Abstract:
An improved jumpsuit garment with integral drop seat flap for, for example, conventient lowering of the lower rear portion of the jumpsuit for restroom facility usage. The garment of the present invention is worn as a garment over the torso of a man, woman, or child or at least the upper and central torso, and has utility for all types of dress, including casual, formal, work and recreational environments. The garment is one piece and usually full length and has an opening in the lower back portion for correct exposure of the derriere for toilet purposes which is covered by the drop seat flap. The drop seat flap utilizes uniquely positioned and designed means and belting for securing it closed when the drop seat flap is in the raised position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a garment which permits generally unrestricted physical movement and which has an integral, rear flap, termed in the art as a &#34;drop seat&#34;, for permitting, for example, toilet facility utilization by the wearer of the garment without the requirement of taking it off. The present invention has been found to be particularly applicable to the jumpsuit or worksuit types of garments, especially as a garment which permits workmen during their normal job duties to utilize toilet facilities without disrobing and hence will be discussed with particular reference thereto. 
     In the use of any type of jumpsuit garment which includes a drop seat feature, the drop seat is usally attached to the jumpsuit to form a single piece garment. The jumpsuit must be capable of permitting movements by the wearer of the jumpsuit without any strain on the wearer which for a workman may include sudden and great physical movements. It must also permit easy disengagement and lowering of the drop seat feature and reattaching it to the jumpsuit as desired. While the drop seat is in the raised position, it must stay securely connected in the raised position and not drop thereby causing embarrassment to the wearer, Thus, it is necessary to securely fasten the drop seat to the rest of the jumpsuit in the raised position of the drop seat while at the same time permitting full range of physical movement by the wearer of the jumpsuit. 
     The broad concept of providing a garment with a slit in the back to provide easy access in the rear is a well known and established design in the prior art. Typical examples thereof in the undergarment arts include drop seats fastened at the side seams forming an overlapping slit in the back portion of the garment at the waist of the garment and held at the waist by elastic binding with the drop slit being moveably over the derriere for toiletry purposes. Note for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,787,098 (Wolff; issued Dec. 30, 1930) and 1,871,086 (Rutledge; issued Aug. 9, 1932). 
     However, this type of drop seat design is not amenable to worksuits or other outer garment construction. In the coverall art, supplemental fastenings are generally required. Jumpsuits with elastic waist binding and various non-belt attaching means for holding a back flap shaped piece of material over an opening cut in the jumpsuit garment in place are generally known in the prior art. The usual methods for supplemental fastening of the drop seat flap to keep it in place known in the prior art include button fastening means in the front or the back, zipper fastening means along the side of the garment or the back of the garment at the waist, and elastic bands which push through loops that are sewn onto the jumpsuit garment at the waist and then attached by button means to the jumpsuit garment at the sides of the garment, which hold the drop seat to the jumpsuit (or analogous) garment. Note for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,837,654 (Cohen; issued Dec. 22, 1931), 1,398,443 (Pendergrass; issued Nov. 29, 1921), 2,039,946 (Wolf et al; issued May 5, 1936), 3,088,116 (Simonoff; issued May 7, 1963), 1,659,451 (Sweeney; issued Feb. 14, 1928), 2,019,924 (Murphey; issued Nov. 5, 1935) and 1,546,428 (Anderson; issued July 21, 1925). However, these methods lack convenience in disengaging the drop seat from its waist connections to the jumpsuit and are difficult to fabricate because of the materials and structures involved. 
     Additionally, belting system techniques for attaching the drop seat flap to the rest of a garment when it is not in use and is in the raised position have been known in the prior art. The drop seat flap is usually connected to the belt by sewing the top of the drop seat to the belt as an integral connection, the belt of course binding in the front of the garment to hold the drop seat flap in the raised position and additionally by placing connections in the back of the garment to further support the drop seat flap by securing the belt in position. These connections are either O-rings, buttons, I-rings, or belt loops. Also, the belt is usually either directly sewn onto the side of the garment or additional fastenings sewn to the side of the garment and sewn to the belt. Note for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,967,234 (Fellroth; issued July 24, 1934), 1,137,081 (Pine; issued Apr. 27, 1915), 2,357,532 (Menzin; issued Sept. 5, 1944), 2,093,903 (Bernstein; issued Sept. 21, 1937), 1,537,230 (Godbehere; issued May 12, 1925), 2,368,034 (Martin; issued Jan. 23, 1945), and 1,785,581 (Fellroth; Dec. 16, 1930), which are directed to various types of drop seat garments, some of which are the jumpsuit type. 
     Also included within the prior art for belting system techniques for attaching the drop seat flap to the rest of the garment when the drop seat flap is not in use and is in the raised position are belt connections to attach the drop seat to the rest of the garment that use no other attachment of the belt to the garment except for the attachment of the drop seat to the belt, the drop seat feature of course being attached to the body of the garment at the bottom edge usually by stitching. The belts&#39; front connection is used to support the drop seat in the raised position. Note for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,485,793 (McKee; issued Mar. 4, 1924). 
     However, the prior art garments that use belting systems either entail more expensive fabrication techniques to provide for the additional attachment facilities as compared to the present invention or, when facilities are not provided for attaching the belt to the garment other than on the drop seat flap lower edge, provide less insecure means for maintaining the body of the garment and the sides of the drop seat flap together when the drop seat flap is in the raised position. The additional attachment facilities for attaching the belt and drop seat flap to the garment also present difficulties in raising and lowering the drop seat flap when it is required for use of toilet facilities, thereby substantially increasing the time that the workman spends in undoing and redoing the drop seat flap connections. 
     Additionally, none of the prior art known to applicant discloses means for the securing of the drop seat flap in the raised position in multiple manners nor does the prior art provide hip expansion, when the shirt tail piece of the jumpsuit garment extends below the drop seat flap. The prior art fails to provide sufficient means to permit expansion for shoulder and back motions when physical acts by the wearer of the jumpsuit garment such as reaching are performed. Additionally, the belting system techniques of the prior art for connection of the drop seat flap to the jumpsuit garment inhibit the ability of the shirt portion of the jumpsuit garment to stretch independently of the drop seat flap and legs of the jumpsuit garment when reaching or bending actions are performed by the wearer of the jumpsuit garment. 
     In contrast to the prior art, which is plagued by the problems of keeping the drop seat flap firmly attached to the garment while permitting use of attachment methods necessary for external garments such as worksuits, permitting convenient lowering of the drop seat flap when necessary, and permitting great physical movements by the wearer of the garment especially those movements involving reaching, sitting and bending, the present invention utilizes a very simple but highly effective design to secure the drop seat flap firmly to the body of the jumpsuit garment. The design of the jumpsuit garment and the attachment means of the drop seat flap to the jumpsuit garment also allows secure connection of the jumpsuit garment to the drop seat flap while eliminating the problems of restrained physical movements and difficult to manage attachment and detachment of the jumpsuit garment form the top of the drop seat flap. The present invention, while utilizing a belt having a connection to the drop seat flap at its upper edge by integral sewing of the drop seat flap to the belt, utilizes attaching means of the belt to the jumpsuit garment that prevents slippage of the drop seat flap thereby keeping it securely connected to the jumpsuit garment. 
     The present invention utilizes a drop seat flap connected usually by stitching to the body of the jumpsuit garment at the bottom and lower side edges. The drop seat flap is additionally connected at its top edge to a belt which in the raised position of the drop seat flap is connected at the side of the jumpsuit garment at two points by hooked connection means with no fixed connections to the jumpsuit garment between the bottom and lower side connections of the drop seat flap and the two side connections of the belt to the jumpsuit garment. Additionally, the belt has elastic pieces in the back which stretch as the belt is connected to the two hooks and also as the belt is connected in front. Thus, the drop seat flap is secured in a multiple manner to the jumpsuit garment by the elastic and the side connections of the belt while the drop seat flap is in the raised position. For disconnection purposes, the belt is disengaged in the front and the hooks are disengaged quickly and easily, permitting the belt to be completely free to permit the drop seat flap to be lowered. Additionally, because the belting is attached at the side rather than the rear, neither the belt nor its attachments restrain the back shirt portion of the jumpsuit garment from movement as the wearer of the jumpsuit garment moves. Therefore, stretching and bending is much more comfortable and less restrained as a result of free movement of the fabric of the back shirt of the jumpsuit garment when the drop seat flap is in the raised position. Also, the back shirting has an expansion fold permitting easy and comfortable reach by the arms of the wearer of the jumpsuit garment in either direction without fabric pulling. Moreover, the shirting of the jumpsuit garment extends below the line where the drop seat attaches to the jumpsuit garment at the belt to permit further protection and comfort in the jumpsuit garment cover by the drop seat flap. Additionally, the ends of the back shirting of the jumpsuit garment terminate with two slits hidden by the folds at each side of the back of the shirt which permits the shirt to expand across the hip area for greater freedom of movement of the wearer of the jumpsuit garment. 
     Thus in summary, the present invention provides a unitary body garment that covers at least the upper and central torso including the shoulders, back, derriere, and upper thighs, and includes an improved &#34;drop seat&#34; design, the improvement in the drop seat comprising the following structure: a drop seat flap connected to the body of the garment along its bottom edge and being connected to the garment along its sides at only two points a bottom fixed connection and a top fastenable connection with no fixed or fastenable connections therebetween, and a tail piece bridging across the full back of the garment and having two, free, vertical slits therein, both slits being substantially removed from the side junction lines between the flap and the tail piece; and a belt at and across the upper end of the drop seat flap having at least partially along its length elastic sections, the belt ends extending out past the side edges of the flap and being completely free from the body garment when the drop seat structure is used in operation. 
     The present invention further includes the additional features outlined below: 
     -- the slits are hidden by folds; 
     -- the elastic sections are preferrably in two parts; 
     -- quick release hooks are used for the fastenable connections; 
     -- the tail piece extends below the fixed connection (for example 3/4 inch) of the drop flap; 
     -- the junction line is free of any slits. 
     As to the basic advantages of the present invention over the prior art, in general the present invention is simpler and easier to manufacture than the prior art and is simpler and easier to use and more comfortable in wear. Yet the drop seat structure of the present invention is at least as reliable, if not more reliable, in its closing and covering of the rear of the garment than the prior art. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are given like reference numerals and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the jumpsuit garment of the present invention showing the garment with the belt of the drop seat flap in the raised position but disconnected from the jumpsuit garment device. 
     FIG. 2 is a back perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the jumpsuit garment of the present invention showing the belt of the drop seat flap detached form the jumpsuit garment and the drop seat flap in the raised position. 
     FIG. 3 is a detail, partial cross-sectional view, taken along section lines 3 -- 3 of FIG. 2, of the back shirt fold of the preferred embodiment of the jumpsuit garment of the present invention showing the way the fold is constructed. 
     FIG. 4 is a back view of the preferred embodiment of jumpsuit garment of the present invention showing the belt detached from the jumpsuit garment device and the drop seat flap in a semi-lowered position, revealing the slit at the end of the shirt part of the back of the jumpsuit garment and the method of connection of the lower side seams of the jumpsuit garment to the drop seat flap. 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the jumpsuit garment of the present invention showing the drop seat flap in a fully lowered position. 
     FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the jumpsuit garment of the present invention showing the drop seat flap in a raised position and the belt in a connected, secure state. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Introduction 
     The jumpsuit garment with integral drop seat flap, which is the preferred embodiment of the present invention, can be worn, for example, as a worksuit wherein it is important that the worksuit properly cover the worker and permit him great physical movement of his body and his arms and also to be able to quickly and easily disengage the drop seat flap in order to use toilet facilities with ease. A particularly important area of application of the present invention is thus in the fabrication and design of worksuits, and therefore the preferred embodiment will be described with respect to such an application. However, it should be appreciated that the present invention can be applied to all types of drop seat garments, whether for casual, formal, recreational or work dress. 
     Structure and Method of Use 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown the jumpsuit garment 10 with integral drop seat flap device 28 of the present invention which can be used as a worksuit. The wearer gets into the worksuit 10 by getting into the pants legs 192 while the belt 191 is detached with its clasp elements 15 and 16 not buckled, and the front jumpsuit garment hook supports 14 and 14&#39; (which connect to the belt 191 and 11 and 11&#39; respectively) disengaged. After the top of the garment is slipped over the upper torso and arms, the front of the jumpsuit garment is zipped up to the top using zipper 17 and the top buttoned securely with button 18. 
     The belt 191, which is connected to the top of the drop seat flap 28, may then be attached by first pulling the hook fasteners 11 and 11&#39; to the waist fastening hook supports 14 and 14&#39;, respectively, stretching elastic sections 13 and 13&#39; to hold the drop seat flap taut and close to the body of the jumpsuit garment in the raised position of the drop seat flap 28, with the flap slightly overlapping the lower side seams 190. The clasps 15 and 16 are then connected, further pulling the elastic sections 13 and 13&#39; together for a tighter fit. The jumpsuit garment 10 with integral drop seat flap 28 is then in the fastened position for wear as a worksuit with the drop seat flap in the raised position. 
     The jumpsuit garment 10 has two front pockets 40 and 51 which extend down the front legs as shown by the phantom line outlines 19 and 19&#39;. It also has two back pockets 26 and 26&#39;. 
     The back shirt portion 25 of the jumpsuit garment 10 has folds 20, 21 and 20&#39;, 21&#39;, terminating in the &#34;hidden&#34; slits 22, 22&#39;, running down the full length of the back shirt portion 25 of the jumpsuit garment 10. The slits 22, 22&#39; begin at the waist line, as indicated by the phantom lined stitching in FIGS. 2 and 4 - 6. A detail, cross-sectional view of one of the folds is shown in FIG. 3. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the folds are &#34;Z&#34; type folds which are straight in line and do not diverge from the center line of the garment. The folds separate the side parts 24 of the back shirt portion 25 of the jumpsuit garment 10 from the rest or central part of the back shirt portion 25 of the jumpsuit garment 10. This separation permits the wearer of the jumpsuit garment to extend his upper limbs for large or small physical movements without discomfort or restraint by the jumpsuit garment and still permits the jumpsuit garment to present a non-baggy appearance when the wearer is not engaged in great physical activity. The folds 20, 21 and 20&#39;, 21&#39;, are each secured at a point 2 to 21/2 inches below the shoulder seam (not phantom lined stitching) and extend the full length of the back shirt portion 25 of the jumpsuit garment 10 and terminate through slits 22, 22&#39; at &#34;shirt tail&#34; bottom edge 23, well below the level of the belt 191 and also below the bar tack stitching terminations 12 and 29 of the jumpsuit garment drop seat flap as indicated by dimension A of FIG. 5. Dimension A can typically be three-quarters of an inch in length. 
     The folds 20, 21 and 20&#39;, 21&#39; end in slits 22 and 22&#39; and respectively, at the bottom or tail piece of the back shirt portion 25 of the jumpsuit garment 10. This permits hip expansion room for sitting and bending in the jumpsuit garment. 
     It is noted that the vertical folds 20 - 21, and 20&#39; - 21&#39; and associated vertical slits 22, 22&#39; are substantially removed from the side junction lines 27&#39; between the drop seat flap 28 and the tail piece part of the back portion 25 of the garment 10, and that the junction lines 27&#39; themselves are free of any slits. 
     The pockets 40 and 51 are of course lined (note 19 and 19&#39;) and stay firm even when the drop seat flap 28 is in the lowered position because the side seam 27 is the only common connection between the two. The slight pucker 50 is caused by the bar tack termination 12 of the drop seat flap 28 of the jumpsuit garment 10. 
     It should be noted that, because the additional attachments of the jumpsuit garment 10 to the belt 191 of the drop seat flap 28 are at the side or towards the front of the jumpsuit garment 10 at 11, 11&#39;, 14, 14&#39;, the only rear binding of the drop seat flap 28 to the jumpsuit garment 10 is by means the elastic sections 13, 13&#39;. Therefore, the back shirt portion 25 of the jumpsuit garment 10 is free to pull up as necessary for stretching and bending. 
     Thus, it is seen that the drop seat flap 28 is integrally connected to the body of the garment 10 only along its bottom edge and is connected along its side edges at only two points, a bottom fixed connection 12 and a top fastenable connection via belt 191 with no fixed or fastenable connections therebetween or across the top edge. 
     In summary then, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the jumpsuit garment 10 is first fastened securely to the wearer by its front zipper and belting attachments for the drop seat flap 28. The wearer may then easily and quickly lower the drop seat flap 28 from the raised position by unbuckling the belt 191 and detaching the two fixed guide belt hook attachments 11 - 14, 11&#39; - 14&#39;, thereby freeing all means of holding the drop seat flap 28 in the raised position. Additionally, extra back shirt folds 20 - 21, 20&#39; - 21&#39;, and sits 22, 22&#39; provided in the design permit large and small physical motion without interference from the jumpsuit garment 10. 
     Although the garment described in detail supra has been found to be most satisfactory and preferred, many variations in its structure or use are, of course, possible. For example, the jumpsuit garment may be used as a skiing suit instead of a worksuit. Also, the pants do not have to be full length but could be limited to the length of the upper thighs. Moreover, the elastic sections may be in one or more pieces. 
     The buckeling clasps 15, 16 and the quick release hook fasteners 11 - 14, 11&#39; - 14&#39;, are standard and well known elements. Many other elements, such as for example standard belt buckels or hooks, and snaps, respectively, could be substituted in their place. 
     The above are, of course, merely exemplary of the many possible changes or variations. 
     Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.