Patent Application
20250212977
Special occasions often lead to the purchase of unique garments that may only be used once or a few times. These garments can have interesting necklines, back lines, breast padding, and long, embellished skirts and underskirts that add weight to the garment. Shaping garments can be worn under the special occasion garment to smoothen and shape the wearer's overall silhouette. Designing shaping garments for special occasion garments can be especially challenging because it should be versatile enough to adapt to the many types of unique features that special occasion garments can include.
Designing shapewear for special occasion garments with low cut necklines and back lines can be especially challenging. The challenge lies in constructing a garment that effectively shapes the wearer while simultaneously eliminating significant amounts of material from the chest and/or back region. Disclosed herein are shaping garments designed to be worn underneath garments with low cut back lines. The shaping garment includes a space in the back shaping region on its rear side to ensure that the shaping garment is not visible beneath an ultra low-back special occasion garment. A removable back adjuster can be used to bridge the space in the rear side of the garment to provide additional shaping support when ultra low-back mode is not required by the special occasion garment.
Shaping garments disclosed herein have a superior edge that dips to a rear lowermost area on the rear side of the garment. The superior edge extends upward from the rear lowermost area, partially separating the rear side into left and right back shaping regions. The superior edge thereby defines a space between the left back shaping region and the right back shaping region. In some embodiments, a facing elastic can be positioned adjacent the superior edge on an interior side of the rear side of the garment. For example, a facing elastic can run along the portion of the superior edge that defines the space between the left back shaping region and the right back shaping region.
The shaping garments can also include left and right closure mechanisms on the rear side of the garment, and a removable back adjuster that bridges the space between the left and right back shaping regions. The removable back adjuster includes a first portion of the left closure mechanism and a first portion of the right closure mechanism. The first portions of the left and right closure mechanisms are configured to adjoin the back adjuster to the left and right back shaping regions (for example, via second portions of the left and right closure mechanisms that are attached to the left and right back shaping regions). In some embodiments, the left closure mechanism and/or the right closure mechanism can include hook and/or eye fasteners. The removable back adjuster can also include a highly elastic region, which can be positioned between the left closure mechanism and the right closure mechanism.
Some embodiments of the shaping garment can include left and right leg portions with seamless inferior edges.
Some embodiments of the shaping garments disclosed herein include at least one breast supporting portion positioned on a front side of the shaping garment. In some embodiments, left and right breast supporting portions each comprise a molded inner layers. The left and right breast supporting portions can also include a strip of supporting fabric positioned between the molded inner layer and an outer layer of fabric. An elastic band can be positioned inferior to the breast supporting portion, and the elastic band can extend laterally towards the rear side of the shaping garment. In some embodiments, the elastic band extends underneath an exterior layer of the shaping garment. In some embodiments, the elastic band extends to the rear side of the shaping garment underneath the exterior layer of the left back shaping region and the exterior layer of the right back shaping region. A lateral elastic band seam can laterally across a superior region of the elastic band, attaching the elastic band to an exterior layer of the shaping garment. An inferior region of the elastic band can remain unattached to the exterior layer of the shaping garment.
In some embodiments, the elastic band can include the second portions of the left and right closure mechanisms, which are configured to attach to the first portions of the left and right closure mechanisms positioned on the removable back adjuster. As such, the elastic band is configured to attach to the removable back adjuster. In some embodiments, the elastic band includes left and right eye sets and the removable back adjuster comprises left and right hook sets. The hook sets can curve outward and toward an exterior surface of the removable back adjuster.
In some embodiments, a superior edge of the shaping garment includes a front lowermost area positioned on a front side of the shaping garment. The superior edge extends upward from the front lowermost area. This at least partially separates the front side of the garment into a left breast supporting portion and a right breast supporting portion and defines a space between the left and right breast supporting portions. In some embodiments, the superior edge defines a U-shaped space as it progressively diverges extending upward from the front lowermost area. The edge defining the U-shaped space can be attached to a U-shaped wire. The U-shaped wire can be enclosed in a wire casing. In some embodiments, left and right portions of an elastic band are affixed to the U-shaped wire. The left and right portions of the elastic band extends toward the rear side of the shaping garment. The left portion of the elastic band can include a portion of a left closure mechanism and the right portion of the elastic band can include a portion of the right closure mechanism, such that the elastic band is configured to attach to a removable back adjuster.
In some embodiments, a front side the shaping garment further can also include left and right front shaping regions. At least one shoulder strap can extend from one of the front shaping regions toward the opposite front shaping region, or toward the rear side of the shaping garment. In some embodiments, the shoulder strap(s) are removably connectable to shoulder strap tabs positioned near the superior edge of the shaping garment. In an embodiment, one shoulder strap can extend from the left front shaping region to the right front shaping region, such that the shaping garment can be worn in a halter configuration.
Methods of making shaping garments are also disclosed herein. The method of making can include cutting a left rear panel from a fabric sheet such that the left rear panel narrows as it extends toward a superior portion of the left panel, creating a narrowing left superior rear portion. The method can further include cutting a right rear panel from a fabric sheet such that the right rear panel narrows as it extends toward a superior portion of the right panel, creating a narrowing right superior rear portion. The method can further include attaching a portion of a left closure mechanism to the right edge of the narrowing left superior rear portion, and attaching a portion of a right closure mechanism to the left edge of the narrowing right superior rear portion. The right inferior edge of the left rear panel can be sewn to a left inferior edge of the right rear panel to form a rear side of the shaping garment. The narrowing left superior rear portion and the narrowing right superior rear portion can remain unattached, thereby defining the space in the rear side of the shaping garment. The method can also include sewing the rear side of the shaping garment to a front panel of the garment to form a front side of the shaping garment. A removable back adjuster can be attached to the left and right closure mechanisms to bridge the space on the rear side of the shaping garment.
Some embodiments of the methods can include attaching a left facing elastic to the superior portion of the left rear panel adjacent the space on the rear side of the shaping garment and attaching a right facing elastic to the superior portion of the right rear panel adjacent the space on the rear side of the shaping garment.
In some embodiments, at least one elastic band can be attached along an interior, superior edge of the rear side of the shaping garment. Some embodiments of the methods can include extending a left elastic band from the rear interior side of the shaping garment to the front side of the shaping garment, and extending a right elastic band from the rear interior side of the shaping garment to the front side of the shaping garment. Some embodiments can include attaching the left elastic band to a U-shaped wire on the front side of the shaping garment, and attaching the right elastic band to the U-shaped wire on the front side of the shaping garment.
Some embodiments of the methods include attaching left and right breast supporting portions along a superior edge of the front side of the shaping garment. For example, a superior edge of at least one elastic band can be attached to an interior, superior edge of the front panel and to the inferior edges of the left and/or right breast supporting portion. A superior edge of the front panel can also be attached to a U-shaped wire, which can be attached to the elastic band and the left and/or right breast supporting portions. panels curve outward and toward an exterior surface of the removable back adjuster.
Designing shapewear for special occasion garments with low cut necklines and back lines can be especially challenging. The challenge lies in constructing a garment that effectively shapes the wearer while simultaneously eliminating significant amounts of material from the chest and/or back region. Disclosed herein are shaping garments designed to be worn underneath garments with low cut back lines. The shaping garment includes a space in the back shaping region on its rear side, such that the shaping garment is not visible beneath an ultra low-back special occasion garment. A removable back adjuster can be used to bridge the space in the rear side of the garment to provide additional shaping support when ultra low-back mode is not required by the special occasion garment.
This description refers to certain aspects of the shaping garment relative to other aspects of the shaping garment or to the body of a wearer. As used herein, superior indicates a direction that is closer to the wearer's head. Inferior indicates a direction that is closer to the wearer's feet. Upward, upper, or uppermost indicates a superior direction, or toward a wearer's head. Downward and lower or lower most indicates an inferior direction, or toward a wearer's feet. The longitudinal direction refers to an axis extending between the superior and inferior edges of the garment, or between the wearer's head and feet. The terms right and left are in reference to the wearer's body. Lateral indicates a direction toward the wearer's sides, whereas medial indicates a direction toward the wearer's center. Some of the figures include the letters R and L as right and left directional indicators. Exterior refers to farther from the wearer's body, whereas interior and underneath refer to closer to the wearer's body.
As used herein, fixedly attached is defined as attached via sewing or bonding. Seamlessly attached is defined as continuously formed as one stretch of fabric. Seamless attachment can be achieved by knitting two or more portions or panels of the undergarment together as one piece of fabric, such that there is no seam joining the portions. This can be achieved by using a seamless knitting machine, a hosiery machine, or other knitting machine. Seamless attachment can also be done by continuously forming two or more portions or panels as one stretch of woven or non-woven fabric.
The shaping garment 1 embodiment shown includes front side 3 and rear side 5. On the front side 3 of this embodiment, left and right front shaping regions 7, 9 are partially separated from each other by a U-shaped space 11, which prevents the shaping garment 1 from being seen beneath a special occasion garment having a low neckline. The U-shaped space 11 is defined by the front superior edge 12 of the shaping garment 1. The front superior edge 12 extends upward from its front lowermost area 14, progressively diverging to define a space that widens in the superior direction. Some embodiments of the shaping garment 1 could instead have a V-shaped space, whereas other embodiments may have no space between the left and right front shaping regions 7, 9, forming instead a single breast supporting region with a superior edge closer to the neck of the wearer. Still other embodiments could have a general front side widening space that widens as it extends in the superior direction but that is a shape other than a U or a V. Other embodiments could have a space that ends abruptly such that the lower side of the space appears to be a portion of a square or a rectangle. For a square or rectangular space, the superior edge of the garment would extend horizontally along the lowermost area 14 and then rise at right angles and extend upward toward wearer's head.
As shown in the embodiment of
Referring now to
The rear side 5 of the shaping garment 1 also includes a removable back adjuster 41, which can be reversibly attached to the shaping garment 1 to allow it to be worn in either in an ultra low-back mode (without the back adjuster 41 as shown, for example, in
Referring again to
In the embodiment shown in
In some embodiments, the exterior-most layer of fabric 50 can be formed of a knit material, for example, a warp knit material. In some embodiments, the exterior-most layer of fabric 50 is a tricot material. In some embodiments, the exterior-most layer of fabric 50 can be a microfiber material. In some embodiments, the exterior-most layer of fabric 50 can include nylon and elastane, for example, 49% nylon and 51% elastane. The outer component can, in some embodiments, be about 190 grams per square inch. The exterior-most layer of fabric 50 can be cut as shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Left and right breast supporting portions 13, 15 can each include an inner breast cup and an outer breast cover. In some examples, the breast supporting portions 13, 15 can also include a strip of supporting fabric at the lateral sides of the breast supporting portions 13, 15. The strip of supporting fabric can be positioned between an inner, foam cup and the outer layer of fabric, remaining hidden to the wearer. The strip of supporting fabric increases the rigidity of the lateral sides of breast supporting portions 13, 15, to prevent it from stretching and to provide additional breast support during wear, as shown in the side view of the shaping garment 1 on a wearer in
Referring still to
Methods of making the shaping garment 1 are also disclosed. The method of making can include cutting a left rear panel 69 from a fabric sheet such that the left rear panel 69 narrows as it extends toward a superior portion of the left rear panel to create a narrowing left superior rear portion, and cutting a right rear panel 71 from a fabric sheet such that the right rear panel 71 narrows as it extends toward a superior portion of the right rear panel to create a narrowing right superior rear portion. The method can further include attaching a portion of a left closure mechanism 59 to the right edge of the narrowing left superior rear portion, and attaching a portion of a right closure mechanism 61 to the left edge of the narrowing right superior rear portion. The right inferior edge of the left rear panel 69 can be sewn to a left inferior edge of the right rear panel 71 to form a rear side 5 of the shaping garment. The narrowing left superior rear portion and the narrowing right superior rear portion can remain unattached, thereby defining the space 27 in the rear side 5 of the shaping garment 1. The joining of the left and right rear panels form a central back seam 32. In some examples, central back seam 32 can be formed using an overlock stitch. However, any variety of stitch types can be used to form the central back seam. The method can also include sewing the rear side 5 of the shaping garment to a front panel 73 to form left and right side seams 75, 77 and a front side 3 of the shaping garment 1. Some embodiments of the methods of making the shaping garment 1 can include attaching a removable back adjuster 41 to the left and right closure mechanisms 59, 61, to bridge the space 27.
Some methods can include attaching at least one elastic band along an interior, superior edge 43 of the rear side 5 of the shaping garment 1. For example, a left portion 47 of an elastic band can be extended from the interior, rear side 5 of the shaping garment 1 to the front side 3 of the shaping garment 1, and a right portion 49 of an elastic band can be extended from the interior, rear side 5 of the shaping garment 1 to the front side 3 of the shaping garment 1. The left and right portions 47, 49 of the elastic band can be attached to a U-shaped wire 52 on the front side 3 of the shaping garment 1. The methods can also include attaching a left facing elastic to the right edge of the narrowing left superior rear portion and attaching a right facing elastic to the left edge of the narrowing right superior rear portion.
In some embodiments, the left and right breast supporting portions 13, 15 can be constructed as follows. A first layer of foam is covered (flat) on a top side with a first layer of fabric and on a bottom side with a second layer of fabric. The first and second fabric layers are bonded or laminated to the layer of foam. The foam surrounded by the first and second fabric layers is then molded with heat to the shape of the cup. A third, outer layer of fabric is molded separately, then sewn to the front of the cup. In some embodiments, fabrics used in cup construction are able to withstand high temperatures and take the shape of the mold while remaining pliable. In some embodiments, a strip of supporting fabric can be positioned between the layers, at the lateral sides of the breast supporting portions 13, 15.
In some embodiments of the methods, left and right breast supporting portions 13, 15 can be attached along a superior edge 12 of the front side 3 of the shaping garment 1. A superior region 56 of the elastic band or superior regions 56 of the left and right portions 47, 49 of the elastic band can be attached to an interior, superior edge 12 of the front panel 73 and to the inferior edges of the left and right breast supporting portion 13, 15. Finally, a superior edge 12 of the front panel 73 can be attached to a U-shaped wire 52 or to a casing that encloses the U-shaped wire 52. The U-shaped wire 52 or the casing that encloses the U-shaped wire 52 can be attached the left and right elastic band portions 47, 49 and to the left and right breast supporting portions 13, 15.
The undergarments disclosed herein include a gusset panel 120 located in a crotch region of the undergarment. The gusset panel 120 can be a separate piece of material than the front or back body panels 112, 114. It can be joined to one or both of the front and/or back body panels 112, 114 by a seam or bonding.
One or more access spaces 142, 144 are located in the crotch portion, allowing the wearer to stretch the gusset panel 120 aside removing the garment. In the example embodiment shown in
The gusset panel 120 is not intended to be limited to any particular shape. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel is generally rectangular in shape, with linear front and back gusset panel edges 122, 124 that are equal in length. In other embodiments, such as the one shown in
The gusset panels disclosed herein are formed of stretchable fabrics so that they can be stretched to the side, as shown in
In some embodiments, the level of elongation of gusset panel 120 in the length or width direction can be modified, for example, by varying the types of yarns or stitch patterns used to make the gusset panel 120. In some embodiments, the level of elongation of the gusset panel can be modified, for example, by varying the types of yarns or stitch patterns used to make the seams attaching gusset panel 120 to the front body panel and the back body panel.
The fabric of the gusset panel 120 has recovery such that it returns to its original shape after being stretched. After repeated uses, the gusset panel will still generally lay flat against the wearer's body. The fabric recovery is tested after the third extension-load cycle of test method ASTM D4964-1996(2008), described above. Immediately after the third cycle, the fabric is removed from the loop and allowed to relax for 60 seconds. The length of the loop is measured after relaxing for 60 seconds. The percentage recovery of the fabric is calculated as: the original length divided by the length after the third cycle (including the 60 second rest), then multiplied by 100. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel fabric has a recovery of from about 80% to about 100% after the three extension-load cycles. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel 120 comprises a knit fabric. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises a fabric made on a seamless knitting machine. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises a hosiery fabric. The hosiery fabric can be made through any method known in the art, including circular knitting. Hosiery fabric can be produced using hosiery yarn. In certain embodiments, the weight of the fabric is from about 20 grams per square meter (gsm) to about 500 gsm. In certain embodiments, the fabric is 100 gsm. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises a warp knit fabric. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises a tube elastic. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises a jersey knit fabric. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises nylon. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises spandex. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises a blend of fiber types. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises a nylon and spandex blend. In an embodiment, the gusset panel comprises 80% nylon and 20% spandex. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises a non-woven material. In certain embodiments, the gusset panel comprises a polymer film.
Some embodiments can include cover panels that extend inward from the front body panel, the back body panel, and/or the leg portions to narrow the access space, overlapping the gusset panel and reducing exposure to provide the wearer with added modesty.
Side cover panels 146, 148 are attached to the crotch region of the garment by, for example, stitching, bonding, or any other methods of attachment known in the art. Referring back to
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the fabric used to form the gusset panel 120 has equal elongation values in the length direction and the width direction (wherein width is measured from left to right and length is perpendicular to width). Likewise, the fabric used to form the cover panels 146, 148 can have equal elongation values in the length direction and the width direction. In other embodiments, these components may have greater elongation in one direction as compared to the other.
Further disclosed herein are methods of making an undergarment having a gusset panel. Methods include forming a front body panel, a back body panel, a left leg portion, and a right leg portion. A front edge of a gusset panel is fixedly attached to a lower edge of a front body panel, and a back edge of the gusset panel is fixedly attached to a lower edge of a back body panel. At least a portion of a lateral gusset edge is left unattached to any part of the garment. The gusset panel can be fixedly attached to the front body panel and back body panel by a seam, by bonding, or by other methods. In other embodiments, methods of making the undergarment include seamlessly attaching a gusset panel to a front body panel and a back body panel. Left and right leg portions are seamlessly attached to the front and back body panels. At least a portion of a lateral gusset edge is left unattached to any part of the garment.
The method can further include fixedly attaching a left side cover panel to the front body panel, the back body panel, and the left leg portion such that the left side cover panel is overlapped by the left lateral gusset panel edge, and fixedly attaching a right side cover panel to the front body panel, the back body panel, and the right leg portion such that the right side cover panel is overlapped by the right lateral gusset panel edge. For example, a continuous seam can be used to fixedly attach the left side cover panel, the right side cover panel, the front gusset panel edge, and the back gusset panel edge. The continuous seam can extend around the cover panels as described above (i.e., it can attach the garment to the left front cover panel edge, the left outside cover panel edge, the left back cover panel edge, the right back cover panel edge, the right outside cover panel edge, and the right front cover panel edge). The same continuous seam can be used to attach the front gusset panel edge to the front body panel lower edge, the left front cover panel edge, and the right front cover panel edge, and to attach the back gusset panel edge to the back body panel lower edge, the left back cover panel edge, and the right back cover panel edge.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The implementation was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various implementations with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/125,241, filed Dec. 17, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 12,082,627, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/964,942, filed Apr. 27, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,881,152, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 62/492,650, filed May 1, 2017. Each of the aforementioned applications is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62492650 | May 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17125241 | Dec 2020 | US |
| Child | 18794010 | US | |
| Parent | 15964942 | Apr 2018 | US |
| Child | 17125241 | US |
