Abstract:
An article of apparel comprising a first segment and a second segment of substantially similar shape, each having at least two side margins parallel to a central line and at least one margin at an angle to the central line. One segment has flap extensions along selected margins for folded securement to the other segment thus forming a garment with folded external seams. In a three segment embodiment, one panel is constructed from two similarly shaped half width segments that are overlapped to form an openable panel with resealable closure means. In another two panel embodiment, both half width panels are partially overlapped to form a central 2-ply area, portions of which are bonded together in a region that becomes the rear panel. After rear portions of the bonded segments are folded in half over and around a transverse fold line, front and rear panels are connected with side flaps. The overlapped area in the front panel remains unbonded to form an opening which is secured be resealable tapes or equivalent means.

Description:
This is a Division of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/192,142 filed Nov. 14, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,171. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     In general, textile garments and articles of apparel have similarly shaped front and rear panels that are superposed and seamed together along selected margins to enclose body parts. 
     These seams are sewn very close to the edges of the superposed panels to achieve good appearance and comfort when the garment is everted to place the seam inside. 
     Seams on textile fabrics are machine sewn with individual panels and/or accessory pieces being manually manipulated for sewing. 
     The substitution of adhesives for sewing to connect panels is generally not acceptable because wider seams would be required for strength and once the garment is everted, these wider bonded seams would be uncomfortable against the wearer&#39;s body, particularly along the shoulders and regions of the lower torso. 
     Another major disadvantage with bonded seams for apparel worn over the body was the lack of seam strength, it being noted that the adhesive in bonded seams would be subject to separation by tension forces rather than shear—not unlike pulling a piece of tape from a surface rather than trying to slide it off. 
     For apparel (accessories) worn outside the body and not subject to seam failure by stress, bonded adhesives could be used, as in the textile fabric necktie of Zimmerman U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,311. 
     Textile fabrics are made of natural or synthetic strands that are interwoven to form web lengths of woven fabric. 
     Using wet or dry forming methods, ‘non-woven’ fabrics are made of short length natural or synthetic fibers which are dispersed randomly in a continuous stream and bonded together with an agent to form a web of ‘non-woven’ fabric. 
     Various combinations of fiber material, length, thickness, and density of the dispersed fibers, type of bonding agent, and other factors can be selected to result in different non-woven fabric characteristics. 
     Because non-wovens do not invove making strands before being woven (formed), and because of much higher web formation production speeds for forming webs, non-wovens are significantly lower in cost. 
     In the 1960&#39;s, these new materials were adapted to disposable diapers as a pervious liner to allow passage of fluids to absorbent pads that were superposed on the impervious outer panel of the diaper. 
     During the late 1960&#39;s, different disposable products using non-wovens and plastics were described for hospital, medical, and special use products, including U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,341 of Hummel for bibs, U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,062 of Bradley for a disposable gown, U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,962 of Berger for panties, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,955 of Hrubecky for a disposable garment having a triangular folded rectangular torso section. 
     With low cost materials available, it waas important to develop methods for producing garments with adhesively bonded seams along margins that are parallel to, perperdicular to, and at angles to, the direction of product flow. 
     This invention describes products made with methods and apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,433 which describes methods to place a shaped first panel segment having discreet flap extensions on a carrier cylinder, placing a similarly shaped second segment without flaps on top of the first segment, applying adhesive along selected margins of the second segment and folding the flaps over and around the borders of the second panel portion to create shaped garments during advancement of the superposed segment assembly along the carrier cylinder path. 
     The above described method is used to make seams on the garments illustrated and described in the specifications of this invention, it being understood that the seams thus produced have special advantages and attributes listed as objectives in the “Summary of the Invention” below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This application describes apparel with sloped shoulders for better fit and comfort, and includes garments with ‘legs’, overlapped front panel openings, and reinforced edges of the overlapped panels. Shirts with triangularly folded collars are also described. 
     An important object of this invention is to provide form fitting garments having front and rear panel segments connected by seams folded along margins that extend in any direction. 
     An advantage of this invention is to provide seams made on the outside of the garment to avoid interference with body parts. 
     Another advantage is to provide bonded seams wherein maximum adhesive shear strength is utilized. 
     Another object is to provide seams that avoid overlap at the junction of two non-parallel fold lines. 
     Yet another object of this invention is to provide bonded seams that have a uniform number of plies along the folded margins. 
     Another object is to provide garments with a front panel comprised of two partially overlapped half panels where the space between the overlapped portions defines a front opening, and opposing edges of the overlapped portlions of the opening are enclosed by a V-folded strip for reinforcing the edge. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide garments having two front half panels, each having a width equal to half the product plus a preselected amount equal to the overlap. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide garments having front panels with a shaped cutout in at least one panel for a neck opening. 
     An important object of the invention is to provide folded seams that enclose outwardly facing segment cut edges. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more fully understood from the jfollowing detailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view illustreating a typical seam in a textile article of apparel (prior art), 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view illustrating folds along margins and adhesive bonding of top and bottom panels to form an internal seam. (prior art) 
     FIG. 3 is another embodiment similar to FIG. 2 illustrating an internal seam that includes an unfolded top panel (prior art). 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a seam according to the invention illustrating typical panel to panel adhesively bonded along margins of two panels to form external seams. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectrional view of a seam according to this invention illustrating a three panel garment with a front panel comprised of two half width overlapped panels having reinforced edges enclosed by flaps extending from a full width rear panel and external side seams. 
     FIGS. 6A-6E are plan views of panel components for boxer shorts illustrating the arrangement and sequence of assembly. 
     FIGS. 7A-7B are respective front and rear views of a vest seamed and assembled according to the invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a front view of a pair of pants illustrating seams and front opening features. 
     FIG. 9 is a front view of a gown illustrating another product of this invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a front view of a dress shirt illustrating the front opening panel combination connected to the rear panel along margins and including accessory parts and a collar. 
     FIGS. 11-12 are respective plan views of a shoulder piece and collar blank. 
     FIGS. 13-17 are perspective views of the collar blank illustrating folds and attachment to the shirt. 
     FIG. 18 is a front view of a T-shirt without a front opening. 
     FIG. 19 is a front view of a necktie illustrating unfolded longitudinasl side extensions and end flaps for malking folds at end of the necktie. 
     FIG. 20 is a rear view of the necktie in FIG. 19 illustrating seam foldover and overlap at the narrow end of the necktie. 
     FIG. 21 is a plan view of a segment before folding about a transverse fold line to create the undershirt illustrated. 
     FIG. 22 is a plan view of the segment in FIG. 21 after folding. 
     FIG. 23 is a plan view of the two overlapped half width segments with upper and lower portions equidistant from, and before folding around, a transverse fold line. 
     FIG. 24 is a plan view of the overlapped segments of FIG. 23 after folding and seaming to create a front panel opening. 
     FIG. 25 is a rear plan view of a bib having a reclosable rear panel, sloped shoulders, and a full front panel of extended length. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 is a typical panel to panel edge seam for textile garments having a top or rear panel  1  and a bottom or front panel  2 , shown after the seam is completed and the garment is everted to form an internal seam  3  with stitching  4  joining edge  5  to edge  6 . 
     Because textile fabrics have long fibers, these inside seams arew not uncomfortable to garment wearers. 
     To avoid turning the garment inside out after sewing, the prior art teaching of FIG. 2 includes seams made from bonding prefolded panel  7  to prefolded panel  8  with adhesive  9  to form an internal seam  10 , as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,311 for neckties. 
     In FIG. 3 (also from &#39;311), a non-folded rear panel  11  is attached to panel  12  with adhesive  14  along prefolded edge  13  to form an internal seam having exposed cut edges  15  facing outward. The seams of FIG. 2 and 3 are not compatable with production methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,433 because any excess adhesive would contaminate the bearing surface of the carrier drum used for folding/seaming of garment margins. 
     In FIG. 4, panel  16  is superposed on panel  17  before adhesive  18  is applied on marginal edges of (top) panel  16 . 
     Panel  17  is larger than panel  16  because of extended flaps  19  (shown dotted in phantom before folding). After adhesive  18  is applied to top panel  16 , extended flaps  19  are folded as at  19 ′ to form seams  20  along pre-selected margins of the garment. 
     The embodiment of FIG. 4 is used to fabricate and assemble garments not having any requirement for front openings, such as, T-shirts and neckties (see FIGS.  19  and  20 ). 
     FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but includes a top panel comprising half width panel  21  overlapping panel  22  to form opening  23  which can be closed using adhesive  24  to attach reinforcing strip  25  to reinforcing strip  26 . 
     Reinforcing strip  25  is coated with adhesive  24  which is pressed against release coated area  27  of strip  26  for a reclosable opening, but other well known closures can be sued, for example, interlocking male/female strips (like Ziplock) or, cooperating interlocking fiber I loop strips (like Velcro) similar to the strip segments of FIG. 5 in U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,625. 
     When joined by closures or adhesives, the combined front panel made from two half width panels  21 ,  22  is superposed on panel  28  before extensions  19  are folded overe (as at  19 ′) to bond half width panels  21 , 22  to full panel  28  with adhesive  18  (similar to the construction of FIG.  4 ). 
     In FIG. 6A, left hand panel segment  29  includes flap  30  which is subsequently folded (see  30 ′ of FIG. 6E) and central extended flap  31  which is reverse folded as at  31 ′ and adhered to the rear of panel  29 . 
     It is expressly noted that panel  29  and other panels referred to hereinafter as being half width (including mirror image panel  34 ) are slightly wider than half the garment width by an amount  32  extending beyond line  33 - 33 ′ (toward the right in FIG.  6 A), reference hereinafter to ‘half width’ being made for brevity. 
     FIG. 6B illustrates a mirror image ‘half width’ panel  34  having leg flap  35  which is reverse folded as at  35 ′ (see also  35 ′ in FIG. 6E) Panel  34  also includes an extended central flap  36  which is folded back and adhered to area  36 ′ of full width (rear) panel  37  (see FIG.  6 D). 
     FIG. 6C shows panel  34  superposed on top of panel  29  to provide an area of overlap equal to  32  plus  32 ′. 
     In FIG. 6D, full width panel  37  has co-extensive leg flaps  38 , 39  which are folded over and attached to the inside surface of panel  37 , as at  38 ′,  39 ′ respectively. In this manner, leg flaps on front panels  29  and  34  as well as rear panel  37  are folded, and after panels are joined, provide reinforced leg openings  40 ,  41  (see also FIG.  6 E). 
     Panel  37  includes a co-extended central flap  42  which is folded and attached to a frontal area of panel  34  (see  42 ′ of FIG.  6 E). 
     Referring back to FIG. 6D, panel  37  also iincludes co-extended side flaps  43 ,  44  which are folded and attached to areas  43 ′,  44 ′ of front panels  29  and  34  respectively. 
     FIG. 7A is a front view of an assembled vest  45  including rear panel  46  which is attached at the top margin  51 ′,  52 ′ to right front panel  47  and left front panel  48 . 
     The front panels are superposed to provide overlapped area  49 . 
     The panels may be secured using release tape  50 . 
     In FIG. 7A, top flaps  51 , 52  are extensions of rear panel  46  along top margins  51 ′,  52 ′. 
     Flap  51  extending from rear panel  46  folds over top margin edge  51 ′ for attachment to front half panel  48 . 
     Flap  52  extending from panel  46  folds over the top margin edge  52 ′ for attachment to front half panel  47 . 
     In FIG. 7B, top flaps  51 , 52  and side flaps  53 , 54  are parts of, and extend from, rear panel  46 . 
     Top and side flaps are folded around marginal edges and secured to front panels  47 ,  48  as in FIG. 7 A. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates an assembled pair of pants  55  comprised of full rear panel (not shown) and flaps on margins  56 - 59  which are subsequently folded over as at  56 ′- 58 ′ to enclose coacting portions of front panels  60 ,  61  as at  56 ′,  58 ′ toforma left leg and as at  57 ′  59 ′ to form a right leg. 
     Front panels  60 , 61  are overlapped in a central area  62  and are connected to the full width rear panel (not referenced) by bonded attachment of flap  63  located centrally and extending from the rear panel. Flap  63  is folded over and attached to front panel  61 . 
     FIG. 9 illustrates a gown  64  comprised of a rear panel  65  with extensions that are folded as at  66 ,  66 ′,  67 , and  67 ′ to attach the rear panel  65  to each of the front half width panels  68 , 69 . Panels are overlapped as at  70  and tapes  71  are provided for closures. 
     In FIG. 10, the assembled dress shirt  72  is comprised of a full rear panel  73 , left anf right half width panels  74  and  75  respectively, each having the overlapped central edges shown in FIG.  5 . 
     Co-extensive flaps of the rear panel are folded over as at  77 , 78 , 79  and  80  to form a compound shape along the shoulders and upper arm margins and side margins at  81 ,  82  for joining the front and rear parts of the shirt. 
     In addition, a shoulder reinforcing piese  83  (FIG. 11) is attached to the back of the rear panel (see FIG. 14) with extension flaps  84 ,  85  folded along shoulder margins over the already folded extension flaps  78 ,  79  (see  84 ′ and  85 ′ of FIG.  14 ). 
     In FIG. 12, the pre-cut collar blank comprising a first portion  89  is folded along F 1 -F 1 ′. Side flaps  91 ,  92  are folded along F 3 -F 3 ′ and F 4 -F 4 ′ respectively before a second panel comprising both folded portions  89  and  90  are folded along line F 2 -F 2 ′ as shown in FIG.  13 . 
     A pre-printed ‘button strip’  86  and pocket  87  are attached for decorative purposes. Velcro, release tabs, or a ‘zip strip’ can be attached to the inside opposing surfaces of the reinforcing strip  76  for opening/closing the shirt. 
     The folded collar of FIG. 13 is turned upside down and a central extended portion  88  is attached to the back side of rear panel  73  (see  88 ′ Of FIG. 14) before the collar is subsequently folded into the triangular configuration of FIG.  17 . The collar configuration allows attachment along adhesively coated margins of a V-shaped cutout in the superposed front panel combination. 
     FIG. 11 illustrates the shoulder piece  83  with flaps  84 ,  85  which are folded as described above. 
     FIG. 12 is a die cut segment that is folded in separate operations into the folded collar shown im FIG.  13 . In FIG. 12, an upper collar portion  89  is folded about line F 1 -F 1 ′ to be superposed and adhesively attached to portion  90 . Side tabs  91 ,  92  of the collar are then folded about lines F 3 -F 3 ′, F 4 —F 4 ′ on both sides and bonded to portion  90  at the tapered ends. Superposed and bonded panels  89 ,  90  are then folded about line F 2 -F 2 ′. 
     The now pre-folded collar with four soft edges  93 , 94 , 95 , 96  (FIG. 13) is subsequently attached to the rear panel of the shirt. 
     FIG. 14 illustrates the orientation of the pre-folded collar for attachment to the underside of the rear panel  73 . Once the collar is attached, outwardly extending tabs  97 , 98  are rotated about fold line F 5 -F 5 ′ as in FIG. 15 until they are completely C-folded as shown in FIG.  16 . 
     Subsequently, the overlapped tab end  98  is displaced along central line  99 - 99 ′ into the triangular shaped fold configuration of FIG.  17 . 
     In FIG. 18, an assembled T-shirt  100  comprised of a rear panel  101  having shoulder flaps  102 , 103  and side flaps  104 ,  105  is superposed with a similarly shaped front panel  106  having a neck cutout  107 . As described in FIG. 4, the extended flaps are folded and attached with adhesive applied to the receptor areas underlying the flaps as shown. 
     FIG. 19 shows necktie front panel  108  having extended side flaps  109 , 110  ands tip extensions  111 ,  112  before folding/seaming assembly over rear panel  113  (see FIG.  20 ). 
     In FIG. 19, material between adjacent flaps is removed as required to avoid interference between flaps after folding. 
     In FIG. 20, front panel flaps are shown after folding at positions  109 ′,  110 ′ along side margins  111 ′,  112 ′ at the tip. Similar tip extension folds can be made at the narrow end but are not detailed for clarity. 
     Side flap extensions will generally be from about ¾″ to 1″ wide. At the narrow end of the necktie therefore, a width of less than about 1¼″ requires that the second side margin is folded after the first side margin is folded and adhesive is applied to the receptor area of the first folded margin where overlap would occur. 
     In FIG. 21, segment  114  includes cutouts  115 ,  115 ′ along side margins oriented symmetrically about neck cutout  116 . 
     In FIG. 21, a cutout  116  is asymmetrical relative to fold line F 3 -F 3 ′. Upper portion  117  (shown in phantom lines for clarity) is subsequently folded along line F 3 -F 3 ′ to form the reasr panel  117  (see FIG. 22) of the completed undershirt. 
     In FIG. 21, front panel flaps  119 ,  120  extending from side margins of rear panel  17  are folded along side margin fold lines F 1 -F 1 ′ and F 2 -F 2 ′ and attached to front panel  118  as at  119 ′ and  120 ′ if FIG.  22 . 
     FIG. 23 shows a full length shaped half width segment panel  121  partially overlapping, and superposed on top of, a similarly shaped full length half width segment  122  to create a centrally located overlapped region  123  in the portion that becomes the front panel after transverse folding (see FIG. 24) Before segments  121 ,  122  are superposed, adhesive is applied to the central overlapped area  123  in the portions that become the rear panel after transverse folding, therefore, contacting surfaces of the overlapped segments are attached in areas  123  and become the functional equivalent of a full width rear panel  125  (see FIG. 24) 
     FIG. 23 shows side flaps  126  extending beyond F 2 -F 2 ′ on the left side of half width segment  121  and side flap  127  extending beyond F 3 -F 3 ′ on the right side of half width segment  122 . Subsequently, in FIG. 24, side flaps are folded, sealed, attached to, and enclose the front panel formed from narrower segments  121 ,  122 . 
     In FIG. 23, area  123  above fold line F-F′ is not printed with adhesive therefore contacting surfaces between  121 ,  122  are openable without restraint. 
     In FIG. 23 the overlapped area below F-F′ between panels  121  and  122  is printed with adhesive to bond the two half width panels into a unitary full width rear panel  125 . 
     In FIG. 24, the upper panel is folded around F-F′, and panel attachment means  127  extending from unitary rear panel  125  are folded around side margins F 2 -F 2 ′ and F 3 -F 3 ′ and attached to side margins of the front half panels, as at  126 , and  127  respectively. 
     In FIG. 24, a release tape  128  is used to keep the front opening closed for wear. 
     In FIG. 25, bib  129  includes a front panel  130  with a neck opening  131  (shown in phantom) but does not have side margin connections, thus making it easier to put on a child or disabled person. 
     The rear panel is comprised of two half width panels  132 ,  133  connected with release tape  134 , and panels  132 ,  133  are bonded to the front panel  130  by the foldover and securing of tabs  135 ,  135 ′. 
     While in the foregoing specification a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of illustration, many variations can be made in the details stated herein without departing from, or limiting, the spirit and scope of the invention. It is within the scope of the invention to define other articles of apparel according to the claims made hereinafter.