Patent Publication Number: US-11638448-B2

Title: Garment for loop attachment through leg openings of bikini bottom to cover midriff

Description:
PRIORITY 
     The application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 15/087,229, which was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Mar. 31, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a garment, and more particularly, to a garment that is configured to attach to a bikini bottom to cover the midriff of a wearer thereof. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Swimsuits typically come in two types, a one-piece type or a two-piece type, which is commonly referred to as a bikini. One one-piece bathing suits cover the pelvic area and a majority of the torso, while the bikini separately covers the pelvic area and upper torso, leaving the midriff bare. 
     While both types of swimsuits are suitable for their intended use, women who would otherwise opt to wear a bikini will sometimes opt for the one-piece bathing suit. For example, women who have scarring near their lower abdomen, e.g., as a result of a surgical procedure or being pregnant, may opt for the one-piece bathing suit as opposed to the bikini to hide their scaring. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 9,364,035 to Shachaf discloses a clothing trim that can be removeably connected to a bottom edge of a clothing item via a fastening strip. Shachaf further discloses an extension trim that can be affixed to a bottom side of a clothing item, e.g., a skirt, shirt, or dress. However, Shachaf does not relate to swimwear. Moreover, the clothing and extension trims of Shachaf are merely attachable by a fastening strip, e.g., snaps, zippers, or buttons, and are not attachable through a leg opening of a bikini bottom. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,669 to Beard discloses a two-piece bathing suit with a hidden pocket in a panty section, with the pocket containing additional bathing suit materials to create an ensemble effect. However, like Shachaf, Beard is merely attachable by fastening strip, not through the leg opening of the bikini bottom. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawing figures wherein like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a garment that is configured to attach to a bikini bottom worn by a user, with the garment including a cylindrical band configured to be worn by the user, with the cylindrical band including a top portion, a bottom portion, and a pair of attachment devices that releasably attach the bottom portion to the top portion. The pair of attachment devices secure the cylindrical band to the bikini bottom by passing respective parts of the bottom portion through respective leg openings of the bikini bottom and releasably securing the respective parts of the bottom portion to opposite sides of the top portion. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of extending coverage of a bikini bottom over a midriff by extending respective parts of a bottom portion of a garment downward through respective leg openings of the bikini bottom; folding a top portion of the garment downward onto the extended respective parts of the bottom portion; encircling the respective leg openings by attaching the respective parts of the bottom portion of the garment to corresponding parts of the top portion of the garment via a pair of attachment that devices each have two parts, with each attachment device of the pair of attachment devices being positioned on a front of the garment, on opposite sides of a user&#39;s naval, in a wearing state. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow with references to the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a garment that is configured to be worn by a user to attach to a bikini bottom, with the garment shown unattached to the bikini bottom, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    illustrates the garment of  FIG.  1   , with a bottom portion of the garment being received through a leg opening of the bikini bottom; 
         FIG.  3    illustrates the garment of  FIG.  1    attached to the bikini bottom; and 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a garment according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
     As noted above, a garment that is configured to attach to a bikini bottom may prove useful in the bathing suit industry, other than the shapeware industry, with such a garment being described herein. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a garment  10  being worn by a user (e.g. a woman) before being removeably attached to a bikini bottom  20 , i.e., with the garment  10  being shown unattached to the bikini bottom  20 , particularly a low waist bikini. 
     The garment  10 , i.e., midriff cover, is formed as a band having a generally cylindrical configuration, i.e., a cylindrical band configuration, with a top portion  12 , a bottom portion  14 , and a pair of attachment devices that releasably attach the bottom portion  14  to respective parts of the top portion  12 , to secure the garment  10  to the bikini bottom  20  when each attachment device of the bottom portion  14  is received through respective leg openings of the bikini bottom  20  ( FIGS.  2  and  3   ) and attached to respective parts of the top portion  14 . 
     The pair of attachment devices includes apertures  16  that are located on respective sides of the top portion  12  of the garment  10 . A pair of buttons  18  are located at corresponding positions on the bottom portion  14  of the garment and configured to be received through the pair of apertures  16  when a user secures the garment  10  to the bikini bottom  20  by threading through the respective leg openings. 
     While the pair of buttons  18  and the pair of apertures  16  are shown provided on the bottom portion  14  and top portion  12 , respectively, the pair of buttons  18  can alternatively be provided on top portion  12  and the pair of apertures  16  can be provided on the bottom portion  14 . 
     The garment  10  can be made from any suitable material including, but not limited to, nylon, cotton, polyester, spandex, synthetic fiber having enhanced elasticity such as Lycra®, lace, elastane, blended synthetic fibers, polybutylene terephthalate, stretch fabric, other suitable material, or combination thereof. 
     In use, a user can slip the garment  10  around the user&#39;s midriff, as shown in  FIG.  1   . With the user wearing the bikini bottom  20 , the user pulls each side of the two sides of the bottom portion  14  of the garment  10  through a respective leg opening of the bikini bottom  20  ( FIG.  2   ). 
     To secure the garment  10  to the bikini bottom  20 , the user folds the top portion  12  of the garment  10  over a waist portion  22  of the bikini bottom  20 , towards the bottom portion  14  of the garment  10 , and secure the top portion  12  to the bottom portion  14  by affixing each button  18  to a respective aperture  16 . 
     Coverage of a bikini bottom is extended over a midriff by extending respective parts of a bottom portion of a garment downward through respective leg openings of the bikini bottom; folding a top portion of the garment downward onto the extended respective parts of the bottom portion; encircling the respective leg openings by attaching the respective parts of the bottom portion of the garment to corresponding parts of the top portion of the garment via a pair of attachment that devices each have two parts, with each attachment device of the pair of attachment devices being positioned on a front of the garment, on opposite sides of a user&#39;s naval, in a wearing state. 
     From the foregoing and with reference to the various figure drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain modifications can also be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the same. For example, other devices can be used for the attachment device  15 . More particularly, the buttons can be replaced with a string, to allow to fastening through being bikini bottoms that have a thicker waistband. 
     Moreover, the garment  10  can come in a variety of sizes and colors to accommodate a need of a user or a manufacturer. For example, a size of the garment  10  can correspond to a size of the user&#39;s midriff, to provide a vertical extension of the bikini bottom. 
     In certain instances, it may prove advantageous to provide the garment  10  with a top portion  12  that is configured to indirectly connect to the bottom portion  14 . For example, as noted above, the attachment mechanism may include string, useful for high-waist bikinis. In this particular instance, a string  19  can be used to tie or wrap around the waist portion  22  of the bikini bottom  20  to attach the garment  10  to the bikini bottom  20 . For example, to attach the garment  10  to the bikini bottom  20 , the user can secure the bottom portion  14 , which includes the string  19  to extend the operable length of the buttons  18 , of the garment  10  to the waistline  22  of the bikini bottom  20  (see  FIG.  4   , for example); the string  19  can be looped through the leg opening of the bikini bottom  20 . After looping through the leg opening, an aglet  21  of the string can be affixed to apertures  16  to secure the garment  10  to the bikini bottom  20 . 
     A charm, pendant, or the like can be used to enhance the ornamentality of the aglet  21 . 
     While the garment  10  has been described herein as being used by women, men are also contemplated users, as the garment  10  can be configured to attach to a men&#39;s bathing suit, to provide a waste sash, e.g., cummerbund. 
     While several embodiments of the disclosure have been shown in the drawings, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of particular embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.