Patent Publication Number: US-6662378-B2

Title: Combined waist-worn men&#39;s clothes article

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation-in-part application claiming priority in part to the International Application PCT/US00/10087 (Publication WO00/78166) filed Apr. 14, 2000 under 35 U.S.C. §§120 and 365(c). 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to light industry and particularly to men&#39;s clothes. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Known in the art is a combined waist-worn men&#39;s clothes article comprising an outside shorts-like portion and an inside swimming-trunks-like portion connected to each other (French Application No. 2564706, C1. A 41D 1/06, Nov. 29, 1985). This structure, though convenient in using, does not allow isolating men&#39;s genitalia from perineum and front thigh surfaces. Irritation and inflammation of those parts results from that, especially upon getting urine drops or other natural secretions thereon. All in all, this results in the feeling of discomfort for a person. 
     Also known in the art is a combined waist-worn men&#39;s clothes article comprising an outside and an inside portions connected with each other. The inside portion is made as swimming trunks comprising of a front panel, back panel, and additional panel. The front panel and back panel are connected to each other by side seams and have outside edges shaping holes for legs. The additional panel is connected with the front panel in the side seams and a middle seam located in the area of perineum. The additional panel and front panel form a cavity therebetween. The front panel has an oval opening for communicating the inside portion with the cavity (PCT Application No. 18021, C1. A41B 9/02, Oct. 29, 1992). In this item, the opening only lets the penis out, the end thereof being fixed by a special ring attached to the front panel. The scrotum, with no support therefor, is left cooperating with the perineum, which results in all of the above-mentioned disadvantages. 
     The latter invention is assumed to be the closest analog for the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide hygienic and convenient structure allowing for the feeling of comfort in any positions of the body and in any circumstances of the use of the structure: in sport, recreation, military activity, or emergency situations. 
     The object is met by means of providing a combined waist-worn men&#39;s clothes article that comprises an outside portion and an inside portion connected to each other, the inside portion being shaped as swimming trunks comprising a front panel and a back panel connected to each other by side seams and having outside edges for forming holes for legs, and an additional panel connected to the front panel by side seams and a middle seam in the area of perineum and forming a cavity therewith, the front panel being provided with a slot for communication between the inside portion and the cavity, the back panel and the front panel being connected to each other by a seam aligned with the middle seam located at the level of the bottom edge of the scrotum, a longitudinal axis of the slot being at a distance from the middle seam no less than a half-height of a testicle, the additional panel being connected to the front panel along the outside edges thereof, and the back panel and the additional panel being connected to the outside portion in the waist area through an intermediate element. 
     Beside that, the object is met due to providing means for detachable connecting the front panel, the back panel, and the intermediate element with each other, and also due to providing the additional panel consisting of an upper and a lower elements, the lower element being of a three-dimensional shape, the outside portion being either boxer trunks, or shorts, or drawers, or pants, or wide trousers, or leggings, or breeches, or spandex, or buckskin breeches, or riding breeches. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, men&#39;s briefs comprise a front panel and a back panel connected to each other to form a first cavity therebetween. The front panel is provided with a first gusset in a central part of the panel, and the first gusset is made with a fly front portion. There is a second gusset affixed to the first gusset to form a second cavity therebetween. The second gusset preferably made netlike is provided with an opening to establish communication between the first and the second cavities. The opening is preferably round and its diameter is selected to be large enough to pass genitalia of a user through. The opening may be provided with an elastic cuff. The fly front portion of the front panel may have a zipper closure. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The essence of the invention is illustrated in drawings, wherein 
     FIG. 1 is a general view of a combined waist-worn men&#39;s clothes article, 
     FIG. 2 shows a back panel, 
     FIG. 3 shows a front panel, 
     FIG. 4 shows an additional panel. 
     FIG. 5 shows a front panel in accordance with another aspect of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows the front panel in accordance with another aspect of the invention that is partially cut off to show a second gusset. 
     FIG. 7 shows a back panel in accordance with another aspect of the invention. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates men&#39;s briefs in accordance with the invention where the front panel is partially cut off to show an additional panel. 
     FIG. 9 shows the briefs of FIG. 8 with a short-legged outside portion. 
     FIG. 10 depicts the briefs of FIG. 8 with a long-legged outside portion. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-4, connected to each other in a combined waist-worn men&#39;s clothes article are an outside portion  1  and an inside portion  2 , the inside portion being made as swimming trunks. The swimming trunks comprise a front panel  3 , a back panel  4 , and an additional panel  5 . The back panel  4  is connected to the front panel  3  by side seams  6 . The back panel  4  has outside edges  7 , the front panel has outer edges  8 . The edges  7  and  8  serve to form holes for legs. The additional panel  5  is connected to the front panel  3  by the side seams  6 , a middle seam  9  located in the area of perineum, and by the outer edges  8 . 
     As a result of such a connection, a cavity is formed to accommodate genitalia. The front panel  3  has a slot  10  to allow communication between the inside portion  2  and the cavity and for the genitalia, the penis and scrotum, to pass through into the cavity. The back panel  4  and the front panel  3  are connected to each other by a seam aligned with the middle seam. 
     In such a way, a seam connecting the front, back, and additional panels is a single seam, and cuts entering the seam are assigned the same reference numeral  9  in the drawings. The seam  9  is located at a level of the bottom edge of the scrotum, whereas a longitudinal axis of the slot  10  is located at the distance “h” from the middle seam equal to no less than half of the maximum height of a testicle. Such a realization saves the perineum the trouble of seams and prevents same from abrasion, conveniently positions the scrotum providing a support therefor, the penis and scrotum being completely separated from the perineum and prevented from returning back to the inside portion at all movements of a user&#39;s body, whereby total comfort for the user is provided. The back and additional panels are connected to the outside portion  1  through an intermediate element  11 . 
     Various means such as buttons, press-buttons, Velcro strips can be provided to detachably connect those panels and the intermediate element  11 . The detachable connection allows for fast taking the inside portion out, and, when needed, washing or replacing it without touching upon the outside portion. 
     Through its height, the additional panel  5  comprises two elements  12  and  13 . The bottom element  13  is imparted a three-dimensional shape similar to, for example, a “cup” of a bra. Such a structural realization is used upon designing articles of haute couture for emphasizing the beauty of the body and sex appeal. 
     The outside portion  1  can be either boxer trunks, or shorts, or drawers, or pants, or wide trousers, or leggings, or breeches, or spandex, or buckskin breeches, or riding breeches. 
     Provided with a soft elastic band are an upper edge of the front panel  3 , the edges  7  and  8 , and the perimeter of the slot  10 . 
     To use the clothes article, it will suffice to lower the front panel  3 , without unzipping pants, shorts, or any other outside portion. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4-6 where another embodiment of the present invention is shown with the proportions that may differ from those in a real article, briefs  14  comprise a front panel  16  and a back panel  18  connected to each other and to a waist band  20  made of a stretchable material. The front panel  16  and the back panel  18  are spaced apart from each other to define a first cavity therebetween (not shown) for accommodating the body of a user. 
     The front panel  16  is provided with a first gusset  22  connected to the rest of the front panel  16  by seams  24 ,  26 . There is a fly front portion  28  made in the first gusset  22  that may have a zip closure shown by convention by a dotted line  29 . 
     The briefs  14 , according to the second embodiment of the present invention, comprise a second gusset  30 , which is preferably, but not exclusively, made of a netlike material. The second gusset  30  is connected to the first gusset  22 , for example by means of the side seams  24  and  26  and a bottom seam  27 . The size of the second gusset  30  allows it to be spaced apart from the first gusset  22  with the formation of a second cavity therebetween (not shown). 
     The second gusset  30  is made with an opening  32  that provides a communication between the cavities and allows user&#39;s genitalia to be passed through to the second cavity, the scrotum being supported by the second cavity bottom defined by the seam  27 . The opening  32  may be provided with a cuff  34  to create more comfort for the user. For better appearance, the back panel  18  may also have a gusset  36 . 
     While several embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed hereinabove, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications and additions to the preferred embodiments chosen to illustrate the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present contribution to the art. Accordingly, it is to be realized that the patent protection sought and to be afforded hereby shall be deemed to extend to the subject matter claimed and all equivalence thereof fairly within the scope of the invention.