Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41B—SHIRTS; UNDERWEAR; BABY LINEN; HANDKERCHIEFS
  • A41B9/00—Undergarments
  • A41B9/12—Protective undergarments
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41B—SHIRTS; UNDERWEAR; BABY LINEN; HANDKERCHIEFS
  • A41B9/00—Undergarments
  • A41B9/04—Knickers for ladies, with or without inserted crotch or seat parts
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41F—GARMENT FASTENINGS; SUSPENDERS
  • A41F7/00—Devices for connecting underpants to trousers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41B—SHIRTS; UNDERWEAR; BABY LINEN; HANDKERCHIEFS
  • A41B2400/00—Functions or special features of shirts, underwear, baby linen or handkerchiefs not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • A41B2400/36—Deodorising or perfuming

Definitions

• the present invention relates to disposable waistless and seamless underwear for women. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Martz x 457 nor Williams, in US Patent 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.
• Palumbo et al. in US Patent No. 6,232,250 Bl 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 US Patent 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 US Patent No. 5,242,632 relates to a non-woven fabric and manufacturing method. It is a soft bulky absorbent and permeable material.
• Tanner et al . in US Patent No. 6,162,961 has an absorbent article having exceptional expansion properties when wetted.
• Glaug in US Patent No. 6,307,120 Bl describes a cloth- like, breathable disposable brief with refastening means. It is an adult garment for controlling incontinence.
• Marbach, in US Patent 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.
• Vargason in US Patent 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 US Patent 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 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 .
• 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.
• 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 .
• 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.
• an undergarment includes a woven or non-woven absorbent pad over the genital area which is held in place by a light weight stretch fabric (such as lace) strap.
• the distal ends of the strap are attached to nonallergenic adhesive patches which adhere to the skin in front and back for attachment .
• This garment can be fabricated either as a disposable or reusable panty alternative.
• the back adhesive patch is permanently attached (as by sewing or adhesive) to the stretch fabric strap.
• the front patch is attached to the strap via a hook and loop attachment that facilitates detachment of the strap from the front adhesive patch without removing the adhesive patch from its skin attachment; this is primarily to accommodate toileting.
• the part that is washable and therefore reused is the strap which can then afford to be more substantial and decorative than that of a disposable version.
• both adhesive patches are removable via a hook and loop attachment to the strap so that new adhesive patches are attached for each use.
• a new pad is also attached via pressure sensitive adhesive for each use.
• the adhesive patches in this embodiment can optionally have a decorative outer covering of fragrance emitting fabric .
• the panty alternative also uses an absorbent pad over the genital afea. It is held in place inside an extremely scant panty-lifce garment. Since the height of the garment is too short to fit over the hips for secure positioning, adhesive patches are used. These patches can be placed on the inside of the garment to attach to the user's body, or they can be placed on the outside surface of the garment to attach to the user's outer garment if pants are worn.
• This embodiment can also be fabricated as a reusable cotton garment with replaceable adhesive patches and pad, or it can be fabricated as a disposable of cotton fabric, woven or non-woven synthetic fabric, or even paper.
• Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a reclining woman wearing form-fitting jeans
• Figure 2 is a top view of a secret pants shield of this invention
• Figure 3 is an perspective exploded view of the pants shield of Figure 2 .
• Figure 4 is a perspective exploded view of a different embodiment of a pants shield.
• Figure 5 is a top plan view of an inner side of a panty alternative of this invention.
• Figure 6 is a top plan view of an outer side of the panty alternative as in Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is a front elevational view detail of a model wearing the panty alternative as in Figure 5;
• Figure 8 is a rear view detail of the model wearing the panty alternative as in Figure 5;
• Figure 9 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the panty alternative using adhesive patches on an outer surface.
• Figure 10 is a perspective view of a further alternative embodiment using adhesive patches on an inner surface.
• Figure 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.
• Figure 2 shows pants shield pad 10 with circumferentially extending bonded edge 11 and bottom adhesive areas 12. While Figure 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 .
• top layer 15 is a soft absorbent paper material such as soft paper towel.
• 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.
• one or more adhesive layers 12 can be employed to attach pants shield pad 20 to a crotch facing area of pants garment.
• the material can also be a synthetic woven or non-woven fabric material .
• 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 ® VIVA ® paper towel, and the adhesive areas 12 were double width lengths of 3/4" wide
• 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 woven or non-woven fabric material, such as of a paper or a synthetic plastic material.
• Middle layer 22 is a thin absorbent woven or non-woven material
• 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.
• panty shields range from a thickness of about 0.08" (2mm) to about 0.12" (3mm) and are quite visible under tight pants.
• a LIGHTDAYSTM feminine hygiene pad from KOTEX® is 0.075" (1.9mm).
• the thickness of the preferred embodiment of secret pants shield as in Figure 3 is about 0.030" (0.76 mm).
• the thickness of the second embodiment as in Figure 4 is 0.025" (0.64mm).
• the secret pants shield of this invention is therefore preferably less than 1 mm thick, which is not visible externally.
• FIG 5 shows the inner surface of panty alternative 30 of an alternate embodiment .
• Figure 6 shows the outer surface, while Figures 7 and 8 show the front and back view respectively of a model wearing panty alternative 30.
• Panty alternative 30 includes stretch fabric strap 31, absorbent pad 34 and adhesive patches 32 for the front and 33 for the back.
• adhesive patches 32 and 33 are attached to the user's skin as shown in the model 45 details of Figures 7 and 8.
• the underside of patch 32 and 33 has a nonallergenic adhesive covered by release liner 36, which is removed prior to attachment. Since a disposable version is shown in Figures 5 and 6, rear patch 33 is permanently attached to strap 31 by stitching 37 or adhesive.
• Front patch 32 has a small area of loop material 40 which engages a corresponding area of hook material which is adhesively attached (or stitched) to strap 31. This facilitates removal of the garment for toileting purposes with easy reattachment without removal of the adhesive from the skin.
• the decorative top covering of adhesive patches 32 and 33 can optionally be a fragrance emitting fabric.
• Absorbent pad 34 is attached to strap 31 by adhesive patch 35.
• Pad 34 can be a light cotton panel or a paper product similar to a sanitary pad.
• old pad 34 is replaced with each use as are adhesive attachment pads 32 and 33.
• patch 33 would be attached to strap 31 in the same manner as shown in Figure 6 for patch 32.
• the thickness and type of materials of pad 34 are preferably the same as with respect to pads 10 of Figures 2 and 3 or pads 20 of Figure 4, except for reusable embodiments made of washable cotton and synthetic materials .
• absorbent pad 55 is adhesively attached to a panty-like garment 51 as shown in Figures 9 and 10.
• Waist band 52 is much wider than that of normal panties since it fits around the wide part of the hip (not at the waist) .
• Height h is much lower than normal panties.
• Leg holes 56 complete the configuration.
• version 60 may be worn with any type of outer garment wherein adhesive patches 64 are inward facing to attach to the user's skin.
• a single garment 51 can be supplied with four adhesive patches (or fewer) each with adhesive and release liners on both surfaces. In this manner, the patches can be attached to either the inner surface of garment 51 ( Figure 10) or to the outer surface ( Figure 9) as desired.
• Disposable or reusable versions can be fabricated as described in the summary.
• the thickness and type of materials of panty-like garments 51 and 60 is preferably the same as with respect to pads 10 of Figures 2 and 3 or to pads 20 of Figure 4, except for reusable embodiments made of washable cotton or synthetic woven or non-woven fabric materials .
• adhesive patches 32, or stretch fabric strap 31 or garment 51 may be of a fragrance emitting material, except in the crotch area, to avoid irritation to genital tissues from the direct exposure to fragrance.
• the fragrance emitting material is fabricated in one of several ways. One method is simply to use a layer of porous material such as polymer foam, foam rubber, or felt that has been impregnated with fragrance oils . This process is described in U.S. Patent 6,234,118 of Lahens . Other methods start with woven and non-woven substrates such as rayon or polyurethanes or a layer of woven or non- woven materials such as nylon tricot. Scent is then applied to the top surface by applying powder with appropriate binders . An alternate method is to use a printing technique to apply fragrance oils to the top surface.
• the substrates mentioned can be coated with fragrance oils that have been encapsulated into tiny beads forming a time release mechanism.
• U.S. Patent 6,458,754 of Velazquez describes such a process for use in adding scent to detergent powders.
• a starch is used to encapsulate the oils. Using a starch, contact with moisture from skin or even atmospheric moisture would accelerate the release of the encapsulated fragrance oils since the starch is soluble in water.

Applications Claiming Priority (7)

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Citations (3)

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• 2003
  • 2003-06-23 AU AU2003245653A patent/AU2003245653A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-06-23 EP EP03739282A patent/EP1571937A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-06-23 WO PCT/US2003/019815 patent/WO2004000048A2/en active Search and Examination

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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