U.S. patent application number 10/623770 was filed with the patent office on 2004-08-26 for apparel accessory for trousers.
Invention is credited to Battle, James H., Clancy, Patricia, Edwards, Joseph S., Eisenhauer, Dawn K..
Application Number | 20040163159 10/623770 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32871647 |
Filed Date | 2004-08-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040163159 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Edwards, Joseph S. ; et
al. |
August 26, 2004 |
Apparel accessory for trousers
Abstract
An accessory for trousers worn low on the hips, for concealing
otherwise exposed surfaces such as the midriff or underwear, and
for retaining the trousers on the hips. The accessory comprises a
panel of fabric or other flexible material, configured to encircle
the waist and to overlap the top of the trousers. The accessory has
an elastic waistband and an attaching element for engaging and
retaining the trousers. In alternative embodiments, the retaining
element may comprise hook and loop fastener or belt loops. In a
further alternative embodiment, the upper edge of the accessory may
bear lace. In still other alternative embodiments, the accessory
may be pleated, may have an optional zipper, may be provided in a
form that bulges out from the body when worn, may be elastic, and
may have these features in any combination. The accessory may be
provided with trousers as a visually matched set.
Inventors: |
Edwards, Joseph S.; (Newport
News, VA) ; Battle, James H.; (Yorktown, VA) ;
Clancy, Patricia; (Hampton, VA) ; Eisenhauer, Dawn
K.; (North, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Merek, Blackmon & Voorhees, LLC
673 S. Washington St.
Alexandria
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
32871647 |
Appl. No.: |
10/623770 |
Filed: |
July 22, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60397021 |
Jul 22, 2002 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/338 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41F 9/02 20130101; A41D
1/062 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/338 |
International
Class: |
A41F 003/02 |
Claims
We claim:
1. An article of apparel to be used with trousers worn low on the
hips, comprising: a panel of flexible material configured to
encircle the waist of a person, having an upper edge and a lower
edge; an elastic waistband located near said upper edge of said
panel of flexible material, disposed to constrict about the waist
of a person wearing trousers low on the hips; and a hook and loop
type attachment element located at said lower edge of said panel of
flexible material, disposed to engage the trousers worn low on the
hips so as to prevent disengagement of the trousers from the
hips.
2. An article of apparel to be used with trousers worn low on the
hips, comprising: a panel of flexible material configured to
encircle the waist of a person, having an upper edge and a lower
edge; an elastic waistband located near said upper edge of said
panel of flexible material, disposed to constrict about the waist
of a person wearing trousers low on the hips; and a series of belt
loops located along and near said lower edge of said panel of
flexible material, disposed to receive a belt used with the
trousers worn low on the hips so as to releasably attach the
trousers to the panel of flexible material and to prevent
disengagement of the trousers from the hips.
3. An article of apparel to be used with trousers worn low on the
hips, comprising: a panel of flexible material configured to
encircle the waist of a person, having an upper edge and a lower
edge; an elastic waistband located near said upper edge of said
panel of flexible material, disposed to constrict about the waist
of a person wearing trousers low on the hips; and a drawstring
located along and near said lower edge of said panel of flexible
material, disposed to constrict over trousers worn low on the hips
so as to prevent disengagement of the trousers from the hips.
4. The article of apparel according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein
said panel of flexible material is resiliently elastic.
5. The article of apparel according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein
said panel of flexible material is arranged to bulge outwardly
between the upper edge thereof and the lower edge thereof.
6. The article of apparel according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein
said panel of flexible material has pleats.
7. The article of apparel according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein
said panel of flexible material has lace at said upper edge of said
panel of flexible material.
8. The article of apparel according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein
said panel of flexible material bulges outwardly when worn.
9. The article of apparel according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein
said panel of flexible material has a proximal end, a distal end,
and a slide fastener disposed to releasably join said proximal end
to said distal end.
Description
[0001] This invention claims priority to provisional application
serial No. 60/397,021, entitled Apparel Accessory For Trousers and
filed on Jul. 22, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to apparel and more
particularly to an accessory for trousers worn low on the hips.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] A recent trend in apparel is that of wearing trousers, such
as so called short trousers, low on the hips. Wearing sagging
trousers in this manner exposes the midriff, if bare, which may or
may not be objectionable, may expose underwear, which is usually
deemed objectionable, and threatens to lose engagement of the
trousers with the hips, which is usually objectionable. Selecting
trouser sizes more appropriate for accommodating this trend does
not satisfy the above noted objections. Tightening a belt worn on
the sagging trousers entails objections of its own, and therefore
also does not answer the objections. There is a need in the prior
art to satisfy the above noted objections.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides an accessory for use with
sagging trousers worn low on the hips. This accessory satisfies the
previously noted concerns and provides additional benefits. The
accessory comprises a piece of fabric or other flexible material
which attaches to sagging trousers and extends above. The accessory
has its own apparatus for constricting about the waist, to take the
place of a belt conventionally worn at the waistband of
trousers.
[0007] Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide an
accessory for sagging trousers worn low on the hips which accessory
prevents the trousers from disengaging from the wearer.
[0008] It is another object of the invention to provide an
accessory which conceals underwear and the exposed midriff of a
wearer of sagging trousers.
[0009] It is an object of the invention to provide improved
elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes
described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in
accomplishing its intended purposes.
[0010] These and other objects of the present invention will become
readily apparent upon further review of the following specification
and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of
the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the
same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters
designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views,
and wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is an environmental, front elevational view of one
embodiment of the invention, showing the novel accessory and
trousers as they would be worn together.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the upper portion of
FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of
the invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of still another
embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a further embodiment
of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of yet another embodiment
of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of
the invention.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of still a further
embodiment of the invention.
[0020] FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] FIG. 1 of the drawings shows an article of apparel in the
form of an accessory 10 which is worn in conjunction with trousers
2 worn low on the hips. Accessory 10 provides an extension
extending above trousers 2 so as to cover and conceal the midriff
of the wearer, which would be revealed in the absence of accessory
10. Accessory 10 provides the further function of retaining
trousers 2 on the hips of the wearer by engaging trousers 2.
[0022] Accessory 10 comprises a panel 12 of flexible material such
as a fabric which is configured to encircle the waist of a person
wearing trousers 2 low on the hips. Panel 12 has an upper edge 14
and a lower edge which is concealed beneath trousers 2 in the
depiction of FIG. 1. A constricting element for retaining accessory
10 on the body, such as elastic waistband 16, is located near upper
edge 14. An attachment element is located at the lower edge of
panel 12, and is not seen in FIG. 1.
[0023] FIG. 2 shows accessory 10 isolated from trousers 2 and from
the wearer. Panel 12 has one member 18 of hook and loop fastener or
attachment material located at lower edge 20. Hook and loop member
18 provides an attachment element which is disposed to engage
trousers 2 so as to prevent disengagement of trousers 2 from the
hips. This is accomplished by providing complementing hook and loop
material (not shown) inside trousers 2, if the constituent material
of trousers 2 is insufficiently nappy to engage member 18
unassisted. It should be noted that member 18 may be located on
either the outer surface or the inner surface of panel 12. In these
two embodiments, accessory 10 will selectively engage either
trousers 2 or underwear (not shown).
[0024] FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention
wherein hook and loop member 18 of FIG. 2 is replaced in accessory
110 by a series of belt loops 122 located along and near lower edge
120 of panel 112. In other respects, accessory 110 is equivalent to
the embodiment of FIG. 2, having a panel 112 of flexible material
and an elastic waistband 116. Loops 122 are disposed to receive a
belt (not shown) used with trousers worn low on the hips so as to
releasably attach the trousers to panel 112 of accessory 110, and
to prevent disengagement of the trousers from the hips.
[0025] Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown an embodiment of the
invention wherein accessory 210 is generally similar to its
predecessors, but differs in that the attachment element comprises
a drawstring 211 located along and near lower edge 220 of panel
212. Drawstring 211 may be constricted over trousers worn low on
the hips so as to prevent disengagement of the trousers from the
hips.
[0026] The nature of the constituent material of any of the
embodiments of the invention may be varied. In the embodiment of
FIG. 5, panel 312 of an accessory 310 which is in other ways
comparable to the prior embodiments is fabricated from a
resiliently elastic material. This is indicated in the view of FIG.
5 by vertical elongation of panel 312.
[0027] In a further variation, as shown in FIG. 6, accessory 410
has a panel 412 of flexible material which is arranged to bulge
outwardly between the upper edge 414 thereof and the lower edge 420
thereof when accessory 410 is worn.
[0028] Another variation is shown in FIG. 7, wherein the
constituent material of panel 512 of accessory 510 has pleats 513.
In other respects, accessory 510 is comparable to any of the prior
embodiments.
[0029] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein
accessory 610 is adorned with lace 611 at the upper edge 614.
[0030] As seen in FIG. 9, an accessory 710 has a constituent
flexible panel 712 of flexible material, a proximal end 715, a
distal end 717, and a slide fastener 719 disposed to releasably
join proximal end 715 to distal end 717. It will be understood that
ends 715 and 717 may either entirely separate from one another or
alternatively define a slit therebetween, with slide fastener 719
functioning as a closure so that the slit is selectively opened and
closed. In the embodiment incorporating the slit, proximal end 715
is joined to distal end 717 above and below the slit either by
stitching 721, as depicted, or alternatively in some other way such
as by forming panel 712 as an annulus.
[0031] The invention may be regarded either as the accessory of any
of the described embodiments, or alternatively as a matched set of
an accessory of any of the described embodiments in combination
with trousers. As employed herein, a matched set signifies that the
components are similar in a significant characteristic such as
appearance, constitutent material, size, or compatibility in
attachment.
[0032] It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and
all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
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