Garments, particularly running or other shorts having significant length, leggings, or other active wear for a female to wear to make urination while standing more convenient.
Females who need to urinate often need to take more time and expose more parts of their body than males do. This is a problem in many settings, especially when there is no convenient restroom, for example when a female is on a long recreational run. This is also a problem for females in the military, construction, and many other situations. This is exacerbated by the knowledge that to maintain peak performance and to be medically safe, one should be well hydrated during these activities. This means the participant must consume liquids, further strengthening the need to urinate. Women, who need to urinate outdoors by fully pulling down their running shorts or pants, expose more of their bodies than a male would during urination. Thus, if observed from a distance, a woman's urination stance is more obvious than a man who is nonchalantly urinating.
One solution to the problem has been a variety of funnel-like devices that a woman may carry. When needed, the devices are pressed against the female anatomy. Examples of these devices can be found for sale through the internet, or other places. These devices usually have an angled spout so that the urine may be aimed forward and away from the body, as a male does. However this solution requires carrying the funnel while running, or performing other outdoor activities.
The other common method of urinating in an area without toilet facilities is simply pulling down the pants or shorts and squatting. However, this is difficult in several ways. For one, the pants bridging from one leg to the other, for example at the ankle area, make it difficult to aim a urination stream to avoid the garment. Second, pants at the ankles prevent spreading of the legs, and may cause a person to stumble. However removing the pants from at least one leg takes longer, exposes more of the body, and may require shoe removal. If pants removal is attempted without shoe removal, the chances of stumbling are further increased.
These problems for a woman runner are even more significant during the cold weather, when long pants are worn rather than shorts, and when leaves have fallen making it more difficult to find a location that is visually isolated. Further, in the winter it is usually the case that park restrooms are shut down and locked to prevent freezing.
To improve the enjoyment and safety of running, co-ed training, and other activities that females engage in, there is a need for a garment that allows females to urinate more quickly, less obviously, and with less exposure.
A garment worn by a woman that allows urination while standing without removal or lowering of the garment. The garment has overlying flaps that when pulled away from each other expose the urethra, but when released cover the urethra.
Flap frame 38 is generally rectangular. With the order of description starting at the periphery and proceeding towards the center point 36, there is a front stitch 40, a left stitch 42, a rear stitch 44, and a right stitch 46. Inward from those four stitch lines are edges of the four panels (20, 22, 24, 26) indicated by solid lines 50, 52, 54, and 56. These edges may be finished to prevent unraveling by any method known in the clothing industry. Preferably, the panels are made of a weave that does not unravel. Flap frame 38 has an outer flap 58 and an inner flap 60. Outer flap 58 has a movable outer edge 62, a stationary edge 64 secured by stitch 42, and a forward edge 68 and rear edge 70 at least partly secured by stitches 40 and 44 respectively. Inner flap 60 has a movable inner edge 72 shown with hidden lines, a stationary edge 74 secured by stitch 46, and a forward edge 76 and rear edge 78 at least partly secured by stitch 40 and 44 respectively. Moveable edges 62, 72 are preferably curved as shown, with the bottom of the curve being toward their respective fixed edges to allow easier finger tip access for the purpose that will be described below.
With reference to
Having described the first embodiment 10 by using
Similarly,
While the foregoing description has set forth preferred embodiments of the present invention in particular detail, it must be understood that numerous modifications, substitutions, and changes can be undertaken without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the ensuing claims. The invention is therefore not limited to specific embodiments as described but is only limited as defined by the following claims.
The Present application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/214,267 filed Apr. 22, 2009, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61214267 | Apr 2009 | US |