WO2010128947A1

WO2010128947A1 - Comfort garment for men with a supporting pocket for the genitals

Info

Publication number: WO2010128947A1
Application number: PCT/SE2010/050503
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anders Arnborger
Original assignee: Cirque Deluxe Aktiebolag
Priority date: 2009-05-07
Filing date: 2010-05-07
Publication date: 2010-11-11

Abstract

The present invention relates to a garment assembly for men comprising an outer shell having a top opening with a waist band for securing the shell around a torso of a wearer using the garment assembly, two bottom openings for legs of a wearer using the garment assembly, and a crouch area between the two bottom openings, where in an oblong inner cloth having a first and a second end in its longitudinal direction, the first end secured to a front top area of the shell and the second end secured to the crotch area for enclosing the genitals of a wearer using the garment.

Description

COMFORT GARMENT FOR MEN

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a garment assembly for men comprising an outer shell having a top opening with a waist band for securing the shell around a torso of a wearer using the garment assembly, two bottom openings for legs of a wearer using the garment assembly, and a crouch area between the two bottom openings.

BACKGROUND ART

Heretofore, men's underwear are generally represented by two types of garments: briefs and boxer shorts. Briefs are constructed to be tight and close fitting to the body and are thus made out of some kind of elastic material. They may be Y-shaped or have a style where the leg sections extend down the legs (so called boxer briefs). The tight fit of these briefs means they do not allow for a proper air circulation between the legs and the crotch area which, in its turn, may cause skin irritations and rashes. Boxer shorts, on the other hand, are traditionally made of inelastic woven fabric meaning this type of underwear presents a fairly loose fit with wider leg sections in order to permit movements and flexibility to the wearer. This design will allow for air to circulate in between the body parts and the fabric of the shorts, thus keeping the crotch area cooler which is convenient to the wearer. However, a loose fit, such as represented by boxer short style underwear, will lead to that the male genitals to a large extent lack support from the undergarment, something which may be considered quite uncomfortable, particularly during sport activities. Another disadvantage with loose fitting shorts is that the male genitals hang down and might get into direct contact with the thighs in an undesired manner.

Patent US02491250 presents a non-elastic garment of the loose fitting woven type which is constructed to provide complete coverage and protection of the crotch body parts. The lower front portion of the shorts comprises a pouch- like member which is constituted by a number of blanks that are stitched together with the garment. This type of undergarments is uneconomical and laborious to manufacture, and also the front pouch may be relatively rigid and lead to restrictions in the freedom of body movements.

Another version is seen in patent US05718003 which shows an underwear having a flexible pocket attached to the inside of the underwear. A user of this kind of shorts may find it difficult and tedious to insert the genitals into such a pocket in the procedure of dressing.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve, or at least minimise the above mentioned problems, namely to provide a garment for men which is easy to manufacture, and which combines the comfortable design of loose fitting, non-elastic boxer shorts with a snugly fitting support of the male genitals. This is achieved with a garment assembly for men comprising an outer shell having a top opening with a waist band for securing the shell around a torso of a wearer using the garment assembly, two bottom openings for legs of a wearer using the garment assembly, and a crouch area between the two bottom openings, wherein an oblong inner cloth has a first and a second end in its longitudinal direction, the first end being secured to a front top area of the outer shell and the second end being secured to the crotch area for enclosing the genitals of a wearer using the garment.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention the outer shell of the garment assembly is made out of some non-elastic fabric or material of woven type, whereas the front oblong inner cloth is fashioned out of an elastic and supple material. Examples of elastic materials suitable for said inner cloth may be knitted tricots (e.g. single jersey, rib, interlock, or any suitable circular knitted fabric), man-made material (e.g. lycra, elastane or spandex) or compositions of knitted tricot and a man-made elastic fiber of a type as already stated. It is within the scope of the invention, however, to construct the inner cloth from a material of the same type as the remainder of the garment meaning both the outer shell and the cloth panel may be made out of a non-elastic fabric.

According to another preferred aspect of the invention the cloth panel is designed to be substantially cup-shaped, meaning it will enclose and withhold the meeting genital parts of a person who wears the garment.

Preferably, but not exclusively, the outer shell of the garment assembly according to the present invention is in the form of a men's underwear, like a pair of boxer shorts. However, the garment assembly is equally suitable for long pants, shorts, athletic pants, athletic shorts, swimming suits, exercise pants and/or exercise shorts.

Thanks to the new invention a garment assembly for men is provided that is comfortable and that combines the comfort of a loose fit design with a supporting inner cloth panel that encloses and withholds the male genitals. Moreover, the shorts provide a comfort function that is easy and economical to obtain in the manufacturing procedure, and that fixates the penis and testicles from all sides, even from above. A user of the garment will not need to go through any complicated procedures in order to insert the genitals into any pouch or the like: the comfort panel will enclose the scrotum automatically as the wearer gets dressed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will hereinafter be described in more detail with reference to the appended figures. The following description should be considered as preferred form only, and is not decisive in a limiting sense.

Fig. 1 is a front plan view of an example of the garment assembly according to the present invention, partially in phantom, with a portion of a human male body, Fig. 2 is a side plan view of the garment assembly according to the present invention, partially in phantom, with a portion of a human male body,

Fig. 3 is an example of the piece of fabric which represents the cloth panel prior to that it is sewn together,

Fig. 4 is a front plan view showing an example of the piece of fabric according to Fig. 3 where the cloth panel is sewn together,

Fig. 5 is a side plan view of the cloth panel according to Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a front plan view of a piece of fabric according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Fig. 1 shows the garment assembly 1, partially in phantom, as it is worn by a male user 3. In the example of Fig. 1 the garment assembly 1 consists of an outer shell 11 in the form of a pair of boxer shorts. Further, as is seen in Fig. 1, the boxer shorts 11 comprises two lower openings 13, 13' for legs and a top opening 14 for the torso of a wearer, where the top opening 14 may have an elastic waist band 15 for securing the shorts 1 and keeping it in place upon the body of the male 3. The area in between the two leg openings 13, 13' at the inside of the boxer shorts 11 is referred to as crouch area 16.

The garment assembly 1 further comprises an inner oblong cloth panel 2 located adjacent to the inside of the front part of the boxer shorts 11. The cloth panel 2 has a first 21 (see Fig. 3-5) and a second 25 (see Fig. 3-5) end in its longitudinal direction, where the first end 21 is preferably secured to a front top area 12 of the boxer shorts 11 and the second end 25 is secured to the crotch area 16 for covering, enclosing and supporting the genitals 30 of a wearer 3 using the garment assembly 1.

Thus the cloth panel 2 extends from the top section 12 to the crouch section 16 of the shorts 11 creating a supporting portion which covers and stabilizes the genitalia 30 of a male user 3. Said oblong inner cloth 2 may also be referred to as a cloth panel, comfort panel, panel portion and/or supporting panel.

Fig. 2 is a side plan view of a garment assembly 1 according to the present invention, partially in phantom, as it is worn by a male person 3. The garment assembly 1 comprises an outer shell 11 in the form of a pair of boxer shorts. In this figure is shown how said inner panel portion 2 of the undergarment 1 is extending from a top section 12 of the shorts 11 to the crouch area 16 thereof, being attached at one first end adjacently to the waist band 15, and at one second end to the crouch area 16 of the undergarment 11 beyond the scrotum of a male user 3. Preferably the panel portion 2 is attached to the undergarment 11 at the respective top 12 and crouch 16 sections by stitching or the like. Hereby, the panel portion 2 is preferably only fixated at the top and the bottom parts meaning that the mid section of the panel 2 is not attached to the outer shell 11. This outline of the cloth panel 2 allows for the use of an open fly in the front of the outer shell 11, should the shorts have such a design, since the unattached midsection of the panel portion 2 allows for a wearer to temporarily displace it and free the genitals 30 to, for instance, urinate without having to draw down the undergarment prior to such an activity.

Fig. 3 shows an example of a piece of fabric that will constitute the panel portion 2 according to the invention. In this figure, the panel portion 2 is shown in a state prior to that it is sewn together forming the final cloth panel which is to be attached into a shell 11 according to the invention. Said piece of fabric 2 includes a top edge 21, two bottom edges 25, 25', a first and a second side edge 22, 22' and a pair of bottom flaps 24, 24'. The flaps 24, 24' are separated by a slit 23 in the piece of fabric, substantially in the shape of an inverted V. As is seen in Fig. 3, the two flaps 24, 24' are slightly curved and are pointing away from each other. Horizontal axis B corresponds to the level on the cloth panel 2 where the point of the slit 23 is positioned, and vertical axis A indicates the center line of the panel portion.

According to another version of the present invention the panel portion 2 may consist of two pieces of fabric which are sewn together along an axis corresponding to axis A instead of, as in Fig. 3, consist of one single cut out piece of fabric. In such an example said cloth panel 2 would consist of a first and a second piece of fabric each piece having a top edge 21, a first concave side edge 22 and a second convex side edge, where the convex side edge of the first piece of fabric would to be attached to the convex side edge of the second piece of fabric to form a vertical center seam along axis A. The result would be equal to the panel portion 2 of Figs. 4 and 5.

Both of the side edges 22, 22' have partially concave bottom sections. The concave bottom sections also defines the two curved flaps 24, 24' which, due to the concave side edges 22, 22' and the separating slit 23, are pointing substantially away from each other as seen in Fig. 3. The distance along the first side edge 22, 22' from the bottom edge 25, 25' to the position where horizontal axis B crosses the side edge 22, 22' is denoted x (also referred to as "the outer length of the flap 24, 24'"), and the distance along the inner side of the flap 24 from the bottom edge 25, 25' to the point of the slit 23 is denoted y (also referred to "the inner length of the flap 24, 24'").

The top edge 21 of the panel portion 2 is preferably slightly convex, as is also clarified in Fig. 3.

One way of creating the cup-shaped panel portion 2 which is to be inserted and secured within an outer shell 11 according to the invention is now to be described. The resulting sewn-together cup-shaped panel portion 2 and its outline is further clarified in Figs. 4 and 5 respectively.

A piece of fabric is provided which is cut into a shape according to Fig. 3. The pair of bottom flaps 24, 24' of said piece of fabric are brought together and are attached to each other, preferably by means of sewing, which leads to that a vertical arcuate center seam 26 is created at the lower section of the panel portion 2. The resulting sewn-together panel portion 2 with said center seam 26 is seen from the front in Fig. 4 and from the side in Fig. 5. The arcuate shape of the center seam 26 is due to the distance x is shorter than distance y, which means that when sewing the two flaps 24, 24' together a curved shape of the panel portion 2 is obtained. In addition, the convex top edge 21 will further contribute to attaining a cup-shaped outline once the panel portion 2 is secured into the outer shell 11. Said outer shell 11 may be a pair of boxer shorts, shorts, athletic shorts, swimming suits or exercise shorts. A person skilled in the art realizes that the cup-shape outline of the front cloth panel 2 may be obtained in other ways than by means of sewing a cut piece of fabric. For instance it is possible to attain the arcuate form by molding a piece of fabric into the desired shape. Such a method would render an essentially form stable panel portion 2 which is ready to be directly integrated with a garment assembly 1 according to the invention.

Next, the substantially cup-shaped panel portion 2 is to be inserted into an outer shell 11, preferably an outer shell in the form of an undergarment made of woven fabric. The cup-shaped panel portion is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The panel portion 2 is attached, firstly, in that the top edge 21 is sewn to the top section 12 of the shell 11, for instance adjacently to the waist band 15, and secondly, in that the bottom edges 25, 25' (that in the final form of the panel 2 are sewn together forming one single continuous bottom edge 25) are attached to the crouch area 16 of the undergarment. When integrated into the shell 11 the front cloth panel 2 will present a cup-shaped outline which means it will enclose the meeting genitalia 30 of a male wearer 3. Preferably, but not necessarily, the panel portion 2 is made out of some elastic material, such as a knitted tricot or the like. The elasticity combined with said cup-shaped design will enhance the functionality of the panel portion 2, namely to provide a supporting, withholding cloth panel which snugly stabilizes the genitalia 30 of a male user 3.

Hereby is attained a comfortable undergarment that has a loose fit, and at the same time, that will support and hold the genitalia of a user into place, thus preventing discomfort during physical activities or avoiding embarrassing situations of, for instance, making adjustments in public.

Another embodiment of a front cloth panel 2 is shown in Fig. 6 which shows from a front-view a sewn-together panel portion 2 with a curved center seam 26 as previously described. According to this embodiment the bottom edge 25 is designed with a centrally positioned slit 27 creating a V-shaped bottom edge profile. When the panel portion 2 is sewn into an outer shell 11 the V-shaped bottom edge 25 is attached at the crouch area of the garment 11, preferably at the portion of the garment 11 corresponding to a backside-portion of a crouch area. The V-shaped bottom edge 25 will lead to that the panel 2 will adapt very well to the body contour of a user, namely the contours at a backside of a person, and further increase the comfort and supportive quality of the inventive undergarment. The invention is not to be seen as limited by the embodiments described above, but can be varied within the scope of the appended claims. For instance, it is understood that the panel portion, as herein described as part of an undergarment, may equally be suitable for long pants, athletic pants and/or exercise pants.

Claims

1. A garment assembly for men comprising an outer shell (11) having a top opening (14) with a waist band (15) for securing the shell (11) around a torso of a wearer (3) using the garment assembly (1), two bottom openings (13, 13') for legs of a wearer using the garment assembly, and a crouch area (16) between the two bottom openings (13, 13'), characterized in an oblong inner cloth (2) having a first (21) and a second end (25) in its longitudinal direction, the first (21) end secured to a front top area (12) of the shell and the second end (25) secured to the crotch area (16) for enclosing the genitals (30) of a wearer (3) using the garment.

2. A garment assembly for men, according to claim 1, characterized in that said cloth panel (2) is substantially cup-shaped.

3. A garment assembly for men, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said outer shell is made of non-elastic fabric, preferably of woven fabric.

4. A garment assembly for men, according to either of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said cloth panel (2) is made of elastic fabric or material.

5. A garment assembly for men, according to either of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said cloth panel (2) is made of some non-elastic fabric or material, preferably of woven fabric.

6. A garment assembly for men, according to any of previous claims, characterized in that said cloth panel (2) comprises a piece of fabric having a convex top edge (21), a pair of vertical side edges (22, 22') each side edge being at least partially concave, and a pair of bottom flaps (24, 24') that are separated by a slit (23) which bottom flaps (24, 24') are joined together to form an arcuate center seam (26).

7. A garment assembly for men, according to claim 6, characterized in that each of said bottom flaps (24, 24') has an outer length (x) and an inner length (y) where the outer length (x) is shorter than the inner length (y).

8. A garment assembly for men, according to any o f claims 1-5, ch aracteriz e d i n that said cloth panel (2) comprises a first and a second piece of fabric each piece having a top edge (21), a first concave side edge (22) and a second convex side edge, where the convex side edge of the first piece of fabric is being attached to the convex side edge of the second piece of fabric to form a vertical center seam.

9. A garment assembly for men, according to any of the previous claims, ch aract eriz e d in that the second end (25) comprises a V-shaped edge profile.

10. A garment assembly for men, according to any of the previous claims, ch aracteriz e d in that the garment assembly ( 1 ) is selected from the group consisting of long pants, shorts, athletic pants, athletic shorts, swimming suits, exercise pants and exercise shorts.