Patent Abstract:
A garment or pants construction that allows the waist of the garment or pants to expand by concealed elastic or fixed settings which enlarge the waistband at the pocket opening. The pocket opening being elongated and using elastic material at the lower end of the pocket opening so that the rotation caused at the changing of the waist size does not cause observable puckering or distortion to the fabric.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a structure for expanding or contracting the waist and hip area of an article of clothing having a certain type of waist pocket that is located at the side seam of the garment, with the lowest end of the pocket opening being fastened with an elastic material to allow the waist band to expand while permitting the garment to look properly tailored. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Background of the Invention 
         [0004]    There are numerous attempts to create pants which have adjustable or expandable waist structures. The problem has been addressed in numerous patents in the United States. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,078,950, Nov. 1913 to Peine; 2,569,853 October 1951 to Grue; 2,599,983 June 1952 to Fanning; 3,098,238 July 1963 to Diamond; 4,596,055 June 1986 to Aach; 5,067,176 November 1991 to Carabillo; 5,544,366 August 1996 to Kato; 6,880,175 B2 April 2005 to Tajima. 
         [0005]    The typical waist expansion structure has had various problems which have made the structure unattractive to consumers. Problems encountered have included shortening of packet depth when expansion of the waist occurs, opening of the pocket excessively allowing contents to be dropped, and what is believed to be the most critical that of puckering of fabric at the pocket area. The puckering problem has made the expanding waist structure unattractive by bringing attention to the very area you did not want examined, and further gives the appearance that the garment is not fitting properly. 
         [0006]    In consideration of these drawbacks, and particularly the resolving of the puckering problem, it is an object of this invention to provide the ability to expand and contract the waist area of a pants garment without puckering of the material in the pocket area. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    According the present invention, there is provided a waist expanding and contracting structure comprising a waist structure having a front, back and side parts; the front part having a fastener for opening and closing the pants; the side portions having an arrangement whereby it can move two to two and one-half inches at the pocket seam, and is joined with a semi-rigid plastic restraint in the waistband that is affixed to one end of an elastic material which has its other end anchored within the waistband. The movement of the inner portion of the pants are pivoted at the bottom edge of the pocket opening, which is affixed on the inside by an elastic component which can expand in both axises to allow it to accept an angular flexing without any or minimal distortion. The pivoting occurring at the bottom of the pocket opening results in the need for only minor distortion, if any, to the elastic fastening which keeps the outer pocket fabric free from puckering. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates the side of the pants or garment showing the area where the expansion/contraction structure is located at the pocket seam. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates the wire grid and hook assembly which allows expansion/contraction at the waistband by discrete increments. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates the pants/garment waistband. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates the side pocket seam and the use of a multidirectional elastic joint. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]    The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. 
         [0013]    The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by incorporating a elastic fabric connection at the joining of the pocket to the pants seam and elongating the pocket length to permit the garment to look properly tailored without puffing of the pocket. 
         [0014]    In  FIG. 1  we see a view of the side pocket area of the pants or garment  101 . The waistband  111  which is constructed of fabric which is folded over to create a pocket into which a semi-rigid material is placed, attached to the body of a garment  113 , is allowed to contract or expand at the location of the side pocket seam and entrance, the right side  102  meeting the left side  103 . 
         [0015]    To keep the waistband stable and prevent pulling or puckering of fabric, a piece of semi-rigid material such as plastic  104  is placed within the waistband  111  and travels from the left to right side of the pocket seam where the expansion/contraction will occur. The semi-rigid plastic  104  is covered in fabric so as not to be observable. The protruding edge of the semi-rigid plastic  104  is preferably rounded  110 , to allow ease in movement of the semi-rigid plastic through the waistband interior. At contracted position the right side of the pocket opening  102  will be close to or in contract with the left side  103 . The semi-rigid plastic  104  within the waistband  112  will be fully contained within the waistband. The semi-rigid plastic  104  is attached to an elastic band  105  which has one end attached  109  to the semi-rigid plastic  104  and the other end affixed  108  to the body of the waistband  111 . Accordingly, as the waistband is expanded the semi-rigid plastic will allow the waistband to enlarge by moving out of the interior of the waistband stretching the elastic band  105 . The pocket seam will move from the location at  103  to the location  106  or  107  as the waistband is enlarged. 
         [0016]    The movement occurring at the location of the side pocket makes the increase in size to appear as part of the original appearance of the garment. In  FIG. 4  we see a detail of the pocket seam  402  being the right and outer side of the pocket and  403  being the left side which will slide beneath the right side  402 . It should ne noted that the pocket length is increased from the standard six inch length to a preferred length of seven inched. This differential in length, which should be between six and one half inches and seven and one half inches, although virtually unrealized by the user of the garment reduces the angular rotation needed for the rotational effect by almost twenty percent. In the expanded positions  406  and  407  the pocket area, due to the pocket elongation, has only to meet the reduced rotation of about fifteen degrees and will appear undisturbed to an observer who will be unable to distinguish the shift in position. The use of a multi-directional elastic  408 , at the joint of the lower edge of the pocket  409 , between the left seam  403  and right seam  402  allows the fabric to shift position rotationally while keeping the fabric flat and presentable. Further, the outer pocket edge  402  does not pucker and distort, keeps a flat appearance. In  FIG. 2  an alternate embodiment is shown by using a wire grid  202  in the waistband  201 , which is sewn in  203 , with a hook  205  affixed to the waistband  206  which hook is connects to the grid  202  at various locations. The prior embodiment used the elastic band  105  to allow expansion, but it creates a constant tension which some consumers do not find comfortable. The alternate embodiment using the hood and wire grid allows for adjustment without use of the elastic band.  FIG. 2  shows the wire grid  202  and hook  205  in a closed position  204  for the pants or garment. 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  shows the front of the waistband  301  with the front closure  302 . The pants or garment lining is preferably of a nylon to give moving parts greater ability to movably slide as there is less friction encountered. It should be noted that as another embodiment the elastic member  105  can be utilized in conjunction with the wire grid shown in  FIG. 2  by having the located at the connection  109  to the rigid material  104 . This would allow a setting of waist size that would be set while allowing variation to occur continuously from the elastic member  105 . 
         [0018]    What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within ‘the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0