Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to underwear, such as panties and briefs, and
to a method of making the same.
Panties, briefs and like undergarments heretofore known have the
drawback that when they are worn, the portion of the undergarment covering the
buttocks extends merely in a planar fashion over the gluteal cleft between the
buttocks and hangs loosely at its lower part to form wrinkles, thus failing to
present attractive hip lines. Conventional undexgarments further have the
drawback of being uncomfortabLe to wear since the garment is unable to fit over
the buttocks and the gluteal cleft in intimate contact therewith for enclosing
and supporting these body portions.
The present in~ention, which has overcome the foregoing drawbacks,
pro~ides Panties, briefs and like undergarments which are comfortable to wear
and capable of presenting attractive hip lines, and a method of making such
underwear~
The underwear of this invention comprises a front part for covering
the lower abdomen, a rear part for covering the buttocks, and a connector part
interconnecting the front part and the rear part for covering the crotah. The
front part and the rear part ~oin each other at the.tr upper opposlte side
portions. The connector part ~oins at its one or front end to the lower end of
the front part, The other or rear end of the connector part and the lower end ofthe rear part define a space therebetween whenpIaced in butting relat~on to eachother before being stitched. The space is shaped symmetrically with respect to
the center line thereof and has a progressively increas~ng width toward the
center line. The rear part is stitched at its lower end to the rear end of the
connector part while being stretched most greatly on the center line of the rearpart, and to a progressively lesser extent from the center l~ne to the opposite
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sides thereof.
The ~mderwear therefore has an elongated depression extending on the
` center line of the rear part and conforming to the gluteal clef-t between the
buttocks when worn. On the opposite sides of the depression, the rear par-t has
rounded portions in conformity with the bulges of the buttoaks. Accordingly the
underwear of this invention, when worn, snugly fits to the curves of the buttocks
and the gluteal cleft, assuming graceful hip lines. Because the rear part coversand supports the buttocks in intimate contact therewith, the underwear feels
smooth and comfortable.
The underwear of this invention is made preferably from stretchable
knitted fabrics. The rear end of the connector part and the lower end of the
rear part can be shaped variously as will be described with reference to the
embodiments to be given later.
The present invention further provides a method of making underwear
; comprislng a front part for coverlng the lower abdomen, a rear part for covering
the buttocks and a connector part interconnecting the lower end of the front part
and the lower end of the rear part for co~ering the crotch~ The method is char-
acterized in that the rear part and the connector part are stitched together at
their adjoinlng portions while the rear part ls stretched toward the connector
part most greatly along the center line Oe the rear part and to a progressively
lesser extent from the center line toward the opposite sides thereoE, whereby anelongated depression i~ formed, when the underwear is worn, on the center line
of the rear part w~th a bulged portion also formed on each side thereof.
~ccord~ngly underwear comfortable to wear and presenting graceful
hip lines can be fabricated with extreme ease without necessitating any
special procedure or material for cutting the fabrlc or for sewing
With the method of this ln-ventlon, the front part, the rear part and
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the connector part may be cut out from a ~abric separately. Alternatively the
front part and the connector part, the front part and the rear part, or
the rear part and the connector part may be cut out as an integral piece.
The present invention is useful not only for panties and briefs but
also for corsets, girdles, etc. for covering the lower trunk of the human body.
The invention is similarly useful for the lower trunk portions of leotards,
bathing suits, sportswear, foundation garments such as all-in-ones, etc. for
- covering both the upper and lower trunks of the body.
With reference to the drawings, the preferred embodiments of the
invention will be described below.
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Figure 1 is a rear view showing panties worn on the human body;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;
Figure 3 is a view ln section taken along the line III-III in
Figure l;
Figure 4 is a plan view showing cut out front part, rear part and
connector part; and
Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing cut out rear part and
connector part according to another embodimen-t of -the inventlon.
Throughout the speciEication and the appended olaims~ the terms
"upper" or "upward" and "lower" or "downward" ar~ used with reference to
Figures 1 and 2.
Panties, briefs or like underwear 1 comprises a Eront part 2 for
covering the lower abdomen, a rear part 3 mainly for coverlng the buttocks, and
a connector part 4 interconnectlng the front part 2 and the rear part 3 for
covering the crotch. Most preferably these parts 2 to 4 are prepared from a
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stretchable knit-ted fabric. IIowever, other knitted fabrics, woven fabrics or
nonwoven fabrics are also usable.
The front part 2 has projbections 21 at its upper opposite side por-
tions. The front part 2 has a width progressively decreasing downward, and
opposite side edges 22 each curved in conformity with the groin between the
thigh and the abdomen or with a part slightly above the groin. The front part
2 has a lower end 23 conforming to one or front end 41 of the connector part
4. These ends 23 and 41 are stitched together.
The rear part 3 also has projections 31 extending outward from its
upper opposite side portions obliquely upward. The projections 31 are bent to~
ward the front part 2 and stitched at their ends 34 to the opposed ends 24 of
the projections 21, whereby a portion is formed for covering the waist. The
rear part 3 has edges 32 extending from its lower portion toward the side pro-
jections and conforming to the curves of the buttocks. The area and shape of
the portion of the rear part 3 surrounded by the edges 32 are determinad in
accordance with the bulging degree and contours of tha buttocks.
The other or rear end 42 of the connector part 4 is defined by two
edgas slanting outward toward its longitudinal center line. The central lower
end 33 of the rear part 3 to be stitched to the end 42 is de~inàd ~y two edyas
slanting upward toward its center line, These ends 33 and 42 differ in the angle
~ o~ inclination, such that the ends 33 and 42 def.~ne a space 5 therebetween when
placed in butting relation to each othar befora tha rear part 3 and tha connac-
tor part 4 are stitched together, as seen in Figura 4. The space 5 has a
progxessivel~ increasing width toward the center line thereof.
The rear part 3 and the connector part 4 are stitched together at
the opposed ends 33 and 42 while the lower end portion 33 is being stretched
: toward the connector part 4 most greatly along the center line of the rear part 3
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and to a progressively lesser exten-t from the center line toward the opposite
sides thereof. Since the rear part 3 is thus stretched most greatly on its
center line, the underwear 1 formed has an elongated depression 6 extending
vertica]ly on the center line of -the rear part 3 and conforming to the gluteal
cleft between the buttocks. On the opposite sides of the depression 6, the rear
part 3 has rounded portions in conformity with the bulges of the buttocks.
Consequently the rear part 3 of the underwear 1 covers and supports the buttocks
in intimate contact therewith, feels smooth and comfortable, and fits snugly
to the curves of the buttocks and gluteal cleft, giving a graceful appearance.
The lower end 33 of the rear part 3 and the end 42 of the connector
part 4 to be stitched thereto may be arcuated as shown in Pigure 5. In this
case, the space 5 formed between the ends 33 and 42 also has an increasing width
toward its center and resembles a crescent in shape~ Alternatively the
depression 6 can be formed in an integral seamless piece of fabric including the
rear part 3 and the connector part 4, by drawing the integral piece into a fold
at the portion thereof corresponding to the junction of the abovementioned ends
33 and 42 so that the rear part portion of the integral part will be stretched
most greatly on its center line, and fixing the folded portion suitably by
stitching. In this case, the front part 2 may also be integral with or separake
from the connector part 4 and/or the rear part 3.
When desired, a stretchable and decorative tape 7 may be stitched to
the upper edges 25, 35 of the front and rear pieces 2, 3 to ~e fitted around the ¦
waist, and also to the side edges 22, 32, 43 of the front and rear pieces 2, 3
and the connector piece 4 to be fitted around the legs. The tape 7 is made
partially or entirely from stretchable yarns, such as rubber~yarns or spandex
yarns, by knitting or wea~ing.
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