TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the field of undergarments.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Men's clothing designs, especially for pants, typically provide pockets for carrying personal items. Women's clothing designs, such as for dresses, often omit pockets as a fashion preference. Women usually carry personal items in purses or handbags. A woman has more opportunity to be separated from her purse than a man from his pockets. Therefore, a woman is more likely to be separated from her personal items, which may include items for personal safety, such as for self-defense or emergency survival.
There is a need for an improved article of women's clothing that provides pockets without sacrificing fashion. There is a need for an improved article of women's clothing that provides utility for self-defense and emergency survival. The improved undergarment of the present invention fills these needs. Embodiments of the present invention are suitable for men as well.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a bra, comprising: an elongated sleeve having a length, a first end and a second end; said sleeve attached along its length to the bra; said sleeve defining an interior space for receiving an object; and an opening at the first end of said sleeve.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a bra, comprising: a bra cup; and a pocket on the bra cup.
In a third aspect, the present invention provides a bra, comprising: a bra band; a strap having a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion, said first portion attached to the bra band; said strap foldable so that the second portion may be folded over upon said first portion; and said second portion releasably fastenable in a folded over position upon the first portion.
In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides underpants, comprising: an elongated sleeve having a length, a first end and a second end; said sleeve attached along its length to the underpants; said sleeve defining an interior space for receiving an object; and an opening at the first end of said sleeve.
In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides an undergarment, comprising: a bra; underpants; a string releasably attachable to the bra and releasably attachable to the underpants.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, may be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of various embodiments and the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a front pictorial view of an undergarment of the present invention on manikin;
FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the undergarment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is rear plan view of the undergarment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the undergarment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is the same view as FIG. 2 with an outer layer of lace fabric added;
FIG. 6 is the same view as FIG. 3 with an outer layer of lace fabric added;
FIG. 7 is a close-up view of a portion of the underpants, hip-loop and string of FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is the same view as FIG. 7 with the hip-loop unsnapped;
FIG. 9 is a close-up view of a portion of the bra and string of FIG. 2;
FIG. 10 is the same view as FIG. 9 with the snap-strap partly unsnapped and the string falling away;
FIG. 11 is a view of the bra of FIG. 2 with the snap strap completely unstrapped;
FIG. 12 is a view of the string of FIG. 2;
FIG. 13 is a close-up view of the wire-saw sleeve and pull cords of the wire-saw of FIG. 2;
FIG. 14 is a close up view of one end of the wire-saw of FIG. 13 partially pulled out of the wire-saw sleeve; and
FIG. 15 is a view of the wire-saw of FIG. 14.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIGS. 2-4, a preferred embodiment of the undergarment of the present invention comprises undergarment 100 having underpants 40, a bra 80, a first string 60 releasably connected to the underpants and bra on the right side, and a second string 60 releasably connected to the underpants and bra on the left side of the undergarment. Undergarments are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin. Bras and underpants are undergarments.
With further reference to FIG. 2, bra 80 of the preferred embodiment may comprise cups 81, bra band 83, shoulder straps 82 (straps going over the shoulder for holding up the bra), center band pocket 84, lower band pockets 85, cup pockets 86, snap strap 70, and wire-saw sleeve 90. Each pocket 84, 85 and 86 may comprise a top opening 84a, 85a and 86a, respectively, and a releasable snap fastener for releasably closing said top opening.
With reference to FIGS. 9-11, strap 70 may comprise a plurality of snap fasteners 73 spaced apart in a series. Strap 70 may comprise fixed portion 71, which may be sewn or otherwise attached to bra-band 83, and flaps 72 extending from portion 71. Fixed portion 71 may comprise a plurality of spaced apart snap sockets 74 and flaps 72 may each comprise a plurality of spaced apart snap studs 75. The number and spacing of snap studs 75 may correspond to that of snap sockets 74. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, eight snap sockets 74 are provided on each of the left half and right half of the fixed portion 71 of the strap, and eight snap studs 75 are provided on each of flaps 72. In the embodiment shown in the figures, strap 70 is disposed horizontally on the bra.
Snap strap 70 is preferably made of fabric comprising natural or synthetic fibers, such as cotton or nylon, and may be folded over on itself so that the snap studs may be snapped into snap sockets to form snap fasteners 73. An entire flap may be unsnapped in one motion by pulling on the flap. Each snap fastener 73 may be unsnapped and re-snapped individually without unsnapping and re-snapping the other snaps 73. The string 60 on the right side of the undergarment may be disposed between strap portion 71 and flap 72 on the right side of the undergarment and looped around snap fasteners 73. Likewise for the string, strap portions and snap fasteners on the left side of the undergarment (left side not shown in FIGS. 9 and 10).
With reference to FIGS. 2-4, 7 and 8, in a preferred embodiment, underpants 40 may comprise waistband 41, hip-loop 55 attached to the waistband, front wire-saw sleeve 30 attached to the waistband, and rear wire-saw sleeve 35 attached to the waistband. Loop 55 may comprise ribbon 56, a proximal portion of which may be non-releasably attached to the waistband. Ribbon 56 may preferably be made of fabric comprising natural or synthetic fibers, such as cotton or nylon. A snap stud 59 may be attached to a distal portion of the ribbon a distance from the proximal portion. The underpants may further comprise snap socket 58 attached to the waistband. Snap stud 59 may be releasably snapped into snap socket 58 to form snap fastener 57 and releasably close loop 55. Loop 55 may be opened by unsnapping snap fastener 57 and re-closed by re-snapping the snap fastener. The snap fastener may be unsnapped (i.e., the snap stud may be unsnapped from the snap socket) by pulling directly on the stud or by pulling on the ribbon.
With further reference to FIGS. 2-4, 7 and 8, the underpants may comprise front center pocket 42, front left pocket 43, front right pocket 44, hip pockets 45 and rear pocket 46. Each pocket may comprise a top opening 42a, 43a, 44a, 45a and 46a, respectively and releasable snap fastener 1 for releasable closure of the opening.
With reference to FIG. 12, string 60 may comprise long flexible structure 61, string loop 62 and string loop 63 spaced apart from loop 62. Loops 62 and 63 may preferably be at opposite ends of the string. String structure 61 may preferably comprise one or more strands of natural or synthetic fiber, such as cotton or nylon.
With reference to FIGS. 2-4 and 7-10, string 60 may be disposed through hip-loop 55. The string may be attached to a first snap fastener 73 of bra 80 by disposing string loop 62 around said snap fastener and disposing string loop 63 around a second snap fastener 73 so that the string releasably connects the bra to the underpants.
With further reference to FIG. 1, string 60 may be threaded through hip loop 55 and around one or more snap fasteners 73 in any path. Preferably, the path starts at a first snap fastener 73 at an end of a series of snap fasteners, proceeds in a down-and-up pattern (down through the hip loop and back up to and over the next adjacent snap fastener 73), and repeats that down-and-up pattern until it ends at the snap fastener 73 at the other end of the series of snap fasteners.
String 60 may be easily and quickly detached from the bra by unsnapping strap 70 and from the underpants by unsnapping snap fastener 57 to open loop 55 so the string may be quickly accessed for use in emergency self-defense or wilderness survival situations. Once detached, string 61 may be used for any purpose that a string may serve, such as to wrap around things, tie things, or to restrain things.
With reference to FIGS. 13-15, wire-saw sleeve 30 may be attached to the front of the underpants and may comprise an elongated piece of fabric 31 forming an elongated, open-ended sheath having a first opening 38 at one end and a second opening 38 at another end. With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, wire-saw sleeves 35 and 90 attached to the back of the underpants and front of the bra, respectively may have the same structure as just described for sleeve 30.
With further reference to FIGS. 13-15, wire-saw 10 may comprise wire 11, first connector 12 connecting a first pull cord 13 to a first end of the wire, and a second connector 12 connecting a second pull cord 13 to a second end of the wire. In a preferred embodiment, the wire-saw may be slidably disposed in sleeve 31 so that wire 11 is entirely within the sleeve and pull cords 13 are exposed outside the sleeve so that they may be grasped to pull the wire out. A snap stud 16 may be attached to pull cord 13. Snap socket 15 may be attached to waistband 41. The snap stud may be releasably snapped to the snap socket to form snap fastener 14 to releasably attach the wire-saw to the underpants to prevent accidental displacement of the wire saw.
In a preferred embodiment, the wire-saw is a hand-powered reciprocating wire-saw and suitable for abrasive cutting of things, such as tree branches, and may be suitable for cutting other materials such as stone, other wood, glass, concrete, and metals. In said preferred embodiment, wire 11 comprises a single-strand metal wire or a metal cable having a plurality of strands braided together. A single-strand saw may be roughened to be abrasive. Abrasive materials may be bonded to or threaded on the wire.
With further reference to FIG. 14, wire saw 10 may be easily and quickly detached from the underpants by unsnapping snap fasteners 14, then grasping one of pull cords 13, and pulling the pull cord to slide the wire saw out of the sleeve. Snap fasteners 14 may be unsnapped by pulling the pull cords or pulling directly on the snap studs.
While coined “wire-saw sleeves” attendant to a preferred embodiment for receiving a wire-saw, the sleeves are not limited to receiving a wire-saw. They may receive any object that will fit in the sleeve.
With further reference to FIGS. 2-4 and 7-9, the undergarments of the present invention may comprise on or more pockets for carrying and concealing sundry personal items. In a preferred embodiment, the undergarment is provided with pockets 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 84, 85 and 86. For example, a jackknife (shown in phantom in FIG. 2) may be carried in pocket 84 for self-defense or other purposes that a jackknife may serve. Each pocket may open at the top. Each may be provided with a snap fastener 1 so that the top openings 42a, 43a, 44a, 45a, 46a, 84a, 85a and 86a may be releasably snapped closed to help secure in place the pocket contents and may be reopened by unsnapping the snap to access and remove the contents. Bra cup pockets 86 are shown shaded in FIG. 2 have openings 86a shown darkly shaded in FIG. 2. In a preferred embodiment, the cup pocket openings extend substantially the entire length of the upper edge of the cup as shown in FIG. 2.
With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the bra may comprise an outer fabric layer 20 to provide an aesthetically appealing fashion and to hide from view the pockets, wire-saw sleeve and other utilitarian features of the bra. Outer fabric layer 20 may be sewn on or otherwise attached to the bra. In a preferred embodiment, outer fabric layer 20 may be lace fabric. The outer fabric layer may comprise slits corresponding to the pocket openings and wire-saw sleeve openings so as to cooperate with the pocket and sleeve function. Snap studs of snap fastener 1 may be disposed exterior to the outer layer and attached to the outer layer and pocket so that the snap studs are accessible for grasping directly and also serve to further attach the outer fabric layer to the bra base material. Likewise, the underpants may comprise outer fabric layer 21 having the same or similar structure, purpose and utility as just described for outer fabric layer 20.
Thus, the undergarment of the present invention is fashionable and has hidden pockets, hidden sleeves, and other hidden utilitarian features. All of the snap studs are accessible exterior of the outer fabric layers and are attached through the outer layer to the base material of the garment (i.e., to the primary structural fabric of the bra, pockets and sleeves).
With reference to FIGS. 3 and 6, which show the back closure of the bra in the open configuration, the bra may comprise a hook and loop back closure. In a preferred embodiment the hook and loop closure may comprise an array of hooks 3 (shown in phantom) and array of loops 4.
With further reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the bra may be provided with multiple attachment points 87 for bra straps 82. The attachment points may comprise hooks for receiving a loop at the end of the bra strap, or may alternatively comprise loops for receiving a hook at the end of the bra strap. Bra strap ends may be provided with hooks or alternatively with loops for cooperating with a loop or hook on the bra to form a releasable hook and loop attachment fifth between the bra and bra straps.
In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, alternate releasable closures, such as Velcro-type hook and loop closures or other types of hook and loop closures, may be provided in lieu of or in addition to snap fasteners to provide the function provided by snap fasteners in the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings.
In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, in lieu of a string 60 connector for connecting the bra to the underpants, any type of wearable connector suitable for wearing as part of an undergarment may be used to releasably connect the bra to the underpants.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims.
Patent Application
20240023641
