Patent ID: 6231558
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
An article of clothing, comprising:an undergarment having an inside, an outside, front and back portions, a pair of side portions, a crotch portion, a waist opening and a pair of leg openings, said crotch portion being positioned between said leg openings;said waist opening having an outer periphery, each of said leg openings having an outer periphery;said undergarment having an resiliently elastic waist band extending around said outer periphery of said waist opening, said waist band being for helping hold the undergarment on a waist of a wearer;said undergarment having an upper region extending around said front, back, and side portions of said undergarment adjacent said outer periphery of said waist opening;said upper region having a width defined in a direction extending downwards from said outer periphery of said waist opening;said upper region comprising a woven fabric material adapted for permitting the passage of air therethrough between said inside and outside of said undergarment so that the undergarment is breathable when worn to keep the wearer cool;said undergarment having a middle region extending around said front, back, and side portions of said undergarment adjacent said upper region;said middle region having a width defined in a direction extending downwards from said upper region;said width of said upper region being greater than about twice said width of said middle region, said width of said upper region being greater than about one-half the distance between said waist opening and one of said leg openings along one of said side portions of said undergarment;said middle region comprising a resiliently elastic material adapted for constricting said middle region around a wearer;said undergarment having a lower region beneath said middle region, said crotch portion and said leg openings being located in said lower region, said lower region comprising a substantially water impermeable material for preventing the passage of menstrual fluids therethrough between said inside and outside of said undergarment;said undergarment having a resiliently elastic leg band around the outer perimeter of each of said leg openings to help prevent leakage of fluids between the leg openings and the legs of the wearer;said crotch portion having a primary absorbing paid on said inside of said undergarment, said primary absorbing pad comprising a menstrual fluid absorbing material for absorbing menstrual fluids of a wearer;said primary absorbing pad having convex front and back arcuate ends and a pair of concave arcuate sides;said front and back arcuate ends of said primary absorbing pad extending from said lower region into said middle region of said undergarment;said arcuate sides of said primary absorbing pad being located in said lower region of said undergarment, one of said arcuate sides of said primary absorbing pad being positioned adjacent to one of said leg openings, another of said arcuate sides of said primary absorbing pad being positioned adjacent to another of said leg openings;said undergarment having a pair of arcuate absorbing strips on said inside of said undergarment, said absorbing strips each comprising the menstrual fluid absorbing material;one of said absorbing strips being interposed between one of said leg openings and the adjacent associated arcuate side of said primary absorbing pad, the other of said absorbing strips being interposed between the other of said leg openings and the adjacent associated arcuate side of said primary absorbing pad;said absorbing strips each extending along a semi-circular lower portion of a circumference of the adjacent associated leg opening, said absorbing strips being for absorbing menstrual fluid in the lower region that may accumulate near the leg openings thereby helping to prevent menstrual fluid from leaking around the legs of the wearer;said undergarment having a secondary absorbing pad on said primary absorbing pad for providing additional absorption of menstrual fluids in a crotch portion of the wearer, said secondary absorbing pad comprising a menstrual fluid absorbing material;said secondary absorbing pad being generally rectangular in configuration and having a pair of generally parallel end edges, and a pair of generally parallel side edges extending generally perpendicular to said end edges of said secondary absorbing pad;one of said end edges of said secondary absorbing pad being positioned towards said front arcuate end of said primary absorbing pad, another of said end edges of said secondary absorbing pad being positioned towards said back arcuate end of said primary absorbing pad; andeach of said side portions having a separation line extending between said waist opening and an adjacent leg opening, said undergarment being separable along each of said separation lines for easy removal of said undergarment from the wearer without the need for the wearer to slip an entire leg of the wearer through said leg opening of the article of clothing, wherein said undergarment has a plurality of apertures therein along each of said separation lines for aiding separation of said undergarment along said separation lines, wherein said apertures comprise perforations through said undergarment between said inside and outside of said undergarment.