Patent Application
20060010571
Reference will now be made in detail to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. An example of the preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying figures. While the invention will be described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, the preferred embodiment and the description are intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a maternity pant has two waistband components that are sewn together to form a contiguous double waistband for a maternity pant. Although the two waistbands are sewn together, they have the appearance of being two separate waistbands.
A first waistband component finishes the pant and makes the maternity pant look like a normal pair of pants. A second waistband component is elastic and is able to accommodate a woman's stomach as it grows but also allows the pant to be worn comfortably when the woman's stomach is still in the early stages of pregnancy. The two waistband components are sewn together forming essentially a single waistband that has the functionality of two waistbands.
The first/lower waistband component of the double waistband design of the present invention appears similar to the waistband of a non-maternity pant. However, certain adjustments have been made to the first waistband component, which differentiate the overall design of the maternity pant of the present invention from a non-maternity pant. These adjustments allow the pants to ‘give’ more in the waist than non-maternity pants.
Described in the figures a maternity pant designed to be worn comfortably by a pregnant woman at all stages of pregnancy and has the appearance of a normal, non-maternity pant.
Elastic portion 112 of double waistband component 108 is sewn above non-elastic portion 110. In one embodiment, elastic portion 112 rises about four inches from the upper border of non-elastic portion 110. Although the height of the elastic portion can vary without changing the novel concept of the double waistband design of the maternity pant, a five or six-inch elastic portion 112 may rise too high and a three-inch elastic portion may be too low on the stomach rendering portion 112 uncomfortable for most pregnant woman. In a preferred embodiment, elastic portion 112 is comprised of jersey knit fabric which is capable of stretching more than woven fabric.
The circumference of non-elastic portion 110 of double waistband design 108 is somewhat larger than that of elastic portion 112. This allows for the growth of a woman's stomach during the entire pregnancy. As the name implies, elastic portion 112 can stretch to accommodate a pregnant woman's stomach as it grows throughout all stages of pregnancy. As described in greater detail below, double waistband component 108 allows a pregnant woman to comfortably wear the same maternity pant from the time she can no longer wear normal pants up to the last stage of pregnancy as well as postpartum.
The lower, non-elastic portion 110 of double waistband component 108 provides for a woman's aesthetic needs, while upper, elastic portion 112 of double waistband component 108, which is connected to portion 110, accommodates the woman's growing stomach. Elastic portion 112 is part of the maternity pant but is covered by another garment, typically a shirt or top.
In a preferred embodiment, knit fabric of the same color is used on the inside of non-elastic portion 110 and behind the ‘fly’ portion as shown in
Finally, although the maternity garment of the present invention has been described as a pant, the double waistband component 108 described above can be used with any other maternity garment that requires support around the waistline. For example, another garment in which the waistband component can be used is a maternity skirt.
Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, it should be noted that there are alternative ways of implementing both the process and apparatus of the present invention. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims.
