Abstract:
An undergarment having releasable and reattachable side seams for use by immobile or bedridden patients. The edges of the side seams are reinforced by twill tape and are released and reattached by a series of spaced apart snaps secured along the twill tape.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to underwear to be worn by an immobile or bedridden patient, and more specifically to reusable underwear for traction patients.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Typically, traction patients are immobilized in unflattering positions and may be allowed to wear only a conventional hospital gown. Conventional underwear cannot generally be worn. These patients must remain immobile and in certain positions which makes putting underwear on and off virtually impossible. Diapers are also undesirable. They are undignified, especially for older children and teenagers and adults. Furthermore, except for cloth diapers, they are not reusable and are environmentally unfriendly. An alternative type of underwear for traction patients or other immobilized patients is desirable. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]      FIG. 1  is an environmental view showing a traction patient wearing underwear in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the underwear of  FIG. 1  showing the snappable side seams;  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the underwear of  FIG. 1  with the right side seam snapped closed and showing the left snappable side seam;  
         [0006]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation of another embodiment of the underwear in accordance with the present invention, showing the side seams unsnapped;  
         [0007]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the underwear of  FIG. 4 , with the side seams snapped closed.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0008]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the traction underwear  10  of the present invention are shown in place on a traction patient  12 . The traction underwear  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  are conventional boys or mens underwear commonly referred to as “boxer” shorts, and the traction underwear  10   a  illustrated in  FIGS. 4-5  are conventional girls or womens underwear. However, traction underwear  10  and  10   a  are improved for use by traction patients or other children and adults that are immobile or bedridden for any reason.  
         [0009]     The boxer shorts  10  of  FIGS. 1-3  have two sections, the front and rear bodies or waist panels  20  and  22 , joined together to define a waist opening  24  and a pair of leg openings  26 . At the waist opening  24  elastic waist band  28  is provided which is secured in an elastically contracted condition.  
         [0010]     The front and rear waist panels  20  and  22  are each divided into first and second waist regions  32  and  34  along a longitudinal center seam line  36  extending in the longitudinal direction to bisect a transverse dimension of the underwear  10 . The first and second waist regions  32  and  34  are secured together along the seam line  36  by stitching.  
         [0011]     The underwear  10   a  of  FIGS. 4-5  are very similar to those of  FIGS. 1-3 . Therefore, only the differences will be discussed in detail. The front and rear waist panels  20  and  22  are unitary and do not include first and second waist regions  32  and  34 . Accordingly, the underwear  10   a  also does not have a center seam line  36 .  
         [0012]     In addition to the front and rear waist panels  20  and  22 , underwear  10   a  includes a crotch panel  30  secured to the front and rear waist panels  20  and  22  between the leg openings  26  along transverse seam lines  38  and  40 . The front and rear waist panels  20  and  22  and the crotch panel  30  are secured together along the seam lines  38  and  40  by stitching.  
         [0013]     Underwear  10  and  10   a  both include side seam lines  50  which extend in the longitudinal direction along the side edges  52  and  54  of the front and rear waist panels  20  and  22 . The side seam lines  50  are reinforced with twill tape  58  that is secured by stitching along the inner surface at the side edge  52  of the front waist panel  20  and along the outer surface at the side edge  54  of the rear waist panel  22 . The seam lines  50  may also be reinforced by stitching a second layer of the underwear fabric along the seam lines  50 . Specifically, the fabric along the edges of the waist panels  20  and  22  can be folded over and stitched to the corresponding waist panel  20  or  22  to reinforce the seam lines  50 . At side seam lines  50 , the front and rear waist panels  20  and  22  are joined together by spaced apart snaps  60  extending the length of the twill tape  58 , to present snappable side seams.  
         [0014]     The snaps  60  are conventional. They each have a disc shaped snap member  62  which snaps into its corresponding disc shaped snap fastener  64 . A series of snap members  62  are secured along the reinforced outer-surface of the side edges of the front waist panel  20  with the corresponding snap fasteners  64  aligned opposite therefrom along the inner surface of the rear waist panel&#39;s side edge  54 . The twill tape  58  and snaps  60  are thereby hidden from view when the snap members  62  and snap fasteners  64  are secured together.  
         [0015]     Instead of snaps, seam lines  50  could alternatively be secured by Velcro® (hook and loop fasteners), zippers, cloth adhesive tape or other suitable reusable adhesive. Also, other types of seam line reinforcement may be used, such as hem facing, seam binding, hem tape or biasing tape.  
         [0016]     Seam lines  50  thereby present seams that can be separated or ripped apart for quick and easy removal of the underwear  10  and  10   a  from the traction patient  12 . The underwear  10  and  10   a , however, is durable, washable and reusable. Seam lines  50  can easily be resecured for reuse by the patient  12 . Furthermore, the underwear  10  and  10   a  are comfortable and help immobilized patients maintain their dignity when forced to lay still in unflattering positions. The underwear  10  and  10   a  are also very durable and can withstand heavy laundering.  
         [0017]     It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.