide the user with an improved appearance under clothing and can be uncomfortable. They do not allow the buttocks to form a more round improved appearance that actually creates volume in the rear using your own natural shape. By using the same girdle type material on the buttocks it does not allow the fabric to go between the buttocks like a g-string region to give a more natural curvy appearance, instead the buttocks is compressed by the same material used through out the under garment. Furthermore, they do not hold in bulges and cellulite on the most troubled areas of some users. These areas, known as “saddlebags”, are below the buttocks on the back and sides of the thighs just below the hips. Although girdles cover these areas, they normally are made of relatively thick material and tend to compress the buttocks rather than mold it pushing those bulge areas upward and outward to form a more curvy buttocks. Instead they create bulges in clothing about the user's thigh. Also, the thick fabric usually makes the user look heavier rather than thinner in slim fitting clothing. These types of garments also do not provide a crotch opening (open gusset) so that the user can easily use the bathroom without having to take the garment off which can be time consuming and uncomfortable. These types of under garments stop just below the knee or extend to the ankle which make it visible if the wearer were to wear short skirt or shorts. Some of these under garments have a stocking that does extend down to the foot but do not provide an open toe so that the wearer can wear open toe shoes with out being visible.
Often the control top, does not extend high enough on the waist to control the bulges which may be more visible from the back view. These control tops often fall down since they do not have straps that can be attached to a bra and or silicone on the waistband to prevent it from falling. Also, the waist and leg portions have elastic bands at their points of termination that do not solve the problem of bulges that occur from immediate high compressive force to little or no compression.
Hosiery under garments that currently exist in the market place are designed to give a toned look to legs smoothing the site of cellulite and the legs overall. Originally the hosiery under garments only extending to the waist giving no support to the upper thigh region, waist and buttocks. A need exists for an undergarment that does it all. The traditional hosiery under garments just focus on the toning smoothing look of the legs but fail to shape the body.
Although under garments are known that are designed to provide support to waist and leg portions of the body, U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,765 of Blakely, is mostly concerned with compressing everything in. This girdle type garment extends to just below the knee and compresses everything in including the buttocks deforming it. This under garment does not solve the problem of shaping the buttocks to give a “JLO®” curvy shape. Instead it compresses the buttocks giving the wearer a less curvy shape. The control top also does not extend high enough to control back bulge on the area just under the breasts of a women which can be seen from the back. This control top does not provide extra compression on the side mid portion of the waist giving the wearer more support for a more “hour glass” look. The control top does not solve the problem of preventing the control top from sliding down when worn. This garment also does not extend to the feet of the wearer giving the legs a toned smoothed look which can be worn with shorts and skirts. This garment cannot be worn with shorts or skirts due to the fact that the garment would be seen stopping just above the knee and it is not designed to give the legs a toned smooth look all the way to the foot. On this garment a crotch gusset can be seen but it is not an open crotch double gusset which does not solve the problem of convenience. When the need to use the rest room occurs, the entire under garment must be removed and then put back on, which can be time consuming and a very uncomfortable hassle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,607 of Tino discloses a traditional panty hose with reinforced heel and toe. This garment does not solve the problem of tummy bulge with a high waist control top nor does it solve the problem of too much buttocks compression. This garment does extend to the feet, however it does not provide an open toe so that a wearer can utilize it with open toe shoes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,537 of Ewing discloses a multisectional hosiery garment that has detachable feet and leg sections. This design is intended to prevent the entire pantyhose from being ruined if a “run” occurs in a portion of the garment. The design is also intended to accommodate several different fashion purposes. The different sections are attached with elastic bands, which have disadvantages. A garment having this design would not provide the user with a slimmer or smoother appearance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,732 of Duran discloses a traditional panty hose with interconnected portions so as to define a pair of panty hose. This garment does not solve the problem of tummy bulge with a high waist control top nor does it solve the problem of too much buttocks compression. This garment does not increase volume in the buttocks. The side bands extend to the stomach area which creates more bulge in the abdomen area which can be seen through clothing.
United States Pub No. 2004/0006811 A1 of McKenzie discloses a panty hose undergarment that includes a waistband portion, a control top portion and leg portions knitted to the control top portion. This garment of McKenzie '811 has in one embodiment elastic shining sewn down the center back and sewn down the seam to the crotch panel while being stretched. This creates a problem of having an uncomfortable seam being pulled in between the buttocks like a what is colloquially known as a “wedge”.
The McKenzie '811 garment embodiment with a shining seam also provides a control top portion with a heavy support knit starting under the buttocks, on the sides, in between the buttock cheeks, and up the waistband; and light support knit on the buttock peak areas; and medium support knit on the remaining area of the control top. The denser knit portion 307 shown in FIG. 9 of McKenzie has support up the side of body and ends in the back, as shown on drawing FIG. 9. This does not solve the problem of an undesirable stomach bulge. The control top 301 of McKenzie ends at the lower waist, which could allow a stomach bulge to spill over. This garment of McKenzie '811 also does not solve the problem of a wide over lapping open gusset. It provides a small oval gusset which would make it very uncomfortable to use the restroom.
The stretchable knit sections 108, 208, 308 and 408 in McKenzie '811 provide a smaller buttocks opening (McKenzie refers to the region being the “peaks of the buttocks”) which could deforms the buttocks to an unnatural smaller cone shape rather than a round voluptuous shape of the full area of all of the buttocks.
Accordingly, a need exists for a comfortable hosiery garment that helps shape the buttocks to form a more round improved appearance, one that actually creates volume in the buttocks using the wearer's own natural shape and mass by compressing the bulge on the upper thigh upward and outward along with the buttocks to form a more curvy round looking buttocks instead of compressing the buttocks.
A need also exists for one that also covers the entire leg down to an open toe giving the legs a smoother more toned look. A need also exists for such a hosiery garment to have a very high waist control top to eliminate love handle and back bulge, to have an open crotch double gusset and to be manufactured in a continuous knitting process so that the supportive regions blend in with the more sheer regions without creating seams or bands that can easily be seen through clothing.
Also a need exists for providing an open toe so that it may be worn with open toe shoes and skirts. Also a need exists for same garment that gives support in the thigh, and higher waist regions to help minimize or eliminate side upper torso bulge, stomach and love handle bulge. A need also exists for such a hosiery shaping garment to be manufactured in a continuous knitting process.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a butt enhancing hosiery undergarment that allows a natural looking roundly shaped buttocks to emerge, giving an improved appearance that actually creates volume in the rear by using your own natural shape.
It is also an object of the invention to provide stomach, upper back side area and side waist compression giving the user a more “hourglass” shape.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an open toe sheer leg portion allowing the user to wear open toe shoes. It is also an object of the invention to provide a wide open crotch double gusset for convenience when nature calls.
It is also an object of the invention to provide straps that hook on to the wearer's bra if so desired for extra security to prevent the control top from sliding down, and/or a silicone or rubber inner lining on the upper waist knitted in welt to also prevent the control top from sliding down.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a version of this butt enhancing hosiery undergarment that extends to different lengths. For example, there is provided a version that extends to the ankle, another version that extends just below the knee, another that extends to just above the knee, and another that is a short version that stops at the upper thigh region which can be worn under shorts.
It is also an object of the invention to have an open back version also in different lengths which could be worn with an open back dress for example.
It is also an object of the invention to create this invention without seams and with bio crystal yarn technology in different embodiments.
The present invention provides a hosiery under garment having sheer leg portions that end just before the toes, and a reinforced control top portion having good shaping and control characteristics that terminates at the top of the waist region with a knitted-in welt.
The hosiery under garment provides the user with shaping support as well as buttocks shaping support which gives a separate opening for the buttocks allowing the hosiery garment to go between the buttocks almost like a g string region while pushing, compressing the upper and side thighs upward and outward to a buttocks pouch made of a lesser denier than the surrounding, (where denier is defined by dictionary definition as a unit of weight used to measure the fineness of silk and man-made fibers, especially when woven into women's tights, etc, and being equal to 1 gram per 9000 meters), unlike the present invention, prior art pantyhose which compress and tend to flatten the buttocks inward and down, giving a smaller less natural round shape, are usually undesirable.
In contrast to the prior art, the reinforced high control top portion of the present invention extends down the leg portions and under and around the buttocks of the pantyhose far enough to provide support over the “saddlebag” and cellulite regions of the body while leaving a separate opening or pouch area for the buttocks to form into giving a more desirable “Jlo®” look to the buttocks area.
In contrast to the prior art of McKenzie '811, the present invention with butt enhancing hosiery is seamless and has a g-string portion that allows the natural shape of the buttocks to emerge without any wedge-type pulling from an uncomfortable shirring seam sewn up the back. The garment of the present invention does not have any seams going up the back. McKenzie '811 also does not solve the problem of providing extra buttock lift with Applicants' parallel bands that lift buttocks and provide side waist compression that Applicants' garment has. In contrast to McKenzie, Applicants' garment has support bands that start under the buttocks and up the side of the waist, parallel to each other, providing buttocks lift and side waist and upper waist compression of the abdomen, stopping just under the breasts.
The knitted-in welt at the waist region blends into the high control top without causing waist constriction. Similarly, the knitted-in welts at the ends of the leg portions blend into the leg portions without causing leg constriction. The overall design provides the user with a smooth, tight leg appearance when worn under clothing, without causing the user to suffer discomfort. An open toe is also provided allowing the user to wear open toe shoes if desired. This hosiery under garment also provides a wider than usual open crotch double gusset that can be used with ease when nature calls. This feature allows the wearer to utilize the rest room without the hassle of taking off the entire garment.
In alternate embodiments, there can be shorter versions. For example, there are be versions that extend to the upper thigh region as shown in
All embodiments maintain the core essence which is the buttocks shaping and side waist and stomach compression. All embodiments are to be worn with different styles of clothing like shorts dresses, leggings, jeans and gala wear, among possible fashion wear outer garments. In alternate embodiments the invention may be made with bio crystal technology or any yarn of the Applicants' choosing and sewn with seamless technology. This eliminates skin creases in areas where the fabrics are sewn together. The open gusset is the same on all embodiments along with the buttocks enhancing and waist compression design configurations.
It is also known that the components of the control top portion and the leg portions may vary. Foe example, the full leg version of
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.
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:
The hosiery under garment of the present invention wherein the leg portions terminate just before the toes is shown in
The hosiery under garment referring to
While
The thin rear buttocks region portions 22a, 22b of soft microfiber or other expandable material is uplifted by virtue of the denser left and right flank members 20a and 20b, which cause the uplifting of the thin rear region 22a and 22b. The flank members 20a and 20b are supported from above by the upper waist knitted in welt 16 that extends circumferentially around the rib area. The upper thigh ring portions 26a, 26b also help with uplifting of rear region 22a, 22b. Additionally, unlike in McKenzie '811 where only a reduced portion of the buttocks is covered by the less dense areas 108, 208, 308, 408, in contrast, in the present invention of Applicants, each of the buttocks is substantially covered by the left and right portions 22a and 22b of the rear buttocks cover Although the buttocks areas are bordered on the outside edges by left and right flank members 20a and 20b, there is a minimal seamless separation in the intergluteal cleft crack groove that runs below the sacrum of the spine between the buttocks to the perineum area of the crotch between the rear buttocks regions 22a and 22b, in the area extending below the sacrum to the perineum area of the crotch between the legs. For example, while dimensions may vary, the seamless separation in the intergluteal cleft crack groove between the left and right buttocks regions 22a and 22b is about one quarter (¼) inch in width. thereby capturing all of the buttocks in the thin left and right expandable buttocks areas 22a and 22b. There is also a minimal seamless separation between the outer left and right circumferential arc portions of the rear buttocks regions separating the rear buttocks regions from the respective denser left and right flank members 20a and 20b, thereby capturing all of the buttocks in the thin left and right expandable buttocks areas 22a and 22b between the intergluteal cleft crack groove in the middle between the buttocks, extending out to the outer edges of the buttocks adjacent to the denser left and right flank members 20a and 20b.
The welts 16, 34a and 34b provide a snug fit on the user's upper waist and on the foot just before the toes begin without overly constricting these areas. Preferably, a single rubber yarn is knitted into the knitted-in welt 16, 34a and 34b to ensure that the waistband and foot bands are secured about the waist and feet of the user. However, the rubber yarn is optional because the denier used in this region is believed to be sufficient to provide the needed support. Silicone can also be used on the inseam of the welt to prevent garment from sliding. This is also optional.
The control top portion 13, including a full upper portion covering the torso of the wearer from an upper area having a circumferential welt top edge 16 located just below the breasts of the wearer down to upper thigh band regions 13a, 13b, and also including a g string region 13g in the middle lumbar back area between the top of the buttocks, are each thicker than the leg portions 30a and 30b to provide additional support for the buttocks and upper thigh regions.
The control top portion 13, extending from circumferential top welt edge 16 down to upper thigh band areas 13a and 13b and g string region 13g extends down to the leg portions 26a and 26b. The buttocks area 22a and 22b provides an opening at the central top joint of buttocks areas 22a and 22b which creates the aforementioned middle lumbar back g-string region 13g. The opening for the wearer's hips, located below the torso portion of the control top 13 with the centrally located lumbar back g string region 13g is then knitted with respective thinner garment buttocks portions 22a and 22b, preferably micro fiber, to allow the buttocks to be pushed outward without compression. A thicker denier is used to reinforce and add extra support, lift and compression to the area just below the buttocks at the bottom of flank portions 20a and 20b which extends from the bottom edge of the buttocks portions 22a and 22b, thence up the side of the garment through the upper torso portion 13, to the top of the control top welt 16. This thicker fabric of flank portions 20a and 20b, as well as of the circumferential upper thigh band areas 13a, 13b, provides a compression of the hosiery under garment just below the buttocks, creating more bulge on the buttocks making the buttocks of the wearer look bigger, while lifting the buttocks of the wearer at the same time, preferably having a denier of 150, but thickness may range from approximately 60 to approximately 200 in denier. The differences in thickness between the upper waist band welt 16, leg bands 13a, 13b, and side flank regions 20a, 20b of control top 13 are indicated by the shaded areas, i.e. shading, and the shaded areas indicate thicker or thinner fabric from the control top. The control top portion 13, and including side flank regions 13a, 13b, also preferably extends upwards to just under the breast area 16 and down the leg portions 30a and 30b. The lines 26a and 26b indicate the locations where the control top portion 13, 13a and 13b ends and the leg portions 30a and 30b begin. Preferably, the control top portion 13, 13a and 13b is manufactured using a plane-knit process. In accordance with one embodiment, each of the feeds contains a single yarn, preferably, LYCRA® yarn, which is a product of E. I. Du Pont® de Nemours and Company®, or SPANDEX® yarn, which is a more generic term for the same or substantially similar material manufactured by many different manufacturers. Preferably, the SPANDEX® or LYCRA® has a denier of 120, but may range from approximately 60 to approximately 200 in denier. The control top has a thicker fabric on the waist enhancing side areas 18a and 18b which supports the sides of the waist, preferably the SPANDEX® or LYCRA® has a denier of 160, but may range from approximately 60 to approximately 200 in denier. A thicker fabric may be used on side flank portions 20a and 20b which controls side bulge and support and lift the buttocks, preferably, the SPANDEX® or LYCRA® has a denier of 150, but may range from approximately 60 to approximately 200 in denier. Waist enhancing side areas 18a and 18b are located in the left and right waist portions of the side flank portions 20a and 20b. In a preferred option, waist enhancing side areas 18a and 18b are the thickest of the materials in the butt enhancing under garment.
The control top has a thicker fabric on the front stomach wall portion 28, to compress the stomach area, preferably the SPANDEX® or LYCRA® has a denier of 150, but may range from approximately 60 to approximately 200 in denier. The leg portions 30a and 30b of the hosiery under garment have a denier ranging from approximately 5 to approximately 100 deniers.
Alternatively, the plane-knit process used for the control top could utilize a 120-denier SPANDEX® or LYCRA® yarn. The knitted-in welts 16 comprise the thickest area of the garment. The control top portion 13, 13a, 13b and 13g is thicker than the leg portions 20a, and 20b which provide side and buttocks support and lift is thicker than the control top base 13, which includes upper thigh portions 13a, 13b and g string portion 13g. The thickest part of the control top base is included at welt 16, abdominal wall portion 28, flank portions 20a, 20b and mid flank waist portions 18a, and 18b which provide stomach compression and side waist shaping compression, with mid flank waist portions 18a and 18b being thicker than abdominal wall portion 28 and flank portions 20a and 20b.
Referring to
The leg portions 30a and 30b preferably are terminated with knitted-in welts 34a and 34b just before the toes, however in alternate embodiments in
Additionally, in the embodiment shown in
Similarly, where the hosiery/shaper garment ends just above the ankles as in
Also in other embodiments there may be provided a long sleeve version or a short sleeve version, with long sleeve arm portions 50a and 50b, or short sleeve arm portions (not shown) extending outward from an optional closed back of control top portion 13.
In an alternate embodiment
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-in-part of application Ser. No. 14/103,044 filed Dec. 11, 2013 and claims priority in part therefrom under 35 USC § 120. Applicant also claims priority from international application number PCT/US2014/069344, filed Dec. 9, 2014.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20150264981 A1 | Sep 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14103044 | Dec 2013 | US |
| Child | 14735362 | US |
