US3605755A - Panty girdle and method of making - Google Patents

Abstract

A GIRDLE OR A PANTY GIRDLE COMPRISES A GIRDLE BODY MADE OF A MATERIAL STRETCHABLE IN TWO DIRECTIONS AND FORMED ON ITS FRONT SIDE CORRESPONDING TO THE ABDOMINAL REGION OF A WEARER WITH A WINDOW OF A DIAMOND, HONEYCOMB CELL, ELLIPTICAL OR SIMILARLY CURVED SHAPE, AND A FRONT PIECE MADE OF THE SAME MATERIAL AS THE GIRDLE BODY AND SIMILAR IN SHAPE TO THE WINDOW, IS CONNECTED BY SEWING

TO THE GIRDLE BODY TO CLOSE THE WINDOW, EACH SIDE OF THE FRONT PIECE IS OF THE SAME LENGTH AS THE CORRESPONDING SIDE OF THE WINDOW AND THE AREA OF THE FRONT PIECE IS SMALLER THAN THE AREA OF THE WINDOW BEFORE THE FRONT PIECE IS CONNECTED BY THE SEWING TO THE GIRDLE BODY.

Description

p 20, 197l ECHIKO KUGITANI 3,605,755

mm (11mm: AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed March 5, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H6 20 FIG. 20 F/& 3

A B A I B FIG. 4 FIG. 5b F/G 5 Ki k 4% Sept- 20, 1971 ECHIKO KUGITANI I 3,605,755

PANTY GIRDLE AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed March 5, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United states Patent O 3,605,755 PANTY GIRDLE AND METHOD OF MAKING Echiko Kugitani, Kyoto, Japan, assignor to Wacoal, Inc., Kyoto, Japan Filed Mar. 5, 1969, Ser. No. 804,462 Int. Cl. A41c 1/04 US. Cl. 128-528 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A girdle or a panty girdle comprises a girdle body made of a material stretchable in two directions and formed on its front side corresponding to the abdominal region of a wearer with a window of a diamond, honeycomb cell, elliptical or similarly curved shape, and a front piece made of the same material as the girdle body and similar in shape to the window, is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the Window. Each side of the front piece is of the same length as the corresponding side of the window and the area of the front piece is smaller than the area of the window before the front piece is connected by sewing to the girdle body.

The present invention relates to a girdle, and more particularly to a panty girdle.

The invention has as its object the provision of an improved girdle or panty girdle which represents an improvement to conventional articles of apparel of the same kind and which is provided with means to exert an appropriate compressive force on the abdominal region of a wearer so as to give the wearer a slim waist line and permit her to maintain the curves of the trunk of the body, particularly the abdomen, slim and beautiful.

According to the invention, there is provided a girdle or a panty girdle comprising a girdle body made of a net or cloth of a stretchable material, such as Spandex power net or two-way stretchable tricot, for example, and formed on its front side corresponding to the abdominal region of a wearer with a window symmetrical with respect to the vertical center line thereof, and a front piece made of the same material as said girdle body which has sides of the same length as the corresponding sides of said window and which has an area smaller than the area of said window before the front piece is connected to the girdle body, said front piece being connected by sewing to said girdle body to close the window and provide a finished article of apparel.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description set forth hereunder when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the panty girdle according to this invention as it is in a developed condition, schematically showing a girdle body and a front piece before the latter is connected by sewing to the former to close a window formed in the former;

FIG. 2a is a front view of the panty girdle of FIG. 1 after the front piece is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the window;

FIG. 2b is a side view of the panty girdle of FIG. 2a;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the panty girdle of FIGS. 2a and 2b as it is worn by a wearer;

FIG. 4 is a front view of another embodiment of the front piece of the panty girdle according to this invention;

FIG. 5a is a front view of still another embodiment of the front piece of the panty girdle according to this invention which front piece is originally made in two substantially triangular pieces which are connected together by 3,605,755 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 sewing along the opposed bottom sides to provide a dart or stitched seam along the vertical center line of the completed front piece;

FIG. 5b is a front view of the front piece of FIG. So before the two substantially triangular pieces are connected together by sewing, showing that the bottom sides of said two substantially triangular pieces are to be sewed to each other are inwardly curved;

FIG. 6a is a front view of a further embodiment of the panty girdle according to this invention using a front piece formed with a dart or a stitched seam along the vertical center line thereof and shown in a developed state, with the front piece not yet connected to the girdle body by sewing to close the Window formed in the latter, said embodiment being similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 but distinct therefrom in the relative ratiot of the lateral dimension and that of the vertical dimension of the front piece and the window before the former is fitted in the latter; and

FIG. 6b shows the front piece of the embodiment of FIG. 6a in relation to the window formed in the girdle body before said dart or stitched seam is formed in the front piece.

The invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings. In FIGS. 1 to 3, a girdle body B made of a net, such as Spandex power net, for example, or a stretchable cloth, such as two-way tricot, for example, is formed on the front side corresponding to the abdominal region of a wearer with a window C of a diamond shape which is symmetrical with respect to the vertical center line thereof. There is also shown a front piece A made of the same material as said girdle body B and similar in shape to said Window C. Said front piece A has sides 1, 2, 3 and 4 which are of the same length as the sides 1', 2, 3' and 4' of the Window C, but the front piece A is more slender and has a greater vertical dimension than the Window C, so that the former has an area smaller than the area of the latter before the former is connected by sewing to the girdle body B to close the latter. Since the adjacent two upper sides of the front piece A and the window C forming the respective top apex are of the same length and the adjacent two lower sides of the front piece and the window forming the respective bottom apex are of the same length, the sides 1 and 2 are of the same length as the sides 1' and 2' and the sides 3 and 4 are of the same length as the sides 3 and 4'. Since the corresponding sides of the front piece A and the window C are of the same length, it is possible to sew the edges of the front piece A to the girdle B along the edges of the window C without stretching the front piece in any Way. The front piece A has a smaller lateral dimension than the window C before the former is connected by sewing to the girdle body B to close the window C, and accordingly the top and bottom opposite angles of the front piece are smaller than the corresponding angles of the window and the left and right opposite angles of the former are larger than the corresponding angles of the latter. Thus, the front piece and the window are different from each other in the size of top and bottom opposite angles and left and right angles or the shape of bending of the adjacent sides extending between the opposite apexes and in the area before the former is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the latter, so that after the front piece is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the window, the configuration of the front portion of the completed girdle is affected by the aforesaid differences between the front piece and the window, with the result that the size of the left and right opposite angles of the window is increased or the shape of its vertically disposed adjacent sides is altered. Accordingly, the front portion of the completed girdle becomes concaved inwardly toward the center portion of the girdle and shaped like a pan with the top apex of the front piece sewed to the girdle body slightly projected outwardly, because the closed window tends to return to its original shape.

Thus, tension acts on the seams connecting the front piece to the girdle body, but the finished article of apparel is beautiful in appearance and the seams are free from wrinkles because of the fact that each of the sides of the front piece is of the same length as the corresponding side of the window. When the finished article of apparel is worn, the aforementioned inwardly curved front portion of the girdle is expanded into a stretched state as shown in FIG. '3.

Combined with the contractile force exerted by resilient fibers forming the front piece, the tension acting on the front piece as aforementioned exerts an inwardly directed force on the abdominal region of a wearer such that the front piece A compresses the abdominal region with a greater force than the girdle body B. Since the front piece A has a larger vertical dimension than the window C before the former is connected to the girdle body B to close the latter, when the panty girdle is worn, the front portion thereof is stretched breadthwise more greatly than lengthwise. This makes it possible to correct the shape of the abdominal region and improve the overall shape of the abdomen of the body of the wearer, because a larger compressive force is exerted in the breadthwise direction than in the lengthwise direction, While removing the aforementioned slight outward projection of the top apex of the front piece of the parity girdle which was present before the panty girdle is worn.

It will be readily understood that the shape of the window and the front piece is not limited to the specific details of the embodiments shown and described, and that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the windows may be of a shape closely resembling the so-called substantially honeycomb cell shape which is formed by curring out small portions near the left and right apexes of a diamond shaped front piece vertically. Also, they may be of elliptical shape having the vertical axis longer than the horizontal axis.

As shown in FIG. 4, the diamond-shaped front piece may also be formed such that each side thereof is slightly curved inwardly, each said inwardly curved side being of the same length as the corresponding straightlined side of the window and the front piece having an area smaller than the area of the window.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the front piece is made to have a smaller area than the window by forming the front piece in a shape more slender in the vertical direction than the window or by forming the front piece to have a greater vertical dimension than the window. If the front piece is formed to have a shape as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4, then it is possible to reduce the vertical dimension of the front piece below that of the front piece of the diamond shape with straightlined sides as shown in FIG. 1 without increasing the lateral dimension of the front piece in spite of the fact that these two front pieces are identical in area. With the front piece shown in FIG. 4, it is also possible not only to make the lateral dimension but also the vertical dimension of the front piece equal to or smaller than those of the window before the former is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the latter.

The front piece shown in FIG. 5a is originally made in two generally triangular pieces which are connected together by sewing along the bottom sides thereof opposing each other so as to provide a dart or stitched seam along the vertical center line of the completed front piece. In the present invention, the term dart means a stitched seam formed by cutting out a portion of a planar cloth from any part thereof as desired and sewing the remaining portions together along the opposing edges thereof to eliminate the gap left by the cut-out portion, so that the stitched seam and the region surrounding the stitched seam may be elevated to impart to the planar cloth a three-dimensional appearance, or a stitched seam formed by cutting into a planar cloth and connecting the edges of the cut cloth to overlap one another by sewing to impart to the planar cloth a three-dimensional appearance.

FIG. 5b shows the front piece of FIG. 5a before the two substantially triangular pieces are sewed together, with the bottom sides of the two substantially triangular pieces curving inwardly to indicate that a portion of the material has been cut out from the two pieces.

It should be noted that by forming a dart along the vertical center line of the completed fron-t piece, the inwardly directed concavity of the front portion of the girdle can be made more pronounced than is the case with the girdle of FIG. 1. Greater tension acts in the dart than in other portions of the front piece, permitting the girdle to exert a still greater compressive force on the abdominal region of a wearer.

In the embodiment of this invention having a front piece of the type shown in FIG. 5b, the opposing bottom sides of the two substantially triangular pieces are curved inwardly along the entire length of the vertical center line of the completed center piece, but only the center portion of each of the opposing bottom sides 5 may be cut out in a generally inwardly directed curve and the opposing bottom sides of the two substantially triangular pieces may be sewed together so as to provide a dart only in the center portion of the vertical center line of the completed front piece. It is to be understood that such dart may also be provided in the front piece of the substantially honeycomb cell or elliptical shape along the vertical center line thereof.

In the embodiment described hereinabove with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the front piece has a larger vertical dimension and a smaller lateral dimension than the window formed in the girdle body before the former is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the window. :In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, however, the front piece has a smaller vertical dimension than the window and is formed by connecting two substantially triangular pieces together by sewing along the opposing concave bottom sides 6 and 6' thereof so as to provide a dart or stitched seam along the vertical center line of the completed front piece. The sides 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the front piece are equal in length respectively to the corresponding sides 1', 2, 3 and 4' of the window in this embodiment, too, so that when the vertical dimension of the front piece is made smaller than the vertical dimension of the window before the former is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the window, the lateral dimension of the front piece not yet completed by connecting the two substantially triangular pieces together by sewing is larger than the lateral dimension of the window as shown in FIG. 611. However, the lateral dimension of the front piece is reduced when it is completed by connecting the two substantially triangular pieces A and A together by sewing along the concave bottom sides 6 thereof. Preferably, the ratio of the vertical dimension of the front piece to the vertical dimension of the window and the curvature of the opposing concave bottom sides 6 of the two substantially triangular pieces A and A in this embodiment are determined such that the lateral dimension of the front piece completed with a dart or stitched seam along the vertical center line thereof is equal to or smaller than the lateral dimension of the window. If this requirement is met, the panty girdle illustrated in FIGS. 6a and 6b can achieve the same results as the panty girdle shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 in exerting on the abdominal region of a wearer a compressive force acting breadthwise of the abdominal region. In addition, a compressive force acting lengthwise of the abdominal region is also exerted on the abdominal region, through it is relatively small in amount.

It is to be understood that although the front piece formed with a dart or stitched seam along the vertical center line thereof as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b as well as in FIGS. a and 517 has been described as being formed by connecting two substantially triangular pieces together by sewing along the opposed bottom sides thereof, the front piece need not necessarily be made from two pieces, and the front piece formed with a dart or stitched seam along the vertical center line thereof can also be made by removing the center portion of the front piece made in one-piece so as to leave in the front piece made in onepiece having opposing, vertically-oriented, concave sides while leaving the upper and lower ends connected and then connecting the concave sides together by sewing.

The girdle or panty girdle embodying the present invention offers many advantages. It gives to the abdomen of the body of a wearer more beautiful curves than do conventional girdles or panty girdles of the same type which have no specially fabricated front piece distinct from the girdle body or which have a non-stretchable front piece. Moreover, it gives to the wearer a superb wearing comfort because it snugly fits the body and expands and contracts in conformity with body motions without offering any resistance.

An added advantage is that the girdle or panty girdle embodying this invention can be manufactured relatively easily because, although the front piece has a smaller area than the window formed in the girdle body, it is not necessary to stretch the front piece in connecting the same by sewing to the girdle body to close the window, since each side of the front piece is of the same length as the corresponding side of the window.

What we claim is:

1. An article of apparel comprising a girdle body having a front side with a window symmetrical with respect to the vertical center line thereof, and a front piece similar in shape to said window and connected at its edges to said girdle body along the edges of said window so as to close the window, said girdle body and said front piece being made of a material stretchable in both lengthwise and breadthwise directions, said front piece having sides which are of the same length as the corresponding sides of said window and said front piece having an area smaller than the area of said window before the front piece is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the window.

2. An article of apparel as defined in claim 1 in which the lateral dimension of said front piece is smaller than the lateral dimension of said window before said front piece is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close said window.

3. An article of apparel as defined in claim 1 in which said front piece is formed with a stitched seam disposed along the vertical center line thereof, each of two opposing edges forming said stitched seam being curved inwardly concave before they are connected together by sewing such that the distance between the opposing edges generally increase in going from the upper and bottom ends thereof toward the center thereof.

4. An article of apparel as defined in claim 1 in which the vertical dimension of said front piece is smaller than the vertical dimension of said window before said front piece is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close said window, said front piece being formed with a stitched seam disposed along the vertical center line thereof, each of two opposing edges forming said stitched seam being curved inwardly concave before they are connected together by sewing such that the distance between the opposing edges generally increases in going from the upper and bottom ends thereof toward the center thereof,

5. An article of apparel as defined in claim 1 in which said window is of polygonal shape and has at least four sides with the top and bottom apexes thereof disposed on the vertical center line of the front portion of said girdle body corresponding to the abdominal region of a wearer, each side of said front piece being curved inwardly and of the same length as the corresponding side of said window before the front piece is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the window.

6. An article of apparel as defined in claim 1 in which said window and said front piece are substantially of diamond shape with the top and bottom apexes thereof opposing each other being disposed on the vertical center line of the front portion of said girdle body corresponding to the abdominal region of a wearer, each side of said front piece being of the same length as the corresponding side of said window and the angles formed by upper and lower adjacent sides of the front piece forming the top and bottom apexes respectively being smaller than the corresponding angles of the window before the front piece is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the window.

7. An article of apparel as defined in claim 1 in which said window and said front piece are substantially of honeycomb cell shape with the top and bottom apexes thereof opposing each other being disposed on the vertical center line of the front portion of said girdle body corresponding to the abdominal region of a wearer, each side of said front piece being of the same length as the corresponding side of said window and the angles formed by upper and lower adjacent sides of the front piece forming the top and bottom apexes respectively being smaller than the corresponding angles of the window before the front piece is connected by sewing to the girdle body to close the window.

'8. An article of apparel as defined in claim 1 in which said window and said front piece are substantially of elliptical shape, with the major axes of said elliptical window and said front piece coinciding with the vertical center line of the front portion of said girdle body corresponding to the abdominal region of a wearer, the major axis of said elliptical front piece being of greater length than the major axis of said elliptical window before the front piece is connected to the girdle body to close the window.

9'. A method of making an article of apparel comprising the steps of cutting a two-way stretchable material in conformity with a predetermined pattern to provide a girdle body, forming a window in said girdle body on the front side thereof, said window being symmetrical with respect to its vertical center line, cutting a two-way stretchable material in conformity with a predetermined pattern to provide a front piece, forming said front piece to be similar in shape to said window and of the same length as said window at the peripheral edges thereof but having an area smaller than the area of said window, and connecting by sewing said front piece to said gird-1e body along the peripheral edges of said window so as to close the window.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1966 Cuozzi 8/1967 Horie U.S. c1. X.R 128-556, 580

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