Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is based upon provisional application 60/503,957 filed on Sep. 18, 2003, the priority of which is claimed. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to clothing and particularly to pants for infants having replaceable knee pads disposed in knee pockets and secured therein with retainer panels, the knee pads designed and arranged to protect the knees of infants when crawling. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   During the pre-walking stage of human development, toddlers move about by crawling on their hands and knees. It is desirable to protect the knees and shins of the toddlers, who are on their knees for extended periods of time. It is important to pad the toddlers&#39; knees not only to increase their comfort but also to avoid damage, such as bruises and abrasions to the knees and shins. 
   Knee pads which are secured to pants are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,049,906 issued to Aldridge shows a hazardous duty garment with knee pads that are stitched to the outer surface of the shell material from which the garment is made, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,839 issued to Vo et al. shows work pants with pockets containing cushioning pads. The positions of the cushions are adjustable relative to the pockets. However, having knee pads or pockets visible on the other surface of the garment is considered by some consumers to be unsightly. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,524 issued to Wright et al. shows a disposable protective garment having internal pockets within which pads are located. However, this garment is limited to a coverall designed to cover a majority of a wearer&#39;s skin. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,224 issued to Walker et al. shows knee pads for infants which are incorporated in long socks or knee covers, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,164 issued to Howard shows protective chaps having pockets at the shin and knee areas to receive shin and knee pads. 
   It would be advantageous to have knee pads contained in the interior portions of infant pants for protection of the infants&#39; knees. 
   3. Identification of Objects of the Invention 
   A primary object of the invention is to provide novel infant pants having knee pockets and replaceable knee pads with a thickness that can be varied according to the weight and other physical characteristics of a particular infant, to thus provide knee protection as the infant crawls about on a floor surface. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide novel infant pants or overalls having internal, washable knee pads that are permanently sewn to the interior surface of infant pants or pants liners to comfort and protect an infant&#39;s or toddler&#39;s knee area during crawling activity. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide novel infant pants having knee pockets that are affixed to the inner surface of the infant pants or pants liner and have replaceable knee pads composed of material having desired cushioning capability and being sufficiently flexible to readily bend as the knees of a wearing infant or toddler bend. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The objects identified above, as well as other features and advantages of the invention are incorporated in an apparatus for novel infant pants, toddler pants or overalls that may be unlined or may have inner liners for all or part thereof. To the inner surface of the pants material, or the pants liner material as the case may be, a panel of pocket material, which may be made of the same material as a pants liner, is sewn from leg seam to leg seam and is oriented substantially horizontally. Stitching along the bottom of the panel of pocket material secures the bottom of the pocket panel to the pants or pants liner material and also forms a closure for the bottom of a pad pocket. 
   A top portion of the pocket panel material is folded over and is oriented so as to be located interiorly of the pad pocket and extends downwardly a substantial depth of the pad pocket. This fold of the pocket panel defines a pad retaining panel within the pad pocket. Generally vertically oriented parallel stitching is made to establish a knee pocket of a desired width. 
   A knee pad having a thickness of about ¼ inch and composed of a material or combination of materials to provide efficient cushioning with good wear resistance and protection against abrasion for an infant&#39;s knees is inserted into a pad pocket to the full extent possible, and the pad retaining panel is then located over the top of the knee pad to thus secure the knee pad within the pad pocket. For example, the knee pad may be composed of a material having, about 87 percent Tactel Nylon and about 13 percent Lycra Spandex. The knee pads are thus replaceable and are readily washed and dried without any loss of the cushioning and protective characteristics thereof. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is described in detail hereinafter on the basis of the embodiments represented in the accompanying figures, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of the infant pants according to the invention, the pants being shown inside out and illustrating the location of knee pockets that are designed for receiving knee pads; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 1  showing the inside of an infant pants garment with a generally horizontally oriented pad pocket panel and the stitching that defines a pad pocket having an upwardly facing pad insertion opening; 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 2  and showing a lined knee pad within a pad pocket and further showing retention of the knee pad within the pad pocket by an internal retainer panel; 
       FIG. 4  is a front plan view showing a lined knee pad that is constructed according to the invention for use in a knee pocket of the infant pants of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a front plan view of a contoured knee pad according to the invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a side profile view of  FIG. 5 ; and 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing lined infant pants according to the invention and showing the location of a knee pad at the knee region of the pant lining. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The term infant pants as used herein is intended to encompass any garment for infants and toddlers that cover the legs and knees of infants or toddlers, such as pants garments, bibbed overall garments and the like. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates infant pants  12  according to the invention, turned inside-out to expose the fabric inner surface  13 . The pants garment  12  is provided with leg members  18  and  20  which, in the case of many infant pants garments, may be open seamed, closed by snap retainers, buttons, zippers or the like  15  and thus capable of being easily and quickly opened, such as for the purpose of periodically changing diapers. Typically the inner leg seams  17  of infant pants are closed in this manner, while the outer leg seams  19  are closed by stitching from the region of the waist band to the bottom of the legs. The infant pants garment  12  is provided with the usual elastic waist-band  16  enabling the pants to fit a rapidly growing infant for a longer period of time and to accommodate the physical differences of infants. 
   The infant pants  12  are designed with knee pockets  22 ,  24  which receive knee pads  14  to provide the infant pants with padding to protect an infant&#39;s knees from becoming bruised, sore or having damaged skin due to contact with hard or rough surfaces such as floors, concrete surfaces or the like. Inner knee pockets  22  and  24  are attached, such as by stitching, to the inner surface  13  of the infant pants. The top ends of the knee pockets  22  and  24  are indicated by lines at  26  and  28  and the bottom ends of the knee pockets are indicated by lines at  30  and  32 . The knee pockets  24 ,  26  and the knee pads  14  extend generally from mid thigh to mid calf so that not only the knees but also the thighs and calf regions of an infant&#39;s leg anatomy are efficiently protected from damage. 
     FIG. 2  is an illustration showing the pocket  24  detail of  FIG. 1 , including part of the inner surface of pants leg  20  having an outer leg seam  19  and an inner leg seam  17 . The inner leg seam is generally hemmed for finishing and reinforcement and is typically provided with snap fasteners or other suitable fasteners  15 . A pocket panel  40  having hemmed edges  32 ,  42 ,  44  and  46  is oriented generally horizontally as shown to form pocket  24 . A retaining panel  48  is formed from the upper portion of the pocket panel  40  by folding the pocket panel towards the inner surface  13  of the pants  12  along line  28 . The fold  28 , which remains free from the inner surface  13 , forms the top edge of pocket  24 . The bottom edge  46  of the retaining panel  48  is located between the fold  28  and the bottom edge  32  of the pocket panel  40  and extends well into the pocket  24 . The side edges  42  and  44  of pocket panel  40  are stitched in place by the outer leg seam  19  and the inner leg seam  17 , respectively. The bottom of the pocket  24  is closed by horizontal stitching that secures the lower edge  32  of pocket panel  40  to the inner surface of the pants  13 . A pair of spaced, substantially parallel stitch lines  50 ,  52  establish the sides of pad pocket  24 . The top  28  of the pad pocket  24  is open to receive a knee pad  14 , with the retainer panel  48  being located within the pad pocket  24 . Although not illustrated, stitching along the top edge  28  of pocket  24  can be used to give the pocket a finished appearance. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1–3 , a knee pad  14  is inserted through the open top  28  of the pad pocket  24  and is moved downwardly until its lower edge is substantially supported by the bottom  32  of the pad pocket. The lower edge  46  of the retainer panel  48  is then manipulated over the top edge of the knee pad  14 , and the retainer panel  48  is arranged smoothly over the knee pad  14  to secure the knee pad  14  within the pad pocket  24 . The knee pad  14  may be inserted into or removed from the pad pocket  24  as desired for cleaning or for replacement. In the event a particular knee pad is deemed to be too thin for a particular infant or toddler, the pad may be replaced with a different knee pad having a slightly greater thickness. 
     FIG. 3  is a cross section taken along lines  3 — 3  of  FIG. 2 . The illustration clearly shows retainer panel  48  capturing knee pad  14  to prevent inadvertent loss of the pad. 
   A knee pad for insertion into a knee pocket of the infant pants is shown generally at  60  in  FIG. 4 . Knee pads  60  have a generally rectangular pad panel  61  which is formed from a piece of pad material such as a foam-sealant material which is very light weight and has a thickness of about ¼ inch. A pad  60  assembled from Nylon and Spandex panels  61  that may be sandwiched to a thickness of about ¼ inch is preferred. The individual knee pad panels  61  are then further formed if desired, such as by rounding the corners  62  and by covering the pads with a suitable lining material  64 , for example the pocket panel fabric. The knee pad lining  64  makes the knee pads  60  more durable, such as for washing and drying and renders the finished knee pad to a condition that enables the knee pads to be easily inserted into and removed from the knee pockets. The knee pad lining material is typically sewn along the edges. 
   An alternative knee pad  66 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , may have a slightly curved configuration with a concave pad surface  68  to substantially conform to the curvature of the infant&#39;s thighs, knees and calves and a convex pad surface  70  to face away from the legs of the infant. The knee pads  66  may also be provided with flexible or angulated sections as shown at  72 , thus providing for efficient bending of the pads at the knees of the infant. The knee pads  66  are preferably composed of material having desired cushioning capability and being sufficiently flexible to readily bend as the knees of a wearing infant or toddler bend. 
   According to another embodiment of the invention, knee pads of the nature set forth above may be permanently affixed to the inner surfaces of the leg material of the pants. In this case, the knee pads are not removable for cleaning, but are cleaned simply by washing and drying the infant pants garment. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7 , an alternate embodiment of the invention is shown, which is in the form of infant pants shown generally at  90  and having a body section  92  that is typically provided with a gathered elastic waist band  94 . The pants garment  90  is also provided with leg sections  96  and  98  that cover the legs of an infant or toddler. The pants garment  90  is shown with a section of outer fabric  93  cut away to expose a pants lining  91  that typically lines the entire garment. The lining may be removable or permanently attached to the outer garment. The leg sections  96  and  98  are each provided with knee pads  100  and  102  that typically extend from about mid-thigh to about mid-calf of an infant or toddler. The knee pads  100  and  102  may be replaceable knee pads contained in pockets or may be permanently attached to the inner lining  91 . Further, the knee pads  100 ,  102  may be located on the surface of the inner lining  91  facing the outer fabric  93  (for removable linings) or on the surface of the inner lining  91  which faces a wearer. Although many pocket constructions may be used to contain the knee pads  100 ,  102 , the pocket design described above and illustrated in  FIGS. 1–3  is preferably used. 
   While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in detail, it is apparent that modifications and adaptations of the preferred embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and adaptations are in the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims:

Technology Category: 1