Patent Publication Number: US-2004049834-A1

Title: Sleeve for clothing coverage and support

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to a garment that is worn about the waist of the wearer to (1) enable the wearing of clothing that is otherwise too small to be zipped, buttoned, snapped or otherwise fastened, such as during pregnancy or with respect to an overweight wearer or a wearer whose body proportions have changed, and (2) provide support for the abdomen of the pregnant or overweight wearer or other wearer whose body proportions have changed.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] Women undergo significant physical changes during pregnancy. As a woman&#39;s pregnancy progresses and her physical size increases, her regular wardrobe no longer fits properly. Typically, the woman&#39;s initial reaction to this dilemma is to try to figure out a way to prolong the use of her regular wardrobe and, thus, avoid having to purchase and wear unattractive maternity clothing.  
       [0003] In the early stages of pregnancy, as the woman&#39;s belly begins to expand, her regular pants, skirts and shorts (collectively, “Bottoms”) become too tight in the waist to wear comfortably. In an effort to prolong the ability to wear the Bottoms, the woman begins to wear her Bottoms without fastening the top button, snap, hook or other fastener (“Fastener”), often using a rubber band or other device as a means of securing the Bottoms on the woman&#39;s body. Before long, as her pregnancy progresses and her belly further expands, the woman will be unable even to fasten the zipper on her Bottoms. The woman will then wear her Bottoms unzipped and secured with the rubber band or other temporary means with long tops that cover the unzipped zipper and unfastened Fastener so as not to expose her undergarments or uncovered body to the public.  
       [0004] At this stage of pregnancy, in order to accommodate and conform to her expanded figure, the woman will need new and larger clothing to wear throughout the rest of her pregnancy and for an extended period of time after giving birth until she regains her pre-pregnancy figure. Adding to the burden of acquiring new clothing is the fact that the woman will want her new clothing to be both comfortable and attractive. The woman may attempt to deal with these problems in a number of ways. One option is for the woman to purchase regular clothing in larger sizes to accommodate her expanded figure. However, the problem encountered by the woman that purchases oversized regular clothing is that, while the new clothing might accommodate the woman&#39;s expanding waistline, the remainder of the woman&#39;s body has not expanded proportionately. The result is clothing that may fit around the waistline, but is still too large for the rest of the woman&#39;s body, resulting in a poor, uncomfortable fit and unattractive appearance.  
       [0005] Another option for the pregnant woman is to purchase a new wardrobe consisting of various types of maternity clothing. However, because maternity clothing is expensive, the purchase of a new maternity wardrobe is not a viable option for many pregnant women. In addition to the cost issue, existing maternity clothing offerings are limited, consisting of oversized pants with unsightly elastic waistbands and oversized tops and dresses that are intended to be worn out and over such pants. These maternity clothing options are unacceptable for most women that do not have unlimited resources to spend on clothing but want to maintain an attractive appearance and their own personal style throughout pregnancy. These maternity clothing options are also unacceptable for working women that must maintain a professional appearance in the work environment.  
       [0006] Pregnant women are not the only people that experience difficulty in wearing their regular clothing. Throughout the course of a lifetime, a person&#39;s body shape often changes due to any of a number of factors including diet, aging, illness, lack of exercise, and the like. The person may become overweight, or the proportions of the person&#39;s body may simply change over time. Unfortunately, the person&#39;s wardrobe does not conform to such bodily changes, and eventually the wardrobe no longer properly fits the person. Thus, the person is forced to cease wearing otherwise wearable clothing and purchase replacement clothing that properly fits the person&#39;s body.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] One object of the present invention is to provide a garment that enables the wearing of clothing that is otherwise too small to be zipped, buttoned snapped or otherwise fastened, such as during pregnancy or with respect to an overweight wearer or other wearer whose body proportions have changed.  
       [0008] Another object is to provide such a garment that provides support for the abdomen of the pregnant or overweight wearer or other wearer whose body proportions have changed.  
       [0009] Another object is to provide such a garment that provides coverage of the body when used with the wearer&#39;s existing unfastened clothing.  
       [0010] Another object is to provide such a garment that is comfortable and easy to wear during use over long periods of time without burdening the person wearing the apparatus or any particular portions of the body.  
       [0011] Another object is to provide such a garment that is adaptable to the enlargement and change in configuration of the abdomen of the pregnant woman during the entire period of gestation, instead of requiring the purchase of a larger garment each time the pregnant woman&#39;s size increases.  
       [0012] Another object is to provide such a garment that enables the pregnant or overweight wearer or other wearer whose body proportions have changed to continue wearing her existing wardrobe and avoid having to purchase expensive and unattractive maternity clothing or other oversized clothing.  
       [0013] Another object is to provide such a garment that can be worn without pilling, snagging or otherwise damaging the fabric of the wearer&#39;s clothing.  
       [0014] Another object is to provide such a garment that is inexpensive to manufacture and sell while having a long operational life.  
       [0015] Another object is to provide such a garment that can be manufactured as part of original garments, allowing pregnant women and others with rounded abdomens to purchase form-fitting clothing.  
       [0016] Further objects and advantages are to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purpose described which is dependable, economical, durable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.  
       [0017] These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the detailed description annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. The foregoing and other objects and advantages are achieved in the present invention. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0018]FIG. 1 illustrates a view of the sleeve  10  of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0019]FIG. 2 illustrates the sleeve  10  having an inside surface  16  and outside surface  18 .  
     [0020]FIG. 3 illustrates the first end  12  and second end  14  of the sleeve  10  featuring an area of elastic material that folds over attaching to the inside surface  16 .  
     [0021]FIG. 4 illustrates the first end  12  folded over to create the waist fold  22 , and the second end  14  folded over to create the hip fold  24 .  
     [0022]FIG. 5 illustrates unfastened clothing  30 .  
     [0023]FIG. 6 illustrates how the sleeve  10  of the invention can be worn over such unfastened clothing  30 , thus keeping such unfastened clothing  30  on the body of the wearer and hiding both the unfastened clothing  30  and the wearer&#39;s exposed body.  
     [0024]FIG. 7 illustrates a movable sleeve  40  visible through a cut-way of the clothing  32 .  
     [0025]FIG. 8 illustrates how, initially, the sleeve  40  could be built into clothing  32  without impacting normal use.  
     [0026]FIG. 9 illustrates the outside surface  36  of the clothing  32 , where the movable sleeve  40  is folded over and around the clothing  32  to provide extra covering of the clothing  32  or support of the person&#39;s body.  
     [0027]FIG. 10 illustrates the movable sleeve  40 , folded around the clothing  32 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0028] The present invention is a wearable device about an individual&#39;s waistline and over unfastened clothing, so that the device offers coverage over unfastened clothing and offers support to the clothing and to the individual&#39;s waistline. The preferred embodiment is shown in FIGS.  1 - 6 .  
     [0029]FIG. 1 illustrates a view of the sleeve  10 . As shown in FIG. 1, the sleeve  10  has a first end  12 , second end  14 , and as shown in FIG. 2, which is a cut-away along line  2 - 2  in FIG. 1, the sleeve  10  has an inside surface  16  and outside surface  18 . Sleeve  10  is of a hollow, tubular, very roughly rectangular shape that is open at its first end  12  to define a waist opening, and is also open at its second end  14  to define a hip opening. The sleeve  10  is composed of elastic material and has an elasticity and a width that adheres to a wearer&#39;s natural body shape without constraint.  
     [0030] As shown in FIG. 3, which is a cut-away along line  3 - 3  in FIG. 1, the first end  12  and second end  14  of the sleeve  10  feature an area of elastic material that folds over attaching to the inside surface  16 . As depicted in FIG. 4, a cut-away along line  4 - 4  in FIG. 3, the first end  12  folds over to create the waist fold  22 , and the second end  14  folds over to create the hip fold  24 . The waist fold  22  and hip fold  24  create a two-ply elastic fold that provides additional strength to hold clothing in place on the wearer&#39;s body and direct additional support toward the midsection of the wearer.  
     [0031] The fabric of the sleeve  10  can be completely manufactured by machine (such as a Santoni knitting machine) without any manual stitching or sewing of multiple fabric pieces, resulting in the seamless tubular shape and overall attractive appearance of the preferred embodiment of the invention. However, any other suitable material that provides sufficient comfort, expandability, resiliency, uniform support and shape retention when stretched or expanded can be employed as the fabric of the invention, and such material may be manufactured via means other than by seamless knitting machine, resulting in an embodiment of the invention that is not seamless. The fabric composition must have the desired elastic characteristics so that the invention is effective for holding in place upon the body of the wearer clothing that is otherwise unable to be fastened or closed, and for shaping and firming the waistline and mid-section of the wearer. Furthermore, the waist fold  22  and hip fold  24  can be attached to the inside sleeve of the sleeve  10  by either stitching or by being integrally woven along with the remainder of the sleeve  10 .  
     [0032] The foregoing characteristics permit the invention to be expanded about and cover the specific area of clothing that is otherwise unable to be fastened or closed and the corresponding specific body portion intended by the wearer, such as the belly area, providing uniform, gentle support and shape thereto. The invention can be constructed in any suitable size and configuration, however, the preferred embodiment has, in an unstretched condition and laying flat, a length of nine inches (9″) to fifteen inches (15″) and, in an unstretched condition and laying flat, a width of four inches (4″) to ten inches (10″). Owing to the superior cost, ease of manufacture, wearing comfort, expandability, resiliency, support and attractiveness of the fabric composition of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the preferred embodiment is constructed in a “one size” manner. However, the invention can be manufactured in various shapes and sizes to accommodate different materials, different body portions and different size requirements and conditions of the persons intending to wear the invention. Alternatively, the sizing method can simply involve the use of predetermined small, medium, large, extra large sizes and/or other sizes, based upon predetermined criteria, and the shape of the invention can be varied from the tubular, very roughly rectangular shape of the preferred embodiment of the invention.  
     [0033] The sleeve  10  is made of fabric, preferably a soft, woven, elastic, and resilient fabric. The specific fabric that is employed can be selected based on a variety of factors, including, without limitation, cost, ease of manufacture, wearing comfort, expandability, resiliency, support and attractiveness. The sleeve  10  preferably is a fabric comprised of 95% material commonly known as “microfiber nylon” and 5% material commonly known as “spandex”, and is a seamless material that is woven into a seamless embodiment of the invention, with the ability to expand to fit the wearer&#39;s body as it changes during the course of pregnancy or the overweight wearer or other wearer whose body proportions have changed.  
     [0034]FIG. 6 illustrates how the sleeve  10  is to be worn. Initially, as shown in FIG. 5, a person as he or she gains weight or her body expands, such as during pregnancy, the clothing may be too tight for her to wear unless she leaves the clothing unfastened, perhaps with the zipper lowered or unbuttoned. FIG. 5 depicts such unfastened clothing  30 .  
     [0035] To rectify this situation, as shown in FIG. 6, the wearer easily applies the sleeve  10  to her body by either stepping into the sleeve  10 , by sliding the sleeve  10  up to the desired location on her body, or by sliding the sleeve  10  on from overhead down to the desired location on her body. As shown in FIG. 6, the sleeve  10  is worn around the circumference of her body from the hip area through the waist and midsection areas, over the wearer&#39;s unfastened clothing  30 , or other relevant article of clothing that is unable to be fastened or closed or wherever it is necessary to secure the wearer&#39;s clothing on to the body. The invention can also be worn wherever the wearer desires additional support or coverage.  
     [0036]FIG. 6 shows how the sleeve  10  of the invention can be worn over such unfastened clothing  30 , thus keeping such unfastened clothing  30  on the body of the wearer and hiding both the unfastened clothing  30  and the wearer&#39;s exposed body. The waist fold  22  and hip fold  24  coupled with the elastic mid-portion of the sleeve  10  exert a gentle compression force against the unfastened clothing  30 . The same gentle compression force provides support for the belly of a pregnant wearer and is effective in shaping the midsection of the wearer, providing a more attractive appearance.  
     [0037] Another embodiment is a movable sleeve  40  attached to a piece of clothing  32 . FIG. 7 illustrates a movable sleeve  40  visible through a cut-a-way of the clothing  32 .  
     [0038] The movable sleeve  40  could be incorporated in and made part of clothing  32 , including, without limitation, skirts, pants, shorts, and dresses, as they are manufactured.  
     [0039] In addition, the movable sleeve  40  could be attached to such clothing  32  after manufacture, either by the manufacturer or wearer. Additionally, the movable sleeve  40  may be manufactured like the sleeve  10 , as described above.  
     [0040]FIG. 8 shows how, initially, the sleeve  40  could be built into clothing  32  without impacting normal use. The sleeve  40  would be folded over inside the clothing  32  when not deployed by the wearer, as shown in FIG. 8. Later, as the wearer finds necessary for fastening undersize clothing or providing additional coverage or support, the wearer would instantly deploy the movable sleeve  40  by simply folding it out and over the outside surface  36  of the clothing  32  to achieve its function, as shown in FIG. 9. This implementation would offer the wearer the additional convenience of not having to carry and wear a separate garment. In addition, building the invention into regular clothes would provide for matched coloring between the invention and the clothing, providing for a more attractive appearance.  
     [0041]FIG. 8 shows an inside out view of clothing  32 , exposing the inside surface  34  of the clothing  32 , where the movable sleeve  40  is attached to inside surface  34 . The movable sleeve  40 , as shown in FIG. 8, has an affixed end  42  and a movable end  44 . The affixed end  42  of the sleeve  40  can be attached to the inside surface  34  of the clothing  32  by stitching, by hook and loop fasteners, or by being woven integrally with the article of clothing itself.  
     [0042]FIG. 9 illustrates the outside surface  36  of the clothing  32 , where the movable sleeve  40  is folded over and around the clothing  32  to provide extra covering of the clothing  32  or support of the person&#39;s body. FIG. 10, a cut-away along line  10 - 10  in FIG. 9, illustrates the movable sleeve  40 , folded around the clothing  32 . Further, the affixed end  42  is shown to be attached to the inside surface  34  of the clothing  32 , and the movable end  44  of the sleeve  40  is folded around the clothing  32  and overlays the outside surface  36  of the clothing  32 .  
     [0043] Hence, while the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment and an alternate embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended that the invention be limited to that embodiment and method. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed.  
     [0044] As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, same should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further discussion relevant to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention shall be provided.  
     [0045] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum proportions for the elements of the invention, and variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.  
     [0046] Therefore, the foregoing is considered illustrative of only the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact method, construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.