US3512532A - Girdle construction - Google Patents

Description

"May 19,1970 Q I 1E. R. SUTTER 3,512,532

GIRDLE' CONSTRUCTION Filed April 20, 1967 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,512,532 GIRDLE CONSTRUCTION Edward R. Sutter, Cook County, Ill., assignor to Miss America Brassiere Company, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 632,427 Int. Cl. A41c 41/00 US. Cl. 128--522 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A girdle embodying a novel stretch panel present therein to minimize creeping.

The invention relates to improvements in girdles and more particularly to a fabric girdle having a novel stretch panel adapted to properly support the human torso, and particularly to minimize creeping so common to known foundation garments.

Girdles are made primarily of fabric, and attempt to control and support portions of the human torso. Girdles of known construction hold in the stomach, flatten the posterior and slim the hips, but they fail to embody effective means to prevent creeping, such as the riding upwardly of the lower front portion of the girdle as to cause it to cut into the groin or other parts of the body of the wearer, or to otherwise make the wearer uncomfortable, particularly when the wearer is seated or moves about in varying positions. The structure of the girdle herein disclosed includes a woven stretch fabric panel that is arranged in the lower region of the posterior portion thereof. This panel permits ample stretch when the wearer is seated, and thus the tendency for the girdle to creep upwardly with a resulting tugging on the front portion of the girdle is eliminated, or at least reduced to a minimum, without otherwise affecting the ability of the garment to perform its supporting function. This posterior stretch panel is comprised of interlineated threads woven or otherwise formed in a manner to permit greater stretch across its width in a vertical direction on the wearer than along its length in a horizontal direction on the wearer.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novelly constructed girdle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a girdle with a novelly constructed and arranged stretch panel disposed to minimize creeping of the girdle.

Another object is to provide a novel stretch panel for use in a girdle construction.

Another object is to provide a girdle of the character referred to which is not expensive or difiicult to manufacture, and which is elficient in its use.

The structure by means of which the above noted and other objects and advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the girdle, viewed from the back side when being worn.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the girdle when being worn, and the wearer seated.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the stretchable panel.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the panel fabric illustrating the intersections of the stretchable material.

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Referring to the representative disclosure of the girdle as shown in the accompanying drawings, the girdle 11 is fabricated for the most part from woven fabric having minimal streach characteristics for the purpose of embracing a selected portion of the human torso, and may include leg portions 11a. This fabric, as in most known girdles, is commonly known as power band fabric, and it has the characteristic of exerting forces in all directions within its plane due to the multi-dimensional stretch when worn by a wearer. This force complex provides local values to hold in the stomach, hips and posterior area as required, but lacks the ability to prevent the girdle from creeping upwardly when worn, especially when the wearer is seated; and, in addition, permits telescoping of the fabric from the hip or leg areas to the front panels of the girdle responsive to movement of the wearer as to cause the front panels to cut into the waist and groin of the wearer.

The present invention overcomes this disadvantage by embodyin in the girdle structure a panel 12 which is substantially elongated, as shown in FIG. 3, and is inserted in a comparable opening in the lower region of the back side of the girdle, as shown. Its location is such that when the wearer is seated, it lies in the region of greatest strain.

Because of the disposition of the interlineated threads comprising the panel 12, which define intersections that are substantially oval shaped as shown at 13 in FIG. '4, its stretch is substantially greater in a vertical direction, while minimum power band stretch is present in a longitudinal direction. As shown, the panel extends across the lower posterior region of the girdle and has its edges stitched in a flat seam 14 firmly to the adjacent edges of the girdle material. The maximum stretch in a vertical direction and in the medial area of the posterior region is considerably greater than the stretch of the power band fabric and at the longitudinal ends of the panel. Consequently, any tendency for the girdle to creep up is compensated for by stretch of the panel vertically whether the wearer is standing, moving or seated.

Girdle 11 may also be provided with opposed side seams 15 adjacent the opposed sides 16 of stretch panel 12, as to divide the girdle into a front panel 17 and back panel 18, in order to focus the stretch resulting from nliovement of the wearer in the area of the stretch pane 12.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as details of the structure disclosed may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described.

I claim:

1. A girdle comprised of a stretchable fabric sheath having an area of its posterior region removed, said sheath comprising a front panel and a rear panel sewn together at opposed sides thereof, and a relatively wide panel of elastic fabric material stretchable more in one direction than in another direction inserted in the posterior area thereof, said stretch panel forming a part of the rear panel and overlying said area and sewn to adjacent edges of the front panel.

3 2. The girdle recited in claim 1 in which the area removed is located in the lower region of the posterior area.

3. The girdle recited in claim 1 in which the rear panel comprises upper and lower portions, and the stretch 5 panel lies intermediate and is joined to said upper and lower portions.

4. The girdle recited in claim 1 in which the stretch panel is more elastic in a vertical direction than in a horizontal direction.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 128541, 556

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