Abstract:
A split groin undergarment configured to create a gap when a user squats, assumes a wide stance, or sits with legs wide apart. Two separable portions each comprise a portion of the garment, each side being open between the groin and the waistband. One side is disposed through the other such that the gussets of each overlap during normal wear. Garment extends down some length of wearer&#39;s thighs, creating a cross pull force to separate the gussets. Gap can extend from any point in front to any point in back, depending on width of stance assumed. Gap can be as wide or narrow as user wishes, depending on width of stance assumed. Once gap is no longer necessary, user resumes normal activity and gap closes without the use of fasteners, hooks, a hook and loop fabric, flaps, weights, etc. When closed, gussets overlap to form a completely enveloping undergarment.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application constitutes a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/515,607, entitled “SPLIT GROIN UNDERGARMENT”, filed Jan. 23, 2015. This application further constitutes a non-provisional application of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/107,478, entitled “SPLIT GROIN UNDERGARMENT”. The foregoing applications are currently co-pending and are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to the field of apparel, and more specifically to a split groin undergarment. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Lower-body clothing makes some activities particularly difficult when access to the groin becomes necessary. For instance, police women, having to remove the entirety of their pants and undergarments in order to relieve themselves, must first remove their duty belt, which is often loaded with equipment, and find a place to hold it while they use the restroom. Mountain climbers in a harness must either wait to relieve themselves, or completely remove their harness in order to remove their pants and undergarments. Outdoors people in general must draw their pants and undergarments below the waist in order to relieve themselves, potentially exposing themselves to the elements and other people in the area. 
         [0004]    An undergarment that easily opens at the groin and easily recloses would be advantageous to people in scenarios where they may not want or be able to draw their clothing below their waist. A number of garments have attempted to provide such a solution, but all of them fall short. Some simply remove an oval-shaped gusset from the undergarment, leaving the area open even when the wearer might want it closed and failing to provide a sufficient opening to meet the needs of the wearer. Other garments rely on buttons or other fasteners to reclose the access point, but such fasteners require additional effort on the part of the wearer and would be tremendously uncomfortable to the wearer, especially someone who might be taking part in an outdoor activity like riding a bike. Still others rely on digital manipulation, exposing hands to unsanitary conditions, which is particularly problematic in circumstances where hand washing may not be available, such as outdoor activities. The present invention hopes to remedy these problems, and more, by providing an undergarment that both completely opens and completely closes, simply by the wearer changing his or her physical stance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is a split groin undergarment that uses two partially-connected leg portions in order to create a gap in the groin area, from the waist band in the front of the garment, past the perineum, to the waist band in the back of the garment. When used in combination with a pair of standard pants, the undergarment still provides some measure of cover for a person who needs to draw their pants below their waist. When used in combination with split groin pants, or any skirt or other open lower-body garment, the wearer need not draw their pants or their underpants below the waist at all, leaving the wearer a means to discreetly facilitate the activity that would otherwise require baring themselves to the world. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments, such an undergarment may include a waistband; a first leg portion coupled with the waistband, the first leg portion further comprising a tubular section to extend at least part way down the thigh area of the wearer, and a gusset, wherein the first leg portion is open between the gusset and the waistband on the inside seam of the first leg portion; a second leg portion coupled with the waistband, the second leg portion further comprising a tubular section to extend at least part way down the thigh area of the wearer, and a gusset wherein the second leg portion is open between the gusset and the waistband on the inside seam of the first leg portion. In some embodiments, the first leg portion may be disposed through the open area of the second leg portion such that the leg portions separate to create an open area between the leg portions when a wearer crouches. In some embodiments, the leg portions overlap to form a closed garment when a wearer stands. In some embodiments, the leg portions overlap at the gussets to form a closed garment without the use of fasteners. 
         [0007]    In addition to the foregoing, various other methods, systems and/or program product embodiments are set forth and described in the teachings such as the text (e.g., claims, drawings and/or the detailed description) and/or drawings of the present disclosure. 
         [0008]    The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity, simplifications, generalizations and omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is NOT intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, embodiments, features and advantages of the device and/or processes and/or other subject matter described herein will become apparent in the teachings set forth herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Certain embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a SPLIT GROIN UNDERGARMENT in the closed configuration; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is front view thereof; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a rear view thereof; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a right side view thereof; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a left side view thereof; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6   a  is a top view thereof; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6   b  is a bottom view thereof; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of a SPLIT GROIN UNDERGARMENT in the open configuration; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is front view thereof; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a rear view thereof; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a top view thereof; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a bottom view thereof. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    This invention relates generally to the field of apparel, and more specifically to a split groin undergarment. Specific details of certain embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following description and in  FIGS. 1-11  to provide a thorough understanding of such embodiments. The present invention may have additional embodiments, may be practiced without one or more of the details described for any particular described embodiment, or may have any detail described for one particular embodiment practiced with any other detail described for another embodiment. 
         [0023]    Importantly, a grouping of inventive aspects in any particular “embodiment” within this detailed description, and/or a grouping of limitations in the claims presented herein, is not intended to be a limiting disclosure of those particular aspects and/or limitations to that particular embodiment and/or claim. The inventive entity presenting this disclosure fully intends that any disclosed aspect of any embodiment in the detailed description and/or any claim limitation ever presented relative to the instant disclosure and/or any continuing application claiming priority from the instant application (e.g. continuation, continuation-in-part, and/or divisional applications) may be practiced with any other disclosed aspect of any embodiment in the detailed description and/or any claim limitation. Claimed combinations which draw from different embodiments and/or originally-presented claims are fully within the possession of the inventive entity at the time the instant disclosure is being filed. Any future claim comprising any combination of limitations, each such limitation being herein disclosed and therefore having support in the original claims or in the specification as originally filed (or that of any continuing application claiming priority from the instant application), is possessed by the inventive entity at present irrespective of whether such combination is described in the instant specification because all such combinations are viewed by the inventive entity as currently operable without undue experimentation given the disclosure herein and therefore that any such future claim would not represent new matter. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of one embodiment of the present invention in a closed configuration. The split groin undergarment is comprised essentially of a waistband  100 , a first leg portion  200 , and a second leg portion  300 . In one embodiment, first leg portion  200  and second leg portion  300  may be completely separable, or almost completely separable. In this embodiment, each leg portion is coupled with waistband  100  at waist seam  101 . Waistband  100  is formed into a loop at back seam  103 . Leg portion  200  is coupled with leg portion  300  only at side seam  102 . 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, leg portion  200  may be further comprised of a tubular member  201 . In some embodiments, tubular member  201  may extend only a few inches below the groin. In some embodiments, tubular member  201  may extend to the knee area of the wearer. In some embodiments, tubular member  201  may be full length, extending to the ankle of the wearer or lower. Tubular member  201  can be many lengths without altering the function of the undergarment, so long as some portion extends onto the thigh area of the wearer. 
         [0026]    In some embodiments, leg portion  200  may be further comprised of an opening  203 . In some embodiments, opening  203  may extend from side seam  205 , over the abdomen portion of the undergarment, past the crotch and perineum, over the rear portion of the undergarment, back to side seam  102 . See  FIGS. 5 and 6   a  for a better illustration of this. 
         [0027]    In some embodiments, leg portion  300  may be further comprised of a tubular member  301 . In some embodiments, tubular member  301  may extend only a few inches below the crotch. In some embodiments, tubular member  301  may extend to the knee area of the wearer. In some embodiments, tubular member  301  may be full length, extending to the ankle of the wearer or lower. Tubular member  301  can be many lengths without altering the function of the undergarment, so long as some portion extends onto the thigh area of the wearer. 
         [0028]    In some embodiments, leg portion  300  may be further comprised of an opening  303 . In some embodiments, opening  303  may extend from side seam  102 , over the abdomen portion of the undergarment, past the crotch and perineum, over the rear portion of the undergarment, back to side seam  102 . See  FIGS. 2 and 3  for a better illustration of this. In some embodiments, leg portion  200  may be disposed through opening  303 , such that crotch gusset  302  overlaps gusset  202  (not depicted here but shown in  FIGS. 6   a  and  7 - 11 ). 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is a right side view of one embodiment of the split groin undergarment, showing leg portion  200 , tubular member  201 , side seam  102 , and opening  303 , through which leg portion  200  is disposed. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a left side view of the split groin undergarment, showing leg portion  300 , tubular member  301 , waistband  100 , and waist seam  101 . Also depicted is one embodiment in which leg portion  200  is stitched together at inside seam  205 , allowing the formation of opening  203 . Openings  203  and  303  as seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5  will be discussed further herein. 
         [0031]      FIG. 6   a  is a top view of one embodiment of the split groin undergarment. This view depicts particularly how leg portions  200  and  300  overlap at gussets  202  and  302  to form a closed garment when a wearer is in a regular standing or sitting position.  FIG. 6   b  is a bottom view of the invention, again showing that during regular use, the split groin undergarment completely encloses the body of the wearer, leaving no flesh uncovered that would otherwise be covered by standard undergarments. 
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of one embodiment of the split groin undergarment in the open configuration. Here it can be seen that when a user spreads his or her legs beyond a normal stride width, leg portions  200  and  300  begin to separate. Gusset  302  is pulled away from gusset  202 , creating a gap  104 . A particular feature of the present invention is that because the garment is split from the waistband, and because the garment extends onto the wearer&#39;s thighs, the width of gap  104  is variable. It can be as narrow or as wide and can extend from as far front to as far back as the user requires. This allows the user to determine how much exposure he or she requires and make appropriate adjustments. 
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a front view of one embodiment of the present invention in the open configuration. Here it can be seen that gap  104  is created when gusset  202  is pulled away from gusset  302  by the cross pull action of tubular members  201  and  301 . When the wearer assumes a wide stance, sitting position, or squat, his or her thighs pull tubular member  201  to the right and tubular member  301  to the left. When the tubular members are separated, corresponding gussets  202  and  302  follow, being permanently coupled with tubular members  201  and  301 , respectively.  FIG. 8  also shows that openings  203  and  303  extend from waistband to waistband, further allowing for a varying width of gap  104 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is a rear view of one embodiment of the present invention in the open configuration. In this embodiment, openings  203  and  303  allow for gap  104  to extend from the waistband in the front portion of the garment past the crotch and perineum to the waistband in the back of the garment. 
         [0035]      FIG. 10  is a top view of one embodiment of the split groin undergarment in the open configuration. In particular, gap  104  created by the separation of gussets  202  and  302  can be seen, showing how easily a wearer can access the groin region.  FIG. 11  is a bottom view of the same. 
         [0036]    While particular aspects of the present subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the appended claims. It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). 
         [0037]    While preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of these preferred and alternate embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.