Abstract:
A friction pad clothing support device that is attached to the waistband of a garment such as, pants, shorts, or skirt and increases the ability of the waistband to support the garment in the desired position. The front surface of the friction pad has a tacky surface that engages the body or the shirt of the wearer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Styles and clothing change from one generation to the next and often change markedly from year to year. However, there are instances where the clothing was not significantly changed but, how the clothing is worn becomes the fashion statement. 
         [0002]    The waistline in pants is one area where the manner of wear has evolved. For instance Levi&#39;s™ has been manufacturing substantially the same 501™ jeans or denim pants, since 1873 and the California Gold Rush, however, how the pants are worn has changed. When the pants were first introduced, historical photographs show, the pants worn high, above the hips, with the waistband just below the naval. At present, both men and women wear the pants with the waistband riding on the waist or directly on the hipbones. The younger generations still wear the Levi&#39;s 501 jeans, but the waistband is worn below the hips or even lower. 
         [0003]    At whatever level a person decides to wear his or her pants, that person would like the article of clothing to stay where they put it. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, especially with persons who are challenged with narrow hips, a large waistline or with excess weight. The truth is, that as soon as they begin walking, gravity takes over, and their pants begin to fall down. The person may attempt to secure or elevate their pants using one or both of their hands but, this effort is typically fruitless, and they find themselves constantly raising the level of the waistband. This problem is exacerbated when the person engages in rigorous physical activity such as strenuous work, exercise or an athletic endeavor such as basketball or golf; these activities exert additional forces on the pants and they typically require the person to have their hands free. Use of one&#39;s hands to keep one&#39;s pants from falling down is burdensome and frustrating. 
         [0004]    Support of articles of clothing including pants has been a perennial problem and the attempted solutions are myriad. 
         [0005]    A belt worn over the waistband of the pants allows a person to adjust the pressure that the waistband exerts against the body. However, typically the pants will still ride down until the waistband, with belt, rests on the user&#39;s hipbones. If the pants are placed at a level below the hipbones, the belt is of little effect and the pants will end up near the person&#39;s feet unless the wearer intervenes. 
         [0006]    Suspenders such those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 322,480 to Potter or U.S. Pat. No. 1,926,751 to Mix are widely used and provide substantial support for the users pants. However, many users are self-conscious about the need to wear suspenders and attempt to conceal them under a jacket, sweater or with and un-tucked shirt. 
         [0007]    In some cases additional accoutrements have been installed into the waistbands of pants and skirts to increase the friction between the waistband the wearer&#39;s body or shirt. These include a waistband U.S. Pat. No. 2,590,616 to Heller, where a frictional means is added through the length of the waistband to obtain frictional retention of an engaged shirt. U.S. Patent Application 2007/0067889 by Spiewak et al. describes using friction pads sewn onto the tails of a police uniform shirt with corresponding pads sewn into the pants, to support the pants while under the weight of a service belt, carrying items such as a sidearm, handcuffs and a nightstick. Friction devices sewn, integrally formed, or adhesively attached to the inside of the waistband of pants is widely known in the associated art, they provide improved support of the wearer&#39;s pants, without the conspicuous nature of a belt or suspenders. However, friction devices are not included in most pants or skirts and when they are included they are a permanent feature of the garment. 
         [0008]    What is needed is a friction device that can be attached by the wearer to any garment having a waistband such as pants, or a skirt, which can also be removed by the wearer, and reinstalled in a different article of clothing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention is a friction pad device that is attached to the waistband of any garment having a waistband such as, pants, shorts or a skirt and increases the ability of the waistband to support the garment in the desired position. 
         [0010]    The friction pad can be formed in any standard shape, such as a circle, oval, square, rectangle etc. Or can be formed into a custom shape representing something in nature, art or the profile of a company logo or trademark. The friction pad can be formed using a variety of materials, natural or synthetic, such as, but not limited to, rubber, foam rubber, visco elastic foam, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), suede leather, leather, neoprene or silicone. The friction pads can be formed having a uniform thickness across a section of the pad, or may be tapered to better engage the users body. The pads may be formed from a solid piece of the selected friction material, having a uniform density, or may be formed having a pocket or bladder filled with air or viscous liquid such as silicone gel. The pads may also be comprised of a combination of materials, such as, having a backing, with a friction material top cover and including a compressible filing such as cotton, polyester batting, foam rubber, visco elastic foam, etc. 
         [0011]    The wearer may permanently attach the friction pads to the waistband using a suitable adhesive, heat sensitive adhesive, or the friction pads maybe sewn into the garment. The friction pads may also be removably attached to the garment using a clip, clasp, hook and loop fastener, hook and eye, snaps, or button and buttonhole engagement. The buttonhole engagement is designed to use the buttons already in place on most high quality dress or suit pants, normally used to attach braces or suspenders. Removable friction pads allow the user to transfer a single set of friction pads to any pair of pants or skirt and customize the fit of the garment. The friction pads may also be removed prior to washing or dry cleaning. 
         [0012]    A permanently attached friction pad or a friction pad attached using, hook and loop fastener, hook and eye, snaps, or interior buttons, will not be visible or be evident in anyway to the casual observer; allowing the wearer to avoid the embarrassment sometimes caused by suspenders. The clip attachment will overlap the waistband of the garment, but can be concealed with a belt or jacket or can be camouflaged using paint, fabric, or other materials matching the wearer&#39;s garment. 
         [0013]    The friction pads will significantly increase the engagement of the waistband with body or shirt of the wearer and help maintain the garment in the desired position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1 ; waistband with friction pads attached. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2 ; plan view of a first embodiment of a friction pad device. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3 ; cross-section of a first embodiment of a friction pad. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4 ; a friction pad with spring waistband clip. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5 ; a friction pad with a spring close or cam-closing clasp. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6 ; friction pad including tabs for button attachment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a friction pad  11  attached to the waistband  21  of a pair of pants  20 . The friction pad  11  can be attached to the inside of any garment having a waistband  21  that sufficiently engages the waist of the wearer. The friction pad  11  is made from a material that provides substantial friction against the body of the wearer or against any garment, such as a shirt or undershirt worn between body and the friction pad  11 . Additionally, the material of the friction pad  11  must be compressible, non-irritating and not cause the wearer any discomfort. The friction pad  11  can be made from, but limited to, any one of or any combination of, EVA, rubber, foam rubber, visco elastic foam, neoprene, silicone, vinyl or leather. The friction pads  11  can be positioned as desired by the wearer and can be worn singularly, in pairs or more. As shown, friction pads  11  are positioned in the traditional locations of waistband  21  for suspender attachment; the front pads will engage the lower abdomen and hip bones of the wearer and the rear friction pads  11  will engage the user on the lower back, above the buttocks. However, a wearer may also choose to wear a single pair of friction pads  11  on both sides of the lower abdomen, just below the hip bone points. Friction pads  11  can be permanently attached to the waistband  21  of pants  20  by any suitable means, such as self-curing adhesive, heat activated adhesive, thermal bonding, or sewn. The friction pads  11  can also be temporarily attached to the waistband  21  of pants  20  using an integrated clip or clasp, hook and loop fasteners, hook and eye, snaps, or using buttons installed by the wearer or buttons that are previously installed for the attachment of braces or suspenders. 
         [0021]    The friction pad device  10  shown in  FIG. 2  includes, friction pad  11 , with an attachment edge  12  and a stitch line  13 . The friction pad  10  can be attached to the waistband of the pants using a suitable adhesive or using mechanical means (not shown). The reverse or bottom side of fiction pad device  10  may be roughened or can be formed with a raised pattern or inclusions that allow for secure attachment when using adhesive. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a section of fiction pad device  10  including friction pad  11  and attachment edge  12 . The friction pad  11  can be formed having a substantially uniform cross-section, can be formed having a rounded shape, as shown, or can be formed or modified to an irregular shape to better interface with the body and provide improved comfort for the wearer. The friction pad  11  can also be formed as a solid construction or may be formed as a compressible bladder filled with air or a viscous material such as silicone or visco elastic foam. Friction pad device  10  may also be formed using multiple pieces such as a substantially rigid backing, a tacky or friction providing top-cover, which is shaped or filled with a compressible material such as cotton batting, foam, or polyester fill. 
         [0023]    The friction pad device  10  in  FIG. 4  includes, a friction pad  11  integrated with an attachment clip  15 . Attachment clip  15  is formed to overlap the waistband of a garment and securely fasten the friction pad device  10  to the inside of the waistband. The attachment clip  15  is formed using a resilient material such as steel, stainless steel, spring steel, bronze, plastic, vinyl or polycarbonate. The attachment clip  15  can include paint or covering to disguise the use of the friction pad device  10 . 
         [0024]    Friction pad device  10  in  FIG. 5  includes, friction pad with an attachment clip  15 . Attachment clip  15  is formed using a hinge  17  and clasp  16 . Clasp  16  is biased in a closed position using a spring or cam-lock currently known in the art. 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  shows friction pad device  10  configured to attach to buttons that are typically sewn into the waistband of high-end or custom suit pants and trousers. Friction pad device  10  includes friction pad  11  and tabs  18  with button holes  19 . It is contemplated the in lieu of button holes  19 , snaps may be attached to tabs  18  as an alternant method of attachment.