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AssigneeSara Lee Corporation
InventorsVirginia Meckley, Kyle C. Pope
Estimating the term…
A circular knit blank for use in the manufacture of undergarments, and the garments so manufactured have a circular knit body, and a reinforcement area or areas. The body has a graded stitch density. The reinforcement area or areas have increased stitch density with resultant shorter stretch and higher modulus formed by shortening the stitch lengths during the knitting process. The garment also has a waist band and leg bands formed using a turned welt. The garment may also have a knitted-in stitch pattern design in the body and reinforcement areas formed using miss positive float combination stitching.
A circular knit lower torso garment comprising:
A circular knit blank for use in the manufacture of undergarments comprising a tubular knit fabric having a body and a reinforcement area, wherein said body has a graded stitch density, stretch and modulus properties, and wherein said reinforcement area has increased stitch density, lower stretch, with higher modulus.
A method of making a lower torso garment comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
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Wearing apparel: upper parts of panties; pants
Patterned fabrics or articles: with stitch pattern
Other fabrics or articles characterised primarily by the use of particular thread materials: elastic threads
Knitting
Term end not estimated
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a control garment and a method for providing additional control in selected portions of a garment. More particularly, the present invention relates to seamless garments provided with one or more reinforcement areas formed by varying stitch density and tightness.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a brief of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a rear view of the brief of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, having a reinforced area in the lower thigh region;
FIG. 3 is a frontal view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention, having a reinforced area in the abdominal region;
Referring to the drawings and, in particular FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a brief according to the present invention generally represented by reference numeral 10. Brief 10, as with all the embodiments of the present invention, is formed as a unitary, seamless knit, tubular garment blank or body 15. The body 15 preferably has a waistband 40, and preferably a pair of leg or hem bands 50. Brief 10 also has a reinforced area or areas 35, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, for providing better fit and increased support to the garment.
Reinforcement area or areas 35, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, are areas of brief 10 where increased control is desired. Reinforcement area 35 is an overlapping pattern formed using the knitting machine overlapping pattern capability option and shorter stitch lengths. Shorter stitch lengths reduce the amount of yarn available for a stitch, or a series of stitches in a course, thereby reducing the amount of yarn available for stretch in the resultant fabric. Longer stitch lengths increase the amount of yarn available for a stitch, or a series of stitches in a course, thereby increasing the amount of yarn available for stretch in the resultant fabric. The overlapping pattern capability option allows electronic control of the stitch cam stepping motors during the knitting of a select overlapping pattern area without modification of the original underlying base pattern of the actual item.
In the preferred embodiment, reinforced area 35 is placed at the back of the garment. Preferably, reinforced areas 35 are in the area of the leg portions at the bottom thigh covering portion of the garment, under the buttocks of the wearer, as shown in FIG. 2. However, reinforced area or areas 35 may be placed anywhere increased control is desired. Such areas may include the abdominal covering portion of the garment, as shown in FIG. 3, or the hip covering portions of the garment, as shown in FIG. 4.