Underwear abstract
A women's waistless and seamless clothing adherable underwear includes
an oval pad made of a soft absorbent material, wherein the pad has
double sided strips of adhesive tape with removable peel-off cover
strips to attach to the inside crotch area of low slung clothing
pants, such as tight pants, leotards or dungaree jeans facing upward
to the skin and crotch of the wearer. The material is preferably
a soft, non-woven, absorbent material. The underwear is particularly
suited for women who wear tight pants, or low waist hip hugger pants,
which widely reveal waist bands and seams of panty underwear, or
expose underwear waist bands. The underwear is minimally intrusive
and is attractive for women who like to wear jeans without underwear
but who fear bacterial infection or exposure to clothing dyes or
irritating stitching.
Underwear claims
I claim:
1. The combination of an outer pants garment and a pad for use
in lieu of a panty consisting essentially of: a pad having sanitary
absorbent material on a body facing side and an adhesive layer on
an outer pants garment facing side temporarily affixed to a crotch
area of said outer pants garment; said pad being oval in configuration,
with a wider midportion than ends of said pad to correspond to a
vaginal area of a wearer; said pad having a thickness of less than
1 mm. so as to prevent a visible outline from showing through said
outer pants garment; and said pad bearing a color matching a color
of said outer pants garment.
2. The combination of an outer pants garment and a pad as in claim
1 wherein said pad includes a bonded edge adhesive ring about the
perimeter of said pad bonding a bottom layer to a top layer.
3. The combination of an outer pants garment and a pad as in claim
1 wherein said top layer and said bottom layer are of a soft absorbent
paper material.
4. The combination of an outer pants garment and a pad as in claim
1 wherein said pad includes at least three surface bonded layers
with said adhesive layer being at least one patch on a bottom layer
thereof, said pants shield pad including: a. top layer of permeable
nonwoven fabric, b. a middle layer of absorbent non-woven layer,
c. a bottom layer of an impermeable layer,
said adhesive patch having a release liner.
5. The combination of an outer pants garment and a pad as in claim
4 wherein said top layer and said bottom layer are of a soft absorbent
plastic material.
6. The combination of an outer pants garment and a pad as in claim
4 wherein said top layer and said bottom layer are of a soft absorbent
paper material.
7. The combination of an outer pants garment and a pad as in claim
1 wherein the thickness of said secret pants shield is about 0.030
inches (0.76 mm).
8. The combination of an outer pants garment and a pad as in claim
1 wherein the thickness of said secret pants shield is about 0.025
inches (0.64 mm).
9. The combination of an outer pants garment and a pad as in claim
1 wherein said pad bears a color matching a color of sad outer pants
garment.
Underwear description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to disposable waistless and seamless
underwear for women.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional women's panty underwear with waistbands and seams
around the leg openings is unsuitable for women who wear tight pants,
or low waist pants (such as "hip huggers"), which openly
reveal waist bands and seams of panty underwear, or expose underwear
waist bands.
Moreover, for women who like to wear jeans without underwear there
is a natural fear of bacterial infection or exposure of sensitive
body tissues to clothing dyes or irritating stitching.
Among related prior art patents are those which fall into four
categories for which common distinguishing arguments can be composed.
The categories are special garments or undergarments, absorbent
materials for pads, clothing adhered pads, and maternity wear.
Clothing Adhered Pads:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,457 of the Applicant Christine Martz herein
describes small clothing adherable perfume patches which attach
to the inside of clothing, such as a blouse, with a skin facing
side rubbing intermittently against the skin, to mute the smell
of the perfume emitted by exposure to body oil in the skin of the
wearer.
However, neither Martz '457 nor Williams, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,835,
relate to a pants shield designed to permit the user to comfortably
wear jeans, pants or shorts or the like without an undergarment
and also without any external indication that such a shield is being
used. Martz '457 relates to small garment pads used to emit a fragrance;
their general physical shape and construction are different from
the instant invention. Williams '835 relates to a panty liner of
generally oblong configuration specifically for use with thong underwear.
The multilayer construction designed for maximum absorption and
a "penetration barrier" would be far too bulky for the
objectives of the present invention.
Maternity Wear:
Blair, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,730 describes an expansion panel
for temporarily providing a larger waist and frontal area so that
a user can wear the jeans during pregnancy. The panel is easily
removable when it is no longer needed. Clearly this prior art is
irrelevant to the present invention.
Absorbent Materials for Pads:
Palumbo et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,250 B1 relates to an absorbent
pad with defined fluid receiving and fluid retention regions. It
is designed primarily for use in treating female incontinence.
Rock et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,698 describes a composite undergarment
fabric of multilayer construction using a skin contact layer of
hydrophilic material with superabsorbent and high moisture transmission
layers attached.
Mende, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,632 relates to a nonwoven fabric
and manufacturing method. It is a soft bulky absorbent and permeable
material.
Tanner et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,961 has an absorbent article
having exceptional expansion properties when wetted.
None of the above materials are required in the construction of
the present invention. High moisture absorption is not a key requirement.
Comfort and low thickness so as to preclude edge detection from
external viewing of the outer garment are principal requirements
which cannot be supported by the materials described in this group
of patents.
Special Garments or Undergarments:
Glaug, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,120 B1 describes a cloth-like, breathable
disposable brief with refastening means. It is an adult garment
for controlling incontinence.
Davis, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,535 discloses a genital covering
garment that is a minimum temporary covering generally useful for
surgical procedures or examinations not requiring visual or tactile
access to these regions.
Marbach, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,208 relates to a minimal covering
for the lower part of the anatomy consisting of a spring supported
patch that fits between the user's legs and engages the pubic bone
and the sacrum. The intended use is as a bathing brief.
Crawford, II, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,482 describes a self supporting
sideless and waistless tanning brief. This is a malleable wire frame
with a cloth covering extending to the rear with a spring member
which fits between the buttocks of the wearer.
Vargason, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,922 discloses a removable undergarment
that is designed for quick wearing. A variety of attachment patches
are used to attach the undergarment around the user in a comfortable
fashion.
Lampman, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,323 describes a disposable undergarment
held by a partially encircling belt, wherein the undergarment covers
the pubic area and central buttocks of the user. It can be used
by women while trying on bathing suits or the like in stores.
The inventions in this group relate to garments or undergarments.
None disclose a clothing attached secret shield that can be used
as a substitute to using an undergarment.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide underwear
for women which is suitable for wearing with low slung hip hugging
pants and the like.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide waistless
and seamless underwear for garments which utilizes a sanitary absorbent
material and which prevents irritation or exposure to bacteria and
other pathogens.
Other objects which become apparent from the following description
of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In keeping with these objects and others which may become apparent,
the present invention is a pants shield that is invisible from the
exterior and which can be used with any form-fitting attire without
the use of underpants or any undergarment.
Since the pants shield is adherable only to the upper crotch facing
area of an outer pants garment, it is unencumbered by auxiliary
supports, such as annoying skin adhering adhesives or other body
supports, such as waistbands, belts, or buttocks holding supports.
Some current fashions for young women are such that they render
normal underpants or even thongs undesirable, but the alternative
of not wearing underwear has its own disadvantages.
Constructed of a thin absorbent pad, the pants shield of the present
invention is adhesively bonded temporarily during use to the crotch
area of the outer garment. It can be used in jeans, exercise pants,
leotards, shorts, or any normal pants. This permits active use of
the garment without underpants which introduce seams and hems that
show through as panty lines. This secret pants shield is more comfortable
than a thong and more fashionable because low cut pants often reveal
the top band of the thong when bending or stretching. Because of
the soft shield surface in contact with vaginal area, it prevents
infections that can arise from abrasion or irritation caused by
rubbing against clothing materials when underpants are not worn.
The shield of this invention provides a clean bacteria-free barrier
from garment fabric which may also contain irritating dyes. It absorbs
small amounts of moisture and also provides extra protection for
garments during menstruation periods without the need for an undergarment.
Therefore this secret pants shield permits sanitary wear of pants
without underwear providing the ultimate fashion compatibility with
any pants attire. Comfort is provided by the soft contact material.
Since it is securely bonded with a temporary adhesive, it can be
used for active pursuits. The disposable nature and small compact
size makes it convenient to change a shield whenever it gets messy.
The secret pants shields are available in different sizes such as
small, medium, and large. They are also available in colors so as
not to contrast with the color of pants which may be shear or slightly
transparent.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention can best be understood in connection with
the accompanying drawings. It is noted that the invention is not
limited to the precise embodiments shown in drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a reclining woman wearing
form-fitting jeans;
FIG. 2 is a top view of a secret pants shield of this invention;
FIG. 3 is an perspective exploded view of the pants shield of FIG.
2, and
FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view of a different embodiment
of a pants shield.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a detail of a reclining woman 1 wearing an ensemble
which derives maximum benefit from the secret pants shield of this
invention. Several features of the style conspire to make the use
of underwear undesirable. Jeans 2 are tight and form-fitting with
low hip-hugging waist band 5. The short top 4 leaves a bare abdominal
midriff 3. This exposed central area is antithetical to underwear
waistbands. The site of the secret pants shield of this invention
is crotch area 6 which is not disturbed by any indication of the
shield within.
FIG. 2 shows pants shield pad 10 with circumferentially extending
bonded edge 11 and bottom adhesive areas 12. While FIG. 2 shows
two bottom adhesive areas, one or more adhesive areas can be employed
to adhere pants shield pad 10 to an inside crotch facing portion
of a pants garment.
The exploded view of FIG. 3 reveals the construction with top layer
15, adhesive ring 11 around bottom layer 16, adhesive areas 12 and
release liners 12a which cover adhesive patches 12 until use. The
top layer 15 is a soft absorbent paper material such as soft paper
towel, or of a synthetic plastic fabric material. The bottom layer
16 can be identical material. Adhesive ring 11 bonds layers 15 and
16 permanently. Adhesive 12 is a temporary adhesive analogous to
that used on feminine hygiene panty liner pads. An alternate construction
of a single layer equivalent to the two layers of soft paper towel
can also be used. Moreover, one or more adhesive layers 12 can be
employed to attach pants shield pad 20 to a crotch facing area of
pants garment.
A prototype for one embodiment for a secret pants shield has been
constructed and tested successfully. Layers 15 and 16 were cut out
of KLEENEX.RTM. VIVA.RTM. paper towel, and the adhesive areas 12
were double width lengths of 3/4" wide SCOTCH.RTM. Poster Tape
from 3M Company.
FIG. 4 shows the construction of alternate embodiment 20 of the
secret panty shield of this invention. It includes at least three
surface bonded layers with adhesive patches on the bottom layer.
Top layer 21 is a thin permeable nonwoven fabric material, such
as of a paper or a synthetic plastic material. Middle layer 22 is
a thin absorbent non-woven material, and bottom layer 23 is a thin
impermeable layer, such as of paper or of a synthetic plastic. Adhesive
patches 12 with release liners 12a complete shield 20. The construction
and materials of the various layers are similar to those of a light
weight bed pad.
The bottom layers 16 or 23 adjacent to the transparent temporary
adhesive patches 12 can be selected in a variety of colors to minimize
contrast with pants material.
Total thickness of the secret pants shield must be kept to a minimum
to prevent a visible outline from showing through. For context,
it is well to know that panty shields range from a thickness of
about 0.08" (2 mm) to about 0.12" (3 mm) and are quite
visible under tight pants. A LIGHTDAYS.TM. feminine hygiene pad
from KOTEX.RTM. is 0.075" (1.9 mm). The thickness of the preferred
embodiment of secret pants shield as in FIG. 3 (with two layers)
is about 0.030" (0.76 mm). The thickness of the second embodiment
as in FIG. 4 (with three layers) is 0.025" (0.64 mm). The secret
pants shield of this invention is therefore preferably less than
1 mm thick, which is not visible externally.
In the foregoing description, certain terms and visual depictions
are used to illustrate the preferred embodiment. However, no unnecessary
limitations are to be construed by the terms used or illustrations
depicted, beyond what is shown in the prior art, since the terms
and illustrations are exemplary only, and are not meant to limit
the scope of the present invention.
It is further known that other modifications may be made to the
present invention, without departing from the scope of the invention. |