Underwear abstract
An article of men's underwear having a front aperture bounded by
two edges and having a front portion of a waistband with two strips
for independently supporting the edges, at least one of the edges
is slidable along its respective strip between a position in which
the two edges are at least partly superposed and a position in which
they are spaced apart.
Underwear claims
I claim:
1. An article of underwear having a front aperture bounded by two
edges comprising:
a front portion of a waistband having two strips for independently
supporting said edges, at least one of said two edges being slidable
along its respective strip between a position in which said two
edges are at least partly superposed and a position in which said
two edges are spaced apart.
2. An article of underwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein both
said two edges are slidable along said two strips.
3. An article of underwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
waistband is formed entirely as an elastic strip.
4. An article of underwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
waistband is formed as an elastic strip, and has a guide portion
for guiding said slidable one of said two edges formed from a non-stretchable
strip.
Underwear description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an article of men's underwear.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Known articles of men's underwear, of the briefs or boxer shorts
type, are generally provided with a front aperture used for satisfying
the usual physiological needs without having to completely lower
the article of underwear.
DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART
Two basic types of aperture currently exist, distinguished respectively
by having their edges side by side or their edges superposed. In
the first case it is preferable, for evident reasons of hygiene
and comfort, that said edges be provided with suitable means for
retaining them in their side-by-side state, whereas in the second
case the fact that they are superposed makes such retention means
superfluous.
Apertures with superposed edges have proved rather inconvenient
in use, whereas apertures with side-by-side edges do not suffer
from this inconvenience if not provided with systems for retaining
the edges side by side, however in that case there are obvious hygiene
and comfort problems, whereas they are rather complicated to use
if provided with retention means whether of zip or button type.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the invention is to obviate these drawbacks
by providing an article of men's underwear comprising a front aperture
bounded by two edges which are superposed only when said aperture
is not to be used.
A further object of the invention is to provide an article of men's
underwear which can be either of briefs type or of boxer shorts
type.
These and further objects which will be apparent from the description
given hereinafter are attained according to the invention by an
article of men's underwear provided with a front aperture bounded
by two edges and characterised by comprising in correspondence with
a front portion of the waistband two strips for independently supporting
said edges, at least one of which is slidable along its respective
strip between a position in which the two edges are at least partly
superposed and a position in which they are spaced apart.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in
detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a front schematic view of an article of underwear according
to the invention in its closed state;
FIG. 2 shows the same view thereof but in its open state; and
FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of the
elastic waistband.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As can be seen from the figures, the article of underwear according
to the invention, in the form of boxer shorts, comprises a front
aperture bounded by two superposable edges 2, 2' and is provided
with an elastic waistband 4 which in correspondence with said aperture
is split into two portions 6, 6', each of which is used for guiding
one of said edges 2,2' which can therefore slide along the respective
portion of elastic waistband independently of the other edge.
The operation of the article of underwear according to the invention
is totally apparent from the description: when the two edges 2,
2' are superposed (see FIG. 1) the boxer shorts are completely closed,
as in the case of any other boxer shorts with their aperture bounded
by superposed edges. When it becomes necessary to open them, each
of the two edges 2, 2' is merely slid along the respective portion
of elastic waistband 6, 6' and accommodated to the side of the front
aperture which forms in this manner (see FIG. 2).
To reclose them, each edge 2,2' is merely slid in the reverse direction
and returned to the state shown in FIG. 1.
To achieve more regular and easy sliding of each edge 2, 2' the
two front guide portions 6, 6' are preferably in the form of non-stretchable
strips rather than elastic strips.
Basically, the article of men's underwear according to the invention
is considerably more practical than traditional articles of underwear
with a front aperture, in that it combines the merits of those having
their aperture bounded by superposed edges with those having their
aperture bounded by side-by-side edges, while at the same time eliminating
their drawbacks. |