Abstract:
An underwear brief has a waistband, cloth construction forming a front region, a back region, side regions and a crotch region, two leg openings, a horizontal fly implemented with a first panel overlapping outside a second panel, with ends of each of the two panels secure to the fabric of the front region such that the horizontal fly provides a horizontal vertically-oriented entrance or exit through the front region of the brief, a first elastic band joined continuously, end-to-end, along full length of a lower edge of the first panel, a second elastic band joined continuously, end-to-end, along full length of an upper edge of the second panel, and a third elastic band joined horizontally to the front region at a position above and parallel to the upper edge of the second panel, with only the opposite ends of the third elastic band joined to the front region.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS 
     The present application is a continuation application of pending application Ser. No. 13/968,806, filed Aug. 16, 2013, and claims priority for examination to the priority date of the parent application. All disclosure of the parent application is incorporated herein at least by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is in the field of garments and is more particularly related to an undergarment for men. 
     2. Description of the Art 
     Various forms of undergarments have been developed over the ages for men. The currently available briefs for men are generally constructed with one or more trunk panels and overlapping front panels. The overlapping front panels typically define a singular fly opening for access through the outermost panel to the penis for the purpose of urination. Several attempts have been made to solve the numerous problems associated with the known brief constructions, such as discomfort, lack of support and embarrassment due to unsightly bulging or slippage of the male genital organs. Hence there is clearly a need for a male underwear brief with various options for supporting and exposing the male genital organ in different ways and to provide a comfortable wearing for 24 hours continuously in a day. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment of the invention an underwear brief is provided, comprising a waistband, contiguous cloth construction forming a front region, a back region, opposite side regions and a crotch region, two leg openings, one to each side of the crotch region, a horizontal fly in the front region implemented with a first panel overlapping outside a second panel, with ends of each of the two panels secure to the fabric of the front region such that the horizontal fly provides a horizontal vertically-oriented entrance or exit through the front region of the brief, a first elastic band joined continuously, end-to-end, along full length of a lower edge of the first panel, a second elastic band joined continuously, end-to-end, along full length of an upper edge of the second panel, and a third elastic band joined horizontally to the front region at a position above and parallel to the upper edge of the second panel, with only the opposite ends of the third elastic band joined to the front region. 
     In one embodiment the third elastic band is joined to the front region along full length of the third elastic band. Also in one embodiment the underwear brief further comprises a forward-facing pouch implemented above the horizontal fly and the third elastic band. Also in an embodiment the third elastic band is positioned horizontally over material of the front region to the outside of the underwear brief providing support for the pouch. 
     In one embodiment the waistband is an elastic waistband. Also in one embodiment edges of the leg openings are reinforced. In one embodiment the ends of the two panels are joined to the reinforced edges of the leg openings. And in one embodiment the three elastic bands are joined to the reinforced edges of the leg openings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1 a    is a side perceptive view of a male underwear brief, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1 b    is a cross-section through a fly of the brief of  FIG. 1   a,  according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 1 c    is through a fly of the brief of  FIG. 1   a,  according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side perceptive view of a male underwear brief indicating an upper front panel in an open condition, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side perceptive view of a male underwear brief indicating the upper front panel in a fixed and stitched condition, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a male underwear brief indicating the arrangement of first horizontal elastic band and the second horizontal elastic band, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a side perceptive view of a male underwear brief indicating the arrangement of third horizontal elastic band, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of a male underwear brief indicating the arrangement of first horizontal elastic band, the second horizontal elastic band and the third horizontal elastic band, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a side perceptive view of a male underwear brief with the upper front panel in closed position, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8 a    is a side perceptive view of a male underwear brief illustrating an alternative process for making a pouch, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8 b    illustrates a fabric cut useful in the process of  FIG. 8   a.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1 a    is a side perceptive view of a male underwear brief  100 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. Male underwear brief  100  comprises an elastic waistband  101  attached to the upper periphery of the brief  100 , cloth material joined circumferentially to waistband  101  which forms a back panel  106 , an upper front panel  104 , and a crotch panel  105  proceeding from a lower region of the back panel  106  to the front and upward, a first and a second opening  102  for a person&#39;s legs and a horizontally oriented and aligned fly opening  103 . The edges of the first and the second openings  102  for the person&#39;s legs are reinforced in most embodiments, and in most cases the reinforced edges are of elastic material. 
     In one embodiment horizontally oriented and aligned fly opening  103  is positioned low in the front of brief  100 . Back panel  106  and crotch panel  105  are joined to reinforced edges of the leg openings  102 . The upper front panel is joined to the reinforced edges of leg openings  102  as well, and ends at a horizontal elastic band  108  attached continuously to upper front panel  104 . Horizontal elastic band  108  is attached to each of the reinforced edges of leg openings  102 . 
     In one embodiment the upper extent of the material of crotch panel  105  is at line  110 . This creates an overlapped fly opening  103  open from below upward into the brief, of a vertical dimension “d”. This dimension may vary depending on the placement of both the upper end of the crotch panel, and the lower end of the upper front panel. 
       FIG. 1 b    is cross-section through horizontal fly  103  of  FIG. 1 a    taken along section line  1   b - 1   b  into the brief. In this particular embodiment there is elastic band  108  overlying the upward-extending crotch panel material  105 , but there is no band on the upper edge of crotch panel  105 , which ends at line  110  (see  FIG. 1 a   ). In some cases this edge may be hemmed. Again, the placement and attachment of the crotch panel material and the upper panel material determine dimension “d”, which may vary accordingly. The embodiment represented by  FIG. 1 b    may be considered a “one-band” embodiment. In yet another embodiment upper front panel  104  may end without an elastic band, at an edge that may be, for example, hemmed as well, and this particular embodiment may be considered a “no band” embodiment, but nevertheless creates an upwardly opening overlapped horizontal fly opening of dimension “d”. 
       FIG. 1 c    illustrates the cross-section of the fly panel in another embodiment, wherein another elastic band  107  is added at the upper edge of the crotch panel. The elastic bands may be of equal height and weight, or different, and the overlap may be variously managed as described above. The embodiment represented by  FIG. 1 c    may be considered a “two-band” embodiment. At least one other two-band embodiment is described additionally below. 
       FIG. 2  is a side perceptive view of male underwear brief  100  illustrating another embodiment of a “two-band” brief, wherein a front pouch is also provided, not shown in the embodiments of  FIGS. 1   a,    1   b  and  1   c.  To better illustrate how a pouch is formed with the upper front panel, the upper front panel in shown in an open position in subsequent stages of assembly in  FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. Crotch panel  105  proceeds upward from a lower region of back panel  106  to the front and ends at a first horizontal elastic band  107  joined securely to each of first and second leg openings  102 , as shown in  FIG. 1 c   . At this stage of assembly edges of upper front panel  104  are stitched to the elastic leg bands  102  down to point (a) as shown in  FIG. 2 . Note that point (a) is repeated on the opposite leg opening, although not seen in  FIG. 2 . The bottom edge of upper front panel  104  ends at and is joined to a second horizontal elastic band  108  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side perceptive view of male underwear brief  100 , illustrating the upper front panel in a fixed condition, according to an embodiment of the present invention. One side of upper front panel  104  is joined to the leg openings on both sides at two different points (a), (b) to form an extended loop as shown in  FIG. 3 . The opposite edges of horizontal elastic band  108  are stitched respectively to the reinforced edges of leg openings  102  at the opposite sides, and are positioned in one embodiment below the position of band  107 , as seen in  FIG. 1   c.  This is optional placement in different embodiments, and the position of band  108  may vary, affecting the dimension “d”, FIGS.  1   b  and  1   c.  Further, the edges of the upper front panel are stitched to the reinforced edges of the leg openings as shown, down to the horizontal fly. 
     First horizontal elastic band  107  and second horizontal elastic band  108  are only stitched to the edges of the leg openings  102 , leaving an opening up from the bottom of the horizontal fly to the inside of the brief. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the male underwear brief, essentially the same as  FIG. 1   c,  illustrating the arrangement of the two horizontal elastic bands in this example. The bands are only stitched to the elastic leg bands  102 . This leaves an opening up from the bottom of the fly to the inside of the upper front panel as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 5  is a side perceptive view of male underwear brief  100 , illustrating the placement of a third horizontal elastic band  109 , according to an embodiment. The upper front panel is folded, as shown in  FIG. 3 , with point (a) and point (b) relatively close together in this example, on both leg openings as shown. Third horizontal elastic band  109  is joined only to each of the reinforced edges of the leg openings  102  over the upper front panel  104  just above and parallel to second horizontal elastic band  108 . The position of band  109  is below the attachment points (b) intentionally to provide support in use, as the pouch is intended to support a user&#39;s organ or organs. 
     Third horizontal elastic band  109  is stitched above second horizontal elastic band  108  and below attachment points (b) to each of the reinforced edges of the leg openings  102 , but not to the upper front panel  104  or anywhere else. Since the third horizontal elastic band  109  is stitched only to the reinforced edges of the leg openings  102 , it can be pulled outward. In alternative embodiments points (b) may be positioned on the edges of the leg openings further below points (a), providing a greater opening from inside into the pouch that is formed by the folded material, or the third horizontal elastic band  109  may be stitched continuously across the front panel. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the male underwear brief illustrating the arrangement of the three horizontal elastic bands in this example. Crotch panel  105  proceeds upwardly from a lower region of the back panel to the front and ends at first horizontal elastic band  107  attached continuously to the crotch panel and to each of the reinforced edges of the leg openings. Upper front panel  104  is joined to the reinforced edges of the leg openings and ends at horizontal elastic band  108  attached continuously to the upper front panel. Band  108  is attached to each of the reinforced edges of leg openings typically at some distance below band  107 . This leaves an opening up from the bottom of the horizontal fly to the inside of the upper front panel  104  as shown in  FIG. 6 . In alternative embodiments the position of band  108  may be varied from directly over band  107  to substantially below band  107 , varying the vertical dimension of the upwardly-extending opening into the brief. Band  109  is stitched above and parallel to band  108  to each of the reinforced edges of the leg openings at a distance that may vary, but is typically placed to support the pouch developed as shown in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 7  is a side perceptive view of male underwear brief  100  with the fold of the upper front panel in a closed position. The extended loop of upper front panel  104 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , has been folded downward. The folded loop is brought down, and the top edge of the loop comes right to the bottom edge of horizontal elastic band  108  at line  111 . The side edges of the loop are stitched along the reinforced edges of the leg openings down to the horizontal fly thereby forming a pouch from within the brief along a horizontal line from points (a) and (b) on each leg opening. The relative positions of bands  107 ,  108  and  109  are shown now in  FIG. 7  as dotted lines, because they are behind the folded down pouch material. It should be noted that the extent of material  104  may be adjusted, depending on a chosen distance between points (a) and (b), which define an opening size into an internal pouch, to provide the proper placement of edge  111 . 
     In still another embodiment of the invention a front pouch may be formed by fabric cut, rather than by folding the fabric of the upper front panel as described in detail above.  FIG. 8 a    is a perspective view of the brief showing horizontal elastic bands  107 ,  108  and  109 . In this embodiment upper panel  104  is cut to provide a width w 1  across points (a) to establish a dimension across the front of the brief, and another width w 2  across points (b) below point (a) for the same purpose. W 1  and w 2  will typically be not the same, but w 1  greater than w 2 . 
       FIG. 8 b    illustrates an exemplary cut for upper front panel material  104  with points (a) and (b) and widths w 1  and w 2 . The edges are curved outwardly as shown between points (a) and (b). It is essential that the distance along the curve of the cut fabric from points (a) and (b) on each side be the same distance as between (a) and (b) on each leg band of the brief. This way, when the fabric is sewn to the leg bands on each side an outwardly-extending pouch may be formed. This pouch in use supporting a user&#39;s organ or organs will tend to form outwardly and downward as well. 
     Horizontal fly  103  can be stretched more than 25% to let the penis and scrotum, or just the scrotum out and to provide a slack-line-type closure for a supportive upper pouch (i.e. for upper front panel)  103  to hold the penis, or the penis and scrotum. 
     Horizontal fly  103  creates a comfortable collar close to the user&#39;s torso and the second horizontal elastic band, like a full-width fabric eyebrow, shrouds 1″-2″ of the exposed organ, when the organ is pulled out. The first, second and third horizontal elastic bands may have a width of ½″-⅝″ and are wrapped up for comfort in the brief  100 . 
     In one embodiment, the male underwear brief in this example provides various options for the person to provide a continuous comfortable wearing for 24 hours every day. In one option the pouch formed of the extra material of the upper front panel covers and lifts both the penis and the scrotum, while slit-aperture horizontal fly  103  closes under the overhanging weight of the penis with the scrotum under. The pouch formed with the extended loop of the extra material of the upper front panel absorbs urine, reduces rolling and squeezing of organs between thighs and looks similar to jocks/briefs worn worldwide. In a second option the pouch covers and lifts only the penis up, or to one side while a slit-aperture (horizontal fly)  103  collars the scrotum. The scrotum may extend outside the brief which may be suitable for wear with most outerwear and in high humidity. In a third option horizontal fly  103  of the male underwear brief may let the penis out and collar the penis and the scrotum. The horizontal fly  103  further covers the pubic hair. The organs (penis and scrotum) may be pulled out and the buttocks region will stay covered without doffing the brief  100 . The horizontal fly  103  creates a comfortable collar close to the user&#39;s torso, and the second horizontal elastic band  108  acts like a full-width fabric eyebrow, to shroud 1″-2″ of the exposed organ. 
     It will be apparent to a skilled artisan that the embodiments described above are exemplary only, and that there may be many alterations made in these examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.