Underwear abstract
Panties, briefs or like underwear includes a front piece 2 for
covering lower abdomen, a rear piece 3 for covering buttocks and
a connector piece 4 interconnecting the front piece 2 and the rear
piece 3 for covering the crotch. The rear piece 3 is stitched at
its lower end to the connector piece 4 while being stretched most
greatly on the center line of the rear piece 3 and to a progressively
lesser extent from the center line toward the opposite sides thereof.
As a result, an elongated depression 6 extending vertically is formed
on the center line of the rear piece 3 in conformity with the gluteal
cleft between the buttocks. On the opposite sides of the depression
6, the rear piece 3 has rounded portions in conformity with the
bulges of the buttocks.
Underwear claims
I claim:
1. Underwear comprising a front piece for covering the lower abdomen,
a rear piece for totally covering the buttocks and a connector piece
interconnecting the front piece and the rear piece for covering
the crotch, the front piece and the rear piece, each being symmetrically
shaped about respective center lines and each having upper side
portions and lower ends, and being stitched together at their opposing
upper side portions, the connector piece also being symmetrically
shaped about a centerline and having a first end and a second end
and being stitched at its first end to the lower end of the front
piece, with their respective centerlines aligned and with the lower
end of the front piece and the first end of the connector piece
being curved so as to conform with each other, the second end of
the connector piece and the lower end of the rear piece being shaped
such that, when placed with respective lateral edges thereof in
abutting relation with each other and with their respective centerlines
aligned, there is defined therebetween a space shaped symmetrically
with respect to the center line of alignment and of the space and
having a progressively increasing width toward the center line from
the abutting lateral edges, the rear piece being stitched at its
lower end to the second end of the connector piece while being stretched
to the greatest extent on the center line of symmetry of the rear
piece so that the underwear has an elongated depression extending
inwardly toward the wearer on the centerline of the rear piece and
conforming to the gluteal cleft between the buttocks and so that
the rear piece has round portions extending outwardly in conformity
with the bulges of the buttocks on the opposite sides of the depression,
the juncture of the rear piece and the connector piece being at
the lowermost portion between the left and right buttocks when the
underwear is worn.
2. Underwear as in claim 1 wherein the second end of the connector
piece is defined by two edges slanting outwardly toward its center
line of symmetry from its lateral edges, and the lower end of the
rear piece is defined by two edges slanting inwardly toward its
center line of symmetry from its lateral edges.
3. Underwear as defined in claim 1 wherein the other end of the
connector piece and the lower end of the rear piece are arcuated.
4. Underwear as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 which is made
of a knitted fabric.
5. A method of making underwear by joining together a front piece
for covering the lower abdomen, a rear piece for covering the buttocks
and a connector piece for covering the crotch, the method comprising
cutting out the front piece, the rear piece and the connector piece
from a fabric material, the front piece and the rear piece each
being symmetrically shaped about respective center lines and each
having upper side portions and lower ends and the connector piece
also being symetrically shaped about a center line and having a
first end and a second end, stitching together the corresponding
upper side portions of the front and rear pieces, stitching together
the lower end of the front piece and the first end of the connector
piece, and stitching the lower end of the rear piece and the second
end of the connector piece together at adjoining portions thereof
with their respective center lines of symmetry aligned while stretching
the rear piece toward the connector piece to the greatest extent
along the center line of symmetry of the rear piece and to a progressively
lesser extent in the portions further away from the center line
toward the opposite sides thereof to form an elongated depression
extending inwardly toward the wearer on the center line of the rear
piece and a bulged portion on each side of the depression.
Underwear description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to underwear, such as panties and briefs,
and to a method of making the same.
BACKGROUND ART
Panties, briefs and like undergarments heretofore known have the
drawback that when they are worn, the portion of the undergarment
covering the buttocks extends merely in a planar fashion over the
gluteal cleft between the buttocks and hangs loosely at its lower
part to form wrinkles, thus failing to present attractive hip lines.
Conventional undergarments further have the drawback of being uncomfortable
to wear since the garment is unable to fit over the buttocks and
the gluteal cleft in intimate contact therewith for enclosing and
supporting these body portions.
The present invention, which has overcome the foregoing drawbacks,
provides panties, briefs and like undergarments which are comfortable
to wear and capable of presenting attractive hip lines, and a method
of making such underwear.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Throughout the description, the term "upper" or "upward"
and "lower" or "downward" are used with reference
to FIGS. 1 and 2.
The underwear of this invention comprises a front piece for covering
the lower abdomen, a rear piece for covering the buttocks, and a
connector piece interconnecting the front piece and the rear piece
for covering the crotch. The front piece and the rear piece are
stitched together each at its upper opposite side portions. The
connector piece is stitched at its one end to the lower end of the
front piece. The other end of the connector piece and the lower
end of the rear piece define a space therebetween when placed in
butting relation to each other. The space is shaped symmetrically
with respect to the center line thereof and has a progressively
increasing width toward the center line. The rear piece is stitched
at its lower end to the other end of the connector piece while being
stretched most greatly on the center line of the rear piece.
The underwear therefore has an elongated depression extending on
the center line of the rear piece and conforming to the gluteal
cleft between the buttocks. On the opposite sides of the depression,
the rear piece has rounded portions in conformity with the bulges
of the buttocks. Accordingly the underwear of this invention, when
worn, snugly fits to the curves of the buttocks and the gluteal
cleft, assuming graceful hip lines. Because the rear piece covers
and supports the buttocks in intimate contact therewith, the underwear
feel smooth and comfortable.
The method of making underwear of this invention comprises stitching
together, at suitable portions, a front piece for covering the lower
abdomen, a rear piece for covering the buttocks and a connector
piece for covering the crotch. The method is characterized in that
the rear piece and the connector piece are stitched together at
their adjoining portions while the rear piece is stretched toward
the connector piece to the greatest extent along the center line
of the rear piece and to a progressively lesser extent from the
center line toward the opposite sides thereof, whereby an elongated
depression is formed on the center line of the rear piece with a
bulged portion also formed on each side thereof.
Accordingly underwear comfortable to wear and presenting graceful
hip lines can be fabricated with extreme ease without necessitating
any special procedure or material for cutting the fabric or for
sewing.
The underwear of this invention is made preferably from stretchable
knitted fabrics. With the method of this invention, the front piece,
the rear piece and the connector piece may be cut out from a fabric
separately. Alternatively the rear piece and the connector piece
may be cut out as an integral piece.
The present invention is useful not only for panties and briefs
but also for corsets, girdles, etc. for covering the lower trunk
of the human body. The invention is similarly useful for the lower
trunk portions of leotards, bathing suits, sportswear, foundation
garments such as all-in-ones, etc. for covering both the upper and
lower trunks of the body .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a preferred embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 1 is a rear view showing panties worn on the human body;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the same;
FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along the line III--III in FIG.
1;
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing cut out front piece, rear piece and
connector piece; and
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing cut out rear piece and
connector piece according to another embodiment of the invention.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
With reference to the drawings, the invention will be described
in detail below.
Panties, briefs or like underwear 1 comprises a front piece 2 for
covering the lower abdomen, a rear piece 3 mainly for covering the
buttocks, and a connector piece 4 interconnecting the front piece
2 and the rear piece 3 for covering the crotch. Most preferably
these pieces 2 to 4 are prepared from a stretchable knitted fabric.
However, other knitted fabrics, woven fabrics or nonwoven fabrics
are also usable.
The front piece 2 has projections 21 at its upper opposite side
portions. The front piece 2 has a width progressively decreasing
downward, and opposite side edges 22 each curved in conformity with
the groin between the thigh and the abdormen or with a part slightly
above the groin. The lower end 23 of the front piece 2 and one end
41 of the connector piece 4 are curved to conform with each other
and stitched together.
The rear piece 3 also has projections 31 extending outward from
its upper opposite side portions obliquely upward. The projections
31 are bent toward the front piece 2 and stitched at their ends
34 to the opposed ends 24 of the projections 21, whereby a portion
is formed for covering the waist. The rear piece 3 has edges 32
extending from its lower portion toward the side projections and
conforming to the curves of the buttocks. The area and shape of
the portion of the rear piece 3 surrounded by the edges 32 are determined
in accordance with the bulging degree and contours of the buttocks.
The other end 42 of the connector piece 4 is defined by two edges
slanting outward toward its longitudinal center line. The central
lower end 33 of the rear piece 3 to be stitched to the end 42 is
defined by two edges slanting upward toward its center line. These
ends 33 and 42 differ in the angle of inclination, such that the
ends 33 and 42 define a space 5 therebetween when placed in butting
relation to each other before the rear piece 3 and the connector
piece 4 are stitched together, as seen in FIG. 4. The space 5 has
a progressively increasing width toward the center line thereof.
The rear piece 3 and the connector piece 4 are stitched together
at the opposed ends 33 and 42 while the lower end portion 33 is
being stretched toward the connector piece 4 to the greatest extent
along the center line of the rear piece 3 and to a progressively
lesser extent from the center line toward the opposite sides thereof.
Since the rear piece 3 is thus stretched to the greatest extent
on its center line, the underwear 1 formed has an elongated depression
6 extending vertically on the center line of the rear piece 3 and
conforming to the gluteal cleft between the buttocks. On the opposite
sides of the depression 6, the rear piece 3 has rounded portions
in conformity with the bulges of the buttocks. Consequently the
rear piece 3 of the underwear 1 covers and supports the buttocks
in intimate contact therewith, feels smooth and comfortable, and
fits snugly to the curves of the buttocks and gluteal cleft, giving
a graceful appearance.
The lower end 33 of the rear piece 3 and the end 42 of the connector
piece 4 to be stitched thereto may be arcuated as shown in FIG.
5. In this case, the space 5 formed between the ends 33 and 42 also
has an increasing width toward its center and resembles a crescent
in shape. Alternatively the depression 6 can be formed in an integral
seamless piece of fabric including the rear piece 3 and the connector
piece 4, by drawing the integral piece into a fold at the portion
thereof corresponding to the junction of the abovementioned ends
33 and 42 so that the rear piece portion of the integral piece will
be stretched to the greatest extent on its center line, and fixing
the folded portion suitably by stitching. In this case, the front
piece 2 may be integral with or separate from the connector piece
4.
When desired, a stretchable and decorative tape 7 may be stitched
to the upper edges 25, 35 of the front and rear pieces 2, 3 to be
fitted around the waist, and also to the side edges 22, 32, 43 of
the front and rear pieces 2,3 and the connector piece 4 to be fitted
around the legs. The tape 7 is made partially or entirely from stretchable
yarns, such as rubber yarns or spandex yarns, by knitting or weaving.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The underwear is one of the daily necessaries. Most of the undergarments
are made by underwear makers. The underwear and the method of making
same of this invention can be put into practice by the industry
of underwear making and contribute to the developments of this industry. |