US3398739A - Panty with openable crotch - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 27, 1968 N. A. MARINO PANTY WITH OPENABLE CROTCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 10, 1966 I N VE N TOR 7Zz'c'kolcw a. 77hr1'n0 Aug. 27, 1968 N. A. MARINO PANTY WITH OPENABLE CROTCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1966 IN VEN T02 Nicholas 0. 7720mm United States Patent 6 "ice 3,398,739 PANTY WITH OPENABLE CROTCH Nicholas A. Marino, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Sears, Rocbuck and C0,, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New York Filed May 10, 1966, Ser. No. 548,924 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-529) My invention relates to undergarments for females of the type usually referred to as panties, and has to do more particularly with a new and improved garment of this character having a specially constructed crotch so designed as to facilitate digital opening thereof for toilet purposes.

I am well aware that, broadly speaking, garments of this type have heretofore been available with an openable crotch. However, such constructions which have come to my attention have been objectionable from a sanitary standpoint in that it would be practically impossible for the wearer to avail herself of this feature without unavoidably soiling the adjacent fabric, with consequent discomfort.

Accordingly, an object of my invention is to provide a new and improved construction permitting simple and convenient opening of the crotch by the use of two fingers of each hand, permitting sufficiently complete opening whereby the necessary function may be performed with substantially no risk of wetting any adjacent material.

A further object to provide such a construction which is simple, inexpensive and easily fabricated on a standard industrial sewing machine by a seamstress of average ability.

Further objects and advantages will do doubt suggest themselves to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings forming a part of this specification and illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention,

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, seen as worn on the human figure in a sitting position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the crotch portion of said garment, as viewed from the outside;

FIG. 3 is a similar view of the same as partially drawn open by the fingers of the wearer, the latter shown dotted;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the crotch portion of the garment as seen from inside the garment, i.e., the opposite side to that seen in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the garment as worn on the human figure, with the crotch portion closed, as normally Worn;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the crotch portion drawn open, as seen in FIG. 3, and

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the fabric elements constituting the crotch portion as seen from the inside of the garment.

The numeral 10 represents a panty type of garment which, except for the crotch portion to be described, may be essentially of standard or other suitable construction, having a torso portion 12 and leg portions 15, 15. The garment, so far as the major portions just referred to are concerned, is preferably fabricated of a two-way stretch material such as that popularly known as Spandex and may, if desired, have a lining of cotton or other suitable fabric, such as one having a more open-mesh weave and softer to the skin than the Spandex fabric used on the outside.

Aside from other details of construction of the panty proper, which are not considered critical so far as my 3,398,739 Patented Aug. 27, 1968 which extend along the inside of the thighs toward but not completely to the crotch of the wearer, terminating in free edges 20, 20, as seen most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2. Said inside panels 18, 18, are stitched, as along seams S to adjacent portions 22, 22 of leg portions 15, although they need not necessarily be separate panels. While free edges 20, 20 are shown as spaced apart (FIG. 2) such spacing or the amount thereof is not critical, it being understood that panels 18, 18 are highly flexible and stretchable.

Referring to FIG. 4, I provide on the inside of the garment a crotch portion adjacent the body and behind panels 18, 18, comprising a pair of partly overlapping, generally triangular fabric pieces 25a and 25b. These pieces of fabric are formed preferably of a relatively soft material which is somewnat stretchable, at least transversely of the torso, as indicated by the arrows X-X in FIG. 7, although this latter characteristic is not indispensable. One type of material suitable for said triangular elements is that known in the trade as a tricot or knitted fabric.

Still referring to FIG. 4, it will be noted that triangular strip 25a is attached at one vertex along a seam 28 to the back portion of the garment and also adjacent the other vertices along seams 29, 29, and also along the same vertices opposite the above mentioned seams, as at seams 30, 30 where the panels 18 are joined to the adjacent leg portions. Thus, strip 25a has one substantially free edge 45 extending crosswise of the torso.

The other triangular element 25b has a substantially free edge 33, also extending crosswise of the body spaced from and generally parallel to edge 45 of element 25a. The vertex opposite said side is secured by stitching, as indicated at 35, to the front portion of the garment while the other side edges are stitched as indicated at 37, 37, to side panels 18, 18, such stitching being extended around the vertex as indicated at 40, 40.

Thus, it will be seen that both of said triangular fabric elements are thoroughly secured at their vertices, one of them, i.e., the outermost triangular piece 25b, being substantially secured at all three vertices and having only its transverse edge 33 substantially free. The innermost triangular element 25a also has its transverse edge 45 substantially free and also has substantial free portions along the other two sides, said free portions being somewhat more than one-half the length of said sides. The substantially free edges 33 and 45 of the triangular pieces extend crosswise of the body and are preferably reinforced :as by tape, piping or the like. Said triangular pieces are substantially free of each other, permitting free relative movement thereof.

The digital opening of the crotch portion of the garment by the wearer is illustrated in FIG. 3. It Will be apparent that, by the use of two fingers of each hand, the wearer may draw apart the free edges 20, 20, in a side-to-side movement and then, in a front-to-rear movement, digitally draw edges 45 and 33 of triangular flaps 25a and 25b apart so as to provide a clear opening 50, as seen in FIG. 3. This opening is of sufiicient size and appropriately shaped so that the Wearers needs may be attended to with substantially no risk of soiling the garment.

While the crotch pieces 25a and 25b are shown as generally triangular, they are not necessarily restricted to such shape.

Various other changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of my invention being limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A panty type undergarment for females, having a torso portion, leg portions and a crotch portion,

(a) said leg portions each including a section adapted to be disposed adjacent the inner thigh of the wearer 'and terminating in a substantially free edge adjacent the crotch portion and extending generally in a frontto-rear direction,

(b) said crotch portion comprising a pair of at least partially overlapping pieces of textile fabric normally covering adjacent portions of the wearers body and partially underlying s'aid free edges of the thigh sections and extending substantially across the crotch of the wearer,

(c) said pieces being substantially free from each other and partially secured marginally by stitching to adjacent portions of the garment and each having a substantially free edge extending crosswise of the wearers torso, said last-mentioned free edges being spaced apart and generally parallel, whereby by digital engagement thereof, said pieces may be drawn apart in a front-to-rear movement to expose adjacent portions of the wearers anatomy.

2. An article as in claim I, wherein said pieces are generally in the form of equilateral triangles of substantially equal size.

3. An article as in claim 2, wherein said pieces are formed of a relatively soft and stretchable textile fabric.

4. An article as in claim 3, wherein the free edges of said leg sections are spaced apart across a substantial portion of the we'arers crotch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,476,585 7/1949 Cohen 128529 2,522,009 9/ 1950 Wohlman 128529 3,208,455 9/ 1965 F ridolph 128-529 3,224,448 12/1965 Diebold 128529 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A PANTY TYPE UNDERGARMENT FOR FEMALES, HAVING A TORSO PORTION, LEG PORTIONS AND A CROTCH PORTION, (A) SAID LEG PORTION EACH INCLUDING A SECTION ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED ADJACENT THE INNER THIGH OF THE WEARER AND TERMINATING IN A SUBSTANTIALLY FREE EDGE ADJACENT THE CROTCH PORTION AND EXTENDING GENERALLY IN A FRONTTO-REAR DIRECTION, (B) SAID CROTCH PORTION COMPRISING A PAIR OF AT LEAST PARTIALLY OVERLAPPING PIECES OF TEXTILE FABRIC NORMALLY COVERING ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE WEARER''S BODY AND PARTIALLY UNDERLYING SAID FREE EDGES OF THE THIGH SECTIONS AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ACROSS THE CROTCH OF THE WEARER,

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