CA2662343A1 - Men's support garment - Google Patents
Men's support garment Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2662343A1 CA2662343A1 CA 2662343 CA2662343A CA2662343A1 CA 2662343 A1 CA2662343 A1 CA 2662343A1 CA 2662343 CA2662343 CA 2662343 CA 2662343 A CA2662343 A CA 2662343A CA 2662343 A1 CA2662343 A1 CA 2662343A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- pouch
- sheath
- opening
- support garment
- strap
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F5/00—Orthopaedic methods or devices for non-surgical treatment of bones or joints; Nursing devices; Anti-rape devices
- A61F5/40—Suspensory bandages
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41B—SHIRTS; UNDERWEAR; BABY LINEN; HANDKERCHIEFS
- A41B9/00—Undergarments
- A41B9/02—Drawers or underpants for men, with or without inserted crotch or seat parts
- A41B9/023—Drawers or underpants for men, with or without inserted crotch or seat parts with separate spaces for genitals
Abstract
A men's support garment includes a pouch element for receiving a man's scrotum and testicles plus a contiguous sheath element for receiving a man's penis.
The pouch and sheath are made from a flexible, fabric-like material. The support garment has a flexible waistband, plus a flexible strap fastened to front and back regions of the waistband, thus forming spaces for insertion of a wearer's left and right legs, with the strap extending around the wearer's crotch area when the waistband is disposed around the wearer's waist. The front section of the strap has an opening around the perimeter of which the pouch may be attached. In alternative embodiments, the pouch and sheath elements of the invention may be incorporated into another garment such as hockey pants or other athletic wear.
The pouch and sheath are made from a flexible, fabric-like material. The support garment has a flexible waistband, plus a flexible strap fastened to front and back regions of the waistband, thus forming spaces for insertion of a wearer's left and right legs, with the strap extending around the wearer's crotch area when the waistband is disposed around the wearer's waist. The front section of the strap has an opening around the perimeter of which the pouch may be attached. In alternative embodiments, the pouch and sheath elements of the invention may be incorporated into another garment such as hockey pants or other athletic wear.
Description
MEN'S SUPPORT GARMENT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to men's undergarments, and in particular to undergarments providing enhanced comfort and support.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are numerous situations in which men may experience discomfort due to lack of support for the scrotum and testes. Men who are required to sit in essentially the same position for extended periods of time (long-distance truckers, for example) may experience discomfort from pressure exerted upon one or both testicles due to leg movements (e.g., operation of a motor vehicle's control pedals). Men who are recovering from an injury or have certain medical conditions (e.g., hernia) may experience considerable discomfort unless one or both testicles are provided with means for firm but comfortable support to prevent significant movement relative to the adjacent body area during normal activities. Men who participate in strenuous athletic activities such as hockey and soccer also require such support to prevent or minimize the risk of testicular or scrotal injury from inadvertent physical impact or from general strain relating to strenuous athletic activity.
Such support is generally not provided by undergarments such as boxer shorts, which are otherwise favoured by many men for general comfort. Conventional men's briefs do not provide optimal support either, since they tend to gather and confine the entire male genitalia rather than providing discrete support for the scrotum and testicles.
Conventional athletic supporters (or "jock straps"), which also enclose the entire male genitalia, can provide reasonable testicular support, but they suffer from certain disadvantages. For example, they tend to cause excessive sweating and itchiness during strenuous activity, and they are an inconvenience to wearers needing to urinate.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for improved means for providing men with direct, firm, but comfortable scrotal and testicular support during both normal activities and reasonably strenuous activities, without posing significant inconvenience during urination. The present invention is directed to these needs.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general terms, the present invention is a men's support garment which may be worn about the waist, and having a pouch element configured to receive a man's scrotum and testicles and a contiguous sheath element configured to receive a man's penis. The pouch and sheath are made from a flexible fabric-like material, and preferably a porous or filamentous material that can "breathe" and thus facilitate dissipation of moisture. The sheath is preferably open-ended to allow the penis to extend beyond the end of the sheath, such that the sheath does not present an impediment to urination.
The support garment includes a flexible waistband element and an elongate flexible strap element, with the strap having its ends fastened (such as by stitching) to front and back regions of the waistband, thus forming spaces for insertion of a wearer's left and right legs. The strap is sufficient long to extend around the wearer's crotch area when the garment's waistband is disposed around the wearer's waist. The front section of the strap has an opening around the perimeter of which the pouch may be attached (by suitable means such as stitching) to allow insertion of a wearer's penis into the sheath. In alternative embodiments, the pouch / strap subassembly and/or the pouch /
sheath subassembly may be of unitary construction.
In alternative embodiments, the pouch and sheath elements of the invention may be incorporated into other garments such as athletic wear (e.g., hockey pants), casual wear, or undergarments (e.g., boxer shorts).
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to men's undergarments, and in particular to undergarments providing enhanced comfort and support.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are numerous situations in which men may experience discomfort due to lack of support for the scrotum and testes. Men who are required to sit in essentially the same position for extended periods of time (long-distance truckers, for example) may experience discomfort from pressure exerted upon one or both testicles due to leg movements (e.g., operation of a motor vehicle's control pedals). Men who are recovering from an injury or have certain medical conditions (e.g., hernia) may experience considerable discomfort unless one or both testicles are provided with means for firm but comfortable support to prevent significant movement relative to the adjacent body area during normal activities. Men who participate in strenuous athletic activities such as hockey and soccer also require such support to prevent or minimize the risk of testicular or scrotal injury from inadvertent physical impact or from general strain relating to strenuous athletic activity.
Such support is generally not provided by undergarments such as boxer shorts, which are otherwise favoured by many men for general comfort. Conventional men's briefs do not provide optimal support either, since they tend to gather and confine the entire male genitalia rather than providing discrete support for the scrotum and testicles.
Conventional athletic supporters (or "jock straps"), which also enclose the entire male genitalia, can provide reasonable testicular support, but they suffer from certain disadvantages. For example, they tend to cause excessive sweating and itchiness during strenuous activity, and they are an inconvenience to wearers needing to urinate.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for improved means for providing men with direct, firm, but comfortable scrotal and testicular support during both normal activities and reasonably strenuous activities, without posing significant inconvenience during urination. The present invention is directed to these needs.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general terms, the present invention is a men's support garment which may be worn about the waist, and having a pouch element configured to receive a man's scrotum and testicles and a contiguous sheath element configured to receive a man's penis. The pouch and sheath are made from a flexible fabric-like material, and preferably a porous or filamentous material that can "breathe" and thus facilitate dissipation of moisture. The sheath is preferably open-ended to allow the penis to extend beyond the end of the sheath, such that the sheath does not present an impediment to urination.
The support garment includes a flexible waistband element and an elongate flexible strap element, with the strap having its ends fastened (such as by stitching) to front and back regions of the waistband, thus forming spaces for insertion of a wearer's left and right legs. The strap is sufficient long to extend around the wearer's crotch area when the garment's waistband is disposed around the wearer's waist. The front section of the strap has an opening around the perimeter of which the pouch may be attached (by suitable means such as stitching) to allow insertion of a wearer's penis into the sheath. In alternative embodiments, the pouch / strap subassembly and/or the pouch /
sheath subassembly may be of unitary construction.
In alternative embodiments, the pouch and sheath elements of the invention may be incorporated into other garments such as athletic wear (e.g., hockey pants), casual wear, or undergarments (e.g., boxer shorts).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which numerical references denote like parts, and in which:
FIGURE 1 is an oblique front perspective of a support garment in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is an oblique rear perspective of a support garment in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a preferred embodiment a support garment 10 in accordance with the present invention. Support garment 10 includes a support section 20 comprising a flexible sheath element 22 having an open front end 24, contiguous with a flexible pouch element 26 having a rear opening 28. Support garment 10 further includes a flexible waistband 32 and a central band or strap element 34, with strap 34 having a back end 34B attached to a central rear area of waistband 32, and a front section 34F
attached to a central front area of waistband 32.
Strap 34 is made sufficiently long so that it will be comfortably disposed around a wearer's crotch area when waistband 32 is disposed around the wearer's waist.
Strap 34 thus defines openings 15L and 15R through which a wearer may insert his left and right legs, respectively, when donning support garment 10. As may be seen from the Figures, front section 34F of strap 34 is made sufficiently wide to accommodate a strap opening 36 corresponding to rear opening 28 of pouch 26, such that pouch 26 can be stitched or otherwise attached to strap 34 along the perimeters of openings 28 and 36 of pouch 26 and strap 34 respectively (as best seen in Fig. 2). Garment 10 may optionally include one or more auxiliary support straps 40, examples of which are shown in the Figures.
Whether to use such auxiliary support straps 40, as well as the configuration and location of auxiliary support straps 40, will depend on specific design requirements or features.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which numerical references denote like parts, and in which:
FIGURE 1 is an oblique front perspective of a support garment in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is an oblique rear perspective of a support garment in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a preferred embodiment a support garment 10 in accordance with the present invention. Support garment 10 includes a support section 20 comprising a flexible sheath element 22 having an open front end 24, contiguous with a flexible pouch element 26 having a rear opening 28. Support garment 10 further includes a flexible waistband 32 and a central band or strap element 34, with strap 34 having a back end 34B attached to a central rear area of waistband 32, and a front section 34F
attached to a central front area of waistband 32.
Strap 34 is made sufficiently long so that it will be comfortably disposed around a wearer's crotch area when waistband 32 is disposed around the wearer's waist.
Strap 34 thus defines openings 15L and 15R through which a wearer may insert his left and right legs, respectively, when donning support garment 10. As may be seen from the Figures, front section 34F of strap 34 is made sufficiently wide to accommodate a strap opening 36 corresponding to rear opening 28 of pouch 26, such that pouch 26 can be stitched or otherwise attached to strap 34 along the perimeters of openings 28 and 36 of pouch 26 and strap 34 respectively (as best seen in Fig. 2). Garment 10 may optionally include one or more auxiliary support straps 40, examples of which are shown in the Figures.
Whether to use such auxiliary support straps 40, as well as the configuration and location of auxiliary support straps 40, will depend on specific design requirements or features.
The orientation of support section 20 relative to strap 34, and the orientation of sheath element 22 to pouch element 26, will be matters of design choice to suit wearers' requirements or preferences. The present invention is not limited to any particular relative orientation as between these various elements, and the orientations shown in the Figures are by way of example only.
The way in which a wearer may don garment 10 will be readily apparent from the preceding description and the Figures, without need for detailed explanation.
It will also be readily appreciate from the description and Figures how garment 10 can provide support for a wearer's genitalia during various types of activity. In addition to such beneficial support functions that garment 10 can provide for a wearer, it has been noted by the inventor that wearing a support garment in accordance with the present invention may also have a physically stimulative effect or may otherwise induce or enhance sensations of physical pleasure and stimulation for the wearer.
It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be devised without departing from the essential concept of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to come within the scope of the present invention and the claims appended hereto. It is to be especially understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to illustrated embodiments, and that the substitution of a variant of a claimed element or feature, without any substantial resultant change in the working of the invention, will not constitute a departure from the scope of the invention. By way of non-limiting example, alternative embodiments of the invention would include hockey pants or other athletic or casual garments or undergarments incorporating pouch and sheath elements generally as described above, with the purpose and function of strap 24 and waistband 32 in the illustrated embodiments being served by conventional component elements of such garments.
In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following that word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one such element.
The way in which a wearer may don garment 10 will be readily apparent from the preceding description and the Figures, without need for detailed explanation.
It will also be readily appreciate from the description and Figures how garment 10 can provide support for a wearer's genitalia during various types of activity. In addition to such beneficial support functions that garment 10 can provide for a wearer, it has been noted by the inventor that wearing a support garment in accordance with the present invention may also have a physically stimulative effect or may otherwise induce or enhance sensations of physical pleasure and stimulation for the wearer.
It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be devised without departing from the essential concept of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to come within the scope of the present invention and the claims appended hereto. It is to be especially understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to illustrated embodiments, and that the substitution of a variant of a claimed element or feature, without any substantial resultant change in the working of the invention, will not constitute a departure from the scope of the invention. By way of non-limiting example, alternative embodiments of the invention would include hockey pants or other athletic or casual garments or undergarments incorporating pouch and sheath elements generally as described above, with the purpose and function of strap 24 and waistband 32 in the illustrated embodiments being served by conventional component elements of such garments.
In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following that word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one such element.
Claims (13)
1. A support garment comprising:
(a) a flexible waistband having a front region and a back region;
(b) an elongate flexible strap having a front portion and a back portion, said front and rear portions being attached to the waistband in the front and rear regions thereof, respectively, and said front portion of the strap defining an opening;
(c) a flexible pouch having a pouch front opening and a pouch rear opening, said pouch being attached to the front portion of the strap section along the perimeters of said pouch rear opening and said opening in the strap; and (d) a flexible sheath having a front end and a rear end, said rear end having a sheath rear opening, said sheath being attached to the pouch along the perimeters of said sheath rear opening and said pouch front opening.
(a) a flexible waistband having a front region and a back region;
(b) an elongate flexible strap having a front portion and a back portion, said front and rear portions being attached to the waistband in the front and rear regions thereof, respectively, and said front portion of the strap defining an opening;
(c) a flexible pouch having a pouch front opening and a pouch rear opening, said pouch being attached to the front portion of the strap section along the perimeters of said pouch rear opening and said opening in the strap; and (d) a flexible sheath having a front end and a rear end, said rear end having a sheath rear opening, said sheath being attached to the pouch along the perimeters of said sheath rear opening and said pouch front opening.
2. A support garment as in Claim 1 wherein the front end of the sheath has a front opening.
3. A support garment as in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the pouch and sheath are of unitary construction.
4. A support garment as in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the pouch and strap are of unitary construction.
5. A support garment as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising one or more auxiliary support straps, each such auxiliary support strap extending between a first connection point in the front region of the waistband and a second connection point in the front portion of the strap.
6. A support garment as in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the pouch comprises a breathing material.
7. A support garment as in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the sheath comprises a breathing material.
8. A support garment comprising:
(a) a pant component having a waistband and defining left and right leg openings, said waistband having a front region and a back region, and said pant component having a central section separating said leg openings, said central section having front and back portions connected to the front and back regions of the waistband respectively, with the front portion of the central section defining an opening;
(b) a flexible pouch having a pouch front opening and a pouch rear opening, said pouch being attached to the front portion of the central section of the pant component along the perimeters of said central section opening and said pouch front opening; and (c) a flexible sheath having a front end and a rear end, said rear end having a sheath rear opening, said sheath being attached to the pouch along the perimeters of said sheath rear opening and said pouch front opening.
(a) a pant component having a waistband and defining left and right leg openings, said waistband having a front region and a back region, and said pant component having a central section separating said leg openings, said central section having front and back portions connected to the front and back regions of the waistband respectively, with the front portion of the central section defining an opening;
(b) a flexible pouch having a pouch front opening and a pouch rear opening, said pouch being attached to the front portion of the central section of the pant component along the perimeters of said central section opening and said pouch front opening; and (c) a flexible sheath having a front end and a rear end, said rear end having a sheath rear opening, said sheath being attached to the pouch along the perimeters of said sheath rear opening and said pouch front opening.
9. A support garment as in Claim 8 wherein the pant component comprises an athletic pant.
10. A support garment as in Claim 9 wherein the athletic pant is a hockey pant.
11. A support garment as in Claim 8, 9, or 10 wherein the front end of the sheath has a front opening.
12. A support garment as in Claim 8, 9, or 10 wherein the pouch comprises a breathing material.
13. A support garment as in 8, 9, or 10 wherein the sheath comprises a breathing material.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2662343 CA2662343A1 (en) | 2009-04-09 | 2009-04-09 | Men's support garment |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2662343 CA2662343A1 (en) | 2009-04-09 | 2009-04-09 | Men's support garment |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2662343A1 true CA2662343A1 (en) | 2010-10-09 |
Family
ID=42933037
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2662343 Abandoned CA2662343A1 (en) | 2009-04-09 | 2009-04-09 | Men's support garment |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2662343A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2012174964A1 (en) * | 2011-06-21 | 2012-12-27 | Lin Wen-Chien | Men's underpants |
| CN111938902A (en) * | 2020-08-14 | 2020-11-17 | 河南科技大学第一附属医院 | Lifting and pressure reducing device for scrotal edema of kidney disease patient |
| USD910274S1 (en) * | 2018-12-12 | 2021-02-16 | In Gyeong Hwang | Men's underwear |
-
2009
- 2009-04-09 CA CA 2662343 patent/CA2662343A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2012174964A1 (en) * | 2011-06-21 | 2012-12-27 | Lin Wen-Chien | Men's underpants |
| USD910274S1 (en) * | 2018-12-12 | 2021-02-16 | In Gyeong Hwang | Men's underwear |
| CN111938902A (en) * | 2020-08-14 | 2020-11-17 | 河南科技大学第一附属医院 | Lifting and pressure reducing device for scrotal edema of kidney disease patient |
| CN111938902B (en) * | 2020-08-14 | 2022-03-25 | 河南科技大学第一附属医院 | Lifting and pressure reducing device for scrotal edema of kidney disease patient |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Dead |